Last friday I got to go to the airport and transport evauee's from houston. Our hospital played host to a total of 39 kids. We got 6 in CVICU and friday we brought in 13 stable vented kids. I'm sure this by monday or tuesday they will all be back in Houston.
Well, we braced for a big storm, tied down what couldn't be brought in and brought in everything else. And we waited...and waited...mom and dad came over and we watched tv, and waited... and waited..., when we thought this is it, we got mom and dad ready to go home and the storm hit. It blowed some, and rained a nice steady rain.
M. played out in the rain while grandpa and dad wathched. The goats kept telling us to get inside. Then the power went out about 4pm. (our power goes out all the time, was surprised it lasted that long.) Finally, around 6:30, 7pm M and I went to mom and dads to watch tv, (they never lost power, they are on a different power grid.)
My power came back on around 3am.
No damage to anything in my area. We have had bigger gusts and more rain with a regular storm. We only go 1 inch of rain.
Glad to have it, and glad that it was so mild.

To all my friends and family we are all safe and sound. I may even have to mow the yard when I get back from Alaska.TTFN

What a contrast yeasterday was. I started out with 4 patients and the only one in CVICU (therapist.) and admitted 3 patients by 1pm. It reminded me to the old days at UNMH. It was great. I had to call for help just to go to lunch. I don't know if the nurses got a lunch, but I needed a break. After lunch I got to get a cup of coffee around 5pm. Wow the day went by so fast. I love being busy. I got everything done and had time to set up for evacuees from the texas coast. (We were getting 4 by midnight and possibly two more.)
Then, my new boss Mike stoped me and said he had been trying to talk with me all day. That comment made me a little concerned, but he laughed and said he was glad he found me every time he looked, in a pt room. Then he handed me an envelope with a card and 477.00 of cash.
Everybody in CVICU had donated money to help me pay my bills and for our trip to Alaska.
The second time in my life I was speachless. Mike said that he apprieciated all my hard work and that "we take care of our own." It took me so by surprise. Here I have been worring about missing so much work because of chemo and being sick. I don't know how I can ever thank everyone.
Praise GOD!!!!!!!!!!!
Joanne made me fill out the papers to get emergency money from Childrens and that came this week, and now this. I now have mortgage, utilities and all the insurances. Yeah!!!!!
And I even have money for Alaska and to get ready for RITA.

Amazing, when I gave all this to God and walked away from worring. He took care of it.
If only I could always do that.
Note to self: Give it to God and walk away.

He does a better job than I do.

Well, Rita is going to hit us this weekend and I need to get ready for the flood and wind.
Tracy and the girls are her, but may go up to Arkasas to be with her family. Kevin is stuck down south, but they are evacuating by 6 pm. Hopefully, they don't get too damaged.
This is all a little scary.
Hope to write more later. TTFN

Well, today is a very long day. I still have nothing to do but play on the computor. Why they thought I needed to help on the 7th floor is beyond me. But, that's ok...I am making good money. Just wish it covered all the expenses.

Was reading a blog from some guy in washington being a want a be on capital hill.
He has no idea what a moderate christian is. He has this unrealistic view that if we legislate against abortion that no women would have one. He needs to grow up.
1. If a women wants to terminate a pregancey...she will one way or another.
we might as well do it safely and sterilly. Why waist the fetus? Use it to further medical science. This is not the dark ages. Our Medical community doesn't have to go grave dig to get knowledge.
I would never have an abortion, I love babies, would have had 10, but I just couldn't live on the government, (I tend to be a little type A personality), so I raised one and had one of my own.
But I work in hospitals, I've seen the neglect by parents who should not be parents. I have tried to save fetus' that needed to go to heaven. (22 to 27 week gestation is just not enough time to develope.)
2. Prayer in school. My question is what prayer and by whom?
I went to public school. In the fourth grade I played the violin. One of my fellow violinist was Jewish, she could not play "Christmas" tunes. She played everything and sat out on the christmas tunes. For me it was no big deal. I felt sorry for her. Christmas songs are fun.
In Junior High I had a New Age teacher. I'm not sure about her gods.
In high school I had an atheist teacher. He had no god to pray to.
I learned how to pray when I was young. No one ever said Penni thou shalt not pray in school.
If I had a test, you better believe I prayed before I took it. I prayed in school all the time. Did I stand up and do it for show? NO. The only one who knew was God. Although, I have always been a hummer, I would sing or hum "church" songs. I even listened to the christian radio station. Most of my friends were also christians.
It was bad enough to have to sit still and read for 20 min everyday. In the USA there are too many religions, cultures, and agnositics to put prayer in school.
This country was founded on religious freedom. With that freedom, I would object to my daughter being forced to pray at school. I would have to approve of the prayer first. It's my job to teach her to pray, we do it every night. Religous education needs to start at home or at church, not public schools.

At work, I pray. If I take care of a child that is dying, or I'm worried about, I pray. The family, my co-workers, my boss, they don't need to know. It's between my God and me. My moto to my families, no mother cries alone and I pray that everyone of my babies goes to heaven and rejoices in a new body.

Just another soap box by a MODERATE christian. TTFN

Back to work, and at least I am feeling better. Tried to work saturday and just felt awful. It was like have hot flashes or breaking a fever every couple of hours. Wimped out and went home. All my co-workers have check on me already today. The CVICU is very slow so I am sitting on the 7th floor baby sitting. I only have one kid with therapy and a couple on oxygen. It's 11:30 , all therapy is done until 4pm. What to do??
Decided to blog and blogsurf.
The week after chemo is such a fog, I'm tired and spacey. Today I'm a little more clear and have more energy. Yesterday D, M and myself just hung out. Went to Mesquite to target to get dark chocolate m&m's for G. Found some dress shoes for M. (She has the widest feet.)

Can't think of anything else to say so TTFN.

Why is it that it is everybody else's fault or problem?
If a catagory 5 hurricain is barring down on me and the call has gone out to leave. I know I would leave (common sense). Here in East TX, now that I'm not sooo green, if it's a tornado warning. I heed the warning and seek shelter. My heart goes to those that are displaced, but what did they expect? Did the Mayor's of the gulf states insist on total evacuation? Did the Govenors of those States have a disater plan? Did the Hospitals have an evacuation disater plan? It takes a lot to get whole cities evacuated. It can't be done by one person or even 10. It takes everyone taking care of themselves and making sure that thier neighbors are taken care of too. I'm glad that Bush has accepted responiblity for this disater, he didn't cause it, he declaired a state of emergency even before it hit, and FEMA, RED CROSS and other agencies were anticipating the need. Why is it neccesary to blame someone for the caos after a disater?
The police were doing all they could to help, the reporters were doing all they could to create more caos, the mayor and the govenors were talking about how horrible it was and why no one was doing anything. (Maybe they should have gotten on the phone and called the busses them selves?) Lack of planning is caos. For all the disater drills and homeland security drills I guess this country still lacks for a plan.

FEMA is the real screw up. There were truck loads of water and supplies waiting for a simple OK to get to the gulf coast. Instead, they were told, just send money. Medical personnel were in their cars waiting to go and assist, they were told to wait. Medical helicopters from Dallas and Houston were fueled and ready to go, again, they were told to wait. The country is used to getting directions from FEMA even the red cross gets direction from FEMA. If they couldn't step up and direct the aid then they need to be investigated for neglagence. The President is only one person. Of course it would be nice if the people he appoints had one half a brain to get what is needed done. In this the President did screw up. You can't put friends in high places if they don't have the mustard to do the job.

Now that all the governement dependant people have been relocated, I wonder how this will effect the surrounding states. The medicaid program, education and human services in TX is banckrupt. Has been for years, now we just added 1/2 million more government dependant people to the roles. This next year will be very interesting.


So much for my soap box. As for my daughter and her children.... maybe they will be able to afford a trailer on a small peice of land. Not much for a Vet or MD, but nobody will be able to afford health care or animal care in about 20 to 40 years.

These are just the ramblings of a chemo brain. My opinions and spellings are my own.TTFN

Had chemo today. Went well, puts me to sleep and makes me feel funny.
Wish I could just relax and take care of myself, but there are bills to pay and things to do.

TTFN

The chemo is finally starting to slow this cancer down.
Ca 125 only up to 165 from 158. At least it didn't double this time.
CT scan still show possible cancer spots, still contained. At least it is not spreading.
Doc wants to keep on the Doxil for at least another tx. If this next treatment doesn't start winning the war, then it's another drug. Doc wants to give Doxil one more chance.

M. had high fever last night so she came with us to Dallas today. After my appt. we went to Childrens and let her be seen in "First Care" yep she has double ear infections. She's on antibiotics and Motrin. By the time we got home here fever really got high, put her in the bath and gave more motrin. I guess we get to sleep in, in the morining YEA!

David needs computor so TTFN

My heart goes out to all the victims of Katrina.
I fixed a wonderful meal last night, when we sat down, I looked at the food on my plate and almost cried. I Thanked God for the food on our table, the clothes in our closets, the house over our head and the running water. We as a family, prayed for all those who can no longer take for granted the basic neccesity of food, clothes, home and water.

The distruction is overwhelming. I just pray that the survivors can hold on a little while longer, the wheels of the rescue train take a while to get started. Help is on the way.
I see the cries for help and my heart aches. I wish I had a plane or balloon to fly over and drop bottles of water.

I really question the rational of rebuilding a city inside a bowl surounded by water. Can it not be rebuilt somewhere else? Do these survivors really want to rebuild and go back to what they had? At this point you can never go back, it will never be the same, now is the time to look forward. To decide, where do you want to go? What do you want to do? Do you just want to be a pawn, sitting around waiting for someone to tell you what to do, or where to go?

To all the survivors, you have survivied, you did it, now decide what you want out of life. You can go anywhere and do anything, take charge of your life. Meditate, pray and look to the government and neighbors for guidance, but do something. Healing comes from doing something not sitting around.
If you have ever had surgery, the first thing you do is get out of bed and walk. It helps with breathing, circulation and digestion. Now I don't expect everyone to do this today, but after the basic needs of water, food, clothing, showers, and sleep, start praying and working on a plan.

Sometimes you have to take one second at a time, later you can take one day at a time.
Know that you are in my prayers, and will be for many months.