I cried...

My wonderful sister and precious daughter conspired to surprise me today.  Penny brought Bella and Sable into Pam's house so that I could visit with them!  I was SO happy to see my beautiful dogs.  I can't tell you how much I have missed them.  Bella stuck by my side the entire time that they were here and Sable came up for her hugs and attention, then checked out Pam's place then laid down where she could keep an eye on me and the rest of the house.  I love the difference between the two dogs' personalities!  It was such a wonderful surprise but like all good things had to come to an end.  Penny had to be to work by noon and was taking my girls to her house for the day/night.  I cried so hard when they left...

When I was finished crying, the rest of the day was very nice.  My bestest friend, Corry, came over for a visit.  She always makes me laugh and makes me feel loved.  My handsome son came over and went for a walk with Pam and I.  It was a glorious day for a walk!  

I'm hoping and praying that I'll be able to go back home next week.  I have another doctor appointment on Monday and if things are improving I might be able to get my drains out early next week.  It's difficult trying to balance how desperately I want to go back home and be on my own and how much I enjoy being with Pam and the boys and how grateful I am for the wonderful job that she has done of taking care of me through all of my medical crisis this year.  I can't imagine being anywhere else through such difficult times but I want to give Pam & Karl and my grandsons their normal lives and routines (and house!) back...and then watch ~ once I'm home, I'll be whining about how much I miss PAM!

Thank you Pam and Penny for the wonderful surprise!

I love you

Another week another operation and a fun WALK!

Yes, as sad as it may be, I'm finding that if I let too much time go by between blog posts, I forget to mention my latest surgery.  When I posted last Thursday, I was preparing for surgery later that day.  I hate it when they schedule my surgery for in the afternoon as I can't eat anything after midnight the night before any operation.  Thursday's surgery went fine.  The doctor felt that he got the 'close margins' from the cancer cells and cleaned out and debrided any tissue showing signs of infection.  He was able to close the incision up which is a relief to me as the sight of that gaping wound was really starting to get to me.

I had recovered enough from Thursday's surgery to participate in the annual "Steppin' Out in Pink" fundraiser/awareness walk in La Crosse, WI. with Pam and Ben on Saturday.  What a fun day!  Over 5400 walkers raised money for Breast Cancer research and awareness programs in the La Crosse area.

Thanks to my wonderful Princess, I was able to complete the five mile walk.  I would say that Pam pushed me in a wheel chair about half of the time.  We found that going over all the lumps and bumps on the sidewalk in the wheelchair were almost worse than the pain from walking so I ended up walking more than either one of us expected!  Ben zoomed ahead of us in his motorized wheelchair because he had to be back to his house by noon when his noon aid comes to make him lunch.  It was a busy but FUN morning.  Needless to say, I slept like a log for the next two days...

Unfortunately, catching up on sleep was probably a good thing as I was back to the doctor on Monday and once again scheduled for surgery on Tuesday!  (as in the day before yesterday)  I seem to have a recurrent infection that they just can't get control of so another surgery was deemed necessary.  The surgeon was extra focused and determined to get any and all remaining infected sites this time so there would be no more returns to the operating room.  However, he gave us some warning signs to watch for and one of them is developing so Pam is calling him this morning to see what he wants to do...

 

...sigh...

I'm hoping to go watch my oldest Grandson compete in a track meet this afternoon.  So if I DO have to go in for more surgery, I hope it can at least wait until tomorrow!

My Baby Sister and her Lamb...

*  as always, click on any image to enlarge  *

Although I don't feel strong enough to attend the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival (and MSSBA Shetland Sheep Show) this year, my sister Penny will be attending and showing with her daughter, Alicia, and the two ewe lambs they bought from me.

The show is next weekend (9/10) and Penny & Alicia have been working hard trying to get their lambs halter trained.  Alicia is doing pretty well with "Kahlua" but Penny's a bit behind with "Tia Maria"...

Even though Penny tries to bribe Tia with cookies (animal crackers),  Tia Maria is a stubburn little soul:

I don't think I've laughed so hard since my BC diagnosis!

Penny has tried talking with Tia...

But there still seems to be a bit of an 'attitude problem'!

Luckily for Tia Maria,

Penny still  loves her very much!

If you're going to the WSWF please watch for Penny & Tia Maria in the ewe lamb class and cheer them on for me!



The last photo of me...

...BEFORE I turned into a walking SCAB!

My wonderful "Princess" (firstborn daughter, Pam) took this picture of me with my Grandsons last week.  I love those boys SO much!  However, that is not why I'm posting the photo today .  I posted it on my CaringBridge site and introduced the boys as my "post-operative medical team".  On here,  I'm using this photo to show me before I turned into a disaster area ~ not that I look all that great in this  picture but everything is relative...

A couple of hours ago, I put my hand to my face, only to discover that I had a great, BIG  PIMPLE, right on the end of my nose!   I went into the bathroom to use the mirror to witness this atrocity, where I noticed that I not only have a rose like Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, but I also have a second pimple, on the tip of my chin!  As if that weren't bad enough, I have a great, big, honking COLD SORE in the corner of my mouth.

My mastectomy is scheduled for this Wednesday morning. 

 I figure I'll be a walking scab by then!

...sigh...

A Memorable Memorial Day...

My personal "HEROS"

      Stephen Carter (Carter) Portillo

     Katie Martens (my Beautiful Baby Girl!)

To all of the selfless men and women who have given up their own personal freedom to protect and preserve that of our Nation, I wish to say:  "Thank You for your service and may God bless you and keep you safe!"  Katie and Carter are very much in love and ready to commit their lives to one another.  They will be getting married, on the Island of Belize, on July 4th, 2011 ~ even though the Navy won't allow them to actually live together for two more years!  They'll work it out...

Captain Morgan

And now for a long overdue update and explanation:

Many of you know that in March of this year, I suffered a serious injury to my left elbow.  I had surgery to remove the damaged (shattered) bones and a prosthetic elbow was implanted.  I spent about a week in the hospital and believed that I was going to be good as new.

Jack Daniels and Kahlua (Kahlua is sold)

Unfortunately, a few weeks after the original surgery, an infection developed in the surgical site.  At first the doctor thought I was just "popping a stitch" but they lanced the area and took cultures to test for bacterial infection.  Two days later, I was admitted back into the hospital for more surgery. 

Karma (sold)

My doctor reopened the original surgical site and thoroughly cleaned and scraped the entire area.  He inserted a large drainage tube and a pump to keep the inside of my arm clean.  The hope was that this would stop the infection yet save the prosthetic elbow.

Jim Beam

Unfortunately, it didn't work.  Three days later, I was once again in the surgical suite and this time they removed the prosthetic elbow and scraped out the entire inside of my arm.  A smaller drain was put in place and more cultures taken to determine the type of bacteria we were dealing with.  Another week in the hospital.

Tanqueray

I was sent home from the hospital on IV antibiotics.  I had a "PIC" line installed in my upper right arm, with a thin wire that ran under my skin, up my shoulder, down my chest and into my heart.  Family and friends would give me daily (infusions ~ inject powerful antibiotics into the PIC line) to clear up the ongoing infection in my now elbow less arm.    The antibiotics made me nauseous and weak but were necessary to get rid of the infection.

Karma, Jim Beam and Tequilla

For a couple of weeks, it seemed that things might be working out.  I was still not feeling well and very weak but the arm appeared to be getting better.

Kahlua (sold)

Until the day that I couldn't get out of bed.  I'd had no appetite and been very tired for several days but on this morning, I could not get out of bed.  I had the chills so badly that I looked like I was having seizures!  (yet no temperature?)

Jim Beam

When my temperature rose to 102 after two hours, my friend Katie W., rushed me back to the emergency room which is 45 minutes away.  By the time we reached the emergency room, my temp was 104.5.

Angus and Karma (Karma is sold)

When I used the restroom in the Urgent Care Center, I was stunned to see the reddest skinned human being I have ever seen in my life, staring back at me from the mirror.  The Urgent Care nurse was the first to utter the word:  "Sepsis".  Apparently, the deep, dark flush is one of the first signs. 

Alice's boys:  Tanqueray & Dom Perignon

(Dom is sold)

Within minutes, my Sepsis evolved into Septic Shock (blood pressure bottoms out and all body systems shut down).  Needless to say I was in Intensive Care for that!  In fact, I was in Intensive Care for three days.

Angus

Somehow, the doctors supported my body throughout Septic Shock in spite of the fact that most people who experience Septic Shock do not survive.  I do remember a point in time where I was begging them NOT to fight any longer.  I wanted them to let me go and stop hurting.  My poor Kids were standing at my bedside, watching me, in excruciating pain, begging me to hold on and listening to me begging to be allowed to die.

What a nightmare.

Fortunately, I don't remember much of it!

Brandy (sold)

It turns out that my PIC line was the cause of the newest, most dangerous infection.  After 3 days in ICU, all of my systems were returning to normal ~ other than my lungs, which were filling up with fluid because of all the fluids they were pumping into me to keep my blood pressure up.  Gasping for air and not being able to breath have always been one of my greatest fears.  Thank God, I don't remember that day!

Chance with Brandy and Jim Beam

(Brandy and Chance are sold)

The next day, the doctors said that I could go home.  The nurses, myself and my family were VERY concerned!  Only 24 hours ago, I'd been in Intensive Care, fighting for my life.  The fact is, insurance would not continue to pay for my care now that I was no longer critical.  I had to go home.

Captain Morgan & Jack Daniels

So, after another week in the hospital, I returned home to the care of my family and friends.  Although we did make trips to the emergency room the first two nights that I was home, I am now, finally, truly feeling better.

Bacardi

I'll be on these powerful antibiotics for another week.  Then the doctors will asess the status of the infection.  If it looks good, I'll get to stop taking the antibiotics but stay under close monitoring for two more weeks.  If all goes well, I'll be able to move on with my life at that time.  I'm still weak and my left arm will never be as strong as it once was, but I am alive!  I actually said a little prayer yesterday:  thanking God for keeping me going in spite of what I thought I wanted at the time.  Needless to say, my kids are pretty happy.

;-)

DREAM says...

"I was supposed to tell this story, but you know Mom when she gets typing!  Perhaps she'll let me chime in tomorrow, when we tell "THE REST OF THE STORY..."



Just so you know...

I know that many of you are aware of the fact that I recently had an accident, followed by surgery (which is not to be discussed in public forums, so we'll leave it at that) and have been blessed to be receiving help from family and friends as I am SLOWLY recovering.  I am still in a considerable amount of pain and unable to use my arm for much of anything.  Needless to say, that means that I still need a LOT of help around here.  Of course I am grateful for all the help, but I want you to know that these generous souls are not exactly "suffering" as they labor in the Bluff Country.

Case in point:

my sister, Penny

Penny's staying here to 'help' this weekend.

She still has her PJs on in these pictures.

I admit it.  I'm working the poor girl pretty hard!

Doesn't it make you tired just watching  this girl???

I don't know where she finds the strength...

I'm just so grateful that she's here.

I do believe that the sheep are too...

ALICE says...

"HA!  Two days in a row.  I  got the last comment, two days in a row!  It's only fair too.  It is, after-all, the 10th annual ALICE watch..."

Ooooooh!  Dream's not gonna like this!

The time went too quickly!

If family posts bore you, you may want to skip my next few posts. 

Although there are  lots of animals included, I have SO many pictures of Katie and Carter's visit that some might not appreciate it.

So, I'm breaking the photos up into activities.

Today's post ~ which just happens to be the "Farm Friend's Friday" post, features Katie and Carter doing MY chores for me!

(what a TREAT!)

Carter, accompanied by Sable, who absolutely fell in love with him, carried the water out to the Piggles first...

 

He quickly made friends with Holly & Ivy 

Katie fed the Piggles while Sable supervised. 

Unfortunately, we were a little worried about Ivy as she started choking pretty badly.  Katie picked up Ivy's bowl of feed so that Holly wouldn't eat it all. 

While Ivy recuperated, we decided it was time to introduce Carter to the sheep.

I was amazed  that Alice was the first one to walk up to Carter! 

She is usually quite reserved with strangers

and doesn't think a whole lot of Sable either! 

But, apparently Carter was OK. 

So, he and Katie, set off to feed the flock.

Notice our big, strong, Navy Seal armed himself with Animal Crackers!

;-) 

Katie might have had a few stuffed into her pockets as well... 

Dazzle might have been just a tad over enthusiastic in her greeting.

(it's YOUR fault, Katie W.)

Dream had to explain to Carter that he should never touch a ram's forehead. 

And was displeased when he didn't appear to listen to her! 

This is what the photo looks like, after a sheep nuzzles the camera lens. 

"OK.  Carter  passes inspection.  Now how about some dinner???" 

Carter's on it, Dreamer!

Notice Dream making sure it's done right! 

"Good Job, Carter! "

Now it's back to check on Ivy... 

.

Katie puts Ivy's dish back down, now that she's feeling better.

  

and tries to keep Holly from stealing Ivy's food. 

It was a bit of an American Guinea Hog rodeo for a while there.

To see a cute video, click here or scroll down to yesterday's post. 

DREAM says...

"Thanks for helping Mom out when she wasn't feeling well, Katie & Carter"

She sure does love you BOTH..."