On July 17, my mom had her first knee replaced.
Unfortunately due to a limit of the number of days off you could request during
the summer months, I was unable to actually take time off for this first
surgery, and had to group my shifts in the first part of the first week and the
end of the second week. As such I had finished my third shift in a row the
night before the surgery, driven up to Kamas, and helped my mom with some last
minute preparations the night before, then had to be at the hospital at six in
the am. It was brutal and I was exhausted.
The surgery went well, and soon my mom was brought back to
her room groggy and slightly disoriented (plus blind as a bat because she didn’t
have her contacts in). I think that was the hardest part of the whole
situation. My mom is supposed to be lucid and independent, not out of it.
However, as the anesthesia wore off more, she normalized some more. Once my dad
and I were satisfied she was going to be okay, we went back home for a nap.
The next day, my dad and I went back to check on her and she
was a lot more with it, but very tired. After a short visit and lunch, we went
back to Kamas. That afternoon I headed back home for scout camp the next two
days. I felt bad that I was unable to drive my mom home from the hospital and
help my dad with the chores (he had sheep and cats to feed, as well as a garden
to water), but we had known when my mom scheduled the surgery that I needed to
leave for these two days.
Saturday, after scout camp, Kevin and I de-stenchified the
Lunar dog, and Luna and I headed for Kamas. We were there until Wednesday
afternoon, and I spent the majority of the time keeping Luna entertained and
out of my dad’s way. For some reason (probably because he drops food on the
floor when he eats), Luna loves my dad. The feeling is not reciprocal. My dad
prefers ancient, fluffy, white, blind poodles (Sissy) to middle-aged, brindle, smushed-nosed
boxers.
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| Already bored on her first night |
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| Sleeping, a common past-time |
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| On Wednesday morning, the day we left, I found Luna underneath the kitchen table looking forlorn. I guess she was done and wanted to go home. |
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| But then she realized she wasn't going home, so she decided to look sad. |
I had been hopeful that I would be able to work on all kinds
of projects while I was there, but no such luck. My parents kept me pretty busy doing random
stuff and chasing sheep (I was not happy about that one, and it resulted in my
back throbbing and a major row between my dad and I). However, I did enjoy the
time spent with them, and I think they (especially my mom) appreciated my
company and help.
