Our Little Blue Jeep

Our little blue jeep now has:

• A brand new engine
  
• A brand new transmission
  
• Power steering
  
• New clutch

We took it out on Memorial Day to test the new engine....and it ran perfectly!

It was great for me just to get out and go somewhere. Fruit stands are popping up along the state routes with everything from asparagus, onions, and oranges....to pears, cherries, peaches and of course strawberries and raspberries. Of course, it's early in the season for those fruits but I can't wait!

We were invited Sunday evening for barbecued ribs...what a fun evening! Wonderful food, great people!

This week, it's back to physical therapy appointments (ugh) and wishing I was able to get around with no crutches. I seriously am concerned about ever being able to completely bend and straighten my leg again. The progress in therapy is very minimal...the doctor doesn't say much...and my frustration level is going higher.

Child Welfare Had NO Legal Right

Click on title to read full article

I had posted earlier on this subject, and my suspicions have now been confirmed. Child Welfare in the state of Texas had absolutely NO right to remove the over 400 children from their home.

#1: The children were removed based on an anonymous phone call. There was no factual basis for the action taken by child welfare.
#2: Some of the supposed 'children' are actually adults.

Unfortunately, this ruling that just came down today from the Appellate's Court does NOT rule that the children can be returned to their home. Hopefully, the court will rule quickly on this.

Now, I do not agree with anything that the FLDS practices, especially polygamy or the marrying off of underage children, but what the state of Texas has allowed with the removal of these children is inexcusable. The saddest part is this kind of thing happens every day in all parts of our country. Child Protective Services have been granted too much power and every day remove children from homes with no basis. Because the El Dorado situation was so huge, it attracted national attention. But what about the small families that have no voice?

Lateral Tibial Plateau Fracture

Now that I have all medical records, MRI report and CT Scan report I am more confused than ever.

CT Scan report says: Nondisplaced mildly impacted fracture at the posterolateral corner of the the tibial plateau. Moderate joint effusion.

From all the reading I have since been doing about 'lateral tibial plateau fractures', everything says 'no weight bearing'. Granted, I cannot put full body weight on the leg, but was told by the Orthopedic Doctor five weeks ago to 'go ahead and start putting weight on it with the aid of the crutches.'

The posterolateral corner of the tibial plateau is where the fracture is located, according to the CT report. Yet, the doctor has not even talked about this. Yup, I'm confused. I don't get it. And, yes, I am extremely frustrated.

Physical therapy is slow going and painful. I'm okay with more pain if it's going to improve my condition and mobility of the knee, but with conflicting reports, I am concerned.

Going for a second opinion on Friday. I am praying for some real answers, instead of;
"I don't know." (will I ever be at 100% again?)
"That is irrelevant at this point." (Is the ACL torn?)

Maybe I should just stop reading on the internet. Besides, they use words I am not familiar with to say something simple. Examples?

Contusion = Bruise
Effusion = Swelling
Unremarkable = Not torn
Why don't they just say...'It is bruised and swollen, and no ligaments are torn' ????

Side note: BlackJack's golf ball collection is 24! His little basket is about full.
2nd side note: I've got a $100 bet with my husband. 'They' say it will be sunny and 98 degrees on Friday.......Yeah, I'm not buying it. We will see.

Knee Injury Update

This is as straight as my left leg can go

Right Knee -little over 13 1/2"

Left Knee: little over 14 1/2"


Sorry to post these unattractive pictures, but almost 9 weeks after my knee injury, I felt it important to document somewhere that I can still not straighten my leg, and that there is still swelling....1" at least. Signicifantly less than immediately after the accident, but swelling is still present.

We had just received copies of my medical records from the Orthopedic Doctor I have been seeing (I am going next week for a 2nd opinion). Several of his statements are inaccurate.
Such as, on my first visit he states the injury is a result of 'a woman fell off a horse, landing against patient (me), knocking her to the ground where she twisted the knee.'
The 'woman' did not 'land against me'....she fell ON TOP of me with her entire body weight landing on my knee. Huge difference.
He also noted there was 'minor' swelling on first visit, and 'no apparent swelling' on my 2nd visit.
Wrong again doc. I have swelling today almost 9 weeks later.
The physical therapist, whom I have seen twice so far, told us that I should be much further along than I am....that I have a very 'hot spot' around meniscus and ACL area....and that we will try therapy for just two weeks, and if no signifcant improvement, he will be shipping me back to the doctor. That was the deciding factor for me....I'm getting a second opinion from a different orthopedic doctor in a different city.
I'm still on crutches, cannot put full body weight on left leg, and cannot bend or straighten my leg.
Frustration all around!

Near Misses

Eight weeks ago a lady falls off a horse, lands on my knee.

Four weeks ago, when the wind was blowing and it was snowing, BlackJack and I came within about 12 inches of being hit by a car. The lady didn't see us, didn't bother to look before backing up her vehicle. Fortunately, with my yelling, she finally did stop coming within a foot of hitting us.

On Monday, as we were getting in the vehicle headed to physical therapy, a golf ball came flying through the air, hit our trailer and landed on the ground just two feet from us.

Yesterday, as I was walking BlackJack, the wind was blowing hard (again), a moving box size cardboard box came flying through the air directly at us. BlackJack saw it first and ran the opposite direction. It blew until it hit the laundry room building when it finally landed.

Of course, the lady falling on me was not a near miss, but rather a direct blow. The other three instances were without a doubt near misses. What is up with that! Three near misses...what do they say? Third time's the charm? I certainly hope so!

Barack Obama's Global Poverty Act

Click on title to read about it.

Pretty scary stuff....This is exactly why we need to be careful who we put in to office, whether it be our House Representatives or more frightening, the President of the United States.

The following are some excerpts:

"The United States Senate may vote any day on the stealth imposition of what could amount to an $845 BILLION United Nations style global tax on American citizens?
It's called the Global Poverty Act (S.2433), and it is being sponsored by none other than Senator Barack Obama.
According to some conservative sources, this disastrous legislation could eventually force U.S. taxpayers to fork over as much as 0.7 percent of the nation's Gross Domestic Product -- or $845,000,000,000.00 -- on welfare to third-world countries."


"And, how would the United States pay for this $845 BILLION commitment? According to Kincaid, who published a report on the legislation; "A global tax will clearly be necessary to force American taxpayers to provide the money."
And that $845 BILLION global tax is in addition to our nation's current Foreign Aid programs, which, in 2006, cost American taxpayers about $300 BILLION!
Senator Obama's Global Poverty Act has already passed the House (many Members unfortunately voted in favor of it without carefully noting exactly what was in it) and President Bush may very well sign it!That's why it must be stopped, and it must be stopped NOW!In other words, it's a blueprint for a world government, owned and operated by the United Nations.

One thing is clear: the Millennium Development Goal is a dagger aimed at the heart of America."