Up to the Minute News

So, I'm sure you're all waiting with baited breath to find out what I learned Friday.

The doctor was very encouraging. Mostly. The small holes I have do happen. It can be caused by fluid under the scar or the knot of the under stitching. If it heals on it's own, I'm fine. If it doesn't, I'm supposed to go back and he'll see if he can find the knot to remove it.

One of the holes seems to have disappeared completely. The other two are getting smaller. I think they will go away on their own. At least I hope they do.

Saturday, I got rid of the tinting on the driver's and passenger's windows. I bought a glass scrapping tool for two bucks at Wal-Mart and spent about an hour and a half doing it. Started with the driver's side. That took the most of the work because I never could get too much to peal off at once. In fact, there is still a tiny bit on one edge I just can't get to come off. But it's hidden behind the rubber surrounding the window, so you'll only notice it if you are looking for it. Most of the passenger side came off in three big pieces. After the driver's side, I was so thankful for how easy it was. Even the very edges came off with hardly any fight.

Now I just need to get the fix signed off on to get this whole ticket thing behind me.

Meanwhile, I also decided to try this tool on my sliding glass door. The tape residue used to hold up the For Sale sign was still there. Every so often, I try to take it off, but nothing really worked. This tool took it off right away. It looks so nice!

Joanne Fluke sent me the cover of the next book as well as the recipe card. Now I've got to find an excuse to make Key Lime Pie.

That's about all the news here. I forgot to do laundry yesterday, so I've had to stay up late tonight to do it. And the dryer just buzzed with the last load, so I can get to bed. Night all.

Thursday Threesome for October 26th

What do you know, I'm on time this week.

Stolen from The Back Porch.

Onesome: Sasquatch-- Big Foot? Yeti? "Harry and the Hendersons"? Maybe? No way? Sure, we have the entire family over for dinner every Thanksgiving? Whaddaya' think?
Well, if Trixie thought she saw one in The Sasquatch Mystery and Sandy Dengler had Jack Prestor see one at the end of Murder on the Mount, they have to be real, right?

Twosome: and Haunted-- It's All Hallow's Eve next week; are you haunted by little creatures in your neighborhood extorting goodies from you? ...and do you do your part to provide an entertaining experience for them? ...or do you lock the doors, kill the lights and hide from the horde?
If I am home, I have candy. Of course, with all the stairs in a condo complex, I don't get that many kids, especially little kids. Half the time, I'm not home because the youth group is doing something. That will be the case again this year.

Threesome: Homeland-- ghosts and spectres: do you have any local stories of 'haunted' places. ...or are there roads you grandmother told you to never travel alone, especially when the moon is full? Just askin'...
None that I'm aware of.

News

I've put off blogging for a while since I was waiting until I knew something. I'm still waiting.

Friday, I noticed that one of the strips they put over my wound when they took the staples out was wet. Looking at it further, I decided it was opened a little. I called, but the most recent surgeon was out until today. So I went into the walk in clinic. Instead of the long wait time I expected, I was right in and out. The doctor who looked at it said it was normal drainage that should clear up. Sounded great to me and I left.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be doing anything other then draining. And I've got another spot now. Both of these spots are very, very shallow.

Monday, I called to get an appointment with the doctor for today. While they would have given me one on Friday, Monday they said they couldn't. I'd have to leave a message, have him call me back, and then they might set one up for me. He finally called me back about 20 minutes ago and agreed to look at me. He's out tomorrow, so I go in Friday afternoon.

Grrr. I would have preferred going in today and knowing what's going on. But at least he's going to see me.

In other news, I went down to Mysteries to Die For this weekend and picked up an autographed book they were holding for me as well as two more. I've got to get busy reading. I've got lots of books to read before the year is up.

Other then that, I took it very easy this weekend. Napped both Saturday and Sunday. Didn't get any reviews written (and I'm pretty behind on those), but I have gotten two written in the last two days. Including the new Third Day Christmas CD. I love it!

Majesty, a musical group from the college, was at church Sunday. They did a mini concert in the morning and a full concert in the evening. I wouldn't have minded if they hadn't done some of the same songs for both. Still, I really enjoyed it.

Thursday Threesome for October 19th

What do you mean it's Friday afternoon. If I'm doing the Thursday Threesome, you are in the Thursday timewarp.

Onesome: Payin'-- Hey, 'they' tell us fuel prices are down! What are you payin' this week for a gallon of gas?
I paid $2.45 this week at the cheapest station in town.

Twosome: the-- heck you say! There's an election coming up here in the US; do you plan to vote? No, no need for your soapbox. ...unless you want to .
Yes, although I can't seem to find my sample ballot. If I've gotten it yet.

Threesome: Bills-- Which bill(s) do you absolutely dislike paying? ...and by that I mean the one you "have to-have to" but wish you didn't have to. Tuition/books? Power? The newspaper?
The mortgage because it takes so much money.

Returning to Normal

Or at least what passes as normal for me.

Mom and Dad left Saturday to head back home. And did I mention all the stuff they did around the condo. Not only did they clean, but Dad cleaned out the stuff that had accumulated in my room that needed to go to the garage. Including the extra mattresses for my bunk beds. Plus he rearranged stuff in my room and hooked up the new to me TV. My room looks so nice right now!

This new TV was my grandmas. I've been meaning to get it from Mom and Dad's but keep forgetting. It's newer then the one I was using in my bedroom, which means a remote will work with it. Unfortunately, the original remote got lost. But Mom and Dad got me a universal remote. Can I tell you how wonderful it is to be able to adjust the volume from across the room? Yes, I'm lazy. :)

The down side of the TV is that the picture is dark and I can't figure out how to adjust it. It's annoying, but I can deal. Why? I have a TV that accepts cable and works with a remote!

Sunday, the youth had a car ralley. They had to follow various clues to locations all over town and do tasks at each one. Think of it as a mini Amazing Race. I knew I wouldn't be up for driving and doing the tasks with the kids, so Kurt put me at one of the locations. From what I could see, everyone had a great time.

I worked six hours each two days last week, and I've put in eight hours both days so far this week. I am definitely recovering faster this time around. Last time, it was April before I was back to work full time. And I have just barely enough vacation time left to cover the two days I'm taking off after Thanksgiving.

God is good. All the time off I've taken this year, and I haven't missed a penny of pay. That's pretty miraculous right there.

I Stayed Together!

Yep, I'm back south now. In fact, I've been at work for most of the day. And I'm getting very tired.

But the big news is my appointment yesterday. They took the staples out, and I stayed together. I really had expected to open back up. But I didn't and I still haven't. So I'm going to take it very easy, but in theory, I should heal this time around.

Since they went in the same place as last time, this means I'll have a much smaller scar then I would have had, too. Longer, but much thinner.

Give me another few weeks, and I should be as good as new and all this mess will finally be behind me.

For the first time in months, I'm beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel. And I don't think it's a train!

The Full Story

So, here's the longer post I promisd about what has been going on with me.

Sunday, the 24th, I woke up with pain on my right side. And I hadn't been feeling well for a few days before that. Finally, that evening, I decided to go into the walk in clinic. After they looked at me, they sent me to emergency to check out my appendix.

It took all night for them to reach any conclusions. And, for the record, I don't recommend spending the night in emergency. Anyway, about 6 AM, they finally decided that my appendix was the problem. Of course, by this time I was feeling great.

And by this time the operating rooms were filling up with the cases for the day.

I was taken to a room to wait for an OR. Then my doctor came in to say he was thinking about not operating since my appendix had already ruptured. He was going to keep me for observation, but that was it. Mom and Dad (I'd called them by this time), didn't like the idea, and the more I thought about it, I didn't either. They called Pastor Jon, who came down to help me fight them, and we began to wait. When my doctor came back in, he had decided to operate, so we geared up for a fight for nothing.

The rest of it is rather a blur. I think I was in surgery for around four hours. They went in via the wound that hasn't healed, so I will only have the one scar. Of course, they did make it bigger. Took out my appendix as well as a foot of my long intestins and six inches of my colon. (I think I have that right.) They were infected and that's why my wound still hadn't closed from February. In fact, it wouldn't have closed without further surgery.

I got out of the hospital on Friday and we came up to my parent's on Sunday. I don't get the staples out for another week. The hope is that by leaving them in longer, my wound will stay closed.

Meanwhile, I am doing better every day. Still, a little sore, but I think I'll be able to gt by with no pain pills today.

I just hope this is it. I really don't want to have more surgery for another 40 years or so.

Checking In

I know long absenses from this blog seem to be happening more and more frequently. But this time I have a good excuse.

Last Monday, I had emergency appendix surgery and I've hardly been on the internet since. I'll try to update with the long story later, but just wanted to post a short note saying I'm ok, recovering, and at my parent's for a week or so.

The worst part? I missed Trixie camp as a result! :(