GRANDPA FALLS...HEAD FIRST....INTO TRASH CAN

My favorite picture of Melissa and my dad!

Ok. I had to lead with this one, because FORT would have lead with this one - LAUGHING. My dad (FORT'S grandpa that LOVED to party with her) was working in his yard yesterday. He was pushing one of those HUGE trash cans (you know - the RUMPKE kind...)and it got stuck on something. Well somehow, he tried to get it UNSTUCK, and it slipped - and SOMEHOW he fell HEAD FIRST into the trashcan. Of course NO ONE was around to help him, but he somehow managed to get out of the trash can, pick up the yard stuff and put it away THEN he called me. "Pam? I fell again. Can you bring me a bandaid?" He kind of explained what happened and it sounded a lot worse than he was leading on. So I went over with a first aid kit. Both wrists were swollen, his forehead was scratched, and both knees were skinned. Plus there was a pretty deep cut on one of his fingers. But he wouldn't let me take him to get "checked over".
"I'm fine" he said....Until this morning. He told me not to call too early, so I called around 10. Woke him up. And NOW he agreed to get checked. Took him to the new MVH South. Very nice. Got right in. Once he explained his fall, they determined what they need to do - CT SCAN (head), xrays of both wrists, xray of his big toe on his right foot (also swollen and bruised)and xrays of both knees.Everything came back negative. The doctor said "the good news is nothing is broken...and that's because you have the worst arthritis I've ever seen. All of your joints are fused together with arthritis - so you won't have any breaks in any of your joints!" Then dad said he thought something was in the cut on his finger. So the doctor started probing THAT which put a look (PAIN TIMES 10) on dad's face that I've never seen EVER on his face.
So the doc decided to numb it, which dad said was EVEN more painful - you know - the needle in the wound thing - and he found nothing. But he said "if anything is in there - it will work it's way out now..." Doctor was very concerned about his right knee, because he was having so much pain, and there is hardware in there from previous knee replacement. They were not getting a pulse in his foot - so they did a doplar - found the pulse then. Decided to immobilize the right leg. He didn't like that AT ALL. "This is a pain in the you know what...I don't need this..."
Then a walker. "I don't need THIS either. I look like an old geezer.." He was actually CARRYING the walker while he was walking. Wouldn't let me help him get in and out of the car... (I CAN DO IT MYSELF...wonder where FORT got it????) Finally got him home and settled in - he will be using the walker to get up from the couch, WILL NOT use it to walk...and will wear the immobilizer today. OH WELL. I tried....
Unfortunately, I did not have my camera with me. I did take a picture with the camera on my phone - sent it to Nick and HOPING he can send it to my email so I can post it. Fort would be disappointed in me...I ALWAYS have her camera with me - but left it by the computer for the post today - not expecting to be at the HOSPITAL with dad all day!

It was a busy Saturday - before getting the call from dad - we had the boys from9a.m. to 3p.m. - jumped into the shower to get ready for the wedding we were going to-and when I got out - the phone rang. It was dad. Got to dad's around 4 - gave him his "temporary" first aide, got back home around 4:40, did my hair, got dressed and left @ 5 to make in time for the 5:30 wedding!
(That's ANOTHER thing Fort got from me - the ability to get ready in RECORD time.I get up every morning at 7, leave at 7:15, get to work at 7:30. No lie. She was just as fast as I am!)

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Max - 9 months - ALMOST walking (just like Drew!)



Of course Max is EVERY BIT as smart as Drew - SEE...he's reading at NINE MONTHS!



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CONGRATULATIONS Adam & Kristin!



Holly, the Matron of Honor gave the traditional toast to the bride and groom - but ended with the most beautiful reading - I had to share. It is SO TRUE. (before she read this - she asked Kristin and Adam to hold hands...)

"These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow and forever. Thses are the hands that will work alongside yours as you build your future together. These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years. These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes. These are the hands that will hold your children and these are the hands that will hold your family together as one. Lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch."

(After almost 34 years of marriage - this reading really made an impact on me.
I know the tender loving care of those hands - they have been there for me DAILY
for the last year especially. You never really appreciate what you have until
you lose something SO precious to you. Those hands have kept me going for the last
16 months. I WILL NEVER take those hands for granted, EVER AGAIN.)

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After the wedding, we stopped by the Red Carpet for the Yaya's for Tata's Fundraiser (previously known as Fort's Yaya's for Tata's - they're doing the 3 day walk in Atlanta again - October 2010)...this is me with Jen - she's on the team this year...