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Anniversary Inn

7/29/2018

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Karma.

Every fall, at SAA, Lance strongly encouraged (classroom assignment) his students to nominate a teacher for KSL’s Teacher Feature award.  https://www.ksl.com/?nid=191 Lance tells his students they may nominate any teacher from any time in their educational experience, kindergarten to present.  Any teacher, that is, except him; he will not let them nominate him.

Students nominate their favorite teachers.   Lance keeps copies of all the nominations and, in February, when the school year seems like it is dragging on forever and both students and teachers are experiencing the mid-winter doldrums, Lance puts copies of the nominations in the teacher’s boxes.  The results are electric. One teacher told him, “I was at my desk crying, wondering why I ever went into education. I felt like I hadn’t made a difference to anyone, anywhere and I just wanted to quit. Then I opened the nomination. I found myself crying again but for a totally different reason.”

The mid-winter pickup is the main reasons Lance has his students fill out Teacher Feature nominations but as a bonus, over the years several SAA teachers have actually won the award.   Winning teachers are honored with a plaque from Zions Bank, an overnight stay at Anniversary Inn, a gift certificate for dinner at the Roof Restaurant at Temple Square and a pair of season tickets from Hale Centre Theatre.  Good stuff.

Last year Lance’s good friend Tara Stephens was a KSL winner.   As a thank you to Lance and because she is a great person, she gave us her gift certificate for a night at Anniversary Inn.  From their website:

The Anniversary Inn is the ideal hotel for your staycation. It's a total escape in the same city! Plan a little adventure, without the airfare, in the Mysteries of Egypt Suite or the Arabian Night's Suite. Sleep in a treehouse in our Swiss Family Robinson Suite or watch a movie on the big screen while lounging in back of a pick-up truck in Rich's Drive-In. Want to go all out with hearts and flowers? Pamper your loved one in our two story Juliet's Balcony and Romeo and Juliet's suites. Sweep your loved one off their feet in Sleeping Beauty's castle or Aphrodite's Court. If it is romance you are looking for, you can really impress your loved one in any one of our romantic suites.  http://www.anniversaryinn.com/)

We chose the Swiss Family Robinson suite and Thursday was our night.   GOOD STUFF!

Our 24-hour date began with 8 gallons of apricots, which we pitted and put on the food dryer.   We progressed to Lucky Slice Pizza. Four slices and a drink later we went to the theater where we watched “Antman and the Wasp” from luxury loungers.  (I stayed awake!) Finally we found our way to Anniversary Inn in SLC and though the hour was late (past 9 p.m…..) it was worth the wait.
‘
Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous from the front desk to the final departure.   Fabulous!

When we checked in, they gave us scrumptious chocolate chip cookies---I ate one so I know they were good.   Lance taste tested four of them and came to the same conclusion. They also told us there was a bottle of sparkling cider and two pieces of cheesecake waiting for us in our room.   And, after showing us a menu, asked us what time we wanted breakfast delivered to our room.

The room was everything it promised to be and more.   Cold cider, gourmet cheesecake, soft lights, background music, big screen T.V. (which we did not use), matching white robes, a ladder leading to a treehouse loft, a shower that spilt over a cliff edge into a large jacuzzi…..  HOLY COW!

Life is the stories you can tell….

I will not be telling all of the stories associated with this adventure.  

Just one….

With a twinkle in his eye, Lance said “I see that, like on our honeymoon, you brought a book to read.  But I notice this book is not nearly as thick as the one you took on our honeymoon.” [I started and finished War and Peace on our honeymoon.]  To which I wickedly responded “I bought two books, sweetheart.”    

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July 22nd, 2018

7/22/2018

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PicturePhoto courtesy of http://www.whydowecelebrate.com/why-do-we-celebrate-ogden-pioneer-days/
Just serve!   Just do it!!

Periodically I haunt the website https://www.justserve.org/ just to see what is happening.   And what happens is that I find fabulous opportunities for myself and my family to step outside of ourselves and into a story.   Life is the stories you can tell, yes?

Our most recent JustServe story started a month or so ago and culminated this weekend.   I found an Ogden Pioneer Days announcement that offered 9 people the chance to clean trash from the rodeo arena.   Those willing to show up at 6:30 a.m. July 21 and spend two hours removing debris from the stadium seats would be given complimentary tickets the the evening’s rodeo.   YAHOO! A chance to participate in a service project AND get free rodeo tickets…… Cowboy up partner!

A month ago the family willingly agreed to participate.   When I awoke them at 5:30 a.m. Saturday morning they were not so willing.  In fact, several of them were downright hostile. As with most worthwhile things, it was difficult to get started.  In all honesty, I was not thrilled about leaving the house at 6:00 a.m. to go pick up empty beer containers either. But I had promised that five of us would show up.  And five of us did.

And all five of us had a good experience.  There is something about removing trash from outdoor stadium seats in the cooler morning hours with like-minded individuals that is intrinsically rewarding.  Volunteering is generally that way---yes? It gets us outside ourselves for a moment. And being outside one’s self is a peaceful place to be.

Saturday’s experience was not our first JustServe adventure.  We’ve had many.
  • The Community Christmas event  (https://www.lifeisthestoriesyoucantell.com/life-is-the-stories-you-can-tell/just-serve ) where we ran carnival games for the children of econonically challenged families while their parents “shopped” for gifts from donated items was a JustServe gem.   
  • Grace, Miles and I spent a Monday evening at a Catholic Community Services food pantry filling boxes with canned goods for low income, homebound elderly people.  It was almost like assembly line work--three cans of soup, a box of granola, two cans of veggies, three cans of fruit, a box of Sun chips in each box--but much, much more rewarding.   It was a JustServe FHE for us.
    • Lance, Cooper, Chick and I manned a water stop at and Miles ran in a World Vision Global 6K for Water event sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church of Ogden.  http://www.standard.net/Faith/2018/05/05/Church-hoping-to-help-third-world-with-6K-race, another Hislop adventure found on JustServe.   It was the friendliest and funkiest road race we’ve ever been associated with.   Friendliest because they repeatedly and very graciously thanked us for volunteering, they invited us to pot luck luncheon afterwards and they laughed at Lance’s jokes.  Funkiest because the race had clearly been organized by non-runners. The 6K race started at 10 a.m. and was scheduled the same day as the Ogden Marathon. The starting “gun” was a participant who said “Okay, let’s go”,  the inner city course had 25 90 degree turns, the event was not timed, and race ended where the line for the food at the potluck started. Miles won the race--at least he was the first person to cross the non-existent finish line--and was given a half-full bag of salt water taffy as his prize.
  • The Roy 14th ward Young Women are sponsoring a baby shower on August 8 and have invited all the women in our congregation.  All gifts brought to the shower will be donated to St. Martha’s Baby Project and will be given to disadvantaged mothers. Where did the YW get the idea?  Yep….JustServe. (If you would like to donate a new or homemade baby item, please let me know.)
  • For his Eagle project Miles is organizing a thank you card campaign associated with Operation Gratitude and Davis County RSVP.   On Veterans Day Observed (November 12, 2018) the students at his school will be invited to write Thank You cards to veterans and servicemen and women,  Where did he find out about Operation Gratitude? Yep….JustServe.

JustServe is not just a Utah thing.   (I think it was started in California…..)   It is not a just a Mormon thing either. It is, however, a good thing.   A great thing actually.

Just serve!   Just do it!!

​

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https://www.ccsutah.org/
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The 6K course map
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http://southernutahcares.com/just-serve-org-welcome-to-the-community/
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Miles in his race t-shirt
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God Bless Americans

7/8/2018

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4th of JULY, INDEPENDENCE DAY 2018

“Dad, the gas light is on…,” Grace informed her father.

We were in Logan Canyon, 20 miles from Tony Grove, not a gas station in sight.    Unsure how long the gas light had been and unsure how much fuel was left in the tank, Lance was very sure that he did not want to return to Logan and made the decision to press on to Tony Grove, hoping both that we had enough fuel to get there and that, once there, someone would have enough fuel to help us get home.

We got there.   First hope realized.

Soon arriving I walked through the parking lot, looking for someone who looked like they may have extra gasoline.   Seeing a truck loaded with kayaks, I approached the driver, a gray-haired man about my age.. (Kayaks don’t need gas but trucks do….).   “Do you by chance have any gas I could buy from you?” I asked.

“No,” he said.  “I am sorry. We don’t have any gas but we do need oil.   His [pointing to a young man, in his mid-20’s, probably a son or son-in-law] car drinks the stuff….”

“I may have oil,” I told him and went to search the back of our van.   I did not find oil, though I did find many other things, none of them too scary…  One of the things I found was an oil additive, designed to stop oil leaks. The instructions on the bottle said to add it with oil.    In my vast (NOT!!!) mechanical wisdom, I figured it could be combined with what little oil they had in their car and would probably get them home.   They accepted my logic and my offering and offered to pay me, an offer I adamantly refused.

While I was searching my car for oil, they  were searching for gas for me. On my behalf they asked the Tony Grove Site Manager for gas    He had gas, asked me which vehicle was mine, and went to get his gas-can carrying truck.

While waiting for the gas-can carrying truck to arrive, the son/son-in-law arrived at our van carrying a $5 bill which he thrust at me, thanking me profusely.   I graciously accepted his thanks and vehemently refused his money. He tossed the bill in the back of the van and started to walk away. I grabbed the bill, said plaintively “Please don’t do this to me” and hobbled as rapidly as I could after him---which really was not very fast as my knee is still quite stiff.   Thankfully he stopped, accepted the bill back, and asked me for a hug instead. Done!

Within minutes the gas guy arrived with a 5 gallon container ⅔ full of fuel.  He drained his container into my almost drained tank. Feeling and expressing profuse thanks, I pulled cash from my pocket and tried to pay him.  “No,” he said firmly. “I cannot take money.”

“But you will have to buy gas to replace what you put in my tank,” I argued.

“No,” he repeated, this time even more firmly.  “I cannot accept your money.”

I put the money away, thanking him again with great feeling.  

“You are welcome,” he said.  “You can pay me back by returning a favor to someone else.”    Done!

God bless America!  My 4th of July/Tony Grove experience brought to the forefront one of the reasons I love our great country.  Americans are amazing, wonderful, utterly fabulous people. It is people like these--like the family who asked for gas for me and the man who filled my tank--who make America great.

God bless Americans!!  He has blessed us with freedom, prosperity, and a beautiful country.   May He bless us for our continued kindness, goodness, and generosity to each other as well.

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Total Knee Replacement Take One

7/1/2018

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I woke up in the operating room to the thought:  “It is too late now. This is a done deal.”

Earlier that day I entered medical facility still not completely convinced that having my knee replaced was a good idea.   After all, I was still very functional. I just finished three weeks of fairly aggressive hiking for crying out loud. Why was I voluntarily going from hiking to hobbling?

Too late to back out now.   Done deal. I am the proud owner of a new left knee.   And I am definitely hobbling...no hiking in the cards for a few weeks at least.    

Now for the story…..

On Monday, June 25, 2018 Dr. John Edwards did a total knee replacement on my left knee in the Mountain West Surgical Center at 7:30 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time.   Before the procedure the anesthesiologist used an ultrasound machine to pinpoint the exact location of the nerves in my knee. He used a pin prick (actually it was a needle prick) to insert a nerve block that deadened my knee for the next 30 hours.   He also gave me a spinal block that numbed my entire lower half a few hours. Finally, via the IV, he administered a dreamy drug that put me to sleep (as in sleepy, not dead) for a hour or so. General anesthesia never happened.

General anesthesia never happened but the surgery did.   I drifted off to sleep in the operating room and awakened in the same place.    After my “It’s too late now” realization I heard the anesthesiologist giving instructions to the receiving nurse.   “She was a little brady for me too,” he said.

Brady means slow, he explained in answer to my query.   Apparently my heart rate was slower than normal. How slow is slow?   41 bpm. Yep, that is a little slow, even for me.

Slowly and steadily my heart rate returned to normal as did the feeling in my lower half, all but my knee.   Because there was no feeling in my knee, there was no pain. I spent the afternoon enjoying a lunch from Kneaders Bakery, unlimited cranberry juice on the rocks, the World Cup Soccer match between Iran and Portugal, and the teasing attentions of my devoted husband.   What a great way to spend an afternoon!

Our nurse, Blake, enjoyed the glimpses he caught of the World Cup Soccer match as well.   With just moments left in the game, as Iran threatened to tie the score with a free kick, Lance called for Blake.   “We need help in here,” he hollered into the hallway. “Help please!” Blake responded quickly with a query; “How can I help?” he asked sincerely.  “We need help in here,” Lance repeated as he winked and motioned to the TV screen with his head. Blake graciously stayed and helped us for the rest of the game.

Dr. Edwards seemed to be a soccer fan as well.   His eyes strayed repeatedly to the screen as he told us the results of the surgery.   “It went ideally,” he said. “Doing a total knee replacement was clearly the right decision.”  Not only was the joint bone-on-bone but the patella was wearing a groove in the tibial plateau.  Also, the injury to the PCL caused the patella to cup which was causing further damage and erosion.   I guess it is good news that the knee was so bad.

Blake’s declaration that I had met all the criteria for going home was also good news.   I excreted the required amount of liquid, I did not wet the bed (“Because of the spinal block, 70% of our patients have an episode of incontinence,” Blake told me.  “Don’t be embarrassed), I walked up and down the surgical center unassisted twice (I actually carried the walker they insisted I bring with me), and my credit card charge for $4,131.38 was approved.  I was home before 5:00 p.m. Monday evening.

Being home was great Monday.   It was great Tuesday too….until the nerve block wore off Tuesday afternoon, then it was not quite as fun.   I have been miraculously blessed though. Tuesday evening/night was really the only time I experienced significant pain...and they have great drugs for that.    I have not needed any narcotics since Wednesday morning.

We bought a pair of crutches at a yard sale last week.    The $1 we spent was totally wasted; I have not used them at all.   We borrowed a walker from Mom Hislop….also a waste of time. I used a cane when I went down to the pasture Wednesday to help weigh the hogs and lambs but haven’t even used a cane since then.   Thursday I saw the physical therapist who indicated I was way ahead of schedule. “Most people struggle to get a 110 degree bend after three weeks. You are already at 115 degrees.” Friday I drove myself to get a haircut and to eat lunch with a friend.   Saturday Lance and I again went yard sale-ing and Miles and I went to a family reunion. Today I hobbled to Church and sat (more or less--lots of wiggling) through all 3 hours of the worship service.

“And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things…..”  (D & C 59:21)

God has certainly been with me through this.   Not only has He blessed me with a miraculously speedy and relatively pain-free recovery, He has blessed me with scores of moral angels.  Both sets of my parents (Noel and Hislop) have been super supportive, our children and my husband have picked up my chores without complaint, my Young Women made and brought me dinner (Holy Heaven….delicious lava cakes!) as have several ladies from our LDS (Mormon)  congregation. (I have to say….Natalie Ropelato made a better meal for my family than I have EVER made for them!). I have been ministered to by friends, family, and a former BYU roommate (Heidi) whom I consider both friend and family. Sallie brought me blueberries and Cierra brought me a book.   Blessings, blessings, blessings!!!! I recognize thy Hand, dear Lord, and I thank thee.

And I ask for more…..   Not necessarily for more meals (that would be too selfish plus I have already gained 5.8 lbs) but for more blessings.  Please continue to help my body heal. And please grant me patience. I am relatively pain free but I am not comfortable.   Mostly I always have a dull ache in my knee, thigh and butt and I have a hard time sleeping flat on my back. Doing physical therapy exercises three times daily is not a favorite and I really want to go hiking and biking outside a lot sooner than I probably should.   Walking at a snail’s pace is definitely brady for me. Yep. Patience would be appreciated!

Love YOU,
Teresa

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"Hiking" in.....
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Happiness is Chacos in bed!
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A little light reading...
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World Cup soccer, Iran vs. Portugal
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Kneaders soup
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Kneaders sandwich
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A wasted dollar...
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Lance enjoyed Kneaders food and World Cup soccer as well.
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"Hobbling" home....
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I love my Young Women!
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Left knee, side view, Sunday (July 1)
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Left knee, front view, Sunday (July 1)
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    Author

    Teresa Hislop
    thislop@msn.com

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