This is way too cool, a new chapter in our life!!!!

That beautiful couple above are about to make Dave and I grandparents!!!!!!!!! We are so excited I can't stand it!!!! If I have to say so myself I think they'll make beautiful babies!!! They are excited beyond words, Kayla is excited, happy and SCARED to death, and David on the other hand is on cloud nine!!! He was so cute when he called me yesterday; I answered the phone the usual how are you doing/what are you doing, but before I could even say a word after he asked those questions he blurted out, "yeah um so Kayla's pregnant"!!!!! I was like no way sweeties are you kidding me????? He said nope she is just walking out of the doctor's office now. You could just hear the excitement bubbling in his voice. They have been married since August 8, 2008; he left for deployment less than a month later. He's been back since mid-August. I think they'll be great parents, David has always loved kids, when he was in high school and college he almost always worked as a life guard then as he got a little older he moved on to pool manager. He always had little kids follow him around both boys and girls, too cute!!! Some of the little girls cried when he finally went off to college, one said she was going to marry him when she grew up if he'd only wait for her!!! Too cute!!! He had patience for the little ones big time, he'd make them feel "all grown up" by giving them little tasks to do around the pool. On his day off he'd often go to the swim meets to see the kids swim, of course the kids thought he was the greatest ever for doing so. Funny thing is when he was a little boy he'd often follow the guards around as they did to him. They say history repeats itself, I suppose in lots of ways it does. My heart breaks that they are so very far away, so it's not as if I can just jump in my car and run over to see how her belly is growing or just take him to lunch on days he's stressed to the max over the impending birth, money, life or his job. I can't jump in my car and pick Kayla up and take her shopping for Prego lady clothes or baby clothes or just go to lunch and chill!!!! This breaks my heart, big time!!!! Here my friend’s history repeats itself once again, very close to home. Shortly after Dave and I were married we moved south. My parents baby-sat my niece and nephew, or for whatever reason it "just wasn't possible" for them to come and visit us more than once a year. Hell David was three months old before either set of grandparents laid eyes on him; it broke my heart and still does to this day, even more so now. Yes it was our choice to move far away from any and all family. Moving was not for selfish reasons at all, it was for a job for Dave, thank goodness it's been for the very best for us that we moved. But it still doesn't make it hurt any less. OK I'm getting off course here but anyway I really am hating they are so freaking dam far away. It's heart breaking to me!!!! I can tell you one thing I WILL BE THERE FOR THE BIRTH!!!!!!!!! I have to see my child child's, the day it is born, not months later. I totally understand why my parents couldn't be there, although it doesn't hurt any less. Maybe I’m being a huge baby over it, so be it. I/we are so very thankful Dave's career took us several hundred miles from where we grew up, it made us grow up. It was going to make or break us, we only had each other to rely on, nowhere to run when my feelings got hurt, it was too far, so I stayed at home with Dave and we worked it out. It's been almost 26 (November 5 it will be)and I truly believe if we hadn't moved far away we might not still be together, we were young and I was such a big baby and so loved running from what I didn't want to do, hear or see. It would have been so easy for me to run home had we still lived close to family, but we didn't and we made the best of it, we have two wonderful kids and a pretty good marriage if I must say so myself!!!!!! I keep trying to tell myself David and Kayla will do the same, it will be OK, there is UPS, Fed X and many other freight companies I can ship whatever it is I’d be purchasing for them had they been here, it's just not the same, damit all to hell and back!!!!! They will be at Pearl Harbor until October of 2010, possibly 2011 at the latest. We hope against all hope that they might get an east coast duty station after this, but nothing is promised when you work for good ole Uncle Sam. I have to say at least they have jobs and health coverage and all of that good stuff, so it could be much worse. I hate this has been sort of negative or back and forward negative and positive, but I’ve just had to get it off my chest, my fears, my memories of being so far away and not having my family anywhere near me when our first baby was born. I so didn't want that for my child, aren't you supposed to want better for your own kids???? Oh how I didn't want it to be this way!!!!!! OK enough of the negative stuff I’ve said it, it's out there. The most fab news there is, is we're going to be grandparents and life just couldn't be better. Only other news that even comes close was the news we were going to be parents ourselves!!!!! Who knew that when you had a child, you, yourself could one day become a grandparent? This is just way too cool!!!! Sorry this post is so all over the place but my brain works the way it does and sometimes it's all over the place. All this being said, sometime around May 27, 2010 we'll be in the great state of HI welcoming our very first grand baby!!!!!!!!!! I can honestly say at this point I couldn't less if it's a boy or a girl; healthy baby is all I can say I want at this point. Not that I may not change my mind later but today that's how I feel!!! Thanks for reading to the end of this all over the place post my friends. Have a wonderful weekend, it's going to rain here and we plan to stay home and just chill all weekend!!!!!! Sound good???? Oh yeah I made a huge pot of chili so we'd have food already cooked for the weekend too, yeah I’m pretty lazy or planning to be this weekend. Enjoy yours and tell me what your plans are.
Marie

I met a blogger in real life today!!!!!

Today I had privilege of meeting a blogger I've been reading for several years now; she is just as cool in person as on her blog. It was a very nice afternoon of chatting and just hanging out. I got two meet three of her kids and of course they are just as cute if not cuter in person than the photos I’ve seen of them. I sure wish they didn't live on the "wrong" coast, I think we may have been able to hang out IRL if they did. This is my very first time meeting someone in person that I "met" first on-line, just too cool. I was nervous, one because I had never met blog in real life and even though you read someone for a long time you wonder how the conversation will flow and all of that good stuff!! The conversation had no problem flowing, that's for sure!!! Monkey (not real name) was a sweet, sweet person, very friendly and very REAL, which I truly liked. As a matter of fact I don't even remember how I found her blog so many years ago. I think it's been maybe five years I've been reading her, I so wish I could remember how or where I found her but I can't and so who cares I found. She is way cool!!! I enjoyed how laid back she was and just very real, I didn't have to worry about horribly foul mouth, did I say she is real already? Ha to say the least. As I mentioned she had three of the kids with her, a 15 year old teenage girl and two sweet, sweet little boys. The boys were so well behaved, the teenager wow sweet young lady for sure!!! She took great care of the little brothers so we could just chat and chat and chat some more!! None of this complaining, "Come on mom I wanna go, I don't want to deal with the boys", NONE of that ever came out of her mouth; she was a huge help to mom and just a sweet young lady to say the least. I drove about an hour away to Columbia, SC to meet them. We lived in Columbia at one time back in the late 90's, it wasn't exactly a city we enjoyed or ever got attached to. As a matter of fact we disliked it so much we moved there in August of 1997 and moved to Greenville, SC in October of 1998, just couldn't deal with it. The city has changed to say the least and I have to say for the better!! We met at a Cracker Barrel on a side of town where Dave's office once was, a very scary side of town. I was pleasantly surprised things had changed, the "mall" on that side of town still isn't much of a "mall", but then again we didn't go there for the mall. We had lunch and chatted for a bit, then moved on to the mall so the boys could enjoy the indoor play yard. Here again the teenager was more than helpful and took good care of the boys so we could just sit back and chat. It was a great meeting; I hope it was as good for them as me!! I have some photos but I want to ask before I post any. I also have to say this person I credit for me having a blog!!! I so enjoyed reading her the good, the bad and the ugly in her life and it just amazed me, she offered several times to help me begin a blog. I never took her up on it but as soon as my first post was up I emailed her and told her I finally took the big step and it was because of her!!!

Let's see what else is going on in my life. I've now been out of the hospital for 2.5 weeks now, I had a doctor's appointment for follow-up from that admission and what do you freaking know but I’ve gotten another infection brewing!!!!!! Damit it all to hell and back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So a culture was sent and I cross all of my fingers and toes and hope that it's sensitive to something by mouth because I’ve tired of being in the hospital, it sucks and not just the food!!!!!! I go next Tuesday for testing with the surgeon that may possibly be doing my surgery. Hell who am I kidding, who IS going to do my surgery, and I’d like to think I had a choice to do or not to do. I DO have a choice, but if I don't do it, well life is going to suck as it does now. Not to mention I stand a huge chance of losing my only kidney, then I’d be really fucked!!! So I suppose I will be having surgery at some point in time this coming winter!!! Most likely after the holidays. Why after the holidays??? Because David and Kayla are coming home for the holidays!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited I can't stand it. We don't have dates yet, waiting on the good ole government to approve his leave dates, which he hopes will happen this week!! To say we are looking forward to seeing those kids doesn't even come close. It seems as if it's been forever since we've seen them both. It's been since June of 2008 for David and August of 2008 for Kayla. The down side to that is Melissa is working Christmas day!!! At first I was so upset and disappointed, now I think about it and am just happy and thankful my entire family will in one place again, even if not for Christmas day!! OK, I think that's about all for now, as I always say I’m going to try to post more often. Have a great rest of the week and I hope one day I am lucky enough to meet other bloggers in real life!!!!
Marie

Such is life!

The very day after having a little more of my thumb chopped off I went to this "king of urology" at Wake Forrest University. The visit went well the physician was extremely nice, very concerned about how I felt about having surgery. Not to mention very carious as to how I got to where I am now. I laughed and said "well that makes two of us then!! I did get a good belly laugh out of him on that one. I didn't really learn anything new or really that exciting either for that matter. He took a lot of time with me, which truly impressed me, he was also concerned that I was at the appointment all by myself. Which I thought was very kind of him, I explained to him that my husband was traveling that week and since this was a last minute appointment there really wasn't any time to try to change his travel days. He even offered to have me call him and have him on a conference call for my appointment. Don't think I've ever come across a physician that kind. As I told my personal urologist he was very kind but it still doesn't make me want to have surgery!!!! Such is life though, it appears I'm going to have surgery anyway. I have no date yet I'm going back in early October for some tests, then I suppose we'll talk surgery dates, I could be wrong, we'll see. There are days that I feel as if I would be fine with the surgery and all that comes with it, so to say, then there are days when I am so pissed off that I am once again facing surgery! Again such is life and I can be as pissed off as I want to be but that isn't going to stop all of these infections and the fevers from hell, right? Right!!!!! I do have to admit these infections are getting closer and closer together, and since I'm pretty much resistant to all oral antibiotics, each new infection buys me a femoral line and at least 10 days of IV antibiotics in the hospital. I was just discharged from my last inpatient admission the very end of July. 10 days after being home I had another infection, I got really lucky with that one and was able to take oral medications to treat it. I finished up those medicines about three weeks ago if that long ago, was feeling OK, no blood, no fever, still pain but not horrible. My follow up appointment was Wednesday afternoon, wouldn't you know by Monday evening I begin having more flank pain, Tuesday I begin peeing blood and lots of, and oh great I could puke my guts up at any given second and the final blow came Wednesday morning, I wake up with a fever from hell,great, just freaking great!!!!!!!!!!! So I go to my appointment and of course I have lots of white cells and blood in urine, because I am so resistant to most antibiotics my physician is reluctant to just begin treating me. So he gives me two choices. 1) Be admitted that day and get a jump start on the infection or 2) go home and wait this out until Monday when the final culture results will be ready. Of course if I get to the point I'm puking my guts up and the pain isn't controlled with oral medications or my fever spikes higher than 101 I promised I'd call to be admitted. I really, really like my urologist, not many physicians would give the patient that much control, my first one sure didn't, it was his way or he had a freaking 2 year old temper tantrum, and no I'm not kidding nor stretching the truth even a little on this one! My fever is hanging around 100.9, I feel like total crap, I'm not puking but I'm not really eating or drinking either. My pain is bad but I can't justify being admitted just for pain control right now, maybe I just don't hurt bad enough right now, or maybe I'm just so used to dealing with horrible pain everyday I've gotten used to it, who knows. I just know this sucks, this is not the way I'd choose to live my life. The good news is that I have a totally supportive husband who will support whatever I choose to do as far as surgery goes. So in looking at things on the "bright side" this too shall pass. I have a feeling I'll be back in the hospital by the beginning of the week. If this happens it happens, if it doesn't and I'm able to treat my infection with oral antibiotics I'm a very lucky girl, agree?? OK enough crappy crap!!!
In other news in our house our daughter is back at home with for a short time. I love her more than life itself but................it's hard as hell to live with her!!!!!!!! Man I forgot what it was like to have to pick up after someone or to have "stuff" just laying around here and there, why oh why can't she just put her "stuff" where it belongs???????????? She is supposed to be saving her money to purchase a house of her own, I'm not so sure this is going to happen, only time will tell. She isn't really saving her money which makes me think she is so sure that Dave and I are going to begin paying for her apartment or housing or whatever she decides to do. I am here to tell you, oh she is so WRONG!!!!! Don't get me wrong we've put both of our kids through college and helped them get "started" in life, but once you finish college and you have an adult job you are so on your own!!! As it should be in my book. Of course we'll help her purchase large ticket items if she needs the help BUT, she has to "help us help her" (Dave's tag line) which I totally I agree with. If we keep shelling money out she'll keep "needing our help". As for the dogs in our home, that's another thing she isn't going to like, but such is life!!!!!!! When she moves she HAS to take her dog with her, he can no longer stay with us, he can come and visit when she does but other than that, nope I'm finished with him!!!!! You know I only began life with two thumbs and thanks to her dog I now only have one, a big reason he can't stay here any more!!! I'm afraid of him, he's a huge dog and I think he knows I'm afraid of him, he gives me a hard time not listening and just stands there looking at me like I speak a different language then he does. Does he do that crap to Dave or Melissa, HELL NO!!! I didn't "sign up" to care for him, I told her he could come here and visit and he hasn't freaking left!!! It's more than time for him to leave, don't you think????? I'm really worried about her keeping him to tell the truth, I'm so afraid he'll bite someone else. I don't know the ins and outs of "once a biter always a biter", but I do know I'm afraid of him and he stares my down when I tell him something, and I know that isn't good!!! Anyone care to enlighten me on that subject, please do tell, I'm really interested. But let me say this first, he still isn't living here any longer!! Man I must be a mean mom, again, "such is life"!!
If you've continued to read this rambling mess of a post, thanks!! I'm sort of all over the place sorry but my mind is sort like that right now too. I'm really going to try to post more often maybe I'll feel better getting stuff off my chest and it won't take me hours to write just one post. That's my plan, let's see if I can stick to it. Have a great week everyone and thanks again for taking your time to read.
Marie

Does it ever end??????????????

Since the news I have to share about my thumb pretty much sucks, I'll begin with something wonderful first. David is back from Iraq!!!!!!!!!! He is back to his wife in HI and has been since this past weekend!!!!!!! This is one relived mom, that's for sure!! In other good news, Melissa is back home for a few weeks. We are looking for a small house for her to either rent or purchase. She needs to be closer to work and school, but her apartment just wasn't working out. She has a huge dog that needs lots of running room and an apartment just doesn't allow for that. We have a few leads on houses both to purchase and or rent. Something to lease or rent to own would be a good start for a young person just starting out. Hope we find her something soon she has a 2 plus hour drive from our house to work. When she works her normal shifts she only works two days one week and three the following. Which is great because if she had to drive that everyday, gas would eat her profits. Everyone and then she'll work a 48 hour shift, which is even less driving, she loves her job!! It is giving her a wide variety of experience for her nursing classes, which is good. I just hope she doesn't "burn-out" working as many hours as she is working right now as well as trying to go to school full time. She is one busy little girl. Well maybe not a little girl but my little girl anyway, no matter how old she gets 22 or 42!! Now on to the news that sucks!! I'm sure everyone remembers the dog bite back in early May, then the removal of part of my thumb at the end of May. Well the very tip of the thumb heals and then breaks open and bleeds. I thought this maybe due to the skin being so thin on the top and that with time it would heal and be fine. As time goes on this hasn't happened. The thumb is also very swollen still. So off to the hand surgeon I go, knowing full well something wasn't exactly right. I was so right but had no idea what the real deal was. It appears the jagged portion of the bone that was bitten off and then part of it was removed during surgery, has become jagged once again. Two pieces of that jagged bone has broken off and is trying to work it's way through the skin. Which explains why it heals and breaks open as well as the reason for it being so swollen three month after surgery! So on Friday I will have those pieces of the bone removed, I don't know how much more of the thumb I'll lose. If he can save the first knuckle I'll have a pin put in it, due to the break from the bite. My thumb was broken in three places one portion of that break was removed when he removed part of my thumb, another break has broken into pieces which will be removed an the final break is the knuckle that hasn't healed well, which is where he'll place the pin to hold it together. So that's how I'll be spending my Friday, sounds fun huh??? NOT!! Take care all.
Marie

Where has the summer gone? Where has the time gone???

Wow, it's August already, where has time gone? Summer is my most favorite time of the year, I so love to tan, yeah I know it's not exactly "healthy" but one must have some bad habits. Hubby took a few days off early in the week, we thought about going away but the packing and unpacking and getting there and back just didn't seem to very appealing. So we strayed home and it was lots of fun, we didn't do much of anything, Dave does tons of yard work like he always does when he's off, then in the afternoons we chilled in the pool. That's my most favorite thing to do, the sun beating down on you and the cool pool water, oh just the most fab thing the world!!!! Then each evening he cooked our meals, well grilled our meals, they were most fab as always. Having a husband who cooks and enjoys doing so it just great, of course he prefers to cook on the grill, but hey it's always good so who cares how or where he cooks it, you know? I'm missing my kiddos something horrible!!!!!!!!!!! Our son is still awaiting a flight out of Iraq along with numerous other soldiers. It's been something like 8 days they have been waiting for a flight, there is always something that causes them not to get a flight out. Tomorrow well I suppose today since it's after midnight is his first anniversary, he's spent most of his first year of marriage deployed. I just hope and pray that he'll have many, many more happy anniversaries in which he is at home (where ever that may be)with his wife. I'm telling you it's got to be hard for her to be so freaking far away from anyone family or anyone she knows and it be your very first anniversary and your husband is in Iraq. Although it sucks, at least we can say he is safe at this minute and he will be back to the states safe and sound very soon, much sooner rather than later!!! Our daughter Melissa has a new full time job, and is still going to school full time. Needless to say she has no time for anything and that includes seeing her parents!!! My heart is breaking because I miss our kids. That sounds silly I'm sure, but it's been weeks since I've last seen Melissa at least two weeks before I was in the hospital and I'll have been home from there two weeks this Monday, so yeah it's been a long time, I miss her. I miss our son. I am thankful that they both are happy and safe and are being productive adults in jobs they both love. I suppose a parent really can't ask for much more than that huh?? For that, I am truly happy for them and feel blessed to have had the chance to raise two productive adults. Damit, I just wish they were both closer or could at least come for a visit, even a short visit would be great!! So that's where I am in my nice little boring life!! To add a little more stress to my life and make it not so boring I have a follow up with urologist on Monday, I suppose he'll give me the information about seeing the new surgeon who will possibly be doing my surgery. Some days I am so ready to go and have it done and move on and other days I'm dreading it and can find every single reason under the sun as to why I don't need, don't want, shouldn't have the surgery. I try very hard to make my mind walk away from those thoughts, it's not always easy. To say I'm stressed as hell doesn't even come close, I'm scared of everything that goes with surgery and then some. Seeing a new physician is also making my stress level increase a good bit as well. Once the surgery is over and I've recovered a good bit I'll be discharged back to my personal urologist, which makes me very happy, I really like him and feel as if I can trust him and talk to him about anything. He keeps assuring me that the surgeon he is sending me to is a good guy also and that he'll be just as easy to talk to and all of that good stuff, only time will tell!! OK, I'm out of here because I'm rambling like a crazy person, ha ha!!!!! I'm trying to come here and write more often, maybe get some of stress out and to use this as record of the time before during and after my surgery. Maybe one day I can help someone facing the surgery and same fears, issues, whatever, again only time will tell! Have a most wonderful weekend, I plan to have a very relaxed weekend spent floating around the pool.

Finally an update!!!!

OK, now that I feel semi-alive I can finally get an update out here, I’m so sorry friends I'm a slack blogger. OK, so let's see nothing major has been going on in my boring life, which is always good, right??? Our daughter has gotten a full time job and so loves being a paramedic and all of that good stuff. She is still in school for nursing but only part time now since they have offered her a full time job and are more than willing to pay for her schooling, yippee!!!! As for David, he could be back to the states any day now, we are on pins and needles awaiting word. He'll go back to CA for a short time then back to his wonderful wife in HI very soon, we all hope. The next order of plans are to figure out who is going where, are they coming here to visit or are we going there, no plans as of yet, except that we'll see him sooner rather than later and that in itself just makes me freaking day!!!! The dogs are great silly little things they are so much comfort and company to me, that's for sure!!! When I first came home from the hospital Dave (hubby)had some business travel and man those dogs just make my day when I'm home alone and feel poorly. They are most fab fur-babies that's for sure!!! OK now on to the reason I was in the hospital, I had a kidney infection and had gotten septic. I was only sick for a day before going to the physician
, he told me at that point he felt I'd be admitted by the weekend due to the fact that my pass infections have all grown bacterial that has been very resistant to oral antibiotics. He was in agreement with me, that it wouldn't hurt to try out patient as long as I was able to keep fluids and the medications down. Let's see that was Thursday, by Friday evening I knew I was headed to being admitted, I had thrown up numerous times Friday evening, couldn't keep anything down, which made for the pain off the charts. So Saturday later AM I gave up and called my physician, funny thing is he had just spoke to the folks at the hospital lab and was about to call me and tell me to head over there to be admitted because my cultures were growing three very resistant bacteria, nice!!! So I go over and of course because I have no veins I have a pick line put in, this time in my femoral artery. I've had so many IV's that I've scarred down every other place and to even put a central line is it's a huge chore. So all that was done by early evening I was settled in for the long haul. First vital sign check of the evening shift shows I have a fever of 104.7, nice!!!!!!!!!!!!! So after blood cultures and all of the normal stuff one has done with a huge fever spike, I'm given Tylenol, of course I puke my guts up and this goes on all night!!! By this point I'm a basket case because I've had little to no sleep in the 48 hours and all I can do is cry. Thank God I have a most fab physician, he sat and listened to me cry my eyes out from pure exhaustion, no judgment at all from him, just true concern and care from him. What a wonderful change from some past physicians!!! It is at this point he says more pain medication is needed to get my pain under better control and allow my to get some sleep, I so agree!!! Within two hours time he has ordered a PCA machine (patient control analgesic), I was able to push the bottom as needed and it also gave me a constant dose, sleep is a fabulous thing!!!!!! I had most fab nurses who remembered me from my past admissions to that floor and I can only say they take the best care of patients or at least me, that I've seen in a long time. Wonderful care in itself goes a long way when you are feeling poorly!!! As the days go by I am on the correct antibiotics but my fever continues to soar and climb rather than decline. A high fever makes you feel horrible in itself. After a little over a week my fever gets the memo it’s supposed to be history, I began feeling better, just from the fever being down in itself. After no fever for 48 hours I go from IV medications to oral, still feeling OK, 48 hours later it's home for me!!!!!!!!! Yippee!!!! Couldn't have come a day sooner. I'm home and do feel much, much better than I did, but to say I feel great would be a huge lie. The fever has really sucked the energy from me big time. My physician said that it could take up to a week for each day my fever was so out of control for me to totally feel like I'm recovered. I have to say and I hate to complain that this infection sure has kicked my ass big time. I can't keep on doing this crap, I just can't. My body, my emotions, everything is taking a huge hit each time I develop another infection. I've known for a while that more surgery is needed sooner rather than later, that's for sure!!!!! I have had chats with my physician about "the big fix" for a while, not really interested in hearing what he has to say, that's for sure!!! After this huge infection kicking my ass and it just being a very short amount of time since my last hospital admission I have now finally come to the cross roads so to say and know that if I'd like to continue on this earth for and have any quality of life I need to bite the big one and at least go speak to the guys who do these surgeries every day and see what they have to offer me, before it's too late. I have a married son and a daughter we hope to see married or in a fulfilled relationship and I HAVE to be a part of those lives, I didn't struggle raising those kids with hubby to check out of this life mid-way through, you know?????????? So it might just be that I'll end up wearing a bag in which my pee empties into, yeah it sounds horrible, yes I still have a surgery or two to get me there, but I'm telling you now it's a whole lot fucking better out look than six feet under, you know???? Life is way to short and I'm not ready to check out of this game called LIFE right now, therefore I'll do what I have to on my part to stay in the game. Yes wearing a bag sounds like hell and all of that sucky stuff that goes along with it, but if you ask me looking up from six feet under sounds much worse. So more for me than anyone else here, I'm writing this to remind myself I do have a lot to live for and wearing a bag 24/7 just might not be such a bad thing, you know???? I'm sure I'll flip between feeling as I do now, ready to go, show me where to sign, get the OR ready, to oh hell no I am NOT wearing a freaking nasty bag of pee on my side. That's OK I'm sure they are all normal feeling and fears to be honest. I need to find others who have taken this trip before me and ask a few questions I have on my mind now and others I'm sure I'll have as the time grows near. So any suggestions on where to read, if you've been there done that, any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated, the only thing I ask is no one try to talk me out of this, it's hard enough to deal with myself trying to figure out every reason under the sun I don't need to have it done. I have a wonderfully supportive family, my husband, Dave is most fab, really he is, there are days I want to thump him but I know he truly loves me and wants only what's best for me and has been through hell and back with me and is willing to do it again, can't ask for a whole lot more you know???? Even after 26 years of being married and dating four years before that, I have a great guy, I do know that!!!! Our two kids are fab and will be here to do anything they can to help from near and far, our daughter in law is like a daughter to us and will be right there to do her part. I have fab sisters, who are ALL OLDER than me, ha ha but would do anything to help me from near or far, again can't ask for much more than that, you know???? Well maybe after that older comment they may want to slap me, but hey it isn't the first time, you know??? ha ha. OK I'm rambling now anyway so here is an update and a little note to me as well, that I'll need to come back and read over the next several roughs weeks, months however long. Thanks guys you are very supportive as well and I look forward to coming out on the other side of this surgery with all of you and my family too. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope to post more often, I think it may help me emotionally for sure over the next how ever long this journey ends up being, I'm up for, big time!!!!! I go back to see my physician in about two weeks or so, in the mean time he is working on finding me a major medical center to have any fixes I may need. My physicians’ practice no longer does this type of surgery, I respect the fact that he and his partners can say that this type of surgery is best left up to folks who do several of these a week. It’s not like it’s a quick little fix and I’m in and out and all things considered he wants me to be at the best place possible, all things considered. I’m extremely thankful that I we have a health care system that allows me to pick up and go any place I or my physician feels best fits my needs. Along with that again I have to mention my most fab family, I know it can be stressful for Dave he is the only one here with me and that leaves a lot on his shoulders, he’s a great guy for the job!!! Melissa although working full time and attending school as well is only two hours away and has been wonderful dropping all in her life when asked to be us, for that I’m so very thankful. As for David and Kayla they are both with us in mind and spirit, I know they’d be here be our side if at all possible. I know I’ve said numerous times but my family is my rock, I’d never be able to do this without them. We’ve moved numerous times in our adult lives therefore we don’t have a whole lot in the sense of “friends”, which makes my families job that much harder, I am aware of that and so very, very thankful for them, sorry if I’ve gone on and on, I’m very thankful for my family and just slightly stressed about what the future holds for me medically. Oh yeah on a much lighter note, So-Co may fab beagle has had her photo in the local newspaper where my family lives, titled "Dog Days of Summer", such a cutie I must say, hope you enjoy her photo as much as I do!!!! I suppose we must have snapped the photo as she was waking up!!!!!
f rie

Vacation photos

Hope you enjoy the puppy photos!! The beagle is my medic alert dog, "So-Co", the mini jack russell is "Brat" and the other jack russell is "Dakota". It seems the dog cousins had as much fun as the human sisters did while we were visiting the big state of NJ. It had been years since I'd been to Wildwood, the "shore" as Jersey people call it, is a wonderful place full of memories from my childhood. The sad thing is so much has changed it didn't really look like I remembered it looking, interesting huh? So did it change that much or did I just see it all from a child's eye view, inwhich life is great no matter what? Who knows all I know is I have wonderful memories of being there as a child and I now have wonferful memories of being there with my sister and our puppies this past spring, those will be wonderful memories for years to come as well!!! Hope you enjoyed our pups, we sort of like them um just a little, ha ha, well maybe a LOT!!!! Have a great week and I hope to be back here with another post in a day or so to update everyone on my thumb, maybe even a photo or two of it. FYI.....it doesn't look as bad as it did at one time!!!
Marie