Merry Christmas - Happy New Year

Been a while since my last post. Things are great here. Christmas came and went without too much drama to speak of...none actually.

As usual I spent too much money on, well, everything and sadly I participated the the consumer orgy that everyone else was participating in as well at this time of year.

I plan on being ready for the heart attack my husband has when he sees the AM EX bill. Once he recovers from that, he will kill me for sure. *sigh*

I am on a shopping moratorium for the next 90 days to compensate for the sickening over consumption of anything that could be bought with plastic.

Otherwise, on the home front- thankfully the kids still believe in Santa! Yippee! Santa managed to come and go without a hitch and left some wonderful gifts for the kids this year. His gifts are easily distinguishable from all others because they are the only ones that remain unwrapped....

How is it at your house? Do you still believe? I still believe in the magic.

Hugs,
Michellene

Coolness...Check the Cool Wax

I came across this blog...and I thrilled I did...

Click the title and you will see why...

I recall a trip to the record store as a kid and my Dad purchasing a record for me. I believe he bought my brother and I 2 or 3 of them...

I remember this because while growing up...we were taught to never ask for anything when we were out shopping with mom and dad. I am not sure if that was just because it was wrong or because my parents didn't want to be reminded that they were flat broke.

I think it was the latter. But what do I know...I was just a freaking kid.

As for my kids, they have more CDs combined that I can shake a stick at...perhaps I am making up for that which I couldn't have or do when I was a kid.

Anyway, this guy has a ton of great vinyl and he's ripped it just for your enjoyment. Much of it is older than I am but it still reminds me of that trip to the record store. It also reminds me of the vast collection of albums that my Dad had...I loved some of those records...some were clear...some were crazy colors...not just plain black.

Anyway, check this guy out...he ROCKS.

M

Showtime - Showing Dexter Love!

You have to check out this blog! My dear friend Reylynda is so amazing. Her writing is definitely some of the best out there.

One of my favorite shows of late...besides the The Wire...is pretty much Dexter. There's nothing like a serial killer that fiends for spilling the blood of other serial killers.

His name is Dexter.

Click the link above to read the best review I have ever read about this show. The writers at Showtime have even taken note and had the post up on their website.

Whiskey Tango White Trash

This is to the woman at Domino's running her mouth at the employees there ESPECIALLY at Diana. What in the world did she ever do to you?

Are you a hater because she has more character than you do in your little finger? Your misconception must be that you are more beautiful than she because you have your token hottie on your arm...who was also running his mouth.

Dear miss blondie-

You started ranting about your credit card being charged twice for pizza you hadn't received yet. Ok...VALID complaint but the way you went about it is all wrong. I understand that you are frustrated with the situation but that doesn't warrant name calling...didn't your mother ever teach you that?

Regardless of the situation you should remain courteous and gracious...you get more bees with honey than you do fecal matter. By your tone and your use of slang words proved possitive you are quite familiar with fecal matter because you were spewing it all over the place...your slang terms such as "Whiskey Tango White Trash" at Diana was really poor form on your part.

For one, it's you that looked bad.

For another, Whiskey Tango IS white trash. So you really called her White Trash White Trash...how stupid is that?

Also, considering we are all from daughters of Eve (no lie...your mitochondrial DNA can be traced back to the 7 daughters of Eve...) then you are related to her...so that makes you...Whiskey Tango Whiskey Tango.

Next time, check yourself before you wreck yourself...

You never know why people are where they are...you never know where they have been and you don't know where people are going...you may run into Diana again someday...She could be your kids Dr when you need some answers...she may be your accountant when you want to know where all your money went...hmm..

It's called Karma.

I would like ring-side seats for the nex time you see Diana or the next time someone is on your ass about a screw up that you made... maybe I will be lucky and it will be on PPV or even UFC! I am betting Diana will clean your clock.

HOT SHOTS!

You know, I giggle at the name only because when I first met my husband he had to jump someone's dead battery. He's from Baltimore. They call that a HOT SHOT.

Well, that's not what this place is about...but I will never forget the name!

They repair eyeware. ANY eyeware it seems.

I needed a repair in a bad way.

I took Kai and Troi with me to a Parent Teacher conference today and Kai got into someone's desk. He took their little glasses and MANGLED them. Of course, being the responsible parent I am....I knew I had to repair them.

So, I too them to HOT SHOTS! They fixed them in about 10 minutes! NO LIE.

Thank you HOT SHOTS! You ROCK! I appreciate it so very much. I just cannot tell you how you have saved the day! Beat the teachers suggestion all to pieces...she was actually going to just tape them! I couldn't have that.

Thank you again!


Michellene

Too Close To Home!

There was a shooting the other day in the "unincorporated" area of San Marcos. Little did I know just how close this is to us. Olive St is the street I take to take Troi to school.

Just off Olive is a private road where there are 30+ acres for sale. Within these 30+ acres is Marilyn. Marilyn is the private road that is unincorporated.

Evidently people were shot here.

I do recall seeing Sheriff's flying down Mulberry that evening...and that alone is very very unusual in this neighborhood. It's very quiet and I did make a mental note. Wouldn't you know- this is where it occurred....

Just down the road.

What the hell is wrong with these people?

Wynton, Wynton, Wynton....Marsalis that is!

All I can say is..."Wow".

Jerome took me to dinner on Saturday 10/28/2006. Dinner and a show.

What a show it was!

Wynton Marsalis Quintet was simply amazing. Every note, every riff...every single piece they played was simply amazing.

Everytime I see Wynton play his horn, I am smitten.

Not only is he an amazing musician, but everyone that played with him has some amazing talent.

Dear God - I believe...I really do...

Dear God, hope you got the letter, and...

I pray you can make it better down here.

I don't mean a big reduction in the price of beer

but all the people that you made in your image

see them starving on their feet

'cause they don't get enough to eat from God

I can't believe in you Dear God

sorry to disturb you

but... I feel that I should be heardloud and clear.

We all need a big reduction in amount of tears

and all the people that you made in your image

see them fightingin the street

'cause they can't make opinions meet about God

I can't believe in you

Did you make disease

and the diamond blue?

Did you make mankind

after we made you?

And the devil too!

- XTC, Dear God

I for one, believe in God. These lyrics always appealed to me because I am able to think abstractly. I know there are many moments in our lives that cause us to cry out to God...for help...for praise...for thanks...in anger.

It's that anger that has struck me today. My best friend Jenn called me yesterday. She shared with me something that was on her mind...she received a call from her mom about her Aunt L. Aunt L has been battling breast cancer, and was for a while thought to have kicked it's ass...but now...she has lesions on her brain that are causing a rapid decline in her health...the prognosis is grave...and it's my understanding that Aunt L...is dying.

Yes yes I know we are all standing with one foot in the grave...but why Aunt L? She's a light in the lives of so many...why must this light be snuffed out too early?

So, this brings me to think about the song above...Dear God...why Aunt L?

I love God and think that everything that occurs has a divine purpose. The purpose may often be a mysery to those fulfilling that purpose...but it is a purpose all the same.

Yard Birds

Lately I have noticed an icreasing number of bird visitors to our yard. It's not uncommon since we do, afterall, love sort of in the country...sub-urban is more like...but we have a 1 acre lot. There is grass missing in some spots....

These birds...are just crazy!

They fly from spot to spot in the same yard they fly away...

I thought the sheer number in the bald spots in the yard to be cool enough to take pictures...of course I am insane and will take photos of just about anything...

Brianne Shelton

I never had the opportunity to meet this young woman. She worked for the medical organization that I contract for.

I read about her in the health system newsletter...and was saddened about the loss of life.

Her plane crashed en route to do charity work...fulfilling what I believe to be a very noble cause...providing medical care to those in need.

My most sincere condolences to Brianne's family...immediate and extended.

Just reading about her in the newletter...and again online...she will be missed.

Her website is down right now. I hope it will be back up soon...I would love to read more about her...not morbid curiosity...I never got to meet her...perhaps I can meet her this way.

Visit:
http://www.brianneshelton.com

Click the title for the local news clipping.

Florida's Sadness

I am so disgusted by this crime. A suspect is on the loose out there...after killing four people...2 of them children. It just makes me sick to think that this person is still on the loose.

Can you imagine?

The mother was clutching her children tightly under her...as she herself died in the fetal position...doing what every mother would do...protecting her children.

WTF

Is there a book of manners out there regarding photo taking?

If there is, hook a sista up!

Once I read it and master it...I will surely school everyone else on it.

When I got married, my photographer had no qualms about telling you to get out of her picture...she pissed off a lot of people that day...

I was just thinking about her today...while at the beach with my boys...a woman was in my photos...I would have never told her to get out...it's a freaking public beach...but if I knew I was in someones picture...I surely would be inclined to get my fat ass out of it.

5 Minute Monsoon

Alright now, that's a bit of an exaggeration...to say the least...but one minute it was sunny and then the next it was pouring!! Before the downpour...Kai and I spotted a rainbow...

:)

My Anutie Linda in Hawaii says that the islands is home of many rainbows and in each rainbow, we see Nana (her mom) smiling down on us.

So, I had to take a photo...or 2....

Hi Nana!!

Feel Like Whining About Life? Think Again

Nick is amazing. Jenn gave me a DVD of Nick's sometime ago that I have never watched. Not because I didn't want to...but to be honest I was afraid of being moved.

Does that make sense?

Read Nick's story.

I am off to watch his DVD.

He's speaking tonight at Point Loma Nazarene. It's free to the public...and I just know it's going to be hell trying to get in.

I heard about it on KOGO today on my home from Kai's OT appt.

Check him out. He's in Cali all week...

In Memory - We Will Not Forget

Scientists and engineers simulate jet colliding with World Trade Center from PhysOrg.com

Researchers at Purdue University have created a simulation that uses scientific principles to study in detail what likely happened when a commercial airliner crashed into the World Trade Center's North Tower on Sept. 11, 2001.

[...]

Scientists today recreate the collapse of the WTC twin towers...replicating a jet crashing into the buildings. Full Text article above.


Also visit the attached link for Jersey photos.

To all those families directly affected by this senseless act of terrorism...I send you my condolences.

The Seven Daughters of Eve - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Looks like we are all truly related...

There's a theory anyway, that is that 7 clan mothers who are daughter's of Eve. These 7 women, share the same mother...and each has their own mitochondrial DNA profile but all can be linked to the one woman, Eve.

Crazy huh?

Just makes me realize that this whole genetic thing really isn't that hard to believe...you know, the numbers that are crunched to calculate those affected by certain genetic condions...like CF.

It's not so far off simply because we are all related.

Craziness huh?

The Seven Daughters of Eve - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Searching for a Cure...funds for a cure that is...

I am not a fan of search engines other than Google. I am major Googler...use it at least 100 times (if not more) per day.

It's fast and I get what I need every single time...I am a Google Master.

Google doesn't pay me to search though. Nothing against Google at all. I still love Google...but check this out...

By using Goodsearch and selecting ".CFF" include the period...you would come up with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in Bethesda, MD. They are the headquarters for all things CF.

Kai has CF and I would love to have a cure for this disease so he can outlive me! :)

Please earn Search for the Cure...but searching using Goodsearch...be blessed knowing that every search generates a penny closer to a cure...sure...may not seem like much at all...but when you add them all up...it's still that much closer....


Charity or School Size Number of Supporters Average Searches Per Day Estimated Revenue/Year
Small 100 2 $730
Medium 1,000 2 $7,300
Large 10,000 2 $73,000

I Killed Shamu

While on my way in to work tonight, driving down the 15 South, traffic started to really slow and nearly stop because of debris in the road. I couldn't tell what it was right away, until something popped up and I just ran it over.

It was what appeared to be a stuffed Shamu... The unmistakable black and white whale shape...jumped up and I struck it at a moderate rate of speed...stuffing flew everywhere...

I also noted several other "babies" in the road...looks like maybe someone tossed it out of the car, lost donatable items, or maybe someone just has a wicked mean sibling that was mad...or maybe better yet...

Maybe they had a Dad like mine... Don't get me wrong..I love my Dad. He's grown up so much through the years...when we were young though, he had ZERO tolerance for stupidity/insubordination...or really anything that didn't go with his idea of how kids should act...With that being said....

I recall one time when my Dad took us camping in the mountains. My brother (younger by 1 year) had a brand new Tonka truck. We were playing with it at a campground in the dirt, while my Dad made us lunch. I recall the lunch vividly - peanut butter and mustard sandwiches...yah, it sounds nasty but I remember it being quite yummy. Although, I can't say I would recreate that same culinary delight in my kitchen any time soon...

Well, my brother and I started bickering about sharing the truck...mind you the damned thing was his in the first place...and I had to play with it. A tug of war ensued...then along came Daddy.

He took the truck from us and shouted at us...something along the lines,

"If you two S-O-Bs can share the G-damned truck, then neither of you can play with it."

He proceded to pry the truck from our clenched hands and he demolished that damned thing into a couple of pieces and most impressively flat as a G-damned pancake!

Mind you, this was early 70's and I could swear I recall a commercial about Tonka trucks being super strong and having the ability to withstand incredible amounts of force...like an elephant standing on it ...or was that Samsonite? I just knew my Dad was freaking Superman or something like that since he could do that to a TONKA!

From that moment on, I knew we couldn't let Dad see us bicker about a trivial toy...that is, if we ever wanted to see it again as it was meant to be seen. We still bickered and I think we still had shit tossed out or destroyed I am sure...but I can't recall any but this one right now.

So killing Shamu tonight, brought on this flashback...because I could just see my Dad -

"If you two can't share Shamu and all these other f**king dolls/animals than no one gets it!!"

As he chucks them out the car window one after the other....

Poor kids...

I am sorry I killed your Shamu...

Cadbury's Roses

You know, I love children's books. Especially ones that have a message that everyone can get.

This particular story is written by a mom of a cf'er.
It's for kids with cf...to understand their 65 Roses better.

Enjoy

Untitled Document

Lung-pancreas transplant is 1st of its kind | IndyStar.com

Lung-pancreas transplant is 1st of its kind IndyStar.com

Wowee Zowee!! Isn't this so incredible?

I didn't realize it was the first of it's kind...considering I have had a strong feeling this was possible and thought this was something done normally....

I guess not! This is truely amazing. I can't say it's a medical breakthrough, since that would be a cure for cf...but it is a medical milestone!

Acceptance

Acceptance is not submission; it is acknowledgment of the facts of a situation. Then deciding what you're going to do about it.
Kathleen Casey Theisen

When you think about all the ways things are, all the ways things could be, and all the ways things should be, acceptance of the way things are is the best way to deal with a situation.

You know the familiar sayings that revolve around life not being easy and life being a bitch...Well, I believe it's what you make of it. It is what it is.

I had my car worked on the other day and my mechanics wife Judy is the biggest sweetheart that you could ever encounter. It has been over a year since I last talked to her. Our last conversation was about Kai and we talked about him while standing in the local grocery store.

Life has zoomed right by...

She asks me about my relationship with Jerome...and tell her the truth.

My relationship with Jerome couldn't be better. We have our days and moments, but with the diagnosis of Kai, things just don't seem to be that big of a deal. It put things swiftly in perspective. Sure I still get annoyed when he's bugging about the laundry or the kitchen, or my socks on the floor....(Who's the nag?) Well, I think everyone who has ever been in a relationship knows all too well what comes with that. Tolerance. Before you commit to anyone, you have to decide if the things that annoy you about that person are so bad you can't live with them, well then it's time to move on. If you can, and you like the person, love the person...not necessarily giddy-in-love (that goes away not matter who you are with) but just want to share your life with that person, then go for it.

That's what Jerome and I did. We accept each other for who we are...and who we aren't. I am not Susie homemaker - Martha Stewart wanna be. He knows that, accepts it...for the most part...and that's that. What relationship/partnership couldn't do with a little more sex and a lot more money...or is it the other way around?

It is what it is.

Clinic Visit 8/24

Well, Kai is 11.33 kilos. He's 33.5 inches tall. His lungs are perfectly clear.

We started TOBI for a + airway culture. Pseudomonas as I mentioned previously is bad for cf-ers. It's bad for anyone with a chronic respiratory condition but especially those with cf. The thick mucus in the lungs hold onto the crap and won't let go...so TOBI will hopefully kick it's butt....

So, Kai is doing great...we are still following his high cal diet so he can get chubby.

It's now:
4 ounces of whole milk + 4 ounces of half and half
Jar baby food with oil (we use Omega oil with all the EFA's he needs for his brain) or we just put the spreadable butter in it (we like the Land O Lakes spreadable butter)

We have been referred to occupational therapy so he can learn to eat. I think we have been so hard on him for putting stuff in his mouth, we missed a learning milestone for him to put food in his mouth....

*sigh*

So, OT it is...we can get him in there and they can teach him how to eat.

TOBI is going rough, we get started ok but half way during the treatment, Kai gets antsy and wants to get down. This is just something he's got to get used to and his behavior is completely normal. He's just being a toddler.

Perspective

Thanks Camille for sharing this information about the movie with me. I haven't seen it yet, but just reading the story behind the movie moved me.

This is from the website:

ABOUT THE FILM
Featuring fierce rivalry, stopwatch suspense, and larger-than-life personalities,
MURDERBALL, winner of the Documentary Audience Award and a Special Jury Prize for
Editing at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, is a film about tough, highly competitive rugby
players. Quadriplegic rugby players. Whether by car wreck, fist fight, gun shot, or rogue
bacteria, these men have been forced to live life sitting down. In their own version of the
full-contact sport, they battle each other in custom-made gladiator-like wheelchairs, pursuing
gold medals and proving to themselves and to anyone who sees them in action that there is
life after disability.

From the gyms of middle America to the Olympic arena in Athens, Greece,
MURDERBALL tells the story of a group of indomitable, world-class athletes unlike any
ever shown on screen. It will smash every stereotype you ever had about “gimps” and
“cripples.” It is a film about family, revenge, honor, and the triumph of love over loss. But
most of all, it is a film about standing up, even after your spirit, and your spine, have been
crushed.

Based on the article by Dana Adam Shapiro, MURDERBALL was co-directed by Henry-
Alex Rubin and Shapiro, and produced by Jeffrey Mandel and Shapiro. During their long
and intense collaboration, the three filmmakers drew on their individual skills to form a tight,
proficient team.

In the simplest terms, all three shaped the story by bringing distinct talents to the project.
Shapiro, a former magazine editor, dealt directly with the characters and coordinated the
music. Mandel handled many of the business logistics, including rights acquisition and
planning the shooting schedule. And Rubin, who had extensive film school and
filmmaking experience, shot the film and oversaw the technical aspects. “But we all did
a little bit of everything,” says Shapiro, “which is why it is a film by the three of us.
Rubin did interviews. Mandel helped with music. And I shot when we needed two
cameras.” In fact, their creativity and ingenuity knew no boundaries, as the determined
filmmakers labored to make their dream of MURDERBALL a reality.

MURDERBALL addresses the common misconceptions many people have about
quadriplegics. It is important, for example, to establish that a “quad” is a person who has
partial impairment of all four limbs – a quad does not have to be an invalid. As the film
shows, with therapy and the help of wheelchairs, quads can lead independent lives. They
can drive, cook, have sex, and as the opening scene of the film illustrates, put on their pants
one leg at a time, just like everyone else. But the quads who had been athletes, adventurers,
or risk-takers -- or those who dreamed of this kind of life – despaired that they would never
experience extreme physical activity and the rush that accompanies it, until they learned
about Quad rugby. Hearing about Quad rugby gave these young men hope: actually playing
the game gave them a renewed sense of purpose in their lives.

The subject of MURDERBALL, disabled men finding meaning through their involvement in
a sport, could easily have been the basis for a film that was soft and inspirational instead of
hard-hitting and dramatic. But filmmakers Shapiro, Rubin, and Mandel were determined to
avoid the sentimental stereotypes that generally surface in stories about the handicapped. “I
hate inspiring disability movies,” says Rubin. “If I were to see a film about disabilities on
television I’d probably switch the channel.” Adds Shapiro, “We never wanted to make one
of those up-with people, pat-on-the-back, good-for-you films. You know, ‘Look at the
inspiring cripples.’ A lot of stories about people overcoming obstacles are unintentionally
condescending.” Their objective was to make the audience focus on the men, not their
handicaps or their wheelchairs. “I’d like to imagine that people watching the film are
thinking, ‘that guy is so cool,’ or, ‘he’s a jerk,’ just the way they’d react to any on-screen
personality, instead of ‘I’m so proud of him,’” Mandel explains.

To achieve this goal, the filmmakers made a documentary that followed the rules of fiction.
“During the shooting, we discussed fiction films, not docs,” recalls Rubin. “We talked about
movies such as THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, THE GREAT SANTINI, and
ROCKY. We tried hard to follow an old screenwriting rule: show, not tell. Instead of
bombarding the audience with statistics of how many people become quadriplegics every
year, we tried to capture the expression on newly-injured quad’s face as he was wheeled into
the therapy gym.” By emphasizing the universal elements in the story – sports rivalry and
patriotism, relationships among fathers, sons, best friends, and lovers, the ecstasy of winning
and the agony of losing – the film enables viewers to identify with the “characters” and their
situations. As the people emerge, the wheelchairs recede. “The wheelchairs are supposed to
become seamless parts of the characters, like a signature piece of clothing – not the story
itself,” Mandel observes.

The selection of these characters was crucial to the success of MURDERBALL. The
filmmakers faced the challenge of finding quadriplegic athletes who could carry the drama,
as well as bring the sport to life. Contrary to their expectations, the hardest part of “casting”
was that there were so many interesting candidates with compelling stories for the project.
They had to whittle down the amazing selection of people and anecdotes into a manageable
narrative. As Mandel points out, “The great thing about the milieu of quad rugby is that it
attracts people with strong and distinctive personalities.”

If the quads in MURDERBALL impress and inspire us – and they do – it is not only
because they have overcome insurmountable odds. Judged by any standards, Mark
Zupan, Joe Soares, and the other Quad Rugby players profiled in the film, are
remarkable athletes and even more remarkable men. MURDERBALL – a compelling,
enlightening, and even exhilarating film – is, first and foremost, their story.

*****

Ok, so I still hate cf. Just am glad to be. Just be.

CF News!

http://www.cff.org/news/news/

Looks like some breakthrough drugs are in the pipeline and already in clinical trials.

I pray they are successful.

Do you need to know more about CF?

http://www.cff.org/about_cystic_fibrosis/

Go to that link above and you can feed your brain with all sorts of information about CF.

:)

Donating Pancreatic Enzymes

Ha! If this could only be possible. I truly believe that I am oversufficient...I gain weight quickly and easily. Unlike Kai.

They say that Kai is on the small side even though for his age he is the 25 percentile. For his height, he is in the 80+ percentile. They want to close the gap.

So, lucky Kai gets to feast on heavy Whipping Cream, whole milk, and half and half.

Lucky guy.

He's got a clinic appointment on Thursday - so I will be sure to let you know the outcome of that. Last visit he was a whopping 24 pounds...

WOO HOO!! Thank you God!

Yep, I thank God for giving me the blessings of my husband. He signed up for the group insurance policy at his work so we have insurance coverage now. They have covered Kai's medication - TOBI.

TOBI is Tobramycin in a liquid form, specially formulated for inhalation therapy. It is THE ONE that combats Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa). Kai's last cf clinic visit resulted in not only a new diet but a positive airway culture too!

So, the UPS man should be ringing the bell any moment to hand over the little box of ampoules for the Kai-man's nebulizer treatments! The medication is almost 3600 dollars for ever month of therapy. He will be every other month for the next 6 months. That will hopefully knock out the Pa.

Now, it won't knock it out for good. The type he has is nonmucolytic which means it is the one that comes and goes. The mucolytic type is the one we are trying to avoid since that is the one that doesn't go away....It comes and stays and does some permanent damage to the lungs.

So, TOBI it is...

I think we should name our next dog TOBI. That's kind of cute.

Well, thanks for tuning in.

Off I go to take a nap with the little chunky monkey.

-M

I belong to an online support group. CF Infants and Toddlers at Yahoo groups. A new member just joined and I was very touched to read her story about her daughter and their trials and tribulations dealing with CF.

CF Sucks.
I hate it.

Heather's Thoughts and Updates

With all the dog gone screening healthcare does, would you believe we have had an active case of TB on a Navy ship? When I was in the Navy, this would have been caught sooner. Even the IDC's on the ship obviously didn't consider this a likely diagnosis.

This is unfortunate for the estimated 500 exposed. Hopefully they will only manifest a positive PPD test and NOT an acute case of TB. TB, while treatable still can cause significant damage to healthy lung tissue.

Tuberculosis Quarantine