I LOVE THE FORSYTHIA IN BLOOM

Again, no photos. I don't like blogging without photos but I am too pooped to go dig around for the camera to upload! So, I'll be methodical about what has been happening the past 8 days.
Al's birthday came and went. Of course, she was ill, but mustered to shuffled in the mall for new PJs. That always makes u feel better.
What am I typing! The big news is that we went to Charlottesville to meet with the OBGYN team at UVA. Drove up late Sunday afternoon. By 9pm she was in such excruciating pain, I took her to the emergency room. Long story short, she has been walking around with a truly BAD urinary tract infection. They scanned her gall bladder and kidneys just in case, but it was a combo of th endomytriosis and UTI that was causing her to go downhill. We went to a 24 hr CVS, picked up drugs and back in the hotel room by 4am.
The appointment with the OBGYNs was at 8:45am. Another long story short, they just laid out all the options, all of which we had heard before. Allie has opted not to take ANY MORE LUPRON or other hormone shots. They are just awful; too awful to describe. She has an appointment back at UVA on APRIL 17th with a endocrinologist/surgeon and they will set a date for another laproscopy. She has an appointment on APRIL 20 to the pain management center. She is now regrouping. Boy, this girl has grit!
Today I visited a woman on Mars Street that had no walls in some of her rooms. And she said she was blessed.
We are blessed to find out that Bob Doenges does NOT have cancer, but some sort of infection....more info to come.
JR plowed our little patch for a small garden. I went back to the YMCA today with Alicia and we started our regimen again. It's been a little while.....and Al is going to try to do an hour in the pool with us when she is home during the week.
I refuse to let the gnawing pitter patter of little irritations and jumping through hoops get me down!
The forsythia and daffodils are in bloom. It's gonna be good.

Lots of Changes!

Lots of happenings. I hope to have a photo soon to post with this blog!
Long story short, Al and I traveled to UVA Hospital ER. She was seen and put into their computer system. That allowed the OBGYM specialist to view records. She has an appointment with them in 8 days!!!!!!!!!
Yesterday was the WORKCAMP SMOKE DETECTOR BLITZ & CHILI LUNCH! How fun! We covered probably 8 streets in Petersburg going door to door checking batteries and installing smoke detectors. The Pburg Fire Dept shadowed us and brought extra detectors. Daniel and the Scudders did a bang up job of lunch at Wesley UMC. We shared bday cake and fun with Al too. She and Drew were able to come to lunch.
Our VCU RAMS gave it their best shot in basketball, and the game was down to the wire! UCLA 63 VCU 62
And finally, SUN, SUN, SUN! It's been so dark and grey for so long!

Remember Mississippi & Galveston

This is an old photo from Mississippi last year, but I want folks to remember that there are families and communities still in need from Hurricane Katrina & Hurricane Ike. Pete Adler just got back from being in Galveston with a team and he said that no one is even interested in promoting it in the media etc.
It's rainy here today. It was a Tabernacle Sunday and just about everyone was there.
Al is having harsh reactions to her Lupron shot. Still working at getting her into UVA Med Center.
I am in the middle of the first wave of WORKCAMP 2009 applications. Fun, but grueling!
Bob Scudder is officially out of the Army and is retired. Alicia and Ellen picked him up at the airport last nite. He flew in from Germany. Ben is home on spring break from VMI. Drew heads back to Hampden-Sydney tomorrow.
The VCU basketball team won their conference, so today they will announce who is the next school they play.
I ramble on about all of these things, but my mind is on Al and getting her OK.

I Do Not Like Spring Forward!

The snow is gone and now the temps are in the high 70s today! Everyone I know is walking around in a fog!
The church congregation yesterday was slim pickins. Lots of folks absent; one with back surgery, one with pneumonia, one fell on the ice and has a cast on his leg and one, well, she just isn't doing well. Nuff said.
I took JR to Richmond early this morning to meet with his neurologist....all is good....the tingling in his hands and arms isn't from his neck, just aging nerves in his arms.
Went to look at four houses for this summer. Some really interesting folks for our teens to get to know! One I will just call "The Teddy Bear Lady"!
Al's shot was late being mailed so it won't be at the physicians office until tomorrow. She is going to try to go to a FLOGGING MOLLY concert on Broad Street tonight. Hope she can do it!
I'm watching Simba catch field mice and little blue lizards in the woods behind our bedroom window.
Lovin the Toyota van.
JR met with a couple yesterday that he is going to marry in May. They are friends Drew's. The wedding is going to be in Celebration Park near Woodlake.
This is spring break week. VCU is one game away from heading to the NCAA championships. Sorry VT!
Saw Sister James Regina today. All of the sisters are leaving St Joseph's and being split up into different services. Sister Lucille will be going to St Catherine's in Emmittsburg, MD. Sister JR going to Emmittsburg to a school there. Sister Patricia is being sent to Jacksonville, FL. Petersburg will not be the same. The Sisters of Charity have had a presence here for over 150 years.
I must leave to go to my favorite place----Walmart----NOT!

Snow, Snow, Snow!!!

The past few days have been lazy & fun, but I have accomplished absolutely nothing! The snow has been absolutely beautiful! I was supposed to go look at three houses on Monday for this summer, but have to reschedule. I rode the four wheeler with JR a little and then went over to Debbie Daniel's to see if she could come "out to play". She pulled hers out of the garage and we rode for awhile. It was cold and so much fun!
I went to see PAUL BLART: MALL COP this past weekend and it was hilarious.
Al and Drew were finally able to drive to Hampden-Sydney Tuesday even tho they had no electricity up at the school, there were classes being held.
Al drove back here and spent a few hours with us....she and her dad laughing at Victor Borge on PBS and discussing her Old Testament and Catholicism classes. We fired up the crock pot.
I am trying to tip toe thru the snow and slush with the new van trying not get it too dirty....fat chance of that!
Heading back to the YMCA with Alisha....getting back on schedule today.
Thinking of going to the VCU basketball game at the Richmond Coliseum this weekend...they are in the championships.
Donk's begins it new 2009 season this Saturday, but it's so far away!
JR preaches Sunday and also meets with a couple that he is going to marry in May. Gotta get him a robe...

Where is the year going????

Growing up in a Southern Baptist Church in Gloucester, VA I knew nothing about Ash Wednesday. My most memorable service was in D'Iberville, Mississippi when about 100 of us went down to help out with Hurricane Katrina relief. That evening in a ball field, my dear friend and Presbyterian minister, Edyth Pruitt gave communion and we all received ashes.
This past Wednesday, I went to Richmond to visit a friend who had had back surgery, and then picked up Al. We went over to the big Cathedral Of The Sacred Heart there in the center of Richmond and the VCU campus. It was standing room only; probably a thousand folks there. And here is a photo of my beautiful daughter after the service. We headed to Baker's Crust and then I headed home.
JR was a brave boy at his second test last Friday. They literally sent electric shocks up his hands and arms to see if there was any nerve damage. He does a comical rendition of Dr. O'Donnell, the local neurologist, who is quirky and socially handicapped!
Al is hanging in there until her Lupron shot. Also confirmed an appointment with the UVA Pain Management Center in Charlottesville for April 20th. We are hopeful!
I finally traded in the white Nisson and am now driving a 2009 Toyota van. It's wonderful and going to be so functional for workcamp! And I did it all myself! I am 56 years old and have never gone into a car dealership and bought a car on my own!
JR & "Railroad" , his buddy from Fort Lee , won a golf tournament last week!
I've begun dabbling in my genealogy a little again.
Am looking at houses for this summer, preparing for the SMOKE ALARM BLITZ, and waiting for the onslaught of summer workcamp applications that are due March 15th. Folks are positioning for any cancellations....it's so hard to have to say no room!
We may have snow flurries Sunday. I hope so. I miss the snow!

All Is Well

(My girls in 2007)

All is well.

JR did extremely well with his MRI. Then the following Monday we went to his neurologist for the conclusions. She said the stenosis in his neck had not progressed very much. The numbness & tingling in his hands may be caused by a pinched nerve in his elbow. So, this Friday he is having another test. Will keep everyone posted.

Al's endometriosis gave her a REALLY rough time the past couple of days. She had to just stop, I brought her home and she slept and rested for about 24 hrs. We now are waiting for an appointment with the pain center at University of VA. We are so hopeful.

The Scudders, Al & Drew and I went to see the Pink Panther last weekend....not worth the $$$ and I love Steve Martin!

Plans for the Smoke Detector Blitz are moving along and folks are trickling in. Yesterday I bought the care card envelopes, name badges, and staff books for the summer. I am looking at houses and visiting people. We have some wonderful residents for the kids to meet this year.

Hoping for a quiet weekend. Last Sunday was a Tabernacle Sunday and it was good to see all the folks!