your love is all I need

Last Sunday we FINALLY went to see the Gross' new house!

I wish I would have gotten a picture of Adella's reaction to my cast, since she herself had just gotten out of one a few months ago.  

Concern, fear, and utter distaste. She wanted nothing to do with it for quite a while.

Opie wasn't allowed inside.

A. They don't allow dogs

B. She might piddle

C. She may chew on something

So we smuggled her in inside a large purse of mine, and stuck her in the garage.

It went great until she barked at the neighbor, so we brought her in and threw a little something on her.

Adella's diaper.

She was so mad at me.

Andrina loved it.

She was convinced she could see Opie "going to the bathroom" in her diaper.

Adella couldn't figure out what the heck her diaper was doing on the dog.

And it gave us all a laugh.

 

Adorable isn't it!

******

Tuesday I get my cast off.

I can't tell you how excited I am.

The incision has been itching for the last 3 days.

At least with the other spots that itched they would go away.

This one is lasting all day.

I don't want to know what my leg hairs will look like.

3 weeks is a long time to go without shaving.

I made sure to shave the day of the surgery.

Right now I imagine its a jungle

I may need to bust out a weed whip.

Nice picture in your head huh?

At this point in the game I REALLY don't want to get the other one done AT ALL.

In fact, the thought of it makes me want to crawl in a hole.

I would love to tell the doctor that I was kidding, and the other one is fine.

Too bad he has already seen the x-ray.

At least I will have two weeks of working between the two.

But

I REALLY don't want to go under anesthesia again.

I hated waking up.

My eye lids would not stay open, even though I really wanted them to.

I almost cut my cast off last night.

In fact I think I begged Andrew to help me.

I told him we would super glue it back on when we go to the doctor.

He didn't buy it.

Showering, Opie, and a Tree.

Not an easy thing when you have a cast. I have this great thing called a "Shower Bag".

Saved my life. 

When we went in for a cast, I noticed one of the drawers was marked as such. 

I had to have one.

The nurse just said they would bill my insurance.
 awesome. 

Basically there is a hole at the top where you put your foot into.

It some how stretches out around your cast, and tightens around your leg.  

Best invention EVER.

well, as well as the shower chair.

(I just may keep that forever)

The Bag

Apparently you can swim with these?! You just have to let out all the air.

The little black squares are grippers..

It's far too big.. Kinda a "one size fits all" - ADULTS

I think you could fit a small child in there.

Really.

****

 Lately Miss Opie and I have had some time to bond.

And play.

For my dear sister Emma who is freaking out at this point.

The toy is clean.

It was just washed.

simmer.

(Love you!)

We have spent many hours playing fetch and sleeping.

She has been an awesome little entertainer these few weeks.

Too bad she can't get me things.

We should work on that.

Maybe someday she will be able to make me lunch.

****

There has been all sorts of construction going on around Lake George.

I have not had a problem with it until today.

You see, there is this tree.

Its HUGE in every sense of the word.

I would say its a good hundred + years old.

They are cutting it down.

It's so sad.

I would love to have petitioned in some way,

anything short of chaining myself to that tree.

But I didn't.

It wouldn't have helped.

Its so old.

We have had to watch it get torn down limb by limb.

There is still the trunk and the branches off to the right.

It should be gone by tomorrow.

It makes me angry and sad all at the same time.

I am not considered a "tree hugger" in any sorts.

I just find it completely frustrating that they cannot work around the TWO FEET that the tree sticks out at the bottom. The TWO FEET that is "in the way" to make a road.

There used to be a road there, before it was torn up. And I think it was just fine.

If any of you have seen the house we live in, you know it is HUGE all by itself.

The tree is like our house stacked on its self  2 1/2 times.

Am I too worked up about this?

I just feel it is wrong to get rid of something that has been around for so long.

The itching continues

Well no boot, I have a cast.

I don't love it at all.

I like the colors,

and that's about it.

I begged the doctor to just put me in a boot.

I even said I would pinkie SWEAR I wouldn't walk on it.

He didn't want to pinkie swear.

I am stuck in this for two weeks.

My leg still itches, and I can't itch it.

I did however itch it A LOT while the wrap was off.

That was heaven.

my cast

So do you remember how on Toy Story how Andy signed the bottom shoe, or foot of his toys?

Andrew did...

Does this mean he owns me?!

Oh well..

Its hard to tell in the picture but my foot was turned in a little bit when they put the cast on, and some how it was too big. I could fit my fingers past the knuckles inside. We didn't realize it at the time, and went on our way. That night I had some pain on the top of my leg in the shin area. I just figured it was normal and tried to ignore it. The next day I tried elevating it in different positions, ice pack on the heel, toes, back of the knee and on top. I even tried to stuff an ice pack into the large space between my leg and cast. I decided to just call and see if they had any other tricks I could try. The nurse seemed worried and told me that I needed to come in that day. My wonderful mother basically dropped what she was going to do for that day and come to take me there. (she also had to get a Rx from Walgreen's) So we went and they discussed if they should / should not take the cast off and put on another on. I really didn't care what they did, as long as the pain went away, because frankly I wanted to chop my leg off.

My Second Cast

They decided that the only way to get rid of the pain was to take the cast off. Originally I wanted the pink on the first one to be small like this second one.. the girl just didn't get what I was saying. I decided to go with a color, the first one looked too much like a tube sock. I have no pain from this one and I am enjoying the colors. In fact, I even went out and bought new nail polish just to "go" with the cast, not matching colors, just complementing bright colors. I still have yet to have someone sign the cast but I think Andrew will be the first again,

and I am sure it will be just like the first.

As the days go on I think I am getting better at using the crutches, then I nearly fall. I am not graceful, I never have been. But now I have one foot to stand on and two "sticks" assisting me. It's fairly comical to watch, and a little scary. I am slow, and when I am outside, even hotter. At least it's not winter, and I am not trying to do this on ice.... I know your picturing that now. Your welcome for the smile, or the laugh.

Good night.

Recovery

Two days before surgery I went and got a pedicure.

It was heaven.

And she did such a good job! I love how they look.

The day of surgery they wanted me to remove it. But with the doctors permission I kept it!

Little did I remember or realize they would slather my pretty little toes in iodine.

The white turned yellow and looked awful.

I just took the paint off today,

and honestly I was a little sad.

but

Andrew says I can get them done again...

we shall see!

Left foot.. not cut up yet..

Little yellow looking too...

Right foot.

Lovely isn't it?

I have this beautiful wrap until tomorrow at 8:30.

We get to see what the incision looks like.

I think Andrew is more excited than I am.

I pray they don't put a cast on.

Now a boot, I can handle that.

A boot you can take off to shower, itch and shave.

Cast, not so much.

After tomorrow we may know when the next surgery is.

Or we have to wait another week or two.

I hope not

It's boring here

Well when Andrew is at work and no one is here.

I think even Miss Opie is bored with me.

She wants to go for walks, and well that can't really happen when its just me.

Today she brought her leash into every room I was in. She has never done that before. At first it was really cute, but then I felt really bad. She wants so badly to run around, but lazy ol' me is holding her back.

No wonder she loves Andrew a bit more than me.

My foot itches and I can't itch it.

I may go crazy.

Haglunds Deformity

Right heel

Left Heel

Tomorrow (Thursday July 15) I am having surgery to correct the "pump bump" on my right heel. They will go in, move my Achilles tendon and grind down the bone. Because they have to move such a large tendon the healing process will take 2-3 weeks, but because I have one on each heel it will take longer. Two weeks after my first surgery I will go in and see how much the right has healed, if the doctor is happy with that one, then I will have surgery on the left.

Exciting eh?

I hope that the first one does not take long to heal, if it does then my 5-6 weeks of recovery

turns into 7-8 LONG weeks.

 I can't afford that

From the side it is hard to see how far they really stick out. Let me show you an aerial view..

Sexy huh?

After working at Country Manor for almost a year and wearing tennis shoes for 8 hours+ I started to feel some pain from these little  bumps. The only way I can describe how it feels is: Put a marble in the back of your shoes, even a half a marble... And proceed to walk around for 8 hours. In those 8 hours you must include bending, squatting, at at times speed walking. Trust me, my the time you are done you will want to cut your leg off. Its not just pain in the heels, that bone pain can shoot all the way up to your knees. Its lovely.

So now we count down. I have no idea when I am to be there tomorrow. They will call me some time today and tell me when to get my sorry butt in there.

I hope its not early.

I have never had surgery, or been put under.

I am not looking forward to that, or anything else for that matter.

Your more than welcome to come hang out with me during those weeks off!

You have my number.

*for more information on Haglunds click on the title "Haglunds Deformity"

SCSU Graduation

The excited spectators!

I didn't get a picture of Andrews parents or Grandma Judy, but they were there!

There were so many people stuffed into that arena. I would say about 100 were standing. I guess, like us, they didn't follow the "bring only 6 people" rule. Oh well! Unfortunately we were told not to cheer when our graduate was called. Josh and I really wanted to, but decided not to after a look from mom!

After all the grads came in we began searching for Andrew. And when everybody looks like the same little dot, its a difficult task. But mom actually found him first! After that I tired to get close up shots, I only got one good one. the bottom left pictures are of the "practice" arena where the grads got into line and then walked into the bigger arena. No, we did not find Andrew in that mess of people.

After reuniting with my grad we took some pictures.. Josh decided that he was just going to take some random ones, and well they turned out pretty good! I love most candid shots, and the bottom right is my favorite!

a look back at Easter

Just going through pictures and I realized I never put up the few pictures I have of Easter!

Enjoy!

It was fairly chilly here in MN on Easter, even Opie had to bundle up. You know she looks so cute in that little sweater! Andrina and Bethany started a little competition to see who could gather the most eggs. I think we all helped Andrina win! Apparently Easter is Bethany's favorite holiday and she really wanted to hunt out those eggs.  Andrew and I had fun trying to come up with different eggs. I think we managed that! Andrina had some stickers and gave me the "opie" one, requesting that I make one for opie. I of course obliged! I think the blue one is my favorite. Rubber bands. I will be using that method again!

I can feel your heartbeat for a thousand miles.

Isn't he good looking!

Once again my wonderful sister Emma let us use here and her skills for pictures! I think she did such an amazing job, once again! Those of you who know Andrew like we do, you know he hates to have his picture taken. And that it is really hard to get him to smile and look relaxed. I figure practice makes perfect and that slowly he will get better! We did get quite a few really awesome shots!

Since it was a Sunday and we were all dressed up anyway she took a few shots of us... awww! I have said this a thousand times, I think she should start her own business. I would help! I already advertise for you Em!

Here are more beautiful pictures!

Awesome you say? She can do some for you! Theses are just plain ol' flowers. Imagine what she can do with your face! Just call her..

Prices subject to change according to your status in her family.

Happy picturing!

We should never gamble

The Mayo is no longer an option.

Seems they are not looking for a histologist.

The search is on

Nothing worth anything ever goes down easy.

I love this boy.

And

I am so proud of him!

(that sounds like I am his mother!)

But I am.

He has graduated!

There was a time we both thought that his schooling would never, EVER end.

Now that he is done with school the job hunting has begun.

It may be stupid, and maybe a little reckless, but we are banking it all on one place.

Rochester.

On June 26th he submitted his application to the Mayo. We are still waiting. Impatiently.

There is a glimmer of hope though! The other day Heiko Schoenfuss (an old professor of Andrews, and current boss) told Andrew that he got an email from the Mayo asking Heiko if they could somehow set up a system where he "grooms" people to work there. Little to they know he has already been doing that! Yesterday Heiko sent an email back telling them about Mr. Meister, and forwarding on his application to those who can get him hired there.

My fingers, toes, and eyeballs are crossed.

And the anticipation is killing me.

Andrew seems calm, me on the other hand am a wreak waiting for a call.

All the prayers and finger crossing you can offer are more than welcome.