February 17, 1997

Dearest John & Julianna; Roy, Patrice, Emily, Timothy & Jesse; Bob, Claire, Michael, Laura, Brett & Katie; Rick, Jean, Ricky, Barbara Jean, Mary Ann & Sarah; Ron, Ann, Susanna, Jessie, Russell, Lee Anna & Jimmy:

This has been kind of an eventful week for me -one that has given me more empathy for people who are sick and I believe I needed that!!! I haven't had as much as a headache for about fifteen years or more and then to have to stay "down" for a few days has just about done me in - Ha!!!

Bob called me early in the week and said he had decided he would do the surgery on my leg in his office. I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO DESCRIBE HOW HAPPY THAT MADE ME!!! Believe me I know how busy all of you are and to set aside one entire night for me was just WONDERFUL!!! He said I wouldn't be able to drive home after it was done so I was making mental plans to ask a friend to drive me to Layton when Ann called. She has mental telepathy or something about what is going on in my life. She wouldn't take no for an answer and said she would arrange things so she could drive me and stay with me. Jean had called earlier and said she would be right with me when it was done but at that time it was going to be done in the hospital.

Ann and I left here about 6 o'clock and got to Bob's office at 7 - as we had planned. It was SO funny - We could see Bob and Jeans' cars in the parking lot so we knew they were there but the doors were all locked and we couldn't get in. Ann honked her horn many times and finally we called the telephone directory for Bob's office number - they told us the office hours but they wouldn't ring his office. We called the Mellors' home and got their answering service but fortunately Ann left a message saying we were in the parking lot and couldn't get in. Then we called Rick and he was trying to figure out a way to help us when Bob came out of the building - Laura had checked the answering service and got Ann's message and she had called her Dad. We laughed as we said we didn't know how long it would take them to realize we couldn't get in the building. Bob said that when Jean got there she just opened the door and it wasn't locked so he assumed we could get in too.

It was a WONDERFUL experience for me. Bob's office is SO nice and I was SO comfortable in the "operating" chair. Jeannie acted as his nurse (and she was excellent) and Annie got as far away as she possibly could so she didn't have to watch it. Claire and Michael came and we had a PARTY. Jeannie had made Valentine cookies and Claire got everyone drinks and it REALLY was fun. The fun part ended the next morning - Ha!!! Bob told me to plan to stay off my foot for at least four days - no temple, no church - no nothing!!! I thought - "Oh baloney - I'll be able to do all those things". The next morning I was SO sick and I couldn't even stand on my foot let alone walk on it. I

Dr. Anderson, the internist, has put me on "Fossamax" (sp.?) to build my bones and I have to take that on an empty stomach first thing in the morning and not eat anything or lie down for at least an hour. WELL - I was taking the pain medication Bob had prescribed and all in all I needed something on my stomach to not be nauseous but I couldn't eat. That is all in the past - I don't need the pain medication any more and REALLY I feel perfectly normal - my leg isn't even stiff. I am being very careful though Bob - I am writing this letter with my foot propped up on a chair. I won't do anything dumb even though it is very hard to just stay down when I feel SO good. Bob says you have to be very careful with leg and foot surgeries because of the lack of blood circulation in that area.

Bob came to see me on Saturday morning. I AM REALLY BRAGGING ABOUT HAVING MY DOCTOR MAKE A HOUSE CALL WHEN HE HAD TO DRIVE ABOUT 70 MILES. BOB - I TRULY, TRULY APPRECIATE ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME. He told me it would probably take about three months to completely heal. He took a piece out of my leg about the size of a quarter and he went really deep and then he took other pieces from the sides to form a "flap" so he could stitch it,. (I'm probably describing this all wrong but that's what it looked like the second I dared to look at it). It is right on the shin bone just above my ankle so there was very little flesh to work with. I DON'T CARE TWO HOOTS ABOUT HAVING A BAD SCAR - THERE IS NO OTHER WAY IT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE.

I have been reading about melanoma and one of the places it described it as being a disease mostly to people who spent a lot of time out of doors like farmers, golfers etc. who didn't protect their skins. Well - I don't even like the sun and I NEVER wear shorts and NEVER sunbathe. I am at fault though for not going back to have this mole checked on when it started to change.

John came over on Saturday evening and we had a good visit. Bob had given me some of the pictures he had had developed from their trip to Chile and John described where they were all taken and told me about their trip. John said the weather was TERRIBLE. Bob had just said it was VARIABLE - Ha!!! I LOVE the pictures. John feels SO bad - he had taken pictures of Bob and Bob had taken pictures of him. WELL - their last day they were fishing John had his full roll of film that he had taken still in his camera and he leaned over to get his fishing line "unhooked" from a log and his camera fell into the water. He retrieved it but he is worried that everything is ruined - the camera and the film He has taken it to a very reputable film place to see what they can do with it. Julianna and John have ordered some dog runs or cages or whatever so they can keep their dogs kinda' confined. John brought Oscar and Tar over on Saturday - they are BEAUTIFUL dogs. He didn't bring Sasha.

Patrice - thank you so much for your phone call. That was a WONDERFUL time for you to call and we had such a good visit. I still can't believe you actually had a snow storm and one that produced enough snow to make snow caves and snowmen. I'm SO glad Roy had the day off and could play with the children in the snow - that is a rare occasion in Little Rock. Roy - I called Joy and she was SO happy that you would go see her while she was in the hospital. She has had more surgeries since she retired than most people ever have. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE ATTENTION YOU HAVE GIVEN HER. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! You will soon have beautiful Spring flowers.

The Woolleys came over for Family Home Evening last night and I LOVE that. Ann and Ron came over the night before and visited for awhile. Ron has cracked his ribs skiing with his boys at Sundance - he was feeling better last night. Ann also came over on Friday to "check on me" and that worries me - she goes too fast!!! I felt bad for Susanna last night - her "Friend Boy" had a birthday and his family had invited Susanna to a dinner for him in Park City. She had a church meeting so they were delaying it for her - somehow they got the wrong phone numbers and she didn't make connections so she missed it. She was a good sport about it though.

My 2nd cousin, Lee Stewart, died in Lehi at the age of 96. He was always SO good to me. He made me a horse bridal out of Aunt Marvel's hair. I felt bad that I couldn't go to the funeral. My "Used to be Aunt" - Lucile Webb - went and she called to tell me about it. Lucile and I went to see him last Summer and he didn't know me from Adam but I'm glad I went to see him. He came to help me a lot when I took Aunt Marvel home for two weeks when she was in the resthome in Little Rock. My grandmother on my mother's side was a Stewart. He had lived in Lehi all his life and died at the home of his daughter and son-in-law.

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