Meet Anya and Blake

I had a complete post written about breathing...but I HATE to be Debbie Downer so I deleted it.


Instead, I want to focus on these two:


This is Anya... 5year old girl

And this is Blake...6 year old boy

Both are available for adoption through Recces Rainbow.


Both are from region 14 in Russia and both desperately need a family.


Did you know in Russia children are only in orphanages and available for adoption for a limited period of time?  At a certain age, they are transferred to an institution to live until they turn 18...at which time they are released into society with only the clothes on their back.


I have just one question...


WHY OH WHY is international adoption so stinkin' expensive?  


Hubby and I have looked into the expense of adopting one (or both) of these cuties...$35000.00 for one adoption!


I believe that more of these children in orphanages would be lovingly taken care of in American homes if it didn't cost so much!


 Reeces Rainbow does a fabulous job raising funds to help place these children (most with Down Syndrome or special needs) and, in some cases, $8,000.00 or more is available towards the costs of the adoption....in some cases grants, or even loans, are available.  But it still leaves huge costs that need to be filled through fundraisers or private donations or out of pocket. 


 Another fabulous thing about Reeces Rainbow is that if you are not in a financial position to donate money, you can simply be a Prayer Warrior.  Simply browse the list of children available for adoption, pick your child(ren) and commit to lifting them up to the Lord...praying that they will find that family they so desperately need.


Thus, my connection to Anya and Blake...for now. 

Adventures In Bronchoscopies

A bronchoscopy is a procedure where a flexible scope is put in your mouth and passed down your throat and into your chest area to get an inside look at your lungs.


To make a long story short... this procedure is to hopefully give me answers as to why I have had roughly:


45 respiratory infections
and 
pneumonia three times
and 
bronchitis 12 times


most since 1985 - but a few of those were from childhood.


Also, why I cannot lie down, laugh, or do anything cardiovascular without coughing and feeling short of breath.


But I am very well aware that it may not yield any answers at all.


Anyhow...I was taken back to the pre-op room at 6:45  this morning and changed into one of those lovely hospital gowns.  Just as a side note...those heated blankets they give you are FABULOUS!!!!  


I climbed on the gurney and had about 15 minutes of alone time that I could spend in prayer and I couldn't believe how calm I was.  Although this is considered a simple procedure...I had never even come close to going through something like this before. I had never had anesthesia before at any time.


A while later a talkative (and funny) man came in and got an IV started on me.  Then, after pushing mediactions through the IV, he gave me a shot in the leg. 


My only complaint: he never told me what kind of medications he was giving me.


After the shot he said, "I'm going to ask you a few medical questions quickly since you'll probably be sleeping in a few minutes."


Okay...I assumed the shot was the anesthesia that would put me to sleep.  I was naive.  


Within a couple minutes, the room started spinning and my body started tingling as I tried my hardest to make my mouth form words.  It was then I heard the nurse ask him what he gave me...8mg of morphine and benadryl!  


WHAT!  Why did I need morphine?  I was as calm as could be?  But whatever, I drifted in and out sleep as they got things ready for me....nasal canula for oxygen, blood pressure cuff, that little thingy they put on your finger to measure your heart rate and oxygenation levels. And then...I got this tremendous urge to use the bathroom!! Could not shake it off...and it was so bad that I couldn't get comfy...even with morphine.


So, I apologized profusely over and over again as they disconnected all the equipment and a nurse held me up with one hand and my IV bag with another as we walked down the hall to the bathroom.


More apologizing as I got back to the room.  The doctor came in then and I heard him say something to the anesthesiologist like "let's try a test dose of 1 or 1.25" or something like that...and then I. WAS. OUT.


I awoke about 9:50, used the bathroom once more, had a piece of toast and cranberry juice, and we were able to leave.  


Once home, I crawled in bed and slept from noon to almost 5:00.


Now I wait until June 19th when I have my follow-up with the doctor.  This is the end of the road for me.  These results will either give me the answers I have been searching for since 1985 or my answer will be "just live with it."


I pray that God will prepare my heart for the answers...whatever they may be.

The Final Countdown

I have a tradition of playing this song (The Final Countdown by Europe) on the last day of school.

Anyway, I am not playing it at this very minute since the 8th graders are in the room right now taking a final exam...and I don't know how much they would appreciate that and all.

After the exams are completed...I am done for this year. D.O.N.E!!!

Looking forward to late nights...sun-filled days...lots of reading...and general laziness associated with summer.

Momentos

Before my grandma died, she would pull me close to her and say
"When I'm gone, I want you to have....(fill in the blank)"
My response was always "grandma, I don't want to think about that."
Sadly, that is exactly what we had to think about last week as we were faced with the stark reality of sifting through 96 years of a person's belongings.  And, believe me, she had plenty of things to sift through.  
This picture would be my great-great grandparents:

And this would be my great-grandparents:

These are two of the pictures that grandma wanted me to have.


She also wanted each of us to pick a couple tea cups from her collection.

And I took this glass bowl

Although I would rather have grandma here...it is nice to have these things to remember her.

Today...

...I woke up and realized that there are only two more days of school (now only one).  This seems crazy to even think about!


...I took Jon to pick out a new pair of glasses...you know...since he lost his old pair..."old" as in 4 months old. *sigh*


...I discovered that Jon also has lost his wallet when I asked him for his debit card. (didn't think I was going to pay for his new glasses when I just bought him a pair in January did ya?) *double sigh*


...I had the afternoon off because the elementary kids had their annual field day.


...I got my contract for next year.  I am so happy about this...but honestly, I would have been happier if it said "fourth grade classroom teacher."  But, I am pleased that they thought I did a good enough job teaching Computer this year to ask me back for another one.  And I am just so blessed to be a part of this amazing school...in whatever capacity I can.


...I am enjoying one last day with Jon before he leaves for Florida tomorrow for the summer.  It should be interesting getting him on his flight tomorrow if he cannot find his wallet with his ID :{  


...I made 18 copies of the videos that the 8th graders made and edited.  They did an amazing job.


How about you?  This is the day that the Lord has made...enjoy every minute of it.

My Brother

Zack couldn't be more pleased that he is the same size as his older brother...can you tell by the look on his face?

Going Through the House

Part of our weekend itinerary included going through my grandma's house and taking the things that were left to us.  This wasn't easy emotionally but I tried to distance myself from thinking about the situation.

As a result of growing up during the Great Depression my grandma saved EVERYTHING!!!

Seriously, she had everything from a box of tiny sample perfume bottles from the 1950's to an underwood typewriter.

Soon I will post pictures of the lovely things I was able to take from her house.  

Remembering Grandma

Funerals can be like a big family reunion...except in a church...and the mood is usually a bit more somber.  But you see family members that you haven't seen in years...maybe since the last funeral everyone gathered for.  Possibly not recognizing members of your family!


Today, I walked right past my own cousin without recognizing him all the while wondering why my mom was hugging that "strange man" in the parking lot. (strange as in strang-er) 


Anyway, I found out things about my grandma today that I never knew...like she had a passion for collecting coins and stamps.  And in true grandma fashion, she has them neatly organized in books.  The coin collection is something truly amazing - a complete collection of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and half dollars...one from each year dating back to the late 1800's and early 1900's.  

After the prayer service I was able to speak with her pastor who re-affirmed what I already knew...that my grandma was anxious for God to call her home.

During the service her ashes were in a box and were put here:

 But by the time I went back after the service to get a picture, the box was gone.


It was a nice day...(even if the temps didn't cooperate with highs around 90*)

Pulmonary Doctor Take Three

It's been a while since I've updated about breathing issues.  Some days it doesn't bother me at all...some days it has become so much a part of me that I just deal with it...and then there are the isolated days that the feeling and cough become so debilitating that I have to take the prescription medications to get relief from the symptoms...or else I very well may lose my mind!


Anyway, on Tuesday I made my third visit to the pulmonary doctor.  The first visit was a consult and the second was a methacholine challenge test.

Idealistically, the third visit would come days after the methacholine challenge but, in my case, it is 5 months later.  The nurse administering the test gave me the results of "within normal range" so I knew then that the diagnosis of cough variant asthma was out of the running.  


It takes me a while to rebound from these frustrations. 


 But, it is time to get back up, dust myself off, and begin to carry on in this quest to find answers to this 25+ year journey.

The consult with the doctor did reveal a possible answer...but I'm going to hold off on revealing that until I get the results from the other tests I am having in a couple weeks. 

Hopefully, things will fit together like a puzzle and I'll have some answers.


This weekend we head up north for my grandma's funeral.  Although she died a month ago today...we were finally able to coordinate everyone's schedule to have a memorial service on Saturday.  

What Ever Happened To Phonics

Teaching computers (as I do)  means I am constantly around kids using the keyboard. Day.After.Day.Hour. After.Hour.

By the end of the day, my ears burn from hearing one repeated question time and time again....all day long.

Nope, it's not "may I use the bathroom?" Although that one can drive me slightly insane at times.

It is "How do you spell___________?(fill in the blank)


Nevermind that Microsoft Word has spellcheck so unless you are WAY off the mark with the original spelling, you should be able to use the built in dictionary provided.

But what REALLY bothers me is WHERE IS PHONICS!!!!!!

So, today: "how do you spell kitten?"  

Me:"k-i-t-t-e-n" sounding out every letter.

But to myself I am thinking, "where in the world is your phonetic understanding, girl. It's just 5 simple sounds with a double consonant in the middle because of the syllabic division!!!" 


Okay...maybe too much for a 2nd grader to understand.  But, it could very well had been a 5th grader who asked me that. It happens all the time.  
Bottom line:
Kids have become way too lazy to figure things out on their own anymore.  It's much easier to ask an adult.

Mother's Day

The fact that my mom and dad come back from Florida for the summer in May means I get to spend Mother's Day with my mommy!  


On the other hand, the fact that Jerry is on his "work nights weekend", means that he was not able to spend the day with us.


And with the older two boys gone, it was just my mom, Zack, and me.


We started with an early lunch.  It was going to be a late breakfast but once there, we all decided to have lunch instead.

Because it was Mother's Day, Zack actually posed for a picture with each if us!!

And then I had to catch him off guard to get more.

After lunch we went to the store and then it was home to make up some spaghetti sauce and meatballs to freeze for future use.

Once we got home, Zack found an old valentines card from my parents with five dollars in it...he gave the money to me as a present...oh what a sweetheart!

As soon as the spaghetti sauce was frozen and the dishes were done, I made my self the best food in the world - pecan crusted tilapia

With a beverage of amaretto and O.J.

And finished the day with Ollie's nightly walk

I also got phone calls form both of  my absent boys...a great Mother's Day indeed.

What We've Been Up To

Mom and Dad are here...a sure sign that summer is right around the corner.  


As has become a family tradition, we met them at a local pizza restaurant as they rolled into town Monday night.

Sick with what turned out to be a sinus infection, Mom spent the majority of dinner coughing, sniffling, and just generally sounding in bad shape.

Yes indeed...Mom and Dad have been known to take some pretty good pictures together (not).

Ollie stalked us from the car outside because... well... dogs are not allowed in restaurants.


They stayed overnight and on Tuesday night we went to Zack's spring concert.

I didn't bother trying to get a good picture because
1). Zack was in the back row (see him there on the end?) 
and
2). We were sitting in the very back row so we could make a quick exit between the middle and high school portions of the concert because mom was still not feeling up to par.

So these pictures were taken with a zoom lens in poor lighting with a cheap point and shoot camera...this is as good as it gets.  


Dad left yesterday but Mom will stay with us through May.  

Thunderstruck

Wednesday night Zack and I went to bed at our normal time of 10:00.


Here are my thoughts as to how the night went...


10:30 - Thunderstorm begins.  Oh great timing...guess I am not sleeping for a while


11:30 - Wow!  Thunderstorm is still going on...guess I'll get up and get a drink and use the bathroom.


12:30 - Hmm...not over yet.  Thunderstorms usually don't last this long.  It must be close to being over.


1:30 - Jeez...Thunderstorm is still going on...guess I'll get up and check the radar on my computer to see how much longer this is going to last...okay looks it should be completely done by 2:30. Not great but I can still get a good 4.5 hours of sleep if that is true.


2:30 - Nope...not true.  Still thundering and lightning out.


3:30 - Man...how long can this thing last? 


4:30 - Finally it sounds as if it is stopping...I can still get 2.5 hours of sleep...and then...


4:45 - BAM (huge clap of thunder right above our house)  


5:00 - Okay...I may as well just get up!!


Yep...
6+ hours of continuous thunder and lightning = no sleep at all.


And the flooding was crazy.  This picture is not a lake.  It is of a driving range under water.

At least Zack slept through a lot of it so he was able to get up for school yesterday morning.


And it was my day off anyway so the 2 hour nap in the afternoon was nice.

Working the System

In the mail yesterday, we were surprised by a $305.00 bill for the CT scan Jon had in March at the doctor's office.


"No, wait," says I..."we didn't have to pay for the CT scan he had in the ER in January," (when he originally had his kidney stone on a Saturday afternoon). 


Soooo, my to do list today was expanded to include a call to our insurance's customer service department to find out why.  Although I was pretty sure I already knew why.


Well, I just made said call and it went something like this:


After the customary exchange of info... 


Me: "Hi, I'd like to know why we were charged for a  CT scan my son had in March but were not charged for one he had in January?"


Customer Service Lady (CSL for short): "I am sorry, mam, I cannot share that information with you since Jonathan is over 18."


Me: "Um...I'm not requesting medical information, just benefit information."


CSL: "I'm sorry. Unless Jonathan is there to give verbal approval, I cannot discuss this with you.  We are open until 5:00 p.m. Jonathan can call us later."


Me: "Well, that's not going to happen.  I'm not understanding why I cannot get information on our benefits when I am the one paying the bill."  (I'm starting to lose my already-too-thin-patience).


CSL: "That's just the law, mam."


Me: " Okay...could I speak with someone else?"


CSL: "Hold on."  puts me on hold.

5 minutes later......


CSL (the exact same one): "All I can do, mam, is give you an explanation of your benefits.  I cannot share any billing information."


Me: "Okay, thank you." Although to myself I am thinking...'isn't that exactly what I asked for 10 minutes ago?'


CSL goes on to explain benefits and it was EXACTLY as I thought!!!!!


Apparently, if we go to the ER all procedures are 100% covered.  In all other cases we are responsible for 20% of the bill.


So...if we had just taken Jonathan to the ER for that CT scan (even though it wasn't an emergency situation at all) we would have happily paid our $100.00 co-pay and would have $205.00 more in our pockets right now.


No wonder people learn how to work the system...it is totally messed up.


Now I guess we have the bill from Zack's finger x-ray to look forward to since I passed up the $100.00 co-pay at the ER for the $20.00 co-pay at the doctor's office.  Didn't realize his x-rays would have been free!!!!! LIVE AND LEARN!!!

Surviving May

In some ways, May was my favorite month of the year when I was teaching in my classroom.  I loved seeing the students put into practice all the learning they had done throughout the year.  The end of the year comprehensive exams were like a visual pat-on-the-back for a year of hard work. 

But, in many ways, May was my least favorite month.

This sounds like an oxymoron, I know.  And I know you're also probably  thinking "what kind of a weido doesn't look forward to a three month vacation...paid!"

But, unless you're as passionate about your job as I was...you probably wouldn't understand. 

There is something bittersweet about bonding with a group of kids...kids you had spent 35 hours a week with for the past 8 months...and then having to watch them leave. 

 Hoping that some of the things you have taught them has seeped into their inner being so that they will carry it with them always. 

Hoping that, somehow, in some small way, you have left your footprint on their soul. 

May marks the end of something great!

And for that reason...I was always very sad when the calendar flipped to May.

This year...things are so different.  I have not had one class or one group of students that I have bonded with.  Instead, I have had a revolving door of assorted classes/students that have filtered in and out at 30-45 minute intervals. 

And I will have this same assortment of students next year, give or take a few. 

May just feels different this year.  I find myself counting the days I have left, which I always did.  But this year it is for a different reason.  I have 12 days (of actual teaching) left in case you were wondering.

I'm not sure I like this new May feeling!!!