Jim's fall and Thanksgiving 2013

Well, our Thanksgiving was full of excitement - not in a good way I'm afraid.

Wednesday night (the night before Thanksgiving) the phone rang. It was Jim. He told me that he was home and in the garage and not to panic, but that he had a bloody head because of an incident with the shopping cart in the parking lot at Hannaford. He also said he needed someone to bring in the groceries and open the door because he couldn't. I was glad he called so we could help him and so we weren't shocked.

Here's what happened:

I realized I needed sour cream for the cheesecake and I wanted the full fat version, but didn't have one. I was in the middle of making pumpkin pies and cheesecake as well as zucchini quiche and something else and so called him to see if he'd mind stopping by Hannaford to pick up some sour cream. I added a couple more things to the list and said thanks and see you soon.

The list was not long and therefore cart was light. So, when he ran full speed and hopped onto the shopping cart for a fun ride in the parking lot on the way out to the jeep (feelin' like a kid!), the cart went down and so did Jim! He caught himself with his hands thank goodness, but he still got a bad cut over his right eye. 

People saw him go down and tried to get him to come into the store to get fixed up, but he declined, partly because he felt embarrassed and partly because he just wanted to go home. He realized that he might stiffen up and not be able to get home if he didn't go right away. That was his thinking at the time. 

So he drove home (don't know how he did that as not soon after he got home he couldn't even lift his arms) and called me from the door to let us know what happened.

The first thing he did was to sit in the chair and rest as he was feeling shaky and was trembling. He rested a bit because he was shaky and then I helped him clean up his head wound. He couldn't even lift his arms. He slept on the couch a couple of nights and we helped him with even daily living tasks. He is feeling better each day, but still has a lot of trouble with his right arm and now right shoulder. We'll see how things go. I am not convinced he didn't break something on the right arm, but he still doesn't want to get xrays or see a dr, so I'm helping as requested. Anyway, that's the scoop.

Since I've been taking that writing class, I had poems and things on my mind..so I wrote a limerick and poem about his accident:


A haiku:

Feeling young and free

With wild abandon I leap

Riding badass cart


A limerick:

There once was a father from Camden

Who shopped for his family of 7

With joy in his heart, he leaped on the cart

And rode it with reckless abandon.
(we're really a family of 6, but I counldn't rhyme that. If you include our pet frog, there is 7 of us!)

Taking care of Jim was priority, but he was okay enough to look forward to a turkey dinner.  Jim usually makes Thanksgiving dinner, but this year Katie and I made it together - the whole shebang, minus the gravy. Pretty cool that we did it and it came out great! Mashed potatoes with rosemary, sweet potatoes, turnips, homemade from scratch stuffing, the turkey and canned cranberry sauce. Since I had made cheesecake and pumpkin pie the night before, all set with dessert. I joked with Jim and said, "You just didn't want to make Thanksgiving dinner!" He said, "I just said the same thing to Katie!" So funny that we joked about the same thing! Jim is feeling a little better each day, though he can't do much with his right arm. He needs lots of help with daily tasks. We're all helping as best we can. Most of all, we don't touch his right arm especially. I hope he keeps improving, or else maybe he'll decide it's time to get xrays.

Update: A week after the fall, he did go see our nurse practitioner who informed him that he likely tore some ligaments and tendons and it would take months to heal.

For three weeks I drove him to work and took over the things he usually did in the house.  One day I woke up and found he had driven to work himself.  He felt ready, though he used one hand for the wheel for a while (which I said was not safe and to please let me drive him, though he declined).

As of April 2013, his right knee is still hurting (he had not realized how bad that got hurt when he fell, but realized it hurt as the other parts were slowly healing).  He still can't reliably hold Kanoa for a long time.  He can use his arms more and more, though he still has pain.  So things are better, but not as good as he hoped and expected.  I still do the dump runs most of the time, though last time we went together and he lifted a huge heavy bag and threw it over the railing into the trash area.  His right hip and lower back are hurting too, but that may or may not be related to the fall.  

"Mom, that was just weird"

Katie and Keely had rehearsal for West Side Story late again this week.  Kanoa and I were heading out to deliver them a pineapple pizza at the high school.  Kanoa was being very loving and gave me kisses after I put him into his car seat (he often says I love you and gives kisses).  I gave him a bunch of kisses on his head and after I shut the door I blew a kiss through the window of the minivan.  I peered in through the tinted windows and caught his blown kiss back to me.  "Awwww!" I thought.  He's my "kissee" and I was loving the sweet exchange.  We waved goodbye in a sweet way.  I get in the van and he says, "Mom, that was just weird."  Omg.....I could only laugh.  Where did he pick those words up?  Probably from Makana (I have heard her say that) or maybe from a show.  So funny.  I did ask if he meant the kisses we blew through the window (to be sure) and he said yes.  Weird.

Kanoa is now 3 years and 9 months old.  Where is the time going!!?  It's hard to remember back to what life was like when he was a baby now!  And dare I say....he is communicating a bit more and life is getting easier overall for him (and me too!) - there is just a teeny bit less upsetness (thank goodness!!!).  I see some positive changes here and there.  And I am glad.  :)