Updates - Mark's Mom and My Shoulder

Neita is doing pretty well, considering she had multiple mini strokes. We've been lucky that "the big one" the docs were predicting did not occur. They said the longer between episodes the better her chances of not having another one. Her left side was affected; she couldn't move her left leg, had trouble with the left arm, could speak three or four words after thinking hard about it, but has all her faculties.

The local hospital said she qualified for a swing bed there and they would do the physical therapy twice each day. Next thing we knew she was transferred to the adjoining nursing home for her therapy and was getting PT only once a day. Plus, she was now paying for this out of her own pocket.

Thank goodness for small towns - everyone knows everyone else. We heard from her physical therapist that she, nor the nursing staff, had been consulted, and they didn't agree with it. (BTW, her PT person is adopting a daughter from China.)

I reminded Mark that when my aunt had her stroke and was at Madonna Rehab, the doctor, nursing staff, physical therapy staff, social worker, and family were a team and met weekly to evaluate her progress and discuss options. None of us were happy about this turn of events for Neita. The brothers began seeking alternatives and found a rehab facility in Yankton, SD. This is close to Jack & Linda, plus Steve works in Yankton.

After a meeting with the sons and the doctor, the Creighton medical facility claimed there had been a "miscommunication" and would return her to the hospital side and get her back to twice-a-day therapy. Once the sons mentioned moving her to Yankton, suddenly the hospital couldn't do enough for Neita. By now we were impressed with the Yankton facility and the trust level at Creighton was gone, and Neita herself chose to transfer to Yankton.

And guess what happened at Yankton? The doctor, nursing staff, physical therapy staff, social worker, and family met as a team to evaluate Neita. Just as it should be! And they continue to meet each week. And her PT is at a higher level and really giving her a workout. The sons are very pleased. I'm hoping that the three weeks we lost at the Creighton facility, which was at a lower level, didn't mess with our window of opportunity for getting a stroke victim back in shape.
I'm no longer going to PT twice a week for my shoulder. My therapist felt I could do my exercises at home and should continue to see progress but if not, then I'm to see an orthopaedic specialist. After a month on my own I'm not getting any better and after consulting with the workman's comp people for the City, I will be seeing an orthopaedic surgeon in early October.

New City Directive for Beggars?

On the southeast corner of 14th & P streets was a little alcove next to The Post & Nickel clothing store. It was just the right size for two or three people to sit inside, out of the way, yet still be seen holding up homemade, cardboard signs requesting money of passersby. I walk by there on my way to eat at Amigo's, so the regulars at that corner and I are nodding acquaintances. They are also regulars at the library. I don't ignore them, I'm not rude to them, and they don't pester me for money. We just nod at each other.

Recently, one of the financial institutions installed an ATM at that spot. My co-workers and I wonder if that was done to make it easier for us to donate to the beggars. :-)

Back To School

Cassie is officially a First-Grader. The public schools began on Wednesday, August 20. (I didn't remember to transfer money into her school lunch account until Monday, August 25, but fortunately the little kids are allowed to eat for a few days before a reminder note is sent home.)

She still fits into all her clothes so I didn't do any back-to-school shopping for her. That Fourth of July outfit is her favorite and she chose that for her first day.

The school Open House was the Monday-Before and we met her teacher. Mrs. K was on-the-ball and already had name tags made for the kids and put on their desks so Cassie could see where she'd be sitting, and who'd be sitting with her in the group of four. This went a long way toward alleviating Cassie's worries about where to go and what to do.

We chatted with her teacher and learned homework would be sent home in the Wednesday folders! So far it hasn't happened. Mrs. K assured us it would take just a few minutes to complete, would be emphasizing what they'd already learned in class, and it would be due on Friday. I can't believe she'll have homework already.

I took 30 min of vacation from work that morning to give myself leeway for getting to work just in case Cassie had a sudden attack of nerves. She asked that I accompany her into the building, but otherwise she strutted in and did fine.

Book Display - Singing Cowboys

The title says it all. Here're books and music cds about and by Singing Cowboys.

Books
The Cowboy and the Senorita: A Biography of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans by Howard Kazanjian and Chris Enss

For a Cowboy has to Sing: A Collection of Sixty Romantic Cowboy and Western Songs by Jim Bob Tinsley

Horse Opera: The Strange History of the 1930’s Singing Cowboy by Peter Stanfield

How the West Was Sung: Music in the Westerns of John Ford by Kathryn Kalinak (boy this one was really interesting)

Public Cowboy #1: The Life and Times of Gene Autry by Holly George-Warren

Singing in the Saddle: The History of the Singing Cowboy by Douglas B. Green

Tex Ritter: America’s Most Beloved Cowboy by Bill O’Neal

Music CDs
Gene Autry: The Essential Gene Autry

Gene Autry: Sing Cowboy Sing vol 2

Gene Autry: Sing Cowboy Sing vol 3

Tex Ritter: Tex Ritter

Roy Rogers: Roy Rogers

Sons of the Pioneers: Sons of the Pioneers

Sons of the Pioneers: Tumbling Tumbleweeds

Mike, The Headless Chicken

I recently learned about Mike, The Headless Chicken.

In a nutshell, in 1945 a farmer tried to leave as much neck as possible on a chicken when he chopped off its head (his mother-in-law liked the neck). In doing so he inadvertently missed the jugular and left the brain stem. As a result, this chicken really did remain alive for another 18 months. He even appeared in Time and Life magazines. See the website for the full story.

Now the town holds a yearly festival in Mike's honor. They serve chicken, have a chicken recipe contest, hold a 5K "Run Like a Headless Chicken" Race, have games such as "Pin the Head on the Chicken," and other chicken-themed activities. You can buy tee shirts too.

Also on this website are chicken jokes (click on "Mike's Fan Club"). Some are quite inventive. My all-time favorite is as follows:

Why does a chicken coop have two doors?
Because if it had four doors it would be a chicken sedan.

HA!HA!HA!