Five seasons

The holidays don't ever get easier at least from my experience thus far.  Although I feel her loss at every point of every day the months September through April are the worst.  So much is packed into those months whether it be holidays, events and traditions that we participate in etc.  Something as simple as back to school shopping emphasizes grief.

Another grieving mother said it best when she said there are five seasons....winter, spring, summer, fall and grief.

Don't you just hate it...

Don't you just hate blogs that you follow and the author doesn't update on a regular basis?!  I mean GEESH!

That appears to be me....

Sorry.

We had a HUGE party this weekend for the littlest boy.  It was great.  I myself have little to no pictures to show for it but I had a photographer there and as soon as he gets the photos to me you will be completely bored and overwhelmed by it all.For now I will leave you with random photos and videos.

The first is sweetness.  The second is First Nation drumming and dancing for the littlest boy's party

Well with 25 minutes left in the business day it is likely safe to to say no one is calling me today with a new baby.  Not even a hint of new baby.

Can we sue the author of the Secret for selling bunk?

Gratitude

I am grateful for the beautiful family that surrounds me.  

I am grateful for each and every one of their blessed little and not so little heads.

I am grateful that we are able to live a life where the everyday needs of food, clothing and shelter are met without struggle.

I am grateful that all our healthcare needs are met and at no cost to us and for the most part by a system that values my family even though they might not understand them or are confused by them.

I am grateful for an education system, most specifically those in the trenches that although I may at times have had conflict, respects my children and wants what is best for them almost as much as I.

I am grateful to live in a province that sees people with cognitive disabilities as worthy of developing peer relationships and capable of growth and development that they offer the resources to do so.

I am grateful that though my children not be seen as 'healthy' that in fact overall they enjoy good health.

I am grateful for the 'village' surrounding us that will and has rallied when called upon.

I am grateful for the extras that we at times can afford.

I am grateful for each meal I cook, each diaper I change, each shower and bath I give and each sleepless night I have as it means my children are here for me to care for and love on.

I am grateful for the book the Secret that says if I believe that it will happen that I can manifest it to happen and that if I am grateful for it as if it has all ready happened it will indeed be manifested (something to that effect anyways...I only skimmed the book!)

In the spirit of the Secret then.....

I am grateful that today I got called for a new baby!

I am grateful today I got called for a new baby!

I am grateful today I got called for a new baby!

Come'on everybody chant it with me!  I am grateful that today Tricia got called for a new baby!  I am grateful that today Tricia got called for a new baby!  You can do it!

Maybe check back later today and we'll see how we did....

Wondering how teachers stay sober.  Or do they?

FYI

Just an FYI...when someone is ever so hopeful that an adoption agency is going to call them for a baby and you call from private name private number and/or blocked number and you call both house and cell it really raises the OMG MAYBE IT'S A BABY CALL psychosis to a new level. Agencies call using a blocked number.... For the love of all things holy LEAVE A MESSAGE!! I will defend you in this however, slightly in that if it were to be a baby call the agency would leave a message. But still....

I believe I have figured out the calls so let the CRAP it wasn't a baby call depression commence.  No worries, it is a common state of mind when waiting. 

You can't say we are boring

Well all I can say is it has been an interesting and not in a good way week.  I have been in plans for some weeks now to throw the littlest boy a giant, screw you Pinterest, hallelujah you made it to six, we're so glad you're alive party.  It involved a banquet room all done up in a forest theme, turkey buffet,  First Nation dancers and drummers, candy bar etc etc.  Ninety people confirmed they were attending. The cake was special ordered and to be delivered to the event location.  The photographer was booked and at the ready.  Everyone had new party clothes even if it was down to the wire exchanging and returning the purchases that were not of the correct size and finding just the right socks for the littlest boy.  You might not know that it is hard to find black socks for baby sized feet.

Then there was the tuxedo.  Ohhhh the tuxedo!  It took me a while to decide what to dress the boy in for the big day and then I decided white tux.  Then I discovered white jacket, black bow tie, black pants etc.  This is where the trouble came.  There are a few stores in the city that carry boy's formal wear however there is only one supplier in essence making only one way to get what I had hoped for.  Unfortunately they had neither of what I wanted but in the end I settled on the black tuxedo in which he looks very dapper.

So there we were all ready to paaaarty....

Then it happened.

Two o'clock in the morning I hear loud banging on the wall.  I stumble to the source and find my biggest boy, the reason we are who we are, on the floor holding his leg.  I pretty much knew what happened.  He had had a seizure and fallen on his leg.  There was obvious deformity.  I knew what to do but how to do it was another story.  I needed someone to come to the house and watch the other kids and have an ambulance come and get us.  Lucky enough for me our friend and sitter responds to texts in the middle of the night!  She said she would be on her way.

Calling for an ambulance believe it or not is mostly foreign to me.  The only other time I have called for one was when the man did the same thing but broke his foot.  I knew what to ask for this time though.  I said we didn't need lights and siren but basically needed transport.  I also suggested they send an engine with as with the man unable to weight bear and his room at an awkward angle to put a stretcher in there would be lifting as well and too much for two paramedics to do.

Our friend arrived, I called the ambulance and they soon arrived.  Two lovely young relatively buff men.  They were so good.  Once the degree of cognitive disability was described and done so as simply and relatable as possible ie functions as a two year old then we were golden.  The paramedics agreed they needed more man power to lift and get on the stretcher and soon the cavalry was on scene.  Everything went smoothly and I think because Jordan knew they were the ones that were going to help him (and came with the good drugs!) he was calm as a cucumber.

The end result of our little adventure was that Jordan suffered a spiral fracture to his tibia and fibula and required surgery.  It was done Saturday evening and minus a little bit of conflict over his oxygen saturations, his terror and refusal to wear nasal prongs and a battle ax nurse I darn near took out surgery and recovery room were almost uneventful.  Jordan's pain management was great and I had prepped the medical team even before surgery that this was going to be an in and out deal.  Normally with this type of procedure (insertion of tibial nail and screws along with plate and screws in the fibula) the criteria for discharge is pain under control and ambulation.  Since Jordan would not be able to learn to use crutches let alone use a walker all he would need to learn is how to transfer from bed to chair.  First day after surgery Jordan was responding well to oral pain meds so as soon as the resident got in I told him what his orders would be and that would be immediate discharge.  He bought into my plan and off we went. I am fortunate in that my bus is wheelchair accessible as is our house.  Had this not been the case the situation would have played out horribly differently.

I had always dreaded having to deal with a hospital stay with one of my adult kids.  Having now experienced it things I thought would be a concern were but also for the short time we were there there was more good than bad.  It is surprising to me in both pediatrics and adult health care that the providers have so little experience with people with disabilities, cognitive or otherwise.  It requires a lot of advocating and educating by the family and it would be horrible for those whose family cannot stay with them.  Safety would most definitely be an issue

Recovery is to be six to eight weeks of zero weight bearing.  Lord Almighty!  Have I mentioned the man is B.I.G.?  We have been home a full week now and are still fine tuning how the next two months are going to go.  Toileting is the biggest issue.  I can't overemphasize that!

This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving.  You can believe that I am more than grateful for so many things but most especially this year is that things could have turned out so much worse for Jordan and even though his injury is severe he is recovering and at home.

Colour me THANKFUL

Emerg. MMMM morphine

ouch!

well that's good news!

Room with a view

HOME!!

A man can never have too many birds

Either I get the square at the bottom of the bed or the couch!

I got your back Man!

Showered and shaved.  We both need a medal!

LOVE

Blood clot preventer.  Shooting hoops

More LOVE

Sharing

One week post op, very early in healing.  Can you guess which leg is broken?

(pardon my crappy iphone photography)

Goodbye morning conversation

Good bye convo with the six year old. Me "Bye Sweetest, have a great day. I love you. No quiet room today (nice way of saying rubber room...ok not really...but her timeout space). Right? No quiet room?" Her "right...pray for me!"

Room with a view

Would you believe these are views from a hospital room?

It's coming

I'm trying.  Really I am.  I am trying to string more than two words together after the events of the weekend however my brain is a little bit scattered.  More than usual.  I know...hard to to believe.

The words are coming and soon they will form sentences and then there will be something to read and hear about us other than the last post of lice being at the school...

Welcome back!

It wouldn't be a new school year if the requisite lice notice didn't come home.  So far only one school has sent this home.

This is the head of hair at risk of potential exposure.  Yikes almighty!