New Years Greetings on Wednesday, January 3rd, 2007

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Wow. Time just keeps flying by without even slowing just a little bit…as noted in the last post from last night, this past weekend, though monumental in terms of the calendar year, flew by with the presence of my parents here helping us complete some household tasks we could not accomplish without help. I cannot begin to express my gratitude.

Two major accomplishments which have been tasks for several months now, and with my health in its current state seemed impossible to pursue, were to sand and paint our master bathroom (paint was chipping in the ceiling as well as the walls) and to install a bathroom fan in the same bathroom. We succeeded in beginning and finishing these jobs thanks to my dad and mom covering the bulk of the jobs.

Current music is old school KISS from Strutter to KISS Alive. Some “Cold Gin” mixed in there as well. No one says “I’m so Tired” quite like Mr. Simmons…Gotta love it. Song now: “I love It Loud!”. HUGE bass drum and gang vocals. It’s refreshing to go back to some simple rock and roll basics, like KISS. Moving on-

I’ve realized that I did not share what Christmas Day and evening was for us. On a previous blog entry I noted that we were heading to my Aunt and Uncle’s in Roseville, to celebrate Christmas dinner with them and their two sons (my cousins) and our dinner was wonderful; time enjoyably spent with family. After dinner, it was presents time which I thought were gifts from family but they were, in fact, gifts that had been brought to their house anonymously earlier that morning in expectation of our arrival that afternoon. This was a complete surprise and just floored us. Someone had brought gifts for my children, my wife and me including gift cards for a grocery store and gas card as well. All without names. I have no way to thank anyone except through this, so please know, whoever you are, that you have completely blessed me and my family deeply and you have showed a love for us that I thought almost inconceivable. I don’t mean that in some self-abusing manner or pity party, but the selflessness of whoever did this act of kindness was so far out of the realm of my level of expectation that I was left without words to say. The pic shows and excited young girl on Christmas night.
As CC and I drove home, we shared in our shock with each and tried to speculate (fruitlessly) as to who might have orchestrated or done this loving act. We discussed our recognition that regardless of church politics, church business, rules and employee handbooks, the CHURCH itself is alive and thriving while providing for those who are in need. I’ve spent my career on the OTHER side of the fence and have heard of the church in this sense but never had the touch of it in our lives until now. She and I long for that aspect of church life but my business has always gotten in the way due to the schedule and constraints of the facts and regulations as they pertain to my responsibilities, if that makes sense. Had it not been for many of you who have come to our aid and blessed us with food and other means, we would be trashed, thrashed and in need of a place to live, etc. That sounds pretty drastic, but it IS circumstances like these that are the cornerstones to people loosing their grip on family and home and finding themselves without a home and all of its trappings. Thank God that we have the close and extended family we do have or I don’t know that we would have made it this far. Christmas night was one to remember for the rest of our lives and our children’s lives as well. Those who contributed, may God bless you as tenderly as you have blessed us.

Today, Joshy and I spent the bulk of the day together while Nana and CC were at Nana’s appt. and Missy then went with CC to go shopping with her gift cards she got at Christmas. One of the seriously cool things from this time with Joshy was recording a portion of a song idea together. He picked out a drum loop he like and I put it in the multi track software and he wanted to play guitar to the beat first then keyboards. I don’t know how to include any audio onto the web or I’d link it for you to check out purely for the entertainment of it. It was the first time he and I actually sat down and DID something like that. He was both embarrassed and proud at the same time when we played it for a very excited mom and sister who came home just as we finished. That is seriously cool in my book. Here’s a pic from that moment:

Now it’s “Sweet Emotion” via Aerosmith…

I got a call from MetLife on Sunday evening, saying that it is my responsibility to get the info that they are requesting form Kaiser or my claim will be closed. After my shock, I called them back and hit back at the person who answered and said that it was incredible bad form to call me on New Years Eve to dump that on me when everyone’s on vacation and there’s nothing I can do about it. They said it was my responsibility to get them the information because it is in my bets interests to help them get the info they seek so I can receive benefits. They threatened to cut off any short term benefits I might be receiving through them until they get what they want…I explained that it’s a joke to me that their company is so detached from itself to not have their own facts straight and know that I’m not receiving ANY benefits at this point and WON’T be receiving any until sometime in February, assuming I DON’T go back to work as I’m planning to do in February. Okay, I wasn’t quite so in their face as I felt like being, but the flavor was certainly conveyed. I was so pissed off. A call earlier in the day, previous to that call in the evening, had another person from the same company calling to say that we’d begin to receive benefits in January…completely opposite of what we had been told previously, so I called them back and asked them if this was IN FACT correct and they said whoever called was mistaken…IN-FRICKEN-CREDIBLE. I scolded them for that stunt as well. Sunday was an emotional rollercoaster between all the phone calls.
Also on Sunday, Joshy, my mom and I attended the 9:30 service at FOP and I got to see several of my team during service. That SERIOUSLY warmed my heart and gave me strength for the rest of the day. Since no one expected me, I think most were fairly surprised at my attendance. Craig Fetter was guest-mixing for the 11:00 FLC service (formerly always referred to as SML or Sunday Morning Live). That was always a blast to see him back in the dress black logo’d shirt and all. There are new faces on the crew which is very cool but kind of awkward since I don’t know who they are and I’m still the guy over the crew, but then, I’m not there and I’m in absentia, so to speak. I’m very encouraged that things are going as smoothly as they appear at this point. No mistake, I KNOW how tough and difficult it is. My heart is solidly with the crew and their work. They rock.

The pic here is of the cabinet/shelving I made the other day after receiving the bombshell that we would not receive ANY Short term Disability. It was a good "constructive" use of my energy.

New Years eve was pretty quiet and because of all the day’s work on the bathroom, I was horizontal by 9 PM, though I didn’t manage to get to sleep before 1:00 AM thanks to my CHILDREN who just HAD to stay up late to celebrate the New Year. Actually, it was cool as most New Years Eve’s are, just lower key is all. I watched the “Ace of Cakes” marathon on the Cooking Channel. That was actually fun to watch. The guy (Duff) is incredible. Also, we got a call around 12:20 AM from my niece Kirsten in Hungary! How cool is that?! My sister and her youngest went to visit Kirsten just after Christmas so we are waiting for their return this month before we celebrate Christmas with them. Kirsten comes back in February and we are SO EXCITED to see her upon her arrival at the airport.

One of the things I have reluctantly followed over the past few weeks is the public war of words between Donald Trump and Rosie O’Donnell. From all that I have observed, Trump didn’t throw the first punch and didn’t see the it coming either, but I’ve never known him to back down form a fight in the papers or media and this one is no exception. I clicked on the link to Rosie’s site and was impacted by her then latest blog entry which I’ll include here:

Posted by ro on December 29th at 5:57pm in home:
it is hard adjusting to re fame

i find myself getting angry

wasting timein the dark
swamp people-we like what is familiar

u r fat u r ugly

worthless
i fell out of the new kayak

the kids thought it a riot

blake said i was 2 heavy

i think he is right
vivi is 4

and not a baby anymore

as i was drying off

she walked over to me
u ok mama

yes i said

embarrassed

a little ashamed
she took my hand

it’s ok 2 b big
quoting her favorite todd parr book
life the search for clean water in a swamp

journey on

stranger/friends

After reading this entry, I was struck with a small window of view into her life pain of just being her with her life issues. On the one hand, I feel badly for her and some of her circumstances, however, she has crafted much of her life and has only herself to hold accountable. She’s very upset about a number of different social and governmental issues, not the least of which is gay rights and respect, and she uses her site to vent her feelings and thoughts in a very public way. I’m not much different in my venting as well, but I’m not in the public eye and the attention she seems to seek, I think, will likely only bring more pain. I’m not being critical of her choice to vent either, but I’m concerned for the repercussions, I guess. I used to use my gifts in music to reach out to the Jr. High and High School kids of California for Christ and His message and was not apologetic about it, so I don’t suppose it appropriate for me to be critical of those in positions of fame to use their fame in an effort to change the political landscape as I tried to change the spiritual one. Of course, I doubt Rosie or any other person of fame gets the spiritual crap beat out of them for siding against God and His Word. I DO know that if you pursue His work and His call on your life that your life becomes pierced on a daily basis by spiritual shrapnel from enemy emotional and egocentric detonations. We bleed daily from these wounds, seeming unseen and unperceived in many cases; just painful interactions with those you love and respect which are tainted and results of the heart’s blood from these attacks of self. I don’t know if that makes sense to anyone else but me, but I see it pretty clearly in my nearsighted mind’s eye.

Listening to Steven Curtis Chapman’s “Dive” from “Speechless”. Hearing this tune takes me straight back to driving the Highways and Freeways of Dallas Texas, blasting that CD in the rental car, in pursuit of seeking out the better church sound system designs on behalf of my then employer, MPPC in Menlo Park. I learned so much on that 2 week trip to Texas, Illinois, and Tennessee about system design and application. I think it was pivotal in my career.

Today, Wednesday, has been also a day of filling out STUPID amount of forms and paperwork for MetLife and Kaiser as it seems that each points the finger at the other as to information stoppages. Simply amazing. We had hoped to get out and do more but no such luck. I did take Joshy for a quick, around the block, bike ride; a test for me to see if I could do it or not and to se if there would be any punishment for it and so far, no punishment other than my complete exhaustion. I go from walking with a cane most of last week to riding a bike for about 15 minutes…a bizarre route of life for now, I guess. The nausea has been less and less for the most part but that’s an aspect of my trials that I SO don’t understand in the midst of all of this crap. Why that? *sigh*
All these forms have you answer yes or no to the questions then “please explain” on the one or two lines provided. Their questions get pretty damn invasive. Pissed me off to have to fill out the forms in the first place then to answer such personal questions but bugs me deep. You could just say “oh Wade, just let it go. Don’t let these little things get you down” and I’d probably reply “duck!” and then throw a punch…kidding…kinda…kinda not…know what I mean?

It’s now a new month and we are back in the place of grasping for some manner to cover this month’s mortgage payment again. Last month, the church came though in the final moments and saved us and now we are within 12 days of running out of time again. *sigh* I know there MUST be an end in sight but it doesn’t feel like it, seem like or look like it and my panic runs just beneath my skin, not yet completely visible. I’m somewhere between hating and detesting having to ask for help, but I have been counseled by close friends that there is no shame in it (though it feels like it) and that Jesus often asked those He was healing and caring for, what it was that they wanted, though He knew before they said it. One of the keys was that they needed to voice their need to Him. I’m trying to take refuge in that but it is harder than it writes.

This shot is from the most recent Halden visit. Note the boys are no long "little" any more in any respect and we have men in the house now. Cool.

Well, more to write and another time. Sorry to have been delinquent in my giving here.
Peace and Happy New Year.

Tuesday again...Happy New Year

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

My first entry for 2007 is brief...sorry about that.
I have not allocated the time to type; my parents have been visiting for the weekend and our focus has been on house work and such, so I've not been sitting at the computer much of the time.
I hope to write some more tomorrow and bring this up to speed on my contact today with 3 of my doctors...gosh, that sounds gloomy and pathetic...shouldn't I have just ONE doc? Sheesh.

Time to cuddle with the kids and get them to bed. Pics and a legit write coming tomorrow...

peace and happy new year -

Friday morning's musing's

Friday, December 29, 2006

Another couple days have past and it seems that I have gotten out of my writing habit on-line. Not helpful, under the circumstances. Now that I am maintaining a single blog again, my focus will change slightly so that I don’t find myself regretting having said “this” or “that”. I don’t that that is bad, necessarily, but one of the original intents was to just mentally unload someplace where I could reflect on my thoughts while sharing them with folks I trust, not just keep a running track of daily activities, but it has taken on a life of its own, to some extent, and so I’m following that out in a manner of speaking.

Over the past several days I have had some very tough bouts with nausea that often hit while we are traveling in the car. I’m not usually driving now and though that’s been uncommon for us, so has this nausea. I’ve always been a passenger who could look back while the car is being driven and not get sick. I could read while someone else drove no problem. Now? Not a chance. Spend the bulk of our travels now with my eyes closed and the window slightly open to feel the fresh air on my head in hopes of minimizing the sick feeling that seems inescapable. I also get this feeling at home occasionally as well and simply have to lie down until it lets up. Some times I can sleep, other times I just close my eyes and listen to life go on around me. I’d love to have some answers to this one. Of course, I should also remember that each time I’ve asked for answers in the past year, I’ve been given them and I’ve nearly always wanted to give them back, so maybe I’m better off not knowing…feeling somewhat damned if I do and damned if I don’t.

Missy was gone yesterday (Thursday) until around 4ish when we picked her up from a sleep over/play date with one of her best friends. Wednesday night, after dropping her off, Josh said he wanted to play Twister when we got home…not sure where that came from, but when we got home, we got the game down from the shelf and all three of us played a couple games of Twister and a game of Trouble. I found it amazing that I won the two games of Twister I played, not having played it in several years and not confident that I’d be even able to actually play it to begin with.
To recall Wednesday, one of Missy’s girlfriends had spent Tuesday afternoon, evening and night with us and so come Wednesday, the girls wanted to go to the friend’s house for a night as well, taking turns, so to speak, so after talking amongst ourselves a bit and to her mom, we agreed to the second overnight and the girls prepared for the trek to the other house. When Missy has play dates, depending on who they are, Joshy sometimes feels and/or is left out of the bulk of the playing and it becomes our responsibility to pick up the slack there and keep him occupied if he’s not enjoying a computer game or watching a video during the play date and this week was no exception. A good part of my time was spent being referee and equalizer so that he wasn’t feeling left out while also trying to safeguard the girl’s time together, something they referred to as “quality time together”…a phrase not learned here, unfortunately, and not necessarily a preferable description of their time playing together, but I suspect I know it’s origin and if I’m correct in my assumption then it’s understandable to have become part of the shared language. I just kept an open ear to its use and toned it down when I felt it was becoming a common phrase.

Missy needed to get measured and sized for a dress for her cousin Angel’s wedding in April on Easter weekend so we went to the Roseville Galleria where a dress outlet is for the wedding dress and bride’s maids dresses, and we had her measured there. I waited with Joshy in the car as the girls went with CC into the shop and proceeded to pick out future prom and formal dresses…CC thought it was cute…I on the other hand…never mind.
Anyway, we went to the Galleria for that purpose and found that the store was not IN the mall but ACROSS from the mall, but since we were all hungry and I was sick from the ride, we went to the food court and grabbed a late lunch. Food does seem to calm my nausea, weirdly enough. I ate food from a Japanese grill and found it very tasty and more healthy than most of my food choices there. After eating we ventured over to the afore mentioned bridal shop, got the measurement done and headed over to the friend’s house for Missy to spend the afternoon and night. I always have a hard time when she’s away from us; I’m uncomfortable, somewhat on-edge and listening for the phone to ring so we can go get her. As it was, she had a very good time and stayed up late talking and playing and my concern was for naught. But let’s also keep in mind that if Missy is spending the night at someone’s house that means that Joshy will have to sleep in their room alone…only furthering his current need to not be alone, must be with Mommy, must sleep and cuddle in Mom’s bed. I decided not to fight this particular evening’s battle and told Josh he could sleep in our bed with us and as expected, he slept great and CC and I woke up continually. I woke up yesterday around 8ish and CC was gone already on errands, one of which was taking the van to the repair shop to see if they would fix the heater fan which had stopped working fairly recently and given how cold it has now become up here in the mornings, a heater is as much a necessity as an air conditioner is in the summer. So she took it to them and it cost about $45 for them to locate the disconnected wire and re-connect it. At least she has a warm vehicle again. It’s averaging about 30 degrees in the mornings here, and though I know many of you are experiencing much colder temps than that, it’s generally pretty relative. Cold is cold in my book.
Anyway, she got her morning errands done which also included taking Shadow in for a bath, cleaning and nail-clipping. We got Shadow in our first year of marriage. If I recall correctly, CC brought her home one day after work in November/December of 1989, the year we were married. If you do the math, Shadow’s in her 17th year. She’s become pretty frail, as would be expected, and is a bit more on the irritable side than had been her life’s disposition. Her fur had become somewhat matted on both sides and they had to spend some extra time getting it combed through since it looks like she can no longer clean and care for herself as she used to. It’s going to require us to step up our attention to her cleanliness and coat and such instead of expecting her to keep it up, as most all younger cats do. I’m not sure how long we’ll have her, given her age, but if it was up to us, well you know how pets are…you want to keep them forever and you don’t like to think about the inevitable. I’ve talked to both kids and the wife, for that matter, about the normal longevity of a house cat so that there is some preparation for what we will undoubtedly face eventually. It’s not a favorite topic but it does get addressed from time to time.

While she was gone and Joshy was still asleep, I made a small breakfast and chilled on the couch and watched some of the History Channel. The program finishing was on the very end of the 2nd World War and Hitler’s bunker and subsequent suicide and the following program was on Uday and Qusay Hussein, Saddam Hussein’s two sons. They were unquestionable living proof that monsters do exist. Though Qusay was monstrous as his father was monstrous, Uday was near demonic and fairly early in life had become one I would perceive as unredeemable. His passion for wanton violence and unquestioned control fed his madness past the point of his father’s influence and restraint. His father even had him jailed twice for killing family and close friends of the family loyal to his father. The documentary was painfully loaded with information about the lives of these two men who were ultimately killed by Task Force 20, a specially designed unit of the military created to find and bring down the Husseins and their regime.
There’s a scary thought; the US military creates a special, single focus task force of professionals for the sole purpose not of fighting a war or battling armies, but of hunting down less than 50 people and bringing them to justice, one way or another. I do not believe that anyone could fully fathom or expect the level of attention these people had brought on themselves to this end. As leaders and sons of the regime, they were guaranteed political glory and success in the succession of their father’s authority as “president” of Iraq. Qusay has been the son widely perceived as most likely to have succeeded Saddam. He was put in charge of four key areas, including Baghdad and Tikrit, his family's tribal home. When the Iraq war began, he was and had been in charge of the country's intelligence network, the 80,000-strong Republican Guard and 15,000-member Special Republican Guard, which was responsible for protecting Saddam and his family.
Uday ran the Saddam Fedayeen security force, also considered the Iraqi special police. They were to the Iraqi people as the Gestapo was to the Germans and the KGB was to the Russians. By the way, in a moment of true digression, I always wondered what KGB stood for. It stands for Komitét gosudárstvennoĭ bezopásnosti or in English, “Committee for State Security”.
How whacked was Saddam? He put Uday in charge of Iraq’s Olympic committee. The very origin of that designation is an oxymoron. Uday had the athlete’s sign guarantees that they would finish First, Second and Third in all events they participated in and when they did not, once they returned to Iraq they were jailed, beaten and tortured, in the spirit of sportsmanship, I’m sure, of course…. Uday was also the editor of the nation’s leading newspaper, “Babel”, and was head of Youth TV, the country's most popular channel.
When Task Force 20 got the tip, a tip worth a cool $30 million collectively ($15 million for each son), they headed to the home/palace where the brothers were staying and took small arms fire initially. Once the fight was on, Task Force 20 kicked up the odds by bringing in 200 troops from the Army’s 101st Airborne including an apache helicopter loaded with rockets. The fighting had lasted a number of hours before the Apache fired a TOW missile into the building and according to eyewitnesses, “shredded a large portion of the complex”. Prior to the Apache’s participation, troops who were involved in the battle described the fighting as intense, with moments that seemed "like all hell had broken loose." according to a CNN correspondent. They died as they lived, by the sword. Qusay’s teenage son was also killed during the battle that killed his father and, harsh as it may seem, I can only imagine that the world was spared another monster in the making. That sounds and reads so heartless and harsh, yet look at the family lineage and I guess, ultimately draw your own conclusions.
Wow…guess I had THAT on my mind, huh? Sorry if I bored you or if you already knew it. Hmmm, let’s see, back to the end of 2006.

Oh yes, after her errands in the morning by herself, she had some more to do before going to pick up Missy in the afternoon, so Joshy and I went with her on her next trek. We picked out frames for her needed lens prescription, a new thing for her…glasses. Something she was successfully putting off until fairly recently when her eyes began to hurt terribly when trying to read gift boxes while shopping and then hurting when driving and such and after a recent doctor appointment, she learned that the whole ”CC needs glasses” thing was not a “suggestion” any longer. SO we picked out a nice frame for her and then headed to Mel’s Diner to have some late lunch again and to meet Missy returning from her play date. Lunch was good and we got Missy back (happy daddy) and we headed to the pet shop to pick up Shadow and then to home in anticipation of my parent’s impending arrival. I should have mentioned earlier that my parent’s were coming up yesterday (Thursday) after their respective different appointments in the Bay Area. They arrived about an hour after we did, though just after getting home, CC and the kids headed back out to pick up a couple videos for them to watch as promised earlier.

A fair amount of dialog and catching up was had during the evening yesterday and then it was time for bed. I’ve got a medium length list of things to accomplish for the day so I’d better get to it. I’ve been up since about 3:50 AM and wrote 2 sets of lyrics and this blog since then, so it’s time to get out of bed and begin knocking out the list.

Seriously worthy of note is that I am TOTALLY behind in my getting Christmas emails out to those in my address book, so hopefully you’ll see one from me sooner than later if you haven’t already. There are some reading this who’s address I don’t have, and to you I do apologize and hope you will take form this writing a warm regard from my family to yours for the Christmas holiday.
Kari and John, I’ll be trying to find you again today as will I try to be reaching you, Mr. Scott Rose!
Be blessed.

Peace-

Christmas Collection: Thurs-Monday

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Well, more time has passed than I had anticipated. I was hoping to have better kept a log going than the past few days represents. It hasn’t been avoidance so much as it has been not allocating the time.
I’m going to try and remember the past few days’ activities…

Thursday:
Today it was raining all day. Though I love the rain, today was just a bad day waiting to happen. I woke up angry and didn’t try very hard to shake the mood. I guess I was just tired and was in the place of throwing up my hands in disgust at life. Anyway, at my wife’s request, I went to the Tire place that needed to re-bleed the braking system on the van and had them finish that job. Across the street from that place is a Red Robin so I went there and waited for the job to be completed and had fish and chips for lunch. While there I spoke to my mom for quite some time as we spoke about the current circumstances, the “what if’s” and what not and I found myself regaining some clarity and perspective as well as some resolve. After the tire shop was done, they called me and I went over and picked up the van and decided to drive to Best Buy to buy CC’s Christmas present. She has asked for only one thing which is a car stereo for the van since the one now in the van has been dying every day and dying painfully and frustratingly. I found my self in the place of saying that regardless of everything going on, I’m GOING to get CC the ONE present she’s asked for, though I knew without a doubt she would like to pull her request back due to our ongoing situation. I went and picked out the stereo I thought she’d want and would enjoy and that was that. Most all of the monies we have received have gone straight to bills regardless of the notations and sentiments on the cards or emails; we have had to put the money towards the obligations. I wanted to make sure she received a gift from me this year and a gift she’d use and enjoy daily rather than be one she’d see or use on occasion. Needless to say, she was happy to receive the stereo, but her knowledge of our situation over-rode her happiness and I was back in my funk. That’s certainly NOT to say she was the responsible one for my mood, I believe that moods are choices more than not. I didn’t need much of an invitation to be bummed; I’ve got that disposition on speed dial, so to speak. Anyway, I was hoping for the night to be more “up” but it ended back in stress and I held the keys to the bulk of the necessary chains.

Friday:
After picking up the kids from school, some folks within the school staff blessed us with some gift certificates to some of the local stores so we could go and buy presents for the kids and buy some groceries! It is so hard to describe the feeling of being cared for; being loved at a different level than we are used to and than we are comfortable with. Thanks to the gift cards, the kids will have presents from us this Christmas and we will be able to get some presents for some family and friend’s children, which otherwise we could not even consider. On the way home from picking the kids up from school, we made the poor choice of take the kids with us to ToysRUs to help us know what they wanted, but we should have just taken them home and fed them, which is usually what we do. By going to the store and NOT getting them food first, we set them up for a stressful shopping trip and we set ourselves up for an unfruitful excursion. We stayed in the store for about 30 minutes until we realized our mistake at which point we left and took them home and made them some food.

Obviously, there are some significant struggles we are facing right now and so we find ourselves reacting far more often than responding. Another major blessing today was receiving a call from one of the folks within the choir who was working in coordination with a shop owner from Orangevale who wanted to give turkey dinners to families who could use them or is in need and our name was given to him. I was called and asked if we would be willing to receive the gift of a dinner (complete). I was almost speechless, again. I shared the news with CC and we were both just floored. We accepted his off and he said the dinner would be brought to us on Sunday night. Speechless again…
After dinner, CC and I went back out and we were very successful and better focused and even able to use a couple of the ideas that the kids had shared with us during the first attempt. This was one of the few time in recent past that she and I have had some one on one time to go out together. I had shared with her that I wanted the opportunity to shop this Christmas, something I have not been able to do in many years. As a matter of fact, this is the first Christmas that both CC and I are off Christmas Eve and Christmas since before Joshua was born. Hard to believe. As long as Joshua has been alive, I have not been home for a Christmas Eve.

Saturday:
Today was the most special day of the Winter for me so far because my brother of many, many years came up to see me and the family. Harry Reynolds and I have been brothers since Jr. High and the last time I saw him was in July of this year, during my trip to Long Beach, where he lives, and he and I had dinner together, just a few short hours before I drove all night to be back in time for Missy’s Fire Camp Finale which then landed me in Kaiser for a while again…Anyway, he drove up yesterday morning and joined me and CC and the kids as we went to CC’s brother’s place in Shingle Springs for Brunch. I cannot begin to share to what extent it was a blessing to my heart to see him and have a few hours with him. Hearing his voice, listening to his views and observations as only Harry does. After leaving Chris’s house and heading back we stopped by our house to give him the five cent tour then he and I took off in my truck to head to the parking lot where he met us and left his truck when he joined up with us earlier that morning. I put the stereo up to a comfy volume and we listened to Santana’s “Open Invitation” and “Only Want to Be With You” and then Scorpions ‘The Zoo”. For a moment in time, it was like it had been 20 to 25 years ago when he and I would ride places and just crank music and sing as we drove. It did my soul good. What was especially cool was the kids excitement to see him and get loves from him. Joshy asked some more about him after I got home from taking Harry to his truck and when I told Josh that Harry was going back to the Bay Area to see his parents and family, Joshy was confused and asked how Harry could be my brother but have other parents…how honestly cool is that for him to believe in his heart of hearts that Harry was my flesh and blood brother, regardless of our skin color differences. Harry has always been and will always be my brother and the kids uncle. Joshy got pretty sad when it was time for Harry to leave. I was blessed; rejuvenated in some ways within.
After our time with Harry, I received a call from one of the folks at church who asked if he could stop by in the evening and bring us a full scale turkey dinner for the family. He had noted that the dinner was to be brought Sunday night, but that they were able to get a good start on the dinner deliveries and wanted to know if they could deliver Saturday night instead of Sunday night.
An hour later, or so, there was a knock at the door and two of “Santa’s Elves” were there holding a big grocery bags loaded with food. Again, we were nearly speechless at this immense kindness which was unprovoked, so to speak. Each day has brought an impressive range of emotions and circumstance which has lead us to understand a meaning of “church” than I’m sure many others already know, but we had totally forgotten and had lost the realization of and appreciation of.
Well, after blessing our family with such an incredible gift of food and kindness, I was in a position to have CC’s Christmas present installed in the van for her, something I was not able to afford prior to the Elves coming by. I took Joshy with me and we went to Best Buy and had the car stereo installed. The only thing she had asked for this whole year, was to have a car stereo to replace the dying one in the van. Case in point; yesterday, as we traveled to Shingle Springs and back, the stereo proceeded to begin to scan a CD backwards with no control and then stop suddenly and begin to go up in volume uncontrollably. To preserve sanity, it was shut off several times as we drove. Immensely frustrating.
Of course, we have been battling the whole “priority” issue as to what should be bought and what isn’t necessary and such and I knew that the one gift I could giver her would be the one gift that would be hard to be comfortable with purchasing due to the starting costs of decent decks. Anyway, the one I gave her was reasonably priced (in my opinion) and was definitely on less expensive side but was still money and money is forever tight. Anyway, Joshy and I got some nice time together during the installation time frame but I suffered from my decision to wear cowboy boots for the day. I had not anticipated the price and after being at Best Buy for an hour and a half I could not walk well or fast even with the cane. Friday had been a cane-less day and today had too until around 2:00 PM at my brother-in-law’s place. By tonight, walking slowly was my only option and I was trying to avoid any unnecessary travels if I could help it.
Thanks to the kindness and giving of others, CC and I have been able to pursue a very wonderful Christmas for our family, something I feel would have been nearly impossible in practicality without the help of others, as there has been.

Sunday, Christmas Eve:
I woke this morning around 5ish to the sound of Joshy in the hall, trying to get ready to leave with CC and Nana. He went with them as CC took Nana to meet her sister Kim in Fairfield, I think, so that Kim could take Nana for the Holiday week. Joshy had a VERY hard night going to sleep and eventually talked Missy into letting him cuddle with her for a while so he could go to sleep. He wasn’t going to bed or staying in bed as we were asking of and instructing him to do. It is more unusual for him to behave in irrational manners like that; usually I can speak logic to him and have him lock up with it, but in the past few months, he has resisted logic in favor of fear. I think it will be in our family’s best interest to see about someone professional helping us get past the immense fear he currently has. So I digressed again…the point was that CC’s mom is now with CC’s oldest sister in Pacifica and that Joshy got some wonderful one on one time with his mommy this morning.
Also, on the seriously weird and strange front, I had a dream this morning of having an HKPP attack and I was unaware it was a dream until I realized that the EMTs weren’t here and that I was actually in bed asleep. That’s never happened before this. It was truly scary and strange. I’m not sure that there was much of a message within the dream itself other than the fact that an attack lies just out of site. It was truly alarming to wake up from; though I’m thankful it was just a dream this time.
A call came through this morning around 9:20 AM and it was Madoli and Leslie from my tech team at work calling to say I and share with me that they missed us and wanted to know if we would be coming to services this morning or tonight. To this point, I had not been thinking so much of anyone else dealing with this stuff, which I know is way selfish and yet understandable…blah, blah, blah. I felt badly that I have not kept in better contact with my crew since all this has happened. We’ve tried to do a gathering at our house a few times now for the crew but each time has been thwarted by illness or just physical pain.
CC had a doctor appt this morning that she bailed on because they had way-over-booked the appointments for this morning to get as many people in as they could and she was going crazy just waiting infinitely in the reception room with the several other folks who had the same appointment as her. She’s been lying down since then, just resting and watch some TV, something she’s not been able to do. The kids and I have just been hanging out in the front room, they’ve been watching Christmas TV shows/cartoons and I’ve been typing and sampling some MP3’s. Currently checking out “Regulate” by Warren G and Nate Dogg; serious rhyming with an irresistible melodic groove. The lyrics are pretty much ‘hood-based and such from that life style, but the tune is so well done. It’s not a tune I can play for the kids at this point.
Prior to putting the kids to bed, I asked everyone to go to our room and I gather a couple books about the true Christmas story and we all took turns reading pages for a short time then I read it the rest of the way. It helped re-orient us as a family and it prepared the way for Joshy to go to sleep. He grew very tired as we read, which was one of the hopes. After reading, we got the kids down for bed and began wrapping as quickly as we could so we could get to bed sooner than later. Joshy only got up once during the wrapping because he didn’t know that I was THAT serious about them staying in bed and in the room. Both kids had a very tough time getting to sleep in anticipation for tomorrow morning. Missy set out a small dish with a couple cookies for Santa and a Tupperware container she put cornmeal in for the reindeer. After both of them watched “The Polar Express” movie about a child who no longer believes in Santa and is taken on a magical train ride Christmas Eve night to Santa’s crib and ends up believing in the “magic”, both kids now find themselves identifying with the characters in the movie/animation and decided the true test for Santa’s authenticity would be if the cookies will be gone and if the cornmeal was taken. :-o)

Monday, December 25, 2006, Christmas Day
I woke up at 6:00 AM and after listening carefully determining no one else was up, was able to go back to sleep for a couple hours when Missy came in and woke us up around 9:00.
She went in and woke up Joshy and the morning was on…
We walked into the entryway and there was a cornmeal trail leading from the couch, where Missy had placed the Tupperware container, to the fireplace which was open…the cookies were gone as well and the plate was empty. The kids were thrilled as I was frustrated that I had to clean up after a messy Santa. Oh well.
The kids opened their gifts with much delight and were so excited with each gift they opened; different from some Christmases past where there seemed to be an expectation of gifts and such, this Christmas was anything but that, and both kids were joyous. My gift was being here and not in a hospital someplace and Joshy bought me a medium and a small size paint brush since he didn’t remember seeing me using anything like them and thought I didn’t have any. That was a gift that really warmed my heart as well. *sigh*
Annie was given her gift from Joshy, two small teddy bears (which I figure we can zip tie to her crate), but with all the toys and dolls on the floor, Annie paid no mind to anything but the two little teddy bears that we said were hers. It was just amazing to me that she wouldn’t touch the kid’s toys whatsoever but she licked and nibbled at her two dolls and placed them between her two front paws while the rest of the presents were opened, as if she was thinking “these are my two toys and the rest belong to you guys. It was hard to believe.
To heartwarming phone calls today; my brother of many years now, Neil, calling from the Land Down Under (it’s the day after Christmas now over there, ‘round 8-something in the morning.) and my niece Kirsten (Hi hun!) Everyone got to talk to Kirsty and CC and I had a wonderful talk with Neil.
It’s about time to get ready to go to my aunt and uncle’s in Roseville for Christmas afternoon and evening, so I’ll conclude and will try to include a couple pics as well…
Peace, Merry Christmas.

Wednesday Evening, December 20th

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

I feel like writing more today. Yesterday, it seems like the emotional ingredients all came together simultaneously after speaking to the woman from the insurance company at 7:30 yesterday morning. I managed to hold it together and drive the kids to school without getting into any fights with any motorists and without jumping on the kids (I asked Joshy last night if he remembers my being angry or stressed in the morning [yesterday]) and he said no. He wanted me to tell him what had made me angry but I didn’t know how to explain it without losing it again, so I told him it was something that mommy and I were dealing with.) but when I got back home I simply lost it for a few hours. No emotional control. After managing to “get a grip” so to speak, I decided to move forward on building a medium-sized closet organizer I had imagined to put on top of the right shelving in my closet. I had drawn it out yesterday and had bought the lumber after calculating the measurements according to space.
I put on my In Ears and plugged them into my Axim and began about an 8 hour therapeutic process of cutting, sawing, building and such. I started it after 9-something and was done before 6:00. I didn’t paint it except for some primer on places. I think when we pick up some paint for the bathroom and such, I’ll make sure we have enough for the shelving as well.
At any rate, as it turns out, I can’t get it up onto the shelving because there’s a strip, kind of a mid way molding about 5’ up from the floor that runs the interior of the closet, left to right and I didn’t take it into consideration in my measurements since it wasn’t in the location of the shelving, but since my other measurements were in good shape I couldn’t actually fit the unit up into place. I think I growled…or something similar. I may have muttered some “Words Of Healing”, as Chris calls them, in my realization of my new-found constraints. CC suggested using it lower in the closet instead of cutting it into two pieces that would have fit individually, one at a time. I built a 16” riser out of existing scrap lumber and the shelving is now oriented at 90° from it’s intended design, but it still works out and now holds some of my foldable clothes. It was therapeutic. I didn’t lose it for the rest of the day. I felt like hell at the end of the day and hurt pretty bad, but it was worth it and at least I had something to show for my pain this time. I’m so used to simply having pain and nothing to show for its presence, at least this time I can look in the closet and see why I feel like I do. Today continues the payment for yesterday but I’ll get through. I’ve felt worse.

I realized last night that since my diagnosis, I’ve only really reacted to my circumstance and pain and such but can’t recall actually responding emotionally to what has happened and is happening. Yesterday may have been that boiling point being surpassed. I couldn’t imagine or fathom the possibility that the claim would either not be accepted or would turn out to be unhelpful. Now we know why we didn’t hear from them within the usual 10 day acceptance window. If the claim had been for Short Term Disability then we would have been set within the 10 day period, but since the claim is for Long Term Disability (God knows why) then they have 90 days to set up the account and get through the 90 day waiting period. Incredible still. All of the paperwork stated that I would be targeting to return to work within February yet THAT is when the claim would begin it’s journey.
In-frickin-credible. I’m doing a little better today than yesterday; I would have been less polite any time yesterday.
I’m still very, very angry with yet ANOTHER situation that is beyond my influence and manipulation and it leaves us financially vulnerable AGAIN and STILL. Anyone with any insight as to our trials and their meaning is welcome to shoot me an email suggesting their interpretation and I promise NOT to flame on you if you do and I don’t like what you have to say; I just want to have some clue as to why we are going through this emotional and fiscal meat-grinder so s-l-o-w-l-y so that each piece of internal dignity seems to be reduced in size with each grinding turn. How’s that for a mental picture? Profanity rests on the tip of my tongue, balancing on the emotional rubble within. I’m so angry. Time to stop writing.

Okay, a few minutes later now…composure apparently restored.
Annie was great yesterday; she stayed pretty close to me while I was working outside on the shelving and cutting and drilling and such. I placed an old quilt on the ground at the end of the cutting surface I had constructed, so that any pieces of lumbar would fall onto the quilt/comforter instead of dropping onto the cement and though I had pulled Annie’s outside dog house over to near where I was, she only spent part of her time in the doghouse but spent the better part of her time lying next to me on the quilt, rendering its original intent useless, but bringing another level of comfort, so to speak, by having her want to be near me while I was in the mind-frame I was. It wasn’t frustrating at all and the times when I needed to cut, she was off in the yard barking out her challenges to the 2 squirrels who torment her from near-by trees when possible. CC was gone for most of the day, like today, so I was alone for most the whole day except for Annie. I was using the Axim on the Media Player and have close to a Gig’s worth of MP3s stored in it, so I put it on “shuffle” (a feature that will randomly select songs and play them) and locked myself in my own mind’s room, so to speak, turned up the proverbial stereo and recessed into the songs which addressed my emotions every 4 to 5 minutes as each song would begin.
Today I have to try to make headway on Nana’s medical coverage via the phone with the participating care giving insurance companies (ha, there’s an f’n oxymoron; care-giving insurance company). Anyway, before I so rudely interrupted myself, I was saying that my afternoon will likely be sent on the phone with folks regarding Nana’s medical coverage. Fun, huh?
All of the darkness of yesterday overshadowed some letters from close friends who have written loving and caring thoughts and have blessed us immeasurably, especially now due to the current reality having come to light. This by no means is a “thank you” to them; I’m not certain who reads what as far as blogs go anyway. I will be writing out responses of appreciation and receipt of blessing today as well. A Marinership that my aunt and uncle belong too have stepped into the battle on our behalf and have been a blessing to us, even within the past 24 hours. I would MUCH rather be the one in the position of providing support of another family than be the family needing the support. Wow. That reads somewhat with an arrogant tone and yet simplistic. I’m not being arrogant at all…I’m certainly do not want to convey that, at all. Please capture from that gist of it that our heart as a family is taking pleasure in helping others and we (I) have not found it “pleasurable” to be on the other side of that dichotomy. That still doesn’t read right. I guess, instead of just deleting and re-writing, I want to keep the original thoughts there in hoped of painting a truer picture of my heart and disposition. That being said or written, I also have the benefit of walking away from the computer and thought in mid-write to better clarify my wording and yet, hopefully as one reads, there’s no inference or particular reference to actual time taken in writing other than my confessional notations that I’m stopping AGAIN to regain my frame of mind; granted, it’s a dented and scratched frame, but it is after all, mine.

So now it is 4 hours later and my mood has fluctuated some but not much. I guess it’s just a darker time for now.
I just fielded a call for one of our two mortgage companies asking for the mortgage payment plus the late fee. When I told the guy that I had called previously and that the payment had already been sent, he reminded me of the payment due date and the grace period. After he did this for the third time and after he asked if I had a reason for “falling behind”, I remained “polite” but my tone changed significantly. I explained that we have not “fallen behind” and that I was opposed to that perspective and he once again stated that the money is due on the first, etc…Debt collector positions, while logical, suck. They absolutely suck. I have YET to speak to a compassionate or even remotely “caring” collector. Doesn’t seem to matter; credit cards or whatever.
We are severely screwed if our credit report shows a late mortgage payment and I have tried more than passionately to prevent those circumstances from prevailing in the current scenario. This recent call has me questioning my level of success in those efforts.

More kindness from one of the church’s Marinerships in the form of a dinner tonight. Dinners make such a difference in a family’s evening and afternoon timely budget. It’s an attitude boost for most every time. Around 4 today, after not having eaten properly in my timely manner, I made nachos for myself figuring the sodium in the chips would be countered by the protein in the ground beef, cheese and the refried beans. I guess I’ll know more tonight around bed time if I am correct or not. Let’s be hoping so.

I hooked up the TV Sean gave us in our bed room so we can veg before going to sleep, but the temptation to watch for far too long is now, ever-present again. I’m not sure its “pros” outweigh its “cons”. I’ll be checking with CC tonight if I remember to. CC seldom gets any time to just sit and unwind and while the TV offers a number of other distractions and attractions, it often offer her the opportunity to just have some lone down-time before going to sleep.

Two major targets I’d like to accomplish are sanding and painting our bathroom, installing a fan in our bathroom ceiling and painting our bed room. I’m pretty sure I can do the sanding and painting if I’m careful, but the fan installation will require more ladder-work and possibly attack crawling which I cannot manage. The painting is chipping now in the bathroom due to the wrong paint having been used to make it look “nice” before we moved in. Wrong paint type in a bathroom will yield chipping and flaking in the paint after a period of time in the moist air and surroundings and it’s pretty bad now. I know it will make a big difference to CC as well as to me to get that done.

Stresses are pretty high for the time being. I’d like to stop typing on a more positive note, but I’ve not got one for now.
We’ll see about tomorrow-
peace

Tuesday

The claim was for long term disability not short term disability so we won't be seeing any financial help from the insurance before the time frame that I am scheduled to be back at work.

I am essentially, simply off work without pay until I can return, unless I have to be off past February at which point we would begin to receive benefits beginning in March.

I'm less than numb.

Monday's Beginnings

Monday, December 18, 2006

A quick pic this morning before they went off to school...Though it is early, it is a killer time of the day with them...

Sunday Night Collection

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Writing again- Today’s approach is likely to be scattered…apologies in advance.

Sorry to have been absent for a couple days; I’ve been very tired and the energy I had went to other things and it was clearly time to sleep before I got another burst of energy to write.

Today is Sunday and due to the later evening last night and just flat-out being tired, I slept in. My parents came up Friday night late and stayed until this afternoon. What a huge blessing. My dad too me up to Auburn to a church up there that he and I had done a sound system install for in late October, very early November and I needed to train the folks that they had gotten together. My issue was that I haven’t been able to drive for a while again due to the severe motion-nausea and thus I have not been able to get up there to take care of it. Dad specifically came up with the intention of helping me accomplish this task and we were successful and out to there within 2 hours on site. We left a bit before 8:00AM to head over to Kinko’s to make copies of the 9 page operating manual I wrote for them, only to find that Kinko’s was closed and didn’t open until 9:00 AM…weird. I was certain that Kinko’s was 24 hours. I was wrong. So we left a little after 8:00 and stopped at a Denny’s in Auburn and I scored some eggs and some hashbrowns and that did me very well for the morning. I battled the nausea all the way up there though and wasn’t sure if I’d even be able to eat alright, though I knew that I HAD to eat in order to take my morning pills. I was able to eat and Denny’s did themselves proud with very quick service and we were in and out of there within 20-25 minutes. After getting to the church we kicked into gear and got the teaching underway and concluded. Coming home was the same nausea-wise and the trip was not much fun, though I get through it by just closing my eyes and trying to focus elsewhere if I can. I will be ESCTATIC when this condition is done.

-We had a friend call CC tonight and one of her points of sharing was that our household appears to be under some massive spiritual attack right now. It’s helpful to get a does of reality every once in a while and have your winds restored, so to speak. When you’re busy getting your butt kicked, I’ve found it easy to miss the obvious. I’m appreciative for the quick reminder of wisdom.

A good buddy of mine, Erin, needed to borrow my truck last week so he could have a truck that had a tow package to move some trailers for the week, so I warmed the truck up for him on Monday before he arrived and when he got there, it died in my driveway. After fussing with it for a short bit we jumped it and he was on his way. Throughout the week he had it (last week), he called to let me know that he checked the fluids and took care of that stuff but that the truck still isn’t behaving properly and that the battery isn’t charging via the alternator. Long story short, he accomplished what he wanted to and brought it back with a couple alternators and regulators he had found in his garage in case one of them might work for the truck. So dad worked on the truck yesterday after Auburn and this morning as well and the alternator tested positive/working at Kragen’s but the battery still wasn’t charging. He took it over to my cousin’s place off Antelope and he measured it there at my cousin’s place and found it was putting out 30 volts output (it should put out 14 – 16 volts). Winchester Mystery Truck.
So, after replacing the regulator the truck seems to still be in the same condition so I’m charging the battery with an AC battery charger and hope to take it out tomorrow.
Any ideas anyone?
I’ve none.
We can’t afford a mechanic or shop so I need some “home remedies” if at all possible.

I worked in the Music room for an hour or so and got it cleaned up and looking pretty good. CC feels better I’m sure.

Also this afternoon, Joshy showed me a Styrofoam snowman he was making as a present for someone and was talking about it surfing (he was remembering he and me watching the surfing DVD my good buddy George from LA sent me to borrow) and I suggested that he and I make a surfboard for the snowman to be on and in no time, we were off. I went to the garage and found some scrap flooring we had used from in the dining room and then came back in and pulled up a JPEG of an image of a surfboard and sketched a surfboard in a similar size for the snowman and Joshy and went outside, set up the saw horses and began to get it done. About 30 minutes later we were done and Joshy was stoked. It felt very cool and very good to go out there and just do something; think it, draw it, cut it and then sand it down. He was very happy and had the snowman surf the whole house so the snowman could know what the house looked like while surfing. So very cool.

Last night was the Church staff Christmas party at the Cliff House. It was great to see the different folks I haven’t seen in a while, but Pastor Josh Flood wasn’t there and that left a hole in my evening. It would have been great to see him. I’m looking forward to seeing him when he returns. The evening consisted of a rear room at the Cliff House with a beautiful view of Lake Natomas, cheese and cracker appetizers, a very tasty salad and a main course of either chicken, fish or prime rib. It was very cool to see folks again and catch up, albeit briefly. CC and I sat next to Rob on my left and Craig and Beth Fetter on CC’s right.

I hadn’t gotten to see Mark from Facilities since I’ve been out and seeing him last night was very cool as well. He’s one of God’s true blessings to FOP. The pic is of Mr. Mark. :-o)

After the dinner, we took Rob home to his new home he just bought and we got the cool tour. It’s a beautiful home, nice size for him and really nice layout. He’s missing quite a bit of furniture but has it on order, though he’s got the sound system hooked up with the plasma! He rocks. CC and I are stoked for him. I enjoyed the evening as much as I did because I was able to hook up with him, primarily. The significant piece of this whole disability puzzle that frustrates me most is missing out on his life and the lives of my other friends there because when you simply aren’t there, life happens without you and folks move on. Not that that is wrong or anything of that sort, but it is frustrating, sincerely.

Back here on the home front, I’ve been listening to quite a bit of Tchaikovsky and some to Mozart as well. It helps when I am writing, emailing and such. Even the other night, to go to sleep, I brought the laptop into the bedroom and played most of the cuts from “The Nutcracker” and found it more then pleasant to go to sleep by. Even now, as I type away, more Tchaikovsky through the headphones. I had shared with CC that I would like to go to a symphony again to just take it in now, since I’m in such a different place than I’ve ever been. If we can figure it out, we would like to try to take Missy and Josh to a performance of the Nutcracker before it closes this winter. Either in Sacramento or in San Francisco.

It looks like we will stay up here for Christmas and not be heading to the Bay Area as we had thought we might. This Christmas will be the first Christmas that CC and I are both going to be home for in over 8 years. How cool is that. Another resulting blessing of an un-preferred condition.

I found an adapter that I need in order to run my mic though my guitar processor which will give me some heavy duty cool effects vocally. I’m hoping that will inspire my desire to try some vocal things soon. I haven’ written any more lyrics but will see if any are there tonight after I finish this.

Annie says "Good Night..."

Time to conclude and get on to the rest of tonight.
-peace

Thursday Re-Cap

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Boy. The hits keep coming. CC took Joshy in to Kaiser tonight because in a matter of a few minutes, he went from “I don’t feel so good” which is how he was all day to passed out on the couch and his temp kicked to over 103. Turns out that he doesn’t have Strep, but had Croup and now has joined me and Nana in the pneumonia category. If it wasn’t actually happening in my house, I’d be having a difficult time believing all of this happening to one family in one small frame of time. He’s a pretty sick boy and I spent a good 20 minutes calming Missy down who is scared by all the sickness and seeing Joshy’s face looking so helpless.

Please be praying for our collective health and for CC’s as well; that she STAYS well.

We went to Walnut Creek this morning for my appointment with the neurologist for the second opinion and he was not convinced that I am contending with HKPP, but doesn’t know what else it would be, either. End result, no immediate referral to UCSF as we had been hoping for, so the question is “What now?” It feels to me like I am nearly back at the beginning where we didn’t know what was going on, though with what I know now, I know that these attacks are related and are linked with potassium.

My buddy Scott Shuford called me to let me know that he had just heard on the radio that Genesis is re-uniting after 15 years and is planning a 2007 European large arena tour. Check it out here: http://www.genesis-music.com/

So it’s 8:48 and I’m in bed and calling it. CC’s sleeping next to Joshy on the hide-a-bed in the family room to keep an eye on him.

As if you’re not tired of hearing this, any prayers are coveted.

peace

Wednesday is pneumonia day

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

So now I know why I’ve been feeling so badly for the past few days;
Pneumonia.
On to new antibiotics.
There doesn’t seem to be much of a break in the barrage.

Tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM, CC and I meet with the neurologist in Walnut Creek for the second opinion. We leave by 5:00 AM with Joshy, who is also battling strep, and head down to the Walnut Creek Kaiser.

Please be praying for our travels to and from and for the appointment to be favorable in our progress for getting treatment and knowledge. Please also be praying for healing as we seem to keep busy going from one bacterium to another while sampling a virus here and there.

More tomorrow-