Happenings

So many things can happen in a life that some would say..."upsets the apple cart". Some would say just complain and gripe until things get better. Some would say "why does this have to happen to me". Do we have the right to be that way? Are we not a blessed people?

Questions! Gotta love them!! So...allot of you know (and for this I'm sorry to be feeding you "old" news) that I have been kinda ill for going on three weeks now. It started back around Troll's bday, the 12th. (Actually...it started about the same time I got pneumonia but I didn't realize it at that point.) I started to feel very uncomfortable when I ate. Would start to eat and within minutes was full. I didn't think much of it as I've never been a big eater. Then things started to change.

I'd eat and within about 1/2 hour I was uncomfortable. It started to get worse to where I wasn't eating anything but crackers, pretzels and white rice and drinking ANY liquid was causing pain. Within a week I'd lost 10 lbs. and Troll was adament about me going to the doc. So on my bday I went. Doc was concerned after checking me out and for the fact that I'd lost that much weight that she ordered blood work and urine test done that day and scheduled an ultrasound of my abdomen for two days later. Urine test came back within minutes that there was blood and white blood cells in it. So that was sent away to a lab. That eve my parents came to watch our kids so that Troll and I could go out for my bday. I knew I wouldn't b able to eat but was looking forward to the evening out with my hubby...something we've not been able to do for probably 6 months or so. We got about 20 min from the house and both my arms went numb and i honestly felt that something was terribly wrong. We turned around and went home where I crawled into bed. Not long after my mom came up and said that she really felt I needed to go to ER. So we got ready and went. An ultrasound was done, blood work and another urine test. Everything came back "fine" and they said I might want to have a HIDA scan done. Other things happened there that led me to believe that they had seen something as they prescribed me a very souped up antibiotic given to ppl fighting serious infections and anthrax!! But I was sent home with a "UTI"!! (of which i knew i didn't have) and an inflamed liver.

The next day I was scheduled for a HIDA scan to be given two days later. I arrived at the radiology dept...a very nervous person! Never b4 had I had a test so detailed. I've had MRI's and CT scans b4 but never one where I was going to be injected with a nuclear device!! I'm a very imaginative person and was like, what happens if I blow up!! LOL!! For two hours I had to lay on my back completely still while this stuff went thru my liver and then into my gall bladder. This was a Thurs. I had to wait until Monday to hear from my doc. I managed to get to church Sun a.m. but that did me in strength wise. By this point, rice is now hurting to eat and I was down to pretzels and occaisional sips from a milkshake. Starving so badly and so thirsty. A friend mentioned ice chips (for which I said, duh, to myself for not having thought of this!!) and that helped tremendously.

Monday came and the doc office called to say that my HIDA scan had come back and that it showed my gall bladder wasn't functioning properly so I needed to see a GI doc. They said they'd call and set up an appointment. Mon. eve I was in terrible pain to where I thought i was gona have to go back to ER. I was down to "sipping" on stage 1 baby food to at least try for some food intake. Tues came and still no word. Tues afternoon my husband was called that the one place didn't acept our insurance so they would have to call another place. By the time Troll got home from school there was still no word so he called our doc office again. They said that the GI place had closed and they'd call asap Wednesday am. About 9 something I get the call. Doc office said that i had an appointment scheduled for Oct. 11th to see the gastro center. I started crying and said, you're kidding me....I'll be dead by then from lack of food. I hung up and called Troll who got very upset and informed me he'd take care of it. He called the doc office and said, "this is unacceptable!" The doc on call told him that he could do 1 of 3 things. Wait for the apointment, go to the ER or get a surgical consultation. Troll was talking to the lady at the doc office and said, "Ma'am...I know you are not to give out info over the phone but i know you know my wifes case and with your expierience at a doc office you know what is going on. If this was your husband...what would you do?" She said, I'd bypass all this mess and get a surgical consultation. Troll said, "Then that is what i want." So she said she'd do what she could. Within 20 min she'd found a surgeon that could get me in and Wed afternoon we drove to the surgeon's office.

He was shocked to know that I'd lost 15-18 lbs. in a little over 2 wks. and after looking at my chart/HIDA scan results informed me that my gall bladder deff had to come out. The cut off line for a gall bladder being in good enough shape to still keep is 35% and mine was coming in at a (as he put it) whopping 17%!! Basically my gall bladder is only cramping and its back flowing into my liver and swelling cause it can't discharge the bile. So within "minutes" he had made a decision and surgery was scheduled for this coming Tuesday.

The relief of finally knowing musta been huge cause both Troll and i were in bed a little after 9 and for the first time in almost two weeks...I actually slept!! I can't explain to you how wonderful it is to feel there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And I can't begin to tell you how blessed I am to know that there are ppl everywhere praying for me and supporting me through all of this. Ppl watching our kids, bringing food, sending warm wishes...it has been a true blessing to have such support.

Through all of this and not knowing and wondering what in the world was happening to me...I have been very thankful that I have been able to rest in God's hands knowing that He isn't going to put on me more than i can handle. Yes, I've had two breakdowns where I cried and felt so miserable from the not knowing. But I can honestly say I have had a peace that God knows the exacts and I don't need to worry. So many other ppl out there are going thru much worse...much, much worse so I don't have the right to complain or whine. I haven't even had the desire to do so cause I know my God is in control! To have that peace and comfort is the best thing to ever have. So...all this to say....I'm thankful that there are surgeons and tests out there that can help a person out, I'm thankful for a gr8 wealth of friends and family that have been praying for me, I'm thankful for a husband and kids that have been "putting up with" me and ultimately thankful that whatever the reason this was all for.....I can be at peace and rest in the hands of God! :)

Bday!!

Today is my bday! Yea, I know, kinda weird to post a post on myself but hold on a second....don't turn off the computer yet...!!! LOL!!!!

My reason for posting about my own bday? The fact that I want to thank the Lord for another year. I'm a blessed woman. To be as blessed as I am and not stop and thank the Lord for this blessing would be wrong on my part so that's what I'm doing. I don't have the guarentee of another day so I'm going to do my best to not take each day's little blessings or big blessings for granted. :)

So many people don't have their parents anymore...I do! I have two wonderful parents of which I'm so very thankful for. Two parents that are going to be showing up in about 8 hrs to keep our kids so that we can go out to eat! Two parents that raised me to the best of their ability with God as their helper to make sure I was led along the right paths. I'm thankful I still have my parents.

I have a wonderful husband...and there are so many ppl that don't have their spouse anymore. I do!! And guess what??? I woke up this morning to a poem! Wow!! He's never written me a poem and there it was on the kitchen counter! :) He's a gr8 man and I'm so proud of him and thankful God gave him to ME!

I have 5 wonderful kids! Beautiful and healthy!! So many ppl that can't have kids and God blessed me with FIVE!! This is a blessing I thank the Lord for on a daily basis! I've wanted kids ever since I can remember and HE gave them to me! :) They fill my days with work, aggravations and tears at times...BUT...the times they fill my days with love and laughs totally outweigh and overtake those other times! I'm so thankful for my kids.

Friends. You know there have been times in my life that I have wondered where I was headed and feeling so utterly alone. That's a very hard thing to go through. I've been through depression even to the point of being put on meds and that was a REAL difficult thing to go through. BUT...through all that were those very close and special friends that stuck right there and encouraged me on and through it. Today I'm a better person due to my friends. REAL friends. And let me tell you...a REAL friend is just hard to come by anymore. But I have them. And I will not take that for granted. So, thank-you, Lord, for my friends.

And the rest of my family...brothers, sis's in law, bro in law, parents in law, neices, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents...on and on it goes....I'm so very thankful! For all the love, laughs and fun times that each of them have given to me...thank you!

Now I'm sure you're bored and don't wanna hear anymore but hey...its MY day!!! LOL!!! And I'm thankful for one more year that I've been granted to enjoy all these blessings and SO, SO, SO much more than this!

Ok, I'm done.......For now!!

LOL!!!

Today I did apples. Seemingly GOBS of apples! I officially HATE apples!!! LOL!! No, not really hate them, just weary of 8 hours of peeling them. And yes, I will do it again cause I like to see my family is taken care of and I love to can things. Anyhoo...because of me having every burner and the oven occupied (applesauce and apple butter) Troll asked me if I'd prefer him getting supper! Now for all you men out there whose wives do canning and things like that....when they are obviously busy and have things strewn ALL over the kitchen and things on every burner and in the oven don't bother asking if we'd prefer you getting supper just call and say you're bringing supper home!!! LOL!! (Troll knows I'm teasing about this by the way as normally I make supper, too, when canning.)

So he brings home chinese food for us minus Reagan who had Mcd's!! We are sitting at the table eating and Jetta says, "Dad, were you alive in during the Depression?" Troll almost choked and I started laughing! (albeit quietly so as not to offend my poor hubby who was sitting there with such a stunned expression on his face) Troll said, "No, Jetta."

About 15 seconds later Jetta says, "Well you were at least born weren't you?" LOL!!! I couldn't help it. I put my head down and just laughed SO hard!! Troll literally looked stunned, hurt and confused all at the same time with mouth hanging open in disbelief and his eyes wider than possible displaying his bite of General Tso's chicken he was attempting not to choke on while he stammered a, "NO, Jeta!!!"

I was so thankful for the moment! :) Nothing like reminding the adults of who the oldest one is in this household!!! LOL

Prayer

Ok, so here's something that we'd ask you to pray about.

Last nite we were out with friends and got a phone call from our landlady. We were informed that the owner of the house we are renting is wanting to sell so we have until next November to find a new place to live in! :)

No big deal cause we have a year to look and pack and stuff. But, as you know, we have a big family and it's not always easy to find something suitable for us that is within what we can afford. So if you think of us...could you please ask God that He would provide the right place at the right time? :)

Our landlady was very kind and didn't want us to feel they were just kicking us out and even offered the place to us if we wanted to buy it (which we don't). So now I deff will be going through the attic, getting rid of stuff, organizing stuff and all that fun that goes along with packing up an entire house where 7 ppl, 1 cat and 1 dog live!! LOL!!! Wish me luck! (O...btw...I don't mind moving so maybe you better pray for Troll who HATES to move!!)

Latest cake

Made this fishing cake for a friend.
Back of the cake.

View from the blimp!!! LOL

Really loved how the fishin pole/worm on the bobber looked. But my man ended up rather amish looking!!

Side view. My cattails looked like corn dogs!!! :)

Kidz Commentz

The other night I was in the shower with Beeps. I looked down at my feet and there was a colorful liquid surrounding them that deff wasn't water! I said, Beeps...did you just pee in the shower? She said, "No!!! That is yellow water!!!" :)

Kidz Commentz

After Spring (yes, Spring from 2008) cleaning the upstairs bathroom today I was rehanging the curtain. I had to go from the top of the toilet to the top of the register to do so and Beeps walked in on me while I was doing this.

"Mom, you are going to fall."
Nah, Beeps, I'm ok...but if I fall will you catch me?
"Only if you have 3,000,000 dollars!!"

Tonight at supper I was sharing the above story with the family and they all laughed. Someone commented on Beeps being silly/crazy and Eth very nonchalantly said, "That's how God made her." LOL!!! Troll almost spewed his mouthfull of iced tea all over the pizza!! :)