Saturday, July 30, 2005

Doing Two Things At Once

Sometimes doing two things at once is relatively simple. Here are a few examples of things I do at once on a regular basis: talking on the phone while making dinner, watching television while folding clothes, listening to a book on tape while painting, etc.

But there are other things that I would be embarassed to admit to, like something I tried today for example. Randy and I had a "date" so I was actually fixing my hair in some other way than a pony tail but I really had to pee. When I pee it is usually a long one, with spurts and because I have to take a diuretic I go quite often.

So my curling iron was hot and sitting on the counter and I looked at it and thought, "Oh yeah, I'll curl my hair while I sit here." That is what I did but somehow the curling iron slipped out of my hand and landed on my leg. Yes, very hot, and I now have a burn but wasn't about to tell anyone :) so I put that silver stuff on me and I cannot feel it at all now.

Can you imagine if I went into the e.r. and said, "I burned my leg on my curling iron." The doctor: "How did you burn your LEG?" "Well, I was peeing...." Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Friday, July 29, 2005

Miracles

Do you believe in miracles? Well, I do. I have as long as I remember. There are different types though. There are the kind like I had physically when my heart defied the doctor's prognosis and recovered. And then there are the type that I have experienced over the last month...the "hard to name" type.

It all began right before I went into the hospital. I swear I almost died. Never in my life have I felt that horrible and then the one particular afternoon in the hospital, right before they started the IV for spinal meningitis...my husband had just left and the doctor suddenly walked in, perfect timing because I started shaking and shivering and vomiting the most horrible stuff....enough said but it was horrible... And then my neck and jaw became stiff and the doctor ran out and called the neurologist back. They put me on the IV and the next day I was improving dramatically. It started as a relatively simple dental procedure, developed into a blood infection and then went to my brain and spinal cord as spinal meningitis-that's what I think and that is what the doctor in charge of me thought.

The amazing part (and the scary part) was the time preceding the actual episode of seeing the dark figure (See blog titled Grim Reaper). I had a premonition that I had a choice to make. This could be it and I could die or I could fight. I fought...of course...I have children to raise, a husband to love, parents to love and care for as they become older....so much to do and see.

Since then I have felt a change. I see things more clearly, situations and people. And people have been drawn to me. Mothers with babies ask me to actually hold their babies while they change their toddlers and one even asked me to watch her two year old while she took her four year old to the bathroom! Babies are so beautiful and I dream about them. I believe more than ever that they are our primary link with God and heaven. Other things, too, like this town doesn't seem so bad any more, even quaint in a way. And life seems so much brighter and more promising.

And then there is the scary side:

The night before last I could not sleep. I took tylenol PM but two hours later I still could not sleep. Then I heard our dog barking from the distance and something that sounded like a body shoving against our front door (we sleep in a room right beside it). I thought "no way" and the dog stopped barking and the sound never came back. I drifted off and was awakened by the sound again, only louder and then our dog barking again, chasing something around the house. My sweet husband put on his beach shoes and grabbed a broom handle and went running outside and around the house (wrong way but he didn't know :) ) but he saw nothing. He thinks it was the cat but there is no way our cat (who is still a kitten) could make that kind of noise.

Last night I had a horrible nightmare, one I do not wish to share or remember the details of, but it scared me enough to get up and check the door locks and one was not locked! It's our temperamental old door and I couldn't get it to work very well. I went back to sleep and had worse nightmares but this time it was about religion. There was a lesson in it and I got it and it's given me another perspective on a situation in my life that I haven't known how to deal with. Now I know. And when I forget I will read this blog again.

Quote: If you always do what you've always done-you'll always get what you've always gotten.

Right now it is way too early to try to figure out who said it originally.

I know this seems jumbled and confusing but honestly, I wrote it hurriedly so I wouldn't forget.

Monday, July 25, 2005

Destructive Therapy

I've got splinters and cuts and blisters and damn, they feel good! I've been ripping my kitchen apart. Wait for my husband? Ha! I do not think so. Of course it is killing him that I'm going ahead with it. He is my workaholic, paperworkaholic and I'm hands on. Gotta DO something to move this along.

What is amazing is the tongue and groove construction. I primed a room, took down molding, cut off more wallpaper and unfortunately, found more asphalt on the floor. UGH! It seems to be in hidden places. And it smells just like the roads when the pave them with hot asphalt. Why did people do that? ON TOP OF HARDWOOD FLOORS! CRAZY!

I'm really, really hoping that the guy who strips floors is coming out this weekend. And Allen! He may come and rip out our rotten window and build a new frame!!!! He's already closed in the garage. Thank goodness he studied old architecture so he truly appreciates the beauty in this house and knows what to do and not to do to add to it.

We just bought another 1 and a half acres beside us, too! We were informed that either we buy it or the millionaire next door to us buys it OR the people will keep it and there will soon be a trailer park. We bought it. It took every single penny we had though! If the millionaire (can you picture Scrooge?) had bought it I am beyond certain he would have put something horribly tacky. I mean, the man has a title loan place in front of his mansion! Which is also wayyyy too close to us! He'll do anything to make money from people having a hard time. And I do mean anything.

So my therapy has been demolition. This old house...I still love it :)

And all is well here.

Love to all my friends who stop by to check on us. Please send me links to your blogs, if you have one! I want to check in on you, too!

Monday, July 18, 2005

My girls and their eyes

Today we did the doctor visits. I got second opinions. Both Elizabeth and Rachel have had eye surgery and it looks like we are going to go through it again. This time I feel extremely happy about our doctor. He is incredible! He took TWO HOURS with Elizabeth and Rachel...and he was sooo patient. His verdict was that Elizabeth's will probably be fixed but Rachel's will be a lifetime battle.....

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I am going to cry now. The house is quiet and I am alone. My poor girl!

Okay, I know that there are so many children with cancer.....children that pass away...and I'm very, very grateful that this isn't the case for us and I even feel guilty for feeling sad about this but I don't want my Rachel to have to deal with this all of her life. Right now she doesn't even have a clue. She feels so confident...She walks into a room full of kids and introduces herself and gets right into the thick of things. Everyone is her friend and the world is her playground...and her stage. She sings to everyone, dances around everywhere...I just will not accept it.

She will have normal eyes. They will be fixed and she will not be limited. That is all there is to it. I have seen with my OWN eyes more impossible things...things doctors SAID were impossible...so that is it: This will happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!