Life.....no good deed goes unpunished....

I have not posted in weeks due the daily trials and tribulations...most of all, my health. I have been in the hospital 5 times in the last 3 weeks getting IV treatment for my Rheumatoid. The most recent was yesterday when they had to use my foot since my arms are shot. I had a large hemotoma last night and had to go back to the doctor today to get it drained and out on an antibiotic....My SED rate is still 5x higher than it should be but 50% lower than it was. My c-reactive protien, ( another marker for internal inflammation) is 100x higher than it should be, but lower that it was....it was 200% over what the normal limits are.....all of this means that I have not had time to start my insurance business....I have been trying to do some crafts that I might sell on ESTY.com, or and at the upcoming greyhound picnic. I made some great rings out of wire and stones and also some cards and wine charms for the greyhound event....
I have missed several phone calls from Robert due to my crazy schedule...I am either at the doctor, the hospital or sleeping from what it feels like. I have begun using some alternative meds in hopes to help with the inflammation. I spoke with this to my specialist and he is in favor of it....
Then the entire mess with Tilly, the greyhound I was babysitting for....I had to leave her with someone else from GPA since I was scheduled to be in the hospital. She left her dumb ass daughter with the dogs unmuzzled, and Tilly got a 5 inch laceration, that went at least 4 inches deep....I am making a long story very short...It was terrible. I was doing a good deed and ended up with a mess, hence the title of this blog entry.
I have Cumber the foster with me, when he gets adopted....no more fosters for me. I have to concentrate on making money, taking care of my health and being just with Sheba.
I have not been to the beach since April....I am due for a day or two there......but the condo is rented almost everyday during the summer and I don't want to be there when it could be rented.
I am thrilled that everything is going forward with Jen and Jason and thier move, it sure will be an adjustment that they will be living 2 hours from the compound in Holland.
I am also glad that Bill got Keith and Brenda's boat fixed.....stay off the big lake!!!!!
I got a great card in the mail yesterday from Brenda...thanks so much darling.
Can't wait to see pictures of Macey walking with her blue cast off.
Lana....see you shortly!!!

SHEBA TURNS 9.......

Sheba had her 9th birthday yesterday. She got what she always does, lasanga and ice-cream. I thought that I would try and contact the woman who fostered Sheba in California who fostered her after they took her off the track in Mexico. The southern California GPA group literally took Sheb aoff the track after she had run her last race...they took her out of the "winner's circle" and drove her to Southern Cal, as she ran all her races in Mexico at the track in Caliente. 10 days later she had a litter of 7 puppies...yes, that's right, they were racing her after the age of 5, and when she was about to give birth to 7......that's why there are rescue GPA groups out there. Anyhow, I could not get in touch with her foster Mother in Cal., so I went to thier website, fastfriends.org........I looked for the womans name in thier newsletter and could not find any reference to her, so I went to thier "contact us" link and sent an email. I indicated I adopted "Bahama Mama", now fondly known as "Sheba"....did anyone remember her? I wanted to send some 9 year old pictures of her. Come to find out a man returned my email. Sheba gave birth at his farm and he actually adopted 3 of the 7 pups she had. He adopted her 3 males, 2 females went to Sacramento, and the other 2 girls went together to a family in California....I just about flipped out when he told me that he had adopted Sheba's 3 males....then he proceeded to tell me that there are over 200 pictures on thier website of Sheba giving birth to her 7 pups.....go to fastfriends.com, click on gallery pictures, and then click on the link to see gallery shots....about 4 dogs down, you will see Bahama Mama gives birth.....and you will see over 200 shots of out gal and her 7 pups from the first day of delivery through the age of about one month of age....it is amazing to see how fast they grow....My little gal really did the job. I am so proud of her.
I am glad that Scott/Jean/Keith and Brenda had a great time at the game last night. Brenda sent me an email from the road saying they had missed thier exit....how funny is that?
I spent another day in the hospital on Friday with more IV medication to get this inflammation under control.....I am very sick of not feeling well....
Curious to find out what Jen and Jason's next plans are, when the house is formally sold and when they can start looking in Colon for a house....
Check out the website I refer to above and let me know if you can find the pictures of Bahama Mama, AKA Sheba with her pups.

I NEED A BREAK

Maybe I need a trip to the beach, or some new motivation or win the lottery. What I really need is to feel better physically. I cannot describe how tired I feel, how sore and aches all over. I had my SED rate re-checked yesterday. It was 53. 50% less than it was last Friday, but still 50% higher than normal. My C-reactive-protien level is 4x what it should be. The C-reactive is also a marker for the amount of inflammation in one's body. Also, my calcium is way high again, so they suspect the calcium I have in my body is floating around in my blood stream and not going to my bones....so I have to have a dexa bone scan tomorrow, got some different meds to try for the inflamation and pain, and something to try and help me sleep. I am so tired I could fall asleep standing in the shower, but I cannot sleep at night. I am so tired, I do not even feel like talking on the phone....and I have to get busy on this insurance business, so that stresses me out.
On a much brighter note, I recieved a handmade card from Macey today. She put lots of pretty stickers on the card and also the 4 month pictures of Kels, both are currently on the fridge, although I think I will frame the card that Macey made so I can see it in the living room as a daily mood lifter!!!!. I will be thinking about Kels next week when she has her tests and pray there is nothing serious wrong.
I just looked at Brenda's blog pictures for the day and they were GREAT, "as per normal."
I am happy to say that my friend Val is now in Scotland, instead of Ireland and actually staying in a hotel. She flies back to the states on the 15th so I am excited to see her, look at her pictures and hear all about the mis-adventures. She still sounds really upbeat, given the trials and tribulations she and her daughter have lived through.
I loved the stories from Jen's blog yesterday, especially the part about Macey playing "store" and her comments that "it costs too much money Mom". She seems to be getting around pretty good with her cast on.
I saw on the computer that the Tigers pulled out a GREAT come behind win, getting 6 runs in the 7th and a walk-off homer in the 9th. Also saw that Minn lost BIG TIME to Boston. What is wrong with Mags and why isn't he playing?
That Jethro Bodine...( I know that is not his name), but the first pitcher the Tigers had in the game belongs back at the farm if you ask me.
It is HOT here again and no rain in sight, I am glad for the air conditioner in the living room. Jean.....time to update your blog

OH.....SO TIRED

I had a Doctor appointment today with my regular Doctor, tomorrow I see the Rheumatologist and get my SED rate re-checked, but I am just so, so, so tired. I can't really sleep at night, ( the prednisone does not help with sleeping) and I normally can't sleep, so it is a problem. I had blood work for my thyroid done today and see a thyroid specialist on August 1st. I am on 200 mg of Synthryoid and 50 mg of cytomel for the thyroid and it still is out of whack. This thyroid issue is what makes me so tired and lacking of motivation, I so wish I could get it under control...along with the inflammation in my body I feel like a slug....
I did have a great conversation with Brenda last night and she told me all the details of the failed "maiden voyage"...scary to say the least. Also had a nice conversation with Rachel, the poor soul, she works too hard and has so much stress the last 12 months. I am hoping she can get to the cottage up north on Wednesday with the rest of us gals and relax a bit.
Good news on the art fair in South Haven Jean. I hear that Scott is going to do Tiger stadium next. Make sure he gets you, Keith, Brenda and Dolly in the picture!!!!
My friend Val is still in Ireland. When I have the energy, I will write a blog about all the mishaps, ( mice, no electric, no power, fire in the place, car crash, eating only potatoes, cold and wet....) if that gives you an idea. It gets worse, this trip costs 12,000 dollars. ( not a typo)
Suffice to say, I think she and her daughter will be glad to get back into the good old USA.

IKEA

What better thing to do on the 4th of July but go to your local IKEA. Since I sat all day yesterday in the hospital getting IV's for the inflammation in my body, I figured I might as well go have a bit of fun. Deanna picked me up at 10:30. IKEA has thier "summer sale" going on and it was barely empty since everyone else in the world was out boating, camping and bbq-ing....
IKEA is one of those stores, that even if you go in with NO LIST, you walk out with a huge bag. I spent about 50.00 but I got a TON of fun things, news lamps for the living room, 3 sets of new glasses, garden pots, cushions for the outdoor chairs, a rug for outside for the greys to lay out in the sun on, 2 pans, 5 candles, a set of silverware for 8, a comfortter and shams for the pull out queen bed in the guest room, 3 knives, 3 cooking spoons, 6 boxes for storage.....all for 50.00 bucks. It was great fun. IKEA is CHEAP anyway, so when they have a sale, ( 20-60% off), it is the real deal.
I could not fall asleep AGAIN last night until 6 this morning, I have had 4 nights in a row of that, all I can do is lay there for 45 minutes or so and then turn on the light to read....repeat process all night long. I have finished about 6-7 books this week, but I would rather be sleeping.
Both Sheba and Cumber are medicated for the 4th of July. Both on Valium and a sedative. The greyhound breed has more acute hearing than your average dog, and the fireworks and sounds remind them of the guns going off at the track, so thier instinct is to "RUN" or get all "hyped-up"....they pant and salivate and sine the 4th of July goes on for aout 4-5 days here, the Vets always prescribe meds. Sheba is fairly relaxed, but Cumber is still pretty hyped up and he is on 10mg of Valium and 10 mg of a sedative and still thinks it is time to race around after the elusive bunny....poor guy. Sheba is just on the valium. Being 1/2 block from the Columbia river does not help. Every small city and thier brother shoot fireworks off over the Columbia and, Vancouver, Washington, right across the river has the biggest firework display west of the Mississippi. It is still only 8pm here, so the big scene has yet to start, however all the neighbors have been at it for the last 2 days. Fireworks are legal to buy in Washington State, ( 2 miles from Portland) so of course every Oregonian in the world drives there to get them and then has a big shindig at home with them.
Again, it seems so wierd without Robert here, as every 4th we have a party here and then walk the 1/2 block to sit on the river and watch the works....
I am glad that you guys had a nice family breakfast at Russ's this morning. I was glad to see that Macey was playing with her mini etch a sketch and making pictures. But mostly, I was glad to knows that our Kels was feelings better after her visit to the ER last night.
I have heard that Bill and Jim are creating "Bear" sculptures of out some cut down logs. I absolutely MUST have pictures.
Jean, great blog today with the pictures and links to the cottage where we will be staying in October. Ally looks fab in her picture debut for the calender event, but folks have to start voting for her...That one guy has 76 votes!!!!!! YIKES, Ally needs the support of her grandparents and quick.

ALL EXCITED

Well, I don't know about you guys but I sure am excited about our October trip up north. Jean found a great deal on the cottage and all the fun things to do there. Thanks Jean for the sites you mentioned in your blog.
I was glad to see that Kelsey did well for her 4 month check-up today at the office. She is getting cuter by the day if that is possible. I enjoyed getting the pictures from Jen with Macey playing with some of the toys that she got to keep her busy while her leg heals.
I had an appointment with an ear specialist today and now my ears seem fine, no infection, but severe nerve damage and hearing loss....well duh...I could have told you that. I might be able to get another new hearing aid for my right ear though, which would be great since the one in that ear is old and does not work too great.
The Tigers gave it a good whirl tonight, too bad they lost and that Chicago won...dang it, but they are still playing well and should be in first place by mid July when Scott and Jean go see a game.
I hear that the First Church guys won last night. Way to go.
It is still pretty hot here, not as bad as it was, but still well into the 80's. I like it about 75. We have not had any rain for days so I keep watering the plants and fruit trees.
It still seems so odd that Robert is not here. I really have been used to him being here for the summer and for the 4th of July in particular. I do not have any plans for the holiday. I hope you guys go to breakfast or something fun