Look who's alive!

Okay, so I don't feel as bad as I did... I thought I hadn't posted since before Thanksgiving. I know, you were starting to wonder if you were ever going to hear from us again! Merry Christmas!

Well, okay, so we survived Christmas, barely.

DH's Dad was still ill with the same kidney stones that had been plaguing him since October. They had scoped and stinted and all kinds of stuff; to make a short story long (don't get too excited... it's gonna be long!), the larger stone passed out of one of the kidneys but was too large to pass out of the other (scoping didn't work because it went back up inside the kidney) side. Big stone, full of yucky kidneys-clean-the-crud-out-of-your-blood stuff, with sharp crystal edges and all caused the stone to lodge as it tried to pass, but instead caused scratching and pain and more infection. ANOTHER scope, another stint, another round of antibiotics, and they decided to do the laser treatment to crush the stone on Christmas Eve. Well, all seemed to be good; PawPaw even got to go home that same afternoon. Couldn't get back to the hospital fast enough, though, and complications, internal bleeding and clots and more kept him there until earlier this year. Oh yeah, Happy New Year.

So, DH and I had made an emergency trip out to see his folks when his Dad initially had the complications in early December. You may recall, that there were some horrifically BAD ice storms in December in Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri? Yeah, well, we got out there fine, but woke up the morning we were supposed to leave to a veritable winter wonderland--we felt like we were in Narnia. Yep, it seems that I recall they have no electricity in Narnia, too. Powerlines down across the road prevented us from getting out; we rented another from Enterprise (they come pick you up, you know) so we could get to the airport in time for our flight out that night. On the way to the airport, we found out that our flight had been cancelled and that we had been scheduled for the same flight out the next evening ... Didn't really want to hang out in Wichita for the night; besides, we both needed to be at work! So, DH made the executive decision that we would rent yet another car (can't take Enterprise one-way or there's a ridiculous fee--like $1000 or so), and drive thru Kansas. In the middle of the oncoming ice storm, as another storm was heading east from Colorado. A trip that normally takes 11 hours total took over 24 driving (white-knuckled, all the way), and we only stopped for about 7 hours to get some much needed rest. Do you know, our neighbor called us at 3 a.m., complaining that our dog was barking and that we needed to do something to shut her up. She didn't really seem to care that we were in another state! Argh, that dog. She didn't care that we were in another state, either.

So, got home, and Dear Wifey got sick. Just in time for Christmas... didn't get the baking, shopping, or Christmas cards done, and that's my excuse this time. I'll have to come up with another one for Christmas 2008, so stay tuned for that excuse! I was back up and vertical for Christmas Day, and we had a beautiful, albeit slightly-dangerous-if-you-were-driving day. Dad was supposed to come up, and even set out this direction, but turned back because the roads were pretty slick. I still have his gift waiting for him...

New Year's was fairly uneventful--the laziest 4 days I recall ever having. By the 4th day, I decided that if the fever that was keeping me down didn't break that I was going to go make some snow angels in my delicates. Fortunately (?), I didn't have to resort to such measures, and was able to be back at work on Thursday after working from home on Wednesday. By the next Wednesday, however, the lifelong smoker that works across the hall from me at work suggested that I go see a doctor about that lung I had just hacked up. Can you believe it? I've never had it before, but the verdict was bronchitis. And it's the hanger-on kind, you know, kinda like ... never mind!

So what else? Oh, the dog (the sweet one, that everybody loves--not the pain-in-the-neck one that wakes our neighbors) is very sick. Actually, sick isn't a good way to describe it--she will never get better; she has a condition. It's called Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM for short), and by the time we figured out she was even sick, she was knocking on death's door. Okay, we didn't PLAN to spend $2000 on the dog; it just kind jumped in increments. Initial check, bloodwork, X-rays: $450. Something on the X-ray is funny... water around the heart and lungs, and the heart is enlarged. Need an echocardiogram. $400. OHMYGOSH, the diagnosis; this DCM is literally a death sentence. She can't stay on oxygen ($130) at the vets office overnight, so you have to take her to the overnight facility. If she makes it thru the night, there is some medication that helps dogs w/ DCM, and she should be okay. $450. Back to the vets office in the morning (who needs to be at work by 8:00, anyway?). More X-rays, oxygen, & the like. I've lost track now of how much we're spending... just put it on the card and we'll at least get some miles. Is she gonna live? Well, if she makes it the next 30 days, then her prognosis is good. Take her home, but get some medication (cha-CHING!) after driving all over the area to find it. Oh, and she has to have the diuretic (draws the water off the heart & lungs) at EXACTLY 8-hour intervals, and she's due in 20 minutes at 6:00 p.m. (DO THE MATH: next dosage, 2 a.m. Who needs sleep? Oh yeah, bronchitis-girl does!). Took about 10 days to adjust that so that we could medicate right before Princess #3 goes to school, right after she gets home from school and yours truly gets to stay up until Midnite. Tried the going to bed & setting the alarm. We love the dog, but we also love the snooze button... it's just easier to stay up, and it's not like I'm getting any less rest anyway!

Okay, so are you sick of me griping yet?

Dear Husband and I just celebrated our 2nd year anniversary. Actually, he had to work ALL DAY on our anniversary, but we knew it was coming so we celebrated the day before. Late lunch at this great little tea house not far from home (they have GREAT mac & cheese!), then to explore the local Michael's. My husband is the BEST--he can walk around stores (and even malls, when so challenged) and not get "antsy" like so many men do. I credit that to the fact that he works in retail and always wants to see how things are merchandised, what's sold, etc. I got to show him all kinds of crafty stuff that he never knew that I enjoyed (it's been so long...), and I also got to explain to him why it's not a good idea to cross-sell too many items at a craft store. I'm still not sure that he buys it, but we had a good time. Then we went to see a great anniversary movie (okay, there were some somewhat inappropriate scenes and innuendos, but nothing too over the top, and certainly not as bad as you see on TV these days), 27 Dresses. I tell you what, I almost lost Dear Hubby within the first five minutes--brides peeing is just TMI for him! Well, we got past that, and the movie kinda gets you thinking about what your favorite part of weddings is, and so that's why it's a great anniversary movie. We had already talked and reminisced about our wedding that day, but we did a lot more of it after seeing the movie.

Have I mentioned lately that I LOVE MY HUSBAND!?!!!!! More and more every day--I didn't know that it was possible, but I credit Jesus Christ with teaching me how to love, and showing me daily how to do so.

Okay, so before this BOOK needs CHAPTERS, I'm gonna sign off. I have a really great post coming tomorrow, so (now that you haven't tuned into my blog in weeks), STAY TUNED!!!