Oh where oh where did Google Friends Go.

Hopefully Google Friends is doing updating again, as once again I don't see them on my blog or other people's blogs.
Why can't they do site maintenance in the middle of the night, like 1 or 2am EST and not during the day?
Ahh well, since I don't own it, I guess I don't have a say.
I just wonder when and if I don't see it if other people are?

Fudge Buckets It Happened Again This Christmas!

Christmas 2010, even worse than last year because of one single relative.

Yes, that one single relative who tried over three times this year to pick a fight with my husband.

Thankfully he just ignored her each and every time she tried to get him to say something back to start a big old rip roar. 

She even went as far to call our dogs "Sh_ts" to try and get a response out of my husband and couldn't.  Thing is she's never met our dogs and they weren't with us at the in laws, but her little dog sure was.  We were just talking about dogs and how our dogs interact with each other sometimes and

she went on the attack.  Then she's telling us our newest dog will run away because of the breed it is, etc...  We didn't say a thing.  We let her have her mini verbal tantrum.

Then I started helping mom-in-law (Let me clarify mom-in-law is not my husband or sister-in-laws biological mother.  She married my father-in-law long after his first wife had passed away.) setting the table etc., and brother-in-law who is very nice, carved the turkey. 

I feel very sorry for my brother-in-law who is married to my husband's sister.  He has to put up with

her nonsense all the time.  I don't know how he does it.  He has two different serious health problems now, still works, then comes home to do everything and on top of it puts up with her behaviors.

Bipolar Disease is what she has, but I don't think it's that disease that is causing all of her behaviors all of the time.  I think she enjoys being snotty and mean and hurting every one's feelings but her Dad's. 

I am so thankful my father-in-law can barely hear, because he really gets upset when she cusses and

says mean things.  He seems to just focus in on the TV and tunes out everything else that's going on.

She seemed to calm down during the meal at the table, probably because her beloved Daddy was sitting close enough to hear her and see her behave.

After dinner, the Father-in-law quickly returned to his favorite chair in the living room and back to watching sports on TV as usual.  My husband joined him.

The rest of us stayed around the table talking about various things.

Soon she tried to pick a fight with me, slamming my political party, though I hadn't brought anything up about politics.  I know better than to do that. 

I was just talking about how I thought our state might end up with a drought this year and mom-in-law said she hoped we didn't turn into a dust bowl like in the depression.

Sis-in-law said she thought we would have a depression caused by such and such political party and by a certain religious group.  I thought to myself your so full of nonsense.  She always tries to blame

things going on in the world on certain classes of people.  Yet, we let her go on for awhile and no one

said a thing.  We didn't want her to start cussing loud and upset her Dad.

Now her husband, my mom-in-law and I helped start clearing the table.  She stood by and watched us, then took a seat on a bar stool near a side of the kitchen and watched us. 

We're putting things away.  My brother-in-law asked if my mother-in-law wanted to save I think it was a piece of aluminum foil.  My mom-in-law couldn't even say anything when sis-in-law says quite loudly I thought, "No, No, you know she doesn't save anything!  You know she thinks recycling is a waste of time and she can't be bothered helping the earth!  No, you know how she is!"

My mom-in-law got out a "What?"  Then her husband got out "________(sis-in-law's first name) Pleas."  Sis-in-law didn't let him finish, she interrupted glared at him like she'd kill him if he finished or said one more word.  He stopped in his tracks.  Mom-in-law started to say, "Now what are you trying to do, sass"  she didn't get to finish either.

Sis-in-law interrupted her, pointed her finger at mom-in-law, angrily looked at her and said "Shut up, I never liked you anyways."

Mom-in-law had enough, emotionally hurt and I could tell near tears she said, "That's enough.  I won't be talked to like this is my own home.  I never said I wouldn't recycle."

Sis-in-law snobbishly said back while flinging her arms up in the air, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever sh_t you say.  We know.  We know and I'll say the truth because that's what it is the truth."

I tried to be a break point, so I  physically  stood between where my sis-in-law and mother-in-law so they couldn't see each others faces.

Facing my mom-in-law I asked her where she kept the plastic wrap.  I thought I'd interrupt the flow of talk between the two of them to calm it down a bit.

Then sis-in-law looks at her husband, I think wanting  him to back her up verbally.  Thankfully he said, "Hey we need to think about getting on the road because we have people coming over later to our house for dessert and a get together."

Apparently my father-in-law heard none of her outburst, but my husband who was also in the living room and further away than my father-in-law sure did.  Thankfully he stayed out of it.  He did say though he thought he'd have to come in if he saw his sister hit anyone, but she didn't do that.

So brother-in-law (poor thing) got her to get the presents they were given and the dog and go and take them out to their vehicle.  He then apologized to my mom-in-law and told her that she (sis-in-law) was getting worse and acting like this with everyone now.  Mom-in-law told him she didn't know how he was able to put up with it and said that people should stop letting her get away with it.

After they'd left, I stayed for a bit and helped mom-in-law with the cleaning up a bit more, but then even though things weren't done she just wanted us to go too.  I think she just needed to have a private cry.  What my sis-in-law said really hurt her deeply. 

Let me tell you my mom-in-law is a very nice person.  She invited them to her home.  She was a polite hostess.  Everything started, was started by the sis-in-law, as usual.

So later on mom-in-law called me on the phone to thank me for helping her get things on the table and cleaning up afterwards.  We decided on the phone we won't be having Christmas or any other holidays with sis-in-law invited anymore.  She talked to father-in-law and let him know what happened since he can't hear well.  Note the in laws are past their mid eighties.  Father-in-law told Mom-in-law that he'd told her they shouldn't have had any one over this year since mom-in-law had been hospitalized twice in the last three months.  Which we were never informed of and wish we had been so we could have visited her in the hospital.  She didn't tell me what she'd been hospitalized for and I didn't pry.  I know of a couple of medical conditions she does struggle with and I figured it was one of the two.  She said she did this for father-in-law so he could see his children.  He said "No more."

Thankfully he's on the same page with her. 

I told mom-in-law that next year, if they don't go to Thanksgiving or Christmas with her children, then our little family will either have Christmas at our home and not invite sis-in-law or we will take them out without inviting sis-in-law.

I told her we'd probably take them out to eat so they wouldn't have to deal with our dogs who get a bit crazy when visitors are around.

Granted probably have to go out to a Chinese Restaurant on Christmas, but they serve a nice Duck.

So next year if the nice, but small Jewish Community in our area sees a little group of Gentiles at the

nice Chinese Restaurant  on Christmas day, it might just be us.

Here's  to a nicer and none Bipolar outbursting holiday celebrations in 2011.

After All We're A Family: An Early Merry Christmas and Happy New Year's To A...

After All We're A Family: An Early Merry Christmas and Happy New Year's To A...: "Poem: My 2010 Christmas Prayer. I pray everyone has a Merry Christmas this year. Throughout the world I pray there is no war..."

An Early Merry Christmas and Happy New Year's To All

Poem:  My 2010 Christmas Prayer.
I pray everyone has a Merry Christmas this year.
Throughout the world I pray there is no war or fear.
I pray they'll worship the one who gave his life upon a cross to set us free
from sin that if left unchecked would consume you and me.
Presents to each other under the tree
I pray will  remind us that Jesus is the gift from God through all eternity.
May a New Year let us commit to helpfully do more,
to bring love and hope into the world  and show them how to open their heart's door.
Amen
by:  Lauralee Hensley

Facebook where are you?

Is it just me, or is everyone having problem seeing their Facebook page tonight?  I can't even like any Facebook pages tonight or leave comments on them.  I'm wondering why? 
I never tell anyone to like any Facebook pages from my blog.  I do tweet info from other blogs I visit  when they ask in the post to do so, I often share on my Facebook page too when other blogs in their posts ask.  It's usually so their blogs will be visited for a review about a sponsors product and a giveaway that is related. 
I hope that this is allowed and I'm not being asked to do things by these blogs that their visitors/readers are
not suppose to do according to Facebook or Twitter.
However, I'm not having a problem with Twitter tonight, just Facebook.
Maybe they are just doing site maintenance.  Anyways that is what I am hoping.
The little guy just barely starts understanding these things and then people go and change them up.  Nerve racking.  When  something works really well, why change it just for the sake of change.  Confusing.
Well, hope I'm not the only one experiencing this problem and that it's fixed soon.

Do you sometimes feel homeless even in your home?

The truth about it is, whether we is rich or poor or somethin in between, this earth ain't no final restin place. So in a way, we is all homeless--just workin our way toward home.

--Denver Moore (homeless man) in Same Kind of Different As Me

This man (Denver Moore), though homeless must have realized that even rich people can feel homeless sometimes. 
I think this happens to some women who once worked outside the home, but then choose to stop and become homemakers.  When our families start feeling the loss of our incomes, don't some of us start thinking of  the physical structure of our homes as belonging to our husband's since they are bringing the paycheck home?
Well, news for us all.  These homes or apartments etc., that we are living in, really belong to God and he's just letting us use them for a time.  Sure we are paying to stay in them, but everything first belonged to the Creator.
Then why may we ask, don't  some of us have as nice of  homes as others?  Well, I think that is a silly question to ask.  We should instead be focusing on the fact that we are not homeless.
Also Christians should be focusing on the fact that once we are saved our true home will one day be with the Father.
I never hope I have to be homeless here on earth to remember to appreciate what God allows me to use of his while I'm just a passing through.

Don't know what's up with Google again.

I'm not seeing my Google followers again, nor am I seeing the Google Friends Connect on most blogs that I'm visiting today either.  Maybe they are doing some sort of maintenance.
I need to get back to posting here on my little blog.  I haven't made any posts in quite some time because it
just seems to be taking all my energy to get through looking at all the other great blogs out there.   I do have
things to write and say, but right now with my high pain levels it's just easier to visit your blogs. 
God Bless you all.

After All We're A Family: Invite Friends and with their first purchase you'l...

After All We're A Family: Invite Friends and with their first purchase you'l...: "Billon Dollar Babes offers discounts of up to 85% off designer clothes and accessories. You can join their site for free to be in the know ..."

Invite Friends and with their first purchase you'll earn a $20 credit to BDB

Billon Dollar Babes offers discounts of up to 85% off designer clothes and accessories.  You can join their site for free to be in the know about these offers.
Then once you join you have the option of inviting friends and family to join.  Once they join and make their first purchase at BDB, you'll be credited $20 to your account there, which may be applied to your next purchase.
So if you're a fashionista or just someone who really enjoys a great bargain for quality goods, then you owe it to yourself to join, and to spread the beauty of saving money with your friends.
http://www.bdbshop.com/account.php?f=invitecreate&token=1t3UoJiWm6KtoJY%3D&pa=bdbinvite

Will Future War Be Over Needed Space For Their Growing Populations?

Sometimes I'm a curious sort of person.  I was wondering about how many people are living in the United States of America in relationship to our country's actual land mass in square miles.  Would you believe we are not crowded in as tightly as many other countries citizens are? In the United States of America we have land areas combined of about 3,537,438.44 square miles and water areas combined  of about 256,644.62 square miles, for a total area of 3,794,083.06 approximate square miles.  Some of our citizens prefer to live in houseboats that are on some of the waters in our country.  Most prefer to live on the land.  Some prefer more populated cities and some less populated colder climates.  Our country is blessed with varied climates, because we have Alaska, we have Hawaii, we have coastal states, as well as interior states.  So there is probably somewhere a citizen can find to live that would agree with them, if finances allowed.

Yet if you look at the web page  http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004379.html  you'll see other population sizes of various countries in relationship to their land mass availability.  Some of these countries have a high population to available land area and related resources.

So this made me wonder if someday in the future would war be waged against the United States of America simply because we have the space available for growing populations of other  countries? Wars have been waged before because other countries wanted the spoils (available goods) of other countries, and our country has the land to produce or locate naturally occurring spoils (e.g. food, oil, natural gas, gold and other metals, etc.). These may not be actual real needs of other countries since there is world trade, but it may be sense of supply need control by certain countries.   We have factories already built to manufacture goods, and mass market food supplies.  There are educated people here who could be taken into custody to work for a new regime against their will.

Why have these thoughts been going through my mind today?  I think deep down it's because I don't believe our country has the influence it once had over other countries of the world.  I don't think we are truly seen as a military strength in the same way as we were after World War I and World War II.

Back then we didn't see war against us as having to pacify the aggressors.  We stood with other strong countries against oppressors of persons.  Yet, are there truly strong countries to stand with anymore?  Do other countries back away and say, "Here America, you do this and try and leave us out of it as much as possible, both financially and morally."    It seems to me to be that way.

I know the Bible tells us that God will bless those that bless Israel and will curse those that curse Israel (it says thee in the verse in place of Israel, but if you read the chapter before, the chapter the verse is in and the chapter after, you know it refers to Israel.  Plus it says I (meaning God) will bless those that bless you and curse those that will curse you.  I used to feel our government was looking out for Israel's best interest, but I don't really see that happening right now.  Why should Israel have to give up any of her land mass to the Muslims wanting it?  There are other Muslim nations with great land mass (Saudi Arabia) that could absorb their brother Muslims that want pieces of Israel.  If Israel gave up some of their really little land mass to the Muslims would it stop there?  I  personally don't think so. 

I don't know if we really belong in the United Nations anymore either, or if they should even be located here anymore.  Perhaps they now belong in the EU.  Let security forces of another nation be more involved in making sure everything is safe when the members of the United Nations have their meetings and votes.  I don't think the United Nations should have a voice in how the United States of America plans or executes ways and means of keeping the citizens of this nation safe from war mongers (dealers in tricked-out wares of war) and terrorists of any fashion.

I think we should revamp our immigration policies too.  I think it should be harder to even get work visa's to come into the United States of America.  We already have enough of our current citizens without work without taking on other countries citizens.  Other countries need to make their own countries work so their citizens don't want to leave.  I mean the countries of the world are not still in

the Dark Ages and need to step up to the responsibilities they have for all of their citizens in that country.  Does that mean some countries need to have civil wars to accomplish such?  Well, perhaps, ours did.  Do people die in civil wars?  Yes, they do.  Even though I don't want people of any nationality to die, maybe through those deaths (their own citizens deaths that would have a greater personal, moral and ethical impact on the people living in that country) would they ever get to the point of ever having a truly working fair government for their citizens.  I mean our soldiers dying for them is not going to hit home as deeply, profoundly, or leave a very deep lasting sense of sacrifice as their own family members ever would.

Though I am very proud of our men and women in the US armed forces that have served, are serving, or have even gave their own lives for these persons in other countries, I wonder if such will

ever have a lasting effect on a change in their governmental structures and the treatments of their own citizens.  I think not.  Don't the pull-outs of our troops always just seem to result in a new wave

of political unrest in those countries in less than three to seven years?  I personally think so.  Another Dictator Monarchy type seems to step back up and grab hold, first by terrorizing those not in agreement with his plans through religious methods if possible (e.g. you'll lose your soul, you'll be damned if you don't do his bidding), military force, imprisonment, torture or death and then by spreading his hate in regards to other nations of the world.  I feel history truly repeats itself in this regards, at least certainly in some parts of the world.  Isn't there a sense of unrest once again in the Sudan region?

Well, I usually try to just hand over all my concerns to God in a prayer, but I thought I'd let my readers know my brain does think on things more than just little mini poems with rhymes.  My brain gets pretty complicated in it's thoughts at times.  It sends me on little quests to find out more information from time to time.  Like today, the population of America in relationship to our land mass and how that might influence how other nations of the world may someday see us.

Neat-O for Eat-O's

PrinceLionheart has a great product for organizing your baby's eats.  Well, to be honest only their jarred baby eat's.  It also has a place to hold the Baby's utensils too.  It's the 3-in-1 universal organizer.
It makes stacking and viewing the various jarred Baby Foods easier to do.  Plus if you were anything like
me, you'd have them stacked in alphabetical order.
You really must check out the review and giveaway going on for this great organizer over at the blog
themombuzz.com

Mothers Should Be Up In Arms Against Amazon For Selling This!

For more information about this Pedophile  book being sold on Amazon go to Frugal Family Fun Spot at
http://frugalfamilyfunspot.blogspot.com/2010/11/shame-on-you-amazon.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FsDde+%28Frugal+Family+Fun%29

Any mother trying to protect their children from Pedophiles should know that this book is being sold on Amazon.  If this was a book telling Pedophiles where to get help to keep from acting on the sexual/control needs than maybe this could be tolerated, but when a book tells Pedophiles what to do not to get caught, well then this is another story. 

In America this is absolutely so WRONG.  Freedom of speech, or is it freedom of how to do a crime and not get caught?  You decide.  I won't be buying from Amazon.

Do you quilt? I have and I'd love to win an Accuquilt Go and Dies, would you?

I have made several quilts in my lifetime.   Some had liquid embroidered pictures on them (these were for my niece and nephew's twin size beds and had bible story pictures on them), some with hand sewn embroidery (for a friends baby, it had little animals on them).  Some of these quilts I used a sewing machine to speed up assembly time, some I did every stitch by hand.

Some had added embellishments like flat lace, ruffled lace, buttons

and yes even bows.

Yet, one thing I found that took a bit of enjoyment out of the quilting was carefully tracing and cutting out each quilting piece by hand.

No I didn't use a rotary cutter.  I did it all by hand.

Then the first time I did use a rotary cutter at a church quilting function the rotary blade broke and sliced my finger pretty badly.

Ouch was an understatement.  So I went back to my old way with the scissors.

Yet, I've read and learned about the Accuquilt Go! 

I think this is the most wonderful invention for quilters.

Lavender Ridge is having a giveaway of an Accuquilt Go! and 3 Dies on their blog.

If you'd like to enter to win like I would you can find the details over at

http://lavenderridge.blogspot.com/2010/11/go-giveaway.html

Good luck and God Bless.

We've all heard about CSN's 200+ stores. How about winning $75 to spend in it?

I love Pfaltzgraff tableware serving pieces.  Do you?  If you do Pfaltzgraff pieces can be found at CSN. 
My favorite pieces right now are the Winterberry pieces, they'd be perfect for a beautiful Christmas table.  These are pieces that can be handed down generation to generation too.  They will remain fashionable through all the trends that come and go.
Just do a search at CSN for Winterberry and it will take you to a page full of Winterberry patterned table serving items. 
What Andie Wears has a great review at her blog and also a $75 gift certificate to CSN stores to be given away.  Wouldn't you like to enter for a chance to win?  I did and hope you will too.  Even if you don't want to get anything for yourself, think Christmas presents.  Good Luck and God Bless.
http://whatandiewears.blogspot.com/2010/11/giveaway-csn-stores-gift-card.html#comment-form

Trying to Find Some Nice Sugar Free Treats for gift giving?

I love The Swiss Colony.  I've usually purchased their cheese or beef logs as Christmas gifts for some family members.  Then I also added a great selection of jellies or jams to the gift.

Yet, this year I have to be a bit more careful in my selections for some family members.  Some have developed diabetes.  One has to take insulin and one does not, yet either way I don't want to make them have to say "No" to all holiday goodies.

It's refreshing that The Swiss Colony has more sugar free selections this year.  Two of the items in the sugar free category that I know my in-laws would really like are the Sugar Free Peanut Brittle and also The Sugar Free Mints.  If you don't see the Sugar Free Items in the drop down category then just type in Sugar Free in the search bar.

Next Head over to Eighty MPH Mom, where you can win a $30 item from The Swiss Colony!  You'd be surprised how many really affordable gifts they have there this year.  A lot of places have undergone price increases, but you won't see that this year at The Swiss Colony.

Good Luck.

One of those phone calls you don't want to get.

I received a phone call from a friend today.  She was disabled by a brain bleed related to medication she was taking and an infection she had.  She's been having a real hard time adjusting to life since she can no longer work.  Physically she is able to do some things but needs constant redirection to complete tasks and not be constantly worrying. 

I've received calls from her in the past, but today she told me that she almost decided to just commit suicide yesterday. 

My heart dropped.  What do you tell someone who thinks the medical profession has let them down, when you yourself are thinking the same exact thing.  Except, in my case I'm not thinking of killing myself.  I just don't want to deal with them (doctor's) anymore.

She wanted her Doctor to give her some prescription sleeping pills so she could get some rest because her brain never turns off and she can't stop worrying about everything.  Her primary Doctor told her "No."  So she went to see her psychologist and he also told her "No."  So she was calling me asking me if I knew a Doctor that would give her one of two prescription sleeping pills.  She told me the names of the pills, I'm just not going to type them here.

I don't know of any Doctor's and I tried once again explaining that maybe they wouldn't give the medications because they'll interact with her present medications in a negative effect.

I wish she'd discuss this all with her husband, he's in the pharmacology business.  Yet, it feels like they don't talk or discuss any problems with each other anymore.

Finally after talking with me, she's thinking she's going to find a new Doctor.  Yet, I wonder if that is going to do her any good or not.  Why can't Doctor's listen and explain to her the reasons they can't give her medications to help her sleep.  They need to be up front with her and not just be telling her "No."  They need to give her sound reasons.  If they believe she'd misuse them, then they should tell her that.  Yet, why can't they just prescribe her two pills at a time.

I can't be her shrink, I'm not trained.  I listened.  I tried to reason with her, I just tried to be her friend.  I suggested this time as in times past that she should go to the ER if she's feeling like harming herself, but she won't and starts crying when you suggest such a thing.

After she calmed down a bit, she

 told me she was going to go and learn to crochet with her daughter at a yarn shop we have in our community.  I hope this helps her take her mind off of some of her troubles.

I should have told her since she's not working and her daughter is grown she should just sleep on her own schedule.  Sleep when she can no matter if it's during the day or not. 

My husband gets upset with me when I try to help in matters like this, but I feel if I don't listen to her that it may be the last straw.  I don't want to be the last straw for her.

Then after our call, she seemed a little better.

Yet, then my husband started in about me getting another Doctor.  I so didn't want to deal with that from him.  He thinks I'm being negative, and that not all Doctor's are the same.  So from the time I married him and had to deal with military doctor's I counted out how many of them I have seen.  It's been 10!  Yes 10.  None of the ten doctor's are the ones that sent me for the correct test that finally had me diagnosed with the severe achalasia that required surgery.  It was  nurse practitioner that did that.  I'm also thankful she had the test done at a non-military facility, so that a non-military doctor could read the results.

One! One military doctor believed me about the pain related to the achalasia and he was the surgeon who did my surgery but he's no longer stationed in this state.  

How many more Doctor's will I have to go through before I find one that will believe me about my back pain and my abdominal pain?

Do I really have the energy physically or mentally to deal with any more Doctor's that don't truly listen.  I don't want pills thrown at me, I want to know the reason for the pain first.  

So you have here one woman wanting pills because she thinks that will be her answer and one (me) wanting no more pills because I know pills aren't the answer for me.

Pain, whether mental or physical is pain Doctors.  Your patients need to be listened to.  Ask your patients what they are expecting as an outcome from the visit.  One may simply want good sleep, another to find the reason behind a physical pain.

Listen, the first step in communication. 

Brain Glitches Getting Worse and Bending Over Is Not Good For My Brain

Well, I got a letter in the mail today from the military.  My assigned Doctor is no longer my assigned Doctor.  They have reassigned me to another Doctor.  I do not want to see anymore Doctor's, but my health problems are getting worse and my husband really wants me to see someone.  My brain glitches are getting much worse.  I proof read things I type or even hand write and do not see the mistakes even when I read them out loud.  This is even happening when I run my finger along while reading a line.  I often do not see my mistakes after proofing three or four times.  Then about five minutes to a few hours later I will see the errors.  It's not just spelling errors, it's sentence structure problems as well.  I was never good in English and grammar, I had poor teachers in this area the whole time I was in school, except in the eleventh grade.  I had a creative writing teacher that realized I only had less than a fifth grade reading level and had no idea how to diagram a sentence or any of the rules of grammar.  He handed me a book near the end of the year and told me I needed to work on it myself as he didn't have time this late in my schooling to get me caught up.  He didn't know how I was passed or ended up with B's in English all the years I was in school. 

Some examples of my brain glitches include wanting to type the following words but other words end up on the page because of my brain glitches:

who often becomes how, or vice versa,

their often becomes there or they're or vice versa,

do becomes due or even no or vice versa,

I could make a really long list, but you get the idea.

I live out parts of words often such as:

I leave out s at the end of many plural words

I, instead of I've

it, instead of it's,

we instead of we'll.

I actually one day last week wrote down a list of all the mistakes I made.  I tore it up.  It was too depressing.  I told my husband this is really getting me down.  It makes me nervous because I wonder if I'm having mini strokes causing this.  My mother died from multiple strokes.  They never found out the reason of her strokes, though I think she was passing small clots from a hemangioma she had on her liver that her Doctor would never do anything about.  I sometimes wonder though if she had an undiagnosed atrial fibrillation problem with her heart which can cause small clots to form and go to the brain.

My brother already has a pacemaker defribrillator in because of this problem.

I told three different military Doctor's I thought I needed an angiocath to see if I had pulmonary hypertension and blockages in my heart because my heart skips beats.  Daily I have to do the Valsalva Manuever to get my heart back into normal beat at least once a day if not more often.  I don't drink caffeine, so I know this is not the reason for the problem. 

I have had people say it's related to panic attacks, but how?  I'm doing something I like and not thinking about anything worrisome and the irregular beats will hit and make me dizzy and nauseous.  I know how to do the Valsalva Manuever and usually the first time works to get it back in regular beat, but sometimes it scares me because it takes more than once to work, and I get weak and feel like I'm going to pass out when I have to do it more than once.

The irregular skipping beats even hit sometimes when I've almost fallen asleep or I've jerked myself awake with them, to sit up and do the Valsalva Maneuver.

I don't know if this is happening because of my Achalasia problem, where I have intestinal spasms.  Are these spasms affecting an area in the body in the intestines that can have a vagal response upon the heart.  Yes, I know that sounds weird, but as a former nurse I know that there's a part inside of the lower intestines that you don't want to stimulate too much or it can cause an unwanted heart response.

Yet, even as much as all this nonsense is going on with my body and I know I should get it checked out, I still don't want to deal with anymore Doctor's.  I am burnt out with Doctor's.  I have a fear of wasting my time and again not being listened to.  The truth be told, I get frustrated that what I have told Doctor's over and over has never been documented in my patient chart.  Yes, I have the notes, the labs, the surgery report etc..  We can get these for free from the military, we don't have to pay for the copies.

Truth be told, it wasn't even a military Doctor that sent me for the tests that finally diagnosed me via a civilian Doctor that read the results of the test that I had achalasia.

It was a nurse practitioner that saw me at the Military Base that I went to that finally after years of complaining of severe pain and ending up with aspiration pneumonia that sent me for the correct tests.  Thankfully she sent me to a hospital in my town for the tests and not at the Military Base.  Thankfully a non-military Doctor read those tests and said what the problem was and that it was extremely severe.

Yet, the military sent me to a specialist outside the military and he did nothing about it.  He said "Well, at least you can eat."  Yes, eat and end up with aspiration pneumonia.  That's really smart.  Then my husband asked this specialist if I could choke to death.  He told my husband "Yes."   He told me if I got tired of trying to eat to talk to the Doctor's at the military base about putting a feeding tube into my intestines.  Yet, he denied saying this to the military Doctor's when I told them what this Doctor had said.

Over a year later, I finally got the surgery I needed down where I could eat.  It helped for about two years and then I started having choking problems and lots of pain again.

Then another specialist they sent me to, was again a joke.  He wouldn't check part of my intestines where I'm constantly having pain, and just told me it's part of the achalasia problems.  That it's caused from a genetic nerve/muscle disorder. 

I feel like I'm falling between the cracks in the health care arena of life and why must I keep hitting my head against a brick wall of uncompassionate Doctor's who don't understand the physical pain I'm in.  I know people who have diabetes that get Social Security for the neuralgia's (nerve pain) they have associated with that disease, yet I can't get a single Doctor to listen to me that I can't do what I need to do to work because of pain related to numerous problems, some of which I do not think are only related to the achalasia.  I think I have multiple problems that should warrant me being able to receive what I've paid into.

One of my newest symptoms is the incredible pain I get in my head if I lean over to pick something up, or to pull weeds or pick up sticks or branches off the ground, or lean over to pick my little dog up.  This has been going on for about three months.  If I make myself keep going in about ten minutes at the maximum it will feel like the top of my head is ready to explode off.  I will have tears in my eyes because of the pain, and will have to do controlled breathing exercises to try and just get it back to a manageable level of pain.

I have to quickly sit down.  I end up holding my head up and steady with my hands.  My head literally pounds worse than the migraines I am prone to get.  The thing is the pain is gone in about thirty minutes if I just sit and don't lean over.

Then if I try to do any physical activity that requires a little bit of effort I will be drenched in perspiration in no time flat.  I don't care if I have the air conditioner on where it's cold, it will still happen.  I exhaust super fast.

Yet, once again, even with all this staring me in the face, I don't want to deal with these Doctor's anymore.  I don't want to deal with my husband telling me to see another one and maybe this one will listen and help.  I told him this isn't going to happen because all these military Doctor's talk to each other and they pass their opinions on to one another and the patient be  D________ (you can guess the word that's suppose to be here).  They aren't going to get the care they need because they are already seen either as a big joke, or a liar (because the Doctor's aren't the ones experiencing the physical pain so they somehow in their God Like Minds determine that you're not having pain because you somehow have learned not to cry in front of them each time you're at the Doctor's office), or one who is taking up too much of their valuable time or are too expensive to keep dealing with.  I think it's a combination of all of these factors.  Plus I think military Doctor's only think the valuable patient is the one that is active duty and serving currently in the military.  That's my opinion and that's the way I've been made to feel dealing with the military base I had to go to.  Yes, the insurance has put out quite a bit of money on me.  That's no lie.  I realize that if we had no insurance I would have long ago been dead from a choking incidence related to the achalasia.

Achalasia is still very painful for me.  I know after some people have the Heller Myotomy with the Dor Fundoplication Surgery they no longer have the incredible pains, but I still do.  I did have quite a bit of relief after the surgery for about two years, but then it came back and continues to worsen each and every month.

I still have the incredible back pain and I wonder why nothing is ever done about it.  Do I have a cavernous hemangioma on my spine pressing on nerves in there?  I've asked for a spinal tap to see if there is something in there causing the pain.  That's been a no go too.

I'm not a hypochondriac.  If I was I would be in the ER daily, at the Doctor's daily, with a ton of different illnesses, but no, these are the same pains and just getting worse, with new symptoms I think are interrelated in some way. 

The letter from the Military said this new Doctor that was assigned to me has my Doctor's notes and is familiar with the case.  I don't believe he can be familiar with my case since none of my complaints are listed in there.  The previous Doctor's never listed other than what they wanted to list.  I think that leaves other Doctor's in the dark, but maybe that's what they prefer.  Maybe they don't want to know what's wrong with you because it might mean they have to spend some of their free golf time doing research on their own time to do what's best for the patient.  Maybe it would mean they would have to go to or attend via online a new medical continuing education course to update them on new advances in medical care or little known diseases and they aren't willing to spend their free time expending some brain energy learning something new that may go against everything they were previously taught. 

I realize that medicine is not an exact science that new advances are being made each and everyday.  Yet, I feel like I get stuck with Doctor's that don't want to progress, but merely stagnate and earn a paycheck with little involvement.

Therefore, I think I'm going to pass for now on seeing any new Doctor's.  If that means I die from whatever is going on, well than so be it.  People can then say it's no body's fault but her own, yet they *these doctor's I've dealt with via the military base I had to go to*  need to realize they are truly the ones that burnt me out on Doctor's.

Remember I used to work as a nurse and I saw some really good and compassionate doctor's in the non-military base world that really cared about their patients.  I even saw one when I worked neurology that stayed by a patient's bedside for twelve hours straight with a patient that was dying of brain and spinal cancer to give the patient his pain medications himself per the family's request of this gentleman. 

I have great empathy for others in constant pain or other medical issues that  don't get relief or resolve from the medical community.  I feel your frustrations.  I feel your money issues, because we've had to pay deductibles on things too, especially when seeing Doctor's outside the military bases.  Then there are co-pays on medications and when pills are the things they keep throwing at you, being on several prescriptions at once can truly add up and then you wonder how you can buy groceries, or pay this or that bill.  We've been there.  I finally quit taking all the meds they were throwing at me because they weren't helping with my pains anyways. 

I'd like to say to all Doctor's that have patient's in pain.  Find out first what is causing the pain and find the right treatment to stop the pain before treating other issues.  We the people with the pain, want the pain treated first.  Life is miserable with PAIN.  Worry about the high blood pressure, the high cholesterol, all the other issues after you have helped the patient with their first and foremost primary complaint.  If it's not pain, then what is the patient complaining of, irregular skipping heartbeat, itching, heavy periods.

Please Doctor's listen to your patient's.  Don't form your own opinions until you've addressed what your patient's feel is their primary need.  If you do, then patient's lose confidence in you.  There will become a communication barrier between the two of you from then on. 

My primary need is I need to be on Social Security because I can't do what I need to do to make an income.  If something happens to my husband and it could because he's getting older, I'll probably end up living under a bridge just because of military Doctor's that I have to deal with.

Google Friends Connect Why Do You Keep Disappearing?

Once again I can't see the Google Friends Connect either on my blog or on anyone else's blogs I'm visiting.  I hope they are just doing maintenance or something and that it will be back again tomorrow. Since I don't have many computer skills this is a bit troubling.  The little I do know is basically self-taught. I wish I knew more, but I'm not a read it and understand it kind of person.  I actually do best with one to one training and watching someone show me and allowing me then to do it and repeating it back a few times. Then I need time to write down my own notes on how to do something in a way that makes sense to my brain.
 
I wish I had one of those brains that was a written word learner, but we all have our own learning styles.   I know that mine holds me back quite a bit.  However with this kind of brain you need a patient teacher.  My husband knows some things, but he can't teach patiently and I just shut down.  I wish my step-son was here, he could probably show me alot of things and would be patient I'm sure.  Yet, he's states away and I'm sure not coming back here any time soon.  I'd be surprised if we even saw him in a few years.  He never liked this state.  He likes to be nearer the ocean.

I just hope this isn't happening because of something I'm doing or not doing.  Well, I'll be patient again for awhile and see how things go.  Google Friends Connect please come back and let me see you on my blog and all the wonderful blogs I really enjoy visiting.

What teacher had the greatest impact on your life?

The above title question was posed by Eighty MPH Mom.  I can honestly say there were only about 4 that had a great impact on my life.

Yet, the first teacher that really made me feel good about myself was my 6th grade teacher Mr. Housman.  He found a strength in me and helped it to flourish.  He recognized that me and five others in his class were beyond the math skills required for 6th grade.  He helped us and by the end of the year we were doing high school Algebra I.

Why did this make me feel good about myself?  Truthfully,  I was only average in all my other studies.

He was a very fair teacher to all his students.  Mr. Housman made learning fun.  We did a stock market project that was very enlightening.  Crazy experiments was something he always liked to do.  One experiment resulted in an  embalming fluid bottle being accidentally broken.   The school had to be let out for the day to let the school rooms all air out from those strong fumes.   He was told he could only do experiments on Friday afternoons from then on.

You can leave a comment at Eighty MPH Mom and let everyone know about a teacher who had a great impact on your life.  Head over to Eighty MPH Mom, where you can win a Hershey’s Gift Basket !

Like The Misty Watercolors of My Mind.

I love the creative spirit.  Whether it be photography, poetry, music, sculpture, doll making, quilting or my favorite paintings.  I have been learning on my own through some Donna Dewberry books how to do some acrylic painting, but now I'm thinking watercolors.  So I was very lucky when I learned about this great review and giveaway over at http://www.funsavingmoney.net/2010/09/faber-castell-creative-studio-review.html Fun Saving Money.  Faber-Castell is sponsoring a giveaway that would be sure to touch many creative spirits souls.
Please go to the link in this post to see what it is, you won't be disappointed.  Even if you don't paint, perhaps this would make a lovely gift for an older child that seems to show promise that way.  It would give
them the joy of learning, creating and then having the finished work of art hung proudly in the home for all to see and enjoy.  Think holiday presents.
I'm entering and hope to see your names there as entrants.
God Bless.
http://creativestudio.fabercastell.com/products/catalog.aspx?q=search&a=DC87262197CA4A2889223C231E2471CC
Note the above link is to Faber-Castell and not to the give away link, the giveaway link is in the body of this post.  Thank you.

10-10-10 the first one since 1910

Hello and nice meeting you for the first time 10-10-10.  Unless you were born on or before 10-10-1910 this is the first time you'd be meeting the 10-10-10 gang. 

If you were born in 1910 or before and meeting the 10-10-10 gang again, I'd like to say congratulations to you on a long and hopefully fulfilled life.

Now I'd like to remembered as a 10 then a 10 and then another 10, wouldn't you.  You can pick which categories you'd like those 10's to be remembered in.  As for me those categories would be: Wife, Mother, Christian-American.  I don't want to be remembered as a 10 as Bo Derek was and still is at times.  I don't want to be remembered as one of the 10 most influential women in the world. I don't want to be remembered as one of the 10 richest people in the world, though I wouldn't mind a bigger piece of the pie and honestly who wouldn't.

If you got to be remembered as a 10 in 3 areas of your life, what would you hope they'd be?

Is It An Impostor Pillow Pet?

Would you like to find out who has a Happy Purple Hippo?  I bet your children would.

You can find out by going to http://www.Jainasmom.com and clicking on the Pillow Pets link in the giveaways section.

You'll find in the review article all the ways to find out if you're buying an actual Pillow Pet

or a knock off impostor.

Is your child, niece, nephew, foster child, grandchild asking for one, or an additional Pillow Pet as a Holiday Gift?  Do you know of a child with a birthday coming up?  If you do, I'd suggest you hurry and order now.  A few are already out of stock and many more will probably do so as those holiday orders start rolling in.  Don't wait until the last minute and disappoint you child.

Remember this is a dual gift.  A snugly stuffed animal, but also a pillow. 

Do you have a long car ride coming up  to visit relatives during the holiday season?  I think

the Pillow Pet would be welcomed in the car to rest a weary head on by any child.  Don't you

remember taking a pillow in the car with you on vacation?  I do, but I think the Pillow Pet would have been more fun.  It can be folded up into a Pet to sit looking out the back window of your car when arriving at the home of your hosts.

Your child  could dress their Pillow Pet up with holiday theme bandannas around their neck if they wished.  They could read it stories, tell it secrets and give it hugs.  It could be their friend

if they have a tummy ache and are stuck in bed.

Pillow Pets are still very popular with children this year.  If you would like to try and win one please go to the link above in this post.

These Holes Aren't Holy.

A letter to the three dogs living in my household.

Okay, you basically killed off the lawn in the backyard this year, but I'm living with that.

Okay, you dragged tiny branches all over the place that I had to pick up until we got the go ahead from the Fire Department yesterday that we could burn them and some leaves off.

Okay, I know the wild rabbits think they can come and live in our yard for free and taunt you all unmercifully.

Yet the holes you dig going after them,

"Dog-Gone It, They aren't Holy!"

I am going to break an ankle from falling into them, or fall crazy and hard, breaking my neck.

Plus I am getting sick and tired of getting the dirt off your faces, out of your nostrils,

eyes and yes even your pointed ears.

If you are going to be diggers you should have floppy ears to keep the dirt from collecting in them when you dig like you're trying to make a hole to the other side of the world.

Okay, I'm burnt out.

I'm leaving the holes for my husband to fill.

He's the one that wanted all the dogs in the first place.

He wore me down for each and every one of them.

He can work on putting a new lawn in next year.

I've put a new lawn in this landscape already four times since we've lived here.

My back can't take putting in another.

So while you take your afternoon naps sleeping under the fan next to me, looking so innocent, I'm kind of hoping you are having nightmares.   Nightmares of  falling down a rabbit hole only to be looking into the red eyes of

a Monster Rabbit that is going to consume you!

Okay, so that's not very Christian or Holy to be thinking this,

but if everyone saw the number of holes and how deep they really are maybe they'd be thinking the same thing.



Perhaps PCH Prize Patrol you'll come to my house soon!

Mr. Beane won a million dollars from Publisher's Clearing House Prize Patrol.  The Prize Patrol team recently just checked back up on him.  Things don't seem normal there yet. 
I could truly understand things not seeming normal. You’d probably feel like you were walking around in a dream state for quite a time. I’m pretty sure that is how I would feel. There’s a good possibility I’d lose some weight because I’m sure from time to time I’d still be jumping up and down, that might go on daily for months afterwards, especially each time I relived the moment of winning from the Great PCH Prize Patrol in my mind.
My husband’s nerves would probably wear thin too, as I would countless times say, “I told you I just knew I’d win the Publisher’s Clearing House $5,000 a week for life prize someday.”  If you don't believe me on this one, then you'd just have to ask my husband if I didn't again just yesterday talk about wanting and knowing I'd win this fabulous, unbelievable prize from PCH.
I’m Happy for Mr. Beane and his family. Enjoy, Enjoy, Enjoy is what I’d like to pass onto him.

Tastefully Simple

Jaina's Mommy

Jennifer Hernandez

is a Hostess for Tastefully Simple.

If you are looking for great food items as Christmas gifts this year then check out

http://www.tastefullysimple.com/home.aspx

If you place an order just make sure to list Jennifer Hernandez as your consultant,

her ID number is 0096238.

I placed my order today because I know three people I give gifts to that always love Jams and Jelly's.

So they are going to be very happy with the Berry Medley gifts they will receive this year.

If you love Strawberry Rhubarb pie, I think you'll want to pick up this set yourself,

it also has an equally delicious flavor in the set,

but I'm not going to tell you what it is.

You need to go and check it out for yourself

and while you are there check out all the other fine food items,

some you may want to make for the holidays or other special  days in your lives.

Thank You

and God Bless.



Granny Loves Gift Baskets and Little Ones Books, A Great Combination.

If you love reading books to your little ones, whether they are your own, foster children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren or your class, then you owe it to yourself to visit Granny Loves Gift Baskets where Little One Books is sponsoring a giveaway there.

I love so many of the books Little One Books has in it's store.  I'm sure you'll find some too.  Take a look around and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Here are three titles from the 0-12mo book area:  The Going To Bed Book; Hug; Go, Dog. Go!

I'm sure you'll find some of your favorite children's authors there.  The pictures are also so vibrant and sure

to catch the attention and imagination of the very young.

http://grannylovesgiftbaskets.com

Please vote for my children's story. Thank You.

I just entered the Nature Made Children's Bedtime Story Book Contest.
Right now all you can see is my title page, but hopefully the rest of it will show up for you to read.  Perhaps they have to proof them before they'll put up the rest of the story for safety reasons. 
It's in rhyme, because that's what my brain likes to do.
They have seemed to leave the L out of Dolphin, but hopefully they'll put it in because I emailed them about that and about not being able to read anything but the title page.
You can vote daily through 11-15-2010 I believe.
If you don't want to vote for me, then maybe you'll want to make your own online story to put up for voting.
My story's name is WHAT? PHIN THE ALWAYS DOZING DOLPHIN IS ALWAYS AWAKE?
It is located at
http://naturemadesleep.net/stories/69
Thank you in advance for any votes that you are able to direct towards my story.  I appreciate all my readers.
God Bless you all.

The 28th Wasn't Great.

On the 27th, I typed I should just keep my mouth shut on the 28th, well I didn't.  I asked some questions at a conference the hubster and I attended.  I got the look from him.  The one where, 'Why are you asking that?  People are going to think you don't understand.'  That look.  He was annoyed.
Boy, I didn't want to go to this because I knew this exact thing would happen.  Yet, I think there are no dumb questions, the only thing dumb is not to ask and remain clueless.
Then we go to a food court for the lunch break during this same conference.  He asked me where I wanted to eat.  So I told him.  Once again, the look and the voice inflection where you knew he was not happy with my choice.
I got really mad.  I said "Why did you ask me in the first place if you wanted to eat somewhere else.  I told you we could eat where you wanted when we were coming over here.  So let's just go where you want."
"No, we'll eat there, where you want,"  but still his tone was annoying one.  With that I just told him to eat wherever he wanted because I didn't want to eat.   I went and sat down and thought he went to get himself some food.  No, he went off wandering around looking at stores and window shopping for things he wanted.
You know he wouldn't eat because I no longer felt like it.
I thought guys were suppose to be the ones that mean what they say, not say something while really meaning something else, like many feel us females do.
I'm tired of trying to read minds.  I think I'll just become a hermit, it's easier than dealing with some people on some days.

Dog Gone It Dogs.....

Well, we had to have Spike our min pin put on antibiotics because he wasn't getting any better on his own with this respiratory virus/infection thing.
Now the German Shepard I thought was well after her go rounds with antibiotics, probably has a right ear infection thing going on.  I had to clean out her ear.  It was gross.  It had old blood and awful stuff in it.  Her right ear was very red inside and very warm to touch compared to the left ear.  Since I cleaned it all out the redness is down some now and it's less warm, but if it's not totally better in a day or two, she'll probably be back at the vet's office to get it checked on. 
Our Belgium Malinois seems less energetic too, and his nose has been a little warmer than usual today.  I hope he's not getting sick too.
I hate dog virus' because they go round and round in a circle in a home, just like a people virus' do in a home full of children.
I really think if our Belgium Malinois ends up having to go on antibiotics and antihistamines, I'm going to ask the vet to put the other dogs on at the same time so we can totally nip this in the bud.
We haven't been going to the dog park to keep our dogs from giving other dogs the virus.  I think our dogs miss going too. 
Well all the dogs are sleeping which is good.  I need to go to bed earlier than I usually do.  Things I really truly need to get done tomorrow.

I need to keep my mouth shut tomorrow with some people I'm going to be around.  If I don't it will probably come back to bite me in the behind.

Holiday Palooza, come join in on the fun.

Join Melissa from Outnumbered 3 to 1 and Jackie from Monkey Mayhem as we bring you great gift ideas and amazing giveaways during our "Holiday Palooza" event! The fun starts November 1st and if you grab our banner you can get an extra entry into each and every giveaway on BOTH of our sites! Feel free to invite all of your friends too!

http://www.outnumbered3-1.com/2010/09/join-us-for-holiday-palooza.html
http://monkey-mayhem.net/2010/09/holiday-palooza.html

The Spirit Made Me Do It!

This past week I've been cutting up branches that we had cut out of and off of three of our very, very, big trees.  They were hanging too low and would probably break if an early snow came.  The front yard tree was also blocking some driving vision abilities for our next door neighbors when they were trying to pull out of their driveway.  We like our neighbors next door and didn't want this to be a problem for them anymore.

So, while cutting up the items for our community's fall clean-up that was held yesterday, I felt a strong spiritual feeling I needed to cut a lot  of that wood up into kindling sizes.  Now I know that would make a lot more work.  You have to snip off all the little shoot branches and leaves that are no good for going into a fireplace.  I'd already done that to the big, thicker pieces of branches and we had them cut into 5 foot lengths or smaller.  With kindling you don't want them really over 15 inches in length, so that also meant more cutting with loppers to get them to the right length. 

 So during the week last week I worked on this because I had such a strong feeling.  My husband kept saying, "Why are you doing that?  They (the health department) are just going to have all the fall clean-up stuff taken to the dump anyways."  Well I kept going because I felt someone was suppose to get this wood, someone who needed it. 

By 7:30 am Saturday morning I had everything piled by the side of the road for the pick-up.  We had already paid our $15 to be involved in the clean-up.  Anyways a long white bearded old man in an also very old beat-up truck stopped by the road where I was finishing moving a couple branches.  He asked what the wood was for.  I told him.  He said he cooked and heated his home eight months out of the year with wood.  I asked him if he wanted this.  He did.  He was using a cane to get around.  So I asked him how he wanted it put on his truck.  My husband and I loaded it up onto his truck.  He was really happy with the two very large boxes of kindling I had cut up.  He said this wood was going to help heat his home for almost a whole month.

Boy, I'm glad I did what the spirit told me to do.  I'm also glad I got up early and got everything by the road and was outside at that exact time.  I'm glad I didn't feel afraid to ask the man if he needed anything.  I'm not usually like that.  Usually I don't talk to strangers since I was followed by a truck last year when I was out walking my dog and a neighbor alerted me to being followed.

Well the Spirit Made Me Do It, and I'm glad I did because I was rewarded with a really great feeling in my heart, my husband felt really good too.  He said he was glad someone was going to get some use out of the wood rather than it decaying at the dump.

So after he left we put out about a third of the tiny leaved branches we had for the fall pick-up instead.

The rest we will do a controlled burn on once we get the okay from the fire department in our community.

So we aren't out our $15 fee we paid to be involved.

Now if my energy levels would just kick back up I need to get started on yucky fall weeds that like to grow here.  The sticker making weeds always seem to show up in the fall for some reason.  So I have some to pull and need to preventative spray so we don't end up with a ton.

What's The Spirit Making You Do?

The Holiday Palooza is Coming.

Christmas Is Not Far Off Now.  Everyone will be hustling and bustling, but remember to try and stop to visit  here  http://www.outnumbered3-1.com/2010/09/join-us-for-holiday-palooza.html  .  If you do you'll be pleasantly surprised with a great list of gifts to buy, and maybe if you're lucky even win a few.  Well, how you spend your time is up to you, but I'm going to try and stop by each day of Holiday Palooza for at least a few minutes.  I hope you do. 

Spike Sneezes, Fall Comes, and Stress Takes Over!

My little dog Spike our four year old min pin is still sick with a respiratory infection.  All he would really like to do is sit on my lap.  Mostly all he is doing though is sleeping in his little dog bed covered up.  Spike  covers himself up.  He's had to have a blanket since the day we brought him home.  Now if he was feeling better  he'd be sleeping on top of it because it's warm enough, but since he's not, he's under it.  I keep hearing him sneeze from time to time.  Thankfully he's drinking enough water and not getting dehydrated.  He's eating too, but just not as much.  He caught this from the female German Shepard dog we brought home from the animal shelter awhile back.  She got over her respiratory infection pretty quickly with the help of antibiotics, but little Spike isn't doing as well.  I think it's time to take him back to the vet, but I'll wait and see what my husband says.

Tomorrow is the start of Fall-Clean Up  in the community in which we live.

I'll be so thankful that we can get the branches  out of the yard that we cut from the trees, as well as a cabinet from inside the house, because it was basically busted.   I wish we could take some big rocks that we don't want in the yard and some old brick, but they said "No" to that.  I think the $15 fee for getting rid of the branches will be a fair price.  Then we'll have to get the okay to burn some of the twigs and leaves.  We tried to get the okay from the fire department here the other day, but they said "No controlled burns today."  I wondered why, I thought maybe the wind was a little too much, but my husband said that wasn't the reason because he asked.  Then a few moments later we heard sirens.  So it was probably because they had calls they needed to respond to and didn't have enough volunteers to staff at that time in case our fire got out of control.

We've burned here before without incident, but I can understand if you only have a crew of a certain number of volunteers available you may have to tell people no when they want to do a controlled burn.

My husband has to do a two and a half hour stress test soon.  So the Cardiologist's office called and went over all the things he can't and can do and have to eat and drink before the testing and such.  They also needed to know if he has problems being in tight spaces or if he uses oxygen.  So I wrote everything down and answered all the questions.  I'm glad they called or I would have called them to ask if he could take his medications.  He can and that makes me feel better.  I'm glad the insurance company approved  this test.  I've wanted him to have it for a few months now.  I want to make sure his heart stents are still clear and he has no new blockages going on, especially since they had to change his cholesterol medications.    The medication started giving him muscle pains and making his knees super weak.  He says his knees feel stronger since they switched him off the old pills and onto the new ones.  I don't understand that since they are all still in the statin class of medications.  I can't take the statins at all they cause me too much pain.  My younger sister actually has an allergy her Doctor says to that class of medications.  My mom did too, so it's probably something genetic and my side of the family has a few weird things that way.

Well I hope none of you are sneezing, that you can enjoy the fall that is seasonally here,

and that you are stress free.

God Bless you all.

Whiney me will keep it simple, I'm hurting bad.

I woke up today with incredible upper back spasms.  I thought it was referred pain maybe from my esophagus.  It isn't because warm water hasn't helped, my meds for GERD, prescription like  antacids haven't helped, and  neither have over the counter pain medications.   I have been dealing with this incredible pain for over eight hours now.  The problem is some of the other pain associated with it makes you think that you might be having a heart attack.  Yet, I'm sure if I go to the ER, the Doc's  there will just tell me it's a migraine effect.   I don't have a headache at the moment.  Sure,  I have jaw and chin pain, but not what I call a migraine. 
I'm tried of this, there was stuff I wanted and needed to get done today, but it's not happening because when
I tried I really intensified the pain.
Well, I wish I had something cheery to blog about, but since I haven't done anything at all today there isn't a thing.  Well, maybe a couple small things, I voted for a friends photo in a contest and I told my nephew's wife about a sweepstakes I thought she might be interested in.  That's about it though. 
I hope the hubby gets home before nine tonight.  I miss him.  He's my rock when I feel horrible like this.  I'm glad I have him in my life.  So even though I'm not lucky in health, I am lucky in love and companionship.
I hope you all have blessed and happy weekends with the ones in your lives that you love and enjoy being around.
God Bless.