I CANNOT BELIEVE IT...

I have a DATE...yes I said I have a DATE......

So what will you be doing March 20th......

I will be starting my new life...I cannot believe it...I am beyond excited.

I meet with the surgeon and anesthesia on Tuesday..this is becoming so real.

So does anyone want to come help with Aviva.


The biopsy went well...whatever drugs they gave me worked very well...do not remember a thing. I had a great nurse, he got in a great IV with no pain. My WBC was 13.6 down from 15, but a different lab.

The whole procedure was maybe 15 minutes. I am a bit sore now but going to lay down and relax the rest of the day.

I am going back to the hematologist on March 6th...as long as it is nothing serious..onward we go. And off to my primary on the 6th as well.

FINALLY....

I get some good news....are you ready?

I AM APPROVED!!! I AM APPROVED!!!

Found out this afternoon...now just have to wait for a date...I am beyond excited. I am looking forward to a new life.

OY...tomorrow is the day....

tomorrow we will drop Aviva off at my neighbor's and we are off to the hospital for my bone marrow biopsy.

I am getting nervous..cannot sleep (well does not help there is someone snoring VERY loud in my bed).

They told me they will give me drugs if I want and believe me I want....I want to be out of it. They said afterwards if I have pain...they will give me something to manage the pain.

I am praying there is nothing seriously wrong...so if you can keep me in your prayers Friday morning....I would greatly appreciate it.

GUESS where we are going in December?

If you guess Disney World.....wrong.

If you guessed New York.......wrong again (not crazy enough to go in the winter again).

If you are out if guesses I will tell you.........


We are going to Jamaica...My SIL is getting married December 20th...to a real nice gentleman who is a diplomat for the UN based out of Jamaica. They met at the Fort Lauderdale airport when their flight was delayed going back to Jamaica.

He is really nice..and will make a great uncle for Aviva.

Aviva will be one of the flower girls along with her cousin. So when I know what my SIL wants I can start looking on EBAY.

We are all very excited.

Thank you...

my friend Shannon for cheering me up today..been a bit of a rough weekend with school work, a friend and of course Spider.

Look what she gave me:

Thank you again...you are always there to cheer me up.

Before & After

BEFORE

AFTER

UPDATE on my biopsy consult...

I saw the PA then the doctor...he went over the procedure...he said it is not as painful as you think. They first will take some pictures using a CT scan of my back (you lay flat on your stomach). The do this so they can see where the bone is they want and know where they want to be. They go through the back (forgot the name of the bone) because where they go through is the least sensitive. I can have some sedation (bring it on) and then they give lidicane to the area on the back.

So does not sound so bad...the worst part will be having Spider take the day off (will loss pay..oh well). His type of job no work no pay...he will deal with it.

So hoping they can schedule ASAP (I told them). Can be done at one of three hospitals...I said get me in where it is soonest.

HAIR hair...oh my...

Some news...

well of course the hematologist's office never called. So I called the office today. The person I spoke to had no clue why he wanted me to go that hospital.

So she calls me back and explains I have to see the doctors at the office before they do the biopsy. So have to wait till Friday, Feb. 22. Then hoping the biopsy can be scheduled for the following week...I just want it done and not to interfere with my surgery.

Still have not heard from the surgeon's office, the person I need to speak to is out of the office until Wednesday morning. I am getting good at waiting.

SOAP....

Yes are you wondering what I mean....

Well you see in our house we have a problem with soap.

I buy the body wash for all of us to use. But there is one person in this household that can use a bottle of body wash in a few days when it should last much longer...and I will give you a hint...it is the person here who is male...that leaves only one person.

I think he believes that because it is liquid and on a bath sponge you need to use a whole lot to bath with.

So told him he needs to buy his own soap and I will not complain anymore...so he went out and bought himself a new bath sponge and bar soap.

Guess what? The body wash lasts much longer.

He just thinks I am crazy..because it is not expensive...I understand that is not the point...he uses an excessive amount that is all.

CALLING out the LURKERS...

The past few days had visitors from Canada, Spain, Kansas, Washington, NY, Florida, Illinois, Colorado, Texas, Ohio, New Zealand and Georgia....

Please come out and introduce yourselves....if you are reading my blog and you have one would love to read yours.

Would love to read your comments. So PLEASE introduce yourself, and do not be SHY.

CONCENTRATION.......

Happy VALENTINE'S Day!!!

I am very SCARED...could use prayers and positive thoughts....

I am back from my follow up with the hematologist. All my blood tests were normal except the white blood count which is even higher then 2 weeks ago...it is now 28,000, normal 8 to 10,000.

The doctor said the only way to know what is going on is to do a bone marrow biopsy. On the script for the biopsy it says diognosis leukocytosis but believes it is Myeloproliferative Disorder.

Of course looked that up and it scares me a bit.So going to have to go to the hospital so the Interventional Radiology department can do a bone marrow biopsy and aspiration under CT guidance. He wants some other tests done with this as well.

I do not know what to think.

Parent-Teacher Conferences.......

First off, Aviva has a terrific teacher. She is new to the school but not to first grade. Aviva is lucky because there are only 16 students including her in the class.

Found out Aviva is really doing well in reading. On the DRA they need to be between 8-10 to move to second grade. Aviva is at a 20 (she was at a 10 at the end of kindergarten). She loves to read and it shows. Ms. G said she does not have the expression but understands and comprehends everything she is reading, so not worried about that. When we read a book we do not read with expression.

She does very well in spelling and language arts...that could be why she does so well in reading.

Her handwriting is a work in progress. When she takes her time it is neat but normally she does not. But it is getting much better then the beginning of the school year..

In math she is where she should be but not as strong as reading. I do not think she likes it much so that can be why she makes some silly mistakes. She sometimes gets distracted, but when you sit with her she has does not have a problem doing the problems. She gets them with ease. We just have to work on that at home. I have some fun math games so will be bringing those out of the closet.

She is a happy, social child in class and very friendly with her seatmates.

I always like the good news. I just think back to 7 years ago, she just came home as a preemie...and look where she is now. WOW is all I can say.

WHAT a great story about Walgreen's......

I have seen this story before but worth sharing again. They pay the the disabled workers the same as their abled peers. The head of Walgreen's has a 19 year old son with autism.

Check it out here.

I was recently offered a part-time job as a job coach for adults with developmental disabilities. Hoping after my surgery I will be able to do this. Hoping there are more companies here like Walgreen's.

MY SUPER STAR

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Bonds of Love..........

Between a father and a daughter..a quiet walk at the park.

My Soccer Star

Found a new website and boy I can have hours of fun playing with photos. Here is one I did last night. It is can be found here.

A FEW things...

1. Finally my surgeon sent all the information to the insurance company so it is a waiting game. Also, hoping it goes smoothly. If they say not enough money to pay then hoping we can do a payment plan with Cleveland Clinic.

Keep your fingers crossed and say a little prayer that it all goes my way.

2. I am writing a position paper for my class and it is getting the best of me. For some reason having a hard time getting info...we have to show both sides of the issue then can state our side...it is due Sunday,

3. For those that sent me MEMEs I promise to get them done after I finish my paper.

I want to THANK...

Lisa at it's the little things for the lovely necklace she made for me. It is two hearts that are hand stamped with true love and her anniversary date. It came out terrific.

I am very happy that I ordered it and will proudly wear it.

Thanks again Lisa!!

MEN.....

'nuff said!

OUT of 173 countries......

the United States is one of FOUR yes I said 4 that does not have a National policy for paid maternity leave...the other other countries are Liberia, Papau New Guinea and Swaziland.

That is very sad.

There is the FMLA for unpaid leave but company has to have more then 50 people.

SOMETHING needs to change.

My SOCCER STAR.....

GREAT idea for USED CROCS.....

You can also mail your Crocs back ot the company if no local retailer
will take them. :)


http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/02/01/crocs.ap/index.html

NEW YORK (AP) -- Old Crocs are getting a second chance -- and giving
many needy people around the world their first pair of shoes. The
maker of the ubiquitous plastic shoes is launching its SolesUnited
initiative to the public, asking for donations of worn-out shoes to
be recycled and turned into new ones.
The company started donating shoes a little over a year ago when the
brand's materials scientists figured out a way to recycle the
plastic. But the plastic almost exclusively came from scraps created
during the manufacturing process.

SolesUnited marks the opening of the program to the public with many
retailers around the country accepting old shoes. It was to be
announced on "The Celebrity Apprentice" Thursday night.

Crocs are made of a proprietary closed-cell resin that expands and
contracts to mold to the wearer's foot.

"It's a great opportunity to give back," Crocs CEO Ron Snyder says.
"We've been very fortunate as a company."

Fortunate is right: Crocs was a small business founded in 2002 in
Niwot, Colorado. Last year, it was one of the most widely traded Wall
Street stocks, and it was named a top pick for this year by an
analyst at PiperJaffray.

SolesUnited shoes have slight design tweaks to differentiate them
from the traditional Crocs. Shoes recently sent to Malawi, for
example, were without the back strap found on the original clog-style
shoe.

Crocs' distribution partner, the charitable Brother's Brother
Foundation in Pittsburgh has sent shoes around the world, including
Chile, El Salvador, India, Pakistan, Kenya, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.
During January, it filled nine oceangoing containers, each one
holding 10,000 pairs of shoes.

But, says Luke Hingson, president of Brother's Brother, this new
expansion will bring the program "to a whole other level."

The shoes are important in these developing countries because it
reduces people's exposure to foot injury and infection and they
simply can walk farther when their feet don't hurt.

SolesUnited Crocs are embossed to note that they use recycled plastic
and are intended for charitable purposes and can't be sold.

A similarly styled shoe, however, will be introduced in the U.S. as a
fundraising tool.

"They're unique. You'll know you're participating in the SolesUnited
program if you're wearing them," he says.