Joe is laying on the couch, a protective pillow in his lap, recovering very nicely from his surgery. He is happily playing "Dogs" on his DS, a prize for being a brave boy from Mom and Dad. Next to him is a goofy balloon and a game of "Stix and Balls" given by beloved Aunt Debbie, with the note "Joe don't worry. You'll feel well enough to play with your stix and balls in no time."
A sense of humor, the willingness to give it and take it, is a must in Blauss world.
It is interesting how people react to anesthesia. Mary, Jamie, Julie, Donnie, and I all politely lost consciousness. Corey on the other hand became high as a kite and talked a mile a minute. (ok the talking part happens with or without medication for him.) Joe got a fit of the giggles. He laughed and laughed and took his time falling asleep. The entire OR staff gathered around to smile at him, watching our boy giggle and laughing themselves.
After, as he slowly regained consciousness, his little voice almost buried in the blankets, he politely refused juice and thanked the nurse. Everything she did for him was met with a whispered thanks. She stopped to rub his red hair and compliment him on his politeness.
She had a brief moment of trouble with him when he was first wheeled in from the OR. He kept flailing and turning and she almost strapped him down. Then she realized he was trying to get into a sleep position. Hovering protectively over him she waited for him to settle in his normal sleep pose. And settle he did, curled in a ball on his tummy, arms and legs tucked up under him- his usual sleeping position. (like a little frog.)
It made checking his incisions and keeping an eye on his IV a bit trickier but she was so captivated by our guy she let him be and worked around him.
The whole ordeal from arrival to departure took about five hours. He was fairly relaxed once he got there which was a relief since he spent the last two nights a nervous wreck, tossing and turning and fretting and worrying.
Now its all behind him, well all but the recovery. He needs to keep still for today and then for the next two weeks there is to be no lifting, wrestling, jumping. riding, etc. How we will keep our ADHD boy from doing all this is a mystery.
Hopefully no complications will set in. He ended up needing a small hernia repaired in addition to his "manly procedure". But things went smoothly and we could not have asked for kinder staff. All the nurses were fascinated about his adoption and how it all came about and told us how lucky HE is. We know the truth however which is that WE are the lucky ones! Every single day our lives are blessed because our mischief boy is here.
BTW, throughout his surgery Toothy was allowed to accompany him. I only got to be with him until he went under anesthesia and then Don and I were allowed in Recovery. But Toothy got to stay in the OR, a hospital bracelet matching Joe's, around his waist (Do dinosaurs even have waists?)
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Snowshoes
Last night at the height of the storm with the snow falling and the wind howling I so wanted to go out and snow shoe. But everyone else was asleep and I am afraid of the dark. So tonight as soon as supper was over I convinced Donnie to climb up in the attic and find the snow shoes I bought him three years ago (we have pretty much had no snow since!)
Many curses (low ceiling, tall husband) and a half hour later he found them and we strapped them on and were off. Joe and Jamie have little mini snow shoes too and soon they were out playing in the snow with us.
No moon out but the stars were lovely and the snow deep and clean. We hiked along the power lines amazed at how different everything looks and sounds in the dark and snow. So lovely.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Snow Day... er Night?
Do you get to call it a "snow day" when you work the night shift? I called in to work tonight due to the blizzard conditions, I got as far as the Cumberland Farms (about two miles away) when I realized that loving wind and snow does not mean I need to end up in a snow bank to fully appreciate it!
It is now closing in on midnight and I am WIDE AWAKE. Tim and Yon are driving me crazy sitting in the living room having some inane conversation and interrupting my train of thought. I do not dare outwardly criticize however. They just spent the better part of two hours shoveling out my car, the driveway, and the bus stop.
I had gotten plenty of sleep in preparation for work. The little kids let me sleep until ten thirty this morning. Lest you think I have wonderful children, please note that they let me sleep too late to take them to the nine o'clock Mass and I had to had Nikki at basketball practice by eleven.
I then lay down in the late afternoon for a Benedryl fueled nap in preparation for the night shift. Needless to say I am now wide awake and home for the night. I have tidied both living room and kitchen and did a 45 minute exercise bout with my belly dancing video.
I shall write a quick blog, let the dogs out one more time and perhaps catch the Jane Austin special on PBS. I think it is to be Mansfield Park this evening.
Very glad I turned around, slipping and sliding and headed back home. I love snow and I really love wind. But the plows on route 25 on the Cape are not as diligent as one would hope when drving about in a storm. Hope everyone else had a warm and safe evening...
It is now closing in on midnight and I am WIDE AWAKE. Tim and Yon are driving me crazy sitting in the living room having some inane conversation and interrupting my train of thought. I do not dare outwardly criticize however. They just spent the better part of two hours shoveling out my car, the driveway, and the bus stop.
I had gotten plenty of sleep in preparation for work. The little kids let me sleep until ten thirty this morning. Lest you think I have wonderful children, please note that they let me sleep too late to take them to the nine o'clock Mass and I had to had Nikki at basketball practice by eleven.
I then lay down in the late afternoon for a Benedryl fueled nap in preparation for the night shift. Needless to say I am now wide awake and home for the night. I have tidied both living room and kitchen and did a 45 minute exercise bout with my belly dancing video.
I shall write a quick blog, let the dogs out one more time and perhaps catch the Jane Austin special on PBS. I think it is to be Mansfield Park this evening.
Very glad I turned around, slipping and sliding and headed back home. I love snow and I really love wind. But the plows on route 25 on the Cape are not as diligent as one would hope when drving about in a storm. Hope everyone else had a warm and safe evening...
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Fooling Comes to Crying
This was the fourth day in a row that the children were home from school. First the weekend, then MLK day, and then teacher training day.
I knew it was a day to prepare for combat. They had all been unusually well behaved and very busy the last three days ... lots of friends over, or off visiting friends, late nights, late mornings, minimal chores.
But today was a cold dreary day, Dad was back at work and tempers were frayed. They could not, not for one second, let the slightest real or perceived slight go by. "She is looking at me, he made a face at me, she ALWAYS gets to, he always says..."
I started the day with a sense of humor, imagining my self wearing a flack jacket and preparing to fend off hand grenades and softly lobbed bombs. By noon I swear I popped a vocal core yelling. By supper I had slave labor scrubbing and scouring and doing laundry in repayment for sins committed.
At one point Nikki and I were walking in the drizzle (five activity points earned for Weight Watchers for every hour of brisk walking.) We strolled past a yard that had five little kids all under eight years old playing on a swing set and running about. Sigh, I can remember those years and how much I loved them.
People could never figure out how (or why) I would want that many. But really when they are all that little it is SOOOOOOOOOO much easier than now.
Big kids are louder, meaner, and have long memories. They are also devious. If a two year old wants a sibling's toy he simply grabs or fusses or on occasion takes a bite. Older siblings use the meanest sly-est words, the most cutting they know, to wound their sibling. A bite on the arm is much easier to take than a bite to a middle schooler's psyche.
The only thing louder than unhappy arguing big kids is a group of them having "fun" together, just teasing. "Fooling comes to crying" my beloved Fathers use to say. Every time the big kids just horse around together SOMEONE cries....and its usually Jamie!
There was one brief shining moment. My friend Lynne is walking for A Cure For Breast Cancer, for her friend Pauline. The kids all wanted to chip in money and each of them asked caring loving questions about what its like to live with breast cancer, how Pauline's kids must feel, etc. They gladly gave of their money and then went right back to harassing aggravating and annoying each other. It gives me prescious little hope in the concept of world peace.
The good news: Tomorrow is a full school day....God Bless us everyone. (Tiny Tim's siblings probably gave him that darn limp.)
I knew it was a day to prepare for combat. They had all been unusually well behaved and very busy the last three days ... lots of friends over, or off visiting friends, late nights, late mornings, minimal chores.
But today was a cold dreary day, Dad was back at work and tempers were frayed. They could not, not for one second, let the slightest real or perceived slight go by. "She is looking at me, he made a face at me, she ALWAYS gets to, he always says..."
I started the day with a sense of humor, imagining my self wearing a flack jacket and preparing to fend off hand grenades and softly lobbed bombs. By noon I swear I popped a vocal core yelling. By supper I had slave labor scrubbing and scouring and doing laundry in repayment for sins committed.
At one point Nikki and I were walking in the drizzle (five activity points earned for Weight Watchers for every hour of brisk walking.) We strolled past a yard that had five little kids all under eight years old playing on a swing set and running about. Sigh, I can remember those years and how much I loved them.
People could never figure out how (or why) I would want that many. But really when they are all that little it is SOOOOOOOOOO much easier than now.
Big kids are louder, meaner, and have long memories. They are also devious. If a two year old wants a sibling's toy he simply grabs or fusses or on occasion takes a bite. Older siblings use the meanest sly-est words, the most cutting they know, to wound their sibling. A bite on the arm is much easier to take than a bite to a middle schooler's psyche.
The only thing louder than unhappy arguing big kids is a group of them having "fun" together, just teasing. "Fooling comes to crying" my beloved Fathers use to say. Every time the big kids just horse around together SOMEONE cries....and its usually Jamie!
There was one brief shining moment. My friend Lynne is walking for A Cure For Breast Cancer, for her friend Pauline. The kids all wanted to chip in money and each of them asked caring loving questions about what its like to live with breast cancer, how Pauline's kids must feel, etc. They gladly gave of their money and then went right back to harassing aggravating and annoying each other. It gives me prescious little hope in the concept of world peace.
The good news: Tomorrow is a full school day....God Bless us everyone. (Tiny Tim's siblings probably gave him that darn limp.)
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Please check out
My friends Website. They are walking the Avon breast cancer walk, all 39 miles. Amazing women please donate.
http://info.avonfoundation.org/site/TR/Walk2008/Boston?px=3847618&pg=personal&fr_id=1440&et=FxWRk6iEcc3VEilWXBbCxQ..&s_tafId=258088
40&et=FxWRk6iEcc3VEilWXBbCxQ..&s_tafId=258088
http://info.avonfoundation.org/site/TR/Walk2008/Boston?px=3847618&pg=personal&fr_id=1440&et=FxWRk6iEcc3VEilWXBbCxQ..&s_tafId=258088
40&et=FxWRk6iEcc3VEilWXBbCxQ..&s_tafId=258088
Monday, January 14, 2008
Belly Dancing
The exercise world goes through as many fads as any other part of pop culture. Fourteen years ago I was Sweating to the Oldies with Richard Simmons. (His number two is still the best aerobic video EVER!)
Around ten years ago I just had to get a treadmill. They are not in vogue at the gym these days (ellipticals are!) but my treadmill still works and it functions during down times as a great clothes hanger. I even briefly tried the mini trampoline and almost permanently crushed my already degenerating discs.
I have walked, jogged, and oh so momentarily tried to get buns of steal.... Some of the exercise 'must haves' fall by the way side and others find a part of healthy people's routines.
Experts now say the key is strength training (i.e. weight lifting), aerobics, and stretching - a half hour a day for all normal adults and an hour of honest to goodness exercise for those trying to lose weight.
Some people like my sister in law Debbie or my Joey are Yoga-ish bendy but have no aerobic capacity at all, others, like my friend Mark are muscle bound weight lifters who couldn't touch their toes if they were offered money. Then there are people like my Nikki who can run forever but can barely carry a bag of groceries. (Ok that may have less to do with her strength capacity and more to do with her Princess-Complex.)
But my "Healthy Weight in 2008" mantra has me revisiting tried and true get in shape exercises (like walking!) and exploring new horizons.
Which brings me to the FIT-TV channel and SHIMMY a half hour belly dancing yoga-ee-aerobic-ee routine that is fun to watch, but even more fun to do!
First of all these woman have normal looking bodies. Second the steps are shown slowly with none of the Jane Fonda go for the burn crap. (Luckily I missed her 15 minutes of guru fame, although I remember my mother buying Jane's stuff!). Second they exercise in normal clothes except at the very end when they wear fun belly dancing stuff. I so want the jingle jangly beads and coins and belts!
Third, it really feels invigorating to do! Plus the next day all that is left is a residual muscle tiredness but not oh my gosh pain. So its working but not killing!
So Julie and I are learning to Belly dance. It is after all the most perfect dance for me as I am nothing if not BELLY:>)
If I get good at it I may, for a select audience, perform the Dance of The Seven Veils.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Anticipation
There is a snow storm that is suppose to hit tomorrow. The weather forecasters have been talking about it since last Wednesday but I am trying not to listen to closely.
I am trying not to listen to closely because I LOVE SNOW STORMS, the bigger the better, think Blizzard of 78. I love the snow, the wind, the chill, the no school announcements.....yes even the no school announcements.
I had the kids gather fire wood today while it is still dry. Nothing like a nice toasty fire to warm the piggy toes after battling the elements shoveling. Ok I do not actually shovel. It helps to have a brother and husband and two strapping over six feet tall sons, not to mention a host of shorter progeny to do the shoveling!
But I like to follow the paths they make out to the animal barns, making sure the chickens and rabbits are warm and dry, adding extra hay or defrosting water bowls. I like to dig into the snow bank and help the kids make forts or snowmen, or find good places nearby to go coasting. (The last few years we have trekked to the high school.)
My only worry will be Donnie driving home in it. And I believe Yon and Tim will need to head into work during the worst of it. But Don never minds snow driving and Tim is looking forward to it as well.
I am going to have a beef stew bubbling on the back burner for most of the day tomorrow and Nikki and I have spent an hour trying to find all the matching mittens and gloves.
I know I am a grownup and I am suppose to complain about snow. I am suppose to race to Shaws and buy out all their batteries and milk. But I just cannot help it. Snow is lovely and fun and one of the reasons I coudl never live anywhere but New England. Let it snow!!!
I am trying not to listen to closely because I LOVE SNOW STORMS, the bigger the better, think Blizzard of 78. I love the snow, the wind, the chill, the no school announcements.....yes even the no school announcements.
I had the kids gather fire wood today while it is still dry. Nothing like a nice toasty fire to warm the piggy toes after battling the elements shoveling. Ok I do not actually shovel. It helps to have a brother and husband and two strapping over six feet tall sons, not to mention a host of shorter progeny to do the shoveling!
But I like to follow the paths they make out to the animal barns, making sure the chickens and rabbits are warm and dry, adding extra hay or defrosting water bowls. I like to dig into the snow bank and help the kids make forts or snowmen, or find good places nearby to go coasting. (The last few years we have trekked to the high school.)
My only worry will be Donnie driving home in it. And I believe Yon and Tim will need to head into work during the worst of it. But Don never minds snow driving and Tim is looking forward to it as well.
I am going to have a beef stew bubbling on the back burner for most of the day tomorrow and Nikki and I have spent an hour trying to find all the matching mittens and gloves.
I know I am a grownup and I am suppose to complain about snow. I am suppose to race to Shaws and buy out all their batteries and milk. But I just cannot help it. Snow is lovely and fun and one of the reasons I coudl never live anywhere but New England. Let it snow!!!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Chickens come before the eggs
This morning Joe and Donnie ate French toast, made from the first four eggs that the baby hens laid. They are officially old enough to begin laying although chickens in general lay less frequently during the cold weather. By the time spring warms up they should each lay once per day.
We are stocking up on egg cartons and Joe is counting his earnings in his head. He has spent the money three times over although he has yet to make a cent. I tried telling him he cannot eat all the product if he hopes to make a profit but he assures me that even HE cannot consume the eggs from 27 chickens.
On a related note (consuming) I am in the midst of the hardest part of my diet. Most people count the 16 hours that they are awake as the time to fit eating in. This works if you work a normal job. The problem arises if you are like me and work the night shift. So I have been awake since seven this morning and like most people have not eaten since my snack about nine pm the night before. (totally on point.) But I am working 11-7 tonight and so need to eat one meal during that time. I eat another about nine thirty tonight when I wake up from a nap before going to work. That means from nine last night until nine tonight I only have one other meal to eat. Well think about that. In twenty four hours eat one meal, sleep for some of the time, exercise, do chores, kid stuff, etc. Doesn't seem like it will work does it? No wonder I am hungry all the time!
So I drink my water and try to eat zero and one point things like a WW yogurt, a banana, etc. Not very appealing is it?
What really gets me is I woke up this morning after only two days of walking and my muscles are sore. It is a little lowering to think I am so out of shape I have sore muscles from WALKING, geesh! Day three of WW...this morning I decided to find a yoga or stretching show to work out to so as not to risk my back . I found FITTV and went from a half hour of yoga to a half hour of dance aerobics, very fun and I was careful of my back.
Am consumed by thoughts of food and trimness... But it will be fun when Don and I go off on our tropic 25th wedding anniversary trip, this Fall, to be all healthy and energetic...maybe I shall shock the Caribbean and wear a bikini!
We are stocking up on egg cartons and Joe is counting his earnings in his head. He has spent the money three times over although he has yet to make a cent. I tried telling him he cannot eat all the product if he hopes to make a profit but he assures me that even HE cannot consume the eggs from 27 chickens.
On a related note (consuming) I am in the midst of the hardest part of my diet. Most people count the 16 hours that they are awake as the time to fit eating in. This works if you work a normal job. The problem arises if you are like me and work the night shift. So I have been awake since seven this morning and like most people have not eaten since my snack about nine pm the night before. (totally on point.) But I am working 11-7 tonight and so need to eat one meal during that time. I eat another about nine thirty tonight when I wake up from a nap before going to work. That means from nine last night until nine tonight I only have one other meal to eat. Well think about that. In twenty four hours eat one meal, sleep for some of the time, exercise, do chores, kid stuff, etc. Doesn't seem like it will work does it? No wonder I am hungry all the time!
So I drink my water and try to eat zero and one point things like a WW yogurt, a banana, etc. Not very appealing is it?
What really gets me is I woke up this morning after only two days of walking and my muscles are sore. It is a little lowering to think I am so out of shape I have sore muscles from WALKING, geesh! Day three of WW...this morning I decided to find a yoga or stretching show to work out to so as not to risk my back . I found FITTV and went from a half hour of yoga to a half hour of dance aerobics, very fun and I was careful of my back.
Am consumed by thoughts of food and trimness... But it will be fun when Don and I go off on our tropic 25th wedding anniversary trip, this Fall, to be all healthy and energetic...maybe I shall shock the Caribbean and wear a bikini!
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Day Two Of Weight Watchers
Ok perhaps I still have a few issues to work out. I did take a lovely walk this morning on this blustery January day. The wind was so strong it lifted my Red Sox hat right from my head! I listened to Grease as I strode a tad further and faster than yesterday.Tummy has growled nonstop, not my imagination. Ah well, as I walked I visualized my weigh in next week, what I would look like this summer at the pond, how I would feel at next Year Year's Eve party. This does help somewhat. Makes me feel good... although my tummy growls through it all.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
All Good Gifts Around Us
I went back to Weight Watchers this morning, rather discouraged, and dreading the first weigh in. I am ten pounds less than my very highest weight. But I also gained back close to 54 pounds. All that work two and a half years ago and what do I have to show for it?
After listening to the program speech for newbies, I took all my paperwork chock full of tips and encouragement and headed back home to fight with the Sears credit card people (third time) about an extra 1.73$ charge, then figured I may as well go for a walk while the weather holds out. (I am leaving out the laundry, animal care, getting kids off to school etc!)
Jamie gave me his old CD player, which I dug out and I fought with it, and an old one of Julie's, trying to get enough batteries and ear phones etc between the two to get one working machine. As you can imagine neither my heart nor my back is into this whole diet/exercise crap. I already know how darn hard and all consuming it is.
I grabbed my Dad's Godspell soundtrack and headed out. At first I barely noticed how mild it is for January. I was too busy being discouraged that I could not walk at my very brisk pace. That is how out of shape I have become, a two mile walk is leaving me huffing and puffing- geesh. I thought about how I could not afford the Y membership yet and how lifting weights the other time really helped. Instead I am walking at a snails pace down the same roads I have walked all the other times I have tried to lose weight, listening to an old soundtrack on a cd player that requires delicate handling in order to function.
But then "All Good Gifts Came" on and I noticed how mild it is, the sun warm, the breeze gentle. My Dad always put this soundtrack on after Mass while he did chores about the house. He rarely sang, but he would hum along and sometimes pause just caught up in the poetry of the words.
"We plow the fields and scatter the good seed on the land..
But it is fed and watered by God's almighty hand..
He sends us snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain...
The breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain...
All good gifts around us
Are sent from Heaven above
So thank the Lord, thank the Lord for all his love...
We thank thee then, O Father, for all things bright and good,
The seedtime and the harvest, our life our health our food,
No gifts have we to offer for all thy love imparts
But that which thou desirest, our humble thankful hearts!
All good gifts around us
Are sent from Heaven above..
Then thank the Lord, thank the Lord for all his love..
I really wanna thank you Lord!
All good gifts around us
Are sent from Heaven above..
Then thank the Lord, oh thank the Lord for all his love.. "
( During the second chorus on Dad's old eight track the music would fade for a moment while the track skipped and then resumed. I don't know when he got the cd, but its scratched and dusty so he must've played it quite a bit too.)
I am here today. Today, ten pounds less than two and a half years ago. Surrounded by a family that is wild and wonderful. I have anongoing love affair with the same man since I was 17.
I can walk these same roads huffing and puffing on this beautiful day in January. I have the opportunity to better my health using a plan that is tried and true. Yes it is hard work, yes it can be discouraging.
But I am surrounded by All Good Gifts and I really do want to thank the Lord.
After my walk I sat on the garden bench and nibbled on a bit of parsley. The garden beds are mostly empty except for a few perennial herbs. The structure of the garden really stands out in winter. The rock walls and beds we built, the pond, the grape arbor and the patio made from blocks from my parents' and Don's parents back yards. All good gifts indeed.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Gavestone quote- it made julie laugh
"See the lovely blooming flower.
Fades and withers in an hour.
So our transient comforts fly.
Pleasure only blooms to die."
Fades and withers in an hour.
So our transient comforts fly.
Pleasure only blooms to die."
Do rugs float?
Interesting question... Apparently rugs do not float. However washing machine pipes occasionally freeze and then empty onto rugs...
I should note that the washer was full of dirty towels at the time, towels that I could then not use to soak up the floor before the water found its way to the rug...the rug in Corey's new room. We do not do things half-arsed around here.
This I suppose was simply a karmic reminder that its one step ahead, two steps behind. I had been feeling so productive. I conquered my dreaded phone phobia long enough to contact Verizon, Comcast, Sears (do you know their % rate is 29.4 percent? The Mafia offers a better rating.) I then spoke with Blue Cross Blue Shield, and dealt with doctors, school paperwork, and searched over an hour to put together paperwork for the town hall. For reasons known only to odd little bureaucrats the voter registration list and the dog licenses are now connected? But perhaps it is not just a voter registration list (after all it did not have Corey on it). On the back of the form it implied its a census and everyone is listed. But it makes no mention of the younger five people in this household. The front of the form insists on knowing how many dogs we have however so perhaps they are on the voting rolls.
I shall head to the town hall after getting Joey off the bus and picking Julie up at the high school.We can straighten out the voter registration/census, license the three dogs and see if the board of health is around to take our ten dollars and fifty cents and give us a permit for the rabbits and chickens (one dollar for every six of the little darlings.)
I did manage to throw together a beef stew for supper tonight as at some point I need to lay down before going into work. Was it the army or the marines that claimed it did more work by 8 a.m. than most people do all day?
I have decided to leave final clean up of the flood for Donnie. He likes it when I leave him little gifts and surprises.
The kicker of the whole thing? We normally would have had a couple of mounds of dirty laundry on the floor in front of the washing machine which could have soaked up all the water. But as part of my New years resolution I have been Suzy homemaker and caught up on said laundry.
Just goes to show you, no good deed goes unpunished.
I should note that the washer was full of dirty towels at the time, towels that I could then not use to soak up the floor before the water found its way to the rug...the rug in Corey's new room. We do not do things half-arsed around here.
This I suppose was simply a karmic reminder that its one step ahead, two steps behind. I had been feeling so productive. I conquered my dreaded phone phobia long enough to contact Verizon, Comcast, Sears (do you know their % rate is 29.4 percent? The Mafia offers a better rating.) I then spoke with Blue Cross Blue Shield, and dealt with doctors, school paperwork, and searched over an hour to put together paperwork for the town hall. For reasons known only to odd little bureaucrats the voter registration list and the dog licenses are now connected? But perhaps it is not just a voter registration list (after all it did not have Corey on it). On the back of the form it implied its a census and everyone is listed. But it makes no mention of the younger five people in this household. The front of the form insists on knowing how many dogs we have however so perhaps they are on the voting rolls.
I shall head to the town hall after getting Joey off the bus and picking Julie up at the high school.We can straighten out the voter registration/census, license the three dogs and see if the board of health is around to take our ten dollars and fifty cents and give us a permit for the rabbits and chickens (one dollar for every six of the little darlings.)
I did manage to throw together a beef stew for supper tonight as at some point I need to lay down before going into work. Was it the army or the marines that claimed it did more work by 8 a.m. than most people do all day?
I have decided to leave final clean up of the flood for Donnie. He likes it when I leave him little gifts and surprises.
The kicker of the whole thing? We normally would have had a couple of mounds of dirty laundry on the floor in front of the washing machine which could have soaked up all the water. But as part of my New years resolution I have been Suzy homemaker and caught up on said laundry.
Just goes to show you, no good deed goes unpunished.
"What if they take out the wrong bone?"
Medical intervention in our home has been relatively rare considering the amount of people living here. For years I made weekly trips to the doctors and hospitals with various medically involved foster children, of course. But thankfully our own kids have remained healthy.
Each time a foster baby needed a procedure or hospital stay it was traumatic for me. But since they were so little, at least there was not the added burden of their own concerns.
I always remained in the hospital with them, Donnie normally taking unpaid time off from work, or Maureen and Margie were arm twisted into babysitting. It was a stressful time but the kids always did fine and considering the intense medical issues of two (my DJ and beloved Shaun) its rather remarkable we weren't in there more often.
But for birth and adopted Blauss kiddoes, very few anxious medical moments. Jamie did get tubes put in, and was once hospitalized with asthma. Mary did have her tonsils out and is still annoyed that all those ice cream promises were hollow...who wants ice cream when their throat is on fire?
There was of course Corey's spontaneous pneumothoraxes.... still cannot write that without a horrified shudder! (As well as a quick private medical procedure that he jokes about with Tex and Aunty Deb.)
Yet all and all we are a remarkably healthy lot. Tim has had perfect attendance since the sixth grade. That record includes four years of college and the workforce. Almost all the younger kids have had whole school years of perfect attendance as well.
With the exception of two weeks of mommy hell when seven kids under eight got the chicken pox at the same time in our house... we have lived a charmed life of good health.
All this bring me to a doctors visit for Joe yesterday morning. He is fine. Let me stress, he is fine...
It appears that one of his ***** remains undescended and so will need a minor surgery to correct the problem. (I have to be careful of how I write this as Miss Nikki now reads my blog.)
This is a simple hour long out- patient procedure with minimal invasion and only small discomfort. (OK I am certain no man actually believes such an occurrence would involve only a small amount of discomfort, never the less that is what we have been told.)
Joe was assured that if the procedure was done on a Thursday he would most likely be back to school by Monday. Now he won't be able to lift heavy things or wrestle about for a period of time. But other than that...quick and easy.
But my Joe is a thinker and he is worried. He asked a million questions and I went through the process, step by step, repeating what the doctor told us and adding touches I thought he would be curious about- like hospital gowns and ID bracelts ,and that Aunty Deb could probably be hit up for a present.
In my heart I had those foolish nameless fears that mommys get (and will not repeat as again I know Nikki may read this!)
But as I looked at him, in the review mirror all huddled in the back seat I could tell he was quite anxious. "Joe what are you thinking about? We have gone over it all and you understand what it entails right? It is normal to be a little worried. But can you share what your fears are?"
He looked at me seriously, " Mom, I'm sure the doctor is right and it will be ok. But I'm scared. I mean you hear all the time about doctors who are doing a surgery and they take out the wrong bone or something..."
So, Joe my son is afraid of medical malpractice. Then he went on to fret about whether or not he could play saxophone in the band. When I dropped him off at school I assured him we would talk about it some more, perhaps he would remember it was a private family matter and not chat about it on the playground, and not to worry about saxophone we would talk to the doctor.
Well, band is a very big deal to Joe and he decided to face it head on and talk to Mr Barakat about it, man to man. He waited until he could catch Mr Barakat alone, then explained he would need surgery soon, on his testicles and he wasn't sure if he could practice or play.
Do you so wish you could have seen Mr Barakat's face? Apparently he very seriously responded to Joe that he was not to worry and that he too once had a hernia repaired and could not play for a month...
Joe was quiet and serious for the rest of the day and cuddled with me before bed, talking about worries and fears. This morning however he awoke his typical ADHD bouncy wriggly self. He decided he would wait and not worry until he knows when the surgery is.
He is a delight that baby boy of mine. "I've got real worries and troubles," he said. "I have one cavity, I need to have sealants put on my teeth, and I have only one ball!"
Each time a foster baby needed a procedure or hospital stay it was traumatic for me. But since they were so little, at least there was not the added burden of their own concerns.
I always remained in the hospital with them, Donnie normally taking unpaid time off from work, or Maureen and Margie were arm twisted into babysitting. It was a stressful time but the kids always did fine and considering the intense medical issues of two (my DJ and beloved Shaun) its rather remarkable we weren't in there more often.
But for birth and adopted Blauss kiddoes, very few anxious medical moments. Jamie did get tubes put in, and was once hospitalized with asthma. Mary did have her tonsils out and is still annoyed that all those ice cream promises were hollow...who wants ice cream when their throat is on fire?
There was of course Corey's spontaneous pneumothoraxes.... still cannot write that without a horrified shudder! (As well as a quick private medical procedure that he jokes about with Tex and Aunty Deb.)
Yet all and all we are a remarkably healthy lot. Tim has had perfect attendance since the sixth grade. That record includes four years of college and the workforce. Almost all the younger kids have had whole school years of perfect attendance as well.
With the exception of two weeks of mommy hell when seven kids under eight got the chicken pox at the same time in our house... we have lived a charmed life of good health.
All this bring me to a doctors visit for Joe yesterday morning. He is fine. Let me stress, he is fine...
It appears that one of his ***** remains undescended and so will need a minor surgery to correct the problem. (I have to be careful of how I write this as Miss Nikki now reads my blog.)
This is a simple hour long out- patient procedure with minimal invasion and only small discomfort. (OK I am certain no man actually believes such an occurrence would involve only a small amount of discomfort, never the less that is what we have been told.)
Joe was assured that if the procedure was done on a Thursday he would most likely be back to school by Monday. Now he won't be able to lift heavy things or wrestle about for a period of time. But other than that...quick and easy.
But my Joe is a thinker and he is worried. He asked a million questions and I went through the process, step by step, repeating what the doctor told us and adding touches I thought he would be curious about- like hospital gowns and ID bracelts ,and that Aunty Deb could probably be hit up for a present.
In my heart I had those foolish nameless fears that mommys get (and will not repeat as again I know Nikki may read this!)
But as I looked at him, in the review mirror all huddled in the back seat I could tell he was quite anxious. "Joe what are you thinking about? We have gone over it all and you understand what it entails right? It is normal to be a little worried. But can you share what your fears are?"
He looked at me seriously, " Mom, I'm sure the doctor is right and it will be ok. But I'm scared. I mean you hear all the time about doctors who are doing a surgery and they take out the wrong bone or something..."
So, Joe my son is afraid of medical malpractice. Then he went on to fret about whether or not he could play saxophone in the band. When I dropped him off at school I assured him we would talk about it some more, perhaps he would remember it was a private family matter and not chat about it on the playground, and not to worry about saxophone we would talk to the doctor.
Well, band is a very big deal to Joe and he decided to face it head on and talk to Mr Barakat about it, man to man. He waited until he could catch Mr Barakat alone, then explained he would need surgery soon, on his testicles and he wasn't sure if he could practice or play.
Do you so wish you could have seen Mr Barakat's face? Apparently he very seriously responded to Joe that he was not to worry and that he too once had a hernia repaired and could not play for a month...
Joe was quiet and serious for the rest of the day and cuddled with me before bed, talking about worries and fears. This morning however he awoke his typical ADHD bouncy wriggly self. He decided he would wait and not worry until he knows when the surgery is.
He is a delight that baby boy of mine. "I've got real worries and troubles," he said. "I have one cavity, I need to have sealants put on my teeth, and I have only one ball!"
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