Thanks to all for the "insights". Some of them really helped. Thanks also for the online references you gave me this AM, Greg. Enjoyed the phone call.
Greg, you don't have to read this as I have already told you this story.

I spent Thanksgiving morning with Tara and family. She decided to decorate her tree, so we (the babies and I) helped. After the excitement of that (an 8 and 3 year old decorating - you can just imagine), I tried to just sit back and relax a few minutes before going on duty at the ER. Hannah was standing in front of me and suddenly threw herself on the floor, face down, arms and legs spread. She turned her head to me and said,"I'm Deed(pronounced like deed)." I said,"What?" She said, "I'm deed." and put her head back down. I got on the floor beside her and said Hannah, can you hear me, are you ok. She just lay there. I turned her over and proceded to pretend to give her CPR. After a few minutes of blowing in her face and tickling her chest, I said, "I think she has a pulse." She raised her head and said, "I'm alive." She got up and got her sister in a strangle hold around the neck and threw her to the floor and said, "Memama, Haley's deed."
Kids, they sure can bring laughter into our lives just when we need it most.

I have almost finished my 7 on and it feels like we have worked 7 days of weekend (the holidays and all). It has been a booger in the ER.

Now, I have a question. I know only 3 people read this site, but I would really like some insight to this. I have been reading in Ezekiel (on my way through the Bible) and was reading where the angel was measuring the temple to be rebuilt. In chapter 43, it talks about the glory of God coming back to the temple through the east gateway. I went back to when the glory of God left the temple and it went out the east gate and stood over the Mt. Then the N.T. talks of the star being seen in the East, the wisemen coming from the east, Christ will appear in the east. Seems to be some major importance placed on the east and I was just wondering why. What is the significance of the EAST.
So, if the preacher, the elder and friend who read this site have any input, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks - hope your holidays were enjoyable.

I managed to get through my first week back at work. It wore me out, but I made it. It was actually good to be back. The first night I felt I was moving in slow motion but my speed picked up by the end of our 7 days. I am now attempting to get my house cleaned for a family blowout this Saturday.
For those who are not in the KNOW: this Saturday is the most important weekend of the whole year the ALABAMA/auburn game. My gang is coming to the house for a very loud competition (hopefully to remain friendly). Game starts at 2PM, so some maybe able to hear the yelling of the "War Eagle" and the "ROLL TIDE ROLL" as far away as California.
We are also combining this with our family Thanksgiving (as I will be working Thanksgiving). We will have our dinner before the game, so we can be truly thankful for all family members.
I will be extremely busy over the next couple of days, so am signing off until next Monday. Thanks for dropping by.
Oh and ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Everyone seemed to be really happy on my return to work. The ER wasn't really that busy last night. It could have been because I had only two rooms assigned to me (the cardiac rooms - which at times can be very hectic). I got the report on the only patient I had (this was at 3:00). About 10 minutes later this patient was out of bed in the hall cursing her mother like a sailor and then bolted out of the ER and the hospital. We had to call the police (as they brought her in). I looked around and told a fellow worker, "I've been here for 15 minutes, the only patient I had has bolted, the world is still in orbit, God is in control, I am back in the ED."
The police found the patient and brought her back to the ED. It then took 3 large police to hold her down and 3 of us to put her in restraints. She was given some sedating meds and 30 minutes later, when most people would have been zonked, she got out of 4 point leather restraints. Fortunately for me, I heard the buckles and went to see what she was trying to do and a police detective just happened to be walking into the ED at the same time and we together got her back on the bed and restrained. It took another 30 minutes for the meds to kick in. So that is how my first night back to work went.
Some changes had taken place in the ED, nothing major. It was sure good to get back to work. I felt I was a little slower than I should have been. My pace should pick back up. I didn't feel really tired when my shift was over but I must have been because I slept until 9:45 this AM. I never sleep that late. My back was a little tight, but not hurting when I got home - thank goodness.
I probably will not blog again until next week, unless I get out of bed at an earlier hour tomorrow morning, as I have a few things I need to attend to that will take my time. I know that there should not be anything more important than blogging, but there are people in this world that just don't feel that was and they are called creditors.

And it continues

Yesterday is extended into today. I got up early to cast my vote in the local elections. Went by Waites Tire (the place I called for help yesterday). The owner was there and I told her I was somewhat upset about yesterday. I told her the story and she couldn't apologize enough. She had left the shop yesterday to pick her husband up from the hospital and had left her 20 year old granddaughter to man the phones for her. She said had she been there, she would have brought the compressor to me to air the tire to get me to the shop. She was very upset at her granddaughter for at least not going into the shop area and asking someone who works there if they could help me. She gave me her number and her cell number for if I have problems again. I did buy a new tire from her.
Then, I had an appointment with a CPA who was to help me fill out a form that the IRS is requiring me to fill out on Mom's estate. I met with him and learned this should have been done last year and another one will need to be done next year. Also, I should not have opened an account for the estate of ..... since at Mom's death her properties had already been transferred into the boys and my names. Therefore, at her death the only estate she had was a checking account that was non-interest bearing so all of this could have been avoided, if I had know what I was doing. I had also been told that a 1099 had to be prepared for each of us from the monies that has been dispersed from the insurance received after her death. Today I learned that I don't have to do that as the insurance came to us as the beneficiaries. I was told I needed to close the estate account and open another in just our names. I called the youngest brother, since his schedule is the most flexible and the next to the youngest lives too far away, and asked if he could meet me sometime before the end of the year to take care of this account business. He dropped what he was doing and came to Talladega to help me out. I really appreciated that (I got lunch out of it also).
Got home after 2PM. He came to the house because I had boxed up some of the black amethyst for his Tara and Valerie (also his). We had a great visit and Bible discussion. Rex, like me, had no idea the hassle executing an estate could be. He realized today that he is the executor of 4 wills. He asked me who he had made so mad that we had all made him the executor of our wills. I told him if we really wanted to tick him off we would all die around the same time and really throw him into a tailspin. Actually, I plan to change mine to be the girls now that they are both married and settled. I think together, they can deal with it. Once again, God came through to help me get through another very trying day.
I go back to work tomorrow. I won't blog until I get home from work (around midnight my time) to let you know how the day went.

UPDATE: Went to surgeon this AM. Good report. He stated I'm healing well. I still have lower back pain that has been worse this past week. He said that it was partly from the weather (cold and damp) this past week. He told me I would continue to heal over the next 9 months but I have healed to the point that I could not do anything to harm my back (he doesn't know me very well does he?). The best part of the office visit, he is going to let me start taking anti-inflammatory meds again (that is the only med that helps my back pain). The second best part - I get to go back to work Wednesday. I went by the hospital on my way home to let them know, they are almost as relieved as I am. I am actually looking forward to going back to work and feeling productive again.
After leaving the hospital, my day really began. I had planned to come home, clean house, sew a little, walk and a few other things. I went by the pharmacy to get my Rx filled. Came out, started to drive off and noticed my car driving badly. Pulled across the street to an Auto Zone. Got out to check - What? I'm a girl. I did notice I had a flat tire - on the ground flat. I called a tire center just 3 blocks away and asked if they could send someone up to change my tire. The girl said, "No, we don't do that." I told her I had just spent $600 on tires a few months ago at her business and they couldn't send someone just 3 blocks to help. They will no longer get my business - which with a farm, large truck, tractor, horse trailer, etc = many tires. I went into Auto Zone to see if they could help me. The man behind the counter asked if I had Triple A. I had gotten so upset by that time, I had forgotten about them. Besides, I was hoping someone there could help me. No such thing as being neighborly friendly.
I go back to the car and it takes me 10 minutes to find the Triple A card. I call and get an operator who obviously doesn't understand me. She had to ask her questions 2-3 times each, plus she is talking with a mouth full of mush. After a 20 minute conversation, she finally tells me she has contacted a service and they are sending a man to help me.
Here I am waiting in a rapidly warming car, nothing to eat, been gone from home since 6 AM and it is now after 12. I am told the help will be there in approximately 45 minutes to an hour. 2 hours later, no help. Another person calls from Triple A to see if I have had assistance. When told no, she stated she would check on it and call me back. I hang up and the phone rings. It's the "help" wanting to know directions to where I am, if he comes Highway 21. I ask him from which direction is he coming, that will let me know what to tell him. We finally get that straight, but I am so worked up by now, I forgot to ask where he was, which would have given me an idea of how much longer I had to wait. Turned out the whole ordeal lasted about 3 and a half hours. Took the tire to a service station for repair and it had a piece of metal in it. Still have to buy a new tire real soon. Needless to say the things I had planned to do today will not get done.
Oh, I forgot. On top of all of this, I got a message that the roof to Mom's house has a leak in it. Now why could that have not happened while I had all day, any day to go take care of it. No, it has to happen now as I am about to go back to work. So tonight, I have to go digging through Mom's papers and find the paperwork when she had the roof replaced. Then contact the insurance agent and I don't know what else.
Tomorrow, there is voting for local elections, including govenor. Going to a CPA to get some IRS papers filled out on Mom's estate (I tried doing them but there are 48 pages of instructions to 2 sheets that need to be filled out - decided it wasn't worth it, I'll pay to have it done). The good news just keeps piling up.
I decided that the only good that came out of today, besides getting to go back to work was I got a blog out of it. After all Greg says that's what a day is all about, whether or not you can blog about it. Guess I had a great day from that prospective.

I am nursing my first cold/sinus infection of the year. It started last weekend, and guess I started it off by being in the attic. I tried to doctor myself and finally had to give in yesterday and go to the doctor. Got two prescriptions and come home and went to bed. I had planned to get my house cleaned but just didn't feel like doing anything (achey and cold). Feel better this morning, still have sore throat and running nose but must be some better (other than it being freezing cold here, I don't have that can't get warm cold today). Got up this morning and saw Mom looking back at me in the mirror. It still amazes me that the older I get the more I look just like her.
Guess I will get busy and get this house cleaned before Mike gets home from N. Alabama. Still have the leak under the sink but will put a bucket under there and carry on. As Mom said to me once,"Guess I'll go clean the dustmite crap off the furniture - after all they are little animals." Small incentive to keep the furniture free of dust when you think about it.
Have a great weekend. We have Teri's first baby shower tomorrow and I will give her all your love. She and Josh really appreciate your prayers concerning the adoption of their baby girl (our little "Chinklett" as Josh E. calls her). We are hoping the Chinese government will place our little girl with them this month so they can go get her in December. On another note, I go back to the doctor Monday and am prayerfully hoping he will release me to go back to work Wed. the 8th. Will not have time to blog until I get back from the doc Monday AM. Will let you know what the verdict is. I would also like to thank all of you for your prayers for me during this L-O-N-G recuperation process.

The dreaded pets are back

We have had a problem the last 5 years or so with ladybugs. These are actually Japanese beatles imported by the government. There is no way to kill them(by poison), they stink and they sting (or bite). They generally swarm in the spring. I did not have a problem with them this past spring and thought they had finally disappeared from around here. I was preparing to leave for worship yesterday afternoon, walked out of the house and was attacked by a swarm of my dreaded pets (as Mike calls them). Got home from worship and had little dead bodies all over the dining room and kitchen. I guess my reprieve is over. I have to clean the window sills in Mom's room, the living room and the kitchen every day. At times, it is a twice a day wiping or vacuuming of the sills. I know that every creature God created has a purpose, just can't figure out what the purpose is from some of his creations, especially these little buggers. We have tried insecticides and called the county agency for suggestions. I don't understand why no spray will affect them but they can swarm into the house, fly around awhile and then leave their little dead bodies all over the place. If you step on them they leave yellow spots that won't come up, so we don't try to kill them that way. They also attack you, literally, and bite leaving welts that itch.
I wish the government would leave the plants and bugs in their native countries (like these things, kudzu, etc.). It has never worked when they bring things over to take care of a problem here and probably never will. Never knew why they imported the kudzu.

Apollogies for the misspelled words yesterday. Greg was so sweet to let me know about them (the spell check wasn't working again). If it doesn't work today, ignore them!!!
After blogging yesterday an ache set in to my back and hips. Not sure if it was due to the weather or the fact I had been in the attic the past day and a half pulling down 7 boxes of black amythest glass and what nots of Mom's that I decided to clean up and display. My allergies also started acting up (constant running nose and sneezing continually). That was probably activated by the dust in the attic and unwrapping all that old newspaper around the glass. I had only one unanticipated find. Mom and Dad collected salt and pepper shakers in their travels. I remember her displaying them all over the kitchen. At one time I think she had over 100 sets from all over. I remember her telling me she thought all of them(along with some other treasured items) were lost when they shipped some boxes to Texas on their planned move out there. I found about 10 sets and cleaned them up. Two of them are special to me. One was a tiny white china set that had belonged to Grandmama Mitchell(I know Mom promised that set to you Greg). The other was of Aunt Jemima and Uncly Remus (and she did NOT promise them to you). Got all my finds washed and put away.
Good thing I got that done because this morning we had a gieser in the kitchen. I fixed coffee for Mike this morning and when he came into the kitchen he noticed a puddle on the floor in front of the sink. On investigation, he found the tubing to the sprayer had a hole in it. He disconnected it and turned the water on and it sprayed gieser fashion into the air. Reminded me of something Greg would do. His comment, "I guess we can't do that." This gives me a good excuse to delay cleaning the house until he gets that fixed this evening when he gets home. I think this probable happened to force me to the sewing machine to work on some things I need to get finished before Saturday for Teri's baby shower. As the good book says, "All things work together....."! (I KNOW that is taken out of context, no comment necessary GREG).

Spell check is not working. Please forgive the misspelled words.