Some Happenings

Well, I thought I would give some updates on life-
I have had to go to the surgeon's office twice to have fluid drained out of my back. It's no fun. In fact today after he pulled the needle out I got all hot and sweaty and started seeing all the spots in my periphery! I also visited the orthopedist who said as of right now I need to get to physical therapy and do that for a while, so I am hoping for improvement there. Sleeping is getting a bit easier.
Chantel is at the BYU (you'll notice if you speak with anyone who is older that it's "THE" BYU) and has had the realization that she is going to spend her whole life reading for her classes. I tried to warn her, but I'm just the dad; what do I know. But, on Monday she was eating at the Cannon Center by herself when a big dude sat next to her and chatted up a storm with her. He plays on the defensive line for the football team (Brock Richardson). So 2 days later she's eating there again all alone when she hears some people talking and hears her name. Turns out it's Brock again and this time he has Fui Vakapuna and Solomone Kafu with him. So she ate with them and marveled that they could snap her like a dried twig! You need to know Chantel had a 100 lb. party when she finally reached the century mark in weight, which was a month ago! Brock is 6'2" and 260 lbs. Pretty classic. Hey, get us some tickets, girlie!
Chelsea is dancing up a storm in ballroom and loves it. She is also doing well in Jazz Band. We are going to trade in her sax for a new one. She is also going to Home Coming so she gets to wear her pretty dress. Should be fun!
Teresa got her hair cut and colored. She looks so cute that I can't stop kissing her. I think she's sick of me. Which is another reason I went back to work this week. It has been pretty crappy and hurts a lot to be there, but I have given Teresa some well needed respite.
Our good buddy Rob Clegg won tickets to the BYU vs UCLA game today by singing the National Anthem on 1280 the Zone! Go Rob! I always knew you had the pipes.
I guess lastly I want to say that I think it is freaky how an event like 9-11 has turned into a Bush-Bashing and how people actually think that our government really did it. C'mon, what are you, psycho?! The government could never pull anything like that off no matter how hard they tried. All kidding aside, people and nations hate the USA and will try always to do what they can to destroy us.
But we have Michael Phelps, so we're fine.

Totally Tubular

Today I went to the doctor to have my drainage tube and staples removed. I had heard from a couple people that having the tube yanked was going to be pretty painful. It hurt when they cut all the stitches that were around the opening and that were holding it in place, but the tube slipped out without any pain at all. The staples on the other hand were pretty painful. They had become attached to scabs, so just about everyone stunk getting popped out.
My butt is numb still where the slice is and into my bum cleavage (I guess there is no other way to say it). The doctors have told me it may be a long while to get the feeling back, or it may not come back at all! That would stink. Oh well, I am lucky that I can walk and move after this incident, so I'll take a numb-bum any day to the alternative! I hope the shoulder can heal up, too.
Thanks to everyone for their prayers and concern. It means a lot to me.
I will get a new picture of my back on soon.

Birthday Girl

Madalyn had her 9th birthday on September 1st, you know, that cold, wet Labor Day (blast this global warming!). Madalyn rocks. She loves riding her bike & longboard, she likes playing board games, Transformers, playing with her friends, listening to music, playing the piano. She enjoys going on walks with her dad and is happy to hold his hand when they do. She wanted "Army Men" for her birthday, which we couldn't find, probably because they aren't politically correct anymore. Or maybe I need to hit the Dollar Store to look. Madalyn is a lot of fun and is a beautiful 9 year old!

On my front, well, tomorrow I hopefully get my drain taken out of my back as well as having the staples removed, too. How do they do that? Do they have a staple remover like the one you have on your desk? Oooh, that will hurt. My shoulder really hurts and I have another week before going to the Orthopedist to have him look at it. I have this pretty cool bruise, though, that is like a flame coming out of my armpit! I apologize for my disgusting whiteness!

Snyder's Down!

So last Monday (Aug. 25th) it was fairly hot and I was sick of running in the hot weather. The previous Saturday I had ridden my bike and thought I would go for a ride again. And so I set off. I went to Main Street then down 1200 South to the roundabout through UVU and then along 1200 West by the freeway. I was cruising about 20 mph when I came up to College Road. I saw a white car coming south and was going to turn left onto College Rd. but obviously she didn't see me because she turned right in front of me! I grabbed my brakes and for a brief moment thought I might make it around the back of the car. I locked up and knew I was going to eat it either into the asphalt or the car. I started to endo a wee bit then SLAM! right into the car! It immediately felt like someone had hit me in the lower back with a sledge hammer and my right shoulder was on fire. My right knee started throbbing as well. I got up off the hot pavement and started heading over to the grass. The driver got out of the car and asked, "Are you alright?" to which I said "No! I'm not alright!!!" Then the driver asked if she should call an ambulance to which I said Uh, Yeah! A guy who saw the whole thing grabbed my bike and laid it next to me. I reached over and grabbed my cell phone and called home. My daughter Abby answered and I blurted out "I've been hit! Get Mom!" Teresa got on and I repeated that I was hit. I tried to explain where I was and suddenly there were 2 ambulances and the fire chief right there so I hung up. They just happened to be on their way back from a call, drove by and did a double-take, saw me writhing on the ground and stopped. They asked where I hurt and I told them my lower back, so they rolled me onto my side. I felt the hot flow of blood run down. They started cutting my clothes and got very excited about the gash on my back, saying things like "Whoa! That's pretty amazing. Oh, it keeps on going! Hey, it drops down...you'll want a picture of this!" Then they got quiet and started talking about facia and muscle and spine and that's when I got worried.

Well, I was placed on a board, had my neck in that big brace and had my head and chin taped to the board as well. I was loaded up and off to Utah Valley Medical Center. Teresa came down 800 South and couldn't see anything and left to go to the hospital. She was freaking out a bit, not realizing where she was going. Chelsea was with her and said "Mom, do you want me to drive?". I had the paramedics call Chelsea's cell phone to tell them where we were going. They were at the emergency room already waiting.

When we got there, they took quick x-rays of my shoulder, wrist and knee. They cut off all the rest of my clothes, too. So, when your mother tells you to always wear clean underwear, well, do it! I was taken into another room to have an MRI done real quick to make sure my spine was OK and then I came back in and an ultrasound was performed to make sure my organs were OK, too. Teresa and Chelsea were allowed to finally come in. Ken, Jayton and Rob came in to give me a blessing which was real nice. 

The ER nurses then did something that I thought was odd; they handed a jug to my wife and asked her to collect my urine as they lifted me up to place gauze on my wound. First of all, I can't go if I know my wife is outside the door at home, let alone in a busy ER room. Second, when they lifted me up the pain was so intense I got all hot, white and sweaty and about passed out!

I asked Teresa to show me my clothes that they had cut off. The back of my shirt had a big tear in it, but when Teresa turned it around it also had a big chunk of meat stuck to it! Pretty nasty.

Well, I was taken into another room and prepped for surgery. I asked them to please make sure I was unconscious before they inserted the catheder. They obliged. I was in surgery for over an hour and ended up with lots of internal stitches and 25 staples on the outside as well as a tube

 sticking out for drainage. I woke up in my room with my family standing by me. Man, that first night was really bad. Teresa stayed until 2 AM with me then went home. 

Well, I had family and friends and even co-workers stop by over the next few days. I want to say thanks to all of them- it really means a lot to know people care. My family was well taken care of with food and love. I was able to get out Thursday evening from the hospital. It has been a struggle, especially with my shoulder; it really hurts and is in a sling. I will be involved with physical therapy for months! Teresa took a picture of my back wound. 

I ended up with 3 wrist bands- 1 for the ER, 2 for surgery 3 for general hospital admittance. 

Moral of the story, don't get hit by a car.

Or, suck it up and run in the heat

Some Happenings

So here are some happenings that have been happening...

The Olympics are on. Phelps rocks. Stupid French swim team. Some Jamaican dude is really fast yet really cocky. The American Gymnasts are getting ripped off. Guo Jing Jing and Dong Dong are my 2 favorite Chinese athletes.

I had a birthday dinner the other night at Maccaroni Grill. The Wakefields were in their car and we followed them. We being Teresa, Chantel (this was part of her birthday dinner) and myself. When we got into the restaurant there were a bunch of friends waiting- the Grovers, Frands(t)en's, Hatch's, Roberts, and Clegg's. We sat at the end of the table,  so I really didn't get to say much to anyone, but it was fun and fattening (they brought Chantel and I a couple big pieces of cake, and you know me, I am a cake-a-holic). I am honored to have such great friends and neighbors.

On Saturday morning the wind was blowing 200 mph. That may be a wee exaggeration, but not by much. I managed a pretty fast 5 mile run, but then did a huge number of walking lunges with 60 lbs. Holy crap, Sunday I was so sore I thought I was going to die. Then on Monday Jayton and I went running in the canyon. I couldn't run! I was taking little strides because I hurt so bad. Ah, there's nothing like a crappy run to make you feel really dissatisfied. 

So we had a 9:15 PM softball game last night. I have been playing catcher this go around and am fine with it. I only got out once and that was a line drive right at the 3rd baseman. It is also pretty fun having my brother, Carl, there playing, too. If only he could run! But we 10-runned this team. We are 3-1. Last week we were a little flat and lost a game we probably could have won.

Rob Clegg was released as the 2nd Counselor in our Bishopric on Sunday. This was really hard for me because he has been in this since we were called almost 5 years ago! He is now on the High Council and I can't wait for him to come speak at our ward! 

You know, we saw The Dark Knight and I still don't know why everyone is so freaked out by it. I didn't think it was so "dark and creepy". Geeze, have you ever watched 24? Way more violence and such there.

Chuck will be coming back this fall! 

Jason Russell let me know it's Robert Plant's birthday. He is 60! The Zeppelin memories go way back. I always crack up thinking of my brother trying to tell my dad (who HATED rock music; he was a classical music and Marty Robbins fan) what a nice easy album Led Zeppelin IV was--Carl was obviously trying to tout Stairway as the "easy". I remember having that album on my dad's stereo just blasting When the Levee Breaks so the whole neighborhood could hear. And I think that was when I was in 5th grade. Good times. One time my dad got really hacked off to see my Joe Walsh You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind on his turntable. He picked it up and chucked it down the hallway. The record actually got stuck between the wall and baseboard as it scraped both side of the album on it's roll down the hall. But, as soon as dad was gone, another record would go on the turntable. Rock on!   

Forty-Fetchin'-Two!

OK, so I'm 42 today. And I got to spend my birthday in a truck traveling home from the Sculpture in the Park show in Loveland, CO. It was fun being there since last Wednesday (which was Chantel's b-day). I got to be with Ken Donnelly and his wife Melanie for a couple days, setting up the show and attending the seminars. We had a fun time eating out and hanging out. We even went to a movie, Mummy 3. Wait for the dollar theater.

We stayed at the Comfort Inn, which was real nice. I was in the room by myself until Gary Price and Justin came. The show was fun and we got to meet a lot of nice people and artist's. Ken and I tried drumming up some business for the foundry at the other sculpture show going on across the street.

Gary and Justin left after the show. Ken and I loaded up and got back to the hotel. Though I love Gary & Justin, it still is nice being alone in the hotel room. 

The Wakefields brought over a card and socks. When Jayton loses a race to a 42 year old, he is going to be devastated. 

It's weird that your body gets older, but inside I still feel 17!

Chantel's Legal!!!

Our oldest girlie is 18 today!!! Holy cow! Happy Birthday Chantel. Why did your 18th birthday come so quick and it seemed to take 25 years for me to turn 18?

I am so proud of you. You have been a great example to your younger sisters. You are F.U.N. fun! I am so pleased that you received your Young Women's Recognition Award, too. What a great example to the Young Women in the ward. You know, there is a joke church-wide about "Bishop's Daughters", well, if they all were like mine, the joke would go away.

Hey, you can vote now, too. Just don't vote Obama. Or McCain. Oh crap, who do you vote for?

Anyway, Chantel, I love you and am so proud of the awesome young woman that you are. Get smart at the BYU, stay close to your Father in Heaven, and make sure you emulate the life of

 your mother. You Rock!!!