chiari walk

I know you may read this many times on other blogs or at conquer chiair's website.
There is going to be a BIG chiari walk in September in which conquer chiari is hoping to get all 50 states to do a walk the same day and raise money and awareness. I am hoping to be involved in some way providing I am recovering well from surgery.
I am going to get ahold of our state rep.( I go to church with him) and find out what needs to be done to get Missouri to recoginize September as Chiari awareness month.
Wish me luck,
Lolo

It's Thursday

Well it's Thursday and I feel pretty blessed to of made it this far this week. I think my stomach issue is getting better.I thought that yesterday too and it hit again so we are praying it is over. I did finally eat real food yesterday.I also tryed to do a bit of shopping and did ok at first but became very weak and ended up having to leave target with out buying the things I had wanted.
The garage sale for not even really being "open" til tomorrow is doing GREAT.We have made about $30 bucks a night just being out in the garage every night trying to arrange things.
Tomorrow is the lumbar MRI.If they find that I do also have tethered cord how will this affect the decompersion surgey date I already have set up on June 3rd? I am a bit nervous about this!
It is a count down now til our move.I am so excited to be moving.Not having this place and the stairs to deal with is going to be so helpful!! Once all the garage sale stuff is gone we will load it back up with our personal things that will go with us.
Sierra is being sooo helpful.She surprise's me every day with her kindness and willingness to help. We are talking about a 17 year old girl here and the time she has been willing to give to me to help and make things easier on me is very touching. Thank you so much Sissy~
Our air is not working-Not a big deal to some but to me when it hits a certain temp, and with me having issues with controling my body temp. today could be uncomfortable.
I will be saying good-bye to some of my daycare darlings this month.Everything going on at once.2 of them I have had since they were 4 months old and are now in first grade so it could get a bit emotional here in the coming weeks.
I've gone on enough.Have a beautiful day.
Love to all,
Lolo

not feeling well ~ whining

My stomach has been sooo upset the last couple of days.I have thrown up a couple of times but nothing else so I am not sure why this nasty tummy upset.I haven't read or heard any where that stomach aches have anything to do with chiari so I guess maybe some bug is going around.
Sierra has yet another UTI.She goes to the Dr. in about an hour.They seem to be getting worse.This time she has had blood in her urine.I really need to get her checked out for the tethered cord thing.This keeps me upset and does nothing for my stress level which in turn probably keeps my tummy upset.
I go Friday for the lumbar MRI that Dr.Oro has asked for.That should be fun.
Has any one gotten their money from Bush yet? We had planned to pay rent at our new apartment and use the rest if needed when we go back to Colorado however yesterday we found out that our truck needed $1000 worth of work so that needs to come first. Since I work at home we only have the one vehicle so there was no question it needed attention.
The garage sale is this weekend.I have some pretty good stuff for sale if I do say so myself.Last Saturday we sold $200 worth of stuff that we had out just trying to get ready for this weekend so that was a nice little bonus.
I think every one around here is good.Michael and I are actually a little testy with each other today.I am feeling like I want to take tomorrow off with this tummy thing,it has me really run down but his thinking is that I was already off a couple of days for my Colorado trip and am looking at being off a month after the surgery I need to suck it up and work.He didn't really put it like that but that's how I took it.
Sierra,as I said is on her way to the Dr. She and her boyfriends family went out of town this past weekend.It seems like they all had a really nice time.
Joshua does seem to be staying out of trouble.Thank you Lord for that.
Jayme is wanting to drop out of school and be home schooled so Michael had that issue to deal this weekend.She is living with her mom now and just seems to of stopped caring.I pray things work out.Being a teenager sucks.
Feel good all,
Lolo

so happy it is Friday

I am so thankful today is the last day of the work week.Even though I had a short work week and fewer than normal kids I am beat!
We were going to move to our apartment on the 7th of June,however when we went to sign the lease we moved that date up one week to the 30th of May.Ealier this week we found out that I would be having surgery on the 3rd of June so we have yet again changed our moving date to the 23rd of May. This weekend is cleaning and preparing for the garage sale the following weekend.Than we will need to finish packing and move the following couple of weeks than off to surgery.I guess the good thing about being this busy is I won't have a lot of down time to dwell on the surgery huh?
I know Michael and my mom are going to Colorado with me.I had mentioned many blogs back that since the chiari I had been trying to restore my relationship with my dad.He freaked me out the other night by telling me he would be there with me through my surgery too.Keep in mind I have talked to my dad more this last month than I have in probably 3 or 4 years so this is BIG.There is little doubt in my mind now that the Lord certainly does know what he is doing.The restored relationships since my chiari have been unbelievable to say the least.
I have a question for those who may read this who have kids and have been where I am going.Do you just watch for signs in your kids? We know we have the chiari gene so are chances greater that our kids may end up having chiari as well? I think of Julie Carter and her girls so I was just wondering.My daughter does have the 2 dimples in her lower back and my son who is 20 now has struggled with lower back pain since he was 14.I think I will also talk to my PCP and see what he thinks.Dr.Oro is wanting me to have a pre-surgery history and physical done.What is that?I already have the appointment set up but don't know what to expect.
I pray you all have a great weekend and a pain free one at that,
Lolo

update

Surgery is June 3rd.

my visit with Dr.Oro

I saw Dr.Oro Monday.He is just the greatest.He already had all of my MRI films and some other test results so I didn't need to be sent for any further testing which was nice.He is just honest and to the point.I have chiari it is progressing and I should really consider having the decompression surgery.There is some concern of tethered cord which would change things a bit.I am having a lumbar MRI done here at home and will send him the results and go from there.
We were able to stay at the~Strawberry place~.It is a 4 plex and a nice one at that.Hopefully when surgery is scheduled we will be able to stay there again.It was close to everything.Lots of places to eat and shop.It has a full kicthen if you wanted to cook you could because it has everything you would need.Even a washer and dryer.It was nice to come home and not have a ton of laundry.
We found out yesterday that we can move to our apartment one week earlier than we had thought so that is great news.Things around here are coming along as far as cleaning,garage sale things and just packing.
This is my first day back to my little darlings this week since I went to the Dr.They are all so great.I got lots of love when they came in the door this morning.I have 3 less than on a normal day so coming off the Dr.appointment it is really nice.
Michael has been wonderful as always and ready to get on with the surgery and life.He is very strong and I am very thankful for that.
When we got home and let the family and friends know of the outcome of my visit with Dr.Oro everyone thought they needed to come to Coloardo with me for the surgery so I had to remind people this brain surgery we are going to not a party.
Hugs to all,
Lolo

just want to share

I just wanted to share my Sunday morning with you.
We went to church just as we do every Sunday,we sang our songs and prayed and sang some more than came our time of "coming to the ALTAR to pray" where our pastor has use come forward and get on our knees and pray if we feel lead to.This day~ Laura and Michael Flaws were to come to the altar and the congergation "laid hands"on us and prayed for our upcoming trip and the outcome.I had people holding my hand,people with their hands on my arm,leg, back and my pastor with his hand on the back of my head.I've had people pray for me before but never anything like this.I was overwhelmed!I was on my kness and some one asked if I needed help getting up and I really did need help getting up.It was that moving to me.After church service we went upstairs to our small groups (Sunday school).I am in a big group that meets than breaks into a smaller womens group,Michael teaches the youth.I walked in to put my things down and get coffee and "Donna" a very wonderful lady handed me a check for-travel expenses-I tryed to give it back.These are not things I am used to.I always help the other person ya know.Any way she said she felt lead to give us $100.00.WOW!!Than before our small groups broke off "Paul" who put's some activities together for our group said he had an announcement-in May we are doing clean up at blah blah and in June we will be meeting at Mike and Laura's to move them to the apartment.At this point I was finally speechless.I was sooo overcome with emotion this day.I am so glad I didn't wear mascara.People never cease to amaze me.I think the hard part is to be the taker instead of being the giver.However seeing and feeling this goodness from others does make me continue to give when and where I can.
Just wanted to share.
Have a good Monday,
Lolo