January 8, 2018 ----- A day of some pain!!!

I am going to attempt to tell you all about my last couple of weeks.  But first----- it has been snowing out all morning and we have ??? maybe 5 inches and it's still coming down.  Lots of good precip because it's a wet snow.  Not too windy but if the temps drop and the wind comes up - who knows what will happen.   We are warm and comfy!  Neighbors have brought us goodies and meals ....we are blessed!

This could get lengthy so I hope you have a little time.......

January 8, Monday...at noon     WHAM!!  I didn't even see it in my pathway.  I hit the ice and then the cement.  The pain was probably the worst I've ever experienced......child birth is more desirable!!!   Gary was beside me in an instant as I cried out "oh honey, ....oh honey, .....oh honey!!!!"    "Can you move --- can we move you??"  "NO! don't move my leg----please hold it up a little ....OH just a little".    And so goes the thoughts -----can I be moved -- could Dan come and help Gary get me up.   "No, I don't think you can move me".    So Gary was on his hands and knees holding my leg up with a little help from ?? something.....for the duration.  Blankets were brought out....but I was oh! so cold.

Then the call to 911.  Gary had called Dan Tinant but he was in Valentine --- so he called his wife Sherri and she came with her carpet layer .....perhaps he could help.    "SHERRI don't fall"!   "Wow that is terrible".    I think I told everyone that came ---"Don't Fall"!    The ambulance was forever in coming, so Sherri called again and it was questionable if one had even been sent out.  "What the?!?!?!"   Then the answer came -- yes, they were on the way.  "Where do we come?"    We didn't know the address because we weren't home.....so it was just directions.    "At Patton's corner turn west and go 2 miles".   The ambulance went EAST 2 miles.   Stopped at Sara's - no one home.   So back west and stopped at Pattons......."we are looking for Barb Peters".   Pattons gave our address and they came to our home.....but only met up with Toby.   Somehow they found us at Schelhaas's -- an hour after I had hit.   I was so cold -- just shivering.

They apologized about the rough roads ...... when we crossed the Lakeview / Crookston road I knew it.   The road grader always leaves a ridge on both sides of the road....whump   whump.  "sorry".

Arriving in Valentine, there were those first moments of admitting.  And then a little morphine.  Thank You!     X-rays showed them that I would need a new artificial hip.  "NO, I don't want an artificial hip!!"    Twice they came and told Gary and I that news.   About that time Gary came over to me and said, "That's not what we've been praying for!"   "Right".   Then the Doc. came in and said "perhaps a CT Scan would show a better picture -- if pinning is possible".   And he said that would be the most desirable fix.    So once more off that spot and slid onto another bed that could go into that "donut".  😬 The answer came back --- yes it could be pinned.👍   That would mean a trip to North Platte --- two hours south. 

Gary went back home to get a few clothes and items for a short -- ?? how long a stay he didn't really know.   And then he would follow the ambulance down to North Platte. 

I think we arrived at Great Plains Hospital in North Platte around 7 or 8:00.....a 2 hour trip. Surgery would be tomorrow--Tuesday the 9th (4:00 p.m.)  Gary was given a list of hotels that offered discounts for those in town with medical needs.  Needless to say - Gary wasn't figuring on a whole weeks worth of staying.  Those two pair of underwear were turned inside out and outside in 😝(not really) and then he went and bought more.   He won't be needing undies for a long time!!!  He said I would need to help him wear them all out. (remember that point!!)

Surgery time came and with it a discussion with the anesthesiologist.  He wanted to give me a spinal - and Gary thought that was a very good idea.    My thoughts were not the same.   I just felt that I could not roll onto my side (either side) and hold still long enough for them to enter my spine!!!   So I said no -- just the general anesthetic. 

Surgery lasted about an hour and I came out with the following pins......

This one shows the large pin going from my upper hip bone (and down to just above my knee).   The smaller pin was inserted to hold another break in place.    There were two breaks...but both remained in place.

These are the two screws that hold the pin in place down above the knee.  I have three incisions.  Top one where the leg bends  -- for the large pin to enter.....one about a 1/3 of the way down ---- for the pin to come up.   And then one down by my knee for the screws.    They had ??(don't remember for sure) about 22 total staples.   Which by the way --- a couple of those were quite the trip coming out.....until the trainee found her right angle to remove them.😂PHEW - good job.

My stay in North Platte was until Sunday, January 14.   The plan had been for me to leave on Friday.  However,  the medications -- pain killers, muscle relaxants, stool thinner --- all worked against me.  First to hit was the diarrhea!   My physical therapy that day was getting up and going to the bathroom about 7 times!!!  The stool softeners were removed from my list of meds!!!!   

The following day, I passed out.....just for an instant ---I remember sitting down.  But I was very light headed and my blood pressure dropped to 69 over 36 -- something like that...when standing.   Laying down it was much better.    So, of course, they would NOT allow me to leave until things got straightened out.   They then removed the muscle relaxants and potent pain killer.  I was only on 500 mg. of Tylenol after that but it did a pretty good job.   When I had a more potent one (they would offer and I said "yes" a couple of times).......then the light-headedness would return.

I have to say here that the nurses and "male techs" were great in North Platte --- every one of them.  Dr. Jacobsen who did the surgery was good and Doc. Carlson was such a special man --- cared about my whole body - not just the hip.  Meals were like ordering off a restaurant menu --- most anything you could want.

I would leave North Platte and go to Cherry County Hospital in Valentine for physical therapy.  How long???  Wasn't sure - it would depend on how things went.    Valentine personnel were great also.  There is not a complaint that could possibly be made!!!

It was time for me to change from those nasty "diapers".......which in truth were handy when making the 2 hour drive from North Platte to Valentine ---- could I hold it long enough?!?!?😟 (I did!😁 )   Anyway,  I was in the bathroom and I asked the nurse if she could look in my bag for my undies.  She opened the door a crack and handed me the "FRUIT OF THE LOOM"!!!!!   I said "!!!NO!!".   "Did he do that on purpose?!?!"    We had such a good laugh.   She said her little sister thought men's underwear was more comfortable so maybe I did too.   She did find mine in another pocket 😅.

My stay went well and I was able to leave on Friday.  Sometimes I was encouraged by my progress and the next time disappointed that I just couldn't do it.   We are home and Gary is a great care giver and I am trying to be a loving patient wife.  Our hugs have never felt better!!

I know it will be a long process -- but when I think of others and what they have to go through ....cancer....colitis.... you name it......... ---- mine is minimum!!!   God is so good.  I feel His loving presence daily and at times like these a person looks to Him more and more.  I (we) can't do it without Him.