As the  roller coaster ride continues scroll through the time lines that follow for a brief of the events that have occurred over the past several months.

I genuinely appreciate  our patience and understanding,

Tom

A time line – November 1 to 30, 2008

11/05 – I went for a Post-0p exam, partial suture removal and cast change following my foot surgery.

11/07 – Start of week three of non-weight bearing on left foot.

11/14 – Removal of remaining sutures, staples  and another cast change. Start week four of non-weight bearing. Following the appointment with my orthopedic surgeon we left for Chetek/Rice Lake arriving shortly after 5:00 PM and met with nursing home staff for about an hour. Start of week four of non-weight bearing on left foot.

11/15 – We listed mom’s home for sale in the morning. Next we visited mom at the nursing home before returning to Chetek to sort and pack until 8:00 PM.

11/16 – With the car on auto pilot we returned to Des Plaines.

11/19 – I am back in the shop for the first time in 68 days, well sort of, for the first time since the flooding on September 13^th and everything else that has happened between that day and now.

It will take a few days to figure out how to move things around  to make them accessible. I will be non-weight bearing for a little over two weeks more and must use crutches in my basement and garage shops. Even so it is a good feeling to be back, but I must share that I wonder why when you hear talk about sharing the wealth that nothing is said about sharing the challenge.

11/20 - There is not enough room to use my Roll-A-Bout in my shop. I had to come up with another way to move stuff back and forth from the front to the rear of the shop without using my hands so I got a new plastic cart today. It looks like it will work well.

11/21 – Start of week five of non-weight bearing on left foot. It is great to be back in the shop. I ordered a high roller stool today for delivery early next week that will be a big help. Holding one foot off the ground and trying to balance on crutches while handling glass is not easy.

11/24 – In just one week from today I will be able to put both feet on the ground again for the first time in six weeks. My fiber glass cast will get cut away and as long as the x-rays look good I will get my walking cast before noon. I have started the count down.

11/25 – I again plan to spend a good portion of the day getting back to anxious customers with order progress and delivery updates. Thanks to everyone for your understanding and patience.

The high roller stool that I ordered on Friday is on a UPS truck out for delivery today. Get ready because I will be moving through my shop in a flash in no time.

11/26 – The stool did arrive yesterday. Although I am now able to move around easier, moving through my shop in a flash may take a little more fine tuning. Be on the lookout for an update.

11/27 – Take time today to consider the many things for which we as individuals have to be thankful.

Have a “Happy Thanksgiving”.

11/28 – Start of week six of non-weight bearing on left foot. If all goes well it will be a short week and when the cast is cut off on Monday and it will be traded for a walking cast starting a new count-down.

10/01 – I had an MRI on my right knee because it continued to be a problem.

Sometime on or about October 1st all my order e-mail files in MS Outlet disappeared from my PC.

10/02 – PT again for my right ankle.

10/04 – Arthroscopic surgery on my right knee was scheduled for Thursday the 10^th in order to get me knee ready for my upcoming foot surgery on the 23^rd. I would be non-weight bearing on my left foot for six weeks.

10/06 – PT again for my right ankle.

10/09 – I had my pre-surgery physical at 8:30 AM. I took Kathi’s mother along to save time for her post-surgery check-up by her doctor.

10/10 – The arthroscopic on my right knee went well. I was able to return home the same day with instruction to stay off of my feet and to keep my leg elevated for several days to control swelling.

10/14 – Plans for another trip over the coming weekend to Chetek were cancelled after we learned that Kathi’s Godfather had passed away suddenly earlier in the day.

10/16 – PT again for my right ankle. I was gaining mobility in my right knee.

10/17 – We went to the wake for Kathi’s Godfather.

10/18 – We attended the funeral for Kathi’s Godfather.

10/20 – PT again for my right ankle.

10/22 – PT again for my right ankle.

10/23 – I had major surgery to realign my left foot. The surgery required 3.5 hours of tourniquet time. Everything went well. This was the start of 6 weeks where I would be non-weight bearing on my left foot. I would use a combination of crutches to walk when possible my Roll-A-Bout for most movement. I would be going up and down the stains in our bi-level home on my butt.

10/24 – I was discharged from the hospital and went home.

10/29 – I had a post-op check-up with my knee surgeon. I learned that I have bone on bone in my knee.

47 days had passed since I was last able to work in my shop.

09/13 – We spent the entire day staying ahead of the flooding. We managed to keep the water level on our basement floor to about an inch deep. This was back-up from the storm sewer system that came up the floor drain.

09/14 – The seepage stopped late in the day and we started the drying out process. It was necessary to suspend all order processing until my basement shop had been cleaned and the humidity stabilized to an acceptable level. A target date of October 1^st was set.

I posted a link on my website stating – I hope to be able to resume shipping on or about Wednesday October 1st. Because of this unexpected delay, normal delivery times are not possible. Please let me know if you have time specific requirements and I will do my best to accommodate your needs.

09/15 – I had an appointment with my orthopedic foot doctor to begin preparation for upcoming surgery on October 23^rd to my left foot. PT was prescribed.

Later in the day The Salvation Army came to the rescue! They set up in a vacant lot about a block away form our home. We received a kit full of supplies for cleaning up in our basement. Hot meals were available as well, but we passed as we were fortunate to still have power and were able to prepare our own meals. Many others were not so fortunate.

09/20 – I had an appointment with my orthopedic knee doctor regarding my right knee and treatment was prescribed.

09/24 – Kathi and I made another trip to Chetek. It was necessary to get my mother’s home ready for sale.

09/26 & 27 – We held an estate sale.

09/28 – We returned to Des Plaines in the evening.

09/29 – I had PT for my right ankle.

09/30 – We realized that our October 1^st goal for resuming production was not going to be possible. The humidity was still too high.

At this point I had not been able to work in my shop for 17 days straight.

08/01 – I took Kathi’s mother for a post-surgical exam this morning.

08/10 – Kathi and I left for Chetek this morning.

08/17 – We started home this afternoon.  We had spent the week preparing for an Estate Sale that we held on Friday and Saturday.

08/22 – I traveled to Atlanta to attend a trade show.

08/23 – Early this morning the plantarius muscle on my right calf snapped.

08/24 – I returned home.

08/29 – Pain in my calf continued to persist. My doctor ordered a Doppler Venous because of concerns of a possible blood clot. Fortunately a clot was ruled out, but a muscle knot was discovered. I next went to the ER where it was confirmed that the plantarius muscle had in fact snapped. I was ordered to stay off of it for a minimum of two weeks in order to control the swelling and pain. The doctor said not to expect full recovery in less than 6 weeks.

In my spare time I continued to make hourglasses.

07/01 – We completed arrangements for my mothers transfer from the hospital to the nursing home by telephone.

07/08 – Kathi and I picked her mother up at 7:00 AM for surgery to repair her bowel. We were at the hospital until 8:00 PM. Kathi and I are the only relatives playing an active part in the care of our mothers who live 350 miles apart.

07/08 to 13 – We visited mom at the hospital daily.

07/13 – We moved mom to a nursing home this afternoon where she remained through Saturday the 19^th visiting daily.

07/16 – I left for Chetek arriving after 8:00 PM.

07/18 – I took care of business for my mother and visited her at the nursing home leaving to return home arriving at 5:00 PM.

07/19 – Kathi and I brought her mother home.

In my spare time I continued to make hourglasses.

06/14 – Kathi and I arrived home at 8:30 PM from an out of town trip and checked our voice mail. We learned that my mother 350 miles away in Chetek, WI had suffered a stroke on June 6^th. I called to learn her condition. Her condition was stable, so plans were made to see her on Saturday the 21st.

06/19 – I received a call from my mother’s neighbor this afternoon learning that she was talking of selling her property to a neighbor for $200.00. We immediately made plans to travel north the next day.

06/20 – We left at 4:00 AM and traveled to Chetek, WI to visit my mother and make arrangements for her care. returning home on June 21st. Halfway home received a call informing us that Kathi’s Godmother had passed away suddenly.

06/21 – We started the return trip to home in the afternoon. Halfway home Kathi received a call informing us that her Godmother had passed away suddenly earlier that day.

06/22 – We went to wake for Kathi’s Godmother.

06/26 – I received a call from the ER where my mother had been taken after suffering a heart attack. She had been stabilized and was not in immediate danger.

06/28 – Kathi took her mother for pre-surgery testing in morning as no other family members had time. We then left for Chetek where we arrived at 8:00 PM.

06/30 – We made arrangements for my mother to be admitted to a nursing home. Powers of Attorney for both health care and financial were activated. I am the agent for both. Kathi and I left for home late-afternoon arriving at midnight.

In my spare time I continued to make hourglasses.

Hello to all,

My hourglasses do not arrive in a container from an off-shore supplier. I make them one at a time in my production shop. In addition I am the sole person responsible for the day to day operations of T & K Young.

I decided to start this blog because events sometimes occur that are beyond my control that play a big part in deciding what gets done and in what order. Often there is simply no other possible way.

Some who know me have said that if they did not know me as well as they do that the events that have occurred in the past several months would look like the script to a TV series.

My life has been a bit challenged since we returned from an out of town trip  on June 14th of 2008. In reality that may be kind of an understatement. There have been times since then that Kathi and I have looked at each other and said that it seems like we are riding on a roller coaster 24/7.

The time line that follows is a brief of the events that have occurred over the past several months.

Tom