I know, I know… It’s been a while.
Summer was well protected and in the hands of great “caregivers” over the past two weeks. (Even if Gramps did sleep his way through waiting rooms at St. Jude. Summers version of things)
I posted a few updates from Mom and Dad’s week in Memphis with Summer. Any thoughts of getting to see Graceland or doing much beyond rest were dashed as Summer’s infection kept her on antibiotics. We stopped by my folk’s house the weekend after they got home from Memphis to catch up. Dad told me that for a few days, Summer was very unsteady walking around St. Jude. He was happy to be her walking stick.
Last week was spring break for SIUC. Nate had volunteered to sacrifice his spring break to be in Memphis with Summer. The weekend he arrived, Summer said she felt well enough to make a 3-hour trip to Hot Springs Arkansas for a long weekend with the Nates. She and I talked on the car ride down today and she told me that the visit took all of her strength… And her dietary resiliance as well. She said her stomach and her previous infection must have still been lingering because she felt very ill afterward because of eating out for a few days.
The rest of the week was lazy time at Target House with the occasional drive to the Ramblin’ Joe’s coffee hut. I think she goes there when I am gone just to take a picture and rub it into my face since I love their Caffe Con Leche.
Angela laid on a thick dose of motherly guilt on Summer last week and it was enough to get Nate and Summer to drive back to Tremont for a weekend at home. We had a great time with both of the kids at home. It seems like we always have conflicting spring break schedules between St. Joes, Dee-Mack, and SIU. This year with Carthage in the mix, it clicked! We stayed close to home and avoided Dan’s birthday party because his house is always filled with sick or soon-to-be sick kids! Happy birthday Dan!
Summer and I took off for Memphis on Monday morning. We hit a Four30 Scones in Morton for a coffee (and a scone of course!) and hit the road in the newly repaired Fort’s Prius Prime. On the way down, we drove through Dyersburg to stop by a local comic shop and hit a Kroger before coming into Memphis from the north side of town. I am always in complete wonderment about what she and Nate eat when they are left to their own devices. The fridge was filled with all kinds of leftovers but nothing GREEN! Whatever I was thinking would be sustenance at Kroger was not enough. I will be doing some more grocery shopping Tuesday.
When we arrived last night at Target House… Summer pulled out her trove of patches, pins, and postcards from the Arkansas trip. I slightly mocked her for going up to the observation tower. Something I have always declared lame. (Probably from getting my wallet destroyed to look around Toronto in their space needle years ago). Summer then knocked me back into place by reminding me that she doesn’t particularly enjoy walking. The tower was a good stop for her!
Tuesday is 7AM labs. Psychology, Physical Therapy, and a visit to Dr. Gajjar and E Clinic. Summer said she has homework to catch up on as well when we get back to Target House.
The Prius update.
It’s like a neverending adventure in itself! First off… Kudos to Fort’s and the Fort family (just heap that in the of the debts of gratitude, I will eternally be grateful to my employers). Pat and Mike heard my screams and whaling from Memphis… Who didn’t? I was in the gutter and really pissed at the world for the whole week I was down here with Summer. I did do some mental “deep breathing” exercises every time I thought about the event so that I could keep my cool. Driving home from Memphis that Friday afternoon, I could hear the windshield popping and crackling while doing 80mph on the interstate. I have never in all my years experienced that!
The Monday I got back to work, I knew the car was going to Stephens Autoglass in Pekin for repair… I picked up a few things around the borrowed car and saw (what I thought) was a piece of black material in the crack of the passenger seat. I used my right hand to sweep it off and was met with a wicked surprise. That was a piece of glass… Standing in a straight-up position and it just sliced my thumb like I had run a razor blade over it! Blood was quick to start running out of my flesh.
Great! What a way to start a Monday. I cleaned it by sticking the appendage in my mouth and walked inside and bypassed the front desk of service. I went straight back to the first aid station and attempted to apply a bandage. I had Nate in parts help me since this was a tough operation to do single-handedly.
Later that morning I talked to Pat and told him the whole story about what had happened while in downtown Memphis. That’s when he gave me the good news about the window. So, other than some blood, it wasn’t the worst Monday.
The wound has been healing and I am now letting it “breath”. I took the bandage off this past weekend and I have a feeling that there is a piece of glass still in the wound. Its been painful and swollen.
So… I have that self-improvement project to look forward to. Vandalism is the gift that keeps giving!
Order or go buy some prids drawing salve. Slap it on your thumb, add a bandaid overnight, may find that glass on it in the morning. Smells like axle grease but it works ever single time. May also take a couple days depending on depth of left over glass. But it will get it out for you.
Glad everyone finally got a “normal” break….it is soul salvaging!
Keep on keepin on.
Wonderful that Summer was out and about. Sorry to hear about your thumb. For real now…a ‘self-improvement project’. It’s a shame you don’t have access to some world class medical care. Better luck next time 😉 For Summer, you, your family, and her medical support staff…as my dear Mother often said…’Blessings upon you’.
So glad that Summer and Aiden could both be home at the same time.