Wednesday thoughts before Thanksgiving

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Today’s been pretty chill, all things considered. Missy had a play-date yesterday with her friends Leah and Jacie and Jacie spent the night after CC took all three (and Josh) to a place called Pump It Up (a warehouse filled with Bounce Houses). The Route 56 group from our church went there last night as off campus activity. The kids said they had a great time, though they came back with some small, minor rubber burns from sliding on the vinyl.

CC got me up in time to go to the doctor appt. this morning which was a follow up appt. to my release from the hospital and since my regular doc is on vacation, I saw his colleague instead. Not much came from the appt. except that we learned that it is possible that the methadone may be contributing to my sweats I get throughout the day, though we still don’t really know. The methadone has done me pretty well, but it may serve me to increase the amount I take to see if it will be of further assistance in my managing the day with pain under control.
We took Joshy with us to the doctor appt. since he’s still having a real challenge with separating from CC. Ever since I went into the hospital, Joshy falls to pieces at CC’s even mentioning that she’s going to go on an errand, let alone going to work or otherwise.

We’re (the kids and me) watching The Adventures of Wallace and Gromit on DVD, thanks to my good friend George from L.A. He sent it up with some other videos for me to watch. Good fun.
Prior to Wallace and Gromit was listening to G3 on the computer again. I found their DVDs on sale on Amazon.com for $13.00 each!! I should have them by Friday. They are my birthday present to me. :-o) I’m also hoping for the out of circulation “Rippington’s Live from LA” video, currently up for sale on EBay. I’ve been waiting to find that video for years and the last time it was up for bid was this year a few weeks ago and I went in the hospital and lost the bid. I’m very hopeful to win it this time. I had owned the video a long time ago, but loaned it to a friend and forgot who I gave it to and never saw it again with no way to find it. I’ve been looking ever since ’97 when I loaned it and I was pretty dosed at the time (recovering from back surgery and taking a silly amount of narcotic). Here’s to hoping. The video truly captures the band’s live experience and is a real gem.
Grrrrrrr…Rats. It’s a few hours after I wrote the above paragraph and I was just outbid and money’s FAR to tight to continue. It was a tough justification to begin with, but I was coming at it from the “birthday present” approach, hoping it would stay in the very low figures. No such luck. Better luck next time, I ‘spose.

It’s been a very low key day and that’s been helpful. I’ve been able to relax and rest to the point of nodding off while typing a while ago. I’ve been considering what to do with my Zambia Diary from 2001 and am thinking that I will create a separate blog for it and create it with each day in the journal being a different blog entry. Same kind of deal as this blog, in that I don’t know who or how many would be interested in it but it would be fun to put it out there for folks to read if they want to. It is essentially my writings while on the trip to and from Lusaka, Zambia. I wrote the diary more as separate letters to CC and kids while I was gone, so many entries are clearly to her and referenced in missing her while away. When I put it together and post it, I will post the link in this blog.

I didn’t watch Mission Impossible III last night, too tired. Perhaps I’ll manage to view it tonight before I go to bed. I realized a big part of the reason that the movie last night depressed me and had such an affect is that it was based on truth and a real storyline, not a fictitious plot. The movie effectively and brutally portrayed humanity’s fallen nature on video and reminded me how vicious “we” can be without Him.

I’d like to ask all of you who pray to please be praying for CC and I as we near and reach the weekend which will present us with a decision regarding my work at FOP and my current condition. With the methadone, my pain is pretty much manageable throughout the day and, depending on the degree, I can walk without the use of a cane, however, the possibility of another attack is anything but removed and controlled at this point and my last two attacks were while I was at work. This decision is more than significant; it will likely determine the next several years of my life.
Confession: In honesty, I’ve been existing far more than actively praying although I DO know the importance of seeking God’s will and direction, especially now. Those inclined to intercede on our behalf prayerfully are sincerely appreciated, and besides, only God will know who you are anyway.

It’s the end of the night for me. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we will be observing it while at CC’s brother’s place in Shingle Springs. I hope your day tomorrow is filled with joy, relaxation and good company.
Blessings-
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