Among Other Things

Rachel has a complete tear of the ACL in her left leg.  We didn't suspect this.  Certainly an atypical presentation of symptoms.  Anyhoo - surgery on Monday, rehab for about six months.  She is very sad about missing her junior year season of basketball.  Orthopedic surgeon said that soccer in March is a very reasonable goal.

Met the Orthopod

He reviewed Rachel's knee x-rays, evaluated her himself and decided that the lateral collateral ligament is what was connected to the tibia.  He suspects possible ACL involvement, but won't know until after an MRI - which is scheduled for this Thursday.  I asked him to state in detail what Rachel may and may not do in basketball practice for the rest of the summer.  His face got pretty red.  I'm not sure if he was annoyed with me, embarrassed for me, or if he was trying not to laugh.  "Well," he began, "she can't run.  She can't walk.  She pretty much can't do anything."  That pretty much clears it up then.  Estimated rehab time depends on what MRI reveals.  Best case scenario is three months until she is able to participate in competitive sports.

Upside?  Rachel is looking forward to "bedazzling" her bulky knee brace.

I'm Up!

I was jolted from sleep less than one hour ago by a teen pounding on my bedroom door and shouting, "Where's the pen?!  I'm going to die!!"

"Epi-pen!" shouted Mr. Rellim, "Shoot him with the Epi-pen!"

I dashed to the stash of Epi-pens and quickly realized it was Rachel who woke me, not Quinn.  She continued shouting, "I'm going to die!  These mosquito bites are so itchy! Where's the pen?"  My adrenaline surge switched to annoyance.  My search then changed from Epi-pen to Benadryl anti-itch stick (which was not in the medicine bag where I left it yesterday).

"Oh!" said Rachel, "I guess it's over here at the computer where I used it last night."  She applied the topical Benadryl then went back to bed.

But I'm up.

Rachel's Knee

Possible avulsion fracture of the tibial attachment of the PCL - or something like that.

Looks more like that photo you see in psych class that could be a picture of an old hag or a beautiful woman, depending on your perspective.  We see an orthopaedic surgeon on Tuesday for treatment options.  For now, it's ice, elevation, ibuprofen and crutches.  Too bad it happened during the first game of the summer season.  But perhaps Rachel is meeting surgeons in order to investigate future professional opportunities.

Would They Do That If They Had Won?

"We aren't going to go away. We're not going to pull a blanket over our head and pee in our pajamas."

Marty Beil, executive director of the Wisconsin State Employees Union, talking to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel about the loss of the power to strike and force state workers to pay dues.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/07/dems-cant-make-it-without-government-worker-unions/#ixzz1x8jwrYdu

Guess What?

Quinn and I just repaired the leaky faucet in the bathroom!  Thank you, online video.  Of course, we had to ask a strong football player friend to turn the water off (the handles had rusted shut), then drive to three different places around town to look for a replacement washer, then call a handy neighbor to check the work, but we did it!  Next time, it shouldn't take three hours.

Startled

I was working in the yard when I heard the sound of a man make a cough-sneeze-clear-throat-scream-because-I-was-just-stabbed-between-the-shoulder-blades-by-my-crazy-wife noise.  I've never heard a sound like that, but I found myself making quick steps toward my house.  Since I was in a portion of our yard that was sort of "echo-y," I was unable to determine the direction from which it came.  All I knew is that with Mrs. Neighbor on the left and Mrs. Other Neighbor on the right, I needed to find shelter.

Alas, my worries were unjustified.  For just as I made it to the driveway, the sound was heard again.  And this time, I watched in amazement as it came from Mr. Other Neighbor's body - his fully awake, alert, and presumably whole and uninjured body.  Pollen must really be getting him down.

This is What Democracy Looks Like

Both Walker and Kleefisch kept their jobs after the recall vote in Wisconsin.  Click here to watch a short speech from the Lieutenant Governor.  I'm not opposed to big labor.  I am a member of the teacher unions.  However, I am opposed to union leadership that places its own needs before the state's and country's need to maintain financial solvency.  I am also opposed to the mandatory membership that puts me out about $750 a year.

Sunrise Farewell

We welcomed the sunrise before packing the car on our last day of vacation.  It was a good one.

Looking at this picture reminds me of something Mr. Rellim once told me.  I'm certain he meant it as as a compliment.  "You know another reason I love you?  You're not ugly when you wake up in the morning."  He has such a way with words.  Could write a book on romantic banter even.

Day Eight - Captain Wiley

Captain Wiley with Kitty Hawk Kites just called.  The winds have picked up to unsafe levels and he was letting us know that our reservation for triple para sailing has been cancelled. This is despite the fact that Logan's dad was able to find the website, download the waiver, fill it out correctly and completely, then find a fax machine in town and then fax the waiver to KHK.  AAAAAHHHHHGGG!

So I called Corolla Jeeps for a two hour self-guided tour of the beaches with the wild horses.  They were booked.  Double AAAAAHHHHHGGG!  Guess we will be stuck entertaining ourselves this afternoon.