Cobra Helicopter Visit (includes video)

Hands-down one of the coolest things about working at the museum are the visits from our active duty military, especially the helicopter crews! I have now met Army Blackhawk, Coast Guard and Army Cobra crews. 4 Cobras landed at the museum on June 16 around lunch time. I was teaching  at the museum that day and took the opportunity to show my students what awesome American power looks like!

Oregon International Air Show (includes video)

A few weeks ago, as part of my outreach schedule, I was asked to attend the 2014 Oregon International Air Show as an exhibitor. The museum signed up at the last minute so we didn't get a prime location, but still had great seats to enjoy the show! On Saturday my good friend (and fellow docent) Marlane went with me and on Sunday hubby and Executive Director Larry came out to help me too! I honestly had low expectations for the weekend but it turned out so much better than I thought it would. The highlight of the entire weekend....F-22 Raptor!! Are you kidding me? This plane is absolutely incredible!!!!

Marlane and I and the sun...we both got burned!

Hubby helping out at our booth

Heritage Flight: F-22 Raptor, 2 P-51 Mustangs and an F-86 Sabre

F-22 Raptor footage

Madam Vice President

A few months ago it came to our attention that the Friends of Historic Champoeg non-profit group was thinking about dissolving. With the dissolution would likely be the end of the Promise Program I had been teaching with. There was an emergency meeting where people from all over offered to help and contribute and thus created a new board of directors -- of which I was one. Last night we had our first board meeting with all the new board members and I was voted in as Vice President. So, in addition to being a teacher with the organization, I am also an executive officer. I am humbled, worried and excited about the year to come!

The Mailman had a Bad Day

I came home early on Monday from the museum (because I was still feeling under the weather from my prolonged sinus infection) when I heard Lily barking and people's voices. I went out front to discover the mailman had crashed his truck into the mailboxes. It appears that with all the rain recently the ground has become extremely saturated and once his tires left the roadway he was unable to stop the vehicle from sliding. I exchanged information with the Postmaster General of our area since the mailboxes reside on our property but overall there was very little damage and it could have been so much worse. Very happy that the mailman was okay and bless his heart, he continued to deliver mail on foot. :-)

Friends of Historic Champoeg Job

A month ago I was presented with an amazing opportunity to work at Champoeg State Park with their Promise Program. The program works with school kids ranging from 1st grade through 8th and introduces them to the history, government and archaeology of the area. As a teacher, I dress in settler attire (or archaeology clothing) and take the kids through several stations, acting out a script that helps immerse the kids in the time period. The best part is that it is a part-time gig that still allows me to go on digs when available. The program only last another month or so, but it has been a very rewarding experience thus far!

Happy Birthday USMC!

Evergreen celebrated the 238th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps on Friday. Fun was had by all as we witnessed the passing of the cake (and tradition) from the oldest Marine born in 1930 to the youngest Marine who will enter boot camp in February. Poor kid was overwhelmed by all the attention and advice! 

Happy birthday and thank you to all past, present and future Marines! Oohrah!

Living History Week

This past week was Living History Week at Evergreen. This is the second annual event which brings high school students from around the Willamette Valley into the museum to listen to first-hand experiences of our veterans. The overarching theme this year was thanking our POWs, in particular we honored the survivors of the Bataan Death March, of which 16 were able to make the journey. It was a beautiful and memorable experience!

Blackhawk Visit

A little over a week ago we received a call at Evergreen to expect 3 Blackhawk helicopters from Fort Lewis to be landing behind the space building. The 45 men landed, toured the museum, had lunch and were photographed in the Spruce Goose. It was a pleasure having them there and we welcomed the once in a lifetime opportunity to see these amazing helicopters in action!

This is the video I shot of all 3 helicopters leaving. It was the first time I had ever been that close to  the rotor wash of such a large helicopter. I was almost blown over! What you can't see from the video is all of the guys waving to us!

UPDATE AGAIN: Demon in the Ceiling

I can't believe it, but I accidentally deleted my previous post about Little Lonnie. 

Wait here while I try to recreate it...

So a few night ago, as I was trying to go to sleep, I heard the scratching of tiny feet and the flapping of wings coming from the ceiling. Sounds like the beginning of a horror movie, am I right? I immediately woke Hubby up and asked him to listen. He sleepily proclaimed, "don't worry, it's just the woodpecker."

Oh, this where I should probably tell you that there has been a woodpecker living in our attic space for over a month. We notified the rental agency immediately but it was only after we told them that the bird(s) were roosting/nesting/procreating that they agreed to send out an expert. We normally would have handled this situation on our own, however woodpeckers are a federally protected migratory species and must be handled with care.

So, needless to say I got very little sleep as I expected Little Lonnie to drill his way through the ceiling and peck my eyes out. The following night was easier once I decided to sleep under the covers to protect my head from the demon in the ceiling.

Update #1: The experts came over and determined that there is some major nest building going on but that there are no eggs. They will be back in a day or two to remove the preliminary nest and to block the openings that the woodpecker is using to gain entry to the attic space.

Update #2: Little Lonnie has been evicted! As long as he wasn't actually in the attic space when they sealed up the holes, than he should be gone. One more night and I should be able to rest easy.

Happy Birthday USMC!!

Every year Evergreen celebrates the awesomeness that is the USMC! Today we sat, drank coffee, talked and enjoyed the company of many Marines and their families. Thank you to all Marines who have, do or someday will serve this great nation. We can never repay you for all that you give.

So This Happened Yesterday

Around lunch time at the museum I was manning the front desk when I heard a helicopter. It seemed so close that I looked outside and saw the landscapers being whipped around in a fury. It was very close! I couldn't believe my eyes as a Blackhawk helicopter descended and landed right next to the space museum. I later found out that our museum is along the Army's training path and the flight crew stops in for lunch from time to time. Unreal!

Unemployed x 2

• On August 19 Hubby was notified that his company would be closing their Tucson office
• On August 26 Hubby worked his final day at his job of 5 years
• On August 30 he flew to Oregon for a job interview, unfortunately they chose an older, local candidate

I have been searching for work since I graduated in May and now Hubby is also on the job hunt along with millions of other Americans. Together we have put in dozens of applications across the country and...nothing.  Not a letter, not a phone call, not an email...until last week when [redacted] contacted Hubby to begin the testing process. Keep your fingers crossed for us, send good thoughts and I will provide more information when I can.

P.S.  Hubby's former boss hooked him up with some temporary work and I got a tutoring gig at the University.  Hopefully these can get us by for a little while. :)

Where Were You?

Where were you 10 years ago on September 11th?  

I was at my apartment getting ready for work (I was working at a computer store at the time).  I remember watching the first plane crash into the tower and than having to drive to work.  I remember listening to the radio in the car, in disbelief.  When I finally got to work the first thing my boss told us was "today is like any other day, keep it together".  I remember wanting to grab him by the shirt and shaking the life out of him and say "Are you kidding, today has changed our lives forever?!"  I remember streaming live coverage of the events on the multiple computers set up in the sales area and I vividly recall the towers falling down.  There were 1 or 2 customers that day but overall the streets and stores were empty.  I remember there was a man who was walking door to door selling American flag lapel pins, and the owner of our store bought each of us one to wear on our shirts.  I remember the terrifying feeling that more planes were on their way, that we were under attack, and that thousands of innocent people would die that day.

Also, I would like to acknowledge my friend Patrick who served in the Marine Corps and was a NY City police officer on the day of 9/11.  He was injured when a  piece of debris hit him in the head and he   will forever suffer from the affects of vertigo.  Thank you for your sacrifice!

I would love to hear your stories!  Please post in the comments section or on your blogs!

“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.”

Today I would like to remember and recognize the men in my life who served their country. They didn't pay the ultimate sacrifice, losing their lives in the line of duty (which is what Memorial Day is all about), however they each paid costs which changed their lives forever.

To my husband: who gave many long years in pursuit of his dream to be a Marine, who didn't only because his bones failed him! I am so very proud and thankful for you!

To Curtis: who served as a Marine, who will teach his young son to love and honor his country, and whose heart was given to and for this great land.

To my Pop-o: who served in the Reserves during Vietnam, who stood up for what he believed in...even if it was unpopular.

To My Grandpa Ski (deceased): who served in the Army during WWII in Europe. He never spoke of the traumas of war, his experiences too painful to recall out-loud. Instead, he turned to the bottle and drowned his sorrows in the only thing that brought him comfort. On this day, I place a special emphasis on those veterans who to this day still struggle to reintegrate into daily life and who suffer silently with all that they have witnessed.

You each are heroes to me and I appreciate what you did! Thank you!

Post OCS: Foot MRI/Orthopedist

Matthew had another doctor's appointment this morning. This time it was to take a look at his right foot. The MRI report indicated that he has 3 stress fractures. Two are in the first metatarsal (the bone below the big toe), and one more in the bone above that (closer to his ankle). There is also significant swelling and edemas near the first metatarsal and ligament damage, although not serious enough for surgery. He also is experiencing numbness in his left big toe but still maintains full functionality. The doctor speculates that with time this will heal, but he may never regain feeling back.

The doctor has prescribed 6 more weeks of rest and than a follow-up appointment in May. After that, as long as he is continuing to improve, he can begin running and exercising again. No formal physical therapy is needed during this 6 week period.

We are still fighting the insurance company (TriWest) who keeps denying our claims despite having pre-approval.

The x-rays still haven't arrived from Quantico.

We received our second and final payment from the Marine Corp for "disability". We are (hopefully) rounding the bend with all this government nonsense. Matthew is back to work so we and the military are itching to part ways!

Post OCS: Pay Day

Before hubby left for OCS we banked a good amount of money in savings, just in case the change from a civilian paycheck to a military paycheck didn't go smoothly. Everything went just fine while he was gone (and of course I am extremely thankful for that), but now that he is home, they haven't paid us a single penny. In fact, they demanded money back because he was sent home a few days before the pay period ended and we were over paid in his final check.

He was injured in the line of duty over 3 weeks ago and is supposed to be on a form of disability, but they can't seem to muster a buck or two to help cover the finances. Good thing we planned for them to screw us, just not in the way I predicted.

Post OCS: Diagnosis

Sorry for the delay in updates. The past few days have been stressful.

Matthew and I went to the orthopedist on Wednesday afternoon. The doctor determined via the MRI and the corresponding report from DMAFB that he has three fractures in his pelvis, not his hip as we previously thought. He also has significant edemas surrounding the fractures. The fractures are approximately located where I have put red marks on the picture below:

The doctor is very enthusiastic about his recovery thus far and wants him to continue to rest and work out in the pool for the next 5 weeks. The fractures have already begun to heal and the pain he is experiencing now is mostly muscular. No additional pain medication is needed at this time aside from over-the-counter solutions.

The referrals regarding his foot haven't been approved yet, so we are still a couple weeks out from knowing anything about that.

The x-ray taken of his shin at DMAFB indicated that nothing is broken and everything looks okay.

We have a follow-up appointment in 5 weeks with the orthopedist for the pelvis. At that point he will determine if progress has been made and if formal physical therapy is necessary. If the foot referrals go through, the orthopedist will also take a look at that data, as well. We are working on getting the x-rays from Quantico so the doctor can compare the MRI with the x-ray, as Matthew and I are still concerned about stray bones floating around near his hip joint. There didn't appear to be bone fragments in the MRI, but they are not the best diagnostic method for bone analysis. The x-ray in Quantico indicated an acetabular injury, so we have conflicting diagnoses regarding the hip, at the moment.

I will say that I am most relieved that his prognosis is so positive! However, I cannot say that I enjoyed the way we were treated at the orthopedist. We spent an hour waiting to speak to him and he couldn't wait to brush us off for his next, presumably more important, patient. My grandma once told me regarding doctors: "you have to be your own advocate". Truer words have never been said! If we hadn't been researching, studying and forming questions about this subject, he would be in much worse shape than he is.

Post OCS: Orthopedist

Some good news to report. The MRI took place on Friday late afternoon (but boy that took some finagling and it almost didn't happen even up to the last minute). Unfortunately, the films will be sent to the base where one of their radiologists will write up a report and send it over to the orthopedist. Sadly, I have little faith that this will ever happen, the base hasn't exactly been timely or competent up to this point.

The orthopedist appointment is on Wednesday afternoon and we will have to pick up a copy of the MRI (films minus the report) that morning to bring with us to the orthopedist. Monday and Tuesday will be busy with phone calls as we try to get all the x-rays and reports taken by other people sent over to the new physician for his review.

Progress....

Post OCS: Hip MRI

I thought I would quickly update and let you know that very little progress has been made since I last posted. Matthew still hasn't seen a specialist and his pain medication runs out tomorrow. The red tape is so thick I am beginning to doubt he will ever see anyone. The hold-up seems to be in the referrals...they just can't seem to get it right. The referrals either weren't ever put in (what?) or they were for the wrong body part (double what?) or they were for a doctor on base (which we don't have access to).

The only progress that has been made is that we have an appointment for an MRI tomorrow for his hip. An MRI seems rather pointless at this point without having a doctor to send it to but I guess it is a small victory. They are still working on an MRI referral for his foot and a referral for an orthopedist.

I am distraught to say the least. He is in pain and will be in more pain come this weekend without any medication and no one at the base or the Marine office seems to care. For them this is all "business as usual" but for me this is my husband who sacrificed his body for his country. The least they could do is fix him.

I never thought I would say this, but I miss the days of Cigna.

Post OCS: First Dr. Appointment

The Staff Sergeant from the Marine Corps Officer office picked Matthew up at noon this afternoon for his first appointment at Davis Monthan at 1:00. I couldn't take him since I don't have base privileges. At around 1:3o, I got a call to come to the visitors center so the Staff Sergeant could sponsor me on base to take Matthew to his actual appointment at 3:00. Apparently some wires got crossed about the time.

We saw the doctor right on time and she and Matthew discussed his ailments (hip, foot and now left leg). She was extraordinarily nice and soft spoken and sent us over to the Referral Management Center. Apparently, in order for Matthew to see specialists it must be coordinated by the Referral Management Center and approved by...well someone? He has been referred to see an orthopedic specialist and to get an MRI of his hip and foot. We should get approval in about 7-10 days. It is still up for debate whether he will be able to see civilian specialists or if he will continue going on base. I fear all this waiting will be detrimental to his overall health, as he is already noticing a loss of mobility in his leg which he still had just a few days ago.

He was able to get an x-ray (this afternoon) of his left tibia (shin) for an egg-sized protrusion right on the bone. We should get something in the mail regarding the results of the x-ray in about 3-5 days. In the meantime, she did prescribe some pain medication to get him through until the other appointments can be made.

I cannot describe to you how difficult it is to work within the confines of a military operation when you have no experience doing so. I was simultaneously overwhelmed and frustrated by the experience. We were bounced from office to office, building to building for almost 2 hours. On top of that, we don't have military ID's and Matthew was Marine Corps and not Air Force, which also complicates the situation. I hope it will get easier from here, but something tells me that this is just the tip of the iceberg.