Here we are... almost 48-hours with the inability to actually be able to sleep... any type of decent sleep.

Between Eric making Walmart runs in attempt to find some sort of over the counter remedy and my snazzy heart monitor sending alerts from the kind folks who are watching over my beats per minute... lack of sleep. I am beyond exhausted and it's starting to catch up with me.

If one was smart.. they would just head up to the emergency room for some assistance to be pleasantly knocked out to catch some zzzzz's. But instead... I am trying my best to see if I can remedy my own lack of sleep without hospital assistance. It has not been an easy nor very successful feat so far by any means. Not when your entire body is so out of whack and that's putting it lightly.

So... after a few calls to my specialists who are managing my care at the current moment. They have me scheduled at their office to see them Thursday morning or earlier if I cannot finally get some sleep. 

In the meantime... at least I'll be able to let you know which Sleepytime tea will hopefully work for me.

Signed,

In NEED of zzzz's~

You know what happens when you have way too many thoughts running through your mind? You realize that the load of wash that you just placed in the washing machine... a very large load of wash that is getting ready to start the first cycle has your $6,000+ 24-hour heart monitor piece of equipment in it.

I may not have passed a stress test running on the treadmill at the hospital in front of my cardiologist.... more like... in need of my cardiologists assistance to get off the treadmill. But needless to say I sure the hell wasted no time getting as quickly as I could to that running washing machine after I realized holy **** did I drop that in the washing machine?!!!!?!!!

I don't know how... and I definitely don't know why I was able to successfully retrieve the equipment out of the washing machine that was already beginning the first cycle full to capacity of water and laundry detergent. Not one single drop of water was on that piece of equipment.

Yeah... I am about as dumbfounded as you are reading this!

Needless to say... having a million things on your mind can be a dangerous thing. It can also possibly be one hell of a very expensive thing.

The rest of the day I decided that I better just take it easy... even deciding to look a little bit more like myself instead of Casper the Friendly Ghost for the camera... sharing a smile which is a heck of a lot better than the frown I could have had with an expensive damaged piece of equipment on my hands.

*CLAPPING*

Here we are folks... another weekend cookin' with Little Ole Me here in the country~

Today's recipe is this little ole Pina Colada Smoothie treat... YUMMY! 

 "Skinny Pina Colada Smoothie"

Here's all you need for this pre-summer beverage treat:

Any size blender, small spoon, decorative glass of your choosing and a straw.

Here are the ingredients:

Low-fat Cool Whip

1 small bag of chopped Macadamia nuts

1 small bag of shredded coconut

1 small bottle of Smartwater

1 packet of Walmart Great Value pink lemonade drink mix...single serving packet

1-2 tablespoons of pure lemon extract

1 bag of New World Farms Frozen Pina Colada smoothie mix

1 small bowl of chopped ice for blending

Start with adding your Frozen Pina Colada Smoothie mix and small protein packet. Slowly add your blend of Smart Water and lemonade drink mix. Don't forget a few drops of pure lemon juice! Add some chopped Macadamia nuts and shredded Angel coconut to your liking.

Now give it a good old blend... adding the lemonade-Smart Water mix to thin out the consistency.

Get your favorite decorative glass ready for your Skinny Pina Colada Smoothie!

Top off with a few extra chopped Macadamia nuts and shredded coconut to your liking and don't forget your pretty little straw darlin'!

Go ahead now... sit back and take a load off those tired feet and enjoy yourself this super Skinny Pina Colada Smoothie treat...YUMMY!

Skinny Pina Colada Smoothie

~By Little Ole Me

Boy am I ever hard on myself lately as I struggle to come to realization of internal issues continuing to work against me.

Boy am I ever so extremely hard on myself lately like this morning when I couldn't even pass a stress test walking on a treadmill... not even finishing the second level. What was a lot harder was the realization of another critical care patient at the young age of 67 years old that was actually able to pass her stress test with flying colors. How do I know? Because I overheard the nurse sharing the great news with the young patient as her faithful service dog laid by her side.

What a huge reality check believing that this morning's testing would turn out A-Okay.  

Having your cardiologist come down from ICU because I not only could not pass the stress test. But I got so dizzy that I couldn't breathe as both my cardiologist and his assistant had to assist me off the treadmill. I am extremely thankful that my new specialists here in the country respect my wishes of not admitting me and instead allowing me to remain at home while they continue running tests in order to figure out the best strategy in order to keep me as stable as possible. Doing the best they can so I can continue enjoying each and every day as humanly possible.

The stress test was followed by a quick echocardiogram of my heart. The only positive Silver Lining out of this morning was that my cardiologist and critical care specialists now have a far better understanding of what is going on internally. I was really hopeful that I wouldn't have to continue wearing this heart monitor which is a pretty snazzy high-tech piece of equipment. But after my ego got blown to bits this morning... I am actually fortunate to continue having my heart monitored 24/7 after this evening the same exact symptoms hit me out of nowhere.

After being beaten on a treadmill stress test by a 67 year-old younger woman... I feel pretty darn defeated and a whole lot of shocked. This coming from a gal that everyone knows used to literally tear-it-up on a daily basis using my own home treadmill. That doesn't include when I used to just a year ago be able to take daily walks along the river trails and even biking with Eric.

It's truly amazing... yet quite humbling when you realize just how much has literally changed in a year... a mere year.

Life is about accepting change. But most importantly embracing the wisdom from those great lessons of life. Through the struggles... we grow to become a much stronger and far wiser person.

Note to self:

Don't be so gosh darn critical on what you can no longer control.

Tomorrow? Another day... another blessing... another reason to share laughter and plenty of  smiles.

So what's one to talk about on their way to the hospital for more testing... more findings... more treatments... I know...

Morning cartoons from back in the day!

Where else can you watch a video of pure silliness that really makes no sense... unless of course you remember what it was like being a kid. I have become a pro at this medical hoopla and there's far too many other things... "important things" to discuss on our way to the hospital.... hehehehehehe! I'm sure I probably have that Coyotes name wrong. But who can forget that adorable sad dog Droopy? 

Ahhhhh... yes.... shear  silliness like no other!

We are still laughing on this second edited version of Who Let the Dogs Out video... Munchkin Style! What we really sound like are a bunch of high-pitched squeaky toys but boy is it f-u-n-n-y... HAHAHAHA!

We are back to our list of repairing-repainting in and out of the house projects in hopes of finishing up within the next two to three months. 'Hope' is a pretty good word for it as we had to reschedule contractor work due to the rain over the past few days and their need to remove pipes in and outside of the house. It will be nice to finally feel safe with new pipes installed and removing the prior owners makeshift do-hickeys... pfffff!

What used to be the eyesore of our home here in the country has now a few weeks later become the Focal Point. The massive fireplace project is finally complete! YAYYYYY! There was no way we could safely clean each and every piece of stone and not cause me additional respiratory problems so we had to take it one step at a time. That meant working around the weather and the ability to open the windows and of course using HGTV Sherwin-Williams paint to give this fireplace it's most miraculous makeover yet!

TADA!!!

Now that folks is one Extreme Makeover! What used to be a dirty dingy fireplace is now a piece of country Coastal Chic art! The fireplace cover and grate was actually a project I worked on by using recycled material and making my own fireplace cover using colors found throughout our Extreme Makeover home here in the country. We've been taking baby steps on this massive home makeover... but so far the end results of each and every project have been a most gratifying one!

Well... time to take my meds and a long-awaited nap. Day 1 at the hospital is now complete as once again tomorrow... Day 2 will be another early one. 

Don't forget to get out and enjoy this beautiful spring weather~

I debated whether or not to share today's blog. An ordinary night watching TV when I had an overwhelming feeling of someone or something surrounding me. I kept thinking in my mind that I need to act on this quickly... however I was so comfortable on the couch with my heating pad that I didn't want to move.

After several minutes that overwhelming feeling of someone being present with me got intensified so much so that I literally had to pause the show I was watching. It was at that very moment I just knew someone was trying to connect with me and get my attention. We have accumulated various pieces of ITC equipment over the years but the majority of the time the connections just come through on their own without the need for anything to help assist them. But this time was different as I felt the need to take every piece of equipment we had as I began to clear off my side table next to the couch.

This is the original raw, unedited, untouched video taken on my cell phone. It took me a few days to debate whether I should share this video or keep it among myself, Eric and a few others. I prayed throughout the day today that my grandmamma would give me a sign letting me know if I should share this video. And there it was this evening as myself and Eric came upon a perfect heart-shaped smudge on the window right above the same candle that is being used in the video.

What I felt and what I saw was not only real but so was the connection captured on video right in front of my very own eyes.

Myself and Eric have traveled to a lot of different historical sites and historic locations over the years. My gift to be able to connect that started at a very young age has only gotten stronger as I have gotten older. I have yet to ever experience what I did a few nights ago as I connected with my grandmamma. The most incredibly beautiful bright rays of glistening lights that surrounded me like a huge embracing hug. I will never be able to express in the exact words of how much love I felt as we connected for several minutes.

I feel it's important to share this video because my grandmamma would want everyone to know that the human Spirit lives on past this life. I know she would also want me to let others know that our dearly departed loved ones are still with us as those like myself who are blessed in each generation have the ability to connect spiritually... a special God given gift.

After I had slowly got up and turned off the equipment. I turned back on the television so I could see and this song began to play as the title, "Believe" appeared on the screen as if some type of affirmation.

 During the video I had mentioned that it's important to Believe. This was once again verified by my grandmamma along with her amazing ability to connect with me in the most Angelic... beautiful... glistening lights that surrounded me. A connection that can never be denied. 

To the skeptics and the non-believers... "Believe."