Update on Finger drama

Catnapped from 12:30 am until they woke me at 2:15am to take number 2 down to surgery to get his finger re attached.  He was 'driven' down in his bed by a wonderful orderly who entertained the boy by wiggling his ears and getting him to count the stars on the ceiling.  Went through the whole rigmarole again of is he allergic to this that and the other - I was kitted out in a noice white OR gown to go in with him while they readied him for his anaesthetic.....he said the saline 'tickled' and had a bit of a giggle, then they put the anaesthetic in and he smiled - out for the count.  I kept the gown on because silly me thought all hospital wards were warm.....NOT!  Only the maternity ward seems to be overly hot - probably to keep the babies warm and make sure the mothers drink heaps of water to help milk supply and stop dehydration.  So I wrapped up in a blanket and went outside with my book for a while to read under the stars and the ambient lighting in the 'smoking' area....I was so dry - I felt just stuffy and enclosed in the ward so decided that reading outside might help me.  I was told the minimal amount of time the op would take was about 20 minutes.  That worst case scenario was if the reattachment didn't take they could shorten his finger to bring skin up over the exposed bone which wasn't damaged.

Images below taken on mobile finally got uploaded so here are some....he got NO painkillers until the op was postponed....he did spend most of the night giggling though...laughter really IS the best medicine

 Doing the Wiggles with one hand still in DEM, still no painkillers

 doing the cute thing....still no painkillers

 Catheterisation ready for surgery.....still no paracetemol

okay - it really hurts now but I won't scream

I think it took about an hour when I was called back to post-op where he was happy....awake....but tired - he didn't seem to think his finger had been fixed though.  I did have to reassure him.  They said they'd know within two days whether the reattachment or graft or whatever it was called (this was to my husband) would work - but his appointment to inspect it is a week later - next Tuesday....so who knows what we'll find when they take the bandages off.

Off to school he went this morning (Wednesday) - happy as larry - and was the centre of attention of all his school buddies and buddettes.  He got a 'brave boy' gift from his kinder teacher - she is WONDERFUL - a book that I will read to him when we have a moment of quiet....probably Friday when number 3 is at his Possums Play Centre.

Tonight I'm 'wagging' yoga - mainly because I'm still catching up on sleep - even if it is 9pm and I'm blogging. I totalled about 5 hours give or take - of sleep over a 48 hour period. Still haven't called the psychologist back to get a new appointment - and I did leave a message on their answering machine as soon as I could cancelling and explaining why!

Boy is chipper - tired obviously - and a little quieter than usual - or was until I gave him nurofen - you can tell when painkillers kick in - he returns to his normal giggly self.

So now - signing off again....Dr House will be on in about 7 minutes....I need my hit of Hugh Laurie - wonder how long I'll last....I think all kids are asleep and the big kid - the husband.....is down in the games room with his birthday present from me this year - his Xbox 360.  Maybe I should have bought a Wii....hahah - given him something active....s'pose once the bills are paid next tax time, there is always the possibility that I can get one for the boys......but shhhh.....haven't decided yet.  I prefer them outside running round in fresh air and sunshine.....just not dismembering.

Oh - and one last thing.  Number 3 was in shock on the night - even Super Jess couldn't jolly him up to his normal self.  It turns out - it wasn't number 4 - it was the wind that slammed the door.  We'd had all the windows and doors open and to hell with the flies - to let some fresh air in - and - well, a nudge to shut the door or pull the door shut became the drama - the door slammed shut on number 2's finger.  Number 1 was a fabulous boy Tuesday getting ready for school daddy says....but numbers 1 and 3 are still particularly fragile still....having seen it all happen, they now realise how dangerous it can be when you slam a door.

Cheers to all
M.

Baby-hood and child-hood memories

I went round the road yesterday to visit someone who could help me with the correct naming of the flowers in my photographs, to find Southern Water or whatever they call themselves, fixing a leak in her water pipe.

Me and my beloved Poppy - sadly I have
little or no memory of him.  A rare one of him without his hat

Nanny and her adorable 'Little Lizzie

Well, it was raining - typical Tasmania spring weather, and whilst one guy was trying to fix the leak with his doohickey the other guy was there helping - checking other people's pipes etc.  He had on this old, battered leather hat. I looked at him and his face said - I'm a worker.  Even the shape of his face seemed familiar.  I guess the had was kinda the leather Slim Dusty type - but the brim wasn't as wide.  But it took me back to my earliest memories - and I told him so.

When I was very small, I used to stay with my Nanny and Poppy on a property aptly named "Sweetbanks" - don't know if it's classified as at Rosegarland or at Bushy Park - but that's it's approximate location.  You go up Cawthorns Lane from the Bushy Park end - and we would pass the old house that apparently my eldest Aunt and her husband lived in when first married....

So - - this is feeding me from a bowl - but she also used to do
it from a saucer.  One of those things that was
'normal' in those days

The old house, Sweetbanks, is no longer there.  Anyway - I was staying with Nan - naughty lady who would feed me a little tea or milk out of a saucer - I have photographic proof of this - and I think I was sick at the time. All around the property, there were potatoes??? in the paddocks or hay.  I remember the big hay baler! But I also remember Mr Duggin.  Whether he was the crop duster or not I do not know - but I connect him - who wore this kind of hat - this old hat - with the crop dusting.   I could be wrong - my parents I'm sure will correct me.  One time my Nan said, as you come past the house - can you waggle your wings so Lizzie can wave at you.

Across comes the plane and sure enough - it waggled it's wings and I remember Nan pointing up and me waving.  I couldn't have been very old at all....but it's one of those things that just stick in my memory like glue - the cropdusting plane waving at me and Mr Duggan and his old battered  hat.

For the record...I do not actually know if these photographs were taken at Karanja or at Sweetbanks itself.