Thank You

Just wanted to thank everyone for the messages and well wishes. They've been much appreciated.

My Mom is doing extremely well considering what she's been through. Every doctor and nurse that has treated her thus far have commented on how lucky she is. Apparently 3 out of 5 people who have the same condition as her arrive at the hospital in a coma, dead, or don't make it there at all. So, there's proof that all the positive energies sent her way are working.

Everyone is still trying to come to terms with what's happened. It still hasn't really sunk in with me just how close we came to losing her. For anyone out there who knows my family's history knows that my Dad is the one who's usually sick, and it's been his death that I've been preparing myself for the last 5 years. Major role reversals going on here.

As of last night she is doing well and still in ICU listed as critical but stable. She had a CT scan yesterday that showed no major changes which is good because it means she's not actively bleeding in her brain. She should be there for another day or two and in the hospital for a total of 2 weeks.

So, thanks again for all the well wishes and I ask that you keep them coming. We've still got a long road ahead. Take care, have a great day, hug the people you love and tell them what they mean to you.

Did I Mention That I Hate Late Night Calls?

I'm blogging this because my mind is going 100 miles an hour and I need an outlet. I got one of those calls tonight. This time my Dad was on the other line telling me that Mom was in the hospital. Any regular readers out there know that it's usually the other way around.

He told me that they were outside doing some yard work this evening. Mom was weed eating when Dad noticed that she set the weed eater down and sort of stumbled forward. When he got to her he asked what was wrong and she said that she just had a sudden, intense pain in the back of her head. She also said that her left foot felt heavy and that she was seeing auras around everything. The whole "seeing auras" thing was the red flag that told Dad to get Mom to the hospital. They were off. This was about 7:30pm, Dad called me at 9:45pm. Diagnosis: a blood vessel burst in her brain. He told me he would call again when he had more to report.

Right now it's 12:04am and I'm still trying to soak this all in. She was flown to Asheville at 10:45pm. Asheville has a bigger hospital with neuro people and equipment to deal with cases like this. Dad also said in his last phone call that she was hemorrhaging from the base of her brain which they were able to see via a CAT scan at the hospital they came from.

The plan for tomorrow is for Geof and I to head down to pick up my Dad and spend the day at the hospital. I have a love/hate relationship with this hospital. It's the same hospital in which I watched my sister die, and where Geof was born. I really hope this "adventure" has a happy ending. My gut says that it's going to be ok. Dad said that Mom never lost consciousness and was able to walk into the ER...she even refused a wheelchair!

As things stand at this time, she's been given meds for pain and nausea. My uncle who lives in Asheville was able to meet her soon after the helicopter landed. He reported that she looks like she always does except for the IVs and such. She was able to talk to him and ask about everyone. That makes me feel a ton better. Still, this is some scary shit. My Mom is my rock and I'm not ready to.......well, I just really like having her around.

There She Is, Miss America

Just when the country had lost all interest and faith in the Miss America organization, a beacon of hope shone brightly in the hills of Kentucky last week. Here's the article I saw this morning on Yahoo. I'll quote it directly along with giving the link since the links usually die after a while.

" WAYNESBURG, Ky. -

Miss America 1944 has a talent that likely has never appeared on a beauty pageant stage: She fired a handgun to shoot out a vehicle's tires and stop an intruder.

Venus Ramey, 82, confronted a man on her farm in south-central Kentucky last week after she saw her dog run into a storage building where thieves had previously made off with old farm equipment.

Ramey said the man told her he would leave. "I said, 'Oh, no you won't,' and I shot their tires so they couldn't leave," Ramey said.

She had to balance on her walker as she pulled out a snub-nosed .38-caliber handgun.

"I didn't even think twice. I just went and did it," she said. "If they'd even dared come close to me, they'd be 6 feet under by now."

Ramey then flagged down a passing motorist, who called 911.

Curtis Parrish of Ohio was charged with misdemeanor trespassing, Deputy Dan Gilliam said. The man's hometown wasn't immediately available. Three other people were questioned but were not arrested.

After winning the pageant with her singing, dancing and comedic talents, Ramey sold war bonds and her picture was adorned on a B-17 that made missions over Germany in World War II, according to the Miss America Web site.

Ramey lived in Cincinnati for several years and was instrumental in helping rejuvenate Over-the-Rhine historic buildings. She returned to Kentucky in 1990 to live on her farm.

"I'm trying to live a quiet, peaceful life and stay out of trouble, and all it is, is one thing after another," she said."

I love no nonsense old women with handguns, don't you? Honestly, I'm quite impressed with her bravery. I'm not sure I could have done the same thing myself. Way to go Miss America 1944. Today, I salute you!

Free Stuff

Do you like things that are free? Sure, we all do! Hi, I'm.....whoa I'm starting to sound like Sally Struthers in those get your degree at home commercials. Anyhoo. I'm a sucker for freebies and I'm also in the mood to share. Here are some freebies that I signed up for today. I don't know if they'll all work, but it's worth a shot, right?

• Free DVD of An Inconvenient Truth
• Free sample of Kashi GOLEAN Crunch cereal***please read the note at the end of this post for allergen information***
• Free sample of Sally Hansen Diamond Strength No Chip Nail Color
• Free samples from Studio IM, click on "free samples" in the left side column...I have no idea what the samples are of, but it's worth a shot, right?
• Free tshirt for kids who love to read. Child reads 10 books by August 6, 2007, fill out the form and mail it in. (PDF document)
• Free single application sample of Mary Kay's "Miracle Set"
• Free Word Search maker...great for kids!
• Free sticker made with your own image file. All images are erased from their files after printing. This is what mine looks like...I'm not sure what the quality will be in person, but it was fun and free!
• 

Hopefully someone out there might find a use for one of those links. I find my freebies on the forums online at GottaDeal.com. Most of them are legit, and I've gotten everything from underwear to books as freebies. And just in case you're wondering...No, I'm not being paid to plug here.


***Offer valid until 5/09/07 or while supplies last. No product substitutions. Available to U.S. residents only. Must be 18 or older to receive sample. Limit one sample per family, household, address or email address. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. GOLEAN Crunch! allergen info: CONTAINS WHEAT AND SOY INGREDIENTS. Click here to read ingredient listing.

The Croup Is In The Coop

Geof woke us up at 2am night before last barking like a seal. No he wasn't playing, he was coughing and had a fever. Scared me a bit. We put him in a steamy shower for awhile and dosed him with medicine and some Vicks. He went back to bed but didn't get too much sleep. He spent most of yesterday on the couch buried under blankets watching cartoons. He's been running a fever off and on today. He had a really good night with his coughing, but he was up and down a good bit. The barking cough hasn't returned which is good, but he still has a persistent cough. I'll blame this illness on the weather. We're all very much ready for Spring, hopefully it's just around the corner!

When A Boy Dresses Himself

Geof picked out his own clothes today. He does it every now and then and usually does a pretty good job. I thought today's outfit was cute. Not really sure what his style would be labeled as, but I liked it. Notice how the shirt is buttoned a bit crooked and the collar is "popped". Yeah, this little dude rocks!