What I saw--Wednesday

I saw joy.

I saw an old motel converted into apartments. The motel was in a U-shape with a big parking lot in the center. Their used to be a swimming pool, but that had been filled and a cement slab poured over the top. At the front of the property there was a large city dumpster.

In this parking lot, I saw a Dad and 2 little boys playing basketball. The only thing they had for a basket was the dumpster. The Dad was making the boys work hard to get the ball in the dumpster.

They were finding joy in that moment and I wondered why we sometimes require so much when so little can bring joy.

My mood today

A chance to make a difference

This is a friend of mine -- you may want to help. I know the quilt will be perfect.

"Our triplet daughter, Tonya, has no choice but to undergo another total jaw replacement surgery on March 2, 2009. It will be the 7th time she has undergone jaw surgery. Dr. Day, a Maxial Facial Surgeon, is one of five surgeons who performs this type of surgery in the world, attempted to pin and put a plate in her left jaw to hold it in place in June but that surgery failed. The only option now is to replace her left jaw with the same titanium parts that he earlier surgically placed in her right jaw in 2006.

Tonya does have health insurance, but no pre-existing condition is covered. The costs have been astronomical and we are still paying for previous surgeries. So! I thought of a quilt raffle and wanted to include all of you!! !

A brief history of Tonya's jaw:

Tonya wrecked on her bike and cut her chin open when she was 10 years old. The doctor stitched her chin up, but there was extensive damage done to the growth plates in her jaws - not detected at the time.

Eleven years later, she underwent her first jaw surgery on January 11,2001, while she was serving a mission in Salt Lake City. The surgeon cut the condyle - the head of the jaw needed for the movement of the jaw - off her right jaw and that just made matters worse. At this time he went in on the left side also. August 16, 2001, while still on her mission, this same surgeon went in again on the right side.

In 2006, Dr. Day analyzed the surgeries done in 2001, not understanding what had been done to either jaw. He informed us that at this point, the only solution was total jaw replacement on her right side, which he performed on November 27,2006. A follow up surgery was necessary on October 15, 2007, to relieve her locked jaw due to the extensive scar tissue.

Her 5th surgery was on April 3, 2008, an attempt to repair her degenerating left jaw. The 6th surgery on June 2, 2008, was a second attempt by Dr. Day to secure the condyle and disc in her left jaw with screws. Both these surgeries were unsuccessful because of the earlier extensive damage.

Tonya has one option left. She requires total replacement of her left jaw in order to be able to talk and eat normally. Tonya has been blending all her food and has resorted to a lot of protein drinks with her fruits & veggies for the last two years due to the healing time required from her successful right jaw surgery and the progressive degeneration of her left jaw.

I am quilting a beautiful quilt pieced by my sister, Susan. The finished quilt will be approximately 90 x 120. I will use it as a raffle quilt - one ticket for $1.00 or 6 tickets for $5.00. Any funds donated will buy tickets. The drawing will be held April 30th• The winner will receive the quilt by mail or if from here, in person.

Please keep Tonya in your thoughts and prayers and thanks!"

Todd & Julie Bosen
P. O. Box 1087
Eagar, Arizona 85925

I Thought I Dodged The Bullet

Remember when this happened?

I thought I dodged the bullet, it only cost me the price of a car wash and carpet shampoo.

But hold on there boy.....

Suddenly my gear shift would not go out of Park unless I warmed the car up. Not putting two and two together, I took it to Lexus to find out what was wrong.

Rick (from Lexus): "We took the whole gearshift box apart and my guy says it looks like someone got soda down in there."

Me: Oh my gracious. I spilled 88 ounces of soda in my car, I bet that's when it happened.

Rick: Yup, that would do it.

Me: How much is that going to cost me?

Rick: $260 to replace the gear shift mechanism

Me: What happens if we don't replace it?

Rick: Eventually, you won't be able to drive the car.

Me: Yikes. I guess there will be no more drinking soda in the car.