Their Favorite Story - a Story About Sledding.

Today, I told my favorite story to my senior high school students.  Again.  The story of when I had my sledding accident. I know how to tell it just so - just so they know just how macho I am.

I was in seventh grade and had been missing the big hill at the elementary school when my friend, Melanie, gave me a call and asked me to go sledding.  She wanted to go down the hill by our home, the hill with all the trees.  I agreed and met her and her older sister at the top of the hill with the biggest clearing.  I followed Melanie down a few times and decided that this hill was even better than the elementary hill.

I remember looking down at the hill trying to find the best path, and I hopped onto my sled at full speed.  Wahoo!  Kerplunk!  I hit a pole and flew off the sled, landing face first in the snow with my right arm and my left arm by my side, and my right leg planted safely in the snow.  But, my right leg?  It landed on the top of the pole I had hit.

Yes it hurt, but Melanie's sister told me to shake it off and keep sledding.  I got up, brushed myself off, and zoomed down the hill a few more times.

Finally, when I looked down, I saw one red spot on my snowpants the size of a golf ball. I rolled up my snow pants and saw that my jeans were sopping with blood. I rolled up my jeans and saw the damaged jagged opening on my leg.

I showed my leg to Melanie's sister and she transported me on my sled to the arena which was the closest building in sight and called my mom. I should have gotten stitches that day.

For some reason, this story is their favorite.  They ask me to tell it over and over.  And so I do.

I had a Concussion?

At some point Monday, I bopped my head on a coat rack while visiting with another staff member.  All I remember is a smarting pop to my ear, and my co-worker asking me if I was okay.

"Yeah.. I think so."  I rubbed my ear packed up what I needed to do for the next day's class and went home.

Later that night, I brought the family to Natalie's Public Speaking Night for her Speech Team.  Those two hours deserve a whole blog post in its own as those kids gave an amazing performance.

I came home to an earache.  I didn't think I could take any pain medicine as I was to have a small medical procedure on Wednesday morning and thought I was told not to take anything four days before my procedure.  I went to bed early and had the WACKIEST DREAMS EVER.

For instance, I dreamed I was filling a dishwasher over and over again.

I dreamed my co-worker WAS DATING MY MOTHER-IN-LAW.

I dreamed that I was teaching school in the basement of a church.

After that wacky night, I awoke to a Smart Wool socks infomercial on our local radio groaning at the host's description of his Athlete's Foot.

The first thing I realized is that my ear hurt.  I stood up, put my robe on, and walked into the kitchen to make coffee.

"Holy Cat Chow"  I whispered.  My head was throbbing.  "I need coffee."

My stomach seemed upset so I took a few Tums and started a bath. 

In the bath, I realized I was too sick to go to school.

"Why is this pain happening to me?  Who around me had the stomach flu?  Why does my head and my ear hurt so bad?"  These thoughts tried to form in my spongy brain.  I called for Jason, but it hurt to say his name.

"Jason....  Jason..... Jason ... Jason"

He wasn't hearing me.  Finally,  (and sorry about this)  I rushed out of the bath to toss my cookies or Tumsss...  and Allison rushed to the bathroom door...

"Mom are you okay?"

"Kind of.. go get your dad."

"Dad,"  I heard Allison call to Jason.  "Mom is sick; she needs you."

Jason came to the bathroom and brought me to my room.  He helped me get dressed and took directions on how to call a sub in for my.  He met a co-worker at her home in Terrebonne to bring the Despicable Me and  Kung Fu Panda  DVDs to the sub.  Which of course, why were they watching these movies in Spanish?  That's another blog post for another day.

Meanwhile, Allison decided she was sick.  And she had all the same symptoms I had.  So, she had tears and everything.  Somewhere in my head,  I knew that she just had sympathy pains for me, but I was too tired to argue with her.

When Jason, finally, left for work, She went to her room with my kindle and played Angry Birds.

I got a phone call from the nurse regarding my surgery the next day.

She gave me some sort of instruction.  That went something like this;

"Number one, blah blahdy blah blahh blah."

and

"Get here  at atey thirty blah de blah blah."

She went on, and I listened carefully as I lay  on the couch.with the phone to me ear.  When she's finished, she asked if I have any questions.

"Yeah,  I do."  I braced myself to speak. "Can I have Tylenol?  I bunked my ear, and now, my head hurts so bad, and I've vomited like four times.  Tylenol sounds so good."

"Well," she answered.  "If you feel that you have the flu, please call ASAP so we can keep our schedule.  And yes, you may have Tylenol."

I hung up the phone and walk slowly into the kitchen and take two Tylenol.  I called my mom at home.  I wanted sympathy from someone.

"I think you need to go to the doctor."  she said.  "I don't think you'll be having surgery."

I called and told Amy my predicament.  Being the mother of a certifiable hypochondriac, I knew the receptionist on a first name  basis.

"Come in at 1:30,"  she said quietly.

I fell asleep for twenty minutes.  The phone rang.  The phone ringing brought the most pain in the world.  It was Amy.

"Uhhh  do you think you could come in, now.?"

Somehow, I made it to the doctor.  She told  me I had a concussion and to take the next few days off.  No procedure for me.  Also, she offered to call the scheduling nurse and explain my concussion.  I text my sister and husband and told them not to call me.  I called my mom and told her that Lois, the owner of the convenience store, was telling me something probably important about my nephew before my appointment.

"I think he's  been trying to buy energy drinks, mom...  I can't remember though."

I got home with my crackers, Tylenol, and Ginger Ale.  Jason came home for lunch and fed Allison....

I survived.  I slept most of the day and the next day, too.

Today, I will go to work, but don't ask me to do any math. My brain is still a bit spongy.

Twenty Years

The Class of 92 is planning our twentieth reunion.

 TWENTY YEAR REUNION!!!

 I remember fantasizing about my Twenty Reunion and how I'd be a famous writer. I'd drive up in a limo and laugh in everyone's faces. I'd announce, "Hahahah I'm famous and have revealed everything mean you've ever said about me hahahaha. The world thinks you're mean."

 Instead, I'm sitting with my classmates bouncing off ideas on where we should socialize as I drink a Sierra Mist.

 Twenty years can change a lot. Twenty years made me realize that I wasn't the only kid who felt the way I felt. Twenty years made me realize that there probably someone out there who wants to rub my nose in my nastiness from high school.


 No one will notice what car I drive. No one will notice what car anyone drives. We'll probably notice if someone makes a big deal about the car they drive.

Songs My Momma Sang to me in the Car

When I was little, my mom liked to sing. A LOT. I thought she had such a pretty voice. Whenever we'd go places, we'd drive around in her Plymouth Duster without FM radio or air conditioning. Mom would get us singing to keep us occupied and not thinking about the heat.


I always thought my mom made this song up. It never made any sense to me.  Why would we smoke cigarettes and watch Captain Kangaroo? Seriously - that was mom's favorite thing to ask us...  if we wanted to sit around smoking cigarettes -  watching Captain Kangaroo.





I think I loved this song the most. Sigh... so loving...  I always felt mom's love the most while we were standing in the back seat as mom led us in this song.




Such a good song.



Later I would change this song for my Kool-Aid stand..

"It only takes a dime...
to buy a cup of Kool-Aid.
And if you don't like it....
You'll have to suffer because you buy it."

Mom was mad because she thought we were making fun of Jesus.





We had joy. We had fun.

This song was so deep. Tear.

What Life is Like Now

My sister and brother are home.  Of course, they've been home since about Thanksgiving. And even though Missi  has  had a few set backs here and there, but for the most part, she's stronger everyday.

When Missi's kids come home from school, she's there.  When the littlest Peterson brought home her first Valentienes, she was able to corner her mom on the couch and individually explain to her mother which Valentine came from whom.
 
Nathan has been able to go to classes, in person.  He doesn't miss a single day. And of course, like all good English majors, he's offering books for us to read left and right.



While they were gone, life had felt pretty bogged down.  It felt as though I was always walking in a pool of molasses.  And now, that they've returned.  Life is so easy. I can go shopping whenever I want to.  I can quilt.  I can go to basketball games and hockey games and cheer to my heart's content.


I'm not sure if you've ever had someone gone from your lives and had the opportunity for them to come back.  But it's wonderful.  It's so wonderful.  Life is so good.



Life is so much better with my siblings around.

The Internets

One piece of advice I've clung to since my mom and sister were diagnosed is to stay clear of the internet medical sites. They are not up-to-date.  Medical sites can not keep up to the research.

When Missi or mom visit their oncologists, the oncologist is always positive and says "The prognosis is good."  And so I take my cue from them - the experts on my mom and sister at the time. 

There is no website, other than Missi's caringbridge site, that has expertise on HER leukemia.  There is no website that has expertise on my mom's cancer.

There is no reason to read through those websites and scare the snap out of myself.  I can only look forward and make sure Missi's family has a healthy meal at the end of the day and some clean clothes. 

I can only find comfort in the kids who sing and dance in my kitchen and humbly pray before dinner.  I can only look forward and make sure I get my daily walk and do my best to get the right amount of sleep.

I have to trust in God and those oncologists who say the "Wow - the prognosis is good."

The Plan -

Missi and Mark left for Rochester this afternoon.  Last night, I told the girls we would need to figure a better way for having five kids around. 

We made a plan.  I told the kids they would bath at 7:00 starting youngest to oldest.  Mykayla, Mariah, and then, Allison took their showers.  Natalie will have her shower at 8:30.  Ethan will start the round of showers in the morning starting at 6:30 sharp!

I had the kids help me set the dinner table.  We prayed before dinner.  Natalie and Ethan washed dishes while Mariah and Allison were sweeping and swiffer mopping the floor in the dining room.

The four big kids finished the evening chores in ten minutes.

That would have taken me at least forty.

How's that for cooperation?

One Year Ago

I was struggling with my own battle. I was laid off from my school.  I wasn't sure to be mad at - and that was frustrating.   But at the time, I was in a big funk.  I knew I would be okay financially.  I even knew I'd get over the initial pain.  My brain was very philosophical, and I knew that God had a plan for me somewhere else. 


I taught at the ALC last summer.  I subbed at various classrooms and found out that subbing wasn't for me.  Then, I heard about a courageous woman who was losing her battle with cancer and wasn't only having to leave behind her kids but her Spanish class as well.

I ended up teaching that Spanish class.  I'm at the best school I've ever taught at.  I love my job.  I'm so happy here.

Sometimes, it's really hard to understand the journey.  I have to learn to stop trying.

Gifts and Strengths

About a month ago, our Girls' Basketball team were in the section finals to go to state!  OMG!!  I was pretty excited for them.

It's not a pretty sight when I'm excited.  I work myself up into a tizzy and jump up and down.  A LOT!  Every day closer to the big game I found myself dancing in the hallways and in front of the classroom - and stopping with my hands in the air shouting  "MUSTANG FEVER!"

Much like Molly Shannon's Superstar



When it came time for the big pepfest, I was bummed because the kids just sat there talking like it was no big deal that their fellow classmates were going to the BIG GAME the next day.

So - I started to randomly shout out "MUSTANG FEVER"  with a lunge and my hands in the air.

At first, a lot of mouths dropped.

Then, they started to laugh.

When the band started playing a song, some of the teachers told me to get up and dance.  OK!

So - I tried to remember some of my cheerleading moves and put on a mock-straight face.  I danced like I do in front of my girls.... ridiculously. And everyone stood and started to dance too and shout "MUSTANG FEVER'

When I told my students about my mom and my sister, they were silent.  They understood how scared I was.  They had just lost their Spanish teacher to brain cancer.

I brought Missi in for her bone marrow biopsy on Thursday.  On Friday, there were beautiful drawings some of the boys had made from art class waiting for me on my bulletin board.  And they told me how, the night before, they thought of me as they were singing at their choir concert.

"Yeah Mrs. Aakhus - some of shouted out - "CHOIR FEVER"

We all laughed.

And I realized "You know what kids - I'm going to be my mom and sisters cheerleader - aren't I? "  I went down in a front lunge and put my hands in the air and said -

"KICKING CANCER'S BUTT FEVER"

And we all laughed.

Thank goodness for the kids - they reminded me of what I was good at.

Eviction Notice: Cancer has 7 Days to Vacate

 Missi and her husband went down to Mayo Clinic last night and went to her first appointment this afternoon.   Missi has Acute Myeloid Leukemia.  The doctors at Mayo figured that Missi has been battling MDS - or pre-leukemia for the past six years.  MDS is such a rare disease that no one looked for it until it was too late.


 Chemo will start Friday and watch out Cancer because she ain't takin' no prisoners.... 

Prayer Shawl

While I wait for my sister's results, I decided to make my sister and my mom a Prayer Shawl.  A church friend of ours had been diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia AML this past fall and and heard the story of another church in town providing her with a prayer shawl.  This morning on my break, I googled prayer shawls and found a nice pattern book to download on Annie's Attic.

According to the pattern, a prayer shawl is an excellent way for people to work out their worries as they pray for the recipient. Some of the suggested prayers include "God Bless you with his healing heart."  Or  "May God comfort you in your time of sorrow."  Or "Peace be with you."  I liked the concept of crocheting because it reminds me of my grandma teaching me to crochet - and that will make my mom and sister smile.

I found a pattern that fit the yarn they carried at Oklee Quilting   - a nice soft cotton bulky - intended for a baby blanket - so soft for comfort.  I picked out a sage green that looked like a lot of the shirts Missi wears, brought it home, and started crocheting my little heart out.

I found that as I prayed the simple words "God Bless You" my crocheting looked better.  The pattern book explained that crochet or knitting is a lot like meditation or praying in itself -- over and over repeating a pattern to calm ourselves.

It turns out I didn't have to pay for any prayer shawl pattern - there are many excellent recources with free patterns and prayers online.   There are plenty of people wanting to share their ideas.

http://www.shawlministry.com/prayers.htm

I know my mom and sister will be all right.  I know that colon cancer has an excellent prognosis since it was caught at an early enough stage for my mom.  I'm in awe of the science involved with leukemia and the added hope science brings to my faith.

I think your prayers are working. I'm laughing at corny jokes again.  Faith is blooming in my heart.

Why I haven't Written much or Cancer is Still a MoFo

Still - sorry about the swears.  I'm just mad.  I'm white trash-truck-driver mad.

Just as we are getting used to mom's diagnosis of colon cancer, my sister was diagnosed with cancer this morning.  Thursday morning, she will go in for a bone marrow biopsy.   A week later she will learn if she has Myelodyplastic Syndrome, a pre-leukemia,  or in fact, has leukemia.
 

I took the news pretty hard.  I couldn't return to school.  I wasn't ready to face the students who just lost their previous Spanish teacher to Brain Cancer.

I know that in this day and age the prognosis is good - but it seems like a sick joke.  Life is already hard enough for my sister with three children, of which two are diabetic.

I'm not sure how to be deep and put a silver lining on this one, but I know I'll have to.  I'll keep eating healthy and going to bed on time.  I'll take those walks and kiss my girls on their foreheads at night.  Somehow, I'll follow my sisters lead and have a good outlook and stop being so scared for her and her family and my family.

In the meantime, I'm going to need some prayers from all my dear readers as I try my hardest to be strong and take care of my mom, my sister, my sisters' children, my children, my husband, and maybe even myself somewhere in between.

Cancer is a MoFo

Sorry about the swears.

The past few months, my family has taken various turns bringing mom to the doctor because of stomach issues. Mom knew something was seriously wrong.  She didn't feel like they were taking her seriously. A few weeks ago, she called the doctor and insisted they gather all her records and transfer them to Mayo Clinic.  That morning, they scheduled a CT Scan - she was admitted into the hospital on March 18th and given antibiotics by IV.  They told her she had diverticulitis.  On the 25th, they gave her another CT Scan.  On the 26th, they told her they wanted to remove the part of the colon that was infected. 

She wanted to be transferred to Mayo immediately. We helped her weigh the options as the doctor showed us all her CT scan reports.  She realized she would have to have the surgery in either Rochester or Grand Forks or wherever she went.  She met with the surgeon and asked him a bunch of questions and decided to stay in Grand Forks.

As standard procedure dictated, they biopsied her colon.  A few days later, the results showed there was cancer.

From what we know, the prognosis is good.  I can't help but think that it's still a bummer.  Cancer really is a MoFo.

I Brought it Back

Last night, I brought back mom's sewing machine.  I had borrowed it until I had saved up enough to go and get mine at Blow's.

Back when I was in grade school and in my early teens.  Mom and grandma made a lot of my dresses on that machine.  I used to sit at the other side of the dining room table and watch in amazement at the welding to the fabric together.  Sometimes, she'd rush me over and I'd stand for her as she'd adjust the fabric so it would fit me - not too well  because well - a girl needs room to grow.  She really didn't care if she poked me or not.

I was her human pin cushion - and she was fine with that.

Sometimes, I'd stay up at night and hear the engine all the way up on the second floor.  It seemed I could smell the heat of her speedy seams all the way in my formulating dreams.

She'd talk to dad about which bills needed to be paid as she pinned sleeves to bodices

Dad would be smoking a pipe -in the next room watching Carson.

I'd listen to the clack clack of the needle -  excited to be getting that new dress.

The Pool

I still remember the first day the pool opened - it was the summer of 85.  I was ten.  My mom had just spent three years fund raising every chance she could get and now her dreams were realized - Red Lake Falls would have a pool - a place where kids could swim safely.  Somewhere kids could hang out.


Mom was a member of the Pool Committee.  Every morning, she and dad would head over to the Brumwell house where they would discuss strategy on how to raise money for a public pool.  At the time, $150,000 was a lot of money.

We went to fairs, car shows, and parades selling chances to cars. My mom drove us all over town.  We went door to door selling chances on the cars.  We were recruits to the cause.  Once - that crazy committee even tried selling chances on a house - $100 a ticket.  That particular fund-raiser didn't quite work out.  Once the pool in Thief River opened up their waters for us to have a "Swim-a-Thon"  I earned a T-Shirt and the cap with a pom-pom on top each had the logo "I Helped Build the Red Lake Falls Pool"  Man, I was stylin' in that cap.

I remember that the Pool Committee was somewhat controversial.  I remember mom crying because people would shout things out her like "You're going to raise taxes!"  I remember classmates fathers giving her the finger. It was a hard core deal people.

And so - I remember the day my mom handed me the $1 and a towel.  She sent my sister and I on our bikes and we rode to the pool.  That summer would be the start of many summers of riding to the pool with a towel around my neck and a $1 clenched in my fist.

Lake of the Woods...

This weekend, we went to Lake of the Woods at Warroad, MN.


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My mom was thrilled because we were meeting them up there. At 4:00 Thursday afternoon, she called and told us she was leaving. "O.K." I said and told her we would call her when we got there.

At 5:30, she called and asked if we had left yet. We were just leaving the house and had all of the animals fed and ready for my brother-in-law to check in on.

At 5:45, she called and asked where we were.

"Mom? We're only in St. Hilaire. We have to stop by Walmart and pick up some fishing lures and will eat somewhere in Thief River."

At 6:15, my mom called again.

"Where are you?"

"Mom, we are eating at Subway."

"What? You're only eating." She sighed and hung up.

At 7:00, she called us.

"Where are you?"

"Between Middle River and Greenbush."

"Oh. We are eating at Earl's in Roseau."

"OK"

Jason was starting to get annoyed. I told him to relax and go back to sleep.

My mom mixed things up a bit and called us at 8:00.

"Where are you?"

"Right outside of Roseau."

"OK."

We got to Warroad put our things in our room and drove down to the lake. Mom took us on a tour of where everyone in town camps, and we crashed a campfire or two before heading back to the hotel.

The next morning, my dad took us fishing in his new boat.


Lake of the Woods is renown for its fishing. Sometimes, one can watch a fishing show and see the professionals fishing on Lake of the Woods. One of my mom's friend's even caught a sturgeon there once. My dad is obsessed with fishing. I mean this guy has even went to Brazil to go fishing on the Amazon. I suppose fishing would be dad's personal legend.



We had a blast! The girls loved it.



For about an hour. After not catching anything, they were done with fishing for the day.



So, for the next three hours we heard them complain about how bored they were. I gave them my ipod, but it didn't have the songs they liked. I gave them paper, but they didn't want to draw.

Finally, we decided the girls should go in for the day. Jason went back to the hotel to sleep, dad went back out to the lake, and mom and I took the girls out to a drive to Rocky Point.

I wanted to see the place I used to go with my family while growing up. We used to meet Grandma Shirley and Roy up at Franks'. Frank was an old bachelor who rented out lots for the summer. His lots were $100. Of course, there was no running water, and we took our baths in the lake.

When we got to Franks' we were discouraged to see the "No Trespassing" signs everywhere. Instead we went to Arnesons' at Rocky Point. We walked out to the docks, and I pointed out the rock island I used to dream about as a girl. The girls admired the beautiful scenery then, hopped into our red mini-van and drove back to the hotel.

Things my momma told me.....

Last Friday Night, my mom called me at 9:30 at night.

"Bobbi? Are my sunglasses at your house?"

"Uhhh.... Oh here they are!"

"Why are they at your house!?" She was very accusatory.

"You left them here on Easter Sunday?"

"Well." She huffed. "Can you bring them to me?"

"I'm in bed."

"Well. Hmmmmm... Will you be in town before 8:00 tomorrow morning?"