All is well. Totally benign. Followup in 1 year. The bruising looks awful, but
that will heal!
Friday, 9 April 2010
Sunday, 4 April 2010
Road Trip
The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat is nothing compared to the ordeal of a sports road trip in Europe.
Joe had a track meet this weekend in Ramstein (Germany). We had to drop him off at 3:30 AM Friday. The bus left our school, stopped at Alconbury (3 hours away) to pick up their soccer team (we often pair up with the other local DoDDS schools and share the expense to get to meets), and then proceeded to the ferry. Which was not running as France is on strike. So it was off to the Chunnel. Once across the Chunnel, they should have driven through France and on to Germany. But the bus broke down. They wanted to try to repair it, but apparently you have to have a special permit to work on a vehicle on the side of the road in France and they couldn't find it. They did eventually locate the permit and set to work.
Five hours later, they declared it futile. 3 police vans took the kids to a local hostel where they could get something to eat and try to get some sleep. The team voted to go home at this point (5 hours on the side of the road will do that to you), but the only transportation they could get was a bus to Ramstein, not home, In fact, at this point, they couldn't find any way home.
At 1 AM, the bus picked them up and delivered them to Ramstein at 6:30 AM. At 8 AM, the meet started and they ran their events. The girls even managed to place 3rd.
After much negotiating, Alconbury's softball team agreed to share their bus. 52 kids were sent home on a bus designed for 42. They arrived in Alconbury (3 hours away) around 6 this morning, and then had to wait another hour and a half for a Menwith shuttle to arrive to bring them home. At 11, we finally got to pick Joe up at the school, tired, but otherwise no worse for the wear.
Joe had a track meet this weekend in Ramstein (Germany). We had to drop him off at 3:30 AM Friday. The bus left our school, stopped at Alconbury (3 hours away) to pick up their soccer team (we often pair up with the other local DoDDS schools and share the expense to get to meets), and then proceeded to the ferry. Which was not running as France is on strike. So it was off to the Chunnel. Once across the Chunnel, they should have driven through France and on to Germany. But the bus broke down. They wanted to try to repair it, but apparently you have to have a special permit to work on a vehicle on the side of the road in France and they couldn't find it. They did eventually locate the permit and set to work.
Five hours later, they declared it futile. 3 police vans took the kids to a local hostel where they could get something to eat and try to get some sleep. The team voted to go home at this point (5 hours on the side of the road will do that to you), but the only transportation they could get was a bus to Ramstein, not home, In fact, at this point, they couldn't find any way home.
At 1 AM, the bus picked them up and delivered them to Ramstein at 6:30 AM. At 8 AM, the meet started and they ran their events. The girls even managed to place 3rd.
After much negotiating, Alconbury's softball team agreed to share their bus. 52 kids were sent home on a bus designed for 42. They arrived in Alconbury (3 hours away) around 6 this morning, and then had to wait another hour and a half for a Menwith shuttle to arrive to bring them home. At 11, we finally got to pick Joe up at the school, tired, but otherwise no worse for the wear.
Thursday, 18 March 2010
Man, I hate my life right now...
Another seizure last night - not nearly as severe, so I guess that means the medication
is doing something. I didn't even bother to go to the hospital. The only lasting effect this
morning seems to be overwhelming fatigue and my hand is cramped up, but I can move my
fingers.
Already have neurologist appt on Monday, so at least I have something to tell him.
Tired of all this...
is doing something. I didn't even bother to go to the hospital. The only lasting effect this
morning seems to be overwhelming fatigue and my hand is cramped up, but I can move my
fingers.
Already have neurologist appt on Monday, so at least I have something to tell him.
Tired of all this...
Saturday, 27 February 2010
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
Pictures From Germany
http://s836.photobucket.com/albums/zz287/laverty324/Germany/
Some pictures from Germany.
P.S. Mom, I made you a Photobucket account
Some pictures from Germany.
P.S. Mom, I made you a Photobucket account
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
Smith Christmas
How did the Smith Family Christmas go? It didn't! As you can see in Donny's Facebook pictures, we had a little snowstorm on Saturday, the day of the party. About 20 inches.
I invited 30 people - 4 came. 2 were our next door neighbors and the other 2 were Pam and Eric, bless them. The house looked beautiful - fire in the fireplace, lights everywhere, snow falling outside, carols playing, food for 30 people including an entire red velvet cake, a 10 lb. ham, meatballs, cookies, cheesecake, presents piled high...my first Christmas gathering for my family...to say I was crushed is an understatement. Thank goodness for the 4 people that did manage to get there.
Pam and I are driving down to see Mom on Christmas Eve but other than that, we won't get together as a family this year.
I invited 30 people - 4 came. 2 were our next door neighbors and the other 2 were Pam and Eric, bless them. The house looked beautiful - fire in the fireplace, lights everywhere, snow falling outside, carols playing, food for 30 people including an entire red velvet cake, a 10 lb. ham, meatballs, cookies, cheesecake, presents piled high...my first Christmas gathering for my family...to say I was crushed is an understatement. Thank goodness for the 4 people that did manage to get there.
Pam and I are driving down to see Mom on Christmas Eve but other than that, we won't get together as a family this year.
Monday, 21 December 2009
Sunday, 20 December 2009
Christmas Greetings From Germany
It's -15 C here and it has snowed everyday since we got here. Our lodge is in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I hate the cold, but it is beautiful! We can see the Alps from our window and all around us when we're out and about. To get here we took the ferry to Belgium, and then drove the rest of the way. Rick is a true international driver now having driven in England, Scotland, Belgium and Germany.
So far we have visited Innsbruck and Dachau in Austria, and driven through Munich. Rick and Joe have tried skiing, but Julie and I opted to shop that day.
Yesterday we visited the Kris Kindle Market (Christmas Market). We had hot orange punch and cheese fondue while we shopped. Stalls are set up on the square with all kinds of things - it's very cute. This was the one in Garmisch - every town has it's own and each one is a little different.
We've also ridden the cable cars up to the top of one of the mountains, and took the train down. Well, Rick and I did - the kids opted for the train both ways.
We have two more days before we go home, getting home on Christmas Eve. Tomorrow we're going on a night tour of the Gorge, apparently complete with lighted torches. Gotta love any activity that lets you play with fire!
Rick is taking lots of pictures to share later. Hope everyone is having a merry Christmas season so far!
So far we have visited Innsbruck and Dachau in Austria, and driven through Munich. Rick and Joe have tried skiing, but Julie and I opted to shop that day.
Yesterday we visited the Kris Kindle Market (Christmas Market). We had hot orange punch and cheese fondue while we shopped. Stalls are set up on the square with all kinds of things - it's very cute. This was the one in Garmisch - every town has it's own and each one is a little different.
We've also ridden the cable cars up to the top of one of the mountains, and took the train down. Well, Rick and I did - the kids opted for the train both ways.
We have two more days before we go home, getting home on Christmas Eve. Tomorrow we're going on a night tour of the Gorge, apparently complete with lighted torches. Gotta love any activity that lets you play with fire!
Rick is taking lots of pictures to share later. Hope everyone is having a merry Christmas season so far!
Thursday, 26 November 2009
Happy Thanksgiving To All
Interestingly, even though Thanksgiving is not a British holiday, the turkey sales are pretty prevalent and the Christmas decorations are up, so it's almost like home. We started the day with a nice brisk walk downtown where we picked up a Santa suit for Joe. He's doing a charity run for St Michael's Hospice Sunday and all of the runners are wearing Santa suits.
We stopped at an outdoor cafe to get a cup of hot chocolate, and it started pouring. Rick was a good sport about it - we actually did sit and finish the hot chocolate in the wind and rain before heading home to put the turkey in the oven.
I like the ritual of preparing the turkey and the familiar side dshes (you know we'll have olives!). I always think about all of my family members preparing for the same dinner all over the world, and it connects us somehow.
For everyone out there, I wish you a glorious day spent in the company of those you love, with the knowledge that you are loved and remembered by those of us who are not there as well1
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
We stopped at an outdoor cafe to get a cup of hot chocolate, and it started pouring. Rick was a good sport about it - we actually did sit and finish the hot chocolate in the wind and rain before heading home to put the turkey in the oven.
I like the ritual of preparing the turkey and the familiar side dshes (you know we'll have olives!). I always think about all of my family members preparing for the same dinner all over the world, and it connects us somehow.
For everyone out there, I wish you a glorious day spent in the company of those you love, with the knowledge that you are loved and remembered by those of us who are not there as well1
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Sunday, 22 November 2009
Feeling good
Well I'm home. After all the drama of trying to get admitted to the hospital I finally had my gallbladder ripped out by the roots. Everything went fine. I see the doctor for my follow-up visit on December the 9th. It took me a few days to get my energy back but today I feel 100% better. I still get tired if I do to much but the pain I constantly felt in my abdomen is gone.
The next step is to recover through December and then get the scar tissue in my left shoulder cut so I can get a full range of motion back,after the 1st of the year.
I'll keep everyone posted as things progress.
As far as the hospital goes, it was great. It was a private hospital. I had a private room with a private bath. If you needed pain medicine you got it in about 60 seconds after asking for it. This is compared to literally six hours in a National health hospital. When I could eat again, dinner consisted of hot tea followed by creme of mushroom soup, roast lamb with mint sauce and five scoops of lemon sorbet for desert. Since I missed my lunch of chicken salad and tea because I was in surgery, they brought me that too along with my dinner. At 1:00am after my surgery the nurse came in, saw that I was still awake and brought me a tray of hot tea.
It was great as far as hospitals go. The girl who helped me get my insurance approval even came up to my room to make sure everything went well.
That's about it for now.
Cheers!
0 comments
The next step is to recover through December and then get the scar tissue in my left shoulder cut so I can get a full range of motion back,after the 1st of the year.
I'll keep everyone posted as things progress.
As far as the hospital goes, it was great. It was a private hospital. I had a private room with a private bath. If you needed pain medicine you got it in about 60 seconds after asking for it. This is compared to literally six hours in a National health hospital. When I could eat again, dinner consisted of hot tea followed by creme of mushroom soup, roast lamb with mint sauce and five scoops of lemon sorbet for desert. Since I missed my lunch of chicken salad and tea because I was in surgery, they brought me that too along with my dinner. At 1:00am after my surgery the nurse came in, saw that I was still awake and brought me a tray of hot tea.
It was great as far as hospitals go. The girl who helped me get my insurance approval even came up to my room to make sure everything went well.
That's about it for now.
Cheers!
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Rick's Tales from the Front
As many of you know, Rick has been battling the hospital and the insurance company to get his gall bladder operation scheduled. Because he's going through a private hospital, not NHS (National Health Service), and because they can, the hospital wanted payment up front. They would accept a guarantee of payment from the insurance company, but the insurance company would not provide a guarantee of payment until he was admitted, and the hospital would not admit him until they got a guarantee. Classic catch-22.
So how to come up with 9,000.00? We went down several roads, and eventually got a loan, freeing him for surgery. We signed the papers, and called the hospital to see how they wanted the check made out and who to deliver it to.
Surprise! They had worked things out with the insurance company!
So we are good to go. No out of pocket for now, and pleased to know that our signature alone can buy us at least 9,000.00 on any given day.
Surgery tomorrow!
So how to come up with 9,000.00? We went down several roads, and eventually got a loan, freeing him for surgery. We signed the papers, and called the hospital to see how they wanted the check made out and who to deliver it to.
Surprise! They had worked things out with the insurance company!
So we are good to go. No out of pocket for now, and pleased to know that our signature alone can buy us at least 9,000.00 on any given day.
Surgery tomorrow!
Sunday, 25 October 2009
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
Homecoming Pictures
In an unexpected move, both children went to the homecoming dance. Most kids went in groups not with dates, so almost everyone goes. And dresses up. Julie is in several pictures nad Joe is in a couple. I think it's fun to see the dresses. Here's the link - just paste into your browser..
http://www.mhil-ehs.eu.dodea.edu/images/Homecoming_17Oct2009/index.htm
http://www.mhil-ehs.eu.dodea.edu/images/Homecoming_17Oct2009/index.htm
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
SmithlutzleetherJESUSblog?
Youth Drama - Tyler as Jesus. Standing ovation for our youth! They have performed it twice in public for our two churches that have teamed up on this; they hit the road in November for a by request performance from another church.
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuAexOBQgCM
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuAexOBQgCM
Monday, 28 September 2009
Julie and Joe's latest achievements
Julie is proving to be a star in her French course getting lots of 100's on her tests. She has also been assigned to advanced seminar which gives her time during school to work on whatever she wants due to her outstanding performance.
Class President Joe was presented an award today for his outstanding achievement on his summer job and was also given a hat by the women at the University of MD college here on the base.
Class President Joe was presented an award today for his outstanding achievement on his summer job and was also given a hat by the women at the University of MD college here on the base.
Monday, 14 September 2009
Don't Be Afraid...
to be brutally honest...
Having dipped a tentative toe into the water by contacting our district rep, who wants to talk me out of applying for seminary?
By all means, bring up the time and the expense (so not cheap), and anything else you can
think of on the negative side.
Just the application process can take up to a year, before you even get to think about
an actual class... and then it's a five year process after that, and then a three year probationary period after that, so almost a ten year process before you actually get to do anything with it.
Plus working full-time...
Having dipped a tentative toe into the water by contacting our district rep, who wants to talk me out of applying for seminary?
By all means, bring up the time and the expense (so not cheap), and anything else you can
think of on the negative side.
Just the application process can take up to a year, before you even get to think about
an actual class... and then it's a five year process after that, and then a three year probationary period after that, so almost a ten year process before you actually get to do anything with it.
Plus working full-time...
Mondays
Having Mondays off somehow seems like playing hooky - no matter how many hours I've put in in a week. Today has been a 'puttering' kind of day which is really doublespeak for 'not getting anything completely done'
Enjoying the beautiful day. I keep wandering out to the deck in my puttering mode to soak up some sun.
Happy Monday to everyone!
Enjoying the beautiful day. I keep wandering out to the deck in my puttering mode to soak up some sun.
Happy Monday to everyone!
Working Hard...
We are in fix up the house mode! We have done a ton of stuff this past year - redone the upstairs bathroom (painted, repaired the ceiling, put in a new vanity top, new light fixture & new decor), redone the guest room (painted & new decor), painted the laundry room and now...the screen porch! We enclosed it (and by "we" I really mean the guy we hired), turning it into a mudroom/sunroom (Donny and I disagree on exactly what we turned it into...anyway...). It's completely enclosed now, with 4 windows instead of screens. We painted it a nice bright yellow which looks very pretty with the white windows and white doors. Got some new furnishings and the carpet will be installed this week, a nice warm brown. I will post a picture when it's all done. I wish I had a "Before" picture but the porch always looked so awful I swear I don't think we ever took one picture of it.
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