Thankful Thursday

Yesterday, I was most thankful that I was going to have today off.  I've been putting in a lot of hours at work and coming home exhausted.  Add to that, Melon Knee has been keeping me at night.  I told Sam I wasn't doing anything, talking to anyone or going anywhere today!  Thankfully, so far, so good!

Only at Sand Creek . . .

It was a glorious day again at Sand Creek!  Tim and I took two mom's named JoAnna with three children each (what are the odds of that!?!) to the high ropes first thing this morning.  We followed that up with some zipping and then the afternoon hit!  Large crowds, fun crowds, crazy crowds for the rest of the day!

Only at Sand Creek . . .

Can you zip with the boys and their moms at 1; zip with boys from Canada at 2; do the high ropes with the same boys and a family from Webster (they were so surprised we even knew where that was!); and finish your day off with a zipping family from Eden Prairie!  Another lovely day at Sand Creek!

What's in Your Wallet?

Well, for twenty-six elementary school phy ed teachers and two student teachers in the Apple Valley/Eagan/Rosemount District, a CPR card with my name on it!

Sabrina and I co-taught CPR for them yesterday afternoon.  You couldn't have found a nicer bunch any where!

And the winner is . . .

Do you remember my post last month re: my niece Joy and I?  She was having a baby.  I was having a new knee.  We were competing to see who would have what first.  

The knee actually was officially stitched in roughly thirty-six hours before Benjamin arrived.  Looking at this picture, though, wouldn't you say we were both winners?   

That's little Benjamin and I on Monday night.  His family was in town and we had a wonderful spur of the moment dinner together.

Joy and her family live about 45 minutes south of International Falls where her husband Cory is a pastor.  Like they said, they don't get away often, but on Monday we were so glad they did!

Enjoy an almost two-family pic, with just Cory and Matt missing.

I offered to keep that sweetie sitting next to me!

The Surgeon and The P.T., an Update

Today was my lucky day!  First I got to see my surgeon at 8:50 a.m.  Then my favorite P.T. began torture at 9:20 a.m.  Here are the reports:

The Surgeon

Tad was well pleased!  My x-rays showed everything in alignment.  My kneecap was tracking as it should.  The new implants were doing exactly what they should be doing.  We were off to an awesome start.  

Then he looked at my knee.  I have what he calls two "hot spots", areas that are not healing.  It could be nothing, it could be my internal stitches working their way out, it could be an infection.  We're hoping for the first could be, planning on the second could be and preparing for the third.  Feel free to pray that it is nothing.  Stay tuned . . .   

The P.T.

I love Laura.  She explains things well.  Gives me the truth.  Challenges me.  

Today I flattened my knee to a 1, a stupid lousy one.  I was a six last week.  I need to be a zero.  

Today I bent my knee to 117.  Last week was 120.  

Friends, I'm not happy.  I'm tired.  Tired of not sleeping.  Tired of Melon Knee.  Tired of P.T.  Tired of not getting the results we want.  And that's just on the P.T. side.   Want to go home?  I'm tired of a house that's a mess.  I'm tired of getting groceries.  I'm tired of laundry.  I'm just plain joking tired, but . . .

"I press on toward the goal to win the prize

for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 3:14   

Only at Sand Creek - on a Sunday!

It is rare that we do not have fun at Sand Creek . . .

Today started off a bit scary with one staff not showing up and another cancelling at the last minute.  That left Ethan and I, but we were up for the challenge.  We had his gecko cheering us on!

Enter Maverick, age eight.  We taught him and his mother, Megan, how to buddy zip.  They had a blast, along with the other six people in their group.

Our 3:00 p.m. group all arrived early and we started their zip early because weather radar showed that rain was coming.  Sure enough, it hit solidly on Platform Three.  Not a soul complained.  We were all laughing and having fun.

I was the first one to the top of the hill and two ladies were waiting there.

"We have a 4:00 zip."

"You must be our 4:30 zip."

"Well, maybe it's 4:15.  But it's pouring rain and we're not going."

"That's fine.  You can reschedule."

"Well, let's do it."

"I'm not the scheduler."

"Well, who is?"

Ms. Rude and Impolite (I was mentally using a word that rhymed with hitch and ditch) continued to berate us and shower us with negativity.  Like we controlled the weather?!?  She's needs to meet the Man who does!  During her rant which included Ethan, I and the owner, I noticed she was NOT wearing the proper shoes for zipping.  

I smiled and said, "You couldn't have zipped today anyway.  You need to wear close toed shoes."  Sorry, friends, but it felt good and it shut her up for just a few seconds.

Only at Sand Creek - on a Saturday!

Yesterday was a disaster waiting to happen!  Whoever scheduled the day, failed to schedule a staff lunch break which we so sorely needed.  One of our staff failed to show leaving us shorthanded and over-scheduled.  It could have been absolutely horrible, but we had great guests:

• The young man who had attended MW Savage and lamented the fact that he did NOT have Mr. Zupke as his fifth grade teacher;
• The mom's group who did the high ropes, laughing the entire way;
• Jane's 10th birthday party with fantastic friends;
• The two sisters who encouraged the young lady who was in tears because she was so afraid of heights; and . . .
• These two young men!  I don't even know their names, but they graduated from Bloomington Kennedy with my friend's son and had actually spent the day before at his house!
• 
• There were many more wonderful people that made a difficult day - running short staffed and never stopping - a good day, even with lunch at 6:00 p.m.
  
  

Only at Sand Creek!

With a new gravel road to drive on, we approached Sand Creek in anticipation.  Today we would have the sixth graders from Blake.  As life would have it, the sixth graders were just plain ol' squirrely sixth graders.  

Their teachers?  Some were good and some were bad.  The worst had to be the two teachers who looked at me when I asked them to join our group and said, "No, we're just here to take pictures."  Oh, really?  Losers.  (Sorry, no team building there and truly it was their loss as well as their students.)  

The best was Ms. BA.  It was her seventh year of teaching, her first week at Blake.  Her enthusiasm was fun for me and her students.  They were going to have a great year! 

After Blake left, we had our usual time of staff debrief with a new twist, "Debrief and Dessert".  It was most delicious!

Where's the road?

I honestly only thought it happened in Africa - that they built the road right in front of you as you were driving (Liberia 2007), but it happened today in Jordan, Minnesota!  Sam and I were getting ready to turn in to Sand Creek and the road was missing - it just wasn't there!  Ethan was right behind us in his car and he couldn't find the road either.  Never mind that 113 students would be there in an hour - we had no road!

They actually built it right in front of us, so Ethan, Sam and I turned in.  However, maybe fifteen minutes later when Sam R. tried to turn in, the road went rogue and was missing once again!  Two of the Blake busses got in, two busses had to wait for the disappearing road to be rebuilt.

Fortunately, by the time we left we did have a road.  Who knows what will happen tomorrow!

Thankful Thursday!

It was an honor and a privilege to work with the people I worked with at Sand Creek today.  Mark and I were laughing as we were waiting for Sam to come down with the kids.  We're not there for the money, we're there for the people, specifically the people we work with and I'm ever so thankful for them!

Only at Sand Creek - on a Thursday!

Today we had 113 seventh graders from Blake School.  Instead of sticking with one group all day and taking them to three different stations, the groups rotated and I had three different groups in the low ropes doing team building (along with Sam Z., Mark and Tim). 

I honestly thought there could be no group better than my first group, then I got my second group.  Equally fine.  While my last group was probably my least favorite, they were all excellent which I find amazing!  Sam said he had three great groups, too!  Only at Sand Creek . . .

Only at Sand Creek - on a Wednesday!

Obviously, God has a sense of humor!  After spending Tuesday morning at St. Paul College, the students in the Trio program at SPC spent Wednesday morning at Sand Creek with me!

I have not laughed longer or harder than I did with them.  From "Superman" to the "Accident Waiting to Happen", they were wonderful on the low ropes, high ropes and zip line!

They were followed by two groups of zippers, the most memorable in each group being:

1.  Our eighty-nine year old grandma who was zipping with her seventy year old son and a granddaughter.  Let's just say she showed much less fear in zipping than her family and far more energy in hiking then her poor son!
2.  The two Hmong sisters celebrating Mother's Day with their eight daughters.  So much love and laughter!  It was wonderful!

All About Pastry!

Tuesday morning, Micah and I drove through the downpour to meet with Chef Pierre at St. Paul College to talk about her getting a pastry certificate there to go with her business/entrepreneurial degree from North Central University.. .

Chef Pierre not only remembered us from our campus tour in May, but he had actually read Micah's e-mail address - nutfreemz - and knew that she had food allergies without us saying a word!

He was a delightful, gracious man and we both look forward to her learning from him because in his words - "we can make it happen!"

At the zoo . . .

. . .With the F.O.O.'s!

Monday morning found us at Como Zoo with the F.O.O.'s - Matt and Micah's Family of Origin.  Unfortunately, the picture with me in refused to send, so enjoy the rest of the fam . . .

Three girls and a gorilla!

Lincoln, Micah, Allison, Kennedy, Kingsley and Matt

G'pa Tony - the reason why Matt will never weigh more!

 

Buddy Zipping!

Buddy zipping is simply zipping down the course with another person, usually younger or smaller.  They are in front of you, you launch at the same time, you hold their tether with one hand and yours with the other and generally get to move a bit faster because now you weigh more!

This was my buddy yesterday!  He did nothing to help me with speed, but he sure made it easier getting back up the hill!

 

Only at Sand Creek - on a Saturday!

Yesterday was just one of those days!  Wouldn't you know our first group came early - while we were still setting up the high ropes course!  They actually found us down there instead of waiting for us on the top!

Unfortunately, that wasn't to be for the rest of the day!  We had the most lovely people who were quite apologetic for being late!  And not just late, but being VERY LATE!  Our last group of the day were six zippers at 4:30 p.m. who arrived just after 5:00 p.m. which means we worked until 6:15 p.m. instead of 5:30 p.m.  Oh, well!  They were all fun!

"Impossible means that I, an ordinary young person,

get to be love where I live and that is Christ.

He really does make all the difference."

Ann Kimmel  

Only at Sand Creek - on a Thursday!

We couldn't have had a more lovely day at Sand Creek than on Thursday!  Our first group was a team build from River Bend Nature Center, a group of ten second through fifth grader boys with most of them named Theo or Leo and one lone girl!  We had fun on the low ropes, high ropes and zip lining!

Our second group was a bunch of engineers on the high ropes who then went zipping!  A most pleasant group who was so easy to work with!

Thankful Thursday.

I was ever so thankful on Thursday that Sam, Micah and Annie (the dog) drove down to Iowa to visit my dad.  We haven't seen Dad since Christmas, even though we talk on the phone almost weekly.  

Traveling is a challenge for me with these new bionic knees.  About an hour in the car is all I can take.  Two hours becomes extremely painful.  Three hours is absolutely miserable.  Add to that, I'm not suppose to travel for three months after knee surgery.

So thank you, my family, for going down to see Dad and spending time with him - eating pizza at Godfather's, working on projects for Micah and bringing chocolate chip cookies!

PT Report

Yeah!  I'm down to PT once a week.  Today I saw (she knows I call her this!) "the evil Laura".  

Yeah!  I was able to extend my knee to zero with no problem!  "t.e.L." was happy!

Boo!  I could only bend my knee to 113º.  I was feeling pretty good about it, until "t.e.L." said my goal was 120º, not 115º.  She then proceeded to bend it to 117º.

Just means more exercises to do at home!  If you read "The Parade" post, now we can march and kick our booties around the pool deck!

The Parade.

I'm deck managing this week at the Y (translation:  I wear a blue t-shirt, stay dry and tell staff what to do!).  I was helping a staff pack away her equipment when she finished teaching last night by grabbing her barbells just as the lifeguard was rotating.

Now, I still don't know who this lifeguard is today and I 'm sure he's wondering about me but . . . as I took the barbells, I said, "We're having a parade!  Follow me!"  I got an awful strange look - remember I am the BOSS! - and he started following me!  But he wasn't kicking his knees up high enough to make my PT happy, so I said, "We need to march or my knee won't heal!  Bring those knees up!"  

He did!  I laughed.  We walked normally around the rest of the pool as I assured him, "I'm sure no one saw us!  And now I'll pass PT tomorrow."   

The S.C.A.M.

A few years ago, the idea was tossed around that we should all have nicknames at Sand Creek.  Mine was given to me by my co-workers, a definite term of endearment.  I am the "Sand.Creek.Adventures.Mom", also known as "the SCAM".  This is how it played out yesterday.  

I stepped into the welcome center.  Our manager said, "Hop in the bobcat.  We need to set up high ropes."  The truth of the matter is, he needed to talk to the SCAM.  He was going though some rough stuff, his real mom is in Oklahoma, and he needed me.  It was a good conversation.  I'm glad he trusted me.

Around lunch time, another staff said, "I need you to write the riddle of the day for me.  You have the best handwriting."

Yet another staff took me on a tour of our new "staff lounge" that grew immensely while I was on medical leave.  We shared ideas and input. 

The last staff just simply said, while we were talking, "I'm so glad you're back." 

Me, too! 

Only at Sand Creek!

Only at Sand Creek can you have a wonderful time in pouring rain!  Of course, it didn't hurt the knee any to have a few groups cancel due to the downpour!  A few memorable moments:

• The four sixth grade boys from Bloomington, who once they heard I had stitches in my knee (like they ever would have understood total knee replacement!), had to tell me about all of their stitches, too!
• The 10th anniversary couple who, while being drenched, lamented the fact that they were rained out at their wedding, too!
• The Greek/South African couple who got there early enough to help us "play" with our new team building equipment.
• The (female) college grad who cried/laughed/screamed on all three zips and said at the end, "I'm never doing that again!"

It's so good to be "home"!

Return to Sand Creek!

With just a few restrictions, I was able to return to Sand Creek yesterday:

• Cover the knee;
• Use the cane when tired;
• Stay off of ladders;
• No heavy lifting.

Without further ado, here I am on my first totally bionic zip:
 

 

Thankful Thursday!

On a glorious day like today, there is so much to be thankful for, but I'm going to limit it to just "friends".  

Two weeks ago, I had a friend bring me a delicious lunch (complete with chocolate!).  We had the best time laughing and sharing . . .

Last week, two forever friends drove down with chocolate (and the dead crazy daisies!).  Again, just an amazing time laughing and sharing . . . 

A week ago Friday, I met two friends for lunch (and chocolate!).  We were afraid we were going to be thrown out of the restaurant for laughing so hard, again while sharing . . .

Yesterday, my last roommate before marriage came over - carrying, of course, chocolate!  It had been ten years since we had seen each other.  It was another awesome time of laughing and sharing . . .

Tomorrow, a totally different friend is coming over to walk Annie with me - a necessary by-product of all that chocolate!  I can almost guarantee laughter and sharing.

I am most blessed . . . and thankful! 

Do you remember . . .

Do you remember this old commercial? This is your brain, showing an egg . . .

Well, this is my knee . . .

This is what my knee feels like in bed . . . 

One GIANT melon, so I'm not sleeping well . . .

The Good. The Bad. The Ugly.

That was the title of the e-mail I sent to my supervisors at Sand Creek today.  

The Ugly, without a doubt, is my knee.  I saw the surgeon this morning and he was well pleased with it, to the point of predicting this scar was going to be thinner and prettier than my other knee!  But in my eyes, it's still rather ugly.  

The Good is I am able to return to work on Saturday.  The Even Better Good is that I was able to bend my knee to 110º today - ON MY OWN!!!  I checked.  The right knee hit that magic marker five days later than this left knee.  I'm happy.  It's still not flat, but those PT's have all sorts of nasty ways to make it flat.  They call it "therapy".

The Bad is I can only return to work under certain restrictions until I see the surgeon again on August 26:

• I can't climb on ladders (no Platform 4 or High Ropes dismounts at Sand Creek - big smile!);
• I can't carry anything heavy (which I really don't do anyway!);
• I have to wear a wrap - to keep the dirt out!  Or I could do a BIG bandaide if I'd rather;
• I have to have my cane available in case I get tired and use the Bobcat when exhausted.   

Looks like I'll be back at Sand Creek on Saturday!

Sekouba

It was just an ordinary morning when Sekouba first noticed a little button-sized growth in his mouth. He showed his mother who told him not to worry about it, that it would probably go away.

He tried to forget about the rapidly growing lump it but that didn’t make it go away. In just 12 months it was as big as a tennis ball, filling Sekouba’s cheek, significantly impacting young Sekouba’s life.

People taunted him and the tumour drew endless stares. ‘What’s that in your mouth?’ they asked, and curiosity soon turned into scornful laughter.

As Sebouba was mercilessly teased, school became unbearable so he stayed at home..  His friends refused to play and even his brothers were ashamed to be seen with him. Every day Sekouba was painfully aware that he was the only boy his age in the village NOT going to school—and everyday school was the only place he wanted to be.



Hoping to find medical care, Sekouba’s distraught family took him to the largest hospital in their region, but no one who could help. But their cries for a cure were miraculously answered when they heard that the hospital ship was coming to Guinea, West Africa.

On the day he came to Mercy Ships, 12-year-old Sekouba held a faded photograph with frayed edges. It showed was a younger, smiling boy with an unblemished face.

‘This used to be me,’ Sekouba sadly explained.

When the Mercy Ships medical screening team accessed him for surgery,  the future changed; Sekouba was handed an appointment card for a free operation onboard the Africa Mercy to remove the benign tumour that had turned his life upside down.

 ‘EVERY TIME I PRAY I THANK GOD FOR THIS SHIP’

When Sekouba’s mum saw his restored face she was overwhelmed with joy.
‘Every time I pray, I thank God for this ship,’ she declared. ‘I don’t know what we would have done without it.'

This is just one example of how you can help change the life of a little boy who was facing a very bleak future.

Sekouba was only onboard the ship for month for his surgery and recovery — but in that time, you helped change his life forever. With his tumour gone and his face healed, Sekouba’s future is looking very bright indeed.

Thankful Thursday.

Today I am thankful that I was home when a friend needed a hug after a miserable appointment.  Sometimes you just have to wonder, "Where do these idiots come from?"  If I ever said what she said he said, I wouldn't be working where I'm working!

PT Report

At PT yesterday, Laura and I both agreed that less than forty-eight hours between appointments was rather stupid.  We also thought that early morning appointments on stiff knees were useless.  My bend was 97º compared to 98º on Monday.  And I couldn't get my leg to lay flat.  Frustrated?  Disappointed?  Yup! 

Crazy Daisies, Round Two.

As we finished grocery shopping at Cub today, I asked Micah to go over to the flower department and pick up some crazy daisies.  Rosemary had wanted me to have them, and since they are my favorite flower, we were going to get them!

While I was checking out with Erna, I told her the story of how Rosie and Sheryl had come to visit on Tuesday and by the time they arrived (an hour drive!), I received dead daisies as a get well gift.  By the time she had finished laughing, Micah arrived with the flowers.  Erna said, "No charge.  They're on us today." 

I have to say, Rosemary, Sheryl and I all loved the end of the story, as well as Sam, Matt and Micah.  Thank you, Erna (and Cub!).

To Laugh or Cry . . .

Tuesday morning, my dear friends, Rosemary and Sheryl, drove down from the northern suburbs to have lunch with me.  They both came caring chocolate (remember - I said they were my friends!).  In addition, Rosemary had purchased some crazy daisies just for me.  Micah grabbed the purple vase. I opened the package and . . . 

Every stem I pulled out wasn't just wilted, but dead and decaying.  I wasn't sure what to do.  Rosemary was shocked!  She had picked them up the evening before at Cub, put them in water overnight and handed me totally dead daisies.

We determined, "Toss them!" and went out and had a lovely lunch, one that spanned over thirty years of friendship!