Life was OK...Now not so much...

It's been a while since I have posted anything because life has been pretty good. Busy, but good. Tim has been going through Physical Therapy and doing quite well. He can walk around the porch for 10 minutes, take a break and walk around again for 10 minutes. He has a brace to wear and uses a big walking stick for support which has really helped him get more miles per gallon out of his walking distance. As a back up, we purchased a GO GO Elite Scooter so we can go and do the things we want without cutting trips short or just not going. What a life saver at the race ; )
So today we found out that Tim is positive for the PML antibody. As a recap for those who don't know...
PML is a bad deal (brain infection), a risk/ caused by taking Tysabri (his monthly medication infusion, been on it for 2 years). Recently they came out with a blood test that looked for this PML antibody. People that test positive are either encouraged to stop taking the Tysabri and go on an oral medication or stay on Tysabri and just receive it every other month.We chose to stay with the Tysabri and just have it every other month.
Something else that changes when you are positive for PML is now he has to go and have an MRI every 4 months, instead of yearly or every 6 months.
What all this means...Not a damn thing! Tim is still Tim, making jokes and giving me a hard time about my driving, cooking, silly things in general. We still live in a beautiful place and enjoy our life together. We have wonderful friends both up North and here in the South that we wouldn't trade for anything. We may have to go to Dallas for more MRI's but the infusions cut in half so we are about even on mileage. For a minute (ok, a whole day and night) I was worried and stressed and wanted to climb back in control freak mode but after 2 hours in the car listening to "the doctor" (aka Tim), things are fine and we couldn't be happier to be home, on our porch enjoying the wonderful Texas day and the time we have together.
So I got to vent and all is well. If you gain something from my bloggings (ramblings) then I guess I feel a little better from that too.
Love and peace to everyone worried for us. We love you all!

Giving Up Control

I started on this new path of life to give up control a long time ago (years in fact). It didn't go so well until about a year ago when I really started putting effort into giving up the need to control everything. I think that I am doing much better and Tim agrees that I have loosened up somewhat and don't get so "wiggy" about everything.
My house no longer has to be perfectly clean and dusted whenever someone is coming to stay (don't worry, I still do the sheets and clean the guest bathroom). I no longer get the itchy twitchies when there are dirty dishes in the sink or piles of laundry to do.
It has taken a mountain of effort and sometimes I wonder why I am trying to "not" be controlling. Then I look at Tim and how relaxed and happy he is here in TX. I look at the dog and his happy tail wag. Finally I think about all the things that no longer make my chest feel tight or make me feel like yelling at the top of my lungs. I see how much more time I have in the day just because I am not fretting about the small stuff to get done. 
Today at church I was reminded that I should give things up to God, not just tell him about it but give it to him and go on with my life the best way I can. Maybe someone else can do that too? So tomorrow, I am going to keep working on the control thing and only do what I can with what I have, the rest we will just have to see how it sorts out...

Stop the World, I Want Off

Ever feel like you are riding on a carousel and it won't stop? The lever to stop it is being run by some guy who is too busy hitting on some pretty girl. Then you feel like you are going to throw up and try to right on the guy hitting on the girl but miss and get it on yourself?

That is how I feel this week. Day after day it has been one thing or another to get done, mail, clean, drive to, drive back from, plan, reschedule, etc. Today I hit the wall, literally I didn't watch where I was going and hit a wall. (You may laugh because I did after my head stopped hurting.) I just need things to slow down or stop or pause for 10 minutes so I can wrap my brain around where I am going or what I am supposed to be doing. 

Perhaps everyone should pause with me...ready and............

That felt good didn't it? Well, that and I had a bowl of triple caramel ice cream for supper. Guess the diet thing is off for right now. I haven't even seen the inside of a grocery store in a while and needless to say the pantry is bare despite all this at home time I have gotten lately. Problem is that it is not quality at home time. It is filled with other peoples things to do lists. 

Next weekend is my weekend to relax and do things strictly for me and then, JAMAICA (with Tim of course). Can't wait for our yearly trip to the sun for some serious beach living. Swim Suits are packed! I just have to make it through 2 more trips to Dallas, 3 appointments, 1 project for work, 4 work days, 3 work out days, 1 shopping day and a Children's Sermon (of which I am not prepared). 

Until next time, I promise not to vent anymore like I just did. This actually helped to line up my week better. Thanks for listening :)

A Dog's Life - JJ's Side of the Bed

Woof to y'all. This is a dog's life as said by me...JJ. I was adopted by mom and dad on St. Patrick's Day in 2010. Since then my life has been great. Mom and dad take really good care of me. I have 2 cushy beds, matching paw print bowls, a really cool carrier for car rides and 4 new brothers and sisters (dud, doc, girlie and sam). 

I am very busy here at the ranch. One day I caught a huge rat for dad (cause he was too slow and let it get away). Then I was a big support system for mom when the snake showed up on the porch. I sat by her side while she cried and dad killed the snake. Let me tell you, I take my duties around here seriously. Some of my daily chores are to patrol the yard and keep it fertilized. I am also very good at picking up lots of those sand burrs for dad. 
Part of my salary and benefits package is a bi-monthly day at the spa where I get a get bath, my ears cleaned, rear end check (don't ask, it's not pleasant), nails done and a hair cut. Mom and dad like me to stay clean cut in the summer but I like that they let me have a Mohawk, it suits my personality well. Mom also makes me special treats that are all natural and healthy. Sometimes if I want a treat, I will do tricks like rolling over when someone says "Bang". I also sit, shake and look adorably cute all the time.
So lately Mom and dad haven't been sleeping well. I myself sleep just fine. I have this wonderful king size bed and get to snuggle up with mom and dad anytime I want in the middle of the night. I gotta tell ya, these 2 are wrapped around my dew claw so tight, I don't think they will ever kick me out of bed.

It is such a sweet life I have now. I don't even like to think about my prior family and that terrible trip to the Arlington Animal Shelter. At first I thought my new mom and dad might leave me and was really nervous all the time, but now I realize that when mom and dad leave, they will come back for me because they love me so much. We are a family! When mom and dad go on vacation they take me to stay with Aunt Kathy and Uncle Steve. They spoil me too. 
I have to go now, mom put on my Jimmie Johnson (who I am named after) bandanna so that means race time.

Hey, let me tell you something first...Blogging woof's!

Switching Sides

So we decided to do a little experiment in our house. Tim and I met on March 13th, 1998 and married on September 1st. 2001. For the past 9 years we have slept on the same side of the bed. Tim on the left and me on the right. About a month ago, I got tired of waking up with a sore throat because the air vent blows right down on my face all night long. So we switched sides....aaagh! Crazy isn't it? We switched sides! I wonder how many other couples in the world sleep on the same side of the bed each night and for how many years. Like grandmas and grandpas for 50 + years, are they sleeping on the same side they chose when they were 20?

On with the experiment: we also thought that neither one of use had been sleeping well and could not get our sides adjusted right (We have a sleep number bed). Our backs started to hurt and generally not sleeping good. So off I go to the left and Tim to the right. We even moved the bed over and changed the night stand position (We really went all out if you knew how much that bed frame weighs). The first couple nights were odd but I slept and did not wake up with a sore throat. Tim is enjoying the straight trip to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Moving the bed over caused more room near the doorway and it made the room look even bigger (even though it started out huge).

Problem: We both still ache in the morning and are now starting to think our sleep number bed is bad. Could it be time to change to a different mattress?

(Denial) Variable: We both didn't even stop to consider the 13 pound dog that now sleeps with us and seems to take up 3/4 of a king size bed. In the middle of the night I find myself contorting into different positions to accommodate said dog. We both end up with about 1-2 inches of space left before we tumble off onto the floor. Also, neither one of us has the nerve to move that sweet little puppy in the middle of the night. You try to move him and he whimpers, groans and snuggles in closer leaving even less room. He is so darn cute when he turns over and nuzzles his cold little nose into the curve of your neck, leg, arm, back, wherever. 

Any advice other than boot the dog out of bed cause really folks, that ain't happening! He is our baby and we spoil him with love, attention and plenty of pets every night. In the morning he stretches and looks up at us and waits for more scratches before he starts his day (of playing, pets and even more spoiling). 

So, look for a new bed or smell like Ben Gay everyday because of our sore backs?

Don't (insert explicative here) With the National Anthem

Did you watch the Superbowl on Sunday? Did you catch the National Anthem? Here is my down and dirty on the supposed "remix" of our Nations Anthem. It stunk and was a downright disgrace.  There are just some songs you don't mess with and the National Anthem is THE ONE SONG! I don't care if some tone deaf, junkie rock star sings, just don't mess up the words. Oh, and I don't go for the "maybe she was nervous" excuse...She is a rock star, it is her job! Bull honky on being nervous. How would someone like it if I was too "nervous" to do CPR? What then?

Ok, I have jumped down off my soap box. For those of you that know me well, I really never talk about politics and really ride the fence on a lot of things but this...I dare say it angers me. After reading all the excuses on the internet about her flub being everything from the back up tape, delayed recording, etc., to a remix of the song, well it plain makes me crazy upset. I thought we Americans had more class than as to mess with our Nations Anthem. You don't hear Canada singing their song differently do you? "Oh Canada, our cold and wooded land." I didn't think so.

Ok, now I am really off my soap box. Hope you all enjoyed the actual game of the Superbowl as I think it was very exciting and enjoyed the excuse of another day to be with our neighbors and friends.

Peace, love and NASCAR starts on the 20th BABY!

The World According to Tim

Tim and I were sitting around talking this morning and he said..."I thought we moved here from Iowa to get away from this type of weather?" So true! Most recent storms are mere reminders as to why we left the frozen north land. Some Texans try to blame us Yankees for the weather but we have been here for 2 years now so I think that comment should pass. We think it was the Steelers and Packers that brought down the cold with them since they were the last Yankees to arrive in the state of Texas. Needless to say, flights have been iffy since then.
Some people have asked for Tim's take on all this blogging and what I have been saying...He says "I'm just too busy working my fingers to the bone to blog." Would you like to hear some of his other very hysterically funny quotes? He isn't around to defend himself because he is in the RECLINER! Oh I am sorry, for those of you that know Tim, he is "Sensitive" (and doesn't hesitate to tell me every chance he gets).
His response..."Some of us have to work. I've got chores to do, you tell them that! And it is only 11 degrees." Funny how just 4 days ago we were running around in short sleeves. He is regretting leaving the coveralls back in Iowa. When we find things missing that we used to have we just say..."Must have gone in the farm sale."
So off he goes to do his daily work only to return a frozen newby Texan in about 7 minutes. LOL LOL, wait potty break, LOL LOL! Stay warm and until next time...STay out of the RECLINER!