Greetings Kind Reader,

Sorry for having been away for ... good grief, I don't even know how long it's actually been. And yes, it's because I've been busy.

I also went on the first vacation I've been on in over 3 years at the end of July (Disney World, Universal Studios Florida, and a visit to the in-laws in the Pensacola region of Florida). The build up to that trip was crazy and between getting my daughter to all her various voice lessons and guitar lessons (she's now also learning to play classical guitar) and then having a couple of really weird procedures done on my neck to ease the years worth of pain I've had.

Seriously, YEARS! Finally, a doctor decided to take a deeper look and said I might actually have an injury - go figure! When I was 16 I rolled my car over 3 times and went into the windshield. The year before that, I was rear-ended by a car going about 45MPH while my mother and I sat at a dead stop waiting to turn left. And then there have been other rear-ending accidents since then. So - maybe - just maybe I wasn't joking all those years when I said I was in pain. And maybe ... now call me crazy ... I wasn't going to the doctor to get 'pain meds' like some drug addicted suburbanite Mommy.

In fact, if I'm being totally honest, I didn't even like taking the darn things. They made (and still do make)  me feel all weird. And not in that funky 'cool' weird way - at least I don't think so. Then again, maybe that's how addicts like to feel. But I didn't get any enjoyment out of the groggy, dry-mouthed sensation that only 'kinda-sorta' eased my pain. So if that's how it's supposed to feel to be high or whatever - I'd rather take a couple of Tylenol and hang out on the couch watching a movie or something. Blah, to me, is just BLAH!

Anywhooooo - as I was saying I had these procedures called Radio Frequency Ablation done to both sides of my neck from my C1 to my C6 (and everywhere in between) where they pretty much singe the pain receptors at the tips of the nerves that WERE (I repeat WERE actually being slightly pinched by my vertebrae ... seen on an MRI my doctor had done to confirm what could be causing the pain. Incidentally, he actually had an MRI from 2002 to look back on that was done on the SAME FLIPPING area and guess what he saw when he gave it a really, really close look? My nerves were being ever so slightly pinched by my vertebrae.

He told me he couldn't understand why my doctor back then didn't address the issue but then again, it was so mild - so very insignificant they probably didn't think it was really the root of my pain. Instead they all decided it was in my little ol' brain! But (not sure if I mentioned this a while back) being a person with fibromyalgia diagnosed after about 15 years of constant trips to the doctor every few months until finally one doctor said 'you know, maybe you should see a neurologist' and that neurologist did all sorts of tests that proved I had absolutely nothing. Only by nothing it meant that the one thing that could not be tested for was the only other option. And that one thing that couldn't be tested for was/is Fibromyalgia.

Long story a little less long - now I'm seeing a doctor who specializes in pain management to move people away from powerful drugs. And he's the one who suggested the RFA treatment. I'm so glad he did too. It's not perfect - but it's WAY better.

So, let's see - there was that.

OH - and then there was the aftermath of that lovely family vacation which honest to goodness was GREAT. We did get a little sunburned and exhausted but it was worth it. So very worth it since the last time we were in Disney was 10 years ago when my daughter turned 7. Now she's 17 and this was probably the last 'family vacay' we're going to really take before she heads off to college.

Wow, I can't believe I'm saying that and actually meaning it!

Of course, she'll be going to college minus her tonsils which she had removed last Thanksgiving and her gall bladder which she had removed ... about 2 weeks ago.

Yes. That's right. My 17 year old daughter had to have her gall bladder removed on August 22. Her first day of her Senior year was August 25 and actually getting her into the operating room was like pulling damn teeth!

It all started after she started getting sick towards the end of our trip. We thought it was a combination of all the rich Disney foods (dinner is really good there) and all the go - go - go we did - did - did in the 2 week period of time. And it sort of was.

Basically, her gall bladder - which probably hadn't been working too well for quite a while - sort of went into hyper drive because of the trip and the day after we got home she was sick. As in miserable sick.

We thought it was just exhaustion as we were all tired beyond belief. But then on Saturday, August 23 - she really felt badly. In fact, I feared she was having an appendicitis. So to the quick care place we went. They did a CT Scan there. Nothing. But we were told, if she gets worse take her to this place ... another urgent center that is open on Sundays where they can actually do surgery.

Sunday, August 24. She wasn't better. So to the other place we went. Where they did an Ultrasound. Nothing again. But the doctor there said, "Man, I know it might sound odd, but I really think it's her gall bladder. It's got all the signs of a gall bladder. You should see a gastroenterology specialist. Here, this is the guy we refer people to."

Unfortunately, that doctor doesn't seen 'kids' (my daughter is 17 but still considered a pediatric patient). After the office manager at our family doctor worked for hours to find a place for Jessica to be seen we finally were able to get into a doctor on the following Monday. Where they sent her for another Ultrasound. What did they see? Nothing.

By this time I was like, 'Damn it. It's her gall bladder. I know it is. I had to have mine removed. My mother had to have hers removed. Her paternal grandmother had to have hers removed. It's her gall bladder.'

BUT ---- No. Now we had to do a HIDA scan - it's some nuclear medicine test that cost even MORE money (like the CT Scan and 2 Ultrasounds were free, ha!)

AND we had to schedule it in Temple, Texas. About an hour and a half from where we live ... in flipping Austin. Austin where there are more hospitals that you can shake a stick at AND where they have 2, count 'em 2 different children's hospitals!

So we went to Temple. Result of THAT test? NOTHING. (And here I am practically screaming - DAMN IT - IT'S HER GALL BLADDER!)

Finally, we get find a surgeon who is willing to do the surgery - even though NOTHING was found. And she's in ... Temple at their Children's hospital. (Apparently, ALL the surgeons who work on 'kids' take off the last few weeks of summer because NOTHING ever happens to kids during the summer that might require a surgeon!)

ONLY ----

Just to be 100% absolutely certain, the doctor, who is more than willing to do the damn surgery says 'I want to do one more test. An endoscopy.'

So, on Monday August 18 we're BACK IN TEMPLE, TEXAS at the McLane Children's Hospital (they were really nice there) for an endoscopy -check in- at 8:30 AM. (Yes, we went through Austin traffic to get there on time. Only they didn't give us the proper address so we wound up at a Hampton Inn! Oops! You know, there's a reason why addresses are given with those directional indicators like NE and SW!

Finally, we get there and have to pay something like $500 UPFRONT. (This is after the other upfront money we've had to pay) Yes, we have insurance - but the doctors, medical facilities, and specialists want to be assured they're gonna get paid something BEFORE they'll do anything. UGH! (DO NOT GET ME ON THAT SOAP BOX!)

After the endoscopy guess what they find? NOT A SINGLE DAMN FRIGGIN' THING! And yet, Jessica is still in writhing pain. Not a little 'ouch that's uncomfortable' pain. We're talking 'HOLY FRACKING PEANUT BUTTER THAT HURTS' doubled over sort of pain.

But 20 minutes after the endoscopy we still meet with the surgeon who says 'Okay, we'll do the surgery because - it probably IS the gall bladder but we always want to make sure. And think of it this way ... if she's still in this extreme pain a few weeks after the surgery we'll know 100% for sure that it's NOT her gall bladder.'

Yeah, I know. I was floored too by that bit of Sherlock Holmes deduction.

So even though I'd said again and again, it's her gall bladder - I apparently wasn't bright enough to make that call but after 5 different and VERY expensive tests that showed NOTHING the doctor who pretty much knew NOTHING about the case except for what I told her said, "I probably is her gall bladder."

That was the point when I wanted to throw someone against the wall. But by then, I was also too mentally and physically exhausted to do more than stare at the doctor and the two interns like they were f'ing morons and say, 'So when can we schedule this? Her first day of school is next Monday and she will NOT miss that day. So it MUST be this week."

After a little schedule adjustment - basically the secretary moved one kid's surgery back an hour - they had Jessica scheduled for surgery on FRIDAY, August 22 at 6:30AM ... as in IN THE DAMN MORNING. Now remember we're over an hour away.

So we get up at 4AM - drive to Temple to check in where I'm greeted by 'And how would you like to pay your portion of the surgical fee?' before they'll even take her to a room.

Guess what our portion was? $1,846. YUP - that's right. Apparently, the folks in Medical Lala land think that folks can just pull money out of their asses at a moment's notice. Thank God, we had a credit card with enough on it to cover that 'portion' of the fee.

Although I have a sneaky suspicion Todd and I will be getting bills over the next for weeks for 'this' and 'that' which wasn't part of the 'main bill'. OMG! (And yes, they've already started coming in)

But, now J is into her 2nd week as a Senior. She's feeling SO SO SO SO much better - even though she's still a little sore. She's really looking forward to the year ahead - even if she's nervous about college 'stuff' that she's got to do. Only that's another blog entirely.

I've got to scoot. Really. I've got to dash to the school to pick Jessica up from Theatre rehearsal. She got a part in the 1st Fall play! She tried out for it 5 days after having her gall bladder removed and nailed the part.

I am so proud of her.

By the way - I sat down and wrote this little ramble in all of about 22 minutes. See, when I get focused - I get really focused.

Now that I've given you the 'big bits' of why I've been away - I'll try to get online again soon to tell you the little bits! I promise!

Thanks for reading and being patient with me!
Hugs to you all.