February 11, 2007

• Saturday

  Our Saturday was nice.  The girls are gone on their trip, so Paul, Dennis, and the boys decided to go skiing at Keystone.  They dropped me off at my parents' house.

  Mama has a frame shop that she loves, so I took my family portraits with me so that we could go over there and have them framed.  Before we left, my daddy was trying to figure out a way to take my tummy pump that wouldn't be conspicuous. 

  I should explain that the pump that I have is in two pieces.  One connects to the IV pole and has the electrical cord attached to it.  It holds, and charges, the actual pump itself, which can run for up to 12 hours on battery power.  The pump is fairly small and rectagular.  But it has to be lower than the bag that holds the nutrition in order for it to work correctly.

  So, Daddy got out his new camelback backpack, and we managed to get the food bag and the pump arranged in there the right way because the food bag has to be above the pump like on the IV pole.  We got it to work, and it was great, because I was able to go to the frame shop without disconnecting from Ms. Pumpin-Stuff .

  So, when we got home from the frame shop, Daddy was on a mission.  He went to Target and looked at every backpack they had (ready to head to REI if there wasn't an acceptable one there), and was going to figure out a way to make me more portable.

  He found the perfect backpack at Target.  The largest opening has a seperate pocket that the food bag can not only fit into, but a velcro strap goes through the "handle."  Then,  the pump fits into the bottom of that section.  Because it has to stay upright, he got styrofoam strips that had been packing for their new hot water heater, and made it a perfect little compartment that allows it to stay upright.

  Then the tube just comes through the zipper, and into my tummy.  There are 3 more smaller pockets that can hold all of my purse stuff.

  We had decided that we were going to try a trip to the mall (with me in a wheelchair) to get my hair trimmed and to do a little shopping.  The backpack worked wonderfully.  We hung it on the back of the wheelchair while we were walking around, and just pulled out a little more tubing.  When I was getting my hair cut, I just held the backpack in my lap.

  It was just really great.  I can be mobile without having to look like a freak.  I'm so excited!  I was worn OUT when our shopping trip was done (still am, honestly), but it was so great to get out of the house.  And because I was able to take Ms. Pumpin-Stuff with me, I didn't get weak or feeling icky.

  I bought 2 more stylish hats on clearance.  I need to do a hat fashion show, don't I?

  It was a very fun day.  But I was wiped out when it was over, and I am still a bit wiped out.

  The boys had great fun skiing, and Colton and Rohan even got to ski in the lights after dark.  Keystone resort has night skiing, and the boys had never done that.  But by the time they got to my parents' house to pick me up, Paul couldn't get Rohan roused enough to come in and use the bathroom to save his life.  He was just a floppy rag doll of a kid.  This morning, he came out of his room and told me that his legs were KILLING him.  Imagine that! 

  Paul turned 45 yesterday!  Happy Birthday, dear honey!!!
  

  • 1:29 pm
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