PILLOW TALK
Last night hubby and I dragged the kids out mattress shopping again. (Let me reiterate the fact that kids love mattress shopping. Seriously, y'all.) This time we revisited a store that I'd pre-visited yesterday morning. The store sells only Serta mattress sets, and let me tell you, Serta has some nice products.
After about 45 minutes of rolling around on a dozen or so different mattresses, hubby and I finally found one that we both liked. (I swear I heard a heavenly choir singing "HALLELUJAH, THEY AGREE!") The only problem was the price, which was approximately $400 more than we'd planned to spend. But then the salesguy pointed out that the bed was already on sale for $500 off it's original price; he agreed to take 10% more off; then he reminded us that delivery charges are rebated in full. So with all those discounts, we figured what the heck.
Twenty minutes later, as we were driving home, the realization hit both of us that we'd just shot our mattress budget. Despite the fact that we'd rationalized all the discounts and the fact that this is one smokin' bed, the almighty dollar was laughing at us. "HAHA!" it said. "You think you're such a tightwad, but look at how many of me you just spent! Losers!" Okay, maybe this "dollar" was in my head, or maybe it was just my conscience, but in any event, I was no longer pleased with our purchase.
So today, after hours of stressing over the whole mattress fiasco, I decided to take advantage of Serta's 30-day no-questions-asked return policy and cancel our order. (We don't actually have the bed yet, so no mattressy stuff changed hands.) I marched down to the store and sheepishly asked the salesman - whom I'll hereafter call Joel, as that is his name - if I could look at something a little less expensive. He was the same guy I'd dealt with yesterday, so he was more than accommodating. Actually, I think he was happy I didn't just bail on his commission, but whatever.
I spent about 15 minutes re-deciding on a mattress that hubby and I would both like. I chose one, then went up to the register to tell Joel what I'd decided. He started to ring it up, then said that since he knew how much time hubby and I had anguished over our initial decision last night, would I be willing to consider another offer. I was like, hey, if it's going to save me money, let's hear it! Joel then said that he'd be willing to discount the original mattress set another $100 plus tax, which while not bringing us down to our original budget, sure brought us closer.
Therefore, our new mattress set, which will be delivered Thursday afternoon, has now been discounted thusly:
$500 off original price
10% off sale price
$60 delivery fee refunded
AND - $108.25 more off all that
Hubby was very happy that I'd gone to all that trouble - he said he'd have never had the guts to go back in there and negotiate. (Normally, I'm not that gutsy, either, but I knew how much it was stressing us out, so I think adrenaline played a role here.) We're both thrilled that we'll finally have a good mattress set that will help our back/neck pain.
Now I just can't wait until Thursday!
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Monday, May 08, 2006
GENERAL SUCKITUDE
This past weekend, that is. Saturday I spent in bed and/or on the sofa because I was...what's the word for thirty-miles-beyond-tired? Anyway, I am hoping that it was residual Vicodin making me groggy, and not that I'm anemic or something.
After my latest surprise diagnosis at the doctor's office, I'm afraid of everything now. In particular, I'm afraid I have lupus. Never mind the fact that I have exactly two of the fifteen symptoms of it - I'm tired and had a joint ache! Gah! I'm dying!
At least, that's what my fuzzy and befuddled brain is telling me these days.
Sheesh.
Actually, the doctor did suggest I have bloodwork done to test for lupus. BUT - she only said that because I told her my mother once had it. If I'd not mentioned it, she'd not have even thought of it. In retrospect, I'm surprised she even heard me, as it appeared throughout my visit that she wasn't listening to a word I said. In any event, having bloodwork done is probably not a bad idea. Maybe I'll even go ahead and schedule that mammogram. After all, I'll be 40. Someday. ;)
Breaking news: Hubby and I have decided it's time to buy a new bed, so we spent yesterday afternoon reclining on about 50 different beds in the greater Houston area. (BTW, if you ever need an activity that your kids are guaranteed to enjoy, take them mattress shopping.) We can't exactly agree on what kind of bed we want - hubby wants firmness; I want squishiness; the kids want Tempurpedic, but (a)ew, hubby and I don't like Tempurpedic, and (2) the kids aren't getting new beds anyway, so they don't get a vote. We're torn between two different mattresses at the moment, but I think we're going to make a final decision tonight. One bed is a name-brand, but costs $400 more than the other one, which at the moment feels just as good.
Any input from the peanut gallery? We're about to drop nearly a grand, so suggestions would be most welcomed.
This past weekend, that is. Saturday I spent in bed and/or on the sofa because I was...what's the word for thirty-miles-beyond-tired? Anyway, I am hoping that it was residual Vicodin making me groggy, and not that I'm anemic or something.
After my latest surprise diagnosis at the doctor's office, I'm afraid of everything now. In particular, I'm afraid I have lupus. Never mind the fact that I have exactly two of the fifteen symptoms of it - I'm tired and had a joint ache! Gah! I'm dying!
At least, that's what my fuzzy and befuddled brain is telling me these days.
Sheesh.
Actually, the doctor did suggest I have bloodwork done to test for lupus. BUT - she only said that because I told her my mother once had it. If I'd not mentioned it, she'd not have even thought of it. In retrospect, I'm surprised she even heard me, as it appeared throughout my visit that she wasn't listening to a word I said. In any event, having bloodwork done is probably not a bad idea. Maybe I'll even go ahead and schedule that mammogram. After all, I'll be 40. Someday. ;)
Breaking news: Hubby and I have decided it's time to buy a new bed, so we spent yesterday afternoon reclining on about 50 different beds in the greater Houston area. (BTW, if you ever need an activity that your kids are guaranteed to enjoy, take them mattress shopping.) We can't exactly agree on what kind of bed we want - hubby wants firmness; I want squishiness; the kids want Tempurpedic, but (a)ew, hubby and I don't like Tempurpedic, and (2) the kids aren't getting new beds anyway, so they don't get a vote. We're torn between two different mattresses at the moment, but I think we're going to make a final decision tonight. One bed is a name-brand, but costs $400 more than the other one, which at the moment feels just as good.
Any input from the peanut gallery? We're about to drop nearly a grand, so suggestions would be most welcomed.
Friday, May 05, 2006
DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING
Yesterday I received a letter in the mail from the physician I recently saw for my back pain. In addition to a "this is what's wrong with you" letter that contained a bunch of mumbo jumbo in medical-professional speak, I also received a little form letter. This letter has a bunch of options that physicians can easily check off to let you know lab results - i.e. "Bloodwork normal," "See us for follow-up," etc. You get the drift.
The line they checked off for me originally said, "Your x-rays came back normal." Only they had used a pen to cross off the word "normal," and written in "lower back - mild arthritis; scoliosis" and "upper back - scoliosis."
Er, that was surprising. What was also surprising was the fact neither letter told me what I should do next. Do I need to see the doctor again? Do I need to start taking glucosamine? Do I need to get my affairs in order? (Kidding, but at 2:00 this morning, I'd worked myself up pretty well.) I showed the letters to my sisters, who both came back with the same answer: "What are you supposed to do about it?"
I know, right?
I was going to call the doctor today, but I forgot. I was awake half the night with a little backache and a mind full of "I'm too young to have arthritis." I was so tired today that I slept for over two solid hours this afternoon.
This morning I took Tnk to physical therapy for her hand. She has PT three times a week, for over two hours at a time. Let me tell you, it was hard to stay awake, but at least *I* wasn't being poked and prodded.
Anyway, I'm definitely going to call the doctor on Monday. Hopefully I'll remember.
Yesterday I received a letter in the mail from the physician I recently saw for my back pain. In addition to a "this is what's wrong with you" letter that contained a bunch of mumbo jumbo in medical-professional speak, I also received a little form letter. This letter has a bunch of options that physicians can easily check off to let you know lab results - i.e. "Bloodwork normal," "See us for follow-up," etc. You get the drift.
The line they checked off for me originally said, "Your x-rays came back normal." Only they had used a pen to cross off the word "normal," and written in "lower back - mild arthritis; scoliosis" and "upper back - scoliosis."
Er, that was surprising. What was also surprising was the fact neither letter told me what I should do next. Do I need to see the doctor again? Do I need to start taking glucosamine? Do I need to get my affairs in order? (Kidding, but at 2:00 this morning, I'd worked myself up pretty well.) I showed the letters to my sisters, who both came back with the same answer: "What are you supposed to do about it?"
I know, right?
I was going to call the doctor today, but I forgot. I was awake half the night with a little backache and a mind full of "I'm too young to have arthritis." I was so tired today that I slept for over two solid hours this afternoon.
This morning I took Tnk to physical therapy for her hand. She has PT three times a week, for over two hours at a time. Let me tell you, it was hard to stay awake, but at least *I* wasn't being poked and prodded.
Anyway, I'm definitely going to call the doctor on Monday. Hopefully I'll remember.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
BIG TIME UPDATE. GRAB SOME COFFEE AND HAVE A SEAT.
I can't believe I've been away from my blog for nearly a month. I hope I haven't lost all my cyber friends in my absence. I'll do my best to not let it happen again.
Here we go!
Thursday, April 6th – Went to Payless to buy some new shoes for K. He now officially has bigger feet than I do. He’s twelve years old, for goodness sake. That depresses me.
On the way home from the shoe store, I heard a weird banging sound, which was followed shortly thereafter by a very loud hum. Turns out I’d blown a tire without even running over anything. Leave it to me. Heh.
Morning of Friday, April 7th – Went to Discount Tire to have the tire replaced. I was so happy that I had full replacement coverage on that tire. But upon closer inspection, it turned out that what I really needed were four new tires. Thankfully, the one that had blown out, and its twin on the other side, both had replacement coverage, and thus cost me $14 each. Then I had to buy two new ones for the front. How on earth two $90 tires plus two $14 tires ended up costing $300 is beyond me…fuzzy math, that.
While at Discount Tire, I heard someone call my name. I looked up to see my old (like, since-first-grade old) friend G standing there. We spent the next hour catching up on recent events. During our chat, she invited me to go scrapbooking with her that night, and of course I jumped at the chance.
Evening of Friday, April 7th – G picked me up and drove us to the place where we’d spend the next few hours scrapping. For some reason, I was unhappy with every page I worked on, so I eventually gave up and spent the last hour or so just organizing my stuff. We left the crop at 12:30 a.m. and were driving home when BANG! We were hit by a drunk driver. A 17-year-old drunk driver. Thank God no one was seriously injured – although I did later call my EMTsis and tell her to watch out, because that made two of us three sisters who’d been hit by drunks within a month!
Saturday, April 8th – Hubby, the kids, and I went to watch Houston’s new Major League Soccer team, the Dynamo, play the Kansas City Wizards. In a stunning loss, the Dynamo folded to the Wiz 2-1. But on a high note, we met some really cool ladies who had flown in from San Jose (from whence the Dynamo came) just to watch the game. Ry was wearing a San Jose t-shirt, so we joked that we were going to send him back to California with them.
Sunday, April 9th – Tired from the week’s activity, I stayed in bed until nearly noon. When I did get up, I spent the day doing a little laundry and a lot of grocery shopping (wow, exciting...wonder why I stayed in bed so long?). By evening, I was very grateful for our new tradition of having dinner at the in-laws every Sunday night.
Monday, April 10th – Six more hours of laundry; five hours of ironing; NO sleep last night.
Morning of Tuesday, April 11th – Today I checked out a new dollar store. It had a lot of stuff, but was not as “cool” as Dollar Tree. (Dollar Tree has cheap scrapbooking supplies, so yes, they are cool.) Anyway, while I was at this other store, I picked up a bottle of Lysol and accidentally knocked an openbottle of ammonia on the floor and all over myself. I was soaked from my knees down. I sloshed up to the register and told the cashier what had happened. In spite of the fact that someone had left an open bottle of disinfectant on a shelf, and in spite of my discomfort and the disinfectant-y smell permeating from my jeans and shoes, I was actually pleasant to her. In response, she grunted and turned her back on me. Guess you get what you pay for.
Afternoon of Tuesday, April 11th – Took the canine for her first official vet visit since we adopted her. She was a barking, growling, straining-at-the-leash pain in the rear, even though she didn’t need shots or anything. Goofy dog. Fortunately, she’s perfectly healthy. Yay.
Also today: Happy birthday, J! I hope you had a great day. Love ya!
Wednesday, April 12th – Took Bailey to the groomer for a much-needed bath and haircut. She loved it last time; hated it this time. I reiterate: goofy dog.
Tonight was P’s Seussical Musical performance at school. She had a small singing and dancing part, which was terribly cute. Elementary school shows can be so entertaining.
Thursday, April 13th – Spent the day packing for Florida. The excitement is about to kill me.
Friday, April 14th – Got on a plane for the first time in 5 1/2 years. I wasn't drinking or anything, and I actually boarded willingly! The flight couldn’t have gone more smoothly. If all flights were like that, I’d become a flight attendant.
Yeah right.
Morning and afternoon of Saturday, April 15th – Hubby and I drove two hours south of Ft. Lauderdale to Homestead, where we’d been rudely kicked out by Hurricane Andrew 14 years prior. What we saw there was almost indescribable. Heartbreaking. Emptiness. I couldn’t stop the tears for what was, what is, and what could have been…
Evening of Saturday, April 15th – The reason for our trip to Florida in the first place: Alan Parsons concert. For the record, “Silence and I” – best live song EVER. After the show, we got to go backstage to meet the band and Alan (again). It was great to see them, but we also met some goofy-ass fan club members...geez, people; get a life.
Sunday, April 16th – Celebrated Easter with lunch at Bennigan’s. Later that day I had a backache for no apparent reason, but overall it was a great day. We also went to the beach – Florida has the BEST beaches, by the way - then later went out to dinner. Hubby got lit. He never gets drunk anymore, so it was quite funny to see. He tried to get me to buy a Corona bikini. Yes, the actual beer Corona. Fortunately, *I* was not lit.
Monday, April 17th – Sad to leave Florida, but couldn’t wait to see the kids. Flight back was as nice as the flight out, so apparently I had good flight juju this weekend.
Tuesday, April 18th – Back to the grind. Whee.
Rest of this week – Fairly uneventful. At least, I don’t remember much about it. Same old, same old.
Monday, April 24th – Kids out of school. Agreed to take them down to daddy’s office so they could see it, then we’d all go out to lunch together. But before we left, I took them to the local Donuts and Burgers (yes, that’s the name of it) for breakfast. As I was reaching for my Diet Coke (no donuts for me; good little me), my back spasmed so hard I could not breathe nor speak. Scary, that. We did end up going to lunch with hubby, but it was a long drive for me to make with a pained back. By the time we got back home, I was in misery. Every time I’d try to move, get up, turn around, reach, whatever, I felt what could only be described as a full-blown labor pain contraction. Only I’m not pregnant. I don't think I’ve ever hurt that much.
Tuesday, April 25th – Went to the doctor about my back pain. She did not listen to me at all – told me I had no tolerance for strenuous activities; that the last time I was in their office, it was also for pain (see blog entry “Tennis, Anyone?” – from months and months ago); that she once had muscle spasms when she reached up to get a dish from her cabinet (I was not reaching up – see, she didn’t listen to me). I was ready to read her the riot act, but I was already in tears from the pain. Then she said she was going to prescribe Vicodin and a muscle relaxant, which sounded good to me. So I just waited for the scrips and got out of there. Oh, I also had to have eight X-rays, which was misery in and of itself. But the sweet X-ray tech felt sorry for me because I couldn’t stop crying, and her concern did redeem the medical office somewhat. But I’ll never go back to that doctor again. How hard is it to listen to a patient? I couldn’t fit a word in edgewise over all her "uh huh, uh huhs" and nonsensical chatter.
Wednesday and Thursday, April 26th and 27th – Still in pain, but it’s definitely abating. I even did some grocery shopping on Thursday.
Friday, April 28th – Spent all day doing laundry. All.Day. Of course, I have more to do now, but it was nice while it lasted. And hopefully all that activity won’t re-injure my back.
Saturday, April 29th – Hubby and the boys went camping, so P and I spent the day scrapbooking with hubby’s sister and mother. It was a very good day, and I was exhausted by the end of it. Who knew scrapbooking was so labor intensive?
Sunday, April 30th – P and I went to the dollar store to buy some more scrapbooking supplies (to all scrappers out there: check out your local Dollar Tree. They’ve got great stuff!), then we picked up Sonic for lunch and ate it here at home. Hubby and the boys got home around 3:00, then hubby and I mowed and edged the front lawn. Then we all went to the in-law’s house for dinner. We even watched “Shane,” the old Alan Ladd movie. Got home around 9:30 and put the kids straight to bed.
Monday, May 1st – Played a serious catch-up game with my blog. Even hubby has been nagging me to update it. I hope you’ve all been doing well. As soon as I get a minute, I’m going to catch up on reading your blogs, too!
Tuesday, May 2nd – Had lunch with sisters today. It was nice to see them. Just got back from lunch (Tnk paid the bill, but I said I'd leave the tip). It was really good to sit and visit for awhile. Tnk is doing well - she's healing nicely, although her hands are going to have some serious scarring. But her demeanor was good, and she's motivated to get back to 100%, so I'm optimistic about her recovery. I still get sad, though, when I realize how close we came to losing her. I can't even think about that - it makes me cry every time. In spite of everything, they're my family and I love them.
Good news: The drunk who hit her still sits in jail, and it's been about 50 days since the wreck. Thank God for small favors. Or big ones. This might qualify as a big one.
And Pezzie – I’ve missed you guys, too. :)
I can't believe I've been away from my blog for nearly a month. I hope I haven't lost all my cyber friends in my absence. I'll do my best to not let it happen again.
Here we go!
Thursday, April 6th – Went to Payless to buy some new shoes for K. He now officially has bigger feet than I do. He’s twelve years old, for goodness sake. That depresses me.
On the way home from the shoe store, I heard a weird banging sound, which was followed shortly thereafter by a very loud hum. Turns out I’d blown a tire without even running over anything. Leave it to me. Heh.
Morning of Friday, April 7th – Went to Discount Tire to have the tire replaced. I was so happy that I had full replacement coverage on that tire. But upon closer inspection, it turned out that what I really needed were four new tires. Thankfully, the one that had blown out, and its twin on the other side, both had replacement coverage, and thus cost me $14 each. Then I had to buy two new ones for the front. How on earth two $90 tires plus two $14 tires ended up costing $300 is beyond me…fuzzy math, that.
While at Discount Tire, I heard someone call my name. I looked up to see my old (like, since-first-grade old) friend G standing there. We spent the next hour catching up on recent events. During our chat, she invited me to go scrapbooking with her that night, and of course I jumped at the chance.
Evening of Friday, April 7th – G picked me up and drove us to the place where we’d spend the next few hours scrapping. For some reason, I was unhappy with every page I worked on, so I eventually gave up and spent the last hour or so just organizing my stuff. We left the crop at 12:30 a.m. and were driving home when BANG! We were hit by a drunk driver. A 17-year-old drunk driver. Thank God no one was seriously injured – although I did later call my EMTsis and tell her to watch out, because that made two of us three sisters who’d been hit by drunks within a month!
Saturday, April 8th – Hubby, the kids, and I went to watch Houston’s new Major League Soccer team, the Dynamo, play the Kansas City Wizards. In a stunning loss, the Dynamo folded to the Wiz 2-1. But on a high note, we met some really cool ladies who had flown in from San Jose (from whence the Dynamo came) just to watch the game. Ry was wearing a San Jose t-shirt, so we joked that we were going to send him back to California with them.
Sunday, April 9th – Tired from the week’s activity, I stayed in bed until nearly noon. When I did get up, I spent the day doing a little laundry and a lot of grocery shopping (wow, exciting...wonder why I stayed in bed so long?). By evening, I was very grateful for our new tradition of having dinner at the in-laws every Sunday night.
Monday, April 10th – Six more hours of laundry; five hours of ironing; NO sleep last night.
Morning of Tuesday, April 11th – Today I checked out a new dollar store. It had a lot of stuff, but was not as “cool” as Dollar Tree. (Dollar Tree has cheap scrapbooking supplies, so yes, they are cool.) Anyway, while I was at this other store, I picked up a bottle of Lysol and accidentally knocked an openbottle of ammonia on the floor and all over myself. I was soaked from my knees down. I sloshed up to the register and told the cashier what had happened. In spite of the fact that someone had left an open bottle of disinfectant on a shelf, and in spite of my discomfort and the disinfectant-y smell permeating from my jeans and shoes, I was actually pleasant to her. In response, she grunted and turned her back on me. Guess you get what you pay for.
Afternoon of Tuesday, April 11th – Took the canine for her first official vet visit since we adopted her. She was a barking, growling, straining-at-the-leash pain in the rear, even though she didn’t need shots or anything. Goofy dog. Fortunately, she’s perfectly healthy. Yay.
Also today: Happy birthday, J! I hope you had a great day. Love ya!
Wednesday, April 12th – Took Bailey to the groomer for a much-needed bath and haircut. She loved it last time; hated it this time. I reiterate: goofy dog.
Tonight was P’s Seussical Musical performance at school. She had a small singing and dancing part, which was terribly cute. Elementary school shows can be so entertaining.
Thursday, April 13th – Spent the day packing for Florida. The excitement is about to kill me.
Friday, April 14th – Got on a plane for the first time in 5 1/2 years. I wasn't drinking or anything, and I actually boarded willingly! The flight couldn’t have gone more smoothly. If all flights were like that, I’d become a flight attendant.
Yeah right.
Morning and afternoon of Saturday, April 15th – Hubby and I drove two hours south of Ft. Lauderdale to Homestead, where we’d been rudely kicked out by Hurricane Andrew 14 years prior. What we saw there was almost indescribable. Heartbreaking. Emptiness. I couldn’t stop the tears for what was, what is, and what could have been…
Evening of Saturday, April 15th – The reason for our trip to Florida in the first place: Alan Parsons concert. For the record, “Silence and I” – best live song EVER. After the show, we got to go backstage to meet the band and Alan (again). It was great to see them, but we also met some goofy-ass fan club members...geez, people; get a life.
Sunday, April 16th – Celebrated Easter with lunch at Bennigan’s. Later that day I had a backache for no apparent reason, but overall it was a great day. We also went to the beach – Florida has the BEST beaches, by the way - then later went out to dinner. Hubby got lit. He never gets drunk anymore, so it was quite funny to see. He tried to get me to buy a Corona bikini. Yes, the actual beer Corona. Fortunately, *I* was not lit.
Monday, April 17th – Sad to leave Florida, but couldn’t wait to see the kids. Flight back was as nice as the flight out, so apparently I had good flight juju this weekend.
Tuesday, April 18th – Back to the grind. Whee.
Rest of this week – Fairly uneventful. At least, I don’t remember much about it. Same old, same old.
Monday, April 24th – Kids out of school. Agreed to take them down to daddy’s office so they could see it, then we’d all go out to lunch together. But before we left, I took them to the local Donuts and Burgers (yes, that’s the name of it) for breakfast. As I was reaching for my Diet Coke (no donuts for me; good little me), my back spasmed so hard I could not breathe nor speak. Scary, that. We did end up going to lunch with hubby, but it was a long drive for me to make with a pained back. By the time we got back home, I was in misery. Every time I’d try to move, get up, turn around, reach, whatever, I felt what could only be described as a full-blown labor pain contraction. Only I’m not pregnant. I don't think I’ve ever hurt that much.
Tuesday, April 25th – Went to the doctor about my back pain. She did not listen to me at all – told me I had no tolerance for strenuous activities; that the last time I was in their office, it was also for pain (see blog entry “Tennis, Anyone?” – from months and months ago); that she once had muscle spasms when she reached up to get a dish from her cabinet (I was not reaching up – see, she didn’t listen to me). I was ready to read her the riot act, but I was already in tears from the pain. Then she said she was going to prescribe Vicodin and a muscle relaxant, which sounded good to me. So I just waited for the scrips and got out of there. Oh, I also had to have eight X-rays, which was misery in and of itself. But the sweet X-ray tech felt sorry for me because I couldn’t stop crying, and her concern did redeem the medical office somewhat. But I’ll never go back to that doctor again. How hard is it to listen to a patient? I couldn’t fit a word in edgewise over all her "uh huh, uh huhs" and nonsensical chatter.
Wednesday and Thursday, April 26th and 27th – Still in pain, but it’s definitely abating. I even did some grocery shopping on Thursday.
Friday, April 28th – Spent all day doing laundry. All.Day. Of course, I have more to do now, but it was nice while it lasted. And hopefully all that activity won’t re-injure my back.
Saturday, April 29th – Hubby and the boys went camping, so P and I spent the day scrapbooking with hubby’s sister and mother. It was a very good day, and I was exhausted by the end of it. Who knew scrapbooking was so labor intensive?
Sunday, April 30th – P and I went to the dollar store to buy some more scrapbooking supplies (to all scrappers out there: check out your local Dollar Tree. They’ve got great stuff!), then we picked up Sonic for lunch and ate it here at home. Hubby and the boys got home around 3:00, then hubby and I mowed and edged the front lawn. Then we all went to the in-law’s house for dinner. We even watched “Shane,” the old Alan Ladd movie. Got home around 9:30 and put the kids straight to bed.
Monday, May 1st – Played a serious catch-up game with my blog. Even hubby has been nagging me to update it. I hope you’ve all been doing well. As soon as I get a minute, I’m going to catch up on reading your blogs, too!
Tuesday, May 2nd – Had lunch with sisters today. It was nice to see them. Just got back from lunch (Tnk paid the bill, but I said I'd leave the tip). It was really good to sit and visit for awhile. Tnk is doing well - she's healing nicely, although her hands are going to have some serious scarring. But her demeanor was good, and she's motivated to get back to 100%, so I'm optimistic about her recovery. I still get sad, though, when I realize how close we came to losing her. I can't even think about that - it makes me cry every time. In spite of everything, they're my family and I love them.
Good news: The drunk who hit her still sits in jail, and it's been about 50 days since the wreck. Thank God for small favors. Or big ones. This might qualify as a big one.
And Pezzie – I’ve missed you guys, too. :)
Monday, May 01, 2006
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
WHADDAYA THINK?
I like this new format. It fits the new me, don't you think? All lighthearted and gay...yep, that's me.
Today I availed myself of the local thrift shop, where I got some really nice clothes for some really crazy-cheap prices. Even scored a pair of brand-new-with-tags Gap khakis for $1.25. Now that, my friends, is a good deal.
I was able to shop today for two reasons: (1) my foot is feeling better, and (2) we're going to Florida, baby! And get this - we're flying. We got a great deal from Hotwire.com, so we decided to go for it. In a way, I'm relieved we're not going to be spending 25 hours in the car. On the other hand, I'm scared freakin' snarfless of flying.
Stupid 9/11.
I'm not a chicken, really, but I do admit to wondering aloud how early in the morning I'm allowed to have hard liquor before I board a plane. Okay, not really. Well, not really that you know. Heh. [sigh]
In other, less exciting news, some of our digital cable channels went out this morning. Frustration ensued. We can't get Food Network (ch. 52), nor any channel over 100. I've already called the cable company, but unfortunately they can't fix it just by sending a new signal, so a service tech is scheduled to come out tomorrow afternoon. Bleh, I hate waiting on techs, particularly when I'm home alone.
Oh my dog, I am a chicken. Buh-GAWK!
I like this new format. It fits the new me, don't you think? All lighthearted and gay...yep, that's me.
Today I availed myself of the local thrift shop, where I got some really nice clothes for some really crazy-cheap prices. Even scored a pair of brand-new-with-tags Gap khakis for $1.25. Now that, my friends, is a good deal.
I was able to shop today for two reasons: (1) my foot is feeling better, and (2) we're going to Florida, baby! And get this - we're flying. We got a great deal from Hotwire.com, so we decided to go for it. In a way, I'm relieved we're not going to be spending 25 hours in the car. On the other hand, I'm scared freakin' snarfless of flying.
Stupid 9/11.
I'm not a chicken, really, but I do admit to wondering aloud how early in the morning I'm allowed to have hard liquor before I board a plane. Okay, not really. Well, not really that you know. Heh. [sigh]
In other, less exciting news, some of our digital cable channels went out this morning. Frustration ensued. We can't get Food Network (ch. 52), nor any channel over 100. I've already called the cable company, but unfortunately they can't fix it just by sending a new signal, so a service tech is scheduled to come out tomorrow afternoon. Bleh, I hate waiting on techs, particularly when I'm home alone.
Oh my dog, I am a chicken. Buh-GAWK!
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
THIS IS WHAT FOOLISH PEOPLE DO
This weekend I did this tour with my sister in law and mother in law:
Basically, I wasted fifteen bucks and killed my feet. Seriously, I killed my feet. Okay, just the right foot, but it hurts enough that both of them wish they were dead.
A word of advice: If you're going to take a walking tour, wear walking shoes.
I know, I know, that's so obvious that it technically doesn't qualify as advice. But did I take my own "advice"? I think we all know that I did not. I foolishly went straight from church to the tour. Actually, that's not true; I did go home first. But I didn't change shoes because I was thinking we'd drive to each house, get out, walk through, get back into car, drive to next house, lather, rinse, repeat. Only that's not what happened. We drove to the bus stop, rode bus to first house, stood in the heat for 35 minutes just to get in to the house, then caught the bus again.
This pattern would have worked, had we stuck with it, but nope. After the second house (a beautiful 3-story of recent construction - ripoff, in my opinion; this was supposed to be a historical tour) SIL said, "it's just a few blocks to the next few houses - let's walk!" I said, "..."
So the fault lies completely with me for not speaking up. The moral of this story is that cute little 3" wedges are good for church, but suck for walking tours.
This weekend I did this tour with my sister in law and mother in law:
Basically, I wasted fifteen bucks and killed my feet. Seriously, I killed my feet. Okay, just the right foot, but it hurts enough that both of them wish they were dead.
A word of advice: If you're going to take a walking tour, wear walking shoes.
I know, I know, that's so obvious that it technically doesn't qualify as advice. But did I take my own "advice"? I think we all know that I did not. I foolishly went straight from church to the tour. Actually, that's not true; I did go home first. But I didn't change shoes because I was thinking we'd drive to each house, get out, walk through, get back into car, drive to next house, lather, rinse, repeat. Only that's not what happened. We drove to the bus stop, rode bus to first house, stood in the heat for 35 minutes just to get in to the house, then caught the bus again.
This pattern would have worked, had we stuck with it, but nope. After the second house (a beautiful 3-story of recent construction - ripoff, in my opinion; this was supposed to be a historical tour) SIL said, "it's just a few blocks to the next few houses - let's walk!" I said, "..."
So the fault lies completely with me for not speaking up. The moral of this story is that cute little 3" wedges are good for church, but suck for walking tours.
Friday, March 31, 2006
First of all, what the heck is up with the title-less blog entries? I can't do titles this morning - the box is completely missing, no matter how often I re-sign in or refresh this page. Growl. Anyway, if it ever shows up again, this will be the title of this post:
Somewhat Plagiarized
This post, that is. The following is a little ditty my husband wrote up for me (speaking as if from me, even) after the chaotic events of last Tuesday. And I quote...
My opinion on opinions
"The thing is: I don’t think the blog issue is something to be UPSET about. I do think it is something one can have an opinion about. In this case, my opinion differs from that of my sisters’ -- and guess what? I realize my differing opinion doesn’t trump theirs. If I had known their opinion, I would have respected it and taken my online therapy down. That’s the really cool thing about opinions: they don’t all have to be the same. In fact, something the most vociferous and opinionated of Americans fail to realize is that opinions can even be mutually exclusive and both be correct. Opinions are not truths.
I realize this and would have shelved my opinions for the sake of my sister’s (or sisters’, since they often act as one) comfort.
The question here isn’t whether my opinion on blogs is better than another’s opinion on blogs; the question is: should one bestow so much sanctity to their capricious opinions that those opinions must be fed by the ruin of others. Do one’s opinions deserve more attention than one’s humanity, civility, or familial love? In America that seems more and more the case…and it certainly does in this family."
I couldn't agree more, hubby. Thank you for always, always having my back.
Somewhat Plagiarized
This post, that is. The following is a little ditty my husband wrote up for me (speaking as if from me, even) after the chaotic events of last Tuesday. And I quote...
My opinion on opinions
"The thing is: I don’t think the blog issue is something to be UPSET about. I do think it is something one can have an opinion about. In this case, my opinion differs from that of my sisters’ -- and guess what? I realize my differing opinion doesn’t trump theirs. If I had known their opinion, I would have respected it and taken my online therapy down. That’s the really cool thing about opinions: they don’t all have to be the same. In fact, something the most vociferous and opinionated of Americans fail to realize is that opinions can even be mutually exclusive and both be correct. Opinions are not truths.
I realize this and would have shelved my opinions for the sake of my sister’s (or sisters’, since they often act as one) comfort.
The question here isn’t whether my opinion on blogs is better than another’s opinion on blogs; the question is: should one bestow so much sanctity to their capricious opinions that those opinions must be fed by the ruin of others. Do one’s opinions deserve more attention than one’s humanity, civility, or familial love? In America that seems more and more the case…and it certainly does in this family."
I couldn't agree more, hubby. Thank you for always, always having my back.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
I didn't have to cook last night...
...because my daughter made dinner instead. She's only 8 years old, but she made some delicious vegetarian lasagna from a kids' cookbook that she bought at book fair. The only parts I helped with were separating the egg and putting the dish into the oven. That's it! I am so proud of P. Man, I wish I'd taken a picture of her cooking - she was absolutely beaming.
She's supposed to cook again tonight (spaghetti squash this time), but we'll see if she wants to. Sometimes the school day just sucks the energy right out of you. If she does end up cooking, I'll definitely take pictures.
In other news, hubby and I are going to Florida next month to see Alan Parsons. Airfare to the sunshine state is ridiculous this time of year, so we've decided to drive. We'll be covering about 3000 miles in about 4.25 days. Don't worry, it sounds worse than it is - hubby and I are actually excited at the prospect of spending a few days alone together. (Gotta love grandparents! :)
I spent most of yesterday and part of today online trying to figure out the best deals on car rentals, hotels, and the like. I love this kind of stuff. I always wanted to be a travel agent, and now I get to pretend I am one.
Update on K: He is still wearing his splint and sling to school, but per doctor's orders, he takes both off at night. For the most part, his arm is healing very well, but it does ache after awhile. He ices it down nearly every night. Next Monday, K starts taking private guitar lessons. He's SO excited about that - so much so, in fact, that he's actually bringing some of the arm-achiness on himself: he practices guitar every night so that he'll be "ready" when the lessons start. I'm proud of his perseverance, but sometimes I do wish he'd take a little time off to rest his arm.
Update on R (since I haven't talked about him in awhile): Last night was the end of the one-month deal we made with him about Karate. [Deal: We pay for one month; you stick it out for one month. Period.] Up until yesterday afternoon, he was saying, "Only one more class to go! Yay!" But then last night he changed his mind and said he wants to stay in the class. I don't know what caused the turnaround, but I am so happy that he's decided to follow through with this. We're still doing the "one month paid/one month committed" deal with him, and will continue to do so as long as he's enjoying it. Personally, I think he likes it because he "owns" it. Meaning, K and P do not do Karate. He's a big shot in his little world. What a sweetie.
Update on Me: Well, this week has been very quiet so far. And that's a GOOD thing! I haven't been able to see Tnk since last Friday, which sucks, but I understand how busy she is with all her doctor appointments. Hopefully I'll be able to visit with her tomorrow. And the other good thing is that I have no funerals to attend this week. That I know of...oh dear, I hope I didn't just jinx myself!
Well, now you're all caught up. I'll post tomorrow about whether Pey cooked or not. Maybe I can even figure out how to attach pictures here with my camcorder (don't have the luxury of a digital camera yet, but hubby wants one before we go to Florida - we shall see!).
She's supposed to cook again tonight (spaghetti squash this time), but we'll see if she wants to. Sometimes the school day just sucks the energy right out of you. If she does end up cooking, I'll definitely take pictures.
In other news, hubby and I are going to Florida next month to see Alan Parsons. Airfare to the sunshine state is ridiculous this time of year, so we've decided to drive. We'll be covering about 3000 miles in about 4.25 days. Don't worry, it sounds worse than it is - hubby and I are actually excited at the prospect of spending a few days alone together. (Gotta love grandparents! :)
I spent most of yesterday and part of today online trying to figure out the best deals on car rentals, hotels, and the like. I love this kind of stuff. I always wanted to be a travel agent, and now I get to pretend I am one.
Update on K: He is still wearing his splint and sling to school, but per doctor's orders, he takes both off at night. For the most part, his arm is healing very well, but it does ache after awhile. He ices it down nearly every night. Next Monday, K starts taking private guitar lessons. He's SO excited about that - so much so, in fact, that he's actually bringing some of the arm-achiness on himself: he practices guitar every night so that he'll be "ready" when the lessons start. I'm proud of his perseverance, but sometimes I do wish he'd take a little time off to rest his arm.
Update on R (since I haven't talked about him in awhile): Last night was the end of the one-month deal we made with him about Karate. [Deal: We pay for one month; you stick it out for one month. Period.] Up until yesterday afternoon, he was saying, "Only one more class to go! Yay!" But then last night he changed his mind and said he wants to stay in the class. I don't know what caused the turnaround, but I am so happy that he's decided to follow through with this. We're still doing the "one month paid/one month committed" deal with him, and will continue to do so as long as he's enjoying it. Personally, I think he likes it because he "owns" it. Meaning, K and P do not do Karate. He's a big shot in his little world. What a sweetie.
Update on Me: Well, this week has been very quiet so far. And that's a GOOD thing! I haven't been able to see Tnk since last Friday, which sucks, but I understand how busy she is with all her doctor appointments. Hopefully I'll be able to visit with her tomorrow. And the other good thing is that I have no funerals to attend this week. That I know of...oh dear, I hope I didn't just jinx myself!
Well, now you're all caught up. I'll post tomorrow about whether Pey cooked or not. Maybe I can even figure out how to attach pictures here with my camcorder (don't have the luxury of a digital camera yet, but hubby wants one before we go to Florida - we shall see!).
Friday, March 24, 2006
Day late; Dollar short
I know it's not Thursday, but this looked fun.
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Thirteen Things about Trace 1. I love to scrapbook, but rarely find the time or inclination to do so. 2. I am so frustrated right now I want to scream. 3. My kids are the best, but I do not want to have another one. Might jinx myself. 4. I struggle with my body image on a daily basis. 5. I don't have many friends, but the ones I do have are amazing. 6. I want to go to church more often. 7. I do not like or respect my biological father (see amended "Numb" post). 8. I love having manicures, but hate getting them done. 9. I am a fantastic speller, and typos stress me out. 10. I want to go to Europe someday, but am terrified of flying. 11. I have met Alan Parsons twice; Steve Burns (yep, the Blue's Clues guy) three times. Alan is more talented. Steve is much more fun. 12. I am afraid of going back to work someday. 13. I want to meet more of my Internet friends. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!) |
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Hmm
Catchy title, is it not? My creative juices aren't flowing as abundantly as usual.
Yesterday I went to Jen's mom's funeral. It was excruciating. So much so that I had to leave the building for several minutes in order to compose myself. When I looked at the casket, I envisioned two things: one, my own mother in the same silver casket several years ago; two, Tnk, had things been different. Strangely, it was the latter that had me crying so hard I couldn't catch my breath.
I called both of my sisters on the way home yesterday and told them in no uncertain terms were they allowed to die. Ever. Capisce? They both agreed that this was a good plan. I made the same deal with my husband. So there you go - none of my loved ones are allowed to exit the mortal plane; y'all help me keep an eye on them, okay?
K rode the bus to school for the first time in weeks this morning. I hope things went well for him. He's still wearing a splint and a sling (doctor's orders - four more weeks), so he struggles sometimes. His arm often aches in the evenings, and we've found him more than once sitting in a chair with an icepack on his arm. Overall, though, he's doing better.
I am now in the midst of doing laundry, so I'd better get off the computer for awhile. Darn laundry, always messing up my loafing plans.
Yesterday I went to Jen's mom's funeral. It was excruciating. So much so that I had to leave the building for several minutes in order to compose myself. When I looked at the casket, I envisioned two things: one, my own mother in the same silver casket several years ago; two, Tnk, had things been different. Strangely, it was the latter that had me crying so hard I couldn't catch my breath.
I called both of my sisters on the way home yesterday and told them in no uncertain terms were they allowed to die. Ever. Capisce? They both agreed that this was a good plan. I made the same deal with my husband. So there you go - none of my loved ones are allowed to exit the mortal plane; y'all help me keep an eye on them, okay?
K rode the bus to school for the first time in weeks this morning. I hope things went well for him. He's still wearing a splint and a sling (doctor's orders - four more weeks), so he struggles sometimes. His arm often aches in the evenings, and we've found him more than once sitting in a chair with an icepack on his arm. Overall, though, he's doing better.
I am now in the midst of doing laundry, so I'd better get off the computer for awhile. Darn laundry, always messing up my loafing plans.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Amy is not evil, and other newsflashes
Today I received a beautiful bouquet of flowers from none other than our own Evil Amy. I have really been feeling the love here lately, and I seriously cannot tell you how much you all mean to me. Without your support, these past two weeks would have done me in.
So thank you, Amy. The flowers are lovely - even moreso because I know the thought that was behind them. You're a terrific person. I'll try not to let that get out. ;)
So thank you, Amy. The flowers are lovely - even moreso because I know the thought that was behind them. You're a terrific person. I'll try not to let that get out. ;)
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
When it rains...
My best friend lost her mother yesterday. Jen's mom had been very sick for a long while. While I am glad that she is no longer in pain, I am still so sad for Jen and her family.
It's never easy to lose a loved one, but when it's your mom, the pain runs so deep that it can become unbearable. Seven years have passed since I lost my mother, and the sharp stabs of grief have certainly (and blessedly) dulled over time. Yet I would be remiss if I didn't admit that there are still days when the tears flow freely.
For Jen, my prayer is this: that your happy memories of your mom are stronger than your sad ones; that your husband and beautiful children are a comfort to you during this difficult time; and that you never forget that I love you and am here for you.
Mrs. C, may your journey into the next life be a blessed one. We'll see you on the other side.
All my love,
Trace
It's never easy to lose a loved one, but when it's your mom, the pain runs so deep that it can become unbearable. Seven years have passed since I lost my mother, and the sharp stabs of grief have certainly (and blessedly) dulled over time. Yet I would be remiss if I didn't admit that there are still days when the tears flow freely.
For Jen, my prayer is this: that your happy memories of your mom are stronger than your sad ones; that your husband and beautiful children are a comfort to you during this difficult time; and that you never forget that I love you and am here for you.
Mrs. C, may your journey into the next life be a blessed one. We'll see you on the other side.
All my love,
Trace
Monday, March 20, 2006
Numb
Guess what? I got some sleep last night, and was not excruciatingly tired all day today. I thought I was starting to recover from the events of the past two weeks; apparently, however, I am just numb.
My biological father went to the doctor today complaining of a painful lump on his arm. The doctor took one look at it and said he needed to do a biopsy as soon as possible.
So now, on top of everything else, it is possible that my father has cancer. Honestly, when he called and said, "I really need to talk to you," I knew it was bad news. I was not surprised. I did not know what to say.
I should be shocked. Scared. Worried. Sad. Instead, I'm just numb. I can't even squeeze out a single tear for my father. I guess I am all cried out.
Am I awful?
Edited 3/23/06 to add that last night I had a huge blowup with him. I have spent years trying to forgive and forget many, many wrongs he has committed. But no more. I cannot let my children be exposed to that type of behavior, and thus have cut him out of my life. Naturally, I still do not want him to have cancer, but now I have even less emotion about this than before. Overall, I wish him well. And I'd like him to know that these two letters would definitely help: "AA".
I know that if I was reading this blog for the first time, I might be thinking that the writer was making this stuff up. Lord help me, I wish I was. Instead, tomorrow I will wake up from this awful dream ... and still be living it.
I know that you all are probably sick of praying over me right now, but if you could fit in just one more word with the man upstairs, I would be forever grateful.
My biological father went to the doctor today complaining of a painful lump on his arm. The doctor took one look at it and said he needed to do a biopsy as soon as possible.
So now, on top of everything else, it is possible that my father has cancer. Honestly, when he called and said, "I really need to talk to you," I knew it was bad news. I was not surprised. I did not know what to say.
I should be shocked. Scared. Worried. Sad. Instead, I'm just numb. I can't even squeeze out a single tear for my father. I guess I am all cried out.
Am I awful?
Edited 3/23/06 to add that last night I had a huge blowup with him. I have spent years trying to forgive and forget many, many wrongs he has committed. But no more. I cannot let my children be exposed to that type of behavior, and thus have cut him out of my life. Naturally, I still do not want him to have cancer, but now I have even less emotion about this than before. Overall, I wish him well. And I'd like him to know that these two letters would definitely help: "AA".
I know that if I was reading this blog for the first time, I might be thinking that the writer was making this stuff up. Lord help me, I wish I was. Instead, tomorrow I will wake up from this awful dream ... and still be living it.
I know that you all are probably sick of praying over me right now, but if you could fit in just one more word with the man upstairs, I would be forever grateful.
Happy Birthday, Ry!
My middle kiddo is ten years old today. I am not sure how on earth an entire decade has gone by already, seriously.
To my son: I am continually amazed at your warmth, your intelligence, and your humor. You are a light in my life - always ready with a kiss and a smile - and I thank God for sending you to me. Your dad and I love you very much.
So have a terrific birthday, kiddo. Here's to a few more decades under your belt.
Monkey hugs!
To my son: I am continually amazed at your warmth, your intelligence, and your humor. You are a light in my life - always ready with a kiss and a smile - and I thank God for sending you to me. Your dad and I love you very much.
So have a terrific birthday, kiddo. Here's to a few more decades under your belt.
Monkey hugs!
Saturday, March 11, 2006
And now for something completely different
Katiefleck directed me to this rather introspective website: Johari Window
Here's mine: Pleyton's Johari Window
I am looking forward to hearing others' opinions about me, so if you have a minute, please visit the website and click on a few words that describe how you think I am. (You don't have to sign up for anything in order to do this, by the way.)
On another note: K is doing a little better today. He slept some last night, and his arm pain now registers only about a 6 without meds. With meds, he says the pain is like a 2. The biggest frustration for him right now is that he's bored - books are hard to hold open with only one hand, video games are all but out of the question, and TV is "boring" after so many hours (which I completely agree with). Hopefully the arm will heal quickly and Kane will be back to 100% soon.
The Johari Window was invented by Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham in the 1950s as a model for mapping personality awareness. By describing yourself from a fixed list of adjectives, then asking your friends and colleagues to describe you from the same list, a grid of overlap and difference can be built up.
Here's mine: Pleyton's Johari Window
I am looking forward to hearing others' opinions about me, so if you have a minute, please visit the website and click on a few words that describe how you think I am. (You don't have to sign up for anything in order to do this, by the way.)
On another note: K is doing a little better today. He slept some last night, and his arm pain now registers only about a 6 without meds. With meds, he says the pain is like a 2. The biggest frustration for him right now is that he's bored - books are hard to hold open with only one hand, video games are all but out of the question, and TV is "boring" after so many hours (which I completely agree with). Hopefully the arm will heal quickly and Kane will be back to 100% soon.
Friday, March 10, 2006
Thank you, and good night
First of all, thank you to everyone who posted their well wishes here. Your words stayed with me today, and I thank you for the comfort you all brought.
Fish, a special thanks to you for calling me so early this morning and praying over our family and the doctors and all. You have no idea how much I appreciate your friendship. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Now for the "good night" part: I am exhausted. Scratch that - K and I are exhausted. I barely slept a wink last night. K slept some, but still, we had to get up at 4:45 a.m. in order to be at the surgery center by 5:30. (By the way, both of those times should be forever stricken from the clock, if you want my two cents. Just.too.early.)
We got K all checked in at 5:30, and they put him into the pre-op room by 5:45. He got his first-ever IV line, which was a less-than-pleasant experience for him, but he was a real trooper and barely even winced. We then spent the next two hours waiting for the operation. That's a long time to sit and worry, but I'm pretty sure that's what K and I both were doing. The doctor came by and talked to us for a few minutes somewhere in there, but he had to take care of another child's surgery before he could get to K. Thus the delay.
[Sorry if this post rambles. I am beyond exhausted right now.]
Sometime after 7:30, the anesthesiologist came in and gave Kane what he called "happy juice." I'm pretty sure K was feeling no pain. Then they wheeled him into surgery. Over an hour later, the doctor came out and told hubby and me (hubby had arrived during that time, having had adventures of his own this morning - getting the little ones on the bus, and chasing our goofy dog down the street again - but I digress) that K's surgery had gone well. He also showed us some X-rays:
Before:
Annnnd After:
The first one still makes me shudder. That break had to have hurt something fierce. My poor baby...
The second one is less gross. It's strangely comforting to know that Kane's arm will be stronger than ever. Of course, we'll have to deal with having all that stuff removed in a few months (ugh!), but in the meantime, his injured arm will be safe.
When we saw K in the recovery room, the first thing he asked was if it was over yet. (Gotta love those drugs.) Then he dozed on and off for a little while, awakening several times to tell the nurse that the pain in his arm was a 9 on a scale of 1 to 10. Two IV shots of Demerol, and one straight-in-the-butt shot of Demerol and Phenergren later, the pain was finally bearable enough for him to get dressed.
We left the surgery center sometime after 11:00 a.m. K is still having a lot of pain in his arm, despite the Tylenol with codeine he's taking, and he cannot lift the arm without help. Right now I'm not all that worried - I'm pretty sure this is normal. But if we don't see some improvement by Monday, I'll be calling the doctor again.
But for now, I think a good long nap is just what the doctor ordered. Thank you, and good night.
Fish, a special thanks to you for calling me so early this morning and praying over our family and the doctors and all. You have no idea how much I appreciate your friendship. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Now for the "good night" part: I am exhausted. Scratch that - K and I are exhausted. I barely slept a wink last night. K slept some, but still, we had to get up at 4:45 a.m. in order to be at the surgery center by 5:30. (By the way, both of those times should be forever stricken from the clock, if you want my two cents. Just.too.early.)
We got K all checked in at 5:30, and they put him into the pre-op room by 5:45. He got his first-ever IV line, which was a less-than-pleasant experience for him, but he was a real trooper and barely even winced. We then spent the next two hours waiting for the operation. That's a long time to sit and worry, but I'm pretty sure that's what K and I both were doing. The doctor came by and talked to us for a few minutes somewhere in there, but he had to take care of another child's surgery before he could get to K. Thus the delay.
[Sorry if this post rambles. I am beyond exhausted right now.]
Sometime after 7:30, the anesthesiologist came in and gave Kane what he called "happy juice." I'm pretty sure K was feeling no pain. Then they wheeled him into surgery. Over an hour later, the doctor came out and told hubby and me (hubby had arrived during that time, having had adventures of his own this morning - getting the little ones on the bus, and chasing our goofy dog down the street again - but I digress) that K's surgery had gone well. He also showed us some X-rays:
Before:
Annnnd After:
The first one still makes me shudder. That break had to have hurt something fierce. My poor baby...
The second one is less gross. It's strangely comforting to know that Kane's arm will be stronger than ever. Of course, we'll have to deal with having all that stuff removed in a few months (ugh!), but in the meantime, his injured arm will be safe.
When we saw K in the recovery room, the first thing he asked was if it was over yet. (Gotta love those drugs.) Then he dozed on and off for a little while, awakening several times to tell the nurse that the pain in his arm was a 9 on a scale of 1 to 10. Two IV shots of Demerol, and one straight-in-the-butt shot of Demerol and Phenergren later, the pain was finally bearable enough for him to get dressed.
We left the surgery center sometime after 11:00 a.m. K is still having a lot of pain in his arm, despite the Tylenol with codeine he's taking, and he cannot lift the arm without help. Right now I'm not all that worried - I'm pretty sure this is normal. But if we don't see some improvement by Monday, I'll be calling the doctor again.
But for now, I think a good long nap is just what the doctor ordered. Thank you, and good night.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Hold me...
Today K saw the orthopedic doctor, who informed us that the break in his arm was bad enough to warrant surgery. So at 5:30 tomorrow morning, we have to be at the surgery center so that his ulna can be plated. The surgery is at 6:45 a.m.
Fortunately, it's outpatient surgery, so we should be home by lunch.
Unfortunately, as with any medical-related issue, it is going to be very expensive.
Fortunately, this doctor will work with any insurance. In our case, that means he's pretty much waiving our deductible.
Unfortunately, the surgery center has no such deal. We have to cough up a bunch of money for them first thing tomorrow.
Fortunately, K's doctor came highly recommended, so we have faith that his arm will be as good as new in a few months.
Unfortunately, despite having the very best surgeon, K's soccer season is over. :(
Fortunately, Spring break is next week, so he should be able to heal quite a bit over the next few days.
Unfortunately, K will have to have surgery again in about a year so that the plate can be removed from his arm.
Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. We can use all the help we can get.
Fortunately, it's outpatient surgery, so we should be home by lunch.
Unfortunately, as with any medical-related issue, it is going to be very expensive.
Fortunately, this doctor will work with any insurance. In our case, that means he's pretty much waiving our deductible.
Unfortunately, the surgery center has no such deal. We have to cough up a bunch of money for them first thing tomorrow.
Fortunately, K's doctor came highly recommended, so we have faith that his arm will be as good as new in a few months.
Unfortunately, despite having the very best surgeon, K's soccer season is over. :(
Fortunately, Spring break is next week, so he should be able to heal quite a bit over the next few days.
Unfortunately, K will have to have surgery again in about a year so that the plate can be removed from his arm.
Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. We can use all the help we can get.
Monday, March 06, 2006
Kodak moments
Saturday morning, K had a soccer game. A bunch of family went - hubby, the littles, me; my stepdad, my brother, and hubby's mom. Pretty much a full complement (compliment?). The weather was absolutely beautiful that morning. Seriously, I can't think of a better soccer day EVER. And I've been to more than my fair share of soccer days.
K was chosen to be one of the team captains at this game, which is kind of a big deal for the kids because they get to go onto the field before the game and shake hands with the opposing team captains, plus they get to talk to the refs all adult-like and such. I had taken my camera to this game to get some action shots (scrapbooking! yeah!), and I got a good one of the team captains on the field. I don't often take my camera, and I didn't know K would be captain, so it was pretty cool that I was able to take pictures.
So the game starts, and K's team is doing well. I even got that action shot I was talking about. Then about twenty minutes into the game, three kids go after the ball and end up in a pileup. K was on the bottom. But the kids all jump back up and continue vying for possession. My stepdad even said, "Way to get back in there, K!"
As K heads off down the field, I noticed that he was rubbing his arm and grimacing. I asked his dad to go check on him, so he went around the field and called to K, who told him that he was okay. Hubby headed back to tell me what K had said, but by then I'd noticed that K's forearm was bending the wrong way. I met hubby halfway and told him to get K off the field now.
By the time he got off the field, he was in tears. In typical prepubescent-male fashion, had tried to run it off. But the pain was getting to be too intense. As we sped toward the emergency room, he started to hyperventilate. Drawing from my own pain experience (mostly childbirth x3), I taught him how to breathe more slowly. Surprisingly, that seemed to help. (I say "surprisingly" because it sure didn't help me birth three babies. Anyway.)
Three hours later, we were discharged from the hospital - K in a fiberglass splint with a broken ulna, and me with his referral to an orthopedic specialist.
Side note: Because I had my camera, I'll be able to scrapbook that day. I'm not sure I want to, though. Well, eventually I probably will, but right now it is not something I want to remember at all. I keep visualizing him running down the field with his arm bent backwards, trying to be strong. It brings tears to my eyes every time. He is such a wonderful kid, and I love him so much.
K was chosen to be one of the team captains at this game, which is kind of a big deal for the kids because they get to go onto the field before the game and shake hands with the opposing team captains, plus they get to talk to the refs all adult-like and such. I had taken my camera to this game to get some action shots (scrapbooking! yeah!), and I got a good one of the team captains on the field. I don't often take my camera, and I didn't know K would be captain, so it was pretty cool that I was able to take pictures.
So the game starts, and K's team is doing well. I even got that action shot I was talking about. Then about twenty minutes into the game, three kids go after the ball and end up in a pileup. K was on the bottom. But the kids all jump back up and continue vying for possession. My stepdad even said, "Way to get back in there, K!"
As K heads off down the field, I noticed that he was rubbing his arm and grimacing. I asked his dad to go check on him, so he went around the field and called to K, who told him that he was okay. Hubby headed back to tell me what K had said, but by then I'd noticed that K's forearm was bending the wrong way. I met hubby halfway and told him to get K off the field now.
By the time he got off the field, he was in tears. In typical prepubescent-male fashion, had tried to run it off. But the pain was getting to be too intense. As we sped toward the emergency room, he started to hyperventilate. Drawing from my own pain experience (mostly childbirth x3), I taught him how to breathe more slowly. Surprisingly, that seemed to help. (I say "surprisingly" because it sure didn't help me birth three babies. Anyway.)
Three hours later, we were discharged from the hospital - K in a fiberglass splint with a broken ulna, and me with his referral to an orthopedic specialist.
Side note: Because I had my camera, I'll be able to scrapbook that day. I'm not sure I want to, though. Well, eventually I probably will, but right now it is not something I want to remember at all. I keep visualizing him running down the field with his arm bent backwards, trying to be strong. It brings tears to my eyes every time. He is such a wonderful kid, and I love him so much.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
I'm spoiled
Well, not really spoiled, but whenever I get a haircut during the day when other mommies are at work, I feel uber-pampered. After cutting my hair (just a trim, really) the hairdresser spent about 45 minutes drying and styling it. 45 minutes! That's a long time, especially since she was the only worker in the shop, and three people were waiting.
Okay, yeah, today I'm spoiled.
One bit of bad news: Tnk adopted a new little dog (Sophie) last week, and she is just over the moon about her. But at 3:00 a.m. this morning, Tnk had to rush Sophie to the emergency clinic. It turns out that the poor thing has kennel cough and pneumonia. Neither of them got any sleep last night, either, so Tnk is exhausted. And she has to work the night shift tonight. Goodness, I'm not sure who I feel worse for...
Please keep Tnk and Sophie in your thoughts and prayers. As much as I gripe about my silly dog, I can't imagine how much it would hurt to lose her.
Okay, yeah, today I'm spoiled.
One bit of bad news: Tnk adopted a new little dog (Sophie) last week, and she is just over the moon about her. But at 3:00 a.m. this morning, Tnk had to rush Sophie to the emergency clinic. It turns out that the poor thing has kennel cough and pneumonia. Neither of them got any sleep last night, either, so Tnk is exhausted. And she has to work the night shift tonight. Goodness, I'm not sure who I feel worse for...
Please keep Tnk and Sophie in your thoughts and prayers. As much as I gripe about my silly dog, I can't imagine how much it would hurt to lose her.
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