DavidAndHeidi

On The Move!

2012-01-25T20:02:00.001-05:00

I have moved this blog and am now posting my thoughts and adventureS at BananaBuzzbomb.com. I hope you come and continue my journey!

New Blog

2011-12-15T09:49:00.002-05:00

We hope you have enjoyed reading, however this is no longer an active blog. If interested, please check out my new blog: Banana Buzzbomb

Arrrrrr

2010-07-25T13:24:00.004-04:00

My Pirate Name: Captain Bessie Flint

Even though there's no legal rank on a pirate ship, everyone recognizes you're the one in charge. Like the rock flint, you're hard and sharp. But, also like flint, you're easily chipped, and sparky. Arr!

Change Of Pace

2010-06-23T20:54:00.002-04:00

For the past several months I've been quietly working part time with the schools doing substitute custodial work. I've loved it. Upon becoming a part of the substitute list I was then eligible for a permanent position if one should arise and no one in the union bids on it. Well, several weeks ago a job came up for bid. I patiently waited for no one to bid and then was interviewed for the position. I got it.

Over the past year I've been looking for a change of pace. I've stated in previous posts, most people don't know what I do. I don't just put a client in a room and my job is finished. I put the client/pet in a room, get a history, temperature, weight. I'm the restrainer for the doctor while they perform the exam. I'm the first in line to get bit or scratched. I fill prescriptions, make labels, present estimates, write up payment plans, complete charges. I maintain controlled substances and logs, take radiographs, calculate/draw up/administer/monitor anesthesia. I draw blood, place IV catheters, administer fluids/vaccines/medications/injections. I perform blood testing/urinalysis/fecal samples/ekgs/blood pressures. I count blood smears and read microscopic analysis. I'm a pet owner educator and a shoulder to cry on for those having their pet euthanized. I clean the clinic from top to bottom including dusting/mopping/trash. The list goes on, but in other words, I have a lot on my plate.

It's kind of hard to explain why I'd want to switch careers. One thing that made me want to change. Benefits. The benefits as a veterinary technician aren't the best, especially with healthcare. I will now have decent benefits which I haven't had since the military (yes, I'm calling the military benefits good compared to what I've recently had). Other than benefits there are many other reasons why I have chosen to take a step back. Too many to go into here. I have given my current employer notice that I'm willing to stay on part time or as needed. I still want to keep my hands in the field if at all possible and will keep up with my registration.

I know there's a stigma that comes along with being a custodian, but I'm not too proud to become one. As with reasons why I'm stepping back from the vet world, there are reasons why I want to work for the school. Just a few....Believe it or not cleaning is a passion of mine and I like to work independently, so it's a good fit. I'm currently working with David, which will not always be the case, but we both enjoy the time together. This is a way for me to give back to the school I once attended and it has allowed me to face some demons that I left there upon graduating. As David did, I'm currently working to earn my boilers license. After completion of my class I will then log hours on a boiler then be able to take the class. Become a fireman/boiler operator is not an immediate position upon earning my license (as with David) but in time we'll both be able to move up. And sad, but true, I will be able to earn more as a custodian/boiler operator than as a veterinary technician.

There are many changes that happen throughout our lives. I'm not closing the door on being a veterinary technician, but I'm opening the door to other opportunities. You never know, in a few years, I may want to pursue something else, but I'd hate to look back and regret not trying something new.

More On Elwood

2010-06-23T20:15:00.003-04:00

David beat me to a post on losing our froggy friend Elwood. It's amazing to me how such little fella can impact your life. I never imagined I would touch a frog, let alone hold one. Although he was an amphibian and not a reptile, he helped me face my phobia of snakes. I still have a decent fear/phobia of snakes and would like to stay as far away from them as possible, but they don't freak me out as much.

A couple months ago Elwood started to have lumps under his skin. After research we believed we found a diagnosis/treatment. Cestode worms. We performed treatment and the lumps resolved. Unfortunately I can't help but think he was never fully healed. Within the past several weeks he developed multiple skin lesions (some in the form of abscesses), his appetite diminished, and another large lump appeared on his head. We were treating him with antibiotics but he was to the point where he would not eat for days at a time. Finally, I decided to puncture the lump near his head and removed discharge. The following day we found him after he had passed with the same discharge seaping from his entire body. Ultimately we believe his body was full of some sort of infection.

As David said, this truly saddens us, however we also understand that this comes with keeping pets. He brought happiness to our lives and I hope he enjoyed his habitat as much as we enjoyed building it for him. We still have Whompy, our other frog, and he seems to be doing well.

We miss our boy

2010-06-22T20:18:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone, this is David. I wish I could say I had good news, but I don't. Some of you may know that Elwood our tree frog has been ill. He was fighting a skin infection and yesterday afternoon Heidi and I came home for lunch. As soon as I saw him, I knew he had passed on. It was almost a year ago to the date that we bought Elwood. I understand he is only a frog, but we truly love our animals and our hearts are very heavy. I am glad he is no longer suffering, but we still miss him very much. We bought a little wood box with a latch, and we made a little plot for him next to our garage. It's true that we've saved our animals and given them a great life, but they have also rescued me. Caring for them is therapeutic for me, and they can get me through some tough days. Rest in peace Mr. Wood

Heinz 57 Ketchup

2010-05-19T21:15:00.004-04:00

This is a Heinz 57 Ketchup post.....oh, I mean catch up post. Tee hee. With the dawn of Facebook I don't tend to blog often. Where to start? Let's start with the kids.....

Spencer's doing better with his seizure and auto-immune disease. No seizures since starting his medications and his itchy/hurting mouth is much better. As of this moment he has started a second anti-convulsant medication. Our hope is to acquire a stable state on the second medication and wean him off the first medication. We're doing this to protect his liver long term. After the change, we'll then start the transition off of one steroid to the other for his auto-immune mediated disease.

Jax. Well everyone knows he has FIC (Feline Interstitial Cystitis), however over the past 2 months he was coughing/sneezing. We initially thought it was hairballs and treated as such. It continued, so we went ahead with a workup with radiographs. We found he had no problems with digestion and tried a few trials on medications with no success. With the process of elimination and watching his symptoms he was diagnosed with feline asthma. It is a condition that needs to be addressed. If it is not addressed it will get worse and can be fatal. If you do treat, it will still get worse, but you can help to control it. We went ahead with an injection of steroid to give him relief. It helped. Not only did it help, but it definitively diagnosed the asthma since he had a positive reaction to the medication. There are several treatment options but most consist of being on some sort of steroid regime. As with Spencer, and any other animal, you want them on the lowest effective dose. So only time will tell as we go through the next few months, but hopeful we'll get a handle on his condition as we did with Spencer.

I've posted before, but all of our animals have some sort of condition. Most have multiple conditions/diseases. When I told my mom about Jax, she couldn't believe it. She said, "Only your animals." Most people have pets that may have one to two major health problems in their life, ours keep adding. I'm just thankful that our pets are with us. They are worth it.

David's still a vegetarian. Actually he's a vegan. He doesn't want to say he is because there's a stigma that comes along with it. In addition, although he's strict with his lifestyle, he knows there's room for error. I'm amazed at his transition. I would never have guessed he'd go down this road, let alone as fast as he has. In addition, he's soda free. Yep, you read right....no soda pop. That in itself is amazing. Although he drank a TON of water, he also loved his soda. So giving this up is huge. He loves where he's at and I don't see him ever looking back.

As for me, I'm still dabbling in the raw vegan world. Actually, I have transitioned from high raw to low raw. Basically what that means is I've moved from using a lot of nuts to focusing on fruits and veggies. I was 100% low raw for a month, felt great, doing awesome and last week had a bit of a hiccup. I don't want to call it that, but have no other word. There's too much that goes into this lifestyle that it's hard to explain here. But, in a nutshell, it's all raw, no added spices (including salt, etc), focuses on LOTS of fruit and veggies, and LOTS of water. I plan on keep on keeping on with it, but not as strict as I was initially. I have an addictive personality and cold turkey is the best way for me to do things. Unfortunately cold turkey changes don't always make for the best long term changes. I ulimately would love to be 100% low raw and know I'll get there, since I've already been there and have felt the amazing changes. But, for the time being I'm going to work towards that target and feel positive that I'm moving in the right direction.

I've gotten back to running pretty solid. In addition, I got a Trek bike for mother's day and plan on biking to work this summer.

I'm glad for the positive changes in our lives. I'm grateful for everything in our lives. After these recent changes I've realized that not only do I need to see what I'm grateful for, but also verbalize it. Hence, my daily "4 gratefuls". It's not about throwing stuff in people's faces (the I got this and you don't type of thing) it's about being positive and spreading happiness. Maybe if more people did it, the world may be a better place. Wishful thinking? Meh, maybe, but it's worth a try. It's easy to see the negative and get down on yourself. When I first started my gratefuls I found it hard to think of 4 for each day. Now I go through my days constantly thinking, "I'm grateful for this...." It's hard to narrow it down at the end of the day oftentimes. That, or trying to remember all what I said I was grateful for during the day.

Well, I believe that's about it for the catching up. Until next time...

Tomorrow's A New Day

2010-04-11T18:03:00.002-04:00

I'm anxious, excited, and nervous for this upcoming week. Unfortunately everything that I'm anxious, excited, and nervous for I cannot blog about just yet. However, in a nutshell, it has to do with changes in my lifestyle that effect me directly....no one else. I'm sure this next week will be a challenge, but I'm so ready.

My Husband, A Vegetarian?

2010-04-09T06:22:00.004-04:00

On Wednesday David went out to eat for lunch. He had a salad with grilled chicken. Unfortunately the chicken did not sit well in his stomach. This is not anything new for him. However, he tends to go about his life, eating meat, feeling sick, and repeating. But after Wednesday's problem he came up to me, put out his hand, and said, "I'm going to try." I looked at him slightly confused. He then went on to explain, "I want to try to be a vegetarian and want to shake on it." I said, "I'll shake your hand, support you, but it's all on you and the choices you make."

At no point since I've become vegetarian and now vegan have I pressured David to change his lifestyle. I will admit I'd love him to drop the soda habit, but that's the only thing I've brought up. So this is a choice he is making on his own. Of course I fully support his choice and hope he succeeds. At this point his choice is to become lacto-ovo, just like I had been for 2 years. Lacto-ovo, meaning eggs and dairy will be allowed in his diet. With that being said, he's already been limiting his dairy products for over a month due to lactose-intolerance (got to love almond milk). So he's not gorging on egg/dairy products, but by maintaining a lacto-ovo status he can still eat food options with dairy/egg products listed in the ingredients. Obviously his current focus is to eliminate meat products in hopes of feeling better.

Although I'd love to succeed and know he will, my ultimate hope is that this will improve his health for the better, allowing him to feel better all around.

Nothing New

2010-03-30T20:12:00.004-04:00

Why do I never get around to blogging anymore? I still find it so enjoyable, yet never write. Bah.

I'm still doing the raw vegan thing. Still loving it. There are multiple "forms" of going raw so I've decided to venture into a specific area. In a nutshell it focuses on increased fruit intake which means it has lower fat intake. I enjoy fruit so I see this being a positive thing. As always, only time will tell, but I'm willing to try it and see if it "works" for me.

Spencer's doing well. I'm thankful that we've started to taper off of his steroid. He was to the point of needing to go outside every 2 hours and having accidents in the house. He's a good boy though and found the puppy pads all by himself (we have them setup for the other dogs and everytime he's used them). Unfortunately I feel horrible when he has to use the puppy pads. Although he's relieving himself in the right area, in his head I know he thinks he's having an accident. He knows he is only supposed to go potty outside, so I know it's probably a mental battle as he tries to hold it as long as he can. Thankfully mom and dad have been able to check on him which has limited his need for accidents. I'm looking forward to continuing to taper off his steroid and getting to the lowest dose possible. Within the next week we also hope to start to transition to the other anti-convulsant medication.

Other than that nothing much has been going on. Warmer weather is around the corner. We're ready. Both of us have been sick over the past 2 weeks with head colds and just want to feel better.

Put The Lime In The Coconut

2010-03-14T16:11:00.005-04:00

Over the past few weeks I've had the opportunity to have some new food experiences. Nothing too exciting, but all the same, different. Most everyone has experienced coconut is some way, including myself. However, on all of my vegan/raw sites people recommended or some recipes call for a young coconut and/or it's milk. Young coconuts aren't the easiest to come by. But, when we made a trip to Whole Foods last week I had two catch my eye. We bought them and they've been sitting in our fridge since then...until today.

It takes some work getting them open, but finally it happened. First we tried the juice, and then the meat. I had no expectations. It was different. The first sip I was unsure. However, as I've found with this diet change, most things seem different, because they are. For instance, changing from chocolate to carob or cacao. But after a few bites, your taste buds and brain align and you find that things are pretty good. Same deal with the coconut.You must forgive me for my lack of skills in describing food. It's just not my thing and I personally can hardly ever understand people's descriptions of food, wine, beer. I just think, "it's good," or "it's bad." I'll try my best to explain the coconut. The water consistency is the same exact consistency as plain water, just a little cloudy in appearance. It tastes like water with a very slight sweetness and a woody (?) undertone. As for the meat, it tastes almost the same way. It's cool looking at it because it's so white. I describe the consistency as that of drying Elmer's glue while David says it's like fish. I have no idea about the fish thing. Either way, our descriptions are very unappetizing, so we didn't think much of that as we ate the mild tasting meat.So, how do I rate a young coconut and it's milk? I like it. I like it a lot. It's something different. It's something good. I'm sure others would say, "meh, not much taste. nothing special." Unfortunately although I like them, they're not that easy to come by and the buggers are decently hard to open. With that being said, they'll be a special treat for me when I make a trip to Whole Foods.

Oh yeah, most may not know this, but I share darn near all of my food with the kids. Yeah, some may be grossed out by that. Either way, I enjoy it, they enjoy it, and they have a wide palate ;) They love their fruits and veggies. Now they can add coconut to their list of foods they've tried. And how did they rate the coconut?

Spencer says, "Nom, Nom, Nom!"

Vikings says, "Everyone else is trying it. I'll try it. Yum!"Lily says,"You know I'll eat anything. They don't call me the vacuum for nothin'. I was so fast eating it, mama couldn't even take a picture."

Detox?

2010-03-13T13:44:00.003-05:00

After 3 weeks of going raw I was surprised that I wasn't going through the "detox" that everyone spoke about. I figured that maybe I had switched over gradually (already being vegetarian) that my body wasn't in shock. Then, this past Wednesday I noticed some signs that lined up with what others call detox. However, Thursday evening came around and I started to feel sick....allergy-type sick. As the night went on I felt worse and on Friday, even worse. I was able to function regularly, I just didn't feel right. This morning I woke up still feeling yucky. Once again, not deathly sick, but congested, headache, GI upset sick.

So, what is this about? I can't chalk it up to being only detox. My guess is that it's a cold that started Wednesday and has continued on. Not exactly sure. Otherwise, I'm still doing great. No problems on the food front.

Spencer's Results

2010-03-13T12:43:00.002-05:00

Spencer's results arrived this week. We had several possible diagnoses and one was proven correct....lymphoplasmacytic neutrophilic gingivitis. It's also known as Lymphoplasmacytic Stomatitis (LPS). It's a for of immune-mediated inflammatory response. Unfortunately there is no known cause. In addition to occurring in dogs, it can also occur in cats. With cats, often full mouth extractions are necessary. With dogs it usually is easily controlled with excellent dental hygiene, antibiotics, and long-term steroids. Other changes (i.e. diet) can also assist in treatment.

Unfortunately, treatment for Spencer may not be so easy. Considering his previous diagnosis of epilepsy and already being on an anti-convulsant we'll have to make some changes to his pre-existing medications. There are many ins and outs of his treatment, but I'll simplify it.....Due to drug interactions our current plan is to wean him off of phenobarbital onto potassium bromide while on prednisone (steroid). After changing, if steroids are required long-term, we will then switch to a different steroid. In addition, he will be put on an antibiotic for the next 3 weeks since an underlying infection was also found.

We're hoping that this treatment will give Spencer some relief. Something to keep in mind is that there are possible side effects from long-term treatment of both of his conditions, so we can only hope for the best. Although we haven't been down this road before, it's all too similar having been down another road with our other pets, especially Lily. But as we've found, this too shall pass. And if it doesn't pass, we'll adapt and overcome. We're thankful to have an answer and thankful to have a plan so that we can make Spencer feel better.

Keeping It Up

2010-03-08T22:02:00.005-05:00

Alright here's an update for those that care....

Things are going excellent. I'm maintaining the raw diet and feel excellent. I think I can honestly say my endo hasn't bugged me once this past week. In addition I was able to run 4 (or was it 5?) days last week. Hiiiiyah! My goal of not having any non vegan/cooked sweets every night was met. I didn't really think about it really, so it was a non-issue. As expected I did have one "free" meal this past week. David and I headed to Cleveland Saturday and ate at Tommy's. Tommy's has a variety of foods, including many vegetarian and vegan options. So although my "free" meal was cooked, it was still vegan. At the same meal I had a tofu-shake. I guess I can't say I went 3 weeks without ice cream. Ah well. It was my first experience with Tofutti and I loved it. So technically, I've been vegan this entire past week. I'm not really into having to fit into a label so I'm not real sure where I fit yet....vegan/vegetarian. I'm definitely more than vegetarian but at the same time I haven't thrown out my leather belts, shoes, and all. So, that has yet to be determined.

A few more things I've noticed while going raw.....

It's expensive. At least to get started. Buying all the spices, nuts, fruits, and appliances adds up fast. With that being said, we're not eating out half as much, and when we do it tends to be a lot less. So, I'm hoping over time the expense wains. Even so, right now I'll take it. When you feel good and not in constant discomfort it's worth the expense.

I've always been adamant about being out of the kitchen. I despised cooking. I found it intense and non-relaxing. However, over the past few weeks I've spent more time in the kitchen than I've probably spent in my entire life. Cleaning, cutting, chopping, mixing. In addition I'm compiling recipes that I think are do-able. I'm having fun experimenting with the new dehydrator. I've already made some rockin' fruit leathers AKA fruit rollups and have some cinnamon apples dehydrating now. I also have cut-up potatoes marinating in vinegar right now so I can pop those in tomorrow, making salt and vinegar "chips."

When I sit down to eat a meal I've found that I get fuller faster. With that being said, I still need to watch my daily intake. It's easy to snack and not realize it.

So, this raw food thing is working out quite well. I don't know if I necessarily have a goal for this week. I think the plan is to maintain what I got going and see where it leads.

Raw-some

2010-03-01T20:09:00.004-05:00

I've been going raw for 2 weeks now. The first few days were rough, but I'm digging it now. Although it's not quite second nature just yet, I'm getting there. I don't have to think about it as much now....What am I going to eat? What things can I put together to make a smoothie? Ideas for salad dressings. I'm coming along.

I'm not 100% raw, nor will I ever be, however I have been giving myself a "treat" every night, for instance, a few pieces of candy. In addition I allowed myself one meal a week that wasn't raw. I'm ready to take the next step. My challenge to myself this week is no "treats" at night. I haven't decided if I'm going to give myself my one meal a week this week or not. I have time to think about it. And if I do choose to give myself that meal, that will be the next thing I plan to cut out. Of course there will be times where we'll go out to eat and I'll allow myself to have a different dressing instead of the ol' vinegar and oil. When I'm at home it's easier to have more raw choices, given that I can make homemade dressings. I'm going to try my hardest to stick to raw options while eating out. At the same time I won't lose sleep over things that I don't have much power over. A salad, even with a non-raw dressing is still better than a burger (even if it is veggie).

Although people may see this as depriving myself of my wants I see it differently. It's just changing my mindset and eating patterns. In the end I feel better not having those things, it's just getting past the "want phase." Not to mention, I love challenges like this that I place on myself. It allows me to prove to myself that I am a mentally strong person and that I can do it if I put my mind to it....i know, cliche', but it is what it is.

So, with this diet change, these are the things I've noticed so far....

Last I checked I had lost about 5 pounds. Hmm, not too bad in my opinion. Especially, when I get to snack on things during the day....good things, of course. And this weight loss isn't even with steady running. With going on a business trip/work schedule/snow, I've been unable to keep a steady running schedule. Still trying to get to 3-4 times a week runs. That's getting better too. So I will only hope that the diet change and steady running may produce further weight loss, even though it's not my number one goal with changing my diet.

I was anticipating that traveling might throw a wrench in my diet. Not so. I was able to pack fruits that didn't require refrigeration and made up the rest of my meals with salads out and about.

My facial skin/complexion feels softer. It's not perfect, but just a littler softer and less bumpy.

My endo doesn't seem to be kicking on a daily basis. Although I don't think this is a direct correlation to my diet, I think it's indirectly associated with my bodily digestions that then effects my endo. Not a proven hypothesis, but I do see a difference.

I haven't had ice cream in 2 weeks. I'll say that again...I haven't had ice cream in 2 weeks. And that means real or soy ice cream. That's got to be a record. I won't lie, I'd like to have some, but I don't need it.

I believe that's all the changes I've seen so far. Once again, these may be related to my diet change, maybe not. The bottom line....I'll take them and I'll keep up this raw stuff.

Endometriosis Awareness Month

2010-03-01T06:57:00.002-05:00

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. Please help in spreading awareness and understanding by signing this petition....
Online petition - Create Endometriosis Awareness & Understanding

Spencer's New Problem

2010-02-19T23:21:00.004-05:00

Within the past few months Spencer's breath has become horrible. Originally I thought nothing of it. If anyone knows anything about greyhounds, they know most have been dealt a bad set of cards in the dental department. However, looking closer I noticed his teeth weren't bad. They're not perfect pearly whites, but there's not a huge buildup of tartar and calculus. More recently we've noticed Spencer itching his mouth on anything he can find. His paws, a rug, our legs, and even our radiators throughout the house. Most recently I took a look inside his mouth to see his gums are red. We're not talking pink....we're talking RED, inflamed, painful gums. In addition to the redness we noticed this past weekend that there were lesions on his gums from rubbing so much. So we had him checked out.

Originally we (myself, David, and the doctors) visited the idea of him having a form of allergic reaction to his phenobarbital (anti-seizure medication). After research we came to the conclusion that chances are this theory isn't right. Thankfully due to my co worker's (our vet's) affiliation with OSU he called them to get some input. OSU has a large greyhound "program" that focuses on greyhounds, along with research on the breed. They lead us in a new direction.

There could be a multitude of things going on with Spencer, but these are our current ideas....lymphoplasmacytic stomatitis, pemphigous vulgaris, bullous pemphigoid, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Those are some mouthfuls, eh? Basically they're all autoimmune type of diseases.

The next step in diagnosing is to put him under anesthesia, retrieve a biopsy, and submit it for further examination. I'll be taking him into work in 2 weeks to have this procedure performed and hopefully we'll get some answers. It may not be a serious problem, but it's obviously uncomfortable for him and it's time to find out what's going on. If it is one of the diseases listed, USUALLY they symptoms can be controlled through corticosteroids. Although, the side effects of steroids aren't preferable (increase food/water intake, increased urination, weight gain......), especially using them long term.

Once again, it comes as no surprise that we may have yet another special need to address with our pets. As I've blogged so many times, they each have their nuances and diseases. And although we don't want our kids to suffer and wish they didn't have these problems, we wouldn't trade them in, even if we had the chance. I'm thankful that they are in our lives for a multitude of reasons, especially the fact that we have the ability (for the most part) and the desire to help them instead of casting them aside like some others may do.

Once we receive results I'll post more information.

Raw

2010-02-18T20:55:00.003-05:00

Looking back through this blog I've seen myself go through many changes. Changes range from lifestyle to physical to mental changes....and many more in between. I'll admit, sometimes after reading through my posts and seeing what I've written, seeing what happened, and/or seeing where I am now, I feel like I look like an idiot who can't decide what I want to do. Meh That's the bad part of a blog I guess. You expose yourself. The good and the bad.

For over 1.5 years I've been a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I guess you can say I've succeeded in that change I blogged about. I like it and it's worked for me. About a year ago I entertained the idea of taking that another step further and making a change to a "raw diet." (I hate to use the word diet, because it's not a "diet." If you think about it, anything that you eat is your diet.) A raw diet is where you don't eat anything that's been heated/cooked. Technically it's a form of vegan diet. Basically a lot of veggies, fruits, and nuts. Don't get me wrong, it's not a chincy diet. You'd be amazed at the combinations and recipes out there.

I love being a vegetarian. At the same time I'll be the first to tell you, it's easy to be an unhealthy vegetarian. As with my running, I've let my eating habits slip. I've gained weight and just feel blah overall. I want to feel healthier again. That leads me to the moment where I am now. I think I'm ready to try a raw diet. Since Monday I've been attempting a raw food diet. So far so good. This isn't something I can do cold turkey like going vegetarian. However, I've done very well maintaining raw until a few pieces of candy each night.

So why am I doing this? The answer: why not? My other reasons -

I'd like to re-align my body to become healthier. If you think about it, I'm already halfway to already being raw by being a vegetarian. Even if this doesn't stick maybe it can help with being a healthier vegetarian.

It's been shown that going raw can help with chronic problems/diseases. I'm all for trying "holistic" options.

I don't like to make food and actually go through the process of eating. I know, that sounds crazy. If I didn't have to feed myself, and could receive my food through IV, I'd be happy. Don't get me wrong, there are foods that I like, but it all just seems like a hassle for me. So the way I look at it, the easier it is, the less I have to eat, the better. I don't want/like my life to revolve around food.

Although this will sound contradictory to my last statement, changing my diet may allow me to try different foods I may have never thought to try. I may not want to work for my food, but I'm always willing to try new things.

Going raw can also help with weight loss. Although this isn't my main goal, I'll take it if it comes.

I think it's funny that my diet is basically what our Russian Tortoises eat. Heck, no veggies and fruit will go to waste between me, the tortoises, birds, and dogs (yes our dogs LOVE veggies and fruits).

So, that's where I am. You never know what changes are going to stick and be lifelong or just be a personal fad. Either way, changes make us who we are and they make life interesting.

Adjusting

2010-02-11T20:30:00.005-05:00

Mardi and Tchoupi are adjusting quite well to each other. We have been surprised as to how well they've not only adjusted but bonded. I'm not sure if Tchoupi likes Mardi better than Chango or if she's trying to cope with the loss, but she now seems more relaxed in the cage (she sleeps curled around versus straight now). And as I write they are as close as they can get to each other and sleeping away. Although we miss Chango terribly, this makes our hearts happy.

Chango

2010-02-07T08:19:00.004-05:00

I'm not sure where to begin with this story. Chango flew away yesterday. I think we're both still in disbelief.

This past summer we decided to add a bird to our family. After getting Tchoupi home we realized we probably should have gotten another one to keep her company. We went, purchased Chango, and headed home. Immediately they both perked up and they were inseparable since. Parakeets may learn to talk but given them being paired it was unlikely. We worked with them nonstop to get them acclimated to us. In all honesty, they were used to us, but still relied on each other for their comfort.

As time went on their clipped wings (to limit flight) grew back out. Finally, they didn't flop to the ground if they fell. We'd allow them to fly around the house a little bit each day. We enjoyed watching them. Clipping wings is a topic I'm on the fence about. Yes, I know they're pets, but I'd like all of our pets to live as "naturally" of lives as possible, within reason. That's one reason we let their flight wings grow. But that thought process kind of leads me to doubt owning any birds. You know, taking their natural abilities away. On the other hand, they were bred to be pets, not to be out in the wild, and no matter what they're going to be a pet to someone....and we'd rather them be with us, knowing they'll be loved. I know, I'm thinking to deeply into it and I can't wrap my brain around it.

So, we let their wings grow. Yesterday we got home, let Spencer out to do his business. I also let the birds out of the cage to fly around the house. At that same time David let Spencer in, and out Chango went. I heard David's, "Oh shit!" and the door slam. I ran to the door. I'll never forget that moment for the rest of my life. I could see Chango's turquoise wings as he flew higher and farther away, never looking back. Then David, out in the ankle+ deep snow, his flip flops thrown from running, standing there in his socks, with his hands on his head, and the look in his eyes of his heart being ripped out. Off we went, on foot, trying to find him. We called his name. We threw seed. Mom and dad even went out just to make sure. He was gone. He never stopped, so we could only imagine where he went.

I didn't know what to do. My heart hurt. It still does. However, I deal with death on a daily basis through my work. I never in my wildest dreams thought I could perform a euthanasia on a pet. Now, sometimes I feel heartless as I walk into a room, perform the procedure, and don't think much about it. Don't get me wrong, I give every client and pet the respect they deserve. And I always say, "Say "hi" to Toto for me." (Toto being my childhood pet that was euthanized several years ago). I also admit there are days that I do break down and cry with the client or shed a couple tears as I walk out of the room. It's all part of my job. In addition to my dealing with death, I wasn't as close to Chango as say our dogs and cats. When their time comes I will be a basket case.

With all that being said, I'm handling Chango flying away differently than David. My heart hurts from losing Chango and the thoughts of what will happen to him. But my heart hurts more watching David. The pets are his "release." He will sit in the pet room for hours admiring them all. Playing, feeding, cleaning....whatever. He's content. Chango was "his" bird. David, just like most men, doesn't cry easily. And whenever he does I'm at a loss of what to do. Yesterday was one of those days. I didn't know what to do to comfort him. All I could do was hug him and say, "it's going to be alright." Unfortunately, it's most inevitable what will happen to Chango. Domesticated birds don't usually survive in the wild. Add onto that the cold weather, chances are he didn't make it through the night. Last night was harder than yesterday, knowing this to be the case.

All we can do is be thankful for the time he was with us and hope that he was as happy as he made us during that time. And if and when he does pass, it's not a time of suffering for him.

Not only were we grieving but we had Tchoupi, our other parakeet, to worry about. We didn't know what to do for her. She seemed ok, but confused. After doing research most people said to pair them again. I gave David the option and told him that the choice is his. He decided that he wanted to pair her again and she now has another friend. His name is Mardi (as in Mardi Gras). They seem to get along. However, it's back to square one teaching a new bird that we're not the enemy and that they can trust us. It will be a long road, but as always, worth it in the end.

To Chango: Mr. Blue we loved you!

Kidney Stone Update

2010-02-03T19:50:00.004-05:00

I had my 6 month check up with my urologist today. I can't help but feel that I failed. You may ask, how can you fail a check up with a doctor? I have no idea, but I feel I did.

Number 1 - According to a test I'm not producing enough urine. In other words I'm not intaking enough fluids to flush the kidneys. My doctor said the number 1 reason in the US for kidney stones = dehydration. And I'm the poster child for that model. Great. I've tried to up my fluid intake with always having water/lemonade with me at work and using straws. Unfortunately my type of work isn't the best situation to be drinking all the time. Not only the drinking, but visiting the can too. I'll try to work on it.

Number 2 - In the past my stones have never been seen on radiograph, only by cat scan (there were approximately 2 in the kidney last scan). This time? Yep, one of the stones is showing on the radiograph. It's either that or I have arthritis on my ribs. I wouldn't put it past my body about having another problem, but chances are I don't have arthritis in my ribs...yet. This isn't necessarily a bad thing that it's now seen on radiograph....but in my mind I think it is. My thinking....if it's visible on radiograph, it's larger than last time.

Number 3 - I'm currently on potassium citrate to inhibit the formation of stones. My citrates used to be really low, so we started supplementing. After 6 months of supplementing my citrates have risen. However, not enough. So now I'll be on 2 tablets 3 times a day. Not real fun. It's not a big deal, just a hassle to remember sometimes. In addition, more pills means more money.

So that's my visit in a nutshell. Time to kick it into gear with more hydration and more potassium citrate, then I get to do it all over again in 6 months.

Broken

2010-01-21T18:45:00.003-05:00

After such an excellent moment yesterday that lead to a good post. I'm sorry to upset those with this "down" post.

First off, I arrived home to find that my deductible I met last year was not credited to the change over in insurance in October. Meaning anything I had performed after the change over is not covered. Not too happy about that.....considering I already know I will owe over $150 presently, and that's without another test that I'm still waiting for the bill. (sigh)

Then we got a large envelope from Veterans Affairs. For those that don't know David has been suffering from a multitude of problems from during and after his military experience. Too many to list here. Not to mention, some of them quite personal. Back when he got out of the Marine Corps he filed for disability. Surprisingly he rated for a small amount. However, we weren't just happy for the disability rating, but more importantly that he had service connected coverage (if it's service connected you can go to the VA for treatment and it's covered.) As time goes on some of his problems that were supposedly "diagnosed" (with no successful treatments) have gotten worse. One of them being consistent non-stop pain. It wasn't until he self-diagnosed himself with fibromyalgia, with multiple doctors confirming the diagnosis, that he has had some "relief." Most of the relief has come from knowing what he has. Unfortunately the physical relief hasn't been much. As with endometriosis there is no cure for fibromyalgia. You just hope to keep it at bay with medications. After being diagnosed, determining that the military misdiagnosed/undiagnosed him, and having the conditions worsen, he decided that it was time to seek some form of disability through the VA. Not necessarily monetary, but at least service connected. While seeking further disability he had multiple other problems addressed during the process. After going through the process and hearing multiple legal people and doctors say that he should have rated for a higher disability long ago (in other words, "it's in the bag."), I must admit it was hard not to get our hopes up. We tried to keep ourselves in check. Fast forward 5 months later......

You know that VA envelope that we received today? Yes, that was the decision in regards to David's disability. And guess what it said. No further service connection disability granted. I read the 8 pages or so thoroughly. I couldn't keep my head from shaking in disbelief. Once again, it was hard not to be hopeful, but we couldn't believe it. Not only could I not believe no further service connection was granted, but as I read their reasons why they chose not to.....For instance, it was stated to the effect of, "Since fibromyalgia wasn't brought up until 2009 this is not service connected." Are you kidding me? True, the word Fibromyalgia was not mentioned prior to 2009, because it was never diagnosed as such. But look at his medical history. Everything aligns back then, to his symptoms now. The list goes on, all in the same sense.

So, where does that leave us? We can appeal. We will appeal. Thankfully we have some connections that should be able to help us. In addition, we have copies of 90% of David's medical history from the military. Once again, it'd be excellent to get monetary disability, but mostly what we're looking for is service connection.

The military broke my husband. In more ways than one. Most people, even the ones we know, have no idea what he went through while he was serving. And although him and I talk about everything I wouldn't be surprised if there are stories that I haven't heard. From the outside no one would know his history or what he's presently going through. He's a genuine nice guy that goes about his business day to day.

Some may think I'm mad. No. I'm sad. I'm not looking for a pity party. But sometimes I must admit, it's hard to face certain things. Here we are at 26 and 28, both with multiple health problems that most people never deal with, or will only deal with when they are older. I shake my head, but hey, those are the cards we've been dealt.

Take That Endo

2010-01-20T16:31:00.007-05:00

I'll be honest. My running habits suck. I haven't run in about 2 months. Probably more. I've been trying to maintain some "athleticism" using the 'rents stationary bike (thanks mom and dad) several times a week. But you know that's nothing compared to a daily run. A couple years ago I ran through the winter months. I'd bundle up and go. Last year I chickened out and used the high school fitness center (thankful for an indoor option). I don't know what happened this year. Actual, I do know what happened. Endometriosis. I know it's not all the endometriosis....it's also mental. And somehow I just haven't had that mental drive to bust through the barriers I've unfortunately set for myself.

Running isn't what it used to be for me. I wish it was. At the same time I'm glad it's not. Such mixed feelings on the subject. I want to run. I want to run another half marathon. I don't know if I will, but I'm keeping my options open. I'd like to think if I had a "race" to train for it'd be fire under my butt to get out.

With all that being said....guess what?! I took a run outside today. I was about to get ready to head over to the 'rents to ride the bike and something in me said, "Go outside and run." I'll admit I took a second and said to myself, "Are you crazy? It's still cold outside." The the other half said, "Do it." At that moment I thought, "I better go before I talk myself out of it." And so I bundled myself up and took a run outside. I didn't go very far, but I did it. I didn't know how it'd be after taking such a long break from running. I thought I'd go back to square one. Well, it wasn't square one, but it was rough. Let's just say, lots of snot, lots of spit, and the challenge of fighting back the thoughts of "Why the hell am I doing this," or "Just stop running," and replacing them with, "Yes! I'm actually running! I'm so proud of myself."

As said before, my running has not only been limited by my mental thoughts, but also physically. My guess is I'm not out of my running funk. Who knows, it may be another 2 months before my next run.....depending on my mental strength and endometriosis flare ups. But today, in this moment, I'm going to take this run as a personal triumph, as I say, "Take that Endo!"

Happy Birthday Dad!

2010-01-13T21:32:00.003-05:00

I was glad that today was dad's birthday and I was able to spend most of the day with him. For lunch we went to Mr. Smith's. There was talk on Facebook about him wanting a fire truck on his 5th birthday, but receiving a sister, Val, instead. So for his birthday he received a fire truck.....
Later I went over to the 'rents for dinner. Afterwards we sang Happy Birthday to dad and ate the german chocolate cake I made.

Although Sloopy couldn't have the chocolate cake, he appreciated licking the frosting container. We tied his ears back to keep him clean.All in all I think it was a great day for dad. Dad, I love you and Happy Birthday!

Who Says We Don't Have Kids?

2010-01-01T14:33:00.003-05:00

Back when we were first married we were able to sleep in until whatever time we wanted. Even after we added Viking to the mix he never woke us up early to go potty (thanks to litter box training) or to eat (must not have been a hungry fellow). Adding more animals to the family didn't seem to change things much, until we added Lily. Lily's issues with IBD lead us to puppy proof our house. Not from her chewing things up, but from making unexpected messes she could control. In order to let her sleep by us we purchased a Pack and Play. We'd wake up in the middle of the night to clean up any messes for our sake and hers. I even went through a year of making her own homemade food. Cooking, measuring, packing, and freezing. As everyone knows, she has gotten 99.9% better. She'll sleep with us here and there, but tends to stay downstairs now.

After adding Spencer to the mix, our lifestyle once again changed. He has a set time for meds, eating, and going outside to go potty. And trust me, if you are off of his schedule, he'll let you know. Needless to say, his schedule is an early one. He'll let you know by pacing in the bedroom and sticking his wet cold nose in your face. In addition, Lily has taken to his schedule and oftentimes takes it upon herself to let us know what time it is if Spencer decides to slack off. Her method of wake up? Standing at the bottom of the steps barking until you wake up. Most times the cats join in too....meowing outside the bedroom door. It makes almost no difference if you go to bed early or later, they'll wake up between 6 or 7 am (if you're lucky).

For instance, we stayed up until midnight last night. Sure enough, 6am rolls around and they are wound up and ready to go. Time for potty and to eat! I'm thankful that most nights we can make it through the night without a wake up from them now. I'm also thankful that we've figured out some sort of schedule for the weekends. David and I flip back and forth as to who gets up, feeds them, lets Spencer go outside, and then head back to bed.

Add onto the early morning wake ups and schedules, the constant cleaning (putting toys away, vacuuming hair, washing bedding, washing bowls.......), having 2 crib mattresses in our house (Spencer's beds), and their afternoon naps (as we speak)......who says we don't have kids?

Disclaimer: We know full well that animals aren't' kids and understand that people see their pets/animals different than we see ours. However, in our eyes, we see our pets as our kids. We know that many people cannot identify with the bond that we have with our pets. In addition, in no way am I complaining about the lifestyle we've made for ourselves by adding our pets. We wouldn't change it for the world.

Just Call Me Rainbow Brite

2009-12-30T20:02:00.003-05:00

Last weekend we went to Crocker Park. For those that don't know what Crocker Park is, think upscale-ish, outdoor shopping mall, with decent restaurants, in a nice area. We like to go there every so often. It's a small change of pace for us.

Being winter, I was quite bundled up. Being me, I was wearing brighter colors. To put it in perspective....I had my longer green wool coat on, my orange purse, multi-colored scarf, and a multicolored handmade hat from my grandma (that I love!) I didn't think much of my outfit. I liked it, it was "me," whatever.

But, no surprise, others didn't dig my style. Here's the story.......we're at Crocker Park, David and I separate from each other to shop, I see him a bit later, and try to catch up to him with a slight jog. In the process I pass two high school age boys. They bust out laughing and start making rude comments basically on the lines of my brightness and color coordination. What?! This is the shit I dealt with all through my school days. Are we still in high school? Oh wait! Yes, they still are in high school school. It took a lot in my to not stop and say something. But wanting to meet up with David I passed on the opportunity.

However, if I could/would have said something I would have said, "You can walk your little hoity toity punk ass selves into your cookie cutter Abercrombie where YOU don't choose what to wear....They do. Go ahead. Don't be an individual. Just be a number, like everyone else."

How I'm perceived by others, whether it's through my fashion, or anything else, is a constant mental battle I've had my entire life. It can tear down your self esteem. I remember vividly walking home in the 5th grade being made fun of by a 4th and 2nd grader for wearing a beret. They were younger than me but I was crushed. Later in junior high, although I was part of the "in" crowd, someone from the "in" crowd called me weird. I still had my circle of friends, but I can say that was the point where my alienation from the "in" crowd began. Not only was I hurt, but I found that I didn't need them. It's not that I strive to be different than others. I'm just "me" and it just happens, more times than not, that I'm different than those around me.

You know what? I don't have much fashion sense. However, I do know that I have always been, and will always be my own personal self. No one will take that away from me.

As for those high school kids at Crocker Park. All I'll say is, "Karma's a bitch."

Memory Lane

2009-12-28T19:55:00.000-05:00

Mom's Christmas gift to family members

Memory Lane from Heidi Henry on Vimeo.

Tortoise Table Revealed

2009-12-26T18:38:00.004-05:00

The majority of the holidays are over (other than New Years) and as expected, I've survived. Actually the holidays went VERY well and were quite enjoyable. In addition to that, my mind and body have calmed since my last post. Whew. After talking to David we brainstormed and compromised on a setup for our "cat room" (I think it's about time we changed the name, eh?) AKA pet room. The tortoise table has been revamped to be higher sided and Elwood's (the frog) enclosure is now located within the tortoise table. I knew it would all work out, but man, this this is quite awesome.

Basically, it was a table that was previously used for displays. Unfortunately (or fortunately for us) it was no longer being used. David spoke with a few people and bada boom, bada bing, it was ours. It has a steel base that's almost desk-like that has adjustable feet....excellent for on uneven hardwood floors. It's solidly built with wooden bottom and sides. Then, within that there's thick, sealed plexiglass. As I stated, David attached additional wood and added fence to the top for a "lid." It's just about done. I'd like to paint it at some point, but not right now....maybe a spring project. So without further ado, here are a few pictures.....

The table as it came to us....
This plexiglass within the table....
Built up sides....
A look inside....
David watching the tortoises....

Sensory Overload

2009-12-23T06:21:00.005-05:00

I'm worried I'm in sensory overload and the holiday festivities haven't really even started.

Yesterday was a long day at work. Not busy long, but cleaning long. I was on my hands and knees almost all day dusting, vacuuming, cleaning closets, scrubbing baseboards.....the list goes on. I then went on the clean the 'rents bathrooms out of love. By the time I got home at 7:45pm I was tired. Then I started receiving some texts requesting my presence at a family get together. I figured, "why not?" I did a quick change of clothes and took off. I had a good time and enjoyed the company of my extended family. With that being said, it was a loud atmosphere and I left with a scratchy throat. My senses were heightened, but I was ok.

I then arrived home to big changes at our house. David had been eyeing a table at work that would work as an excellent tortoise table. He saw that it wasn't being used, asked around, and found that it could be ours. He was thrilled. I was thrilled. Until I saw it. It's huge. Ultimately it will be excellent for our tortoises (Yes, we now have two. There's more to that story. Too much to discuss here.) It's well built, probably worth more than we know and we'll save time and money by reusing it in some other way than it was originally meant for. However, it screws with the dynamic of our Bright Cat Room we recently remodeled this summer. I'm not necessarily into feng shui, but if I was, this isn't jiving. My surrounding have to feel "right." After my senses were already heightened, they elevated many more notches.

As time went on I could feel my anxiety rise. I tried to take a step back, get it in check. Unfortunately, I'm not always that good. I can't describe the experience I go through when this happens. My normal emotions usually go something like this.....I want to scream, then cry, then vomit, then clean, and then purge stuff from my surroundings. I've found that if I don't feel I have control over a situation, I gain control through cleaning. I basically feel like a cat with FIC right now. Yes, the disorder our cat has. When they stress out, they manifest their stress in the bladder, feeling like they constantly have to urinate. Obviously, I don't feel like I have to urinate, but I sympathize with the guy when he has an episode of FIC. Let's hope this table doesn't set off an episode for him!

So, David was expecting to share his joy with me and what he got was a buzzkill. Sometimes I suck. We sat and discussed for a good hour or so how we're going to make this new setup work. Or better yet, work the tortoise table into the room, making a new setup, that will work. More than likely we won't be able to use some furniture pieces that we were using before. I do know this, over the past year I've tried to de-clutter the house. And I'm going to try my hardest to keep it that way. It's going to take some innovation to make this room work. Obviously we went to bed with our house in disarray.

I went to bed exhausted but with my mind racing and my anxiety continued to my dreams. Dreaming about Dormitor/Torb combos (don't ask) for work, anesthetizing and performing glucose curves on animals, worrying that we're not going to make it to the family gathering because we're making an impromptu trip to Minnesota...all the while waking up every half hour, sweating my butt off. Needless to say I didn't wake up well rested. Not only that, but I woke up to a house in disarray. Why couldn't it all have been fixed while we slept overnight?

I'm excited about our family gathering today, but I can't help but think about the general stressors that come with times with family over the holidays. You know it's usually a good time, but you'll ultimately have those moments of stress.

Trying to put these feelings into words seemed impossible to me. I could see it in my head, but knew that it would translate different if I wrote it out. But I do know I feel better than you can imagine just sitting down to write it out. I'm thankful for that. Because, although I don't usually drink, at 5:30am and I was tempted to take a few sips to take that edge off. No joke. I think this was a better choice.

Hoping that my this sensory overload continues to ebb and that joy reigns over the next few days....

Cassidy's Christmas Program

2009-12-20T19:23:00.003-05:00

Earlier this week we attended Cassidy's 5th Grade Christmas Program. I have a few short videos of songs she sang. If you click on this link you can see the others, but here is one of them.

The Skinny

2009-12-20T12:51:00.004-05:00

A couple months ago I broke down and got a couple "skinny" jeans. We all know these jeans don't make you skinny, they are just straight-legged. I didn't know if I could pull them off but figured that it's the way fashion is going. Not that I'm even close to being a fashionista, but I have to go with the flow given that the things I like won't always be around when fashion trends change.

I have always been a 100% cotton jean type of girl. They are comfy, super soft, and not too clingy. Well, when I took the skinny jean jump, I had to sacrifice my 100% cotton wants and give into the polyester, spandex, and other fabrics involved in the skinny jeans. I started wearing them and found that surprisingly, they were very comfortable. I couldn't believe it.

It's been weeks since I've worn "regular" jeans. I decided to go the more relaxed, sport look today and went back to the regular 100% cotton jeans. Yikes. I couldn't believe it. Could it be that my skinny jeans are more comfortable than my regulars? Mind you, I'm not as thin as I was a year or two ago, and the regulars are smaller in side, so I have to take that into consideration. However, with 100% cotton jeans, no matter how I wash the jeans, I would go through the stretch out phase. I'm sure everyone knows what I'm talking about. When you put them on you have to do a few squats and lunges to stretch them out, and by the end of the day they are oftentimes so loose they are falling off. I don't have that with my skinny jeans. I put them on and they are comfortable.

I'm glad I gave the skinny jeans a try. I don't know if my body was made for the skinny jean revolution, but they comfortable, and as long as I'm comfortable, I'm good to go.

To Blog Or Not To Blog

2009-12-20T12:39:00.003-05:00

I know as time goes on I write on this blog less and less. What's the deal? Hmmm. In a nutshell, with the increase in Facebook usage, along with Twitter, there's almost no need. On the other hand I feel I have a lot to say, but dunno how to put it into words. That, or I'll have a post idea, and then forget about it when I sit down to write. Bah. So, in the end, my choice is to continue on this blog, but I can't guarantee how often I'll post.

Jax Likes The Christmas Creation

2009-12-08T20:26:00.007-05:00

I was folding clothes a few minutes ago and I caught Jax out of the corner of my eye.....he was checking out the Christmas Creation. I shooed him away. Within a few minutes he was back by the Christmas Creation. This time, climbing in. Him, along with Lily have always loved laying under the Christmas tree. Now that we've taken away the tree, I guess he figures, "If I can't lay underneath it, I'll lay in it." I swear, if it's not one thing it's the other with these kids and their antics. Although, it was cute.
And a cute picture of Natchez

Our Christmas Tree Creation

2009-12-06T14:18:00.004-05:00

When we first got married we got excited for decorating for Christmas. We bought an artificial tree and hung my MANY collectible Hallmark ornaments on the tree yearly. We didn't have too many problems given Viking was the only pet. Although we did have an episode where an ornament hook was missing and I freaked out. Thankfully, I found the hook after searching. Year after year we'd put our tree up....in addition, our family grew. The dogs tend to leave the tree alone. The cats, well that's another story. They don't want to climb the tree, they don't like to chew the cords, but they do like to chew on the branches, especially Natchez. We've never had any huge problems with her chewing on the tree, other than it making the tree have frayed edges.

When we moved back to our hometown we kicked up our decorating another notch. It was the first time we could really decorate outside, and we took advantage of it. We had big plans on adding more lights, etc. on a yearly basis. Unfortunately, or fortunately, our enthusiasm quickly burned out. Not wanting to hang lights in the frigid weather, trying to time them correctly, trying to find places to store everything, and just the idea of trying to simplify encouraged us to take a step back. Not only have we taken a step back with our decorating outside, but also inside.

We have continued to put up a tree, but decided to put up our pre-lit tree every year. No ornaments, no garland. We did the same this year, but Natchez decided to chew nonstop on the tree. Not only was she chewing, but also giving us many presents of vomit randomly around the house. Not cool. So the tree was evicted to our enclosed porch. But that left us without a tree and the grand idea of creating our own.

One thing David and I do, we have these excellent ideas in our head, that don't translate well in real life. This situation was no different. We purchased our supplies and dug in. Our idea was a tee pee type design. However, as I stated, if didn't work out very well. David was quoted saying, "Man, I give those Native Americans credit. I would've said, 'Screw this!'"After hours of hassle, we tabled the design last night. We woke up bright and early this morning and headed to the hardware store. We brainstormed a bit and ultimately ended up with the same type of design with minor tweaks and stronger materials. Thankfully, it worked! This is our result....

I know it may not be to everyone's taste, but we really like it. It's bright, it's different, it's what we wanted, it's Us.

One Month On Phenobarb

2009-12-02T16:29:00.003-05:00

Quick update on Spencer: He's been on the phenobarb one month. I must admit we were getting worried for a bit there. He couldn't make it up the steps on his own without falling, so David was having to carry him up to bed every night. Of course David can easily carry him, but at 83 pounds, that's a little rough on me. He was in a a generalized fog and would crash (as in sleep) one hour post pill. Thankfully, he's evened out and seems to be doing excellent. He's still on the medication but is back to his old self. Knock on wood, no seizures either.

Freeze, Burn, Scrape, Tape

2009-12-02T16:11:00.007-05:00

Back in the day, we're talking elementary school-times, I suffered from warts on my hands. Those little boogers were on both hands, averaging one on a finger. Andrea also suffered from them. We went through every treatment out there. Compound W, freezing, burning, scraping and applying straight acid. You named it, we tried it. Then our doctor gave us the idea of taping my fingers. He had just gone to a seminar and that was the "newest treatment." At that point we figured, what the heck, we'd try it. So we taped, and taped, and taped. We just used medical tape and changed it daily or every other day. The tape would get wet, feel nasty, dry a bit, and still feel nasty. My fingers got pruny and smelly, whew, were they smelly. I can't remember how long we did it, but it worked!

Fast forward 15+ years....last year I noticed something popping up on my finger. I could only guess that it'd be a wart. I didn't worry about it, but then little accessory warts started to pop up. On top of that, the initial, largest wart was right on my knuckle and would crack if it would become too try. I tried the Compound W and as expected, it didn't work. Onto the tape. No go. I don't know if it was because it was a different tape or what. My finger reacted to the tape and started pulling off good skin. In addition, I was my hands much more than I did when I was a kid. That's rough on the tape. So I gave in a went to the dermatologist.

Yep, they're warts. So......we tried to freeze them today. The plan is that it should blister up then I'll go back for another round in 2 weeks. If that doesn't work then I'll have to go to having injections of yeast into the wart. Hopefully the freezing works this time since they injections will take much longer, I'm sure they're not all that pleasant, and can only guess they'll be expensive. No surprise, but my finger has been burning for he past 2 hours after the freezing. I'm really looking forward to the blister. She said it may even get big enough to pop! Yes!

Here's a pic of my present finger. Please excuse the quality. Try taking a picture, with your left hand, on a right-handed camera. Little hard. The focus isn't great, obviously, so it's hard to see them, but you get the gist

And just because my left hand felt left out since it didn't have it's picture taken, I took it's picture.
I think it's safe to say that I will never be a hand model. Like those 4 week old battle wound scars? I'm tough.

Nothing Says Thanksgiving Like Kraft Easy Mac

2009-11-26T17:12:00.006-05:00

Today, Thanksgiving, we spent the best way we know how....together. Ultimately we'd love to make Thanksgiving our travel holiday. Unfortunately, my work schedule didn't allow us to do so this year. Our hope was to volunteer our time with a local organization. However, after multiple calls to multiple locations, no one ever contacted us. So be it. We did our own thing.

Most times we see holidays as just another day and we don't tend to do anything other than the norm. I started the morning out watching a bit of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (definitely not as good as being there) and then headed out for a run. After that we set out to see if anything was going on in Sandusky. As expected, there was nothing. We ended up in Meijer, grabbing a few odds and ends. Back at home David had his Meijer pre-made breaded chicken breast, chips, and queso, while I settled on Kraft Easy Mac. Nothing says Thanksgiving like Easy Mac, eh? Of course there's always a chance of overeating, but let me tell you this, if you're a vegetarian, it's much easier to keep yourself in check for Thanksgiving. While eating we watched Adventureland.

So that leads us to tonight. We've been decorating for Christmas and jamming to some Christmas classics. I'm not going to lie. As time goes on I no longer do most of the decorating...it's David. And that, I'm thankful for. The kids got to enjoy their Thanksgiving Feast and we enjoyed giving it to them.....

No surprise that Spencer was fed last, but finished first, followed by Lily, then Viking. We didn't know if they'd eat everything, especially the cranberries, but our pups aren't ones to waste any food...so they ate it all and licked their bowls clean.

I'm about to fix a bit of tortellini. We also picked up Red Lobster biscuits last night, so those will accompany our dinner. And to finish we're watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation with the 'rents and some Coldstone Creamery Pie. Although this year's Thanksgiving wasn't adventurous as last year's, we're still thankful to be able to spend the time together.

Worth It

2009-11-10T06:50:00.003-05:00

Things are content here the Henry Household. Spencer has been on his medication for a week now and has had no seizures. He's a little doppy (maybe I should say more doppy....greyhounds aren't always the most gracious) due to the meds, but he's getting by. Jax had another flareup with FIC, but I think we had it back under control. We've got him on daily meds and the cats both on a different diet in hopes of curbing the flareups.

With everyone (animals and humans included) I've finally broken down and purchased a dry erase board for the refrigerator to keep track of who's gotten what. Some things/doses you can miss, others you can't, so although I have an excellent memory, this will help us keep track too. In addition, David will know if I've already given them meds, etc. and not have to ask. Even with my memory and the dry erase board, I have no fear that Spencer will not let me forget his medication. That boy has an internal clock that's amazing. If it's time for him to eat, he follows me until I feed him. If it's time for meds, he follows me until I give it to him. I've been giving him his meds in cheese for the time being to make it a positive experience, so of course he's after the cheese and not the meds. Even so, he cracks me up.

One thing is for sure, these kids keep me busy. Last week I had to run a few errands after work. Could you believe that 2 out of the 3 stops were for the animals. Ha! It's alright though. And although it may seem like I'm complaining, I'm not. I'll be honest, as with everything you sometimes hit your limit and get frustrated, but 99.9% of the time we know that they are worth it. We wouldn't have them if we didn't think so. Speaking of, it's 7am, time to feed the birdies and time for Spencer's meds.

Update On Spencer

2009-11-03T19:58:00.004-05:00

A quick update on Spencer. After reviewing his history the doctors have determined that yes, Spencer, our 3 year old greyhound, has epilepsy. We ran a bit more bloodwork to compare back to the bloodwork ran in August and we have decided that it's time to get Spencer on an anticonvulsant medication. He will be on this medication daily, for the rest of his life. As with many disorders/diseases there is the ability to control, not cure. We will continue to monitor any further seizures and will also monitor bloodwork in the future in hopes of controlling Spencer's symptoms.

They're Our Kids After All

2009-11-01T22:25:00.005-05:00

With all of the medical issues David and I have, it's no surprise that our animals have inherited some problems. Ha! Just kidding about the inheriting part. Actually, I think it's because I'm a registered vet tech and have a flashing light above my head that draws all of these animals to us. Either way, we've got some kids with some issues.

Viking: Broke his leg, 2 days after acquiring him, by falling off the couch. He continues to have residual issues from his fracture. Not to mention we believe he has a partial cruciate (ACL) tear in that leg too. He can play some mean catch, but don't be surprised if he comes back limping. Doesn't slow him down much though, he just keeps on a goin'.

Natchez: She came to us as a rescue and has a history of eosinophilic granulomas. (basically an inflammatory disease of the skin that has many triggers.) Thankfully it's easily treated and she hasn't had many problems within the past couple years.

Jax: We acquired him from one of my vet hospitals. He had been hit by a car and someone found him and brought him in. He was never claimed and we took him. He suffers from Feline Idiopathic/Interstitial Cystitis. He'll have episodes when you think he has a urinary tract infection due to his frequent visits to the litter box. In actuality, small changes can mean major stress, and stress in cats manifests through the urinary bladder. Speaking from dealing with clients' pets and now my own, this is a confusing and stressful (to the human) diagnosis. You not only have to treat the cat for it's symptoms, but somehow figure out what is causing the stress....sometimes things you can't change. i.e. change in weather, etc. Not to mention, if you don't take care of the problem, it can lead to further problems that can be fatal, such as an obstructed cat (a cat that cannot eliminate it's urine).

Lily: Lily, Lily, Lily.....She was on death's door when she presented to the vet hospital. We didn't think she'd make it through the night, yet she did. Ultimately her owner did not have enough money for treatment so she was abandoned. After a long wait David and I were able to adopt her. As for her problems, to make a long story short, she has Inflammatory Bowel Disease. We spent a couple years, many medications, many diets, and loads of money trying to make her better. And then one day, her life changed forever. We have no idea what happened, but her life turned around. She's on a regular diet and on no daily medications. However, she still has flareups and "bad days" but are easily controlled.

Spencer: We adopted Spencer a year ago. The rescue group saw us coming....he was a race dog, from the track, that mysteriously had a broken pelvis. Needless to say it is believed he didn't actually break his pelvis while running, but was injured through brunt force of a human (possibly for not doing well enough on that track??) When we adopted him he was still on light exercise and within a month we confirmed through x-rays that he was fully healed. As with any other fractures he still has residual discomfort on and off. We thought that would be the end of his problems. Not so fast. Back in early August, after running outside I let Spencer inside to get a drink. I heard a loud noise and ran inside to find him on the floor having a seizure. It lasted a good minute and he recovered. Knowing it was not an emergency I monitored him throughout the weekend and then took him to work Monday to have a full workup performed. Everything checked out fine. I had no worries. As with humans, dogs can be perfectly healthy, have a seizure one time and never again. We marked down the date and continued to watch him. He was doing great until 2 weeks ago....another seizure hit. He had been laying down, attempted to get up, and collapsed into a seizure. David was the only one home so I left work to watch him the rest of the day. Once again, no fears, just didn't want him to be alone. The general rule of thumb is that no medications are needed if there are no more 3 seizures in 3 months time. However given that he had 2 seizures the doctor said that given his age more than likely it is epilepsy. We marked the date, and have continued to watch him. Today, while relaxing in his bed, another seizure hit. So......I'll document another seizure (3 now) and let the doctor know. I'm unsure what the plan will be, but we'll take care of our boy.

As for our newest exotic additions, no problems have reared their heads.....yet.

I never imagined our kids would have the problems that they do, but that's okay, we love them all the same. We're thankful to have them in our lives and hope they're thankful to have us too.

Here We Go, One More Time, Everybody's Feeling Fine

2009-10-27T19:48:00.006-04:00

I have finally put my foot down on myself. (Or atleast I'd like to think so) I've actually made it out to run multiple times within this past week. Say what?! You heard right. And thankfully, although runs are never all that pleasant, things are falling back into place quicker than expected. Pretty cool. I'm not busting out any crazy mileage or speed. Just taking it easy and taking it as it comes. I'm hoping to keep my motivation up and to stay healthy so I can keep running. I kind of laugh at that statement given I'll never be 100% healthy. Hmmmm, what would be a better way to restate that? I'm hoping to keep my motivation up and use that to overcome discomfort and any mental blocks. Better? Sounds good to me.

Changing subjects, but not really.....I'm doing pretty well with my endo. There's no doubt that it's there on a daily basis, but for the most part I can deal with it. As for the bills, well, they're still a comin'. I'd like to say I can see an end since I've met my "out-of-pocket," but by the time I even get close to paying it off the new calendar year will start. What does that mean? I start all over from $0 paid towards my deductible/out-of-pocket. Although David's insurance isn't perfect, it's better than mine. I'd love to be on his plan, but if my job offers coverage I have to take it...my job does offer coverage. I could add his as a secondary insurance but that would be an additional $100+ a month. Ouch. We're trying to weigh the pros and cons, and believe it'd be best to pick it up as secondary, but when you don't have that $100 to fork over every month (no matter if you're healthy or not), it's not going to happen.

Enough about money/insurance woes. I'm happy to be back out pounding pavement and will take advantage of the high it's giving me.

Dance, Even If You Have Nowhere To Do It But In Your Own Living Room

2009-10-22T20:48:00.008-04:00

Dancing is a release for me. I've been known to turn music on and dance around the house on a nightly basis....even if I'm alone. (Although our pets make excellent dance partners) I've also been known to watch choreographed dances online and teach myself the steps. (Gotta love YouTube) And you know if there's dancing going on, I'll be there......Even if it's after a 5K run:While on our cruise last year one of the activities coordinators knew me as the "Dancing Queen." I'm guessing that because I joined in every dance activity I could. From line dancing on the pool deck to the 70's Dance Party...... I've had many occasions when people have asked me, "How much have you had to drink??" And everytime I say, "Nothing." Ha! Do I look that bad?! Meh, who cares. If music is on, you'll probably see me bobbing my head, and soon enough it probably won't be too long before I start to bust out in dance. I'll admit, I'm not the best dancer in the word, but I find it enjoyable. I get in my own little world and am as happy as can be.Today's thought of the day.....

Post Op

2009-10-14T20:24:00.004-04:00

I had my post-op check today for my laparoscopy. All looks well and I checked out fine. I got to "ooh and ahh" at pictures from the procedure. It was nice to speak with the doctor and confirm that yes, the pain I've been feeling is truly endometriosis....I pointed where the pain was and he said, "Yes, that's the exact spot where it was located on your bladder." So, how am I feeling? Meh. Better than before, but I'll admit that I have moments or even days when the pain doesn't want to let up.

As I stated previously, there's no cure for this. But, I was able to talk to my doctor about treatment options. The main thing is that although birth control is no longer needed in our situation, staying on it helps to control the endo and limit the discomfort. Instead of taking a week off each month I'll stay on it constantly for 4 months, then take a week break, then back on for another 4 months. As with anything, there are side effects and it may not work, but it's worth a try. Another option is Lupron. The short explanation of how this would work: it'd put me into menopause. Given my mild symptoms this is currently not a treatment option I'd like to venture into. But it is available. And then, of course there's further laparascopy as a treatment. Basically, if I get very painful again, meaning there's further presence of endo, they'd go back in and do the procedure over, lasering endo and any adhesions. More than likely this will be something I'll have to do again in the future. I've met someone who's had 7 laparascopies. In addition to the treatments I have listed, there are other options. Through the help of others, I've found that many individuals use a combination of western and eastern medicine techniques to help their situations. As always, I'm open to my options and am willing to try different things.

So where am I at this moment? I will try to continue my life as I had previously done. I've also received clearance to run again (it's been about 2 months....yikes, I best ease into that again, eh?). Yes, I will have discomfort that I'll have to live with. If it gets worse I'll need to address it as necessary.

My big question....what will hit first next time.....kidney stones or the endo? Hmmmm. That's a concern of mine, how will I know which is which? According to my doctor the endo discomfort is more continuous and strengthening as time goes on, while the kidney stone would be more sudden. I know I'll be blessed in the future with both of these occurences. Only time will tell.

Rally Time

2009-10-11T20:23:00.005-04:00

After 3 years in remission a close friend of ours was recently re-diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. To make a long story short the past few months have been grueling for him, his wife, and their two children. Tomorrow will begin a new step in his treatment process. He will be admitted for further chemo in preparation for receiving his brother's bone marrow.

I can only imagine their fears and anxieties to the unknown. Having witnessed my extended family go through this a few years back with my Aunt Cindy and her diagnosis of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, it can be a scary time. I remember checking her blog multiple times in the day to get any little update. Being on the outside I felt there was nothing I could really do. However, through that experience, I think many of us found that although we couldn't do much, we could do some....by sending positive thoughts, energy, prayer, or kind thoughts. Having her in Cleveland and being limited to visitors due to her immune system, her blog made this all possible. As a family we simply rallied around her and her family in hopes of pulling them through that tough time.

Starting this post I wasn't really sure what I was going to write, or why, but I had an urge to do so. I believe the reason I am writing has come to me while writing. I'm hoping that anyone who reads this will rally around the Pohorence family, as we did just a few years ago with our family....visit their blog, post, or just take a moment out of your day to send positive energy or prayer.

I've Got My Eye On You

2009-10-11T19:57:00.005-04:00

No surprise, but Viking has taken an interest in the birdies. Thankfully he just likes to keep an eye on them. Although he's looking straight forward I know that he's using her peripheral vision to watch them....he does the same thing when we eat. We find it funny because he tends to not blink and his eyes slowly close.

Sinking In

2009-10-03T12:08:00.004-04:00

This morning was my first "down" time since my surgery/diagnosis. I could blame it on hormones, but I think it's finally kicking in that yes, I may be dealing with this chronic pain, permanently, most likely, for the rest of my life. The past three months have sucked, but I continued looking for a diagnosis and an answer to my problem. Something that would make it all better and make the pain go away. Fortunately, I have a diagnosis. Unfortunately, there's nothing truly to fix the problem. It's basically a crap shoot of trying multiple approaches, hoping something works for you. Even if it gives some ease momentarily.

My active life has been put on hold. I can only hope that this is short term and that someday I'll be able to be back running daily. Right now I'd just like to be able to return to my OCD self and keep up with my cleaning, without thinking, "Am I over doing it?" I've had someone with me 24/7 and am thankful for all of the help. (Love you mom, dad, and david!)

I'm going to continue with hope that my discomfort may ease as my incisions ease, however, that's not where most of my discomfort is coming from. The discomfort is coming from the same area where it was coming from pre-surgically. Since I've never been through this I didn't/don't know what to expect. Day-to-day I'm going blindly, based on my own personal research, grasping at any knowledge I can find.

I know this is a "down" day and acknowledge it. Some things will get better. But right now I'm still letting things sink in and wondering about all of the unknowns.

Birdies

2009-10-02T22:51:00.004-04:00

In the midst of craziness of work, vacation, and my surgery it's been kind of brushed under the rug about a couple new additions to our household. Yes, we have added to our bunch. This time, birds. Long story short, David wanted a bird. We got not 1, but 2, parakeets. Cute little birdies. It's taken some time for them to get used to us, but we're on our way to having a good time. Without further ado, I introduce my girl (we think) "Tchoupitoulas" AKA "Tchoupi" and David's little guy "Chango."

Answer

2009-09-30T18:22:00.002-04:00

On Tuesday I had my laparoscopy. Finally, I have an answer to my current discomfort. Endometriosis. I’m thankful to finally have a diagnosis. 2 spots were found during the laparoscopy and they were lasered off. My incisions are small, one in my belly button, one above my pubic bone. With that being said I’m a bit sore and thankful for the medications and sleep. I’m not exactly sure what the next step is in the process. I have already found an abundance of information on the Internet and surprisingly I was linked up with someone through a Twitter post. I do know that I have an appointment in 2 weeks with the doctor and hope to get a game plan together. There is no cure for endometriosis, as with kidney stones. The average age of endo diagnosis is 27 years and most have the disease approximately 9 years before diagnosis.

I never imagined at the age of 26 I’d have these medical problems. Add onto that the medical problems David has...whew, what a whirlwind. However, I am once again thankful for what we do have and many of the decisions we’ve made. For instance, my becoming a vegetarian. After these problems reared their ugly head, I looked at my entire life/lifestyle thinking, “Am I doing something wrong?” With the kidney stones, yes some of my supplements can encourage formation, which I have now changed. However, when it comes to diet/exercise, I’m doing things right. And when it comes to endo, some meats may encourage the severity. I’m not here promoting vegetarianism to prevent problems, but I do know my diet should not cause further problems. Next, David’s and my decision not to have children. We’ve had a strong conviction for awhile that parenthood wasn’t for us. Endometriosis doesn’t mean infertility, however there is a pretty good chance that this could occur. Having already made the choice on our own that we do not want to have children gave me peace of mind. So instead of that choice being taken away from us due to my diagnosis, we had already made the choice on our own. Of course, I do wish things happened in a different order and that David didn’t have to go through a vasectomy, but you can’t change the past.

As with everything, the future is unknown and we’ll take it one step at a time.

Compromise

2009-09-08T20:59:00.003-04:00

We all know quite well that I've been sucking at the running motivation stuff lately. We also know that running while in pain hasn't helped either. So, this is the deal....at least for the moment. I have stopped running. Yep. I'm pushing myself to run when oftentimes I don't really want to. On top of that I hurt pretty bad throughout the entire run and afterwords. Not to mention, I don't know how safe it is given that I have no idea what's going on in my body.Not cool. This isn't a permanent thing and I'll be honest, I'm going to dread restarting to run....not the concept, but the actuality of it. I've taken a week off before and needless to say my running suffers severely. Yes, in just a weeks time. Ah well. But, this is the rest of my plan...instead of running I'm going to walk. I'll hopefully be able to keep some athleticism and fitness but have less impact and discomfort. I'm hoping to stick to my plan....if anything I'd go back to running before I quit everything all together.

No Answers....Yet

2009-09-04T17:28:00.003-04:00

My day in a nutshell....woke up after sleeping about 1/2 hour, went to work, called doctor for IVP results, left message, nurse called back, IVP results were negative, left work, went to ER, in ER all day having tests performed, LOTS of waiting, ruled out more options, doctor wanted to send me home without definitive diagnosis and for me to "call the doctor Tuesday," I said no and wanted something further done, that I've been patient enough for 2 months, I've gone through 4 doctors searching for a diagnosis, requested transfer or anything that can help the situation, gynecological doctor on call came down, actually listened to my history, gave me options, going with a laparoscopy on the 29th, basically an exploratory surgery using scopes through my belly button. Will still have to wait for answers, but that's due to pre-certification, etc. I've waited this long, I know I can be patient a bit more. Just thankful to have someone once again listening and being proactive. I have a gameplan and something to work towards.

Next Time On Medical Mysteries....

2009-09-04T03:26:00.005-04:00

It's 3:26am and I'm up, fully awake. If I didn't feel like shit I could easily go for a run....but of course, that's not an option. I've been tossing and turning in bed since 2:48am and figured I better leave David and Viking alone so that I don't ruin their sleep too. As everyone knows quite well, I've been dealing with abdominal pain for the past 2 months. After basically demanding an appointment (a month ago), my appointment arrived on Wednesday. I felt that my urologist heard what I had to say. I was not bitchy but made it known that I've gotten lost in the shuffle and something needs to be done for me, and soon. I learned a lot at my appointment. For instance, the stones that are present were present on my original ct scan in March. In addition, those stones are located in my kidneys....stones in kidneys don't make you hurt. Oh, and the pain with kidney stones....that's not from them moving (like I was told by the office), it's from them obstructing or partially obstructing flow. My most recent ct scan revealed I still had kidney stones, but nothing in my ureter that should be causing this pain. Keep in mind, the stone that was obstructing last time was considered punctate. It had caused enough irritation to cause inflammation and obstruct.

So, where are we at right now? My doctor wasn't too happy about me falling through the cracks and acknowledged that. He's not 100% sure that this is stone related. There are subtle signs that point away from this being stone related. I had an IVP performed yesterday in hopes of determining if kidney stones are the problem. (The IVP prep was basically what you'd do for a colonscopy....yeah, shitting water for hours straight, not fun). In my opinion I have a 50/50 chance of this being the case. There are approximately 5 other options, including appendicitis. I'm supposed to find out the IVP results today (Friday). After that our gameplan will be made.

I do know this, I'm ready to be fully diagnosed and treated. I'd appreciate it if this could be done before we end up in the poor house and before I go crazy. I'm thankful to have insurance, but when I'm constantly receiving bills for my issues, and attempting to pay them off, I feel like I'm about to lose my mind. I'm also ready to be "me" again. I haven't had a full night's sleep in about 2 months. I wake up cramped in the fetal position every few hours. It's hard to work oftentimes because my mind is not focused. Not to mention, the lack of sleep doesn't help. Running has basically been out of the question. And the nausea. Gah! I have yet to vomit, but that's not saying much. I have a pretty strong stomach, but let me tell you, that vomit is right up in my throat, just ready at any moment. The pain. Oh, the pain. It's constant. It's not necessarily "double over" pain consistently, but it's there and wants to be felt.

So, that's where I'm at. I'm here, fully awake at 4am, and it's about to put me over the edge. I'm trying to be patient, counting down the hours until I receive results from my test, but I must admit I don't know how much more of this I can stomach....literally.

Guess it's too late....Just as I was finishing this entry I made it to the bathroom in time to vomit. Guess my nausea with no vomiting streak is over......

Reading

2009-08-31T21:19:00.002-04:00

I've been so into reading the past month and I love it. When I graduated high school reading novels was the furthest thing from my mind. Entering college my nose was always stuck in a book. Unfortunately it was never "fun" stuff. After graduating college and passing my boards I revisited reading fiction and found what I've been missing for several years. Boy, I missed it. Sometimes I go through phases and won't read a book for a month or so, but when I find a nitch, I'm as happy as can be. I'll admit I loved the Twilight series (enough to read them 3 times....so far), but that's not where it's ended. I appreciate some good Chick Lit too. I'm not into too heavy of stories given that reading is my escape. Yes, I like fluff. At the same time I like some historical pieces. I will admit that I don't give books much of a chance though. I give it 50-100 pages and if I'm not "feeling it" it's tabled. This past month I've been reading like it's going out of style. I'll finish a book every few days. Man, if I was young and enrolled in Book-It I'd be eating a lot of pizza! Once again, they're light reads, but I'm plowing through books faster than ever. Thankfully I get some excellent coupons from Borders and purchase a lot of books through half.com, but if I run into a time when I'm bookless, either waiting for a coupon or used book to arrive, I about lose my mind. Yes, I could go to the library. I know the library is an excellent resource, but I often have issues with the books. Don't ask....I'm weird. I'll resell my books online, so it's not a total loss.

My recent book was Shiver. It has some Twilight undertones but it is it's own story. It's simple, but at the same time made me do some thinking after finishing. Thankfully with the Twilight series I was able to read right through them all since I was late to the party. Unfortunately this is a new release and the next book in the series isn't slated to be released until Fall 2010. Gah! Ah well. I'm sure I can find something else to read in the meantime.

Struggle

2009-08-31T20:47:00.004-04:00

My kidney stones are still present, but I have an appointment with the doctor this week. I have continually fought the mental battle of running the past year or so and the kidney stone issue isn't helping one bit. I've taken time off (even before the stones), but that didn't help. I know what I need to do, get up and move, but when you're hurting it just doesn't happen. I've gained wait, feel unfit, and when I do run I'm not seeing those miraculous goals happening like they were when I was new to running. The concept of running was hard at the beginning, but the pounds melting off was a huge payoff (that's not happening now). Then I started to eat healthy and I felt like a machine. Of course I wasn't close to being a machine, but I felt the best I've ever have in my life. At the same time I was so obsessed with running and what was being put in my mouth that I felt like I was also becoming a robot. I started to back off a bit so I could become more human....unfortunately that backing off lead to slacking, which has lead me to where I am now. I feel like a broken record, because I know I've blogged about this multiple times, but I'm hoping at some point a lightbulb will go on and I'll find my motivation to get my ass moving regularly and find that happy medium. In the meantime our work schedules are back to the "school schedule," so hopefully that will help. I'm also thinking about signing up for this run. (virtually of course). It's an excellent cause and you can't help but love the mascot, eh? And as always, if you have a run you're working towards, even if not competitively, that helps you get out and moving

Shoes

2009-08-27T20:31:00.003-04:00

David's work shoes bit the dust today. They were just regular ol' Adidas running shoes, but they were literally falling apart. As with so many things we've found it hard to swallow the ever increasing costs of day to day items. Anything we buy we want to be affordable and something that lasts. For instance we don't require brand names. If it works, then we're cool. Thankfully we were able to find a pair of shoes for David and they met his specifications. Affordable, reputable brand, comfortable, and no mesh (so funk from cleaning can't get to his feet). Needless to say he ended up with all "leather" black shoes.....you know, the kind that you'd hate as a kid....that "old or poor people would wear." But, they fit the bill and we were happy. As we were walking out to the car David asked, "Am I showing my age by getting these shoes??" Ha! Of course we're not old, but we had a good chuckle. It is true, as you get older things come into perspective much easier. Needs/wants, what's important/what's not.

Wall

2009-08-18T07:02:00.004-04:00

Last week I hit a wall. You know, one of those imaginary walls your mind and body slam into? I was tired, in pain, and just worn out bother physically and mentally. Thankfully I was able to take an afternoon off at work, get a massage, and just relax...or relax as much as I can relax. I also ceased running for the past week. Just trying to get everything back in line. At this point I'm still having the pain issues with the kidney stone, but my stress level has come down a few notches....for the time being. I will say, it's just over a month until we leave for Puerto Rico and boy are we ready. I don't want to get my hopes up but I am hoping for a relaxing vacation. Even still, having our vacation within reach gives me peace of mind. Just got to keep my eye on the prize.

Twilight Through David

2009-08-17T07:05:00.004-04:00

David and I were riding the scooter yesterday. He said, "I have an idea.....We should have someone videotape us on the scooter. You'll hold on tight and I'll move my legs real fast like I'm running. We'll then use software to somehow "remove" the scooter from the scene....and it will look like I'm Edward, running with you on my back." Hilarious. You'll have to have seen Twilight to understand this and like it in order for this to be funny. But it did crack me up. This isn't the first time David has referenced Twilight...not to mention the first time on the scooter. Another time I was told, "You better hold on tight spider monkey....." Oh how I love him so.

I Appreciate You

2009-08-12T21:05:00.006-04:00

Yes, I still have kidney stones. Yes, it's been over a month since the symptoms started. Yes, it sucks. Yes, running myself ragged at work doesn't help the situation. But, I'm dealing....Not to mention, I get to come home to this cute face everyday....

Okay, not exactly the same looking face, but still. Yes, that's David and he's only 6 months. Look at all of that hair! Too cute, eh? Whether it's a picture of David or just him, he can bring a smile to my face and for that I'm appreciative. Especially when I have those rough days.

Congratulations Bryce And Monica

2009-08-09T20:36:00.003-04:00

We welcomed a new family member to the Roth Clan this weekend. My cousin Bryce was married to a wonderful woman named Monica. Although we were unable to participate in Sunday's brunch we were able to make it to the festivities on Friday and Saturday. As expected everyone had an excellent time. As life moves on our extended families are not able to get together for holidays as we once did. I must be honest, I miss that time together. I'm glad that we still have the ability to see each other every so often for times like these. I'm also thankful that Bryce, Monica, and their families invited us all to join in on the fun.
I took many pictures of their special weekend....here are a few......

If you'd like to see more pictures, click here.
Congratulations Bryce and Monica!

37 Years

2009-08-05T11:06:00.002-04:00

Happy Anniversary Mom And Dad.

Click on the "filmstrip" below.....

Just When You Think You've Heard It All

2009-08-03T12:31:00.003-04:00

This is not a joke....I just received this phone call at work. I wanted to tweet, but it's too long.....

Man: "Do you do amputations?"

Me: "Yes we perform surgical procedures. Can you please explain your situation?" (Meaning is this a routine procedure or trauma?)

Man: "My cat got out this weekend and came home with a trap on it's leg. I removed the trap but the paw was dead, so I cut off the paw above the knee. There's a bone sticking out and it's all dry and crusty."

Me: (Thinking WHAT?!) "Ok. Let me get to a computer..." "I can see you at 1pm today."

Man: "Oh, I can't do today. It would have to be tomorrow. I'm at work."

Me: "This is something that is urgent and should be seen immediately."

Man: "Well, I'm just calling around to get prices. I need an estimate."

Me: "Unfortunately this isn't something I can give an estimate over the phone, not having seen the cat. I can tell you it's $45 for an examination."

Man: "I thought I was quit clear. I cut off the paw above the knee...."

Me: "Sir, I understand what you did however this is something that we don't know what we're getting into. I'm a technician, not the doctor. However, the doctor would be unable to get an estimate over the phone either."

Man: "This isn't a human or anything. I don't want to put $45 into it for an exam only to find out it'd be $300 to fix, so I'd just put it down. I'd be out $45."

Me: (Thinking, yeah, it's going to be a hell of a lot more than $300 to fix. And trying not to sound like a broken record, I let silence take over.)

Man: "Well, since you can't give me a price I guess I'll go elsewhere."

He hangs up and then continues down the list of veterinarians in the phone book because we get another call in a few minutes (we have a couple numbers listed due to various names/vets). Thankfully I had already told the office manager about the problem and she received the second call. She told him the same thing.

I can understand calling around for prices for certain things (i.e. vaccines), but think about this....do you call the hospital to see how much it's going to cost to have an ACL repaired? Or even more, would you attempt to perform the procedure on yourself? But hey, it's not a human or anything, it's just an animal ;)

I could write a book on the phone calls and individuals I come in contact with.

Starlight Experience

2009-08-02T21:14:00.003-04:00

David and I have been wanting to see Cedar Point's Starlight Experience the entire summer. Finally, we made it over to Cedar Point to see it Saturday night. It's nothing like Disney's Osborne Family Spectacle Of Lights, but they're heading in the right direction. According to my research it looks like they continue to add and work on it in the years to come. I had never used my Nikon for night shots, so I took advantage of the experience. The photographs aren't excellent, but as with so many things, my "art" is a work in progress. We enjoyed the excellent weather, time together, and the experimentation of picture taking. Here are more pictures of our night.

Not Just Another Day

2009-08-02T20:47:00.004-04:00

As I get older I find holidays aren't as "special" as before. It's not that they don't mean anything, it's just like you wake up and think, "meh, it's another day." Friday was my (and mom's) birthday...it was just another day.....or so I thought. The day didn't get exciting until nighttime. We went out to dinner to Marconi's and mom said, "Don't have dessert...I already have something at home." Being a smart ass, I said, "Well, what if I don't want that?" I didn't think it'd be anything special since Sita said she was going to make a cake for Saturday. When we got home, did I get some surprises. First, David had made me a cardboard card. Over the past year we decided not to buy any cards anymore. Cards are nice, but for $4 and a waste of tree, not that nice. Sorry Hallmark, but there will be no more official cards in our home. It was the sweetest card and probably one of the best I've ever received in my life. In addition I had a single pink rose. We are also not flower people....they tend to die within days of purchase so it's just not something we do. So a flower totally caught me off guard. And lastly from David, a juicer. We had been debating the purchase of a juicer and David happened across an excellent and unexpected deal that he couldn't pass up.

I was giddy from excitement. That's when Mom, Dad, Sita, and Alpa arrived......with an Aunt Tonya Cake? WHAT?! OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY! I was jumping for joy. People know from previous posts that I love me some Aunt Tonya Cake. Aunt Tonya isn't really an Aunt, but our family has been friends for years and she has been known as my Aunt Tonya for years. I used to go over her house and eat spoonfuls or her frosting. I even had "my spoon" over her house. It's not really a spoon, more like a flat ladle. I have been unable to get a cake from her for a couple of years given she is totally booked in the summer months for weddings. Yes, she is that amazing. This year was no different. My mom had decided to not even attempt to call and ask. But she did call and attempt to get a cup of her frosting for me. That's when she found out that Aunt Tonya had already penciled me in last year, for a cake this year. Of course my mom didn't tell me this. So I was surprised when the sweet smell of Aunt Tonya cake entered my house Friday night. I couldn't wait to dig in.
Mom and Dad also surprised me with a new Weedeater. Yes! I've been hand edging my lawn all summer with hedge shears. Needless to say it takes forever and by the time I'm done my hand is cramping. I'm truly thankful for this gift.

We finished the night by heading to Fridays for a Sangria.

Ahhh, what an unexpected excellent day. Thank you Dad, Sita, Alpa, David, and the kids for sharing it with me. And Mom, as always thank you for sharing your birthday with me. Love you.

Like Mother, Like Daughter

2009-07-31T07:41:00.002-04:00

As I've grown older I've found I am more and more likely my mother. Scarily like my mother. When I was younger people would say, "You look like your mom...." I'd always cringe. Now, I accept these comments as compliments. I'm thankful to look like my mom and inherit many of her traits. I'm also thankful for the wonderful relationship we have. Growing up she was always my Mother. Now she's not only my Mother, but a best friend.

Thank you for sharing your birthday with me, and thank you for your love mommy. I love you tttttthhhhhhiiiiiiiiissssss much!!!! =)

Oxalate

2009-07-30T13:31:00.004-04:00

When I had my first kidney stone back in March I was ready to do whatever I needed to do to prevent another stone formation. At the time the doctor told me to be patient. Although these problems tend to be genetic it could have been a freak occurrence. He said we'd address diet change if another stone formed.

So, that's where I am now. 4 months later with 2 more stones. Call me crazy, but I think it's time to address my diet....changing it to low in oxalate. Not surprisingly, looking at my daily intake I'm seriously high in oxalate. I have a pretty set diet....meaning I eat the same thing almost daily. (Yes, I don't adventure through foods like most people. I enjoy what I enjoy, but ultimately food isn't my thing and would be ecstatic if I could go through life without dealing with deciding what to eat and actually going through the motions of eating.....but that's another post for another time). I have milk with Ovaltine for breakfast - milk is low whereas Ovaltine is high in oxalate. Lunch usually is cheese and an apple - cheese is ok, apple is high, unless peeled. My snacks and dinner vary. If you have calcium oxalate issues you should avoid Vitamin C supplementation - I was taking a vitamin C supplementation daily. Soy is high in oxalate. My diet isn't loaded with soy, but it's present.

Gah! So yeah, I think it's time to make some adjustments. It's not going to call for me giving up being a vegetarian (according to my research), just making some changes. However, before I make further changes I thought it'd be a good idea to ask my doctor. I've put in a call to my doctor and am hoping to hear back soon. Wishful thinking? Dunno. I have yet to be offered an examination, so I also asked if I should come in for an exam. Maybe an exam is uncalled for, but basically I've been diagnosed with a stone through testing and have yet to hear from my actual doctor. It's not that I don't trust the nurses in his office. I just think it's easy to have things overlooked when the communication is going through multiple individuals....oftentimes not even the same individuals.

And it's not so much that I'm worried about having the stone. Yeah, it's painful, it's been 3 weeks, I'm worried that I'll need to have "surgery" at the beginning of the year AFTER my deductible resets, and I want it to pass, but at this point I want to be proactive in preventing future stone formation. Basically I'm looking for professional guidance and advice. As expected, I've ventured into the Internet to do my research and have compiled a ton of information. I consider myself a realistic person who can decipher fact vs. crap and come to a consensus, but once again, I'm looking for the reassurance that I'm doing the right thing.

For instance, everyone says, "drink cranberry juice." Sounds like an excellent idea. However, cranberries (or any berry for that matter) are high in oxalate. So if I'm trying to prevent calcium oxalate stones, but drinking cranberry juice that can encourage formation of stones, it defeats the purpose....right? Well, it depends on what you read.

Guess I'm in a conundrum. If anything, at least I've learned a few things from this experience. One thing, if you're not an advocate for yourself, no one will be, and you're screwed.

Drink, Drink, Drink

2009-07-28T07:02:00.004-04:00

Last week I broke down and had a CT scan performed. My discomfort wasn't getting any better on the antibiotics and I figured it was time to take the next step. Yesterday I received the results. It looks like I have 2 more stones present. At this time they are a "passable size" per the doctor's office. As expected I was unable to get straight answers. Like, "How long should this go on before we need to intervene?" I was just told to continue with "lots and lots of fluids." Unfortunately this has been going on for almost 3 weeks now. The pain is still present and has not moved. I'm going to continue my fluids and if I have no further progress by next week I'll have to make another call. Something I never found out was the size of my last stone. Which leads me to my next question. I've now had 3 stones in 4 months. The doctor said that I shouldn't worry about my diet after the first stone because it could be a one time deal. Obviously that's not the case. I'd really like to address this issue but am unsure what to do at this time. This "problem" I have was inherited, however there our ways that I can encourage stone formation...or inhibit too. The only changes I've seen within the past year was my change to becoming a vegetarian and running. I've looked real deep at both of those changes and honestly don't think they have been that big of changes that should have caused these problems. True, I no longer eat meat, but I didn't eat much meat before. I was lucky to have meat once a day, if that, before. Soy can cause problems, but I don't really eat much soy. As for my running, I've actually decreased my running distance. So I dunno.

As for now I'll drink, drink, drink. David has already warned me that he's about to strap his Camelbak to my back. I'll pass on that. Bottoms up!

The Happy Room

2009-07-21T20:44:00.010-04:00

We were able to finish up the Animal Room aka The Happy Room this past weekend. Whew. What a relief. I think it was our biggest undertaking since buying our house. We are VERY pleased with the results. The color is just what we had pictured. On Sunday night we moved Elwood and Herbie into their new room. Since we removed the wall of cabinets we've been on the lookout for some sort of cabinetry/storage/buffet to put in the room. Something we could put the terrariums on. I'd like something that fit into the room (simple, not ornate, possibly modern looking) and would even love to reuse or refinish an item. Not to mention, I don't want to spend a huge amount. Sita was so gracious to donate an old apothecary/canning table for Elwood...exactly what fit the bill. We're still on the lookout for a storage space and something to put Herbie on. In the meantime he's on the hope chest/coffee table that's already filled with items from the wall cabinet.

I attempted to take photos but they do not do the room or color justice. It's not as bright/vivid in the pictures. And given the size of the room it's hard to get good photograph angles. But, I tried my best.

First, when we moved in, this is what the room looked like. Paneling, carpeting, 70's curtains/lighting, and plywood wall cabinets. Between then and now we painted the cabinets but ultimately decided they needed to go.

Now, after the renovation.....Carpeting gone and hardwood floors refinished (done in 2006), plaster gone, drywall installed, new curtains, and track lighting installed.

Primed

2009-07-18T09:53:00.005-04:00

Just another update on the progess of the Animal Room. David and Alpa got the crown molding up yesterday afternoon....

Last night we cleaned and scrubbed the room, working to have some order in our house. We also placed foam caulk rope in gaps and proceeded to caulk the entire room.

This morning our bodies decided to rise on their own at 6:45am. We took advantage of our time and primed the entire room....ceiling included.

Time to take a break to let it dry and take another trip to the store to get more supplies. I swear anytime we do a home improvement project we find the hardware store is our second home.

Cipro Spells Relief

2009-07-17T12:35:00.003-04:00

Alright, I don't have relief....yet. But, my awesome family doctor got me in within an hour of my phone call this morning. He rocks. Not only did he get me in, but he listened to what I said, did a quickie test to verify an infection was present, gave me a prescription, and I was on my way. I've already taken my first dose. If it is just an infection I should have relief with the next 24 hours. If not, then further tests will need to be run. Unfortunately even if it is just an infection given my history, these issues will more than likely continue throughout my life. Not something to look forward to, but it is what it is. Counting down the hours of medication absorption.....

Pain And Nausea

2009-07-17T08:13:00.005-04:00

Last Thursday I started to have abdominal pain and nausea. I thought to myself, "oh boy. here we go again. another stone." It wasn't the intense pain I had last time but it was the dull constant pain that had presented itself before the last stone. I started pounded down fluids to no avail. I have the ability to perform radiographs, so I did so on myself. I didn't see anything. Come Monday I still had pain and nausea. I made a call to my urologist and they sent an order for a KUB (kidney, ureter, bladder) radiograph....basically what I already did. Although I knew it would come up negative, I went through the actions. I promptly left work and had the radiograph performed. I was told my doctor would get back to me as soon as he saw the radiograph and that it was being sent to him immediately. I was patient. There was no call Monday. No call Tuesday. Wednesday comes and I make a call only to hear, "Oh, your doctor is out of the office for another week and a half." You're kidding, right? So I ask if someone else can look at the radiograph. They say, "sure" and they'll have someone call me. No call Wednesday. No call Thursday. I call Thursday afternoon, and am on hold for forever, then someone comes back to the line and says, "It's negative. They'd recommend a cat scan now." Once again, following their recommendation, I tell them I'm open to time and date, but would prefer morning if at all possible. They say they'll call me back. In the meantime I run a urinalysis on myself. Sure enough there's bacteria present. Not to mention my pH is sky high....could be because I'm a vegetarian. Wouldn't it be smart to start with a basic urinalysis before exposing myself to a cat scan's radiographs and cost? They call me back and leave a message saying a cat scan isn't available until the end of next week. Right. I give them a call this morning and basically say, "I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but I really don't know if a cat scan is the appropriate direction right now. Can't we start with a urinalysis?" I went on to explain that I have the ability and have done one myself and gave my results. I also stated that I have a culture and sensitivity running on it as well. They still stand by the thought that a cat scan should be run. But they can put it past the other doctor on MONDAY. So what they're telling me is, even if I have a cat scan (which can't be done until next week anyway) I'm still going to be sitting through the weekend with this abdominal pain and nausea. I've had pain/nausea for over a week and I have yet to talk to an actual doctor or even have an exam offered. In the meantime I believe I have a kidney infection that continues to fester. I have put in a call to my family doctor, but unfortunately I have a feeling this issue will not be addressed anytime soon. Frustration has set in.

I Know You See Me

2009-07-17T07:34:00.003-04:00

My morning runs are varied this year. What it comes down to is my varied schedule, my body feeling like poo from some unknown abdominal discomfort, and me not worried about every little thing I put in my mouth and thinking what I have to do to burn it off. I make it out, when I make it out, and run how long I want to run. With that being said, I'm still out running in the morn quite regularly. Enough to see people, and some of the same people, on my runs. I'm not expecting to form some sort of camaraderie with them or anything, however I'm not the type to ignore someone that is several feet from me. Especially if it's a quiet morning without anyone/anything going on around you. I say a simple, "good morning." But, 9.9 times out of 10 I get nothin' from people I pass. I kid you not. They totally ignore me. Sometimes they make eye contact, sometimes they don't. It flabbergasts me. Don't act like you don't see me as I run toward you in my bright hot pink running tank. And don't act like you don't hear me, because surely I'm loud enough.

I will admit, I'm a morning person. I'd prefer to get up at the buttcrack of dawn for the serenity, than be a night owl. I've been know to get up 2 or more hours before having to be at school/work, just so I can clean, read, and get things in order for the day. I understand not everyone is this way....however, even if you're not a morning person I think you can manage a simple "good morning." Heck, a "mornin'." is fine.

On that note....Good Mornin' Ya'll! Have an excellent Friday!

Tape, Mud, Sand....

2009-07-16T20:09:00.003-04:00

Quick update on the "animal room." Everything was taped and mud placed on Monday, sanded Tuesday, more mud Wednesday, and sanded/cleaned today. Tomorrow we're on to the crown molding. It's not going to be an easy task, but we're going to "cheat" by using corners instead of mitering. We hope to prime at least the ceiling and possibly walls on Saturday. Gotta keep moving.

Gone Baby Gone

2009-07-15T07:52:00.003-04:00

At the end of last summer David brought up the possibility of not purchasing Madden (the football video game). He figured he wasn't really into it and maybe it might be time to move on. In the end he decided to get it for one more year. David doesn't have an obsession with video games. He usually buys a game a year....that being Madden. But, he'll play it year 'round. David doesn't play all day long. He'd play a game or so a day. Playing XBox was always his outlet to chill. Well, the release for Madden is rolling around and he brought up the idea of retiring his XBox once again. Since he said it last year, I didn't think much of it. I just said, "Make sure you truly want to get rid of it, because we will not replace it once it's gone." He thought about it for several days and made the final decision last night. He decided that it was the end of an era and unplugged his XBox and sent it to a new home. I think I was more "sad" than he was. But if he's ready to move on, so am I.

I Love You Just The Way You Are

2009-07-13T06:49:00.001-04:00

Today David and I have been married for 7 years.

Most people don’t know our story…..

We met my freshman year in high school. Being involved in band we had passed by each other the entire summer. In addition, he was a percussionist, as was my sister Andrea. For some reason he started making himself more and more present around me and my friends. None of us thought much of it. As the end of the summer drew near I was having a small get together at my house. Somehow he got my best friend’s number and made a call basically inviting himself over. At that point we all figured he was gunning for my best friend. Little did I know that he was just using her to get information on me. Soon after we began speaking more and started to date. Our first date was to Sports City. Unfortunately he had already promised to take someone else to homecoming. I respected his decision to keep his promise and I went stag. We continued dating through the winter season, until things started to unravel. We found we both wanted different things at the time and were also immature. I broke up with him and kept my distance. We both dated different people and moved on with our lives.

As time continued on we became friends again. We started to hang out more often and once again David made his presence known. Again, little did I know what he had on his mind. I remember my soon to be SIL saying, “David’s such a good guy….” I didn’t think much of it. At one point David passed me a note. Basically it stated his feelings. I carried that note in my coat pocket for months. I remember in the beginning of my junior year, sitting at the OSU Skull Session with Andrea and mom. I started rummaging through my pockets and sure enough there was the note. For some odd reason I let them read it. Both of their reactions were, “Well, what did you say?!” Of course I had never said anything and just let it lie. They said, “You need to give him a chance.” I knew in my heart I need to, but at that time I wasn’t ready for that. Fast forward several months….David and I were hanging out and I brought up the question of, “What if…..” Soon after that evening David made his move. Although I was expecting it, it totally caught me off guard. Was I ready to start into a relationship with him again? I took a few days to digest the thought and finally made my decision that yes, I was ready to take that step.

Recently David’s mom asked me, “When did you know he was the one? That you were going to marry him?” It took me a few moments to think about that. And I must admit that there was never an “aha moment.” Ultimately when I made the choice to start a relationship with him again I knew deep in my heart that that was it. I had given him up once (and think that it was still necessary), however I wasn’t going to let him go again…..ever.

So how and why did we get married so young? Fast-forward 2 years. We were already engaged and it was inevitable that we were going to get married. True, we hadn’t planned to make it official for another 2 years or so. In a nutshell, David was to get honorably discharged from the military due to health issues and I received a call saying that all of our planning (moving to Columbus, putting a bid on a house, etc) was going to halt because he wasn’t getting out. What?! (Come to find out a year or so later that the paperwork never left his superior’s desk…another LONG story for another day). So we were at a crossroads. What were we going to do? There was no way we wanted to continue our long distance relationship. Once again, we knew we were going to get married, so it was only natural to take the next step.

Of course there were individuals that were out there that disagreed with our choice. Included in that group were my parents. I remember walking downstairs after getting off the phone with David to tell them, “Guess what? We’re getting married.” Unfortunately it wasn’t the most enjoyable experience. In the end they supported our decision and said, “Well, if you’re going to do this, we’re going to do it right…..dress, wedding, and all, even if it is small.” I’m appreciative of my parents support. Then and now I do understand where they were originally coming from. I’ve seen failed young marriages. Add on that, failed military marriages. There’s no doubt that we had the numbers stacked against of. I knew in my heart we were different, but there was no way to portray that. Every young couple thinks they’re different and states that they are…that they’re ready and mature enough to get married. We were thankful for the bridal shower that my aunts threw for us, but I could only imagine what my extended family thought. I think the lack of recognition of our actual wedding from several extended family members gave us the hint of what they thought. But we didn’t let that affect us. Once again, we knew in our hearts where we were and where we were going.

We had a very small wedding, but something that was special to us. Soon after we made the move to New Orleans and made a life for ourselves.

Fast-forward again, 7 years. How have we made it? I don’t think there’s a straight answer to this question. I do know that we’ve evolved as individuals and as a couple. Thankfully our evolution has been together and not on different wavelengths. As with before, our relationship is still different than many couples out there. I’m not saying that it is better or worse than others’, but that difference works for us. We’ve never had a full-blown fight/argument and also find that most times we’re content just being in each other’s presence. No words needed…whether it be on a run, in the car, or just hanging at home. David’s the yin to my yang, as I am to his.

Happy 7th Anniversary David.

Gotcha!

2009-07-13T06:46:00.000-04:00

Today is Spencer’s one-year “gotcha” anniversary. Yep, it’s crazy to think that we’ve had him for a year. I’ll admit, he and I butted heads for about the first 6 months, but I think it’s safe to say we’re all settled in. As with anything you add to your life, I can’t imagine our lives without him now. Happy Gotcha Day Spencer! Hugs and love to you!

Super Herb!

2009-07-12T21:33:00.004-04:00

Wanted to give you a quick update on Herbie. He's doing wonderful! With the added heat light, misting his habitat more, providing a different water source, and trying different foods, we think he's come around. As with Elwood, his personality is starting to show and boy, can that herbivore eat! We've been so happy with his progress, as we were horribly worried about the guy.

Walls Are Up

2009-07-12T15:03:00.004-04:00

Throughout this past week David and Alpa have been working on our drywall. Today all of the drywall will be up. Woot! We have walls again!! Sometime this week they'll start taping, etc. As expected, this isn't something that's going to be done within a weekend. Given both David and Alpa's schedules, they've been trying to get some done here and there. I'm thankful for any and all progress. As we speak they're still putting up the final pieces, but I snuck in the room to get a few shots.....

Reminiscing Through Organization

2009-07-11T13:58:00.003-04:00

I know that Dad already posted something about this but I had my own "whoa" moment just a few days ago.

As with the past 6 or so months, we've been digging through our house cleaning out. I consider myself quite clean and organized, but there's always room for more organization. This past week I started going through my CD's, placing them in a book that's actually in one piece, and not falling apart.

First off, I can't believe how many CD's I have. I really don't have that many considering David has books upon books of CD's. But even still, it's hard to look at the quantity when now I just take something that's smaller than my palm and everything that's in the book fits in it. Weird. I take my iPod with me everyday, listening to all the songs, and don't think much about it. But when you see them side by side.....I had to take few moments to wrap my brain around it.

Another thing....the type/genre of CD's I have. I'm still a huge soundtrack fan as I was then, but some of my CD choices.....they were interesting. None of them are bad, but once again, it's just something that dates itself, the time, and even me.

Thinking about it, I just sit here and shake my head with a multitude of emotions including, but not limited to, amazement, surprise, disbelief. It's just crazy how things change and evolve. When you're a kid adults tell you, "Things change" and you think, "Yeah, yeah....." It's inevitable, you know it's going to happen, but when it actually does.....Whoa.

Changing the subject, yet staying on the subject.......
Looking at the CD's brought back memories. Good and bad. It's cool to listen to a song or see a CD and have it take you back to a different time. Not only that, but a specific moment in time. For instance this song below.

Although some of my CD's don't fit my style today, it was still refreshing to take a step back in time. And for those that I still enjoy, my iPod library just got a little bigger.

I remember driving over the Crescent City Connection bridge in New Orleans, heading to work, listening to this:

YouTube won't let me embed, but you can watch the video here.

The lyrics:
Sometimes I shave my legs and sometimes I don't
Sometimes I comb my hair and sometimes I won't
Depend on how the wind blows I might even paint my toes
It really just depends on whatever feels good in my soul

I'm not the average girl from your and I ain't built like a supermodel
But, I learned to love myself unconditionally
Because I am a queen

I'm not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what I'm wearing I will always be India Aria

When I look in the mirror the only one there is me
Every freckle on my face is where it's supposed to be
And I know our creator didn't make no mistakes on me
My feet, my thighs, my lips, my eyes
I'm lovin' what I see

I'm not the average girl from your video and I ain't built like a supermodel
But, I learned to love myself unconditionally
Because I am a queen

I'm not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what I'm wearing I will always be India Aria

Am I less of a lady If I don't wear pantyhose?
My momma says a Lady ain't what she wears but, what she knows
But, I've drawn a conclusion, it's all and illusion confusions the name of the game
A misconception, a vast deception
Something's gotta change

Don't be offended this is all my opinion ain't nothing that I'm sayin law
This is a true confession of a life learned lesson I was sent here to share wit ya'll
So get in where you fit in go on and shine
Clear your mind, nows the time
Put your salt on the shelf
Go head and love yourself
Cuz everything's gonna be all right

I'm not the average girl from your video and I ain't built like a supermodel
But, I learned to love myself unconditionally
Because I am a queen

I'm not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what I'm wearing I will always be India Aria

Keep your fancy drinks and your expensive minks
I don't need that to have a good time
Keep your expensive car and your Caviar
All I need is my guitar
Keep your Cristal and your pistol
I'd rather have a pretty piece of Crystal
Don't need your silicone I prefer my own
What God gave me is just fine

I'm not the average girl from your video and I ain't built like a supermodel
But, I learned to love myself unconditionally
Because I am a queen

I'm not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what I'm wearing I will always be India Arie

Eat

2009-07-08T22:31:00.003-04:00

A russian tortoise eating isn't all that exciting. However, if he's been on a hunger strike it's very exciting. For some reason we've only seen Herbie eat once since we've acquired him. We knew that he may not eat that often, but he needs to eat some! In addition, he seemed in a funk yesterday. We worked on his habitat and I gave him a bath this morning in hopes of stimulating him. When I left for work I left food with him. When David got home his food was gone. David gave him more and he went to town. Whew. He had his vet tech mama quite worried. Not to mention daddy too. =( David even had went to the store to get a new lightbulb and asked the manager for assistance. They offered to trade him in. We'd get a different tortoise and Herbie would go to a special vet to be seen. As with Lily we didn't want to give up on him. At the same time we don't want a dead tortoise either. We've done our research and am trying to supply him with the best habitat we can. Only time will tell, but hopefully he continues on adjusting to his new environment.

Froggy Mornings

2009-07-07T21:35:00.004-04:00

I think it's safe to say that we've kidnapped Elwood =/ I can't help it. I fell in love with the little bugger. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I'd have a reptile and/or amphibian in our house. Not to mention, actually have them grow on me and care for them as much as I do. It's just crazy. I'm even purchasing, caring for, and feeding crickets to Elwood. It's been years since I hunted crickets as a kid. Thankfully they have all of these creative setups to avoid contact with the crickets. Even so, dealing with the crickets doesn't bother me. I just find it funny. He's so neat and has such a personality. Of course most people will call me crazy for saying/thinking that, but it's true.

As time goes on Elwood's becoming more and more comfortable and settling into a schedule. He's nocturnal so he comes out at night, I spend time with him, and then he'll still be out when we rise in the morning. About a week ago I was vacuuming in the morning and I heard a noise. I stopped and found that the noise was Elwood croaking. Cool! David had already left for work, but I told him about it. He has made the noise since, but David has never been able to hear it. I've only heard him do it while I vacuum and in the morning hours. This morning I thought I could make him croak for David so I grabbed the vacuum in hopes of motivating him. He proved me wrong and no noise was made. After David left I started to actually clean with the vacuum and there he went croaking away. I thought, "Aha! I'll catch it on camera." So I grabbed the camera, started recording, and started to vacuum. Nada sound. After 3 takes it was a no go. I'm started to feel like the guy in "One Froggy Evening." with Michigan J. Frog. He'll only perform for me. Don't know if that's a good thing or not. Maybe I should feel special.

Our Own 1812 Overture

2009-07-05T17:16:00.005-04:00

When we purchased our house there was a buttload of carpet and paneling....not really our style. It's overwhelming to think of what you need/want to do. It helps to look back to see what you have done.

~Carpet torn up in all but 1 room - only 1 of those rooms still needs the floor re-done. It's not something I'm looking forward to undertaking due to space, dust, and cost.

~Carpet's been torn up on the stairs and repainted them.

~Kitchen cabinets have been redone.

~Living room and dining room has been painted.

~Stairs/hallway walls have been painted.

~"David's room" has been painted and our bedroom has been painted.

~Made a Willy Wonka door to access an attic from inside and "refinished" the attic.

~Outside of garage painted.

~Downstairs bedroom painted and added new light fixture.

~Siding/insulation applied.

~2 new doors installed along with 2 screen doors.

Even with all that's done, being homeowners, there's always more to do. You get to a point where your "can do" attitude and budget reaches it's limit. We took a year hiatus from us doing manual work (we had the siding done professionally). The downstairs bedroom that we call the "animal room" has been a work in progress for over a year. We had torn down the paneling and refinished the closet for a "litter box" room. But unfortunately the walls were FUBAR. (Google it). We had huge holes and cracks in the plaster. We researched patching and even skim coating. Ultimately it came down to it not able to be repaired and drywall it is. We'd love to hire a professional but the budget doesn't allow for that....not that it allows for any improvements at this time. Thankfully Alpa knows the basics of drywall.

So....we decided to drywall.....BUT the plaster and lathe has to come down first. We were trying to decided what to do yesterday. Originally we were going to drive out of town. But instead on a whim, we decided to take that down last night...you know, use the money we would've spent and put it towards our project. Real....smart....move.

First off....the dust. We knew it'd be dusty and prepared accordingly. Blocked off the door, wore hats, gloves, masks, and safety goggles. We even got it down to science climbing in and out of the window to reduce tracking in the house. But geez. I couldn't see David a couple feet from me. I couldn't help but think 9-11. Yeah, morbid I know, but it put it into perspective. Then, nails. Yeah, being smart I wore crocs. (sense the sarcasm?) Ultimately it was a good choice. They aren't ruined like David's shoes, and I was easily able to wash off my feet. But, those nails are wicked and puncture right through croc rubber. I had a few close calls and one a bit too close, but there was no blood and my tetanus shot is all up to date. (No worries Mama Jan!)

As always we've found that David and I work well as a team. We don't say much. Just a few expletives here and there when plaster came a tumblin' and decided to hit up in the head.

The demolition started out as fun. I kept thinking Extreme Home Makeover and, "Ha! I'm punching holes in a wall with a hammer. This is cool." That lasts able the first half hour. After that your forearms start to ache and you got the taste of plaster in your mouth, and can't see in front of you. Being the smart one, I took pain medication before heading into the war zone.

It was one of those things we didn't really think through....like where we'd put all the shit we'd pulled off the wall. We did some quick thinking and brainstorming. Alpa has a truck so we borrowed that and started throwing stuff out of the window into the bed of the truck. Unfortunately it's not real shovelable, meaning it all had to be tossed out by hand. Back to the drawing board again, we came up with filling buckets first, then throwing them out the window. It helped a bit. We got most everything cleaned up but the floor and called it a night.

BUT, that wasn't the end. Having been going in and out of the window we didn't know what we'd see on the other side of the door. Well, it wasn't horrible. But there was definitely a dusting in the rest of our downstairs. Excellent! So, here we are buck naked at 2am, dusting and mopping our house. Honestly, we were tired, but couldn't help but laugh. By 2:30am we were in bed.

Upon waking we looked at each other and said, "Do you feel that?" It's the weirdest feeling, but it still felt like we were covered from head to toe in dust. And my hair.....not only did I got to bed with wet hair, but also that funk. Whoa. Think Robert Pattinson. Unfortunately I can't make it look so hot.

I went downstairs to clean up the floor in the room. That was a pretty big job in itself. That's when Alpa came to replace me. The guys made their game plan for today. Unfortunately or fortunately I'm not in on the game plan. They've hit a few roadblocks but are moving right along. Additional 2X4's had to be placed along with insulation. But even before that we found additional lathe had to be removed. The plan is to get the drywall tomorrow and continue on. We're not sure when this will end and really I'm ok with that. I don't have an issue with this being an unfinished project. Remember it's looked like crap for over a year. My issue is the dust. If it's contained to that room, I'm cool with it.

So, we missed the fireworks, but needless to say we were making our own 1812 Overture explosions. Not as pretty, but that's ok. Won't be the first fireworks we've missed, or the last, I'm sure.

I'll leave you with some pictures mid-progress.

Purple

2009-07-04T11:49:00.002-04:00

I'm not one to take the quizzes on Facebook, but I found this one intriguing. A friend took it and it was right on. I figured I'd give it a try.

What Color Suits Your Personality

You are purple! You are probably an emotional, deep person. You tend to be a mix of red and blue - passionate and a dreamer. Your life is probably a bit of a rollercoaster, but you wouldn't have it any other way. You love the drama! You love easily, laugh easily, cry easily, hate easily, and are probably a bit emotional all around. Not to say that you're "emo" or anything, you are just more emotionally inclined than most. You can be strong and determined...and more than a little hard headed. Intelligence may come easily to you, or maybe you're just very determined. Either way, you probably do well in most things (whether it be due to natural talent or hard work). You can be a total perfectionist. You love your friends sooo much. You probably have many acquaintances, but few real friends. Once you find those real friends, however, you devote yourself to them completely. You are also very courageous and loyal, and you aren't afraid to take risks. You're not always so deep and emotional, however. Sometimes, you love to just kick back and have a good time with your buddies. You, in a nutshell: Emotional, deep, loving, determined, hard working, adventurous, loyal, dramatic, passionate, dreamer. PURPLE! .

Decision

2009-07-02T07:28:00.003-04:00

I'm pretty sure I've made it known that David and I do not want any children of our own. This is something that we decided about 2 years ago. Over that time our decision was solidified through our own day to day life experiences. It's not that we don't like children, we just feel it's not for us and that it's not our calling. These past few months we have met and spoken with several doctors in regards to our views to see what our options are. After speaking with them and doing our own personal research we have come to a final decision on the action we'll take to make our choice permanent. I'm sure our choice to make this permanent may catch some individuals off guard as we are younger in age. However, given that we have been together for 10 years and married nearly 7 of those 10 years, we are definite in our decision. We have also spoken to both sets of parents and they are more than accepting of our decision. Of course we are the ones to make the final decision, but having the support of your parents is appreciative. We're ready to take this step and will do so within the next month. We are also looking forward to the peace of mind it will give us.

Our New Weedeater

2009-06-30T21:28:00.002-04:00

David has been wanting a Russian Tortoise for over a year now.....so to celebrate his passing the boards and an early anniversary gift we went out and added a new member to our family. His name is Herbie. David named him for herbivore....I see it more as he looks like a VW bug. Either way, he's cool. He won't get big and should live for a long while. He likes to keep busy but he's still working on coming out of his shall. Ha! Ha! I never wanted to be considered an "animal house" but I think it's safe to say we are. Ah well. They bring joy to our lives and I hope we bring joy to them.

Welcome Herbie!

Mind Games

2009-06-30T06:08:00.001-04:00

I went to bed with the mindset it was going to rain so I didn't prepare for a morning run. It didn't rain, my mindset wouldn't change, so no run. Eh. I'm sure it will rain tomorrow morning and I'll be running in the rain. Actually I like to run in the rain. I just made that excuse so I didn't have to run today. Oh the mind games we play with ourselves.

Proud Of The Boy

2009-06-29T22:07:00.003-04:00

David received notification today that he passed his Boilers Licensing Examination.....meaning he can apply for a boilers license. I'm very proud of him! It's a huge weight off of his shoulders and a relief to both of us. He plans on staying with the school system, but we hope this opens doors for more opportunities. Way to go Boy!

Soak City Sun And Fun

2009-06-28T19:46:00.005-04:00

Today started out as a gloomy day, but the weather soon took a turn for the better and the sun came out. We were able to take a ride on the scooter to meet up with Michelle and the kids at Soak City. I took some pictures. As always, check out Flickr account for more.

Post Race Update

2009-06-27T15:56:00.004-04:00

Run For The Young at Crocker Park was a great run. I highly recommend it for any local runners. It was a flat course through Crocker Park and the surrounding residential area. David and I did well. David's time has slipped since last year, but considering he hasn't run in awhile, not to mention run on a regular basis, he'll take it. As for me, let's just say I'm consistent. =) We had a cheering section with us today....Mom, Dad, and Ande' was in town, so she joined in.

Cassidy was pumped for her race. Unfortunately she had a mishap. She's perfectly fine but with all of the kids at the beginning of the race she ended up taking a tumble. She was a real trooper. We were able to get her to the finish line tent, get all cleaned and bandaged up, and get her medal. Hopefully this won't be her last (and only) race experience. We've already offered to find another one to participate in if she's interested, and left that decision up to her. And even if she's decided this wasn't her thing, that's okay, we can always choose another fun activity.

I have more pictures/video on our Flickr account but here are a few. And as you can see in the video below, Cassidy's in good spirits!

Pre-Race Festivities

2009-06-26T20:48:00.006-04:00

We picked Cass up today for some pre-race festivities. We started by hanging out at the 'rents house ti make sure we got to see Ande' while she was in town. Then headed back to our place for some carbo loading. We fixed spaghetti and garlic bread. Yum! While eating we jammed out to some Miley Cyrus.

After we let our tummies settle David took Cass out on her first scooter ride. David took her downtown for a bit and cruised around. Sounds like she really enjoyed the ride.

Then Cass wanted to make a dancing video, so she chose a couple songs while I videotaped them. She's a hoot. We have plans to choreograph a music video sometime this summer. I have a feeling she's going to dance me into the ground!

We took her back to the 'rents to settle in for the night. David surprised us with Cotton Candy Confetti ice cream (both Cass and my favorite!) and we watched some of the Princess Protection Program movie for a bit before calling it a night. We'll be starting out early tomorrow. Hopefully we'll all have a good time and get a few pics of the experience.

Stood Up

2009-06-25T19:45:00.002-04:00

You know how I said that I would never have to worry about Viking standing me up for a run? Boy, was I wrong. This morning it took him forever to come to me to get his harness on. Then once I got it on I felt like I was trying to drag him out the door. He was too cute. He just wasn't up for it today. He must have known it was already 80 degrees outside and I'd be sweating the moment I walked outside. He's no dumb dog. I unhooked him and let him go about his morning nap and went on my run alone.

After my run I came back to the house to grab Lily and Spencer for their short jaunt. Viking was ready to go then. So all 4 of us took a nice quiet stroll down to the Sandusky Bay, got a good look at Cedar Point, then headed home.

So even though I started my morning out alone I was still able to spend a few moments with all of my puppers together. What an excellent way to start my day.

6 More Months Until....

2009-06-25T19:34:00.002-04:00

I happened to be watching my videos on YouTube and came across this.....

I had to watch it. Disney and lights dancing to Christmas music....and done amazingly well. How can it not make you happy? Then I realized in just 6 short months (to the day) it will be Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I'm not wishing my life away. I'm enjoying the sun and fun while it's here.

Not A Fan

2009-06-25T19:10:00.002-04:00

I'm not a fan of 1-800-Petmeds. There are a multitude of reasons why. I'm not going to go into it....too long and not worth it.

With that being said, they've been told multiple times that all communication with our office must be performed via fax. Even so, they sometimes call to authorize a prescription. I feel like a broken record, "All communication must be performed via fax...." Not a big deal, just annoying. However I do get a kick when they say, "I'm (insert name) a pharmacy technician with 1-800-Petmeds." Ha! I could be way wrong, but I'm guessing they surely are not pharmacy technicians. Basically they are customer service representatives at a call center, and have little, if any, contact with prescriptions. Once again, nothing big, just something that cracks me up.

Simple minds, simple pleasures? Eh, whatever.

Day O' Fun With Cassidy

2009-06-24T21:57:00.005-04:00

David and I took advantage of the beautiful day to get out an about. We also got Cassidy to join in on the fun. We started with lunch at McDonalds, jammed in The Skate (my car) to some tunes that Cassidy said were "all of my favorites!" (Who knew I was so cool??) I can't believe that girl....she's got a set of lungs and knows lyrics to every song. Not to mention she's been to more concerts than I can count (Any song that came on she said, "I went and saw them.....")

After eating and jamming out we headed out for some fun in the sun at Soak City.
After enjoying the GORGEOUS weather (I think it was the first actual summery weather we had this year) we went into Cedar Point. I don't handle the rides as well as I once did, but it's nice to have someone to go on the round n' round rides with.....we hit MaxAir, Troika, and Chaos. We didn't even make a mark on Cedar Point, but we all had a blast. We'll have plenty of time this summer to cover more ground.

Cassidy has always wanted to play the Guessing Game so we allowed her to do so. They guessed her at 95 lbs and she weighed in at 90 lbs....she won! She was thrilled and was able to choose a prize...a turtle she named Waddles.

After Soak City and Cedar Point we went to the 'rents house to meet Elwood and to chill, then went to Chet And Matt's for some much needed grub. Yum!

It was a great day and I think everyone had a great time. We're all looking forward to the run Saturday. I'm also looking forward to spending more time with Cassidy this summer.

Want to see more pictures of our day? Check out this link.

One Check Or Two?

2009-06-24T09:28:00.003-04:00

Not exactly sure how to respond to this.....

David and I out to eat and the waiter/waitress says, "Will this be one check or two?"

What??

Do we look too young to be married?

Do we look like we're dating?

Or do we look like brother and sister??

Either way, it's scary.

Adapt And Overcome

2009-06-22T13:44:00.003-04:00

I walked into work today to a beeping computer and none of the computers "talking" with the server. Uh oh. Add to that the owner/office manager being on vacation in another country. I was able to make contact and notify our tech support. They sent someone out and it looks like the server's hard drive is kaput. Not good. So.....we have computers but no database program with all of our appointments, client info, or anything. In addition none of the computers will talk. At first you think it's going to be crazy. But we took a step back, grabbed a printed price list (thankfully we had one), our book of handwritten receipts, and made a handwritten appointment sheet. I was still able to get in contact with the office manager who had the most recent backup and she was able to give us the appointment list for the next day too. So, we're good to go. It's a little like stepping back in time with all of the paperwork, but at this point I'm thankful that we haven't gone totally paperless. It was a bit of a rough start to the day but it's all working out. We have no idea when we'll have a server again. Definitely not today....maybe tomorrow. Believe it or not I'm in a good mood and just going with the flow. Thinking positively, things can only get better.....I'm looking forward to the second half of the day.

Ah Wooooo Woo Woo Woo Woo Hm!

2009-06-21T14:57:00.005-04:00

I'm thankful that none of our animal have separation anxiety....however Spencer can come close. He absolutely hates when I take Viking on a run and leave him at home. I can hear him for blocks while he howls. Even if I leave and David's still home, he howls. Hopefully someday he'll put two and two together and realize that he gets his turn too....he just has to wait until I get back with Vike. This video doesn't give him justice, but you'll get the gist. After I left, with Viking, for a run this morning, Spencer started to howl. This was after he had wound down a bit, so he wasn't going nonstop. Parts of it includes David howling too. Even so, it's quite cute. David thinks he's saying, "I want/love my mommy!" That or "Ah Wooooo Woo Woo Woo Woo Hm!" What do you think he's saying???

Meet Elwood

2009-06-20T22:17:00.005-04:00

With Father's Day right around the corner David and I have been wracking our brains to figure out what to give my dad. No offense to him, but he's the hardest guy to buy for. I think I'll have an excellent idea, get all pumped to give it to him, and then it's a buzzkill. It's not like he doesn't like the item, it's just that he's not over flamboyant with his reactions and most times it's hard to surprise him.

We thought we had it narrowed down to an idea until David walked in and said, "I got an idea for your dad. Let's get him a frog." I have no idea why, but as long as I can remember my dad has had a fascination with frogs. He has statues, figurines, and even now his Twitter name, "Froggy." David wasn't even finished saying it when I forced a, "NO! No way!" That was until David worked on me for a bit. I kid you not, David needs to go on Survivor. Not only does he get along with EVERYONE, but he can get anyone to believe anything. No joke. I knew my mom would absolutely kill me, but I went ahead with David's plan. We made several trips to multiple stores (yeah, like 3 times to each store) and got it all planned out. We purchased everything, set up the little guy (or girl ??), and then headed to the 'rents. I think they were quite surprised, eh?

My mom says to dad, "Honey, I bet you're the only dad that got a frog for Father's Day." And dad replied, "You never know....." then sheepishly added, "I bet you're right." We won't leave them high and dry....we're planning on assisting with the care of the frog. If it's as exciting as trying to place him in the terrarium, it should be fun (He darn near hopped out, thankfully I had the lid as closed as possible for that reason.) So without further ado, I give you "Elwood" =)

Playing 'Possum

2009-06-20T08:10:00.003-04:00

Is it sad that I can identify which dog vomited depending on how the vomit looks and where it's located in the house? Meh, maybe. But hey, it's ok, I'm a vet tech ;)

In other gross news. I let Spencer out this morning to do his business, went downstairs to do some laundry, then I heard David yelling, "Spencer! SPENCER!! DROP!!!!" I ran upstairs to find Spencer had dropped what he was holding on to and was coming in the back door. I asked, "What's going on?" only to look outside and see a dead opossum in our yard. Gah! Don't really care that we had a dead animal in the backyard, but my vet tech side went into drive to think, "what things can Spencer acquire from this exposure?" Thankfully he didn't chomp into the opossum. It looks like he was just carrying it, so more than likely if anything, it'd be tapeworms. Fun eh? I can deal with that. Easy diagnosis and easy treatment.

We watched the opussum for a bit, making sure he wasn't playing 'possum, but he wasn't moving. We went about feeding the kids, and 5 minutes later David says. "Well, either he was playing 'possum or a bird got him. He's gone." Ha! Dunno. Either way, he's no longer in our backyard.

Run For The Young

2009-06-19T13:39:00.003-04:00

David and I have recently been making an attempt to be more involved in our nieces' and nephew's lives. David and I do not want to have children of our own (post on that later), however we would like to be a part of the children's' lives that are around us.

One of the ideas we pushed around was seeing if Cassidy would be interested in running a race with us. Of course we weren't expecting her to run a 5K but we were on the lookout for a race that also included a kids fun run. I was glad to find one and decided to see if she'd be interested. I presented the idea to her and she said, "ok." She didn't seem to waiver one way or the other. I didn't forget about the idea but the date of the race came closer and closer. Then this week Nana (my mom) brought her over so she could "ask a question." The first thing she said, "When's the marathon we're running?" Too cute. After explaining that it wasn't a marathon, I said, "You're really interested? It's next weekend. Let's sign up."

So we're all signed up and ready to run the Run For The Young next weekend. I know I'm excited and I'm sure she's too. According to the site she'll even get a shirt and trophy. That along with the sign Nana's making should make for a positive, fun, and entertaining experience. (It's been almost a year since our last official 5K).

We're looking forward to spending time with our nieces and nephew this summer. Hopefully, this is just a start.

My Motivator

2009-06-19T07:15:00.005-04:00

I got up this morning and must admit I wanted to turn around, hop back into bed, bypass running today, and sleep for another hour. But thanks to Viking I didn't. I looked over to him, he stood on his back legs and gave me a "high five," as if saying, "Ready to run mama? Let's go!" He put a smile on my face and gave me enough motivation to run out the door. Morning runs are always so peaceful.....it's dark out and no one around. But today was even more special, we had a lightning and rumbling thunder storm going on around us, but no rain. I love it. Viking usually gets anxious with thunder but he didn't seem to be bothered and we went on our way.. Everyone got their run and walk in before it started to sprinkle, which lead to rain. I'm thankful I ran and even more thankful for Viking.

Take My Hand....Off To Never Never Land

2009-06-18T19:21:00.005-04:00

I'd consider myself to be pretty well rounded when it comes to my music tastes. I basically listen to everything. And thankfully to those around me I've been introduced to many genres I wouldn't normally seek out.

Ever since hearing a Metallica song at Bike Week I've been interesting in uploading some of their tunes to my iPod. After searching for songs I couldn't believe how many of the songs I actually know. I found myself singing along. Me, singing along to Metallica? That just didn't seem right. That's when I realized it was some of their older stuff. Things started to fall into place. Back in the day, when I was in 5th grade, Justin would drive me to school in the morning. He'd be jamming out to Metallica. Of course I also remember him drumming on his drum set in his bedroom to these songs. At the time I was indifferent towards the music.

I'm sure Justin hated taking me to school, but I must admit I enjoyed that small amount of time we got together. Even if we never talked in the car. As with so much music, Metallica takes me back to a simpler time with fond memories.