We made it....

Well folks,
Christmas has come and gone, and we made it through. Mine started with Peanut projectile barfing across my backseat on the way to Mom's, and then upon entering Mom's house, Watson peed on her tree and then crapped in her kitchen. I HAVE NO IDEA!!!!!! Clark Griswold is my uncle. Have I ever mentioned that before?!?! :) But Christmas was nice and rainy in East Tn, and a jolly time was had by all, and we all gained about 18 pounds.
So April got a new heart for Christmas and is still in very critical but stable condition.
And so are the days of our lives....
Jeanie

soooo....

My name is officially Jeanie L. Grinch. I just can't feel the Christmas spirit. First of all, I have heartburn tonight and my knee hurts. Waaah. I know. Suck it up. But the big thing is that April is laying in Duke's cardio step-down unit, and I'm supposed to be merry and bright? Not happening. Spent too much money, but I'll go home tomorrow (assuming all is well with Ape) and do the Christmas thing with the fam. However, my heart will be in Duke, waiting with April for her heart.

Sorry to be Debbie-Downer. That's just what it is tonight.

Merry Christmas!

Here we are. Christmas week!! I wish I were more excited, but it is what it is. I've done the obligatory gift shopping for the kids, and declared to everyone else "Merry Christmas!" I had a great time with April yesterday, and have already asked Mom to throw an extra tater in the pot for Christmas dinner, so I can take April some leftovers Friday. :) That'll make her happy. So I suppose I can easily say that all I want for Christmas is a heart for April. That's the craziest thing I've ever said.......this whole situation is surreal.
I hope you and yours have a very Merry Christmas!
Jeanie

Hey-

Hey All,
Here it is, 11:30 on a Tuesday and I can't sleep. My right eye won't stop twitching. Could it be that I'm stressed????
Other than that, it's all good I suppose! Christmas shopping has been reduced to only the offspring of my siblings. Sorry everyone else, but MERRY CHRISTMAS! Too much pressure and too much expense in light of everything else.
Jeanie

April has her own site!

Hey everyone!
Your response for April has been overwhelming. Thank you thank you thank you!! After talking to Darrell tonight, I have created a blog just for her. It's http://www.prayforapril.blogspot.com. This is the site I'm going to update from now on with info for April. It's just easier and not related to my non-sensical site.
Thanks everyone! Pray Pray Pray!!!!
Jeanie

Thurs am

Trever just called from the hospital and the docs determined April's heart will never work on it's own. They are now inserting the portable pump and April awaits a transplant.

I'm going to create a separate blog tonight just for April, so I'll send that link out when it's ready.

PRAY PRAY PRAY!

JB

PS- It's 11:17 am...I have no idea how to 'set the clock' on this but it says I'm posting at 8 something in the am. It's wrong.

I'm such a dork.....

I just realized I didn't post my address...it's

419 S Hawthorne Road
Winston Salem, NC 27103

Just address any envelopes to me and maybe on the back write 'for Darrell and April' or something. I don't get alot of fun mail, but with Christmas cards coming, I'll know what's for me and what to take to them.

Pray Pray Pray!

JB

OH! I forgot one thing...

Many of you wonderful people have emailed or asked on the phone if there was anything you could do to help. There's nothing we can really do but PRAY, and I expect that from each of you!! But one tanglible thing that could help, and let me state outright I in no way expect this of anyone as the economy's stinking and we are all in different places financially, but gift cards would be wonderful for the family. They are having to eat out, her mom and aunt/uncle are paying for a hotel, and all the little expenses encountered during emergencies. Restaurant-specific cards or gas cards would be fine, but a generic Visa Check Card would probably be the best option, as the family could use them for whatever need arises.

So with that, giftcards of an amount would be much appreciated. By the way, Darrell is going to KILL me when he finds out I'm posting this, but I'll take one for the team.

I just realized I don't know Ape and Darrell's home address, and have no idea the address at the hospital, so you can mail anything to me. I'll post my address below. I'll take them to Darrell as I get them. You can also post any comments to April/Darrell on this site, and I'll print them and take them as well.

Again, NO obligations! Well, except praying!

J

Weds update

Hey Everyone!
Trever made it to NC today, and we trekked over to the Duke Hospital to visit Ape. She is doing remarkedly well, and is WRITING notes to everyone. She is fully alert and coherent but is still of course, hooked up to everything. Trever and I got to run in the ICU and see her a minute and she wrote that she was really glad we could be there, and she had told Darrell earlier with a note that she wanted a Mtn Dew! :)
Tomorrow is a big day. They are taking April in and opening her up again, and turning the pump off and testing her heart. We are praying it starts pumping again, but the MDs told April and Darrell the tests today showed significant damage and he didn't think it would really work on it's own. BUT he also told us it would days before she would respond, and now she's writing us notes. He said if her heart doesn't cooperate, they are going to implant the portable pump while they have her in surgery. She would then go home in a week or so, depending on her response and progress, and wait for a heart.
PRAY PRAY PRAY!!! I told April tonight that people all over the world are praying, and she wrote that she definitely knew God was working or else she wouldn't be doing so well. :)
PRAY PRAY PRAY!!!
Jeanie

Sleep? PRAY!

So all, I can't sleep. I'm online begging all to pray for April. Pray, pray, pray. I want her (as does Darrell, Grace, Jean and the family) to be 1oo% healed. Pray pray pray. Please. Grace needs her momma. Darrell needs his wife. Jean needs her daughter. I need my Apey. PRAY!

Pray for April!

Hey all,

Darrell (April's husband) called me early this morning and told me Ape had a heart attack last night. I talked with her on the phone for over an hour last night, and then she spoke to her mom, and then went to get ready for bed. He said she told the EMS worker it felt like someone kicked her in the chest, and then she fell in the floor. She coded while in the squad, and they took her to Wake Med. She coded again there, and they did a bypass (I think) and decided she needed to be transferred to Duke. I got there around noon, and April had just gotten out of surgery. She is stable but critical. Forgive me first for my lack of correct usage of medical terms..this is how I understand it. The docs said the next 24 hours are the most important of her life up to this point. If she wakes up on her own, they'll start weaning her off the "pump" that is acting as her heart to see if her heart will function again on it's own. If not, they've already started the ball rolling for getting on the transplant list. If she doesn't wake up in the next 24 hours, they'll do neurological testing to determine if there was brain damage during her 3 codes (she coded again today before surgery). The Duke doc told Darrell that in all his years of medicine, he had never seen anyone under the age of 65 have this happen. Darrell said the doc said "April's artery split." I have no idea what that means. The doc said he had no medical reason to tell us why this happened. The praise part is that when I left at 5:00, April was responding to simple commands (Grip my hand, move your foot-type commands) and she was nodding her head appropriately to questions. For instance, I asked her if she knew me and she nodded yes, and I said "Am I Trever?" (our other childhood friend/college roommate) and Ape nodded no. I then told her Trever's flight came in at 3 tomorrow and we'd see her around 3:30 and she nodded a big yes. So pray. Pray April continues to improve. Pray for her husband Darrell as he makes decisions and cares for April. Pray for Grace, their two year old who has bronchitis right now, and is at home with Darrell's mom, and with her little world rocked. And pray for April's mom, Jean. She's lost alot in the last 7 years and she's really struggling today (like throwing up in the bathroom and almost passing out once.)

Feel free to email me (jbaird9@juno.com) but I'm about to lose my voice so I more than likely won't answer the phone soon. :) Sorry for the long note.

Thanks!

Jeanie

Anyone have one of these????

Update this afternoon:

Well, Mike just called and said he’s called 15 salvage yards and no one has a filler neck for the ‘Doobie. He has to order a new part, so he’ll have it by the end of the week. Ugh ugh ugh. But he did say that if I don’t put anymore gas in it, it shouldn’t leak anymore, so maybe I won’t blow up the House when someone tosses a cigarette in the parking lot!

So unless you are the offspring of my siblings, “MERRY FREAKIN CHRISTMAS!” Due to significant budget cuts, that’s what you get from me this year. hmm....wonder if I could get a bailout....

Jeanie L Baird Grinch

(It’s really hard to be a Grinch with Josh Groban singing “O Holy Night!”)

Original email....

So friends, my 11 year old Suburdoobie is back in the shop. It’s not a great sign when you go into the shop and they know you by name and remember Subaru’s anti-theft feature that means you have to turn the left signal on to start the car. But I’ve noticed gas leaking a few times, and with my history of exploding cars, I really didn’t want to push my luck. The guy just called me and said the ‘filler neck’ is rusting out, and every time I park on a hill and every time I put gas in the car, it’s going to leak. Ugh. A new filler neck costs $209, so he’s calling salvage yards to see if he can find one. I asked him if it would blow up, and he paused and said ‘well, it shouldn’t.’ Reassuring! Ugh ugh ugh…..

Maybe Santa will bring me a reliable vehicle…I believe…I believe!!!!

Pray for the Hornet!

Hey Friends,
Nothing too big to report. Just a lazy weekend. I hung out with some friends kids Friday night so they could go to Bible study, and last night I kept my 8 month old friend while her mom went to a holiday party with work and her dad is out of town for work, and then had the nursery today at church. So I've had my kid-fix for a while! Both babysitting gigs were great and easy. Good kids.
But tonight I went to the grocery store, came out, and noticed yet another puddle of gas in the parking lot. So I just called and made an appointment to get my Green Hornet checked tomorrow. Ugh ugh ugh. I would LOVE to go buy a new-to-me, reliable car. Santa, if you are out there....
So that's all that's going on here. Trying to get in the Christmas spirit but not really feeling it these days. The House is beautifully decorated, but my apt looks like just another day. Haven't drug the Christmas stuff out yet. Maybe I won't at all.
So laundry calls. Hope you are all doing well and have a great week.
Jeanie

Gobble gobble gobble.....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! I hope you each have had a wonderful day with lots of good food and family time. I made the trek to the metropolis of Mtn City today and of course, Mom's dinner was scrumptious and wonderful! I sure wish I could cook like she does.

I must confess I was pretty grumpy for most of the day. I've been sick and we've had drama at the House lately so I'm tired. Plus, my little Green Hornet is leaking gas. I went out to leave this morning and smelled gas, so I walked around the car, and it was leaking behind the right tire, so I'm not sure if that's a line or the actual tank. I threw a fit, said a few bad words and debated what to do. I called a few boys who know cars but they didn't answer the phone, so I threw-back to my Southern Baptist days and decided if it was Jesus' time to call me home, I was going in a blaze of glory and driving the car to Mom's. The 'doobie drove like a champ, and I just went out to check a few minutes ago and there's no leaking now. BUT, remember I have the history of exploding cars, so the Green Hornet is not parked in his typical spot, but is parked in the farthest space from the House I could find!! Why tempt fate twice in one day???

So I hope your turkey was plump and juicy, the taters melted in your mouth, and the Cool Whip was eaten with a spoon as it was at my house today.

Til next time!

J

Oh Rocky Top...

"You'll always be Home Sweet Home to me,
Good ol Rocky Top (whooooo!)
Rocky Top, Tennessee!"

My uncle Joe was by far the most dedicated football player/coach/fan in the world. He'd watch the little division 153 games as quickly and with as much excitement as he'd watch the UT/Ga games. But he was a true Volunteer, and not just a fan. He could tell you about the such-in-such game back in 19sometime when the defensive end sacked Joe-Blow the quarterback in the third quarter to clinch the division lead...blah blah blah. I love the game and my Vols but pale in comparsion to Joe's fan-dom.

With this being said, Joe's funeral was last Friday. He lived for the last 40+ years in Georgia, and there was no rival like UT/UGA. Joe's pastor is a Dawg, so they had their own 'Godly' rival going. Tommy the pastor came into the church Friday for the funeral sporting a UT tie. :) He assured Mary the service would be appropriate, but he wasn't going for the sad sermon. A few people spoke and said wonderful things, the lady sang a few songs, and Tommy got up to speak. He began with reading "Wish that I was on ol Rocky Top..." and proceeded to read the whole song out loud. I wanted to shout out an "Amen" but wasn't sure Mom would go for that! Tommy spoke about Joe and his love of his family and his country, and his football. He wove the lyrics of Rocky Top into the story of Joe's life, sharing stories about Joe and the family, ultimately with the 'home sweet home' being Heaven. The moonshine in the song was likened to new wine in heavenly wineskins and 'there ain't no telephone bills' because we'll have no earthly concerns whatsoever.

To the outsider, this may read as the most backward, redneck funeral one can imagine. But the operative word there is 'outsider.' Those who knew Joe totally get how completely appropriate and right on it was.

And UT has had a horrible season....but somehow they beat Vandy today. Hmmm.....maybe Joe's coaching again.....

GO VOLS!
Jeanie

What a week!

Hey Friends,
Sorry it's been so long since I've posted. As most of you know, I was in Georgia last week with Mom, visiting my aunt and uncle. We went down last Sunday, intending to come home Tuesday, but Joe passed away Tuesday night. I wanted to write down some of the things that happened, so bear with me as this could get wordy! :)
We got there Sunday, and Joe was totally aware and coherent. We had a great afternoon of visiting with him and Mary, and Kristy and Emma. Joe was feeling pretty good. Monday am, he awoke a little more disoriented, and had a harder day. I had told Mary I would spend the night with Joe so she could go home and sleep in her own bed, and I had no idea what was in store for me. Here's an attempt to re-capture the evening...
9 pm....everyone's gone and Joe drifts off. He calls out periodically "Hey...Hey...Mary." I would remind that I was there, and he always knew I was "Jean-Jean" and was there. (By the way, "Jean Jean" is reserved for Joe and has been all my life.....none of you may ever call me that!) :) 11:00 pm " Jean-Jean" .... "Joe I'm here." "Jean-Jean, sing to me!" Cracking up on my part.....assured him that my singing at 11 would do no good for anyone!
Sometime later- "Mary, Mary..." "Joe, where did I say Mary was?" "Oh, she's at home resting. So is Dave, and I bet you wish you were too!" More chuckling....
Joe was very agitated and tearing off his oxygen and gown. I would get him settled and then he'd start again! At one point around 2:30 am, I was wrestling his O2 cannula away from him, and I said "Joe, you know who remind me of? Raymond E. Stout." (my grandfather who was very agitated/combative during his fight with lung cancer). He looked up and said "Jean- Jean, you know who YOU remind me of? Sue Stout Baird!" (my mom!) Bwa ha ha ha ha!!!!! He won that!
3:00 am I convince Regina the RN to give Joe a dose of atavan (sp?) to calm him down. We sleep from 3am til 4:30, when Joe promptly announces "Jean Jean, it's HONGRY time!" NO Joe, it's not time to eat.
The kicker though was at 5:30 am......"Jean-Jean, risey-risey!" WHAT?? My Air Force military uncle is telling me to risey-risey!!! "No Joe, it's not time to get up yet. Just rest for a few more minutes." "Risey Risey, Jeanie-Ja-Neeny!" Oh my GOSH!!! I was dying laughing!!!!! I convinced him to stay put til 6 am, and then we fought over him wanting to get up. He was unable to stand for the last week but he was convinced he was getting up.
They brought in breakfast around 8am, and after I fed him, he drifted off to sleep. He slept until noon when the techs came in to change his bedding and bathe him. Mary, Mom and I went down to grab lunch, and I'm not sure what happened but when I got back to the room, Joe was in 'respiratory distress.' Mary spoke with the Hospice Doc and signed Joe into Hospice, and they kept him comfortable until he passed away peacefully around 10 pm Tuesday night.
I'll never forget the Sunday with Joe when he knew us and was back to his old self. But I'll never forget the long night Monday either. I got to be with Joe in his most confused state, and he would have moments of clarity in which he'd apologize to me for keeping me up, and say "Jean Jean, I just don't know why I do this. I'm sorry I'm keeping you up." I assured him it wasn't his fault, and that he was just fine with me. I wouldn't trade it for the world!
More to come regarding the 'Rocky Top' funeral....bear with me. It was perfect.
Jeanie

What a week...

Yeesh...Hey Folks!
I'm sure my ONE follower (Thank you Regan!) is wondering where I've been. Well, probably not since she's heard from me on regular email. But the long and short of it is that my dear Uncle Joe took a significant turn for the worse. His lung cancer has metastisized to his brain, and within days he was on a vent. Granted, there was a HUGE nursing error that contributed, but none the less, it is very scary now. He came off the vent this morning and is breathing on his own, but Joe has a long fight ahead of him. Mom and I are heading down Sunday morning. I dread seeing him but still want to go.
On the home front, both dogs got new beds and bathed today. A bittersweet night for them! :) I have no fun pics to post, so here it is. My update.
OH!!!! I forget to mention Phil Fulmer is out. UT 'gave him the chance?' to step down. I was fired up at first, but now I feel bad for him. He played there, he was a GA there, worked up to a coordinator there, and has been the head coach for 17 years. His heart bleeds orange..but...we WIN football games at UT. We don't go 1-5 in the SEC. Thankfully, I was there for the 1!!! :)
Ok..it's bedtime. Till next time,
Jeanie

Nothing new...Wat sings in the car.

Hey All,
Just posting for the sake of posting. No new news that I am aware of tonight. It's kind of nice to have a non-eventful day. The families at the House are doing well and it's nice and quiet. Mom and the fam got snow today so I'm jealous. We just have cold.
I've been dog-sitting Erin the wonder-dog since Thursday night. Quite possibly the most well-behaved dog ever! She went home tonight and my Nutty Girl has been going from room to room, whimpering/crying. She's missing her friend tonight!! Funny how dogs act. Watson isn't phased. Peanut won't calm down. I'm the CDL for sure (Crazy Dog Lady!)
So the fam update- all I've heard today is that the docs were able to get a feeding tube in my aunt today. No word from either Uncle. I talked to Joe last night, and for the last 20 years, his 'sign off' when hanging up the phone has been "Thanks for calling TT, come down when you can." But last night he said "I need to go but I'll see you later tonight." To the average reader- not a big deal. But to me, that's huge.....the radiation is affecting his thoughts because he ALWAYS says "Thanks for calling TT, come down when you can." I didn't bother to explain I'm 5 hours away and wouldn't see him later last night. Ugh.

Weekend update....

Well Friends and Family,
It's been a long weekend. To re-cap- on my Dad's side: One uncle fell and broke his shoulder/arm last week, and an aunt who fell a few weeks ago and broke her leg had a stroke last night. She's back in the hospital and we'll see how extensive the damage is this week.
On Mom's side, my dear Uncle Joe has found out the lung cancer has spread to his brain, which is the cause of him not being able to walk. His left side is immobile. He's my UT fan uncle who calls me before every kick0ff and during halftime, so I was missing him yesterday during the Bama debacle.
Insanity!!! I hate it. I'm mad and sad and everything else. Plus, I've slept so much this weekend I can't sleep tonight. UGH UGH UGH!!!!
So we start a new week...
Jeanie

My Vols stiiiiiiiink.......

Oh my gosh...can we just plant a big ol tree on the "T" at the 50 and say "Merry Christmas" to everyone who comes into Neyland????? WE STINK!! We handed the first half to Bama..........must go to bed but I"m PISSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm tired........

Hey again Friends!
Hope you are off to a good start this week. LOVING the chilly, fall temps. I am worn out from a wonderful weekend in TN. Lots of football. Froze to death at JCHS' game Friday night, but we won the homecoming game. Then took off Saturday with my nephew and two very fun friends to the UT game, and I had a blast! I think I can speak for all involved in saying it was a very good day. UT won, so that helped! But the four of us just had a good, easy time. Friday and Sunday I got to hang out with my Punkin Head neice and silly little nephew, who is quite possible the cutest little fellow ever!!! He's a trip for sure. I'm happy from the weekend, though my face/lips will be chapped for a week from the weather!!
I'm also happy to report that the Green Hornet ran well the whole weekend! :)
So now the dogs and I are trying to recover. Watson had fun at Mom's and Peanut lived with my good buddies Tara and Paul. Very much fun had by all this weekend.
I must encourage each of you to sneak out of work one afternoon and take a drive to at least Boone, if not on into East TN. The leaves are prettier this year than they have been in the last 5 years!! If I had a digital camera, I'd post some shots but I'm not that advanced! :)
So Happy Tuesday to each of you. Hope you have a good one.
JB

UGH!!

What a day, what a day, friends. I donated blood this morning to the wonderful Red Cross, and they told me no exercise for 6 hours. I'm brilliant. I went to physical therapy for my knee today (not connecting this with exercise!) at 4 (5 hours later) and came damn close to passing out in the gym. THEN because that's not enough....we had 2 softball games tonight. We won the first but lost the championship game. UGH UGH UGH!! I didn't even play the field I was so tired from my blood loss.
So now I must go to bed. I'm coming home to TN tomorrow. Ready to get out of dodge.
Have I mentioned yet I HATE losing???????
Jeanie

Howdy-

Hey Everyone-
Nothing new to report here. It's Weds night and I have two sleeping dogs, and a quiet RMHouse. My favorite family in the world is here this week so it's been good to see them each night. The kid's getting outpatient chemo so she's tired/not feeling well. Kills me to watch.
Other than that, not much news. We play for the championship tomorrow night in softball, and again next Tuesday in that league. Hopefully we'll have 2 big trophies at the end of it all. I love it.
I'm heading home Friday to see the kids, watch my goofy nephew's football game, though he's just a freshman and may not get to play, and then go to UT's game with him and two other friends Saturday. Hopefully the Green Hornet will make it to Mom's Friday, and back to WS Sunday! If not, I'm calling whoever of you is the closest to where Watson and I are stuck. Yea, Peanut's getting left behind...she freaks at Mom's because of her hardwoods, and with the chance of the car not cooperating, I'd rather just have one dog to deal with!!! But Peanut is going to hang out with Erin, the dog-child of my friends Tara and Paul. She'll be loved on while I'm gone!
So with that I say goodnight. Talk to you later.
Jeanie

Today's Goal

Alright Friends,
At 3:30, my beloved but struggling Vols will be playing Georgia. While still hoping for the best, I must post for the world to see my simple goals.
1. Score once
2. Hold the Dawgs to 6 or less touchdowns.
GO VOLS!
Jeanie

The Green Hornet

Hey Friends!
Say a little prayer tonight/tomorrow for my Green Hornet (seen in the background behind the pooches). The Suburdoobie is having some difficulties running right now. I am stinkin stressed about this too because I'm not really rolling in the dough at this point....UGH. This is the part of being a grown up that I really really really don't like. :(
Hope you are all doing well.
Jeanie

A bird in the hand...or was it a waterfall???

So friends and family..
Here's a funny from tonight...I sent the email below to the RMH staff. Nancy is a super-sweet lady who works here in developement. She's starting our luminary campaign...see below...y email was titled "Workplace hazard we all need to know about!"

my email:
Her name is Nancy. She's our new workplace hazard. She presents as thisvery sweet, mild mannered lady, but she's not to be trusted! :) Sarah asked me today to walk around the House tonight after dark andcheck lights, so around 8:30 I was in the meditation garden, walkingthrough. I hear this loud, rustling noise, and I thought a bird wasflying out of the bush at first, so I ducked my head and turned around.Then it hit me! Cold, cold water. Bone chillin, breath taking coldwater. I caught my breath and realized I was doused on part of my headand all down my back!!!! My first thought was 'if that was spoiled icetea or old mop water I'm gonna be grossed out!!" I came in and changed to dry clothes and went back upstairs. Nancy wasin the hallway leaving, and I asked if she had just tossed some waterout the kitchen. Her chin dropped and she said 'You weren't down therewere you?" Uhm.. yes. I was. She had ice water out for her luminaryladies to drink, and she didn't want to waste it when they left, so shewas 'watering the bush.' I'M NOT A BUSH!! :)We laughed and laughed in the hallway. This was just a moment of perfecttiming and perfect delivery. But Nancy, if you're wanting to water thebush, you're over-throwing it almost a foot! Throw with less velocitynext time! Sarah, the paper map was soaked so I left it on your desk todry...I didn't get to write my notes, but none of the little lights inthe ground were working. Ahhh..the glamorous life of a Night Manager.....at least I had justgotten home from volleyball and hadn't showered yet! :)

3 random thoughts...

Hello all..here are my feeble thoughts tonight.....

1. No one really reads this blog. But it's very fun for me to get to post/write. So there.

2. Wow- a commanding 13-9 win by UT over Northern Illinois. COME ON!! We used to play football in Tennessee!!!!

3. Why, oh why, did Peanut take the cricket under my bed after she ripped one leg off????? Now I have visions of a lame cricket hobbling it's way up my bedframe, beggin for mercy, wishin for one more day with it's little crick-lets. UGH! But now I must go move the bed and de-cricket my bedroom. I live SUCH the glamourous life!

Til next time...

Jeanie

Happy Friday!!!

Hey all,
I heard from the vet yesterday about Watson's tumor. The news is good. It was indeed a Stage 2 Mast Cell tumor, but the somethin-somethin-somethin index was very low, which is EXCELLENT!! I just have to watch him for new tumors, etc. No selling of my kidney/ovaries to fund chemo for my boy!!!
He's been a champ this week. After the first day, he hasn't really messed with his stitches or tried to do too much, but he's been playful and walking like a fool when we go outside! So all is well. I'm happy. He feels good. Peanut is neurotic as ever. That's the life for the Crazy Dog Lady!
So have a fantistic weekend. Enjoy the cool temps and sunshine! I know I will!!!
Jeanie

Nothing new to report....

Just another day of livin' the dream! :) I was off from my day gig and ended up working the office of the House from 9 til 2:30, and that's always a good time for me. I like being around during office hours to be reminded how things work here, and meeting/interacting with the families in the House. I also learned tonight that Watson really can reach his incision site and has been licking, so he may be on the road to a lampshade! Time shall tell...actually, about 9 hours tomorrow shall tell as he's unsupervised while I'm at work. :)

So the pic tonight is my cousin Lea Ann's hand (I think!) and Baby Presley. Presley was a preemie and now at the ripe ol age of 3.5 years, she's rockin the world developmentally. The picture is just a reminder to give thanks for the little things in life. And a good reminder to me to realize the families in this House need a smile and a warm welcome when they come in after a long day at the hospital. :)
Sleep well,
Jeanie

Watson's home!

My boy Watson is back from the day at the vet. Dr. Lefevre was confident that he got the whole cyst, and should have the path report back next week. I now have a sleeping hound dog and a jacked-up terrier trying to pick a fight....I'm trying to convince her to leave him alone and let sleeping dogs lie! :)

For fairness' sake, I've posted a picture of Peanut....everyone asks why I never but it's impossible to get a good shot of her. Here she is, grinning after a special birthday treat!

Watson Dog

One more thing....Watson has surgery tomorrow to remove a cancerous tumor from his side. He should come through like a champ, but I'm nervous! How do I post his pic here???? Must learn how to blog...........................

Welcome!

Hey Friends and Family!
I've created a blog! I have no idea why, other than it seemed like fun tonight. I'll use this tool to share totally irrelevant, funny stories, or very relevant, funny stories. Either way, it just seemed like the thing to do. I look forward to uploading pictures, sharing funny things, sharing other things, and reading your thoughts as well. Who knows...maybe soon I'll actually get a digital camera and be able to upload photos as well...it is 2008, after all!
Til next time!
Jeanie