Little Red Dots...

 

Home Sweet Home!

.
Good Late Afternoon Everyone;

Good grief, but I cannot type to save my soul.
I wrote a note earlier- (will cheat and copy a part of it here for you), but I swear I had to backspace a zillion times. And I was a secretary for 7 years??
Go figure.

As most know already, I broke my neck years ago (about 10), and my hands do not always cooperate with the keyboard- Lately it has been my left hand- the ring and pinkie fingers are always "buzzing" and not working right.
But not so much painful as a few years ago either. At least not at the elbow.

And I am so tired- I don't think I shall ever catch up on that sleep I may have missed.
Honestly, this trip has aged me at least 50 years; and I seem to have brought home a raunchy cold. I keep on sneezin'... (Bless me).
Better a silly cold than all the other bad things that could have happened.

For instance, our trip home on Wednesday. It had snowed in Minnesota that morning- Nothing major, but just enough to mess up the roads. But after we had left the Twin Cities, it seemed to clear up, and we made good time.
It occurs to me that we would have made better time if we hadn't been talking and missed the 29 exit off 94. (Not far; just about 3 miles). No big deal that.

.
.
?
It didn't help that Punk kept asking,
"Are we THERE yet?"

.
.

After that, it was smooth sailing all the way to Wausau- (Wausau is about 90 miles from home).
At that point, in the space of about 5 minutes, the roads went from good winter driving condition to downright wretched.
I slipped two or three times; cringed a few times; and had to giggle at my child asking me if I wanted a Xanax? (I took half a pill). The first one had worn off much earlier. (I abhor these damnable panic attacks)...

Not sure what it is about us on this trip, but those last 90 miles both ways have proven to be very interesting to say the least.
.
.
?

Wausau. Snow on the mountain...
Just before it started snowing on the roads...

.
.

Casey is doing well. She will be joining me for the weekend. Greg will be gone for the duration.
Not to worry though, I will not be watching her rest. When I packed up the hotel room in Minneapolis, I had to be out by 11. I packed in a bit of a hurry...

Casey had had her doctor appointment that morning at 8, and I wasn't too sure how long that would take. Dr. Sutherland came in and talked for a long time.

Get this now...

Are you sitting down? Now that's a silly question as usually we are seated when reading a blog...

Dr. Sutherland feels that because they harvested so many Islet Cells that he would think Casey will not be needing insulin past her 3 month checkup.
How freakin' cool is that?!?!

He sent in a nurse after talking with us to remove Casey's staples. I believe she had 27 or 28 staples put in after her 2nd surgery.
.
.
?

Methinks it looks like a centipede crawled up her tummy!
hehehe

.
.
.
I left her up at the hospital then, so she could say goodbye to some good people up there. (She could not have helped pack anyway, so I thought it better just to leave her there). As happy as she was to leave, it becomes bittersweet when you leave newfound friends behind.
When we had first gotten to Minnesota, (CLICK HERE), we had met Mr. Rick McCabe. His own TP/AIT Transplant was just 3 days ahead of Casey's. I visited him in the hospital the night of Casey's original surgery as Greg and I were waiting for her to be brought up to a room.
Two days later, he was gone.
I inquired. He was moved to intensive care.
I never got to visit him again, and feel badly about that. I see his page on here is all erased also. Strange. Hope all is well. I do have his mothers email address and will include her in this blog.

I am cold, and wouldn't you know that the oil man came yesterday! A full tank of fuel now and I should really turn up the heat a bit, but I don't. I believe it is too expensive to do so just for me. I will turn it up before Casey comes.
Kelli kept the heat down while we were gone, so that helped too. She came every single morning and night to check up on Mama Milly and on Sputnik too. Said she loved to even sit and enjoy the quiet or TV, or watch Mr. Miller play with Milly. That, and she worked from about 7:30 in the morning til about 5 at night; and has the two horses too. Her and Tim were very very busy between the two places.
Oops. Credit where credit is due, Greg came out on Christmas morning so Kelli could spend Christmas Eve at her mothers home.

Miss Milly is sufficiently spoiled now. A bona~fide housedog. She will go out on warmer days, like yesterday. But she can stay in as long as all is well. She stays in the entrance. Has her little pillows and blankets out there- But she probably doesn't need those with all the dog hair that needs to be vacuumed. hehehe I really will have to get to all of this shortly.

My house is a terrible mess. I have not yet unpacked, save for the basic necessities.

Crystal came by yesterday to welcome us home- I had not yet found my toothbrush! Or my comb...

But Crystal and her sisters are much like my own daughters so I don't worry about that all too much.
.
.
?

Ain't she sweet?
.
.
.

I had to drive into town yesterday and return some bags that Greg had left behind when he picked up Casey. I also stopped and got her some cleats to put on under her shoes/boots for if she goes outside so she doesn't slip. They were the last pair that Fleet Farm had. But so far, (knock on wood), NO MORE CANE! Methinks she looked kind of cute with it though...
When I was at her place, I looked through one of the boxes that Greg had picked up the night before. THERE was my toothbrush! (No wonder I couldn't find the darn thing)! Yes, I have a spare, but just not the same. And I will be replacing them anyway, as soon as this cold is over.

The whole trip actually seems to have passed quickly; or more to the point, in a bit of a haze. But I am everso glad to be home; dust bunnies or not, mess or not.
I have chipped away at the ice outside for the last two days. Not making much progress, but every little bit helps.
And I much enjoy my own shower too. I don't care if I don't have a fancy shower head either. (Didn't turn it once anyway).

Not too much other news.
Canada hasn't found me yet either. Happy for that. ;-)

I'd better close and at least clear a path through the mess so she can walk in!
OK. It's not that bad. (Yes it is).
Either way, I don't much care.

Love to all

XOXO
Anne

Counters

Originally posted to my Y! 360, Friday January 9, 2009 - 06:15pm (CST)

No Room at The Ramp...

 

Yeah, it's kinda like that...
(And I like it)!

.
.
Good Afternoon Everyone!
Thought I would post a few words here and get on with my drag@ss day.
.
.
?

I took this one on the parking ramp downtown Mpls,
adjacent to the tunnels that I could walk to get to Casey's room.

This picture taken after the three times I drove
up and down
looking for one measly spot to park.
.
.

.
Suffice to say the third time down was the charm. Kindly forget the fact that by the time I came back out I'd forgotten WHERE I had parked to begin with! (Such good exercise walking the dang ramp though). I did push the horn button on my keychain every now and then to see if I could at least hear my car. (Doesn't work too well through concrete).

As you all know by now, Casey was readmitted to the hospital on Sunday evening, a mere 24 hours after being released on Saturday. She had been barfing everything right back up, and had diarrhea too.
She lost 9 pounds in those 24 hours. Wow.

We missed her Monday morning appointment at the clinic, given the fact that she was truly sop ill.
They redid her dosage of the dilauded. This all from having her pain meds so abruptly taken down.
And it was NPO all over again for Monday. She was even throwing up water.
By the next day, everything had been regulated well enough for her to be given a full menu. (Which she happily took advantage of I might add).

On Tuesday, brother John and his wife Patti came up to visit- (Mad, mad, mad, that I didn't take a picture- but I had been up there all day already, and was quite sure that Punk needed a bit of relief). In fact, I was already on my way out by the time he'd called to say they were in the ramp.
And so Punk just had to be a bit more patient. (Yes, she did just wonderfully this whole time).

Long story shortened a bit here...
Look closely at the following picture...
(And know that I took it last night).

.
.
?

So maybe we should have turned all the lights on first.
hehehe

.
.

"Hmm?" you say... ???

Do you see anything "remarkable" about it?
Yeah, me neither.
(Nuff said).

More er, "ketchup" later. I promise.

Love to all.

XOXO
Anne

Free Counters

Originally posted to my Y! 360, Thursday January 8, 2009 - 12:42pm (CST)

She Wants OUT! ;-)

Good Morning Everyone;
I know that many of you know most of this already, but I am just copying my todays blog from over at 360.
There is a part that you may not know though. (This, as you near the last 1/3rd of the entry).

Suffice to say that Casey is definitely wanting OUT of the hospital...
And I am definitely wanting OFF this roller coaster.
/
/
/
?

 

Photo stolen from HERE.

.
.
Good Morning Everyone!
Concerning Yahoo 360, I do not think that I am back.
But I have received emails asking very kindly for an update.
Do not feel the need to comment on my 360, God knows I probably won't be able to even read them.

(That is, IF you can even leave one in the first place).

So here goes your update...

.
.
.

.
.
.

Before her surgery
In the wee hours of 12-18-08

.
.

Greg,
visiting Casey 12-19-08

.
.

All of her lines- afterwards...

.
.

Getting a hand massage
12-22-08
.
.

To date, she has had 7 units of blood.
.

.
.

Policy in transplant centers:
NO LIVE PLANTS. NO CUT FLOWERS.
She was allowed to keep this one because she had no roommate.
Thank you Beth and Family
.
.
.


She shows off her scar!
.
.

We celebrated Christmas together.
One week after surgery
.
.
.
.
?
. . . .
Santa was very good to her- ........................ And she LOVES her cards too!

.
.
.
.

But a day later, she began to feel ill again...
.
.

My brother John came to visit his "nephew"
(ask Casey about that). hehehe
.
.

Her tummy swelled...

Time to call the surgeons in again...
.
.
.

Dr. Kasie Banton and Casey
.
.

Things got worse, and she was off to surgery a 2nd time.
12/28/08
.
.

During this surgery, they drained 2+ liters of blood and fluids from her abdomen.
They also removed a blood clot (bigger than a golf ball), from her duodenum.
She came back to her room very 'out of it'.
I then left for a few short hours...

.
.
.

And when I returned, this is how she was.
A mere 2 hours after!
.
.
.

I have Punk along, and she was going as crazy as Casey.
So it was high time to bring her for a visit.
.
.
.

My sister Barbara and Family sent flowers.
(I hid them in the bathroom).
.
.

Punk is lonely all over again.
And yes, I brought her up a 2nd time.
.
.
.

Casey recovered very quickly from her 2nd surgery,
and on Saturday was even released!
(But with an appointment already scheduled for Monday to return).

I could NOT blog about this as she wanted to surprise Greg coming home.

.
.

.
And it was "bye-bye" Unit 6B
With a smile on her face...
.
.
.

That night she threw up her dinner.
We thought it because of all the excitement.

Since I have no cooking facilities in the hotel,
I went to Perkins and got her some chicken noodle soup on Sunday Morning.

.
.
.

After three bites of soup, her whole body looked like this.
Hives.
As we see the tattoo she has gotten-
The Holy Trinity she'd designed; (for her sister, Reianna).

CLICK TO READ ABOUT REIANNA if you are new here.

Casey was "free" for a little over 24 hours.
They readmitted her Sunday night.
She remains hospitalized, as we wait for results on her CDIFF testing.

.
.

Back to the hospital.
Getting her ER IV changed...
.
.
.

.
.
.

Lynn's daughter Christi (my Goddaughter), went to "Build a Bear"
And this is "Jewel" with Casey!
.
.
.

Needless to say, Punk is sad all over again.
As I am too.
.
.
.

That is basically all I know for right now... and I await Casey's call this morning.

Love to all

XOXO
Anne

free hit counters

Originally posted to my Y!360, Tuesday January 6, 2009 - 08:48am (CST)

Casey has even posted! CLICK HERE!

"FRIGORIFIC"

http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/mwwodarch.pl?Jan.01.2009
Some words just have it. Others clearly do not.
This one beats all. As anyone from our little corner of the world will agree...


*****************

frigorific • \frig-uh-RIFF-ik\ • adjective

: causing cold : chilling


The chill in "frigorific" comes from "frigus," the Latin word for "frost" or "cold."
("Frigorific" is derived from Latin "frigorificus," the adjective form of "frigus.")

"Frigus" has provided us with other icy words as well.
It is the source of "refrigerate" ("to keep cold"), and also of the combining form "frigo-" ("cold") and the noun "frigorimeter" ("a thermometer designed for low temperatures"), both of which are primarily scientific and somewhat rare.

"Frigus" is also related to the ancestors of "frigid" ("intensely cold").

"Frigorific" is a relatively unusual word and is used considerably less often than its relatives "refrigerate" and "frigid."


*****************

HAHAHA!

Time to ban the usage of those other two words, and to get on with FRIGORIFIC.

XOXO
Me

PICC Line Gone!

"He is a hard man who is only just, and a sad one who is only wise."
Voltaire
Sometimes these little quotes make me stop and think...

Good Afternoon;
Casey is trying to sleep and I have a few moments.
Me. + My camera. + a computer. (At times a downright dangerous combination).
hehehe

It is freezing cold out today. 8 above. A fresh layer of snow (and under that about 1/4 inch of ice). I am more than tired of winter.  Took me the better part of half an hour just to leave the parking lot at the hotel earlier. Scrape and grunt. And FREEZE!
My own fault; as I disremembered about the freezing rain that came down before the snows last night. It is warm and comfy in the room at the hotel, and I have a way of thinking "if it's nice INside..."
.
.
?

Casey sits in the rocker...

.
.
.
.
It looks so gorgeous today too. Sun is shining so bright- hardly a cloud anywhere. But the wind leaves a LOT to be desired.
Green Bay (read "Flintville"), got the same darn stuff. I read that some churches had even canceled services because the roads were so treacherous.

I started the car (still thankful for that new Sears DieHard battery), and turned the seat heat on too. When The Punk is with me, she is still not too sure why her backside gets toasty warm. (Funny, that).
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
Casey's PICC Line is out.
But now she is having a hard time keeping anything solid down. She drinks lots of liquid though. Water. G2. A bit of broth.  They gave her some pills to put under her tongue now to keep the icky~barfies away. (They don't seem to work too well).
But I did find some Vitamin Water for her too.
.
.
?

.
.
.

Speaking of products...
On one of the sites on Yahoo I had read that there is an increased risk of septic when one is given TPN through a PICC Line. Am wondering if any of you have heard of that?
Here is what one lady had written; 
(She was talking about "Benecalorie", which I still have to check into). But her reference to the septic PICC Line is what I zeroed in on...
Her words...
"I am a Type I diabetic as a result of a TP/ICT. Where it gets its calories from, I have no idea. It's expensive though.
But TPN through a PICC is kinda risky. I went septic a number of times because of the PICC.
Basically, Benecalorie is Boost without all the extra stuff, like the chocolate flavoring, etc compacted to 1.5 ounce. It's not prescription. I recommend it over TPN mainly because of the septic risk"...

Caseys temp is at 99.2. She normally has a body temp of 97.2, so this is a bit high.
(Maybe I should just drag her outside for a little while)? hehehe

Two days ago she was told she could leave the Transplant floor.

.
.
.

Casey, with one of the residents on staff.

.
.
.
No holding her back from exploring the rest of the hospital then; although that IV Pole is a little hard to maneuver over the cracks where the elevator opens. It didn't take her long to have that down to a science; getting her wheels lined up, and giving it a good shove. Whatever works...
.
.
?

She took this picture down in the lobby..
.
.
.
And I took this next one...

.
.
?

Blackmail if you ask me!!!
But way too cute!
Hope Greg isn't reading this...

.
.
.
No PICC Line also means that she can throw on a t-shirt too. (Maybe I should have gotten her matching pants too, but she was happy to have it anyway).
.
.
?

We visited another TP/AIT Transplant patient.
.
.
.

That is Miss Theresa in the background. She has had many surgeries after her initial one- (So I am thinking that perhaps I shouldn't have been so freaked out last Sunday when Casey had to go back in for a 2nd one).
That's her mom (Denise), in the picture, along with her two sisters, (Jamie and Shannon). They all flew out all the way from New Jersey on Christmas. And are leaving today. What a beautiful family she has!
And Theresa is pretty darned beautiful too.

.
.
.
.

You can tell how pretty they both are, even though they're in pain.

.
.
.
I'd better close- Oh she is up and SO sick to her tummy...

Love to all

XOXO
Me
.
.
.
.
.

Everything is alright

Hi All;
Sorry to have been so MIA.

Casey has a bit of a blood clot in her arm by her PICC Line.
(Marked by the ultrasound dept by the lines on her arm)
.
.
?

.
.
.
They removed the old PICC Line yesterday to be on the safe side.

I promise to blog later...
Just tired for now.

XOXO
Me