08.26.2010 Thursday Decision Made

Surgery Day! Our constant stream of medical personnel have pointed us in the direction of amputation. What sealed it was the question "What would you do if this were your foot?" Every one of them said "Take it off" followed quickly by a "it's your decision though!" Talk about double-talk!! So the nothing-after-midnight order was made and Dennis seems resolved to enter the futures market with the donation of a digit to science. He was in good humor when I arrived this morning (very early). Since we didn't have a hard/fast surgery time, I didn't want to find out that I'd missed that window to send him off. I have used every media available to keep family/friends updated on his condition and treatment. This is a full time job being the communication hub for messages and updates. After early morning passed and noon passed with no guerney going to surgery and no staff being able to tell us anything, I finally started to research information on my own. (After all I had a testy diabetic who hadn't eaten and drank for 14 hours getting pretty squirrely in a bed he was tired of anyway!) After some calling and phone tag it was discovered that the front half of our medical staff parade had not communicated with the back half (the surgical half) that the procedure had, indeed, been scheduled. So no surgery today. Again with the lavish of apologies that will be added to the blog of misteps we have experienced. After a late lunch tray and glucose at a reasonable level, Dennis drifted off into exhaustion and frankly, so did I. At least the surgery should happen tomorrow and the whole parade now knows the route. Still not 100% consensus, still not entirely sure this is the right thing to do, but it's going to be done. Tomorrow.....

08.25.2010 Wednesday Pros and Cons

Rallying the Troups! School is a distant memory. All of my energies, creative and otherwise, are now focused on the ninth floor of BMH. Yesterday's parade of medical staff was increased by our lack of decision making abilities as well as the lack of consensus among the aforementioned staff. What to do....call in more opionions, so that's what we've done. An infection expert, an osteo expert, our own internist and WEBMd. Will all of these experts bring about clarity or just more voices with different messages and expertise? Dennis remains compliant and cooperative. The kids have confronted their own fears of losing a parent and seem dedicated to his welfare and emotional support. I am still engaged in the battle of "save the little piggie or send him to market". The traditional pro/con list yields equally weighted results on either side of the scale. (never a good instrument for me...I can see too many possibilities in any argument...also not handy when cleaning out a closet). Anyway, I am starting to see why I "wasn't ready for school to start". Academics are about the farthest things from my mind. My research is limited to medical websites. I'm thankful for the wireless connection, nonetheless and hope to stay somewhat abreast of my studies when we actually have a direction for theraputic endeavors. All of my professors have been supportive of my absence from their classes and encourage my focus to stay here. It helps to be an adult learner in that regard. I do feel sorry for Kristen because she too has to deal with all of this (though to a lesser degree) but in addition to the rigors of undergrad classes and work. Since I never had an ailing parent (and really still don't) it's hard to know how to help the kids work through this. I didn't think my parents had any flaws well into my 30's. Interesting topic to explore with them when this settles down.

08.24.2010 Tuesday

(taken from paper journal at BMH)
Michael Phelps' illustration of the idea that everyone can be creative (from class yesterday)

If Micheal Phelps was not allowed to swim -- or rather -- not allowed to swim fast and was forced to swim the average of all the speeds of every other swimmer in the pool -- would he still swim? Would he swim "averagely" only for a period of time after which he would become bored or so frustrated that he would no longer swim at all? Is that what happens to creativity of the vast majority of people? Do they become so frustrated that they towel off and leave the pool entirely?

What if creativity were valued in the medical community? What if the only protocol was to make the patient healthy, no matter what the treatment, or insurance coverage, or history of the treatment's success, etc? Would there be fewer unhealthy people because they would seek treatment sooner? Would fewere people fear the system and the ridigity of medicine? Would there be more creative treatments geared toward the individual rather than an average fix for the masses? There are many industries (beside education) where creativity could be utilized to make thing much, much better.

The word "creativity" so often conjures up fear. Creativity necessitates the artsy/fartsy genre, but much creativity is problem solving and that is functional and industrial and mainstream. Why are creatives thought to be outliers when they should really be the norm?

Missed TCOM 601 due to the lack of communication in the medical parallel universe where the patient (and his family) have no schedule, no agenda and no life other than to be available at the medical staff's beck and call. How hard would it be to provide at least a general idea (morning, afternoon, night) of when a physician's call may occur? This may be novel, but wouldn't that ... shouldn't that just be common courtesy? Why do we let "white coats" do this to us?

08.23.2010 Monday

(Taken from paper journal started at Ball Memorial Hospital, room 9014)

•Get a cheap notebook ☺
•Do an entry daily ☺ (good plan but it didn't happen yet!)
•Be reflective ☺

TCOM 601 Should be a great class. With all students eager to share ideas - not just ideas, but great ideas, the synery in the room was almost measureable. The question posed about formal education squashing creativity of our kids was a trick question. As a broad generalization YES the system favors the medium student who can follow rules famously and maybe go a bit beyond -- BUT, there is the exception in formalized education who can recognize potential in students and nurture that spark. Creativity can and does happen in any environment, but it may be easier with encouragement, resources, and mentoring.

Rough start to the school year. Den's hospitalization hopefully will be a fast one, but the fact that he didn't fuss or fight about being admitted indicates the severity of the condition to me. We'll have to see happens. I really wasn't ready for this semester to begin, but I wanted it to be on MY terms not with additional complications of an already complicated life.

The Family Blog becomes an Educational Blog!

The good news is that posts will be daily, the bad news is that if that is too much information you will have too much to sort through! I am in four classes this semester and each one requires a journal, educational journal, creative journal, or Critical Incident Questionnaire, so in the effort to be efficient, I will post my ramblings in one place (rather than repeating them four times) and populate a lonely, forsaken blog simultaneously. Since this is a blog versus e-mail, you are on your own with reading it or not. It is what it is!!

Mackenzie's 5th Birthday

The celebration commenced at Royal Oak on Sunday August 8th. We decided to continue the Redneck Waterpark theme with an actual blow-up waterpark. Kenzer requested a Snow White party so that too was incorporated.

In the Gray

2:30 am

Summer School starts later this morning.  A short summer job may start today also, it's not official.  Dennis has an eye appointment.  James starts his third week of childcare for the Gnaps.  Kristen has the day off.  I took a "nap" earlier this evening so I'm off of the sleep cycle and feel like I'm waiting in line for a roller coaster ride....I don't like roller coasters.

The final three weeks of the Spring Semester were a wild ride.  The entire semester was a pretty unpleasant experience.  It did have it's bright spots...I loved my assistant ship assignment.  I learned iMovie and am rapidly becoming a Mac affectionado.  Kendall is recovering from a nasty case of mono.  There were highlights, but the usual degree of satisfaction I receive from academics was not there.  Disappointing, to say the least.  Projects that we hurried to turn in are now back on the "To Do" list.  I hate that.  When I cross something off I want it to stay done....not show up for a redo.  I want it to be working or complete, not somewhere in between.  It's the grayness that's the most frustrating.

So enough whining!  Dennis is holding his own.  People ask me, with deep concern, about his condition and I honestly have to answer that "I don't know."  He seems terrible to me; he's tired, crabby, slow moving, swollen, short with the kids at home, lethargic, falls asleep when you're talking to him,  slow to understand, not monitoring his eating or glucose or bathing....but get him in public or have someone come over and he's the life of the party!  He's upbeat on the phone, loves talking to the medical personnel, he's started running the video camera at church and delivers the DVD's to older church members every other week.  So "how is he?" He's in the gray.  He's not healthy, he's not down and out, terribly sick....I don't know how he is.  Chewy likes him no matter what and his seems to be the only opinion Dennis consistently values.

Wedding  July 2nd 4:30pm  Reception to follow.  Plans are coming along.  Looking for insurance for the reception venue.  This is new since our last wedding, now the renter has to insure the facility??  Strange.  We're trying very hard to be fiscally responsible for this wedding.  Trying not to spend ridiculous amounts of money on silly things.  We're blessed to have family members and friends with resources in the hospitality arena.  We're making it as much of a DIY as possible.  Some of the choices I haven't been on board with, but I'm trying to abide by the motto:  "The mother-in-law should shut up and wear brown."  I have enough to do that I won't have time for opinion voicing.  That's a good thing.

Blogging is a good thing.  I can vent to no one in general and only those who chose to will ever read this.  I'm getting sleepy enough to go to bed and when I wake up I will be in the front seat of the lead car on the roller coaster.  No more waiting, no more gray...in the heat of the moment, in the frenzy of the process, in the "To Do" of the list.  It will be good.  Good night...

James Londt

Holly Taylor

February 2010 Entry

First entry of the year.  I totally missed January due to a very overly optimistic courseload for the spring semester.  Every course I'm in is interesting and needed, but each course could be an entire semester's worth of work all in it's own.  Two TCOM (telecommunication) projects, Statistics, Collaborative Learning, and Continuing Professional Education.  This will be a study in prayer and spiritual sustainability! Kristen and I are having fun with The House That Pat Built project.  We're reconnecting with cousins in the south.  It's all good.

Updates:   James and Holly Taylor are getting married on July 2nd at First Baptist in Muncie.  Mark your calendars.  Holly is in her first year of the nursing program at BSU.  She's being challenged and hopefully will be done in two years.  James is gainfully employed with the Eaton EMS.
Kristen is still employed at Macy's and BSU.  She's living at home, but actively looking for roommates for next year.  She'll be content and richer if she stays at home, but she needs to invest in her social life as well.  She's growing within herself, AND physically losing weight.  What a great time for her.
Kelly and the Gnaps: All the kids are growing like weeds.  Mackenzie is in the Angels on High Preschool and loves telling us the letter of the week.  Kendall is enthusiastic and is most often caught in a princess or fairy outfit.  Cole is still all smiles but has started to let a fiesty little temper sneak out.  He plays with trucks and can be caught in a princess outfit if his sisters get ahold of him!  Kelly and Aaron are both at Ball State.
Joe and Heidi:  Do much better at blogging and you can keep up with them at http://www.londt.com/
Jack and Nancy:  Are doing well and are chilling in the south this winter. 
Dorothy:  is adjusting as well as can be expected at the Chandler House.  She stills knows her children, but is foggy on grandchildren and very very foggy on great grandchildren.  So far, she's pretty pleasant, but has bouts of meanness and writes some pretty nasty notes that Jane retrieves and destroys. 
Grandpa Pyle:  his birthday was yesterday ...97 I believe.  He's hard to talk to because he's very hard hearing but he's holding his own.
Dennis:  is also holding his own.  He and Chewy walk alot.  more later 

More photos from the week of April 20th will be coming, as soon as I figure this out!

Spring Gathering

We had a great visit last week from the Texas Branch of the family. Heidi's work required her to travel to Muncie and Joe and the kids came along. It was great for all the cousin to get to play and swim together. We were even all at the same place at the same time for a hurried photo shoot. I'm getting much less fussy about the photography and am merely thankful to have the event documented. Not everyone has to be smiling...it's just nice that they are there! Jame's friend Holly was missing. Everyone got to meet her at a Fazoli's outing. We hit on family night complete with Clowns and balloon animals.

I had a previous committment to the American Quilt Show in Paducah Kentucky so I left the group in the middle of the week for 2 ½ days. They got along fine and Dennis got to play host. I kept my economic stimulus as low as I possibly could but with 50,000 yards of fabric being sold per day, it's hard not to join the ruckus. I only purchased 3 quilts-worth of fabrics and 6 patterns. Merely a drop in the bucket.

The weather was almost winter at the beginning of the week, but as verified above it was nice by the end. Dennis and I tried to do a motorcycle escort to the Indianapolis Airport on the Saturday that Joe/Heidi/kids flew out, but it was so windy that we had to turn back. They had no delays this time (see Heidi's blog at http://www.londt.com/) so they didn't need us to run interference in the terminal.

It's so tempting to try and pack all kinds of events in when everyone is together. It's a good year when it's 4 times that we gather, but we purposely tried this time not to over book. They didn't leave Muncie and except for me, neither did we.

I have one more week and then will graduate with a Masters in Adult, Higher and Community Education and Executive Development. It's hard to believe that this degree is already completed. My undergrad took so long. James is in the final push for the EMT certification and also a Certified Nurses Assistant.

Dennis has spent the later half of this week with his brother Ed in northern Indiana hot on the trail of the elusive Morel Sponge Mushroom. So far they've been "skunked" but we haven't heard much from either of them so we're thinking that no news is good news. Chewy seems to be suffering from his under the table human food feedings. He is one spoiled rotten dog.

Projects continue to be done here. Joe's Round-the-World-Really Quilt is completed and was presented to him last week. It needs to be photographed and then sent to Texas. A mountie hat for Joey was also assembled and looks pretty good. I have a neighbor who is coming over to learn to sew. That's been a good thing. She sews and I make a valant attempt to clean up my studio enough for two people.

I'm so thankful for the children I have who live close and for those who come back. It such a blessed time for me when we can all be in the same place!