Sunday Praise

Higher Ground
I'm pressing on the upward way,New heights I'm gaining every day;Still praying as I'm onward bound,"Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

Lord, lift me up and let me stand,By faith, on Heaven's table land,A higher plane than I have found;Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
My heart has no desire to stayWhere doubts arise and fears dismay;Though some may dwell where those abound,My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

Lord, lift me up and let me stand,By faith, on Heaven's table land,A higher plane than I have found;Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

Houston, we have connection!

We are hooked up, plugged in, wired for sound, able to communicate again. What a difference being on the left side of the lake instead of

the right. (I have always considered myself a little left of center anyway).
We had a good week in Door County. Just a

few of the things we enjoyed:

Good Friends

Dining lakeside

Running on the beach
Flowers
Sitting in the shade

Flowers

I think I have a little bit of a handle on the pain thing. I have been getting by not taking a pain pill till about 11:00 am and it carries me through the bulk of the day. I used heavy, heavy application of sunscreen and a large brimmed sunhat and only got one blister. Luckily my girlfriend Judy and her husband understood I would not be up to my usual cheerful self ( ha!!) and had no problem taking it a little easy with me. With planning we still got in a little shopping, a little eating and a lot of talking and laughing.
I also persuaded Judy's husband to download angry birds on his phone, before you knew it angry birds was on his phone, Judy's phone and her husbands IPOD. ( Luckily their Verizon worked fine or we would have been cut off from civilization completely). All weekend you could hear me whining," let me play, let me play".
We had one rainy day so J took me to see the new Harry Potter movie. It was just as good as I thought it would be. I couldn't believe it cost $20 to get in. With popcorn ( which by the way was GREAT, I only allow myself this indulgence once a year) we were over $30, how do families do it?
All in all it was a great week.We have been going to Door County in the summer for over ten years and it is fun to visit all you favorite shops and restaurants.

Now we are just outside Traverse City and a lovely spot called Traverse Bay RV Resort. It is a lot like Bella Terra in Gulf Shores, Alabama. We are on a beautiful site facing a forest of trees. I will get out with Izzie today and take some pictures.

Right now I have to get myself up and give Iz a bath ( whoops, I just typed the word and she ran from the room. That girl doesn't like baths anymore than J).

Before I go I want to thank all of you for your concern and compassion about this new development in my health. I so appreciate your advice and when I get home I am going to explore every option. I kinda had my feet knocked out from under me with this. I have had pretty good control of my pain for years now and was really shocked how badly this hurt as the NSAIDS left my body. I am going to call Monday and get an appointment with my Post Polio doctor for first thing after we get home. He and his partner have helped my through a lot of changes the last fifteen years since I was diagnosed with Post Polio syndrome, braces, crutches, canes, surgeries I have always bounced back with their help and I know I will bounce back again.

One More Day

We will be leaving Door County Thursday, by Friday night we should be back in the real world, phones, internet, blogging, yeah!!! Hope to talk with you all soon.

Bummer

No internet unless sit outside office in sun. Talk to you next week

The Bottom Line

So these are the facts:
1. I have been diagnosed with pseudo porphyia.2.Pseudo Porphyria causes nasty, scabby, ugly scars on your skin and prevents them from healing.3.Psuedo Porphyia is caused by NSAIDS. 4. I have had osteoarthritis for over 25 years. 5. I am allergic to Tramadol. 6.If you can't take NSAIDS the next recommended drug is Tramadol7. If you can't take Tramadol the next step is Narcotics.8.Narcotics are a slippery slope that just leads to higher and higher doses.9. I don't want to take Narcotics.10. It hurts, it hurts all the time, it hurts really, really bad. 11. WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!?!?!
I am trying to take Motrin or Tylenol and only take the Vicodin when I can't stand it. The problem is when you hurt like this you get crabby and grouchy and strike out at the loved ones around you and I hate that. Poor J is taking such a beating because he is the one here with me. I am hoping that as the last of the NSAIDS leave my body the pain will peak and I will be able to build up a tolerance to it. And when we get back from our quick trip up North I am going to make an appointment with the pain clinic to see if I would be a good candidate for accupuncture, biofeed back or some other treatment I am not aware of. If you know of anything please let me know. Thanks for listenting.

Ta Da!!!!

My beautiful new floors are finally done, the house is clean and all the furniture is back in place. Now I just need some throw rugs to warm them up a little. HA!!

Oh What a Wonderful Weekend

It has been two years since we have seen my brother, I hate that they live so far away.

I couldn't take my eyes away from this little guy all weekend.

Have you noticed the "deer in headlights" look in Shirley's husbands eyes? So cute.




This is how a spent my weekend "FAMILY, FAMILY AND FAMILY.

What a blessed weekend we had. The baby shower was lovely and we had such a great time together with my brother's family Saturday night. It just went oh so fast and now they are on their way home. I miss them already. Isn't Ethan just the cutest little hunk you have ever seen?

Sunday Praise

Count Your Blessings.


When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings—wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Today I am counting all the blessings God has given my family over the last few days, allowing us to all be together once again.

The Bad and the Ugly take 2

The Bad: The Dr.'s nurse called today, very sweetly apologizing for not getting back to me yesterday, asking what seemed to be the problem ( I guess since the receptionist couldn't spell NSAIDS she just wouldn't write down anything I said) I explained everything to her and she said she would contact the Dr. and call me back. When she called me back she told me the Dr. said do not take the NSAID I called in yesterday, instead he would call in a prescription for TRAMADOL, I took a deep breath and asked her to look at my chart and check my allergies and after a moment she said, oh my you are allergic to TRAMADOL, I better call the DR. again and we will get back to you.

The Ugly: they didn't get finished yesterday and they didn't get finished today. In fact as they left today they said "we should be able to get the doors back on by Thursday", (big sigh)


Ok, it is out of my system, I will not whine any more on the blog. Someday soon I will have pictures to show you of my loverly new floors and I will have pictures from the baby shower and family party and all kinds of good stuff.

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

The Good: I love my hair, cute little stylist, she did a great job. It isn't exactly the way I want it, it still needs to grow a little to get the cut right where I want it but the color is beautiful. Will take picture soon, maybe Saturday at the shower.

The Bad: I am so mad at the doctors. Yesterday I went to the pharmacy to pick up the new prescription and the pharmacist asked why I was changing drugs. Thank goodness he did ask. Apparently the discussion between the two doctors got a little fuzzy. When I filled the pharmacist in on what had transpired he said " you can't take this new drug then, it is a NSAID". So then I call the Dr.'s office and of course I can't talk to him, he's not available, I can't talk to his nurse, she's not available, but the receptionist will take a message. It started by her asking me to spell NSAIDS and went down hill from their. I know this sounds snotty but everything hurts so bad, I when I hurt I get a little snotty.



The Ugly: My house is a wreck. They have worked their way into the kitchen but all the doors are still off, the furniture is piled everywhere and even though I dust every night after they leave. They say they will be gone today, but I don't believe them. I know they are going to be back tomorrow.

Stormy Weather

It is a stormy Monday morning here in the Midwest. All those years when I worked I would dream of being able to snuggle in a blanket on the couch with a good book on mornings like this. Now I can and it is just as wonderful as I thought it would be.

The poor dog in the bottom picture had been out for a walk and was making a dash home.

This is going to be a busy week, my sisters and I are giving my niece a baby shower Saturday and Saturday night we are having the whole family over at her house because my brother and his family ( her Dad) are coming in from PA for the shower and we have not all been together for a long, long time. It is going to be the biggest shower we have ever done, 82 so far! I have a to do list a mile long.

I think I posted that the Dr. came back with a firm diagnosis of psuedo prophyria, which means I stopped taking the NSAIDS last Thursday, needless to say Wow do I hurt. I have been taking these kinds of drugs since my 20's and I didn't know how bad my joints had gotten. But the Dr. called this morning and they have a new drug for me to take, which should not effect my skin!! Yeah! Still have to wear sunscreen head to toe every day, but that's ok, I can do that. I am hoping the new drug will work and this will be just a blip on the screen. Unfortunely it will take about a month for my skin to be completely healed, but I should not get any new blisters.

Today I am finally getting my hair cut, YEAH. Believe it or not it has been six months since I have had it cut. This winter in AZ I decided to go really short, YIKES!!!, needless to say I hated it and have been letting it grow out ever since. If it looks even reasonably good I will post a pictue tomorrow.

Hope everyone has a good week.

Sunday Praise

One of my favorites....

Blessed Be the Tie that Binds

Blessed be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like that to that above.

Before our Father's throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one
Our comforts and our cares.

We share each other's woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.

When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.

This glorious hope revives
Our courage by the way;
While each in expectation lives,
And longs to see the day.

From sorrow, toil and pain,
And sin, we shall be free,
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity.

A Perfect Storm

It seems the more the guys get done, the worse it gets. This is how they left us this weekend.

The floor is going to be beautiful once it is done, but cooking is proving to be a little difficult. Tonight I conned J into getting Pizza from Fat Rickys not sure what I will try to pull off tomorrow. ;)

TA DA!!!

So how do you like my beautiful newly designed blog. Thanks ever so much to the much talented BLOGS BY SNEAKY MAMA she did such a great job. I am so happy and they got the living room floor in today and tomorrow on to the dining room and kitchen.

This and That

Construction started today, I think it will probably take a week to finish the floor and then they will start on the kitchen. It is oh so dusty and noisy but it will be worth it.

Icky Old Brown Carpet

Lovely new hardwood floors going in.

She leaps buildings in a single bound.

This is the little flower bed I put in last week that knocked me for a looop.

Our very first ever tomato plant, we had fried green tomatoes for supper. 

Miss Izzie the Queen.

They called from the Dr.'s office today all the tests have come back except one and they all indicate psuedo Porphyria, which means I have to give up my NSAID'S, not sure how we are going to handle that, I have been taking them since my 20's. I have to wait till the last test is in and then I will see the Dr. and we will talk about it. Wish me luck.

I am so excited!

We are in the middle of redesigning my blog and the remodeling has started on the house. I am so happy, I just can't tell you. They brought all the wood for the floors today and tomorrow they will start taking out the carpet and putting down the hardwood. I will make sure to take some pictures along the way. I think it will be a little crazy around here for a few weeks.

 I planted some more flowers today, Lord it was hot. I think I am about done for this year.

 I am looking forward to out trip to Door County, I haven't seen my best friend Judy for almost a year. That is just too long. We will have three days together, not enough time , but I will settle for that.

Maybe tomorrow I will have some progress to show you, either on the blog or on the house.

MARINE STUNS A TEA PARTY WITH THE FOURTH VERSE OF THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER

Happy Independence Day Everyone.

Sunday Praise

Dear Lord,
There is no greater feeling of liberation than to experience this freedom from sin and death that you have provided for me through Jesus Christ. Today my heart and my soul are free to praise you. For this I am very thankful.

On this Independence Day I am reminded of all those who have sacrificed for my freedom, following the example of your Son, Jesus Christ. Let me not take my freedom, both physical and spiritual, for granted. May I always remember that my freedom was purchases with a very high price. My freedom cost others their very lives.

Lord, today, bless those who have served and continue to give their lives for my freedom. With favor and bounty meet their needs and watch over their families.

Help me to live my life in a way that glorifies you, Lord. Give me the strength to be a blessing in someone else's life today, and grant me the opportunity to lead others into the freedom that can be found in knowing Christ.

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