Finally!

Hi Folks!

How is everyone? Did y'all have a great 4th of July weekend? Before I start talking about the weekend, I want to tell you about my most recent wound care session! It was finally here - the day I would get some care for my facial wound and I was really hoping that I would have my favorite nurse, Noel! Mom takes me, for moral support, as sometimes I have a bleed! I so appreciate her taking time from her day to be with me, it means a lot! We arrive @ Spohn Shoreline and get to the Wound care department, where Robert escorted me to a room to take my vitals! It's usually Eric doing that, but he took month off to be with his girlfriend and their newborn baby! We waited an hour before seeing Noel. He took my dressing off and Dr. Larkin came in to check it out! She was sporting a new do, along w/a couple shades darker hair! Actually, someone from Spohn named Jill came in to talk to me - so that we could make sure we were all on the same page. Apparently, since I walked off last time when I couldn't see Noel ... I guess they want to make sure their patients are happy? I explained my delicate situation to her - what w/the avm, I tend to bleed and I think the other nurses are afraid to work on me! Noel is awesome and has no fear! I was afraid of a bleed, as I had a little piece of surgicel on a "troubled spot", but nope! Whew! Toward the end of getting my new facial wound care treatment done, I was being serenaded by Noel! Those are the happy days I remember before we started having some problems. I was a happy camper! Dr. Larkin had mail-ordered some wound care supplies for me, so that will help too! My next wound care session is on Thursday the 9th! I'm excited because Mark is off this week from work, so he'll be able to come with me!

I have an appt. w/Dr. Zane (ENT) to debried my scabby ear on Tuesday, and again, I'm counting on Mark going with me!

Ok! Back to the plans we had for the 4th of July! My sister Celia and her husband Greg had invited us out, we had planned the menu, and had asked Jim and Shelley to join us as well! We were all excited - planning a great evening full of great food, company and games! The day before, I was giving in to the drowsiness my meds give me, so I had taken a nap and missed taking my main pain med, an Oxycontin @ 4:30pm. By the time I woke up from my nap and realized my missed dose, it was 9:30pm. So I wrote down the hour and the medicine I took on my little spiral notebook I keep in my med bag. Well, about 11 pm, I'm starting to feel withdrawl symptoms. I'm antsy and restless, hot then cold then hot right away! I figured it would go away and that it was happening because I took my Oxy too late! Mark suggested I take a Xanex to relax. I rarely take one, but in this case, I could tell I needed it! I kept getting in and out of bed, trying to eat something and trying to decide whether I was hot or cold! By 2am, I took another Xanex because I was hoping to pass out and not feel so anxious anymore! Finally, by 4am, it was safe to take another oxy, and I did! I must have passed out after that, because I don't remember anything afterwards! All this while, my baby Hanz was such a good boy, putting up with mommies tossing and turning! Mark was awesome too - he could have made a beeline for the couch, but instead he asked if there was anything he could do and stayed close where he knew I needed him! In the morning, the fitted sheet near my head had come loose, as had one of the two pillows that I sleep w/under my knees for support - one of them had fallen out of the pillowcase on to the floor! This is the good one - guess what I found on the coffee table near where I sit to watch TV? That oxycontin that I thought I took @ 9:30 p.m.! NO WONDER I was having withdrawl symptoms! Yikes! It was a miserable night for me! I just wanted to jump out of my skin and flail my arms around! So, of course I was exhausted in the morning! I have to say that I was relieved when Celia called saying she wasn't up for having company, as she is still getting over that crud she can't seem to shake! I was already wondering how I was going to get Mark to not want to stay out @ the Fossums so late when Greg called, saying there was a change of plans! As you can imagine, I've been trying to catch up on some much needed sleep after that night from hell! Hanz and I took a nap earlier this afternoon! I had looked forward to spending time with our family though - it isn't often Jim and Shelley get to party w/us @ the Fossums! It was going to be a really great afternoon - oh well, another time I guess.

You know what Mark and I ended up doing? Mark changed out my dressing. Got some sushi, popped a movie in the dvr and ate in bed! That was neat - we don't take the time to do things like that! That was a nice holiday treat for me!

Oh! Have I mentioned the latest series of books I'm reading? I wasn't too sure about them @ first, but I've come to enjoy them. These books are from a series called House of Night and the author(s) are a mother/daughter team - P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast! Here is the cover of the one I'm reading now! I best go and get something ironed for work tomorrow! Still have to do a couple of Therabite sessions and Hanz is wanting some attention as well! Take care all! We love all of you!

Mark & Cyndi