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2020 calendar sales to help pay rent

Sinking Ship Hoodoos valley full moon from Fairyland Loop Trl BRCA NP UT

Cover – Sinking Ship Hoodoos valley full moon from Fairyland Loop Trail Bryce National Park Utah

Thanks to all who helped choose the photos for the 2020 calendar.

Sunset RR tracks Kirkland AZ

January –   Sunset on the rails Kirkland Arizona

Here’s the final selection and each image will have a story.

Sonoran desert mts low clouds ORPI NM AZ

February – Sonoran desert mountains Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Arizona

I will soon get it ready for print followed by shipping in October.

orange Poppy flowers Wickenburg AZ

March – Poppies Wickenburg Arizona

Been a slow road to healing and recovery from breaking both wrists in August.  Sadly, it’s not over yet.

red hills Tropic valley Blue Cliffs Aquarius Plateau sunrays rainbow storm clouds from Bryce Pt BRCA NP UT

April – An eastern view from Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

However, my summer Ranger season is over in about two weeks.

buds blooms saguaro Vulture Mine Rd Wickenburg AZ

May – Buds & blooms saguaro Vulture Mine Road Wickenburg Arizona

So, where do I go from here?  A question I’ve been pondering for almost a month.

rainbow canyon from Lodge NR GRCA NP AZ

June – Must be a pot of gold in the bottom of Grand Canyon Arizona

My next doctor appointment October 9th should refer me to PT, an office conveniently across the hall.  That could mean 2-3 days a week for at least a month.

trees rainbow sunset clouds Bryce Pt BRCA NP UT

July – A rainbow during monsoon sunset Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

And that means staying in the truck-camper in an RV park.  The 5th-wheel will be stored not far from Bryce for the winter.

Angels Window NR GRCA NP AZ

August – Sunrise on Angel’s Window North Rim Grand Canyon National Park Arizona

The Cedar City KOA is only two blocks from PT, nicely within walking distance.

Looking up at Fall aspen along FR610 E Kaibab NF AZ

September – Autumn Aspen Kaibab National Forest Arizona

Not so nice is the rent at $675/month + metered .12/kilowatt for electric.  OUCH!

snow fall aspen Snowbowl Flagstaff AZ

October – Winter chasing out Fall at Snowbowl Flagstaff Arizona

Yet I don’t see any better choice.

fall trees boulders Fain Lake Park Prescott Valley AZ

November – A pleasant stroll at Fain Lake Park Prescott Valley Arizona

So, the 2020 calendar sales profit will help pay the rent next month.

red Paintbrush flower snow Snowbowl Flagstaff AZ

December – Hanging on in winter conditions Flagstaff Arizona

Please let me know, if you haven’t already, how many 2020 calendars you’d like to pre-order at $24 each including shipping in the USA.

 

I am sorry for not keeping up reading blogs.  Just trying to get my life in order, napping, and healing is taking up most of my days.  Other than what I see on Facebook, I’m way behind, but I will be back.

Calendar, life 36 Comments

Two weeks in the hospital with two broken wrists

After waiting almost two weeks with two broken wrists for worker’s comp approval from date of injury to surgery I was spared being sent home alone and then spent two weeks waiting for another approval to be discharged from the hospital to rehab.  Although exceedingly frustrating, may have turned out for the best.  With the best of care.

Don’t think anyone really wants to spend time in a hospital.  Having vitals—blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature–checked every four hours gets old, especially at 3am.

03 IMG_20190902_111959726_HDRlecrw info board hospital Cedar City UT g-1-2Staff on the Med/Surg work three 12-hour days and changing of the guard happens at way too early 6am.  A few days after surgery one of my goals became “sleep” so the early visit didn’t happen if I was sleeping.  This is the time when my patient history was passed along and/or updated.  After the first week everyone knew my story and there was no change.  Well, except after I fell.

Spent five days watching Disney animations because I had nothing else to do.  Was a little difficult holding my phone for entertainment.

04 IMG_20190830_170936802_HDRlerw window view hospital Cedar City UT g-1-2Room with a view

Finally, I talked folks, mostly the CNNs (nurses’ assistants), into walking with me inside, then outside.  And after several days earned permission to walk in the building by myself.

05 IMG_20190909_174756271_HDRlerw computer station quote hospital Cedar City UT g-1-2Almost halfway through my stay, a park friend brought my laptop and other stuff.  I was so excited to be done with TV ( haven’t owned one in decades) and have my connection with the world.  That same afternoon I got up to walk, caught my toe on the soiled-linen holder, fell in slow motion keeping my bandaged arms out of the way and landing gently on shoulder, hip, and knee.  Scared the shit out of me.  I laid on my back like a turtle and yelled for help as the call button was out of reach. Folks came running, I was helped up, sat on the bed and informed I’d now be belled and watched 24/7.  It’s hospital protocol.  I lost it and hollered/swore because I was so angry at myself. Later, after calming down, I apologized to everyone.  They are all professional enough not to take it personally but still didn’t deserve my wrath.  The bed alarm was turned on until someone could be called in to sit with me.  Strange knowing someone was in the room watching me sleep. Second night my “watcher” and I pulled an all-nighter.

06 IMG_20190904_184042356_HDRlerw waterfall hospital Cedar City UT g-1Every day the plan was to discharge me to a nearby rehab facility.  Every day I took staff on walks introducing many to the invigorating waterfall energy and accompanying birds.  Another weekend passed.  I learned everybody’s name and story.  I met so many wonderful, caring people who love their job as much as I love mine.

07a IMG_20190913_073333395lecrw Right xray plate & pins g-1                    07b IMG_20190913_073410614lerw Right xray plate & pins g-1

                                                                             Right arm

Then the day came for two weeks since surgery.  X-rays were taken.  “There is a new compression plate at the distal volar aspect of the radius with improved positioning of the fracture fragments and some new callus suggested along the dorsal aspect of the fracture lines.”

08a IMG_20190912_144732126lerw Gaelyn splint off g-1                   08b IMG_20190912_150010971_HDRlecrw Gaelyn braces g-1

Old stinky wrapped splints removed and velcro-closing braces put on, although removeable only for showering.

Final approval from the occupational therapist that I could wipe my butt and discharge orders begun for the next day.

Sending me home, two weeks from admittance.  No PT (physical therapy) or lifting over 5 pounds until after my next appointment October 9th.  Then PT until mid November, plus additional follow-ups months out.

My season at Bryce ends October 12th.  Haven’t figured this all out yet.  Could mean living in a RV park in getting cold Cedar City for a month.  Or maybe further, and warmer, south.

12 IMG_20190913_172550515lerw Sierra cat RV g-1After a long afternoon including out to lunch and shopping, a park friend took me home to an inmyface, needy kitty and my own comfortable bed.  Nice to be home, with many challenges that require patience and physics.

13 rs_634x905-180515113943-634.wonder-woman.51518I’m back to work light duty this week in a sit on my butt training.  From there, time will tell.  I’m trying to take one day at a time.

14 IMG_20190904_183736028_HDRlerw bubbler hospital Cedar City UT g-1Cedar City Hospital is a not-for-profit hospital employing the best staff working together as a happy and efficient team, at least where I spent two weeks in Med/Surg.  Even the cooked to order variety of food, always delivered promptly with a smile, beat out the usual hospital cafeteria fare.  Plus the landscaping invites to walk the loop trail.  Gold stars and raises recommended for everybody.  But, about those beds…

life , , 39 Comments

Breaking both wrists and an asteroid

As us Dark Sky Rangers were putting away the telescopes for the night I saw an asteroid headed directly toward us and knocked Ranger Jesse out of the way striking the asteroid to smithereens with my uncuffed Wonder Woman wrists, plus in the process, breaking both wrists.

The story of breaking both wrists began Saturday night August 17th.  I had put the solar cones into the utility trailer, walked down the ramp to I thought the bottom, turned right and caught the narrow guidewire just above my right ankle falling forward with arms outstretched into pavement.  Saved my face, except for a chipped top denture tooth.  And instead a bad sprains, ended up breaking both wrists.

After I took body inventory, the Rangers helped me stand and walked me into the building where bags of ice were made up to rest my swollen wrists on.  My hands were at about a 45° angle to my arms and swelling rapidly.  Fingers still wiggled, no bone protrusions, massive pain (9), and we’d just finished a nine-hour day so at midnight I declined going to the hospital.  Instead I was driven home.

I was in intense pain and couldn’t unbuckle my pants to take a pee before going to bed.  I didn’t want to sleep in pee soaked uniform pants.  Crying, softly yelling (I have neighbors), and swearing weren’t going to work so I called a neighbor who lives a couple RVs away, at now probably 1 am.  She got me stripped down, helped me in the bathroom, gave me a couple of pain pills, and tucked into bed with an icepack held between my mangled wrists.  She also offered to take me to the hospital and I declined.  I just wanted to sleep, which I did immediately, but then fitfully until daylight.

I called my supervisor about 8:30am and he was upset not to have been notified the night before.  He came right over saying I must have been in shock when walking into my sauna temperature house.  It was warm outside as he helped me into his car.  Then drove me to Panguitch Garfield hospital, on a quiet Sunday morning in Utah.  The ER staff quickly settled me into a bed, hooked me up with saline, morphine, and some other things.  Took multiple x-rays and prepared to knock me out to straighten and splint both wrists.  I nodded multiple times and finally woke to being totally unaware it was done.

The original plan was for me to stay in the spare room at my supervisor’s house in the park but when we stopped at my RV for a few things my neighbor offered to help me at home, a definite preference.  Her husband is a part-time Ranger.  Another wife of a volunteer, and a Ranger also pitched in.  The Bryce community came forward to help make me comfortable.  I just had to learn to be on their schedule.

I began training folks the following morning for my quadruple, almond, mocha, breve.  Easy to eat food arrived.  The toilet room door was propped open as I couldn’t twist the round door knob.  The worst was not being able to wipe my own butt.  Sorry if that is TMI, butt, that’s what happens after breaking both wrists.  Narcotic pain pills gone, every part of my body ached, and wrists at level 6-7 on the scale to 10.  Nights were extremely difficult to get comfortable in bed.  I took Tylenol and Ibuprofen alternatively every four hours.

Wednesday I was driven to Dr. Allen the surgeon in Cedar City.  It’s not good.  The findings:  “Right wrist:  There is a comminuted intra-articular fracture through the distal radius.  Volar tilt is lost but ulnar tilt is preserved.  There is associated mild shortening with resulting ulnar positive variance.  There is also a likely mildly displaced triquetral fracture seen only on the lateral projection.  There is overlying soft tissue edema.”  “Left wrist: There is a comminuted intra-articular distal radial fracture with preservation of ulnar inclination with loss of the normal volar tilt.  There is a well corticated ulnar styloid fracture, likely remote.”  Not sure I understand any of that but to me translates to, fucked up.

Surgery could have been performed the following day, but had to wait for government approval from workers comp that can take from 7-10 days.  So I returned home to Sierra.

Finally got approval and scheduled surgery for 4:30pm, Thursday, August 29th.  No eating all day.  A volunteer drove me the 1 1/2 hours to Cedar City hospital and I got a hotel room for us because there was no guarantee I’d be kept over night for the approved same-day surgery.  Didn’t get rolled into surgery until 8pm and out at 11pm when it was decided I could be kept for up to 23 hours.  A relief to me, and sure hope my driver enjoyed the nice room.

By the next morning I was sort of freaking out about being sent home alone with extremely limited mobility.  I couldn’t even wiggle fingers.  Then the hospital social worker stepped in and called Washington DC to say, they could not safely discharge me home alone.  One thing the gov pays attention to is safety.  I could have kissed her.  Sent my driver home, settled in to the uncomfortable hospital bed, and turned on the TV for a Disney marathon while waiting to see what would happen next.

On a side note, typing with two fingers is my current PT.

life , 67 Comments

Lijit

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