'IF YOU HAD KNOWN...'

Hmmm....it would appear this story is leaning a bit heavily on being too much about me. While I don't want to continue drawing attention to myself...because I much prefer to talk about the love of my life...it would seem I'm always right in the middle of it all!  I'm determined not to wonder if this wonderful man would have had second thoughts about me had he known how accident prone I am...and how many physical problems came with the 'complete package' he claimed to dearly love. Oh, well, I shall be content with knowing I'm so loved by him, and just not go there with silly doubts...And, after all, our story somehow sort of just includes me, too! (smile)

One might think that a wreck and six weeks in rehab should be enough attention for one person.
And it should have been. I was beginning to wonder if living on Happy Camp Road would indeed be as happy as we thought.  Correction.  Happy, yes. Without trials and tribulations? No.

I don't know when this pain started in my extreme lower back, or when it got to the point it was excruciating. I just know that it continued to get worse and quickly. My doctor ordered an MRI after examining me. My daughter, Christy, said she could take me for the test.This portion would be much better told by her. It is my understanding that this story, along with others in which I am the main character, has been told to several of her friends. I have been told that her friends laugh so hard, they are actually in tears, and begging for 'more mom stories.'  You see, Christy has quite a talent for telling funny events, and she does embellish them somewhat. You know...just to make them really interesting!


When we arrived at the medical facility for the MRI, my daughter had me wait in the car while she went inside to get a wheelchair for me.  Slowly and painfully, I got out of the car and into the wheelchair. The journey began. This was not a fun or happy journey. She had brought out a wheelchair, unbeknownst to her, that had a broken wheel. This little wheel didn't manifest itself until we started up a slight incline. Bump...bump...bumpity bump! Christy had to keep starting over because she was laughing so hard.  The bumpy attempts were doing nothing to ease my pain!  During these rough and repeated attempts, a car drove up and parked close by.

Christy glanced over and noticed a professionally dressed lady getting out and carrying a chart. Assuming she worked in the MRI office, possibly returning from lunch, my daughter turned to her, ''Here!  You take her. I've had it!'  The lady looked a bit confused but smiled and said, 'oh, okay, sure...'  Upon arriving inside, Christy turned to thank her. The lady was approaching the check in window. She was carring her exray films. She was there for an MRI herself.
Can you imagine our embarrassment...especially Christy's...asking a lady who was most likely in pain herself, to push a patient up an incline in a wheel chair with a broken wheel...Oh, my goodness! I couldn't look up at that point.

Before my doctor received results from the tests, I continued to get worse.  I should have gone to the Emergency Room, but I hated those places!  I thought if I just gave it time, I would get better.

It was a Sunday morning. We were invited to attend the church which Christy and her family attended.  There was a very special reason for this.  Two of my grandsons were going to be baptized that morning during the worship service.  I remember Odell being really concerned about whether or not I should attempt to go. 'Honey, are you sure you can do this? I think you're in way too much pain.'  He further tried to convince me that Christy would understand if I couldn't make it. Of course, I agreed with him. I knew she would understand, but I wanted to be there for their Baptism. I figured with his strong arms to help me, I could do it.  He finally agreed to give it a try. When we got to Tulsa, we went by to pick up Mamaw Sanders. It was when I got out of the car to let her ride in the front with Odell, that I  realized maybe this hadn't been such a good idea, after all.  I could barely move. Every movement was jerky and twisted.  Aaagh!

I was determined to do it! When we finally arrived at the church, my sweet Odell went inside to ask if there was a wheel chair we could borrow.  By that time, I was feeling a bit self conscious. Oh, dear God! The pain had become unbearable! But I was stubborn enough not to admit how badly I was hurting. I remember actually smiling and saying 'hello' to the curious onlookers, as I was wheeled into the sanctuary. I made it through the service. It was such a sweet baptism of Austin and Kagen. I can't believe what happened next.  I don't think my family realized the extent of my pain when they all decided we should go out and eat. Okay. I admit it was stupid of me not to tell them then and there a big 'I CAN'T DO IT', but did I? Of course not. We dined at El Chico's. I was in increasing El Pain-O!  After we arrived home, Odell helped me into bed. I got up a little later to take a very shaky shower. I knew I had to go to the ER...no other option. When we got there, I was admitted. More tests were run. I had several small fractures in the sacral. (I know. I had never heard that word before either. It's the very lowest portion of the spine).  Prior to one of the tests, I was given a pill to swallow. It was the last thing I knew until I opened my eyes, looking much like a startled deer in the headlights...a roomful of people surrounded my bed..and there were paddles on my heart to shock me back to life.  For some unknown reason, I had stopped breathing. I was in the hospital for several days and finally released to go home. The total bed rest had allowed the fractures to heal. Bed rest and prayers.  Especially the prayers.  I was so thankful to be getting out of there!

Ahhh...home at last.  In our bed. With my adorable husband beside me.  I turned toward him. I just had to ask him. 'Baby, if you had known all this before we had married, would you...' He stopped me mid sentence, 'Honey, shame on you! Don't even go there. Yes, I would have married you!' I smiled. I already knew it.  In my heart, I knew how loved I was by my guy!  I just wanted to hear him say the words.
I hoped and prayed that this would be the last scary situation I would put us in. More than that, I hoped he would never put me there, either.  Yet, there was one thing I knew for sure and that is that we never know for sure. It's all in God's hands. And we would just have to be content to put our trust in Him for our future. I sighed contentedly as I snuggled closer in his arms.  It was so sweet to be kissed by him, to play footsies with my guy, and so sweet to be home sweet home.

HONORING ODELL EDWARDS TODAY 11/11/11

DAIRY QUEEN AND A GARDEN, TOO!

I know. DQ and a garden? What does one have to do with the other?
Okay. It doesn't. Except in one way. They both made us very happy!
We hadn't been settled in long before we discovered a delightful surprise.
Just down the street about 15 miles in the city of Okmulgee. True, it wasn't a leisurely stroll down Happy Camp Road. Then again, it was much closer than Eureka Springs...the place we were last treated to these yummy dipped cones.  It was always chocolate for my guy and either butterscotch or cherry for his girl. Remember, decision making isn't one of my better attributes. (smile). I think my husband found it charming or cute. Which is why he sometimes affectionately called me 'Lucy' as previously mentioned.

Since we couldn't exist on dipped cones alone, Odell successfully put in an amazing garden our second
summer there.  The tomatoes were absolutely divine!  There's just no comparison to the flavor from tomatoes ripened in the sunlight on 'de vine!  And the okra...oh, my goodness! It was everywhere!

We harvested so much of it that we were giving it away by the five pound bags full.  I just have to brag on my gardener. Not only did he give it away, he washed it, cut it, and bagged it.  All it lacked was a ribbon and bow. Oh, and did I  mention he
delivered it?  Along with those delicious tomatoes and cucumbers.

I had heard so
much about 'Odell's garden'.  It was even better than all the
boasting from some of his family.  I felt so proud of him!

This would be the first of many gardens to come. There would be an even bigger one in the future. I would be
almost as busy as my husband...making salsa, rotating tomatoes from the huge crop, and giving, giving, and then...did I mention giving?


No matter how weary I would get, I knew without a doubt it would be worth all the hard work...just seeing the smile on the face of my guy.

You remember...
                             the one I completely adored?


                             the one who stole the heart of


                                         this girl?

                           

\

RAIN, PAIN, AND TEARS...

I'm reminded of the song, 'I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.'  Remember some of the words?

'I beg your pardon. I never promised you a rose garden. 

Along with the sunshine, there's gotta be a little rain sometime...'

Oh, my goodness!  We both loved the rain...even the storms. Just not a storm of events that began happening and turning our little happy world upside down.  We weren't ready for that storm, but really, is anyone ever?

Things had been going well for us.  Odell's business was growing at a slow but steady pace. We were enjoying being out in the country...well, all but the long drive down Highway 75.  It  quickly became monotonous.  All in all, though, we were definitely happy on Happy Camp Road.

Odell and I were in the mood to look at new cars.  Trading our nice Mazda in became a priority when the transmission went out on us. It didn't take long to settle on a 2002 Chrysler Concorde.  We both loved it...all silver, shiny, and new...for one weekend.

That's all.  I drove our new car home on a Friday. My Odell was 

home sick in bed that day. In fact, he was sick all weekend. He never even sat in this new car. I was driving home on the boring Highway 75 on Monday evening. I had just called my hubby. 'Hey, sweetie! I'm on my way home. Should be there in about half an hour.' We talked a couple of minutes before I laid my phone back on the seat beside me. I was smiling. I always smiled when I was on my way home to my Odell. That's the last thing I remember until I was slammed into by a drunk driver, who had exited onto the highway at a high rate of speed. Although I never lost consciousness, I felt in a state of shock. Everything around me seemed very surreal. I was aware of my car door opening and a lady asking me if I was all right.  Did I look all right?
My head was hurting so badly. My right knee was burning and throbbing.  This nice lady told me she was a nurse and she wanted to hold my head still in case of a neck injury.  I later learned that a coroner, on his way to a fatality, saw my car, and pulled over...thinking the worse.  Thankfully, I wasn't another fatality. I would say I wasn't in too bad of shape...considering the sad shape of my new car.  My new, shiny, silver car sure didn't look the way it did when I drove it off the lot only three days earlier.

Actually, neither did my face.
Look quite the same, I mean.

The wailing of sirens...police,
firetrucks, and EMSA, were heard
and soon I was being carefully loaded
onto a carrier and placed in the care of the Paramedics.  I'm not sure when my husband was called.
I believe one of my attendants made the call for me. The crazy
thing was that at first he thought I was pulling a joke on him. I wonder why? (smile).  As if we ever played jokes on each other! He was called just a little later than I should have been arriving home.  I was so happy to see his face when he got to the ER. And even happier to go home with him after being thoroughly poked, prodded, and determined not to be seriously injured.

I left there on crutches with instructions to rest and see my personal physician early the next week. Sounds
fairly simple. You would think.  Not for this girl. You see, I have always had this bad habit of trying to do
three or four things at a time with two hands. Add crutches into the mix and for me, it spelled disaster. It was a couple of days later I stood up with my crutches with a load of our folded laundry to put away.  Suddenly, with no warning, the crutches were flying away from me. The laundry was thrown here and there.

 Me? Well, I was right in the middle of it.  On the floor. Thankful, while at the same time embarrassed, I looked up to see
my guy standing over me.  All concerned. Almost laughing. I know I must have looked hilarious! He helped me up from the floor and proceeded to pick up the crutches and the scattered unfolded clothes. I remember him saying something like, 'Honey, WHAT were you thinking, anyway?' Should it have ended there?
Yes. Did it? No. Mostly my pride had suffered. At least that's what I thought. By the next day cellulitis had set in...both legs. It wasn't good. My legs swelled terribly. Out of control. I could barely walk. I ended up in the hospital.  That in itself wouldn't have been so bad had it ended there.  It was a drizzly, cold day, with a sleet/snow mixture when I was transported to Meadow Brook Rehabilitation Center. For the next six weeks, I was learning again how to walk.  To add to the misery, Gout set in. Unfortunately, my doctor prescribed the wrong medication for a patient in the midst of a full blown attack. This made it unbelievable.  My sweet, adorable, and patient Odell stood by my side while I was given pushes of Demoral through my IV...every twenty minutes to relieve the excruciating pain this 'wrong medication' brought on.

I know I must sound like a big baby. Actually, I'm pretty strong and have always had a high pain tolerance. This was ridiculous!
However, I never felt alone or abandoned. My sweet children came when they could. And my amazing Odell was there through these weeks of stress and chaos.  Everyday.  I would look up and sometimes see his face peeking around my door. And always that big grin I loved!  It didn't matter how exhausted he was from a hard day's work, he was there with those strong arms to hold me.
Just to make me feel so loved.


It was a lovely Spring day when I was finally 'sprung' from the

Rehab Center. It felt incredible to walk out on my two feet. No wheel chair or crutches. Just my guy holding my arm and opening my door for me. After I was comfortably seated and he was behind the wheel, he turned to me, 'Ready to go home, honey?'  I was very ready. Just not quite yet.  I wanted to make a stop first. 'Baby, do you mind if we stop at Sears?' I asked.  Hey! You gotta understand. I hadn't been shopping in ever so long!  Of course he didn't mind. As long as it didn't take too long.  I think he was anxious to get his girl back home where she belonged!

My sleepy guy...I knew I could wake  him up!