Back to Normal?

We're back from our "world travelling." That means a return to normal...or at least a return to the life that we left behind. For me, that means back to the issues with my fractured feet.

I went to the doctor today that diagnosed the left foot injury (fractured 2nd metatarsal as a result of tripping over the pet gate at Kristin's house and stepping on a toy). He had put me back in a fracture boot once I shattered my right ankle because my left foot would be bearing all the weight for a while. Good decision. When I went in today they took another xray of my foot and it showed that both the 2nd AND 3rd metatarsals were healing from fractures. Dr. Brancheau took me out of the fracture boot on my left foot (halleluah!!!!) and put me in "a Figure 8 wrap." I have to wear this wrap for one month (basically until July 1)and then, hopefully, I am done with the left foot injuries. The right one is another story.


I also started physical rehabilitation therapy today on my shattered and surgically repaired ankle. I really like the physical therapist that I have been assigned. He doesn't "med speak" and he is very personable. He took measurements of my foot and figured out the range of motion in my ankle which, honestly, is pretty limited at this point. He said that my surgery was one of the "prettier ones" he's seen in terms of scarring and healing. Why does that induce a sense of pride in me? I had nothing to do with it except providing the mangled ankle! Anyway, he gave me a series of exercises to do (printed copies with detailed instructions) and then he did the most wonderful thing EVER! He hooked me up to a "compression ice machine." This machine pumps air into a sleeve which intermittently tightens on the foot and all the while ice water is flowing through the sleeve. It felt like heaven. Description doesn't do it justice. It was wonderful.

Being the over-achiever (code word: Obsessive Compulsive Fool) that I am, I intend to have increased my range of motion by the time I go back for therapy next Wednesday. I'm not going to be stupid and hurt myself, but I will complete my exercises religiously 3 times a day and I will ice my foot twice a day. These are the things that will increase my ability to heal. According to Paul, the therapist, bones heal in 6 to 8 weeks, but soft tissue (tendons, muscle, nerves, etc.) can take up to a year to heal. The swelling slows down the healing so exercising, compressing and icing my foot all will work together to get me walking sooner and better. I'll let you know how that turns out.

I have to get better soon...we're taking Trenton to Disney World in 18 days!

Vegas, Baby!!

Vegas. It speaks for itself. Leaving Lake Mead we headed toward Vegas for two days and nights there. Along the way we stopped and gambled at Silverton and Sunset Station before arriving at our Vegas hotel, Circus Circus. In Vegas we obviously gambled, but we also went to Freemont Street to enjoy the outdoor party atmosphere there. It was wild. Mardi Gras full time, all the time. It was amazing. We walked the strip and saw the light show at the Bellagio, we went up to the observation tower at the Stratosphere, shopped and did some homemade repairs to the travel trailer. It seems that when we parked and pulled away to disconnect, the legs that support the trailer bent. There is no way to drive with the legs extended so, sadly, we had to buy a saw and amputate the legs. Otherwise, we had a great time and, believe it or not, both Carlene and I were ready to leave. I'm sure the gambling bug will strike again soon, though.::wink, wink::

Vegas photos are fairly self-explanatory but explanation is provided where needed:

Fishtank at the BassPro/Silverton Casino:


Freemont Street:



Vegas Strip:




View of Vegas from atop the Stratosphere:


Bellagio fountains:


Heading for home...sitting on petrified wood

God's Handpainted Sunsets...

This morning when we awoke, we fully expected that we might be snowed in. The snow yesterday was awesome! Big, fat soft flakes that coated the ground and everything else. We accumulated somewhere between 6 and 8 inches of snow. The snow earlier that did not accumulate was probably another couple of inches. We had to...well, THEY had to sweep the snow off the slideouts before we could bring them in. The trees were raining snow and water as the snow melted when the trees were kissed by the morning sunshine. It was refreshing and beautiful all at the same time.

Once the trailer was packed up and ready, we got in the truck and began the trek to Lake Mead. Once there we got hot and changed into shorts.We had dressed for 34 degree weather in Williams and moved into 85 degree weather at Lake Mead. Our plan was to stay one night at Lake Mead and then move on to Las Vegas. Almost didn't happen. We fell in love with Lake Mead. Not only did we have a beautiful lake view, we sat out that night watching the sunset and were witness to THE MOST BEAUTIFUL colors God designed. The sunset was so beautiful that the photos look photoshopped...but they weren't.




In between arriving at Lake Mead and sitting out for sunset, we trekked to see Hoover Dam. Wow! Impressive. We saw some really beautiful architecture worked right into the rocks of the day. While Hoover Dam was nowhere near the size it was in my mind (much smaller in real life), it was still quite impressive. I fell in love with this one view of a bridge that we had driven over but couldn't see over as we drove over it, but "FABULOUS" describes it from below. I must have taken 25 pictures of this view. It shows a bridge that spans the width of the channel where the dam is located and shows a view of the water running through. A beautiful view!






At this point I have to stop and give huge kudos to my brother-in-law and sister-in-law for bringing their motorized scooter for me to use on this trip. If not for that scooter I would not have been able to go on this trip. That scooter became my legs and gave me the opportunity to be "normal." I did attract a lot of attention as people noticed that I had both feet injured...but that had nothing to do with the scooter.




After our time at Lake Mead we packed up the next morning and headed to Vegas where we would spend the next two nights.

An Unexpected Pleasure...

Today was one of those vacation days that came so incredibly unexpectedly. When we went to bed last night we planned on making a trip either to a different part of the Grand Canyon today or maybe taking the Grand Canyon Railroad to the bottom of the canyon. We did neither.

When we awoke this morning it was raining...then it began sleeting...then it began snowing. It vacilated between snowing & sleeting and doing nothing. We spent most of the day entertaining ourselves until we could determine whether or not to even attempt to go out.

How does one spend a day in a strange town when the weather is being so ridiculously unpredictable?

We played Words With Friends on our iphones:


We slept:


We drank wine:



We played Skip Bo:


We enjoyed the snow:







And finally, when the snow stopped (oops, it only stopped for a couple of minutes), we went out to dinner:



As odd as it may sound, it was a really good day! Tomorrow we pack up and head out to Lake Mead where we will visit the Hoover Dam, among other things.

The Name Doesn't Do It Justice...

Today we went to the Grand Canyon. Trust me, the name doesn't do it justice. Neither do the photos but they are the best replication that I can provide. I had never been to the Grand Canyon. My husband and son had visited it a few years ago when they participated in a mission trip to the Navajo Indian reservation. I heard their descriptions and saw their photos and still I was breathless when I first laid eyes on the canyon. It is breathtaking. Magnificent. Majestic. Evidence of the hand of God. Truly one of the Seven Wonders of the World. I can't possible overrate it. If you have not had the opportunity or the desire to visit the Grand Canyon I beg you to put it on your bucket list. I am acrophobic...deathly afraid of heights and after the first 30 seconds I couldn't get enough. Lose your excuses and "just do it."

Hopefully the following photos will give you some small glimmer of the magnificence of this site. Descriptions will appear where warranted.




With me are my husband, Ron, and my sister-in-law, Carlene







Ran into a coyote in the gift shop...My hubby thought it was funny to grab him and make him dart in front of my motorized scooter. I admit it...I snapped!!

Apparently my new best friend...I will call her Rascal


At this point I must reiterate that I am deathly afraid of heights. The jerks that were with me thought it was funny to pull stunts that caused my breath to catch and or my heart to stop. Look at the photos. On one particular occasion I was looking away and when I turned and saw what was happening I literally let out a little yelp...causing strangers around me to giggle. I rest my case as to the "jerkiness" of my traveling companions.