Green Poke-A-Dots

Taco Tuesday one year later…

greenpokeadots — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 12:41:02 +0000

Aug 2, 2010

Machines! I'm not sure I was hooked up to enough.

One year later and I still eat just as many tacos as I did before my crash, if not more. A year ago today my Papa had to feed me broth while visiting the ICU. It is only fitting that he and I go to Taco Tuesday tonight!

crazy hole in my lung!

I tried to make the best of the breathing excersises but the faces didn't lessen the pain.

Three days in the ICU connected to many many machines! Luckily I had my trusty bear by my side and friends and family pouring in my room to check on me. All I remember of the ICU is saying “oouuuch” like E.T. every time a nurse or doctor came in my room. They really gave me no choice, after all they are the ones who put the red glowing thing on my finger. It’s like they were begging for E.T. impressions. I also remember the amazing massage boots they had on my legs but soon discovered why most people hate them when all the beeps of ICU were gone. Loudest boots I have ever worn! Apparently I yelled at the nurses for taking out my catheter and asked for it back. You try getting out of bed to pee with all the ribs on your left side cracked…not an easy task! One of those broken ribs jumped over and punctured my left lung. Can you see the hole? The x-ray is flipped so the hole is on the right side. They gave me a “fun toy” to play with to bring my rib back. The goal was to see how much air I could suck out of the little devise which i’m pretty sure they discovered in a torture chamber somewhere. I’m not sure what was more painful, the forced breathing to bring back my lung or the staple in my head! A chest tube was put into my collapsed lung to also help bring it back so it once again could bring air in and out.

August 2010 chest tube scar

August 2011 You can hardly see the scar

Two of my amazing new friends who convinced the doc to allow them to remove that darn staple.

The scar on my side has healed up nicely and no longer looks like the cat butt one of my friends affectionately dubbed the mark. The day my doc came in to take the tube out I looked at him and aggressively said “are you the one who put the staple in my head?” He said so matter-of-factly “Yes, I did that.” My only response was “WHY!” He said something about needing to close up the gash quickly so they could asses the rest of me. I mumbled something about that sounding fair than abruptly asked “CAN YOU TAKE IT OUT NOW?”

To be continued….

A Peaceful day by the lake

greenpokeadots — Wed, 11 May 2011 20:35:39 +0000

While visiting Tyler in North Carolina this April a quaint dock owned by the club where he works gently called my name. The day was my own as Tyler was off at work ,so I followed the unrelenting tug of the dock. Out the door and a quick left found me on a road canopied with trees. Oh how I love a road nuzzled into trees! The golf course proudly displayed itself around each bend as if to remind the patrons of its greatness. Past a few beautiful mansions including one with waterfalls coming out of the walls and some equally inviting little shacks. Everything along the path whispered “look over here”. The Y in the road brought confusion at first but the proper path was quickly found. Passing a few more distinct houses brought confirmation the dock would soon be near. There it was the little wooden gate marked NO TRESPASSING, MEMBERS ONLY. I had made it! An excitement filled every part of me as I opened the gate and walked past the forbidding sign. The narrow winding path was tucked in and hidden from the world as to create the feeling of an oasis as you walk over the trickling stream. I find myself sitting on a tranquil private dock with no one around. It is peaceful and surrounded by beauty. The sun is playing hide and seek with the clouds as the birds sing back and forth to each other. There is a light breeze which passes by every now and than if just to check in and say hello. The fish are not the hunted as of yet but are themselves the hunters as they randomly surface in the gentle flowing water. It could not be a more peaceful day. There are landscapers somewhere off in the distance manicuring lawns bringing remembrance of other life. The spiders webs sway in the breeze. A car or two pass by on a distant road to or from a job reminding me of the blessing to sit on a dock soaking in God’s beautiful gift of creation. The feel of the warm damp wood of the dock beneath my cold bare feet. The sun about to burn my back as the wind comes just in time to bring relief. The sun returns to warm me once again. The taste of the creamy, cool, tangy yogurt on my tongue. Jumping orange fish thrusting their entire bodies out of the water. Returning with a splash and the sound of a child pulling his finger out along the inside of his mouth (pop!). Returning him once again to his common place of dwelling beneath the surface of the water. A giant black ant exploring my belongings canters away with the shoeing of my finger. The reflection of the water dances perfectly synchronized along the side of a nearby boat enclosure. The wind brings a creek as it passes threw the stacked canoes. The sound of the seldom cars driving by harmonizes with the lul of the weed whacker somewhere off beyond the lake. Phantom kayakers make their way down the lake laughing and smiling as they live out an adventure. The sky rumbles in the distance foretelling of the coming storm. The white clouds drift openly in the pail blue sky. No shapes can be detected in the thin blankets of white puff. The trees offer an endless variety of green hues. Little paths seemingly leading to nowhere add to the lackadaisical feel of the day. planes fly overhead unseen which I can only assume resemble the Red Barron. If one came into sight I’m sure a red scarf could be seen swaying in the wind around the cockpit. The fish play high jump as the little white pedals fall from the trees decorating the water below. The birds converse as of to tell of the beautiful day. Peace is found and clarity begins its restoration. The day is a success and I head back to the house thankful that I have a God who loves me so much!

Somethings never change.

greenpokeadots — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 18:25:30 +0000

This month marks a new decade for me as I hand over my 20′s to embark into new territory. While change and the unknown can sometimes be a bit daunting it has been discovered while many things in my life may come and go there are some things that may never change.

In the midst of unpacking my Mom found this paper the other day which i wrote some time in elementary school. After almost falling out of bed from laughter while reading I couldn’t withhold from sharing the funniness with all my friends!

“I have a brown teddy bear named Space. He has a big head, white stomach, feet and paws, brown eyes and a very cute face. I thought he was shy until this one day. I brought him to my grandma and grandpa’s house. I was walking and carrying Space in the forest behind their house. Then I saw a great climbing tree and I wanted to climb it. So I set Space down, put my foot on a branch, and stared to climb.

I got all the way up to the top of the tree, and I couldn’t get down! I yelled for help, but nobody heard me. I thought I would be up there forever. Then all of a sudden, I saw my teddy bear get up and walk away. I was so startled that I almost fell out of the tree, but I caught myself. In about 5 minutes, he came back with my grandpa who was frantically looking for me all day. When he saw me, he climbed the tree and carried me down. I was very happy when I touched the ground. When we got back to the house we all, including my teddy bear, had some hot pie my grandma had just made. Now I KNOW he’s not shy.”

This child at heart may be turning 30 but I still have Space, I still want to climb, and I still love PIE!

Did you find this as funny as I did? I thought it was pretty funny!

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

greenpokeadots — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 23:20:59 +0000

Ok, so the book a month goal was not exactly met this year but the goal did spur more reading than previous years. If any time the getting hit be a Taco Truck Card can be pulled I think it is now. After all, almost dying should constitute for a do over, right? The last book of the year was finished just in time to make the 2010 deadline (aka the morning of Dec 31st).

This girl is one who loves nature, water, climbing, anything really that encompasses the outdoors. Well, everything but snakes and mosquitoes. I wouldn’t go as far as calling them an arch nemesis but they rank pretty high. Anyone who has spent anytime outside with those tiny blood sucking disease spreading vermin would concur! Anyway, knowing how much I enjoy the outdoors a friend of mine gave me this book to encourage my 2010 goal of reading.

The beginning is a bit fuzzing seeing that it was read back in July but the just finished end redeemed the lack of desire to finish the never ending pages. Bryson has a great sense of humor which brought a refreshing lightness when needed. Such as describing a moose as a 3 year old drawing of a cow. (I almost laughed out loud!) He often would go off on tangents though, talking about the history of the trees in the forest and then all breeds of trees. .. longing to skip ahead during those tangents I pushed on like Bryson and, his senseless companion, Katz. Over-informing as his tangents were most of them helped set a backdrop(most). As Bryson recanted his time on the Appalachian Trail I often felt as though I was with them on the trail myself. Not walking along side them, maybe 20 yards behind, just far enough never to be detected. He brought me back outside, if only mentally, while the scorching Texas summer held its inhabitants captive indoors.

The awakening feel of a shower after going without for several days. The smell of warm, home cooked food after eating noddles and canned meats. The smell of untainted air which ironically almost takes your breath away. The aches that come only from pushing beyond what thought possible. The sense of accomplishment when a destination is reached. The sounds of running springs and animals busily moving about. The brisk air on a cool morning. The night sky unfought by city lights. The paths free of adds leaving you to your own thoughts. Bryson reminded me why I have such a love for the outdoors and flooded my mind with unmatchable memories as he rehashed his own. His banter with Katz (who honestly makes the story and left me a bit lost when not walking with Bryson) reminded me of friends who act before thinking but tend to bring laughs from their stupidity. Bryson and Katz definitely had their ups and downs on this trail and they may not have made it as far as intended but the journey was not a loss! The end reminded me of the bit I wrote about there being no such thing as a minor victories for a victory is just that… a VICTORY.

Inspiration was found in these pages (in between the tangents) and now I want to go for a hike. Thanks for sharing your story with us Bill.

You are ALWAYS There

greenpokeadots — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 20:30:04 +0000

When the pain is more than I can bear

When the looks and stairs cut and tear

You are there.

When the weight is heavier than I can hold

And non of my plans seem to unfold

You are there.

When I run so far

You are still there.

When I finally let go

You are there.

Even when I don’t care

You are there.

In the hurt and pain and despair

You are there.

In the love and the peace and the joy

You are there…

You are always there!

Where is God When it Hurts? Philip Yancy

greenpokeadots — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 16:06:39 +0000

Yancey’s writing is brilliant and there is no question why he has so many best sellers. A friend encouraged me to read What’s so Amazing About Grace which just happened to be sold together with Where is God When it Hurts. Back in March when the book was purchased there was no way of knowing how much it would apply come August. Throughout my life pain has been no stranger but August this year brought an understanding never known of those so riddled with pain they can not leave a bed. This energetic independent lady went from active to ICU in the blink on an eye. The final count was 13 broken bones with other injuries including a collapsed lung. True, honest, so bad you need drugs or you will pass out type of pain was no longer averted. Needless to say I have a much greater understanding of pain. This book was around at just the right time.

Where is God when it Hurts? is the book everyone with a loved one in pain should read! It also comes in pretty handy for those of us dealing with pain. Yancey brings perspective in a way never before understood. He shares stories of what real people have been through and the application of understanding their pain. This book helped pull me out of the egocentric hole in which many people find themselves when waking from a near fatal accident. It is easy getting used to people checking on you constantly with nothing in mind but you. It is an entirely different story when trying to move past the coddling and function in a world outside a hospital. Yancey gives amazing examples yet keeps pain in reality. His book is loaded with spot-on quotes, this one by Joe Bayly was my favorite “Don’t forget in the Darkness what you have learned in the light.“ The way he presents two sides of each story leaves one to see how they want to react to the pain in their own life. He sugar coats nothing nor does he offer empty quick-fix solutions. What he does offer is insight, truth and hope.

Thank You Yancey for reminding me that pain comes with life and life is not all about me! It is how we react to the pain which shows our character.

Yoda, out with a Bang!

greenpokeadots — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 19:30:33 +0000

The seat flew out a foot when the door was opened! Luckily my dad had unbuckled me preventing more injuries.

Aug 2, 2010 Yoda gave his life for mine as he took a direct hit from a huge taco truck. We spun into a state of unconsciousness finding ourselves lifeless in the road. Much like the scene from E.T. as Elliot and E.T. lie on the bathroom floor dying together. Yoda let go and my body began to regain life just as Elliot when E.T. died. If only life were more like the movies, my Yoda would have come back to life in the end. But Elliot and his friend had to separate anyway so I guess Hollywood isn’t always greener on their side.

honestly who gets hit by a taco truck?!

T-Boned and not even 1 free taco!

Deadly tacos!

Can we talk about the craziness and hilarity of this for a bit? Look at that picture (just one found on the internet so if you happen to see this actual truck on the road don’t do anything foolish!) the thing was at least…3 times the size of the faithful pickup. Maybe I exaggerate a bit but there is no denying Yoda had little chance of survival against this Goliath. Heck there should have been little chance of survival for the one driving the pickup but I have a…that’s right, a BIG GOD! Apparently there is more to do on this earth before I get to go home, which no taco truck is going to hinder.

Can you find the gas peddle? how about the left air vent (hint it is where the steering wheel should be?

It's a miracle my legs did not shatter!

Ogling the photos my dad brought back of the wreckage the severity of what actually occurred started coming to light. The driver side door was smashed almost to the middle of the cab! Where was I sitting? There was such little room left for my legs yet the only injury they sustained was some bruising. The entire hospital stay was riddled with jokes and odd sayings. Everything is an excuse for a party, hospitals and accidents are no exception. What is ICU a big deal? Maybe it was all the drugs consumed in such a short time which pushed reality to another realm. Normally “drug free” is the phrase my friends hear most often if offering even something for a headache. Needless to say the elixir cocktails had quite an effect. The meds eventually wore off, the jokes became more cynical and reality came back as a wrecking ball. My “do anything once” body was beat up pretty bad and rehab will be required for some time but this lady is still fighting strong(ish). Yoda will never go on another camping trip or for a drive just because but I am still here and will always have the memories.

I’ll miss you!

Die Hard, I should have seen this coming.

Oh the health tip here is don’t get hit by a taco truck but in the off chance you do, make sure God is protecting you and have a conglomerate of friends surrounding!

More to come on the hospital stay and what all happened during the foggy moth of August…

Vicodin aka”Grumpodin”

greenpokeadots — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 21:53:44 +0000

Vicodin has been good to me the past month! Normally I am not the pill popping type but ending up with about 13 broken bones (non of which could be cast) and a collapsed lung it was time to give-in to the modern world of meds. Plus, there really was no choice offered to the non coherent girl, or if it was there is no recollection. The only side effect that was noticeable was the awesome constipation. I had no idea there were so many different forms of meds to get rid of the “blockage problem”. The winner has to be the suppository some lucky nurse got to administer! At the time I really didn’t care, I was to busy trying to convince the nurse to put my catheter back in so I could pee without getting up. She didn’t cave so I was thankful for the pain numbing drugs. Apparently most people never ask to have a catheter kept it, what is wrong with you people? I would much rather pee into a bag than call for help to maneuver a broken, muscle atrophied body. Maybe it’s just me? Well, I am peeing all by myself again just like a big girl!

With such improvements I have been weening myself off all pain meds. Lets be honest all or nothing is usually my style so weening for me is more like “lets see how long I can go without any drugs before I want to cry”. Unbeknown the little pills seem to have more side effects while coming off than they had while being consumed.

After searching for “coming off” symptoms this was found…
“Typical withdrawal symptoms can range from mild nervousness, insomnia, inability to keep yourself (Mostly legs) still in bed, overall crappy & grumpy feeling, to more serious symptoms like diarreah (so much fun!!), vomiting, and punching your fists through the bedroom wall for a few days.” Luckily there have been no fists through the wall mainly because I didn’t want to hurt my hand or have to patch a new wall. Vomiting has also not occurred but it constantly threatens to come visit. As for the rest they have been my faithful companions for a week or so now. I guess our parents where right when they said be careful when choosing your friends. Needless to say I am not much a fan of drugs and am looking forward to saying “DRUG FREE” once again!

Crash & Burn & Up Again

greenpokeadots — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 02:45:17 +0000

Crash and burn and up again.
Up and down and up and down.
Stagnant and motionless,
Yet everything but left for dead.
Beeping and buzzing and blurs of love.
Memories blocked and pain suppressed.
Doctors and nurses and family and friends.
Joking and laughter, healing and hurt.
Expectations dropped and true matters found.
New friendships made and old ones inflamed.
Up and down and up and down.
Drugs gone dry and filled again.
Improvements and pain, heartache and rain.
Thunder to bring light.
Caring and giving, sacrifice and time.
Wonder and dreams for things unseen.
Crying and comfort, hope and despair.
New things come as old are taken.
Lives changed and futures remolded.
Up and down and up and down.
Strength and courage remain.
Grab on tight and don’t let go.
Strength and courage shall remain.
I let go and He grabs a hold.
Crash and burn and UP AGAIN.

Next Stop Philly

greenpokeadots — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:18:03 +0000

Less than a 10 day count before airport bound once again,

PA here I come!

Look for daily updates on Origins Facebook

The promise of more info before the departure has not been forgot…

The Team: Kerri, Jason, Dave, Hyun, Blake, and Christine
Please pray for us and the people of Philly as we go to bless them!! Any prayers here on the blog would be a great encouragement to our team

The Dates: July 1- July 7

Thur July 1 DELTA 3888 Austin – Memphis DELTA 6262 Memphis - Philly

Wed July 7 DELTA 3091 Philly - Memphis DELTA 3797 Memphis - Austin

The Schedule:

Thursday
Arrive in Philly at Urban Hope

Friday
Work Day
ROCK Outreach

Saturday
(team 1) Family Photo Day for members of the church
Many of the families have NEVER had family portraits!
(team 2) Basketball, games with families, etc.
Girl’s Night – games, etc.
Guy’s Night – Surprise!

Sunday
Church
4th of July Celebrations!

Monday
All Day – Work Day!
Game Night w/ Neighbors

Tuesday
Deliver Family Photos
Philly Cheesesteaks (can they even be good without cheese? Lactose intolerance = a curse and a blessing)
Hang Day
House Church

Wednesday
Leave for Airport @5:30am
Arrive back in Austin and take a nap

Stories and pictures upon my return but real time updates can be found on
Origins Facebook just click here !