I love this one

Family Reunion #1

Ok I survived the 1st family reunion....one to go. Should be 2 to go but we decided not to go to the OK reunion - airfare is just too expensive. I only sniped back at my MIL once, ok maybe twice. But in all honesty and my defense, she deserved more.

As soon as we got there hubs traipsed off to join the bocci players and left me helpless with his mother and her friend and husband. My last words to these people were at my daughter's wedding when I was trying to get things set up and setting out the placecards when she kept leaning over my shoulder asking where her name was and that I forgot her. I finally told her I was on the F's and her last name began with W and to shut up and sit down and get out of my way. I was not nice and I did not apologize. Sorry but when someone harasses you for 10 minutes they deserve all they get.

I brought the wedding proofs hoping that this would ease, no not the right word - maybe occupy people who would not be their usual obnoxious selves and say how my marriage to her precious son was not going to last.

Didn't work.

The weather was against me. It started sprinkling on and off. So the only one that got to see the entire book was one of hub's aunts who his mother doesn't approve of because she is living in sin (she is 88, widowed twice, and now lives with a man). Hub's mom wanted us to come over afterwards. I gave "the look" to hubs and he made some excuse and we left, thank goodness. He knows he has to live with me and when he gets the look - he knows to do what I want or he will pay.

Hub's brother had a good idea though. He said just pick out pictures for their mother and she will never be the wiser. Somehow since Aunt H got to see the pics I sincerely doubt I will hear the end of this.

Hub's dad had not a clue where he was or who people were - he kept calling his older sister by his mother's name - and he thanked everyone for coming over and over and over and over.

But I gotta say the highlight was watching the following play bocci and whipping everyone's rears: 92 year old Aunt A in her walker, hubs 90 year old father with his quad cane, and 88 year old drunk on one beer Aunt H. Those are kodak moments!

Things in 3's

I broke my crown today. Nope - not the one on top of my head but the one in my mouth over the tooth from hell. Yeah I know I should have the tooth from hell (root canal gone bad) repaired sooner but yanno s_ ummm stuff, yes stuff happens.

So my new dentist isn't open till Monday. Just what I wanted after opening today's mail and seeing hub's ER visit bill of $6983.21. Let's pray insurance covers it because I am already adding a wing to the hospital with what I owe them.

I finished World Without End by Ken Follett. My employees will be glad since I have been up reading till the wee hours then trying to work the next day and of course, this was the week an air conditioning company decided to get on the roof and cut out fax and dsl line, plus the internet went out at the other office (to which the phone company swears it isn't their wires but everytime I call them and have them test my wires, my phone lines work). But I could be wrong here. It could possibly be my fault.

So I am thinking things come in 3's, especially crappy things. Thinking I had it all set for this week (phone problems at #1 office, phone problems at #2 office, and then crown cracking), I was getting kinda excited. I had the weekend off. Yep no work.

Then I remembered.......family reunion for hubs side on Sunday. Yeah....now looking for the other 2 things to happen.

Good Luck C!

Good luck tomorrow dear friend! You will be in my thoughts and prayers. You were brave in the Vietnam War and have been for the past 5 years since you have been battling the effects of being exposed to Agent Orange. You have been through chemo and a stem cell transplant. My heart went out to you and your family when we learned last week that you were no longer in remission. Good luck tomorrow! I will leave you with the poem someone sent me when I was undergoing treatments:

I'll bet you've had about enough
of people telling you how strong you are
and how great you're doing
during this awful, difficult
period in your life.
Maybe you'd rather hear someone say
how much this sucks, how outrageous
and unfair it is.
Maybe you'd rather hear someone tell you
that you don't have to be strong
all the time.
Or that it's definitely okay
to curse fate and throw a tantrum or two.
So here I am to tell you
all that stuff and more,
to let you know where I stand,
which is right in your corner.
There's no right way or wrong way
at a time like this.
However you work through this thing
is immaterial to me,
All I care about is that
you ask for what you need,
lean on those who love you,
and try to trust me when I say
that you'll come out the other side.
by Jeannie Hund

Full Moon

In astrology, the full moon is said to be an emotional high tide time when you get to assess and see where you are emotionally. In the days following the full moon but before the next new moon, one needs to get a plan together to maximize what’s great or to make changes that will make you feel more comfortable.

Today is a full moon. Each month's full moon has a name. June's is derived from the Algonquin tribes who understood this Moon as a time to gather ripening strawberries. It is also known as the Rose Moon and the Hot Moon.

So instead of the usual craziness of a full moon, I am giving you an inspirational poem to calm the chaos. Last night I got my peace from 2 friends. One sold her house and another got great news compared to what we were afraid would happen. So my craziness for the day is now a positive calm.

The Invitation
By Oriah Mountain Dreamer

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for,
And if you dare to dream of meeting
Your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
For love, for your dreams,
For the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon.
I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow,
If you have been opened by life's betrayals,
Or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain,
Mine or your own,
Without moving
To hide it or fade it or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy,
Mine or your own,
If you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
Without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic,
or to remember the limitations of being human.

I want to know if you can see beauty
Even when it is not pretty every day,
And if you can source your life
From God's presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure,
Yours and mine,
And still stand on the edge of a lake and shout to the silver of the full moon,
"Yes!"

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair,
Weary and bruised to the bone,
And do what needs to be done for the children.

It doesn't interest me who you are, how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
In the center of the fire with me
And not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
From the inside
When all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
With yourself,
And if you truly like the company you keep
In the empty moments.

Ménière's Disease

5 years ago I had my first episode of totally incapacitating vertigo with blinding headaches, nausea and vomiting. I had to miss my parent's 50th wedding anniversary cruise because of it. At the time and yearly since, I have had repeated rounds of MRI's, MRA's, ENG's, EEG's, blood work - you name it, I had it. Most of my doctors were afraid my cancer had come back which is bad enough going through the testing every 3 months then 6 months then yearly tests thinking it yourself but when your doctors think it too....yeah scarey.

I got a bit better over time. I can now drive up to 30 minutes and walk without hanging onto someone or something. But the vertigo would never go totally away and I would have to watch sudden movements, bending over and getting back up, or rolling in bed from one side to another. Car rides over 30 minutes will do me in unless I don't look out the window (I can read fine). All would send me into a spin. My ENT and neurologist told me then that since all my tests were clear of tumors, etc that it was probably Ménière's Disease but it was a diagnosis that would be made over time.

At least twice a year I would go into a what I term bad episode despite medication because I have episodes over 5 times daily but not rendering me totally incapacitated. I know when the bad ones would start as I learned the warning signs: first a fullness in my right ear with tinnitus and complete exhaustion even after sleeping for 8-10 hours, then it would be followed by headaches and a sensitivity to sounds and lights, then the vertigo would start in. I am currently at the tail end of an episode that has lasted 5 days.

I went to my neurologist last Friday after having the complete round of tests this past week during the episode. Ménière's Disease was finally diagnosed. This year my hearing test did show some loss of hearing in my right ear. The disease does that. My vertigo is what is called true vertigo - even with my eyes closed, everything spins and I mean spins. If my eyes are open, my brain tries to fight the spinning thus giving me the sensation that I am spinning in the opposite direction which then brings on the nausea. During the vertigo episodes, I get nystagmus where you can literally see my eyes bouncing from side to side (hubs and the kids love to watch my eyes bounce).

So with the definitive diagnosis do I have any different treatment? Some magical cure? Some magical drug? Nope. Same stuff - diuretic to help with the fluid balance (the vertigo seems to be an over accumulation of one of the inner ear fluids called endolymph. This excessive endolymph accumulates in the inner ear where the cells lie that provide hearing and balance. The pressure of the excess fluid disables these cells causing the loss of hearing and tinnitus); and Valium to calm the central nervous system. I usually only take the Valium at night because unless I am in an episode, I can control the vertigo during the day. But rolling during the night will wake me up every time.

The why of how I got this? No one knows. My neurologist relates it to an attack of viral labyrinthitis I had after flying with a bad cold then going on a cruise over 20 years ago coupled with the fact I have narrow eustachian tubes which block easily with allergies and colds. Dunno but just glad this episode is on its way out.

Happy Father's Day

"The most important thing a father can do
for his children is to love their mother."
~~Author Unknown

"It is a wise father that knows his own child."
~~By William Shakespeare (1564-1616)~~

What Makes a Dad

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so,

He called it ... Dad

~~Author Unknown.~~

Happy Father's Day to my husband, my father, my father-in-law and all other father's out there. This is your day - enjoy!

Crazy Songs

Yep V this post is dedicated to you. I told you this afternoon I had been researching for a bit on this.

So, I don't know about any of you out there reading this, but I decided to research silly crazy songs that once you hear them, you can't get them out of your head. You hum them, you sing them, you drive yourself and others crazy with them. Yep those kind of songs.

My daughter and I have always had "The Hamster Dance" from Disney's "Robin Hood" in our heads. She used to sing and dance to it every chance she got after she first saw "Robin Hood" and I will admit it is a catchy tune. She found a Hallmark card that sang that for my birthday this past year.

I regress......here are a few more crazy silly songs: How many do you remember?

1. This one was actually an ad by the California Raisin Advisory Board: "Heard it Through the Grapevine". It came out around 1986 and featured the dancing raisins moving and grooving to the song.

2. This next one is funny...sung to the tune of "On top of Old Smokey"
On top of Spaghetti, all covered in cheese
I lost my poor meatball when somebody sneezed.

3. I have always like the "Name Game".
If you want to use the name Lucky:

Lucky, lucky, bo-bucky
Banana-fana, fo-ucky
Me, my, mo-mucky
Lucky!

4. Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh! Allan Sherman

5. I've got a brand new pair of roller skates,
You've got a brand new key.

6. I told the witch doctor I was in love with you

One that once you hear the music alone (no lyrics) you automatically dance to the music: the chicken dance :)

So who have I driven crazy? Do you have one to share with me?

24 hours to Saturday afternoon

Most people say TGIF. I don't. Not when I work Saturday's too. I don't get excited until Saturday afternoon rolls around. Then I have 'off' Saturday evening and all day Sunday. Yeah, my definition of 'off' is kinda warped. I will still be found doing laundry for the week, cleaning the house, cooking, shopping, balancing the checkbook, seeing which bills I can pay this week, and doing the billing for my clients. I consider that good because I can do it all in my robe. So I was getting excited.....that is until............

I realized Sunday is Father's Day. So there goes my day off.

Hubs went with me to the neurologist this morning (a necessity because I can't drive that far otherwise I would have left him at home). He goes in the room with me and proceeds to tell the doctor that he needs to up my meds cuz I have been a *itch and with that, the doctor ups my meds. The thoughts running in my mind: crushing said meds and putting it someone's food. Can you guess who?

No, really, I love my husband. I so don't want to retrain another. But he can be such a pain, especially when it's his birthday or on Father's Day.

I have a new name....Water Police

Yep, I am now named the Water Police. Hubs put another name in front of that but it can't be mentioned here. I figured a grown man (and a doctor) when told what he had to do to eliminate getting another kidney stone and experience that 'horrific pain' would do anything the doctor told him to not have it again. I gave him 2 days to do it himself. Monday he had 4 cups of coffee between 8am and 9pm. That was it.

Thus the Water Police brigade was formed. I enlisted every employee. We all had our designated hours.

I brought a few different flavorings at the compounding pharmacy I go to. I also brought an extra blender to the office.

Every hour hubs got a glass of water with a different flavor. Some were put in the blender with ice and flavored so it became a slushy. But he got his 8 oz of water per hour in.

The water brigade won for one day. I won't say what my new name is. I will leave it to your imagination.

Do men ever grow up?

Tagged again

Questions:

1. What was I doing ten years ago?

Put our beloved lab down. Had 4 surgeries. Found out I had cancer. Daughter left for her 1st year of college bawling because I was going to be starting chemo and radiation and she wasn't here to help me. The whole year was pretty crappy.

2. What are/were five things on my list to do today?

a. Work (done)
b. Balance the checkbooks and make out the deposit and finish the payment reconciliation for the offices for May. (done)
c. Work on clients new billings. (done)
d. Change our sheets and start laundry. (in process)
e. Finish reading Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult. (read some this afternoon and will again when I go to bed. Right now watching Celtic Thunder perform on wttw.

3. Snacks I enjoy?

I actually don't snack. I will have a cherry yogurt between meals or before bed.

4. Things I Would Do If I Were A Billionaire?

Probably donate it all.

5. Three of my bad habits?

a. Get so absorbed in reading that I forget everything.
b. I am an organized person even to how my towels are folded but I am not anal. You can definitely tell what side of the bed and what side of the room is mine in the master bedroom.
c. Not saying no when people ask me to do things so I usually am overbooked to the point I don't have a life. Life has me.

6. Five places I have lived?

IL, OK, KS, TX. Only 4 but many different places in each state.

7. Five jobs I've had?

Waitress, nurse aid and current jobs: RN, consultant, own my own business.

8. How did you name your blog?

Guess :)

TGIF and all clear!

Wow has this been a week! Hub's urologist appointment confirmed the stone passed and is now in the hands of the lab to determine what kind it is so we know what to do and to stop them from forming. He also got yelled at for not having a physical so I made that appointment for him too.

Let's see what else was going on this week. Daughter got laid off yesterday due to the housing decline (she worked as an internet salesperson) so she wasn't a happy camper since they were looking to move out of their townhome and into a house.

Oh and son-in-law had surgery this morning. I told the urologist after his (son-in-law) surgery that we need a family plan for his fees. Son-in-law's surgery went well and it is a wait and see if the kidney starts functioning again or what. Tests again in 4 weeks. I can't stress enough for you young people out there to get physicals....that is how son-in-law found out he had a problem and a huge one.

I did get some reading in the past couple of days and this morning waiting with daughter in the surgery waiting room. I finished "Bleeding Kansas" by Sara Paretsky and it was as good as my cousin said it would be. I highly recommend it. I had "My Stroke Of Insight" in my TBR pile and on the recommendation of anonymous poster, I elevated it to the next to be read book and got to start it this morning and read another 3 chapters waiting at the urologist's office this afternoon. It is really good and I can tell I, too, will finish it tonight. It is that good! So thanks anonymous!

I think a nice quiet peaceful evening with a whirlpool bath and reading is on the menu for tonight. Dinner is in the crockpot.

I have learned

Being a caretaker for a crabby male has taught me a few things:

"I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one". (I put this in big block letters for hubs.)

"I've learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone". (Yeah beware of flying objects today.)

"I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you". (I will add beware of what you wish for.)

"I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back". (see above)

Wishes can come true but twisted!

Well, this morning after doing some work for my client, I wished my life would slow down. The offices have all been nuts and it was magnified with one employee on vacation.

I got my wish.

Just not in a way anyone could dream.

Instead of spending the afternoon and evening with patients, hubs and I spent it in the ER. This time it was him as the patient. Now everyone thinks males make bad patients. Well, I will double that with a doctor as a patient. He has a kidney stone (runs in his family but he's never had one). So he got to come home with the Percocet in my possession and strict orders to push fluids and if the pain increases to return to the ER.

One knows when a male let alone a male doctor asks to be taken to the ER, you get there lickety split. I didn't hesitate. I called the office on the way to the ER and cancelled patients and called another doctor to cover emergencies and a couple patients.

So while I don't have to physically work at the office, I am taking care of a crabby in pain male and working my billing business.

I always try to see a positive. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. There is a positive here. I am finally getting him in for a long overdue physical PLUS I have the Percocet!

Ever get the feeling?

I have been feeling like this for a while. I just want life to slow down a bit. I used to like merry-go-rounds and keeping busy but as I age I just want life to slow down and take a breather.

It is Wednesday - hump day - middle of the week. This means there were 3 days prior to this week that passed. Where the h did they go? I have no clue.

Hubs and I were trying to decide on where we going this summer since we decided with fuel prices not to attend the seminar in Hawaii in July ($1500 each for a non-stop ticket let alone hotels and food). We looked into Lake Louise in Canada, Niagara Falls, the east coast since neither of us have been there, or the Keys with my sister and her husband. We discarded all because of air fare prices. So we looked closer to home. We are currently looking at Door County and renting a house on Lake Michigan for a week. We are also looking at Lake Geneva and just going to this country inn for a long weekend. Decisions, decisions. Door County is interesting but a long drive but tempting for the week. Lake Geneva is closer but shorter in time span (I don't think I could do a week there). Might just do both.

In the meantime, how do I tell employees they can no longer have vacations? That is one reason why it's so crazy - we are down one at the office this week.

I woke up this morning to hearing Obama has clinched the nomination and Chicago is in the running for the Olympics. Yipee (being sarcastic here). If those 2 can do it against enormous odds, why can't I find more time in a day or learn how to slow down?

I did good!

I done did good!!!! Congratulate me! I had been putting off going to therapy again after the last cast came off mid April because frankly I had a whole heck of a lot of other things more important to do (one was getting the house ready for daughter's wedding). My other excuses: having to get up earlier than normal to go spend the hour or 2 with Attila the Hun and pay to be in pain. Not my idea of fun.

So I had given the wedding as an excuse then luckily the one spare car I can drive broke down and was in the shop for the past 2 weeks. So last Friday we picked up said car, and I had a doctor appointment. I do have a tear in the peroneal tendon that has not repaired itself yet but it is just a grade 1 tear and thus nothing needed at this time. But I got released - YIPEE!!!!!! But got yelled at for not going to therapy. With both my surgeon on one side and my husband on the other, I was marched directly to the therapy department. I could not pass go or protest. They had no appointments that day but scheduled one for this morning at 6am. Now I was not a happy camper but with both of them on my rear, I had no choice.

So up I was at 5:30am just to go to pay for abuse when I could stay home and get it for free. Hubs asked if I was going to make coffee - I said nope they get me up early they get me without coffee attitude. So I went. I did all that was required. Therapist said - why are you here? I said because of 2 pig headed stubborn men who thought they knew better than me. Therapist said well you were right, you don't need physical therapy. You have already done everything in 6 weeks that takes most people a year to recoup from considering you had a total reconstruction of the ankle. I asked him to put it in writing that I was right.

Yep guess what got flashed under hubs nose when I got home???? I scanned it in and emailed it to my surgeon (who is a friend of ours) along with a pic of me with my tongue hanging out.

I just received an email response from surgeon - with a "When are you going to do the other ankle?" My response: "When Hell freezes over!" I spent almost 9 months non-weight bearing in a cast. There is no way I am going back into one!