The week end

You know the people you work with can become like your family.  After all sometime you spend more time with them than you "real" family.  Something I miss about working.  I received an invitation to get together with them Saturday evening.  Things can change quickly.  It started out as 10.  By Friday night it was down to 5 and by Saturday morning 3.  Everyone had legit reasons and lets face it, it's pretty hard to have that big of a group to all be available on the same date.  We're going to try again soon though.  My therapist would have been happy to hear I was getting out of the house with friends.

When the plans cancelled I made a list of places I needed to go.  I wasn't going to try that if the dinner was on but since it had been postponed I made my list and decided to walk before I bathed and took off.  As I started my walk I could feel my battery starting to move around and become uncomfortable.  I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to do this or not.  After about 10 minutes into it I had to hold my hand and put pressure on it to continue walking.
I usually try to do 30 minutes but I struggled to get through.  I know for sure something has to be done.

When I came in I decided to try something different.  I've been wearing a pain patch every other day.  On the opposite day using aspercream, mineral ice, heating pad I could keep going.  My husband had me try some capsaicin a few years ago and I had a terrible reaction to it.  It burned my back like it was on fire and it literally had a huge red circle on my back where it was burning.  It took several hours to go away.  Stopped the pain all right, I couldn't feel anything else.  Well, I decided to try roll on aspercream.   No mess, easy to roll on.  The cream works good for a short time so figured the roll on would penetrate even better.  NOT..... Had the same exact reaction.  A big ball of stinging fire again.  It felt like the redness on my back was going to turn into blisters.   By the time I bathed, got ready and ran my errands I had to lie down until it was time to go eat.

You see, my husband jumped on the idea that if I had plans to go out that I should keep them,  just with my him instead of my friends.  He had crawfish a couple of times already this year but not me.  I'd been wanting some.  I couldn't say no since he was offering. So he decided to take me out for crawfish.  They were great!  Nice and spicy, just the way I like them.  If your lips aren't burning then they aren't hot enough.  Just about all the times I had crawfish last year they were pretty bland.  Not these, Yummy!

When we got home I was pretty uncomfortable after the long drive on Friday and a full day Saturday.  I took my pain medicine as soon as I got in and two hours later took 3/ 200 mg ibuprofen.  Several hours later it seemed worse instead of better.  I haven't had this intense pain in awhile.  By the time I went to bed I had to take more pain med.  When it gets out of hand like that it's so hard to get under control again.  

Today was no different.  I had a restless night.  Every time I turned over in the bed my battery hurt.  Placing pressure if I ended on that side.  I got up determined not to let it beat me.  I had plans to cook a huge batch of red beans. Some for me during week and some for my son and his kind friend who is letting him stay there while he gets on his feet again.  He's doing great by the way.  I'll update you on that next post.  

Tomorrow morning is my appointment with PM doctor to go over options for getting rid of this battery discomfort.  I kind of know what he will tell, me thanks to Mr. R, but I guess the doc will need an answer from me.  I'm going to have to see someone again soon for more reprogramming.  The two Mr. R added are just not cutting it.  I told my husband I think I will give Lovely a try again.  Sometime you just need a different way of trying to reprogram to be successful.  

We opened our pool today which made me think more negative about fixing my battery issue.  Just when it will be warm enough to get in I'll be healing and have to stay out for 2-3 weeks.  I know.....complain complain.  It's just getting so old.  I have to vent sometime.  I'd just like to get up one day and feel normal.  

  closed/opened

pic of extra fencing

Our neighbor mentioned to the treasurer of the HOA who happens to live on the other side of her that she felt like our deck being midway up the fence was an invasion of her privacy.  She likes to go outside in her nightgown through out the day to smoke or take her dog out.   We really didn't have a problem with it because it made us uncomfortable when we were up there able to see over the fence into her yard anyhow.  I actually tried to avoid it.   After some time the boards will all be the same color anyway.  

Some different views.  Took the temperature and it was 60 degrees.  We took a sample to the pool place and they said we're good to go.  Pumps running again and hopeful after a couple weeks of sunshine on the water all day it will warm enough to get in.  I can't wait.  Feels so good and relaxing for my back. 

D is back at making the beer.  His first batch was a big hit so he's making some more.  Every one that he gave a bottle to said they really enjoyed it.  I think I was the only person who didn't try it.  My daughter is like me, having no taste for beer but thought if she was going to drink some it may be the one she'd try.   She said it was not bad.

God Bless everyone and hug those babies!

Staying strong....Theresa

I mentioned in last post I'd like to share with you one of the two poems the daughter in law  wrote for my cancer fighting friend.  Jeannie's youngest son is a pilot and so is his wife.  To make some sense you also need to know they like to hunt and Jeannie and Ed lost a daughter (Maggie years back) Jeannie was diagnosed on Oct 1, 2010.

The Way to Go

October first took a turn for the worst.

One of those days you would like to curse.

They went to visit her at the grave.

Flowers were brought and then they were laid.

Seventeen years have gone past, 

since they laid her there, down to rest.

It's opening day so I'm on the stand,

waiting to hear the results from the scan.

He called to tell me the news of his mother. 

It was about what they had discovered.

Hearing the painful sound of the word. 

We all asked if it could be cured.

The answer was no, not now, nor ever, 

unless its the plans of our greatest creator.

They said that she's barely alive.

It's already at stage five.

So we loaded our things and packed up clothes. 

We both knew where we wanted to go.

It was just some pains like she had before, 

but it took her to the doctors door.

You should be dead are the words he said. 

Your liver, your colon, is where it's spread.

Just two years ran through our ears,

that's the time she has left here.

Her chemo started while turning fifty-three, 

all we could do is pray from our knees.

So once a week she took the beaten, 

waiting to hear that it has weakened.

Up and down the results came through, 

but here we were now the end of year two.

We watched her with all of her might. 

She worked really hard to conquer the fight.

Here we are now almost six months past, 

wishing that time didn't travel so fast.

We've all had a chance to say goodbye,

to make it easier for us when she closes her eyes.

Ashlie N. Martin 3/29/2013