Auld Lang Syne....

The traditional song of the New Year....remembering days gone by. It has been a year full of excitement, happiness, illness, and sadness, just like any other year. Some years are more memorable than others. This year of course having an election, a poor economy, storms, and other events will make it stand out in history. I think the most impacting week this year for me was this past week, with many sad events that occurred. Sometimes I wonder why it was that I wanted to be a nurse, and then the challenges that come up with my patients and the fact that I can make even the smallest of differences in their lives to make the excitement more exciting, the painful more tolerable, and the sadness less devastating. Tears are shed, hugs are given, hands are held, sometimes there is just silence, other times words of encouragement are shared. It has only served to strengthen me more than my patients, deepening my faith, renewing my spirit. So, as 2008 departs leaving behind its memories....2009 comes in new, fresh, sparkling with all the fun, excitement, challenges, sadness, laughter, and GRADUATION!!! May we all be blessed with the comfort and love of family and friends to share in the brand new year! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Merry Christmas!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

The days roll on and all the preparation for Christmas seems to take forever and yet it takes a short time for it to be over. The most wonderful part is to have family to share the day with. The kids were all home and we had a terrific day together. There were many surprises and a few glitches where "Santa" seemed to have miss tagged a couple of items, but it worked out well. Natalie opened up a Wii game, yet she doesn't have a Wii. Well, after to trying to figure out where things went wrong (sort of) I realized I had forgotten a present that was put in a "safe place", the Wii! So, she was even more surprised. I got wonderful gifts. I have the adobe photoshop elements 7 to play with and it came with a scrapbooking disk!!! I got a small computer, it is so cute, and will be wonderful to travel with, perfume, and other wonderful things. I most loved the handmade card and heartfelt note written by Callie....it was so special and tears welled in my eyes. Caitlin got a much needed camera and it will be great for taking pictures on her trip to Colorado, although I think she prefers the diamond necklace that her boyfriend, Adam gave her! ;-)

Callie got everything on her list, and Paul got lots of stuff and much needed money. Manuel got an array of things. We woke up late, took naps, ate a wonderful meal, watched movies and had a peaceful day. Tomorrow will be back to the normal rat race, so to speak. Having a day all together is what life is about, a real blessing.

Ahhhhh.....

Last night it was such a delight to finish my last school assignment for 2008. Hitting the send button was such an act of freedom. Today, Candy and I went shopping all day. It was such a treat to be able to go out and not have to worry and fret over what assignment was due when. I did get a final grade of 100% in the Budget class!! We got quite a bit of shopping accomplished. I did well at the Coach store, bought a purse and wallet with my birthday money (which was months ago). I finished up some Christmas Cards tonight, and have only a little bit of wrapping of presents to do! I have been busy sending Smilebox Christmas Greetings as it has been difficult to get time to write cards. Now, I did make a Christmas card....here it is:

The issue is it needs to be printed out in a 4x8 size, however, my printer doesn't do this, and CVS and Walgreen's have 4x8, but only print their own cards! They could have charged me the same, I put the darn thing on a disk....but NO! ;-)I had the same issue last year except I didn't try CVS or Walgreen's! This is the Smilebox version:

Make a Smilebox greeting

Anyway, I went through my bedside drawer and found some email addresses from different parts of the world for Manuel's cousins, and I have them all entered and sent out the Smilebox to them as well. Maybe, just maybe, we'll get a bit more connected.

Callie is watching movies with her friend Emily, the cats are all curled up and sleeping. Life is so peaceful and the best part...No Homework!!!!

PARTY FUN!

I have to give it to Candy,she puts on a really good party. I even was up and dancing, though I'm paying for it with sore knees now. How could I not participate in the Cha-Cha Slide?? There was a lot of laughter and of course the Karaoke....we had a couple of good singers, Evan and John. The rest of us just mangle the songs, but have fun doing so. Some of the girls got a bit wild, but we won't let any secrets out, what happened at the party stays at the party, though, I have proof! And I just want to ask, Liz, what were you thinking drawing a tramp stamp on by back with as Sharpie????

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

On another bright note, only two papers to go, and I'll officially be on Christmas break and my shopping is nearing and end! Whoohooo!!!

Christmas Party!!!

Today is Candy's annual Christmas party! I've done some baking for it. My knee is doing pretty well today, it is osteoarthritis and for now, no surgery! :-) The weather has been cooler which I quite enjoy, I have more energy, although in New England they are having ice storms and many have lost power. The Christmas shopping is getting close to being done! Then comes the wrapping of the gifts. I still haven't gotten things together for Christmas card. I have finished on paper and a powerpoint, three papers to go!

Diagnosis....

I have been limping and hobbling around like a crotchety old goat for weeks. It has been rather painful to be honest, but I keep on going. I was coaxed into getting a knee brace to quite my husband and some of the docs I work with, it really didn't help much, but maybe it did I don't know for sure. I start of moving slow and stiff and the get momentum, however the pain and clicking and popping are most annoying. Today was my appointment with the orthopedic doctor. I med him a few weeks ago on my unit, we talked, and I caved in! :-) It was a good appointment, I even with the x-rays! Yipee. The meeting with the doctor was painless for the most part and he wanted to hear about my knees. Basically, all my life I've had trouble, but kept on going, etc. I explained about my experience with the Wii fit and the unforgettable spin class, and the fall on the tarmac several weeks later, but "I was fine" I say. Diagnosis: I most likely have a meniscus tear on the lateral part of me knee and I have arthritis! I was shocked. It is pretty extensive I guess a 6 out of 10! Who would have known??? Not me, that is for sure. Really? I said, and then he x-rays were explained. I'm still in a bit of disbelief, he said he wasn't expecting this from someone my age...(sure make me out to be young now....Hahahahahaha). So, the next step is an MRI on Tuesday and an appointment with the results next Thursday. Actually, the knee feels a bit better...I did go to Candy's and met up with her and Liz to help put out Christmas decorations. Then I went to Kohl's, shopping always makes me feel better, then I got Callie from school, went to the grocery store, made a salad, and watched a little t.v. The HDTV is now working, this will surely make the husband happy with his new monstrosity of a t.v.! Whatever works. Then it was some homework for several hours and this is my escape...I'm off for some rest. Have to meet up with Candy for more school work in the morning....this too shall pass!

December....

It's here! The month of December....Peace on Earth, Goodwill and all the excitement for Christmas. The month that ends our calendar year. It has been hard for me to write "12" for the month, where did November go???? It's been a rapid passing year. The tree is up, it is very pretty tree, full and even, not decrorated, but it is up. Manuel and the girls bought new lights, I can't wait to see them on the tree. Some of my Christmas shopping is done. I have ideas, I just need get with it! I've been a bit slow moving these days. Since Caitlin had her kidney stone, I've had issues with my left knee. It doesn't want to bend, it hurts, its somewhat swollen, so my co-workers tell me, and did I say it hurts, because, it does from the knee up to the hip and the knee down to the sole of my foot! I did see an orthopedic surgeon in passing a few weeks ago...the words "it could be scoped" scared me...something about "age" was also mentioned, all I remember saying was...."I'm not going down with out a fight, kicking and screaming all the way"...okay, I may be kicking and screaming but because the knee is getting worse. So, I've diagnosed it, a torn meniscus. It's a "c" shaped ligament in my knee. Looking up the information, I have the 5 signs. I think it may have been from the fall I took after Callie's recital...you know, after the traumatic spin class left me for dead!!! It's left me hobbling and occasionally with a yelp because of the snapping an crunching that makes a sharp electrical type pain up my leg. I have made and appointment to have it checked out, I'm not happy about it, but I sure can't go on like this. My co-workers are thinking that it's a ploy to get the holidays off! After all, last year it was the gallbladder...geesh, I'm falling apart!