I'm on the homestretch y'all!

I’m on the homestretch.  I have one paper to write and turn in, my thesis is ready to send to the reader on my thesis committee, and I have a journal left to complete, and that’s it!  Just over a week to go, and I will be an official College graduate!  Barbara is doing much better, I’m able to help out a friend that is having surgery, and I’m beginning to feel like a bona fide grown up.  Look out world!  Here I come!!!!

So seriously, graduation is just around the corner.  My trip to London was cancelled (not enough people L )  so I took the money from that and put a down payment on my new to me truck.  It’s sweet.  I feel so lucky to have found her.  Tinker Bell (and yes, that is my truck’s name) is a bare bones Ford F-250 with every towing feature already on her that I would know to look for.  She has a gas engine and got 14 miles to the gallon first drive out.  I’m impressed. 

It was kind of funny when I went to the car lot.  I was in capris, flip-flops with bling, and a top that matched.  I told the guy I was looking for a Ford pickup and he seemed hesitant to show me Tink because she is just a work truck.  I changed into jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers when I went back to bring her in to my mechanic.  That seemed to make the salesman feel a little better.  The best part of it all?  I got this truck with payments that I can afford on a loan that is less than two years!  I’m thrilled!  God was watching out for me when he sent me to that particular car lot that day.

So, after I graduate, I will have a whopping two weeks to get everything packed up to move to Pipe Creek so that I can be closer to work.  Barbara Ann and I will be moving into the Armadillo house,

 

 it is on acreage, 

backs up to what is a beautiful creek when it rains, has beautiful bluffs,

 and this lovely little office 

away from the house so that I can have a quiet place to work.  Not only will I have a quiet place to work on my writing and illustrating, but it has windows!!!  It has windows!!!!  Okay, so I miss having a window in my office.

So here I am, I graduate soon, have a job to go to, and a new (to me) truck.  I’m going to be a bona-fide grown up (well as close as I'll ever get ;-) ).  I’m on the homestretch y’all!  Cheer me on!

Back home and I guess it's time to get back to work.

            We are home, and it finally happened and I am so happy to be getting it over with.  I’m just not as tough as I used to be, I think I’m finally getting over my sick from fatigue.  I thought Saturday was bad, then yesterday I did nothing but sleep most of the day.  I could have slept better last night, but it was restful.  I’m still struggling today.  I guess my greatest fear when I get hit by these fatigue driven illnesses is that I am relapsing with the yeast thing.  The Good News is however… Barbara Ann wants to go back to school… now.

            The little stinker is doing great!  She’s still tender and very defensive of the surgery site, but otherwise she’s Barbara Ann all the way.  We have taken this time to do some catch up on some things and we're getting the house cleaned up. I’m about to go into overdrive on homework, so I’m hoping that everything I’ve done will be maintained.  Georgia has her last after school band practice today… her last UIL is on Wednesday.  It won’t be long before she up and moves out.

            Well, it is time for me to get busy on the homework.  I have way too much to do in far too short a time-frame to play around anymore.  I just wanted to share this picture of Barbara Ann and one of the kitties before I sign off for a while.  I’ll be back, when, I’m not positive, but hopefully before graduation.

We are Home!

It’s official!  We are home!  Yes, that’s right, all three of us are here and going to be sleeping under the same roof again.  Hallelujah!  What an insanely long and trying week!  We are so lucky.

Okay, more like blessed.  Barbara’s first roommate was three and had an appendectomy; another on the floor was five.  Holy cow!  So young.  Then there is the second roommate.  Seventeen, been in the hospital (with a two day hiatus because she was released too soon after her first surgery) since March 28^th.  They finally found out today why she still couldn’t eat and she’s going to need another surgery.  Human error had occurred during the first surgery.

Then this morning, Merida from Disney on Ice Rockin’ Ever After was at the hospital to visit the kids.  Suddenly, our week long ordeal didn’t seem like much at all.  Barbara was one of the healthier patients there, even considering that it was her discharge day.  Appendicitis is a big deal and can be deadly if not treated in time, but treated in time; it is a routine surgery, even when there are complications.  As I looked at the many kids in the lobby, touched by the lady giving up her chair for my healthy eight year old daughter that had just had an appendectomy, I realized that despite her surgery Barbara Ann is a very healthy little girl.

An Angel struck before we made it back up the elevator to Barbara’s room to finish the discharge process.  I had promised Barbara Ann a visit to the gift shop, and was determined to get her a little something.  She found an animal (stuffed of course) that she fell in love with.  When she found another that tugged at her heart I said okay since between the two was what I had expected to pay for one.  Just before checkout, I put our items on the counter and then went to look at this absolutely adorable purse.  Yep, my weakness, purses and handbags, go figure.  I turned away from the purse at the advice of BA (she said it had too much bling for me) and I was informed that our items had already been paid for, was given the ladies name and informed there was no way for me to find her and thank her.  She wanted to do something nice for a child in the hospital.  It was an Angel that bought Barbara her little animals.

Then another dose of reality hit when I saw a lady from the business office at Schreiner University as I was loading up BA and our accumulated things, actually she saw me.  I shared our tale, and then asked why she was there.  I had forgotten that I had prayed for her and her husband earlier in the week, he’d had back surgery.  Suddenly my aches and pains from sleeping in the fold away bed seemed much more manageable.

So, we are home, and I am grateful for the good health we enjoy.  Yes, Barbara had a life threatening condition, had it gone much longer, her prognosis as I understand it would have dropped dramatically, but she’s healthy and is recovering quickly.  My back and neck are sore, but nothing a hot bath and a couple of nights on a comfortable bed won’t take care of.  Georgia (the same age as the second roommate) although having gone through a time when her health was poor, is a very healthy young lady.  We are blessed, every day, and I wanted to make sure that I expressed my humble gratitude.

           

Humbly and undeservingly yours, I bid you ado.

Laura B

The good news is...

The good news is, Barbara Ann is terrorizing the hospital.  Okay, maybe not quite, but she is certainly acting more and more like herself, the little stinker.  Her friend Peyton came to visit tonight and we walked her down to the first floor.  The girls waited and aggravated Georgia (thoroughly) playing with the automatic doors (by accident of course) until Peyton was finally distracted by the fish in the aquarium.  Then the girls stood admiring the fish until Peyton’s mom made it around with her car.  It was great to see.  Miss BA was standing up tall and looking good.

The latest word is that BA will most likely be going home tomorrow.  They’ll be checking white blood cell count and pulling her drain tube out.  It’s incredible how fast this little girl is healing.  Thank you Lord!

Thank you God the News is Good!

The news is good!  The doctor is very impressed with Barbara Ann’s recovery.  She has been fever free for quite some time, hasn’t had pain meds since I’ve been here this time, and they’ve started her back on her ADHD medication.  Little Miss is eating and keeping it down, and just plain looking better.  Once the drain tube is out, she has another day and then a blood test will determine whether or not her white blood count is low enough for discharge. 

Once again, prayers have been answered.  Our God is an Awesome God!  Our baby girl was so very sick when she was admitted into the hospital.  She was not expected to make a speedy recovery, but God has granted her the strength to do so.  Thank You God!

Why are you here?

“Why are you here?” my professor asked when I explained to him why my phone was on and I might up and leave the classroom unexpectedly.  I already knew that question was coming, so I was prepared.  “If I let this crisis define me, I am lost.”  It all made more sense to him when I mentioned Barbara’s Dad being there with her as well.  Actually,  to him, and most of the class for that matter, that tidbit was a better explanation of why I was in class and not with Barbara Ann.  Sometimes, you just have to accept the fact that folks don’t get it, and this was one of those times. 

Unfortunately, this isn’t my first crisis with a child.  I’ve learned the importance of not letting a crisis take control of you, if not, I wouldn’t have left this hospital even if the ex refused to leave.  It’s that simple.  I would have at one point in my life probably slept on the floor if necessary so as not to leave.  I've learned since then however that you just can’t let the crisis rule your life; you have to keep life moving.

            Barbara Ann is up and walking on her own now.  She goes to the bathroom with only the help of a step stool for getting out of the bed, and she knows to wait until an adult unplugs her IV contraption, but she could do that herself if she needed to.  She had her first solid food tonight, a hamburger and tatortots.   Barbara Ann is getting better every minute of the day; her little body is healing and recovering.  What more could I want for her?  Okay, short of never having become ill, yes that would have been far preferable, but that should be a given.

So, why was I there today?  For me, because I needed that diversion, that sense of normalcy, a reminder that no matter what happens in hospitals day in and day out that life goes on.  If James hadn’t stayed the night with her, I wouldn’t have been gone for long, but I would still have been gone.  Barbara Ann too needs to know that the world doesn’t stop for each individual crisis.

Class was great, I’m glad I recorded it because I missed about half of it.  I’m tired, frustrated, and bone weary.  I’m sore, my diet has been lousy, and I haven’t been able to be consistent with my own health needs, but life still goes on.  I’m now twelve hours closer to the deadline for my Sr. Thesis than I was when I visited with my thesis advisor, because life goes on.  In time, I’m sure I will leave crisis mode and these past few days and the week ahead will hit me, but until then, life goes on, and will continue to do so, even during and after my inevitable breakdown.  That’s the way it is, because as we all know…

Life goes on.

                          

                                                             Another time when life had to go on.

Thank You God?

Why is it that we are the most grateful for things when they are nearly taken away?  What is it about mankind that we can’t appreciate, and I mean really appreciate what we have, all the time?  I Thank God daily for my many blessings and I make it a point to think about them individually when I do, not just rattle of a general thanks.  Some nights I struggle to get detailed, others my focus is there and I can do it regularly.  I really do my best to stop my brain from spinning long enough to respectfully Thank God, to think about and truly appreciate our many blessings.

Still, somehow, I just don’t realize how many blessings we have until they are nearly or totally lost.  The blessings of food, a roof over our heads, cloths on our backs, and having the bills paid so I’m not scared to answer the door.  Those I always remember, and am always ready to Thank God for.  Those are the blessings I still struggle to maintain through the grace of God.  I now think about our health, especially with my Dad’s recent string of maladies.  One of our volunteers at the ranch was severely injured in a motorcycle accident, I know our health is a blessing, I guess I just didn’t realize how much, just how very much until this weekend.

It was just yesterday that it finally hit just how very sick Barbara Ann is.  I tend to look at health in the aspect of the outcome.  Sure… I feel like I’m going to die but I will be fully recovered in a few days, so really, my health is good.  Barbara Ann is expected to make a full recovery.  That isn’t in question, but right now, she is so very sick.  Today… finally… she gets to start a liquid diet.  Her Foley Catheter was removed, they started the process of inching her drain tube out, and these are all signs of recovery.  BA went poop today!!  That’s an even greater accomplishment and a sign she is improving.

I hadn't realized until last night just why I am able to look at good health as being there even when someone is as ill as Barbara Ann is today.  She will recover this I know.  God has been with her every step of the way; he gave us the miracle of modern medicine.  Barbara is sick only temporarily because of her good health.  Had she not been the robustly healthy little girl she was, would her prognosis be so good?  Would she have made it this far?  I Thank God for our good health, but I don’t think I truly understood what it meant until yesterday, the day when my brain stopped spinning long enough for me to realize just how sick my baby girl is.  When I question thanking God, it is not questioning whether or not we should.  I know we should, we should Thank God each and every day for all of our blessings.  What I’m questioning about Thanking God is, have I ever given him the Thanks he deserves?  

Ironic Humor, at least it was.

                    

Irony, it’s one of those things that can make us laugh, and usually does.  I make a point to find humor in irony.  Actually, I try to find humor in everything and Friday this entire ideology was tested.  I was able to crack jokes, and laugh at the irony despite my baby girl’s very serious illness.

Barbara Ann is in the hospital, recovering from an appendectomy that turned out to be much more involved than originally expected.  Her appendix had apparently gone behind her colon, broken to pieces as it had adhered to her abdominal wall.  In hearing the doctor talking, it seems as though the appendix being adhered to the abdominal wall is what kept the pain down.  We are now praying that the surgeon had been able to get everything out and that his first time to operate will be his only time.  Yes, it was that bad.

How did I find humor in this? Irony.  It really was funny, before we started having to get an eight year old little girl to walk when she is in excruciating pain, or see the agony in her face when a wave of pain hits.  It was funny before the reality of just how sick my baby girl is set in.

I had taken Miss Barbara to the pediatrician Friday, the same pediatrician that had sent Georgia to the ER multiple times to rule out the appendicitis she never had.  Barbara’s fever had broken and her pain was down quite a bit when we got to the doctor.  Since Georgia had recently had a stomach bug, it was a reasonable explanation that Barbara’s pain was a stomach virus overreacting.  That sounded good to me and we went home with instructions to keep fluids going and wait until after BA’s bowels had started moving before introducing food.  If her pain got worse instead of better, and was continuous, then we should look at taking her into the hospital on the weekend.

As Georgia and I were taking Barbara to the Emergency Room in Boerne, I was feeling bad for the pediatrician.  All those times he sent Georgia to the ER to rule out appendicitis, and watch this be the time he didn't send someone and should have.  “He’ll send kids to the ER for a splinter after this,” we laughed.  We played with the irony and kept our spirits buoyed.  Even after BA had been officially diagnosed as having appendicitis, and the diagnosis included evidence that her appendix was perforated, we still found the humor. We told the ambulance attendant our ironic “joke” on the way to the Children’s hospital during the transfer.  We even got a laugh out of Barbara’s dad.  We were able to enjoy the joke until sometime yesterday.  I think it was losing its charm as the reality of BA’s condition started to settle in.

After yet another sleepless night, and watching my brave little trooper struggling to walk, I’m wondering how I had found the humor.  I do know me, my sense of humor, and the resiliency of us all, so I’m sure in time it will be even funnier.  Right now though, I’m just grateful that God has allowed the creation of modern medicine so that we can have miracles every day.  Through this miracle, my baby girl will live, the same miracle that saved Georgia when her flu had gotten so bad it took IV fluids to bring her fever down and allow her to recover.  Thank you God!  THANK YOU!!!!