Remembering Doug

Today would have been Doug's 47th birthday.

To celebrate his life we all gathered at the cemetery to bury his ashes.

The headstone was beautiful but it was hard to get a good picture of it because the blue platform was blocking the way...as you can see in this picture.

After that we had a luncheon and then released balloons

All our love to you, Doug.  Forever 46.

ER Take Two

After getting home from our "exciting" visit to the Emergency Room yesterday, Hubby slept.

And after getting up and ready to go to work for his 5:00 pm shift and vomiting twice, he decided to call in sick.

And he slept some more...

Until - he got up at 11:00 p.m. and informed me that he hadn't how-shall-I-say "relieved himself" since about noon.

What?  No urine output in 11 hours?  After a bag of IV fluids AND 3 bottles of water?

You can imagine the fun I had trying to convince him that we needed to return to the ER at midnight! 

But I can be pretty persuasive when I need to be and off we went.

The good news is that the stone was NOT blocking the tubes so no need for a catheter and/or surgery to blast the stone.

Instead, he was so completely dehydrated that the fluids he had on board were quickly being absorbed by his body and not entering his bladder.

So we hung around the ER until 2:30 in the morning while he received 3 HUGE bags of IV fluids.

The great news is that it seems as if the pain is gone as he hasn't needed any pain medicine since last night - so, hopefully, he has already passed the darn thing.

Stone #3

This time it was the hubby.

I'm getting pretty good at recognizing the symptoms...well pretty much when someone is in the bathroom expelling his breakfast into the toilet and then hunched over grabbing his back in pain - don't need any more clues than that!

Oh wait a minute...hubby obviously needs more clues than that because when I told him to get dressed so that I could take him to the ER, his response was, "it's just gas...it'll pass."

Seriously?... when is the last time anyone has ever had gas pains IN THEIR BACK?????

MEN!

He finally did get dressed and in the car but he made me drive to our doctor's office first - even though I told him they would send us directly to the ER anyway.

So we walk into the doctor's office and she tells us to go the ER - hmm imagine that!

So we got to the ER and they medicated him up with some anti-nausea, anti-inflammatory, and some pain medicine via an IV.  Amazingly, his pain went from a 7 to non-existent in a matter of a minute.  Then he spent the next hour drifting in and out of sleep while his oxygen levels kept dipping in the 70's and 80's. At one point it got as low as 69.  I thought for sure they were going to hook him up to oxygen and admit him!

But I soon realized that if I kept him awake and talking, his oxygen levels stayed around 92-94...so I just kept talking to him and asking him questions, and annoying the heck out of him.  You're Welcome!

A CT scan revealed about a 5mm stone so he should be able to pass that on his own. 

Can we be done with the kidney stones now?

Pasties

My dad grew up in Upper Michigan.

There, they are known for a food called "pasties" which is basically meat, potato, and vegetable rolled into a pie like crust.

One word: "YUCK"

We'd sometimes have them for dinner when I was a little girl and I HATED them.

While at the Iron Mine a couple weeks ago, I came across this place mat in the gift shop.

Ew!!!!   Glad no one has to force me to eat those anymore.

We also saw this in the gift shop

One on each side.

Eight Years

Eight years ago today I married a man that, I guess at the time, I hardly knew. 

I mean we met in June 29, 2004...spent about a month together before I had to go back to Florida...had a long distance relationship for 11 months... moved here the beginning of June, 2005...and were married on June 24, 2005.

We talked very frequently and visited each other as much as our schedules would allow considering we were 1,500 miles apart...but nothing prepares you for merging two families.  We were all thrown right into the fire. 

Merging our families was sometimes hard but, in many ways, this past year has been our toughest. Dealing with chronic pain has been tougher.  My moods...my quests for answers...my attitude when answers didn't come easily...the financial obligation that comes with all the tests, medications, etc...all took their toll on our relationship.

When a spouse has health issues it is no walk in the park...it definitely qualifies for the "for worse" part in your wedding vows.  And there were times I felt a complete cloud hanging over us...but, lately, I feel the cloud lifting and the sun is beginning to peek through. 

Even though the pain has again gotten much worse since being removed from the Diclofenac (almost went to the ER last night because of the stabbing pains in the upper back but I just dealt with it until it finally subsided).  I am determined to not allow this to take control of my life or define who I am.  

and...

I am so thankful for my many blessings. 

Happy 8th




Oh my goodness we all look so young!

"Brotherly" Love

When Zack was in fourth grade (and I was his teacher) during prayer time every morning his prayer request, no fail, was for a dog.

Now he has his dog and they are best buddies.

Lake Antoine

One of the things my parents love to do is take walks.  Whenever we are visiting we usually walk everyday - alternating between Piers Gorge, Strawberry Lake, and Lake Antoine.

However, once again while I was visiting, we dealt with temps that were much below average for most of the days, so we did not get much walking in.

In fact, the only walk we did take was on Friday...the day we arrived.

Mom and I took Ollie walking around the Lake Antoine Campground.

While Zack swam in the lake.

Unfortunately, this would be the best day we would have there (weather wise).  I tried taking him again on Sunday to swim but it was so freaking windy and cloudy that we were only there about 1/2 hour. 

Iron Mine

One of the things that Zack has been begging to do when we go up north is to visit the Iron Mountain Iron Mine.  He's been there three times already but the first time he was 18 months and the second time he was 3 - he doesn't remember those.

The last time we were there was about 6 years ago so I looked up the cost - which was not an easy task since they don't answer their phone and they haven't updated their pathetic webpage since 1996!

Anyway, the price wasn't too bad so I decided to take him on Saturday while we were dealing with another ridiculously cold and cloudy day.

The Gift Shop and Mine Entrance

While paying for our admission, I glanced at their price sheet and bought tickets for one adult and one child.  After I paid, I noticed a "child" was considered ages 6-12 not 6-17.  Oops!

"Big John"

When you go inside the mine you must wear a raincoat and a hard hat.  It is a cool, constant 38* in the mine at all times...so I dressed warmly.

Zack waiting for our tour...notice the raincoats and hard hats in the background

Our tour guide was hilarious (not intentionally) but he spoke like a true yooper - as they call themselves up in the UP (Upper Peninsula of Michigan)

For instance if he wanted to say, "they used three men to put the dynamite through the hole"...it sounded like "dey yooooosed tree men to put da dynamite troo da hole." 

This sign is hanging at the entrance of the mine.  The two stopes (in dark blue) are where most of the valuable iron was found.  To get that deep into the mine, we rode a train partway and then get out and walk to the two stopes. 

The tunnels we walked through looked like this:

tunnels in the mine

The pictures inside the mine didn't turn out well.

Calcium deposits on the rocks

Zack looking at the larger stope

We had a great time...and educational.  Our tour guide may have spoken yooper dialect but he was extremely knowledgeable about the subject area!

On the Move Again

One of the greatest things about having all summer off is having no schedule to follow and being free to improvise life.

So, I made a last minute decision to go back up north over the weekend to spend Father's day with my papa.

We are leaving later today and will be back either on Monday or Tuesday (again, yeah for flexibility and no schedule).

See ya'll later.

Trees

I have posted before on my frustration with the amount of trees we have on our lot.

Up until now I have only mentioned how hard they are to maneuver around on the lawn mower.

I haven't even mentioned the amount of trimming that needs to be done each year!

I tacked about a dozen of these this week.

Before:

After:

And of course I had a "helper"

How Ollie Spent His Time Up North

He saw numerous squirrels, rabbits, and chipmunks. 

Summer car Rides

It's not enough to just put his face out the window...Ollie has to hang his whole upper body out:

Makes it so much more fun

Proof

that my mom IS Italian - 100%.

Here she is with two of her three siblings. 

As you can see - she is the only blonde. 

My other uncle (the missing one) is the one who looks most like an Italian. 

My mom, dad, aunt, and uncle:

How Zack Spent His Time Up North

With no internet and four people sharing two TV's sometimes you just have to improvise.

We picked up this little gem from the Dollar Tree on our first night...childish and fun

Guess Who Had Some Spaghetti For Dinner?

Up North

We've been up north in Michigan for the past week.

My parents do not have internet so the only time we can access it is when we go to the local McDonalds and pig out on fast food while using their wireless.

But really... we have done absolutely nothing blogworthy since being here because it is so.dang.cold!

I packed mainly shorts because...after all...it is June and all...so we have been doing wash every single night and wearing the same pants and sweatshirt every single day!!!   I didn't need to pack any other clothes. 

Seriously, I have been wearing the same outfit since Sunday - it's been washed every night - but still!!!  I would not be surprised if people around here started talking about "that crazy lady that wears the same black sweatpants and sweatshirt everyday." 

Tomorrow we head home and the parents will come along for the weekend as we have a graduation party in Milwaukee on Saturday. 

End of Story!

Successful Year

I am so proud of this guy...

He was one of eight middle school students who were given an academic award for getting all A's and B's this year. 

There were also six students who got all A's.