Back Yard Antics

I just had to put this post from my family's blog on my blog so everyone can see how hardcore and crazy my parents are!!  Enjoy!

Hi everyone. Decided it was about my turn to share a little experience I had last week. As all of you know, your Dad has a headlamp that he uses outside, to work very late at night. It has been very beneficial, especially last summer getting ready for the wonderful open house. Well, you may have all heard that we had to do some quick cleaning up down at the bottom of our hillside. Someone turned us into the city, so we spent a day shredding branches, probably there from ten years back. It really was time to clean it up. Another thing we have to do is stack up the railroad ties, many of which have rebar coming out the ends. Another wonderful experience with landscapers. Anyway, dad was working out late in the dark last wednesday night. He slipped and fell on the hillside, and there was a spike sticking up out of one of the railroad ties. It pierced his leg. He continued to work for a while, and as we were getting ready for bed, he mentioned it to me. I could see the bloody hole--not too big--in his pants. He took them off, and he also had a hole in his garments, and HE ALSO HAD A HOLE IN HIS LEG! It wasn't huge, but it needed to be sewn up. Well, it was very late, and Dad proceeded to go through his black bag, found some suture, and asked/told me that I needed to put a suture in it. It really was gaping. I really wish you had been here, Colin. So he draws me a diagram, shows me what the needle needs to do, how I need to jab it in. He really is a very good teacher. Next he laid down on our bed, and I begin to jab into the edge of the wound (he also told me how close to put it in). All this is with no anesthesia. He also showed me how to wrap the suture around my tweezers (didn't have the instrument you use to hold the needle), one way, then the other way, forming a square knot. Eventually, I got it done. It was definitely not a sterile procedure. He didn't wince or anything. I am happy to report that there are no signs of infection, and the wound is healing nicely. Jason if you had been here, maybe you would have been called upon to operate! Anyway, it was a very interesting experience for me. I know how to do it if I am ever called upon again to become a temporary surgeon. Life is always interesting here on 20th. mom


Here they are, the dynamic duo!!