Tuesday, April 27, 2010

So Very Sad


Poor Skittles is ruled by her tummy. She is a true member of this family. She sits and waits patiently while anyone eats. Maybe someone will take pity on her and throw her a crumb. Occasionally, the aroma and the sight of the food is just a little too much and she starts to drool. It is not very lady-like, but she can't help herself. It is just all too good.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Genes


I didn't give genes or DNA much thought before I had children. I don't know if many prospective parents do. Once the baby is born, we are quick to notice her (I use "her" since mine are "hers") eyes are like yours or her toes are like her dad's. The outwardly physical things (and later personality traits) are easy to see. As the child gets older, other things come into play. Will the child inherit your poor eyesight or your teenage acne issues? Will she excel in math or be talented in art? With the cancer, I worry about the possibly I could have passed a gene on to my girls that would raise their chances of getting breast cancer. Guilt is something all parents deal with. Many times it can be warranted, but other times it is not. You blame yourself for things that are logically out of your control or or decisions made before additional factors were made known. It really tore me up to think I could cause this for my girls. I know that most women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of the disease. And, I know that I didn't know I would get cancer when I decided to have children. That is beside the point. You want your child to have a perfect world, a perfect life regardless of how impossible that is. It hurt to think I could have messed that up for them. I decided to have the blood test for the BRCA 1 and 2 gene. If I had the gene, then they needed to know they too could have it and their risk increased. I am happy to say test came back negative. They are at a higher risk for getting the disease, since I have it and my mom and aunt had it. They will be screened more closely, as I had been. There could still be a gene we have that does increase the risk for cancer. At this time, there is no test for other breast cancer genes. I can live with that.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

A Perfect 10



These last couple of pictures (the ones from the hospital) were taken with my phone. I didn't have my camera at the hospital, so the picture quality is not the best.

This is a picture of a dime. It is not just any dime. It is a "Papa dime". Right after Dad died, we started finding dimes around where we were. It is always a single dime. I keep all of the Papa dimes I find and Robyn and Cara bring me the dimes they find as well. Sometimes months will go by and I will not find a dime. Other times I will find several in the same week. This was one of those weeks. I found 2 just before my surgery (one of which was lying next to the fur babies water bowl), Phillip had one fall out of a set of client files that had been banded together (he doesn't keep any money in these files, ever), and the girls found this one on their way to come spring me out of the joint (hospital). I know this is my Dad's way of letting know he is watching out for us. It gives me great comfort to know he is always with me. I really need him now.

Friday, April 16, 2010

A View From The Bed



Ok, I am ready to leave, but they are not ready to let me. It is boring in the hospital, although I do take a lot of cat naps. When I look to the left I see this lovely picture on the side of my bed. I try to have fun making my bed change positions, but it is just not as fun as it would be if I didn't have to be in the bed. Can you tell I am getting squirrely?

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Surgery



Well...the surgery was a go and I had it yesterday. Benedict and Arnold are history. Good riddance. I am not a fan of being in the hospital. The bed is uncomfortable, you are hooked up to all sorts of junk and people come in and out all of the time to poke and prod you. They have these nifty boot thingies on my legs to keep me from getting blood clots. They said they would feel like getting a massage. Ummm...no. It doesn't, but it is better than a clot. Those are not fun and I have had enough of those to last a lifetime. I miss my "bed" and my sleeping buddy, Pretty.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

PET Scan



This is where I had my PET scan. It was not the most comfortable experience. They inject a glucose solution with a radioactive isotope into you vein an then you sit for an hour for the solution to circulate around your body. The cancer cells love sugar and scoop up the glucose. Then you lie on a table with your arms over your head. They slide you into the donut looking machine and you lie complete still for 25 or so minutes. Of course when you can move, your nose starts to itch, your back hurts, your arms cramp, etc. Needless to say, I was quite happy when that was over. If nothing suspicious shows up on the scan, my surgery is on for tomorrow.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Cards for Cancer...the drop off



This is our contribution for the Cards for Cancer event. I dropped them off at the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington. Amy and I made a bunch of cards and several other members of Handmade Louisiana sent in cards as well. Two members sent items to be given to cancer patients and their families (an additional member is sending something too). I donated 9 hats I knitted too. I am happy to knit hats for others. It brings me joy.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Prom



Tonight was Prom. Robyn looked beautiful and Michael was handsome. I am glad she decided she wanted to go. So many things this year have been bittersweet for her. This will be a happy memory of a wonderful night. Have fun my baby.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Snow Happens When You Least Expect It



We do not get much snow here in southeast Louisiana, but our household has occasional snow "events", as the weather people refer to them. The snow is not like the traditional snow and usually involves an empty stuffed animal skin or two. The ones who cause the snow have usually left the scene before the snow is discovered. Fortunately, this snow does not melt and leave a mess.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Making Me Laugh



Today I was playing around with my phone and I realized I never took any pictures to correspond to the people on my call list. Since Cara does not have a phone yet, I decided her picture would be the one that came up when "home" called. I was thinking (erroneously) that she would give me one of her cute smiles. Why would I assume that? She said she had the perfect pose and gave me this. Cara is the funniest person I know. She makes me laugh and is a lot of fun. I love when "home" comes up on my cell. I love that face!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Life's Little Pleasures



Sometimes you are innocently going about your day and you happen across something that brings you joy. It doesn't have to be a big thing or something meaningful. It just brings a smile. As I was drive down Hwy. 59, I noticed this car 2 cars ahead of me. It was fabulous! I wanted so badly for the car between us to turn off, but it did not. This was the best picture I could get. How cool would it be to be seen in that bad boy? Plaid is the new black, you know.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Squidward



I love to see what artists create. You give them the materials and they find what those materials tell them to make. Robyn was give the task of creating a teapot in her Talented Art class. The clay said "Make me into a squid." So she did. We are now the proud owners of an amazing squid teapot. Try not to be too jealous :)