Color Run and Diabetes Run

A couple of Saturday's ago, Todd and Adrian's family and Marc and Brittney's family participated in some fun runs.  Great way to get the kids involved in the world and the community.

Adrian's family participated in a color run - not sure what it was for, but it sure looked like lots of fun.  At the end, everyone was colored!  It was a 5K and everybody in the family made it to the end.

Marc's family ran the Race for Diabetes.  Brittney's brother's son has diabetes and so they ran to raise money for research.  Everyone made it to the end of this race, also.

Good going family!!!

Mason turns 5

WOW - where does the time go.  It was only yesterday that Mason was born and now he is 5.  He wanted an Angry Birds birthday party so Marc and Brittney went to work and made the cutest backyard Angry Birds game.

Marc designed a large sling shot and Brittney painted and put eyes on milk cartons for the pigs.

Everyone had a fun time shooting balls and stuffed animals at the pigs which rested on cardboard boxes.  Now that's creativity at its finest.  It is so fun to see you children become parents and to see their creativity and love.  Kisses Mason and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

A Pain in the Back

For years I have suffered with pains down both legs and numbing feet.  It finally got to the point I said enough is enough and I became a partner with Dr. David Stevens.  He first recommended physical therapy - I think this only compounded everything.  I would feel better for a couple of hours and then the pain was back.

Theron and I took the trip to Montana and each morning I would literally cry with pain until I could get enough ibuprofen and heat and cold on my back to give me a little relief.  Poor Theron was suffering along with me and it just wasn't fair.  We had planned a trip to Nova Scotia in September, but I finally said lets use the money and have back surgery.  Our deductible is $10,000 - no small amount and then another $5,000 for the 80-20 split.

The MRI showed that one nerve was completely closed and damage to other nerves was apparent.  The L4 vertebrae was slipped forward to a grade 2 spondyliothesis rating (that's the back problem I had).  Surgery was scheduled for August 15.  I could not wait!

The surgery consisted of putting three sets of screws, bolts, etc. into my vertebrae.  I will always have the hardware because that is what is holding the vertebrae into their proper place.

This is now my 3rd full week of recovery and there is NO pain down my legs.  I enjoy walking and am getting along great.  I can't bend forward not move side to side, but Theron has been my pick up person.  He has been a fantastic care giver!!!!  I just can't tell him enough how grateful I am that he is my husband.

There is now 4 more weeks of recovery then maybe I can start picking up the grandkids again and cleaning the house to a higher standard.  For right now, I am just glad to be able to walk and feel pain free.

Montana Trip in the Fifth Wheel - July 17-26

July 17, 2013
Steve and Jackie Duerden have been wanting us to take a trip with them now that we have our new fifth wheel trailer.  I have mentioned several months ago that I would like to go to Glacier National Park and Cour'd aliene, Idaho.  Steve is so good at listening and he had a week and a half off to take this trip. (July 17 - 27)

We loaded up the truck and drove the first day to Dillion, Montana.  After getting all set up, we decided to go another 40 minutes to Bannack Ghost Town, a State Park.  The four of us were the only tourists in the park and we were strolling down the wood boardwalks and taking our time looking in the old buildings.  It started to rain a little as we arrived at the church building.  Our thought was to wait out a little rain storm.  Well as it turned out, it not only rained, but then it hailed and hailed with some hail the size of a quarter.

The rain started to let up a little and Theron opened the Church door and was met by a flash flood coming down main street - it was carrying with it boulders, dirt, the boardwalk sidewalk sections that were about 20 feet long and whatever else was in its path.

We stood on the steps of the church for about two hours and watched as the flood did its damage.  We even saw the majority of one of the buildings go down one wall at a time.

When the State Park people finally could drive a pickup truck up the road to retrieve us, we were glad to be "going home".  The fellow told us that in Bannack had stood all kinds of disasters but this one was the worst and they would probably have to close the park for some time.  We got back to our truck and found several small dents in the hood from the hail.  As we drove back to Dillon, we noted that all the roads were dry and that no other area had received this type of storm -- isolated  -- yes!

Day 2 - When you start out your vacation with a flash flood, it can only get really good, or get ho-hum.  The rest of the trip was just ho-hum.  It had some good moments and we saw some very wonderful scenery.  The second day we traveled to Virginia City, Montana where we walked around a bit and took in a vaudeville show.
Day 3 - We traveled from Dillon to Hungry Horse, Montana, which is about nine miles from the west gate of Glacier Park.  We set the trailer up and noticed that both TVs would not work, they wouldn't turn on.  The electrical plugs are good.  So, no TV.  Theron began diagnosing the problem.  The campground was great.

From Hungry Horse, we traveled the next day to see an old mansion in Kalispell, Montana.  Jackie took in a quilt store which was great fun, for Theron.  He enjoyed going to look.  For me, I did a lot of sitting in the truck.  My back and legs were killing me.  I have scheduled back surgery for August 15; I'm just tired of living like this.  It took me several hours in the morning to get going.  Lots of ibuprofen and anything else I could find.

The next day was Sunday and I so wanted to go to Church.  However, my hip is hurting so bad and I was crying and trying to get some relieve.  We didn't make it to Church.  That afternoon, we drove to Logan Pass in Glacier Park.  Theron, Jackie and Steve did a little hike.  I sat on a picnic table bench and read a book.

On Monday, we again drove to Logan Pass and they took a hike to the glacier.  Tuesday found us on the road to Cour 'd aliene, Idaho, where we took a lake boat trip and had dinner on the lake.  We had lunch at the golf course that has a green on the water - you boat out to it after you hit your shot.

The entire time we were there, Theron worked with an RV place to get the TVs replaced.  What had happened is that a piece in the antenna box had come lose and sent 15 volts into the TV rather than to the antenna.  It took three days and we finally got the TVs.

I couldn't take it any more and we headed home.  If I knew I had to live like this the rest of my life, I would never travel again.  The pain was getting more intense every day.  Home was sweet and I can see a light at the end of the tunnel within two weeks to get this back surgery.  We'll see how the recovery and success are.