Angie Is Finally Back Home

After 16 days in the hospital, Angie is finally back home.  It's is still a long road for recovery but this is an important step.  I can only imagine how much nicer it is for Angie to be able to recover in a familiar atmosphere and not be awoken every hour by nurses taking blood, vital readings, etc...  I know they were just trying to take care of Angie...but there were a couple nights when I wanted to shout "Really? I just spent 45 minutes trying to get her to relax and sleep!"

Angie in hospital...Day 9, the first day
she got to wear clothes (well, scrubs)
instead of the hospital gown.

Angie has the bandages off her legs, the staples removed from the incisions, and is healing slowing but steadily.  Still lots of bruising and swelling in her legs and hips.  Still must be very careful, but can at least have her legs bent to sit (almost) normally in a wheelchair.  Her pain is mostly controlled with Extra-Strength Tylenol, and only has bouts here and there and during transfers when there seems to be a lot of pain, although there often seems to be a lot of discomfort and some dysreflexia throughout the day.  All and all, I think she is doing wonderfully.

Angie, her family, and myself would like to sincerely thank everyone who came to visit, who donated money, sent cards, flowers, well-wishes, thoughts, prayers, and who helped out in any way.  Your kindness and thoughtfulness have been amazing and have really helped everyone keep in high spirits.  The family feels very blessed to have such incredibly kind people in their lives.  We would also like to thank all (ok, only MOST) of the doctors, nurses, therapists, techs, and staff at Methodist hospital for taking care of Angie the past couple weeks.  Most of you were incredible, caring, and gentle people who would help in any way possible (except hooking visitors up with morphine. Come on, I was hurting too...some of those chairs were uncomfortable after being there all day with a bruised buttocks) and also listen to Angie's ideas and thoughts about treatment.

We are still in limbo (and could be for a while) in regards to insurance payments and what they will cover as far as Angie's van and wheelchair.  With 9 cars involved, and almost as many insurance companies it sounds like it is going to be a big screaming match between them.  All of your donations are especially beneficial to the family during this time of waiting and uncertainty.  It has allowed the family to rent a ramp van for the next month for Angie's doctor appointments and just to have in case there is an emergency.  It was a pretty unsettling feeling knowing that if something went wrong, there would be no easy way to get her to help, so although renting a van is pretty expensive, we felt it had to be done while the insurance fight continues.

Donations are still very welcome and appreciated. Every little bit has helped.

or mail to:

Angie Plager Recovery Fund
32541 585^th Ave
Cambridge, IA 50046-8568


We would also appreciate you keeping a look out for a late model, ramp van in good condition and reasonably priced (unless someone wants to cut Angie a really good deal on a MV-1).  It would just be used for transportation at the moment, but the hope would be to eventually have it modified for Angie to be able to drive.  If you happen to run across anything, please let me or Angie know.  We will look into and consider all leads and offers.

Thanks again, everyone...we really appreciate all the support everyone has given.

THANK YOU!

I Laugh So That I Don't Cry (not really)

I logged onto the interwebicon this morning and up pops Yahoo! (one of the 3 options dictated by work), I was confronted by the following image:

All I could think was "Ughhh."  I am not the biggest Motley Crue fan in the world, but I do enjoy them (except their cover of Anarchy in the U.K. - really Vince, could you say  the end "DESTROY" in a less tough sounding way?).  Escpecially, I enjoy the song Kickstart My Heart.  That song does exactly what it says, it is just like a feel good, make you get going song.  It is energizing.

I knew this commercial was going to have this song...what else could it be.  Now, I don't hate the Kia Optima...it seems like a decent, cheap mid-sized sedan.  However, it is not the car that would ever pop into my mind when I think of Kickstart My Heart.  Full of trepidation, I click the link and watch the video.  It is actually pretty funny and at least there wasn't dancing hamsters.  I'm not gonna say they sold out...because that is just dumb, if I had the chance, I would totally be Wayne's World and be going "Nuprin? Little.  Yellow.  Different." every single chance I got.  Not a sell out, good job making money, I say to the Crue.  It is just a strange fit to my mind, but then I guess people don't really write songs about low end, midsize sedans.  I guess I do have to say thanks to Kia for not using Train's Hey Soul Sister (as that has been in way to many commercials) or Limp Bizkit's Nookie (as that is one of the worst songs of all time).

Thanks For Your Caution

I'd like to take the opportunity to thank the driver today who decided to switch lanes without signalling or apparently looking.  I really did want to drive on the shoulder and the grass instead of in the lane that I had been comfortably driving for the past few miles.  Thank you for providing me this opportunity!  My fault really, I must have sneaked into your blind spot when you started passing me about two blocks earlier.  Sorry for only driving the speed limit and forcing you to go around me, I know you really needed back into the right hand lane for that right turn you were about take in a short two and a half miles down the road.

No - not me.

I must admit that I really did like the sign similar to this hanging in your back window.  Is it 1988 again?  My mock-up doesn't really do justice to the one that you had!  I mean it just screamed every other driver must be an idiot.  You know those signs were originally meant to signal police and rescue workers in the event of an accident, not meant to inform all other drivers to be cautious, right?  I mean, do you think people are sitting in traffic thinking that they are going to ram you but then back off because there is a baby inside?  Might I suggest that you take you sign and stick it to the windshield so that you can have a reminder to drive cautiously yourself? You were obviously the worst driver out there this morning.  Hope your kid pays better attention in Driver's Ed in 15 years.

You Sure Got Me!

Today is a pretty great day weather-wise, so I decided to take a lunch break.  During winter or when the weather is bad, I tend to skip my lunch break and work.  Mainly this is to keep me from spending money that I really don't need to spend, but it also helps make up for the days that I am late to work (read that as EVERY day).

So today is beautiful and I plan to run a few errands.  I am enjoying driving with my windows down and taking in all the beginnings of spring.  I am taking the day at calm, speed-limit (55mph) pace.  However, the pickup truck behind me feels otherwise.  He is driving right on my bumper, and acting like he is going to pass me all the time (which he doesn't do even though there were several opportunities). 

Eventually, we come to a four-way stop.  Myself and a car to the right of me both stopped at the stop sign at the same time.  As I learned in Driver's Ed, the car to your right has the right of way.  So I waved the other driver to go ahead.  This did not sit well with Mr Pickup Truck.  I can see him slam his hands on his steering wheel and complain to his buddy in the passenger seat.  I think to myself,  "Oops, he must really be in a hurry.  Sorry."  After both I an the truck get through the stop sign, he finally decides to pass me...which was one of the worst possible times to pass.  He made it safely past, but I am sure he scared the hell out of the on coming drivers.  I am not surprised to see that he has a decal of Calvin pissing on something in his back window.  That should be the end of the story right?  The pickup speeding off because of the huge hurry he is in.

Not Surprised...

It isn't the end.  Evidently, by driving the speed limit and wasting his precious time by allowing another car to go first at the stop sign, I have caused some sort of grievous injury.  Now that he in front of me, Mr Pickup slows down...55mph, 50mph, 45mph, 40mph.  Even though I am enjoying a leisurely drive, there is a time limit on my lunch break, so once he gets to 40mph, I try to pass.  Mr Pickup Truck then speeds up to 70mph to prevent the pass.  I pull back behind him and I can see him laughing with his buddy.  Whatever...at least we are going the speed limit again. 

Finally, we come to a stop light.  Mr Pickup Truck does not move when the light turns green, for two minutes he sits there to "punish" me...while traffic piles up behind me.  When the light turns yellow, he speeds through it and everyone else has to sit through another red light.  Man, I guess you sure got me!  Lesson learned...oh wait, everyone thinks that you're the asshole in this situation.   Nice try doucher...you made me laugh at your idiocy.

Two Minutes Hate

Sorry for the late hate (no I'm not).

Fine Print at the Bottom of Car Commercials
Have you ever read the fine print at the bottom of a car commercial? It is a bunch of total bullshit.
First of all, no matter what the car is doing...even just driving done a road, it is always "Professional Driver on a Closed Course." Is this implying that I shouldn't or couldn't drive this car down a road? I understand this warning when the car/truck is doing something extraordinary, doing stunts, crashing, or something other than the type of driving that I would expect to encounter. But it is now on every commercial. Every commercial. I want a car that normal people can drive well, not something that can only be handled by a professional.
Second, is that the vehicles shown always contain optional accessories or equipment. I don't mind them show this but they always promote the low price but show the expensive version. To me this is like going to McDonalds and having a picture of the Big Mac next to where it says "Hamburger $0.89" Yes, the Big Mac is a burger but it definitely not the burger that you are getting for 89 cents. Same with cars, your are not going to get what you see for the money they advertise. Larger engine, upgraded wheels, better suspension, upgraded sound system, leather seats, power windows & locks, special order paint color, added navigation, etc... And that is just some of the options that are added to commercials. If you want the car in the commercial you are going to have to thousands more than the price they advertise...you can increase the price of the the car by at least a third, maybe more. It is just ridiculous - I believe you should advertise what you get for the price given.

I know, I know, honest advertising is pretty much an oxymoron.

End Hate

Two Minutes Hate

Idiot Drivers

Idiot drivers is a hate that many people share...they are the ones that make normal people have road rage. I am talking about the people who think that they can go 60mph in poor conditions when everyone else is going 30-35 mph. Yes, I witnessed this first hand on Friday night. I was not surprised when he started to fishtail and slide out of control a few car lengths ahead of me - back and forth across four lanes of traffic nearly taking out three cars (who were driving correctly) and the center concrete barrier before coming to rest about five feet from my car. Luckily for everyone else, no one was damaged or injured. Unluckily for the driver he/she was also not damaged so I am sure they also didn't learn a lesson and will be in a ditch or accident before the winter is through. I have to laugh at the people who think they are invincible in inclement weather just because they have four wheel drive. Four wheel drive helps certainly but you still need to drive smart (I am specifically thinking about you Hummer that I saw on your side in the ditch over the weekend...Hummer's not driving so well when the wheels aren't touching the ground, huh?)

But their are all kinds of idiots out there - the kind that pass in dangerous situations so that they can gain an entire car length, the kind that keep turning left even though their green arrow had turned red 3 cars ago (and this is always much worse during the holidays), the kind that feel that even though it is slick out they are entitled to make their 'right on red' in front of oncoming traffic, and that is just to name a few. I can't claim to be a perfect driver - I have made my own mistakes but 99% of the time I am a pretty decent driver who believes that common sense and courtesy are things much needed in some drivers.

End Hate

R.I.P.

Sadness.