Burns, Freckles and Other Such Things.

These past weeks have been full of amazing moments with my incredible brain.  I've begun writing a book.  Not that that's so amazing, but I have officially begun.  I have also been PTA-ing and Ward Missionary-ing and helping a neighbor move and stuff.  But in between all that stuff there has been other stuff.  And I thought I'd share that stuff with you.

A few weeks ago I burned my arm.  I reached over a just-out-of-the-oven baking dish to grab a paper towel and my arm met the dish.  It burned!  Hurt! Ouch!

Months before this happened I had purchased a box filled with this burn gel.  I put a bottle in each car, in the kitchen, in the linen closet, in the first aid kit, in the 72 hour kits.  And I still have more waiting for a spot.  Anyhoo, Daniel grabbed a bottle and put a ton on my burn.  I reapplied a bit later and the next day my arm was that picture up there.  No blisters, no burning, no nothing.  This stuff is awesome!

Grandpa brought kazoos for the kids when they came for dinner last week.  He told the kids that now when they are asked if they play an instrument, they can say they play the kazoo.  Hah!!

Last week while on my way to grandma and grandpa's to get some peaches, I stopped at the Maverick for a diet coke.  I locked the car door, and, with keys in hand, went in.  I came out and pushed my button to unlock my door and nothing happened.  Nothing!  No beeping, no unlocking, no locking.  Nothing.  So I called Daniel, who suggested I try again.  um.  I have been pushing the darned thing the whole time.  Nothing Is Happening!  So he thought maybe it could be the battery in the key.  So I called my friend Laurie.  I asked her to please rescue me.  She came and took me to the store and she purchased a battery for me.  My purse was in my car.  Which was locked.  So I replaced the battery and pushed the button.  Nothing. Again.  So I called a locksmith.  Laurie stuck with me and we chatted while we waited.  The locksmith came and opened my door.  Good thing, because he wasn't getting paid for his trouble unless he got it opened.  So my key lock still doesn't work.  Daniel can't figure it out.  I did get the peaches. 

I went back in to my eye doctor who looked at my secret freckle.  It hasn't changed.  Yay!  So I am not in the market for a sparkly eye patch.  At least not right now.  

My left hand pinkie has begun to trigger.  It hurts like crazy cakes.  I called the surgeon to see what he could do.  They said I can't have surgery until it really sticks.  Darn it all!  But I could come and get a cortisone shot.  Uh.  No thanks.  I remember the last time they did that.  It felt like rocks were being injected into my thumb.  I think I'll wait.

Sam is taking pictures of the goats for Reflections.  I looked at his pictures and he had about 5 of his nose.  I wonder if this could be entered under the theme.  Believe, Dream, Inspire.  Dream of long eyelashes. Believe your son will take great nose shots.  Inspire with bold shots of the inside of one's nose.  Could work.

Last week while flipping through a newspaper, I saw a nasty picture.  I can't explain the picture, so I'll just tell you what the article said.  You know those flushable bum wipes?  The ones you use on your bum so your bum is clean and fresh and can flush down the toilet?  They are clogging the pipes.  They are causing huge problems for plumbers and for the sewers.  Dang.  Just when you thought you could clean your bum and rid yourself of the evidence, everyone can see that evidence in the newspaper!  That was the picture.  Is there no shame?  Do we keep cleaning our bums and flushing the flushable wipes?  Or do we go back to lousy dry TP.  Oh wait! Apparently the thick TP is causing the very same troubles in the sewers.  Dang.  There's just no way around it.  I have no advice or further comments on this.

Do you see what I see?  Hold it.  Do you see that empty space??  Daniel's old car is gone.  It's in the Scout Master's drive way now.  He's gonna sell it or donate it or something and use the money for the Scout program.  Yay, the car's gone!

And furthermore, after much grocery shopping and PTA-ing, I went to Jimmy Johns to get a #12.  It's yummy.  And I deserved it.  So I order and go to the window.  I pay and get my sandwich.  Then I come home, unload the groceries and go to eat my lunch.  And what do you know?!  It was all the inside the sandwich stuff in a lettuce leaf! Are you kidding me?  Where's my bread?!  I need the bread!  So I eat my salad wrapped in paper and then I had eat a Twinkie.  Because I need a carb.  Or slightly more.  Sheesh!

On a more spiritual note, I went to a fireside the other night here in our Stake.  Sherie Dew and Virginia Pearce came to speak to us.  They just co-wrote a book called "The Beginning Of Better Days"  It has the notes taken by Eliza R Snow of the very first meetings of the Relief Society.  Their thoughts on Joseph Smith's words to the Sisters are inspiring.  And, of course, so are Joseph Smith's words.  If you're looking for a very good, very quick, very inspiring book to read.  Read "The Beginning of Better Days".

So there you go.  I'm done for now.  I need to rack up more stuff to share with you so I'll be off.

Tooth Update.

So I went in and had my tooth ground down to a nub and a temporary crown put on.  In the process my tongue got in the way.  As the dentist drilled and drilled, he came to a sudden stop and said "Oh". Then he pulled everything out of my mouth and sighed heavily as he sat back.  Then he told me what happened.  He was using the mirror to hold my tongue out of the way and, well, my tongue got in the way.  The drill got my tongue. 

He said I'd feel it tonight. 

I'm feeling it.  There is a chunk taken out of the side of my poor tongue. 

I can't talk without hurting. 

Then there's the fact that he drilled my tooth down to a nub and had to drill my gum down for the crown to go on and meet the back of my gums.  Because this it tooth #18.  It's the last tooth on the left side. 

So if I don't talk to you for a while, don't take it personally. 

My tongue is missing a chunk. 

It needs to heal.

Ouch.

My Secret Freckle.

You have one, too.  Right??  I mean, everyone should have a secret freckle.  And I do.  Wanna know where it is??  Sounds too much like a trick question (or a dirty question).  But why would I blog about it unless I could share it?!  So here's my story...

Long long ago on a planet far far away, I had an appointment with my Opthamologist.  That's an eye doctor.  And it was actually in Ogden on Wednesday.  Anyway.  It's a new doctor for me because my old one who knows the insides of my eyes like crazy moved.  He took an extra long time examining my eyes.  Then he got out other lenses and examined much more.  Then he sat on his chair with the computer and typed.  For 5 minutes straight!!  I just sat there wondering what he was typing about my eyes.  Then he got done and turned around and told me all the stuff I already know about Diabetes and eyes.  Duh!  30 years, remember?!  Then he said I have a freckle or mole on the inside of my right eye.  What the what?  He looked at my arms and asked if I have had melanoma or any type of skin cancer or pre-cancer.  No melanoma, but I do have pre-cancer that I see a dermatologist for on a regular basis.  Then Mr. Dr. said that the freckle on my eye can grow and/or turn into melanoma! WHAT THE WHAT?!  So he proceeded to go through the facts.  No viable treatment.  No cure.  If it turns to the big stuff, they can inject something in that might take care of it.  Otherwise, and I quote, "We take the eye and save your life".  Um. "But I don't want to scare you."

So then they took pictures of this secret freckle.  It was awesome.  Actually it was quite ugly.  Then I go back in a matter of months to make sure it doesn't change.  Please don't change please don't change.  And then we just go on forever more checking and hoping I don't get melanoma in my eye.  Crazy, right??  Right.  Thanks for agreeing with me. 

I am now thinking I could sport the Pirate rage and wear a patch.  And a frilly blouse.  And get a parrot.  Daniel says we'll just get me a glass eye.  My kids really like that idea. 

So there you have it.  My secret freckle story.  Aren't you glad you know it?  And so now I ask you...
Where's your secret freckle?

Unpoopular?

Are you tired, rundown, listless?  Do you pop out at parties?  Are you unpoopular?

And if you don't know where that Lucy Vitameatavegamin quote comes from..

Are ya livin' in a cave??

Just kidding.

On a more serious note, I have been feeling all of those things.  Okay, most of them.  I don't pop out at parties.  At least not that I know of.  And unpoopular? C'mon.  Not me!

I have been dragging for months.  Months I tell ya.  I just figured it was because school began and I was beginning each day super duper earlier than I like to and then all the PTA stuff and running and running and running until I would just collapse at the end of the day.  And then if I had time in the middle of the day, I'd collapse and be gone.  Gone!

So I went to my usual 3 month appointment with my Diabetes doctor, well, okay, she's really a nurse practitioner, but she takes good care of me and my Diabetes.  And we're doing fine thanks.  She always feels my throat and around my thyroid.  I have to swallow when she does.  Every 6 months I have blood drawn and they do yearly checks of various and sundry things.  Like my heart, kidneys, thyroid, cholesterol, etc.  I really don't know what else.  But I always look good.  Um, my blood work always looks good.  No complaints from the phlebotomists. 

But this last time I got the call back from the doctors office and the gal said that my thyroid levels were low and to come back in 4 weeks to have it checked again.  "Is that why I'm so tired?" I asked.  "Uh, yeah" she answered back.  So I put it on my calendar.  4 weeks isn't until next week.  But I have been getting worse and worse as each day passes.  So yesterday I called and talked to her assistant and told her I am lambasted.  My legs and back ache and my joints hurt and I think I'm sporting a slightly enlarged thyroid.  Can you say goiter?  She said to come in today and get blood work done and there is a chance they'd have results back by the end  of the day.  This is their last day in the office this week.  So I went in this morning and got lots of vials of blood drawn and just heard back from the assistant.

I have hypothyroidism.  I could'a  told you that.  So I start synthroid tomorrow morning and go back at the first of the year to check it again. 

No more listlessness here.  No more popping out at parties, or anywhere else! I hope to be back on my feet and getting things done soon.  Like clean the house.  And make dinner. My kids are starving. Yay for modern medicine!

I Vant To Test Your Blood.

So I have just swatted a total of several dozen flies in my house.  And the amazing thing is..  There are dozens more.  My family came for dinner and hanging out last night and the flies joined in.  How many flies have you swatted recently?

And then there's this.  A couple of weeks ago I took Sam down to Primary Children's Hospital where we saw a pediatric Gastroenterologist .  While there, the doc went over the blood work that was done on SammySamSam when he was having the explosive bloody noses.  He mentioned his blood sugar was 64.  It occurred to me that maybe his blood sugar could be a cause of some of the crazy times we have with Sam that cause him to act as if he were having a hypoglycemic episode.  Hmmm.

Last Tuesday night was one of those times.  Sam was crazy boy.  He wouldn't eat, he wouldn't stop crying, he wouldn't stop fighting and arguing.  So I suggested we test his blood.  He freaked out.  I don't know why.  I mean it's just a poke and a little blood.  Honestly.  Just let me poke your arm and get a little blood.  After some time and a couple of bribes, he accepted the $5 and candy bar bribe and held out his arm for the poke.  We tested.  His blood sugar was 26.  Now I would be on the floor needing an injection of glucose at that point.  Sam said he felt fine.  So he ate the candy bar and a ham and cheese sandwich and I called the doctor in the morning.

The appointment was for Friday afternoon.  We tested his blood before breakfast, after school, at dinner and at bedtime.  His blood sugar dropped around dinner time each time.  At the doctor appointment we talked about other signs of type 1 Diabetes.  She then called an Endocrinologist to see what they would recommend.  The recommendation was to draw lots o' blood and see if he was predispositioned for Diabetes.  They can look for anti bodies that would eventually attack the insulin when it's secreted which would then cause type 1 Diabetes. 

They took 5 vials of blood from this boy.  I remembered when I was 12 and going to the hospital every month to have blood drawn.  Vials of it.  My mom would always joke that they kept all of my blood in the basement and fed vampires with it.  Seriously, they took a lot of blood.  So I joked with Sam that they will feed the vampires in the basement with his blood.  He wasn't amused.

This morning I got the call with the results.  Everything came back normal.  No predisposition to type 1 Diabetes. We just need to test when he starts acting like it's low.  In other words, when Sam is crazy, test his blood. 

I am relieved that there isn't anything to worry about with Diabetes in the future.  I am grateful that we can get in to see our pediatrician quickly and easily.  I am grateful to be the only type 1 Diabetic in my family.

Steri Strips And Pull Overs.

On Saturday Ruthie sliced her knuckle on a can.  Sliced it right open.  We put bandages on it and she just bled right through them.  All weekend.

This morning we woke up to another soaked bandage.  So we thought it best to take her in and see if she needed stitches.  So I bandaged her finger up again and we went in. 

The doctor looked at it and said if I had brought her in on Saturday he would have put a few stitches in.  But now it is starting to heal around the edges.  He opened the "flap" to look at the inside.  He had a nurse come in and clean it and put steri strips on it.  Better than stitches!!

On our way back to school I was just driving safely along.  Not bothering a soul and keeping all my points in check!  All of a sudden there were flashing lights behind me.  Seriously?! Where did he come from and what did I do wrong??  So I pulled over and when he got out of his car he went right to the back window and it all made sense!  Our tags expired last month.  We are waiting for the sticker and have the paper saying we've done the registration in the back window.  He came to my window and said it looks like the paper has expired.  So I got out the paper that Daniel put in the glove compartment and the paper expires on September 20!  Whew!  Got time.  So he sent me on my way with a smile and have a nice day. 

Have a nice day!

Lacerations, Inflammations And Steroids. Oh My.

So it's official.  I'm not going blind.  But I do have some problems.  There is inflammation between my retina and cornea which could cause problems.  So I'll do steroid eye drops for a week, then go back to see if it's getting better.

The "bruise" on the bottom of my eyeball (which looks much better today than it did yesterday) is a laceration.  I love that word.  So much better than a scratch or tear.  It will heal on its own.

He dilated my eyes to see if there is anything on the inside to be concerned about.  Nope.  In fact he said I have amazing retinas.  Especially for a 29 year diabetic.  My cataracts look good, but the steroids can make those develop faster.  So next week's appointment will determine how much longer I need to do the drops.

So there you go.  I have to keep wearing my glasses.  But since my eyes are dilated and we have to go to a movie, I put my contacts in so I can wear my regular sunglasses.  Then I'll be back in glasses for a bit longer.  Until next time...

It Was A Frisbee.

Remember the Brady Bunch episode when Marcia has a date to a school dance with the hot guy at school and she is so excited and then her brothers are on the backyard astroturf playing football and Marcia goes out in all her date with a hot guy glory and as she tells her brothers it's time to come in the football connects with Marcia's nose and she goes down saying "Oh my nose, my nose"?  Remember that?  Well that's what last night felt like.  But not quite how it went. 

We were at Daniel's sister's house for dinner and talking.  The kids were jumping on the trampoline and playing frisbee.  Adults were sitting in small groups talking.  I was talking to my sister in law, 2 nieces and a new future nephew in law.  All of a sudden a black frisbee comes flying at me and I see it actually hit my eye ball.  Yep.  I see it.  I go down saying "oh my eye, my eye" and thinking of blindness and no date with a hot guy on Friday night.  But I can't go on the date with the hot guy anyway because Friday night is the goat show, so I think, hey maybe we won't be in the goat show because I'll be blind.  Daniel is there in an instant and I reach up to touch my eye.  My eyeball is not in its usual spot though.  It's deep inside my head.  Like touching my brain deep.  Then I realize my contact is in there somewhere too.  So I get it out and Daniel takes me into the house to assess the blindness, I mean damage.  All the while my nephew is saying "I'm so sorry aunt Jennie.  I'm so sorry.  I'm not playing frisbee anymore!"

As we walk up the stairs and into the house I try seeing out of my eye.  I can't see.  Everything is a blur.  I know I'm going blind.  Dang!  We get in and I wash it with cool water and say again that I can't see.  Then Daniel suggests maybe I can't see because my contact is out?  Oh.  Yes.  He's right.  I look at my contact and see the black smudge from the black frisbee and know it got me with my eye open. OuCh!  We got my contact cleaned up and put back in so I could see.  But my eye is throbbing and obviously scratched up.  I left the bathroom and cried and cried.  What a baby!  Oh yeah, I just got a frisbee in the eye.  We came home and I was down for the night.

This morning my eye is a little swollen on the outside and swollen on the inside.  The bottom of my eyeball is bruised.  I can't wear my contacts.  It hurts to move it and bright light really hurts.  I called my diabetes eye doctor and have an appointment in the morning to make sure there isn't any permanent damage.  Hopefully I don't go blind before then.  I have to see a different doctor and I'd like to see what he looks like. So please pray for me that I don't go blind.  At least until I see the doctor.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Buck To Wether.

This morning we took Felix the buck to our 4-H vet Kathy at her clinic to have him made a wether.  When people in the waiting room saw him they oohed and awed at the cute goat!!

8 hours later and we went to pick him up.  Kathy took care of the buck part AND shaved his one pointy horn down to the same length as the other.  Problem: ran into head.  So he got cauterized and he's now bandaged up top for 14 days.  I didn't take a picture of the nethers on purpose.  You're welcome. 

Fun Fact: Goat horns make up 1/3 of their head.  You can't just lop off a horn like you can a bovine. You run into nerves and blood vessels and brain.  Just kidding about the brain.

Trigger Bruise.

I just took the wrapping off.  It's bruised and stiff and hurts.  I have been on heavy duty ibuprofen for more than 24 hours now.  Last night Daniel took me out to dinner for our anniversary. I was doing fine until the server put my dish in front of me and I picked up my fork and tried to cut into my food.  Then I cried.  Daniel cut my food for me and I ate.  When we got home I put my jammies on and got into bed and only got up to go to the bathroom.  Trauma I tell ya.

So now it will be bruised and stiff and sore and swollen.  I hope it will get back to normal soon.

Anyone wanna cut my food for me?

Trigger Fix.

Do they make cameras for left handed people?  I had my "surgery" this morning.  It is 9:15 and it's done.  He super numbed my thumb and hand.  That hurt like heck.  If heck hurts, that is.  Then he put some cortisone in to help with the pain.  Then I had to lie down while he dug into my thumb.  He used a needle to scrape the casing (like a sausage) around the tendon.  As he did it he had me "click" my joint so he'd know when he got it all.  Then the nurse cleaned up all the blood and wrapped it up.  As she finished putting the bright pink wrapping on, I finally looked over.  Bright pink.  Oh yay.  So I'm on some heavy duty ibuprofen so I can get through the day better as the numb wears off.  I need to keep it wrapped for 24 hours.

Daniel and I are going out to dinner tonight for our anniversary.  I'll be stylin' the bright pink wrapping.  I will have to pick a dish that I can eat left handed and not cut. At least it's done and hopefully I won't suffer the trigger anymore. 

Dreams And Triggers.

I've had this recurring dream for years.  I am going about my business as usual when, out of no where, my back left side bottom molar crumbles.  I spit out the pieces and hold them in my hand as I try to figure out how to get to the dentist to get it fixed.  Meanwhile, the tooth continues to crumble in my mouth.  I keep spitting pieces out and run my tongue over it, ever so gently so as to not crumble it more than it is.  It's disastrous.  It just keeps crumbling.  Now, it doesn't hurt, mind you.  It just falls apart.  And I never make it to the dentist. 

*****

On another note, my opposable right thumb is in shambles.  Remember my trigger finger?  It's back.  I got that cortisone shot back in October and within a week it was gliding along like a normal opposable thumb should.  But then a couple of months ago I painted Ruthie's room.  That's what triggered it.  Get it?  Ha ha.  I triggered the trigger finger.  I just crack myself up.  But it was just a little sore.  So I thought I'd wait it out and hope it went back to a normal opposable thumb.  It didn't.  It just got worse. 

So I called my hand surgeon, who is my close and personal friend he's done so much on my poor little hands, and made the appointment to just do the surgery.  He suggested that if it came back I just do the surgery.  Another cortisone shot would just be another band aid.  So I made it.  Then they called me back and said that the surgeon isn't working that day.  So I had to change to another day.  He only does surgery on Friday, every other Friday, and only in the morning on every other Friday.  So my options were limited. 

The appointment is set for this Friday.  I am so glad.  My whole hand hurts because of the uselessness of my opposable thumb that doesn't work right.  I haven't dropped anything yet, but I did have a box drop on it just where the ligament is tight.  Triggered.  I cried when that happened.

My appointment is early in the morning.  They said it will be really fast and I don't need anyone with me to get me home after.  I have all of Daniel's family coming over on Sunday night for our monthly get together.  Because of my triggered thumb, my house has been horribly messy for about a month now.  I can't grasp a mop.  I can't effectively clean the toilet.  It's really sad.  Doing dishes isn't bad.  The hot soapy water actually makes it feel better.  So I'm saving cleaning for Thursday so I will just suffer worse for one night. 

Wish me luck.  And a clean house.  And a non broken back left molar.

Some Updates.

Update on the Popcorn Rock...  Actually, I think it looks more like cauliflower than popcorn. What do you think?  The vinegar is almost gone.  So the kitchen doesn't smell as bad as it once did.  Yay.

Update on food storage...  I got honey powder to add to long term food storage.  I made some up and put it in the honey bear.  It's darker than non powdered honey, but tastes great and will last for a long time and goes much further than the little honey bear!  Plus, for storage sake, it won't crystalize.  I like that.  A lot.  I will be investing in powdered honey.

Update on cooking...  I have been using plain Greek yogurt in my cooking for a bit now.  It replaces sour cream.  I have also replaced cream cheese in my crock pot chicken recipe.  It's zippy and tangy and very healthy.  I tried adding some fruit and honey to it to eat, but I think I'll stick with flavored yogurt for that. 

Update on sick Vegeta...  Not sick anymore.  This is the penicillin bottle.  He had one shot a day for 5 days. By yesterday, day 5, he was so not getting stuck with that needle again.  Poor Vegeta.  Daniel would get the needle into his neck (where goats should receive their intramuscular injections) and then Vegeta would swing his head away, taking the needle out of his neck before the meds were injected.  So by the time he finally got the meds, he was bleeding and sad and wouldn't come out of his hiding place in the tall grass for quite a while.  That'll teach him to get sick again!

Pics From My Phone.

This is the sign that the bus driver hit on the field trip. Nice.And this is the boy who had a large sombrero on his head for his birthday. Cute.

Yesterday. All My Troubles Seem So Far Away.

Yesterday was the 4th grade field trip to the Hill Air force Base Museum and then the Rock And Gem Show. I drove my own car on this one because Sam had a doctor appointment at 3 and we didn't know if we'd make it back to school in time to drive out. So I got to the Museum first. When the bus arrived his teacher told me I was lucky because they almost died. The driver backed right into a sign and then almost hit an RV. She didn't know where she was going and so the other teacher had to give her very direct directions. So when I followed the bus to the park for lunch, I stayed well behind it.

We had lunch then boogied over to the Rock and Gem Show. Cool stuff. Many of the kids brought money and bought some cool rocks and fossils. We saw this popcorn rock and I bought it. I am going to take pictures of the process as we go. It's sitting in vinegar and as it evaporates the crystals, which look like popcorn, will grow.
Sam and I left the Rock and Gem show and headed to the doctor appointment. They wanted some blood work to check some things. So this brave boy sat while the nurse stuck his first arm. She filled one of the 4 vials and then it stopped. The blood just stopped. So she went to the other arm. This time the blood barely got through the little tube, then stopped. She moved it a little and went right through his vein. Ouch! So she got another nurse to come help. This one went to the first arm and got another vein. She had to use syringes to suck the blood out of his arm. She got all the syringes filled and then patched him up. Sam was pale and quiet. The first round of testing results came back spectacularly normal. We are waiting for one more test that will take the weekend to see results to. So we wait. While we wait today, some of Sam's friends are coming over for a party. In a half hour. I better go...

Early Halloween.

I know that the whole picture here is frightening. But what I wanted to show is the scary in my eye. A couple of days ago I had a migraine and threw up. My eye apparently couldn't handle it and popped a blood vessel. It's seeped from the top of my eyeball down to the bottom.
My children say I freak them out. I've had people ask me what happened with looks of dismay and fear on their faces. I try to thicken my eye liner, only to look more scary. It's an early Halloween. In my eye.

Someone Hit Me!!

Well. Not me exactly. I wasn't in the car. Apparently no one was. But yesterday while outside playing at piano lessons, I noticed a dent in the Durango. I didn't think much of it though. But then I really looked at it. Closely. It is a nice round dent and there are those classic "marks" that are the norm when you are hit by another car. Because I know about hitting another car. Or another car hitting me. So I went through my day. Then my week. And it quite literally could have been weeks ago. Because I keep my car in the garage and then just get in and out without really looking at the smooth blue exterior. This was the first time my car was out in the sunshine with me actually there looking at it.
So I'm peeved. There was no note. No one waiting to tell me. I mean, look at it. It's not terrible. Daniel can knock out the dent, the paint wasn't scratched, and the marks will wash off. But my hope in humanity has diminished. Just kidding. I still have hope for humanity. But I did really think about what I would do if I ever hit someone's car in a parking lot. I did already have a plan..I would wait or go in and ask for the license plate to be paged or leave a note with my info. Now I know that I will for sure no questions asked make sure the owner of the other vehicle knows it was me. Had that been done in this case they would have been off the hook for the damage, but my respect for them would have been paramount!

And humanity would get a gold star for integrity.

This Is Only Once In A Life Time.

We have to go back to the Friday before we began our trip to Disneyland. Why? Didn't you read it? We have to. Because I said so. Because it involves my thumb. My poor poor thumb. I went in for a Cortisone shot for the trigger finger. The surgeon gave me 2 options and expected me to choose one. NOW! The first was the Cortisone shot. Duh. Isn't that why I'm here?! But he said that because of my diabetes it may not work. So I may be in for the second option pretty quickly. The second option was this..."Surgery". He would go into my thumb with a needle and with that needle, cut the casing around the tendon to loosen it so the triggering would stop. Um. I opted for the shot. He said it's cheaper anyway and then if it doesn't help I needed to just come back and get the "surgery" done.

So he got the needle with the Cortisone and the big bandage and the cup with the alcohol and swipes in it. He dowsed my thumb with alcohol and then asked if I was ready. I asked if it would hurt. He stopped. Then he said it would sting. So I looked away and he shot me. Now at first it was just a sting. But that was just the initial sting of the needle going in. When he pushed that Cortisone in it quite literally felt like bubbles and rocks going up my thumb. Yup. Bubbles and rocks. I yelped and bit my lip and tried not to cry. The yelping brought out the dad in the surgeon. He tried to soothe me. Then he took the needle out and stuck the big bandage on it to stop the bleeding then said it would be numb for a while. I said I was going to Disneyland the next day and he said it wouldn't be numb that long.

So I left and began all the stuff I had planned that day so we would be ready to leave early the following morning. Have you ever pondered the importance of opposable thumbs? No? I have. Many times over. I have dropped things enough to know just how necessary they are. We are quite amazing creatures if you think about it. Oh, plus we can drive and cook and stuff. Way better to have opposable thumbs and be able to drive, etc, etc. Could you imagine being an elephant and the calluses on your hands? And no opposable thumbs to open a bag of chips. Amazing! I don't know how elephants do it.

As the numbness wore off I could feel the tenderness where he shot me. It was tender through the weekend. And my joint was still not bending. So I figured I'd just make the appointment for the "surgery" when we got home again. BUT!! And that's a big but! The pain and tenderness AND unbendableness was gone by Sunday. It still triggers a little but it doesn't cause excruciating pain! YAY! And as the week went on the triggering got better and more subtle. It still does it sometimes, but no pain and I don't drop stuff.

So Saturday morning began early. We needed to be to Daniel's folks' house by 7 am to meet everyone to start driving out. We chose the speed we would go and got on our way. Our mantra for the whole trip was "Once In A Life Time!" We won't ever come back so enjoy it and don't whine. The trip out was long and boring but the kids stayed busy with movies and their DS games. Daniel even surprised the kids with a couple of new DS games. We got into Anaheim while it was still light out, got checked into our hotel and were amazed we were actually there!

That night we all went to dinner at Denny's and then hit the sack. On Sunday morning we went to a nearby ward's 11 am Sacrament Meeting. You could tell this was normal for them because the man who gave the opening prayer prayed that all the visitors would enjoy their vacations and be safe and travel home safely, etc, etc. When they did ward business, they called a new Cub leader and said that with only 1 Cub Scout in the ward, they would be combining with Anaheim 2nd ward's 3 Cub Scouts to have a terrific program. Daniel and I just glanced at each other. At one time Alison and I had 17 boys in our Wolf Den. And that's only the 8 year olds!! After Sacrament Meeting, everyone else in our group decided to stay for the rest of the meetings and we decided to leave. Yes. That's just how it went. But we got to the car and began driving away and Daniel asked one of the kids about the hotel key card. That began a frantic search for the only key card we had brought to church with us. We went back to the church and searched the parking lot, the car, the halls and the chapel. No hotel key card. I calmly told the children they would have to stay in their Sunday clothes the rest of the trip and we would have to beg for food and since our tickets were in the safe in the room to which we had no key, we wouldn't be going to Disneyland. They were sad for about 2 seconds. They know me too well. And don't worry. This won't be the last lost key card. We lost a few key cards this trip. We got a new card and got changed and then went to walk around town. The kids loved this tree for some reason. So this is our first picture of our trip...
And Isaac...

While the rest of our family went to see the LA temple, we went to the hotel pool and took naps and stuff. Because we couldn't stand another moment in the car. But we were rested and ready to go on Monday morning. The plan was to meet at grandma and grandpa's room at 8:30 and head to Disneyland. To see this guy....

Now I will just tell you this just once. This thread of blogging is so my family has a record of our trip to Disneyland. It isn't necessarily for your entertainment. Although I think I can guarantee a few entertaining moments. But if you find it boring or anything similar, just remember, you've been warned. We only got one day's worth of pictures but I've got many days of story to tell. So stick with me. Or don't.

It's My Trigger Finger.

Remember that crashed bottle of tomato juice? Um. I dropped it. I thought it was arthritis. I finally went to see a doctor because I can't bend my right thumb smaller joint. The pain is intense in my big thumb joint. I keep dropping things. I just chalked it up to arthritis cause it was easy to do. But guess what? It's my tendon. And it's called Trigger Finger. Isn't that fun?!
So I get to go in to the hand surgeon that did my carpal tunnel release surgeries. He'll inject steroids into it and hope that does the trick. Because we leave for Disneyland soon after! And no, my thumb is not swollen. I took a bad picture with my left hand. Which is my dumb hand. Okay?!

The Hair Cut.

First off. A WARNING!
DO NOT STEP ON A BEE! They sting. I sent Ruthie out for the mail. She got it. Then she jumped about 3 feet off the ground and started running. Then she fell on the grass. I was running to her after she jumped and got to her as she landed. She started screaming that she was stung. She was! I pulled the stinger out and got her into the house. And here is what is great. Isaac ran and got his Scout book and looked in the first aid section and read out loud what to do. Sam went right to action to make an ice pack. I got baking soda and water in a bowl. Working together we got Ruthie calmed and soothed. Her poor toe. PS. This picture is a contrived picture of what she felt earlier. Except she was in a lot of pain. And wasn't trying to hide a smile. That is great acting!
Now on to the hair part. I told the boys at the beginning of summer that they didn't have to get a haircut until school started. There was rejoicing all around. I did eventually have to pay Isaac $2 to trim around his ears and neck. But Sam was going for the Justin Bieber look. I mean look at the hair coming down the back of his neck. It was really starting to get embarrassing. But last Friday he told me he was ready for a haircut. I had taken before pictures of the HAIR but he apparently got my camera and deleted them. So we go with the swimming in Lava picture.

It was amazing! When he got out of the shower and came into the family room, dressed, of course, I didn't recognize him. I could see his ears. And his eyes!

Today is Back To School Night. Isaac finally relented and let me cut him this morning. Handsome boy. Just look at his neck!

I love freshly cut heads of hair. Next year I hope to keep my big mouth shut and not offer a summer of hair growth!