My hand...

So, I'm a nurse. And just so you know, nurses don't go to the Dr. Nurses just take care of it themselves... Untill their husbands tell them to "just go." I had a physical a few weeks ago, and while I was there I asked the Dr. about some pain that I had been having in my left hand. At the time my first finger was all swollen and painful and he thought that I might have a ganglion cyst. But, the swelling went away after a few days - just not the pain. Anyway, my doctor had set me up with an appointment to see an orthopedic hand specialist. Since the hand wasn't swollen anymore I almost didn't go - till Kris said "Pro - just go. What's it gonna hurt." So I went. They did x-rays and told me I have tendinitis. Yippy-skippy :) So he froze my hand and gave me a lovely little injection of cortisone and lidocaine that made my finger (and hand) numb for about an hour. (May I just say that I really enjoy - not in a bad way - giving injections, but I hate needles coming at me!!!) Hopefully that will help - otherwise I will start a lil-bit-o hand therapy next week. Then hopefully that will work so that he doesn't have to do his little minor surgery...

Can you say Wii?

Well, it was meant to be a Christmas present for my Hubby, but he just got it yesterday after still having to stand in line for 2 hours in 5 degree weather!!! But - let me tell you - this little toy is a whole lot of fun - especially since I won both the Wii golf and Wii bolling! I felt bad for Kris, but he says he's happy that there is finally something that I can give him a little competition in... :)

Hmmm... lets see - in other news... I was sick with a horrid rotten cough for a about 3 weeks. That seems to be better finally, but now my poor husband seems to be coming down with much the same thing... :(

I don't know if anyone else watched the show "Rock star Supernova" or if we are just dorks. We went their concert last night down at the Times Union Center. The show was fun to watch, but sadly the bands were just not good. I enjoyed Dilana, but the others... well, we had a lot of fun anyway!

Our "Young Married Couples" group is going well. It been hard to schedule lately with the Holidays and people having babies and morning sickness and all, (I seriously know 23 woman that are either pregnant or just had babies right now!) but everything is great in general. We are very pleased with how well everyone in the group fits together and the growth that we have seen in some individuals. Its funny - when our group started everyone was so shy and quiet and no one really spoke to each other. Now people talk a lot and 2 of the couples have even expressed a desire to take a turn preparing the lesson! We are just starting a series on "The attributes of God" through a book by A.W. Tossier. I love that book - we'll see how it goes. We love our small group. There are always days that you are tired and don't feel like going or preparing etc, but I truly look forward to Thursday nights twice a month!

I don't really have anything also too exciting to share. We plan to start looking for a house mid-March... and we can't wait! We literally sit and watch the real estate channel by the hour. It's so hard to live in an apartment - and we seem to have all pigs living in this building. I don't say that to be mean - its just gross here! We are going to Florida to see Aaron and Melissa in March and we will start looking as soon as we get back! Yippee!!!

Christmas

Well, dear people Christmas and the New Year have come and gone once again. We had a great couple of weeks with lots of family and friends in and out and traveling. I've been quite sick ever since Christmas, but still was able to have a lot of fun. God blessed us with a great family that we like spending time with. Ty and Merc were home from college for a few weeks which was nice. Only missed Aaron and Melissa, but we are planning to go visit them in March.


Papa and Mama with representation of Aaron and Melissa:

The ever happy couple - Kris and Jessamyn:)

Morgan and Amy sharing a moment:

Ty - what a handsome guy:

Ty and his lovely new girlfriend Beth - they really do like each other!!!

Sister love :) Pro, Merc and Dee

Linea and Mark - and no they weren't having a boxing match:

Mercy - always ready for the camera:

Linea - Beth made her the scarf:

:)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I"m so very tired... good night and God Bless you all. I pray that you had a joyous celebration of the birth of our savior!!!

...Not for the faint of heart...

OK, before you read, just understand that I was serious - this entry is not for the faint of heart. If you don't like nursing/hospital stories, you might not want to read this. I'm not writing to be gross, but because I want to remember this day... ...maybe when it happens again I'll be more prepared. This was the day that I broke my first rib - and no, I don't mean my own. I was doing CPR. CPR is MUCH different in the hospital than what they show in the movies. There are many more people involved and it is MUCH more agressive. My patient coded very enexpectedly as I was walking out the door to leave work today, but I stayed since I was the one that new her history and I new questions might need to be answered emergently that the Doctors wouldn't have time to look up. Long story short, we (about 15 people) worked on her for about 40 minutes total. I swapped out with one of the other nurses near the end to do chest-compressions since I knew she must be really tired. ( you can't believe how tiring it is till you try it!) I was only working for a couple minutes when I felt her rib snap. I can't explain that feeling. I know I work around this stuff every day, but there are still some things that you just don't know how you will handle them until it happens. I thought I was going to be sick and I got sooooo hot and flushed - thought about passing out, but knew that was a silly thought and I didn't have time for it. The other nurses, etc., were very supportive knowing that it was a first for me, and I just kept working. I can't even begin to mention the number of times in the last 4 1/2 years that I've had to grit my teath and show no expression of disgust, shock or horror until I was away from any patient that would see my reaction. It can be so hard sometimes to act like everything is under control and you are perfectly comfortable in every situation - when on the inside you are screaming and beginning to panack. But it is also pretty amaizing how well you can learn to think first, respond and then react after everything has long been taken care of. This was a pretty gross experience for me and hard to deal with. Sadly the patient didn't make it. So I've just been talking about it all day to anyone that would listen. This has been one more experience that I've been through and learned from...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!! Christmas cards will be out soon, but I just thought I would give you all a sneak preview. Awww - aren't we cute? :)

Photo equipement

So I've been thinking about posting these pictures before, but only just took them today... These first 2 are all Kris' photo equipement... Cameras, lenses, remotes, filters, flashes, tripod heads, etc...
Plus 2 umbrella stands, 2 umbrellas, a couple tri-pod and a camera bag.
I have to work on my collection a little more.... a couple cameras, 1 lense and a tripod (in the bag) :)Hopefully tonight we will be using much of this to take our picture for our Christmas card!

Photography

Its happened... I have slowly, but surely gotten hooked on photography. I'm not the best, still have a ton to learn, but I'm enjoying it. :) I have my own camera, my own lense, my own tripod and a need to take many more pictures. Now I just need a bit more inspiration. I want to take more pictures, but I just can't get it right sometimes and I give up to easily. I think there is one other thing that I'm learning from my dear Husband... ...I'm beginning to have a growing list in my head of things that I "need" in reguards to photography equipement!

Check out my photoblog: http://www.shutupmilo.com/pro/index.php

I can't wait to have a house again!

So yesterday's laundry turned into 7 loads and about 9hours since they turned the water off to the building for a couple hours for some "emergency" that we were never told what it was. Still a farely relaxing day though - I just crocheted all day!
Thought I might post a few pictures of the appartment. It's really not a bad place to live, but so hard to be in an appartment after owning a house - I'm so praying that God will bless us trying to look for a house again in the spring!


Our "dining-room" and the front door - into the hallway outside...
Our living-room...

I can't wait to have a house again! (cont.)

The living room - and balcony...
The view upon entering the door... Living room, then kitchen on the left, then spare room on the left and bathroom on the right, and then our room/office...
Kitchen... and no that's not garbage - just soda bottles I will take back some day...
The spare room:
Spare room - Notice one shelf for Photography and one for crafts (and more cameras) :)
Spare room - or sewing room - or photography room...
Spare Room: Linea's bed :) (or Mercy's of whoever else)
Our bedroom - The afghan I'm making is on the back of the chair in the corner - sure is taking me a long time...!
Just another view of our bedroom:
Our "office" - sure makes the bedroom look a little messy :)