Jule's Visit!

Jule's taking me out for frozen yogurt.

                      Julie and Madeline, Mason MIA

                                  

                                                           Cousin Chad (single) and Julie

                                            Julie and Dara

    Arty and Dara

                                                                                       FAMILY-COUSINS DINNER

Cousin Shane (single), Cousin Chad (single), Julie, Madeline, Mason, One of Art's Best Friends whom I adore Matt Matt, Arty, Me, Cousin Misty (not single) and her boyfriend Zach 

Jules was here Tuesday-Saturday afternoon and the visit flew by.  As you can see I hit her up the first day for yogurt and we all enjoyed it immensely.  We also had a wonderful home cooked meal by our awesome neighbors and friends, the Good's.  It was a wonderful pasta dish with a salad, garlic bread and apple pie-thank you.  We decided it would be the perfect meal to have a glass of red wine and it was delicious.  I was up all day with no  nap.  The next day we took it a little bit easier with me napping and Jules playing with the kids, taking them to the park and her keeping up with the dreaded laundry---Thank you Jules.  On Thursday she went to the grocery store, so I could keep on munching and made a couple more meals to freeze.  On Friday we went to take the kids to the new Dr. Seuss movie, I took a napper when we got home and we went to BJ's for a cousins dinner on Jule's last night. We had the best dinner and it was great to have us all together.  I had the dietetic Chicken Fried steak with mash potatoes.  My cousins actually live here in Los Angeles, so it is awesome to have them close.  It was so perfect to have Julie here.  She was so helpful with the kids and the house.  She will be so missed and My sisters and I are planning a trip July 18th to go home and all be together with mom, dad and Diana.  I think mom got the raw end of the visits where I took the most care. Good ol Mommy, I will be more fun this summer!

I have been having really vivid dreams of all of my high school friends.  I think it has been due to all the emails, blog remarks and cards that have been sent.  If you sent something then you can bet you have debut in my dreams.  I am having a great time with them and cant wait to see who visits me tonight.   My energy has been slowly progressing and I am anxious to get back on the courts.   Wendy and Stephanie will you hit with me one on one or should I say to me when I am a little more stable?  Tracie a dear sweet friend is coming tomorrow for a couple of days with Carole to possibly follow.  I love everyone for your support and will never take you, my life or my smile for granted.  I am anxious to have more go go, so I can give back to the community.  I am going to try driving without the kids next week (exciting-beware), so I can see if I am ready to partake in carpooling to school (thanks for covering Sherron-your a gem).  I am going to start updating on the first of each month, so you can follow my progress.  You must be getting a little tired of me, but all said and done this blog has been a lot fun connecting me with new and old friends and a great support tool. Thanks for putting up with my bad grammar and spelling.  Oh yea-my boy cousins are both single  Chad is 35 and Shane is 25.  Wouldn't it be super cool if my blog made a love connection for them.  Love to all and April is a few days away!

Opps THERE IT'S NOT!!

Howdy folks!  Ok this is from March 25, 2008, our follow-up visit in San Diego.  Mom Judi came and watched the Kids in the morning until Jules shows up at 2pm.   I got a little car sick, atypical for me, on the ride into San D.  Art's car is a little smaller than mine and I seemed to have felt every bump in the road.  So,  I mainly spent the ride down with my eyes closed, typical for me on long car rides.  I felt very confident shuffling into the MD's (my hero's) office.  In the office I met the chica that had her surgery for AN removal on the same day that morning.  She was really funny.  I do not think her recovery was going as well.  She encountered facial paralysis when she got home.   They put her on a steroid that is decreasing the swelling around that nerve and she has full function now.  The fatigue is kicking her butt too.  She stated that she told the doctor's that if she didn't go first that she would freak out waiting and walk out  of the hospital.  I was glad to be of assistance and go second.  I forgot to ask her how big "hers" was.  (I love to ask that question and freak everyone out when I blurt how big Willy was.  I like to do everything BIG.  Always have.)  I would of also liked to ask her how  they found hers.  She looked to be about 45.  Anyways, I had a kinddrid spirit towards her and wished her good luck as she went first (again) bravely to have her staples removed.  I listened for yelling and the coast was clear.  We wished each other continued good luck as she left to go home.  

I went in and saw my Hero!  I proudly showed him how the facial swelling had gone down.  I showed him my awesome scar and how good it looked.  I told him I still had right facial numbness and tingling, a mettalic taste, slurred speech and a mean shuffle, but they were all improving.  He said I may not get all the taste back on my entire tongue.  I said thats ok, I will just use the other portion to get my taste.  I have gained about 7 lbs since surgery, I needed that.  I think I am eating Arty out of house and home in search of finding a variety of food that tastes really good. I asked if Willy had anything to do with my poor memory.  He assured me no, which was disappointing, that I just have a sucky memory.  He said I could do memory exercises (like that's really gonna happen with a 3 and 5 year old.)  I am also having poor fine motor skill, like handwriting, which he states will get better with practice.  We took the staples out with Art bravely assisting the MD.  It did not hurt and they came out smoothly in about 2 minutes.  I don't have to go back to see him for another year when I go in for another CT.  We shuffled out of there walker free and happy!  I said where do you want to eat to celebrate again, maybe Mexican and off we go in search of the perfect meal.  (One of our Hobbies pre and post Willy)  We went downtown and had the best Mexican food that we have had in a long time.  We headed home to see sis Jules who made it safely in from Texas and is staying for 5 days.  Lucky me what a great trip with a great treat seeing Jules at home.  Thank you Melissa for the plane ticket, Chris for making it happen and EJ for watching Bella and Lila while she takes off time from being a Mommy and babysits me.  I almost forgot that I got cleared to drink an occasional glass of wine, which I am also gonna save for Julie.