I like the Physical therapy place I go to

I just had to share this story.  It just put into focus why I like this place so much.  I have been to a few different PT places over the last few years.  I was always treated ok at all of them.  The place I went to for my pre-surgery pt for my shoulder is the place I requested to go to for my tennis elbow issues.  I had my first appointment yesterday.  The PT was friendly and thorough.  I felt very well taken care of and listened to.  While I was lying on a bed getting the electrical stimulation and cold compression I could hear what was going on in the outer exercise room. 

It seems a little old man who was getting PT care there showed up not on his scheduled day.  His wife was baking cookies and he ended up there.  The staff then informed him that since he showed up he was not going to leave until they had worked him hard.  They had a few extra minutes to work with him so instead of embarrassing him and making him leave they worked with him.  He was a grumpy old guy and they all cajoled  him into doing the leg exercises he needed to do.  Hold their arms when he needed to walk backwards etc.. 


While I was doing my arm stretching exercises I noticed that he needed new shoes.  The bottoms were literally worn off in shreds.  I quietly mentioned it to one of the pt's and she said they were all getting him some new shoes.  Now you know why I feel comfortable and taken care of there. 

Pepe aka the current ruler of my deck

In the Winter we put food out for the birds on the deck.  It is nice to look at all of them flitting in and out.  We also get some squirrels who make it up to our second story deck.  Well, the one that has decided to come this year so far I have named Pepe.  Last week he was all friendly and ate at one of the feeders, allowing the birds to eat at the others.  Well... Today Pepe is being a total and complete bully!  He grabs a pile of food, goes to sit in the flower box and eat it.  When any bird gets even the idea to come to the deck he flits his tail like he is sending morse code or something.  He is running from one end of the deck to the other warding off anything that may want to come get a bite to eat.  I even saw him scolding birds in nearby trees.  Pepe is the current ruler of my deck.  I really think he needs to be taken down a peg!

I didn't mean to leak out

I meant to finish the month of November with things I was thankful for but I got sick.  I am not kidding I really really did.  I think I had the flu which then turned into bronchitis.  I felt bad, like an elephant was sitting on my chest.  I am thankful now that the elephant has left and I can breathe a bit more easily.  I am not totally well yet.  I have a feeling this is going to linger on for weeks but I am on the road to recovery!

Noooovember 22

I am thankful that the cable box died on a night that I don't care about the TV programming.  Butttttt that means I have to listen to Nazi zombie killing.  So it is a little bit of give and take!

11/20/11

I wish I could be thankful for not coughing but today I am thankful for cough drops which help a little.

20th of November

It seems like the month is flying by!  Today I am thankful for my bed.  I haven't felt well lately and diving into it is like visiting an old comfortable friend.  I have my heated blanket previously mentioned and it is just so cozy.  Best when my husband is there holding down his side.  I do have to say that I booted him last night with my coughing and it was nice to cough freely and not worry about waking him up.  It was nice he left the sick on in her own bed to.  I didn't have it in me to get up and move. I am off now to snuggle down in my bed and become a warm cinnamon roll!

19th

It has been hard to be thankful lately because I have a terrible virus that has me coughing up a lung.  I am really thankful that my older two children are coming home for Thanksgiving.  I miss them so much when they are not here.  It is like getting a present when I have all my chicks in the nest!

November 18

Well, today I am thankful for the beautiful Autumn trees.  I was stuck in nasty nasty DC traffic and instead of screaming at the vehicles like the lady behind me I instead studied trees.  I noticed for the first time that after the leaves start falling off and the trees still have a few on they look like giant lace tablecloths.  I never noticed that before and I am thankful that I did.  There was one that was the most beautiful bright orange/red color and the sky was so blue beyond it.  The color combination was really beautiful.

November 17th

I am thankful today for my youngest child.  My second son has a wonderful dry sense of humor.  He is a really good listener and while doesn't say much he lets you know he really heard you.  He is crazy smart with electronics.  He can take things apart and put them back together working.  Solder stuff in, figure out the broken bit and find a replacement on the internet for a good price.  He does his chores usually and he plays the clarinet really well.  Although the contra alto clarinet always reminds me of the brooms dancing the sorcerer's apprentice, I still like it.  He even agrees to go shopping with me so he can carry stuff for me.  I would like to teach him how to drive but he isn't very interested.  I think he likes our time alone in the car. 

Novem. 16

I am thankful for peanut butter cups.  Not all of them mind you but good ones.  They have to have the right ratio of chocolate to peanut butter and the peanut butter has to have a touch of salt to balance the sweetness.

15 November

I am thankful for my camera.  It is a nice Nikon camera.  I got it after I fought an insurance company for a few years.  With the money that I got returned to me I bought it.  I would have never ever in a million years gathered the money together to purchase it otherwise.  I love how pretty the pictures are when taken with it.  I do wish I could take a class or have someone teach me about it so I could take even better photos.  Something to dream of :)

November 14 (no really it is!)

Today I am thankful that my family are not picky eaters.  I know it seems trivial but I am the family cook and only very rarely does anyone turn up their nose.  My youngest child is probably the most picky and with him I just avoid bones and leave some stuff plain because he doesn't like sauces much.  My husband loves fried liver and onions which I would never buy let alone cook but yet he has never complained about it.  I pretty much just make up recipes as I go along with whatever I have on hand.  Nothing ever tastes the same way twice because of that.  I cook healthy yet no one complains.  My husband was discussing my cooking with a carpool lady once and she was amazed that I cook almost every night with food that is generally from scratch.  It isn't pretty by any stretch of the imagination but it is tasty, filling and pretty good for you.  I don't know what I would do if I had a bunch of picky people?  I can barely make up one dinner a day!!!

Nov. 13 (ok it is really the 14th)

November 13th I am thankful for sleep.  When I get enough life is so much easier!  Brain functions better, I am a nicer person on and on.  If you have ever been without enough sleep for a period of time you know what I mean.  After a period of feeling sleepy you will forever be thankful for sleep.  My insomnia generally comes from worry.  Most of my worry lately has been health related.  Surgery, meeting a new Dr, starting a new medication, a new symptom etc...  I there for am very thankful for a good nights sleep.  A few weeks of them in a row would be pure bliss.

November 12

Today I am thankful for my cat.  He is warm, fuzzy and pushes his face on my ear and purrs really loudly.  It is the warmest most delicious feeling ever.  He started out as my daughters cat but when she left for college he attached to me.  My daughter picked up out at the Fort Lewis pet shelter.  We went in and she asked the workers which cat was least likely to get adopted.  Not the cute little long haired babies, noooo they would get adopted in a minute.  They had the cuteness factor of 11.  The one that wouldn't most likely get adopted was a teenage orange and white cat that was sticking it's paw out of the cage as much as possible trying to claw anyone going near.  That is the one we took home.  He has a white spot on the middle of his orange back so he was "temporarily" named Spot.  But my daughter felt he needed a long pedigree name like our dog so the cats full  name is Tangerine's Snowy Spot.  Spot has in his older age turned into more of a dog than a cat.  He doesn't hunt mice anymore, now he begs for food at the table.  He is funny, grumpy and I am thankful for him.

11/11/11

It is veterans day!  Today I am thankful for all those brave men and women throughout the history of our country who have been willing to give up their lives to protect our country.  My husband being the one closest to me of course.  I can't thank the troops without thanking their families.  All those military wives sitting home waiting, praying, worrying and planning what they would say if the chaplain shows up at her door.  Thankful for all the military brats who in no way asked for the life they were born into.  My own three military brats are amazing.  Multiple schools, saying goodbye to friends, learning how to fit in.... 

November 10th

I am thankful today for computers.  I am a military wife and have been for 25 years.  At the beginning of that we didn't have a computer.  We relied on phone calls which at that time was expensive.  At least it was expensive for a young family with only one income.  In those days phone calls were billed by how far the call was.  Long distance wasn't cheap.  When we were in Germany we would wait by the phone waiting for our families to call because calling from the USA to Germany was much cheaper than a call from Germany to the USA.  When the phone would ring it was like a present had arrived.

In the early 1990's we purchased our first computer.  It was really just used to do word processing.  I wrote numerous newsletters and created data bases for the military wives.  A little later in the 1990's we got a computer that we could go online with.  We learned how to email.  It took some time before the rest of the family caught up but they eventually did.  By the time we moved to Germany again in 2001 everyone was online and we could communicate every day, send photos, chat on and on.  Not to mention shopping online :) 

I am truly grateful for the computer.  It connects me to so many people.  Family, friends, people I have never even met in person but have been online friends with for years.  When I am far from those that I love and care about in body I can still connect with them on the computer.  It is a wonderful invention!

Thanks day 9

Today's thankful thing is easy.  Today I am thankful for my oldest child, my daughter.  Today is her 22nd birthday.  She was born in Nuremburg, Germany on November 9, 1989.  That coincidentally was the day that the Berlin wall fell.  Total chaos reined in the country and I was pretty busy myself.  Giving birth to the most beautiful smart little 6lb 9oz baby girl that ever graced the earth.  I am a bit biased I admit but she is amazing.  Beautiful, funny, quirky, smart as a whip.  She graduates from William and Mary in a few months with a degree in Philosophy.  She is trying to plan the next phase of her life.  Law school?  A job?  Graduate school??  She just has to make up her mind, her options are open.  I wish for her a child some day that gives her as much joy as she has given me.

Day 8, I voted!

Today I am thankful that I had the blessing of being born into the United States of America.  I can practice any religion I want, I can marry who I want, I can as a woman go to school without fear, I can show my face/legs and hair! and last but not least I can vote.  I did just that today.  I voted, every time I come out of the building after voting I feel so proud to be a citizen of the USA! 

Thankful thing #7

I am thankful for my parents today.  My dad is no longer with us and is very much missed.  My parents loved me so much from the second they knew of my exhistance.  My dad adored me, thought I was the smartest most beautiful girl that has ever walked the earth.  Having one person in the world that thought that of me was amazing, a blessing..... there are no words.  My mom has always been there for me.  Giving advice, listening and would do anything for me.  Most recently she flew here and took care of me after surgery.  It felt so good to be taken care of like only a mother can.  I am the luckiest daughter ever!

Day 6 of thanks

Today I am thankful for my middle child.  His heart is open and he feels other peoples pain more than he should.  He is funny, talented, smart and handsome as all get out.  He is the middle child so I think he feels left out.  His talents are varied and many, where his sister and younger brother have very focused talents.  He can talk to anyone, loves to entertain, he can do anything he puts his mind to.  He gets worried about failure and sometimes gives up before he can see he is succeeding.  He is growing into such a wonderful man.  I wish he called more, came home more etc. and most I wish he could see what an amazing man he is.

Day 5

Day 5 of thanks... I am thankful for beautiful sunny days like today.  When the sun comes out in such a spectacular way it lifts my spirits.  It is like there is a newness and the bad is pushed off into the corner for a bit.  It doesn't hurt that the Fall leaves are glorious colors so looking outside in any direction is a wonderful display of amazing colors of nature.  The transition time of Fall with the crisp air, warm sun and the colors are what I am thankful for today. 

Day 4

Today is not an easy day to find something thankful for.  Life has been hard.  Hmmmmmm  I am thankful for the little gravel road near my house with a small creek with babbling water.  I was able to stop on the bridge today and turn off the radio, open my windows and just look and listen to it.  The sound was so peaceful, I saw a heron fly away.  I am thankful for the minute of peace where all was well.

Day 3 of thanks

Day 3 of my month of thanksgiving.  Today I am thankful for Dr's.  Anyone that knows me knows saying that is very difficult for me.  I have had a number of surgeries lately, undergone dozens of allergy shots, will start physical therapy soon and just today found out I might have a problem with my eyes.  I pray not but the fact that all these people are educated and trained to help me to be as healthy as possible is humbling to say the least.  It would be a lie if I said I liked going, that I had no anxiety about it all but I am thankful none the less.

Day 2 of thanks

I am thankful for my electric blanket.  I know it seems like a small thing but to a girl who is always cold it is heaven sent.  My husband likes the room to be cold as can be.  I wake up many times a night when my blankets get rearranged, so having the warm blanket means I stay asleep.  Hmmmmmm I am a warm hot cinnamon roll.  Electric blanket makes Winter not so bad.

A month of thanks...

Looking at life with a thankful attitude this month.  First thing to be thankful for is my husband.  We have been together for over 30 years.  He has worked hard as an Army officer so I was able to stay at home and take care of our children.  It has been a real blessing to me, our children and our entire family.  Don't think that me not earning money didn't mean I didn't work.  I worked my butt off.  Volunteering to take care of my husbands soldiers families, helping with the military community, boy scouts, girl scouts, many many hours volunteered at the elementary schools.  But because of my husband I was able to give so much to so many people.  I am thankful for my husband for many things but the one I am commenting on today is that he has supported me being a stay at home mom.

Muscle biopsy for Malignant Hyperthermia

This is a PSA of sorts.  Malignant Hyperthermia is a life threatening genetic disorder triggered by certain medications used in anesthesiology.  The organization for the disorder is MHAUS. (photos are at the end of my leg after surgery so you are warned)

There is believed to be a connection in my family.  My paternal Grandmothers family to be more precise.  My grandmother died in her early 40's so many of her Aunts/Uncles and the cousins were no longer contacted or only very rarely at best.  My great grandmother had also died young at 36. All these mothers dying young deteriorated the familial connections that would probably be maintained in a family.  This is simply some back information. 

At some point my father was contacted by one of his cousins with news that his son had died during anesthesia to get a broken leg set.  This was attributed to MH, something none of us had ever heard about.  After this news we as a family were researched by a Dr Smith at the University of Wisconsin Madison medical school.  I was in college at the time and remember going to Madison and having blood drawn and a number of questions asked but never heard of any real conclusion of this research.

We (as a family) were told to always use the MH precautions when having any surgery and to make sure all our Dr's are made aware of this family connection to the disorder.  We have to my knowledge all done this.  In Wisconsin there are a number of families with MH so it isn't that odd to Dr's there.  
Being a military wife I do not live in Wisconsin anymore and when I needed surgery in the past few years it has become an issue.

I had surgery on my knee in December 2008 to remove a cyst.  MH precautions were taken.  In May of 2009 I had surgery on my shoulder and the MH precautions were also taken.  I was also put in contact with the leading researchers on MH who happened to be working in Bethesda, Maryland. 


The Dr's were amazing and were free with information.  I emailed back and forth mainly with Dr. C asking questions and getting very thoughtful information back.  This year (2011) I found out I am in need of surgery again.  This time nose/sinus surgery to repair a severely deviated septum.  I asked Dr. C if a MH biopsy was possibly in order to once and for all rule out or in MH.  He was not sold on the biopsy.  Stating that my connection was tenuous at best.  I then explained I had 3 children who could not rule in or out military service because MH is a disqualifier.  If I as the parent could get the biopsy prove I am negative, none of my children would need to have the biopsy done.  Dr. C then with that information he agreed to do the biopsy.

The test, caffeine halothane contracture test, is only done at a few hospitals in the world.  One happens to be the Naval hospital in Bethesda, Maryland.   That works perfect as I am quite familiar with the hospital and it isn't too far from us.  We could go in the morning and come home after.  Many families have to fly in from all over to have this test done.  It is also an expensive test and I am lucky that my healthcare coverage pays for it in full. Finally I would have definitive answers for me and my 3 children whether or not I in fact had Malignant Hyperthermia. 

The reason the biopsy isn't done routinely is because it is invasive to say the least.  It involves a long incision on the outside of your left thigh.  Then a long strip of contracting muscle tissue is taken from deep in your thigh.  I was told the incision would be 3 inches long.

The process started a day before the surgery was to take place.  I arrived at the Naval hospital and went to the Neurosurgery dept. as I was instructed.  I was given a large amount of paperwork to fill out.  I went back and talked with a nurse who took notes, asked questions and sent me to the pre-surgical anesthesiology dept.  There were more questions from a nurse, a blood draw, I was given the wipes to clean my skin with the night before and the morning of surgery and a urine cup to bring the morning of surgery to prove I was indeed not pregnant (lol).  I was told to be at the hospital by 5:30 am with someone to take me home (my husband drove me).

Morning of the surgery we got up at 4 AM!  My husband drove me to the hospital.  Once there I was given a gown, booties, a hair net thing etc. to get dressed into.  When they were ready they came to get me and I walked to the PACU (post anesthesia care unit) it is also where they prep you for surgery.  I had an IV inserted into my hand.  Missed on the left hand so then moved to the right.  I have a beautifully green left hand from the missed attempt.  Tons of people came to talk to me.  The surgeon, the anesthesiologist, the surgical nurse in charge, on and on and because it is a teaching hospital each one of the people had one or two trainees there also.  Dr. C had come over from the NIH and had with him a pile of paperwork. 

The paperwork was for me to give him permission to use my tissue left over for research.  If I were positive it could help the research of MH.  If I was negative I would be a perfect control patient because I had been tested and know for fact I do not have MH.  I signed the pile of papers, Dr C talked to me a bit and made me promise to not leave the hospital until he returned after testing my muscle tissue and finished the paperwork.

They pushed me toward the OR and around the door leaving the PACU I started joking around and they thought it was because I had been given drugs (but I hadn't) they soon fixed that problem and by the time I got into the OR I was feeling loopy.  I remember seeing an entire room of people and being amazed they were all there for ME!

Woke up in the PACU.  Leg was wrapped in a compression (ace) bandage.  It hurt already.  I was wheeled back to the place I was when I arrived and sat in the reclining chair.  I had hours to wait until Dr C would return with my results.  I was in pain and there was mention of pain meds but none came.  At around 11:45 I was getting really uncomfortable and asked for meds.  They told me if they gave it to me I would have to wait another 30 minutes.  I didn't care!  They did then bring me some percocet realizing that Dr C wasn't going to be there for sometime.  My husband watching my face could tell when it kicked in.  He said my eyebrow furrow released some.  Dr C finally arrived with the good news that I indeed negative for MH!  We left for home.

Day of surgery I was on 800mg of motrin and percocet.  Very much needed, it hurt like heck.  Walking was very painful and I also kept ice on it at all times.  Slept in a recliner.  I have been instructed to leave the compression bandage on for 48 hours.

Day after surgery it is slowly starting to feel a tiny bit better.  I can get out of the recliner by myself.  I walked around the house a bit but painfully.  Still on the pain meds and ice.  Slept a lot in the recliner.

Day 3, I am taking the motrin but reducing the percocet.  Only taking a few doses and only half a pill at a time.  Walking a bit more.  Keeping on with the ice.  I took the compression bandage off and looked at the incision.  We measured it and it is 4 1/2 inches long.  Longer than I had anticipated.  Makes me a bit freaked out to see my Frankenstein leg :(  There is some bruising.  I noticed also that I think I may be allergic to latex as the compression bandage has left a very itchy red rash on my entire thigh.  The incision is taped shut and I was going to put a piece of gauze over it all but the tape we had caused another red rash so it is now not covered except for the tape on the incision.  I think I have to discuss this with my allergist before my nose/sinus surgery.  My son got really upset when he saw my leg.  He knows I did the biopsy for him and his siblings.  My guess is he would rather he had it than me but his way of saying that is being really rude and telling me I shouldn't have had it done at all. 

Day 4, I am moving around better.  I can go up and down the stairs carefully.  It hurts still to be sure.  I don't intend on going for a long walk for a few weeks.  The muscle twitches and hurts.  I will take the motrin for a few more days to avoid swelling and percocet as needed.  Ice feels good so I will continue to do that also. 

Life before GPS and East West border in Germany

Any similarity to actual people or events is just a "coincidence".

If you are lucky you have had friends that encourage you to push your adventure envelope.  Sometimes on purpose and sometimes accidentally.  This was one of those "accidentally" situations. 

While living in West Germany in the 1980's many of the American military wives would plan shopping trips to different factories.  Crystal, nutcrackers, Christmas ornaments, baskets were some of the places we would regularly go.  My friend Liz and I planned a day out shopping.  It was always a fun day when we were out.  We would stop by meat shop get some ham and cheese, get some fresh rolls at a small bakery on the way.  It was truly delightful.  This particular day we went out to shop.  I think it was baskets we were after but I could be wrong.  What we were hunting for isn't the important part. 

This was long before GPS's so we just had a real map and some vague directions in the military wife bible.  It was a book fellow American military wives put together that discussed all the factory outlets, good shopping and touristy places you don't want to miss on your tour in Germany.  This was also before the Berlin wall came down so there were very strict rules for us to stay a minimum of 5 km's from the East German border.  We knew this very well and knew we would be close but we should have been fine.  "Should have" is key here.  We were lost wandering down small country roads in a beautiful area when we turned a corner and BAMMMMNNN right in front of us was very clearly the border.  Barbed wire fence as far as the eye could see and immediately in front of us a guard tower.  The male guard was looking at us, we were looking at him and we stopped cold not sure what to do.  He of course took out a camera (not a gun) and took photos of us.  We were sure those photos would turn up at some government meeting, the hunt would then be on for Liz and I.  We gathered our wits, turned the car around and got the heck out of there praying. 

I would never have gone off hunting for a basket factory by myself and she most likely wouldn't have either.  Together we were unable to find a single basket but broke any number of international laws.  No one ever came to hunt us down thank heavens.  But if anyone asks this is complete and utter fiction!

A Black cat crossed my path

A day in the life of me:
I was sleeping soundly in my bed only to be awoken by "HONEY!! Dawn!! come help me!!!  It got in!!"  Turns out my kind hearted husband heard an animal crying, thought it was our cat and let it in the house.  It turned out to be a black cat which after seeing it he declared "it is evil, trying to get me".  I think he was joking at this point but he did see it as in intruder that he needed to remove from his home. My reply to him was "what is it?" he replied "a strange wild black cat".  The strange wild black cat was smallerish, had a collar and was trying to rub against his legs.  I told him to "pick it up and put it outside".  He didn't want to touch it's evilness and let it walk around the living room while he watched it. 

Next phase of the morning fun.  Our cat Spot came up from the basement only to witness "evil black cat" in his living room and all cat hell breaks loose.  Screaming (both the cats and my dear husband), hissing and a real cat fight.  I then (from my bed still) tell husband to (herd our cat upstairs).  Husband herds our cat with an exercise ball (that Spot the cat is terrified of) up the stairs.  By this point I had gotten out of bed, pushed our cat into my bedroom and shut the door.  I then come downstairs to witness "evil black cat" myself.

Evil black cat (EBC for short) was in fact black and super cute.  He/she had greenish yellow eyes and was very friendly.  I then proceeded to open the door on the deck and put him/her outside.  Crisis averted, EBC gone to wander home and Spot our cat can rein his domain in peace.  I think husband is a bit worse for wear as he generally likes his mornings to be peaceful and quiet.  Oddly enough he also had an incident a year or so ago with a black dog that followed him home after a morning run! 

My little brother brought home a Duckling!

This is just one of those stories you remember from childhood.  I was the older sibling and I just watched this one from the sidelines.  I lived in a small Wisconsin town.  It was one of those towns that you think about when you think "small town America".  A yearly event in the early Summer was "Ridiculous days".  It was really a few days that all the local business' put out all the unsold wares in their stores.  The local library sold unused books.  Charities set up booths etc.  The things at the stores were discounted by a ton and you really had no idea what would be out on the tables in front of the stores. 

My Uncle would bring my cousin to our house and my grandmother would give her and I a few dollars and we would spend the whole day walking the streets looking at all the tables and looking for the best stuff we could buy with our money.  Which at the time seemed like a fortune to two little girls.  Don't worry for our little girl safety in the town.  It was filled with neighbors, cousins who worked at the stores, Aunts, Uncles and friends of all.  We couldn't walk a few feet without someone greeting us and wishing us a good shopping day.

While on one of our trips we passed a man with cages of kittens and baby ducks.  He was set up between the Catholic church and a ladies clothing store.  We looked and walked on.  After our long and tiring day of shopping we went back to my house.  At my house my little brother sat with a baby duck.  A baby duck!  The Catholic church was just a block from my house and he had gone with my other brother to look around.  The man had sold my brother who was little maybe 7 or 8 a baby duck. Knowing my brother even as a small boy he probably worked up some deal so he could get that baby duck.  We lived in the city.  We couldn't have a DUCK!!!  I didn't say a thing, I looked at it and had fun seeing it's little fuzzy body.  Duck made little quacking noises.  I sort of hoped we would be able to keep it because it was so so cute!

A few hours later my mother came home!!!!!!!!!!!  I had never seen my moms head steam like that!  She was fuming mad.  Not at my brother really but at the man that had sold a little boy a baby duck.  She knew how sweet hearted my brother was and how much he would desire a cute little yellow fuzzy duck but the man should not have sold it to him.  Mom, gathered up the little duck with my brother crying and walked the duck back to the man up the street.  She gave him more than a little piece of her mind and the baby duck was gone.  We were all a little sad :(

But as a side note to the story our neighbors across the street, a few years later had a secret illegal duck they raised.  I would go over and look at it sort of wishing we still had that little yellow duck that came to visit our house for a few hours a few years before. 

I am frightened of looking like Michael Jackson!

Background information:  I have terrible horrible allergies, I have asthma and I have never breathed normally out of my nose.  I also have severe anxiety when I go to the Dr because I have been treated like a crazy person for decades by medical staff.  Basically that is it.
I was recently given a consult with an allergist because no amount of medicine was making life worth living during allergy season.  I went to see the allergist in November, he did a bunch of testing and found out I am allergic to trees, grasses and molds.  The things I had been allergic to as a child and took allergy shots for so many years ago I am not allergic to them anymore, I just came up with new ones.  I am so efficient like that.  Allergist ordered 30 days of antibiotics, steroids and then a sinus CT scan.  The CT scan showed a deviated septum so he sent me to the ENT.  I am now waiting for the allergy serum so I can have the pleasure of a shot in each arm 3x/week.  Oh and for that pleasure I get to drive an hour in DC traffic each way!  The fun and joy abound!

The ENT appointment was yesterday.  I am still squirming and getting entirely frazzled recalling what he said.  He sat me in a chair that looked like a dental chair (not a good thing in my case!).  He then had me sniff up some Afrin to decrease the swelling in my sinus' and also some novacaine to numb it.  While talking to me he cleaned off a long skinny black tube device.  I could barely hear what he was saying because I was envisioning him sticking that thing up my nose!  He did!  It hurt a little, was uncomfortable as all get out and I didn't like it.  He said my left sinus' was beautiful, perfect, he could see from one side to the other no problem.  He lifted something up and said "breathe" so I did and it was like a miracle.  Unimpeded O2 flowing into my nose!  It was amazing.  He finished looking around and then moved onto the right side.  That side inside has a totally different story.  Severely deviated septum, which they keep saying is odd because on the outside I look totally straight.  Who would have known? 

So he takes the camera tube thing out of my nose entirely and starts talking.  I guess my nose collapses when I breathe and it isn't suppose to do that so the good sinus wasn't getting air because of the collapsing valve nose.  Which means when I breathe in deeply it closes up.  That sorta makes it hard for air to get in.  I have noticed especially when I am exercising that unless I breathe through my mouth it is impossible for me to get enough air.  Then my mouth gets dry...  not comfortable at all.  So what he wants to do is totally reconstruct my nose by taking out some of the cartilidge and remaking it so it stays open like it should. The more I think about this the more nervous and scared I get.  He said that and my mind went on *tilt*  he was sure I would be most worried about the cutting part and said "the incision for this part of my reconstruction would be at the base of my nose and the scar heals nicely, I will fix the deviated septum"  blah blah  blahhhhhh (I could hear nothing)...  all I could think was "he is taking apart my nose!  I going to look like MJ?" 

I asked my husband what kind of nose I should get and his answer was "you don't get to pick your nose, you get the nose the Army gives you".  Now I am thinking there is a box of "Army noses" and they all look horrible sort of like the birth control Army glasses they give them. He also mentioned that if they want it to stand open it will have to be very wide like an African nose.  I happen to like African noses on Africans but on a middle age white woman it might look weird???  My husband is no help what so ever!

I need to actually sit and think about this at some point so I can ask some sane questions when I go back.  I can't go back until I get a totally messed up sinus CT scan.  He has one on meds, now he wants one all stuffy and crazy.  So I wait for the trees and grasses to start pollenating.  Few weeks I should be ready.  Funny thing is I like my nose.  It is mine, I have never LOVED it or HATED it.  I just figured this was my face and I would make peace with it.  Now I have to go and get a new one.  FREAKING ME WAYYYY OUT!!!  What if I look like Michael Jackson?!!!

Photo repair brag

I have been working on scanning old photos.  It is a tedious process to say the least.  It has proven to be most rewarding though also.  My mom brought a box of photos with her and in it were a few old ones.  One of my dad, his parents and all but one of his siblings.  There are few photos of his family because his mother died when he was a boy.  The photos that have survived many are in rough shape.  One of the photos I scanned was discolored, had spots etc.  I worked in photoshop elements for quite some time with my Mom watching.  To transform it into a photo where you can see the family again.  It was quite the accomplishment for me. 

Sunday drives and a canned ham

Long before malls were open Sundays, when the blue laws were still in effect Sundays revolved around driving and canned hams.  Blue laws made it illegal for stores to be open for business on Sundays.  We had to entertain ourselves and could not spend the day at the mall buying things we probably didn't need or could afford anyway!

My mom is currently visiting me and we have had a lot of time to talk while doing various things. Picking out paint for one of my bathrooms, sorting old photographs etc. She reminded me of the Sunday rituals of when I was growing up. I grew up in South Eastern Wisconsin. In a town called Cedarburg which is North a bit from Milwaukee. It is one of the cutest small towns in the country. I had lots of family that lived in nearby towns and loads of family friends. Sunday we would go visiting or they would visit us.

In those days Sunday was a day for visiting. Everyone did it. No one called ahead to see if you were home and make a date. You just got in your car and drove around until you found family or friend to spend the afternoon with. If the first family was off driving themselves, you went on to the next person you maybe haven't seen in awhile. Some weekends you stayed home and waited for visitors.

That is where the canned ham comes in. Everyone had a canned ham in the refrigerator in case someone stopped by. You could quickly make a nice meal for them. For your own family you wouldn't break out the canned ham. It was saved in the refrigerator for guests. Peel some potatoes, make the canned ham and a few cans of corn or beans and you had the makings of a feast. I remember that funny shape the can was for the ham, and the key you had to carefully open the can with. That strip of metal that came off was dangerous and sharp. My mother told me each time to save me from a nasty cut.

Those impromptu visits were the best. I am sure the parents loved them. The whole community of love, the sharing of stories that occurred from the last visit. Updating each other on other families you maybe have seen recently. Maybe a beer or two or Mogan David wine in a gallon jug (my grandma Ann's personal favorite). But those Sundays were made for us kids. We got to see cousins, friends and play! We all made up games, played hide and seek etc. The parents didn't orchestrate our time. We were expected to use our imaginations and "go have fun". Have fun! We sure did that!

So thinking of today. I would never drop at any one's home unannounced. I don't have a canned ham in my refrigerator and no one comes to my home on Sunday afternoons either. I don't think technology has changed how we socialize I think going to the mall on Sunday has.

I think I need to go get a ham and invite people to come. Try in a small way to honor my childhood and the love that I got to feel on those many Sunday afternoons.

Back in the Olden Days we wrote with a pen

Being the good mother that I try to be, I just spent the past hour or so getting my teenage sons to write thank you notes. I got out the cards, return labels and stamps. I even hunted two working pens and set up a spot for each of them at the table. I called them and my "don't mess with mamma tone" got them to actually come and sit down. They looked at me like I was insane. "I could just text them Mommmm!", "What about calling??", or how about the age old "I am sure they know I love it".

After another episode of me giving them "the LOOK" they got started. First they both had issues with basic spelling. Claiming that they "could spell" but were having brain farts. When I called them on that they then went on about how they could just use spell check on the computer. They have been made to do this before so they have the basic concept down. Write the persons name, thank them for whatever the gift was and sign their name. I also (because I am basically totally evil) make them not just thank the person for money but to tell them what the money was spent on or what they intend to purchase with it.

When the actual writing on the card part was done they put them in the envelopes and sealed them. Without labeling the envelope. You may guess the next fiasco. Ok, which one goes to which person. Hmmmmm, don't know! Ok, I hear from the other room "just make your best guess and be done with it". So the card may or may not match who it is now being sent to.

The last part is where do you put the stamp, return address label and how do you write the persons address? One had it down, the other was lost and stuck things in the wrong places. Necessitating ripping off of things and resticking. I hope they stay put!! They also had to look up addresses in a rolodex in alphabetical order. The horror! So now they are done, hopefully going to the right people and the stamps don't fall off.

Next time maybe teach them how to file alphabetically (I told you I was pure evil hehehe). I have been told that no one writes anymore. That computers are the norm. I asked what would happen if all the computers in the world died due to an electrical pulse. The youngest just said and I quote: "I would just build a new one!". Thing is he could. I am beginning to feel really old!