SUMMER FUN AND MADNESS

It is two weeks into my summer break and we have not slowed down yet. Graduation was on the 15Th of June and we left on Monday morning heading out to North Carolina. John was heading down to Myrtle Beach to help his brothers pack up their mother's house and move her things back up to Ohio. I think it was hard for her to make the decision to move away from Myrtle Beach. It had been her home since around 1980, but sooner or later we have to make changes and this is the time for her to make hers.

John drove on up to Ohio and stayed a day there, then headed back to Alabama. Sarah and I drove in with the kids on Saturday and we were all pretty well beat on Sunday. We had planned on staying over night along the way, but the as the day and then the night wore on Sarah decided that she felt like driving all the way in. It was 12 hours of constant riding but we were glad to have the trip over when we got here. Cody had to stay and close out their house and finally made it in Wednesday. Between the stuff that John brought in from his mom's place and the stuff that didn't get on the moving van for Sarah and Cody, we are at over flow capacity. When I counted the bicycles on the carport this morning we had eight plus a couple of scooters. Oh well.

We had a nice cookout at Johnny's yesterday. Mark and Paige came in from MS. It rained the whole time Johnny and Mark grilled. We had burgers, pork chops, smoked sausage, potato salad, baked beans, broccoli salad to name some of the things. Tracy made homemade strawberry ice cream later. After the rain stopped everyone went swimming. Everyone had a great time. Although Mark's leg went out again and he could hardly walk. Of course he was not happy that we stayed on to him about going to the doctor. I declare I don't know why my sons hate to go to the doctor the way they do. It surely can't be because their mother sets a bad example.

Sarah and Cody left this morning heading for FL.. They will be trying to find a house for when Cody starts his training down there. Luke and Charlotte stayed here and Little Man (Mark)went with them. When they get back toward the end of the week they will be going to Nebraska to visit Cody's family there. We are all trying to keep the oil companies in business I reckon. Later in the summer when we all meet in Fl. for a family vacation, we may consider carrying extra containers. This way we can get our oil right off the beach. Hope this crisis is settled before we get there.

Well I'm am worn out so I guess I will close for now and head to the bed. Tomorrow is another day and it looks like it will be as busy as the last few. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend. God bless all our military family and friends and especially those that had fought and died so we can enjoy the many blessings that we have.

ARTERIOGRAM TURNED OUT WELL

Well I made it through another stressful week. I went back to the cardiologist on Tuesday. I thought since I had not heard from him that my stress test must have come back OK but that was not the case. The first thing he ask me was, "Has anyone ever told you that you have a heart problem?" This right away scarred me really bad. I told him no but I had been to the Doctor many time over the years for heart palpitations. He started showing John and I pictures made at the time of the stress test and explaining how the blood was not getting to parts of my heart. I knew right off that this was not good. So his next words were that he needed to schedule me for a arteriogram. This literally took my breath away. After I got myself composed a little he told me that he could do it either Wednesday or Thursday. I decided to take the earlier one and get it over with.

I had to be at the hospital at 10:00 the next morning. Johnny and Tracy came down to be with John, I didn't want him to be there by himself in case something happened. After getting processed into the hospital, having chest ex rays taken and waiting for a couple of hours I was taken into Ambulatory where they put in a life port ( I think that is what it called) and a IV. This was at around 12:30PM. We continued to wait and they continued to take people in for procedures. At almost 3:30 they came in to get me and to inject me with a benidral, pepcid and Valium cocktail. This pretty much made me get a real buzz going. From that point on I was pretty much unable to speak coherently but I also lost most of my fear. I was carried down to the cath lab and my doctor ask how I was feeling and told I was fine just couldn't speak or think clearly and he told me he was going to give me something to make me more of the same. I felt a slight stinging when he cut into the groin and artery but no real pain. The next thing I knew he was telling me that the test was over and everything looked great.

He went out and told John and the kids that he found no blockage at all and the only thing he noticed was that my heart was not shaped like the normal heart. I don't know if this is something I should be worried about or not. I was so relieved to hear that the test went well and I was still under the influence of the medication I couldn't think of asking questions at that point. I will have to make a note of all the questions I have and ask them at a follow up visit. Right now I am just thankful for the good news I got.

I do think that all the prayers offered up for me by all my family and friends made all the difference in the world for me. I don't know how people can make it through stressful situations like this without a belief in God. Thank you God for getting me through another tough day in my life.