EGD

Today I had my EGD. This time it was drastically different than the first one. I was awake! last time it was an emergency EGD to see if I had food stuck in the esophagus so they had to use the larger endoscope in order to remove any obstructions and to take biopsies. Today's EGD was just a quick look see to find out if I have a hiatal hernia before my WLS. I do have a small hiatal hernia, which makes sense with my GERD, that the surgeon will fix when he does my banding.

So now we just wait for the surgeon's office to submit the request for approval of my surgery, and for the insurance company to approve the surgery.

One step closer to a healthier me....

I Broke Miss M

Today I "broke" Miss M. Okay, not literally, but it was a rough morning nonetheless. The morning started out great. Then Miss M decided that she DID NOT want to go "bye-bye", she enforced her views on the issue by using her favorite word repeatedly, "no."

While holding her right hand I was helping her walk down the five steps from the main level into the family room so that we could leave through the garage. I was probably half way down the steps when she, standing on the top decided she wasn't going to walk anymore. You know that famous toddler trick that leads to you holding on to the hand of a dangling child. She started crying, but it wasn't any different from her normal protest cry. I put her in the car seat and then return to the family room to get Emma as our first errand was to drop her off at the groomers.

Miss M fussed off and on all the way to the groomers, Emma whined, it wasn't a pleasant trip. I still did not think Miss M was hurt, just mad that mommy was making her go when she'd rather stay home and antagonize the cat. However, when I went to get her out of the car seat at the groomers she let out a blood curdling scream. This was when I noticed that her right arm was limp at her side. Something was horribly wrong with my baby!

Quickly I got Emma checked into the groomers and left to make the trek through the nasty winter weather to get Miss M to the clinic on base. All the while she is crying because she hurts, I am crying because I don't know how to make it better, and am going over and over the morning's events to try to figure it out. She has done that dangling toddler trick numerous times because we make her hold a hand when in parking lots, what was so different this time. Finally I decide that the elevation change between us due to the steps must have been enough to dislocate something. I KNEW that her arm wasn't broken because her bones are still so pliable that it would have taken major force to break the bones.

After what seems like forever we finally make it to the clinic. My cell phone only has enough power for one call. I call Hero, I barely got the words, "Something is wrong with Miss M's arm" out before I broke down in sobs. He asked where I was, I told him the clinic on base, he assured me that he would be there in a minute. I gingerly take Miss M out of her car seat and take her inside, praying the whole way that I won't slip in the ice and slush and that they will see her and not refer me off base. Our base only has a clinic, even though there is access to radiology and a lab, they can not handle traumas.

Once I explained the situation to the receptionist she told me that I should have taken Miss M to the ER because they can not do casting. I explain to her that I know her arm is not broken, but that she needs to be seen because something is obviously wrong. She tells me that she doesn't have an appointment until 3pm, but will see if they can "squeeze" her in. The receptionist disappears into the clinic, but quickly returns to tell me that they will squeeze us in as soon as they can. Miss M and I take a seat in the lobby, shortly thereafter my HERO arrives. Just the sight of him strengthens me.

About 15 minutes later a med tech comes out to look at Miss M's arm. She thinks that Miss M may have "Nursemaid's Arm", basically a dislocated elbow. Apparently this happens to A LOT of toddlers. She sends us to the radiology department for x-rays and then tells us when we get back to check back in to the desk so that they take us back to be seen.

We gather up all our gear; my purse, Miss M's diaper bag, water, Hero's hat and gloves, and jackets all around. Once in the radiology department it is time to hurry up and wait again. Finally, Miss M is called back. Hero takes her. He used to be an x-ray technician before he became a Logistics Readiness Officer, so we knew he would be able to hold Miss M in the positions they needed. I sat in the waiting room listening to my precious baby SCREAM in pain, tears running down my cheek.

Miss M's first x-ray

Back to the clinic we trek, only this time we are quickly taken to the back. While they are taking Miss M's vitals we notice that her elbow isn't as swollen as it was and slowly she is starting to use that arm again. By the time the doctor joined us Miss M was lifting my purse with that arm and was her happy self again. The x-rays showed no fracture, just as I thought. Doctor explained that he likes to get films on these cases before he starts manipulating the arm to insure there are no fractures, makes perfect sense to us. The three of us concurred that when Hero was manipulating her arm to get it into position for the x-rays he reduced the dislocated joint.

Now Miss M is back to her happy self and there are no signs of her traumatic morning. I broke her, her daddy fixed her. This experience gave me a glimpse of the pain Heavenly Father must feel when we are hurting. Children are our greatest treasure, our greatest pleasure, and our greatest educator.

Ouchie

So, I have made it no secret that I HATE going to the dentist. Last week I had to go TWICE! My original appointment was on Tuesday at 11am. However, I ended up waiting over thirty minutes because the patient ahead of me ended up needing more time to fix their problem. That meant that the dentist wouldn't have time to do all that I needed done.

Unfortunately, one of my teeth that needed to be worked on was my #20 molar, that's the one in the far, upper back on the left side. I have a small mouth, and the dentist has big hands....this is what happens when that is the case.

This picture really doesn't do justice to how it looks and feels. I feel like I have been split from my lip to my ear. Okay that might be a slight exaggeration. Frustrating thing is that this particular tooth needs more work...so I fear once again I will find myself with a split lip after going to the dentist.

Woe is me....

What a Big Wuss!

Today I had to face one of my biggest fears; the dentist's chair. I can handle nearly losing the tip of my finger in a stand up mixer, smashing all ten of my toes when trapped in a cafeteria bench collapse, being pinned under a 600 pound ATV, giving birth to an eight pounder(that only "smarted a bit"). What I can not handle is the pain of sitting in a dentist's chair.


I so loathe going to the dentist that I put it off for three years. And what did that get me? Nothing but more time in the chair next month! Why do I do this to myself? Am I am masochist? If I had only been less of a wuss, pulled up my big girl panties and gone to the dentist every six months like a normal person.....

Oh well, no time like the present for pulling up them big girl panties!

The Hardest Thing

Today I did the hardest thing I have ever had to do as a mother. I took my baby, who is no longer a baby, in for her first haircut. So sad am I over the loss of her precious curls that I came home and cried. The stylist warned me that she would have to take off more than I envisioned to even it all up, but I wasn't prepared to have it so short. Then again, it is not like she had a lot to begin with.






This is Miss M about a week before her haircut. Notice the pretty little curls in the back?














Same sweet smile















Only without those curls

Boob Blockers

Saturday in the mail I received my latest issue of the Ladies Home Journal magazine. This morning over breakfast I finally got a chance to crack it open. I love reading this magazine, and can usually do it in an afternoon.

Today while perusing my magazine I came across an ad for Boob Blockers. Now that is not what they called them in the ad, but I had to immediately check out the website. The website itself referred to them as Boob Blockers. I am seriously considering ordering some as I am well endowed...that is truly the understatement of the year. And I have some blouses and dresses that I LOVE, but don't wear often because they expose major cleavage, not that Phillip minds.

But...check out this website if you are looking for something to make a not so modest blouse or dress modest.

Boob Blockers

Breast Canver Awareness

Okay, so October may be over and with it Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But as one of the millions of people who have had Breast Cancer touch my life via loved ones, I know that every month should be Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Ladies please, please, please do not forget to do your self exams once a month. If you can't bring your self to "Cop a feel", ask that special gentleman in your life....most are willing to help a worthy cause such as breasts. Early detection saves lives every day.

A dear friend, well a second mom of sorts, sent me an email today that had this adorable image in it that I wanted to share with everyone.


If you can't read her t-shirt, it reads, "FIND A CURE BEFORE I GROW BOOBS."

Lynn

I am sorry I don't know who to give credit for this image to....

Opposable Thumbs

Why is it that we don't realize how much we need something until it is gone?

That could go much deeper, but today we are just going to discuss my thumb that I nearly sliced off. I was washing dishes last night to make room to bake treats for the impending holidays, when my husband's ceramic popcorn bowl broke and sliced my thumb on the first joint. It was sliced deep, and I nearly fainted at the sight of my blood gushing out everywhere. To think about it now causes me to be faint.

I called to hubby, "Uh, sweetheart I cut myself bad." No response. Again I called to him, "I'm serious here it is BAD!" With this he breaks away from his important channel surfing to come to my rescue. He helps me rinse it out, then I apply pressure with the wad of paper towels he handed me. Sweetly he takes over finishing dinner and I go upstairs to get the necessary first aid items. We briefly discuss whether or not I need to go to the ER, and decide that it is not serious enough to warrant a trip and wait in the ER. After he bandages me up, I am banished to the living room to rest whilst he finishes our dinner.

Three hours and two band-aid changes later my thumb finally stops bleeding. Meanwhile my dear husband has finished dinner, cleared the table (dishes can wait in his book), and finished the candy I was working on before I was injured. What a sweet man I am married to.

Since my thumb is sliced on the inside joint, every time I move that joint the wound is re-opened and begins to bleed and throb. To make matters worse it is my right thumb, I am right handed. I thought the inconvenience would only be last night. Boy, was I wrong! Ever try to zip up and button your pants without your dominant thumb? I seriously contemplated leaving the house half naked this morning, but decided against that as I am not into scaring the general public. Well that and it is illegal.

So here I am trying my darndest to hunt and peck on the keyboard without my thumb, I am a comical site I guarantee you!