Mr. Big Shot

If Uterine updates are Too Much Information for you, than please disregard the rest of this post.

I have been accused of being pregnant. No. I wish. And believe, if I had such a miracle occur, I would be Praising God from the highest rooftops, and you all would KNOW. I think I waited all of two days after a positive pregnancy test with Sam before I announced it on the internet to all the world (or at least to the 5 of you that read). I can't keep a secret like that.

Back at the beginning of December, I popped over to my OBs office, because I was starting to have symptoms of Endometriosis returning, specifically I was bleeding every two weeks, and my cycles were getting Quite painful, like I want to just go to bed and wake up in a week. Well, the boys aren't going to let me do that, as you can imagine. Now for those that don't know, it took us 4 years of trial and error to figure out my problem with getting pregnant for us to Have Christopher. When we decided we were ready for another, we knew what worked, so we did the same treatment for Endometriosis, and combined with a lot of waiting, we had Sam about 16 months after treatment started. So, Sam was a downright Bargain having to only wait a year and 1700$. Really, I'm so blessed that we Know what my fertility problem is, and that we have a sort of fix.
In this rounds case, we hadn't really worked out for sure if we were going to Go For another baby or not. However, the endometriosis symptoms are just inconvenient. And really, it buys me a fairly cyclically peaceful year to just go forward with the lupron treatment.
Oh, what is Lupron? Well, it's a fabulously annoying drug that effectively puts my body into menopause. See Endometriosis is when you have uterine tissue (that bleeds monthly) outside of the uterus. How it gets there they don't really know. But when I had my laparoscopic surgery (exploratory) in November 2003, they found this 'stuff' almost like a mold growing on the outside of my uterus, ovaries, abdominal wall, and even on my colon. It's like a mold that thrives on estrogen. It wasn't the Worst case, but it's still not very good. So while my doctor was in there, he took a laser and zapped off what he could. Unfortunately, it's Very Bad to laser zap a colon, so he couldn't touch that. The other treatment is Lupron. And it puts your body into menopause and thereby starves it of estrogen. With no estrogen, the endo mold stuff just kind of dies off, and then your body can go back to normal. In my case the off cycle bleeding and terrible cramping disappeared, and my body started a 30 day cycle, for a few months, which had never happened in my life. And Poof, I got pregnant with Chris. We tried the same thing, and Poof, Sam! So, I guess we're going to go again. We may not go Poof again in a year, but at least I won't be bleeding for a week every two weeks, which is Uncool.


Have I mentioned I HATE insurance companies, and prescription companies for that matter? No? We'll Here's Why (for this month anyway)...

Back in December my OB ordered Lupron, last time, November of 2007, I did a three month $1700 shot (1 shot lasting 3 mos) course of treatment. Well, this time my new (well I've only had her for the last 3 years) wants to do a 6 month course of treatment. Ugh. That's a bummer, I thought, I'll be hot flashing into summer. Ugh.
But then she tosses out that she wants to put me on progesterone at the same time, that keeps the hot flashes to a minimum. Hot Dog! Hot flashes were really my only nasty symptom. No periods and no hot flashes for the bargain price 1700$, Sign me up!
Unfortunately, insurance and prescription companies are Dumb. Let's sum up: I called them three timess in December, first they wanted insurance info...for my payment, which would have been in full, if they'd gotten their shit together and sent it to me in December, because we had met our deductible. Fast forward to January, still have no drugs, still having painful periods. And I call to complain and demand my drugs be backdated because I shouldn't have to pay because they are dumb. No, "That's Insurance Fraud, we can't do that." GRRRR...

Don't use Carascripts.

So instead I have to pay $750 a month for the next 6 months for these drugs. Fine. We'll probably be hitting our deductible with Chris before this is all said and done, but still, that's A lot of Money. A Lot. Makes me mad. But then again, can you set a price limit on pain, or on even the possibility of another child? No. So I cave. And they send the drugs.
Well, two weeks ago, I get a call from FedEx asking for Dr. H, um, that's my old ob's name, but she doesn't live here. They say, they are trying to deliver the drugs to my current obs office, to the name of my old ob. Really? Good thing I live close, I just had them drive it to my house. But there was much flipping out, from me, from FedEx.
And Oh, did I call and complain. That's Twice, they've Messed up big.

So now, I have drugs, what the heck am I supposed to do with a syringe whose needle is as long as my pinky finger. I'm sure as heck not putting into my own back side...and neither is Eric.

AND by this time I'm waiting for another cycle to come about, because you know I wouldn't want to start the Treatment, on the off chance I might just be Miraculously Pregnant. Wouldn't you know, this was the first month in ages that a. I didn't bleed every two weeks, and b. I was slightly overdue. So just when I start entertaining the notion of being pregnant and not having to use this:



I started Monday. :(

I called yesterday (Wednesdays are my OBs day to be in Bburg) and they squeezed me in so the nurse could shoot me up. I guess it's a good thing, good that the next few months are going to be pain and hot flash free. But I still feel crappy. So please don't accuse me of being pregnant and not telling, I'm so far from pregnant it's not even funny. I'm in a bad mood, Stressed out and Sad.

On the up side, Chris was very proud of me, that I did not Cry. I didn't even feel it. There's a perk for a big bottom, can't even feel the giant needle go in, just a little burn. Chris told me I did a "good job" and that I should have a lollipop. Just so happened they had some, so we all left the doctor's office happily slurping away on lollipops. It must have been a while, because I didn't realize how scrumptious dum-dums can really be, particularly the Savannah Blueberry!

Joy of Love, Day 9

Today's assignment was our loved one's Passions or Hobbies.

The House

Not at all surprising, that Eric's focus has been on building our dream house. He would have done it all, if he could have, or if he had the time. Above is my favorite picture, Chris doing an imitaion of Daddy, while he gets all animated and excited during a housetour, when the framing was just finished. It took a lot of imagination to 'see' what was going to be there. But he's doing a lot of the work himself.

I popped by there yesterday for a new round of photos.



It looks so lovely in the snow, and Eric finally finished the HVAC so it looks so pretty down in the basement, no more metal sheeting on the floor, look on the ceiling at that pretty trunk line.



And this past weekend, with the plumbers almost done, and Eric started electrical work by hanging up most of the electrical boxes. He even got some canister light bases mounted in the kitchen. Love the pretty pex pipe for plumbing, the canisters, and electrical boxes...it's almost looking like a real room! If you see a flick of blue, there's an electrical box. Eric mounted them every 5 feet or so, to a total of almost 300 last weekend.



**Started this on the evening of the 9th, but photos were giving me trouble until the morning of the 10th.

The Gift of 'Salt'

I called Eric this afternoon to ask him a question, and comment on our house showing data. They hated it because of the laundry located in the basement, the master bedroom being in the front of the house, and the slope in the backyard. Ironically they are the only things we dislike about this home too, and why we're selling, but luckily all things we can't really Change for Showings. Hooray?!

As I'm talking to Eric, it sounds like he's driving, at 1:30 in the afternoon. Where are You? I ask him.
"I'm running an errand....For you Valentine's Day Present". Oh, during your lunch break? That's weird. "They have it, and they are holding it for me, it's the Last." Of course I'm intrigued, but what could he possibly get for me that would be 'The Last' in town? Obviously it's a bag of salt. And I clearly tell him so. He laughs. But seriously folks, with all the ice around here, Everyone is out of bags of Salt.

Salt is a Very Valuable commodity.

And it would mean he's planning on chipping us out, and clearing the sidewalk, also a Wonderful Gift, easily and willingly accepted for Valentines' Day! As we continue talking, joking about his mission to get the 'bag of salt'. How he has to drive all the way to Broad Ripple, which isn't on the way to anything, Clearly, because Broad Ripple would be the only place in town that still has 'salt'. He tells me he may have to cancel bell choir this evening, because his music hasn't arrived. I mention that since he'll be at the house and having meetings this weekend, he should take me out on a date. He makes a comment that he's worried that the 'bag of salt' isn't going to fit in his car. Well, that clinches it, now I Know it's a Bag of Salt, because really the mess his car is in, with house pieces and parts, there's no doubt there's no room for even a bag of salt! And it didn't fit.

Well, wouldn't you know, he called later, and cancelled Bell Choir, and took me on a hot date, a very nice Early Valentine's Date. We hadn't had a date in a while. The boys were to excited to go play at Grandma's, and I drive us to Broad Ripple, Eric directing the way, and where does he take me?

Lowe's!

Oh the romance. I didn't even know Glendale had a Lowe's?! But it did. I'm thinking, he really is going to get me Salt! He says it's something for the new house, and he goes inside, when he comes out, he and another guy are wheeling this:



An Electric Fireplace with a Mantle. So Cool! Or rather, so Warm! On a 13 degree day, a fireplace is exactly what I needed. But it's such a Me thing, because Eric didn't really want a fireplace in the new house, but I want one, so he bought me one that makes heat, but no muss, no fuss. However, it wouldn't fit in the minivan, so it will be delivered some other day, to the new house of course. Oh well, bummer.

So we went and drowned our 'sorrows' in sushi at Naked Tchopsticks, a place in Broadripple for dinner, and it was Good! What a great night, and much better than a bag of salt!

Joy of Love, Day 8

Today's theme of Gifts from the Heart seemed perfect for me to try to take a few pictures of my jewelry, but of course I couldn't just pick one piece. I went crazy when I saw someone spell out a word with things they found on a walk. I love the idea of spelling out LOVE. All the rings above have been given to me by my darling husband: My Promise ring, my engagement/wedding ring, a ring for our 5th anniversary, and the band we exchanged for our 10th anniversary. These are perfect Gifts from the heart because they symbolize the lasting love and committment we share for each other we all our hearts.

Joy of Love, Day 7

Generations



Generations of Chrises. Christine the Grandmother, and Christopher the Grandson. We're really blessed that Chris's grandma is also his Kindermusik teacher, so he gets to see her At Least every week, sometimes more. It's one of the best things about Mondays, that he gets to go to Grandma's Music Class.

A Mickey and Cinderella Movie

I got a wild hair today, perusing and daydreaming of our next big family vacation, and decided to play around in Picasa, and made a movie, a movie of my favorite moments from when we took Chris to Disney World last fall, kind of an experiment for Science, well, one naptimes worth of experimenting. I had fun, may have to do this again sometime.




And it makes me Cry.

I'm not sure if it's because it's so beautiful, or because it was such a wonderful celebration at the end of a really hard time, and here we are again, coming up on another hard time, or IN a really hard time. Anyway, either way, Enjoy.

Joy of Love, Day 6

The Ones They Love



Cocoabear

This is Chris's favorite stuffed animal, well, this month anyway. Normally he switches with the week, or the weather, but his Cocoabear has lasted a while. It seemed extra appropriate for me to mix it up and do this one in black and white, because of the Timelessness of Cocoabear.

See, I used to have a Cocoabear. My Dad got me a stuffed koala on a business trip, and he had the softest back, and belly Ever. And he was the color of a cup of hot cocoa, thus Cocoa Bear, with these little tufts of hair, almost rough, but I would just play with him all day and all night. I slept with him, and fell in love with all things Australian, including the Kookaburra song.

Flash forward 25-30 years or so, and our local zoo was opening a brand new Koala exhibit. They were having a contest at the Zoo, and Chris won. His prizes were a stuffed koala and a Clifford book. He was Thrilled. And this koala was softer than mine even. So it does my heart good to see him playing with it. And one day I accidently called it his Cocoabear. He loved that, now he calls it his CocoaBear. And the other day I was singing the Kookaburra song with his Cocoabear, I think Chris thinks it's the Cocoabear song, and it goes a little more like this:

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,
Counting all the Monkeys he can see (pointing to one monkey in particular)
Laugh Kookaburra, Laugh Kookabear
How Gay your life must be!

And it's a lot of fun around here, especially when I am asked for repeat performances of this song before bedtime.