Last week of 2008!

Lot's to say today so I'll try to be brief...

An update on the neighbor's little girl with leukemia is that she is still dealing with an aggressive cancer. I guess they must draw blood levels on her before her chemo treatment each week and they have yet to draw one that is good. Before each chemo treatment, they need to transfuse blood and platelets. Then, she gets her chemo, which is only a quick infusion. But it takes her little body the week to feel better and then it is time for a new treatment.

The mother told me that this will be the pattern until mid-summer next year. She told me that the levels of immune antibodies are so low that she is at risk for getting really sick and not being able to fight it.

Then tell me why they are taking the child to Publix and the Sawgrass Mills mall? I'm thinking that the doctors are telling them to try to keep things as normal as possible and that they are choosing not to take her out in peak hours.

I think that if it were my child... I'd seal up my home and not let anyone in or out for a long time. They were willing to have Olivia and Meredith over to play this week - their older daughter got a game she wanted to play with my kids. Well, I wouldn't let mine go. I told the family that our home was dealing with a stomach virus and, even though mine haven't gotten sick, I didn't want to run the risk of getting Sofia sick. They were grateful and thanked me for thinking about her.

I'm like - you have no idea what anyone's kids will bring in. How guilty would I feel if I knew that one of mine landed that kid in the hospital? I told mine, they can't play there for a very long time. Maybe play OUTSIDE with the older sister... but that is it!

She still hasn't lost her hair. We saw her today... her father was walking her around the block for some fresh air. Again, trying to keep it all NORMAL, but did he really feel that the child could walk around the block? I guess he doesn't know how it feels to be ANEMIC! Men - they just don't get it, do they?

They also bought a new puppy for Christmas. I have to admit, it is a cute dog, called a MORKIE (maltese and yorkie mix) really cute and I'm thinking that the new puppy will add some joy to a home that is dealing with much sadness. I just wish this mother wasn't putting so much on her plate.

Speaking of plate...


I made a big pot of sauce today and shared half of it with them. She seems grateful and I think that she was going to give her family speghetti for dinner. I'm hoping they like my cooking... cause I'll be making much for them. Just double batching meals and splitting it.

I just wish that I could turn back the clock and take away all the past few weeks and make it all go away for them. That would be my wish.

I'll keep posting updates about her to let you know what is going on. It is just a simple awareness that it only takes one day to totally uproot your entire lives.

Be grateful each and every day for the mere fact that you got up and were able to hug your child or family today. Be grateful for the crazy normal that your life involves... tomorrow it could be all gone.

Christmas 2008

Today is Christmas! We are looking forward to a nice day up at my parent's home. Last night, Bryan's family came over to celebrate.

My father-in-law, Steve, became ill Tuesday nite, after having dinner at our home, and had to be put in the hospital. At first, they thought it was food poisoning (still could be), then they thought it was his pancreas (it wasn't) or it could just be a virus. But after having dinner at out house on Tuesday, he spent a few hours vomitting.

He already has a weak heart and any hours spent vomitting couldn't be good - so they admitted him. He is still in the hospital but is expected to go home today. Whether or not we'll see him is still up in the air. They may decide to just drive back to Ft. Myers.

During the questionable dinner, he was the only one who ate relish on a hot dog. So the joke is that Bryan and I tried to kill him with the SPICY relish. (it helps when you say it in an Italian accent.) We are having a laugh - at his expense. Too bad.

It is a rare thing when all 9 grandchildren are together - that is all of them in the photo.

Also, is the photo of Greatnana (age 92) and Paige (age 8 months). They are the oldest and youngest people in our family. I like photos like that!

The girls got motorscooters and Wade got a bike from Santa - but it is raining so they won't get too much riding in today.

Olivia and Meredith discovered a roll of Christmas wrapping paper under my bed. It was the same paper that Santa used. They can't believe that Santa snuck in our room and got the wrap without me knowing. (HE HE HE!!)

One extra photo of Grandpa and Paige - his buddy.

I hope that everyone's Christmas is special.

Countdown to Christmas!

Well, as usual, I have nothing to report other than the usual busy-ness that swirls around our lives.

Yesterday, Saturday, was my only day off in 5 days and we spent some of it with my brother, Richard and his fiance Patricia. We had to do an early Christmas with them because they flew out to Switzerland last night and won't be back until after New years. Later in the evening, Bryan and I went to my holiday Christmas party. It was nice, but I had to leave early - 5am rolls around quickly in this house and I already said that I had to work today.

I work today, Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday is Christmas eve and Thursday is the big day. So, only my last true day off (Thurs.) I spent the entire day wrapping. Lani, my friend, came over and we wrapped my family gifts for 5 hours.

Now, believe it or not, we scaled down this year. 5 hours of wrapping was really filled with minutes wasted looking for more tape and re-wrapping the gifts that are supposed to come from me and Bryan (as opposed to the big guy). I had to keep a roll of paper hidden and wrap some gift in it so the older ones don't catch on to the exact paper being used.

We have our Elf on a Shelf out. We have an elf that lives with us (google it and you'll see what I mean) that keeps watch over the children and every night reports to Santa how everyone is behaving.

Well, two nights ago... Freddie (our elf) didn't move!! Someone who shall remain nameless, forgot about him. So, the kids get up and look for him each morning and that morning he was in the same place as the day before.

The story goes that the only reason the elf won't go to the North Pole (while everyone is asleep) is because a child touched him. So, I covered my blunder quickly and asked the children 'who touched him?' knowing full well that no-one did.

They were each blaming the others!! and the girls decided that it had to be Wade. So, Wade is standing under this elf doll, that is perched up on a high shelf, and states that he can't even reach it!!!! But the girls KNEW it wasn't them so it HAD to be him, right?

I know that somewhere, in heaven, God will forgive me for allowing the children to blame each other for my mistake. I'm sure it won't be the first time.

I am proud to say that I'm done with everything Christmas in our house... I can now sit back and enjoy the holiday.

My friend, Lani, came over today and we spent 4 hours wrapping. It was a bonding experience. She is a true friend and, after today, I am thrilled that she is mine.

We are hosting Christmas eve dinner here, for everyone in Bryan's family. It'll be one of the few times, in a year, that all 9 grandchildren are together.

The above photos are just some moments around our home that I had to photograph.

Paige is getting big... she is crawling now and the girls fight over her constantly.

She our angel.

Looks like the planets are all lining up...

The past few days have been very sureal. I'll try to be brief in explaining why... I'm tired.

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine came over so I could write a letter for her. The letter my a recommendation to help her get admitted into Nurse Anestheia school.

I wrote the letter and that whole topic of conversation started between me and Bryan, with him saying that he thinks it is something I should do - become a Nurse Anesthetist.

It has never been a career goal - you can't work during the the 2.5 year program and we really need my salary.

Besides, they only allow 30 applicants, per year, and the deadline for next year's schooling is past. Meaning, I have to wait to apply for the school and attend in 2010.

Anyway, turns out that they extended the deadline. I heard that, wrote a quick email to the school director and sent it yesterday.

Well, they called me today. They are interested in my applying.

Now, my days are full of preparing for the GRE (an English and math test for Graduate students). Really hard exam and you have to pass it (well) or else you can't be admitted to the program.

The plan is for me to complete the admissions packet, take the GRE and get interviewed by the school in Feb.

Some people plan months and months for this... I'm doing the whole thing is less than 3 days, completing it in less than 2 months.

If I get in... I'll have to quit work in August and attend school full time for 2.5 years.

That poor basket business of mine will NEVER get off the ground.

I'll keep you posted.

My December plan

Taking my time until after the new year. My promise, to myself, was that if the baskets did well at the craft fair I'd jump into the website with both feet. If not, I'd sit back and enjoy the holidays.

I'm thinking that I'm going to do away with the larger baskets. Completed - they are not as nice as the smaller ones. I have found that if I want to add the stuffed animals to the smaller baskets I can just tie one to the outside bow with the long ribbons of the bow. I did this for a friend and it was really cute.

I'm planning on using all the smaller Christmas themed boxes to house the teacher gifts for the kids' teachers next week. So they won't be going to waste.

I've gotten some great feedback over the last week. A neighbor gave a basket to a hospitalized friend... the patient called her, a few days later, to thank her for the basket. She was amazed at how every item was useful and she was impressed.

Another co-worker - who never says more than Hello to me - told me yesterday that I was the topic of conversation between he and his wife over coffee yesterday morning. He told me that he told her about the baskets and that he was impressed with the idea because it would take a nurse to KNOW what people really need the hospital. He wished me well.

Another co-worker, from a different department, spent the past two days trying to talk to me. When she finally crossed paths with me in the hallway, she wanted to talk about how I can go about getting the baskets into the hospital. She suggested that I go straight to the top and have a meeting with the administrator and offer to split the profit with the hospital.

Our hospital has a new family-centered resource center, basically a room full of computers that allows family members to access emails and get on-line. This co-worker told me that she knows that the hospital scraped together a small budget to open that room and that I should offer to have the $$$ from orders go to that room - in exchange for allowing my flyers to be placed in the room.

I'm thinking the whole thing over. Frightened of success, of course.

Bottom line - two weeks til Christmas. I'm enjoying it.

I changed my recent post

For anyone who read the previous post about 'busy week', please know that I edited it.

My words were harsh and I was upset after hearing bad news about my neighbor's child.

The update is that it is leukemia. She received a port for chemo today and they actually began chemo treatments. Apparently, the first few treatments are injected into to spine.

I hear she is good and in good spirits at the hospital. The doctors told the family that she won't be able to return to school this whole year - needs to be home schooled and won't be allowed to play (or have friends over) for months and months. Can't risk the infection.

Anyway, I texted the mother to say that if she had any questions, she can call me. I think that she doesn't really think that Bryan and I should be involved.

I made the offer to help... that is all I can do.

Busy Busy week

Since the only time I have to write anything down is in the morning, I'm here now with an update for this week.

First, my co-worker annual Christmas Tea was on Monday. It is a group of us (about 14) that used to work together in 1993. We started having an English Tea during December and this year was our 15th year. None of us still work together... most are managers somewhere, some are directors, others are IT nurses working on the computer system for out hospital. But we all manage to make it on this special day. I'll post more about it later, when I get the pictures out of the camera.

Tonight, Bryan and I are meeting some people at the Hard Rock for dinner and Jeff Dunham. I think that's his name. He is the comedian with the puppets. I don't even get home from work (after picking up kids) until 5:15pm. We are meeting them for dinner at 6pm. Somewhere in there I have to drop Meredith off at a friends house so the friend can take her to her soccer game. Wade and Paige won't even see us at all today...sad.

Biggest news... one of my neighborhood kids was hospitalized yesterday and they think she has leukemia. Talk about rocking our world.

This family has two girls ages - 5 and 9.


Now, it is the younger one who is sick. She has been very tired lately, and they took her to the doctor on Monday - bloodwork. Went back on Tuesday - more bloodwork and stright to the hospital.

I hear that they were told the child will remain in the hospital for 10 days. Possibly getting chemo.

The parents don't have any medical backround and I'm sure are in shock. Sometimes it is best to not have medical knowledge. Their daughter has a 15% chance that she won't live to see 10 years old.

I'm hoping that the news out today is different, but if it is leukemia - it'll be a really bad month.

I'm going to speak with my other neighbors about completing their Christmas shopping for them. Take that weight off their shoulders, maybe.

The whole thing is sad.

Today was the Holiday Craft fair I've been waiting for...

For three months, I've been waiting for December 4th. It was the day of my hospital's holiday craft fair. I was granted permission to have a booth and have spent EVERY free moment of the past two months gathering supplies and starting the website.

My poor children has seen me minimally - I've been pawning them off a lot to family and friends - just to give the the time to create the baskets and have some to sell a the fair.

Today was the fair.

Bryan is out of town (figures) and it was also Olivia's class field trip to Fort Myers. I've recruited my mom and dad plus a few neighbors to help get children to school and drop off Olivia at the school at 6:30 am.

I had to pack my car late last night and leave this morning at 5:30 to get there in time to have a co-worker help me unload the car and set up the table.

I'm running on less than 4 hours sleep and I've thought of nothing else for the last two months.

We were a go!!!!!!!

Guess how many baskets I sold? Z - E - R - O !!!!!!!!

Can you believe it? Looking back - it wasn't really my fault. The hospital had us all in a side hallway and didn't have a single sign up telling people about the sale.

We'd all sit for an hour and have only 3 people walk by. If I'd have given every person who walked by a free one - I'd still have some in my car.

What a bomb! I'm totally bummed.

However, the bright side is that my big stack of business cards almost all disappeared. There were several people who took flyers or cards and mentioned that they have family who own assisted living places or run a Jewish nursing home.

They mentioned that their family may be interested in setting up something with me and my baskets.

I did take a photo of my table but I'll have to post it later...too tired.

My website keeps track of how many times it is viewed - and I'm up to 129 views so far. That is not all me, I know, so I know some people are looking at it.

Remember, it is bedsidebaskets.com.

Fingers crossed that I'll be getting some emails from interested people.

Gotta go for now, I'm just pooped out. And believe it or not, one of my bathrooms is clogged up. I spent an hour plunging and plunging.

Then I had to take a second shower and the toilet still doesn't flush.

I'll have time to work on it tomorrow... Meredith has a fever of 103 deg. and it is only me that can be here for her tomorrow... so I already called in.

Just a day in our life, right?