On Friday, Feb. 13th, Town and Country Manor where Ralph's mom resides was having a little Valentines Day celebration.Mom use to collect frogs back home. Any kind of little frog trinket or statue. It is amazing all the frog things you can find. She had quite a collection and now her grandchildren are cherishing her collection.
Ralph and I stopped at a grocery store to pick up little Valentine goodies for her. I couldn't believe it but I found a frog cookie for her. I had made heart shaped cookies for our Bunco game last Tuesday. I put the names of the Bunco gals on them and made one for Ralph's mom.
The dining room was decorated with Valentine decorations and tables covered with red table cloths. Her son Gary arrived with one of those humongous cards and a big box of candy.
Soon the staff came around and served everyone Valentine cookies and punch. What was really nice was they had music playing from the era of these residents. Some was easy listening and Big Band which I love. I don't know why because I was not from that era of course,but I have always enjoyed the sound of Big Band.
They played the famous Valentine Song "Let Me Call You Sweetheart". All the residents broke out loudly in song. I was amazed that they all knew the words because many like Mom they have Dementia and Alzheimer's. I guess like mom, their short term memory is gone but they sure can recall things from their yesteryear's.
On Saturday, Feb. 14th, Hoppy and Ralph headed to a shooting competition very early in the morning. The competition was about 1-1/2 hours from the ranch.
A bit later Loy and I headed to Weight Watchers. Now last week I only lost 0.8 of a pound. The week before that I lost 5 lbs. Well I step on the scale and wow, a 4 lb. loss for the week. So far I have lost 13 lbs. in one month that I have been with WW! Only 35 more pounds to go! Loy had a nice loss too and is doing very well.
On the way back to the ranch we were turning onto the dirt road that leads to Hoppy and Loy's ranch. It is a narrow road full of good size dips and divots. Up ahead we saw a small car come flying down with its hazard lights on. Loy pulled over as far as she could to the side of this dirt road.
The Hispanic woman came to an abrupt stop and yelled "Can you please call 9-1-1! I don't know where we are at and my husband cut his wrist badly on a glass window pane. We jumped out and ran over as I told Loy I would call 9-1-1. The man was holding his wrist that had been wrapped up with a cloth. He looked frightened, was breathing hard, sweating and in pain.
As I was on the phone with dispatch I relayed questions to the wife that they wanted me to ask. Dispatch was sending an ambulance out as we spoke but needed info. on age and what exactly had happened. His wife said he was taking window frames out of an old abandoned house for his friend that uses old wood to make furniture. Loy knew the friend he was speaking about. A piece of glass broke and cut his wrist pretty bad. She said blood immediately squirted out and she wrapped his wrist up as he applied pressure.
I relayed all of this except I did not go into the detail. I stated he was doing home improvements removing window frames and broken glass sliced his wrist. While I was on the line, dispatched called the Medic's and was relaying the info. of what had happened. Well I heard her say it was a stabbing. Whoa, where did that come from? Before I could tell her different, she came back to me and started asking me questions on his condition, demeanor, height, weight and gave instructions on first aid.
I was watching this 39 year old man breath heavy, sweat and wince in pain. I gave Dispatch his estimated height and weight from what I saw. I said we had them recline the seat to lay down but I estimate he is about 5'8 and he was very lean and fit looking probably a 29" waist as he had no shirt on. So she asked me "Is he under 300 lbs?" Whoa, where did that come from? I said no, he is lean and fit, I estimate 135 to 145 lbs.
His wife was still holding the pressure towel. I was just about ready to take my shirt off and add to it, but then I thought I did not want this man to go into shock seeing me. I was worried about shock even before my brainy idea. Loy kept comforting this man and his wife. Loy went to her Jeep where she had a baby blanket and added that to his arm.
I realized that I had my little cooler in the Jeep with ice packs because on the way home we got a couple of pounds of shrimp. I was going to get them and put it on the man's head to keep him cool. I was still on the phone with Dispatch because she wanted to have open communication. As I was heading to get the ice packs, I heard the sirens off in the distance. So instead I headed to the road where I could be seen and flagged them onto the dirt road.
The Medics along with a Deputy Sheriff arrived all at the same time. I then ended my call with Dispatch and Loy and I went to comfort their 3 children. Loy asked them their names and one was in his first year of High School, one in Jr. High and the youngest in Elementary School. They were scared and the youngest had his head on the trunk with his arms over his head. We kept assuring him that his Daddy was going to be okay, that the Medics were taking good care of him and would make him better. All 3 of them were sweet kids and very polite.
Loy talked with their Mom while the Medic's were tending to her husband and found out she lived in the nearby town of Somerset and her kids all attended school in town. Loy's daughter is a physical education teacher in Somerset and the oldest boy knew Coach Gaston. Loy told Mom that she would take her sons, feed them lunch and that she had video games and a big screen TV to keep them busy and they would be in safe hands. Mom sure appreciated it and kept thanking us, but said she would take them home and then go onto the hospital.
Later that afternoon, Loy called her friend Victor who hired this man. Victor said the man is doing well and will be okay. So that is great news! Luckily he did not sever his artery. Loy and I are sure glad that we were there and met them before she got out on the road.
Until next time..............Happy Trails!
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