Light at the End of the Tunnel

I had to go to my orthopedic surgeon yesterday. He didn't want to do the cortisone injection(for reasons that deserve another post), so he gave me pills that do the exact same thing.

Strangely, I didn't feel a heavy weight when I went to the doctor. I knew that something had to be done. I had decided that I wasn't leaving until we collectively decided on a new course of action. He told me the risks, but I knew it was take the pills or hurt.

So, I'm taking the pills as directed. I can't wait to have some relief! I won't know what to do with myself. I'll keep you posted.

Memories Rewind: Who needs a Dollhouse when You've got a Soybean Mill?

Some girls play in doll houses, but when you live in the country you take what you can get.

As soon as I got home from school, I'd go play. One day my brother was wandering around outside and I wanted to tag along. We saw our daddy's soy bean silo. All it took was one look, and curiosity got the best of us. My brother climbed the ladder first. I was cautious, but he was a gentleman and helped me down.

Once inside, it was great. Granted, it wasn't the pink doll house with black shutters that I'd always wanted, but it had space--and lots of it. We could be whatever we wanted to be in there. Superman and his trusty side kick could save innocent bystanders from the burning building, we could have put shows...or we could play with each other. What a concept!

Sometimes, we'd sit and talk. Since it was so deep our voices would echo. Being the boy that he is, he loved to see who could scream the loudest. Of course he didn't say, "Let's have a screaming contest." He'd just start screaming. Then I'd scream. If someone would've have passed by the silo they would've thought something was wrong.

Other times, we'd pretend we were farm workers filling the soy bean silo to the top. My brother liked to climb the sides. Those were the days of simple clean fun. We didn't have a video game system 10 years ago to entertain us. We used our imagination. We didn't spend hours texting, either.

To the naked eye, the silo looked like a big hunk of metal coming out of the ground, but to a kid the possibilities are endless. Once I imagined I was Rapunzel and I let my long hair flow down the ladder. Since we'd found out that a soy bean silo wasn't just for beans, we made it our mission to go there every day. It was our secret hideout. We had hours of uninterrupted play time that turned into some of my best childhood memories.

A New Look at Weddings

I saw something the other day that I just had to share.
Wedding Party Boogey Down Shared via AddThis

*Click the above link to view the video. It wouldn't let me save it, so this is the next best thing.*

I thought this was a pretty neat idea. I've seen the show Rock the Reception on TLC, but this video took that a step further. Rock the Reception features couples who don't want a traditional first dance. They hire a choreographer to make a routine that will knock the socks off of the wedding guests, making it an unforgettable night. This video features a couple that make a statement when it counts. Watch this video to see what had me laughing and dancing to the music! What did you think? Did you love that they tried something different? Or do you prefer to keep weddings traditional and leave the show off moves on the dance floor, not in a church?

Some Thoughts

I don't want to write a frivolous post just to fill up space and say I posted. I want it to mean something. The reason I decided to post about this is because of a conversation with my grandmother. Not just any conversation, a gut wrenching conversation that brought up so many feelings that I tried to push back.

We talked about how that it doesn't do any good to be bitter about the situation because that can't change what happened or aid in your own recovery. My grandmother said that being bitter won't help the other person heal either. She's exactly right.

I thought about what we talked about. I've been thinking A LOT lately. I'm sure you've all heard the question: "What kind of pain is worse, emotional or physical?"

There are many opinions, but I'll give you mine. I think they both have a level of pain. It really depends on the situation. Here's how I see it: Emotional pain is worse because you can't see the pain getting better, you can only feel it. With physical pain, you see the pain getting better because of a scar. That's a symbol of healing. You don't have that with emotional pain. That pain is sometimes like a gaping open wound that stays open. Doctors can give you medicines to help you heal physically, but God is the one that helps you with your emotional pain. He knows exactly what you're feeling and He longs to take that pain from you and replace it with His love. In some cases, there is nothing that no one can say to ease the emotional pain.

People say that time heals all wounds. I guess that's partially true. It's up to you if you move on or not. Time isn't the deciding factor. It has a little to do with it, but it's ultimately up to you. You get to decide whether a situation, a decision will make you bitter or better. You decide how you feel about the situation, just like you decide whether or not today will be a good day.

What do you think is worse: physical or emotional pain?

Memories Rewind: Elevator Reject

Image Credit: Elevator © Pam Roth

I look back in vacations with fond memories, some more vivid than others. It was the summer of 1996. My mom, dad, my brother, and me piled into our black Jimmy and drove off. There was an excitement in the air because we were going on vacation--escaping reality for a week. We were bound for Corpus Christi, Texas.

The ride was long and the hot leather seats didn't help any. I made myself comfortable with my favorite pillow and went to sleep. My brother was my personal travel guide. I never had to ask, "Are we there yet?" because he did every 10 minutes.

Finally, we arrived. We unloaded our bags and got settled in our room. Being kids, we explored every inch. We jumped on the beds. We had to make sure they were comfortable.

When we got tired of being inside, we headed for the beach. We let the salty air fill our nostrils while chasing each other. We made sandcastles instead of worrying about homework. We drew our names in the sand, letting everyone know WE were there. This only lasted for a few seconds before the waves erased them. They made sure to let us know we were on their territory and that they were the bosses.

We were tired from playing so we got ready for bed. We needed rest for the next day's adventures. Who am I kidding? Mama had to make us go to sleep.

The next day we were raring to go. We got up before Mama and Daddy. My brother and I finally managed to wake Mama up. I think she enjoyed those extra minutes of sleep. We got in the elevator to go to the lobby. Mama needed some coffee. It was in a Styrofoam cup with splashes of pink and green. She could hardly hold her eyes open. I thought Mama was coming straight for the elevator, so I jumped back on.

Little did I know, she wanted to stop by the gift shop. It was too late the doors were already closing. My brother raced to the elevator. He tried with all of his might to get the doors open enough so I could get out.

The elevator had different ideas. It shut its doors. I thought, "Man, what have I gotten myself into?"

I bent my knees with my hands bent, praying that the elevator would carry my safely to Floor 11. I peered up as the elevator beeped, letting me know I had reached Floor 1....Floor 2...Floor 3. This went on forever. I was holding my breath, fearing that if I let it out something might happen. Floor 8...pause. What was wrong with this elevator? I could count. 9 comes after 8! It didn't make the beeping noise. "Was it stuck?"

"If it gets stuck how will they find me?"

A few minutes passed. Floor 9...Floor 10...Floor 11. "Ding!" The elevator doors opened and I let out a sigh of relief. Evidently, the elevator didn't need me for a hostage. I guess I got on its nerves. It probably preferred an older person because he/she would sleep through the whole ordeal.

Weekend Recap

Nothing exciting happened this weekend. We ordered Mexican and had a movie night. We watched InkHeart. Interesting, captivating...just good. It keeps you in suspense. Have any of you seen it? It was a relaxing weekend at home.

We've tried to make Friday movie nights since I can't sit without being in pain at the movie theater. This way I get to enjoy the movie without having to endure the ride back home. Don't get me wrong, I love going to the movie theater, but I've decided it just isn't worth the pain. I know it won't be like this forever. I will be able to go to the movies eventually.

Saturday we didn't get to do anything because of me. I always encourage Mama to get out whenever she wants because I know it does her good. No one wants to be cooped up in the house. She went to Wal Mart for a few things but that was it.

What did you do this weekend? Go to dinner? Stay in? I want to know how my lovely readers spent their weekends.

Are They Listening? They Are Now

I'm sure you're all wondering what happened at my doctor's appointment. We've been at a standstill where my pain management is concerned for a while now. I'll explain everything in another post(or two).

We usually go every three months to get refills, discuss what's working and what's now. I've been in a lot of pain here lately. I've been dealing with bursitis pain for about two years. I've been coping pretty well until now. There's a time when I can't deal with this level of pain anymore, and this is it. That's saying a lot because I have a pretty high pain tolerance.

I laid it all out on the table at this appointment. I need some relief. I've had some ups and downs with some doctors, but I think they finally understand that I know what I'm talking about. I know my body. Finally, they decided to have a round table discussion about me. I wholeheartedly approved of this. I told them that they would probably come to a solution if other people were in there. After all, a fresh set of eyes can do wonders for a situation.

I'm supposed hear back from my orthopaedic surgeon on Monday.

I'm thinking about doing a tutorial on how to make sure you can enlarge all of the photos on your blog. Would you be interested?

The Quest to find a Smoothie wasn't so Smooth

*Click to enlarge photo*



As you know we were supposed to get a smoothie after my doctor's appointment. Yeah, not so simple.

My love for smoothies started a few years ago after one of my surgeries. I was in the hospital and it was the day for me to go home. I had a catheter in that had to come out before I could be discharged. My doctor wanted me to drink, drink, and drink some more. Several hours had passed without me going to the bathroom. My grandparents asked me what else I wanted to drink. I'd had water, juice, and anything else you could think of. My grandfather saw a smoothie place downstairs and decided to bring me one. I still remember it vividly. It was a orange smoothie with pineapple and lots of other yummy fruits. I took one sip and I was in heaven. It didn't take me long to drink the whole thing. My grandfather made a mistake when he brought me that. I was hooked. It was so smooth and refreshing and much better than Coke. I drank at least two or three. (I finally went to the bathroom).
I've never forgotten that smoothie. I had another surgery in that same hospital a few years later. I asked Mama, "Will you go get me one of those smoothies from that smoothies place?" She came back with bad news. The smoothie place was closed. I couldn't believe it. Closed? Why? It was closed for renovations. The hospital had good food--they had Chic-Fil-A for goodness sakes, but the smoothies were fantastic. Ever since I found out they closed, I've been on the hunt for another good smoothie place. Not just any smoothie place, but one that would make your for your worries for just a little bit.

While grabbing Chic-Fil-A after a previous doctor's appointment, I saw something that caught my eye--Tropical Smoothie Cafe & Deli. "Hmm," I thought. It looked good, but we didn't have time to stop. I mentally filed it away for future reference because I'm always on the lookout for a good smoothie place.

Mama told me if I looked up the address online, we would go after my doctor's appointment. I got the address and put it in my phone for safekeeping. I like to know what others say about a new place before I visit, especially since I'd experienced smoothie letdown before. I read the reviews. Everyone who had been said the place was awesome. It was settled. We were going to the Tropical Smoothie Cafe & Deli.

My doctor's appointment was over. I was excited to try this place. Mama put the address in the GPS and off we went. After about thirty minutes, I asked Mama how much longer. I did not think it was this far away from he hospital. We spotted a Ross, lots of great Mexican places. I thought we were close. Boy, was I wrong. We weren't downtown anymore. We went down lots of little side roads with gas stations and dry cleaners on every corner. I was beginning to wonder if the GPS leading us astray.

The GPS finally said, "8.7 miles." Whew, I thought, not much longer." I was looking for the place since Mama was having to watch the road. We came to a hospital. I remembered a review I read said the smoothie place was right across the hospital. I looked right, I looked left, but no smoothie place in sight. We were tired, we were hungry. I told Mama, "You won't hear me say anything about a smoothie again." It's not worth all of this. The GPS told us to go left, but the street we were supposed to go on wasn't on the left.

I reminded Mama that I was okay with just getting something to eat. "You can pick wherever you want to eat. I don't care anymore." We ended up getting Chic -Fil-A because it was the closest. Even though we didn't find the smoothie place, I found out that a shop in my town sells smoothies. Go figure.

Image credit: Pioen from Photobucket

Memories Rewind: Flying Swing Set

Brothers and sisters are always competitive. Let me rephrase that, kids in general are competitive. One day my brother said, "Wanna race on the swing set?"

"Sure," I said. We took our rightful places in our swing of choice. I always knew which one was mine because the blue plastic was wearing off of the handles probably from my death grip. My brother gave me his signature deep concentration stare and I returned the look with one of my own-complete with an eye squint and off we went.

We were pumping our legs as fast as they would go. We looked like we were boxing in mid air. My brother glared over at me, noticing I was winning. Not one to be out done, he said, "I'm gonna beat you!" He pumped and he pumped. I started feeling like we were flying. Then I heard it--

Squeak!

Each time my brother was going higher and higher, the swing set was coming up out of the ground. My brother was determined to win. He said, "Ha! Ha! I'm beating you!" Trying to be the voice of reason amidst testosterone, I said, "Slow down!" He ignored me. The next time he went up in the air, the swing set flipped over and we fell to the ground in a heap.

I loved being right. I said," I told you so" as I walked off leaving him to figure out how he was going to explain to Mama that our swing set flipped over. If he'd thought about it, he could have said, the swing set didn't like me so it body slammed me to the ground.

This, That, A little bit of Chit Chat

Not much happened over the weekend. We did manage to find good homes for all the puppies. We could have gotten rid of most of them in one day, but we wanted to give the Mama time to adjust to them leaving. The last two will be gone on Thursday or Friday.

My physical therapist is on vacation, so that means I don't have to go. I still have to do the exercises though, but it's nice to have a break from going to the same place twice a week. I had a pretty painful weekend. I listened to some music so I wouldn't think about about the pain.

I'm going to my pain management doctor tomorrow. We're going to stop at a smoothie place on the way back. Gotta have some fun, right?!

ETA: Here's the latest pics of the puppies(yes, they're mixed). She was put up like we always do but a stray dog got in there somehow. We just made the best of the situation. They're getting ready to go bye bye. This is just for you Duckie. :)






Aren't they cute?

Memories Rewind: Ice Cream Truck

Summer brings with it the anticipation of many things-no school, time to do whatever we want, and fun in the sun. It also brings tasty treats. Treats like Brown Cow chocolate bars, orange sherbet push in brightly colored wrappers, strawberry bars with chunks of fresh fruit sprinkled throughout.

It was a scorcher in the summer of 3rd grade. My brother and were at my aunt's house because she volunteered to babysit. My brother and I were sitting on the couch, entertaining the little ones with a game of Go Fish. We were deep in thought, contemplating our next move. My aunt broke the silence by saying, "Does everyone have change for ice cream today?" Then we heard it-that distinctive song only played by ice cream trucks. The song beckoned us to come get some sugary goodness. Everyone barged thorough the door, clamoring to get to the truck. The jingle of quarters rang in my ear. One kid got a drumstick dipped in chocolate with vanilla ice cream. Another got an orange sherbet push up. As he pushed the wrapper to release the ice cream, it trickled down his cheek. I was dying over there!

I was next in line. The old man tried to tempt me with new flavors but I knew what I wanted. "A chocolate ice cream, please," I told him. I've always loved chocolate ice cream. I like a few others too, but he didn't offer those.

Every time I see an ice cream truck I think of those carefree summers with chocolate ice cream dripping down my hand. There's just something nostalgic about a sweet, old man taking time out of his day to put smiles on children's faces.

Weekend Recap

My mom and I went to Belk in Seneca. It had much better sales than the one where I live. On the way to get something to eat, I spotted a Bath and Body Works sale, so of course we turned around. They were having there semi-annual sale. Sadly, it wasn't as good as years past. I remember when they had the antibacterials 5 for $10. Mama was needing a few things, but we looked around for a bit because I was tired and in pain. Not a good combination. We were able to get out and go somewhere new for a little bit so that was good. I've learned to be thankful for those trips, even if they're not long because I remember when I couldn't stay in Wal-M@rt for ten minutes due to hip pain.

We had a laid back Fourth this year. My mom grilled filet mignon just for our little family not a whole crowd. She wanted steak from one of her favorite restaurants, but they were closed. She said the price of the filet mignon at the store equaled about what the takeout would have cost.

My cousin didn't do fireworks until last night. I was kinda bummed because I thought he was doing them on the Fourth so I rested all day to have enough energy.

Stay tuned for the next edition of Memories Rewind! It involves old men and sweet treats.

Fourth of July

Fireworks and laughter fill the air

Family and friends gather around the table that covered in delicious food and scrumptious desserts
The grandparents reminisce about times gone by, with the familiar chirping of crickets nearby

Kids wait in anticipation, their breathing barely above a whisper, for the firework to make a beautiful display in the sky

The older kids are allowed to stay up past their bedtime to join in the fun that happens at dusk

As the first firework makes a loud "Boom, Crack, Pop", the people across the street let out a piercing scream

All of these sounds come together, a chorus of different sounds that come together to make one beautiful sound

What sound is it you ask? The sound of freedom

As you celebrate with your families, remember our troops that risk their lives daily for our freedom

Whether you're celebrating with a barbecue or a picnic, we've all come together for a common cause

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Black, White, Hispanic--it doesn't matter We're blessed to live in America.

Each time you take your little baby to the grocery store, you're not thinking about someone bombing the store--don't take that for granted

American soldiers would give anything to accompany their wife and child to the grocery store


Each time your teenager goes bowling with his friends--don't take that for granted

Soldiers don't get much down time, they have a 24/7 job


Each time you get in your car to go somewhere--don't take that for granted

The American soldiers have to watch every step they make for fear of a roadside bomb


Each time you get to go to school--don't take that for granted

The Iraqi children would love to have the opportunity to dread homework

Happy 4th!

Image credit: Google

Therapy and an Award

Elissa, from 17 and Baking gave me the fabulous lovely blogger award. Elissa is a sweet smart girl who can bake like nobody's business. If you don't know her, you should definitely check her out.




I'm supposed to pass it on to 10 other lovely bloggers.

Melanie at Big Mama

Miranda at A Duck In Her Pond

Whitney at My Journey Toward: The Glamorous Life of a Housewife

Michelle at Oeil Photography

Erin at Just a day in the life of this Mommy

The girls at Four Sisters Farm

Ashley from The Linam 3... soon to be!

Keri at The Boyd Girls

Hopsy at Mongrams and Manicures

Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

I love reading all of your blogs! Thank you for taking the time to comment, they make my day!

I've just finished therapy, so I'm tired. I wanted to post about this award before I forgot. I iced my hip, so I get some relief shortly. I know I haven't said a lot about myself, but I've got something up my sleeve for my two year blogoversary, which is coming up soon!

Edited to add: If you want to comment on this post, click at the top of this post, not the bottom. I've labeled each post to make it easier for you. That's my only pet peeve about this layout. Oh well, I don't know how to change it.