Mood:
vegas luckyNow Playing: Day 2756-Next GP Chapter... Turning Lemons Into Lemonade :)
It's back to the daily grind with ongoing house projects!
One day to rest. Now back to business!
What I have not gotten used to living on a wooded hillside is the scary abundance of spiders. Not little spiders. OH NO! Big, huge, scary-as-heck kind of spiders! The kind that you don't see until your face ends up as one with their quite creative ways of making GINORMOUS spider webs!
EEEE~YIKES!!
I have lost track on how many times we have literally walked right into one of these perfectly spiraled webs of EEEE~YIKES!!! Eric went face-first, walking right into one while feeding the deer last night. Hahahahaha! I have had my fair share, even as much as getting my leg tangled into quite a few. There aren't enough visits from Terminix to rid these bigger than the country spiders! All you can really do...Is just be alert. Both eyes straight ahead! Hahahahaha!
This evening it was about revisiting the bathroom project of doing our best to somehow undo a really bad tile job. I began working on the bathroom remodel late last year. A month after we closed. But over the past week we decided to make it our #1 priority. More so myself, since Eric had overtime scheduled this week. It's been quite an adventure, but it now appears that I should be officially done with the bathroom and onto the second bedroom by the end of this weekend. YAYYYYY~FOR ME!!!
There is nothing quite like a very neat, clean, sealed from top-to-bottom country coastal theme bathroom. No more crazy colors, crazy stripes and all sorts of crazy kind of caulk that the prior owners used to seal various areas of the bathroom. No wonder we could never figure out where drops of water found in the basement were coming from directly below the bathroom. It's because the prior owners used drywall caulking to seal around the tub and shower tile. Let's not go there on the time it took to literally 'UN-DO' the huge mess. One heck of a project! One tile at-a-time! By this weekend the shower should be nice, neat, properly sealed, tiles replaced, repaired and white as a sheet of paper! WOO~HOO!
What we really need is another Celebration Sunday this coming weekend. But with rain predicted for the entire weekend here in the country. Looks like we will most likely have to take another rain check. No PUN intended! BAH! At least we have plenty to do in order to stay super busy this weekend. I have also been staying in close touch with my second cousin and his fiancé out in Kirwin. Even with our language barriers, we still find time to continue connecting on a weekly basis. It's been quite fascinating learning about a completely different side of family...DNA. They are planning on visiting us for the upcoming holidays and we couldn't be more super excited! So many great reasons to get the remainder of this house flipped, INSIDE-OUT, ASAP!
Of course...There is our ultimate goal that is slowly inching it's way within our reach...
All good things to those who wait! 
chillin'
BAH! I believe that my body literally screamed this morning, "Take your time woman! Relax..."
We all had such an amazing time last night. I however, did end up trying a few new things when it comes to solid food. Sometimes a GP'ers worse enemy. In general...Any solid food. I have been doing my best to slowly introduce a few new things through out the day. Slowly building on a very limited diet that consists of mainly liquids. I assume that maybe there is a reason why. I guess one also figured out why fried 
green tomatoes might not had been such a wise choice. 1 tomato could had possibly been A-OK. But not 2 fried green tomatoes. LORDIE! I also decided to be really bold by ordering a small side of the restaurants famous, peanut slaw. Sure, no red meat, no fish nor any other type of meat or seafood. I figured staying with greens, vegetables and a safe decaf iced tea, lemon on the side would be safe enough. 
I had plans today to finish up the very last little bit still left with the bathroom repairing and repainting project. Today. Not tomorrow. But what doesn't stay down, must come back up. No more crazy peanut slaw or fried green tomatoes for this gal. And I had a lot of leftovers to bring home. Eric ate those today. I am back on liquids for at least a few days. Hahahahaha! There is still no reason why we can't take a road off the same ole course with GP. I honestly must say, that so far it has been more successful than initially anticipated with reintroducing solid foods back into my diet. One small step and one 'small' spoonful at a time. Lesson learned! 
At least we had lots of wildlife visitors through out the sunny, cloudy, rainy and then sunny again kind of day here in the country. We sure needed the rain and so did the deer and their super cute babies! The creeks that run along our property and through out the wooded hillside were running dry. Even the deer need to eat and have plenty of water in order to survive. Eric was on a 24-hour water mission over the past week. As fast as he filled the birdbath, the faster the water was consumed. Our pride and joy deer, we named Dots, is so spoiled that she literally just sleeps outside in eyes view of our living room window. Talking about spoiled! But very much well worth it! 
His deer will not only be super healthy and ready for another trip around the world, delivering gifts to all the good little boys and girls! But I overheard by a few elves that we are so far on the TOP of the NICE list! Heeheeheeheehee! 
happy
We don't get out very often with dear and close friends. Those whom are just like family to us. Always lending a kind ear or helpful hand through out our life. There are no words to describe how happy we were to meet Dr. T and Jo out for dinner. Time to take a break from the monotony! Time to take a break in order to get and enjoy this adventure called~Life. 
We all had such a great time! I also forgot how it feels when you smile and laugh so much that your mouth hurts. Hahahahaha! It was honestly just what any doctor would order. Even Dr. T! A most beautiful evening out with dear and close friends. So many stories to share about life in general. What a wonderful time! What wonderfully kind hearted and amazing friends! We all couldn't have had a better time. Spending an evening out, enjoying life...Together.
Isn't that what life is truly all about? Sharing and caring. Plenty of laughter and a whole LOT of smiles! 
day! 
bright
We have been keeping extremely busy with our huge house FLIP! The days and hours seem to just fly on by~ We have a lot to keep us busy. Yet days like today...Keeping busy, on top of being productive is a good thing! Actually...A blessing in disguise! Days like today. If we didn't have so much to keep us busy. One could really let their brain take over with far scarier stuff. I am thankful to have such amazing support and encouragement from Eric. Especially when new news isn't what anyone was anticipating. With the help of my therapist and LC, life coach. Some medical information should be shared in hopes of possibly helping someone else whom might be in my shoes. Symptoms that to most, would make no sense. But symptoms that could possibly help you stay one step ahead! Medically.
With a few tests that came back far worse than just a few months ago. The remaining lab work also came back over the past few days. It isn't about...Why. It's about...HOW can we help you to proceed forward. When your body starts throwing out some very strange symptoms. Those new symptoms should be shared with your oncologist and other treating physicians. Never try to play, 'Doctor.' Listen to your body! Leave playing doctor to your treating physicians. For reasons that really wouldn't matter nor change anything. I only have one functioning kidney. The drastic changes within labs are due to changes within my body. The kidney that is working isn't filtering properly. We could assume lots of things that have contributed to the cause of losing function of one kidney and damaging the other. Tumors continuing to block organs, bad cells continuing to scramble upward. But would knowing really change anything? Would it change the outcome? No. I am leaving decisions within the hands of my medical team. Life will go on. Life does go on. Same as it always has for this gal on a mission to continue defying the odds. 
surprised
The JOYS of finding all sorts of wonderful hidden lemon gems left by the prior owners...
I wasn't honestly sure what the heck was going on with this part of the ceiling??.
Once I got the ladder out of the garage, and brought it into the house so I could take a much closer looksee. Did I then realize that the prior owners not only 'didn't' properly seal a huge gap that went from one section of the ceiling into the attic. But they used a long piece of black weather stripping. OH...Boy... Hmmmmm... I assume that maybe they ran out of painters tape to just literally tape the open gap from the ceiling into the attic. Of course, just being facetious if you know what I mean. It took awhile in order to figure out how to tackle this self-repair nightmare. But I am a gal on a serious mission! There is no stopping me or my huge tool bench of various home improvement supplies! 
While the kitty gang played to their hearts content. At least staying out of the way from a gal on a mission! It took me a little over 3 hours before successfully tearing down and repairing another big ole mess! I am still chuckling at our big painters taped tennis ball find. 
Now I guess you can say that anything is possible with a house of hidden lemon gems! Heeheeheehee! Give them a round of applause though..."A" for effort! At least they did attempt to find something around the house to use, instead of just heading to a local hardware store and doing repairs the correct way. The first time. Nah! They must had known that we like a challenge and rightfully so, accepted this huge challenge of flipping a house literally inside out. UPSIDE down! 
to help keep me alert. I really don't need the tea, because we know that come next room to repair and repaint. There will always be a good laugh and enough to keep us alert and super busy! What a great theme to our soon-to-be fresh new home~County Coastal. By the time we are finished with the house. And the various contractors are finished on their end. We will be more than ready to relax our cares away this upcoming winter season! 
on fire
I am proud to say that it has been officially one week since completely cutting sugar out of my life. I am also happy to say that I have slowly been successful at introducing all sorts of fresh cut, steamed-no salt, mixed vegetables into my diet. Let's just say that I have fought back the ole sweet tooth with every bit of will power in my body! My LC-life coach, challenged me a week ago to cut all sugar out of my diet. At first, I laughed and looked at her as if she had just asked me to cut off my arm. Hahahahaha! The reason for such a drastic change in my diet, as well completely stopping all pain medication. Is quite obvious. Add the results of one very important lab report changing within a mere 6 weeks from a not-so-normal low of 6.9. As of this weeks report...A scary low 1.9. 
When I am craving sugar. My LC has me stop and then ask out loud one very important awareness question. "Am I really craving sugar? Or...Am I just craving sugar out of boredom, anxiety or for energy?" It's been a really good way to stop all sugar, cold-turkey! The results in just a mere week have been absolutely CRAZY! I can't wait to see how I feel in a month! Sure, I have my weak moments. But stopping before I give in and asking myself why am I really craving sugar has been the key so far with my success. When it comes to introducing fish back into my diet. After a long absence...No dice! It tore me up! Tilapia used to be my go-to fish friend. But not anymore. So my LC has created a diet plan tailored to not just my Gastroparesis, but for other medical reasons. I never could handle the caffeine in coffee or soda. So at least I don't have to worry about going cold-turkey a 'la three different cray-cray ways! 
Hahahaha! 
lucky
Lucky kitty used to sit on her cat tree next to the back door. Looking through out the day to see if her little friend would come back so she could talk to her through the window. We always knew when the kitten would be outside because Lucky would go absolutely crazy on her cat tree. Of course...I don't really believe that 'WE' found Mittens that we named after seeing her pretty white paws. Instead we believe that Mittens found us. Her new human family and lots of fur siblings. 
The month prior to closing and moving into our new home in Indiana. Mittens kitty was adamant as ever to continue paying us visits through out the day. When it was cold, rainy and snowing. Mittens would take shelter under our front porch. Myself and Eric both agreed that NO WAY could we leave the little cute kitten behind to find food on her own and some sort of shelter. So one day we decided to start feeding Mittens in a feral cat carrier that had a door which closed whenever the cat steps towards the back of the cage. Yes, of course! It is a very safe and humane cage! A great way to rescue lost kitties and those who might be injured. 
Eric said that NO WAY will this little kitten walk into the cage, go all the way to the back, step on the hinge door release and begin eating the small bowl of food. Of course, I didn't get my hopes up very high. Especially on the very first try, but we still had two weeks before our big move. It wasn't but a mere few minutes before Mittens walked across the yard, up to the open cage and walked right on inside. Right towards the back of the cage, stepping on the hinge door release and began eating the small bowl of food. Hahahaha! Talking about completely astonished!! The very first try we successfully were able to rescue and officially welcome home Mittens to our little family. Lucky was super excited to finally have new friend indoors when we brought Mittens home after having her checked out by our veterinarian! Lucky never left Mittens side and Mittens never left Lucky's side. It was Mittens kitty who sat by Lucky's side when her heart condition took a tragic turn for the worse. We never pushed Mittens away, but instead allowed her to continue comforting her best friend, Lucky. 
After a visit this morning with my specialist to go over recent tests and labs. I was presented with a one-time warning. Levels that came back at their lowest. A very dangerous low. As my specialist sat myself and Eric down in front of their long desk. I was presented with an abundance of knowledge. I took that knowledge, along with my test results to my LC later this afternoon.
happy
With change comes personal growth. Learning lessons from the past and applying them to the here and now. Towards the future. Who doesn't absolutely LOVE a great ending?! The ability to self-reflect by continuing to choose the road to happiness. 
