Where to begin? Nothing much to report so you may want to stop reading now.
Still with me? Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn ya!

Roger called the evening of Valentine’s Day to report that he had taken Ali to dinner. They had a wonderful time. Later that evening, they journeyed out into the night to pick up her brother and a deer ran out in front of the car and Roger killed it. He was able to drive his car home, but it is now dead. It needs another hood, grill, radiator and headlamp. Mike says it is a mess. I will take pictures. They were wearing their seatbelts and so they weren’t hurt. Roger is torn up about killing a deer, however. I’m of mixed opinion on that. There are so many of them. And this could have been much worse for Rog and Ali. A few years ago, a lady that lives in our county was killed when she hit a deer that went through her windshield. It happens.

next item:
I’m a little put out with my work. There is anorther L.P.N. that has a slightly elevated position from the rest of us. She has a job that I would not want. Our boss hired an R.N. (the only one, except the boss) last year. I figured this lady would take over the Slightly Elevated position, if it ever became available. It is a day shift position. Well, it is open and the boss has offered the position to the R.N. My thing with it is- That day shift should have went to one of the older employees. And it isn’t even that I want it. I worked day shift for three weeks in the fall and I didn’t really like it. Yes, it is a bit easier than afternoons. But I am an afternoon person. Mike works afternoons. So why am I put out about the R.N.’s promotion? She is a great person and very easy to work with. She needs to have this position (she will be more than slightly elevated) so she can be groomed to take over the Superintendent position in years to come. I just don’t know why it bothers me. ehh.

next item:
The Vest. This is a phenomenal invention that I have become very acquainted with. My dad has COPD and emphysema. He was told years ago that death was impending. He was on Oxygen for 20 years. In 2004, I made my parents move home to OH from NM so Dad could be home at the end of his life. Once he got through a heart operation and four mini-strokes, he went to a pulmonologist that prescribed Advair and Spiriva. This combination improved his health quite a bit. But he was nominated for trial run with a new contraption called The Vest.
The Vest is used by people with cystic fibrosis to help ease mucus secretions from their lungs and has proven effective. The makers (Hill-Rom) decided to try it for COPD patients. My Dad has used it for the past two years and is now completely off Oxygen!!! That is something I as a nurse, never thought possible. If you want more info go to: www.thevest.com

Well, that is enough for now.

Hi, all! It’s been quite a while since I’ve been here. I lurked around a few days. Xanga is not as popular as it once was, but I don’t care. I don’t need to be read by everyone. Just a few people would be nice. I didn’t leave for myspace or facebook or whatever. I was gone because of a little thing called life.
Granny came to live at my workplace for the last seven or eight months of her life. I feel blessed tohave been able to take care of her. She died quietly one evening in June. I was able to be there on her last day and that was special, she put her hand out and touched my cheek and said “I love you.” I believe she knew me.
Thanksgiving Day 2006, I hurt my back while putting away my Total Gym 1500, which I was using, ironically to strengthen my back! I went through physical therapy for the next two months but then my back pain became left hip pain. The docs could find nothing wrong with my hip but on a CT scan there were numerous cysts noted on my ovaries. In the meantime, the hip pain moved to my left lower side. Off to the gynecologist I went. After just watching it for a few months, and another CT scan and an MRI, I was scheduled for surgery in June. It turned out to be a week after Granny’s funeral. It was supposed to be an easy half hour laparoscopic oopherectomy. I was scheduled for 4 p.m. and was told I would probably be going home that evening. I was also told that my recovery period would probably be two weeks. The docotor made the proviso of 2-6 weeks. Lucky for him.
I went into surgery on time, but came out 3 1/2 hours later, with another abdominal incision. I already had scars from my gastric bypass, hysterectomy and c-section. Seems that the hysterectomy had caused adhesions that had encased my ovaries, bowel and bladder. The doctor said he peeked at the gastric bypass area while he was in there but didn’t notice a lot of adhesions there. So I had six weeks off during the summer, most of it paid. I really wasn’t able to do a lot, but it was nice. I think it helped a lot with the grieving process, too.
My brother got married for the fourth time while I was off. I was asked to read a Bible passage and felt honored. The wedding was held at my grandmother’s house and it was beautiful. The reception was fun, too. I got tired and had to go home early.
My personal car troubles came to an end in February of last year. I bought a 2007 Chevrolet Aveo and I love it. Husband has a car and a truck and Rog has a usable car.
Speaking of my son, when I last blogged, he was doing poorly in high school. He had actually had problems throughout, and I had tried to work with the various teachers over the years to no avail. They just didn’t seem to care. He’s intelligent. At the last parent teacher conference I attended, I came to the conclusion that anything he had learned over the years was largely due to him teaching himself. He would get an inspiration at school but they couldn’t explain things in a way that he wanted to learn. He would come home and get on the computer and figure it out for himself. So, after another year of fretting about his grades and looking at another two years of school (at least), we talked and I convince him that it would be best for all concerned to quit high school and pursue his GED. Which he did and he passed the test on his first try, so it cost him nothing. He is now looking for a job. I also talked him into signing up for Job Corps, but they have not called him. He still has the same girlfriend and she has completed her high school credits and will graduate in May.
Mike(husband) is good. He is nearing thirty years at work and may retire soon. He is studying to become an Apple certified technician. He has a great aptitude for it and loves computers.
I still have four dogs and two cats. They still make me crazy from time to time. Mr. Tud is HUGE! and has such a personality. Mike never really liked cats, but Tud is special.
Work is good, most of the time. Today is not one of those times. I’m supposed to be off, but I have to go in due to filling in for an illness. bleahh!