Thursday, August 28, 2008

The Castillo Kids sing

 
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:

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

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


                                  

          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.  :)
 
 
 
 
Guido of Northern Trip
 
 
 
Greg of Photo Trek
 
Linda of Linda's World
 
 
 
 
Bea of Wanderer
 
 
 
 
 
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 :)   

Monday, August 25, 2008

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

                    

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.

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

         

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.  :)

Friday, August 22, 2008

my computer's coming Thursday

 
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 :) 

Friday, August 15, 2008

The results of my MRIs

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 :) 

Thursday, August 7, 2008

i had two MRIs done

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 :)  

Sunday, August 3, 2008

JLand Photo Shoot #138 - Photographer's Choice

                

    
 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:
 
 
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  :)  

Friday, August 1, 2008

John's cancer is not back!

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 :)

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