Get Well...

...now that you are feeling a little better!! You know, you can't pray for a friend when she doesn't tell you she isn't doing well!! Please send get well wishes to Dani. She is doing better, but still not feeling well!! She's like that, just so you know. She will be the very first one to your aid, but will not tell you when she needs you! She didn't want to worry me. How about that.

Happiness is,,,,

2 Spotty Dogs. I don't know why, but these two dogs ALWAYS put a smile on my face when I see their owner, Mark, is walking them. I finally pulled over yesterday and asked if I could take a photo of the dogs and he said "Sure!" Embarrassed, I told him how my friend, Jen and I would look for them on our way back from early morning Boot Camp. When we would see them, we would point and yell "Spotty Dogs! Spotty Dogs!" and our morning would REALLY be off to a fun start! He said he was glad they could do their part in making someone happy. Sydney and Snickers are part Dalmation and part Labrador Retriever. I needed a random smile that afternoon. You know Dog is God spelled backwards. Mysterious ways....Smiles from the Spotties to everyone!!!

A Caterpillar and 9 Days...

...until school is OUT FOR SUMMER!!!!! Woo Hoo! The boys are excited and so am I! This week is teacher appreciation week at Sam's school. Monday was a bundle of pencils and big erasers. Yesterday he took in a flower and today a bundle of Tootsie Pops. Every day is something different. Will asked me for $65 to buy the schools yearbook! Yikes!! He said he is on the opening page Yo-yoing..! I need to get in the $$ for the Student Life Camp coming up. I think I am past due...lot going on! Sam is going to Church Camp in June for a week! He is VERY excited! I think I can do this (me. not Sam!)
I found the BIGGEST. FATTEST. YECHHHHHHiest very hungry caterpillar on my bell pepper plant yesterday!!! I couldn't take a photo of it because I was so heaved out!!!! It was as big as my index finger!! Still gives me the willies! Then my friend Jen found ANOTHER one!! They had decimated my plant in 24 hours! the first got a wild flight ride over the fence into one neighbor's yard and the 2nd one was thrown over into another's yard! I'll take a plant photo later and post...

Laminin...

May 16, 2008

You know, I was thinking today. Shocking. As I wondered down the baby aisle in WalMart, I thought, "When was the last time I bought something on the baby aisle for my boys?" I love the smell of that aisle. So fresh smelling and sweet. I was thinking things like this because today is the last day I'll be medication free. I'll remember this day. Tomorrow I start taking meds. that I will have to take strictly. I know people take medications every day for the rest of their lives. Thank God the meds are there. I guess I am a little sad. I don't like to be told what to do most of the time. I like to think that I have a little control in my life---how I act, what I eat, getting the amount of exercise I need. I have been fortunate. I have never had to take medication on a daily basis. Until now. So, I have a "lump" in my throat because...I am not sure why. Maybe it's a little anxiety. Maybe it's because I am feeling a little guilty for being upset over pill taking. I mean, it could be so much worse. I have been telling myself that from the get-go. Maybe I just need to have the "I am so mad about this" moment and then move on. Like my friend Cindy said, "Just go get the pills, Dana." Yep. It's a good day. You have to get on the bus, if you want to go to school. :)

My Young Man

My youngest, Sam had a "Meet the author" night at school last night. His advance class has been working on a project for quite a while. They each wrote a book about an animal of their making. The teacher sent the story along with illustrations to a publisher and had a hard back book made! Last night each of the students read an excerpt from their book. They also created a PowerPoint story relating to their animal. It was really cool to see. I can't believe what children do today at such a young age!

Like a Cruise, but thirstier....

OK people. I know I sound like your grandparents who go on about all of their procedures...BUT all I can say is this. I think the prep for a colonoscopy is designed to make you BEG for the procedure the next day. I could not get to there fast enough. For those who are just dying for the photos of a colon and esophagus---I'll just brag that the Doc said(after minor prompting) it was the cleanest and prettiest he had ever seen. There ya go.
The interesting part is this. Curt was in the waiting room as I was in pre-op. I actually thought they forgot about me and I didn't care at that point except I was having racey dreams about a tall frosty glass of ice water. I kid you not. Anyway, this anesthesiologist-Patrick-walks by (our kids go to same school) and he ends up giving me anesthesia! So before I go to "sleep" I ask him if it will be like a cruise--you go to sleep in Ft. Lauderdale and wake up in Key West? He says "sure. something like that". Well, I wake up in recovery and Curt is by my side. Apparently I am a crier coming up out of anesthesia. Some people are fighters---me, a crier. Great. So, he says I am mumbling and he hears "Patrick....Key West...." and he thinks "Patrick! Who the hell is Patrick and what ABOUT Key West?!!" And I kept repeating it! Ha!! Needless to say, he was quite relieved when I became more lucid and filled in the blanks! Can't wait to tell that to the Dr. when I see him out walking his dog! Do you think he will tell me what I was babbling before my husband got there?! Lord have mercy!!

The tablet prep

Talk about impatient. I decided to start the "prep" for my colonoscopy an hour early. I really didn't want to be up at midnight taking pills. Let me back up. I have to start by taking 4 pills (HUGE in size) every fifteen minutes for a total of 20 pills. Then I wait 6 hours and take the remaining---4 per 15 minutes total of 12. Then I finish off by taking 2 tiny pills--stool softener. Now, honestly. Do we really need those last 2? They look like the size of a pin head compared to the Osmoprep pills.
The 2nd pill went down sideways and I gagged and choked. Great. Nothing to eat all day and the first solid I try to swallow feels like a watermelon.
You know, I have decided that my friends, while patting me on the back and bringing my family dinner, have the attitude "Better you than me, sister." What's more, I would feel the EXACT same way if I were them!! Hey, it's like being the first in your group to go through labor. You get to regale everyone with "It wasn't that bad!!!!", when you know you would rather have had a colonoscopy! I mean....Don't worry. I won't give all the gory details...But I better come home with photos of a CLEAN intestinal tract to show for all of this, I'll tell you right now!!!

"This won't hurt a bit..."(whimper)

OK. You really should be medicated with Valium before this, but I wasn't. Phew! Nice chunk of muscle for the biopsy! I made my husband go in with me. I wasn't going to hold his hand, but I needed something to do with my hand...(wait, that was his Hand?--Ha! Just kidding! Something to lighten the mood.) Anywho, all went well and I am to wait about 10 days for those results. Geez, they can put a man on the moon and invent Pop Rocks but can't get a Pathology faster than that??

Coffee with "Easter " and New Tomatos

OK...I really had to write another blog so "Big B" could move on down the list of blogs. Catchy music, kind of ska-ish. New Fish-Eye lens is great. That's "Easter" my Easter Island Head that keeps the Christmas Palms company by the pool. You can actually see him in the "feet" photo. Thanks for stopping in. I love you out there in Blog Land :)

Admission is the First Step...

...writing a song about it and making a little coin is the 2nd step apparently (I think the big guy went to my high school. Dwaynnie, is that you?) :)

give ME a second to think about it...

Just like the title of D's blog, I was faced with "Give me a second to think about it" today. More like "What did you say??" "Did you actually say Immunosuppressant drugs?" I swear, I should REALLY follow my own advice and take someone with me to the Dr. so that when they say something like that and I "check out" the person with me is there to catch anything else the Dr. has to say. I did hear muscle biopsy Thursday and managed to get that down in my planner. For crying out in the night. I am not a sick person and am not ready to be one!!!!!!!. Could someone tell my body? Loudly?? Does my body know what this means? Doesn't it remember that I am not good at remembering to take medication? That I have worked hard at building up my endurance at boot camp? That I am a nurse working in a hospital and can't be immunosuppressed?? That I am a wife and mother, daughter, sister, friend and have to take care of other people? OK. There is a plan at work, I know. I just have to get a grip and...I just have to get a grip.

Talents are sometimes very endearing...

I took my son's good friend-Matt- to the Melbourne Beach Founder's Day Talent Show today. He had entered, but didn't have a ride to or from the event. It is a cute show that any child can enter and perform. My 2 have won in past years and I wanted Matt to have his shot, so off we went. The I took several cute photos of kids hula hooping, having their Jack Russell jump through a hoop, break dancing, Irish step dancing, piano. Then I realized that I just couldn't publish strangers without their permission. Drats!!!!! That Jack Russell--Ruby and her owner were so sweet! Oh well, I can print Matt's photo. He won! We were so happy for him. I feel like a proud mom for him! He and my son, Will, perform and are getting more comfortable in front of people. Yo-Yoing, albeit odd, has really been a good focus for these two. Finding something that a 15 year old can focus on that isn't a girl, has been a blessing!!

Charlotte's Web

My son, The Gander in the 4th grade production of Charlotte's Web. It would make any mother proud. God love my son. He wore this costume and didn't complain too much. I am guessing since he is turning 11 next month, this will be one of the last times he will want to wear a costume. My husband, Curt, put up a mild protest to the feather boa being cut up and attached, but it went on.
After taking two photos, my camera informed me to change the battery pack. I don't have another battery pack and the photos I had taken weren't of Sam! Panic!!! Breathe in. Breathe out. OK this isn't a big deal, I'll just rush home immediately after and grab the other camera. I did, and actually charged the battery from the Canon on the way to the school. Can't make things easy, I guess.

Yo-Yo Trip and The Wall

This is my oldest, Will. He placed 3rd in the South East Regional US Yo-Yo Contest last weekend. He and I traveled to Tallahassee, FL (a beautiful town, btw) and had a great time and conversation there and back. We listened and analyzed "The Wall" by Pink Floyd. Never in a million years would I have thought I would be doing that with my own child!! He is also into The Beatles. They were never one of my favorites, but listening to them with Will has given me a new appreciation for their music. He will be 15 in less than a month. To all of you bloggers with young kids---get ready. One minute you are taking them to kindergarten and the next you are analyzing music from your era!! We are blessed...through good times and even in the seemingly unbearable times. I think it is incredible to be a part of this blogging world and share in everyone's lives.

Dr. Suess Flower!

Doesn't this look like inspiration for something in a Dr. Suess book?!

Colors in Florida!

I just bought a new macro/fish eye and decided to try it out in the yard and Neighborhood

New tomato blossom!!!!!

Red Hibiscus

Coconut at the end of our cul-de-sac

My "sitting place" among the Areca Palms in the back yard!