Guestbook?

Hi Everyone...

I have been seeing these on a lot of your pages, (and I so hope you aren't too busy to do mine as well)? Hope not.

Please feel free to leave a comment and to post your smilin' face too!

Have a grand weekend!

XOXO
Anne

Wacky Wednesday; Wild and Wierd!

Good Morning ALL;

As you all already know we DO have some rather "odd" weather in Wisconsin...Still, I had to laugh at the weather 'forecast' above... Sunny at night (?) ~(and a bit LESS sunny during the day)!!! WHAT?!?!?!

A whole lot of excitement around here yesterday... (And I do NOT think it is any small note that it all seems to begin with Caseys arrival)! hehehe As she seated herself to be eating a bowl of rice; she heard a car door slam out by the road... We check out the window, and see a car parked out there. Seeing this car stopped on such a busy road, I went out...

As it turns out, Casey had heard no car door slamming... Just the impact of the venison that had not safely made that "Dreaded Dash of Death"...

.

.

.

I backed the car into the driveway so nobody would get killed while we waited for the Sheriffs Dept and the tow truck to arrive.

I also thought how very fortunate, (considering where the impact was), that the deer did not join them in the car...

.

.

Odd as it was, we used to live near this family in South Chase, and we are friends with many of their relatives too! (Cool). But "Mrs." had been taking her husband to a doctor appointment; him being diagnosed on the first with Lou Gehrigs Disease. Casey offered to bring him to his two appointments while "Mrs." waited for all the paperwork to be done.

.

.

.

While we waited out there, another 14 deer crossed the road...

(This is only about half of them, my second picture too blurry to post).

.

.

.

But the show must go on...

...And there was much work to be done.

Roberta and Gabriel showed up shortly after the mess on the road was cleaned up.

.

.

.

.

Roberta just could NOT make up her mind what to do first...

...and I think that is when she decided to blog a bit!

.

.

No wait, blogging was after those girls decided there was much doggie~doo~doo that had to be raked up.

(Or maybe I made that decision for them)? hehehe

.

.

My Two 'Camera~Shy' Pooper Scoopers!

.

.

And high time too, to send Casey down in the dungeon...

.

.

Actually this is the water pit out in the pumphouse; and since KC weighs less than that old ladder she "volunteered" ~(after a very democratic election), to go down and retrieve the hose.

.

.

All of the other hoses were also brought to the back of the house; nearer to where the garden will be. And nearer to my new grass that must be watered again. Mother Nature provided the first watering, (and judging from that forecast above I will be providing the next few days worth).

.

.

Master Gabriel, Casey, Punk, Milly and I all went for a little walk then while Berta finally got a chance to hit the keyboard. Master Gabriel found his corncobs still laying there, and also found a little snake hole too.

.

.

...gotta lean in REAL close for a good look...

.

.

And maybe just poke your finger in for good measure???

.

.

Time to go back to the corncobs then... (Safer this way)...

.

.

.

In the meantime, Casey and Punk were getting their own little workout... (And when Casey got tired, she hung on tight to Miss Punkins tail)...

.

.

Miss Punk sure didn't mind either...

.

.

UNTIL Casey decided it was time to...

.

.

DANCE!!!!

.

.

Miss Milly had once again disappeared to places unknown... But was back home very shortly. She unearthed a bone and took a little break from all the exercise...

.

.

Please note: Milly is supposed to be a Yellow Lab...

(NOT this dirty, dank drab~gray dog you see here)...

.

.

Derek came out on the bike to take Casey to dinner...

.

.

A little nippy by this time too... After dinner they stopped at his house to get his car; (not so chilly on the way home then)!

.

.

The End.

.

.

.

.

.

.

um...

.

.

.

.

.

.

NOT!

I took a shower (and should have thrown Punk in there too, but I had no energy left). Then headed up to bed. Wanting to see this FULL Mulberry Moon in the southeast sky, I had brought my camera too. (Just in case I could figure out how to take a night~time picture and actually have it turn out)...

.

.

Nope. Still haven't done it right!

.

(Maybe LisaMZM or Cmm could tell me how to do it right)?

.

.

Looking a bit north... and wasn't the Brown County Sheriffs Department back for a second round of paperwork for venison...

.

Methinks somebody ought to decrease the speed limit...

(AND put up some Deer Crossing signs)...

.

.

I do believe that this is from that squad car...

(Just one of those WIERD WIERD pictures).

.

.

.

Time now for me to get busy outside once again. It is already 49 degrees. Sunshiney skies too! And plenty more seeds to throw in the ground!

I hope you all have a "wunnaful" day!

XOXO
Anne

Babies and Cancer... Pontine Glioma

Good Morning.

Today, with a heavier heart than I thought possible, (even after hearing that CaseyAnne's stent was still within, where it was no longer supposed to be); I now write to say that I have learned that my girlfriends grandchild has cancer.

...Quoting from the CaringBridge notes: "diagnosed with Pontine Glioma on April 27, 2007. This type of tumor is located in the back of the neck in the Brain Stem. Because of the location of the tumor the doctors don't want to cause more damage by going in and taking it out. The Brain Stem controls functions like breathing, heart rate, swallowing and chewing. They feel that if they took out the "bad" stuff, they would also take some of the "good" stuff with it."

http://www.caringbridge.org/index.htm

(You can check out Caring Bridge as a guest at the above website, and read a few links there too)...

Please say a few extra prayers.

Anyone wanting access to this wonderful childs own website there, please drop me a line with your email address; as I do not have everyones email. Have you had experience with CaringBridge already. I am only trying to protect this family from any possible further crises. They need love, support, and daily reassurances of our Faith as well as their own; nothing more, nothing less...

This child, along with two parents, grandparents, and great~grandparents as well will need all of our wonderful prayers...

XOXO
Anne

Anne Geddes pic taken from here:

http://groups.msn.com/gedichtengroep/annegeddes.msnw

Hit Counter

Here is a website from Boston Childrens Hospital that explains this tumor... (And I have not, as yet, read anything that does not include the word 'diffuse' in it). But I do think this info is very close to what I had been told on the phone too.

From

http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site762/mainpageS762P0.html

My Child Has Pontine Glioma

Programs that treat this condition

Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors

What is diffuse pontine glioma?

(brainstem glioma)

A diffuse pontine glioma or brainstem glioma is a high-grade, or malignant, tumor. This type of tumor arises in the glial (supportive) tissue of the lowest, stem-like part of the brain, which controls many vital functions. Diffuse pontine gliomas account for 10-15 percent of all childhood central nervous system tumors. The median age at diagnosis is 5 to 9 years old, and these tumors occur with equal frequency in boys and girls.

As you read further below, you will find general information about diffuse pontine gliomas. If you would like to view summary information about brain tumors first, see the overview on brain tumors.

What causes diffuse pontine glioma?

There are no known factors or conditions that predispose an individual to the development of diffuse pontine gliomas.

What are the symptoms of a diffuse pontine glioma?

Diffuse pontine gliomas generally have a short duration (median 1 month) of symptoms prior to diagnosis, reflecting the rapid growth of these tumors. The following are the most common symptoms of a diffuse pontine glioma, however each child may experience symptoms differently. Common symptoms may include:

rapidly developing inability to control eye movements, facial expressions, chewing and swallowing, due to problems in the cranial nerves

weakness in the arms and legs

impaired ability to walk

hydrocephalus (build up of fluid pressure in the brain)

symptoms of increased pressure within the brain. These symptoms include:

headache (generally upon awakening in the morning)

vomiting

fatigue

The symptoms of a brain tumor may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your child's physician for a diagnosis.

How are diffuse pontine gliomas classified?

Gliomas are heterogeneous tumors that are classified according to their most aggressive appearing elements. The World Health Organization classification scheme includes 4 grades of glioma. The pathological grade of diffuse pontine gliomas is not always established. Only 25-30 percent of these tumors are biopsied. Their clinical course is most consistent with their being the most aggressive form of astrocytic tumor or the grade IV glioblastoma multiforme. These tumors are characterized as being of astrocytic origin but having increased numbers of cells (hypercellularity), abnormal cells and nuclei (cytologic and nuclear atypia), increased proliferation of cells (mitoses), increased cell death (necrosis) and increased growth of blood vessels (vascular endothelial proliferation). These are aggressive tumors that infiltrate adjacent normal brain tissue and have a significant tendency to spread outside of the central nervous system.

How is a diffuse pontine glioma diagnosed?

A diagnosis of diffuse pontine glioma is most commonly made from characteristic radiologic studies. The location of these tumors and their tendency to diffusely infiltrate normal tissue makes biopsy a high-risk procedure. Biopsies have been performed when the symptoms and other tests do not seem typical for diffuse pontine glioma.

Diagnostic procedures for diffuse pontine glioma may include:

physical examination

computerized tomography scan (also called a CT or CAT scan) - a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of x-rays and computer technology to produce cross-sectional images (often called slices), both horizontally and vertically, of the body. CT scans are more detailed than general x-rays.

A CT scan can assess the density of tumor tissue, compared to normal brain tissue, as well as establish its mass effect (the effect of an additional space occupying mass within the closed cavity of the skull on the normal brain). Diffuse pontine gliomas most often appear as round masses that expand the pons. When intravenous dyes are injected, these tumors avidly absorb dye and therefore are referred to as enhancing lesions

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - a diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of large magnets, radiofrequencies, and a computer to produce detailed images of organs and structures within the body. MRI provides greater anatomical detail than CT scan and can better distinguish between tumor, tumor-related swelling and normal tissue. The typical MRI appearance of a diffuse pontine glioma is a round mass that expands the pons. When intravenous dye is administered, it displays a ring of enhancement. There can be growth up or down the brainstem, axial growth, or growth forward or backward out of the brainstem, exophytic growth.

magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) - a test done along with MRI at specialized facilities that can detect the presence of particular organic compounds produced by the body's metabolism within sample tissue that can identify tissue as normal or tumor, and may be able to distinguish between glial tumors and tumors of neuronal origin

What are the treatments for a diffuse pontine glioma?

Specific treatment for a diffuse pontine glioma will be determined by your child's physician based on:

your child's age, overall health, and medical history

type, location, and size of the tumor

extent of the disease

your child's tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies

how your child's doctors expects the disease to progress

your opinion or preference

Treatment may include:

radiation therapy - the primary therapy for newly diagnosed diffuse pontine glioma, radiation therapy uses high-energy rays (radiation) from a specialized machine to damage or kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.

Conventional limited field radiation produces responses in 75 percent of patients with diffuse pontine gliomas. These responses are short-lived however, with a median duration of less than 6 months. Several trials to increase the dose have been performed and none has improved survival.

There is no surgical option in the treatment of these tumors. Experimental chemotherapy delivered concurrent to radiation therapy is actively being investigated in the treatment of diffuse pontine gliomas. Several trials evaluating new agents such as thalidomide and temazolamide are either underway or recently completed. In addition, there are trials evaluating whether improved response to traditional chemotherapeutic agents may be obtained via novel delivery systems to more directly introduce the drugs into the brain. Data on the efficacy of these regimens should be available soon. To date, no chemotherapy regimen has been demonstrated to increase survival in diffuse pontine gliomas.

As with all pediatric cancers, care should be delivered at specialized centers where multidisciplinary teams can provide not only expert diagnostics and experienced medical, surgical and radiation oncologists, but also psychosocial support, neuro-psychological testing and specialized school plans, all delivered in a child- and family-sensitive and friendly environment.

How are side effects managed?

Side effects in the treatment of diffuse pontine gliomas can arise from radiation and chemotherapy. Radiation therapy often produces inflammation, which can temporarily exacerbate symptoms and dysfunction. To control this inflammation steroids are sometimes necessary.

Some of the chemotherapy agents are associated with fatigue, diarrhea, constipation and headache. These side effects can be effectively managed under most circumstances with standard medical approaches.

Many specialized brain tumor treatment centers have now added staff who are expert in complementary or alternative medicine. These treatments, including acupuncture/acupressure, therapeutic touch, massage, herbs and dietary recommendations, can also help to control pain and side effects of therapy.

What is the expected outcome after treatment for diffuse pontine glioma?

The prognosis for diffuse pontine gliomas remains poor. Median survival is less than 1 year and the 2-year survival rate is less than 20 percent.

What about progressive or recurrent disease?

Clinical trials and experimental therapies are available for patients with relapsed high-grade gliomas at specialized centers. Current trials include novel medications as well as new methods for the delivery of more traditional agents.

What is the latest research on diffuse pontine glioma?

Children's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute are conducting numerous research studies that will help clinicians better understand and treat diffuse pontine glioma. For more information on current research, see the Brain Tumor Program.

Copyright © Children's Hospital Boston.

Hooray! Hooray! (the 1st of May)?

hehehe

Good Morning to everyone on this muddy rainy day here!

.

.

But nice that my new grass is getting the moisture it SO needs to take root and thrive.

.

.

.

Yes, Mr. Greg Olson came and fixed my back yard yesterday!

And I was SO happy to have it done.

.

Perhaps now, n one will be killing themselves come Mothers Day... And we won't be having to have the dirt blowing at us either! hehehe We will be cooking out in the backyard... My little firepit needs to be fired up for the summer! I shall invite everyone too! (There, you ARE invited; ALL of you)! hehehe

Last fall, and at points during the winter too, I had trimmed a lot of bushes to within an inch of their lives. Thinking I had finally dissuaded a Double Mock Orange Blosssom bush from growing out of the rocks, I found out that I was very mistaken about that thought process...

.

.

(Must be like trying to kill a willow tree)! hehehe

.

.

.

One of my kids had a garden of their own 2 years ago... And so I had tried to incorperate a few bulbs out there... Those bulbs will be transplanted after they are done blooming, but it was the perfect opportunity for Roberta to be teaching Gabriel to take time and smell the daffodils!

It was very very windy that day and those flowers just kept on moving...

...And the poor little kid couldn't touch them either...

.

.

In the end, he did get his face up REAL close... and BLEW on them!

Too funny!

.

.

.

I'd better keep this shorter for today... (But before I close, Punk would like me to say how happy she was that Izzy B said hello)!

.

...So happy!!!

"ARF!"

.

CLICK HERE to read Miss Izzy B's Blog!

.

Have a grand Tuesday all! And I shall try to enjoy the rains!

XOXO
Anne

Silence? (The Sound of)... 4/30/07

Good Morning...

...Yes, I do realize that many are participating in the "One Day Blog Silence" in honor of the 32 Virginia Tech Students/Teachers who were outrageously murdered during their day. And by a person who should not have even been free in society.

I believe that silence accomplishes little.

I believe that more needs to be said, (AND DONE), about this; and many other atrocities. Silence, for the most part, only breeds ignorance. There are too many questions surrounding this massacre that have not been answered to satisfaction.

Do I know the answers? I certainly do not. (I do not even know the many questions that need to/MUST be asked).

Do I believe that such a thing will happen again? Sadly I do.

Have I prayed that all mentally/emotionally confused individuals can somehow seek help or intervention? I have.

Do I believe that people who are prescribed medications to 'help' them should take these meds? Absolutely.

Personally I know of at least one person who discontinued their own depression meds JUST BECAUSE IT INTERFERED WITH HER ABILITY TO GO OUT AND DRINK! ??? (How intelligent/bizarre is that)?!?! Again, sad but true...

Pray NOT for the souls that have made it into Heaven...

Pray for the souls of those among us still that have the potential for apathy within their own hearts and souls.

...May God Bless us Everyone...

And on to my blog...

We had an 85 degree day yesterday! Almost too hot... (or maybe just too fast to become that hot; not giving a body time to gradually adjust)... I pulled many weeds and turned over much soil and sod to prepare it for a few seeds. I transplanted a few things that did not agree with my plans. And NO, I am surely not a landscaper, (nor anything even close), but I do love a zillion flowers around me too.

Casey came out after mass; once again in intense pain. Jenny Mella was home from college for the weekend, and stopped to visit with Casey...

.

.

Casey and Jenny...

CaseyAnne in my old leather jacket, (and showing off her brand new chaps)...

Jenny Mella just being a wonderful friend!

.

.

.

Berta, (and of course Master Gabriel), also came out to visit... Berta had brought along her beautician things to cut Caseys hair. She always does such a grand job with this...

Gabriel wanted to be outside... and played happily with his firetruck for a long time...

.

.

So very cute!

.

.

And yes, he kept his shoes on because Grandma has not yet sprayed the picker bushes that are poking their heads up out of the lawn. Damned thistles anyway...

.

.

Now why do I think that dandelions are so pretty, and yet I hate the thistles? ~They are BOTH noxious weeds...

(But maybe because when I step on a dandelion it doesn't hurt)? hehehe

.

.

.

Berta! Enjoying the sunshine too!

.

.

They had to leave so Berta could get into town and pick up a headlamp for her Escort. (Could they make these things any harder to change now)? One has to practically disassemble the entire front end to change the stupid bulb! Makes no sense.

Casey and I took a little walk around to check on the flowers progress too. More and more opening up yesterday, and fun for the dogs too... Not so bad as the sun is going down... But we did watch a bee (wasp) make its way inbetween the siding by the bathroom and the brackets that hold it. UGH. Guess I have a bee problem too! Don't know how very brave I am to be going up into the attic over the back entrance to be killing them either... (Methinks I will be finding out very soon though)! eekie... It makes my skin go goose~bumply to even think of it right now...

.

.

.

Casey used that old board so as not to be walking around looking like a 'question mark'...

She goes in tomorrow for her xray to make sure her stent has passed. Now this is going to sound bad, but in a way I am hoping that it has not; because then THAT might account for all of her pain that comes and goes? Maybe? An extra little prayer then?

On that note, I had better close for today and get busy... Maybe they will finally come to fix my lawn today? I hope!

And I also hope that you all have a wonderful Monday, whether you have chosen to be silent... or not.

XOXO
Anne

PS...

...If any of you were wondering about those tulips I had shown in yesterdays blog?

Here is what happened to them overnight!

.

Ahhhhh... Spring!

.

.

Hit Counter

Procrastination~

Good Sunday Morning to All!

I thought maybe I had to babysit yesterday... So when Mary called in the morning, I wanted to surprise her by bringing Master Gabriel down to Appleton to visit too. A good thing I didn't get her hopes up because he never came. Roberta had to work, and her regular sitter must have taken him...

And so, Miss Punk and I headed down to Appleton... Along with Marys birthday present. (Yes, her birthday was February 9th; and no we haven't seen each other for that long of a time). So it was either FINALLY bring her present to her; (or mark the darned thing and sell it in my rummage sale)! hehehe

Yes, I had BIG plans for 'finding' my back room yesterday. And I had even BIGGER plans of mowing back to the woods and through the campsite... (Neither of which appealed to me after I found out that Mary had the day off)! How bad is that!?! But wanted to see her too... So my lawn and my back room will keep til later today perhaps... My back room you ask??? A place to put so many things til they get marked and put outside. (And these are the nights that I really pray that my house doesn't burn down or something; because I would HATE to have all these people be seeing that room as it is right now)! Don't even try to tell me that you don't have a "junk room"...

So I loaded up The Punk and off we went. Buddy, who is also Punks sibling (brother), was waiting in the door for us. (I swear these two pups even remembered each other the way they played together)!

.

.

.

A "recovering" Buddy... Do you remember that story???

Buddy is the one who got into SO MUCH TROUBLE last September. CLICK HERE for THAT awful story! He has since healed, and recovered so very well.

.

.

.

Miss Punk, and Brother Buddy at Marys...

.

.

.

.

Yesterday they ran and ran and ran... (And finally pooped themselves out enough to catch a picture of them that wasn't blurred)! Later, Mary and I had sat on her porch and talked for a bit before I'd left. These two kept a very close eye on us both.

.

.

Punk watching me; Buddy watching Mary...

.

.

.

Punkin and I were home by three, and after putting my feet up for a few minutes or so, it was back outside to get Miss Milly a bit of exercise too...

.

.

A couple of Sand Cranes scared up by the dogs in the cornfield...

And what noise they make; (Spring is in the air for them too)!

.

.

.

Then high time for Miss Milly to get brushed again...

I don't know where it all comes from, one would think she would be naked after removing this all from her coat... (& this is just one of three piles)...

.

.

.

Speaking of Springtime...

.

.

A few daffodils are showing their faces...

.

.

Do you remember the snowstorm after my tulips had poked out of the ground?

.

.

My poor frozen tulips...

.

.

.

Hardly any worse for the storm... And soon to be blooming!

.

.

.

Ah... I do love the Springtime! And I must be getting busy for today too... All those plans of getting so much done yesterday were put on the back burner, but just for yesterday too. It is supposed to be 79 degrees today, and sunny too... More~so windy though; when I mow lawns when it is so windy it is much like being sandblasted by the grass! hehehe

The topmost picture is at Kellis... Punk and I had stopped in last night after brushing Milly. The branch down is from lightning last year. We walked through her pasture too. Tim has dug a moat around their pond. Kellis new electric fence doesn't even permit the horses to get that close to the pond though.

"Procrastination?" Yeah, I did it SO well... (yesterday)! We SO had a magical and 'wonder~filled' day!!! I sure hope your day was just as grand!

...Needless to say, my Punkster is STILL fast asleep this morning!!!

XOXO
Anne

Hmmmm... (You DO have a "junk room", don't you)?!?!

Free Web Site Counters

Kara, Lily; and A Question for you too...

I received the above Yaya Sisters picture from Miss Kelli yesterday... Almost fell off my chair laughing at it too...

Good Morning All!

I hope you are all embarking on a wonderful weekend! Complete with sunshine inside and out!

It is sunny here too, with just a few leftover clouds from the last few days worth of rain. Steady and nice. A good soaking. I don't know how warm it will be getting, but was nice enough when The Punkster was let out earlier... (even though my furnace is running as I write)...

Speaking of the furnace... (funny how the furnace reminds me of my backyard)... But they did not come to repair, resod or reseed yet. Guess they do not work in the rain. Alan did tell me that... So perhaps today? I do not know if they work on the weekend either... Oh well, it is one of those things that bother me, but certainly not THAT important to my health or welfare; so will not give it another thought... (for now anyway)!

.

.

This picture was taken exactly one year ago today.

A picture of lovely Kara with her newfound best friend!

.

.

.

.

And I remember when she had first called in response to the advertisement I had put in the Press Gazette. My first reaction being 'no way'... She had no vet references, save for her parents. She was in the process of moving to a new apartment in Minnesota, etc etc etc... (And WOW, had it been anyone else, sounding less sincere, they would NOT have even been given directions to my home).

But there was something so special about Miss Kara, and something about that phone call stayed with me.

Kara had stated that she lived alone. That she worked at the Mayo Clinic. Her new apartment would not be ready til June or July. Yet our conversation was just so sweet.

She said if she could come that she would bring her mother along too. Fair enough... I couldn't break her heart... But she would like to have the runt, if possible.

(I remember thinking, "There is NO obvious runt!")...

.

.

.

Or was I not seeing clearly? They were all the same size!

.

.

No. Not my imagination... They were all the same size...

.

.

.

I even looked closer... Nope. No runts!

.

.

.

.

By the time Kara and her mother had arrived from Lena, the pups were all done with their breakfasts and were playing together on the lawn. There was one that seemed a bit samller, but surely not by much. This pup even sought Kara out... She picked it up and it was love at first sight. I took that picture, along with three others, because all the pups were also very close in appearance. I photographed her with the pups belly, her back paws and her front paws. (At this age, the pups paws had not yet turned completely black)...

Out of this love for that little up, and many phone calls since, Kara is the only 'puppy parent' who has stayed in touch; (save for the obvious of my sister, Mary and her BuddyPup).

Kara named her little one "Lily"! And together they have lived through it all! From a skin sensitivity from her new carpeting, to a yeast infection; through the "Terrible Twos" (and the danged 'Teens' too)!

I shall ask her for a new updated picture of Miss Lily the next time she calls, and you will see the missing link between Miss Punk and her Mama Milly! Lily seems to still be the smallest of the bunch... (I think even less than 60 pounds if I remember correctly). She does call every now and then, just to make my day!

I wonder why I ever had any doubts!

.

Anyway, I saw a question on one of my groups this morning, and tried to help the lady out...

How do you completely eradicate "ground bees" so that your children can safely play outside?

We had run into this here last year... and the year before... and... And... AND... I usually just use the product called Sevin. But if any of you would have any more answers for her please just leave them in the comments for her. (I did give her the link to my 360).

Have a grand weekend ALL!

XOXO
Anne