May I Have the Envelope Please.....(the results are in)

Yesterday I got the call.  The results from my biopsies.


Everything is just fine!  YAY!!  My Dr. even said that because my paps have been normal my whole life and I don't have HPV, I can just continue my regular annual exams rather than an every 6 month routine that is norm with abnormal paps.  I have to go back in 6 weeks to be sure that all of my sutures are gone and I'm fully healed, but other than that, she feels that the polyp was just "one of those things" that was local but unusual.  

About an hour after the call, after I had made all of my calls and texts, I burst into tears.  Tears of relief, tears of joy, tears of stress - I don't know.  I guess I didn't realize how much I was stressing over these results.

So, while 2012 had it's ups and downs, hopefully this is a sign that 2013 is going to kick ass!!

Christmas 2012

Twas the night before.....what?  Ugh, I won't be starting out my blog with that...



With my surgery scheduled 4 days before Christmas, I was panicked that I wasn't going to get everything finished, but I did! I only had David for a couple of days prior to Christmas Eve (because of my surgery), so we crammed in a TON of Christmas activities in one night!  After work, I grabbed David from daycare and we were off to see Santa and hit Winter Wonderland at the PIR.  Once those were done, we were crossing over the river and saw that the Christmas boats were out.  I quickly veered my car to go see them. 

This was the first year in a long time where I was still shopping a few days before Christmas.  NOT what I like to do.  It would also help if I had opened the boxes that came in the mail from my online purchases before retail shopping.  Saturday night had me running to TRU at 9pm to return something that I purchased twice. 

David asked Santa for Beyblades.  Santa came through except for 1 specific Beyblade that was requested.  Santa never found it - (I)he looked at many stores, but it was OK, David wasn't too disappointed.  Also, David wanted to change his bedroom to be Angry Bird - which surprised me because up until 3-4 weeks ago, all he could talk about was Spiderman.  A new comforter, sheets, blanket and poster transformed his room.  His Birthday is in a few months, so I'll be looking for wall stickers to enhance the look even more.  Santa got me a new body pillow (NEVER buy the cheap pillow from IKEA - it doesn't last long).  I almost blew the Santa fantasy because I wrapped the body pillow from Santa, but the new cover I got from it was wrapped from my dad.  David noticed.  He commented "Mommy, how did Grandpa know that Santa was getting you a new pillow"?  YIKES!  Think fast!!!  "Grandpa didn't know, I told him that Mommy had a pillow and needed a new pillowcase for it".  PHEW! He bought it. 

I decided that David has many toys, so this year I focused on games that we could play together.  Sorry, Jenga, Uno, BananaGrams and Perfection were purchased. 

Enjoy the pics!

I just realized that I didn't get a picture of the Beyblades!!  DOH!!

Today is Christmas and I don't have David.  It's been a relaxing day - I'm trying to get my house cleaned.  Later I'm heading out to the movies with a friend - The Hobbit. 

Addendum:  Geesh, It's February and I just realized that I forgot to talk about the tree.  I thought I talked about it, but I guess not.

I've always gotten a live tree - from a lot.  This year, with funds being tight, I heard about a tree farm that has trees for only $20.  AWESOME!!  In early December, I had a cold (yea, I've been sick twice in as many months), but on a Saturday I mustered enough energy to get out and get a tree.  David and I went out to the tree farm, sloshed though the mud, saw in hand and found our tree.  Onto my knees I went and started sawing.  And sawing.  And sawing, sawing, sawing....OMG!  I was about 3/4 of the way through the trunk and I just couldn't progress. I didn't have anymore energy left.  What's a girl to do?  Find a man who's walking around and ask him politely to help.   YAY!!  Then I saw that the farm has people driving around picking up trees to bring to the tie up area....no need to schlep that thing back.  My tree was shaken, bagged and put into the trunk of car for me. 

I don't remember flossing there!!

On Thursday, I went into the hospital at an unGodly hour of 5:30am with surgery scheduled at 7:30.  My friend, Trina, dropped me off (thank you to her for getting up so darned early and having to be at work later that morning) and I was checked in. 

Even without food, caffeine or drugs, I was in fine form!  I made most of the staff laugh that morning.  My Dr. came in to explain the procedure and how recovery will be.  She mentioned that there will be stitches and I shouldn't be alarmed if at some point some of the threads come out - not all dissolve.  As she said this, she demonstrated the length of a stitch being about 3 inches long...I cracked up.  After she mentioned that, I replied with "No, I wouldn't be alarmed.  I would be puzzled because I would think 'Huh, I don't remember flossing there'".  First her face was of shock then she registered what I had said and she burst out laughing!  Good sign that she was awake and ready. 

My IV - HA!!  That was a procedure in itself.  My nurse was very nice and she came with the heat pack and asked if I wanted the numbing meds.  After having close to 15 IV's during the course of being pg with David, I know what they're like and don't really bother me much.  No, don't need the numbing meds.  I always let my nurses or phlebes know that I have veins that collapse easily.  DO NOT touch the wall of my vein or it's done.  She got the needle in the first time, no problem.  She drew blood from it and taped it well.  However, it was the fact my hand was covered in blood after all of that which I shook my head at.  What a mess. 

I met with all of the necessary staff and off I went to the OR.  I moved to the OR table and had the oxygen mask placed over my nose and mouth...YUCK, smells awful and noted it.  The anesthesiologist threw out some big chemical words for it being the plastic mask that stinks.  The nurses chuckled at him and I stated that he really shouldn't use such big words before 11am.  After a struggle with the armrest of the table, he injected my IV with meds (which stung!!) and said...'Nighty night'. 

I woke up 1 hour later in my room.  Within 10 min, I was up, feeling like I was drunk, but up.  Then the cramps started.  OY!!  Think of your worst menstrual cramps you've EVER had....double that.  I was given 2 vicodin and sent on my way by 10am.  

OH MY!!  Krista has some stories!  We stopped to get some breakfast first because I hadn't eaten since the night before.  It was while my stomach had food in it that the vicodin hit me.  I still had to go to the store to get my prescription which was a 25 min wait.  So, we wandered the store...me wandering more than her.  I did manage to paint my thumb nail with some nail polish  - what?! how else are you to know if you like the color.  I was lucid enough to realize that I already had that color at home.  Still, I'm sure I was pretty funny to watch and talk to. 

I poured myself onto the couch and slept most of the day.  I would sleep about 40 min to each hour.  Krista was on the other couch and stayed with me for most of the day - leaving around dinner.  I was delivered dinner by another friend and I was in bed for the night by 8pm and slept until 8am the next day.  WHOA!  Perhaps staying up most of the night on Tuesday and Wed. had caught up with me. 

Friday was a bit better.  Minimal cramps - no vicodin just Ibuprofen.  Although, a short trip to work and the store had me down for a 2 hour nap that afternoon.  Again, I poured myself into bed around 9 and slept until 8.  I'm on the road to recovery.  I have several restrictions for 6 weeks - one being no baths.  I LOVE A HOT BATH!! especially this time of year.  Boooo! 

I will possibly have my results this week, but more than likely the first week of January.  This is the REAL nerve wracking part. 

Bad Wedding that wasn't?

On the eve of a momentous occasion in Washington state of gay marriage being legalized, I thought I was a bar, but it felt more like a bad wedding.

This summer, I learned about many regular clubs in the Portland area have gay/lesbian dances on specific weekends of the month.  Paula and I went to Blow Pony in June and had a blast.  Last month I went  to Hot Flash with a friend of mine and it's for the 35 and older crowd - hella fun!  So, I thought I'd try another this weekend.  However, I can't always rely on my friends to be available or wanting to go with me to these events, so I decided to do something that I've never done before...I went alone. Hot Flash was a blast, so I figured I could to this different event by myself.  I thought I knew what to expect. This was also an event for the 35+ crowd....um....well.....I think they need to change that age b/c there wasn't anyone under 55.  OY!! Shit.

Here I got my courage up to go somewhere alone, and I walked into THIS!!?   OMG!  I sat at the bar and chatted up the nice bartender and texted friends.

The music - was so dated!! I really felt that I was at a bad wedding.  They played the Electric Slide, John Denver, Celebration, and then....COUNTRY MUSIC - with people line dancing!!  Holy hell.  I just laughed.  The only songs not played were the Chicken Dance and the Hokey Pokey.  I was waiting for the brides to walk through the door at any moment.  Which is when my bartender man said:  We're just waiting for a bride to walk in with a bad dress and her hair jacked up to Jesus!  I died.  What an awesome line:  Hair jacked up to Jesus!!

It just so happened that last night was the Portland Santa pub crawl and the last bar they stopped at was the one I was at. Hundreds of Santa's were in the front bar waiting for the dance floor to open.   FINALLY, when the part of the bar I was in was opened up to the public, the night became a blast!  The good music began and dancing ensued!! Santa's of all sorts flooded the dance floor... daaamn, Santa's got some moves!  I was finally glad that I went (and stayed) - even if it was alone.  I was fine.  I had a lot of fun, met some wonderful people and I won't be scared to attend another function alone again...although, I'm crossing THAT event off my list.

Sweet Amos Boy

On Wednesday, December 5, my wonderful kitty Amos died.  He was 16 years old and dx'd earlier in the year with kidney failure.

My kitty boy, you were my Valentines Day present long ago.  I already had a cat, Baxter, but I adopted him from the shelter when he was almost a year old, so I never had a kitten.  You were adopted from a non-profit group in the tri-cities called H.E.L.P. - Homes for Endangered and Lost Pets.  When we were told that the group had a litter of kittens, I was thrilled!  You were 2 days old, your eyes weren't even opened when we went to see you and your sisters.  Mom was a tiger kitty, as were your sisters.  You were the only black kitty in the litter and the only one not spoken for, so you were ours!  8 weeks later we got to pick you up.  OMG!  You were the ugliest kitten ever!!  Your fur was course, you had no fur from your eyes to your ears...UGH, I got an ugly kitten.

Boy, did you show us wrong!!  You grew into a beautiful cat who was so loving.  You were definitely a lap cat and you always took the opportunity to be loved.  You and Baxter were best of friends, always together cuddling.  Then we moved into our first house and got our first dog, Andra.  Andra was a large Malamute, who also loved you.  I would come home and find you cuddled into Andra's long fur.  Then, months later, we got another dog...a puppy, Oreo.  You and Oreo were became best friends and companions.

When you were nine, the greatest indignity happened...a baby, but you just decided to love on him even more.  You endured the toddler years of tail pulling, being carried upside down, sat on, drooled on...etc.  AND that wasn't just from David, that was from all the toddlers that came over.  I always expected you to jump over the baby gate and escape, but you didn't.  You loved the attention.  You became David's buddy.  Once David moved into a big boy bed, that is where you wanted to sleep at night.  You knew the routine, as soon as you heard me reading a story, you'd come running into the room and jump up onto the bed.  When David would sit on the couch, within minutes, you would be in his lap.

Which is why it was so hard on David when you died.   I knew the time was coming, so I tried to prepare David as best as I could.  Oh man, we cried for many nights as we would cuddle you in bed.  The past week  you quickly declined.  I made the decision and the appointment to bring you to the Vet on Thursday, but as of Tuesday night, you could no longer walk.  It was time.  I brought you to the Vet, pet you, talked to you, stayed with you until you were gone and then some.

Oh Amos, I couldn't have asked for a better kitty.  Yes, you were a pest at times, but that loving spirit is so very missed right now.  Telling David that you had died was hardest thing I had to do.  He cried all afternoon, and bedtime was even worse.  I cuddled him as we cried, but I'm a poor substitute for you, buddy.  We miss you.






As and addendum - After much thought, I decided not to tell David that I brought Amos to the vet.  He is only 7.5 years old, so I do not feel that he has the ability to know that euthanasia is a kind way to help your animal stop suffering.  David knows that Amos curled up and died while I was petting him.  Which is a version of the truth.  

A Look Under the Hood

Last Monday I went for my annual lady parts exams - pap and mammogram.  While I have always had some monthly issues and infertility, I've never had a pap or exam come up with any concern.  Until....

While my dr. was taking a look "under the hood", she found a rather large cervical polyp which she removed and sent off to pathology.  She said that 99% of the time polyps are benign and pretty common to older premenopausal women.  Also, because of this polyp and the monthly issues I've been having for years, she decided that it was time to order an ultrasound to see if there was anything within the uterus.  The ultrasound happened the day before Thanksgiving.  With the Holiday weekend, I didn't expect any results until today.  Luckily I was home for lunch when my dr. called because the news she had was concerning and scary.

And the results are.... 

The biopsy of the polyp came back with abnormal cells, but an inconclusive result because my pap sample was normal.  I also don't have HPV (leading cause of cervical cancer).  Also, my ultrasound found something within my uterus.  DAMN!  I'm scheduled for a cervical cone biopsy and a D & C and I'm scared shitless.  I broke down. 

I'll have a friend take me too and from the surgery (in Dec), I've arranged David to be with Daddy early and am taking 2 days off.  Now I wait.  Wonder.  Worry. 


On a positive medical note:  my mammogram was fine.  Thank goodness, because my mom had breast cancer. 

Black Friday and, yea, that other day.

Black Friday, the dreaded day.  A day that I loathed and loved at the same time....except this year.  Because this year, I DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!  For the first time in 3 years, I didn't have to work retail during the madness.  I QUIT Kohl's a few weeks ago!  YIPPEE!  With it just being only David to shop for this year, I really didn't have the urge to head out to shop-til-I-dropped and I had him overnight.  Plus, I heard that there are better deals to be found as Christmas gets closer.

Thanksgiving Day was spent with David and friends. My coworker/friend, Trina, invited us over to have Thanksgiving with her husband, son and mother.  We were treated to a very traditional and DELICIOUS Thanksgiving dinner.  After putting David to bed, I zonked out on the couch and slept until almost 8:30 on Black Friday.  WAIT!  I must back up just a bit...On T-Day morning, I was sound asleep when my phone rang at 5:57am.  5:57AM!!!!  It was my sister - in a bit of a panic, I answered the phone b/c why would she be calling so early?  Just to talk...UGH!  See, she lives in WI which is 2 hours ahead of WA. After speaking with her for a while, I decided I was just up for the day.  So, my turkey coma was also induced by a early morning phone call.

After dropping David off to his dad on Friday morning, I decided to head to Fred Meyers for some socks.  Our local all-in-one retail store, has a 1/2 price sock sale on BF.  I was always working or shopping at other stores during the sale, so I decided to check it out.  Many socks later...I was out of the store by 11am and I went home for the day.

Last night, Trina (wingwoman extraordinaire and dd) and I went out to a Hot Flash stoplight party - when you got into the club you choose a glow stick color, Green - single, Yellow - maybe, Red - taken.  Dancing, cruising and fun was had!  Today was spent recovering.  Tomorrow, I must head back to the "real world".

A hauntingly great day

Many of my friends tend to visit the same pumpkin patches every year, but I really like variety and exploring the area, so David and I headed off to the little town of Yacolt, WA to visit Pomeroy Farm.  It's small, but they had a lot to do.  We spent 2.5 hrs there just playing games, feeding the animals, and searching for the best pumpkins.

Um, David, I think that's enough. 

Bayonet practice?  Just preparing for the Zombie Apocalypse. 

I LOVE this picture!

Hmmmm, which one do you want David?

Ok, my blog is caught up.  I'm still Diet Coke free and rarely drink any type of pop at all, so I see that as a WIN in my book.  For the most part my life is pretty darn great.  I love seeing my son growing up, I have many friends and well, I'd like to say a job that I love, but at this time....I'll keep mum. 

2nd Grade

OMG!  He's in 2nd grade...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!  I will forever be kicking and screaming that David is getting older.

2nd grade photo.  He wanted his hair parted on the side. 

Happy First day of 2nd Grade!

This was his First Grade photo. He's getting so big!!

Reconnection

As I mentioned in a previous blog, living in the technology age is awesome!  I have reconnected with old friends through Facebook and have been lucky enough to have one come to visit.  Paula and I knew each other as kids, but never really hung out much.  However, our sisters have been friends since the 6th grade.  Who knew we'd laugh so much, drink so much and have so much fun together!  I love showing off Portland and the area, it never gets old.  She even taught me to like the brewery beers that are offered all over this area!  WHO KNEW they'd be so good!!

We were laughing very hard because we were trying to get Haystack Rock in the picture but our heads were always in the way.  This is probably picture #6.

Admiring the starfish and sea life during low tide. 

I was trying to take her to Mt. St. Helens and ended up at Lava Canyon instead.  All well, we all had fun. 

Is it Broken?

A few weeks before the end of school, I just happened to be home from work early and had David take the bus home - a treat for him.  He bounded off the bus and as we were walking home, I noticed that he was favoring his right hand.  I stopped and had him show me his hand.  OMG!!  His pinky was swollen and purple!! 

After texting Matt a picture and asking David more questions about it, we were off to Urgent Care to see if was broken.  Apparently it was a traumatic slide injury that happened at 2nd recess.  David was at the bottom of the slide and another kid came down before David was clear.  WHAM-O the pinky got it.  I was a bit upset that the school didn't call, but whatever.

David's first (and probably not the last) set of x-rays.  

 
The good news is that nothing was broken.  Ice, elevation, ibuprofen, and rest was on order for the remainder of the weekend. 

Mother's Day 2012

Gosh I have a lot to catch up on!   Here it goes:

It's great living in the modern age of Facebook and texting.  The day before Mother's Day I posted on FB that I was planning on taking David to the beach.  It just so happened that another friend of mine, Misty, had the same idea with her 2 kids (her husband had to work), so we made plans to head out.  Her In-Laws have a house in Cannon Beach just 2 blocks from the beach, and we could park there and walk.  EXCELLENT!!  SURPRISE SURPRISE, the weather at the beach that day was in the 80's, and for anyone who lives in the PNW, the 80's at the beach is a rare treat. 
We started at Seaside for lunch and fun.  Then headed down to Cannon Beach for sandy beach fun!  

Off we go!!

He ordered Lobster Mac N Cheese, but ended up eating MY Steamer Clams! 

It was a long day at the beach, but one that made a perfect Mother's Day.