Southern Porch Extension

[Edy]

My son, T, is in court with his ex today for a very important hearing. T has been trying to have this custody hearing since last August when his ex was found to have broken so many of the judge's directives from the previous hearing. T is hoping the judge will call my oldest grandson because he and his little brother are so continually torn up over all this. Please pray that something can be settled today so the boys can get some peace and some closure to all this.

My heart aches along with yours, dear BeachGrandma. I've been thinking of the old Gospel song, today: "I look not back...but I look up, into the face of Jesus; for there my heart can rest, my fears are stilled...." Even little children can grow through heartache to become more deeply compassionate individuals (I've seen it happen), than those who sailed through a carefree childhood. God has plans for good, for them, and for all those they will bless because of their own suffering. How blessed they are to have such a haven of comfort in your arms and home!

[Verna]

Allison, a heart check is normal before surgery. I hope your check turns out well.

My dear Mariane, I'm continuing to pray with you for those precious grandsons. I feel like God put them in your direct path for you and John to love them and encourage them. I'll pray with you that
God will make an early settlement in court and award those boys to their dad. If their mom truly cared for them, she would want their happiness above all.

[BeachGrandma]

Verna's right about the heart check before surgery. I'm going to Duke Thursday for my Pre-Op and they said it will take between 2-3 hours! It will include an EKG, all kinds of tests and analyses, etc. Funny because the Pre-Ops I've had in previous years at other hospitals only took about a half hour and they mostly reviewed my meds, allergies, etc. I wonder if the newer, more complete Pre-Ops weren't put in place to avoid lawsuits,etc.

[Allison]

Verna's right about the heart check before surgery. I'm going to Duke Thursday for my Pre-Op and they said it will take between 2-3 hours! It will include an EKG, all kinds of tests and analyses, etc. Funny because the Pre-Ops I've had in previous years at other hospitals only took about a half hour and they mostly reviewed my meds, allergies, etc. I wonder if the newer, more complete Pre-Ops weren't put in place to avoid lawsuits,etc.

My official pre-op was only about 1/2 an hour, like you said. And that's when they didn't hear any murmur and it shouldn't be a big deal and I shouldn't need to have anything else done. But I guess when they looked at things again, they decided differently. So I guess it just feels like a setback, even though it's not really. As I said, I know it's really not a bit deal. It's just that my mind doesn't need one more thing to think about. That's all. At least heart appointments aren't uncomfortable and I'll be getting it over with in the morning so I can enjoy the rest of the day. I'll have to find something fun to do afterwards.

[Carole L]

I just talked to Lillian, she was in a very giggly mood (her normal self) and she said her eye doesn't hurt but it's not healing. I asked if she had been to the doctors yet and she said: "No, yesterday it was three days till I see him and today it is two days." I asked how she did it and was told she was just playing with the letter opener and hit her eye, and that that wasn't a very smart thing to do. I agreed, and said I guess you won't be doing that again, will you.

"NOPE!"

I asked if she had a black eye and she said no, just a hole in her eye. She then giggled again. I love hearing her giggle. It makes me want to giggle, too!

Please continue to keep her inn prayer, it's very hard for a very active seven year old to "be a good patient."

[Carole L]

My DIL sent a little more detail about Lilluans eye


We won't know until Friday when we see the Dr. I have to keep her away from people to avoid infection of any kind. The blood from the subconjuctival hemorrhage is dissipating. Hopefully, the conjuctival abrasion is closing up but it looks like it hasn't yet looking at it with the naked eye.

Colleen

[BeachGrandma]

For the life of me I can't imagine why the doctor couldn't see her right away!

[Carole L]

He saw her when the accident happened last week. She's been using an antobiotic to try to get it to heal on its own, if it doesn't then they will have to put stitches in.

[ready2go]

It would seem that a thorough eye exam by a ophthalmologist would be necessary to determine if there is any internal eye damage and/or vision issues that resulted from the injury.

Don

[Edy]

It is amazing to me how "fearfully and wonderfully" God created us. I remember how stunned I was to see one of our little Vietnamese patients with two or three silk sutures right into the white of his eyeball. Until then, I rather thought that would be an absolutely impossible thing to do - rather like trying to sew through a hard-boiled egg. But, the eye is tougher than I could have imagined.

Apparently the little girl's injury must be more of an abrasion than a puncture. With the clearing of the discolored area, any further attention should be easier to calculate, I would imagine.

When I was a teenager, looking after my four-year-old twin brothers, we had a nearly similar incident. They were supposed to be taking a nap. All of a sudden, Paul came running to me with a panicked tone of voice. "Eda! Come quick!" I did, and found Pete, the scamp, calmly sitting in bed, holding a screwdriver he must have been playing with (instead of napping!) with blood pouring down his face.

You can about imagine how my heart stopped. I picked him up, screeching and scolding him in my own panic, fearing he had destroyed his eye - on my watch! I'm sure it was the still small Voice that nudged me to wash his face and stop jumping to the worst-case scenario. To my great relief, after washing away the blood, I found the wound was just above his eyelid. Since we lived in the boonies out on the Dakota prairie, we didn't even take him to see a doctor, as I recall. Everything healed just fine. Whew - Praise the Lord!

[ready2go]

Arrghh!!! Box Elder bugs! Do they only exist in MN? Or, are they everywhere?

They are harmless little critters about 3/8"-1/2" long with a sleek, low profile shape. They don't bite, chew fabric, or eat our food. But, they can be annoying when they decide to show up.

We always see them on warm, sunny fall days, but not during the winter. it's my understanding they hibernate in the cold weather. However, this year every Box Elder bug in our county had decided to "winter" in our house where it is warm and cozy. I've been told they crawl on window and door glass looking for a way outside. I would hold the door open for them if that would help them escape.

They don't crawl very fast, and they fly like they are drunk. I have caught and killed a few hundred of them in the house this winter, but it seems like two more always show up for every one killed.

A pest control service treats our house, inside and out, every month from April to November. Except for those pesky Box Elder bugs, our house is usually a bug-free zone. I don't know where those things come from, or how they get inside, but I would sure like to find out.

In the summer we have a Asian Beetle invasion outside with some finding their way in the house. They do bite.

Don

[Edy]

Here's a day brightener for everyone:

A nurse on the pediatric ward, before listening to the little ones' chests, would plug the stethoscope into their ears and let them listen to their own heart. Their eyes would always light up with awe, but she never got a response equal to four-year old David's comment.

Gently she tucked the stethoscope into his ears and placed the disk over his heart. 'Listen', she said...'What do you suppose that is?' He drew his eyebrows together in a puzzled line and looked up as if lost
in the mystery of the strange tap - tap - tapping deep in his chest.

Then his face broke out in a wondrous grin and he asked,

Is that Jesus knocking?

[Carole L]

Lillian is doing well, no stitches needed. She will continue antibiotics for a few days.

[BeachGrandma]

Praise God! That's wonderful news, Carole! God bless her.

I will be having throat surgery around noon on Monday at Duke University Medical Center so if you think about it, please say a prayer for me. I'll keep you posted.
Love you all.

[Green Leaves]

That's wonderful news, Carole. I am so glad nothing invasive has to be done.

And Mariane, we will definitely be praying for you....although you are so often in my prayers anyway. Any word on the custody issue? I have been praying for that as well.

Don, I never heard of those bugs. They sound nasty. Pesky things, aren't they? They must have sent out texts to all their friends when they found your beautiful house.

Oh my goodness! There's a blue heron sitting right off our deck by the pond. We see him a lot but he has always been on the far side of the pond. That sounds like a book title, doesn't it? The Far Side of the Pond.

Love to all.