My back

On November 12, 2010, I went in for back surgery.  I have spondylothisthesis which caused my disc to collapse and compromised a nerve root (L-5 and S-1).  Here are my x-rays after the surgery, taken today.

You can totally see the threads on the screws!  In the first x-ray you can see that this contraption is holding the vertebrae apart now although it not completely lined up like it should be.  Hopefully this does the job!  It would be nice to be free from that pain.

Tattle Tale

Overheard in the van tonight:

Alex:  "Mom, Karl hit me in the face."
Mom:  "Karl, don't hit your brother."
Karl:  "Mom, I gave him 6 warnings that he would get hurt if he kept it up.  I had to keep my promise."
Mom:  "Alex, leave your brother alone."
Alecia:  "I'm just sitting here being cute."

Kids.

Verlon Southwick Reunion

Bill and Alex were able to attend a little bit of the Verlon Southwick reunion this year held in Dietrich, Idaho, in the "valley."  Alex loved it!  He got to go down the water slide, play ping pong, climb trees, and ride a horse and a four wheeler.  He now thinks he wants a four wheeler for his birthday with a helmet and license.  Dream on!

Quarterly Primary Activity

We had our summer Primary activity with a camping theme.  We divided the kids into groups and took them around to various stations.

They learned about first aid, sang camp songs, took a nature hike, made a nature craft, and went through a cave of wonder where they learned about our Savior.  It was loads of fun!

Scout Space Derby

This year instead of a Pinewood Derby the Scouts decided to do a Space Derby.  Alex did a good job making his, and it did go pretty far pretty fast until the rubber bands broke.  For some reason Alex decided he needed to wear this hat all summer.  Eewwww.

Swim lessons

Alex was able to take a couple of sessions of swim lessons at the Farmington City Pool this summer.  It was really funny watching him do the back stroke because he would do a u-turn and end up back where he started.  One time he did a full circle.  He finally figured out how to straighten it out and get to the other side of the pool!

Another reunion day

Meal time!  Jennah and Tracy cooking up some grub while Alex hovers.

 Grandpa set up a competition to have the grand kids find and capture bugs.  He would then identify them and make a list.  The goal was to find the most, but they had to be different than anyone else's.  The boys really got into it.

ee35f5d2-869b-4965-89e6-4e6713ede0ca

1.03.01

Southwick Family Reunion

The Wanless Southwick reunion was held at Heise Hot Springs in Idaho.  We were able to spend a day at a park in Rexburg, ID, where the men and kids were able to go fishing.  We ate, played games, and relaxed.

 Alex tries his luck.

 Jeff and Brooke

 Karl, Emilee, and Chris

Alex, Bill, Ryan, Brooke, Jeff, and a second cousin

 Carter, Cambria, and Caitlyn

 Karl, John, and Campbell

 Alecia, Jennah, Ashley, and Megan

 

 Jennah, Mariah, Alecia, and Kylee

 David has the relaxing part down to a science.

 Jayden hard at work moving bark.

 A rather large game of pop the balloon.

ee35f5d2-869b-4965-89e6-4e6713ede0ca

1.03.01

The King and I

Farmington City Theatre puts on a summer production every year at an outdoor amphitheater.  Alex was selected to play Louis, Anna's son.  Bill was asked way back in November to be the producer.  When rehearsals started, the man playing the king was trying to show someone how to jump off the stage correctly.  The "king" broke both of his feet.  This meant that some rearranging had to take place.  Not enough men even auditioned to fill all of the parts, so Bill was asked to be the prime minister or the "Krahlahome."  When he realized that one of the lines was "Mother, the prime minister is naked," he decided it was time to go on a diet.  Fortunately, he was only topless through part of the show.  Bill slimmed right down.  He dyed his hair black and even got a spray tan for the part.   Oh, what we do for the theater.

 

Alex memorized his parts on his own and before anyone else in the cast.  He also learned the dances faster than anyone.  He takes this stuff seriously!  He even had a solo in "I Whistle a Happy Tune."  They both did a fabulous job!

Parades

The 4th of July brings quite a few parades around this area.  Davis High Band marched the Centerville Parade and then the Kaysville Parade directly following.  Both Karl and Alecia are in the Davis High Marching Band this year.  Bill and Alex walked in the Kaysville Parade with "The King and I" cast and crew.  Alex really worked the crowd.  Because the 4th was on a Sunday this year, these two parades were on the 3rd. 

Layton had their parade on the 5th, and the Davis High Band marched that one as well.  We went to the Layton fireworks on the 5th.  It was a fantastic show!  We loved it and decided we should go there every year.  When we tried to get out of the parking lot, we changed our minds.  I think it took us about an hour to get out of the lot.  Karl had to be up by 3 a.m. to help with the neighbor's paper route, and he was very tired.  Not a fun way to end the night.

ReAL Soccer

Because Bill works at Salt Lake Regional, we are able to get tickets to some of the ReAL soccer games.  On this occasion we took Alecia and her friend, Rachel.  It was a great game!  The tickets the hospital gave us were really close to the field.  Right behind us sat some soccer-knowledgeable guys who were quite verbal but never swore.  I was so grateful for their attitudes, and we also learned a few things about soccer.  After this game they had a fireworks show.  Alecia and Rachel went down onto the field to watch it from there.  We enjoy going to the games, but leaving afterward is a test in patience.

Happy Father's Day, Hubby

Happy Father's Day to a wonderful husband and father!

NOW I HAVE HIVES!

Feeling better

I stayed home from church Sunday and slept until about 1:30 p.m.  Muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatories, and pain meds tend to make you that way.  I was still having the waves of pain, but the medications were easing the pain.  Monday morning Bill took me to an internist.  After explaining my story for the upteenth time, she couldn't figure it out and suggested a Barium Swallow test to be done the following day.  I was feeling better by this time and had stopped all medications but was extremely frustrated.  It still felt weird to swallow, and the waves were still there.  We scheduled the test, but I later canceled it so I could go to my Primary Presidency meeting.

Yesterday, Tuesday, was much better.  I am careful when I turn my head, but the waves are no longer painful.  I still feel them, but they don't knock my socks off like they used to.  I felt well enough to drive the kids in to Salt Lake and join Bill at the zoo.  He wanted to rent a wheelchair for me, but I told him I needed to walk.  Alex was disappointed.  He thought for sure he would have a chance to ride in a wheelchair.  I did okay.  I did get a bit tired, but I think we were there for about 2 1/2 hours. 

Today I am feeling dizzy.  I had to wait for Bill to get home so he could drive me to the grocery store.  I should have had one of those doctors check my ears.  I had a sinus infection before all of this, and my right ear hurt.  I'm wondering if that might be contributing to all of this.  Who knows?  My left arm hurts from the bruising caused by my veins playing hide and seek with the needle.  My digestive system is working again, thank goodness, and things are looking up.  Tonight we overheard a lady saying that she had her toes cut off--glad that's not me!

ER visit

On Wednesday I woke up with a sore neck that radiated down my back to the shoulder blade on my left side.  By evening it was hurting pretty bad, and I had a hard time getting comfortable so I could sleep.  Thursday it was all worse and hurt in my chest by the breast bone.  When I would swallow, it felt like something was twisted or blocking it in my chest.  Hurt like crazy!  I went to the chiropractor hoping an adjustment would do the trick--it didn't.  At 5 p.m. I finally called Bill sobbing hysterically because it hurt so much.  He called my neighbor and asked if he would take me to the hospital as it would take Bill too long to get home to pick me up due to the horrendous road construction and traffic.  Brother Johnson took me to Woods Cross where we met up with Bill, and then he made sure Alex got to his play practice.  He also put my name on the prayer temple roll.

Bill took me to the ER at Salt Lake Regional Medical Center.  The second I told them my chest was hurting, they put things in motion for an EKG.  That was normal, my blood pressure was a little high.  They took a couple of x-rays of my lungs and heart.  I get these waves of strong pain through my upper back and shoulders that goes around to the front of my neck.  They gave me a cocktail of Lidocaine and Maalox to see if it was a stomach acid problem, but all that did was make my lips and tongue tingle.

They decided I needed an IV.  Well, that proved to be a problem.  My veins were either hiding or flat.  I was poked 6 times before they got one to work.  My arms are covered with bruises.  The doc decided that we needed a CT scan, but the IV size was too small, so they needed to put in a bigger one.  They got it in, but only halfway.  It infiltrated, so they called someone in to try to find another vein.  That guy poked and prodded and shoved the needle around inside my arm.  It hurt terribly.  By this time I was sobbing.  You know what that means, right?  Yes, swollen eyes.  He finally gave up, and they went to the smaller line.  While running the dye through it came shooting out the other port.  They got enough ink in to take the picture.  Results:  nothing.  They gave me morphine for pain and prescribed three other things before sending me home.

The best thing about hospitals are their warm blankets.  I think I had about 6 of them on me by the time I left.  My eyes were so puffy, I could barely open them.  I left five hours later with a soft collar around my neck.

Bill stayed home on Friday to give me my medications and take care of me.  I did a lot of sleeping. 

Today Bill took me in for an endoscopy.  First thing they had to do was get in IV line in.  They did it the first time!  I had to lay on my left side and bite down on a block so I could not close my mouth.  I'm pretty sure I started drooling right away.  The room started to go a little dark as they told Bill to move around to the other side of the bed.  The next thing I knew I was awake and thinking, "Oh, no.  They haven't done it yet.  Did I wake up too soon?"  It seemed like just a few seconds had passed.

Bill told me later that I struggled with it, gagging and coughing and trying to pull the scope out.  I have no recollection of that.  As far as I'm concerned, I am the perfect patient.  Results:  nothing.  Next step:  MRI.

I've had MRIs before.  They are pretty boring.  Even though they put a wedge under my knees, my lower back was killing me.  Laying perfectly still is not too hard for me until something starts to itch.  It seemed to take forever.  They did a couple of pictures without the dye and then added the contrast.  Results:  nothing.

I'm home and in pain.  There is an underlying constant pain and then a swelling of pain that stops me in my tracks.  The swelling has mostly gone down in my eyes, but I'm really not pretty at all.  Next week the plan is to see someone else to look at the spine.  You know what?  This really is not fun.  I'm really tired of it all.  The highlight of my day was my hot shower this morning.  It still hurts to swallow, but not in my throat.  The pain is lower.  Burping hurts too.  Yes, I do burp.  I received a blessing last night to have the ability to handle the pain.  Good news:  I'm not crying as much.  I'm hoping to find some relief quick.   

Bike Rodeo

Cub Scout bike rodeos are kinda fun.  Alex enjoyed it, but he needs to ride his bike more often.  When I was a kid we were always on our bikes.  I rode my red Prairie Flower up the big hill and coasted down it.  Jeff could always coast farther than I could.  I still remember my brain rattling inside my head as I would drive down the sometimes-graveled driveway.  Fun times.

Academic Alecia

We are so pleased with the effort our children put into their school work.  Alecia received citizenship and academic awards at her 9th Grad Honors Night.  She was also asked to speak on the topic "Dream Big."  She did a great job.  Now on to high school!