Painful Potato

A week ago a glass bottle of chives hit the kitchen floor with a shattering smash. We swept it up and moved on with our merry married lives. Then once upon an morning Matt was making breakfast and stepped on a potato. At least, he thought it was a potato. You know that feeling, you step on something, you're not sure what, but your feels like your foot can't quite touch the ground. So, to remove said potato, Matt tried to brush it off on his other foot. He stood again... yet there was still a potato mushed in the  arch of his left foot. That was when he looked down. The other foot was now covered with dripping red lines.

Looking at the bottom of his foot he saw he had stepped on a pointed piece of glass! Still feeling no pain, he pulled out the pointed shard and watched the blood flow. For a moment he looked at his feet in wonder. How did I not notice I was cutting myself? With careful steps, he moved to the couch to sit, but unable to. The couch is occupied with stuff Beka is organizing. Well, was. Now it all needs to go.

"Beka. I need to sit."

Wondering why he can't clear a spot himself, she turns to him, prepared with a sarcastic remark. What it was, I don't know for it disappeared when her eyes saw blood dripping down her husband's feet. 

"What happened?"

"I need to sit down." 

She cleared the whole couch in a rush and he lay on his back, putting his feet on the arm. Now the pain has successfully sent its signal to the brain and he's shuddering. 

After some Bactine, gauze and tape, he looks no worse for wear. The puncture doesn't look deep, but it's hard to tell as blood blocks the view.

That day, after soldiering thru the pain with shoes on, Matt got a tetanus booster shot. Just in case. Hopefully it was worth it because after two days of a fever and STILL having a sore arm, the injection sight is STILL warm to the touch. A shot has had longer lasting pain than a puncture wound of glass. 

Stupid shot.

The puncture site two days later

Three scratches of the glassy potato remain

Trial reminds us what we're thankful for!

Matt and I were SO excited! Being only 4 weeks along our excitement couldn't be contained and we told the family. Matt even bought a shirt with a loading bar on the belly for me to wear. I wore it once, to break the news to our parents. I was never nauseous, I didn't feel any different. I mean I didn't feel ANY different from the month before. I was surprised that I never "knew" I was pregnant. I was surprised by the test. I always thought I'd just know and a pregnancy test was just verification.
Now we were pregnant! Finally! I started the pregnant diet. Gave up soda, sushi, set my first appointment. Which I forgot about and cancelled yesterday. Why?

Monday August 20th 3:00 am: I woke up in PAIN. By 5 my getting in and out of bed had Matt up wondering what was wrong with me... gave me a blessing.. checked my symptoms online (it sounded like appendicitis), called my mom (cell phones are a wonderful blessing at times like this, and knowing my mom was likely up certainly made calling Doctor Mom easier) and went to the ER at the University of Utah Hospital. I was hunched over... almost bent in half... walking to the car. We took the short drive to the hospital, (a blessing we lived soo close) got out of the car and walked in. I was furious to discover my pain was no longer as agonizing as it was. I'm at the ER and I feel a little better! AUGH! I filled out the paperwork while Matt parks the car ....yes, I thought of Brian Regan... (Pain is ongoing... I realize this is just your job and you aren't the one who decided I had to fill this out, but seriously people! You want to know my name and address? Is that really necessary right now? Brian Regan began to play in my head.) Any health conditions? "I'm pregnant and overweight." For some reason being deaf didn't enter my mind for that list. (Matt mentioned this to most people who spoke to me at the hospital because I rarely understood anyone the first time they spoke.) We're escorted to a room with a narrow bed, TV and a curtain separating us from being seen by any staff that may be in line of sight. IV goes in my left arm ... at least I thought it was just an IV... it had morphine. Morphine... going straight to my veins. I thought they were just making sure I was hydrated. Therefore I was very annoyed that my pain was gone and I was in an expensive ER. Time to go home. We can't afford this.
In comes a nurse/intern/I-don't-remember-what-he-said-he-was comes in with a computer on wheels.  Name, address, (Can't you get that from the last 2 people I gave it to?) religion, allergies.. and then comes the Brian Regan bit. "How would you rate your pain on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the worst pain you've ever experienced?" When I decided to come to the ER I was a high 8 low 9. I had no problem with 9. Couldn't say 10... not a broken femur :) However, now that my pain was gone... unless the nurse was poking around "Does this hurt?" ... I felt FINE! "I was an 8, but now unless you poke me I'm a 0!" Matt decided after the nurse left with that answer in the computer was a good time to tell me I was on morphine. ....for some reason I couldn't deduce that they had given me something for the pain....
They drew blood a couple times, then asked for a urine sample. I discover I'm bleeding. Forget the urine sample. I opened the door "I'm bleeding!" The nurses don't seem worried, but they don't care about the urine sample anymore, Matt covers his mouth in worry. Time for an ultrasound on the belly AND the stupid pelvic one. Painful when your symptoms mimic appendicitis. They did an ultrasound and left us there to wait for what a doctor thinks of the images. I thought the images looked grey with some black spots. Apparently the black spots were ovaries. Ok, well, they're there. That's good. I'm only 4 weeks along so you aren't going to see an embryo anywhere, maybe they'll see some clues for appendicitis? We wait for 10 minutes. A doctor comes in and looks again. What does he say before he sends us back to our room? "Best of luck to you." We both over analyzed that. The way he said it was like "I don't know what to say to you." Why doesn't he say "have a good day" or something? Luck? Something must be wrong.
We sit in the room for a little while before nurse comes in to tell us what happened. Ruptured Ectopic Pregnancy. My vitals are normal so I'm not bleeding to death, but they need to look in there, maybe they can save the Fallopian Tube.. maybe not. Either way, they gotta get all that blood out. One nurse said "it was never a viable pregnancy." Oh how I wanted to say "shut up", but I just said "ok" and he left. Matt and I had a cry. Then in two nurses come again to repeat the risks of the surgery because they have to. 3 incisions. Belly button. Left ovary, right ovary.

Dad comes and he and Matt give me a blessing. Amen, and cue nurses. We need to put in another IV... they tried all over. I'm part fish apparently. Right arm... can't get it! Left hand... nope can't find a vein, but tried anyway. Right arm again... nope. Hmm... Right hand... nope... again!... Nope... Right arm again... hmm... Left THUMB! Dang. Thought I saw something blue.... (at this point we're now in pre-op)... ok, I'm going to try your right foot. Ok. I'm drugged. I don't care. Matt and Dad both don't do well with needles. I did fine as long as they didn't count to 3 before the sting. I finally told them after the 4th time not to count to 3, just put the needle in would ya? Dad just doesn't look. Matt doesn't look while looking at either my groggy expression or the floor in horror. I don't know which he thought more... my poor wife or dang incompetence! (He says 'my poor wife'.) The decision is made to wait until I'm under anesthesia. 9:30 is the time I see as a mask is put over my face and they tell me to breath normal. A blessing we live in a place and time where this surgery is possible, where anesthesia is possible!
Blink. Blink.... 2:15. Wow. Is it really 2:15? A nurse gives me ice cubes. Sooo good. A tube was down my throat and so any hopes of not having a sore throat are gone. My throat was sore until Tuesday. Not bad. Ice cubes are good :)
I'm out of it. Apparently I'm on a few pain killers. I feel groggy. Matt and Dad are there to greet me when the bed I'm in is wheeled to a room. I remember talking to them, but no idea what we talked about. I do remember them telling me they couldn't save the tube, so we have a 20% less chance of getting pregnant, and they took out 200-300 mL of of bleeding from the rupture. Apparently my body will think it's pregnant for several weeks, and I can't lift more than 10 lbs until September 17th. (May I say, today is the 27th of August. I haven't taken any pain killers today. Not even ibuprofen. I feel much better so I'm annoyed by this rule. I'm sure anyone who's had a C-section can sympathize with my thought of 'my arms work fine!' ... I know that's not the point, but that's what goes thru the mind.)
Anyway, "You can go home soon as you can get up and walk to the bathroom." I drink and drink and drink. We go home a little after 6 :) Matt's parents picked up my prescriptions and gave them to us at the hospital so we had no stops to make. Just go home. (Matt's mom was amazed last week to see that I could walk and function normal on percocet. Apparently it's a doozy drug, but the only thing I noticed was that when I read my scriptures some of the letters changed occasionally. A blessing! I'd hate it if no pain also meant no functioning.)
Matt helps me get in the car. He helps me get out back at the court. A neighbor sees me walking weakly and takes my other arm helping me to the door. He's a chef supervising several hospital cafeterias, including the U. He says he'll bring dinner on Wednesday. Mmmm! It was goood!

Inside I collapse.. slowly... and gently.... to the couch that is big and soft. A free couch from a family that moved out of the 1400 court months ago. I look at the damage. Bruises on the right and left side, and more little wounds from where they tried IVs on my belly. No idea where they found success.
I sleep on the couch. Matt slept on the floor next to me. He woke me up at 3am to take medication, then I went back to sleep. I slept for most of Tuesday, with my dear honey rushing to my side whenever a groan escaped my lips. My visiting teacher came over and braided my hair, brought dinner, talked (talking was especially nice as silence left me trapped in my head which was a emotional roller coaster.) Lynell and Jonathan came over and gave us cookies, a scarf, a new game to try, and a promise of dinner. Chili's. Mmmmm!  Grant and Steph came by and made me laugh plenty. Laughing hurt, but still the best medicine!
I planned on going to work Wednesday, but my caring husband turned off my alarm clock to ensure I'd sleep. My mom came and took care of dishes and laundry. We walked around the court, well, Matt walked, I shuffled. Our neighbor chef gave us his specially made cooking as we walked back to the apartment. Watched a lot of Doctor Who.
 I went to work Thursday. Full day! A get well card was on my desk signed by everyone at the archives and everyone that saw me was wondering why I was there. I was in pain after work, which caused Matt to pick me up early Friday so I put in 6 hours instead of 8. He's so sweet. He worries so much about me. He says he's never seen such a stubborn side of me. I say it's not stubborn. It's Hibbert toughness! If I can sit on the couch and watch Doctor Who and call that recovery, I can sit in a chair at work and look at microfilm. It's seriously a low stress job.
I am grateful I was only 4 weeks along. I can't imagine losing a pregnancy after having felt the baby kick. A week later I have resumed the life I had the previous week (minus the 10lbs limit). I am grateful to have such a caring husband who looks out for my health better than I do apparently :) I am grateful for friends and family who immediately offer assistance to help in recovery. The Relief Society President found out from my visiting teacher, and it was cool to tell her we didn't need meals because between good neighbors, good friends, good family... we couldn't think of anything we needed. Everything took care of itself then night we got home. I am so thankful for our calling. I have met amazing patients at the hospital. People who were stuck at the hospital for weeks, and just wanted to go home. Frustrated, but unshaken in their faith in Christ. We met a woman who had brain surgery. She bore testimony of the Atonement that no one in the room could doubt she was speaking the truth. I am thankful for the way my parents raised me. To endure, be tough, and never let anything shake your faith in Christ. I don't feel that God has taken anything from us. I don't feel like we're being punished for anything. It's a trial. Life if full of them and they are what make us grow. Elder Holland said we all must take a few steps to Calvary, endure a few moments in Gethsemane. Though I find myself crying occasionally (I blame hormones because I don't want to admit I'm not done crying about this) it is not because I have lost anything. We will have a family. I don't doubt it.

Cereal Mix!

As a child there was a breakfast I dreaded... the container that had the good cereal mixed with the nasty flakes and granola. Everything was put in one bowl, mixed and thus we were coerced to eat the healthy cereal. I used to shake that thing to get all the marshmallows and raisins out to make my bowl better thus making the next one less sugary ... Well... um... I just did that...

We have a lot of cereal around. I don't eat much of it. I'm more of a 'zone-bar-in-the-morning-is-

the-easiest-breakfast-EVA' person. Matt (I swear he is not allowed to go shopping anymore) bought some Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toast crunch. "It was on sale!" (May I quote Thomas Jefferson... and Mom? "Never buy what you don't want because it is cheap." You want to lose weight? You Don't want Lucky Charms. They're unlucky for you sweetie. He eats it in the morning and I eat my zone bar. Meanwhile the Cherrios, granola and raisin bran sits on the top of the fridge uneaten. I'm cleaning and out of curiosity, look at the expiration dates. September. Hm. I got a BIG bowl, put them all together, put the lid on, shook it... VOILA! We're gonna finish them ALL at the SAME TIME! Muahaha! My childhood dread turned into glee.

Campout

Yet again it was time to go camping to Clear Creek. (Not south, north. You go into Idaho then back into Utah on a dirt road to get to the campground. It's free to camp there... evidenced by the lack of water and road maintenance.) Scott went up first (cousin on Matt's side) with some neighbors... and 10 kids. They picked a lovely spot with a river. Prime if you ask me :) The kids were told NOT to play in the water... I understand why they didn't. Really, an awesome river, don't get wet? It's fun trying not to and getting wet! Naturally, all the kids got wet. Then changed into dry clothes because they were VERY wet! Matt put a grommet into a tarp and with some rope made a canopy. Such a genius my husbadn :) It rained all night and by the next morning... no child had dry clothes and they all left.

 

Matt and I had a few hours to ourselves at the site wondering if any of our friends were coming despite the rain. (I DID check the weather. It said 20% chance of snow. It said nothing about the mountains being 100% rain. Bobby and his wife Jenn came up! Matt chopped wood and I stayed under the tarp afraid to open a book (which was already looking wavy from just sitting out) or bring out a game.

We made dinner, Bobby's fantastic chicken and potatoes with cheese and bacon... how did we cook the bacon? Over an open fire- behold what made the trip worth it :)

Good for us that all the grease dripped into the fire pit, bad for the taste. Just chewy bits in the potatoes. Weather cleared up just long enough for Matt and I to pack the wet tent and chairs and load the car. I don't mind camping in the rain, but hail? The whole time? Nuh-uh. I was afraid for Matt's cold-induced asthma the whole time. We both knew if we spent the night we'd spend the morning looking for a hospital. Out on the road we passed Morgan and Toby who tried to talk us into sleeping at Uncle Rick's in Malta then going back to the campground. We drove home... driving through many snippets of storm we knew would hit them during the night. Turned out is snowed there all night and everyone in the campground left like a caravan the next morning. We had a bbq at Scott's to cook the camp food :)

Adding to the games!

For DOCTOR WHO FLUXX!

DOMINION!

When Matt and I play games occasionally someone says "a cool card would be....". We made Doctor Who Fluxx. A whole game of our own cards! Matt asked me to make the Village Idiot for Dominion. I scan original cards and then with Paint (I know, the most basic program there is, but I like it) I make it my own!

The Cruise

Time to catch up on the latest! 

For Spring Break we went on a Carnival Cruise. I love the ocean. I really love the ocean. There's just something peaceful and amazing and spiritual to look at water going on forever and knowing there are people somewhere on the other side of that who are brothers and sisters.

Anyway, tangent. This trip was supposed to be our honeymoon. While we were engaged, Matt purchased the trip with some sweet deal he got. THEN he asked "Do you want to go to Mexico?" "Not really." He didn't mention having bought the trip until after our honeymoon in Disneyland. "You BOUGHT it and THEN asked me!?" It was a fantastic trip tho. I have finally stepped into another country! Here are some pictures!

Cute towels in our room!

Matt's pic of Mexico

Mexico.. McDonald's. Really? Lame!

 

Looking down at the Blowhole

Here it comes!

Splash! Nice!

Only 3 places like this in the world!

 

Matt took A LOT of pics of the water so he could paint some scenes like his grandma. He's already done one, and it's LOVELY!

Churros in Mexico = heaven! Notice the hat.... plastic, but smells like leather :)

 There was a HUGE market you had to walk thru to get to the blowhole. My favorite moment was one man shouting "CIGARS!" ... "I don't smoke!" Matt shouts back. "Maybe you should start!" He hollers backs!

Ok, so it's the wall in our room, but honestly, I see bats and goblins, and friendly ogres in this picture.

Cute folded towels

I want to go look at the ocean again! We saw the Captain once and he pointed at our books wondering why we had them. We didn't get much reading in, but there is something heavenly about listening to the water and reading a book!

In port, with the seagulls and the Queen Anne. MINE MINE

Had a day to kill, so spent it in Hollywood :)

Matt and Master Chief!

  

It's smoked (I think it's just rolled up raw) salmon... I tried a bite, and spit it out

At the beach on Catalina Island. Matt got in the frozen water, I played with sand. Don't ask me what is is. I don't know. A face... part angry Klingon, part something?

"Glass Bottom Boat"

This was the Shakespeare Library. I loved this room. My dream house now has it!

A nice person on the ship loaned us her game!! I lost, naturally :)

Our table. One couple from Flagstaff, one from Washington on their honeymoon and us

The waiters sing!

Stand up. There was a family friendly show that we enjoyed. One black guy had kids come up so he could teach them how to dance to hip hop. Michael Jackson was playing! :)

More folded towels!

 

This guys has had plastic surgery up the wazoo to look just like Michael Jackson. He does!

  

Chinese Theatre

  

Made from a phone book! Ripley's Believe it or Not is an awesome place!

Remember the Chilean miners? They all signed a flag and Ripley's bought it.

 

I'm sure it was an honor.... and then sat on a shelf. I was really impressed with the hollowness of Hollywood

This is the original Phantom of the Opera! HI ERIK!

 

HEY! It's ME AND IRON MAN!

Waiting for someone?

Cute!

 

Home and back to homework!