[pics incl] We attempted to go to La Fogata, last week, for Ashley’s birthday, but a stomach virus had other plans. We made it in tonight and as usual, fantastic food, awesome service and wonderful visit! Jaime was SHOCKED at how much William has grown.
More about Jaime: http://blog.scottsontherocks.com/blog/2015/11/20/la-fogata-112015/
Or Not. A couple of deputies came in for car wash. One was training the other (new deputy started this week). The trainer explained everything and I interjected “..and I need you to sign this, and … just a minute because my thumbprint scanner is under the counter and I need to help this customer real quick.” The new officer didn’t say anything after “Thumb scanner?”
Without skipping a beat, the trainer explained that it’s procedure, dragging it out, taking plenty of time (while I was getting change for a customer), and as I turned back to face them… as the trainer said…
“you know, in case your vehicle is stolen AND, the offender brings it to THIS car wash, pretending to be you.”
I half expect to be arrested any moment, except my co-conspirator better absolve me… of at least half ;-P
Today’s funny brought to you by a 2.5 year old: “Look daddy, the car wash is tickling the car!”
I had MRI last week and I do have some images, when I feel better I’ll post a few but I don’t see the neurologist (she ordered the MRI) for a few more weeks for official info.
I saw the hematologist yesterday, 01/11/16 and he kinda explained some of the MRI text to me (and gave me a printout of the text). Basically, part of the “clot” that is in my neck as somewhat cleared (NOT the brain clot nor the clot in my jugular vein).
I know some of ya’ll are going “wait, what?” It’s not just “one little brain clot in one little place” if you look at the previous images, I have a brain clot in one place but there is NO BLOOD FLOW down my left neck. The vein from the brain clot and my entire jugular were blocked as well. [NOTE: I’m not gonna hunt down all the links to that, but I know there are some here: http://blog.scottsontherocks.com/blog/2015/04/23/welcome-taz-brain-clot-info-mri-pix-nurse-tributes/ And, I will update those images (which really haven’t changed) when I get a chance and I’ll let you know) ]
So, I have no idea if the possible increase in bloodflow is what is causing this new random head pain and lack of sleeping… actually, I’d be happy to hear that, even with the pain. but to have it just suddenly get worse and be completely random is nerve wracking (literally and figuratively)! I keep saying that I can accept a diagnosis of “the pistons in those veins are re-firing so deal with it!”
I’m also not convinced the “new meds” are doing anything to help me sleep… because I’m still not sleeping, sigh. But I have attempted to get back to helping out at the carwash so we’ll see if I can function and/or if that helps or hurts the situation. Clearly, “not” working isn’t helping 😉
The hematologist has drawn blood looking to see if I still carry the antibodies that 1) possibly caused the clots and 2) make me a Coumadin failure. He suspects they are gone, leading to the possibility of ending taking Xarelto. yay! less meds!
This blood draw required multiple puncture wounds and a “new” for me… TWO people?! Will keep ya posted!
Thanks for all the thoughts & prayers & phonecalls, they really do help!
I fixed hot cocoa, but I needed talk to Courtney, so I took it with me. When I found her she was brushing her teeth, so I walked past her to wait but then “AN IDEA” (ok, an evil idea)… I went back and with a straight face said “I fixed you hot chocolate.” With her mouth full of toothpaste, “welwee?!” (for those of you that don’t speak “toothpaste” that means “REALLY!?!”) I showed her the mug… she was ever so briefly stunned with a course of about 1000 different expressions across her face, which made me laugh. I said, “of course not, and I’m only offering to you because you are brushing your teeth! but I am disappointed in how brief the incredulous look on your face lasted.”
Karma promptly struck and I have scalded all the skin off my tongue, mouth and throat!
But it was SOOOOO worth it!
I have some drafts and some notes taken for many of the “events” that have occurred in the past few weeks. I’m going to go ahead and try to “finish” them up and “publish” them (more for me but also for ya’ll). I have no idea if the blog will email them out because they weren’t published previously but I’ll also make a note about it when I get around to do it. Just FYI!
Had MRI this morning and as usual it took many hours instead of 45-50 minutes. Yes, they called in a Doppler pro to stick me for the IV contrast 😉
I’ll have more info from the doctor at a later date, will keep you posted.
My “professional” opinion from seeing the scan is that “I have proof I have a brain… and a clot.”
On a side note, I AM getting your calls & txts but I’m still only able to do one thing at a time… I’m not “ignoring you… I’m just “ignoring” my phone 😉
I truly do appreciate them and hope you understand that sometimes it’s late when I get to read/listen and I cannot reply. Keep it up!
PS. I haven’t been on FB in weeks so if I need to know something, try email or txt or phone.
Previous updates:Â http://blog.scottsontherocks.com/blog/2015/12/28/status-on-me-122815/
Thank you so much for all ya’ll’s thoughts and prayers. [http://blog.scottsontherocks.com/blog/2015/12/15/update-on-me-121515/]
I haven’t mastered the dosage of the new meds yet but I *think* they will help with sleeping. I’ve slept a bit better but the girls have also taken over my work hours since they are on break. Hence my saying I haven’t mastered the dosage because I’ll need to be able to wake up on demand (and not be lazy as have been over holidays 😉 ).
Still have random moments of burst into tears and forget read and spell anything! Some days are ok but I have varying degrees of “can’t lean down” aka “not a bending day,” to “can I turn on the electric toothbrush… in my mouth aka head?” or “don’t get anything near me … aka “my hair will NOT be brushed today!”
On that note, new neurologist has scheduled an MRI for next week 01/05/16. Not expecting to see any changes but maybe that in itself will help determine next cousre
Will keep you posted.
Hoping everyone has happy and safe gatherings. Please do NOT drink and drive!
[pics incl] It s incredible that you are fifteen. What an amazing young man you are and a great friend. Very proud of you, luv ya lots!
Sunday, Jeff had Broncos tickets and he, William, Tim & Domenic went to the game, I’d include pix but….. grrrr.
Today, William’s good friend Joshua Hetherington had the opportunity to spend the day with the DCSO SWAT,, and THEY all invited William. The logistics to arranged this during finals week were interesting but kudos to William and all his teachers for rearranging his finals and even creatively engineering an online test when 8″ of snow closed school yesterday!
It was 17 degrees when they left this morning. Apparently they were crawling around prone in that 8″ snow (on their tummies) trying to “rescue paper hostages” . William had excellent grouping for the “hostage takers” right up until his full-automatic put a shot perfectly between his hostage’s eyes! A great big THANK YOU to Debbie, Tony & Josh Hetherington for making this a special birthday!
Ashley ATTEMPTED to give “birthday spankins”…. I ran away.
Sorry not so chatty lately. I’ve seen the new hematologist yesterday and the new neurologist today. Not sure if I’ve mentioned that both previous docs left. My head has been hurting “more consistently” and other effects seem more pronounced (like not bending down, not gripping well w/ left arm, NOT SLEEPING, memory sucks, left arm is a brick of ice, etc). All these I’ve had all along, just trying to see if “we” can come up with better pain management or something so I can function. The not sleeping is making everything worse.
So… adding a different kind of seizure/sleep meds (Gabapentin).
Not sure I need another MRI-V but they might order one anyhow.
I’ll keep ya posted. Sorry I haven’t been chatty/blogging. I do have notes & pics so I’ll get around to it. no idea if this has typos, please bear with me
Drew has received his new posting assignment and they are moving this week. Here is a link to her blog post:Â http://blog.scottsontherocks.com/heather/
[pics incl] Normally, bumping into friends at the store would not seem “newsworthy” (or blogworthy) but this is no ordinary friend! Jeff, Ashley and I were strolling around Sam’s to kill some time before we picked up Courtney from the lightrail. Kevin happened to be at Sam’s. We all just chatted and walked around the aisles a while and we mentioned to Ashley that she really needs a new mattress (well, she really needs a whole new bed, but that’s another story). There were other customers around us and Ashley and Kevin began bantering back & forth about “my other father” and “my other daughter” from our dinner out (see here: http://blog.scottsontherocks.com/blog/2015/03/14/la-fogata-dinner-with-leungs-031415/)
She had a mattress pulled out from the wall “to test it” and promptly decided to take a nap. Kevin decided to document her nap, but the EXACT moment he snapped the photo, she popped her head up! Kevin kidded that he was going to post on FB, to which I insisted he do immediately and tag everyone she knows… Shirley promptly called to verify that we are all crazy 😉 The other people around us joined into our “discussions” and laughed at our “perfect picture!”
Later, Jeff Ashley, Courtney and I went to grab some food. Ashley had a “double fortune” and Courtney’s fortune said “You are not illiterate.”
One Year Ago:Â http://blog.scottsontherocks.com/blog/2014/12/01/cat-in-the-basket/
[pics incl] Josh came over to hang out for a couple of days and caught on quickly when we taught him “how to tease your sister” games. We found this bug on the floor… and they put a cup over the bug… and when Courtney arrived home later he looked at her with a straight face and asked her to hand him the cup.
Josh:Â “There’s a cup on the floor.”
Courtney: “Why is the cup on the floor?”
Josh:Â “You should hand me the cup from the floor.”
Courtney: “OK? but why is there a cup on the floor?”
She picked it up, walked over to him, stepping on the bug along the way. He just looked at us and said “She stepped on the bug.” THAT comment, induced the correct SCREAM and she promptly started yelling at Josh, attempted a very girly punch, and will never trust him again. “It’s always the quiet ones!!!” Mission accomplished. Josh-1, Courtney-0
One evening, Jeff, Ashley and Claudia were also here (Courtney had left) and the 6 of us played some card games. We taught how to run the table for Texas Hold-Em (and several other questionable cardgames that he excels at winning) so I’m sure his parents will never let him visit again 😉
The next day, Josh and William moved on to sledding.  They took several breaks because Josh is sensitive to cold from his chemo treatments. At one point, they created a sledding “hill” using the small trailer that was already tipped in the snowbank. They discovered if they took a running leap, they got much better “sliding down the hill” time. William decided they should try it “as a double,” so Josh sat, Will ran and leapt onto the sled, which promptly sent Josh sliding off the sled, while the sled just sat there with Will on it. 🙂 Josh’s solo run was perfect and lasted the entire length of our little hill.
Josh decided they needed a tractor to build up the snow hill. Well “WE” do not have a tractor but the Van Houten’s do! I suggested they go find Neal and Sam… knowing that this might be a grouping that “ahem, might cause mischief” (see bug & cup story above 😉 or even the trailer-sledding)…   We bundled them both up in our ski gear and sent them out. It was a huge success because Neal is an accomplished farmer and with his parents approval and supervision, he taught Josh to drive the tractor. William even thought to take a photo from the tractor cab! A great big SHOUT OUT to David & Katie & Neal & Sam Van Houten for treating the boys to a spectacular afternoon!
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More about Josh:Â http://blog.scottsontherocks.com/blog/2015/11/02/joshuas-plane-ride/ (and see the link to his blog to the right… You might need to turn off the mobile view to see the other website links listed on the right side of my website)
More Van Houten:Â http://blog.scottsontherocks.com/blog/2015/10/18/homemade-salsa/
More about bugs:Â http://blog.scottsontherocks.com/blog/2015/11/15/yes-william-the-spider-is-scary/
[pics incl] Claudia came to stay with us for several days, including Thanksgiving. I guess we never took a group photo but here are several of me “not cooking” and even one where we put Claudia to work. Look! Courtney is peeling potatoes!!
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We’ve been trying to break in Claudia vs. cooking slowly: http://blog.scottsontherocks.com/blog/2014/04/19/easter-bunny-cookies/
