For The Love of Sam! (And Casey's Blood Transfusions).

Happy Sunday!
Here I go again! A Morton salt day for blogging! hehehe

As you know, Papa Chuck and our young Sam have moved back to Green Bay!
We met at the mall in Ashwaubenon as soon as was possible for all of us to get together. (3 or 4 days after they got here)

     

Sam, Charles, and I-                             Charles and CaseyFace

Oh what joy this brings to me...


Too much fun!

And what a very happy and well-behaved young man too! I am impressed!



Smilin' Sam!
Grandma had a few pennies in her pocket- to add to his own...




"Hey Grandma, you watchin?"   But of course. hehehe
(I wouldn't miss a minute)!




Sam, coming down the slide! He even stopped, mid-slide, so I could take the picture!



Chuck shows off his "Samuel" tattoo!



"Still watchin' Grandma?"
Oh you bet I was!



When it was time to go, and even though he had not made the mess, Daddy asked him to please pick up the books and put them away.
This he did with no complaining whatsoever- And a wee bit of help from Auntie Casey!

Speaking of Casey...

With her blood once again being so dangerously low, the doctor sent her to the hospital to have 2 transfusions.



Poor nurse--- as she goes in search of a vein that won't roll or collapse...



Yeah OK, that'll do it.
But it's going the wrong way! (As if she has any to spare)!?



After everything got rolling, she got to order lunch! 
*** St Mary's Hospital has a Chocolate Cake that she would order for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if she could!



Greg and I, looking at the cutest 24 year old we know!

A few minutes later, Greg's sister Kim stopped up to see how everything was going!
Another sweetheart!





And just in case you missed the similarities, here is brother and sister!
No denying that strong DNA!  So cute they are!


Greg and Kim!

I left before it was over- as they run the blood very slowly-
At the rate it was going it would have been 7pm before she was done.
I was really surprised when the phone rang around 4:30 and they were on their way home already!

Now...
With Casey's blood dropping, even as I type, she will need to return to Minneapolis once more.
They will do some minor surgery to find out where she is losing blood from.
She has no occult blood in her stool, so they are thinking that perhaps it has something to do with one of the surgeries bleeding into her abdomen.
Her appointment is for next Tuesday, the 20th.
Merry Christmas Casey- if they decide they need her to stay there.
At least if they do, it will be to fix her -  again.
I will keep y'all informed.

Please keep her in your prayers?  Sam and Charles too- it is hard to start all over again- But oh!, so worth it!

XOXO
Me

Now if only I could get new pics of all my grandbabies.

~~"Hint-Hint" to William, and Jenné, Katie, and Kristin, and...
hehehe

Grandbaby Sam. WHO t/f DOES THIS?!?

Good Morning All!
Y'all remember our Baby Sam and his less than perfect entrance to our world?

I have sat on this entry since I've found out...
I have been remiss in filling y'all in on young Sam.

So here's some pictures- I believe they are very self-explanatory too.

















Daddy Chuck brought this to my attention a few days ago- Filling me in that this was done by someone he loved and trusted... (Yes, he called the police).
Quite like myself, Chuck shoots first, (then asks questions and takes names later). I am happy to report that as I type Sam and his dad are both on their way back to Wisconsin.
(Odd, but somehow that is a happy ending to something that should NEVER have happened in the 1st place).
I still fight back the tears...

Now would everyone please go hug their babies, all?

XOXO
Me

PS
One more link here if you will, I (STILL) get by with a little help from my friends.
Young Sam never did start with a fair shake.
Maybe now he can/will.

top pic credit in "It needed to be said" album here.

Apple Blossoms. Allergies. (And all else too).

Apple Blossoms (Picture taken 4-19-10).
Wish you could smell them!

NOTE:
I began writing this yesterday (Saturday) morning when Casey suddenly showed up on my doorstep.  And Casey always takes precedence over my silly blog!


Good Morning Everyone!
It is to rain today- I hope they are right. Although my lawns do not need to grow any faster, it is very dry outside, and we SO need these rains.

Punk. She really IS quite well, even though there is still over a week of meds left for her to take. (Yes I will give them all to her until they are gone).

Casey has been having a few lingering problems-
Pain.
Nausea.
And for some strange reason she is anemic always. 
She has been on added iron pills for a while now- She has adjusted her diet accordingly.
Still anemic.
So Friday her doctor had ordered even more blood tests. One of those tests will not come back for a week. (Your little prayers are always welcome).

As for me, my toe is just fine! I am SO happy I had that done.
My back a trial. To put it nicely...
(Really bad these last 3 days and it was SO good for a few days before this?).
My latest MRI showed that I am absorbing the calcium and all- Those fractures are healing!
I am so upset that they still hurt. More~so that the dang pain is so restrictive. When my pills work, they work well. When they do not, I am just stuck with it...
I will never get used to not being fully flexible (and I will not go down without a fight). Grace? Not a chance.
I have already had this lingering, sharp, awful pain explained six ways to Sunday.
I don't understand it all, just enough to know it will just always hurt. Grrr....

Other than that, my hay fever is threatening, but I have never really 'suffered' from allergies either. Not like some. The worst for me being the "bzzzz" stings.

I remember when the doctor had diagnosed me with 'allergies'... I was in my mid 30's and had finally gone in because my face had hurt like heck for about a month.
He took his knuckle, knocked on my forehead, and then on my cheekbones.  OUCH! What the hey?
He looked in my eyes, my ears, and up my nose. (Why must doctors look up your nose anyway, I hate that)!
He then stated 'you have allergies'. 
No.  I proudly reminded him that I was not allergic to anything!
He explained that allergies can/do develop at any point in our lives. That was that. 
Achoo!

So, like many, I do have these darn allergies. I take Claritin when my face starts to ache, and for a few days after. I repeat this in a week or so if they bother me more.
Still, I don't think I am the only person who thinks their allergies are worse this year? I don't know why this would be.  Maybe it's just me...
Perhaps there are more "floaties" in our atmosphere/air now too. Maybe that would be thanks to Iceland.
Sorry. I know I shouldn't make light of that when I know that the wildlife and the farm animals are dying by the 1000's, and there is nothing anyone can do about it. So sad.




When I see pictures like this, it amazes me that anyone/anything can live through it!


As you know, many flights were canceled- Better always to err on the side of caution!
My friend, Mrs. G,  absolutely needed to get from Canada to the UK for her sons wedding. I believe they have arrived safely.

Closer to home are the storms in Alabama- Not sure which part of Alabama, and I have yet to hear back from William... I had written him earlier to make sure that they are all safe and sound. I will add his reply when I hear back from him.

I can't remember if I have shared this with you or not? I believe I have, in part anyway.
Young Lawrence is going to be genetically tested for Marfan Syndrome, and others. But they can't even get him tested until December!  Here is a 10 year old boy, with a potentially dangerous heart condition, and they can't get him in?!?  In the meantime he is not to do sports or the like. I feel so badly for him.

Also I received a note from Charles (Baby Sam's dad). I can't remember if I'd told you about this earlier either...
Charles writes, "I had a E.G.D which is a throat scope. I have Barretts throat which turns to cancer sometimes and can kill you other ways. But whatever will be will be. Other than that things are great. Sam is fearless and fast..."
I am hapy to hear that Sam is doing well.
As far as Charles goes, I believe that this is the same condition as "Barretts Esophagus"?  (Click).

I haven't heard anything further...
But I do have an article to share also.

• Wine May Protect Against Throat Cancer Posted: March 2, 2009

  • Study finds that a glass or two a day lowers risk by more than half

I feel badly for Charles-
(This family of mine is sure giving me one heck of a medical education)!

It is windy here.   SO very W~~I~~N~~D~~Y...
The "hold onto your hats and your small children" kind of windy. My screens are up on all the windows, and they whistle like the dickens when the wind comes from the SE. Sounds like a blizzard out there! Such is NOT the case I assure you.
It is currently rainy and soggy. Nice to have that moisture! I can relax a bit now knowing I don't have to water anything.
But I'll bet my chives have all blown over! hehehe  I will go out next time Punk does, cut them and get them dried.

I have last nights dishes to do, and still to get in the shower.
Much wash to catch up on also.

What a great morning so far! I have been emailing back and forth to both Casey AND to William (now that he's up).
All is well at the Gaither household! YAY! Truth be known, they are getting ready to go fishing! (Wish I was there, I haven't gone since I went with my dad).
William had no idea what I was even talking about- But he did say they were under a warning all night long. Said the sirens were going off- (He added they don't even hear them anymore because they go off all the time).  Not me, I told him, being that I am so paranoid about Mother Natures fury.

I'd better close for now and get busy. 
The wind is still blowing fiercely, (and I haven't heard that much whistling in years)! hehehe

Love to all.

XOXO
Me

Hay-fever sufferers, know your enemy:
Scanning Electron Microscope pictures of grains of pollen

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Grains of pollen come in all shapes and sizes. The large object in the centre of this image is pumpkin pollen; the tiny speck just below and to the right of it is forget-me-not pollen.

Cool picture, right?

This article from the UK states "The number of hay fever sufferers could reach 30 million [people] within 20 years as city living, pollution and climate change exacerbate symptoms, experts have warned."  Read more.
I believe there is my explanation. And I am sure this is applicable worldwide.

Also our Green Bay records and averages
  

Records and Averages

   

Daily Records and Averages at weather.com

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Month	Avg. High	-Avg. Low	-Avg. Precip	Rec. High	Rec. Low
January	24.0 °F	7.0 °F	1.21 in	56.0 °F (01/26/1944)	-31.0 °F (01/30/1951)
February	29.0 °F	12.0 °F	1.01 in	61.0 °F (02/26/2000)	-33.0 °F (02/10/1899)
March	40.0 °F	23.0 °F	2.06 in	82.0 °F (03/29/1910)	-29.0 °F (03/01/1962)
April	55.0 °F	34.0 °F	2.56 in	89.0 °F (04/22/1980)	7.0 °F (04/03/1954)
May	68.0 °F	45.0 °F	2.75 in	99.0 °F (05/31/1934)	21.0 °F (05/09/1966)
June	77.0 °F	54.0 °F	3.43 in	101.0 °F (06/01/1934)	32.0 °F (06/06/1958)
July	81.0 °F	59.0 °F	3.44 in	104.0 °F (07/13/1936)	40.0 °F (07/06/1965)
August	79.0 °F	57.0 °F	3.77 in	100.0 °F (08/24/1948)	38.0 °F (08/22/1967)
September	70.0 °F	48.0 °F	3.11 in	97.0 °F (09/10/1931)	24.0 °F (09/29/1949)
October	58.0 °F	37.0 °F	2.17 in	88.0 °F (10/06/1963)	12.0 °F (10/30/1925)
November	42.0 °F	26.0 °F	2.27 in	74.0 °F (11/09/1999)	-9.0 °F (11/29/1976)
December	29.0 °F	13.0 °F	1.41 in	64.0 °F (12/05/2001)	-27.0 °F (12/19/1983)

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Hope that all turns out...

Have a good one!

Oh-Bla-Di ~ Oh-Bla-Dah

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Good Afternoon;
Methinks I am almost caught up with my blogs for a while.
We were to be headed to Sault Ste. Marie today. (Didn't work out that way though).

I am sitting here after trying to get all of my wash done before leaving.  Little things that I just want clean for when we get back. 

Randy came out yesterday-
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Punk needs this rough and tumble play so badly

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He also said he would finish up my drains today.
And here I am, just cooling my heels, and waiting.  Grrr...   MEN!
Oh well.
To know we wanted to leave though- (Just p*sses me off, big~time).


We had court last week on Master Gabriel's behalf. 
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Casey arriving at the courthouse...

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Same as last month when Chuck was given all rights to Baby Sam, Roberta chose to not even show up.
While it helps everyone's cause (especially Gabriel's), that she didn't show, I am still astounded how parents can just leave a child...
I do believe there is a special place in hell for those with the "out of sight, out of mind" thought process.

She has given birth 3 times. 
She has had her parental rights terminated with all three, deservedly so.
Is it right for a grandmother to feel this way? Probably not; but I am actually happy for the boys.

With the exception of Master Gabriel, they live with their dads-
These men have stepped up to that proverbial parental plate and have done right by their sons, my grandbabies.
I am very proud of these young men.

Master Gabriels foster parents want so much to adopt him. I pray they succeed.
They are good and decent people, and he has been welcomed into their family, truly loved and cared for, and finally knows what a real family is about. 

We stopped by their home after court by to tell Miss Kristin how everything went.
The next step will be to ensure he stays with them on a forever basis. I believe they have all the proper papers already in order.

Everyone was outside!
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Here she is with their "triplets"  hehehe

.She reminds me of my mom.
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The following day I did something I should not have done-
(But all this "taking it easy" and "complete rest", etc. is driving me freakin' batty).

Casey and I had found some mulberries up here-
(I have 3 trees up here, and more back by the woods). 
There were a few berries that the deer had not touched, the rest for the birds being too high up to reach.
But there were just not enough left from the deer for our watering taste buds.
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So we piled in the car and headed for the woods-  
-(insert sigh)...  The tree back there wasn't even close to being ripe!


So... As long as we were to the woods, and as long as Casey felt well enough to go down the ravines, then by God, so did I.

We have had little rain for a long time. Not only do we need it for the crops, but even the river needs a bath too.  That does TOO make sense!
(Everything, including rivers, kinda gets a little icky with no fresh rain).
Casey found a skeleton to something or another...


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But stinky there too, so she threw it back.

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She played a very cute peek~a~boo too.

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A ton of water spiders...
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Punk feels it her 'duty' to chase them too.
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But she doesn't always get them either...
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HAHAHA

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For obvious reasons, I didn't want to have to go back up either. 
Somehow, Punk knew this.
(If Casey had not been along, there is NO WAY you would even believe what I am going to write next):

Punk went up to the top as I slowly made my way up. Odd because she is generally right at my side. She even left Casey's side to go to the top!

She came back with a stick.
I had no idea what she was doing as she kept forcing that stick in my direction...

But,

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She proceeded to pull me up the rest of the way!

With God as my witness, that is exactly what she did.
I am so blessed by this little dog.
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The weather has been raunchy-
Chilly- and yes we did get a few spots of rain. (We need much more).

Uh-Oh, Randy has just pulled in...

*** WARNING!
All of you with the 100+ temps might want to look away for a moment...
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So that is what we have had in our neck of the woods.
That it feels strange to not be complaining about the heat is an understatement. I am always the 1st to whine about the heat and humidity; and here I am saying it is chilly in July,
(and praying for 100% humidity to fall on our heads for a few days).

I honestly don't remember the last time I mowed the lawns- They are brown, dried, and shriveled, except for the weeds of course. 
And those weeds need mowing.
There is no grass.
....... Not that I care to be on the rider anyway.




I made some stuffed green pepper casserole yesterday...



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(Nope. Didn't use this one)...  

I was completely nauseated when that one slipped out of its bag.
The 'splat' and the splatter just sounded SO gross!.

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Casey stopped at the store on her way out and picked up some fresh green peppers.
Dang. Now I am hungry ~as I hear the leftovers calling my name~
hehehe

Love to all

XOXO
Me

PS
I think I should enclose this picture for my sister-
Sorry Barbara, I kept forgetting...
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Bobbé, at the same age as Big Sam is now.

Written on the back by my mom:
"Bobbé, on her favorite diet!"
hehehe

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Here is Big Sam now
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You might be right!
(I am old and I might have forgotten). 


Do you think they look the same?
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Out of Sorts, On The Road Again, and Baby Sam!

  

Punk.
Taking Casey for a drag...

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Good Morning All;
Thought I should thank everyone for their "wunnaful" birthday wishes!
Even Jenne came down yesterday, no 'good morning' as she came around the corner-
Just "Happy Birthday Mom"    Very cool!

She was up before 4AM, to make sure that Aaron was up and ready to come and drive her back.

• He flew into Milwaukee where Jenne and Isaiah picked him up.

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Jenne waving!

She left a bunch of stuff here, saying for me to sell it in the rummage sale- Aaron had to fit his stuff in the little car as well.

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Randy stopped here yesterday.

He was working up by his Dads all weekend, but will be here to watch the place while we are gone. (Nice to have a zillion vacation days, eh)? Maybe he can pull a weed or ten thousand.

Gone?
Seems as though everyone is leaving... hehehe

Casey and I will be leaving this morning for Minnesota- She has some testing to be done, and an exam by Dr. Sutherland- (Both for the TP/AIT transplant, and the colon removal).

Her appointment is for 8 tomorrow morning, so unless I care to leave at 3AM tomorrow???
Nah. So I made reservations for tonight...

Punk went to the vet yesterday-
She has been 'tired' for the last 5 days now-

She has all of her energy; just for some very very short spans of time.

The vet checked her over and saw everything was fine.

If it continues I will bring her back in for blood test and maybe an Xray-

(Given the fact that Mama Milly had cancer, this behavior kinda scares me). 

No wait, it scares the hell out of me.

Will include the toxicity tag below so I can go through all the recalls and potential poisons.

She is eating and drinking- (Wait a second, I must feed her. Hang on). hehehe

Ok. (Yup, she IS eating and drinking just fine)!

Now she is full, and has had a rimadyl and her joint meds too- & back to resting.
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Took this 2 days ago- She sure is out of sorts.
Not sure how to explain it... Just "not right" for sure.
It occurs to me that makes her fit right in!

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We had a full weekend!

As did Baby Sam...

 He turned ONE on the 4th!

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1st you have to wait for Daddy to take the picture!

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Then you have to dig in!

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Then you have to wonder where it went?!?!

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And then have some watermelon
(washes everything off)! hehehe

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I shall have to get one of Daddy Chucks baby pictures because Sam doesn't look like anyone I know!
His Grandpa Rick, has blue eyes, but not as bright-
Berta's are hazel. Chucks are blue.
At any rate, this grandmother says Baby Sam sure is a doll! Thank you Chuck!

Kelli and Michelle rode over on Friday-

All the way from Michelle's place- (She lives about 9 miles away).

These are 2 of Michelle's horses, she said they needed the exercise!


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Kelli and Leo

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Michelle and Spirit

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And then they were off again!
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Oh I have SO many pictures to show you-
And not enough time as we will leave by 10-

We went to Brandy and Johns place on the 4th too- They have a party every year.
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*** I took a million pictures there, and still have to upload them all!
(My computersaurus and I are both kinda slow these days)!

*** Sunday found Casey over at Kelli's to give May and Breeze their baths.
(Again, more pictures to upload).

These blogs will follow.
(I promise).
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I had some fun with the full moon...
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Through the Black~Eyed~Susans...

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Through some weeds...

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And across the west lawn...

West?!? hehehe

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Oh wait. That is one of JoAnne and Jim's driveway lights.
hehehe

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Through the grasses...
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Crown of Thorns?
or migraine aura?

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I'd better fly!
Time to motivate...
Hope you are all having a 'wunnaful' week so far!
And that it continues forever!

XOXO
Me

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Posted to my dying Y! 360, Tuesday July 7, 2009 - 08:00am (CDT)