Shelba

Congratulations, Aggie!

Aggie is pregnant!

Hell on Wheels

There is a housebound old lady I know that does not drive, so I occasionally give her rides to the grocery store, etc.. Last Tuesday, she asked me to take her to her church to sign some papers, so I obliged.

On our way home, I told her that she would not see me for a couple of months because of my surgery. This was the first time I had told her about my heart problem. Suddenly she became overwhelmed with concern, asking me what was wrong with my heart.

I thought, "Oh, how sweet, she is worried about me." T

Then, obviously alarmed, she said, "Are you sure you should be driving? Is this safe? I don't know if this is such a good idea. Please, slow down."

She was freakin' terrified to be riding in the car with me!

When I dropped her off, she barely said a word to me as she fled from the car into her house.

I doubt she'll ever ask for another ride from me again. *Insert evil laugh*

Love thy neighbor?

I saw The Passion of The Christ yesterday. For a noon movie, it was packed. The reason I go the movies in the afternoon is so I can avoid people, specifically people who talk during movies. Since this film's subject matter is intensely sensitive, I figured it was safe from annoying yappers. Nobody is going to talk while Christ is beaten to a bloody pulp, right?

Wrong. Two women, the next aisle over from me discussed the movie the entire time. THE. ENTIRE. TIME. At first I thought they were praying, which wouldn't have made it any less annoying. But no, one of the women had to explain the movie to her friend, and then the friend would repeat what her friend said to her. Ladies, this isn't Bible Study, this is a movie. Shut up!!!

I wanted to stab them. Had I not been surrounded by a hundred devout Christians feeling the spirit, I might have. Plus, there is nothing like the image of a Jesus being nailed to a cross to put a little guilt in your heart for wanting to staple stranger's mouths shut. Love thy neighbor. Jesus, does that extend to the noisy bitch in the theatre?

I Knit it Myyyyy Way!

After taking a two month knitting hiatus, I broke out the knitting needles and started on the sweater that was meant for my cousin's newborn. Luckily, I had the foresight to realize that the kid wouldn't be a newbie by the time I finished the damn thing, and bought enough yarn to make the biggest size listed, 12 months. Good thing, because her son is now 6 months old. Maybe seven. So you see, I have to finish this damn sweater before he turns one. I HAVE TO!

I love to knit, but I hate trying to find the correct gauge. HATE. IT. This pattern required size 8 needles, but I didn't find the right needles until I tried the size 5. Uggh. I despise knitting swatches. But I've seen a picture of this kid, and his arms aren't 3 feet longer than his body, so finding the proper gauge is essential.

Notice the yellow sock needle protector....I had to rescue it from my dog, Jake's jaws. He to' it up pretty good.

Do you think a boat-neck sweater is appropriate for a baby boy?

Maria's Great News!!!

Maria made a huge announcement today! A birth! A baby! A daughter! Congratulations, Maria!

What is that noise?

The ticking of my bionic valve inside my chest will be loud enough to be heard. You want to hear what it might sound like?
Check this out, and click on the St. Jude Medical valve.

The Bionic Choice

I'm going to try to keep this short and sweet.

Just when I had decided on the tissue valve, I got one more opinion from a different heart surgeon. He said that the best valve for me is the mechanical valve, and that I should not even consider tissue. Here is the twist, he said that there is no reason why I cannot go through a pregnancy with my bionic valve.

I had been told this before, but I had never seriously considered it. The high-risk OB I saw told me the same thing, but I wasn't convinced. Even after this surgeon told me that it was possible, it still wasn't enough to make me feel comfortable about it. I thought if only I could talk to someone who has actually been through a mechanical valve pregnancy.

After yet another internet search, I found the name of a woman with a mechanical valve who has given birth twice. I had to email a couple of people to get in touch with her, but next thing I knew, my phone was ringing and it was her! Her youngest child was born in December 2002. She is an amazingly kind, and generous person. She gave me what no doctor could, a first hand account. And she gave me the name of a high-risk OB that co-managed her pregnacy from another state. This doctor specializes in mechanical valve pregnancies, anticoagulation issues, etc.

I felt pretty good after this phone conversation, but I had to talk to this doctor she mentiond. I called his secretary and 30 minutes later, he called me back. He gave me some info, then said he wanted me to talk to his partner, a hematologist. Less than thirty minutes later, I was on the phone with another doctor and he explained everything about mechanical valve pregnancies, he addressed all of my concerns. I was given the name of a high-risk OB in my area that they know, and was told that they would help manage my pregnancy, I ever do become pregnant.

I don't know if I'm ever going to get conceive or even if I'll want to, but I am happy that I don't have to sign away the option to try pregnancy. It is an amazing feeling to know that I still have that option while going with the best valve available.

I will not even think about trying to conceive until I am sure that my heart is okay. I want to make sure that my body is in the best condition it can be. And that means at least a year, mabye more after my surgery. I want to get my body back. I want to play soccer again, and do everything that I was doing before I became too tired to exercise. And we're going to adopt first, we're starting the paperwork.

So, that is it. That is a brief summary of how I came to choose the mechanical valve.

Bad News

Bill Miller is shutting down his website!!!! I am devastated.

The Countdown Begins

Less than two weeks to go until the big "O." Less than two weeks! I thought I would be nervous at this point, but I'm not. However, my surgeon's nurse, B, assures me that this will change, that I will be scared shitless. Which will be a good thing, because severe constipation is guaranteed after heart surgery. No, I'm not scared now, but I know that Nurse B is right, any day now I'll be emailing Mollie to ask if there is room for me in the moving van. Just one box, that is all I need, Mollie, I swear. Please!

I firmly believe that everything will work out for me. I'm going to come out better than when I went in. Yeah, I will require a bit more maintanance than your average girl, but that is just the way it goes. Besides, I will be heavily medicated afterwards. I'll be floating down the mellow river of intoxication. Or at least that is what I'm banking on.

By the way, I have made a valve choice. *Insert Drumroll* And the winner is......the mechanical valve! Applause, cheers, more applause. Here is where the bionic valve takes a bow, and confetti falls from the sky.

This has been without a freakin' doubt the most difficult decision of my life. It was tough. Soooo tough. I worried that March 3 would arrive and I still would not know what to do, that it would come down to a coin toss. But, I found enough pieces of the puzzle to help make my mind up. I actually made my decision a couple of weeks ago, but I chose not to blog about it then because the last time I made up mind, I changed my mind the very next day.

I'll save the story for another day about how I came to decide on the mechanical valve. There is a surprise twist involved.

I'll tell you about it later.

What's Your Favorite Drink?

I meant to post this earlier this week, but better late than never.....

Kathleen is looking for some clever drinks to feature as the drink of the day. And if you have a special drink, maybe one that you customized to fit your taste, here is your chance to have it named after you....and have it up on the wall of an actual bar!!!

Now, I know, IKNOW, that a lot of you lovely, witty ladies can come up with some special drink for Kathleen. I see a Blood Mary.....