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?