Hello Dear Hearts

Denise asked How I am feeling. That is thoughtful of you to ask. So here it is...

The port sight is doing well. Still sore and a bit yellow from the bruising. The other wound at my neck is swollen a bit, it is a tiny incision however. It sits right at that bone just under the throat right at the tip of the one side of the dip in my color bone. Lots of muscle spasms, just too fun, not.

I went to my dermatologist concerned of skin infection (staff) however he said it looks good. When I told him of the CVID he was stunned of an adult being diagnosed. You know he got me in within an hour. No charge!
My pharmacist for the infusions said the diagnosis of adults is one she sees. Not very often but now days it is caught. I am so blessed to have a GREAT pharmacist. She and I speak once a month or so. She always makes sure I have all I need and even visits a while. She is so thoughtful of my latex allergy and my tender skin (lots of bandaging with infusions and the iv) . We speak of the holy and the divine. She asks of how I am and such.
My shoulder is hurting fair amount. The turning of my neck or looking up pulls and tears (or so it feels like that). Sent me to a gasping round of tears night before last. We were in bed and as I adjusted a pillow with my left hand reaching up with my right to tuck it under my head, OH mercy. It was as a tearing sensation. Perhaps an adhesion. At any rate my sweet darling just held me till it subsided ans we dozed off to sleep. So it is still healing and the catheter is tugging some (or so it feels). Several times a day if my neck moves up or to the side pain greets me with a hardy 'yep I'm still alive!' Ha
Hurts! I have driven today and yesterday. Still a bit difficult, shoulder is tight and so is my neck. The port is on my chest and the tubing over the clavicle. The clavicle is non to happy about it. It is getting better. Today is just day 8 after surgery.
With the new nose mask the CPAP (for sleep apnea) is being used at least 3/4 of the night. Rest what a concept :)

My infusion is the day after tomorrow and I am still pretty energetic. That feels so good!

The 6 month labs show that my levels are staying in a safe range between infusions, a real good thing. My body is taking the treatment. This will allow the lymphatic system to heal. It was pretty much gone by the time they found this. God is so good. I could of easily caught something to have it kill me. Here came He my Savior ready to stop the thief. So many many years undiagnosed and untreated, I have a real chance at a pretty healthy life now. The infusions will most likely be for my life time.

Makes me feel a little sad that my husband MUST be insured, employed until I am at least 65 to get medicare under his history. That is only another 15 years so not too bad. It is so wonderful of late. He got a promotion and a raise. Amazing in this day. He is now on salary and exempt. First time in his life to have it happen. Although no overtime option, it has been many a year that overtime has been obsolete.

Thank you all for your kind wishes and prayers. It is a wonderful thing to be loved.

Thankful Thrusday

A yard full of children. 

Glee and giddy

bycicles in the park

pick up load home

boys so silly

Daughter the 'mom'

no greater presence than this

a yard full of happy children

play full of imagination

hollars and screams as they play

this is certainly a beautiful day

Speaking with authority

Speaking with authority Oh this is rich click here to hear a wonderful poem

Parent teacher confrences

funny day today

This morning my darling patted me on the bum and greeted me into a new day. "time to get up babe"

You know I did not even hear the alarm over my CPCP machine. So up and at the tasks I stood, then bidding him on with his lunch in hand. The house was quiet so I sat in the silence and prayed. Read some in the book of Lamentations. Seamed to speak to me. After a time Dash came in and asked if Dad was up yet. Telling him he was off to work confused him. He went into his room coming to me to say that his clock was messed up.

So he and I sat and I read three Chapters of the Proverbs to "my son". As time passed I thought I had better get the day rolling. Well so strange for the morning just lingered on so sweet. It was then we realized something was amiss.

Later on in the morning the call coming in confirmed it.

Steve called me  "what happened!?" he asked. "I thought that something was just odd about the drive, I got here to work at 6a.m. a whole hour before expected". He had me check the alarm clock and it was set right where it always is. "strange"

Well the kids and I had realized it was an odd morning.So they went off to school.

Steve had a day to work that would end just an hour earlier, JUST IN TIME TO MEET ME at the school to attend both of the kids parent teacher conferences. Now I was concerned of attending for my immunity is low with the infusion due on Saturday. I had spoke to God about it too. Even asked God to help me submit to Steve's leadership. HA! He woke me up.

HA! funny God.

We sat outside for Dash has over 30 to one ratio in a small class room. NO WAY should I go into that rat hole of a germ den.

We had wonderful reports for each kid. All A's and B's for each. Very good reports of behavior and character. Felt real nice to know that they are flourishing at school.

We learned a little tidy bit, Dash's teacher is turning 35 this year.

SHE WAS ONLY 5 years old 

when Steve and I got married! 

Now that is an odd thing. The sweetest thing however. She is not yet married and desires kids. She said "I realized that it does not matter, for you two have made me understand by watching you and teaching both of your children that I will adopt."

So we figured it out that perhaps it was the CPCP he heard. The alarm is an ocean sound used for many many years. We dislike the abrupt beep or buzz of other clocks.

Dash taught me how to play CHESS tonight.He is really working on writing v printing. He really likes it better. If I could just get him to do the home school books on it. Dove is the best writer of any kid in any of the grades she has been in.

Dove is sweet and going into her own. She lost her bedroom door yesterday. No more teenage door slamming here. :) She is really handling it well, very contrite. Steve came down on her for poor treatment of me. It was awesome that he loves us both so much.

She wants to be called 

Water Wolf

She will most likely have some life about the ocean the kid loves the water. We live so far away from any, but oh the kid loves it. A water wolf I have learned is a name for a type of fish I think it was a large cod. She she sees herself a blue wolf born of the water. Beautiful image I think. I love wolves. To me they are holy and remind me of the long train ride from Moscow to St Petersburg through the black forest of Russia. She will be doing a three month geography study using Russia as her topic of country.

Dove is doing Chorus this term I am thrilled and eager to see her performance.

Dash was just elected today to do another term of Student Council.

so if your husband taps you on the bum and tells you to wake up and start the day...trust that God is in his direction.

Funny that. Steve got to go to the kids conferences. This is the man who hates to get out of the warm covers. It was totally wonderful having the time to read Proverbs to my son.

Meal Plan Monday ~Del Monte Splinda Pollution!

Every day

carrots/yellow veggie

whole grain

leafy veggie

green tea

fruit

nuts

Three times a week

oily fish

yogurt

avocado

broccoli

sweet potato

Once a week

red meat

sugary desert

(wine) we do not drink however

miscellaneous chicken, turkey, eggs and other things like fresh foods not listed are added. Just this is the base of the menu each week. We have made it our dietary 'way of life'.  Each person is considered. For the different meals of the day. Dove eats her nuts in the morning.

click to image enlarge

Yesterday for supper desert I prepared a fruit salad. At the grocer there was a good deal on Mandarin Oranges. Knowing me of course you know I purchased a few of them. Also knowing me you would know that I have never used or would ever purchase artificial sweeteners. To my dismay and disgust what I purchased as 'No Sugar added' so as to be able to use the juice in another recipe. As the can was being opened it was then that the label stood out. SPLINDA! that garbage was in my FRUIT! What in the world! Why!? Why would anyone pollute fruit (sweet wonderful) a God given gift of nurture.

I HATE ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER!

Give me sugar, molasses, honey not poison.