Divided We Fall

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

If you were to write a list of words to describe me, the first word that comes to mind wouldn't be "patriotic". The list would be composed of words like "crazy", "goofy", "clumsy" and then somewhere down the list you would find patriotic.

Don't get me wrong - I do love this country in which I live. I love the Fourth of July. I love the flag. I cry at EVERY patriotic assembly my kids have done at Franklin Elementary. I am humbled at what our forefathers (and Mothers) had to endure in order to gain freedoms that they could only dream about and in which we now so selfishly take for granted. I was driving the other day and one of the radio stations began their morning with some students from one of our local schools reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Brought tears to my eyes. Some of my favorite songs of all time are patriotic songs AND (I design for a living) I think red, white and blue go really swell together.

I think about the pledge. Years ago there was a HUGE controversy over "one Nation under God".  Yet, most of the time, I wonder if REAL controversy is the misunderstanding of the word "allegiance". I looked up the exact meaning of the word in my handy dandy pocket size Webster Dictionary. (Yes, I'm old and at times still look into BOOKS for answers.)

It is defined as:

2  : devotion or loyalty to a person, group, or cause

A little history lesson here from ushistory.org:

On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress, seeking to promote national pride and unity, adopted the national flag. "Resolved: that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation."

Our country that I LOVE is falling apart. I watch the election process and follow the results and am disgusted at the dissension that immediately follows. I am not necessarily pro-Obama.  So don't think I've got my panties in a ruffle and am telling you he is the-most-wonderful-President-that-we-have-ever-had. I just want to say that he is THE President of MY country. He is the President of YOUR country.

From the time we are very young, we recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Every professional ball game begins with the National Anthem. Attendees and Players all stand with their hands over their hearts and mouth the words:

O say can you see by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there; O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave, O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

I think that at times we forget what we were taught the very first day of kindergarten. Allegiance. I pledged at a very young age that I would hold true to my country. I plan to do just that. My flag DOES fly over the land of the free and the home of the brave.

One boy...one girl...

Of course this post is about the wedding. Duh! What a PERFECT event! Beautiful setting. Stunning bride. Handsome groom. Sigh. Perfection.

It warmed my heart to see the friends and family that attended. As the line came through, I was genuinely shocked to see so many loved ones that went out of their way to come out in the freezing cold and snow to give us a hug and whisper "congratulations".

My entire family cleaned up REALLY good. WOOT WOOT 

I couldn't ask for a better day.

Mark wrote a song and sang it to the bride and groom at the luncheon. When we get it done at the studio, I'll post it for you all to hear. Pictures will follow soon.

Until then, here's to dancing, happiness, twinkling lights, beautiful dresses, handsome men, Goose's firefighting brothers, Shelby's friends, my perfect family, good friends, great love...

Again. Really?

I've had a two week break from my computer. Again. I have kidney problems. Again. I've had surgery. Again. Pain. Again. Hurts to pee. Again. I'm frustrated. Again.

Tuesday the 23rd of October I found myself in severe pain. I knew it was kidney related, but I couldn't believe that I would have problems so soon after my last surgery in July. So I kind of ignored it and hoped it would go away. It didn't.

We called my doctor and asked if we should come there or just go to the ER. We were directed to come into the office and they would get my pain under control. We drove there. I swear I was beginning to wonder if I would make it. Funny how everything goes into slow motion when you are in that much pain. The drive took forever. The walk to the elevator took forever. Walking into the office took forever. Registration took forever. The pain medicine took forever.

Finally, we got the pain under control and Dr. Platt sent me down to get x-rays. Dr. Platt thought he saw a very small kidney stone in my left kidney. He told me to keep my pain under control with meds and hope it passes soon. I had overheard him tell Mark that if I had a fever I needed to get ahold of him immediately. He left instruction to call him at home day or night. (Yeah. He's a really good guy.)

We went home and I went to bed. I slept. I slept into the morning. I slept into the afternoon and when I woke up, I knew I had a fever. I could feel the ache behind my eyes. The ache was in my bones. I was sweating. I was freezing. And I couldn't find my dumb thermometer.

I called my ever-so-cute neighbor Celeste. She brought over a thermometer and Yep! I was at 101.5. Called the doctor, they said get to the OR right now. Poor Mark was down piddling in the garage with one of his friends when Celeste went barreling down the stairs to let him know I needed to get to the hospital RIGHT NOW.

We got to the hospital and 20 minutes later I was in surgery. Come to find out my kidney was blocked by something other than a stone and some of my urine had backed up. My kidney was septic. My blood was septic. I was in pretty bad shape. I stayed in the hospital until Friday. I woke up Friday with pain in my right side. When the doctor made his rounds I told him about the pain. He pulled out the CT scan I had done the night before and I have a kidney stone in my right side that will have to be surgically removed. Soon. Really?

The doctor had to put in a stent to help get that kidney to drain the infection. I've been on antibiotics. I had been in some serious pain. I had a stent in from June to July. I at least functioned. Not this time. I have barely been able to walk. It hurt to stand. Hurt to sit. Hurt to lay on my back. Hurt to lay on my left side. I could only lay on my right side and only until the pain medicine wore off and I could take more.

I am not a pain med kind of gal. I don't like how they make me feel. I used a whole bottle. I tried to stay off them, but by evening I had to take them or there would be absolutely no sleep for me. I was miserable. I was depressed. I was scared.

Goose is getting married in a week. I told the doctor that I HAD to be there. The way I was feeling, I could not have made it. He agreed to remove the stent.

Thursday I went to the office to remove the stent. I told the doctor I have been peeing blood since I left the hospital. I have been in excruciating pain. I don't know if he believed me until he got the scope inside and saw my insides are filled with blisters and sores. Apparently my body rejected this stent and every time I moved I was working sores and blisters into my body. No wonder I was so miserable.

I am recovering nicely with the stent removed I am terribly tired still, but I FEEL better. I have the wedding on the 10th of November and I will be there crying like a baby. But these will be tears of joy.

I have surgery again on the 16th and hopefully this will be the last bout I have to go through. Dr. Platt is going to have me come in at the end of the year after all the surgeries and infections are behind me and we are going to send in a sample of urine in hopes of finding out what is causing all this grief.

That's the update on me. That's why I haven't been writing again. I have plenty to say. I miss writing and hope to get back at it with vengeance. I think it's kinda cool that there are a few people out there that like MY words.

Thank you.

Hugs....