A Party here, A party there

Well, this was the party weekend.  I’ll add pictures when I get home tonight (if all goes well).  Sally was able to come up and share in all the festivities and I think we pure wore her out, she’s going to have to go home just to rest up from all the activity!

Friday started at 3pm with a party for Liz’s really good friend “C”.  She’s going to be moving overseas after this summer and is quite sad as they had been looking at a house in our neighborhood that was PERFECT for their family.  However, jobs and opportunity for the parents was much better overseas, so off they go at the end of the summer.  We’ll be sad to see them go!

Her birthday wish this year was to have a party at the house they had been looking at in our neighborhood. I told her mom “D” that, although she couldn’t have a party at HER house in the neighborhood, she COULD have on at mine :o) And so the party was born. We had a GREAT time and a pool full of teenagers. They are a great bunch of kids. We started out at 3pm and I finally had to call it at 10pm – they had a GREAT time!

 Lizzie and little sister M with the cake they made for C - they did an awesome job!

 Are you counting?  Yes, that is SEVENTEEN in the pool - there were two more on the sidelines (kids that is) and one of them finally made it into the pool :o)  Talk about a FULL house!!

 The grandma's hanging in the shade, or what's left of it.  We finally had to bring out the easy up and sit it over the hot tub so we could dip our feet in the cool water and enjoy the rest of the evening.

They're in school mode lining up for hot dogs and burgers :o)

I had to chase them out of the yard at 10pm.  I think that's enough since we stared at 3pm, don't you?

Saturday was Butch’s 50^th birthday party.  We had a good time and a lot of folks from the scuba club were able to make it.  The roll call was Mike, Jane and Grady, Theresa, Adam and Natalie, John and Mary Jo, Richard and Patty.  Butch’s coworker Dave and his wife.  From my work we had: Dave and Marie, Karen and Chris.  From kids and schools we had Amy and Kevin and their two kids, Debbie and George, their two kids and her mother Sue.  Neighbors Eve and Pat and their three boys and we had a whole patio full and a good time was had by all.  We started out at 7pm and the timing really couldn’t have been better as there was a good breeze coming up by that time.  Everyone seemed to have a great time and the last folks trickled out at close to midnight. 

Before - 16 years ago!

After - 2010

The horrible thing?  I brought my camera out with me to the deck, but didn’t take a picture one.  How very sad is that?  I was having way too much fun going from group to group, chatting and catching up and enjoying the night.  Bad wife, bad wife!

Sunday – we all went into napping/recuperate mode!

House Guests

Well, they are more of an interloper than a house guest!  If it weren't for the "poop on the stoop", they would be welcome to stick around for a bit! 

The first night that Butch and Liz saw these cute barn swallows was last night just about sunset and there were 8 to 10 of them hunkered down.  Liz threw open the door and growled at them.  You heard a thump, thump, thump as one or two of them hit the window in their effort to escape - poor little things!

This time I was trying to be more "gentle" with them, because as I said, I find the little critters delightful - we don't use the front door that much!

Nifty, Nifty, look who's Fifty!!

Yes, those are Rabbits in the yard... 50 in all. 

 The sign reads as follows:

That's OLD (and a lot of rabbits!)

Memorial Day Weekend

Never, never, never tell your MIL to "go fly a kite" ha!  She and I set up the kites and rather enjoyed them - they flew quite well!

 Butch and Liz went WAY out and watched for critters in the water.  He saw two sharks - one about a 4' and one about 3' - then two HUGE Southern Rays out there.  Maybe I'm glad I was stuck on shore?  Yeah, my doctors appointment on Thursday landed me stuck high and "dry" for two more weeks - drat them!!  I almost didn't even go to the beach I was so bummed I couldn't get in the water... it was too tempting to wade.  I would want to fall in ;o)

This is the first time one of ours wanted to take a friend with her to grandma's.  Lucky girl got to take Ms. S. with her on the trip - they had a BLAST!  Little girls body surfing!

 Yes, that IS Butch in there with them surfing in the shallows!

 Lizzie called in from the outer edges :o)  She enjoyed going WAY out there this time

 No, it won't say what you think when she's done... she's in LOVE with a band called SHINee (Korean Band of all things)

 For someone that got to bring a friend, she's really showing her "good" side right now, eh? 

Sigh.... 11 going on dead!

 I saw this little guy poke his head up from a distance... so I got up and went to track down his hole, just as someone went walking RIGHT through this area.  They buried his hole.  So I was standing and looking quietly when the man behind me came up and asked what I had lost... um, my mind?  I want a picture of this crab :o)  I sat down and he finally came out!

What is going to G-ma's if not Goofy Golf!  A tradition :o)  We had a good time - even if quite a few balls went OFF the course and into parking lots and neighboring holes :o)

 Grandma and Liz wanted in on the paparazzi act too!

Day 16 Post Op and possible last update on the ear...

The good news is that everything is looking good on the ear.  It's looking better and better day by day. I had the stitches out on Thursday the 19th and although they say it was raw, it was/is healing.  The proof is in these pictures.  I had my doubts on if it would heal or not, but looks like this is almost over.  There is one more follow up next Thursday to see how things are doing.  Then I think even they will tell me I'm all done.  I've been "banned" from the pool - I can "swim" but only if I don't get my ear in the water.  To me, that does NOT define swimming, that defines wading and floating.  Sigh.  So no underwater just yet.  Maybe next week.  I'm still on the uber cautious side with it all - as per the doc's instructions.  Covered and gooped up daily.

 The fronts looking very good (even if there was a NICE gray hair right across it in this picture - ha!)

 only one really large true 'goobery' spot still on the ear.  Not looking too bad.  I know most of the middle is still a little raw, but not scabbed like the top, so looking better.

And the other side is barely noticeable anymore... just a thin pink scar that very well could just be a fat crease ;o)

Oh, and a confession - I am pink because of a (shhhh) sunburn!  Yes, I went to the High School yesterday for a few hours to work on the "Load the Simi's" project for the tornado victims of Alabama and got a little cooked while there :o\  and I KNOW better.  Ah, well.  I did sunscreen today while working in the yard.  I'll post those pictures in a bit.

Day 13 post op

Ok, I think I need to give up on the idea that I will KNOW what healing looks like.  Just when I think that things are looking good in my eyes, they change and I think everything looks worse.  Weird.
I used to think the side looked really good, but now that I can zoom in on the side, it's ify at best.  There are just spots that to me don't look healthy, then they will surprise me and pink up and look good again. 

I've heard from a number of folks and I'm always surprised to hear that they had something similar, if not worse done to their ear/neck/lip and I have had no clue about it. I guess until you see it in action, you don't know it has occured. I'm a very visual person and looking through the internet on skin grafts for skin cancer were far and few between with NO detailed steps of "this is what it could look like during the healing process." That's what I wanted to see... I want to see what is "normal" what isn't. Is this right, is this wrong, should it look like this and if it looks like this, what is the true story. I like to be able to look something up and know for sure this is what it should look like if it's healing right. That the gross parts you are seeing here and there aren't the end of the world, that it will heal, that it will look better. Just somethign that would show me that at this stage of healing, you're almost on target. And if I'm OFF target, just how bad it is so I can prepare myself for what the outcome will be. I'm still not sure, looking at everything on the websites. I see some shots that look healthier than mine and there is talk of debriding the dead skin off of those... so I wonder at 2 weeks post op - is this normal.

I guess I'll know tomorrow morning as that is when I go back to the doc and they can tell me if this is normal, if I have to have any of the scab removed. If it's all healthy, or only partially healthy. And the countdown continues.

 Case in point, the back.  Just a few days ago, there was a VERY large dark red spot on the lower half that had me convinced that it was necrotic and dead... now looking at it, it's looking better.  Go figure.  My chiropractor will insist it's the light therapy that he gave me on Monday for healing.  Could be, could be.  I won't discount anything at this point.  It ebbs and flows.

Healing continued...

This view looks so promising... everything is looking healthy and happy.  Well, happier and healthier than it's looked in a while.  This is at day 11 post-op.  Sunday.  After a nice shower and a rinse as I have been told to NOT rub it.  Just let water rinse down on it - period.  Do not disturb the blood supply being created.  Yes Sir, I will do my best, Sir.  I have done just that - no touchy.  I have been putting on the antibiotic cream religiously and to keep it out of my hair, a very loose set of band aids overlapped with the sticky edge from the underside one cut off.  this way none of the adhesive is anywhere near the actual stitches.

Even with all these precautions, I have a sinking feeling that the other side is the horror of what can happen when grafts don't go well.

I keep thinking (hoping):

• It's not THAT bad
• It's getting better
• It may just be a process of the healing
• Really, there is some pink skin in there
• There's not that much blood on the band aids (almost daily)

When I look at the band aids after sleeping and know things are just not going so hot with this site. 
Things are NOT healing as they should.

I guess I just have to hold out hope that all things will work themselves out and that time will make things OK with the back of the ear and be very grateful it's the back and not the front that is looking this rough.  It could always be worse, right?  The whole thing could have died and looked like hell.  Right?
Be happy that it's looking as well as it does.

For love of my BIG yard! And yardwork too!

I decided I should be documenting Butch's work in the yard...only to come out and discover it's RAINING out there!

 Little ones were good and got out as soon as they heard thunder - and started to blow bubbles!

 Then it REALLY started to come down!!

 Butch decided to make a run for it *(Run Forest, Run!)

 An hour or so later and EVERYONE is still enjoying the yard - the big girls playing Boccie Ball in the back....

 The husband still working on his ditch - diligently

 And the little ones back in the pool for more sunny fun!

And where is the Mom?  Working on vinyl today - see the vinyl page :)

The "recovery" (such that it is...)

** note you can safely scroll down ONE page before you get to the gross stuff of the ear**
Look Ma - No stitches... it's been gooped up in this picture, so a little greasy from vitamin E or antibiotics... I can't remember which on that first day.

 Insult to injury the lip with a BIG cold sore.  As of today it's officially GROSS looking with a scab.  The good news?  I know it's almost over with now... scab is the sign that you're almost at the end of the misery.

Ok, you're on the cusp of getting to the gore - do NOT scroll down anymore if you have a week stomach.  It's not looking good and it's made worse by the goop from the antibiotic creams.  I need to take another from today as this was Thursday afternoon.  Maybe after my shower this morning I'll get in there and take another.  It's still bleeding on and off so I don't think it's "looking good" as the doc said.  I try to stay off of it... I try to be aware of what side I'm sleeping on - making for restless nights and it really is tender after being under a bandage for a solid week... being somewhat naked made it rough the last two night sleeping...

ON the plus side, I'm back to enjoying my GLORIOUS wonderful rain shower again :)  It's the little things in life isn't it?

I TOLD you it didn't look pretty - add to it the "goop" in my hair.  GAG.  Then again, this is the first day "in the open" after being in a bandage and having not been rinsed off in the shower either.
It does look a bit better after a good shower, but I swear it's "indenting" a bit more as time goes on.  I don't know if that's normal or not, but it looks horrible.  :(  One more week of stitches and I'll go back again to see if it's healed enough for them to get those stitches out.

You can see the "donor" sight on the back of the ear... it's a bit lumpy, but all in all looking good.

Easter - gone, but not forgotten

Easter was so low key this year, I didn't even remember to bring a camera, nothing.  I was on the mend still and not quite all "there" yet...
Angela got up and went to church with her girlfriend and I was invited to the mothers day breakfast there... but just couldn't manager to talk myself into going as I was on the "limited' hair washing and just felt gungy still  - this was the day I talked Liz into washing my hair later in the day as well... so it did get better :)
AND we went to dinner at Mom and Dad's house.  I managed to make some funeral potatoes for the girls.  I'm still seeking a good recipient.  I have tried a few, however none are that great yet..
The girls were surprised with an egg hunt just as we got to mom and dad's - and they were off!!

 Both diving for the SAME egg!

 Liz coming back with the final egg - the one with a $1 bill in it :)

There were little words of wisdom and change in the eggs.  It made for a fun start to the hunt.  Each also got a basket with a single egg with $5 in it from this Easter Bunny and a stuffed bunny as well as a chocolate bunny.  Liz chucked her "empty" egg at me when she shook it... I told her I would GLADLY take it back - ha!

Sunscreen and misspent youth

In the early 1930's, South Australian chemist, HA Milton Blake, experimented to produce a sunburn cream. The founder of L'Oreal, chemist Eugene Schueller, invented the first sunscreen in 1936. In 1944, Florida pharmacist, Benjamin Green invented a suntan cream in his kitchen that became Coppertone Suntan Cream. In 1980, Coppertone developed the first UVA/UVB sunscreen.

So comes the question – why did we never use it when we were kids?  Hard to know… maybe it’s because it’s touted as giving you a better than, not protecting you from the sunburns.

Happy Mothers Day

Happy Mothers day to all!

These flowers came yesterday from my girls - how pretty, eh?
However, the best present was for Liz to help me get my hair washed today :o)  Really is the little things in life, isn't it? 
Angela invited me to a breakfast at the church, however, 3 days of only dry washing just isn't something I enjoy in hair... and I now have a HUGE lip from a cold sore as well.  I tell you, it's insult to injury.  I guess my poor body is in an uproar from being sliced and diced and is going to tell me all about it.  You would think it could find a better way to express how disgruntled it is.  Ah, well - Lip meds and washed hair and this too shall pass.  I'm just too much of a mess right now to go out in public.