In the continuing quest of doctors trying to figure out why at 45 I had two heart attacks - may I present to you the Sleep Study part two. The initial test results showed that I had one little episode of apnea and about 500 episodes of movement disorder but one apnea is all you need apparently.

So I was scheduled for a second appointment with 'C-PaP titration'. Try saying that five times fast.


I can't tell you how excited I was to reenter the hospital for my testing. Being A-type personalities - they were ready for me. I bet the folks that work here get stuck unstringing the Christmas lights at home.

Here is a nice shot of all the goo and spackle they put on me. But it was a painless if not long process of getting me all hooked up.

Here were my three choices of 'masks'. Cripes. I. Am. Old. And the thought of sleeping with something strapped to my face made me feel a little like this:



And about now I am rethinking the whole leopard print jammies. I feel like Pebbles. Soon I am going to feel like Pebbles in an alien face mask.

One thing I can guarantee you is that there are less wires behind our entertainment center than there were hanging from my neck. Do you like my Cyndi Lauper inspired toe nail polish color? Do you notice I am trying to distract you?

Okay.

So that's it.

Thanks for reading me.

Aren't you gone yet? Go read June. Really.

Drats - you are still here? Fine. But don't say I didn't give you a chance to run for the hills.....


Here I am all trussed up. I think the red pen marks on my forehead add a little something that my normal make-up regime just doesn't do.

And finally: I will never be having sex again. Ever. Ever, ever.

Holy. Mary. Mother. Of. God.

And the worst, worst part of all this horror? The machine is hooked up to a humidifier and the mask retains some of the moisture. So just when you get to sleep. DRIP I get splashed in the face by an ice cold droplet which woke me right up and doesn't that sorta/kinda defeat the purpose of wearing the mask/birth control device?

So the moral of the story boys and girls is don't have a heart attack let alone two heart attacks and if you do make sure there is a reason for your heart attacks. Have you some high blood pressure or high cholesterol because if you don't some doctor is going to try and 'solve' you. Oh - and don't get that sleep apnea stuff because no one will ever look at you with a glint in their eye again. Ever.

Ever, ever again. Did I mention ever?

~ame

on Thursday, August 04, 2011 7 comments

Labels: Keeping It Real

A little while ago I made Chewie's girlfriend our famous Sunshine on the Mountain cake. She loved it so much that Chewie wanted to make her one for the next time she came over. This is how his cake turned out:

on Monday, August 01, 2011 2 comments

Labels: Keeping It Real

Praise Jesus.

Where to begin?

On Sunday morning I awoke to severe chest pains. At first I thought and felt like my nightgown had bunched around my chest but I quickly discovered that was not the case. I got out of bed to use the bathroom and was certain that I was going to pass out while on the toilet. Actually I thought I was going to pass out and die alone in that bathroom. I was also cold and sweating buckets so much so that my nightgown was damp. And my chest hurt. It really hurt. I crawled from the bathroom to the bedroom and hollered for Tobey to get up - that I wasn't feeling well.

Tobey ended up calling 911 and I was taken by ambulance to the ER and immediately placed in the cardiac ICU. I am so grateful to each person that had their hands on me and with the grace and glory of God - I am still here. I know that if I would have stayed home I wouldn't have survived this mess I created within myself.

So what happened then?

One of the lead arteries in my heart was blocked. 90% blocked. How could this be? My cholesterol levels have always been great. My blood pressure has always been great. I couldn't have heart problems. No one in my family has heart issues in recent memory. Sure I smoke but that causes cancer....right? And a pack a day really isn't that bad especially if you consider I let most of them burn out in the ash tray....

So.

After two heart catherizations and one nice stint installed - I am doing better. After getting all the test results back I was informed today that I was indeedy having a heart attack when I came in on Sunday and that I had another one after the stint was installed due to some of the plaque breaking off during the stint installation. Where there wasn't damage to my heart on Sunday there is some damage now after the stint. To what extreme? I am not sure but the doctor told me if I quit smoking, watch what I eat and walk 20 minutes a day a few times a week that I would be fine.

Consider it done.

While I am trying to write this without getting all weepy eyed but I can't rave on enough about the excellent care I have received while in the hospital. Tobey hasn't left my side and my friends and family have been wonderful with the visits, phone calls and emails etc. I am blessed. And now I dang well know it.

They say I should be going home tomorrow. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers if you get time to hit your knees....because I am still scared to death every time the alarm goes off on the heart monitor I am hooked up to. Tobey keeps reminding me that I am just fine and that they fixed my heart - which is SO true - but I think I am going to live everyday forward being terrified. And for that I am beyond grateful.

April

on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 5 comments

Labels: Keeping It Real, Life

Tonight was Chewie's Winter Choral Concert. And lately I haven't been taking pictures or video taping the boys' performances as I don't get to enjoy them when I am so busy making sure my ISO is at the right setting.

Anyways - we got settled in and the performances started. And I bawled through the whole dang thing. I was really trying to hold it together but I couldn't.

I sat there and thought this is my last Christmas concert until I have grandbabies in school.

I silently did the math in my head: I haven't missed a Christmas concert since Frodo was Papa Bell in his preschool Christmas play 17 years ago.

17 years of watching our children grow up in these little performances.

Which made me miss my Mom.

Which then reminded me that Mom never got to see the boys in high school. She never got to see them perform like she got to see Frodo perform.

Which made me miss her even more.

And that made me cry harder.

Now I hard perused the Choral Programme and I saw who was singing what. I saw that Keegan was singing Christmas Shoes. I know the poem. I know the song. It never really had effected me before.

Until tonight when that boy sang the part of "if Momma meets Jesus tonight".

Then I really lost it.

I was SO proud of myself this holiday season. I got a little choked up putting up Mom's Christmas tree but it was nothing major. I figured this was really going to be the first Christmas since Mom died that I wasn't going to be a blubbering idiot. I was wrong.

I even held it together at the Hallmark store when I overheard someone asking for Christmas birthday cards.

So after the performance Tobey was asking if I was alright and was it because of my Mom etc. And I lost it all over again. I didn't want the boys to see me like this and I sure didn't want to embarrass them. And that is just what I did despite myself.

I went up to hug Nappy and tell him how proud of him I was and I just couldn't contain the tears. Then I spied Keegan and dragged both Chewie and Nappy over to where Keegan was standing. Now poor Keegan doesn't really know me from Adam....

So I tell him that this has been the first Christmas since my Mom died that I haven't been a blubbering idiot. I told him how my Mom was born on Christmas day too. And how his song just meant so much to me for some reason. And he is just apologizing up a storm and I am telling him it isn't his fault and that I was so grateful for the reminder....and then I am apologizing to the boys for looking like a loon.

Chewie kept telling me it was okay and I scored a few hugs and behind my back Nappy was telling Keegan I was crazy. Go figure. It was quite the evening.

Please keep your loved ones close during this holiday season. We have some family friends who recently lost one of their adult children and my brother Matt and sis-in-law Lil Martha are dealing with some rough things as Martha's mother is not doing well. And Tobey's parents aren't doing well... so some prayers wouldn't hurt ifin' you got the time to grab God's ear.

~ame

on Tuesday, December 14, 2010 3 comments

Labels: Children, Keeping It Real, Life

This my friends is what happens when you let your boys have control over the deep fryer and the making of the onion rings....

I know it is popular to post recipes and such - I have my share here. But this is more of a post on the behind the scenes of cooking. Step one: place towel on floor to unsuccessfully catch the batter blops as you take handfuls of battered onion rings over to the fryer. Ignore the blops ALL over the cabinet drawers and ignore Mrs. Oh having a heart attack over said blops.


Chewie er Super Chewie was very proud of his batter hand. Live long and prosper batter-hand.

How can two boys make such a mess? Which reminds me: Mom always got so tickled watching Julia Child back in the day because she was just sweep off her counters and it looked like she was just wiping everything on to the floor. I am sure Julia had a trash can....but then by the looks of my kitchen....maybe she didn't.

Words. Escape. Me.

But the onion rings and burgers were top notch!



~ame

on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 0 comments

Labels: Children, Keeping It Real, Recipes

on Friday, April 16, 2010 3 comments

Labels: Keeping It Real, Life