HAPPY NEW YEAR

BRIGHT BLESSINGS FOR THE NEW YEAR, FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS!

My Pain Medication and The Dentist

Remember when I mentioned that I was having a reaction to the Hydromorphone I was prescribed for pain, after my hand surgery.

Look what some one just sent me " Hydromorphone has been recalled".

I called the pharmacy and they said they were planning on calling me....after the new year. Glad I stopped taking it. Scary.



Today I spent 2.5 hours at the dentist trying to repair the tooth damage that occurred during my surgery. Tooth was damaged during intubation.

I have to go back in a few weeks for a crown and it's going to cost me $500.00. GRRR!!!

Nah...not that kind of crown....this kind.

But...I must admit my dentist Doc Sweeney is a very gentle man, and that makes "going to the dentist" a bit easier.

Anywho....don't forget to floss!

Juz Cuz - Joe Boxers!

What a hoot!

Warning! May be adult-only.

Today's Gift

Every day I feed a number of little critters out on my patio. I have had as many as six beautiful blue jays at once at the feeder. Other little birds, course I have no idea what they are, but they are cute.

My favorite is a little gray squirrel, she has been my dinner guests for a few years now.

This morning I went out to fill the feeder with seed, corn and peanuts. There I found a beautiful red squirrel. She was large with a big bushy tail. She filled her little cheeks with feed and walked off to the nearest tree. There she sat for the longest time, munching on feed.

Here's a few photos I was able to take.
Isn't she cute? She was my "gift" today.

Click here for more cute critters!

Do you get any magical gifts today?

Christmas Brunch

Every year, my hubby Dan and I go to Woolley's Restaurant in St. Paul, MN for Christmas brunch.

Not a bad job on the makeup, I did it one handed. It was a bit difficult to do with my left hand. HA!

The food at Woolley's is always delicious, different from year to year and staff are so friendly.

They have a lovely courtyard with ponds for the hotel's little ducks.

Today was my first fun day out of the house after my surgery, it was a long exhausting day, but I enjoyed spending time with Dan. After brunch we hit a few movies, Doubt and The Curious Life of Benjamin Buttons. Really enjoyed Buttons! Who knew it was based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald story. Both are must see movies.

Like I said...it was a long day and I paid for it that night. My hand was sore and a bit swollen. But, I had fun!

Did you have a fun Christmas?

Camera Critters 12/25/2008

Every year we have Christmas brunch at Woolley's Restaurant, in Embassy Suites in St. Paul, MN. The brunch is delicious.

They have a beautiful courtyard with a pond full of adorable little ducks.

For more Camera Critters click here!

Skywatch Friday 12/26/2008

The sky Eau Galle Recreation Area in Spring Valley, Wisconsin, USA.

Skywatch Friday

My Girl's Christmas Photos

My beautiful daughter Jenni.....back in 1976.

My beautiful granddaughter Sierra, five months old.

My granddoggie Sandy in the above photo and granddoggie Sera below.


My girl doggies Lucy and Molly.


Bright blessings from our home to Yours!

The Hand Surgrey

I am finally feeling well enough to get out of bed and stay out for a few hours.

My surgery was on December 12, lasted about three hours. In the prep room, they asked if I wanted a nerve block for my right arm or a general anesthetic . I asked for a nerve block because in the past I have had reactions to the medications used and one time an adverse reaction to Diprivan that caused Anaphylactic Shock . I was also hoping that going the nerve block route would prevent me from being nauseous after the surgery and I did not want a tube down my trachea. Nothing I hate more than waking up from surgeries and puking for the next few days.

So...they gave me the nerve block and some drugs to help make me groggy. But once inside the surgery room, they made the first incision and I reacted to the pain, so they gave me the general.

Ugh!! Not only did I wake up to two days of puking, but also discovered that when they intubated me, they knock out a crown on my upper left molar. Can you say hole in the head! UGH!

My stay at United Hospital was three days, I sorta woke up Friday afternoon to my roommate talking NONSTOP on her cell phone. How can any one be so rude?

She was on that phone all nite long and was still talking the next day as they wheeled her out to go home. I did have peace and quite after she left. Me...I was still puking.

My poor hubby came to visit every day, only to end up watching me puke or sleep.

Finally, Saturday about noon...I was able to eat some funky colored Jello and an hour later puked it up. UGH!

I did manage to eat some toast, clear broth and more jello for dinner and manage to hold it down. Yahoo!!

Saturday nite I had the room to myself...quite! No one chatting on her cell phone.

Sunday morning at 5:00 AM.....I woke up starving! I asked for toast...never got it. Then at 6:30 AM I asked what time breakfast would be served, I was told 7:00 AM.

8:00 AM...still no breakfast, again I asked for toast, and/or breakfast. 8:30, 9:00 came and went. I was ready to start puking again. I again called the nurse and asked for toast or jello. Anything to eat.

At 9:30 AM...some one brought me cold eggs, cold sausage, cold toast and cold coffee, which I do not drink!

I was crying by this time from pain, hunger and frustration. I just wanted to go home!!

At 10:00 AM...someone brought me warm toast and jello.

At 11:00 AM I got a new roommate, she had fallen that morning and broke one of her wrist bones. OUCH!!

Along with her ...came her entire LOUD family. They brough a latin music DVD, put it into the room's TV and cranked the music up...LOUD! Then they set up some sort of video game and were playing that LOUDLY! I asked them to please turn the noise level down...they acted like they did not understand English, so I asked them in Spanish and they just laughed. Now...I'm Hispanic, so please don't say that I was not being "understanding". For heaven's sake....it's a hospital, not a frickin pajama party!

I called my hubby and told him I wanted to go HOME!!! NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

I also told the nurse I wanted to go home! She said I was not to be released until Monday....I was ready to cry.....again. Really....it was just a bit too much for me. I asked her if I could please take a shower, she said that she would need to find someone to walk me to the showers. I got my shower an hour later and was exhausted afterwards.

The doctor finally came in, I explained to him...that I wanted to go home...to peace and quite and where I could at least get toast when I asked for it.

Doc signed the release papers, gave me scripts for Hydromorphone, Hydroxyzine, Clindamycin, and Ondansetron. Whew! I needed a chart to help me keep track of when and what to take.

I was free to go home and start healing

My hubby Dan took these photos, geez...I look like shit. This one is when I got home from the hospital.

Did ya notice...the EBIce unit that was my constant companion for 10 days. My little blue ice cooler...minus the "six-pack" of ice tea. HA!!

Really...I am in there...in bed under all the covers. That's my girl doggies; Molly, 8 yr old beagle and Lucy, 11 yr old Aussie Kelpie. They were so loyal during my bed rest, never leaving my side.

Sunday night was hell....Monday it got worse, I called the doctor's office three times during the day to let them know the pain was unbearable, no one ever returned my calls.

Monday night I was really to scream in between the crying. The pain meds were NOT WORKING and I was only sleeping about an hour or so at a time. I was miserable.

Tuesday morning I again called the doctor's office, and this time...got a human who told me to come into the office ASAP.

I called a few friends and neighbors, but everyone was at work. Then my friend Betty called me back and offered to drive me to the doctor's office.

Seems the half cast and dressing on my hand/arm was way too tight. So the dressing/half cast was replaced and wow....what a difference. The pain was a little bit less.

THANK YOU BETTY.....love ya!!

But...I was still not sleeping, I would sleep for about 1-1 1/2 hours and then I was wide awake! In fact it felt like I was on speed. And when I was trying to sleep I was short of breath. And the itchiness was so bad. Was told it was a reaction to the Hydromorphone, which was causing narcotic induced anxiety and agitation. In other words...it felt like I was on speed!


Called the doctor and got a script for Hydrocodone. Didn't really help much. Oh, woe was me.

Friday, I got out of bed for a bit and took these photos.

If I was a sleep--deprived druggie....this is what I would like like. Gross!

Me.....after a long hot shower (with a plastic bag on my hand)!!

My loyal girls, always with me.

Each day gets a little easier with less pain. I sure do miss miss the ponies! Even the barn chores.

Take care of yourself!

"A Doggy Christmas Surprise" - Camera Critters

FANTASTIC!!!!

For more cute critters...click Camera Critters!!

Jenni, Sierra & Rob

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Just Cuz!

Happy Woof Season & Arooo Holidays!

May your holiday be bright!

For more cute critter photos, check out Camera Critters.

Will it be Bionic?

Back in 1991 while at work, I had the misfortune to fall and badly damage my right hand. The pain was so intense, I thought I was going to pass out. I went to the city doctor (on contract with my employer), who told me that I had just "sprained" my hand. He wrapped it and gave the okay for me to return to work. I did. I cried whenever I had to use my hand, the pain was unbearable. A week later, I told my boss that there was "something very wrong with my hand", she told me that I had to return to the city doctor, instead I went to the ER. It was there that I was told "Of course, you're in pain. You shattered all your carpal bones". For those of you who may not know, there's eight carpal bones in your hand.

I have had a total of six surgeries to try to "fix my hand". To this day, the daily pain is bad....bad....bad.

Back in 1995, during one of the surgeries, my hand surgeon did a partial fusion. He use bone removed from my hip. OUCH!! It was hoped that it would stabilize my hand and stop the pain. It took over a year for my hand to heal and work though the PT. During that time, I lost my job, due to not being able to perform 100% of the duties.

Me..after the 1995 surgery.

With each surgery I keep thinking...this will be the one to "fix my hand" and it does not.

Over the years, I have had to wear many splints to support my weak hand and to help with the pain. Some of them....are darn right creepy looking! Huh!?! The ones stinky and dirty from horse work are tossed in the trash!

S&M ANYONE??? HAHAHA!!

The circulation in my hand is crap, which means my hand is always cold. So....I've had to be a bit creative when it comes to keeping my hand warm.

I cut the fingertips off cheap work gloves, they keep my hand warm when working with my laptop. If I need more warmth, I use the wool fingertip less glove.

I also wear "sleeves" under the hard splints to help keep my hand warm, and of course....the funky ones look kinda cool.

This one I wear when sleeping. Yes...it's covered in beagle hair. HA!

Tomorrow morning, I will go in for total fusion of my hand. They will be replacing my bones with cadaver bones, adding a plate, pins, and fixing the loose tendon/ligaments. This is major ....major work that will be done on my hand. I'm a little scared. I am hopeful that it will make my hand stronger and the pain...will finally be gone.

This is what my hand looks like now...hopefully it won't look too different after tomorrow.

I'll be in the hospital for a few days, will be no mail/Internet until I feel well enough to get out of bed.

Ya know something, I'm always amazed at how well animals recover from surgery, and humans take longer. Why is that?

Anywho...when I feel up to it, I'm update you.

And now....for something totally different and off the wall. Here's a photo of me when I was a little girl. HAHA! Is that funny or what! That's my mom's hat that I'm wearing.

Here's a cuter one! My hubby likes to tease me about that tongue sticking out, cuz I still do it when concentrating really hard!

Okay....I'm out of here. Take care!

Camera Critters

Molly watching the ponies out in the pasture.

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Skywatch Friday

Huginn and Dixie camping under a double rainbow.

For more sky photos, check out Skywatch Friday.