I'm thankful for him and for the good Lord who watched over him, protected him and healed him.

Five years ago today I almost lost my husband in a near fatal cycling accident.  It's so hard to believe it's been FIVE YEARS already!  My God, I can remember it like it was yesterday...

THAT MORNING...

It was a Saturday afternoon.  I had just started new job working at Tao in the Venetian and was right in the middle of studying for UNLV mid terms.  Dominic had planned on doing a 100 mile bike ride that day with a handful of his friends.  He was training for the Iron man New Zealand which he would compete in the following March.  He was in the BEST shape of his life at that time...super fit.  If not for that factor, I could pretty much guarantee he wouldn't be here today.  Pajamas on, coffee in hand, sitting at my desk, nose buried school books, there I sat studying.  It was about 1pm when our good friend Steve knocked at the front door.  He walked in and without saying hello told me to go get dressed that there had been an accident.  Without panic or hesitation I asked if it was Dominic and I did just that...ran upstairs to throw clothes and a hat on.  It wasn't until after I ran back downstairs when Steve told me he gave both dogs "doggie downers" that I panicked.  I knew right then and there it was BAD.  Bad enough that I'd probably be gone all day and most likely all night.  We were already on the way to the hospital when I received the phone call from the ER trauma unit saying that he was there and seriously injured. 

THE ACCIDENT...

Out in the middle of nowhere in Valley of Fire near the entrance of Lake Mead, Dominic and his friends where quite a ways into their 100mile bike ride.  His buddy Scott and him were a ways off the front of the pack and rounding a curve as a group of motorcycles also rounded the same curve heading towards them.  An older gentleman on a fancy new BMW motorcycle lost control of his bike in the curve and headed straight for Dominic and Scott.  Dominic was out front so naturally he took the blow...head on at about 65mph.  His body was jolted approximately 25 feet in the air.  Thank the good Lord again Scott was with him.  Scott is an ER trauma nurse and knew EXACTLY what to do to further injury.  With his entire body, Scott laid on top of Dominic to keep him from standing up.  His body was in such a state of shock he actually was trying to stand up.  As the rest of their group of friends rolled up on the scene, I believe 2 of them rushed to Dom's side to aid Scott in holding him down and still.  Being they were out in the middle of no where, there was no cell coverage.  Finally, a couple of girls pulling a boat stopped.  They had barely enough bars on their cell to call 911.  Just enough time was allowed for 911 to get their location before service was lost...kind of crazy.  They then had just enough service to get a phone call in to Steve telling him to grab me and head for UMC Hospital before service was lost for a second time.  Flight for life picked Dominic up and an ambulance was sent for the motorcyclist.

TRAUMA ROOM...

Only one person allowed back at a time.  Although I fully understand and get that concept...there is nothing worse in my opinion.  Of course I wanted to get back there to see Dom but I also wanted/needed the support of Steve.  Unknowingly walking back there with no clue of what to expect was almost debilitating for me. How bad was it?  What was he going to look like?  Nothing chaotic was happening while I was back there.  I must have been too late and missed all that...Thank God!!  He just looked at me with tears in his eyes and said "I broke my back!"....UGH!!  Hearing that was like a knife ripping through my heart.  I asked him to wiggle his fingers...he did.  And then his toes...he did.  For me that didn't mean he was out of the woods but a good sign.  He asked me what would happen if he couldn't walk again?  "what if I end up paralyzed?"...there's that knife ripping through my heart again.  I nodded my head and didn't say much other than we would be okay, it would be okay and not to worry about that just yet.  It was very likely that could happen.  Shortly after, he followed that statement up with "I guess I'll just have to race wheelchairs!"  I smiled and said..."I guess you will."  Such determination my man has.

I didn't sit back there for long that first time.  So many things needed to be taken care of and for whatever reason everything seemed urgent.  Call off work...check, call off work for the entire next week...check, check.  Email my professors (well that came later in the weekend)...check.  Call my parents...check. Call friends...check.  The only people I couldn't bare to call were my in-laws who live on the East Coast.  Not right away anyways.  Another reason for me not being able to sit back there for long the first time around was because none other than you know who was in the hospital bed next to him.  Right on the other side of that measly, near see through curtain....THE MOTORCYCLISTS!!!  The man responsible for all this.  I know they are called accidents for a reason and for me that's a good thing.  There's a point at which all you see is red.  All you want is blood.  To see my husband laid out like that and the motorcyclist with only a broken hand....BULLSH**.  Pardon the french.  It's just not fair.  Late that night he was finally stable and admitted.  It was then that I called his parents.

THE HOSPITAL STAY...

I'll save you all the details.  Some gruesome, some funny...yeah drugs.  MANY frustrating and scary!!!  His mom came out for the week, what a blessing!!  I was happy to have her there with me.  He spent 7days at UMC and naturally so did I...living there, sleeping there, eating there.  I even showered there once or twice. 

THE DAMAGE...

Two broken vertebrae (one completely shattered and blown out TOWARD his spinal cord.  It's truly a MIRACLE he's not paralyzed.)  I believe it was his L1 and L3.  He also had broken hand, fractured knee, a massive concussion, obviously, and a contusion so large on the side of his body it also is a MIRACLE there was no internal bleeding.  I still haven't figured out how he escaped that one.  His spine is now fused from his T12 to L2 and a non permanent pin of sorts was put in his hand and finger to heal it properly...that was gross!  It didn't help that his other hand already had a plate and 8 screws in it.  OY!

THE HEALING and BEYOND....

After 2 surgeries and 7days...WE WE'RE FREE!!!  I was a nervous wreck driving him home from the hospital that day.  We were told that he'd be in a back brace for a minimum of 6months with extensive rehabilitative therapy.  We were also told it was likely he'd be in a wheelchair in 10 years.  How they predict that...who knows.  What I can say is this...because he was training for that Iron man New Zealand race and in the best shape of his life, he healed twice as fast as any of his doctors expected.  After a short 3 months he was brace-free and back on his bicycle.  To this day he still can not run.  It hurts too much.  He hasn't competed in another triathlon since the accident (because he can't run) but has taken on 24-hour mountain bike racing instead (the man is crazy!) and is part owner of Sunset Racing Events which puts on triathlons around the nation.  The motorcyclist who hit him also had hand surgery.  Him and his wife went out of their way to send us flowers and a card.  He was sincerely remorseful....poor guy.  We also received letters from some of the other witnesses who helped that day.  Beyond touching.  As of today, he's in a lot of pain everyday and handles it like a man...pun intended.  He has trouble sleeping which stinks big time and often times feels 10 times worse when he's not riding his bike.  Five years later he has also found a passion for riding his Harley.  Who would have though.  I don't see Dominic in a wheelchair in the next 5 years but if he is, we'll deal with it.  I guess he'll just have to take up wheelchair racing like he mentioned before.

THANK YOU...

We owe much thanks and gratitude to SO many people.  The boys on the ride that day, friends who came to visit, Dave for taking care of the house and our dogs, people who cooked for us, our jobs for understanding, my professors for letting me make up my mid-terms and EVERYONE who showed up, helped and donated at the benefit thrown for Dominic @ Surf City.  There's no way I could ever name them all....you know who you are though and to you I say.... THANKS!!


"But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds," declares the LORD. Jeremiah 30:17

Picture of the Day

"Look Daddy...this one's perfect!"

 Pumpkin Patch...

"I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house. So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air." ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

 

The Gloves are off....

Pretty much our entire livelihood went down the drain within a 24hr period.

Here it is in a nutshell.  Some of you may not know the happs...so long story short, Lake Las Vegas (where Dom and his business partner Keith, owners of Sunset Racing Events, puts on 90% of their races/events) in conjunction with WTC (World Triathlon Corp. AKA Iron man) have put us virtually OUT OF BUSINESS!!!!  No Bueno for us.  Looks as if we have a pretty good case on our hands and as of last week we have dove head first into a major lawsuit against two corporate giants....Lake Las Vegas and World Triathlon Corporation. Hopefully someone will come to their senses and settle out of court.  We have certainly made plenty attempts to do so even though it's Sunset Racing who is getting railroaded.  It was never the intention of Sunset Racing to sue anyone.  It's hard when almost everything you have/had is poured into something your so passionate about and stripped away from you for no legit reason.  We definitely have TOO much invested in this to sit back and get crapped on so here is our attempt at fighting for what is right.  

Here is the first of many press releases to come I'm sure.  This minus some details should give you an idea of whats going on as of now...


click here to read article

  

Wish us luck!!

Backyard Camping

The weather has been too nice to pass up on an opportunity like this.  One and a half weeks later...the tent is still up and we watch Tinker Bell "The Great Fairy Rescue" movie in it almost every night.  Last night there was an incredible thunderstorm.  It was fun laying in the tent with Kadence listening to the rain fall.

Phenomenal woman

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.


~Maya Angelou

my all time favorite poem!  always and forever...

Random Fun Facts:

October 2010 has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays all in 1 month!  This happens once every 823 years....

and


Happy 10-10-10 
(which  will never happen again during the lifetime of any human alive to witness it today!)

Welcome to our land of make believe....

"Limitations live only in our minds.  But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless." ~ Jamie Paolinetti

Did you know we have a pink pet bunny?
every night we kiss it good night and it sleeps on a pillow next to Kady on her bed.

Guess what other animals we have spotted in the house?
bear, bats, bunny, cat, lizard,  mouse, snake.  I'm sure I have missed a few.

Any idea who lives in the bath tub?
a mouse.  He doesn't have a name yet although we knock on his door and talk to him every time we bathe.

What's the one thing Kady loses the most?
 the car keys, to her pink princess car.  Although...it never came with any.

       ----------------------------------------------

Dear Kady,

     Words can never express how grateful I am to call you mine and how very VERY much your daddy and  I love you.  Sometimes it's hard to imagine what life was like before you.  You are SO smart and entertaining.  You are persistent and stubborn.  You are polite, sweet, caring, passionate and giving.  I hope you never lose your inner child for it is one to be cherished forever.  I will remember it always.  The way you amaze me.  Make me laugh and smile and keep me on my toes.  You are my greatest challenge and my greatest joy.  I couldn't be more proud.   I look forward to a lifetime of FUN with you.

Always and Forever

love, love, love,

Mommy

----------------------------------------------

"Grown-ups never understand anything for themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them."  ~Saint-Exupéry

Kady Update

So....I took Kady for her annual Flu shot at the Allergist last week.  Why must we get her Flu shot at the allergist you ask??  For those of you reading that don't know, Flu vaccinations are cultured in egg of which Kadence is highly allergic to.  Of course each Fall it's a process just to get her vaccinated.   It takes a good 3hrs at the Allergist to give her the Flu vaccine.  It's a 3 step process...

1)  Inject a small amount of egg and a small amount of the vaccine on her back to test for a reaction.
...and then we wait.  A half an hour at least  usually 45 mins.

If she show's little or no sign of a reaction to the vaccine and her egg allergy has not worsened, then they proceed with giving her the vaccine.

2)  1/2 a dose of Flu vaccine.
...and then we wait again.   Another half an hour or more.

If all went well with the first half of the dose, which it most likely would or she wouldn't be receiving the vaccine, then she gets the last half.

3) 2nd 1/2 of Flu vaccine.
....and  MORE waiting. Yep, another half hour.

You can imagine how horrible it was last year getting both the Flu and Swine Flu vaccines.  We spent WAY too much time at the allergist in a 2month period of time.

Anyways....none of the above actually pertains to what I originally planned on sharing with you...  Oops!  While there, I mentioned that she still does not eat egg (obviously) or dairy.  he simply said, "why not dairy?  She's not allergic."  Dom and I know she's not allergic to dairy just intolerant.  As I thought more and more about it that day I realized we would have no clue if she was intolerant or not if they hadn't done an endoscopy on her to see she was missing that enzyme.  Not that I am going to have Kadence dive had first into an elaborate assortment of foods that contain dairy but why not try small amounts of it here and there?  She's vocal enough she will tell me if her tummy hurts or not.  It certainly won't hurt if it constipates her just a bit.  That would actually be a welcomed surprise.  The biggest reason....having her on a dairy free diet hasn't helped her diarrhea issue one bit.  So, that's where we are at.  In the past week she's had a couple bites of a quesadilla a few pieces of string cheese and small amounts of yogurt.  I even made her some Mac N' Cheese (oh boy, oh boy) but with rice milk to lessen the amount of dairy just a bit and she LOVED it.  So far, so good.  We'll just continue to work our way up from there.  As long as she continues to tolerate it.   How great it would be to have a variety of foods to feed her?  Wish us luck!

I gladly welcome any thoughts or opinions on this....

Two, Two.....

My original goal post baby was to compete in my first ever triathlon on September 11th.  Clearly that came and went and I didn't do it.  Not for lack of training either.  Maybe a little, however as I delved into working out I realized just how "out of shape" I was, the reality of training for three different events (swim, bike, run) was overwhelming.  I decided to switch gears early on and focus solely on a 1/2 Marathon.  None better than The Vegas Rock N' Roll 1/2 Marathon December 5th.  Exactly TWO months away.  So, that's what the new goal is and has been.  When I first started running I could barely run a 1/2 mile without walking.  It's a good thing I started back in June since I had a lot of ground to make up...pun intended.  As of TWO weeks ago I was up to 6-7 miles a day and feeling GREAT!!!  Finally I was at the point of experiencing the runner's high that is so addicting.  Well, it was TWO weeks ago when I also injured my foot/ankle.  It wasn't a specific event either.  I hadn't tripped, fallen or rolled.  My ankles just became so sore I could barely walk or put pressure on my foot....MAJOR BUMMER!!!!!!!!!!  After several doctors visits and x-rays, there is nothing more than slight tendon, muscle, tissue damage.  And not so much damage but over-use and on a fast track to damaged/torn.  I'm feeling a little down but not out.  I still have my sights set on the Vegas 1/2 Dec. 5th.  After a week off from the gym and no running for almost TWO weeks now, I'm back but still not running.  I've got a nice brace for it (annoying) and hope that getting fitted for running shoes specific to how I run will help.  First stop, the eliptical and if all feels well at the end of this week I'm going to attempt a run next week.  Maybe a short TWO mile run. Ha!

Wish me luck...I think I'm going to need a little.

10 years

Exactly 10 years ago today, I moved to Las Vegas....Wow.  "What a long strange trip it's been" to say the least.  I never in my life imagined I'd be here any longer than it took to graduate college. And yes, that took about 2 years longer than expected.  I guess technically living anywhere for 10 years means you are  "from" there.  At least that's what I was told once upon a time.  That means I'm officially from Las Vegas.  Ah...Oh well!  Las Vegas has actually been somewhat kind to me over the past 10 years. Or should I say 8 because those first two were rough and a bit of a blur.   I did a lot of growing, discovering, maturing here.  Not too shabby for living in the City of Sin. Not many people can survive in this town.  I found my husband here, we had our 2 girls here, I have more friends here that I call family than I can count.  When we do finally relocate, and we WILL relocate, it will be a VERY sad day.


Bethany is one of my reasons for moving here.  We also lived together for quite a few years.  She is a school teacher (which was her reason for moving to Vegas), she also found her husband here and they were married just 2 years ago.  They are expecting their first baby girl, Bailey Jean on January 1st 2011.

Tracie came to visit Bethany and I SO much she also decided to relocate to Las Vegas  from Spokane not long after Bethany and I.  Bethany introduced Tracie to her husband David and they have 2 beautiful kids Aubrie and Parker both the same age as mine.

I couldn't have made it through the past 10years here without you ladies.  Thanks for all the laughs, love, tears, play dates, fights, fat Tuesday's and drunken nights ...and everything in between.  I wouldn't have survived without you both and don't ya'll know it =o)   Love you two oodles and bunches.

xo