I would like to thank you all for your kind words, prayers and support. Even though I may not have answered you personally, I have read your comments and they meant so much to me. Especially as I would read them from the hospital.
We are now home and the surgery went well. For those of you who would like to know how things went and how we are doing, I thought I would let you read the emails that I sent out each day during the surgery. I promise that I will soon be back to posting about gardening 🙂
Kai getting ready for his first outing….to the mailbox.
Friday:
Well, we are now in the waiting room and Kai has just been taken into surgery. He did very well this morning, although we could tell he was nervous. As soon as he walked into pre-op, they let him choose a stuffed animal to keep. He chose a little dog that looks like our dog, Tobey.
They gave Kai some medication, Versed, to make him less nervous, but warned us that it may make him sleepy or act like he is drunk. Well, Kai certainly acted drunk. It was really kind of hilarious. I have had Versed before, a few times, but do not remember what I did, which is probably a good thing 🙂
We finally had to take turns sitting next to Kai on his bed and holding him in our arms so that he would not fall out. The hospital chaplain came to visit and led us in prayer before surgery. I know that Kai won’t remember that.
As I was holding Kai in my arms, he looked at his dad and the doctor and said that they each had two heads. Then he looked up at me and tried to touch my nose.
Kai has had the same anesthesiologist before and he remembered Kai, which was nice. The doctor talked to us and went into more detail about what they were going to do. They will remove the old plate and screws from his hip and replace them due to metal fatigue. Then the will enlarge the hip socket and perform another bone graft.
We have been through this before, which makes it easier in some ways and I was doing pretty good today until Kai was being wheeled into surgery. As we were walking down the hall away from Kai after kissing him goodbye. As I turned back, Kai was watching and I waved goodbye and he returned my wave….then he held out his arms for me to hold him as they wheeled him through the door. I started to lose it then, but thankfully Kai did not notice.
Surgery should take 2 – 3 hours. Thank you all so much for your prayers and support.
I will update more later 🙂
Noelle
Friday – Post Surgery:
Hello Again,
Kai’s surgery lasted 2 1/2 hours. They ended up doing more than we had expected. They removed the metal plate and screws that have been holding Kai’s hip in it’s socket due to ‘metal fatigue’ and replaced them. They also had to cut his femur as part of the procedure as well as perform a bone graft. After the surgery, we went back to post-op and sat with Kai. He was in pain, but as soon as they gave him morphine, he drifted off and slept soundly. He snores after surgery, just like he does when he normally sleeps.
We were taken to Kai’s room very quickly and settled in. Kai’s legs are being held in a foam structure to keep them from moving in order to keep his hip still.
The doctor said that the surgery went well but we had to be very careful not to move his hip since there are only a few screws holding it together…..his words, not mine. That is what makes me so nervous when we take him home and we have to lift him to go to bed and to the bathroom.
Kai’s pain is quite intense and he gets morphine every 2 hours. But he did have a little appetite for dinner (he was sick to his stomach earlier). When they asked him what foods he liked, he said “everything”. They then asked if there was anything he didn’t like and he said “salad”. I didn’t know that….we have salad a few times a week and he never complains.
We were so encouraged today by a visit by my brother, our pastor, my in-laws who brought us pizza and our friend who is a nurse and the house supervisor at the hospital and a good friend from our small group at church. She has made our stay at the hospital as nice as can be. As I mentioned before, she was there with us in pre-op and then in recovery and then made sure that we were assigned a nice, quite hospital room by ourselves. She even came by later before she left for the day and gave Kai a gift. Tonight, my cousin is stopping by to visit.
Kai’s dad is spending tonight with Kai and the doctor will come by tomorrow morning to check on Kai and see if he will be able to come home tomorrow. While I am excited to get Kai at home, it brings a whole host of different stresses since we do need to move him from time to time and it really hurts him.
I could write more, but I only got 5 hours of sleep last night and am a little tired 🙂
I just want to thank you all so much for your support and prayers today.
-Noelle
Saturday:
Hello Everyone,
This morning, we found out some disappointing news. Kai will have to spend another night in the hospital. He is having too much pain for him to be able to come home. They now have him on both morphine and valium.
This is the first time after six surgeries that he will have to spend a second night, which disappointing, but I would rather have him in the hospital where they can better handle his pain then here at home. So, I will spend tonight with him so that his dad can get a good night’s sleep at home.
Kai is upset that he cannot go home too and he misses his sisters. So, I am bringing them today to help cheer him up.
Thank you again for your prayers….they are much appreciated.
Noelle
Saturday Night:
Hello,
Right now, it is very peaceful in Kai’s hospital room, except for his snoring. It is actually a very sweet sound because it means his pain is being managed enough for him to sleep.
Every two hours, he does experience significant pain and receives more pain medication. But, he is handling it very well. Kai is very sensitive to his bed being bumped or anyone even leaning on it because it hurts him. He asked me very politely “Momma, could you please not bump the bed.” If it were me, I probably wouldn’t be quite as polite.
We have been so blessed by family and friends. The only time that Kai smiles is when someone comes to visit him. His sisters all came today and his brother-in-law along with grandparents, cousins and friends. Kai is happy they are here, but he is usually preoccupied by his discomfort.
Later this evening, he started to cry because he was homesick. Hopefully, he can go home tomorrow….we are optimistic about that. We did discover movie channels a little while ago that play kid movies, which made Kai very happy. He also ate a fairly good dinner, which is always a good sign.
Kai’s dad has gone home to get a good night’s sleep and I am getting ready to watch a DVD on my laptop before I try to sleep in 2 hour increments (between pain medications).
Thank you again for your support and prayers.
Noelle
Sunday:
Hello,
Well, we made it home! As nice as everyone was at the hospital, I am so happy to be home.
Yesterday, Kai’s dad left after dinner to go home and sleep….he really needed it. Kai and I were doing pretty well and he was still receiving morphine to help manage his pain. As long as he was on morphine, he had to stay in the hospital. Kai went to sleep at 9:00 last night and I was getting ready to when we found out that they would be moving a new patient into the adjoining bed. And so, once the new little boy and his dad were settled in, I fell asleep around 1:00 a.m.**I almost hate to mention this, but both the little boy and his dad snored and it was really hard to sleep.
Even though I didn’t get to sleep until late, the night was not without it’s victories. Kai slept for 5 hours straight and only woke up because his IV machine was beeping. Before, Kai would regularly require pain medication every 2 hours. The other great part was that since he was doing so well, we decided not to add the morphine to his other medications to see how he would do. He did great.
After sleeping a total of 4 hours in 2 hour spurts, I waited for the doctor to arrive at 6 a.m. He was happy with Kai’s progress and said that he could go home later once we met with the Physical Therapist and practice how to lift and move Kai. We have done this for him after his previous surgeries, but it is always helpful to have a refresher course.
I wish that I could say that Kai had a nice time this morning in the hospital, but he didn’t. Between being moved, which is scary and does hurt, he also had to have the dressing on his surgery incisions changed. This meant that Kai had to be almost on his side which was scary for him, but he was really so brave.
He does not like being moved and starts to tell us exactly how to move him (he gets a bit bossy), but he does it so politely, it is almost funny. For example “Dad, don’t lift my legs until you lift the rest of me….please?”
Once we got him into his wheelchair, we took him around the hospital to see the sights. We even ventured outdoors….there is just something so rejuvenating about enjoying the outdoors after being stuck inside for a couple of days.
We went by the cafeteria and the vending machines and let him pick whatever he wanted to eat and drink. Kai chose a bag of Cheetos and bottle of Orange Fanta soda – definitely NOT things that we let him eat usually. Then on the way home, we stopped by the McDonald’s drive-thru for lunch. I did mention that once we get home, we will be back to eating our ‘normal’ foods and he will need to eat what I cook for dinner. Actually, Kai eats pretty much anything and actually likes my cooking and never complains about food 😉
I was so tired after we got home that Kai’s dad took care of everything so that I could “check-out” for a few hours for a nap. I feel so much better now.
We would appreciate your prayers for Kai’s continued healing and that the pain will lessen. He is still in pain, but it is manageable. Also for endurance as we take care of his every need. I put the gifts he received in the hospital in a gift bag next to him so he can easily pick what he wants to play with – although he isn’t playing with anything today…maybe tomorrow.
Thank you for your support and prayers.
Noelle
Monday:
Hello,
I hope you aren’t getting tired of these updates…if you are, I honestly don’t mind if you delete it. But for me, in addition to updating our family friends, they are also a good way to document our journey with Kai.
Kai is doing better in general. He is definitely happy to be at home. He slept fairly well last night in his own bed and his dad spent the night on the floor in his room. Kai has to take medication every 2 hours.
He is definitely more involved in the happenings of our daily life. Like previous surgical recovery episodes, Kai’s day revolves around being in one of 3 places….in a bed we made for him on the floor in the family room, in the bed in his room and in his wheelchair.
Up till now, his dad has been the one carrying him from place to place, but I started carrying him today as well. He has definitely grown in the two years since I have had to carry him….he is heavier. After the first time I carried him, he said, Dad does it different then you…..I don’t touch his chest when he carries me.” I told him that my chest is a little different from his dad’s 😉
Kai’s appetite is gradually coming back which always makes me happy. He is still in pain, but it is less then the day before. We gave him a sponge bath tonight, which made him feel more human. He asked me to push his wheelchair to where his sisters were playing Wii. He doesn’t feel comfortable using his left hand where he had his IV, so he just encourages them as they play their game and gives advice.
Kai’s sense of humor is returning too. His grandparents bought him a giant cookie cake and I cut it up into slices for everyone. Kai wanted the one with his name on it and as soon as I cut it, I said, “Here is your cookie”. And Kai replied, “I can’t quite reach it,” all the way from the family room.
For my husband and I, our lives are slowly getting back to normal. We are mentally and physically tired and are having to fulfill all of Kai’s needs….. getting him water & food, repositioning his legs and body a couple of time each hour, bringing him his toys, helping him go to the bathroom, etc. Even making dinner tonight was a chore because I had to keep pausing to help him. We did try to do some normal things today like going to the gym as well as making a homemade dinner. That seems to help us settle back into our old and now modified routine.
The girls are being so nice and understanding and we are working on spending time with each of them. When Kai is in pain, he likes having his left foot massaged and the girls have also learned how to do it. Kai says when his foot is massaged that it helps the pain in his hip.
Today, Kai will go on his first outing….our weekly Tuesday night dinner at my mom’s. Kai will be happy to see his aunt, uncle and cousins.
Thank you all again for your prayers.
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend.
Noelle
The Long Road Back…
June Days….Dry Grass, Sprinklers and a Harvest
Vegetable GardeningOkay, I admit that I had a hard time with the title of this post. I think it is because it is somewhat a mish-mash of topics. But, the overall theme is that these all have occurred in this month of June.
When we built our home back in 1999, we selected an extra large lot….not so that we could put a swimming pool in, but so I could plant a large garden. In place of a swimming pool, we did install a grassy area in the back garden for the kids and dogs to play on. We do not have a huge amount of grass and most of my plants are drought tolerant, since we try to minimize excess water usage. We do live in a desert after all.
The other day, I noticed some brown areas of grass amongst the green lawn. So, I decided to put our small hose sprinkler head on those areas to help green them up. Well, what do sprinklers and a warm, summer day have in common? Kids!
Small Hose Sprinkler
Gracie was so excited about running in the sprinklers that she went and put her swimming goggles on.
My husband also had the great idea to let Kai go in the sprinklers as well. After all, his wheelchair is waterproof….I think.
Small Hose Sprinkler
Now, the only problem is is that Kai’s dad can push him into the sprinklers whenever he wants 😉
It was so nice to see Kai outdoors, enjoying the sun and being able to “run” through the sprinklers with his sisters.
Afterward, the kids decided that they wanted to eat their lunch outdoors….
Okay, now for my harvest. We have had so much fun with our new vegetable garden this spring. One of the most impressive vegetables we have been growing is corn.
It is hard to believe that it was just late March when Kai first planted the corn seeds.
The corn began to grow quickly next to the neighboring cucumbers.
Some days you could almost measure the growth by inches.
And now for the grand finish….we harvested 13 ears of corn from our 7 corn stalks.
They tasted delicious…
How have you been spending your June days?
Low Temps, June GBBD and Recovery
A Harvest of Peaches and Jam….
Fruit TreesFor the past couple of weeks, I have been watching as the peaches began to ripen on the three peach trees on Double Farms. I was especially excited for them to ripen this year because my mother, Pastor Farmer, had promised to teach how to make peach jam.
Back in January, I helped prune these neglected peach trees with my brother-in-law, Farmer Dad and blogged about it – Three Neglected Peach Trees. As the tiny fruits started to form, my sister, Chicken Farmer, thinned out the peaches. The result was that the peaches this year were much larger.
My mother came over with a box filled to overflowing with peaches. You can see what was left when we were finished, above. I was also happy to have her come over to my house because we have been rather housebound while my son Kai is recuperating from hip surgery, and it was nice to have something fun to do.
My mother is no stranger to canning and making jams. She learned much of the process from her mother. But in today’s age of technology, there is plenty of information online about how to make jam and we did get some great tips that way, which made the process even easier. We found great information online here.
I am a novice when it comes to canning and making jam, so I was anxious to learn. First we blanched the peaches (put them in boiling water for 30 seconds and then plunged them into ice water). It was very easy to remove the skins and then we cut them up into pieces.
One piece of modern equipment that we used that our grandmothers definitely did not have was a food processor to partially blend the cut peaches. My mother said that it worked much better then a potato masher which she had used previously.
My newly graduated daughter, Rachele, had some extra time on her hands and wanted to help. She poured the peaches into the pot, added lemon juice and pectin and got ready to cook them.
Her job was to constantly stir the peaches. A trick that my mother learned was to put a tablespoon of butter in the peaches, to reduce the foam and scum that floats to the top. It really worked. Then I added the sugar and we boiled the peaches for 1 minute on high heat.
The fragrance from the peaches was just delicious.
Now, came the technical part….putting the jam into the jars without contaminating them.
My mother bought a canning kit, which came with tongs for the jars, a funnel, a magnet and much more. She carefully measured the jam until it was within 1/4″ of the top. Then Rachele and I did the same.
I realize that I am not in any of these pictures, but I promise, that I was working hard too 🙂
Rachele carefully wiped the rims to make sure they were clean.
Okay, I think this is really cool. The canning kit included a magnet that you could use to take the lids out of the boiling water, which makes it even easier not to touch them or get your fingers burned.
We were almost done!
Voila!
All of the jars sealed perfectly. At this point, I was searching for the nearest loaf of bread so I could enjoy our new jam.
I had such a great time spending time with my mom and daughter and learning something new.
Now that I have had a lesson in making peach jam, I can hardly wait to make plum jam. They are almost ripe….
**You can learn how to can and make your own jam. The National Center for Home Food Preservation has a great website with step-by-step tutorials.
Pups Ready to Leave Home….
Agave, Arizona, Cactus/Succulents, desert gardeningNow, you may think that I am talking about soft, cuddly puppies finding a new home. But, I am actually talking about my agave pups. The word ‘pups’ refers to the small agave offsets that sometimes form from the adult agave.
Agave americana surrounded by her ‘pups’.
Some agave species produce quite a few pups, while other species rarely do. I do try to stay from agave species like Agave americana because they produce so many pups that it becomes quite a maintenance chore to constantly remove them all. But that being said, I have many friends and clients who just love this particular agave.
Well, the day finally came in my garden for my agave pups to move away from their childhood home.
Can you see them? There are 4 in the picture above. Three are quite small still, but more then ready to leave their mother, my Agave parryi. I am actually quite excited to be getting pups from this agave because in my experience, they do not produce many pups. It may be that this one has because it does receive overspray from my lawn sprinklers.
Okay, this may seem obvious, but you would be amazed at how many people just start digging in the middle of their gravel (granite) without clearing it away first. Believe me…you want to clear it away first or else you will be left with a mixture of rock and soil mixed together.
Aren’t they cute in a prickly sort of way? They really are quite tiny.
I carefully removed the soil around the pups, leading to the mother plant because the pups are still attached to her by a thick, fleshy root. You can see that the pups are beginning to form their own roots, branching out to the side.
Just cut the root connecting the pup to the adult agave….that’s it. It is really very easy.
Now, this same adult agave also has another pup, which has grown much closer to home then these tiny pups.
This one did not want to leave home, even though it was quite grown up. When the pups are growing right up alongside the adult plant, just insert a shovel and push down firmly, cutting the connecting root. **Sometimes you have to be a bit forceful in getting some pups to leave home 😉
I was able to harvest 5 pups. I was so happy and had fun selecting where I wanted to put them in my garden.
Before you plant them, you need to put them in a dry, shady spot for 4 – 7 days so that the cuts have a chance to dry first. This helps to prevent rot when they are planted. Don’t worry about them surviving without water for a few days….they have plenty stored inside – they are succulents after all.
Once you have planted them, they will need supplemental water to help them establish and grow roots. Agave do best when given supplemental water, even when mature. Most are connected to my drip irrigation system. The others receive overspray from my sprinklers, which is enough for them.
If you haven’t noticed this before, I am not a perfect gardener and am likely to tell people, “Do as I say, not as I do”. But, I do not profess to be a perfectionist and so I will show you one of my larger agave, whose pups should have left home long ago…
This is my Smooth Leaf Agave (Agave desmettiana). I love this type of agave. It is medium size, and the sides of the leaves do not have thorns. The thorns on the tips can easily be cut off if desired for a more pedestrian friendly agave.
As you can see from the photo above, the pups are quite large and should have been kicked out long ago. So, I brought in the muscle (my husband) to help get them out.
Because the pups were growing close to the parent plant, a shovel had to be used to separate them.
Agave desmettiana is known for producing offsets (pups), but in my experience, there are not too many.
Actually, the adult agave below was grown from a pup.
A proud parent and her 8 offspring. I planted a few and gave some to my mother, Pastor Farmer, of Double S Farms.
There were times when I worked on golf courses that my budget was tight, so I would ask residents to bring their agave pups to me so that we could use them in landscape areas around the courses. The residents were very generous and after a while, we had more then we knew what to do with. So, if you have some agave pups, plant one in a pretty container and give to a friend or donate them to your city, church or other organization.
**My son continues to do better each day. We did have a little bit of a setback on Saturday, but yesterday and today, he is feeling much better. Thank you again for your support and prayers!
A Memory Tree
az plant lady familyDo you have a memory tree? A tree planted in memory of a loved one? I would like to share with you my memory tree that I planted in honor of someone very special.
Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis)
You may or may not have noticed in my previous posts that I mention my siblings, our families and my mother, Pastor Farmer. However, I have not mentioned my father before.
My dad was a very special man….not just to me, but to countless others. He was a great dad to me and my siblings, but he also dedicated his life to those children who did not have parents who could care for them.
Desert Willow in the park.
My father worked as a social worker in Los Angeles, working with teens in group homes and foster care. For many this can be a very difficult job, but to my dad, it was a very rewarding career. He loved nothing better then to help people.
Just over three years ago, my dad and mom took a huge step and moved to Arizona to be near me and my two siblings. Both my parents had just retired and had plans to enjoy their children, grandkids and travel.
Just three months later, on Memorial Day 2007, we were to spend the day at my parent’s house for lunch. But when we arrived, my father had an earache and small fever and was in bed. A couple of hours later, he was incoherent and was rushed to the hospital. He was diagnosed with pneumococcal meningitis and never regained consciousness.
To say that we were reeling from the shock of his sudden death, is an understatement. But, we were so blessed to have him in our lives and the memories of him sustain us until we can be with him again in heaven.
Desert Willow tree at Scottsdale Civic Center.
One of my special memories of my dad, occurred when I was 12 years old. I was going through a very awkward period as many 12 year olds do. I was tallest in my class, had pimples, freckles and felt so ugly. But I remember my dad looking at me and telling me that I was beautiful. I didn’t know how he could think that, but I knew he would never lie to me, and so I hung on to the fact that at least my dad thought I was beautiful.
After my dad’s death, my mother divided my father’s ashes between me and my siblings and I used some of mine around a tree that I had planted in his honor. It is a Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis), which is one of my favorite desert trees.
Flowers from other Desert Willow trees in my garden.
I love the subtle scent of the leaves, but my favorite part is the beautiful flowers that occur spring through fall. As beautiful as this tree is when in bloom, it is entirely unremarkable in winter, when it sheds it’s leaves.
Hardy to zone 7, this southwest native, does best with regular irrigation. I prefer training them as multi-trunk trees instead of a single (standard) trunk.
Of all my plants in my garden, this one is the most special to me because whenever I look upon it, I remember my dad.
This is the photo that I use for my google account. These are flowers from my Desert Willow Memory Tree.
Just three years ago, this week, my dad passed away. On the anniversary of his death, we were all gathered together to celebrate the graduation of my daughter, Rachele, from high school. Later this year, my brother and his wife will welcome twin boys into the world. It is wonderful to see how my dad’s legacy lives on in both his kids and grandkids lives.
My Kids Brittney (her broken feet have finally healed), Rachele (our graduate), Jeff (my son-in-law), Ruthie Gracie & Kai
**I would like to thank you all for all of your supportive comments as my son Kai has been recovering from surgery. To be honest, I have been completely overwhelmed by your support and it has helped me through some difficult days. Kai is doing so much better that he is almost off of prescription medication for his pain. Of course, since he is feeling better, he wants to move into different rooms of the house, so my arm muscles are getting bigger due to my carrying him, which is easier then getting to the gym these days 😉
It will be Kai’s turn in about 10 years…
I must admit, it feels great to slowly get back to our regular routine and I plan on posting regularly again 🙂
I hope you all have a great day!
Our “New” Normal Life….
az plant lady familyI would like to thank you all for your kind words, prayers and support. Even though I may not have answered you personally, I have read your comments and they meant so much to me. Especially as I would read them from the hospital.
We are now home and the surgery went well. For those of you who would like to know how things went and how we are doing, I thought I would let you read the emails that I sent out each day during the surgery. I promise that I will soon be back to posting about gardening 🙂
Kai getting ready for his first outing….to the mailbox.
Friday:
Well, we are now in the waiting room and Kai has just been taken into surgery. He did very well this morning, although we could tell he was nervous. As soon as he walked into pre-op, they let him choose a stuffed animal to keep. He chose a little dog that looks like our dog, Tobey.
They gave Kai some medication, Versed, to make him less nervous, but warned us that it may make him sleepy or act like he is drunk. Well, Kai certainly acted drunk. It was really kind of hilarious. I have had Versed before, a few times, but do not remember what I did, which is probably a good thing 🙂
We finally had to take turns sitting next to Kai on his bed and holding him in our arms so that he would not fall out. The hospital chaplain came to visit and led us in prayer before surgery. I know that Kai won’t remember that.
As I was holding Kai in my arms, he looked at his dad and the doctor and said that they each had two heads. Then he looked up at me and tried to touch my nose.
Kai has had the same anesthesiologist before and he remembered Kai, which was nice. The doctor talked to us and went into more detail about what they were going to do. They will remove the old plate and screws from his hip and replace them due to metal fatigue. Then the will enlarge the hip socket and perform another bone graft.
We have been through this before, which makes it easier in some ways and I was doing pretty good today until Kai was being wheeled into surgery. As we were walking down the hall away from Kai after kissing him goodbye. As I turned back, Kai was watching and I waved goodbye and he returned my wave….then he held out his arms for me to hold him as they wheeled him through the door. I started to lose it then, but thankfully Kai did not notice.
Surgery should take 2 – 3 hours. Thank you all so much for your prayers and support.
I will update more later 🙂
Noelle
Friday – Post Surgery:
Hello Again,
Kai’s surgery lasted 2 1/2 hours. They ended up doing more than we had expected. They removed the metal plate and screws that have been holding Kai’s hip in it’s socket due to ‘metal fatigue’ and replaced them. They also had to cut his femur as part of the procedure as well as perform a bone graft. After the surgery, we went back to post-op and sat with Kai. He was in pain, but as soon as they gave him morphine, he drifted off and slept soundly. He snores after surgery, just like he does when he normally sleeps.
We were taken to Kai’s room very quickly and settled in. Kai’s legs are being held in a foam structure to keep them from moving in order to keep his hip still.
The doctor said that the surgery went well but we had to be very careful not to move his hip since there are only a few screws holding it together…..his words, not mine. That is what makes me so nervous when we take him home and we have to lift him to go to bed and to the bathroom.
Kai’s pain is quite intense and he gets morphine every 2 hours. But he did have a little appetite for dinner (he was sick to his stomach earlier). When they asked him what foods he liked, he said “everything”. They then asked if there was anything he didn’t like and he said “salad”. I didn’t know that….we have salad a few times a week and he never complains.
We were so encouraged today by a visit by my brother, our pastor, my in-laws who brought us pizza and our friend who is a nurse and the house supervisor at the hospital and a good friend from our small group at church. She has made our stay at the hospital as nice as can be. As I mentioned before, she was there with us in pre-op and then in recovery and then made sure that we were assigned a nice, quite hospital room by ourselves. She even came by later before she left for the day and gave Kai a gift. Tonight, my cousin is stopping by to visit.
Kai’s dad is spending tonight with Kai and the doctor will come by tomorrow morning to check on Kai and see if he will be able to come home tomorrow. While I am excited to get Kai at home, it brings a whole host of different stresses since we do need to move him from time to time and it really hurts him.
I could write more, but I only got 5 hours of sleep last night and am a little tired 🙂
I just want to thank you all so much for your support and prayers today.
-Noelle
Saturday:
Hello Everyone,
This morning, we found out some disappointing news. Kai will have to spend another night in the hospital. He is having too much pain for him to be able to come home. They now have him on both morphine and valium.
This is the first time after six surgeries that he will have to spend a second night, which disappointing, but I would rather have him in the hospital where they can better handle his pain then here at home. So, I will spend tonight with him so that his dad can get a good night’s sleep at home.
Kai is upset that he cannot go home too and he misses his sisters. So, I am bringing them today to help cheer him up.
Thank you again for your prayers….they are much appreciated.
Noelle
Saturday Night:
Hello,
Right now, it is very peaceful in Kai’s hospital room, except for his snoring. It is actually a very sweet sound because it means his pain is being managed enough for him to sleep.
Every two hours, he does experience significant pain and receives more pain medication. But, he is handling it very well. Kai is very sensitive to his bed being bumped or anyone even leaning on it because it hurts him. He asked me very politely “Momma, could you please not bump the bed.” If it were me, I probably wouldn’t be quite as polite.
We have been so blessed by family and friends. The only time that Kai smiles is when someone comes to visit him. His sisters all came today and his brother-in-law along with grandparents, cousins and friends. Kai is happy they are here, but he is usually preoccupied by his discomfort.
Later this evening, he started to cry because he was homesick. Hopefully, he can go home tomorrow….we are optimistic about that. We did discover movie channels a little while ago that play kid movies, which made Kai very happy. He also ate a fairly good dinner, which is always a good sign.
Kai’s dad has gone home to get a good night’s sleep and I am getting ready to watch a DVD on my laptop before I try to sleep in 2 hour increments (between pain medications).
Thank you again for your support and prayers.
Noelle
Sunday:
Hello,
Well, we made it home! As nice as everyone was at the hospital, I am so happy to be home.
Yesterday, Kai’s dad left after dinner to go home and sleep….he really needed it. Kai and I were doing pretty well and he was still receiving morphine to help manage his pain. As long as he was on morphine, he had to stay in the hospital. Kai went to sleep at 9:00 last night and I was getting ready to when we found out that they would be moving a new patient into the adjoining bed. And so, once the new little boy and his dad were settled in, I fell asleep around 1:00 a.m.**I almost hate to mention this, but both the little boy and his dad snored and it was really hard to sleep.
Even though I didn’t get to sleep until late, the night was not without it’s victories. Kai slept for 5 hours straight and only woke up because his IV machine was beeping. Before, Kai would regularly require pain medication every 2 hours. The other great part was that since he was doing so well, we decided not to add the morphine to his other medications to see how he would do. He did great.
After sleeping a total of 4 hours in 2 hour spurts, I waited for the doctor to arrive at 6 a.m. He was happy with Kai’s progress and said that he could go home later once we met with the Physical Therapist and practice how to lift and move Kai. We have done this for him after his previous surgeries, but it is always helpful to have a refresher course.
I wish that I could say that Kai had a nice time this morning in the hospital, but he didn’t. Between being moved, which is scary and does hurt, he also had to have the dressing on his surgery incisions changed. This meant that Kai had to be almost on his side which was scary for him, but he was really so brave.
He does not like being moved and starts to tell us exactly how to move him (he gets a bit bossy), but he does it so politely, it is almost funny. For example “Dad, don’t lift my legs until you lift the rest of me….please?”
Once we got him into his wheelchair, we took him around the hospital to see the sights. We even ventured outdoors….there is just something so rejuvenating about enjoying the outdoors after being stuck inside for a couple of days.
We went by the cafeteria and the vending machines and let him pick whatever he wanted to eat and drink. Kai chose a bag of Cheetos and bottle of Orange Fanta soda – definitely NOT things that we let him eat usually. Then on the way home, we stopped by the McDonald’s drive-thru for lunch. I did mention that once we get home, we will be back to eating our ‘normal’ foods and he will need to eat what I cook for dinner. Actually, Kai eats pretty much anything and actually likes my cooking and never complains about food 😉
I was so tired after we got home that Kai’s dad took care of everything so that I could “check-out” for a few hours for a nap. I feel so much better now.
We would appreciate your prayers for Kai’s continued healing and that the pain will lessen. He is still in pain, but it is manageable. Also for endurance as we take care of his every need. I put the gifts he received in the hospital in a gift bag next to him so he can easily pick what he wants to play with – although he isn’t playing with anything today…maybe tomorrow.
Thank you for your support and prayers.
Noelle
Monday:
Hello,
I hope you aren’t getting tired of these updates…if you are, I honestly don’t mind if you delete it. But for me, in addition to updating our family friends, they are also a good way to document our journey with Kai.
Kai is doing better in general. He is definitely happy to be at home. He slept fairly well last night in his own bed and his dad spent the night on the floor in his room. Kai has to take medication every 2 hours.
He is definitely more involved in the happenings of our daily life. Like previous surgical recovery episodes, Kai’s day revolves around being in one of 3 places….in a bed we made for him on the floor in the family room, in the bed in his room and in his wheelchair.
Up till now, his dad has been the one carrying him from place to place, but I started carrying him today as well. He has definitely grown in the two years since I have had to carry him….he is heavier. After the first time I carried him, he said, Dad does it different then you…..I don’t touch his chest when he carries me.” I told him that my chest is a little different from his dad’s 😉
Kai’s appetite is gradually coming back which always makes me happy. He is still in pain, but it is less then the day before. We gave him a sponge bath tonight, which made him feel more human. He asked me to push his wheelchair to where his sisters were playing Wii. He doesn’t feel comfortable using his left hand where he had his IV, so he just encourages them as they play their game and gives advice.
Kai’s sense of humor is returning too. His grandparents bought him a giant cookie cake and I cut it up into slices for everyone. Kai wanted the one with his name on it and as soon as I cut it, I said, “Here is your cookie”. And Kai replied, “I can’t quite reach it,” all the way from the family room.
For my husband and I, our lives are slowly getting back to normal. We are mentally and physically tired and are having to fulfill all of Kai’s needs….. getting him water & food, repositioning his legs and body a couple of time each hour, bringing him his toys, helping him go to the bathroom, etc. Even making dinner tonight was a chore because I had to keep pausing to help him. We did try to do some normal things today like going to the gym as well as making a homemade dinner. That seems to help us settle back into our old and now modified routine.
The girls are being so nice and understanding and we are working on spending time with each of them. When Kai is in pain, he likes having his left foot massaged and the girls have also learned how to do it. Kai says when his foot is massaged that it helps the pain in his hip.
Today, Kai will go on his first outing….our weekly Tuesday night dinner at my mom’s. Kai will be happy to see his aunt, uncle and cousins.
Thank you all again for your prayers.
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend.
Noelle
The Long Road Back…
Sunshine In My Life….
az plant lady familyI love Angelita Daisies (Tetraneuris acaulis), and how their bright and sunny faces brighten my day. But today’s post is not about gardening, but about a little boy who brings sunshine to my life every day.
I would like to share with you a story about this special little boy who has gone through so much adversity in his short life but who has blessed me so much….my son, Kai.
This was the first photo that I saw of my son, Kai. He was abandoned by a river when he was just two weeks old. He spent much of his early life in a Chinese orphanage and then in foster care.
We had adopted our third daughter, Gracie from China a year and a half earlier and had decided to adopt again. As soon as I saw this picture, I just fell in love with Kai’s little face.
If you look closely, you may notice his feet turn inwards, a lot.
Kai had two club feet and club hands. We thought that we could handle that, – our daughter Gracie had been born with a club foot and we went through surgery and rehabilitation just fine.
But the medical paperwork from the orphanage also said that Kai had a dislocated hip…he was born that way.
The news we heard from the doctor was not good. The doctor suspected that Kai had a condition known as arthrogryposis, which can be caused when the birth mother’s womb is too small for the developing baby. Hence, the club feet and hands and dislocated hip.
The doctor told us that Kai would need multiple surgeries with lengthy hospital stays. We were torn up by this news. We were set to receive the papers from the adoption agency the next day to sign to formally agree to adopt him. After a lot of prayer and talking to our daughters about what Kai would have to go through and what we would all have to do to help him, our entire family decided to go forward.
While we were waiting to travel to China, we found out that Kai was from an orphanage that I had visited while in China adopting our daughter, Gracie a year and a half earlier. So, I took out the photos of my orphanage visit and there he was….
Kai is in the back wearing the multi-colored jumper. You can see his club feet.
Our whole family traveled to China in January 2005 to go and get Kai. We were so excited to meet him. But, he was not sure about us…we definitely did not look Chinese and he was missing his foster mother.
Kai was 2 1/2 years old. He is holding the little red train we gave him. He had a bag of candy given to him by the orphanage director in the other hand.
It only took about one day for Kai to fit into our family and he was absolutely inseparable from his new dad.
Pushing two strollers in Guangzhou, China.
Aren’t the flowers beautiful?
First day home after our trip to China.
Kai fit into our family so well and I quickly learned how different boys were from girls. Because of Kai’s club feet, he walked on his ankles. It was amazing how fast he could walk. He couldn’t wear shoes, only slippers.
We were referred to a specialist for Kai and decided on the first course of treatment, which would be to work on his club feet.
Recovering from his first surgery.
At the doctor getting ready to get his casts off.
Kai wearing shoes for the first time.
A few months later, recovering from his second major surgery. His hip was moved to the correct place and pinned. The lower leg bones were cut so that his feet could be turned outwards. Kai was in this cast for 6 weeks. As you can see, he did not let it slow him down.
Back at the doctor, ready to have this cast removed.
Cast off and now wearing a brace. Now he was able to wrestle with his dad again.
Notice the left leg? One day after getting his brace off, Kai accidentally pulled his sister, Gracie, on him and his leg broke.
Cast is off and now to learning how to walk again. Kai ditched the walker two days later.
For awhile, Kai was able to run, jump and wrestle like most boys his age. But, a check-up revealed that his hip wasn’t healing as well as expected, so another surgery had to be scheduled 1 1 /2 years later.
On the way to the hospital, yet again…May 2008.
Summer vacation, stuck in a wheelchair, but Kai made the most of it. He caught 3 fish in one day.
Getting ready to race his cousins. Kai’s favorite superhero “Super-Duper” made a surprise visit and pushed Kai in his wheelchair. Kai won. “Super-Duper’s” secret identity, is Kai’s uncle Brett.
Kai recovered from that surgery quite well but will have to wear AFO’s (braces on his feet and lower legs), for the rest of his life. He walks and runs with a limp. Kai cannot run as fast as his classmates and is beginning to notice that. He always wears long pants now, because he doesn’t like it when people stare at his braces.
Over Christmas, I was reading a book to him about a little lamb that had a limp, but was very special, just like him. Kai was surprised that he had a limp….he didn’t know that. I thought that he did. But, it didn’t seem to bother him after he found out.
A couple of months ago, we received the news that Kai needs another hip surgery. We were dismayed at the news, although we knew that Kai would probably require additional surgeries during his life. But, he is just such a normal little boy that it is so easy to forget that he even has special needs.
He will be confined to a wheelchair again for 6 – 8 weeks. Since Kai cannot put any weight on his hip we have to take care of most of his basic needs during that time and do a lot of lifting and carrying.
Today is Kai’s eight birthday, and tomorrow he will be in surgery. But for today, we celebrate…
I know that Kai will meet this challenge as well and continue to display the resilience that continues to amaze me. Before we know it, he will be back to wrestling, running, riding his bike and scooter.
I would appreciate your prayers and thank you for letting me share about my son. I promise I will soon be back rambling about my desert garden as well as other gardens I encounter 🙂
Our “New” Normal Life….
Summer Blooming Friends Return….
AZ Plant LadyIt may seem odd to refer to colorful flowers as friends, but that is what I think of the blooms of my red bird-of paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) shrubs.
They are located beneath my kitchen window and this time of year, the blooms have just begun to reach up to the window. What is even better is that the first blooms of the season are just beginning to open.
The bright yellow, orange and red flowers brighten up my day as I work in the kitchen.
Many visitors and new residents ask me about this beautiful shrub. It really is stunning in the summer landscape.
Native to tropical America, Red Bird-of-Paradise is grown throughout southern areas of the United States, the Caribbean and has been brought to India and the Philippines. It thrives in areas with heat and sun.
Depending on where you live, this is one shrub that has a multitude of common names….
Pride of Barbados
Dwarf Poinciana
Red Bird-of-Paradise
Mexican Bird-of-Paradise
&
Peacock Flower
In areas with warm winters, this shrub is evergreen. However, during the winter in my zone 8b garden, my shrubs go dormant and are cut back to 1ft. from the ground. This may seem somewhat like severe pruning when it is done each year, but it ensures beautiful shrubs in late spring. Cold hardy to zone 8a, they can be killed to the ground when temperatures fall into the teens.
The foliage is also quite beautiful and grows back very quickly in the spring after pruning.
Butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to the beautiful flowers. I have seen some shrubs absolutely covered with butterflies in September.
Plant in full sun or filtered shade. Shrubs planted in the shade will have reduced flowering and sparser foliage and so I recommend planting in full sun.
Their size varies from 3 ft. by 3 ft. all the way to 10 ft. to 10 ft., so make sure you have room for it to grow. In desert gardens, they do require regular irrigation.
I have planted many of these shrubs in both commercial and residential landscapes with great results. They are not fussy in the least. My shrubs are now 11 years old and have never been fertilized or the soil amended.
There is another variety is called ‘Phoenix Bird’, which has distinct yellow flowers (not to be confused with Caesalpinia mexicana). I used this variety when I designed the landscape for my in-laws.
Whatever you decide to call this beautiful shrub, it is just perfect for me…..it is beautiful and does not require a lot of work to make it look that way.
I am so happy that my summer friends have returned 🙂
Ears of Silk in the Vegetable Garden
Arizona, Vegetable Gardening, vegetablesRipening Corn in My Vegetable Garden
In my vegetable garden, I’ve been closely monitoring the growth of our corn stalks and corn ripening stages; it’s been a fascinating journey.
Each day, these corn stalks grow noticeably by inches, and recently, we’ve observed a significant development – the emergence of the tassel, the male part of the corn plant.
Ripening Stages of My Garden Corn
Corn Ripening Stages
Corn Ripening Stages
As we marveled at the tassels, full of yellow pollen, we couldn’t help but notice another intriguing phenomenon occurring on the sides of the corn stalks – the formation of corn silk. Each silk strand leads to a single ovary, and when fertilized, it will ultimately become a single kernel of corn.
After Pollen Comes Corn Silk
Corn silk has started to form. Each silk leads to a single ovary and when fertilized will turn in a single kernel of corn.
Now, when it comes to growing corn, it’s important to plant it in rows of at least three to ensure proper pollination. My vegetable garden only has two rows. To compensate for this, my kids and I decided to assist with the pollination process by gently shaking the cornstalks daily. This action creates a delicate cloud of yellow pollen that falls onto the silk.
After Fertilization Comes Corn Growth
Once the corn has been fertilized, the silk turns brown within 30 minutes indicating that it has been successfully pollinated. If you look closely at the picture above, you can see the pollen sticking to the silk. Below is a complete list of the 9 corn ripening stages you might see when growing corn.
The 9 Corn Ripening Stages
A fascinating and critical part of the corn growth cycle are the corn ripening stages. Understanding these stages can help farmers and gardeners alike determine the best time for harvesting corn. Here are the key stages of corn ripening:
1. Vegetative Growth:
This is the initial stage of corn development, where the plant focuses on building a strong root system and growing tall stalks and leaves. During this phase, the plant is primarily concerned with capturing sunlight and nutrients to support future growth.
2. Tassel Formation:
As the corn plant matures, it begins to develop the tassel, which is the male part of the plant. The tassel consists of long, slender structures that release pollen into the air. This pollen is essential for fertilizing the female parts of the plant.
3. Silk Emergence:
Concurrently with tassel development, the corn plant also produces silk, which is the female part of the plant. Each silk strand corresponds to a potential kernel of corn. The silks emerge from the ear (the part of the corn plant where the kernels will develop) and extend outward.
4. Pollination:
Pollination is a critical stage in corn ripening. Wind plays a crucial role in this process. Pollen from the tassels is carried by the wind to the silks, where fertilization takes place. Each silk strand must be pollinated for a kernel to develop. Proper pollination is essential for a good corn yield.
5. Kernel Formation:
After successful pollination, the fertilized silks start to develop into kernels. Each kernel corresponds to a single strand of silk. The kernels begin to swell and fill with starch, nutrients, and moisture.
6. Milk Stage:
At this stage, the developing kernels are filled with a milky fluid that contains sugars, proteins, and other nutrients. The kernels are still soft and not yet fully mature. This is a common stage for sweet corn harvest.
7. Dough Stage:
As the corn continues to ripen, the milky fluid in the kernels starts to become more solid, and the kernels become dough-like in texture. The corn is no longer suitable for sweet corn consumption but is ideal for certain types of corn products like cornmeal or hominy.
8. Dent Stage:
The kernels in this stage develop a dent at the top, giving the stage its name. The kernels have lost most of their moisture content and are considered mature. This stage is important for field corn varieties used for livestock feed and processing into various corn products.
9. Physiological Maturity:
At this final stage, the corn plant has reached its maximum dry weight. The kernels have hardened and have a low moisture content, making them suitable for harvesting. This stage is crucial for corn grown for grain production.
Multiple Ears of Corn on a Single Stalk
Surprisingly, some corn stalks produce not just one, but two ears of corn. While a typical corn stalk yields at least one ear, many varieties can produce two. Interestingly, the second ear forms after the first and is always smaller in size.
I bet you didn’t expect all of this corn trivia when you started to read this post, did you? Well, I love learning new things and vegetable gardening is somewhat new to me and I find so much of what I have learned fascinating.
I hope you enjoyed this exploration of corn ripening stages in my garden. Wishing you all a wonderful day!
Container Corn is “For The Birds”
An Orange Monday Morning….
AZ Plant LadyMondays are usually busy days for most of us. I know that for me, when the weekend ends, there is a list of things for me to accomplish, including writing my first blog post of the week.
This week promises to be busier then usual for our family. As I have mentioned before, my son is going in for surgery later this week. He will be getting another bone graft onto his hip. Kai, is no stranger to surgery and this one will be his sixth. The hard part is that he will be confined to a wheelchair and unable to walk for approximately 2 months. Now that would be hard for most of us to handle, but when it happens to a very active 8 year old boy, it can be even more difficult.
Due to the upcoming surgery, we celebrated his birthday on Saturday at the park. It was a beautiful day and we had a great time with family and his friends. Kai’s real birthday is this Thursday. I wanted to thank those of you who commented on my last post and wished him a happy birthday 🙂
With all of the upcoming stress of this week, I spent this morning taking a walk in my garden in the morning. I love to do this after the busyness of the weekend is over and to see what has happened in the garden over the weekend.
I was not disappointed….
Orange trumpet flowers
My Orange Jubilee (Tecoma x ‘Orange Jubilee’), is now covered with beautiful sprays of trumpet flowers.
This is one of my very favorite summer flowering shrubs. I love the rich, green foliage and that this shrub can grow quite large (12 ft. high and 8 ft. wide).
Orange Jubilee, pruned up from the ground for maximum height.
Another reason that I like this shrub so much is that it is super low-maintenance. I planted my Orange Jubilee 11 years ago when we built our house. I have never fertilized this shrub, ever. It does very well in poor, rocky soil and also thrives in rich, organic soils.
Supplemental water is required in the desert southwest. The tips can suffer frost damage when temperatures dip into the 20’s and will freeze back to the ground when temperatures hit the teens. But, it grows back quickly and can achieve heights of 5 – 7 ft. in a single growing season. It is hardy to zone 7.
Orange Jubilee, pruned from the top, resulting in a fuller and shorter shrub.
It thrives in full sun and in filtered shade. I like to use it as a background planting along a wall. I have also recommended it as a screen for a air-conditioning unit and as a less expensive option to hide pool equipment, rather then build a low wall.
Plant smaller shrubs or perennials in front such as Purple Trailing Lantana or Gold Lantana.
Oh, by the way, if you like hummingbirds in your garden, they will love your Orange Jubilee.
Favorite Flower Photos: Day 3 – Orange Beauty
A Saguaro With A Skin Condition?
ArizonaWhen people think of the desert southwest, images of snakes, tumbleweed and of course, the iconic Saguaro cactus come to mind.
It really is an amazing cactus. I remember the first time I saw them…..I was driving along the highway from California into Arizona and as soon as we crossed the border, there they were. They almost do not look real, but believe me they are. And they do hurt if you happen to get to close to one of their spines…I know this from personal experience.
Desert Southwest
What happened was that I was not careful enough with some young saguaro cacti that I had in my plant nursery and pricked my thumb – I confess that I am somewhat clumsy. But in my line of work as a horticulturist, this had happened countless times with no ill effects.
Well, a couple of days later, my thumb was getting huge and very sore. It was hard to even use my hand. We were visiting my parents in Los Angeles and so my husband took me to the ER, where I was put on antibiotics. To be honest, I felt rather stupid having to take pills for such a little thing. But, cacti spines can carry some harmful bacteria, so it is wise to be careful around them.
If you have driven around the desert lately, you may have notice little bumps covering the tops of many saguaro cacti. Now, initially you may think it looks like they are suffering from a case of bad acne.
But, these bumps are not a cacti’s version of pimples. Actually these bumps are harboring a beautiful surprise….flowers!
In just a week or two, saguaros everywhere will be covered with beautiful, large white flowers.
I can’t wait to share them with you….
**We are celebrating our son’s 8th birthday today at the park and enjoying the beautiful weather. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and are able to spend some time outdoors.