A Pickle of a Holiday

 Whew, it has been one wild December.  I've been in an aircast since early December due to an injury on the pickleball courts at Basil Griffin park.  People, I am not in the greatest of shape in my 40's.  I do a lot of walking but very little high impact stuff.  My sister had arranged for a couples pickleball match with a few of her tennis partners/friends.  Matt was going to be her partner because Paul was on call that weekend.  However, he was able to participate but somehow we managed to get into the fold and play as well.  I knew Matt would be a one-man team.  I'm not great and have only played a handful of times.  Don't get me wrong, it's fun but lateral moves (heck moving quickly at all) ain't in my wheelhouse these days.  In our second match against my sister and Paul, I was attempting to get to drop shot and went down.  I honestly thought I'd run into something/somebody but nothing was around me.  It was the oddest sensation.  I never heard a pop, but it felt like I hit something hard.  I lived on Advil and ice packs for a few days until I got the boot from a friend and saw a PT who advised I go get it checked out.  The blessing was that I could still move my foot (and drive) but there was literally NOTHING down around my ankle to my heel.  You could feel a gap.  I went to see Dr. Malempati. Paul got me into to see him at the Franklin Medical Center.  He took some x-rays, did an exam and told me it was a partial tear.  It has been a TRUE pain in the rear during this busy time of the year.

 

My friends spoiled me by bringing me my favorite goodies.

All the blood from the tear moved down into my foot turning it black and blue. 

I'm doomed to pack on the pounds since I'm fairly immobile and November and December are full of food and loads of sweets.  We celebrated Matt's birthday at the end of November.  Shannon made him a strawberry cake and brought our family some Panda Express.

Matt's parents got him a fire-pit.  It's been a nice addition to our back patio.

THEN the COVID fun hit the fan in our house...starting on December 6, Isaac started feeling really bad.  However, multiple times throughout this fall, he's had something sinus/congestion/chest stuff.  He's had two rapid tests which have always come back negative.  We were a little more concerned this time because Matt's brother Seth tested positive and his dad Colvin hadn't felt well either.  However, Isaac holed himself up in his room and stayed away from everyone.  We opted not to get him tested but let him quarantine.  A few days passed and Matt started feeling really bad.  I had already been sleeping on the couch because Matt was congested (not knowing it was COVID) because his mouthpiece doesn't work well to prevent his snoring when he feels that way.  He was keeping me up so I opted to snooze on the couch.  He woke up to no taste and smell two weeks ago on Tuesday and felt terrible.  He went in for a rapid test and got a positive result.  Karson had JUST resumed basketball the day before (Dec 14) and had to go back into quarantine.  Bless her!  She waited a couple of days and got a two-day test so she could at least go back to work.  We thought it was best to wait a few days after exposure so the virus could "show up" if she had it.  Miles and I both felt fine.  All of us continued to keep our distance from each other.  I wore my mask in the house as did the kids.  I was constantly wiping down countertops and disinfecting surfaces.  It was rough.  Matt felt AWFUL.  We were living day to day and trying not to lose our minds.  Karson got a negative test result and eventually Isaac started feeling better after 14 days in quarantine.  I stayed on the couch for about two weeks.

Matt made his way out of it finally and was released for Christmas Eve.

It has been a doozy of a year, but we got to celebrate with my family.  Unfortunately, we didn't get to celebrate just yet with Matt's family because his mom Debbie tested positive this week.  She'd been feeling bad and decided to get tested.  Hopefully, we will get to celebrate soon when she gets out of quarantine.  Matt went to see them yesterday, but because none of us have actually had tests to reveal results, we didn't go.  I do plan to get us all antibodies tests soon to see if all of us have them.  It will give me piece of mind at least knowing.

We celebrated Christmas at our house yesterday morning.  The kids weren't up super early which is a sad part of them getting older =(.  Let's all hope 2021 is way better than 2020!  Let's also count all of our blessings though - in the end that's what matters most!

Cold November - Not Really

This girl of ours has been playing basketball since 1st grade. Who would've thought her last year of play would turn out the way it has.  Tears rolled down her face last week as basketball was put on hold until the first of the year.  It was another big blow to an already abnormal Senior year and season.  While we all realize health comes first, it still hurts.  Fingers and toes crossed that a vaccine will be issued soon, and she'll be able to have a short season come January.

We got her fall Senior portrait session back which cheered her up.  Erin Denny from Franklin is simply incredible!

She also decided to go back to work at Waterworks Autowash part-time. She'd given up the job because of her class load and basketball, but with everything sort of stalled right now, it made sense for her to spend her time back at work.  She got some great news this week as well - getting accepted into the University of Louisville's Honors College.

November, like October, is a month for celebrating!  My mom, Debbie and Matt all celebrate birthdays this month.  We celebrated Mom's on the 13th, Debbie's on Thanksgiving Day, and will celebrate Matt next Monday.

Matt and Isaac = pickleball MASTERS

Since COVID is rampant right now (local hospitals crowded), we decided to Zoom our meal with my Grandfather and Uncle Mike.  We felt like it was the safest decision.  We sure did miss being together as a family but are scared of what this virus can do.

We celebrated Thanksgiving and Nana's birthday yesterday!  It was day full of eating and enjoying family.  It was a good day!!!

Rapid Test Experts

We might as well get a permanent room at Graves Gilbert Clinic - seems like it has become our second home during the pandemic.  Both boys have head colds.  Isaac has had his since last week.  Because they both have covid symptoms, they can't go back to school until they are symptom-free for 24 hours, get an alternate diagnosis, or produce a negative test.  And that's all fine and dandy for them.  However, it directly effects Karson and Matt too as they are ALSO in the school system.  To date, Karson has had two tests.  Both Miles and Isaac have had three each.  When Karson found out she'd have to stay home from school yesterday because of the boys covid-like symptoms, she cried.  It wasn't the reaction I expected.  She was mainly upset about having to miss basketball practice that afternoon which made me even sadder for her.  Through her sniffles, she said I don't want to miss practice - I don't even know if we'll get to play this year.  My heart broke.  Our poor Seniors.  This is not the way anyone wants to spend their Senior year.  I hurt for her so much!   Matt took them both to GGC yesterday afternoon - negative results for both.  No shock there, just annoying.

I'm over it y'all!  We need get a vaccine and rid ourselves of this crazy mess! 

 

The very first banquet (to my knowledge via Coach Smith) at SWHS since Covid hit happened a week ago Sunday - the golf banquet.  Miles and the other golfers were recognized and honored.  Our guy got his first Varsity letter as an 8th grader.  We're proud of his hard work this season but even more proud that he is a good teammate.  He and his buddy Logan have become instant best friends and competitors on the course.  They challenge each other but also want the other one to play their best.  It's the sweetest friendship and the true definition of teammate.

Still wrapping my brain around the fact that I have an ADULT living in my house.  This sweet girl also got to vote in this year's election.  Super cool!  She's also got her heart set on being a Cardinal.  Fingers and toes crossed she'll get some good scholarship monies.

 

We got to celebrate the October 4-pack last weekend at Poppy and Mike's house.

 

Halloween made everything seem like normal.  I had no plans to let people come up to the porch and spread their germs.  Others in our neighborhood seemed to share that opinion.  I noticed quite a few putting out tables and doing their candy distribution quite safely.  We followed suit and set up a table.  It was a treat seeing all the kids (young and old) dressed up and having a "normal" holiday.  Afterwards, I got to hang with some of my besties.  The night felt good all around!

 

Had to throw these pics in...they're from football homecoming at South which was a blistery night.  It didn't stop Isaac from going (and could be why he has a head cold...hummmm).  He's such a goofball.  Love him and his friends.