Time is flying by

Wow, how time does fly!  I cannot believe it has been a year since I last put a message on.  I was having problems putting pics on, too.  Frustrating.  Tried with a new pic today and it worked.   So here we go.  David and family came down for Christmas and we spent Christmas Day at Sea World and had a wonderful time.  It was wonderful having them here for almost a week.  We Thanksgiving with my sister, Sandy and her family in Texas.  What a blessed time we had.  I am getting stronger and am still having post accident work done.  I am actually getting braces to realign my teeth before they self destruct.  And I am having minor foot surgery done next week on my other foot.  God is good.  Jim and family will be moving to Florida in the spring and I can hardly wait.  We went to Branson last September (talk about listing things backwards)  and had a wonderful time at the Roy Rogers Riders Roundup.  It is an annual benefit for the museum and I hadn't been since they had the museum in Victorville, CA.  We had such a glorious time there and got to talk with the Rogers' family and some I hadn't had a chance to talk to before.  We have made arrangements to go back next September for the next one and am looking forward to it.  Anyone reading this, the Roy Rogers/Dale Evans Museum is in financial trouble in these hard economic times.  Please pray for the Rogers family that people will donate to the museum and keep it alive.  This country and its people need to be reminded of the values that Roy and Dale and the rest of the Rogers family stand for.  http://www.royrogers.com  Too much to say and maybe next time I will have a better handle on how I want to put it down.  Meanwhile I actually got a pic to upload.....it is of David and his family plus us.  One daughter is not in the pic but she was spending Christmas with her mother in NC.

Getting on with getting on

It has been awhile since I last posted and a lot has happened. Most of it good I am glad to say. We went to Chestertown to visit family and friends the week of the 4th of July and had a great time. Till the 4th of July that is. My husband had been having spells occasionally of dizziness which eating or taking a nap helped. The 4th of July after the parade he had a really bad spell of dizziness and after getting to the car and lying down for a short time his symptoms progressed to sweating, vomiting, etc., and couldn't sit up. One of our sons and family went to the hospital with us and when I went to the waiting room to give them an update after he had been taken back and IV's started, etc., I found the rest of the family there. That is a good feeling let me tell you. Anyway 5 hours later and a myriad of medicine, IV fluids and all that it was determined that he had a viral inner ear infection. We spent the next couple of days at the house we had rented and rested, the kids coming to us there. Then we came home, collected our menagerie and rested some more. We had just bought an RV before going to MD and let me tell you, traveling in one of those is so much more relaxing than regular travel. I feel very lucky to have it now. About 2 weeks after coming home the menagerie went back to their various places of boarding and we went to Texas to visit my sister and family. We had such a great visit. They are constantly on the run and I do not know how they keep up with it all. We spent a couple of days at the main house, then on to the ranch and plugged the RV in for the remainder of the stay. We went all over the ranch, was very nice. They have some cattle and buffalo which had some cute calves. I started over closer to the fence and Les quietly said he wouldn't do that if he were me and I took the hint. They look docile enough but apparently they are very protective of their offspring. Sandy has donkeys and we met them also. After lunch at the ranch house we went on to the lake house which is a short distance from the ranch. Gorgeous. I learned how to drive a Ski-Doo, went tubing and boating and just had a great time. Hated to leave and Sandy has since sent us a brochure with lots and homes on the same lake for sale. Hint? LOL We took the RV to Fort Pierce and spent the night in an RV park on the way home and it was so relaxing. We had the dogs with us this time, the cat and birds fended for themselves for 24 hours. Yes we are back to plural dogs. I have missed Honey so, and we passed a sign saying puppies and my husband turned the car around that day and in we went. I didn't expect to come out with one, but a small Yorkie won our hearts. We named him Scooter because he scooted all over when we brought him home. He should have been named Monster Puppy. LOL The cat spent the first 3 days sitting in the bathroom sink glaring at us. After that I guess she figured he was here to stay and came out. Scooter has actually gotten her to play with him for short periods. That is an achievement. And he has gotten our older dog to play with him and it is so cute to watch. They play tug of war and chase each other around.......4 pounds versus 27! I had foot surgery in September, but more on that next time.

I am slowly getting there, but still half expect Honey to show up behind me where ever I go in the house. I do know she is not suffering and I can see her with Dewey again and for that I am glad. I am sure Jarrett has connected with both of them, too. Yes, I do believe our animals go to heaven and have seen nothing to disprove it.
We went to the Exotic Bird Expo on Sunday in Orlando and got bird food and toys for our 3 parrots. It is always an adventure to go to these things just to see all the different birds. Everytime we think we have seen them all, we go to another expo and we see something different! Had lunch there, food is always good, and went to a seminar that was very informative. My husband got a harness with leash for his Sun Conure. I just saw in the paper this morning that there is a bird club near us, think I will call and see what it is all about.

Major Life Changes

Here I sit unable to stay in bed for more than a few minutes at a time. After last night I thought it would be easier, took me until 5am to be able to fall asleep. You see, I lost my best friend Friday morning. Okay, she was my dog...............but I have had her for 10 years. She was about a year old when I rescued her from the pound, and she has been my friend ever since. She (Honey) was also best buddy to our labrador who passed away 5 years ago. Then she decided she would go with me when I was riding Kate (the horse I had to sell due to the accident and not being able to care for her like she should have been--she was my best friend, too for 17 years) and I nipped that in the bud when on the second time out she started chasing cars who she thought got too close I guess. It was too bad because Dewey (our lab always went riding with me, he would inspect the fields on the way!) This past year I noticed Honey was feeling her years and she got an upper airway infection which antibiotics sort of cleared up. I say sort of because her cough got better for awhile then came back, the next time she had a skin infection to go with the upper airway infection that had come back. Her lungs were clear and her heart beat was strong. After the second round of antibiotics did about as much as the first I checked in with the petmedicinechest.com online for herbal remedies I had heard about. The woman I talked to said it sounded like a fungal infection and I ordered what she said would clear it up. A week after starting the regimen, the cough was gone, the skin was clearing and she had more spunk than she had had in quite awhile. Then she began with the cough slightly again and I restarted the regimen and again all was fine. Then Thursday she began to act strange, hiding in the bedroom at times, not wanting to go out, etc. Late that night the cough began but didn't sound like the previous cough. Then she started with labored breathing. She was having trouble climbing the steps into the bed and moreso that night. First thing Friday morning I had the vet on the phone and told him I thought something was seriously wrong and she might be dying. We went right on in and when he did his exam found temperature normal, lung sounds on one side were nonexistent (now her last exam was 6 months ago or less) and low on the other. Heartbeat was hardly distinguishable. I knew right then I was going to lose her, if for no other reason than the look on her face. She could not stand up at that point and could earlier. X-rays were taken and the diagnosis was unreal. She had lung cancer and it had taken over the one lung completely and was working on the other one. She had about 1/2 a lung left to breath with. The vet said he was amazed she had had no symptoms until Thursday night. While they were taking x-rays I prayed for her healing but felt that that was out of the question so I asked for help to get through putting her down if that is what had to be done. The vet said she only had a few days left and they would be horrible for her which I already knew having cared for terminal lung cancer patients and those with emphysema. We decided to help her to heaven and said yes I wanted to be with her. While she was getting the injection I told her Dewey was waiting for her and that I loved her so very much. A few minutes later she was gone and looked very peaceful. God was again good to me, I have been through this twice before over the years and the first time I know my heart stopped for a second or two and I know I upset her by crying. Dewey was being treated in the animal hospital when he took the turn for the worse and I could not go in and the vet said he would not know because they had to heavily sedate him just before they called me. This time I was smarter and asked the Lord for help. I broke down afterward, the vet is so compassionate toward the animals and their owners it is wonderful. I have never seen another vet so caring or gentle. The first time we went there he talked with all the dogs one by one as if they were people and they were so relaxed they have never minded going back. We brought Honey home and wrapped her in the quilt she spent most of her life sleeping under and buried her next to Dewey. I miss her so much, the lump under the covers where she would sleep at night in bed, greeting me at the door when I come home, sitting with me on the porch..............................I still feel shell shocked. I have never seen a cancer spread as fast as this one did and I praise God for not letting her suffer. She truly had no symptoms til the end and the vet said he was amazed she was as alert as she was in the office for as bad as the cancer was. Anyone reading this might want to check out the petmedicinechest.com. There is a wealth of info on there. Well, maybe I will be able to go to sleep now. Til next time.....................

Getting the hang of blogging......

I am finally getting the hang of posting, I think. I changed my name to differentiate from the other Carole so when you read the comments, and hopefully make some of your own, you know who is who. I am now FL (Florida) Carole. I did the unthinkable on Saturday----I actually walked 2/3 of the length of a good sized mall and back to the car! No scooter! Just my cane. My legs have been feeling different since we started going to the beach and when we were in Sears last Wednesday we saw a recumbent air walker type of thing. We brought it home and I used it 2 days and then I tried walking in the mall. We had the car without the scooter in it and I insisted on trying it. When I did what I did I amazed myself and Jay (my husband is Jim to everyone else). We had been in a furniture store before that and went to Bob Evans for dinner. Now I have to be honest, I was feeling it in my legs but kept on going. My energy hadn't run out just my legs were complaining. When I got home I got in the recliner to recuperate and when I got out to go to the bathroom I could hardly walk and I thought, boy I have done it now. When I got up on Sunday I was "normal", I could hardly believe it. God is so good.

Thinking of times past and present

Talk about frustrating things happening, I went to sign in and forgot what to use to sign in. Got that figured out (and wrote it down) and checked my links section and the link I thought I had put on was not there. Any directions on how to do the links, pictures, etc would be most helpful. I have been reading Joyce Meyer's book "Battlefield of the Mind" and watching her shows, one of the things in the book she was also teaching about in the last 3 shows. Wasn't called the same but the same it was......Wilderness Mentality: God says to do this but we think it is too hard. Okay now. What a thought that is when you think about it. God won't give us any more than we can handle although I had some serious doubts for awhile after the accident. We can "walk on water if we just get out of the boat". Well, after seeing her shows on this I asked myself if I got out of the boat and the answer is a resounding yes! I have been in and out of that boat several times in the past 2 1/2 years but I am out and am staying out. If Satan tells me it is too hard, I will shut him out according to the Bible and have already done so. I find the closer we get to God the more Satan attacks, but will let up if we tell him to in Jesus' name. It may only be for 5 minutes, but it works. I have been thinking of that boat and my experiences of the past 2+ years and I think my biggest setback was losing Jarrett and not the fact that I couldn't move my legs for 3 months. But I started with a toe movement and we cheered when I could move my left leg a half inch. Not far but it moved. I think I began to come alive in God again at that point. I also had to work at brushing my teeth and holding a fork. Jim had to feed me for weeks. I kept thinking my 3 year old granddaughter could do more than I could, but gradually it all started coming together. But I was still in the boat wondering why Jarrett was taken and not me. I don't wonder anymore, I know he is safe and happy with God and I know for whatever reason I am supposed to be here. The first time I made it all the way out of the boat was in Rehab and Mr. Gomez threw me out so to speak. He said "I am going to get you in the wheel chair" and since my legs still weren't doing what they were supposed to be doing my reply was "and you are nuts, nice but nuts". He then proceeded to get me out of that bed and in the chair! Hope was returning! Down to the exercise room and some exercises and massaging around the knees and scars every day. Little by little I got to the first step and the second and then the third. We counted the steps each day and each day there was at least one or two more. Finally I made it down the hall to my room and then went both ways to the exercise room. A very dear friend would bring in her Cockatoo (we bonded before the accident LOL) and from time to time some baby birds for me to see. My husband brought in my Solomon's Island Eclectus a lot and that along with Cathy's visits and encouragement I knew I was going home some day. 3 months later I was home. And back in the boat. But as I was progressing in counseling and reading I decided to get out of that boat for good and walk on that water always with Jesus. He has carried me far enough and for that I am blessed. Am I rambling? I hope not, I just wanted to share a part of that road since the accident and how blessed I have been with my Rehab people. Especially Mr. Gomez who told my husband recently when we visited that he never thought I would get as far as I had. While that conversation was going on I asked the girls what they did with the rest of the hall...........they were confused until I told them that I knew that hall was twice as long when I was relearning how to walk! I walked in that day we visited, with my walker, but I walked! I thank God for every inch I have progressed since and for the wonderful doctors He sent to me. I know that was God's doing, they literally put me back together. I am blessed in knowing that God never left my side.
May 25, 2007 11:20 AM

First time out........

This is my first attempt at blogging, so here goes. My bio sounds pretty grim and it was for a long time. But thanks to God I am piecing my life back together. I can say with assurance that God has helped me to cope with the accident, losing my grandson due to the accident and having to sell my horses. I don't like any of it but with God's grace I have peace about it and look forward to the future with my children and other grandchildren still living. God is so good. And I will see my grandson again some day. I know he is happy with God and that is a blessing to me.