breaking news!!

The cat's out of the bag!! George will be back for E.R (along with Juliana Marguiles). Not that I watch the show anymore. I haven't really watched since he left (how many years ago was that??). But you can bet I'll be watching soon : )

a way with words...

weather report for today: "It looks like the start time on all this is sometime around noon, maybe a little before, maybe a little bit after. The end time will be sometime around midnight tonight or a little bit after. I don't know that it will be falling heavier at any particular point in time, other than to say that it will gradually increase. The rainfall rate and the snowfall rate will increase from being rather light initially around the early afternoon, then it will pick up through the mid-to-late part of the afternoon," says a local weatherman. Geez. If only we could all get paid the big bucks to have no freaking clue. I don't mean to diss the weather guy, I do love the weather.

oldie but goodie

While working at the Scrap. Store today, I had the oldies station on and heard "Uptown Girl" on the radio. That TOTALLY made my day! I remember having the 45 of that song. (contrary to popular belief, yes I am old enough to know what a 45 is).

Dear 95.7,
The song "Love Shack" is NOT an oldie. But that entire CD by the B-52's does rock. Thanks to my Dad for having the coolest taste in music, I have listened to that CD more times than I can count.

Sincerely,
A gal who is old enough to know

a new page...

I made this page with new Reminisce spring products the store owner gave me to use. I wasn't loving the paper, but I think it turned out really cute!! The pictures are from Easter 2005. It was one of Kaycey's first "big" outings after her chemo had started; a trip to the mall to see the Easter bunny.



I made a St. Patty's Day one, too, but it is hanging up in the store, and I forgot to take a picture of it! I'll see if I can get a picture of it on here this week.

I made the "mistake" of checking our fellow neuroblastoma patients again. I hate to call it a mistake, but it always makes me so sad. It's not the same sadness/worriedness I was feeling a few weeks ago as we were approaching our scans, but just sad that anyone has to have that sort of heartache. I can't even imagine how much harder it is for them than it was for us. And I'm not trying to minimize our hell at all. But they will always have heavy hearts, as they are getting news that there is nothing more the doctors can do, and as their children deteriorate before their eyes. We were fortunate enough to have our heavy hearts lifted. We were and are so blessed with such a miracle, and I should be happy and take comfort in that!

mentally drained

You know, I always wonder about all those celebrities whose tours/interviews get cancelled or postponed because they ended up in a hospital with exhaustion. I always think, really? Go take a nap or something. But seriously, I do get it. I think I am on the brink of 100 % pure exhaustion right now. Too many decisions and things to do while extremely sleep deprived is not something I highly recommended. A vacation would be wonderful. I'm not usually the beach vacation type at all. I'd take Boston or Seattle over a beach any day. But just not today. I've been thinking of taking a yoga class but have never done it before. Not sure that would be equivilant to a beachy vacation right now...

I've always wanted to go to Tahiti...

all about hair

Maddie got her FIRST haircut last Friday. Yes, she is four and it is her first haircut (other than when she was little and my Grandma trimmed her bangs). My jaw dropped at the $15 the gal charged for literally trimming a 1/2 inch off the ends. Oh well, it made for cute pictures. Check out the sparkly shoes : )

Kaycey got her new wig last week, and WOW what a difference. It looks so natural, it's amazing. The color is amazing, too. It matches Maddie's hair perfectly, as well as Kaycey's eyebrows. I don't understand why the first one wasn't made as well. This new one literally suctions to her head, though because she has a little bit of hair underneath, we still use tape to keep the wig on. If her head was smooth, the wig would stick itself to her head. This picture isn't a great representation of how nice and smooth it is (she had been playing outside and riding bikes), but here it is anyways.

And as for Cal, he is getting a much needed haircut tonight, hopefully. Here he is playing Madden 09, his very favorite activity right now!!!

As for me, I am growing my hair out, again.

spring fever

Thanks for the tips on Arts, Beth & Christina...I will try to go there tomorrow with memory card in hand. I still can't believe how foolish I am sometimes. Darn technology.

Anyhow, I don't know about you, but I am feeling spring fever coming on. I cleaned the mudroom completely (what a mess with winter & a gravel driveway). We are really regretting the wood floors in there...it looks beautiful, but how impractical with all those little pebbles and pieces go in the cracks, not to mention how "great" it is to have wet, muddy boots and clothes form puddles on the wood floors. We have already decided eventually we will replace the mudroom floor with laminate or tile. I can't believe how scratched the wood is, especially in the kitchen. I know, how crazy with a brand new house. There's SO much more I'd like to do, too. The to-do list is overflowing, and with the hopes of putting in a driveway this spring, painting the porch, and finishing the bonus room soon, the finances only go so far.

So, back to spring fever...I went through all the kid clothes and weeded out what I know doesn't fit them or won't fit them come spring/summer. Basically that meant whatever is getting small for Kaycey, went right into Maddie's drawers or piles. I have a bin of stuff for a rummage sale (which I am hoping to have this summer again somewhere--not here, though...it didn't go so well last summer). I also have a bin of stuff that's too small that I'll save just because. I rearranged their drawers, too. Cal's t-shirts (I will guess he has 30 of them) are now in piles in a drawer sorted by sports related, specific team related, and miscellaneous. Okay, so I had a lot of time on my hands during the day yesterday. I know the drawer won't stay that way, but it mixed the shirts up a bit so he's not wearing the same ones over and over. There are shirts he forgot he had, as did I. Kaycey's drawers were overflowing as well, but more so with pajamas/sweats. I weeded out her summer pajamas, and put them aside until it gets warmer. I also put all her t-shirts in the closet on a shelf above her hanging clothes. It really freed up some space in her dresser. I know, how exciting.

So the other night I brought out some scrap stuff, and made this page. It was really quick, and it's the first time I've attempted that ribbon thing that is so hot right now. Mine isn't staying down particularly well, though. It's the first page I've completed in a while, so yay for me.

this stinks

Have you ever had a full camera, you know, no space left in the memory, and swore you uploaded all those pictures?? So you start deleting the "old" ones. Only to realize, OH CRAP. I don't remember seeing those in my Jan 09 folder on my computer. It's because they aren't there : ( All of the pictures of Maddie's birthday with most of my family are gone & who knows what else!! I swear I uploaded them, but they are no where to be found, so I guess I didn't. Digital really makes me mad sometimes. I know, if I would just delete as I upload I wouldn't have this problem. But my camera fits 700-some odd pictures, so I figure I got the space. The problem is I've been taking more movies lately with it, and that takes more space on the camera. Poo on computers and technology today.

One of the hardest things I have to do...

See this letter?? This is Maddie's 4K registration. I just can't get myself to put it in the mailbox...it's been sitting on the counter for a week now.


Who wouldn't want to keep her at home all the time????

high hopes...

I spent the better part of my evening attempting to retrieve my old records from colleges/universities I attended. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember my password or ID for any of them, so I may have to contact each school. Ugh. If only I hadn't attended so many darn schools. Seven years, five (? I think) schools, and no degree. Terrible.

So, the reason I was curious is that for some reason I've been feeling slightly motivated to do something. I was looking into part time job postings with schools (I found one in a library at an elementary school, which would probably be a great fit for me). I'm just thinking of something part time & practical to bring in a few extra dollars (bartending, while an incredibly effective way of earning cash fast, is just not for me anymore). I've been thinking about Maddie starting preschool in the fall and there is no way while she is at school three mornings a week I will just stay home and clean the house. Mostly, I wouldn't be able to--I like to be doing something all the time (pref. not cleaning!). So that brought me to look for part time positions, out of curiosity, I don't think I'd actually want to start a job until fall. But then I have option #2...going back to school. Again. For like the 6th time in twelve years. Concordia University is about to begin admissions for a Pharm D program (one of two in the state, only other place is Madison). I looked up requirements for admission into the program (to begin in 2010 I believe) and I have much of it completed. Prob. 75% complete. Only classes left are the really tough classes (Calc, 2 Physics, and Organic Chem). And then after that I'd have to A) get into the School of Pharmacy, B) work insanely hard for years to become a pharmacist while being a wife and mother. I'm just not sure that's possible. But I do like the sounds of it....

what a relief...

I have only good news to report today! So I breathe a sigh of relief until the next round of tests...
I'll begin with yesterday's events. We arrived for the hearing test, and were told we didn't have an appointment!! It quite honestly did not surprise me. I don't know if in our history at Children's we've ever had an uneventful, stress-free experience. At least they were quick to figure out where the problem was. The secretary fromm oncology never sent the order for the appointment. Lucky for us, there was an audiologist on hand with no scheduled appointments so she took us back within 20 minutes or so. The hearing test went as well as could be expected. The results were virtually the same as her last one. Her high pitch hearing has suffered from the large doses of chemo she had. I could hear the high pitch beeps long before she could, and she had head phones on that were giving the beeps. But she doesn't need any aid for it at this time. Next her pulmonary function test went fine. Lastly for yesterday she had an echocardiogram. On first look, the cardiologist said everything looked good. But Tuesday's tests weren't what I was particularly worried about...

So onto today. We arrived bright and early, not having had any breakfast (she was NPO from midnight on). Again, we waited. It was 45 minutes after our scheduled appointment that we were brought back. First she was injected with the contrast for the bone scan. She did not take it well. It was the first time in years she cried to get poked. After that it was on to CT's. She had to drink contrast. And then more waiting. A long time. CT's went well, though she was upset in there, too. After that, bone scan. It went fine, too. She chose to watch "Snow Buddies" during it. After about 20 minutes into it, they turned the machine so it rotated around her body. I was freaking out, because they have never done that before. My insides were shaking!! I was worried the tech saw something that they had to get a better view of. But, we had to wait till our 2pm appointment in clinic to find anything out.

We went for lunch and came back to the hospital. When we arrived really early for our appointment, they called her back right away to get her vitals. We happened to be placed in a room next door to Jack. What a strange feeling; two kids, same diagnosis, two totally different lives right now. I feel so awful for them. WHile I am so happy we are so fortunate to have Kaycey doing so well up to this point, it is so sad that so many others are not doing well. Why does it have to happen to anyone??

Once we were put into the room(1:20ish) , we waited until 3 o'clock for the nurse practitioner to come in. I see nothing has changed around there, though that's the longest we've waited in a long time. I am incredibly inpatient!! Especially when nervous. The waiting was terrible. Mostly because I kept invisioning a team coming in to explain things we wouldn't want to hear. I was hoping we'd see our oncologist, but she was in a meeting. Anyhow, the NP came in and said she only had good news!!! Yea!! They are so pleased with everything, in the next 6-12 months provided nothing comes up before that, they want to place her in "long term survivor care" instead of under the oncology team. This is good news. At the same time, the good news is hard to take...it means fewer visits, fewer tests. For me I think to myself, how would they catch the cancer if it came back?? Their answer is that generally the kids know if they aren't feeling right to the point where it would warrant further tests. As we left, we saw our oncologist and took Kaycey's picture with her.


So while we breathe a sigh of relief, the nervousness is lifted for the time being!! Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. They certainly helped : )

Withdrawl and Worry

Wow, posting twice in one day...
I don't know what we'll actually do with our Sundays now that football is over. Literally every Sunday during the season, we have football on from noon until night. Not that we necessarily sit and watch every moment, but quite a bit. Maybe I can say I will devote all that football time to doing something more productive. Like cleaning. Or scrapbooking. I like the sound of that. Or laundry (I think I did 12 loads in the past week, and will never be caught up--the laundry room is again overflowing, and I just quietly close the sliding door, and pretend it isn't there sometimes!!)


I changed my blog background, yet again. I think I needed something colorful. I think I have the winter blahs. It's nice the sun was out today (or does that mean a longer winter for the groundhog, I can never keep it straight).

Well, this week is the big week. Kaycey's tests start tomorrow bright and early. Just gotta keep praying and crossing fingers and whatever else it takes for her to still be considered cancer free. I have been a nervous wreck leading up to this. And I was stuck talking about it all day yesterday (I don't know if it was good for me or not) because Kaycey had a birthday party to go to. I took her, and she didn't want me to leave. So I hung out with the other moms who stayed (they are a group of friends). The birthday girl's mom asked me how Kaycey's cancer was doing (I am assuming she heard it from the teacher or maybe the mom I talk to regularly). I explained she was NED status (no evidence of disease) and then she wanted to know the whole story. Ironically her daughter and Kaycey were in ICU at the same time. Her daughter (the birthday girl) had gotten some bad strain of the flu, caught pneumonia, and then something else. She stopped breathing and was taken by flight for life to Children's. Anyhow, how strange we were in ICU during the exact same weeks. I tried to remember seeing her in ICU or walking the halls, but then figured, was I really paying attention to the other people in ICU? Anyhow, then a couple other moms walked up and I had to start over, because they asked why Kaycey was in ICU. I was surprised so many people were unaware of Kaycey's cancer. Mostly because there was a letter sent out last school year that all the parents were to supposed to receive in kindergarten discussing her lack of hair due to cancer treatment and talking to their children about being kind and sensitive, we're all different, etc... because so many kids were bugging her about it. By the end of the year, some kids turned a little mean, and hence the wig. Back to the party--so when we were leaving, birthday girl's mom said, "Good luck this week with your tests, we'll be thinking and praying for you." SO another mom wanted to know what that was all about. Sheesh. Well, I am happy that so many actually know the story now. But I must've sounded like a broken record to some moms. I try hard not to be someone who talks and talks endlessly about any sort of drama especially around people I am just meeting or talking to for the first time. Unless someone asks or I know that they want to hear about it, of course. I don't want people to have to hear a story ten times. But I was kind of center stage yesterday, talking most of the afternoon about something that makes my stomach turn. So I am, of course, really nervous for the next few days. Kaycey has this big bruised area under her ribs which has me worried because it seems to have appeared out of nowhere. It's been there for a couple weeks. Easily it could be from playing or roughhousing, but of course, I will be nervous until I hear it's nothing. So I end on a nervous note...while I try to go get some sleep!

Our Saturday Fun

We ate lunch and after lunch, Mike thought it would be a good time to teach the kids how to throw food in the air and catch it in your mouth. I, the worrier that I am, was nervous about them choking. But they attempted it anyways. So there was a bag of oyster crackers out and everyone was eager to learn. Afterwards, there was alot of clean up to do with oyster crackers all over the floor. After the kids fought about who would vac them up, Mike took charge and was then catching the crackers with the vacuum.

We had great mild weather for the first time in a while (mid 30's). So for the first time this winter, we went sledding. We didn't know of any hills around here, so we drove to Whitnall Park (which really isn't that far anyways). We had a great time!! Except that since we moved, a box of my "fall/winter" shoes are missing, which includes my winter boots. I wore my tennies, but it wasn't too bad, though. The kids had a great time, Mike had a great time, and even I had fun! (I'm really not that much of a winter outdoors person...)

Not the most attractive picture of me, but hey, at least I am IN a picture!!