MY FIRST WILDLIFE REHAB EXPERIENCE

Yesterday, I took the first 5 nests I had made to a woman in our area that does wildlife rehabilitation. It was such an interesting experience! There was a new surprise every 5 minutes, which made me want to stay lots longer than I needed to. Like the Bennett Wallaby that was under the coffee table in the front room! (She uses it as a teaching animal) The most gratifying thing is that the nests are going to be a good thing for the rabbits, birds, cats, sugar gilders, finches and she raises the largest rodent for zoos.

Patagonian Cavie (actually a rodent)

Wallaby

When she would put a rabbit into one of the nests, they just stayed there! It made me feel so good! She is rehabbing a full grown cottontail rabbit that was hit by a car. This poor little rabbit has not had any place to curl up, but when she put it into the largest nest, it seemed to love it.

I came away with a list of at least 6 different types of things to work on. I am excited to start working on the patterns for the new items that we talked about. Of course the pattern will have to be modified for the different animals. The only problem is that I want to work on all of them at once and get them all done today!

When I got home and told my family about everything, they decided they want to go with me next time I deliver things. A few minutes later, dear daughter told me to take a chill pill and calm down! That’s how excited the whole thing made me.

It’s been a little while since I posted. Been kinda busy!

STRESS TEST
TK had his stress test on Tuesday & Wednesday. He was so worried and nervous before it even started! The tech was trying to put the sticky electrodes on his chest. TK was sweating so much that they were sliding off!! That’s worried, folks!

He said that the most difficult part made him feel worse than he did after running the physical agility test when he was young and trying out for the police academy. Now he says that he would gladly run that twice rather than having the stress test. I think it’s funny (of course I haven’t done either one) that he would rather do the “tormenting” agility tests rather than 4 minutes of the stress feelings that the radiological test created.

The test created so much adrenalin that he couldn’t get to sleep on Tuesday night until after 2 am. Then we had to go back on Wednesday for them to do more x-rays and such. Both days he was injected with the radioactive junk. The junk was kept in lead-lined tubes until it went into the body. He go that both days! I wish I had a Geiger-counter!

When he told me that his Cardiologist was there for the test and coached him on his breathing, it mad me think about the many times I have tried to coach him on breathing when he is stressed. Now he actually believes that there might be something to breathing techniques. Didn't he pay attention during the birth of our daughter?

THE DENTIST
Right now I am using up time until I go to have some teeth yanked—I mean “extracted”. Actually I am really anxious to do this. When you have had problems with your teeth for years, the thought of have some gone is a relief, not a worry. I almost wish I could just go early and tell them to sit me in a chair and let me wait because the waiting would be easier. I don’t know how this dentist does it—shots, gas, or some other way. I guess I’ll find out in about 1 ½ hours. I am also wondering how much swelling and pain there will be. That part I’m not in such a hurry to find out.

EDITING A BOOK
In addition to the everyday; I am helping the best therapist in the world, edit a book she is writing. I’m not sure how many others are helping her, but let me assure you – It’s an honor to have her ask me to help. There is a blessing that comes along with the editing. It is helping me remember the things she taught us about parenting. I needed the refresher course!!! It has made a difference in just the few days I have had it. It is so easy to forget after things go well for a while. I had gotten so lazy with my parenting style; I don’t know what came over me! Once she has the book done and published, I will most likely put up a glowing recommendation.

NEW GLASSES
I have also been trying to get use to new glasses—bifocals. At the computer, my head is craned up so much that I have been getting a neck ache from it. But the rest of the time, it’s great. It has made me spend less time on the computer. That is both good and bad—I earn money by putting family genealogy pages into the computer for my parents. Now the pages are easier to read, but my neck hurts. (If you try, you can always find a pain or problem! – Mom, don’t say a word.)

NEIGHBORHOOD STABBING
On Tuesday night, our whole neighborhood spent dinnertime standing around watching the firetrucks, police cars and ambulances with all the people that came in them. I think there was actually more poeple working the scene than there was watching the scene.

It was some road rage that truned into a stabbing. Two of the participants were life-flighted, one with stuff out of his body that should have been in his body. From what I hear, they will recover. The other two were a father and son. It's my understanding that the father is the one that did the stabbing, but both were taken away by officers.

As my neighbors and I were talking, we decided that we need to sit outside more and be more visible. So I will take my plastic chairs out front and sit and watch the Christmas reindeer herd that still grazes in our front yard!

Thoughts of President Hinckley - February 2, 2008

When I first was told of his passing I did as many people and felt a very deep loss. I then started thinking f all of the profits that I personally have seen or listen to. It was in the thought that I realized my very deepest feeling was as though I lost a dear friend. It was as though one of my lifelong friends had passed, someone with whom I had shared my most private information and sensitive emotions.
Taking a deep breath I calmly said a prayer for his family. It was after this that I had a better understanding. He was my best friend. After all he was the only Profit that I ever known during my thirteen years as a member. I am a spiritual teenager and my best teacher, friend, grandfather and trusted advisor was gone.
I know the Church will continue and a new and equally inspired profit will take his place. I will continue to learn and grow as I adjust to his leadership and listen to those of my Ward and Stake leadership. I will love and support ALL of the Church leadership but no one will ever replace that special image in my heart. It is a memory of President Hinckley with his clear gentle eyes looking into mine and he with that sweet little grin he always had as if to say “Listen to the Father and obey”, “Do your best” and “Put a smile on your face, remember you’re on the winning team”.
Until we meet again Brother Gordon, may God bless you and please give Marjorie and hug for me.
Brother Terry

Little boys need toys

Yesterday at the doctor’s office, the waiting room was full, it was standing room only. There was a father with a little boy, about 2 years old or younger. I don’t know how long they had been there, but the little guy was definitely ready to leave. He was whining and Dad was doing his best to keep him occupied, but he hadn’t brought any toys or anything else to entertain the boy.

Being the dutiful crocheter that I am, I had taken a project with me. So an idea struck me. I would quickly make a little toy for him. My mind ran through all the options I could think of; I settled on a snake.

Quick Snake Pattern
I used yellow yarn. Chain the length, about 5 inches. Dc twice in each ch st. In the last ch, work 4 dc bobbles to create a head. Leave a long end to pull through the bobbles for a tongue. I used a red marker to draw eyes and to put red on the end of the long tongue.

The father and son had gone back to see the doctor before I finished, so I asked the nurses to give it to him. They said that the sweet little guy even smiled when he took it. That made it all worthwhile.

It was so funny how everyone in the waiting room watched as I crocheted as I worked on the snake. I had talked to the father from where I was sitting and asked if it was okay to make a little toy for him. So everyone knew what I was doing. All eyes were glued to my hands. It was a little intimidating to have others watching me make up a pattern as I worked. Luckily it turned out okay. I which I’d had a camera with me. It feels good to do something to brighten someone’s day.

Have you ever seen the TV commercial that starts with a delivery boy pulling a woman out of the street so he doesn’t get hit by a car? There is a man watching who later does something nice for another person, who in turn does a nice thing for someone else. It repeats about 6 or 7 times and ends with the woman pulling the delivery boy out of the street. What goes around, comes around. That’s what I’ve always been told and what I have tried to do. It seems to be the best way to live life.

I have never understood not helping when you can. That seems a closed way to live. Why not share a smile or a hand when you can? Just the act of doing so opens you up and it gives a warm feeling to someone else.

I remember a story about Spencer W. Kimball that shows this perfectly.

Stranded in an airport because of bad weather, a young mother and her two-year-old daughter had been waiting in long lines for hours trying to get a flight home. The child was tired and fussy, but the mother, who was pregnant and at risk of miscarriage, did not pick her up. A doctor had advised the mother to avoid lifting the two-year-old unless absolutely necessary. The woman overheard disapproving comments from people around her as she used her foot to slide her crying daughter along in the line. Nobody offered to help. But then, the woman later recalled, “someone came towards us and with a kindly smile said, ‘Is there something I could do to help you?’ With a grateful sigh I accepted his offer. He lifted my sobbing little daughter from the cold floor and lovingly held her to him while he patted her gently on the back. He asked if she could chew a piece of gum. When she was settled down, he carried her with him and said something kindly to the others in the line ahead of me, about how I needed their help. They seemed to agree and then he went up to the ticket counter [at the front of the line] and made arrangements with the clerk for me to be put on a flight leaving shortly. He walked with us to a bench, where we chatted a moment, until he was assured that I would be fine. He went on his way. About a week later I saw a picture of Apostle Spencer W. Kimball and recognized him as the stranger in the airport.”

Wouldn’t it be great to be the one person who helped when others wouldn’t? That is what Christ would do!