Dec. 1-7, 2019 Farm, Carpal Tunnel Surgery (left hand), Read Aloud, Buck Beak

Dec. 1-7, 2019

 Farm, Carpal Tunnel Surgery (left hand), Read Aloud, Buck Beak

  

Hello Friends!

Big Week!!!  We started the week in Indiana and ended it back in our home in Michigan.  

Sunday Church with "L" Family:

Dd and I left Dh and Henry back at the family farm in southern Indiana and spent two days with our friends, the "L" family.  We had helped out during the book signing for Heather's book on Saturday and then went to church with them on Sunday.  Heather's husband is a pastor and this was their first Sunday at a new building home.  We were all so excited about their new start!!!

After church we had a delicious lunch with the family; made by Heather's mom!  So awesome!!!!  Then Dd and I had to pack up our car and head north in the snow!  It snowed most of the seven hours drive back home; I think we had four inches.  Dh and Henry beat us home.  Dh said that Henry did really well driving home in the truck!!!  Henry has more space in the truck and that must have helped.  

Bible Study:

I was only able to attend my Monday night Bible study at my church this week b/c my surgery was at the same time as my BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) class.  I am really learning so much and appreciate how real my church group is.  

Chores:

Knowing I had my surgery scheduled for Wednesday morning, I worked really hard to clean the house, unpack all the travel cases, do laundry, grocery shopping, clean chicken coop, and waterers...all to get everything set for me not being able to use my hands for a few days.  Even with all my preparations, I had laundry and vacuuming to do by Friday.

Carpal Tunnel Surgery:

It had been almost exactly a month since I had my surgery on my right hand and I still was just getting able to use my right hand and that made it very hard to go back in for surgery on my left hand.  I was really NOT looking forward to repeating all the pain and frustration!  This time it was even worse!!! I was very tempted to cancel the surgery and just live with a numb thingly left hand.  Last time I had one good hand to do things with; this time I was really at a loss of how to get things done with two impaired hands.  In the end, I went ahead and had it done, but it was a mental fight and very difficult to talk myself into doing the right thing.  I sure hope I don't regret having these surgeries!!!  For the first time in my life I have good health insurance and I did feel that if ever there was a time I could afford it; this is that time.  Who knows what our insurance will be next year?!  So, I went ahead and seized the opportunity. 

Lessons Learned:

I did do a better job wrapping my hand and forearm with cold packs non-stop for the first 3-4 days to reduce the swelling I struggled with the time.  But, I had to use my hand a lot more this time because I couldn't do things with just my left hand and needed 'all hands on deck' to make it through the day.  I'm sure that made the healing not as fast and it will take longer for my left hand to start feeling better.

Buck Beak

BuckBeak:

Ok, ready for a crazy story?

About 1 1/2 weeks ago I noticed one of my favorite chickens was missing.  I literally looked for her day after day, walking around our property calling for her.  I finally gave up and figured an owl must have flown off with her, although she is a Buff Orpington and quite enormous!  Then before my surgery, while cleaning out the inner chicken coop, I decided to pull out the big nesting box piece of furniture that was taking up too much room.  I had to fight a chicken that was in the bottom, but I managed to get it out without too much struggle.  I didn't think much about it; I guess I was focused on my upcoming surgery.  Well, the day after my surgery I was down in the inner chicken coop and thought one of the Buff Orpington's looked a lot like Buck Beak....huh? that's odd, I thought...then light bulb!  It took me a minute to figure it out and I'll just spell it out for you----

So, when I *thought* Buck Beak was missing she was actually stuck behind the nest box in a bunch of straw.  She had been stuck for 1 1/2 weeks!!!  When I was "struggling with a hen" that was her!!!  I noticed at the time that when I pulled her out she went right to the waterer and drank and drank and drank for the whole time I was in there!!  Poor Girl!  I made her scrambled eggs and fed her by hand twice a day for two weeks to get her all better and back to a good weight.  I am just SO thankful for the guidance to move that nest box out.  I'd never moved it out before and have no reason why I just decided on a whim that it was taking up too much space!!!  If I would have not had that urging to pull it out then poor Buck Beak would have surely died...and quickly.  I am SO very thankful to have my dear Buck Beak with us!!!! Praise the Lord for guiding me to find and help her.

Ms. Lemon

Dh:

Hunting season and his trips to the farm are done for this year and he had to settle back into normalcy; which is very hard for him to do.  He had a hard, hard week and struggled.

Ortho: Dd

For the first time, Dd had a really bad experience at her ortho appointment.  They hurt her and really shook her up.  

Dd's Academic Work this Week:

Bible:

Dd continues to do her Bible Study by herself and goes to church each week...

Radagast (Silkie Rooster) standing in front of Buck Beak

Read Aloud:

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

I am absolutely LOVING reading Dickens, once again, to Dd!  She is finally not fighting me when it's time to read each day.  It has taken us months to navigate this transition.

Reader:

The Diary of A Young Girl by Anne Frank

Grace Co-op Classes

Science:

Anatomy/Physiology by Apologia

Art: Painting Studio

History: American Civil War

Writing/English: Analytical Writing for Essays and Research Papers

Math Tutor:

Algebra II  (Saxon)

Work/Job:

Dd is still LOVING working at the pizza shop!!  She usually works three nights a week.

Next Week:

Hopefully, my left hand will heal and I can get back to moving!  It is hard sitting so much as I try to keep my left hand elevated and cold with ice packs.  I'm just not great at sitting!

.............