The Twizzler

Just a quick update on Shana’s finger…  everything is looking good.  The plastic surgeon looked at it on Thursday and says it’s healing well.  The nail has fallen off but we’re still hopeful another will grow in.  Stitches will come out next week.

There’s a whole lot of Tylenol going through our house this week!

Shana’s down to just a couple doses a day, but she keeps re-injuring her finger.  (We didn’t blog about the original injury–the short story for those of you we didn’t email:  she lost the tip of a finger and had to have it reattached.  Feel free to email if you want the gory details.  And they are gory!)  Yesterday a friend sat on it; today she ripped the bandage off herself while grabbing a toy back.  Maybe she needs a sling, to remind people herself she’s injured!

We’re supposed to change her bandage every day or two–torment for all parties involved!  The old bandage is always stuck to the wound with old dry blood, and the slightest pull makes Shana wince or cry out.  I think most of the fault is her parents though–we’re such wusses!  We’re a little afraid of hurting her, and very much afraid of making the wound worse, or of it being our fault if it doesn’t “take”.  I try to act cool and confident for Shana’s sake but I have to keep reminding myself what I remind Shana:  “who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?”  What’s done is done, and God is still in charge.

I (Nate) am on Tylenol all day too this week.  I had a blood vessel in my nose cauterized on Monday to prevent frequent heavy nose bleeds.  The doctor didn’t warn me how much that would hurt!  I feel like I have a major toothache in a couple of teeth, an earache, a sinus headache, and a broken nose all rolled into one.  Add to that strict warnings against blowing my nose or over-exerting myself for two weeks.  But it’ll all be worth it if it really fixes the nosebleeds.

Incidentally, while I was at the ENT’s, I also had my hearing checked, and it turns out I have significant hearing loss!  That explains all those times I didn’t clean my room when my mom told me to.

Kenan needs Tylenol to remove the boredom since his parents and sister are wrapped up in their own worries.

Helen, as usual, is the healthiest sick person in the family.

Vanilla recently got treed by a passing dog.  Helen was out gardening when a dog started barking in the alley, then Vanilla tore into our yard followed by a leashed but ownerless wildly barking dog, under the neighbour’s fence and up their tree in a flash.

Way up their tree.

Too bad our volunteer fireman lives so far away.  It took a lot of time and coaxing and several near falls before she made it down.  Hopefully she’s learned to stick close to home!

Yesterday we all went to see Ramona and Beezus, and Helen and I were very impressed.  A fun movie with something for everyone in the family, kids and adults.  We’re disappointed with many so-called “family” movies, but this one has everything we wish for.  The parents are intelligent, they love each other and their children, and their children can’t wait for them to come home.  The dad isn’t a bumbling fool.  The sisters may annoy each other occasionally but they’re still friends.  No parent dies!  There aren’t even any scary parts, just plain fun.  Another good production from Walden Media.

Strangely, although Shana and Kenan were enthralled throughout the movie, they both said at the end that they didn’t like it.  I think they were thrown off by the one sad scene, the death of a pet.  It was filmed tastefully, but was unexpected and didn’t really add much to the story.  Oh well, four thumbs up from the parents at least!