Sometimes I Think

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T10:10:00.000-05:00

I've been doing a series about my husband John, and his recovery from the three cancers he is in remission from. But I've decided to take a break from that today, because this is Christmas, the anniversary of the birth of Jesus.

Merry Christmas!

I want to wish a Merry Christmas to each of you. I'm hoping you're having a great day today, and continue to have a blessed rest of the year.

I want to leave you with a video of my favorite Christmas song. I think The Temptations do a good job of it here.

If the video above doesn't work please press this link: Silent Night

I'm wishing you and yours the very best. Have a Merry Christmas and I'll be back tomorrow to finish the story about John's journey.

God bless you all, Krissy :)

2011-12-19T11:43:00.001-05:00

John is in remission from three cancers!

We've waited and waited for this day. Thirteen years to be exact. When my husband John was 36 years old, as most of you know, he was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma. It was unusual how John's physician, at the time, found the cancer. Dr. Hall was doing surgery for a hernia correction when he found a tumor that happened to be the lymphoma. It was both one of the worst things that could happen during a hernia surgery, yet a real blessing -- if the surgeon hadn't opened John up, he never would have found the tumor and John would have never started to fight the dreadful cancer he had, which, as I stated, was Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma.  John had more than one tumor, and was staged at 3B. And the cancer was in his lymph nodes. The surgeon stated that if he had not found the cancerous tumor when he had, John would have been dead within six months.

Back 13 years ago, blood cancer doctors (hematologists/oncologists) didn't have a lot of hope for patients with NHL. John was told that even if he was put into remission, he probably wouldn't live. He was advised to be proactive, choose a method of treatment and do everything he could to fight. This would extend his life for only a few years, they said.  And this, the hem/oncs (blood cancer doctors), told John, could buy him enough time until enough time for another treatment or cure came along, so that if it happened enough time, John would be able to live.

I have asked John how he could live like this.  He has told me, "You do what you got to do. If you were going to die, you would do what you had to do. There was no other option. Everybody keeps calling me brave. An inspiration. I am not an inspiration. All I did was survive."

On the contrary, I believe John is an inspiration. I'm not sure I wouldn't have gotten depressed and quit. I'm not sure I would've been able to last the 13 years, before I was declared OK, and worked so hard. But then again, you never know. As John says, "You do what you have to do."

Okay, this post has gotten long, so I am going to finish it tomorrow. I hope you come back to read the rest. Meanwhile, I've got a question for you:

I think John was an inspiration. I think the fact he did work hard to survive is an inspiration. I think he did "more than survive" and he's a true hero, trying and trying, until he finally got into remission. I will explain how his remission, and how Dr Claxton is actually calling it a "cure", came 13 years later, in the next post or two. But for now, I want to ask you this:

Did John just do what he had to do? Or is he an inspiration to you? Just wondering. I am going to be showing him the answers!

Thanks Quotes

2011-11-24T10:30:00.000-05:00

"Let us give thanks"

By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually, that is,the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name."

Hebrews 13:15

"The pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than those who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving."

H U Westermayer

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

John Fitzgerald Kennedy

"A thankful heart is not only the greatest of virtue, but the parence of all virtues."

Cicero

"Heap high the board with plenteous cheer and gather to the feast, and toast the sturdy pilgrim band whose courage never ceased."
Alice W Brotherton

"Thanksgiving is nothing if not a glad and reverent lifting of the heart to God in honor and praise for His goodness."

Robert Casper Lintner

"Thanksgiving dinners take 18 hours to prepare. They are consumed in 12 minutes. Half-time takes 12 minutes. This is not coincidence."

Erma Bombeck

"When eating bamboo sprouts, remember the man who planted them."

a Chinese proverb

four car pile up

2011-11-13T18:07:00.001-05:00

It's been almost two weeks since the car accident. It came suddenly, just like that. One minute your life is going along as always, the next minute everything can change. Well, not everything, but on some days it sure feels like it.

On November 1, John and I were stopped at a red light, behind another car. We heard a big thud somewhere behind us. "Okay, someone is in trouble," I thought. Right about that time is when I realized a car was coming toward us, from behind. Bang, right into the back of John and my car. I thought, "Wow, now this is not possible." I don't remember too much after that, except that my head jerked hard, John was doing his best to control the car, and then I went forward and then our car went right into the car in front of us. A four car pile-up. Yes, I was involved in a four car pile-up.

The girl all the way in the back admitted it was her fault. She was cruising along at 35 mph. She said she was playing with the radio and didn't think the light would turn red, so she didn't look up. Was looking down and playing with the car radio. For all I know she was speaking on her cell or texting. The she shrugged and said, "I didn't mean it. You know, just one of those things."

But let me digress for a moment. I said the last thing I remembered was the "bang" when we went into the car in front of us. That's because I blacked out. From putting things together, John thinks I was out two or three minutes. I came to when the girl in the way back, Lauren, who had admitted to the accident, came rapping on my window, after the accident.

So where do things stand now. I'm going to keep it short, as everything hasn't been settled yet, but I'm suffering from bad pain allover my whole body. I have severe whiplash amongst other problems. I am suffering neurological problems. I am having troubles cognitively -- just trouble problem solving, and remembering. I walk around in confusion a lot. I am disoriented at times. For two weeks I didn't know what day of the week it was or what time of the day it was. I have a lot else going on with my brain, and John has told me he can tell, but I can't tell you what is deficient right now. That's because I am having trouble even thinking -- my head feels like it is in pea soup. I don't know if that makes any sense or not.

I am also having depression and anger. I think anger in and of itself is a sign of a brain injury anyway.

Okay, that's all I want to say about it now.

Except that I am very, very angry. I don't get angry. Not like this. I want my mind back is one of the reasons why I am so angry. Gee, I am angry.

I hope I get my mind back.

Would you be angry too, or is that a waste of energy? I'd love to hear your thoughts, or just a hello from my friends.   krissy :)

2011-06-13T13:14:00.000-04:00

                                                      quotes

"I don't have to worry about identity theft because no one wants to be me."  - Jay London

"The only thing chicken about Israel is their soup."  - Bob Hope

"It all started when my dog began getting free roll over minutes." - Jay London

"It's ironic that in our culture everyone's biggest complaint is about not having enough time; yet nothing terrifies us more than the thought of eternity."  - Dennis Miller

"The sole purpose of a child's middle name is so he can tell when he's really in trouble."  - Justine Vogt

"The New England Journal of Medicine reports that 9 out of 10 doctors agree that 1 out of 10 doctors is an idiot."  - Jay Leno

"The road to success is always under construction."  - Lily Tomlin

"Why do they call it rush hour when nothing moves?"  - Robin Williams

"Did you hear about the self-help group for compulsive talkers? It's called On And On Anon."  - Sally Davis

"Mickey Mouse to a three-year-old is a six-foot-tall rat!"  - Robin Williams

"Did you hear about the dyslexic, agnostic, insomniac? He stayed up all night trying to decide if there really was a dog!"  - Jack Gray

"Carpe Diem -- Seize the Check" ~ Robin Williams

"In England, if you commit a crime, the police don't have a gun and you don't have a gun. If you commit a crime, the police will say, 'Stop, or I'll say stop again.'" - Robin Williams

These quotes were compiled from around the net from the author of http://joyintherain-val.blogspot.com/ . For a reason unknown to Val, she has not been able to post them in her blog, Joy in the Rain, for several weeks, nor any quotes or jokes for that matter. So I wanted to post some of her quotes here in my blog Sometimes I Think, and let you all know the situation. Please do not give up on Val's blog Joy in the Rain --she is hoping to get it working again soon. Please check back on her blog as often as possible! Meanwhile, I hope you enjoyed the quotes above, they are a compilation of some of hers!

Take care, Krissy :)

2011-04-24T20:52:00.000-04:00

He Is Risen

Hope you all are having a Happy Easter. Easter is my favorite day of the year -- it's the day my Savior rose from the dead -- making me forever grateful. I will leave you with a song I find particularly joyful and uplifting. God bless you all, and have a great Easter Season in the coming days! Oh, and I'll give you an update on what's been going on with me soon. Now please listen to the song if you have time. You'll be glad you took the time!

                                                    Easter Song
                                                    written and performed
                                                    by Keith Green

John has posted again

2011-01-02T09:58:00.004-05:00

I thougth I'd tell you a little about what has been going on with my husband John.

Because of complications from his bone marrow transplant, which he received to put two cancers into remission, my husband John has been unable to post for two years.

This has caused my posting and commenting to also be very infrequent, but that's another story. I'll be posting regularly this year barring some disaster -- you'll just have to wait and see!

Anyway, John has started to feel a lot better, and was finally able to post on December 26, 2010, just a few days ago.

While it's been a little over two years since John has posted, he is going to attempt to post on a regular basis from now on. Or at least as frequently as he can. He is still going through a lot of health issues, but as you all know, he is very stubborn, too stubborn sometimes, LOL, and he isn't going to give up in many areas in his life!

Stubborness (or shall I call it persistence with him) is often a good thing, so perhaps he's not too stubborn! As well as the Lord, stubborness has kept my husband alive. And it will keep him moving forward as he attempts to find his "new normal" in life as a Survivor.

This stubborness will keep him moving forward as he attempts to find what he wants to do in the next few years of his life, and to see what the Lord has in store for him to do in the future.

It will be exciting for him, and for me as well! The future is feeling brighter...

Anyway, if you haven't visited his entry of a few days ago, and would like to, let me give you the link:

Merry Christmas 2010

If youd like to read more of John's blog you'll find it here:

too stubborn to die

Finally, I'd like to say Happy New Year from John and me. May 2011 be your best year yet! God bless you all.

krissy :)

White Christmas by The Drifters

2010-12-23T16:37:00.005-05:00

About 10 years ago I received an email containing this video, and found the video hysterical and a good distraction from all the chores of the fast paced Christmas season. Each year I view the video, and I find it more entertaining than the year before.

Merry almost Christmas. Have you ever seen this video and did you enjoy it as well?

monday morning question -- What is the most unique or interesting thing in your purse or wallet?

2010-08-09T19:21:00.013-04:00

A lady's purse is notorious for having everything in it but the kitchen sink. I bet you can find a number of interesting items in your purse. But I only want you to name one. What is the most interesting or unique item in your purse? Men, this question is for you also. How about telling us something interesting in your wallet?

Okay, off to scrounge through my purse for my answer!
The most interesting item in my purse is a job description I picked up recently for employment that was listed at my local college. I figured I might do a little part-time work now that John is getting healthier (well, sort of) , and as I was reading the job description, I figured the job couldn't be too difficult. It basically entails getting paid for eating at a local eatery, and then reporting on how the food tastes. I think I can handle getting paid while eating healthy food for free. That's like getting paid twice! The employer needs several people for the job, per the job description I have in my purse, so I'd better call soon before the jobs are all taken! ~ krissy :)

Now it's your turn. What's of most interest in your purse or wallet?

Please leave your answer in the comment section below. Or you can post your answer in your blog, and we'll check it out if you leave a link.

John's been in the Hospital most of the past month

2010-06-06T23:46:00.016-04:00

Gall Bladder Surgery, Pancreatitis Surgery -- Hmmm, what'll be next??

So John's in the hospital again. Locally this time. He's been there, oh, I can't remember how long, because I've lost track of time.

I do remember he had the Gall Bladder surgery on May 5th. That was a rough surgery for him, because he has immune system problems. His antibodies never returned after his bone marrow transplant. So it wasn't same day surgery. John had to stay inpatient for awhile.

The surgeon put a Jackson Pratt Drain in John during the surgery. A JP Drain drains excess fluid from the body after surgery. Here's a photo of a JP Drain.

A JP Drain consists of a tube, as well as a bulb for collecting fluid after a surgery. The end of the tube is sewn inside the patient's body during the surgery. The other end of the tube extends way outside the patient's body, and culminates in a rubber bulb in which bodily fluid collects. These bulbs are said to resemble hand grenades. They are capped to create suction (to pull out body fluid that looks like blood to me, but I don't really know what it is!), as to prevent the bloody looking fluid from being trapped inside the body.

Another reason the bulbs are capped are so that people like John and I can empty them and measure how much body fluid they contain, LOL. Let me explain. Oh, and we also had to continuously keep the area of the drain and the wound sterile and bandaged at all times. This was very difficult because the area around the John's JP drain frequently leaked. I don't know if it was supposed to, but John's did!

Daily I had to measure how much blood filled the hand grenade thingy (capped rubber bulb)that was attached to this long rubber tube stitched to John's belly, peering out of a gaping wound. I had to do this by carefully uncapping the bulb and dumping the bodily fluids into a measuring container. John and I would take turns doing this, and laugh, actually.

We laughed because we had to put measurements on an official "Nurses' Chart", as well as comments. We had to sign our "Nurse's Names" at the top of the chart, as well as our "Nurse's Initials," and initial each time we made a comment, so that everyone would know which "nurse" had taken care of John! What we were doing was somewhat complicated, and the reason we were laughing so hard was because we weren't nurses, yet we had to fill out this complicated Nurses' Chart.

So one day into this little project, as we were filling out our paperwork, I looked up to the top of the chart that we were required to fill out per the hospital, and were to bring to to John's appointment in about a week and give to Dr. Martin, and impulsivity overtook me. I began to mark up the official chart the hospital had given me! The one we had been so meticulous on thus far. I didn't care that it was going back to Dr. Martin!

Above Nurse's Names I wrote the word Faux. After all, we were Faux Nurses, LOL. I continued to mark up the chart, and John and I just kept on laughing. Anything for a laugh for John and me. We needed it by this time.

And John started to mend.

Little did we know that in a few days he would be sick again.

But I'll post about that tomorrow or the next day. I'm oh so tired from going to the hospital constantly -- eight times in the past two months, if you count the totally necessary emergency room visits.

Just suffice it to say John suddenly began to have very serious pain, off and on, and then very high fevers. We had to go to Hershey Medical Center (Hershey Hospital) and John was hospitalized there. There they discovered pneumonia in two places in his lungs but couldn't figure out what was really making him sick. Then suddenly John's fever lowered and he was discharged.

So home we went. And of course his very high fevers returned, and he had extremely severe pain. And into the local hospital he went again. Where he had another surgery, and where he remains even now. But I'll tell you that story more in depth in a day or two.

Stay tuned for --

The Stone That Got Away!

3 Hairs

2010-04-24T10:07:00.043-04:00

3 Hairs

There was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror,
and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.

"Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today."

So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror, and saw that she had
only two hairs on her head.

"Hmmm," she said, "I think I'll part my hair today."

So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror, and noticed that she had
only one hair on her head.

"Well," she said, "today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail."

So she did, and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror, and noticed that there
wasn't a single hair on her head.

"YAY!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!"

Attitude is everything! It can make or break your day.

Everyone you come in contact with is fighting battles like you. Let's take care of one another. And don't forget to take care of yourself!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This poem is dedicated to all my cancer survivor friends. Hang in there Laurie, Phil, Jeannette, Patti, Fritz, Tom, Michelle, Jamie, Georgia, and each and every one of you. ;)

Most of all this poem is dedicated to my husband John, who went bald numerous times during his cancer ordeal.

John without much hair, during one of his 100+ blood transfusions

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you have cancer or know someone who does, please visit your local American Cancer Society. The link is listed below. When you get to the ACS website, enter your zipcode in the box on the top right of the page to find ACS help in your local area.

American Cancer Society

If you are a cancer patient and would like to receive a card to encourage you, click the link below, then click on "REQUEST A JUMP" on the top right of the page. If you would like to send a card to a cancer patient, click the same link below, and click on "BECOME A JUMPER."

SPIRIT JUMP

See also my Sister Valerie's blog today, she also wrote a cancer awareness message~

Joy in the Rain 3 Hairs, Cancer Awareness

Remember, be good to each other, be good to yourself, and attitude really is everything!

Have a GRAND day!

all my love, krissy :)

The Resurrection of Jesus

2010-04-04T19:46:00.019-04:00

The Resurrection Of Jesus

Matthew 24: 1-12

But at daybreak on the first day of the week they took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them. They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, "Why do you seek the Living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has been raised. Remember what He said to you while He was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day." And they remembered his words. Then they returned from the tomb and announced all these things to the eleven and to all the others. The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; the others who accompanied them also told this to the apostles, but their story seemed like nonsense and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb, bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone; then he went home amazed at what had happened.

Below is a beautiful video to listen to, which will help us worship the Lord Jesus.

Jesus will save each of us from our sins if we ask him, and if we continue to follow him. It's what I'm going to do. What's your choice -- follow him or no?

I hope you're having a having a happy Easter, and have a great week! Krissy :)

Of Hip Replacements for John and the First Day of Spring

2010-03-20T02:59:00.004-04:00

It's the First Day of Spring -- March 20, 2010

Even today as I look around, I see some patches of snow in the very cold part of Pennsylvania in which I live, but the snow is almost gone. Two days ago, as John and I were on our way to Hershey Medical Center, his cancer treatment center, I saw my first real promise that Spring would be here soon -- a clump of deep, vibrant purple crocuses. Then as John and I pulled into the hospital parking lot we saw a sea of yellow daffodils! I knew Spring was approaching fast!
Today I can see and feel Spring everywhere and I'm finally feeling good.

This has been the longest, coldest Winter I can remember. There has been snow on the ground for months, and it has perhaps been snowing more days than not this Winter. Or so it seems. And I feel I've finally made it through a long, dark time.

And yet, there will be some more tough days to come. When we were up at Hershey Medical Center these past few days, my husband John found that Graft Versus Host Disease had returned to his eyes. GVHD can be a sign that your donor has rejected you after a bone marrow transplant, and that your cancer will return or has returned.

No, John's donor has not rejected him -- most likely -- and he is still in remission from his two cancers. Thank God for that. John is just having problems with his eyes -- itching, burning, and a little trouble seeing.

Another thing John has been dealing with on this visit is a lump and something suspicious possibly indicative of cancer found in his body during a CT scan last week. That's one of the reasons we're in Hershey right now. But John and I are not worrying. Gee, if we worried about every scare, we'd go nuts! So we'll wait and see what happens. We're going home on Saturday (first day of Spring!) and John will most likely get the suspicious areas looked at there, by his local oncologist, Dr. Ford. If not, we'll come back to Hershey soon.

If it does turn out that John does have another cancer, he could possibly even be treated where we live. That would mean that we wouldn't have to make so many trips to Hershey Medical Center. We believe Hershey is the best place to go in the world if you need cancer treatment. It is just becoming difficult to make the 210+ mile round trip for us when John goes for check-ups or receives treatments.

I guess I should mention one more thing about John. While at home, a few days before leaving for Hershey Medical Center, he had an MRI, because he had a pain level of 7 for several months in his pelvic area (on his backside).

The MRI showed Osteo Necrosis. For those of you who don't know how to
translate that, Osteo means "bones" and necrosis means "dead" or "dying."
As in "dead bones."

John will have to get two hip replacements to correct the Osteo Necrosis -- one in each hip.

Dr. Claxton wants John to get treatment for the Osteo Necrosis, at least initially, back where we live. First he will get bone medication, then he will get the hip replacements. John will see an Orthopedic Surgeon as soon as he gets back home.

We don't know how soon the replacements will be -- within days or years. We'll have to go back home and ask our local Orthopedic Surgeon.

Yes, I'm glad it's Spring, but I'm already tired from the challenges that lay ahead!

But John and I are always up for challenges, I guess, because that's the way we live our lives. So, one day at a time, onward...

love you all, krissy :)

It's My Birthday

2010-03-13T15:40:00.005-05:00

Today is my birthday. And yes, I'm in my forties.

Until a few years ago, I never thought I'd like this decade. How frightening, I thought. But I'm pretty much at peace with it. I'm feeling old, but it could be a lot worse!

I'm looking back, considering all the things I never accomplished -- all the things I have yet to do! At the same time, I'm looking at all the things I have done.

In the past year, since my last birthday, I have learned so much, and have really grown.

I've met a lot of people and learned a lot of skills. I've grown a tougher skin and gained a lot of self-confidence. I have come to learn more of who I am and what I can do. I've realized the possibilities in my life are almost endless, and I've picked up a lot of new challenges. I look at the world in a positive way now, for the first time again in years, and am ready to take on what comes along, with the help of the Lord. Life is looking good.

I know it won't always be easy, by any stretch of the imagination, but I also know I'll be able to survive now, and sometimes even thrive. I will be okay...

And that is what life has taught me in my 40s. It is a much more comfortable place to be than in my 30s. I can only wait to see what life brings next!

love you all, krissy :)

My First Bracelet

2010-03-05T23:57:00.003-05:00

The first bracelet I've ever made

I'm designing and making jewelry now. This is the first bracelet I made. My sister Therese calls it "Tropical Citrine." John calls it my "Brady Bunch Bracelet." What do you think? Did I do a good job? And what would you call it?

Krissy :)

How were you successful in your blogging this week

2010-03-04T23:58:00.001-05:00

How were you successful in your blogging this week?

Many don't like to think of blogging in terms of something one wants to be "successful" at. "I'm just doing this for fun," you might say. I've actually heard others say, "I don't care if I get comments." I'm astounded when I hear that. I think, "Why are you writing, then, if you don't want to be read?"

Whether you're blogging for fun, or you're blogging for money, it's hard for me to believe it doesn't matter whether or not you get comments, or whether or not your're being read. If you don't care to be read, why are you writing? Don't go online then! Write what you have to say in a little paper diary with a lock and key, and stick the diary in your drawer at home! If however, you do come online, then you may as well admit you want to be read, and furthermore you like those comments (so you know somebody is listening, and you have an engaged community)! There is certainly nothing wrong with that...

So now I have a question for you. How were you "successful" in your blogging this week? What did you do to be successful and to draw readers in? Please tell us of some of your successes.

Did you write good content so that your readers would want to come back? I'm not saying you wrote good content for the sole purpose of having readers come back. I know you would have written good content anyway. But did you "make an effort to write good content" in your posts this week?

Perhaps you added more pictures to your blogs (either graphics or photos). Perhaps you tried to explain things to others. Perhaps you took the time to comment in other's blogs more.

Some of the things I did were to write good content (write about interesting subjects), to be more open and honest in my posts -- give more of myself, think about what my readers wanted to hear about and write about that, and comment in more blogs. I think I was successful.

How were you successful in blogging this week?

I've Been Feeling Weepy

2010-03-03T23:53:00.003-05:00

I'm sitting here wanting to write, and all that seem to come out of me are tears. I'm finding myself so weepy these past few days, and in turn feeling guilty for feeling this way. Why should I have the right to cry? After going through what John and I felt was such a close call for him, yet again, and then learning that John's cancer probably isn't back, I feel I should be jumping for joy, and don't have the right to have any other reaction. But it's hard for me to have my emotions so quickly yanked around -- yes, even if I'm feeling scared one day, and happy the next, due to good news. That probably doesn't make much sense to anyone, and I really am grateful that John is doing well, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Yet somehow I'm having trouble switching tracks and going back to being happy again. I imagine it's because I really don't know what to believe anymore, and I don't know what's going to happen next anymore, and I can't plan for anything. I'm so hyper vigilant -- almost waiting for the next shoe to fall.

Now I'm seeing it. I just need to relax, and take each day as it comes, making the most of that day. Then I'll never be disappointed... Because each day IS a good day...

For John -- I'll Stand By You

2010-03-02T23:44:00.002-05:00

This song is dedicated to my husband, John Knox, a two time cancer survivor. It's I'll Stand By You by Carrie Underwood. A few weeks ago, John had another cancer scare. We were sure this time his cancer was back. The numbers and symptoms indicated it. I'll tell you more about it later, but I just wanted you to know that as of now, it appears he's still cancer-free. We were stunned when we heard the cancer was most likely back, and just as stunned to learn a few weeks later that it wasn't. But let me digress for a moment. During the weeks when we weren't sure if the cancer was back, or rather, were almost positive it was back, I would sing this song, I'll Stand By You, to John. Now it's "our song." Listen to the words, it's beautiful...

Monday Morning Question -- What is your Star Wars name?

2010-03-01T23:16:00.006-05:00

Monday Morning Question -- What is your Star Wars name?

For those of you too young to remember, Star Wars came out in 1977. My husband John tells me he watched it 13 times the first year it played. But then he was 15 at the time. Over his lifetime he's probably seen Star Wars 30 times! Despite this, he says he's "primarily a Star Trek fan."

Now for the Monday Morning Question:
What is your Star Wars name?
Take the first three letters of your last name. Then add the first three letters of your first name. Finally, on the end of that add the last medicine you took.

My answer: My Star Wars name is KnoKriLantus

Now tell us --

What is your Star Wars name?

Do this one! It may be silly but it's lots of fun anyway! Krissy :)

Monday Morning Question -- What are you good at?

2010-02-22T12:37:00.010-05:00

Everybody is good at something. What do you consider yourself good at? Don't be shy, let us know.

My Answer:

I think I'm creative. I come up with interesting and cool ideas for my blogs. I don't write as much as I'd like as my time is often limited, but when I do, I think I'm pretty creative. I also design and make some artistic, cool jewelry.

So what's your answer?
I dare you to answer this question!

Please leave a comment! Or post your answer in your blog and mention Sometimes I Think in your blog post. Then come back to the comment section here and leave your link to your post so we can all go read your answer. :)

John's post cancer checkup went well

2010-01-15T11:09:00.010-05:00

John had a great checkup!

As most of my readers know, my husband John had two cancers, but is in remission from both of them. After much chemo, a Bone Marrow Transplant, and excellent medical care -- John has pulled through. It has come at the expense of many complications. As John says, however, it's all been worth it, as he is alive...

Anyway, John and I have been gone for about two weeks. We went to Hershey, PA to see John's oncologist Dr. Claxton on December 21, 2009 . As usual, Hershey Medical Center and it's staff are superior.

John's checkup went quite well!

The Shingles and Chicken Pox he had gotten again this year (in November and December -- just like last year) had already cleared up a few weeks prior to his appointment with Dr. Claxton. John's local doctor as well as his doctors in Hershey were just that good that he was able to be treated and his Shingles and Chicken Pox were eradicated without hospitalization this year!

That is pretty unheard of for a person who has almost no immune system, as John does. John has almost no antibodies since he received his Bone Marrow Transplant (for two cancers) in January of 2006. He lost his antibodies after his bone marrow transplant and they never returned. They probably never will. He wears a mask everywhere and is not going to venture outside -- at least during the winter months. Especially this year with flu and H1N1 (swine flu) pretty rampant in our town.

If I were to mention any other problems that are going on with John, I would mention he still only has about one third kidney function and that is never expected to improve in his lifetime. He has about a 50/50 chance of getting dialyzed in his lifetime. But then we've known that for awhile.

And then finally there is the issue of Hemolytic Anemia, of which he could get back at any time, and was getting seven bags of blood for at a time at one point. He had to get several bags of blood every day or every couple of days for months and months.

My old readers remember that. I guess I'm mentioning this for my new readers.

Having said all that, John really is doing fantastic. New complications are not constantly creeping up which is fantastic. John is beginning to live his "new life." You can never go back to your old life, because it will never be quite the same after cancer, but you have to make a "new normal." John's deciding what he wants to do with his life -- what he wants that new normal to be. He's gone back to writing. He has already started, and will soon be posting again in his blog too stubborn to die.

John gets stronger every day. He does a lot of work around the house, drives us places. Most don't know he has kidney problems or anything wrong, when they just see him around the house or whatever. He doesn't just lay around... Many don't know he had cancers (except for the mask he wears) and we are praying his cancers stay in remission. He was told he has a 90% chance that his cancers will remain in remission. Praise God for that.

On his tests at Dr. Claxton's appointment he John did excellently. He also had four baby immunizations! The immunosuppressants you receive after the Bone Marrow Transplant wipe out alll your baby and childhood vaccinations, so at three years post Transplant, you have to get your childhood vaccinations again! He usually gets four or more shots at a time! You can imagine he doesn't like driving afterward, each shot must be given in a different place, LOL.

So, overall, John is doing quite well, and if he doesn't have any problems he doesn't have to go back for about 4 1/2 months, which will be his longest time between appointments ever!

Next time I'll post about my "New Normal" and some of the things I've been doing with my new life. It's been good and I've been loving it, even though I have struggles. I'm so glad my life is starting to move on... krissy :)

A very inspiring Christmas video

2009-12-17T23:42:00.006-05:00

I'm hoping you all are enjoying getting ready for Christmas. Amidst all your running around, however, take a moment to slow down, and listen to this very inspiring video. It'll truly warm your heart.

I watch this every year, yet it never ceases to be something special to me. I hope you enjoy it also! krissy :)

What was your favorite dish in your Thanksgiving meal?

2009-11-26T12:07:00.010-05:00

What was your favorite dish in your Thanksgiving meal?

Just telling us is fine, but if you'd like to share the ingredients or a recipe, we'd like that too!

My answer: My Secret Cranberry Sauce

Cook the cranberries (a standard bag or two) in sugar water and when done (leaving the heat on low) add a little sweet orange juice, to contrast the tartness of the cranberries. Don't add too much orange juice, as you don't want to take away too much of the tartness!

Sorry my recipes aren't exact in their measurements; I've been taught to cook without a cookbook; I do the "a pinch of this and a pinch of that" method!

After the orange juice, you can zest up the cranberry sauce with some of the zest of the orange rind (grate some into the sauce).

If you'd like the cranberry sauce to be thicker than it is, add a few flakes of corn starch until it reaches the thickness you desire.

If you choose, you can also add a little 7-Up for even more citrus flavor. 7-Up is both tart and sweet, so goes well in this recipe. Remember to start out with only a little, and taste while adding more, because again, you don't want to drown out the tartness of the cranberries.

Finally, to have the cranberry sauce have the glorious flavors of Autumn spice, sprinkle in a little (much less than a tsp. of each) of the following spices:

cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice

Finally, sprinkle in cloves but do so even less sparingly, as cloves are strong!

Taste and make sure your cranberry sauce has the correct amount of spices, juices etc. If more are needed, correct accordingly.

Serve hot or cold.

we're going through our earliest snowfall on record

2009-10-17T19:52:00.005-04:00

I only have time for a short post. John picked up the phone a short while ago, and it was from a local county emergency official, telling us that we may have to go to a shelter at any time. And if we have to go, we may have to stay for several days. If you don't find me anywhere online, you'll know why, I may not be able to get to a computer ...

This all started with a snowfall that began three days ago. It was Thursday morning when the snow started. Friday night was a little scary, as the electricity went out. I had intended to have candles or flashlights ready, but had forgotten, and John and I stumbled around in the dark until John found candles and lit them. I didn't like to have lit candles in the house with Michael. No, I'm not talking about our son. Not a human one anyway! Michael is our Maine Coon Cat, and I was afraid he'd knock over a candle and burn himself or the house down. Finally we found places to place the candles where the cat couldn't reach and went to bed. At 2:30 we awoke to blaring lights, noises from my computer, and the TV. It was hours before I was able to fall back to sleep, but I ran and blew out the candles before I did anything else.

By Friday morning we were blessed with six inches of snow. But in Pennsylvania we are not lightweights when it comes to weather, and the roads were plowed in no time, as were the parking lots. Although it was still snowing on and off, John and I made our way down to Wal-Mart and bought three flashlights and eighteen batteries.

Light snow kept up throughout the day. We started out to see a movie, Where The Wild Things Are (okay, I'm still a big kid!), but had to turn around and come right back home, because it was snowing to heavily, and we didn't want to get in a traffic accident.

No, we don't usually have snow in October in Pennsylvania. It starts in November. This was State College's earliest snowfall on record!

This morning I awoke, and there was more flakes coming down, mostly flurries. But enough snow to put a damper on the Homecoming Parade for Penn State University. Folks had come from around the country to see this parade, as their children were in it, students who went to PSU.

As John and I sat in McDonald's this morning after the parade, eating breakfast, we heard a lot of people griping about the cold. I laughed inside, because I had left the house initially this morning without a coat! I hadn't even put on a jacket.

Sure it must have been below freezing when we left the house, or at least freezing, as it was snowing again! But I didn't find it cold today at all. But I did think better of leaving without any coat at all, as I walked away from the house, so I turned back and retrieved a jacket. "No sense getting sick," I thought, "and besides, what would I use to put my cell phone in if I didn't have the pocket?" So I grabbed my jacket and out into the snow I went with John this morning ...

So, getting back to about an hour ago, and the phone call John got from the emergency official -- John was told that there were still "thousands" without power since Friday. Those without electricity have been staying at a local shelter, John was told, and that if power were to go out again, we were to go to the shelter also. He was given the shelter name. John said thank you and hung up the phone.

John and I have spent the last hour packing. I am writing this quick entry in case you don't hear from me for a few days as I don't know if I'll have access to a computer. I also don't know if I'll be staying with family, at a hotel, or at the shelter. It will depend on if I can even get to a family member's house, the street lights will most likely be out, and driving may be rough. I suppose I can wait it out at home, I think I'd rather do that. But John is a little concerned he may catch something at home, as we won't have any heat to stay warm. Our heat is electric ...

I'm hoping that no more power lines are downed due to falling trees ladened with heavy wet snow. I just want to stay home!

Okay, I need to post this, before the electricity goes out. I was attempting to post on Friday night when I lost everything, as I lost electricity ...

love you all, krissy :)

The Ugliest Sheep Contest

2009-08-23T08:45:00.009-04:00

The Ugliest Sheep Contest

Welcome to the Ugliest Sheep Contest. Here's how it works.

Please vote for the sheep you find the ugliest. Vote only once, and for only one sheep. Please put your answer in the comment section.

Each week, on Sunday, I'll give you three more photos of ugly sheep. Continue voting the same way. At the end of September we'll have playoffs. A final sheep will be chosen by you all as the winner of the Uglist Sheep Contest.

After the ugliest sheep has been chosen, we will go on to have other subjects on which to vote. For instance, we may perhaps vote on the ugliest cats, the funniest babies, the scariest clowns, the funniest birds, and so on.

Please come back each Sunday to make your choice in each contest. Actually, each week you have from Sunday to that Friday night at midnight to vote. On Saturday morning I'll tally up the votes for the week, record the results, and post them with the winning photo in this blog. So please come back on Saturday if you can to see the winner!

The next day, on Sunday, I will post another three photos, and we'll begin a new contest.

I'm hoping you all will have fun with this! And now on to the first game...

Which sheep do you find the ugliest?

Yes, I've researched, and each and every one of these really IS a sheep! So which is the ugliest? Place your answer in the comment section. Thanks for playing! The results will be announced in this blog on Saturday, August, 29. Please return on Saturday to see the results!

The sheep (the one on the left) is #1, the second is sheep #2, and the last sheep is #3!

Monday Morning Question -- What would you like to say about your Summer so far?

2009-07-13T13:17:00.020-04:00

What would you like to say about your Summer so far?

Or Summer in general?

Leave a comment. Let's get a conversation going!

My answer:

It's been a somewhat difficult Summer. My Dad had a heart attack. John's been sick some of the time. I missed my vacation to care for family members. I haven't had time to do many recreational or relaxing activities.

At the same time, this Summer has been good for me. I've met a lot of new people and made a lot of friends. And I've learned a lot. I'm learning new skills (writing, business, blogging, and other social media skills, etc.). I'm learning a lot more about myself, and who it is I want to be when I grow up! And I'm having so much fun learning! It's priceless. For me, this has been a growing time, and I wouldn't trade it...

Besides, The Lord allows everything for a reason, so I'm accepting the not so good things that have happened with the good, knowing "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28). If I didn't believe that, if I didn't believe the Lord was directing my life, and was working all things together for good, I would have quit a long time ago... But I know I can count on Jesus...

Please answer the question. You don't have to be as philosophical as me! Short and sweet is fine too!

Love you all, Krissy :)

So what's your answer?
Leave a comment below. Or post your answer in your blog and mention Sometimes I Think. Then come back and leave your link to your post below so we can all go read your answer. :)

Monday Morning Question -- Would you be interested in my doing a Twitter blog?

2009-06-15T21:04:00.005-04:00

Would you be interested in my doing a Twitter blog?

If I were to start a Twitter blog, sort of an instructional one, would you be interested? I was thinking along the lines of starting out very basic. It would be for those who had never tweeted before, all the way to those who had been doing it for a few months, or even a year. I love Twitter, and I wanted to share my knowledge with others. I'm thinking we could all learn together. It wouldn't take up a lot of time, bc I am thinking we would learn about one lesson a week, perhaps at the beginning of the week, and then we would have the week to practice what we learned. We would also have some days where we would just have fun!

So, who's interested? I promise, it won't be intimidating, as I will help you, and we will all help each other! And Twitter is so worthwhile, you get to meet so many new people and learn so many new things. The people are so helpful... So are you in? :)

Blog's 5 Year Anniversary

2009-05-06T14:39:00.004-04:00

I wanted to thank you all for sticking with me, even though I haven't posted in awhile. I was sick for a month, and then three weeks ago, John was hospitalized for two weeks. It's been a long month and three weeks. I'll explain more later, today we have to go yet again to John's Bone Marrow Transplant Center and Hospital -- Hershey Medical Center.

It's mostly for check ups, and a consultation to get his kidneys functioning better. He's got one third kidney function (both kidneys). He also has no antibodies. This just means he can't catch any infections -- such as pneumonia or flus. It figures swine flu just started, but we're not anticipating he catches it, and he's wearing masks everywhere! He'll even have to wear the respirator kind some times.

Other than that, John is doing FANTASTIC, and we are actually looking forward to this trip to Hershey, as we will be getting out some! We have been somewhat quarentined, as John hasn't been allowed to catch anything, because of his immunities which have been almost nonexistent. So he was quarentined, and me along with, because I can't bring anything to him. So we'll just wear masks on the trip, and have a blast.

This time I'm going to perhaps go to a class and make a bracelet, go to some doctors appointments, go talk to the divisional Leukemia & Lymphoma Society campaign leader to tell her about some of my fundraising ideas I will be doing, and then do some photography if I have time. We'll be back around Saturday.

I'm actually looking forward to going out of town.

Now don't you all worry about John, this is the best he's looked in years! He just must stay indoors most of the time, and when he ventures out, for example, to get groceries, he simply wears a mask.

By the way, I guess it was yesterday, maybe, this blog made five years! I really can't believe it.

It has been one of the best things in my life, and has led me where I never expected to go. It has allowed me to be more honest, more open. It has allowed me to have friendships I never expected. Opened new worlds to me, caused me to want to learn, gotten me out of myself. It has challenged me, caused me to not hold myself back, allowed me to decide I will NO LONGER fear success. I have not held a job since I have been helping john for these past almost 4 years when he was diagnosed with this last cancer. Actually 10 years with his 2 cancers I haven't held a significant job. But that will change after I am able to work again -- when things settle down more with John and we don't have to go to the hospital as much. I'll most likely work from home, because I still need to help John. I'm most likely going to own my own business, because it's what I want to do, the way I want it to be. No rose colored glasses here, yes it'll be difficult, but I want to do it, and I have=2 0enough confidence now, I'm just the entrepreneurial type, and that's that! Yes, blogging, and online activities have allowed me to do it...

What has blogging meant to you? What has it done for you? Where has it taken you? Has it changed your life? Even if you want to say -- I now have new friends! -- we want to hear from you! What has blogging done for YOU?

Comments please!

John's Battle with Zoster

2009-03-27T21:15:00.028-04:00

John and I have been in Hershey for the past several days. From Sunday through last night. That's the reason you haven't heard from me. I didn't have time to post because John had six medical appointments, and I of course accompanied him.

Overall, during his appointments this time at his bone marrow transplant center, John fared pretty well. He received better news than we both thought he would. John does have fungal pneumonia, as we suspected, but it has greatly improved according to the report given to us by one of his oncologists. The report was a result of a CT scan John had this visit to his oncologists. It was very reassuring to know he has greatly improved, as fungal pneumonia can be serious.

John has had viral and fungal pneumonia since September 2008.

John contracted the viral pneumonia in Sept 2008 when he was taken off Valtrex, a medication he takes to prevent viral infections. I remember sitting in Dr. Claxton's office last year, as he stated, "You can stop your Valtrex now. I'm sure you won't catch shingles at this point, this far out from your transplant."

So John went off the Valtrex, then promptly turned around and caught shingles! I don't know if participating in the Light The Night Walk, to raise money against blood cancers -- such as Leukemia -- had anything to do with John catching shingles. We were around thousands of people that night. Who knows? He may have gotten shingles anyway, because he was no longer taking the Valtrex.

John at Light The Night
Walk in Sept 2008

A few days after the Shingles started, John noticed Chicken Pox. Yep, Chicken Pox. His immunities had been wiped out by the bone marrow transplant he had had over two years earlier. Those who have a bone marrow transplant literally have their immune system wiped out, and they have to get their baby and childhood vaccinations allover again.

John with Shingles in Oct 2008

So on the last day of September, off John and I went to Hershey Medical Center, because he had very severe Shingles and Chicken pox. We went by ambulance, as I have narcolepsy, and I just can't drive. John was admitted, and we ended up having to stay in Hershey most of October. By the end of the visit in October, before leaving the hospital, Dr. Claxton told John that if he had waited another couple of days to come in he wouldn't have made it...

John said shingles pain was a 9.5
on a scale of 1 - 10.

John was admitted again to the hospital in November for Zoster Pneumonia. The Zoster (Shingles Virus) just wouldn't quit.

John with Zoster
Pneumonia in Nov 2008

John was discharged from the hospital and we got home the last week in November. I spent Thanksgiving and its surrounding days giving John IV infusions of viral medications -- through a port (PICC line) that had been inserted at the hospital -- to try to end the pneumonia caused by the shingles and chicken pox. The IVs were around the clock. There was no time to make anything for Thanksgiving, but we were just grateful to be in our own home...

John getting IV antiviral at home

I'm not real sure why the oncologist (I'm not referring to Dr. Claxton, but an oncologist subbing for him) let John out of the hospital before the pneumonia was cleared up, in the first place. I remember John feeling pretty poorly when he left. On second thought, I do know the reason, I believe, that John was discharged early by Dr. E., but that's a post for another day... I'll tell it later.

During the months of hospitalizations and home treatments, John just couldn't seem to get completely better, and just couldn't seem to get over his fevers and pneumonia. The viral medications he was given orally and by IV weren't improving his health completely. As a matter of fact, John hasn't felt significantly better until this month -- March 2009...

This is because, it was discovered, John also had contracted fungal pneumonia. The doctors were able to ascertain this by the pattern the pneumonia formed in his lungs. John had x-rays and CT scans which showed "multi-focal pneumonia."

Anyway, as I stated, we're thankful that per the report we received, John is doing so much better now. He will have to live with some permanent damage to his lungs on both sides. One issue is scarring. He has had some difficulty breathing, tires easily, and can't take in full breaths at times.

But I'm very thankful John's making great improvements, and it appears that things are looking up from here. I'm glad he's out of the woods!

I finally feel that we are out of a long, long Winter, and Spring has finally arrived.

Love you all, Krissy :)

Blogging Is In My Blood

2009-03-21T23:44:00.005-04:00

I was thinking yesterday about why I hadn't been blogging the last month -- actually why I hadn't been blogging much for the last six months.

The answer came to me. I've been living in stress for six months -- and I almost let this stress drain me of my focus and energy, before I recently became aware of what was happening.

It's stressful living with a Bone Marrow Transplant Survivor. All the ups and downs can be particularly stressful. But I needn't focus on that stress, and allow it to take away my focus or energy. I needn't allow the stress to take away the fact that I want to blog and do other things in my life. I can't let the stress win...

Yes, it is stressful living with a bone marrow transplant patient. I'm not complaining, though. I wouldn't be with anybody else but my husband John. He means the world to me. Perhaps that is why it was so hard when he was hospitalized in October 2008, and then again in November 2008, and we almost lost him a couple of times at the hospital. Since that time, John and I have made frequent trips to Hershey Medical Center, his hospital and Bone Marrow Transplant Center, to take care of his health problems.

By the way, John had his three year anniversary of his Bone Marrow Transplant in January of 2009. When he first had the transplant I was imagining he wouldn't be having these problems at three years post transplant, but now I see it is something I'm going to have to live with. At least for now. He is just one of the survivors who gets many complications. He always has been. And he is always the one to survive against great odds! So I am thankful for that -- that he's a real fighter!

But while I'm thankful, I'm still very tired. That's really the reason I haven't written much -- I've been tired, and I've had a very hard time focusing on blogging, writing or photography. I've had a hard time focusing on just about anything in my life other than medical appointments. I've just been attempting to "make it through."

But it's not going to be like that anymore. It's time to move on. I want more purpose back in my life. I can still help John and focus on goals I have wanted to accomplish for a long time. And blogging is one of them. So I'm back to it.

Blogging is in my blood.

Monday Morning Question -- What is an important lesson...

2009-02-10T16:16:00.008-05:00

What is an important lesson that you've learned recently?

My answer: I've learned that communication is very important. To have a relationship with another that is going to be in any way meaningful and something other than shallow, both individuals must communicate, and must risk in being open. If either one is not willing to do so, the relationship does not last long. This goes for any kind of relationship. Sometimes being open is a scary thing, because you have to risk getting hurt -- that is, risk rejection. But it's worth it, because if you don't open up, you'll never know if you'll win the friendship of the other person -- who just may be the best friend you'll ever have for life. By the way, I'm dedicating this post two my two Best Friends Forever -- You know who you are! :)

Now it's your turn, Readers.

What is an important lesson you've learned recently?

Please put your answer in the comment section below or in your blog with a link back to this post. If you post in your blog and leave a link here, I'll come read and comment there!

Thanks you all, Krissy :)

Writer's Block

2009-02-04T00:09:00.010-05:00

"Writer's Block -- A phenomenom involving temporary loss of ability to begin or continue writing, usually due to lack of inspiration or creativity.

That's what John says I have. Writer's block. What do I think? Perhaps. But not in the traditional sense, I don't think. I don't lack inspiration or creativity. And I certainly haven't been lacking things to write about.

Yes, I realize I haven't written in about three weeks. And I couldn't figure out why. There has been so much I have wanted to write about, so much I have wanted to tell you all. So many interesting things that have been going on in my life. So much I have learned. And so much that has happened. Some good things, and so many not so good things...

And I think therein lies the problem. The desire to include the not so good things along with the good things. I want to include those things along with the good things that have been going on, and the great things. Because they also are part of the story. My story. Let me digress for a moment.

A lot has gone on in my life since October 2008. Perhaps September 2008. I suppose that is when I had some major changes happen, both in my life and in my mindset. Wow, that's been almost six months now. I've wanted to tell you all about it.

So why haven't I? I sat down for the past few days and asked myself, now why haven't I been writing? I mean really writing? And when I do, why does it appear to be somewhat superficial? The answer finally came to me.

And the answer is pretty simple. John (my husband) has had health issues again. Don't worry, he's still in remmission from the two cancers he had. But he's had lots of complications as of late. From late September 2008 until now, he's been sick. I'm going to be straight forward with you. We almost lost him twice recently. Maybe more than twice.

And since October 2008 John has had pneumonia with fevers. It appears finally, perhaps, it may be clearing up. Maybe. In the past few days, his fever has been normal for the first time since October. It looks like this particular antibiotic is working!

But he's not out of the woods. His kidneys are giving him more trouble than they were previously. I believe he had about 35% kidney function until recently -- now I believe it's about 25%. That means the man is walking around with about 1/4 kidney function. That's both kidneys. Wow.

Don't get me wrong. He's not so disabled he's lying around in bed all day. He does do things every day. His condition doesn't stop him from doing every day things -- he just does them a little slower than the average person. He doesn't lay around in bed all day, however. But he does take naps -- one or two a day.

He also has a weakened immune system, and is going to get something called IVIG, probably in the next week or two . I'll tell you more about that more in the next few days when I know more. I'm a little nervous. The last time he got it, he ended up in the ICU at Hershey Medical Center (his bone marrow transplant center). So I'm somewhat apprehensive. I'll let you all know when that takes place...

So what does all of this have to do with Writer's Block? Everything!
I was told by a couple of bloggers to stop writing about John unless his condition was positive...

That's correct. They told me not to write if I didn't have positive things to say about John and what was going on with him. They said it would be too upsetting to you all if he wasn't in good health, and you just wouldn't want to know if he wasn't...

So to make a long story short, I merely stopped writing.

John is a large part of my life, as is what happens to him, so I just stopped writing rather than choose to leave him out of what I was writing about on a daily basis. It was a subconscious decision really -- I didn't realize what I was doing, and I didn't realize why I couldn't write until a few days ago. At first I was just going to write, not mentioning John, but still mention other areas of my life. But I thought tht would be superficial. I guess writing nothing at all was pretty superficial in and of itself, now that I think about it. But I thought it was what everyone wanted.

Until I talked to John. He said, "Krissy, you write. I believe most want to hear what you have to say. say. Whoever doesn't, doesn't have to read it. Besides, I do think they want to hear about what's going on with me." So tonight I'm coming back to write, and I'm including John in what I have to say. I should have done that all along...

And for that I'm sorry. I will start writing again. The good, the bad, the average, the interesting, the ugly, and the fun! All of it. Stay tuned for an interesting and sometimes bumpy ride!

Have you all missed me? I've missed you very much! Krissy :)

Do you like my new blog header?

2009-01-10T07:05:00.015-05:00

I have a new blog header.

I want to thank Valerie Fisher of There is a Season for creating it for me. That's her own photography.

I told her I absolutely loved the colors in the header. The red is so vibrant and high energy. I've been feeling sort of high energy lately! I guess you've observed, by now, that I like red.

For those of you who have a Blogger blog, the header wasn't difficult to install. I even played around with the html code a little in the template, but if you're thinking of changing your header to make it uniquely yours, you shouldn't have to do much html coding, if any, to get what you basically want, as Blogger makes it pretty simple for you.

So how do you like the new header?

And yes, I will be back with the post I promised. I know I've been lagging lately on posting. The housework has been horrendous, and I've had so much "stuff" to do here at home playing catch up, as John was in the hospital about half the time in the last three months. I'm getting caught up, so I'll be back again later today to catch you all up on what's been going on...

Love you all, Krissy :)

I'm still here

2009-01-07T02:22:00.009-05:00

Hi, you all. Yes, I'm still here. A lot has been going on lately -- I'll be back later today to tell you about it.

For now I'll show you a quick video of one of my favorite singers. Yes, it's Connie Talbott again. Yes, the 7 year old. So shoot me, LOL. Love you all, Krissy :)

YouTube - Connie Talbot 'Three Little Birds' slideshow of video shoot

Merry Christmas from John and Krissy

2008-12-24T20:32:00.009-05:00

I'm dropping in quickly tonight to say Merry Christmas to you all. I also wanted to share my favorite Christmas song. Each year I put a different version of this song in my blog. Last year's version was rather "rock and roll." This year's version definitely isn't! I guess I'll just let you play it and see if you like it.

Here's Connie Talbot, age 8, from the UK, singing my favorite Christmas song ~

YouTube - Silent Night - Connie Talbot

John and I wish you a very fun and holy Christmas. I'm off to do Christmasy things! Love you all, Krissy :)

Monday Morning Question -- What was your worst Christmas shopping experience?

2008-12-23T19:26:00.011-05:00

What was your worst Christmas shopping experience?

My answer:

I was shopping one year for Christmas gifts. It was back when I was in my late teens. I have five brothers and sisters, and they were all in their teens also, so buying gifts for everyone was quite a challenge. That year Christmas Eve arrived, and my gifts had been purchased for the whole family save one sister. I couldn't find anything for Grace. She was 17 at the time, if my memory serves me correctly.

That Christmas Eve, my anxiety mounted as I frantically searched through the stores for something really nice, then for anything that could be appropriate for Grace, but to no avail. I searched into the wee hours of the night, then finally went to bed. I awoke very early in the morning before the others and went to the only store that was open that Christmas morning. I don't recall now which store it was. All I remember is that I chose a gift, ran home, wrapped it and quickly placed it under the tree.

My sister's mouth dropped when she opened her tablet of construction paper that Christmas morning. By the way, she was disappointed.

Now it's your turn.

What was your worst Christmas shopping experience?

Please put your answer in the Comment Section below or in your blog with a link back to this post. If you post in your blog and leave your link here, I'll come read and comment there!

Love you all, Krissy :)

Monday Morning Question -- What did your childhood Christmas tree look like?

2008-12-15T22:55:00.009-05:00

What did your childhood Christmas tree look like?

My answer: When I was a young child we had a silver aluminum Christmas tree. The one with the color wheel! The color wheel spun around and had four colors on it, lighting up the faux tree! We children thought it was breathtaking. Even without the color wheel the shiny, shimmering, silver tree was beautiful! Which was good, because my brother Carl sat on the color wheel and broke it. He wanted to spin around and around so he got on the wheel, and after that it was no more -- so we had a tree without changing colors. To put the lights on it was out of the question -- the tree was highly flammable! That is why it came with the color wheel, LOL.

The ornaments were extraordinary. They were the old-fashioned kind. They were mostly glass ornaments. There were your glass round bulbs, but there were also glass figures of almost everything imaginable. There were glass humming birds, religious scenes such as the creche, Santa ornaments and just lots of fun ornaments. Finally there were lots of fun homemade ornaments such as a carrot, raspberry and lacy snowflake I crocheted -- all without a pattern. All six of us kids contributed to making the homemade ornaments so the tree was special.

Later on we gave up the silver tree for a "regular" faux green tree with icicles, but that silver aluminum Christmas tree with the color wheel will always be my favorite!

Now it's your turn. What did your childhood Christmas tree look like?

Please put your answer in the comment section below. If you'd like to write your answer in your own blog, leave a link below so we can check out your answer.

I hope you'll enjoy answering as I enjoyed my Christmas memories. Love you all, Krissy :)

Monday Morning Question -- What would you do with a fruitcake...

2008-12-08T08:55:00.008-05:00

You get a fruitcake about a week before Christmas. Which of the following would you choose to do, if nobody were to know?

I'd slice it up and serve it to my family and me. I love fruitcake!

I'd regift it. The very next person who needed a gift from me would be its recipient. I hate fruitcake!

I'd throw it away. It's too mean to give even to my worst enemy.

I'd give it to the bake sale or the bazaar at church. Somebody has to like it!

Is it the store bought kind with "faux fruit" such as maraschino cherries and little green bits, or is it homemade? I'll eat it if it's homemade but regift the faux! What are those little green bits anyway?

Other answers are welcome -- please leave comment

my friend Elayne speaks about AIDS

2008-12-07T16:37:00.011-05:00

I want to apologize to Elayne of It's a Reel Thing. She wrote a post entitled World AIDS Day on Monday, and I promised some friends I would mention the post in this blog (Sometimes I Think). I can't believe I missed posting it, but then I have 2,437 emails and I simply overlooked it. That's my poor excuse. So I ask you all to please go read her post. Elayne is a very, very special woman. She wouldn't call herself exceptional perhaps, but I am going to! She was an LPN a few years back, and she decided to care for AIDS patients immediately after she met two men with AIDS who were being ignored by medical staff. It was at a time when very few others would help those with AIDS, because of the extreme stigma involved. I know that Yeshua (Jesus) would help those with AIDS if He were alive today, just like He helped the lepers in His societey about 2,000 years ago -- the outcast of His society...

While Elayne believes in helping those with AIDS/HIV, she also believes that we should turn to G-d (she does not spell God out completely because she is Messianic Jew -- which means a Christian Jew). Turning our life over to G-d means giving our life to Him, and asking for forgiveness of anything that one needs to ask forgiveness for. Elayne also believes in keeping oneself pure before marriage, and being monogamous during marriage. Her husband, Mark believes likewise, and so they had a pure relationship! Elayne writes a fantastic post about this, which you can catch in this post: Your Kidding, Right?.

Okay, enough said. I'll let Elayne speak for herself!

"Some personal stuff in my life"

Oh, one more thing I wanted to mention. I've got lots more to share with you still -- what has been going on in my life as of late. To make it a little short (ya, right, LOL), John has been in the hospital about one month out of the last two months. I will explain later. He was almost killed by a doctor. He was mocked (laughed at profusely) by several other physicians (an attending and about four residents) doing rounds. John got out of the hospital again about a week ago. Or was it two? It was two days before Thanksgiving. I was giving him home IVs around the clock. A nurse almost killed him during the last home IV when she came to pull his port out in his chest near his heart. Long story. Will explain later. Okay, so like, before that, several months ago, before the migration to Blogger, and John's month long stay at his bone marrow transplant center due to some very serious complications that almost killed him, we were actually having some fun! John and I raised some money for Light the Night walk (The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!) We were able to do the walk -- I think it was over 2 miles -- John's first big endeavor since his bone marrow transplant and remission from cancers about 3 years ago! I got photos of the event! They are spectacular!

Then Kodak erased ALL my photos because I didn't agree to give them like $59.99 for the rest of my life, LOL. And they didn't warn me that the six month trial period was up. Sigh. I have to find a way to get the pics back, because I still have the original photos on the memory card in my camera. Like 300 pics, including a fun day we toured a cave -- where a man lived for part of his lifetime -- near Hershey, PA. I will show you the cave and tell you his story too -- the Pennsylvania Hermit! I did SOMETHING correct for once -- I left the photos on the memory card. In this digital stuff and computer stuff, it seems I am ALWAYS making mistakes. I feel so stupid since I came to Blogger (blogspot). Sigh, I am having so much trouble with it... Anyway, I will be updating soon on all this, and will show you all the photos, and what else is going on in my life, when I find a way to get my photos online without KODAK eating or stealing them. Any ideas of what software I can use to keep my photos, both to download and to keep them? Perhaps if I can download without using KODAK (if the camera will let me, I can upload into Photobucket, and then KODAK can't touch them, because they won't be in My Pictures on my computer anymore. Does anybody know?

Thanks so much if you can help!

Oh, one final thing. I'm still going to get back to you on the series I am doing about what the best way to read blogs is. Or finding the best way for YOU yourself to read blogs. Thanks for being patient while I get back to this series!

Love you all, Krissy :)

Bloggers Unite for World AIDS Day 2008

2008-12-01T18:34:00.012-05:00

Bloggers Unite for World AIDS Day 2008

I wanted to do this post much earlier today, but I didn't. Because it's a hard one. It's controversial. But I decided -- who cares. It contains a message I strongly believe in. The message is about why I believe in abstinence before marriage and monogamy during, to bring about the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.

But let me back up for a minute and tell you why I am talking about this today. December 1 is World AIDS Day 2008. It's also called "Bloggers Unite for World AIDS Day 2008." What this means is that bloggers all over the world will be bringing light to this subject, and will be bringing awareness to this epidemic, and stating what they believe should be done in regards to prevention, treatment, and how those with AIDS should be treated.

This won't be your typical "safe sex" post. I won't suggest that condoms should be thrown at them, while you turn away, telling them that they can use them if they just can't control themselves anyway. Why? Because it's sending them a mixed message -- telling them they just can't control themselves, just can't wait for marriage...

No, this will not be a "safe sex" post. I've already stated that to be safe, both the guy and girl must abstain before marriage, and be monogamous during. Do I believe our young people can do it -- can abstain before marriage? A resounding yes! Why? Because we as humans are made in the image of God. We are not mere animals with no self control. We have a will given to us by God. And those of us who are born again, have the Lord in us in a very special way, and can listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, always relying on the Lord to keep us away from trouble and temptation. If you do not know Him today, it is as simple as calling on Him, and asking Him to reveal Himself to you... Trust me, this will work, I have never seen Him turn anybody away. Just ask Him...

But to be successful these young people, if they are going to be able to practice abstinence must be taught several things by their parents, and must be allowed to opt out of school sex education "safe sex" classes. They must be taught behaviors other than those that will lead to sex, AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Some of these behaviors that might lead to sex (and therefore STDs) may be alcohol use, drug use (pills, pot, and IV drug use), taking the birth control pill, hanging out with a poor choice of friends (which could get them into sexual behavior), etc.

These young people, especially the teenage girls, should be given a lot of support in their lives. They should be taught self respect, hope for their future, job training, a desire to improve their lives, a realization that they don't need a boyfriend to believe they are something special. They should be taught a certain sense of empowerment, and that they are special in and of themselves. They need to come to believe that they don't need a child at an early age to be fulfilled.

The girls should come to realize that sex before marriage is not a good deal for them. They need to be taught that if they get pregnant, they won't be in a happy situation. Guys often won't marry women after they've had an abortion or given birth. About 80% of couples break up after an abortion. He just doesn't respect her anymore. And if the girl gives birth to the baby, he still won't marry her either. Because he won't need to make a commitment any longer. Look at statistical facts and you will find they bear this out.

Then the young lady is left in the position to raise the child herself. Each of these girls must come to realize that if she just gives herself away like this, that she will no longer, quite possibly, be loved nor respected, nor will her child, and she must singlehandedly, then, take care of, support, and protect herself and her child. It's not a good deal for her or her child. And at this point, she just may have contracted an STD and just could have given it to her child. If this young man was that casual with her, who knows who else he has been casual with...

Another reason it is not wise for these girls to engage in sex is because they risk getting the Human Papilloma Virus every time they sleep with a guy, as sexual contact occurs in the entire genital area, including the area outside the area where condoms are worn. This causes the risk of HPV every time sex occurs. And now that we are on the subject of HPV, AIDS is not the most common STD in America. HPV is. The Journal of The American Medical Association recently estimated that 49% of sexually active college girls, and 40% of sexually active highschool girls in the US are infected with HPV, an STD which can lead to cervical cancer. So, one can easily ascertain that, because of the way HPV is contracted, and because of the high incidence of it, there is no such thing as "safe sex." It's just not tue -- neither statistically, scientifically, or medically.

We need to be concerned about how HPV is contracted, and its consequences. Think about it -- every other young woman who is sexually active, that walks past you on a college campus, may just have HPV. Soon we may have our own even more serious epidemic right here in the U.S. It could supercede the epidemic of AIDS in Africa in seriousness, if HPV continues to spread, and cervical cancer rises in prevalence.

To hear more about HPV, as well as the emotional effects of premarital sex, please watch the following video.

It also discusses that after four years, girls who are on the birth control pill have a 60% chance of having a baby. That means six out of ten girls on the pill will become pregnant in four years! Now, you and I both know, the only foolproof way for these girls not to have a child before marriage, is to not have sex before marriage. Yet they, perhaps, are the ones most likely to be having the children. Such irony. And so sad for them to be in a situation they feel they can't handle, after having been lied to by the sex industry, who has tried to push sex on them for profit. Here's the video I promised you:

Jason Evert - Is There Such a Thing as Safe Sex?

So we've looked at why sex outside of marriage is not such a good deal. It's damaging for emotional and psychological reasons. It will lead to low self esteem. We've also discussed that it's not practical and it's not worth the pay off. You're likely to get a guy who won't commit afterward, especially if you've had a child, and who won't support you or the baby. Maybe you will be left with something. An STD. Sex before marriage is simply not practical, and it's a very bad deal. For both the girl and the guy. Sorry guys that I've beat up on you so badly in this post. You are sometimes the one to get the short end of the stick, I just don't have time to explain everything tonight...

Okay, now I am going to be bold again. There's another reason why you shouldn't have sex before marriage. It cuts off your spiritual life with God. It's a sin. If you find yourself in this kind of behavior, repent, and turn away, through the help of the Lord.

Okay, if you don't believe in the Bible, I'll give you another reason why you shouldn't practice what many call "safe sex."

"Safe Sex" isn't safe! Condoms just don't work. Let me give you some facts from this fact sheet:

Fact Sheet: Condom Warnings -- Beware!!!

Please read the above link. Here are just a few facts from this fact sheet:

Holes in Condoms . . .

STDs are very tiny organisms, minuscule in size compared to sperm. These super-small viruses can get through a hole in a condom much more easily than sperm can. For example, HIV (the AIDS-causing virus) is so small that two million of the disease-causing agents could crowd on the period at the end of a sentence.

In 1993 the University of Texas analyzed the results of 11 different studies that had tracked the effectiveness of condoms to prevent transmission of the AIDS virus. The average condom failure rate in the 11 studies for preventing transmission of the AIDS virus was 31%.

One reason condoms fail in preventing the transfer of AIDS is that latex condoms have tiny intrinsic holes called "voids." Sperm is larger than the holes, but the AIDS virus is 50 times smaller than these tiny holes which makes it easy for the virus to pass through [Source: Dr. C. M. Roland, editor of Rubber Chemistry and Technology]. To give you an idea of how easy it would be for the virus to pass through these holes, just imagine a ping pong ball going through a basketball hoop.

Those are merely facts from studies! I can't make them up. Now let us end with this:

Here is another post from Lynne you may want to check out written for "World AIDS Day 2008".

SPECIAL ENTRY -- WORLD AID'S DAY

Also please pray this prayer in the sidebar of Ma's blog for World AIDS Week:
http://onyama.blogspot.com/

Here's a special post from Tom. Please don't get mad at me Tom, 'cause I didn't get a chance to ask if I could include you! You went offline, but I had to include this, as it was so beautiful and forgiving! Thanks!
"Never Hate the Sinner -- Hate the Sin."

graphic by Connie:

And remember, you all, true love waits! Okay, people, Spread the Word, Not the Disease! Krissy :)

John's in the hospital for Pneumonia

2008-11-23T15:05:00.004-05:00

I'm in Hershey with John. He's been hospitalized here since early Friday, at his bone marrow transplant center. He's got either zoster pneumonia (from the shingles he had in September and October) or he has fungal pneumonia -- the doctors can't ascertain which kind. He has been in and out of the hospital since the end of September.

That is one of the reasons I haven't posted much in the past couple of months. I haven't had time, as I have been taking care of John while he was sick, both in and out of the hospital. I have to be honest with you, I did have time to post some after I got home from his first hospital stay, but I was just having difficulty posting. I felt completely dry. I just couldn't write. I was completely overwhelmed from what I went through with John when he was in the hospital in September and October. He almost passed away about three times while in the hospital, and well, it took a big toll on me.

There were other things that took a toll on me that simply prevented me from writing . For instance, John and I only got home from the hospital after about almost a month, just in time to migrate our AOL blogs over to Blogger. It was horrendous. We literally only had a few days to migrate several blogs. I was sooo frustrated when I was trying to set up my blogs, LOL. I just couldn't get them the way I wanted them. I still can't. Never the less learn how to write in them... Lest you think I am silly, try to remember the first couple of weeks you were on Blogger. Remember how frustrating it was, LOL? A new format! I felt so stupid and couldn't do anything on Blogger. So I just got stifled and didn't write. For days.

After awhile I posted occassional. So now you know why you see occassional posts from me...

Don't be too concerned though. I am back into the swing of things now, and can right again. I'm "unblocked," so to speak, LOL. I am not so sure, but the pressure broke about a week or so ago, and I was able to write again. And then I ended up here. I am frustrated, but will be home soon to continue.

When I get home I am going to continue my series about The Best Way to Read Blogs... I see everybody has different ways, and it is kind of interesting, what I am learning. It has been very helpful to me, learning from all of you! I hope I can help you also! I am refining my method, perhaps you may even want to refine the way you read blogs also...

Finally I want to say that John may be able to come home from the hospital tomorrow (Monday). The doctors are not sure what he has, but they know it is some kind of pneumonia. So they will probably be sending him home on IV meds. What that will mean is this -- if Dr. Claxton says he can come home, then John will leave with a port in his arm (I don't know if it will be temporary -- or more long term like most cancer patients get for fluids and to draw blood). Through the port I will give John his IV meds. I will give him an IV at home for two weeks.

I don't mind doing this. I would rather do home IVs than stay at the hospital. I will be a little nursey at home, LOL. I used to be frightened to do this, when I first started it, a few years ago. I was terrified to do home IV. Now I find it a piece of cake. They will have to review it with me though. But I want to go home!

Okay, I just wanted to let you all know where I was, and where John was, in case we were gone for a few more days. And I wanted you all to know why you haven't heard from us. We haven't tried to do a vanishing act...

Okay, I am going to go get back downstairs to John. I need to get out of this hospital computer room. I am such a computer addict, LOL... John is probably awake now. I just wanted you all to know where we were, as I haven't been able to do an entry in over a week. This is the second time we have been up here at Hershey Hospital in the past week... Okay, back to John.

Bye you all, krissy :)

What method do you use to read blogs?

2008-11-12T11:19:00.009-05:00

I've been sort of stumbling around lately, trying to figure out a method to read my blogs. I've tried several ways, but none seem just right for me. So I wanted to ask you all --

What method do YOU use to read blogs?

I'm especially interested in hearing from those who were with AOL Journals, and are now at Blogger. Have you found a satisfactory method (or combination of methods) to read blogs yet?

The main reason this topic is important to me is because I want to find the blogs I like to read, and in a timely fashion, as they are updated.

But it's also important because, when I update, I'd like others to know about it, and read me. I am sure each of you feels the same way.

So, let's talk about this. I'm hoping it will help all of us.

I realize what works for you may not work for me, and vice versa. I think we should share our ideas and methods on the subject, though. It will help each of us find something that works. Both to read blogs, and have ours read.

Could you please leave a comment and let us know how you read / keep up with the blogs that are important to you?

Next Wednesday, I'm going to do another entry, after reading you all's comments.

After you've commented, if you have time, please check out my sidebar, and vote in the poll concerning this matter. Thanks!

Krissy :)

Donna will be back

2008-11-08T19:00:00.005-05:00

I got a message from Donna of D's Designs and Other Things. She wants everyone to know she's okay. She had an unexpected hospital stay for the past week.

But she's doing okay now.... She expects her recovery will take awhile, though...

She won't be able to get on the computer too frequently, and it could be awhile before she'll be posting regularly... Don't worry about her though, she's okay!...

She wants us to know she hasn't gone anywhere, and not to forget her!

If you'd like, please post this also. Krissy

***Edit at 10:00 PM on 11/8/2008:
I wasn't going to mention this, but since some people have put the word out anyway, I guess I'll explain what's up with Donna, because the above post could be construed as a little mysterious, thereby confusing you.

I just wanted to mention that Donna had a heart attack about a week ago and then had bypass surgery. It will be awhile before she can be back on a steady basis, but she really IS okay. Prayers please... Krissy

It's time to pray for our president elect and for our country...

2008-11-05T02:26:00.004-05:00

Written the morning after the election:

I guess I missed it -- the historical significance of what happened last night. You see, it never occured to me to consider that it was historical that an African American had won the election. It didn't occur to me, you see, because I'm basically color blind. I neither thought of Obama as black or white. Actually he's both!

I awoke suddenly on the couch a little while ago, where I had fallen asleep while watching the presidential election results. The news was on in the background. So I listened. The newscasters were talking about how yesterday was a historical day, and that we had witnessed a historical election. The reason is because an African American had won the presidency of the United States of America.

I was taken aback. I had not looked at Obama as black or white. Just an American. So I was taken aback.

The newscasters were saying that those who were old enough to have gone through the 1960s and before would understand the significance of him winning the presidency.

Yes, I was around in the sixties, but barely. I wasn't old enough to see the prejudice that the newscasters were talking about. So to be honest with you, I was taken aback when they shared with us that this election held great historical significance.

You see, I grew up in DC and Northern Virginia. We weren't prejudiced. My generation and after, at least in the part of the country I grew up in, was basically color blind. As are, I believe, most young people today. Depending upon which part of the country you are in, I guess, and how your parents raised you. But my generation, and those of the generations after mine -- I would say -- are pretty color blind.

So I didn't grasp what the newscasters were saying at first -- I didn't grasp the historical significance of Barack Obama winning the presidential election. The newscasters said his win was a "healing thing" for the nation. A sign that America has dropped a lot of her prejudices.

Okay, so I am listening to the news again. The newscaster just reported that many around the world find it a "great hope" that Obama won the election -- as he is a black man, and America chose him... The news just reported that!

I'm still a little confused. If we're supposed to be color blind as a nation, why are there so many persons in America, and abroad, saying it is a "great hope", that a black man can be president? Why is he identified as either black or white, is what I am trying to say? Why not just an American? I thought we were supposed to be color blind!

Okay, I'll take a stab at understanding. Yesterday was a historical day because a man of color was elected to the presidency. And Americans are hopeful in this event, because it shows that prejudice is not as prevalent in this country as it was in the past. Many Americans -- black, white, or whatever color -- thought they'd never see this day. I guess the hope is that prejudices can be torn down, especially since Americans voted for a candidate regardless of his color or race...

This is a lot for my mind to comprehend, because the newscasters, and others older than I am, are just not coming from the same place as I'm coming from. When I think about people, I don't think of them as white or black or whatever. I don't think of their color at all when I see them. Sheesh, it didn't even occur to me Obama was black, until the newscasters said so! I mean now and then it occurs to me, but almost never.

I heard on the news program that a huge amount of young people turned out for Obama. They came in droves. This fact is known through exit polls.

The exit polls showed these young people are truly color blind. That's a great thing.

Perhaps we are getting color blind? This is a day of importance then. The newscasters said they didn't think they'd see this in their lifetime.

So it's a good thing that a person with a vision can be president. We need to celebrate that.

Now if I could just get to liking Obama's policies!

But I need to do what Betty of a corgi in southern california says to do. "Pray for our new president elect" whether he was my choice or not... Others are saying that also in my comment section of yesterday's entry. That we need to pray, and try to help make our country better in whatever way we can...

Krissy

It looks like Barrack Obama will be the forty fourth President of The US

2008-11-04T21:44:00.008-05:00

A couple of hours ago, I cast my vote for President of the United States. I was the 1,278th to vote in my precinct. Do you realize that's an astounding turnout? I didn't even know there were that many people in my precinct! Such a big turnout. I drove by a couple of polling places today and there were people lined up around the block, waiting to vote.

So now I am listening to the news. I am a little frustrated. Almost immediately the newscasters started calling states for Obama, even before the votes had been counted and called in. Weird, why would you call a state for a candidate when only a small percentage of the precincts have counted their votes and called them in? How would you know if you should attribute the electoral votes of that state to that particular candidate, if all the precincts hadn't called in yet?

Okay, the newscasters just announced for Obama. They said it would be impossible for McCain to win. I guess it looks like Obama's going to be the forty-fourth President of The United States of America. He'll be President Barack Obama.

Sigh. Obama isn't my choice. Oh well, I said how I felt, I better not cry but move on. I don't think he'll be best for the country, but there's nothing I can do about that right now...

So, how are you feeling about the results of the election right now?

Throwing a party? Mourning? Somewhere in between?

Drop a comment and let me know how you are feeling right now...

Monday Morning Question - What's your favorite sandwich?

2008-11-03T03:35:00.006-05:00

Today is National Sandwich Day. What's your favorite sandwich?

My answer: Reuben

What's your answer? Leave it in the comment section. Or post in your blog, and come back here and leave a link, so we can all go read your answer!

Krissy :)

To get back to the front page of Sometimes I Think (if you're not already there) click "Home" at the bottom of the page!

Goodbye AOL JLand

2008-10-31T14:39:00.003-04:00

I'm sad. I just went to look at my AOL blog, Sometimes I Think, one last time, and it's gone. Ugh. I wrote on that blog for almost five years. I was in AOL JournalLand for almost 5 years.

I know. We have to adjust. We have to change sometimes. I know all that. I know better days are to come. That doesn't mean I'm not sad.

Just to see such a stark screen where my blog once sat was hard. It was a grey steel black. There was a little writing on it -- and AOL was making an attempt to fix it up into some kind of special page or something - I guess a new project that they have going on. It was like half completed.

When I first saw the page my heart sunk. My blog was gone. And laugh if you want, I know THIS is my blog, but Sometimes I Think on AOL was my blog too. I loved it, it was my online home for a long time, and through it I met many, many people who I love very much. Yes, a lot of you are still here, and are over at Blogger. But I haven't found everybody yet. And we haven't had time to be community like we had been in awhile. Because we have just been trying to move our blogs from AOL and make them look like some kind of a blog, over here on Blogger (blogspot.com), LOL.

I don't know if I even like my blog. Not yet. It is awful funny looking! I can't make it do what I want, nor can I make it look how I want. But that will come in time.

I don't know, I'm just in shock. I'm a month behind everybody else, three weeks behind, because I was not here on Blogger when all of you who made the move from AOL to Blogger were overe here. That is of course because I was with my husband in Hershey, at his bone marrow transplant center, while he was trying to stay alive again. Thank God he made it. And as I came back, I have only had one week to scrape together this blog, move about four other blogs I have, move my husband's blog over, help a few others make it across, and then plop down in exhaustion right now. And I don't even have time to plop down in exhaustion right now, because I have to go out to an appointment.

I just wanted to get on here, and say that I am sad... As I was saying, I haven't had time to get involved with the community yet, and the other place (AOL Jland) is gone. I know I have been here at Blogger a week, but as I was saying, it's just been a mad scramble to move blogs. So I don't feel a part of Blogger yet, the Blogger community. I just haven't had time to visit you all much...

Okay, I am being silly... Of course I am part of the community, it is still the same community as it was over there! I just haven't had time to visit. And I still don't have time, I am off to the doctor to get my flu shot!

In the next few days I hope to get more connected with you all again. Thanks for being there for me!

Goodbye forever JLand, and AOL journals. Hello Blogger and community.

Krissy :)

How to get Comment Alerts on Blogger

2008-10-29T13:19:00.005-04:00

Okay, so like, I still want to write regular posts, but I haven't had time. I am still setting things up with my blogs, and also trying to catch up on hours of housework and other things I missed while John and I were away while he was in the hospital. But I will do a proper post soon. Just hang in there with me, especially you international readers, who must be bored by now, of the things I have been writing of of late. I know I promised I would update you on John and some other things...

But for now I want to help those of you who have made the move to Blogger with me. I want to say I figured out how to get my Comment Alerts, and I wanted to share it with you. Perhaps you all have already figured it out, LOL, and I am the last to do so! I am three weeks behind because I was in Hershey! But I will share this with you in case you don't know already.

And I will also say I am sorry that I didn't know it earlier, and some were making comments, and I didn't catch them right away. I know I hurt some of you, by asking you questions that you had already commented about, because I missed your comments. I also haven't answered questions or visited your blogs. Or added you as followers. Two reasons. I just haven't had time, with trying to migrate my blogs, sidebar, etc AND I haven't found all your comments yet! What a nightmare. But I am learning. I wish I had known about the Comment Alerts from the beginning -- then I wouldn't have missed any of you all's comments. Now I am going back and searching for them all. Rest assured I will find them though.

Now I will tell you how to turn on your own Comment Alerts to your own blogs. I suggest you do this - this way you won't miss anybody who has commented in your blog.

I am not saying that you should get Entry Alerts like we did in AOL. If you got Entry Alerts, we would go back to having hundreds of emails again, LOL. That was unmanageable. We have faces now to read other's blogs, and feed readers such as the Google Reader. I don't understand the Google Reader yet, and how to read others completely yet, but I will figure it out. I am reading in my dashboard right now. If anybody could explain to me the best way to read others blogs, please email me! I am so confused!

But back to getting Comment Alerts - those who will comment to you in YOUR blog. Do this:

Click on Customization, then Settings, then Comments, then go down to Comment Notification Email - put in your own email address. Do NOT put anybody else's email address in here, unless you want them to get all the comments to your blog (and I am sure you don't !). Just put in your own email address that you want the comments to go to. You won't miss any Comment Alerts that way!

Okay, I hope that was useful information. Now I must get back to work. I have so much to do. I have to clean my house. And gee, somebody was supposed to show up at 1:00 and it is 1:37. I don't like it when somebody says they will show up for an appointment and they don't show up. Unless they have a good reason. I was counting on them. Grrrr....

Love you all, bye, Krissy :)

Please check out the Directory of Blogs I am creating! It's called: from Jland to Blogger

2008-10-26T11:14:00.012-04:00

Hi! It's so cool to be over at Blogger, in the sense that it is finally nice to have only one place to blog, instead of two. I have finally migrated from AOL journals to here! Yes, it took awhile -- John was in the hospital for about three weeks. And was sick about a week before that. So I am a month behind the rest of my friends who have moved over to Blogger. That's okay though, I'll just have to learn.

I've been very frustrated, though, LOL. I love learning new things, but it has been a little difficult. I want things to work and I want things to work now! Yesterday I had my All About Me Section disappear! I was able to add it back in by html code, though. I am getting a little smarter, LOL. I also keep having these wrenches appear, even after I sign out. Those of you who are on Blogger will know what I am talking about. Those wrenches that help you edit your widgets (gadgets) in the sidebar. Even after I had signed out, these wrenches kept appearing! I am thinking, "Okay, I am trying to make this blog look kind of nice, and everybody is seeing wrenches??? What's up with that? Not cool!"

Right now I am very frustrated, and want to go back to AOL Jland, LOL. I know things will be okay eventually in this blog service, but I am getting frustrated. Does anybody know the number of a REAL person to call if we are having problems? Or who to email? I know we can get in touch with Guido at Magic Smoke jlandhub, but, I mean I need to get in touch with somebody who is actually on Blogger staff. I have a support question to ask!

This bemoaning reminds me of something. I figured since we were all in this together -- we who moved from Jland to Blogger -- that we should have a Directory to find one another. That way we will always be sure we have each other's blog addresses when we need/want them. So I started a directory of blogs. Right now it is in it's infant stages, a collection of blog names and information. But eventually it will be more organized, and my hope is, a well used directory.

If you would like to be part of the from Jland to Blogger directory, just go to the blog (click on link I just gave you!) and put your blog name, and other information asked for, under the appropriate letter of the alphabet that your blog starts with. For example, my blog is Sometimes I Think, so I will put it under S. Oh, and if you would like, you can mention from Jland to Blogger in your own blog/journal, and ask others to come add their blogs to the Directory. That would be cool!

Okay, I will do another entry soon. John is doing a lot better, and I want to let you know more about what is going on with him. But first I have to let him use the computer, LOL, so he can tell others where his blog is!

For those of you who are not with Jland (hi Mississaugua, Ontario & Vienna Wien, Austria, and the rest of you all!), If I just proceeded to bore you, sorry. I will get to posting regularly again soon. I have lots of photos I have taken for the past month or so, and lots of stories to go with them! I want to show you the Light the Night Walk photos. The walk that John and I went on to help raise money to fight cancer. I also have photos of a cave we went in, a couple days after the walk. I have fascinating photos and stories to go with that. I also have photos of John at Hershey Medical Center, shingles and all.

Would you all all like to see the photos of John at the hospital, shingles and all, or is that too gross, LOL? I took them while he was lying there, and he said he doesn't mind if I show you...

Okay, I must get off and allow John to use the computer. Bye for a few, and love to you all, Krissy :)

going with John to Hershey for about a week/please use this new email address

2008-09-30T17:56:00.002-04:00

This entry will be real short. I am going to Hershey with John, as his shingles have gotten worse. I should be back home, I am guessing, in a week.

I am going to continue blogging. I'm not quitting. I will say where soon. I am going where the group is going!

If you want to reach me, email me at fisherkristina@aol.com. I will reply as soon as I can, but I may be gone for a week or so.

Take care and love you all. And try not to panic! Let us all help one another...

Love, Krissy

Tags: shingles

how John is doing today

2008-09-29T18:32:00.000-04:00

John was up all night feverish, and I was up a lot off and on, making sure he didn't need to go to the hospital. Finally he hit almost 102 degrees. I was about to take him in when his fever dropped some again. So we stayed home.

Right now he is about at 99.5 degrees F. I am excited that his fever is down. But he is in just as much pain now than he ever was, and looks miserable. I didn't know shingles was that painful. I guess I must have been with him through shingles at least two times earlier, come to think of it. Both after chemo treatments when he had low immunities. But I don't remember him being in this shape. You know, he was in the hospital then, so, it must have been the nurses, not me, who saw him suffering so.

So I just got home from the pharmacy about half an hour ago. Yay, he finally has the proper medications now. :)

I see some of you worried about the substitute med I gave him last night and today. I guess I should have explained it to you. It was fine for John to take it. It was something that was originally given him at the hospital, and the doctor had told me it would be okay for him to take. I knew this at the time I gave it to him last night -- that it would be fine for him to take. I guess I should have made that more clear. I wanted the more effective medication that I had filled for him today, but that other med that was put in the bag was okay for a temporary fill in. Sorry if I scared anybody.

Okay, so I need to run. I have to go get some food into John. Even though he will probably refuse it. And I guess my cat Michael is hungry too! And uhm, yah, me too.

So anyway, if you don't hear anything from me about John for a few days, that's a good thing. If he has to be hospitalized, I'll let you all know.

Thanks for caring, Krissy :)

Tags: shingles, fever, pharmacy, medication, cat, hungry, me too, blogplugs

there was a substitute medication in the bag!

2008-09-29T00:59:00.000-04:00

I just discovered a bottle of medication in the bag that the Pharmacist had given me this afternoon. The medication was in the bag with another medication the doctor had prescribed for John. In other words, there were two bottles of medications in there. The medication is not the exact same kind, but a near substitute. There are only about six pills in the bottle. The Pharmacist must have called the hospital and asked if she could do the substitution until I was able to get the other drug. I know this is true - now I am remembering the Pharmacist saying something about needing to call the hospital .

But when I went to check out, that Pharmacist Assistant mentioned nothing about a substitute. She merely said that the drug I was attempting to get filled for John unavailable, and wouldn't be in till Tuesday or Wednesday at the earliest. She suggested a few other pharmacies I might find it, although she stated I wouldn't be able to get the medication from them until Monday at the earliest. She told me to call back her pharmacy on Tuesday to see if the med was in. She NEVER told me to look in the bag for another medication -- a partial fill. She just never mentioned the med was in there.

Gee. Why hadn't the pharmacy told me they had put a substitution in the bag? I guess there was no communication between the Pharmacist and the Pharmacist Assistant. How frightening...

So as of right now (Sunday a little after midnight - actually I guess it's early Monday), John has a fever of 101. I am going to call his bone marrow transplant center in a few minutes and ask if he should be hospitalized. But locally, not over in Hershey. I don't think that will be necessary at this time. But I will ask them.

Thanks for listening, Krissy

Tags: medication, pharmacy, pharmacist, pharmacist assistant, fever, lost, found, blogplugs

John went to the Emergency Room again

2008-09-28T20:10:00.000-04:00

John can't seem to get a break. After having severe pain for several days from his neck, we noticed he wasn't getting any better. So this morning really early I took his temperature and it was almost 102. So back to the hospital we went. When we got there and they were putting on his gown, the nurses noticed that he had these big red splotches. "You've got shingles," I told him. No wonder he was in so much pain. The doctor came in and confirmed the diagnosis, and ordered John morphine.

They didn't hospitalize John this time. They often do because of his frequently compromized immune system. But this time the doctor figured John would be more comfortable at home, and be less likely to pick up another virus there. So they merely sent him home, scripts in hand. One prescription was for an antiviral, which his oncologist (bone marrow transplant doctor) told him to stop recently because he didn't think John needed it anymore. He told John he was past the point of getting shingles from his bone marrow transplant or chemo treatments. NOT. Looks like John can still get shingles. Another med the doctor stopped had to do with John's immune system...

Something else that just wasn't our luck either, is when I went to get one of the important medications the doctor wrote the script for, the pharmacy didn't have it and won't have it in until Tuesday. That is not an option that John doesn't take the medication until Tuesday. He needs it before that. . Maybe I will be able to get the medication through another pharmacy tomorrow (Monday). I hope so. John needs it as soon as possible.

Well, that's about it. I'll keep an eye on him. His fever has dropped to about 100. Or is it 101? It is bouncing between 100 and almost 102. If it gets to 102 I bring him back to the hospital, and they admit him.

I hope they are going to keep him local and not bring him to Hershey. Ugh, bad timing! Because I have so much to keep up on -- how can I possibly go to Hershey right now? The bills, the rent, the cat. I have occupational therapy, physical therapy, doctor's appointments next week I need to go to, etc. This would be a bad time to try to get away. And I absolutely HATE to be separated from John. I hate to go away, and hate to stay...

Take care, Krissy

Tags: shingles, emergency room, hospital, fever, nurse, doctor, immune system, bone marrow transplant, stem cell transplant, scripts, prescriptions, pharmacy, ugh, blogplugs

A lot of this, and a lot of that

2008-09-26T21:33:00.000-04:00

It's been 14 days since I've done an entry. I hate that, but there has been so much going on, and I haven't had time. I've been visiting my Mom in the hospital and rehab center since she broke her neck and had surgery. John and I also went to Hershey last weekend (to his bone marrow transplant center) for some appointments and we went on the Light the Night Walk to raise money to cure cancer. I will tell you more about the walk soon. I have some photos I took! It was a big success in a lot of ways - it was John's first major physical endeavor since his bone marrow transplant! But I wanted to say thank you to all who noticed my disappearance in the last week and left comments and emailed me. You all are sweet.

There have been a few more things I wanted to mention also. I know I am packing a lot of information into once entry! John went to the Emergency Room last night. His neck and shoulders have been hurting him for a week. Turns out he has a neck strain/sprain, similar to that of whiplash. The doctor informed him that he sprained his Trapezius muscle. I just looked up Trapezius muscle in Wikipedia because I didn't know what it meant. It says it is shaped like a diamond, and spans the neck, both shoulders and the back. That is what he has sprained, and it is inflamed, and bulges and spasms at times. He is in severe pain right now. It is preventing him from driving some of the time. Ugh, that is hard since I haven't been able to drive for about two years due to narcolepsy.

Okay, something of a blessing I wanted to tell you all about! I never had to have the shoulder surgery I was scheduled to have! My arm loosened up a little -- enough to allow me not to need the surgery. This was about a month ago I guess. Instead of surgery, my orthopedic surgeon sent me back to occupational therapy. And I have been going for a month. It's been going great. It can get pretty painful at times, but that is fine, because I am breaking up the scar tissue in my frozen shoulder and am starting to be able to move it again! I am getting ultrasounds, which really break up the tissue that has been frozen, and although it hurts a lot, it is a great thing. I work hard to make progress.

I am also getting physical therapy for my legs. Okay, that's another long story, we will leave that one out for now, this is getting entirely too long, LOL. It has to do with my diabetes. Yes, I have diabetes too. Yes, I am a mess. But I got my diabetes (hba1c) results back today, and my sugar level has improved a lot since last time the test was taken. Yay for me! I also have lost 10 pounds in two months. I could be doing worse!

Okay, now that I have shared way too much personal information about myself, LOL, I am going to get off here. Or have I? Anyway, I just felt like catching up. I will try to be more regular on writing entries.

Oh, and for those of you who have asked, my Mom is doing a lot better. She could actually come home as soon as some time next week. Thanks for asking, and thanks so much for your prayers! :)

Love, Krissy :)

Tags: shoulder, occupational therapy, Light the Night Walk, cancer, physical therapy, diabetes, hba1c, bone marrow transplant, Mom, surgery, hospital, rehab center, broken neck, emergency room, Trapezius muscle, blogplugs

My Mom had spinal surgery

2008-09-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

My Mom was hospitalized this week. On Tuesday she had spinal surgery on her neck. During the surgery, the neurosurgeon discovered that her neck had been fractured. She also needed to have a disk removed because of stenosis. I won't explain all of what that means, but I will say it was extensive and took 5 hours.

Let's just say I'm dealing with a lot right now. It's hard. I don't like to see my Mom vulnerable like that.

To top things off, John and I need to go out of town for three days. He has some appointments at Hershey Medical Center, where he had his bone marrow transplant.

John and I are also going to participate in the Light the Night Walk while there. Light the Night is a walk to raise funds to battle against Leukemia, Lymphoma, and other blood cancers, two of which John has had.

John and I are leaving for the walk tomorrow morning (Thursday, Sept. 18). I want you to see my webpage for the walk. I never got to post the link to it in my blog, because John and I found out about the walk just a week or so ago, and because of the situation with my Mom I couldn't really spend my time on creating the website nor on fundraising.

So I haven't raised much money by not displaying the site! But I wanted to give it one more try.

I know it is last minute to be showing you my fundraising site. But if anybody can donate to find a cure to end blood cancers (such as MDS & NHL like John had), I'd really appreciate it.

I have to leave for the walk Thursday morning, so the donation would have to be made by 9:45 am EDT on Thursday. The site takes credit card donations.

Thanks for considering. Even if you can't donate, take a look at my page anyway. Just click the logo below.

Okay, must run. Got to go get some things done.

Love you all, Krissy :)

Tags: Mom, neck, back, appointments, Light the Night Walk, blogplugs

Goodbye Rachael

2008-09-15T20:21:00.000-04:00

Five days has gone by since John and I last saw Rachael. We are not certain of her fate, except that we know the landlord caught her.

The morning after we saw Rachael being chased around, I called the landlord. Actually, one of her assistants answered the phone. "Did you catch the chicken yesterday?," I asked. "Yes we did," she curtly replied. I continued, hoping that they still had Rachael in their possession and that she would end up in a good home. "The SPCA said they would take it to a good home if you caught it." Angela quickly replied, "Ya, I think that's what we did, took her to the SPCA!" I couldn't just let it go. I HAD to know. She was after all, OUR chicken, and she WAS Rachael. "Are you sure you took her to the SPCA?" I said. "I'll go verify -- Do you want me to?" she asked. "Please," I replied.

She left and returned in about 15 seconds. "We got it and we got it taken care of, so" and she immediately stopped talking. She was speaking to me very strangely and matter of factly with a different tone than she had been using earlier. I quickly said, "You're not going to tell me what you did with her, are you?" There was silence for about three seconds and then she hung up the phone.

John called the SPCA and asked if anybody had brought in a chicken. They told him no.

I am hoping Rachael is somewhere safe and content tonight.

Tags: Rachael, hen, chicken, goodbye, blogplugs

Plans with Rachael went all awry

2008-09-10T22:42:00.000-04:00

Shortly after writing the entry below, a police officer knocked on our door. The police officer went outside to see Rachael, and John went with him. The police officer tried to get close to Rachael, and each time he would get near, she would quickly run from him.

The police officer told John that he had come instead of the Animal Control Officer. If it had been earlier in the day (before 5 pm), the police officer told John, then the Animal Control Officer would have come instead. He then told John that the Animal Control Officer would be back the next day to pick up Rachael from our yard.

Here's the part that has me upset. We are renters. This police officer decided that he would call the manager of our property, and let her know that Rachael is staying in our yard. Yes, the manager has a right to know. But we are not too sure she won't just want to kill Rachael.

The police officer left, and a little while later John and I saw a couple of people looking in the bushes in our backyard -- someone with property management, and a kid about 18 or 20 (I don't know where the kid came from).

The kid was laughing like it was all a big joke, and chasing Rachael around the yard trying to catch her. The kid fell running so fast trying to catch her, and the whole time he was shrieking in laughter. Rachael was running around the yard trying to get away from him. The guy with property management was just standing there.

I am wondering. Where did this kid come from anyway? I have never seen him with management before. Did management just pick up one of the neighborhood young people on the way over, to chase the chicken for them? The reason this is important is because the kids might try to fuss with Rachael tonight, now that they know she exists.

The last we saw of Rachael was her running out of the yard and away from the kid..

I'm kind of mad. When the dispatcher from Animal Control said they would come out, they said they wouldn't hurt Rachael, and would bring her to the SPCA. Instead, a police officer was sent out. I guess I had better explain something. The Animal Control officer is a police officer, and because it was past 5 pm a regular policer officer came instead -- who was not with animal control, and knew nothing about animals.

I think the police officer who came tonight (a little after 5 pm) actually had no intention of catching Rachael to bring her and bringing her to the SPCA anyway. I think he just may have come to see if we were pulling a prank - so he could let the Animal Control know if they should bother to come out tomorrow.

As evidencing this, he had no way to catch Rachael - he told John so. And he told John he had no carrier to put her in for transport. He did approach her to catch her, but she kept running from one end of the bushes to the other. "What would he have done with her if he had caught her?" John just asked me. "She wouldn't just let you pick her up like she was a puppy or something!"

So we don't know where she is now. She has run off. I think she'll return to get food, unless she is sufficiently frightened of our yard now. I want her to be here in the morning, in case the real Animal Control people show up to bring her to the SPCA. I hope that boy never caught her - unless he gives her to the right people. I think he is a local neighborhood kid, and if he found her tonight, who knows what he and the kids are doing with her. I am MAD.

Oh well. Sleep tight red hen. Krissy

Tags: chicken, hen, mad, sad

Our chicken's name is Rachael

2008-09-10T16:43:00.000-04:00

Okay, our chicken's name is Rachael.

We liked your name for her, baby sister D. Well, I know you suggested three names - but we are not naming her Weezy or Cluckers. She deserves something real pretty.

We are having to choose a name for her real quick, because the police and an Animal Control person are coming to get her. John called the SPCA first and they said if someone would bring her over to them, they would "place her with someone who would take care of her". So then John called our local Animal Control. Animal Control said they would send someone over to catch her. They promised they wouldn't hurt her, and that they would bring her to the SPCA.

Rachael is real scared right now, hiding in the bushes, because there is too much traffic on the street right now. Please pray for her, that she not be too scared to go with them, and that she doesn't put up too much of a fight. Ya, right, LOL. I am just so upset. I want her to go with them because I am afraid a teenager around here is going to kill her. There are so many of them. Rachael was gone for a little while this morning, and I thought she was dead... But thank God she has come back, and somebody will come to get her...

I feel a little nutty, having feelings for a member of lifestock, LOL. But I really love her. Because she is large, and pretty, and funny, and chose US to stay with, for five days now...

John brought home chicken last night and I refused to eat it, LOL. Ugggghhhhh, this isn't happening to me!

Please, just pray for Rachel, that she go peacefully with the Animal Control, so she can go to a good home! :)

Krissy :)

Tags: chicken, Rachael, SPCA, Animal Control, blogplugs

You're not going to believe this!...

2008-09-08T00:34:00.000-04:00

Why would the chicken come into my backyard? I don't know! Three days ago John and I were looking out our bedroom window and noticed something in our backyard. It was a chicken. "Get my camera!" I shouted. I figured you all wouldn't believe me, perhaps, as I just did a chicken entry, LOL.

John got the camera and started snapping away. The photos aren't real clear, because they were taken through a window, but you will be able to see our chicken friend.

Where did she come from? I don't know. We live in the suburbs. Perhaps she fell off a farmer's truck. There are no farms here, or neighbors with chicken pets.

I think she picked us because John puts out seed for the birds. He scattered some more on the ground last night for her. You can see her eating bird food in this picture.

This afternoon the chicken was stalked by a neighbor's cat. The cat came into our backyard and approached her. The chicken started clucking and making a big fuss. The orange striped tabby cat must have decided that the chicken was too big to tangle with (they were about the same size!), so the cat ran off.

I'm looking out my bedroom window right now, and I can't see the chicken -- She usually sleeps hidden in the bushes at night! But I want to call the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) to come get her before somebody messes with her, or kills her. The SPCA will take her to a farmor something. When I tried to call them to come yesterday, two ladies ran into my yard trying to catch my poor chicken (who knows why?) and she ran away frightened. So in the morning when said chicken emerges from the bushes, I will make another attempt to call the SPCA.

So this is where you all come in. To have something to remember her by, I wanted to give her a name. Does anybody have a suggestion? If John and I like your name, we will go with it... Meanwhile, do you think she's pretty?

Love you all, Krissy :)

Tags: chicken, backyard, bedroom window, bird seed, cat, SPCA, name that chicken!, blogplugs

The Castillo Kids sing

2008-08-28T20:00:00.000-04:00

I am going to do a real entry later tonight or tomorrow. :) Meanwhile, I thought I would put this video in. It's just for fun! The words are kind of silly, I know, but like I said, it's just for fun. I just enjoy hearing the kids singing.

The group calls themselves the Castillo Kids. They are Joey, Jessie and Julie Castillo, and they are 12, 10, and 8! I found them on YouTube. It's amazing how many instruments they play, and how quickly they pick up a song. Joey says they often play by ear, and learn songs in one day! That's incredible. Okay, without further ado...

If the video doesn't work, click on this link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLEC0xD9w9U

Tags: The Castillo Kids, Save the Last Dance for Me, video, song, YouTube

JLand Photo Shoot #138 participants... Photographer's Choice

2008-08-27T18:28:00.000-04:00

Photographer's Choice

Welcome to JLand Photo Shoot # 138. In this photo shoot, the choice was yours! You were told it didn't matter what you captured , to just go out and shoot! And you all did a super job!

Here are a couple of the photos ~

Please visit Linda at Footprints in the Sand and leave a comment.

Visit Guido at Northern Trip and leave a comment for him too!

Below you'll find the links to all who participated in this photo challenge. Please visit these participants and leave a comment if you haven't already; they went to a lot of work to take their photos. :)

Jenna of My Random Thoughts

Betty of Koda's Corgi Tales

Guido of Northern Trip

Antonette of Jottings From Jersey

Donna of This and that, and hockey!

Greg of Photo Trek

Linda of Linda's World

Linda of Footprints in the Sand

Mark of Maybe I'm Amazed (Formely Love From Iraq)

Mandy of My Hugs Journal

Bea of Wanderer

Connie of ANYWAY..........................

Alice of WALKING THROUGH THIS LIFE

Jama of SWEET MEMORIES

Alaina of a single girl rants about life in general

Missie of Missie's Upside Down World (private)

I want to thank all who participated! You all are great. I will post a new photo shoot topic very soon.

Krissy :)

Tags: JLand Photo Shoot, photo shoots, photo shoot, photography, photos, photo, Photographer's Choice, mackerel, tropical birds, blogplugs

Why did the chicken cross the road? Some more answers!

2008-08-25T17:17:00.000-04:00

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Because the chicken on the other side was calling it, and it didn't want to appear anti-social.

Having spent days and nights searching its soul the chicken finally decided that it had to cross the road and did so.

It depends on what you mean by "chicken" and "cross".

Because it wanted to show it was not chicken.

It was caught by a freak gust of wind.

It was collecting experiences for it's next book.

The chicken was late and took a short cut.

The chicken inherited genes predisposing it to cross roads.

Because it saw the "Chicken Crossing" sign.

The chicken was tired of the side he was on, therefore he crossed over.

To get his pension. You don't get it? Neither did the chicken, he wasn't old enough!

Why not? Can you just leave the chicken alone already?

Because it was the pig's day off.

To get to the Dollar Store to buy a pencil to write down a really funny joke before he forgot it!

All the other chickens were doing it, and it just wanted to fit in.

Because it had restless leg syndrome and its doctor told it to walk whenever possible.

The chicken was afraid of Spongebob Squarepants. No, let's make that Barney. 'Cause he's really frightening!

To get to the other side.

Tags: Why did the chicken cross the road?, chicken, road, anti-social, restless leg syndrome, to get to the other side, pig's day off, blogplugs

monday morning question: Why did the chicken cross the road?

2008-08-25T16:42:00.000-04:00

Why did the chicken cross the road?

My answer: Because he felt like it!

That's my answer! What's yours?

Leave your answer in my comment section below, or put it in your blog and leave a link below, so we can check out your answer. :)

Tags: Monday Morning Question, Why did the chicken cross the road?, chicken, road, macadam, blogplugs

my computer's coming Thursday

2008-08-22T02:24:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited! Tomorrow (Thursday) or maybe Friday I'm getting my new computer. It's a flat screen. A Hewlitt Packard. I haven't had an HP in awhile, but I am sure I will get used to it quickly...

I'll be able to put my new photo software on it. I'm really excited about that! I haven't put the software on this computer, as this computer is constantly encountering problems. So I figured I would wait until I got my next computer. Now I will be able to add the photo software to my new HP! Wow, am I excited!

I will now be able to add photos to my entries, which is something I haven't been able to do in a long while. And I'll also be able to participate in the JLand Photo Shoot. I've found it kind of ironic that I have been running the Photo Shoot, but not been able to participate by adding a photo submission myself. I want to play too! I really love taking photos, and enjoy looking at them.

I still have shots of the fireworks I took from the 4th of July, LOL. They are still on the memory card of my digital camera, and have been there because I didn't have my new computer and software yet to handle downloading the photos. I am curious to see how the pictures turned out, and will check them out on my new computer.

I have never taken fireworks before. I may post one or two if they turn out alright. Would you all like to see pictures of the fireworks I took, even though it's August? I'm game if you're game!

Let's see, what's new besides getting a new computer? John and I are finally getting our car back from the garage after two weeks.

We were on a road trip to Hershey Med Center Friday before last (don't panic, just a check up for John!) when the car started to overheat. Majorly. To make a long story short, we went to a strange garage, as it was the closest. Note to self: Don't go to strange garages. They may just keep your car for quite some time and find charges to add to the bill. Legitimate charges? Not sure. Hmmmmmmmm.

So I'm getting to bed. My brother-in-law Tony is coming tomorrow with the computer, and I am not sure how early he will get here. I need to get up early to call him. And to straighten up the house. And cut up and freeze a bunch of peaches...

I hope everyone is doing well. I am not ignoring Jland's 5th Anniversary. I just didn't get a chance to write an entry yet. I will try to do that on Friday or Saturday...

Love you all, Krissy :)

Tags: new computer, photography, JLand Photo Shoot, digital camera, fireworks, 4th of July, overheat, garage, peaches,

The results of my MRIs

2008-08-15T06:34:00.000-04:00

Hi! I hope you all are having a good week!

Sorry it's been a week since I've written. It's been hectic as usual, and I just couldn't find the time. When I say hectic I mean crazy! My life is never dull...

I got the results back from the MRIs. The back MRI showed I don't have the degenerative spine disease my neurologist thought I had.

Thank God for that. I asked the doctor (who was a temporary fill in for the day for my regular neurologist), why, then, did the EMG show that I had something pressing on my nerves? If it wasn't my spine/bones pressing on my nerves, what was? He said even muscles can press against nerves, effecting them - nerves are so sensitive.

I asked if he believed the nerve and the frozen shoulder problem were related, and what was going on. He said, yes, they were all related, and that because I had a frozen shoulder problem that includes diabetes (and a few other health issues), it very well could indicate an autoimmune disease.

Oh well, whatever. I am not going to sit around worrying myself to death about it.

I have another appointment with my regular neurologist (Dr. Roy) on August 26, and he will tell me where to go from there. I am guessing he will send me to a rheumatologist. They deal in autoimmune diseases (don't they?). But I am not going to worry about it, as I said. Until/unless the doctors find something, there is nothing that I can do. And even if they do find something, there is lots that modern medicine can do today. I will just be fine, I always am. I'll take one day at a time... I'll be fine, I'm at peace...

Meanwhile, the doctor also told me that, according to my second MRI, I still need shoulder surgery.

But not the surgery that Dr. Deitch, the orthopedic surgeon I have been seeing for my shoulder/arm (and the doctor I don't like), told me I needed to get. Dr. Deitch has been recommending the wrong surgery, something too invasive!

I decided I am not going to let Dr. Deitch do the surgery now recommended for me. Actually, I would never let him do ANY surgery on me. I just don't trust him. I am only going to keep my next appointment with him (on August 27) to get some test results he performed on me recently, and to tell him that I am getting my surgery from someone else. Then I am going to go find a new surgeon to do the shoulder surgery.

Actually, John is coming to the appointment with me, so that he can tell Dr. Deitch that that he won't be the one operating. I'm making John do my dirty work, LOL. I don't quite have the guts. Because Dr. Deitch is such a bullier, and I don't feel like being bullied right now. I felt he really bullied me when I went last, a few weeks ago. And now he wants to do my surgery. I will NOT let him touch me...

So I have my appointment with Dr. Roy - my neurologist - on Tues. in two weeks from now. I'll let you all know how that goes - if he sends me to anyone to evaluate me for anything autoimmune, and who he suggests to perfrom the surgery and when.

I have the appointment with Dr. Deitch the day after, and I'll let you know how that goes also. Prayers please, LOL.

Okay, now that I'm done telling you all what's been going on, I need to stop focusing on anything medical. I'm guessing it will be at least a month before my surgery , and I just need to go out and start living more, start having some fun!

I'm not exactly sure what that will include. There's so much I want to do, though! I need to get back to exercising. John and I keep saying we are going to join the Y. Oh, his oncologist said he is finally allowed to go swimming now, after about three years! Swimming would be so much fun right now! Our gym has both a heated pool and a regulation size pool with lanes. I think I will stay with the heated pool for now!

I also bought some beads at Michaels, so I can start doing some jewelry making. I like bracelets the best. I bought some real cool red glass beads, in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Some are uniform though, so the bracelet will also have a uniform look to it's madness, LOL. I also, from somewhere else, bought some awesome pink beads with white polka dots. They're cool. They are more uniform than the red ones, and I'll make a cool bracelet with those too. Oh, and at Michaels I also got a few more things, like blue glass beads, and some silver spacers. So I am going to have some fun. I'll take photos of the bracelets when I'm done.

Oh, and Iam getting a new computer! It should be here in a week or two. I am so excited!

So anyway, this entry has gotten too long as usual! I must run. John is calling me. Have a good weekend everyone!

Much love, Krissy :)

Tags: MRI, frozen shoulder, adhesive capsulitis, surgery, neurologist, rheumatologist, autoimmune disease, exercise, swimming, jewelry making, blogplugs

i had two MRIs done

2008-08-07T10:19:00.000-04:00

I did finally get to have the MRI. It was delayed because I went to another doctor, my neurologist, Dr. Roy. Dr. Roy is somebody I trust with my life. Dr. Roy asked me to delay the MRI for a few days so he could give me a test first. He wondered why Dr. Deitch, my orthopedic surgeon (shoulder doctor) who had ordered the MRI, wanted to operate on my shoulder withouth first finding out what was causing the shoulder injury. Dr. Deitch is a new doctor of mine. For several reasons, I don't trust him as far as I can throw him.

Both doctors at this point believed that my rotator cuff injury had most likely healed, and I had another problem that was causing the frozen shoulder. But Dr. Deitch wanted to treat only the shoulder, while Dr. Roy wanted to find out what the cause of the frozen shoulder was - whether it be a pinched nerve or something else - so that he could have the overall problem fixed, not just unfreeze the shoulder by cutting out scar tissue. If the scar tissue was merely taken out, the same problem would reoccur.

So Dr. Roy, the neurologist, did something called an EMG, to attempt to determine if I was having neck or back problems (which would determine why I was having problems with my shoulder/arm). Keep in mind, that Dr. Roy is the doctor I like and trust, the one treating the WHOLE me. He was going after the cause, not just to remove the scar tissue in my arm. So he did an EMG. If you have ever had one done, you will know that the neurologist needs to shock you a lot, then stick you with needles. This will tell him if you have any problems.

Immediately after this fun test, Dr.Roy told me there was definitely something wrong with my neck, and most likely my back also. He told me this was the cause of my frozen shoulder. It is also, most likely, the cause of my spasms in my back that I have had for awhile.

He decided to confirm his suspected diagnosis with an MRI, but he believes it is probably a back condition which is degenerative. It often effects a shoulder/arm. I did get the MRI on Monday. When I receive the results from the MRI, I will let you all know at that time what I am dealing with. I am going to see Dr. Roy's Physician's Assistant today (Thursday), and was promised I would get a report of the results of the MRI at that time. We'll see.

So I went to Dr. Roy's MRI on Monday. It wouldn't have been so bad, except... Dr. Deitch (or was it his assistant?) phoned me, and then phoned the hospital, and insisted that I have HIS MRI at the same time as Dr. Roy's (on the same day, minutes before). Dr. Deitch also scheduled me for a very painful procedure on the same day as the MRIs without telling me about it. I didn't find out about it until I got to the hospital that afternoon, and was already lined up for two MRIs.

So I had this painful procedure and two MRIs all on Monday.

The whole ordeal lasted about 5 hours. During the first MRI alone, I was in the MRI machine for at least an hour and a half. Maybe longer. My arm was placed in such a way that made it hurt to hold in that position. The needle that they had already jammed into my cartiledge in my shoulder to give me the dye was not helping any. I was in allaround pain. I had to have a shoulder cuff on, which required me to hold my arm up into the air in a position that I thought I would never be able to maintain, for over an hour and a half. I do believe it was the most painful thing I have ever experienced in my life.

So how did I do?

I think quite well! You all's suggestions were such a blessing to me.

Anxiety did not overtake me, like I thought it would!

Pain did though. As I stated, I believe it was the most painful thing I have ever experienced in my life.

So what did I do? I moaned. Kind of rythmically. I didn't have a choice. If I didn't I couldn't have held the position for an hour and fourty minutes (for the first MRI alone). I was told I would have to start the whole time over if I moved. So I moaned, as I could do nothing else. Then after awhile I reached the point where I thought I would pass out from the pain. So I cried. For a long time. Out loud. I just cried. Again, rhythmically, as to not ruin the pictures, because I was able to keep better control that way, and not move.

So that's about it. I don't know why I went into so much detail. I could have just said - I will tell you the results to the two MRIs I had when I get them... But I am glad I shared...

Okay, I gotta run. Love you all,

Krissy :)

Tags: MRI, frozen shoulder, EMG, neck problems, spine problems, back spasms, pain, crying

JLand Photo Shoot #138 - Photographer's Choice

2008-08-03T00:44:00.000-04:00

The subject for this photo shoot is ~

Photographer's Choice

You can choose anything you want to photograph. It could be a barn, a flower, a cow, or your paperweight collection! It doesn't matter, just go and shoot! This photo shoot is going to be for an extended period of time, as I know you are busy during the summer. So you will have a lot of time to get your shot(s).

Entries will be due by August 23 at 11 PM Eastern Time.

After you've posted your photo entry in your journal/blog, please come back here and leave your link in my comment section. If you need an explanation on how to leave your complete entry link, or need to know any other instructions concerning JLand Photo Shoots, please click on this link:

Instructions for JLand Photo Shoot

I hope you all are having a wonderful summer. Don't forget to take a shot or two! We'd all love to see them!

Krissy :)

Tags: JLand Photo Shoot, photo shoots, photo shoot, photos, photography, Photographer's Choice, blogplugs

John's cancer is not back!

2008-08-01T12:51:00.000-04:00

John and I are back from Hershey Medical Center and wanted to share the extremely good news with you.

John's cancer is not back.

Also, his kidney damage that he had sustained, in the past few weeks, is most likely reversible.

The kidney damage was due to a medicine called Sirolimous, but the medicine is not that potent, and the damage should be reversible, once John stops taking it.

John will still only have about 30 percent kidney function after he stops the Siro medication. John's been living with 30% kidney function for a year or so anyway. But that's okay, because you have to get down to 15% kidney function before you have to go on dialysis.

That is what John's local nephrologist (John's kidney doctor, Dr. Donelan) told John recently, anyway. That he would wait until John's kidney function dropped to only 15 percent before putting him on dialysis. So IF John ever has to go on dialysis, it won't be for awhile.

Dr. Donelan insists John will have to be on dialysis in four to 20 years, but he doesn't know John, LOL. Maybe John can avoid dialysis altogether in his lifetime. Because he is stubborn, and he has great tenacity, and he has the Lord.

Anyway, Dr. Claxton is taking John off the Siro, the culprit of John's serious kidney trouble as of late. Within three weeks, John will be off all anti-rejection drugs. The reason John was taking these drugs in the first place was to suppress his immune system, so that he wouldn't reject his donor cells (that he received from his bone marrow transplant), or rather so his donor wouldn't reject him. John will be off both the Tachro and the Siro anti-rejection meds by three weeks from now. And John shouldn't reject his donor at that time because he has been doing so well.

So what I am trying to say is that John's kidneys should improve, as he will no longer be on the Sirolimous.

One more thing. Dr. Claxton is very pleased with John's weight. He just wants him to walk. And go swimming. He mentioned that we should do it together. Yes, I need to lose weight and get in better shape also. John is allowed to go swimming for the first time in two and a half years! Praise God for that!

So anyway, overall, Dr. Claxton is THRILLED with John's progress. For two and a half years John is doing great!

Oh, just one more thing. After Dr. Claxton mentioned how great John was doing, he told John he had too much iron from the blood transfusions he has had (over 100 of them). This iron overload has caused John too have too much iron in his blood. This was indicated by a high Ferritin level score. A man should have a score of close to 300, he has a score of close to 3,000. High iron like that may very easily cause liver and pancreas damage, and can also cause diabetes.

Dr. Claxton is going to give John a new med to reduce the high Ferritin score and get rid of the extra iron in his body, if John's insurance company agrees to pay for the medication. The new medication costs a couple of thousand a month, at least.

We went to Dr. Ford (John's local oncologist) yesterday, and he said he was concerned about Dr. Claxton giving this med to John. Because it could damage John's kidneys even further. It would clear up the problem of John's liver being damaged, and his pancreas, and John getting diabetes - but it would further damage John's kidneys. Sigh...

So overall, we have a very good report here, but with some complications to deal with in the future. John and I will just take things one day at a time, and be thankful John is alive and doing well today!

Okay, so it is a pretty good report. But at the same time, there's something I am still having trouble dealing with. Most of those who had a bone marrow transplant (stem cell transplant) when John had his, have since passed away. John and I are still wondering why he is doing so well, and they died. It's hard. I know, you probably want to tell me, "Well stop questioning it and just enjoy it." But it is not that easy.

We see something that reminds us of a particular person we had been close to, like hear a song they liked to listen to during chemo, and then we have a real hard time. I hear the Bee Gees and think of Kay. She was my best friend at Hope Lodge. She was loads of fun, and in her late 60s. I see Angus Burgers in the supermarket and think of Rex. I can remember so many others also, so many who didn't make it. And now so many things cause me so many memories and flashbacks. John gets very quiet at times, I just start to quietly cry. I don't know.

I am trying to celebrate the person, not concentrate on the end of their life, but it is still hard. And I guess there is the survivor's guilt. Maybe it's not even Survivor's Guilt. Maybe I am going through some Post Traumatic Stress. It has been two and a half years on this road. Maybe I am just a little bit sad. I think I am entitled. I hope it doesn't get out of hand, and ends soon...

Okay, this entry is getting too long! I just wanted to let you know how things were going with John.

I love you all,

Krissy :)

Tags: remission, cancer, bone marrow transplant, stem cell transplant, kidney function, kidney damage, dialysis, Sirolimous, Tachrolimous, Creatinin level, Ferritin level, iron overload, blood transfusions, pancreas, liver, kidneys, survivor's guilt, post traumatic stress disorder, sad

Monday Morning Question

2008-07-28T06:48:00.000-04:00

What do you have a tendency to put off?

My answer: going to the dentist

Now your turn. Answer the question in my comment section below or answer it in your journal/blog and leave a link in my comment section so we can come check out your answer.

Tags: Monday Morning Question, blogplugs

John and I are going to Hershey to see how he is doing

2008-07-27T12:50:00.000-04:00

Ugh, I just wrote an entry and it got eaten or something. Uggggghhhhhh. The whole entry. I hate that.

I just wanted to tell you all that John and I are going to Hershey Medical Center, the hospital where John had his bone marrow transplant. He will get a few things checked out. He may get a test making sure he is still in remission. He will also get a test regarding his kidneys. We will let you know more when we know the results.

Please pray!

Okay, I am off, wish us a safe trip. I will try to post again soon, hopefully nobody will be on the computer tomorrow at Hope Lodge and there will be a Monday Morning Question and a photo shoot tomorrow.

We will see. Sometimes the other residents don't get off the community computer there, when I tell them it is "my" computer, LOL!

Love you all, and hope to write soon, Krissy :)

Tags: Hershey, remission, cancer, MDS, bone marrow transplant, stem cell transplant, checkup, medical tests, blogplugs

But I don't want to go in the MRI machine...

2008-07-27T12:07:00.000-04:00

A lot has happened since I wrote last. Gee, that was this past Monday. I haven't made an entry because my computer really has been shutting on and off. It's the hard drive. It's just too old. I'm definitely going to have to get a new computer.

I've also been really busy. Lots of doctor's appointments. The surgeon I was sent to for my shoulder and arm wants me to have an MRI on Thursday, and is deciding if I should have one or two surgeries, from the result of the MRI. He definitely wants me to have laproscopic surgery, and then perhaps another surgery. I'll explain when I have more time, why I might have to have two surgeries instead of one. But right now I have to get some things done.

I just wanted to say one thing about the MRI though, before I get back to work. I don't want to do it. I am sceeeeeered, LOL. The MRI is on Thursday. It will be a closed MRI with contrast. I don't mind the dye. I mind being in the tube. I panicked so badly in it last time. Call it an anxiety attack, a panic attack, I don't know what it was, but I wanted to get out the whole time I was in there.

I asked them for music, before I went in, which they obliged me with. That was great, because it made the time go by so much faster. But I still panicked somewhat. Anything they did to make me comfortable didn't work.

I have this irrational fear that they are going to leave me in there! And go home or something. My sister Therese asked me something last night that helped me. She asked, "How can they leave you in there, when other patients are scheduled to have MRIs right after you? They HAVE to take you out!"

Okay, so that makes sense. The she said, "Don't worry, even if there is a fire, and the electricity stops working, it only takes them six to eight minutes to get you out." "Shut up, Therese!," I said. I hadn't even thought of the little scenario where the electricity stops working. I asked her what made her think anybody would wait around for eight seconds to manually pull me out of a vault if the place was burning up? Ugh...

After telling me this, she did redeem herself again, LOL. She told me what I should do. "Tell them you are scared. Tell them to talk to you periodically and ask you if you are okay. If you know that they are watching out for you, you won't be as nervous. Have them remind you you can press the bottom at any time if you need help. They can talk you through it."

Now THAT made sense. And if all else fails, I could take two Ativan, LOL. The surgeon promised.

Love you all,

Krissy :)

Tags: shoulder, arm, laproscopic surgery, surgery, MRI, scared, Ativan, blogplugs

my computer is fixed

2008-07-21T08:49:00.000-04:00

Good morning! Just a quick entry to let you all know my computer is fixed. As fixed as it is going to get, anyway. It is almost five years old.

Last night I fixed the computer. It had completely ceased to work (as far as connectivity and other things) at about, maybe 4 pm, and I was somewhat scared, as I didn't know if it was going to totally crash soon, and I wanted to copy my pics to disk.

Talk about being a last minute person - I am such a procrastinator - I should have copied my pics to disk ages ago. My wedding photos are on there, as well as John's bone marrow transplant photos and his hospitalizations, for the past two and a half years.

Fortunately, the computer hadn't crashed, and I was still able to access the documents and pics, thank the Lord. So I copied them to disk.

After that, I tried a few things, and now the computer is working better than ever! Go figure. So I am going to use it until it dies, I guess, and then I will get a new one. It will be five soon, so I don't know how long it will be before it does die, but I guess it is this one for now. You know something though - this one is not so slow now, LOL...

Okay, I've got to run. I have a lot of things to do today. After I finish up some things in my graphics group I am going to go shopping for the Hershey trip this weekend.

Maybe get a new haircut. A new haircut should be fun! Something short and sassy, LOL. Not really sassy, just fun. That used to not be me, my hair was super long most of my life. But I can't wear it that way any more because it is too thin. When it is shorter it is fuller. Okay, I guess I should leave this topic for a "girl talk" blog or something, LOL.

Love you all, Krissy :)

Tags: computer, computer problems, backing up information, my pictures, documents, haircut, sassy, girl talk, blogplugs

how John is doing

2008-07-20T09:07:00.000-04:00

It's been days since I've done an entry. That's because I have been working on my computer, which continues to go on and off at will. I am going to finally store my pics and documents to disc today, if this old thing will allow me, and then try one more fix. I hope it works!

It's not been easy these past couple of weeks. So what's new with that? I've kept myself busy though, as I have lots of things to do... I wanted to get on here and tell you all some things though. I debated about whether or not to tell you all this, but since my husband mentioned it in his blog, I am going to go ahead and mention it.

Okay, I'll cut to the chase. Don't panic (ya, right), but John is having some health problems right now. You all know that he had two cancers (Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma and bone marrow cancer), both which are being held in remission by his bone marrow transplant. Well, for a couple of weeks John had no immunities. His regular oncologist, Dr. Claxton, was on vacation, and the oncologist subbing is concerned John's cancer is back (indicated by the fact that John keeps having no immune system this late after his bone marrow transplant). Dr. Claxton's nurse, Mitzi, has also been on vacation. When she got back, she told John she didn't think his cancer was back, and that Dr. Claxton hadn't mentioned it to her.

So now we wait and see. Mitzi says it is highly unlikely, though. I am sure she or Dr. Claxton don't want to commit 100% until after he examines John. John has an appointment on July 28. That is Monday after tomorrow. We leave on this Sunday coming up (July 27).

Anyway, it's been a little rough because answers were changing daily, different doctors saying different things, and one night a few nights ago John got a significant fever. The sub doctor told usto get him to Hershey Medical Center (the facility where John got his bone marrow transplant) immediately, and have him admitted.

He told us what sounded to us like horror stories (like he thought John's cancer was back, that he had a bad infection that could kill him, etc), but then Mitzi corrected what he said the next day, or what she thinks is true about John anyway, and his situation.

Anyway, fortunately, John's temperature dropped to normal. Because there were no beds available, and John would have waited in two ERs (local and Hershey), for up to 24 hours, before he was up in a hospital bed at Hershey.

John did end up getting a Neulasta shot a few days later, to raise his immunities, so he wouldn't get any infections that could kill him. So now he has a high immune system. But while they did that, they found kind of bad kidney damage. He only had 25 to 30% to start with, and now it is worse. Now Dr. Claxton needs to explore what is causing that.

Hopefully the kidney's lack of partial functioning won't cause dialysis soon.

It is strange to see. A man walking around normally, doing every day things, not far from dialysis, perhaps? Could that even be possible? We just got some info. back in the mail we needed to join the YMCA. He was going to do regular exercise. He doesn't appear that weak.

Well, anyway, we will find out more about it when he goes to the oncologist on July 28. John's oncologist, Dr. Claxton, will be checking out his kidneys, as opposed to the nephrologist (kidney doctor) on that date, as it was John's bone marrow transplant that hurt his kidneys in the first place. Actually it wasn't the actual transplant that hurt his kidneys. John's kidney problems were caused by a medicine he was taking after the transplant to make sure the bone marrow transplant worked, or the kidney problems may have been caused by some mismatched blood blood that was given to him after the bone marrow transplant.

So I am not panicking or anything, just telling you all what is going on, in case my computer shuts down soon, and it takes me a short while to get another one. I just wanted you to know. I am kind of taking this all in stride, as we don't have any definite information yet, and why be upset if we don't know for sure?

If I were to get freaked out every time they said John might be having a relapse I would constantly be freaked out. I just can't do it. I need to remain stable. It would drive me nuts.

The kidney part is harder to deal with. I don't want to see him on dialysis. I won't tell you why. Because he may not have to go on it. We'll save that for if he really has to go on it. For now let's remain positive!

Time to go get back to work!

Love you all, and I hope you are having a good weekend,

Krissy :)

Tags: bone marrow transplant, stem cell transplant, cancer, remission, don't jump to conclusions, kidney damage, dialysis, computer problems, blogplugs

what's been going on lately

2008-07-16T11:50:00.000-04:00

So much has happened lately, and because the computer has been switching on and off, and because I just haven't had time, I haven't written about what has been going on in the past week or so.

It's been rough lately. I woke up early this morning because my back was spasming. We are talking waves and waves of spasms. I had to get up about 4 am, because laying there made the spasming worse. This has been going on for several weeks. I am on muscle relaxant number four, in the past couple of weeks, because none of them would work. I switched again hoping this last muscle relaxant would take care of the spasms, or at least lessen the pain. I wish I hadn't asked my physician to switch me again. This one works the least best.

To walk around in such pain makes me feel so edgey. Sometimes I am snapping at John. That is so unlike me. And sometimes I can't get any housework done. Sometimes I just cry. Nights are the very worst. I lay there waiting for morning to come so I can get up. I think nights are particularly bad because I tense up, bracing myself against the spasms. This only makes them worse. After awhile I give up and get up. I am sure the sleep deprivation is not helping me any.

I'm also disappointed that the Sports Medicine Physician told me, a couple of days ago - that I needed to go see the Orthopedic Surgeon to possibly get the procedure I was hoping to avoid. After my occupational therapy ended about a month ago, even though I have been doing my exercises at home, my left shoulder/arm has not been getting any better. Well, my shoulder and arm appeared to be getting better for awhile, but the progress seems to have reversed itself. Dr. Bosha (the Sports Medicine Physician) told me that this sometimes happens. That somebody can only progress so far with OT and exercises at home. Some people never progress beyond a certain point and need surgery anyway, regardless of how many exercises they do.

Who would have thought? Now he is sending me to the surgeon. I asked him if there was the possibility if another tear could occur in my rotator cuff, like the injury I had before, if the surgery was performed. Actually, it is not surgery, per se, Dr. Bosha explained. While you are asleep, the surgeon takes your shoulder and moves it around, to break up all the scar tissue. Dr. Bosha said no, I would not have another tear in my rotator cuff. Not one that would have to be mended by surgery, anyway. Just a bunch of little tears would occur. *Sigh*

After surgery I will have to go back to Occupational Therapy. At the Physical Therapy Outpatient Facility. And know what? I don't have time. John is having some problems. I need to be here for him. He could be called to go to Hershey Medical Center (his hospital, and bone marrow transplant center, a couple of hours a way) at any time. He will definitely have to go on July 28, but maybe has to go sooner. A lot is going on with him right now medically... I need to tell you all about it, but this entry is getting too long, and I don't think you want three entries from me today, LOL. So I will post about it tomorrow if my computer is still alive. Suffice it to say that John needs me, if nothing else to keep him out of trouble and away from germs to keep his immune system up!

At the same time, yes, I need to look after myself. Hmmmm, such a juggling act! Yes, I will take care of myself also, both of us at the same time...

Thanks for sticking with me, Krissy :)

Tags: back spasms, muscle relaxants, shoulder injury, surgeon, surgery, low immune system, blogplugs

on making my entries more personal

2008-07-16T06:23:00.000-04:00

I was sitting on the couch earlier this morning thinking. Thinking about how I had written a couple of weeks ago in this blog that I wanted my entries to be more personal, and show more of my feelings. I wondered if I was accomplishing this. I talked to somebody yesterday who told me she felt I didn't write about my feelings in my blog. Ouch. That hurt.

I guess there's a reason. It's because of certain people that read. Okay, that's all I am going to say about that. Except this. I can't let myself worry about that. I must be free to say exactly what I want. I talked to John about it, and he said I should say exactly what I want to say in my blog. And that I shouldn't feel intimidated about saying things in it, because people might judge me, or they might not understand me, or they might not like me, or whatever. Who cares. I can write whatever I want. As long as I don't set out to hurt anybody intentionally.

Having John's support in this matter feels really good. I can't let my life be run by others who may judge what I write, and if I feel I should say something, from now on I am going to say it.

So from now on I am going to try to make my entries more personal. And I'll also try to share more of my feelings. Thanks for staying with me all this time.

And thanks to that person who showed me the way! ;)

Love you all, Krissy

Tags: feelings, personal, blog

JLand Photo Shoot #137 participants... July fun

2008-07-13T17:55:00.000-04:00

JLand Photo Shoot #137: July fun!

Sorry I have been so late in posting. My computer continues to turn off and on at will. I didn't even think I would be able to do this entry, but attempted it because I know how important it is to post when you all take the time to go out and take your photos.

I was just in the middle of posting this entry several minutes ago and lost the whole thing! Ugh. After I finish this entry I don't know when I will be back online again. We'll see. But for now I wanted to post the participants so you can check out their photos.

Here they are:

Dana of My Photo Lounge shows us fireworks she took

Nutwood Junction - Beth shows us her family celebration of the 4th which included Snakes and Fountain type fireworks!

This and that, and hockey! - Donna shows us her great-niece and -nephew having a blast in the pool.

Koda's Corgi Tales - Betty showed us some shots of her local baseball team.

FREEZE FRAME - Connie took photos of her neighbor's fireworks. Watch the slideshow. It's worth viewing.

Footprints in the Sand - Linda shows us the picnic she and her family went to on July 7 in Yosemite National Park and the waterfall they hiked to!

For those of you who played along, a big thank you! This was a real fun topic!

I also participated, but because my computer is not working correctly, I can't upload my photos. I took pictures of fireworks! When I am able to show my photos I will post them. Oh, did I mention that I have a new digital camera? I don't remember. It is red and sleek and cool! And most importantly takes cool pics, LOL. I can't wait to use it more, but right now I can't even hook it up to the computer. Because I can't download the software onto this computer. Oh well! I will soon be able to use my camera more when I either get this computer fixed or get a new one...

Okay, back to discussing the participants who played in the photo shoot this time. I just wanted to say I am hoping that everybody will take a look at these precious entries if they haven't already done so.

Gotta get off of here before I lose this entry again!

Love you all, Krissy :)

Tags: JLand Photo Shoot, photo shoots, photo shoot, photography, photos, photo, July, fun, baseball, swimming, fireworks, waterfall, blogplugs

my computer going down

2008-07-12T12:09:00.000-04:00

Hi. It's Krissy.

My computer works one minute and then stops working the next. And then maybe 10 hours later it might work again. I am getting frustrated. So meanwhile what I am frantically doing is arranging my documents and my photos/graphics properly, then I am going to copy everything to disk. I fear this computer is going to crash at anytime, and I hope to copy to disk everything before it does so. So if you don't see more from me for a day or two, you will know what I am doing. And if this computer won't work, I will be buying a new one, and that will take a little time to get set up. But please do't forget about me, b/c I won't be away for too long, LOL.

Love you all, Krissy :)

PS I just talked to my nephew on the phone, and when I explained everything to him, he said it sounded like what is going on is a hardware problem. I think it would be cheaper to get a new computer than to fix one with a hardware problem. We shall see.

Tags: computer problem, computer problems, blogplugs

Monday Morning Question, what is up with Krissy...

2008-07-07T13:22:00.000-04:00

Hi, this is Valerie, Krissy's sister. Krissy is having severe computer problems. She thinks her computer will crash soon. She wanted to update you on her holiday weekend and give you a Monday Morning Question this morning, but her computer won't allow her to sign on.

I am letting you all know this in case she won't be able to post for days or even a week. I will keep you all updated. Since she can not post herself, here is the Monday Morning Question:




If you were to grill out this weekend, name four foods and a drink you would bring along?

my (Val's) answer: London Broil Steak, baked potato with sour
                        cream, Watermelon, brie cheese, and orange
                         juice with ice

Krissy's answer: Delmonico Steak, macaroni salad, Caesar Salad,
                      fresh fruit salad, and unsweetened iced tea

Tell us your answer. Please put your answer in the comment section below, or do this as an entry in your blog and leave a link with a complete URL so we can visit your answer. Thanks! Have a super day! Val of There is a Season

Tags: Monday Morning Question, blogplugs

Monday Morning Question

2008-06-30T10:27:00.000-04:00

The first half of the year ends tonight. If you had to pick a theme for the last six months (a few words to describe it) what would it be?

My answer: presonal growth through goal setting :)

Now it's your turn.
Please leave your answer in my comment section below, or post your answer in your blog and come back leaving your link below.

Krissy :)

Tags: Monday Morning Question, blogplugs

JLand Photo Shoot #137 - July fun

2008-06-30T01:30:00.000-04:00

Hi! Time for a new photo shoot. Our subject this week is:

July fun

examples: swimming, picnic, fireworks, baseball, convertible

Please post your entry in your blog by Saturday, July 12. You have an extra week so we can all enjoy the July 4th weekend without posting if we want to.

Entries are due July 12, 2008, at 11 PM Eastern Time. That's an hour before midnight, for those who are getting confused!

After you've posted your entry in your journal/blog, please come back here and leave a link to your entry in the Comment Section. If you need an explanation on how to do this, or need to know any other instructions concerning this photo shoot, please click on the link below.

Instructions for JLand Photo Shoot

Okay, so while you are out there having fun in the next couple of weeks, I hope you take a shot or two! We'd all love to see them! Have fun,

Krissy :)

Tags: JLand Photo Shoot, photo shoots, photo shoot, photos, photography, July, fun, blogplugs

my nice matters sticker

2008-06-27T13:13:00.000-04:00

Rosemary of Inspiration has come up with an idea to change the world. She wants to bring the Nice Matters Award to the average person. In sticker form. You can read about her idea in Magic Smoke.

Rosemary asks us to try our hand at designing a Nice Matters sticker. I wasn't going to attempt such a feat. After all, I am not a graphics artist. But then I changed my mind. I ran over to the Paint program and threw something together.

That's it. Yes, it's that simple.

Why? Because I don't want things all over the sticker to be what others focus on. It is NICE that matters, not some fancy drawings on the sticker!

Why else is the sticker simple? Because it is something that men, women, and young people can all wear. Especially young people. We want them to wear it too. I envision them wearing something small, black and cool!

I want something simple that everybody will like so the idea will take off quickly. It IS a really important idea.

Why? because NICE matters.

Krissy :)

Tags: Nice Matters sticker, nice, blogplugs

singing to sister Stephanie

2008-06-27T03:17:00.000-04:00

I can't sleep. I am playing Pogo. My favorite game is Poppit.

At any rate, I'm also listening to The Castillo Kids on YouTube. I thought I'd share the latest song I listened to by them. I want to share them all, but I don't want to bore everybody, as I know everybody doesn't have my taste. :)

But, anyway, here are the Castillo Kids, singing to their little sister Stephanie.

If that link doesn't work try here: YouTube - Castillo kids singing to sister Stephanie fool in love

Hope you all have a great day, Krissy :)

Tags: pogo, The Castillo Kids