Top Ten

Don't ya'll just love this fall weather? I love fall.  Every single thing about it -the changing leaves, the cooler temperatures, the sound of a football game on a Friday night - everything!  I always think of fairs and carnivals whenever the weather changes.  I'm sure the Cooty Zoo will be back in town before you know it.  Yes that is what I call the little "carnival" that comes to the Piggly Wiggly parking lot. I have to make something up good so that Paige won't want to go.  Cooty Zoo was pretty descriptive if you ask me.  I'm sorry I just don't trust the traveling death circus, where kids ride until they throw up and the clean up crew consists of a kid named Jr. with a hose and one paper towel. 
A few years ago I broke down and gave into Paige's constant plea's and took her to the state fair.  I figured she was short enough that they would deny her to ride all of the puke-inducing rides, so I went to the Wal-Marts and stocked up on some Germ-X and away we went.  Now I don't know how long it's been since you went to the state fair or any carnival for that matter, but the ride workers are .... how shall I say this..... sometimes in need of dental care or speech therapy.  Well, after we devour 3 seven dollar hotdogs and survive a heart attack from ole Jeremy over the price of everything, we decide to hop on the Merry Go Round.  It's a simple, old, slow ride.  It must be safe and not to hard to operate.  As Paige and I are waiting in line to ride, I start watching our ride operator.  He looked like a homeless man on a date - he was pretty dressed up.  He has the classic fingers cut out of his gloves thing going on- except for the pinky, I wasn't sure why but I didn't ask and a skull cap.  Jeremy looked like the proud Dad he was standing behind Carnie with the camera.  When I got a little closer, I noticed that Carnie had a one tooth.  It was so pretty, it dangled down like a Christmas tree ornament. It kinda moved when he "talked".  Well, it was finally Paige's turn, but she was so young she was a little bit scared.  Maybe it was because I told her she might get worms from that ride, or it could have just been her age.  Anyway, I asked ole Carnie if I could ride with her even though I didn't have a ticket.  Now, I'm not sure if it was the tooth flopping back and forth or the smell of Jack Daniels that had me distracted, but I couldn't understand what he said.  He sounded like he was trying to talk without putting his lips together.  I asked politely "HUH?" and, again he said "uhyocagetonthewwifhewidoncawe".  Then I just stood and stared blankly at him.  He then shouted "UHYOCAGEONTHEWWIFHEWIDONCAWE" and threw his hands up.  I, at this point start to giggle, and told him I just didn't understand. Carnie was not happy, actually he was a little bit mad.    I looked over to Jeremy, who had went from proud Daddy to embarrassed husband.  Jeremy was all red faced and mortified looking, so he screams at me "Get on! He said you could get on there!".   I hurriedly snatch Paige's little arm up and got her on her horse. Then I looked back over at Jeremy and Carnie - I see Jeremy making a circle around his ear and then telling Carnie, "She's just kinda slow sometimes, sorry about that man."  Carnie thinks that is the most hilarious thing he has ever heard in his life and then winks at me everytime I pass by him.  I couldn't stop laughing  so we had to leave when we got off.  I'm not sure who was more embarrassed me, ole Jeremy, or Paige for having two parents who sometimes act goofier than the one toothed merry go round operator. 

I hate it when I can't understand things.  I am a thinker and a planner.  The not knowing drives me crazy.  It causes chaos in my mind and I go round and round with myself over all the questions in my head.  We have asked at least a million questions to the doctors through out this process and I may understand some of things they tell me and then some of them just sound like ole Carnie is answering me. I am always trying to understand what all of this means.  Understanding doesn't always come at once.  It is something that takes time.  Getting the right answers not just the answers you want to hear is a big part of understanding.  We know that Heath is eventually going to be OK.  We know that God is holding our hand this whole way and that ya'll must be praying so hard, because He is listening.   We know that every question we have asked will eventually be answered.  People have asked us a lot of questions too.  I thought I'd list the top ten questions today because ya'll have been so faithful in all of your praying and I know you all feel like you are right there with us.  We wouldn't be able to do it without you.  And I know each one of you loves Heath now - even if you don't him personally.

1. Is he still in ICU?
    * Yes.  Scotty tells him that he is in the Presidential Suite.

2. When will he get out of ICU?
     * We don't know.  He may not.  Sometimes patients go from ICU to home.  As of today, Heath has    been there 42 days. 

3. Is he eating ?
    * Heck yeah! The boy has talked the nurses into bringing him home cooked meals now!

4. Is he mooing yet from the bovine serum that was mixed with his Yankee skin?
      * Not yet. 

5. Is his fever still high?
    * At times.  He still runs a low grade temp most days but the nurses say they haven't seen a burn patient yet that doesn't.  He doesn't have any infections at this time. 

6. Is he in pain?
    * Yes.  Just about all day he experiences pain.  It increases whenever he has to go to Hydro or physical therapy, or when he is being transferred or moved or when I accidentally mashed his ear with a q-tip.

7. Is he craving cheese because of the mouse cells being mixed in with the Yankee skin?
   * No, but I have seen him twitching his nose a lot.

 8. Did the Yankee skin adhere and take?
     * Yes it did!! 75% of the cultured skin took and the Dr said she was pleasantly surprised!

 9. Will he need more skin grafts?
   * Yes he will probably need one more.  There is a place on his back and leg that need some skin.

10. When is he going to get to come home?
     * I don't know, but when he does I'm gonna dance in the street.

'Til Tomorrow