Mood:
quizzicalNow Playing: Day 802-The Final Road To Survival
"Most" people get to clear their minds and set them free by taking trips. Then there are those people like myself who can't travel and must unravel life's great mysteries without catching a break.
As soon as I get some sort of a Hell-In-A-Jug break here I am once again doing another treatment. If I sound like a broken record I am sorry but guess what? Its a broken Drano record. Its also easy to get extremely frustrated and literally as my dear friend Joe said, "Drop a jug down those who are selfish and find excuses not to make time to help or be supportive right down their mouth." Hahahaha! It was a great idea but even they would find an excuse not to drink it even if it was in the name of being "supportive." If you don't believe this stuff is liquid hell then you obviously haven't been lucky enough yet to drink it. DITTO!
I decided to re-locate the other stored jugs to a different location after my pharmacist said, "It might taste more salty due to not being stored at room temperature and out of sunlight." I took his advice and gave it a try but guess what? There wouldn't be a difference in the taste even if I stored it on Mars. Hahahaha! Its the same nasty, gritty, salty, bitter, acidity ocean tasting stuff it has been many hundred times before. UGGGG! Poor AnnMarie has to endure her own jug this weekend in order to be cleared out for surgery Monday. I feel for you AnnMarie! I reallllllllly feel for you!! I agree, its the last few glasses that literally make you gag!
With more treatments means less hair which means its getting closer to the point of saying, "Bye-Bye!" to my locks. So sad...So sad but its life. Drano life. I found a few styles that Rihanna has sported over the past few years. Even this cute but "dramatic" cut.
I always said I would cut my own hair when it came time but maybe I should put that trust into my hairstylist since she totally understands my unique situation and the inevitable.
So with it being treatment day I can only say there wasn't much of anything else planned once the first glass was consumed. At least John has been having a blast getting used to his new life out west. He even got to meet one of his favorite legendary singers yesterday. I am so happy for him! He's planning a trip back to his old stomping grounds in September to come visit me. I can't wait!!
Its going to be a long evening into the early morning hours. Littleblue has already gotten a head start keeping my couchbed pillows warm. Hahahahaha!
Here's to another Drano day...
d'oh
After getting home around 4:15am we were greeted by Littleblue and Oreo followed by some very bad kitties. Rule #1-NEVER fill both food bowls all the way to the top no matter how long you are going to be gone. Pumpkin the "Alpha" kitty decided to gorge himself so the other kitties couldn't get any food then ended up with a MASSIVE angry stomach and intestines. There was trails of puke and poo through out the house greeting us which turned into an hour clean up. GEES! Once we both sat down it was almost 5:30am and I was getting delirious from being so exhausted. We both literally laughed ourselves to sleep. Hahahaha!
Forget treatment this afternoon and forget treatment this evening. I don't want to end up back at the hospital so this time I listened to my gut and put the Hell-In-A-Jug to the side for the next 24 hours. Hopefully I will be able to do it tomorrow but only time will tell. More like my body will tell me when its OK. This is typical of the hellish treatment because you never know when it is or isn't safe.
After taking our day trip Eric now wants to save up for a bigger trip. WHO IS HE FOOLING?! I said, "Where? a larger mansion?" Hahahaha! I can't drive more than 1.5 hours. I can't sleep in a normal bad. I can't eat. I can't be in the heat for too long. Call me a "Gremlin" since we both have similar qualities and can only come out at night. Hahahaha! Eric said, "It was a good idea although I don't know how we would get there so even I have my GP denial moments." DITTO! Sadly he isn't alone because I know of some people who have known me for decades and they still sometimes don't "get it." Hahahahaha! Instead of heading to the beach we decided to once again bring the beach to us. Now not only do I have an adult sandbox on the back porch (darn neighbors recently cut all my shade but lets not go there again...) full of sand but we put all the seashells I have collected over the years from various parts of the coast around the flower beds and landscaping. 
PRICELESS! 
chillin'
We have both been not only mentally but physically exhausted lately and since winding down from list after list of things to do it was the perfect time to get away for a day. "Day" meaning since I can't sleep on a mattress because it causes me severe intestinal pain there is no spending the night. I haven't been able to take a "normal" trip in over 8 years but instead have learned to compromise for day trips. I did get to sleep a bit early last night so I was more than ready around 12pm to get up, get dressed and hit the road! The mansion is only a little over an hour away so just enough time not to aggraviate my spine too much. Anything over 1.5 hours and the pain game begins. It was another hot and humid day but a good one for driving with the a/c on. We arrived a hour and 10 minutes later so plenty of time to check out our room and hit the local casino to see if Lady Luck was on our side. Let's just say, "She was!" 2 hours and almost $400.00 later we said, "Thank you Belterra resort and casino" then headed back to the mansion. Hahahaha!
The bed was huge and super comfy although instead of sitting on I wish I could had laid on it. This time we stayed in the only large suite on the main floor compared to our last stay upstairs in the three room suite. "Haunted suite" more like. I don't get too spooked or scared anymore. Gastroparesis can do that to a person over time because there is nothing scarier than a GP flair up or serious complications. AMEN. We brought our EVP recorder, video camera and a regular flash camera. 
Eric of course was a bit spooked out once we caught actual voices on the EVP recorder through out the mansion and an image of a robed person out near the gazebo behind the mansion. Since the mansion was built in the late 1800's its not too surprising to catch spirits still roaming the grounds, in fact the owners of the mansion are used to it. Seems others who have stayed through out the years agree after Eric read diary entrees from those who have stayed in the same suite.
Wow! we had been having some great weather and same with last night in the mid 70's "however" once I woke up this afternoon and let the dogs outside I just knew this was going to be a crazy day.
Once I let the fur kids in from the backyard five minutes later I heard Eric whisper, "Hey, come here real quietly!" As I came into the dining room I saw what appeared to be a large mountain lion or goat standing on top of the glass dining room table. What I quickly realized after taking a double look was Littleblue standing on top of the dining room table eating the rest of the cats can food. SAYYYYYYYYYY WHAT?!!!!!! Yes. It took me 10 second after picking up my jaw off the floor to ask her what the heck she was doing or more like thinking. WOW! This is a priceless photo and for those who ask, "Is she part Wolf?" I tend to think maybe "Yes" because its far from a small jump to get onto the table. I honestly didn't believe Eric the other day when he put the trash outside then came back into the house only to be greeted by Littleblue standing on top of the dining room table. 
Blame it on the extreme temperature changes or maybe even the upcoming full moon since she really might be part Wolf-Werewolf that is! Hahahahaha...
Let's just say the rest of our check out experience was sugar, spice and everything nice!
happy
Eric got gifts from the fur kids and a new Cincinnati Reds #1 Dad shirt along with a few cards. He was happy as well to be able to sleep in today. The rain moved in early this morning so at least we won't have to do any outdoor watering to the flower beds. This is a day for the Dads to relax and take it easy. We had family over later this afternoon for a very nice visit then it was off for me to get some walking in before the sun started to set.
It also helps my stomach and intestinal pain due to my Idiopathic Gastroparesis. Its one crazy GP life that involves trying to do my best to keep moving and allowing gravity to help along the way. Some days I am so beat I have to literally push myself to walk but if I don't there is no sleeping. Hopefully I can make it two days in a row catching up on rest because my body can surely use it. 
bright
This is what happens doing two treatments in a row. One Hell-In-A-Jug is enough to make your hair fall out but doing back to back treatments was bound to cause additional hair loss. GEES! I'm not sure how I still have any hair left on my head but the hair fairy must had blessed me when I was born. AMEN!
It was crowded and that would be an understatement but at least they remodeled since my last visit so there was plenty of booths to sit. The food didn't change much however like it really mattered to me anyway being on liquids. What I did notice was the menu now has a calorie and fat content grid next to each item so parents can actually see what their children are eating. We ordered a large half cheese and half pepperoni pizza in which little Erik only had one slice due to being too excited with all the games. Hahahaha! At least Hubby has plenty of left overs for work since I won't allow any left over pizza at the house because I can't eat it and its too darn tempting for this gal. At least my GP allowed for some play time with Erik and trying a few games. Hey, adults can still be kids at heart! We all had a nice time but after two hours of kids screaming and crying I was more than ready to head back home to some peace and quiet. Little Erik had a really nice time seeing it was his first trip to Chuck E. Cheese but I have a hunch it won't be the last. 
Hee,hee,hee,hee....
WHEW! That was a mouth full all in one sentence wasn't it?) I can now say, "Shame" on anyone who uses their children as a pawn during any petty argument. "Shame" on those who use the word 'adoption' lightly because what people don't realize is the toll it takes on the individual standing on the receiving end. Looks like I have another battle on my hands. Realizing I am worthy of being a Mom after all but now having to get over the fear due to the ignorance of others.
lazy
After spending lots of time resting my insides are now screaming so its time to walk, walk and walk! I sure hope gravity is on my side over the next few days in order to work this gosh awful treatment out of my system so I don't end up back at the hospital. 
Since this is the first Father's Day weekend with little Erik we decided to do something as a family. I have a fun activity planned but of course with Gastroparesis its best not to plan too far ahead because you never know one day from the next. Hopefully this weekend will bring me a few GP-free days. 
The weather is going to be in the mid 90's starting tomorrow so looks like we might have to hold off a bit before spending the evenings relaxing on the porch. Between my Idiopathic Gastroparesis/seizures and Eric's horrible allergies it appears we will likely be spending most of the summer months indoors. We sure do have a lot in common just like two peas in a pod. Hahahahaha!
down
Nothing quite like having Drano stuck and it making your electrolytes all out of whack then becoming severely dehydrated. How I drove myself up to the hospital was even a question the doctors and ER staff were wondering but let's just say as I told them, "It was one quick ride!" OK. Once again maybe a bad decision but when you are going downhill fast rhyme and reason is the last thing on your mind. The emergency room and getting there fast is the first and only thing on your mind. Calling someone to meet you up there isn't either but that of course comes into play later when you realize you can't drive yourself nor your own car home. Hahahaha!
So after a huge bag of IV fluids, blood work and waiting for my delayed kidneys to start working I was then finally released to go home and continue the Drano treatment waiting game. At least they got me fully re-hydrated and the tremors have calmed back down but I am still not thinking clearly due to all this fluid retention in my intestines.
The fur gang never likes seeing us leave but are always waiting for our arrival back home with tails wagging. They always put a smile on my face even on the worst GP days. Once I let my body rest it was around 1pm before I woke up to the sound of my cell phone ringing. I spoke to my doctor about what was happening with treatment only to be told once again, "Your intestines really need to come out. We can't keep having things like this happening because it is dangerous." Not that this is a no brainer but when you are on the receiving end with any surgery its not that easy. Let's just hope this new surgeon and her surgical team doesn't also scream like hell and run for the hills like the last group from two years ago. Hahahahaha! I am taking it one day at a time. Drano time that is...
don't ask
Drano and me just aren't working this time around. Treatment is now consisting of days playing the waiting game. Not like drinking tons of sodium and chlorine isn't bad enough but when it gets stuck in your stomach and intestines it takes things to an entirely different level. I feel for my fellow GP clean out friends who have to endure weekly treatments of mag-citrate only to sometimes also find out things don't always go as planned and it too gets stuck. Instead of laying around "thinking" about it I decided to once again play landscaping Supervisor as my Husband finished up the new flower beds so we could plant the rest of the wildflower and sunflower seeds. Hopefully the squirrel gang won't find this new flowerbed. Hahahaha! Wishful thinking! At least the weather was perfect. Not too hot and not too humid so if we are going to get all this last minute planting out of the way we better do it now before the nasty summer heat is here.
I will never be able to enjoy summertime anymore. Not with Gastroparesis and connected seizures. I am slowly getting my body to sleep and rotate with the change of season but even just a little bit of outdoor sun and heat tends to quickly zap my energy. This seems to be the typical norm with GP'ers who have been writing me saying they too would rather just skip summer all together because they can never enjoy the outdoor activities. 
CHEERS TO THAT! 
So....I finished up another Hell-In-A-Jug treatment by early this evening then decided to play landscaping Supervisor while my Hubby got the flowerbeds de-weeded and ready to plant more wildflower seeds. The sunflower seeds we planted last week became a quick snack for the squirrels so I decided to just plant some additional wildflower seeds that way I know at least they won't become an appetizer for the wildlife gang. Hahahaha! Wildflower seeds are great because you get such a wide variety of flowers that come in a rainbow of colors. They are also low maintenance and love the sun and summer heat. 
The tiger lillie's and roses are doing really good and so are the butterflies bushes however we have only seen a few butterflies so far this year. Hopefully once the first round of wildflowers start blooming that were planted last month we will start seeing more butterflies and hummingbirds since they attract both. 
After a long Drano day for me and a productive day outside for Eric we decided to get the lounge chairs out to relax. Seems Oreo and Littleblue had the same idea so we each shared part of our chairs. Looks like the next thing on our list to buy for this summer and fall will be a few more chairs!
