FROM TAMMIE

Even though I said I wasn't going to get on the computer today since I don't have to, I did anyway.

I just sent one of my friends a message so here is what I told her. One of you can paste this to the Gatewood blog, since I don't want to create some log in thing right now:

I had my lasix surgery yesterday afternoon. Obviously if I'm on the Internet, I'm not blind. The procedure itself was over before I knew it. It was the freakiest thing I've ever been through, but the dr. was so nice and the one girl who was my "hand holder" walked me through every step. You hear everything going on, and the dr. is counting (45 seconds Tammie) as the actual laser does it thing. The 45 seconds was longer than a normal procedure because of my nearsightedness was so bad. I had a follow up appt. this morning and I was able to read 20/20 vision. Everything today is very fuzzy but the dr. said that will slowly wear off. It didn't hurt, and my eyes are a little tired and dry today. I have 3 different eye drops to use, one drop every hour of some sort for the next week. I can't wear makeup until next week, but I'm off work so hey, why wear make up around the house? But everything went fine, and according to the dr. a complete success. It is very strange not reaching for the glasses first thing in the morning and being able to see what I look like in the mirror without glasses without squinting. When I put make up on next week, it'll be the first time I won't have to use a hand-held mirror up to my nose to see what I am doing since I was so nearsighted and couldn't just lean over the bathroom sink to see what I was doing.

I'd recommend it if you don't mind the debt!



Tammie Lang

Tammie

Just talked to Tammie. She had her follow up appointment this morning. She has 20/20 vision in both eyes. She will still have to wear reading glasses, but is excited about buying cool sun glasses instead of bifocals.

Anyone want to go to Sacramento in December?
Sue

Storms

Janell, did you get any storms Tuesday night? The TV said Uehling & Tekamah were getting hit pretty hard.
Sue

Volleyball

Those girls are awesome, aren't they? While watching the match on Saturday night, I saw a little boy that sure looked like Derrick waving a sign. Also saw a sign that was made to look like an airline ticket that said "From Omaha to Sacramento". Sights are set high for this group.

Tammie

Tammie is having her nearsightedness corrected tomorrow. The surgery is scheduled for 2pm. She is a little nervous, but who wouldn't be. I'm sure she will be fine. I guess that is one of the reasons we have this family blog - to keep everyone informed. Joe and Angie have both had it done and had no problems.
Sue

Wet and bored

My cowgirl camp for this weekend was canceled because Kelli’s arena is – and I quote – “A SWAMP.” And it’s too late to sign up to go the Petersburg ride, so here I sit.

I can’t believe how much it’s rained this past week. We had almost 2 inches in the gauge this morning, but I’m not sure when the last time was it got emptied. The sun was out for awhile today. It’s not supposed to rain over the weekend, so I might get some saddle time in anyway. I will also probably put in some time pushing the lawn mower.

Emily’s improving a little each day. She’s only taking Tylenol for pain now and that just before she goes to bed. Still not allowed to put weight on it, but getting closer every day.

I found an old quilt project that I started about 5 years ago. I have 6 of 12 blocks done and then I must have gotten going on something else. It’s a sampler quilt of 12 different patterns: Sunbonnet Sue, the Butterfly, Flying Geese, Tulips, Fans – all done in 30s reproduction fabrics. It’ll be pretty if I can get it finished up. I also ran across a quilt top that I did years ago for the fabric store. It was never quilted and when Monica closed the shop she gave it to me. I think I’ll try practicing some hand quilting on that one.

How are the T-shirt quilts coming along?

A story from Jack

Here is a story Jack told me:

"Yesterday at work, this girl came up to me and said, 'Hi.' She said it as if she’d known me for a really long time, or else she was just being real friendly – either way, I didn’t recognize her, so I just said, 'hi' back. When she turned around to walk away, I noticed she had a tattoo of an eye right in the middle of the back of her neck. It was right then and there that I was SO thankful I have never taken any drugs – real life is just weird enough the way it is, thank you very much."

Emily update

Emily is doing a little better each day. She's gone back to work - she sits and answers the phone - and can manage driving now. The hard part is getting in and out of doors that threaten to swing shut on her, but she’s learning how to deal with that, too. I think she only took one pain pill yesterday, after we changed the dressing. When we were done, she expressed frustration for the first time. She laid back and said, “I’m just SO SICK of this!” For the most part, she has kept up a good attitude. She sees the Doctor again on Tuesday.
We borrowed a wheelchair from our church so we were able to take her to the county fair for one sultry evening. I’ll be taking her down to UNO this Wednesday to give her a hand buying her books for the new term, which starts the 27th (I think).
I know she is very grateful for all the kind words that are coming her way as well as for the prayers that are going up for her. It helps more than you know. I get a lump in my throat every time I think about how much worse it could have been.

Family injuries

Am I the only one remembering when Dad got his pants caught in the power take-off of the tractor? Must I admit I remember most not getting to go to a movie I wanted to see. Someday I'll remember what it was.

Dad was working with a post hole digger on the back of his tractor. He got his pants leg caught in the power take-off--the connection from the tractor that made the post hole digger dig the hole. It tore most of his overalls off of him and cut up his leg pretty bad. He walked back to the house from the field with his jacket tied around his waist. He was afraid there would be a "bunch of women" visiting. If I remember right, he refused to go to the doctor. He said if he had been wearing new overalls it would have been a lot worse.

How is Emily doing?

INFO - don't read if you have a weak stomach.

For Janell, On the farm on hwy 51, we could ride our bikes out the driveway around the grove and back to the house. Mick took off to do this. Dad had put up a string of barbed wire just at the spot we turned to go around the end of the grove. (I think he had turned some horses out in the field.) The fence caught Mick across the throat and made two cuts. This was one of the few injuries when we were growing up that required a doctor's attention. Mom took him and his bloody mess and he came back with little clamps across his throat. He really was lucky because it could have cut his jugular.

As for the light failure when during Grandma's surgery. There was a big power outage just as they were finishing the amputation. The story is that Dr. Gatewood had to finish cutting the bone with a hand saw.
Sue

Emily

Emily’s doing better, very slowly but surely. We have to change the dressing every three days, which is pretty painful because gauze sticks to everything. But it hurts a little less every time. She usually only takes two pain pills every day now, instead of the one every two hours she started with.
She’s getting around better on the crutches. Jack took her to a movie Saturday night and she said one of the crutches slipped on some water in the bathroom and she caught herself on her bad foot. She was afraid she’d popped a stitch, because it bled a little, but the stitches are all intact. It looks as good as it possibly can, but it’s going to take a long time.
She’s talking about going back to work on a limited basis. The Dr. okayed that as long as all she has to do is sit and answer the phone. She can’t walk on it at all.
She hasn’t lost her sense of humor. On our last Dr. visit, the nurse who was taking care of her said she has a son who mows barefoot. Emily kind of chuckled and said, “Do you want to take a picture of this for him?” The nurse laughed and said she sure would if she had a camera with her.

Family History Question: Is Emily the first Gatewood to suffer an amputation?

Update?

Janell, could we have an update on Emily? I think about her every time I start the mower.
Sue

Birthdays

Believe Scott might be 1973. Joe is 1972.
Sue

Mick visited Sat.

Mick is now renting a house in Oakland. His cell phone # is unchanged. He’s still commuting to Minnesota to work on the ethanol plant up there, but thought that job would be over in Dec. I’ll email his new address.
I suppose you’ve all gotten your invitations to Crystal’s wedding? We are planning on going. Anyone else?