Water World

Picture of "The Wigglin Water Sprinkler"

Brandy and Carey purchased the boys a run-through sprinkler called "The Wigglin Water Sprinkler." They carefully set it up in the back yard and the boys have had hours of fun running around in it.

Last week Brady was playing outside in the water. They think he got bored being by himself and he can't get out of the backyard to find his brothers because it is fenced (A good thing mind you!).

While Brandy was in the laundry room starting a load of clothes, Brady decided to bring the sprinkler inside the house. Yup. You guessed it. Drug the sucker all the way inside and then went back outside to turn it on. That's when Brandy heard the sound of water coming from somewhere in the house other than the laundry room.

The sprinkler receives its name because of its construction: a long tube with lots of short tubes running off it. Water shoots out the short tubes in a wild wiggling fashion. I can only imagine the look of horror on her face when she ran into the dining room to find sprays of water being shot in all directions. And I can only imagine the look of horror on Brady's face when his mother caught up with him!

Power to Leap Tall Buildings

Days Run Into Days

Radiation. Through a tube in my breast. Everyone in this place smiles. I'm fine...really.

I lay on a table piled high with heated blankets. Helps calm my quaking nerves. Dr. L hooks me up to the Space Capsule filled with radioactive sunflower seeds. Just kidding. It's OK to laugh you know.

When all is ready, countdown begins and Geiger Counter Man sets the timer on the Space Capsule. He is then allowed just enough time to exit the Lead Room before the Lead Door closes. It oddly resembles the actions involved in setting the timer on my self-clean oven.

Ding. Your treatment is over and your oven is clean.

The Lead Door swings slowly open and Geiger Counter Man enters carrying (believe it or not)......A GEIGER COUNTER. He smiles and disconnects me from the Space Capsule. Someone else smiles and tells me to come back in six hours.

Wouldn't miss it for the world...

Losing Control

May 2, 2008

I am flying in a whirlwind of doctors, nurses, choices. What happens now? Choices? Not really. There is only one choice.

Lumpectomy. Lymph Nodes. Waiting.

California Dreamin'

Nothing was going to stop me from watching Carey graduate from Coast Guard ET school on April 29. Not my irrational fear of flying and certainly not this Thing inside my breast.

Travis and I flew to San Francisco on April 26. We spent five fun-filled days roaming the California coastline, sipping wine at several vineyards, walking up and down the pier at Fisherman's Wharf, and spending quality time with our three grandchildren.

It just doesn't get any better than that!

The News

APRIL 23, 2008 - The names have been changed to protect the innocent

"You have breast cancer." Very long pause...followed by another very long pause. I remember asking Dr. D if I should be falling out of my chair...and watching helplessly as Travis almost fell out of his.

OK.... I’m breathing again so tell me about it. He explained that if I had to choose a breast cancer then this was the Best Kind. First, no one in his or her right mind would choose to have any type of cancer, but I understood his meaning.

Having said that.... I want this Thing out of me. Yesterday would have been good. I am referred to a breast surgeon that Dr. D has known for 2 decades. He reassures me that Dr. P is the best breast surgeon around. Later I discover that he rides a Harley, which, for some zany reason, I find extremely comforting.

More to come...