No Steps Forward!!!!

I called the insurance company today to see if they could tell me anything. The lady I spoke with hadn't received any paperwork asking for approval or anything. She said that there shouldn't have to be any since Temple was participating. I asked her if she could call them and tell Temple that since they seemingly are waiting on the insurance. She told me she didn't know where to call, but asked me to call Temple and get the procedure codes for what they want to do. Then call her back and she would see if they did need approval first. I still hadn't heard back from Temple when I called them on Friday and I couldn't reach anybody today either, so I just left another message.

The saying usually goes - one step forward, two steps back. well this time it doesn't even seem like we are taking any steps forward. I'm thinking somebody forgot how to walk :)

Home health nurse coming again in the morning for dressing change. I was also to the doctor on Monday and they ordered some more blood work so I need to get that done sometime this week. I may get that done tomorrow at Geisinger.

I still haven't heard anything regarding the job interview I had last Monday. I'm still hoping, but everyday that goes by and I don't hear anything my hopes go down. If I don't hear from them I'm thinking about looking to see if I can find anything else that would work with all my restrictions and such. I was hoping to get back to work with at least one week left on my FMLA, but that isn't looking too promising. I wanted at least a little time left so that when I started in the new department if I had to take off for any reason I would still have some time left. If I use all my FMLA I don't know what they will use for my doctor appointment and such since I will have no time whatsoever.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

It Will Be Worth It All!!!

No matter what we go through in this life, how hard and dark it might seem - It will be worth it all to make it safely to the other side. Everything in this life is worth it all to just make it to heaven and see Jesus.

I often lose sight of the end goal when problems in my life are right in front of me and that is all I can see. I go through life looking straight ahead as far as I can, but when problems in my life are so big I can't see very far ahead. I look at my feet and I can't see to even take the next step. It's so dark and I wonder if there is even ground underneath the next step. That is when I need to realize I shouldn't even be looking down or straight ahead but I need to look up because that is where I will find the help, the strength and wisdom I need to go on. I need to get my focus off my problems and focus on the goal, which is Jesus. Maybe God puts big huge problems right in front of us to remind us where we need to be looking - up!!! We need to look up to Him and trust him that there is ground underneath our next step and we just need to have faith in him.

I need to look at this trial as a stepping stone and see what growth and benefits I can get from it. I don't need to look at it as a valley but as something to build me up. Not looking at it as, am I ever going to get better, but look at it as what can I take from this. How can I use what I am going through to help others?

Yes, this was a lot easier to type than it is for me to actually try and do. With God's help though I will take this season of my life and make the best out of it.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

Tired of Going Nowhere!!!! (Let me Vent)

The title describes how I have been feeling more often than not. I'm tired of just sitting here in limbo. Overall, most things are staying the same with somethings a little worse, but overall the same. I'm still on TPN. I try eating with more failure than success. My lower GI system still doesn't want to cooperate. My PICC is driving me crazy. I'm tired of not working and therefore no income.

I guess one of the hardest parts for me is to not know how things are going to turn out. I wish somehow somebody could just tell me the end result. Tell me if I will eventually get better or if I will stay like this or if things will just get worse. I know nobody can do that, but being in limbo with no important doctor appointments or procedures, just gets tiring. Nothing new being scheduled to try and see if there is anything that could possibly help me get better.

It has been going on 2 months now since I have been to Temple. To me it seems like I'm not one step closer to anything new than I was months ago. I call Temple every Friday to check and see if I am any closer to getting things moving again. This past Friday I didn't get to speak with anybody so I just left a message and I still haven't heard anything back from them. I'm thinking about calling the insurance company tomorrow to see if they have anything different to say.  If not, I know somebody who has offered to go up the ladder and see if the people they know can get anything moving.

Lately I feel like my faith (what little I had) is slowly slipping away. It seems like God will/can help anybody else, but me. I realize we all go through what we go through because of what God might be trying to teach us, show us, or mold us. It just gets hard when your in the middle of it and you can't see any light on either end of the tunnel. I still know the reality that God has not neglected me or forgot about me, but it's easier to sit here and type it than to actually feel it.

Sorry to vent, but it's been awhile since my last "let me vent" post and tonight seemed like a good night to do that :)

Taking it one day at a time!!!

Reality!!!

Posted in order from most frequent to less frequent:
There will be bad start days with bad end days.
There will be good start days with bad end days.
There may even be bad start days with good end days.
But there will rarely, if ever, be great start days and great end days.

That unfortunately is reality for me. Hopefully if Temple and the insurance will communicate and get on the same page, maybe reality for me can change.

Three important prayer requests from me for this week:
1. That there will be progress with Temple and the insurance.
2. That I would get the job I interviewed for.
3. If I get the job, that the doctors will release me to go back to work soon.

Will keep you posted through the week.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

Bad Day!!!

Today is not a good day at all. Basically if I do too much beside being still I start dry heaving and then it takes awhile to get it stopped.

I did leave a message with Temple asking for an update with the insurance company, but haven't received a call back yet.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

4/14/2011

Still no word from Temple yet. I'm just going to give them a friendly reminder call tomorrow, letting them know I'm still around and need help!!!

No word on the job interview yet, maybe tomorrow (I'm hoping)!!!!

It was a beautiful day today. I was able to spend time outside, loved it!!!!! Hoping for another nice day tomorrow.

Dark as Night!!

When we have so much pain,
That all we can see is our tears
And our days are dark as night.

When all it does is rain,
And we wonder if anybody hears
That we feel like we're losing the fight.

Is there anything to gain?
Can anybody calm the fears?
Will we ever see the light?

We must remember the one who loosed our chains,
As the end of our lives and eternity nears
And imagine what a glorious sight.

4/13/2011

I sill haven't heard anything back from Temple. I'm so tired of nothing happening.

My dressing changes are now going to be every three days. They want to keep an eye on the site since it wasn't looking too good last time. They will be coming tomorrow morning to do it. It's also time for them to recertify me, they have to do that every 60 days, so they will be doing that tomorrow also.

Hoping to soon hear something about my interview!!!

Trying to take it one day at a time!!!

The One Who Holds My Life!!!

I know that there is sickness, but I know of one who heals

I know that there are tears, but I know who brings the joy

I know that there is darkness, but I know who is the light

I know that there is suffering, but I know who is the comforter

I know that there is pain, but I know who is the solace

I know that there are storms, but I know who is the refuge

I know that there are burdens, but I know who carries the load

I know that there is weakness, but I know who is the strength

I know that there are doubts, but I know there can be faith

I know that there are valleys, but I know whose hand I hold

This friend is named Jesus, He's the one who holds my life!!!

Nurse visit 4/10/2011

Today was time for another home health nurse visit. My PICC site isn't looking to good. They are trying a different dressing to see if that helps any.

I had blood drawn which also proved to be quite the challenge. The nurse had some trouble accessing the mediport, but was able to get it on the third or fourth try.

No news from Temple today.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

Interview

I had my interview today. I won't hear anything for a couple of days now. All I can do is see what happens. They offered me to stay and shadow so I did that for a couple of hours after my interview. It looks quite confusing at first but hopefully that clears up with time. Will explain more about the job of I actually get it.

My Mountain's A Hill

I heard a song last night that put things in perspective based on what really matters. My mountain is just a hill from heaven's point of view. What seems so large to me right now in my life is just small in God's eyes. The mountain that is right in front of me that I can't see what is on the other side. That mountain is just a hill!!!

I may think I'm never going to get through this mountain, I'm never going to get to the other side, and I'm never going to come through this situation. The hardest part is not knowing. I don't know what lies ahead. I just have to realize and trust God that even through my problems, through my mountain which seems so big. So big that I have no idea how I'm going to ever climb this mountain. I just have to realize that this mountain is just a hill, from heaven's point of view.

It gets frustrating for me to be seemingly in limbo. No important appointment scheduled. I'm just sitting around waiting to get some Temple appointments scheduled. Nothings changing...it's the same old, same old...... I know that God is the only one that knows my future, but it's hard for me not to know some things. Am I ever going to get off the TPN? Will I be on it for the rest of my life? Is Temple going to be able to help? Am I going to be like this from now on?

I want to make plans with my life and try to have goals. It's hard for me to just go from day to day, week to week, and month to month with no changes and no plans to help things change.

I just have to remember that the most important things in life!! That this mountain may be bigger than Mt. Rainier in my eyes but With God's help and his teaching, I'm going to climb this mountain one way or another. Which actually is just a little hill from heaven's point of view!!!!

Taking it one day at a time!!!

4/7/2011

Well, I had to make a trip to Geisinger today. When I flushed my PICC this morning there was no blood return. I tried for awhile but I couldn't get it fixed. I tried all the tricks I would try as if it was my paitent. When this happens at work we page the IV team and then when they come and try it works right away for them. So that is what happened when I went. The IV team came and right away it started working for them. I felt so stupid.

The job I'm interviewing for is a desk job which is just what I need right now. I am sad that I can't do actual floor nursing for awhile but this is the situation I'm in right now. Hopefully one day I can return to SCU3 and work again but for now I'm happy that they are helping me and found me something that I can do in this current situation.

I tried calling Temple today to see what the hold up is but I just got the answering machine. I left a message and will try calling them tomorrow. I just am getting so frustrated with this waiting game.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

Job Update!!!

I missed a call yesterday from my nightshift coordinator. So this morning when I woke up there were 2 texts from her telling me to call my boss because she had something to discuss with me. I called my boss and there was no answer so I just left a message telling her to call me back. She called back and told me that she found a job that needed a good nurse. She told me that she already put a good word in for me with the manager there and that they were really interested in having me. She explained to me that I could transfer to that department and then when I am better and able to be a floor nurse again, it sounded like she would welcome me back. So she went ahead and gave that department my number and they just called me this evening and scheduled the interview. I'm excited and scared at the same time. The interview is for this Monday at 10:00am.

Phone calls update!!!

So today I called the HR department and to get the scoop on what is going to happen when my FMLA runs out at the end of this month. My boss mentioned that she would try and get me an extended medical leave. So, when my FMLA runs out I will automatically begin my extended medical leave which last for one full year from the day it starts. Since I have no PTO time, which means no money, Geisinger covers all my insurance for that full year. (Answer to prayer!!!) When medically cleared to go back to work I have two months to get a job as an internal hire. Which means they will first see if my floor has any openings and if not to find a job that would be best for me. So knowing this is a relief, especially that I will still have insurance.

Now for the Temple and insurance situation. I called the insurance to see if they received the paperwork and if it was approved/denied. They acted like they didn't receive any paperwork, but that I didn't need any. They said Temple was cooperating with them and that I could just go ahead and do what they wanted done. So when I called Temple to schedule the appointment I got a totally different story. I guess I was the second person that day to call and say that, but they hadn't heard that from the insurance company. So they are going to have to look into the situation further. So now I have to wait to hear back from them.

So hopefully they will soon get the straightened out and get my appointment scheduled so that things can move along.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

4/1/2011

I just realized when I was typing the date that today is - April Fool's Day!!! If I was at work I might try a prank but I'm not, so no April Fool's day jokes for me.

I need to call Temple and/or the insurance company to see what is going on with the requests. It has been 3.5 weeks now and I haven't heard a single thing. The doctor on Monday ever so nicely mentioned that Geisinger does all the tests and procedure that Temple is wanting done but that he didn't think they would be beneficial for me! Are you serious? Annoying!!!

My boss at work told me that I will be placed on extended medical leave once my FMLA runs out. So I have to call HR and get some questions answered and see what all needs done to get that ball rolling. I just hope I can keep my job and my insurance. I don't know what I would do if they didn't hold my job and I lost insurance.

Hoping things work out!!!
Taking it one day at a time!!!

3/30/2011

I had my GI doctor appointment on Monday. It was just for a follow-up except that I started getting sick on Sunday so for me it was more of a "what's wrong now" appointment.

I started having bad abdominal on Sunday morning and have been having troubles with my bowels since I was in the hospital. Since the hospitalization I had to take a laxative everyday it seemed just to go. I didn't like doing that, so I decided to stop and see what my body would do on it's own. Well I guess the answer is not much. I started with abdominal pain, leaking around J-tube sight, vomiting without anything by mouth. The doctor would have liked to have just done an x-ray or CT scan but knowing that I have been exposed to so much radiation and such he is concerned about me getting cancer from all the tests I've had done. So he elected for a more conservative route for now. So now I have to do 2 suppositories a day and take a stool softener pill when I can - fun fun!!! If it doesn't get better within a week I'm supposed to let him know. 

Now here are my thoughts. Since I know some things from being a nurse - I am concerned for a bowel obstruction or that something is wrong with my J-tube. I also know that they are not good things to just wait around on either. The pain wasn't any better maybe a little worse on Tuesday. Today the pain was some better this morning getting a little worse tonight, but I can hope that things are straightening up on their own. If something is wrong I'd rather get it taken care of sooner than later.

I'll see how I feel tomorrow as to whether or not I call and schedule another appointment. 

Taking it one day at a time!!!

3/27/2011

Thursday I had a nutrition appointment at Geisinger. They decided that they wanted me to try backing off on the TPN and do it every other day. They figure I will have to stay on the TPN though until Temple starts doing things that hopefully can help.

I have another GI appointment on Monday, so I'll let you know how that appointment goes on Monday night. It's with the doctor at Geisinger that gets me pretty frustrated sometimes. So I guess we will see how it goes.

I still haven't heard anything from Temple regarding the insurance approval/denial. This Tuesday will be 3 weeks so I think I should soon be hearing something. If I don't hear by the end of the week I might give them a call and see what the scoop is.

A different home health nurse will be coming on Monday. I hope she is nice and knows what she is doing :) I think I will only be getting a dressing change. I don't think they are drawing labs this week unless they want to check my electrolytes since I am now only doing TPN every other day, but I doubt it.

Today is not a very good day. I thought last night I might have had a little fever and than today I'm in a lot of pain and feel lousy. So I will definitely be taking it easy today.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

3/20/2011

Wow, it's been almost a week since I have posted last. I went to post a couple of times but never actually did it.

Not much has happened since the last post therefore no posts. I am just hanging in there and doing the best I can. I still am on TPN with no talk of stopping it soon. Tomorrow the home health nurse comes to do dressing change and to draw blood. I have an appointment with the nutrition doctor on Friday and then the next Monday I have a GI appointment at Geisinger.

I'm still waiting to hear from Temple regarding the insurance company's decision about the tests and procedure they want done. This Tuesday will be 2 weeks since the appointment and they said it would take 2-3 weeks, so maybe I will hear something this week. I haven't heard anything about the blood work that was drawn either (maybe that means it was all normal.)

I've been trying to get out a little and enjoy the warmer weather. We had a couple beautiful days this week with temperatures near 70. Can't wait until the weather gets warm and stays warm. I love to just sit outside and soak up the warmth and the sun. The best natural way to get my Vitamin D that I am really low on :)

Will try and do better with updating this week.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

3/14/2011

Home health nurse was here today. They have changed my blood work to every other week so none was drawn today. So it was a fairly short visit with just vitals and a dressing change. I will be going to Geisinger tomorrow to have the blood work drawn that Temple Hospital wants.

Today was not a good stomach day. Have been nauseous and sick almost all day. Didn't sleep very well last night so I'm checking in early tonight to see if I can get some rest.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

Fridays' Floods

So much for us not having water in our basement. When I got up this morning there was water in the basement. I should have kept my mouth shut last night!!!

Check out the photography tab for some photos that I took today of the flooding at my Pap's house along the Susquehanna River.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

Thursdays' Thunder

Well, I guess we really didn't have thunder today just the rain. I'm thankful that we don't live near any bodies of water and that our basement is dry. I feel bad for the ones out there where that is not the case.

Nothing exciting happened today. It was just a weary, dreary rainy day. I did get some good news from work. My boss emailed me and told me that once my FMLA runs out that I will then be put on extended medical leave. Hopefully I don't get to that point, but it is a little load off my shoulders.

Now I just have to wait to hear from Temple as to whether or not the insurance approves the tests and procedures. They will call and let me know and if approved we can then schedule the appointments.

As of now my next GI appointment is at Geisinger at the end of the month. It's with my primary doctor I had been dealing with before going to Temple. I don't really care for him anyways, but I'm just concerned that what he may want to do or try (not like he does anyways) will interfere with the Temple doc. In my opinion Temple is calling the shots now and I know last appointment he was mentioning some different tests to run just because. Oh well, time will tell. Hopefully I will have heard back from Temple by then and it won't be an issue

Taking it one day at a time!!!

Temple Appointment!!

Here is the update with how the appointment went yesterday. After all the traveling and everything I was really tired and wore out when I finally got home thus no update yesterday. Lets just say I definitely am not looking forward to traveling there all the time. Traffic in Philadelphia is not very fun. On the way home to travel 15 minutes down took 1.5 hours on the way home. It took us 1.5 hours to get 10 miles from the hospital. Not fun!!!


Yesterday I had my appointment at Temple. The doctor is a lot older than the picture on the Temple website looked. Based on the picture I thought he was a younger doctor. Overall, the appointment went fairly well. I didn't walk out disgusted like I have with some other GI doctor appointments. I do have to say he is a little forgetful. I was in his office with him for over an hour just going through my chart and asking a bunch of questions. That is all that happened at the appointment. A bunch of questions and reviewing my chart he had to get the whole story on what's been going on for the past 5 years. I may have been on the exam table for 1 min, not quite sure if it was that long. At least he realizes how things are and thinks that things need done. I'm hopeful that good things will come out of seeing him and going to Temple.


He wants to do lots of blood work which I can get done at Geisinger or through my home health nurses. He wants to do a smart pill study which is where I swallow two pills and then I wear a receiver which tracks and records what the pills do for the next 5 days. After 5 days I go back and they will do an x-ray and then they want to do an anorectal manometry. That test I don't think will be too fun since its involving enemas - enough said. He also wants an EGD, esophageal manometry and Botox injection. Those can all be done in one procedure during the EGD. I'm sure your wondering what the botox injection is for and what it does. They inject botox into the valve between the bottom of your stomach and the small intestines. The botox keeps the valve partway open with hopes that it will allow the stomach to drain. All of the tests besides the blood work are pending approval of insurance which they said will take probably 2-3 weeks yet and then they can schedule the appointments if they are approved. I definitely don't have much faith when it comes to the insurance approving all of this especially since the botox injection is still experimental. He did say I would be a good candidate for the pacemaker except the fact that I am so young. If that is the only option left though he would do it. He did tell me though that there may be nothing that he does or tries that will help me.

I guess I will be on TPN awhile longer until we can figure something out or unless one of these procedures work. When he first met me and started going through my story he did ask me if there was one thing he could fix what would it be. None of my other doctor have asked that before.


I was hoping to soon be able to get back to work but I guess it is a little unrealistic right now, especially for the work I do. Maybe they will be able to work with me and have paperwork or something like that I could do for a couple hours a week. I'm just worried about using all my FMLA time and losing my job which would result in losing insurance and I don't even want to go there or think about that yet.

I just have to remember that all things work together for our good!!!


Taking it one day at a time!!!

Temple Appointment Almost Here!!!

I had a post written for yesterday and had posted it and then I deleted it. It was a real personal post and I didn't feel brave enough to share it yet. Maybe someday I will, maybe I never will - who knows.

This is going to be an exciting week, hopefully in a good way! Hoping to get the ball rolling come Tuesday to see what can be done and what needs to be done. I have started writing a list of questions to ask the doctor, so I'm prepared. I even asked Mom to come up with some questions that she would like answered. I haven't decided if I'm having her go into the room with me yet or not. I tend to not be assertive and let that up to her when she is in and then it seems like I hardly talk then. It's not her problem, it's mine. I just have a harder time talking when she is there. So, I want to be prepared either way. If I have her questions and I decide to do it on my own I can still get her questions and worries answered too. At least she is going along to provide support. If the appointment goes horrible I will have somebody to listen to me rant and rave about how awful the doctor was and how frustrated I am. She is used to that :)

A part of me is hopeful but another part of me is scared that it is going to be the same thing I have experienced other places.  I'm praying that this won't happen and that it will go well.

Tomorrow is the day for blood draws and dressing changes again. The same nurse that has been coming is back again. Yay!!!

Today is not such a good day. Mom always does a nice homecooked meal on Sunday and her dad and brother come over. I tried some mashed potatoes and it didn't go so well. So I'm regretting that decision now. Stomach already protested and now I'm just dealing with the lingering nausea and pain. Oh well, hoping that will soon change with help from Temple.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

Flu, Flareup, or Both? - 3/4/2011

Sleep was horrible again last night. I might have gotten one hour between midnight and two and then I was up the rest of the night until 7:30 when I was able to get maybe 2 or 3 more hours of sleep.  I was able to take a nap today though. The lack of sleep will probably soon catch up to me if it hasn't already.

Things took a downhill turn today. I'm not sure if I'm coming down with something or if this is just a flareup or both. It's one thing to eat and get nauseous and vomit, but it's a different thing when you don't eat or drink anything and are still nauseous and vomiting. So annoying and miserable. My body isn't even processing the acid/bile it's making. It's just sitting in my stomach making me nauseous until it builds up so much I get sick. I am thankful for the G-tube to drain the stomach so I'm not vomiting quite as much. When the nausea gets bad I can drain my stomach through the G-tube to try and prevent the vomiting, but then you just get the dry heaves.

Temple appointment is in 4 days. I am 30% excited, 60% nervous, 20% don't know what to think. I'm just hoping things work out and that I don't fall through the cracks as I have at other places. Answers and a treatment that helps would be fine with me. I know there is no cure but there are things to make it more manageable and tolerable.

Taking it one day at a time and hoping for a better day tomorrow!!! 

3/3/2011

I'm sure these posts have been getting fairly boring lately because there isn't too much to report. I still am on TPN everyday, so nothing new there. I had no appointments this week, so nothing to report there. I haven't gotten worse which is a good thing. I'm still by no means running any kind of marathon. I'm still just relaxing and taking it easy.

As I sign most of my posts, I'm just taking it one day at a time. That's really all I can do at this point. I can't spend all my efforts and energy worrying about the future because I can't change it anyways. I just need to use it to face the day ahead and just take one step at a time. So right now, I'm just waiting on the next step to come whatever it may be.

One a sunny and brighter note, I can't wait for warmer weather and for spring to get here. I like the warmer weather and the sun rays to soak up. I would have to say winter is my least favorite season but I do love the beautiful snow when it lays on the trees though. 

Taking it one day at a time!!!

Wednesday Whims!!!

I called Temple today and they hadn't received any paperwork yet, so I had to call Geisinger to make sure they send it. I had to fax them an authorization to even send the paperwork. I'm hoping it gets there, so the doctor has a chance to take a look at my notes and reports. So I don't get there and he is just finding everything out right then, and reading the chart while I am sitting right there in his office. Hoping he has a chance to review my chart and start thinking of some ideas.

I also recently had to renew my nursing license. They nursing office at work has been emailing me to send them a copy so I faxed that to them today. Stupid me though forgot to sign the license so I have to fax it again today.

I was up again half the night, as you can tell by what time I posted the poem early this morning. As soon as I do settle down and either just about asleep or having just fell asleep, our two dogs start barking. That makes it really hard to go to sleep then. I'm hoping for a better night sleep tonight.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

God's Big Plan

It's been a long time since I have wrote a poem. I thought since I was having trouble sleeping tonight I would write one. I was thinking about people from my GP support group while I wrote this - so this is for them!

God's Big Plan

As round and round in circles we swirl
It is back and forth from here to there

The feeling it brings makes us want to hurl

Our bodies been through too much wear and tear

Tired of fighting day in and day out

The more we struggle the more we doubt

Just wondering what this is all about

It makes us want to just shout

After wrestling this through the months and the years

Our body so weak we can barely just stand

We may not be able to see through our tears

Having no idea what is God’s big plan

We need to hold on to any hope we have left

As we struggle to make it through this test

We need to let go and just take a rest

For God only knows what truly is best

We need to see beauty in the little things

So we can see what tomorrow and the future brings

- Brenda P.  (March 2, 2011)

Thoughts for Tuesday - 3/1/2011

I didn't sleep good last night. I spend half the night tossing and turning trying to get to sleep. When I did finally fall asleep it seemed like I would still wake up every hour. It's so annoying. I'm not quite sure why it is. Maybe it is a combination of being nauseous and uncomfortable and not being able to get up and do a lot during the day.

I received a call from the GI doctors office that they had made copies of some of my paperwork to take down to Temple with me. So I ventured out to Geisinger to pick them up. Made for a tiring day, so I'm hoping I can sleep good tonight.

It was a fairly nice day out so I decided to get my nice car out of hiding a take it for a spin to go pick up the paperwork. It was nice being able to get out of the house for a little bit and enjoy some sunshine.

Something about Geisinger that doesn't quite make sense. Geisinger is a hospital which means that is where sick people go, right? Well then, why do they make the parking so far away? If your sick you probably aren't going to be able to walk that far to even get in the hospital let alone once you are in it. It just doesn't quite make sense to me. If you do make it inside the hospital, then you have another mile to go to get to your destination.

Tomorrow I will be making some phone calls to Temple to check and see if they received any paperwork from Geisinger, and to see what all I need to do if they didn't. I started today and Geisinger acted like they haven't sent anything and weren't planning on it. So I need to see what is going on with that tomorrow.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

New Address!!

For those of you who haven't noticed this blog has a new address. Some of you may have to change it in your readers to continue getting updates. The new address is: www.snippetsandsnapshots.com

Monday Meditations - 2/28/2011

Home health nurse was here this morning and did blood work and she also changed my dressing so that now they will just have to come once a week and do everything. So the nurses won't be back until next Monday when they will do more blood work and change my dressing.

A week from tomorrow I'm going to Temple. I really hope something good comes out of it. I joined a support group and have been able to talk with a couple different people who have went to Temple. Some have had positive things to say and some were not so positive. Sometimes it's hard for me to be positive because I don't want to get my hopes up and be really disappointed especially the way things have been going. From what I've heard, it will just be a visit where he goes over my chart and my history and orders a couple tests to be done. Some say they may do some blood work while I am there, but the other tests sound like they will be outpatient and that it takes a couple weeks sometime to get them scheduled. I was hoping we could get things moving a little faster.

As humans we want things done now. I don't want to just keep sitting at home on TPN for weeks/months to come. I need to get better so I can get back to work. I have already used up 1 of my 3 months I get for FMLA. So I am hoping it won't take too long to at least get the ball rolling toward answers and treatment.

I know that God's timing is the best so I will try my hardest to rest in that fact and let things happen as He allows them to.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

2/27/2011

Not much to post about tonight. Today wasn't a very good day. Struggled with nausea and pain more than my norm most of the day. Hoping tomorrow will be a better day.

Nurses are coming tomorrow to do blood work. Hopefully everything will be within normal limits. I'm pretty sure the same nurse is coming tomorrow that was here on Thursday. That's a good thing.

Taking it one day at a time.

Snippets from Saturday

Another day almost over. I was up half the night last night but then I was able to get some sleep towards morning. I'm not sure why I have been having so much trouble sleeping. It does get really annoying though. Hoping for a better nights sleep tonight.

I decided last night that I would take a stool softener to see if that helped move things along better. The doctors have a liquid prescribed that I can either put through my J-tube or take orally. I thought I would just try to take it orally. I didn't realize this until after the fact, but you are supposed to dilute it in 6-8 ounces of water. I decided to just take a swig or two and be done with it. That was a bad mistake. I took one little sip, and I couldn't breathe. Literally, I couldn't breathe in or out. It was horrible. I was gasping away and when I started to be able to breathe the tiniest bit I was only able to breath in, I couldn't breathe out. I thought it must have just went down the wrong tube but then when I read the bottle I realized that it didn't. There is a warning to dilute the med or it can cause severe throat irritation. It literally took my breath away and I couldn't breathe for a good little while. Needless to say, it made me quite sick after that and I won't go into details there.

Today was an alright day.  It could have been better but definitely could have been worse. Basically as long as I am alive I have to realize that things could be worse and to be thankful that I am alive. I would not pick to be where I am right now, but it is where God sees fit for me to be and I have to accept that. I may not like it, but in reality there is nothing I can do about it anyways so I might as well try to make the best of it. Easier said than done, but I need to try and find the positives in it.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

Feelings for Friday

Can you believe we are already at the end of February. It seems like this year just started and we are soon to began the third month already. Where has the time gone?

Nothing exciting happened today. Just taking it easy and relaxing, since that's all I really feel like doing. I may have to drag myself out of the house tonight to get some errands ran and to pick some things up. I'm dreading it though just thinking about it, which is so unlike me. Usually I'm wanting to do anything to get out of the house for a little bit. I usually don't like being stuck at home with nothing to do.

No more doctors appointment now until my appointment at Temple in March.

Praying things work out at Temple. It get discouraging sometimes when you look back at when things started and where things are at today. Not much progress has been made when you actually think about it. There are really no new answers. I've heard plenty of maybe it's this, or maybe it's that, but the general consensus has always been the same. So hopefully Temple will be able to get things moving and get some definitive answers and treatments.

Taking it one day at a time and trusting in God that He sees the big picture!!!!

2/24/2011

Today's nutrition appointment went well. I felt it was not worth the hassle of even going. Basically he just looked at my vitals and glanced at me and said well everything looks like it should I don't need to see you again for a month. So than we just sat there in silence as he typed out his note about the visit. I guess you just have to have those appointment as long as you are on TPN. I have to go back now every month, so my next appointment is not until the end of March. So it looks like I will be on the TPN for at least another month or unless Temple wants to do something else in the meantime since I will be seeing them before my next nutrition appointment.

Home health visit went well. I really liked that nurse that came today. Since my mom had used to work for the agency that came I have known the nurse for a few years so it was nice having somebody come that I actually knew. She remembers from 5 years ago when I first started getting sick, so she knows what I have been going through and dealing with. She will be coming back on Monday to do my blood work.

I have been having horrible nights of not being able to sleep. I'm in bed now and if I start getting tired enough that I think I can sleep I'm going to take advantage of it even if it is early. At least I worked night shift so when I am up all night I at least can text or call friends from work which helps the nights go faster.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

One of Those Days!

Today was one of those days, you know, a 'blah' kind of day. I haven't been sleeping well at night and I didn't feel like doing anything so I just relaxed and was able to catch up on a little of my sleep, I think. I had some things I could have done, maybe even needed to do, but I just didn't feel like doing them. I've just been plain wore out lately. So, that was my day for today. Nothing new or exciting to post about today.

Since I have not been working I fear that in the time away I will either lose some skills or just become rusty on how I functioned and performed as a nurse. So, I thought I would try something new to keep "up-to-date" on current medical issues and the such. I started reading current research articles and new medical news and so far I have found it quite interesting. I figure since I am not working right now to learn by experience, which I think is the best way to learn, that I would try and do the best I could to stay current and in the loop so to speak. So far, I am enjoying what I have been reading and learning.

Tomorrow will be a more interesting and tiring day. I have a 9:30am appointment at Geisinger with the GI nutrition doctor. Around 1:00pm home health nurse is stopping by to do vitals and my PICC dressing change. It may not sound like a busy day to most of you, but for me I will probably be really tired by the end of the day.

2/22/2011

Today I had a GI doctor appointment. It was just a follow-up from my recent hospitalizations. I have never really cared for this GI doctor and after today, especially right now, I still don't care for him.

Good news is that the biopsy reports came back fine as far as we can tell.

Nothing else new to really report except my frustrations with this particular doctor. He hears what you tell him but he either doesn't understand or he actually isn't listening. He seems very skeptical of everything you are telling him about what is going on and your symptoms and what they told you your tests showed while in the hospital. Then he gets in your charts and ends up reading what you just told him aloud from the actual test results. So annoying. It's like since he can't figure it out it must not be really happening or true. It almost seems like he is stuck in a box and so we have to keep trying the same medications over and over again and the same everything that is in the box 20 times with the same results. If they didn't work the first or even the second time maybe it is time to look outside of the box. At least he did admit he wasn't following me as closely as he should have been. You can't keep track of how somebody is doing with their problems unless you see them and schedule return appointments. So don't wonder how things can get so bad if you haven't been seeing them at all. That's just a couple of the things that really got to me today when I saw him and built up from some past visits with him. I could go on yet for awhile but will leave it at this. Maybe another time and another post. We'll see.

I haven't been sleeping well at all and after the long day I had today I think I'm soon calling it a night. I get really wore out by just going to the doctors.

Looks like I have another appointment on Thursday with the GI/Nutrition doctors that were following me on the TPN in the hospital. Also, Home health is also coming on Thursday to do my PICC dressing change.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

Let Me Vent!!!

This is a trial run of posts that I will call "Let me Vent" . These post are where I will vent once and awhile about things that are really bothering me. It can be about anything and please know that these posts are not pointed at any individuals specifically. So, here goes the first one!

Upon discharge from the hospital everybody assumes you are doing better. Why wouldn't they? I totally get it.  I'm sure I would be assuming the same thing because that is how things work. You get sick, go to hospital, start getting better, go home. That's how things work. Well, not so much the case in my situation. I was discharged home because there was nothing else they could do for me, and what they were doing I'm able to do at home. So there is no point keeping me in the hospital when they can't do anything more for me. So therefore I was discharged home to be followed by nurses until I can get to Temple. To keep hanging in there till I get to Temple to see if there is anything they can do there. They offer different tests and surgeries that may be available. What they are doing for me right now is not necessarily going to help me get better or feel better, it is just to keep me from getting any worse. At this point I wouldn't be able to handle getting worse because I'm already not good.

I guess the point that is frustrating to me is that people assume things are better or getting better when they're not and I don't have the heart to tell them that things actually aren't really any better. (I'm such a sucker.)  Instead I just either agree with them or answer some generic response that can be taken however they want it to!

Well now that this is off my mind, I'm going to bed. Good night all!!!

The Rest of a Beautiful Morning!!!

Taken today while out for my doctors appointment.

2/21/2011

My family doctor appointment is over. It went fine. I basically just updated them briefly on what all had happened this last hospitalization and that I am now home with TPN and have nurses coming in. No more appointments with them are scheduled. She realizes that I'm really weak and not feeling good so she doesn't want to make me come in just for follow-ups. She wants me to call if I want/need to be seen. Other than that she knows I will be having lots of appointments coming up and knows it will get very overwhelming and she doesn't want to add to it anymore.

I did receive a call from the pharmacy that reviews my labs to see if the "ingredients" in the TPN need adjusted. I guess they may have been a little off so they are going to be making some adjustments. I should be getting a delivery of all my supplies tonight yet with the updated TPN.

A case manager from Geisinger called to check up and see how things are going.  She will be checking up on some of my follow-ups that I think got lost in the discharge process. They will be calling every Monday morning for 4 weeks to keep checking up on me and make sure I am doing alright.

Update: Case Manager just called back and I now have an appointment tomorrow with GI. It was scheduled for the 28th from the first admission but when discharged this time they had wanted me to be seen in 3 days. I hadn't heard anything so I just figured I would still be going on the 28th even though it was over a week away. Well, I guess she looked into it and so now I go tomorrow.

Taking it one day at a time!!!

Beautiful Morning!!!

I woke up to a beautiful morning. We received a lot of snow overnight and it is just beautiful. I took a couple of quick snapshots just from the house because it was so pretty. I'm hoping I can maybe take some more pictures today when I go to the doctors later this morning. 

2/20/2011

Home Health nurse came today around 10:00am. She was really nice, we had a good time together. She is actually is a clinical instructor where I went to nursing school. So we had some things in common to chat about.

One things I've noticed is that everyplace does things a little different in regards to mediport access. I know how Geisinger does theirs so I just figured that was they way it had to be done. Apparently that is not the case. I'm not sure if the nurse I had today had ever even accessed a mediport before. It was a learning experience for both of us. I was able to tell her how I've watched it be done a Geisinger and then she followed my lead. One institution may do things one way while the other may do things another way. At least she was a nurse that didn't mind me telling her how it was done and how to do it, but I think most of that was because she really truly didn't know. All in all though, it went well and she was able to get the blood drawn. Hopefully the results will be good and I won't get a call saying otherwise. She wasn't sure what day the nurses were coming next. So I guess it will be a surprise.

I'm probably going to spend the afternoon resting and working on my pictures. I think I am going to try and get them organized. I also received a coupon from when I bought my new camera to get a photo book. So I may work on getting that put together so I can get that ordered this week. Maybe I will find some pictures I had forgot about or slipped through the cracks that I will feel like posting on here later today.

Taking it one day at a time!!

2/19/2011

Another day just about through. Nothing exciting happened today. I just relaxed in bed all day. Didn't have much energy to do anything today. Usually I'm wanting to get out of the house and just do something whether or not I should be. Today though, I didn't have that urge. Just hung out here in my bedroom. Plus, our kitchen and dining area is being remodeled and so the ceiling and walls were being painted today. I didn't really want to be around all them fumes anyways even though they weren't that bad today.

Tomorrow the home health nurse is coming to do some blood work and an assessment. Shouldn't be too bad. The worst part of that will be them accessing my mediport. It doesn't really hurt it just gets sore from the needle going in and out every couple of days. It doesn't give it much time to heal in between sticks. I'm interested to see my blood work results though, but I doubt I will get to see them anyways. Maybe they will be able to get me copies if I beg.

Well, I'm soon calling it a day. Good night!

Special Delivery!!!

I received a special delivery today. Thank you to Ann and Michelle - I also hope I can soon get my nursing shoes back on!!!

These beautiful flowers remind me that spring is on it's way!!!

2/18/2011 (evening update)

Today was an uneventful day, which is good. I just took it easy all day, not like I could do much if I wanted, and I enjoyed the weather and just being home. There something relaxing about being home even if you don't feel good. Something about laying in your own bed to sleep and relax, for some reason it's much more comfortable.

I did enjoy getting to sit outside for a little and watch my dog play. It was a beautiful day outside. I'm glad I wasn't stuck in the hospital on a day like today. I'm ready for spring and summer to get here. I think today was just a teaser though for spring. It sounds like its going to get pretty cold again in a couple of days.

I was able to see and talk to my sister and my nephews on skype a little tonight. That was fun. I really miss them being gone and not being able to see them. I was able to see Parker crawl for the first time. He is getting so big. It's hard to believe he will be 1 year old in April. It seems like he was just born and we were in Ohio seeing him for the first time at IHC.

Taking it one day at a time.

Lucky - 2/18/2011

I was able to get outside and enjoy the warm weather. I had missed Lucky and didn't get to see her last night when I got home, so I went outside today to see her. Of course I just had to take my camera and take some pictures of her.

2/18/2011

Slept fairly well last night and was only up a couple of times. At least the IV pump did alarm any and keep me up from that.

Home Health nurse was here around 10:00. She had some questions to ask and some paperwork for me to sign. Since I am a nurse it went quick and she was done within the hour. She told me I would be her easiest patient of the day as in independence but some were healthier than me and still required more care. The next visit is Sunday and they will be doing blood work then to make sure all my electrolytes are still normal.

2/17/2011 (8:30pm update)

Well, I finally made it home around 6:00pm. I guess the doctor got busy and had patients crashing so that is why I didn't get to go home before noon like they had said. I just got tired of waiting around though. The later it got the more I began to think I wasn't going to get to come home today. I was also worried that nobody would be home for when Vitaline delivered all my TPN and line supplies.

At 7:30 the home health nurse came and did my vitals and helped me get my TPN set up for the first night at home. Since I am a nurse it was easy and I did most of it by myself. I guess tomorrow a nurse will be coming and actually doing an admission, and from what I hear it takes about 2 hours. Sounds fun!!!


I have a primary care physician follow-up appointment on Monday and hopefully tomorrow my GI follow-up appointment will be scheduled for early next week. The biopsy results will go to my GI doctor. So I will either find out at an appointment or will be called with the results. I'm not sure how many days it will take to get the results.

Well, I think I'm soon heading to bed. It has been a long day.

2/17/2011 (4:00 update)

My main doctor was just in and said I can go home. So now I am just sitting here waiting on my paperwork to get done.

I will be having lots of follow-up appointments throughout the next couple of weeks and waiting for the results of the biopsy.

Home health should be at my house to see me yet tonight and also the pharmacy that is supplying everything. So will probably end up being a busy evening.

Hopefully I will be able to post another update this evening after all the home visits and teaching are done.

2/17/2011 (9:00 update)

Primary team PA was in to see me. She confirmed about what the nutrition doctor had said about the procedure yesterday. They found a nodule in my duodenum and biopsied and are studying it to see what it is. I have to follow up about it with my primary outpatient GI doctor in a couple days. They are also starting me on a proton pump inhibitor which reduces the production of acid.

I am able to go home today. Just waiting on the paperwork. Hopefully it doesn't turn into a fiasco like the other day.

Will post more updates as I can. 

2/17/2011

GI nutrition doctor was in first this morning, He seems pleased with my lab work. They had increased the amount of TPN from 1500mls to 2000mls. Until the lab work is stable for a few days, they make adjustment of everything that is in it until they get the amounts of everything right for my individual body.

Per nutrition I can go home today, and also I know the primary team said yesterday that I should be able to go home this morning. So, we will see how everything turns out today.

I am a little nervous to hear what the GI doctors have to say about the procedure yesterday. Some have said a little bit and it has me a little worried.

Will post updates as I can.

2/16/2011

1:00 - Going for procedure right now. Please pray. I may not get to post an update on how it went tonight, but will definitely try to do so as soon as I can.

8:00 - Procedure is done and I am back in my room and awake after a couple hours of sleep. I haven't heard anything from the doctors yet about what they found if anything.

Will try and keep you posted as I find out.

2/15/2011

GI nutrition doctors were in. They were able to cycle my TPN last night which means instead of running for 24hrs they try running it over 14hrs. My potassium was a little off this morning but he still thought I could probably go home today, but that decision is up to my primary team of doctors and what they think. They will make adjustment according to the TPN for tonight based on my lab results from this morning.

Primary doctors were in and wanted to discharge me. The concerns that I have and also the nurses concerns were discussed with the doctors. They set up a plan and discharge papers were ordered. IV team came to de-access my mediport. Right at that time, GI doctor was in with the results of CT scan and stated that they had found something on the CT scan and wanted to do a procedure to remove/see what this was. They wanted to do it today, but then I told them I was being discharged and my discharge papers were already done. So then the GI doctor decided that I could come in tomorrow morning as an outpatient and have it done.

The problem with this by me and the nurses went along with some of the concerns we had earlier. My blood pressure started running lower last night and today and upon discharge I wouldn't be getting as much fluids as I was in the hospital. We were concerned then, that I would be right back in the hospital in a couple of days. Also with this procedure they wanted to do it under general anesthesia due to what all they wanted to do when they are down there. I don't do very well sometime with anesthesia and we were concerned that I would go home today, have the procedure tomorrow and be readmitted again to the hospital. So after many phone calls, the conclusion is that I will not be going home today and I will find out later exactly the details of when the procedure is.

Mediport was accessed again and fluids were once again started. TPN gets started around 6:00 and will be cycled again through the night and til 8:00 in the morning.

That will probably be all the excitement for the day. If anything else interesting happens will be sure to update if I can.

Tomorrow will be the procedure but I have no idea what time that will be. Prayers appreciated. It is a little concerning thinking about what it could be they saw. The way things go with me they won't even be able to find what they saw and we will be right back where we started.

CT Scan

CT scan is just now over. It was a horrible experience.

They give you 36 ounces of nasty tasting stuff to drink. Which for an average healthy person is not good but they are able to manage to drink it for the test. Well, now try giving that to a very sick person who vomits when she has been NPO (nothing by mouth) for 5 days. So I try and start drinking this contrast. I'm not a very big drinker to begin with so seeing a big bottle of contrast to drink is not appealing. I am nauseous before I ever start drinking and so I try and start sipping. They want you to drink 12 ounces over an hour. May not seem like a lot to an average person, but to a sick person it is A LOT. The nurses and I from the beginning figured I would just do the best I can to get as much down and not push it. We figure that keeping some down is better than trying to drink it all and vomiting it all back up. So I start drinking and by the time for the scan I only have a little over a cup down. I can't handle anymore due to the pain and the nausea. Well the doctors decide that I have to have all of it for the test. They wanted the nurse to put an NG tube down so they can give me the rest of the contrast. Well, that's stupid because I have a G-tube. So they order some morphine to try and control the pain even though they knew it would still be painful and uncomfortable and after the morphine is in they want me to put the rest of the contrast through the tube. So that is what we do. I'm so nauseous and uncomfortable it's ridiculous. I can't hardly talk because if I do I'm going to end up vomiting. I have a nursing student with me today, which I don't mind because I was in their shoes before. But, when you really don't feel good and then they start messing around and doing things that don't necessarily need done it gets annoying. So I manage to make it to the scan and get that done. Get back to the room and am then able to drain the contrast via the G-tube which was it's original purpose (to drain the stomach when nauseous).

So glad that is over with. I hope they may get some answers from it and that it wasn't all for nothing.

2/14/11 Update

Just found out they were able to schedule me a Temple appointment. Hopefully it is a big step in getting some answers, treatments and getting better.

Also I'm having a CT scan tonight at 6:30.

2/14/2011

Well, yesterday after I posted things began to change. The nurse informed me that I would be moving to a different floor so that they could monitor my heart. I had developed what is called refeeding syndrome which happens to some people when starting TPN. Basically it is that my body was really malnourished and when it started receiving the TPN it started pushing the electrolytes into the cells and out of the blood. It can be very dangerous and cause heart rhythm trouble so they wanted to be able to watch me for that. The electrolytes that were dangerously low were replaced through the IV and monitored through my labs.

After replacement,  my labs looked much better. Still on the low side but much better to normal. So they made some corrections to the TPN that started last night and are hoping my labs are still normal when they check them again in the morning.

They are hoping to be able to start cycling the TPN tonight. So that I just receive the TPN for 14hrs out of the day. It would run then from 6pm to 8am. If they are able to do that they are talking about sending me home shortly thereafter.

They did consult the GI doctors again to check on some things. I woke up last night at 4am with severe abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea. They had been wanting a CT scan but it had not been done yet, so I was asking about it today and GI was just in here and did an extensive history from when this sickness started. They are going to discuss it with the whole GI team and see what conclusions they can come up with and see what tests they want run. So I figure if they are wanting some more tests run I still may be in here a couple days yet.

I find it kind of comical though. Sometimes a nurse or aid will come hurrying into the room and just say "I need to get your blood pressure." They take the blood pressure and then they leave. That has happen only a handful of times, but I found out they are doing that because of what they are seeing on the heart monitor. My primary doctors told me that I had an episode of VTACH last night. The other times I found out my heart rate would go into the 140's.

Will try and post an update once the doctor are back in and have discussed and thought of a plan,

2/13/2011

If all goes well today and overnight, it looks like I should be getting out of here tomorrow.

The plan is to go home with TPN and just wait to get into Temple. They have specialized testing and programs and surgeries they can do that may help me. This hospital basically told there is nothing more they can do for me here, so we just have to wait to go to Temple. Hopefully that could be soon. The sooner the better in my book.

I missed Lucky's 1st birthday this week. I was sad about that. Hopefully I can see her tomorrow.

Will try and keep you all posted. (Not sure if I have any readers anymore, LOL) I just checked my traffic report and have had 0 visits in the past week.

Pray that I can go home soon and be able to get into Temple fairly quickly, Thanks so much!!!

2/12/2011

Taking a couple minutes to post an update on here quick since it has been a couple days since my last post.

I was admitted back into the hospital on Wednesday and looks like I will be here for a few days still. I was only out of the hospital for 4 days before having to go back. Got really sick pretty quick and realized more was going to be needing done.

The last admission I received a mediport for IV access since my body's veins had been abused and nurses were not able to find anymore to use. This admit they had to put a PICC in also because I need TPN and will need it once I'm discharged also. So they are getting me set up with a Home Health agency to come and due line care, lab draws, and help with the TPN management.

I just can't wait to get back to work and the way it seems right now it will be a little while. Time stops for nobody and so the bills still keep coming due. Oh well, God has a plan for everything so I just need to trust Him (which is easier said than done)

Lucky - 2/7/11

Here are some pictures I took of Lucky today. I'm biased, but I think she is the best looking German Shepherd ever!!!

Back in the swing of things.....

Well, I guess I am going to try and take up blogging/journaling again.

Today is/was kind of a sad day. I had to turn in my withdrawal notice to school. I had started back to college in January working towards getting into the PA program. I will not be able to keep up with class right now due to some of my physical issues. I was just discharged from the hospital on Saturday after being in a little over a week. With the stress of not being able to work right now and all that is going on physically, I realized it is just too much on my plate right now.  I have more important things to focus on right now than worrying about the tests or papers and homework. I am sad about it though, because I was really excited and looking forward to starting back to school and becoming a PA. With God all things are possible, and if that is what he want me to do He will work it out when it's best.

There are a lot of question marks right now, but I'm glad that we have somebody we can turn to and can lean on. I may not have all the answers, the doctors may not have all the answers, but I am glad that there is somebody who sees the big picture and knows what is all going on and can give me the strength to go through it.

Hopefully this blog will be getting more frequent updates and posts. As you can see I changed some things, such as the title and the looks :)

Lucky - 1 yr old

Here is a picture of Lucky during the week of her 1st birthday. More to come.....

She is just the sweetest dog ever. I had just gotten out of the hospital and hadn't seen her for over a week and was excited to see her, but I know how energetic she can be. So I was a little hesitant to see her and play with her after just getting home. Anyways, I went a left her out and I have never seen her act so calm and as gentle as she did. She calmly walked out of her house and came by me and followed me in the house. Usually as soon as we get in the house she takes off running and chasing/looking for the cat. But no, she just ever so calmly walks around the house and then comes back to me and just sits on my lap or just rests her paws on my arms and lets me pet her. It almost seemed as if she could sense I was sick and knew she shouldn't be jumping and carrying on around me. She is the BEST!!!!

Lucky - 11 months!!!

My Pap with Lucky