Countdown has started

7 days until my pre-op appointment
14 days until the District Convention
18 days until my surgery

So many busy weekends!

This past weekend we were busy...as usual. Friday night we met Toby, Grase and Sofia at Dland for dinner at the Blue Bayou. Then spent the night over in rosemead at their house. Saturday I had lunch with my mom then went to a memorial for a sister. Saturday night we all traveled to our house to spend the night. We went to San Diego on Sunday. Toby, Jason and Karson went to the Stone Brewery for a beer thing and me Grase and Sofia headed to pick Erica King up. Us girls tried to go to a sand castle competition but it was too crowded. We headed out to the outlet stores right by the mexican border. We shoped and had fun. The boys came out to meet us. Then Jason and Karson headed back to our house and the rest of us went to dinner in San Diego. We ended up dropping off Erica around 10:30pm. Which meant we did not get to my house until midnight. We had so much fun with Erica. I am glad Erica and Angela got to meet my Sofia and Grase. I think Toby and Grase will definitly go visit more often...especially since they do know San Diego from when her sister lived there. It was a busy weekend but I had fun. I made it to work late on Monday but Tuesday I had to stay home. The weekend does catch up to me!!! I love visiting with family but I need to be better about knowing when it is time to go home and rest! I think we all just might do a trip to the San Diego Zoo sometime soon with Kris and Erica so that will be fun!! Maybe in September after my surgery.......or on thanksgiving like we did two years ago.
I took a few pictures at the Blue Bayou that I will post later. Thats all for now.
Dez

Weekend is over....phew

I am so glad the weekend is finally over. It was a long, busy weekend. It started on Thursday when Kris and Erica, Karson's brother and wife, came to stay with us and arrived around 2pm. Karson was to arrive back home on Thursday night so me, Kris and Erica went to dinner and then back home. I went to weight watchers to wiegh in and was happy to learn that I lost 5lbs! I need to keep eating right to lose some wieght before the convention next month. Anyways the reason Kris and Erica were in town is because Karson's cousin Allyson was having her graduation party on Saturday, at our house. Terri, Allyson, Miranda and Callie all came over Thursday night to confirm the schedule for the weekend. Allyson, Miranda and Callie stayed late that night and we all played rock band into the late hours. Karson arrived safely home around 8pm. He looked really tired and played only a few rounds of rock band before he went to bed. Friday we kind of just relaxed until around 2pm when Terri, Allyson, Miranda, Debbie and Callie came over to drop off some more tables and chairs. Then the boys, Karson and Kris, took Terri's car to pick up some more table and chairs and all the girls went to Party City for some decorations. We then went to WinCo for groceries for the event. Friday night we went over to the Kings for a family dinner. It is not often we all can have dinner together. Jim made an awesome roast we all enjoyed. We played boggle until about 10pm when we left to go home. Allyson, Miranda and Callie were at our house setting up some lights on our three palm trees in the backyard but I think they mostly played rock band while we were gone because Karson had to finish the lights Saturday for them. Saturday me and Erica started cooking early to get it out of the way. I was making chili and she was making chicken tortilla soup. We were having a variety of chili and soup as the main courses for the gathering. I never made chili before but it was pretty easy. Erica made a really good chicken tortilla soup. I watched her do the whole thing so I know how to make it now too!! Well the rented table and chairs arrived around 9am and several people were dropping off other items. We had like 6 gazebo canapies in our backyard by mid afternoon. We were so busy but we were able to rest awhile before starting to set up for the party. At 3pm we started getting ready. We had 10 tables in our backyard in the grass area. We fixed the canapies to cover the tables and we set up all the table and chairs with table covers, that took some work. We were working up until people started arriving. We were expecting up to 100 people in our backyard. I think about 70 people came. My backyard looked awesome. I can't believe how many people we can fit back there. We could easily fit 200 people in just the grass area. The chili was a success! We also had pasta, macaroni and green salad. We had tons of fruit also. We just had water bottles in ice and two jugs of Ice Tea and Lemonde. The dancing started around 8:30pm. Kris had brought a huge radio to set up to his laptop. It sounded great. I took Marcel and Veronica inside to play rock band since Marcel had never played. Marcel was good on the drums. Well people started leaving around 9pm and all the guests were gone by 10pm. Stephanie, Terri, Jay, Debbie, Allyson, Miranda, Callie, Marcel and Veronica stayed until around midnight. They cleaned up the backyard for me and got all the food put away and did my dishes too!! Then Allyson opened her gifts. All in all it was a great party. Everyone loved our backyard and made comments about it. Sunday we rested and went to see Transformers 2 in the late afternoon. Kris and Erica left around 8pm. We were exhausted from the weekend yet me and Karson had a hard time getting to sleep Sunday night. I had pain all weekend and I just kept popping pills every 4 hours to help the pain. The Norco is starting to not work as good so my doc said to take 1 1/2 or 2 pills at a time if I needed to. Now that I switched from Amitryptaline to Neurontin I am having a hard time falling asleep. Amitryptaline knocked me out but the neurontin does not make me fall asleep. I might have to add a sleeping pill to help me. Its Monday and I am at home due to pain. I did not push myself too hard this weekend but I have been having bad pain daily for about 2 weeks now. All I can do is take pain pills and hope it will help.
Next weekend is our circuit assembly at Mira Loma. Then in about 4 weeks we have our district convention in Long Beach. Then i have my surgery. My surgery will be here before I know it. I just want to get it over with to see what they find.
Until next time....
Dez

ADHESIONS

A bdominal Pain
D ebilitating
H idden disorder
E nslaving
S uffering
I nfertility
O bstruction
N ausea
S car Tissue

"Woe to the woman who suffers in illness, unrelenting illness. Though medicine and science has made great strides in the battle against many illnesses, there is an illness that is hushed; shrouded in silence among many physicians. Far from being rare, this illness carries with it staggering statistics, yet the public at large is not privy to this-often debilitating-disorder: adhesions. Adhesions, the body's natural response to infection, inflammation or injury, are bands of scar tissue that can form inside the body causing the internal organs to fuse together.
*Over 93% of patients who undergo major abdominal or pelvic surgery will develop adhesions. Adhesions, quite common, are known to form in as many as 60 to more than 90% of women undergoing gynecologic surgery.
In the medical world, adhesions are foremost known to be an iatrogenic disorder-meaning caused by the physician or by medical treatment (or both)-yet prior to surgery, the surgeon rarely informs his patient of the risk of developing adhesions. For the fortunate person who is not scheduled for surgery, the risk of adhesions is still a concern. Adhesions can develop as a result of infection or an inflammatory condition. Endometriosis, PID (pelvic inflammatory disease), appendicitis, peritonitis, trauma to the body (including surgical trauma), and even radiation, are all examples of health conditions or treatments that produce favorable conditions for the development of adhesions.
*Adhesions were first documented in 1872.....yes, 1872, yet most people, when asked, have never heard of adhesions. Thomas Bryant made that first documentation when he reported a fatality due to adhesion-related bowel obstruction after gynecologic surgery. Over the next 130 years, adhesions have maintained prominence in the medical literature, both as a study topic and as a factor influencing various treatments and outcomes.
Though adhesions have maintained prominence in medical literature as a study topic and a factor that influences various treatments and outcomes, adhesions have, for the most part, remained hidden to the public at large. The doctors may be studying, but they're sure not talking-at least not to their patients. When a person is suffering from the dreaded disorder, adhesions, it is likely the last thing on the list that a doctor will mention as a plausible cause of the pain and problems that are going on within the body. And, more often than not, the condition will never be mentioned at all, although the person may be presenting with all the symptoms of adhesions, or adhesion related disorder. Of course, this sends the sufferer roaming the beautiful globe in search of a doctor who gives a big rat's whisker about their condition. On the average, a woman will suffer 7-10 years, going in and out of doctors' offices in search of an answer to their pain and symptoms.
Adding insult to injury is the fact that adhesions elude the probing eye of standard medical tests, such as X-rays, scans, MRI's, etc. Diagnostic laparoscopy (minimally invasive surgery) is the only means by which to properly diagnose adhesions.
How can you determine if you might be suffering from adhesions? Adhesion sufferers describe their pain as intense, stabbing, sharp, and/or pulling. Some sufferers cannot walk uprightly, as adhesions restrict mobility. Simple movement such as bending and stretching can be compromised. Many sufferers experience frequent nausea, which often leads to vomiting. Many sufferers state that they feel "worse" after eating a meal-though they were hungry-often lamenting having eaten at all. When the intestines are involved with adhesions, a bowel obstruction can occur. A bowel obstruction is described as intense abdominal pain, nausea, and often, vomiting. A bowel obstruction is a life-threatening emergency, requiring immediate medical care. (Keep in mind that others may experience different symptoms than those that are described here.) In addition: though this article is geared toward women, men can also suffer from adhesions. Trauma to the body (a blow to the abdomen, for instance) surgery, or even a seat belt injury, can cause intestinal adhesions in men.
For the adhesion sufferer, it is time for knowledge of this disorder to be at the forefront of medicine. For the doctor and surgeon, it is time to talk-to your patient."
Sources:
*Confluent Surgical
*Bryant T. Clinical lectures on intestinal obstruction. Med Tim Gaz 1872;1:363-5.
©Karen Steward
Karen Steward is a writer and author. Her daughter, Melissa, was misdiagnosed at the age of 13 and suffered in debilitating pain for 14 years before she and her mother finally learned that she was suffering from adhesions. After a trip to Europe in 2003 for a third surgery, Melissa is now well. She is married and the proud mother of two children. Karen works tirelessly to promote ARD awareness. She is the author of the book, Doctors: Bound By Secrecy? Victims: Bound by Pain! *Karen is not a medical professional, nor does she provide medical advice. Her articles are written as a result of years of study and research. It is her desire that no other little girl suffer as her little girl suffered, thus she dedicates much of her time and energy to educating the public about adhesions.

Visit Karen Steward's website here http://www.adhesionpain.net/
Find out more about Adhesions here http://www.adhesions.org/pt3whatare.htm

Karson is coming back tomorrow night! :) I am happy he is coming back. I am proud of myself though. I was alone every night and i was ok. I did not get scared or anything. I guess having pills that makes you fall, and stay asleep really help. This weekend we are having Karson's Cousin Allison's Graduation party at our house. Friday Kris and Erica are coming and I guess everyone will be busy getting things ready. It should be a great party! It is on the 4th of July but that was the only date everyone could make it...so we will have about 100 people in our back yard. I know it sounds crazy but our back yard is actually big enough! Its going to be a fun night that is for sure!! I know I will have help cleaning before and after so I am not worried...yet. My pain has been worse this week for some strange reason. I am on Neurontin 1500mg a day to help with the nerve pain and I take Norco about every 4-5 hours for the rest of the pain. I can't even imagine my pain without any pills. It would be HORRIBLE! I am so glad my body is able to take medication without too many side affects. Surgery is about 40 days away and I am still hoping it helps my pain. Hopefully it will just be an outpatient proceedure but who knows what will happen. I know I will have lots of help after since it is the summer and my mom and Quinton are off in August. I am also happy the surgery is after our District Assembly. We have our Circuit July 11th and 12th so Karson can't go to that Beer thing at Stone Brewery...sorry. Maybe on the 10th (my day off) I can go visit my niece, we will see. Well I will post after this weekend............ Enjoy the new template for the Blog I thought it was time for a change.
Dez

For those who don't already know Karson left early this morning for Oakland, CA and he will be up there until Thursday night. His work needed help out in Pleasant Valley so his co-worker and him flew up there for the week. He is going to be working Sat-Thursday so he will be exhausted when he gets back. He might have to go back the next week too if they don't finish the project they are working on. What to do when he is gone...hmmm

Dez

Toby and Grase's Anniversary Weekend!

Well this past weekend we celebrated my brother and sister in law's 10th wedding anniversary. We had a dinner at our house for family and close friends. It was an Asian theme so with the help of Keri I was able to get awesome decorations. Karson put up the decorations and it looked great. We had it in our backyard under a borrowed gazebo. We had chinese food and my dad made a sushi shaped cake for them. Toby came dressed up like a kung fu master and little Sofia had on cute red outfit that fit perfectly with the them. Grandma Maria Elena made the outfit for her and it looked so cute. Besides family we had Jimmy, Kelly from moval and Kenny, Bernie and Gracie from Rosemead. We had warm sake on the table and fortune cookies galore! We ate and visited but the best part of the night was the gifts. First Jason gave him some "gag" gifts like a bunch of cheesy cd's like the "Batteries not Included" soundtrack and many more hilarious cd's. Jason also gave them a few t-shirts including a red Star Trek shirt and for those of you who are trekkies should know that all the red shirts would get killed in the series. Kenny got Grace a gift card to one of her favorite places-Macy's and he gave Toby something great too. Jason gave Grase an interesting gift. It was a jar of Jalapenos because Jason is known for eating all the jalapenos that are in the house. Well of course it did not have Jalapenos in it. It had some great gifts from a brand Grase LOVES. She was so happy. I gave Sofia my favorite doll-hollie hobby. Me and Karson bought Toby a Jar Jar Binks shirt, which he loved. We got Grase a wizard of oz address book and a glinda compact. My mom and dad bought them a brand new barbecue and also Grase got 2 15 minute massages gift certificates. Kenny and Jason brought out this guitar case and Toby was like no way but when he opened it it was a fake guitar made out of cardboard. It was soooo funny. Then Jason brought out his real gift. He did get him a guitar that Toby had wanted-it was awesome and Toby was in shock. The Kings got them a gift card to BJ's and Toby said "how did they know we loved BJ's?" Finally it came time for Toby and Grase to exchange gifts. First Grase brought out some gifts they bought Sofia. They bought her some shirts from that same brand Grase likes which Toby seems to hate. Then Sofia got a big gift. A jumper! She is going to love that. Then Grase gave Toby a gift card to his favorite comic book store. Then Toby gave Grase her gift. It was an anniversary ring! It had 10 diamonds and it was beautiful! Grase cried of course. So then Grase surprised Toby by bringing out another huge gift. It was the electric drum set he wanted. He looked like he was going to faint. He literally got light headed and even laid on the drum box for a few minutes. He was so surprised. THEN Grase gave him his final gift-Disneyland Passes!!!! He was so happy. Then the other news we were going to Dland on Sunday. We had told him that we were going to go to the mountains so he brought his hiking boots and everything. It was so funny when he found out we were going to dland he said "I dug out my hiking boots for nothing!" Then we gave them our last gift. T-shirts that said "Sophia's first visit to Disneyland" and on the back it said mom on Grace's and Dad on Toby's. Then they pulled out the rest of the shirts for everyone else who was going-Uncle Jason, Uncle Karson, Aunt Dez, and Uncle Kenny. Quinton ended up going with us but he was not planning to so we did not make him a shirt. So the night was a complete success!

On Sunday we all woke up and got ready to go to dland. Everyone had their shirts on and were ready to go. They decided to come back for all the gifts after we went to dland. Since we all had passes we were not rushed to get on all the rides. We had a nice relaxing day. Of course we took Sofia on a few rides. She went on Buz lightyear and the Winnie the Pooh ride. She was so interested in all the lights that she was not afraid at all. Next time we will take her to fantasyland on all the kid rides. A new thing I learned about disneyland is that they have a baby care center. They have stalls for nursing babies, a big room full of changing stations, a kitchen to warm up milk, and you can buy diapers or other essential items there. I never knew it was there! Of course Karson directed Grase there. All in all we had a nice day at dland. We took pictures, Grase took more than me so check out her blog. Below find some pictures from this weekend. I can't wait to take Sofia back to Dland!!! Dez