he Dan VanLanen family plans a summer trip every year that includes all of the children and grand children. This year was no exception and with the summer declining and eventually turning into fall it seemed that the camping trip was imminent for if the family waited much longer there would be no frogs in the shower, and the water jugs would be frozen solid.
Peg VanLanen has been plagued in recent years by her feet loosing their correct place underneath her and her unplanned falling to the ground. The saga began about 5 years ago when VanLanen fell on the way into a store that was closing and having a big sale in New London. At that time she had broken her leg but was rejected treatment by a local hospital. A second look at the x-rays resulted in a change of heart by the medical institution, and after great difficulty bringing the injured VanLanen up the stairs and into the house a second mobilization was needed for her to return to the hospital. Then two years ago VanLanen once again fell at her own birthday party giving herself a black eye and causing more pain.
The new injury apparently occurred while Peg was hiking a mountain path near the camp ground. Taking the advanced trail the oldest Poquette daughter was required to repel down a short drop to a ravine below, while coming down she misjudged the distance to the bottom and let out a bit too much rope causing a hard landing. The result was that VanLanen lost her sense of balance and toppled over when she hit the ground. With her legs still in good shape but an egg on her forehead she managed to make her way back to camp on the beginners trail. She was unable to retrieve her rope after she was injured so Dan had to return with climbing gear and drove a few pitons and scaled the bluff unhooking her rope and bringing it back to her.
After this latest fall VanLanen is again bruised and battered and black and blue. It is also noteworthy to mention that she had fallen at work just prior to the camping trip which added a few extra marks for good measure. A self examination, which Peg has become used to by now, revealed no broken bones or organ damage. So the 63 year old VanLanen will continue to work as if nothing happened.
TREML HAS CARPAL TUNNEL SURGERY
The same story has been told over and over in the Poquette family about hands going numb after a nights sleep, fingers tingling after a long drive or your hand going dead after clutching the table in desperation in a courtroom after long a civil case involving well pollution. The story holds true for the youngest member of the Poquette family Judy (Treml), as she has finally given in and after years of suffering allowed doctors to cut her tender flesh and perform carpal tunnel surgery to repair pinched off nerves in her wrist.
Treml, as a adolescent was plagued with sore legs that kept her from attending high school many days as witnessed by this reporter during a stay over at our own home while her parents were away some twenty years ago.
One would have thought she would have had more trouble with kankles as a result but no trouble has come to light in that area as of yet. Bad kankles are a major worry for Treml's eldest daughter Kate, who keeps a close eye on her mother's physique in that respect hoping not to be stricken with the unhandsome trait by inheritance.
