More tests!

Manuel and I will be going back to UCLA tomorrow (10/1). I have to undergo several breathing tests, a six minute walk, and we will be going to our first transplant support group meeting! Another long day! Fun! Fun! Fun!

What do I say?

I've been sitting here for the last hour and a half next to my snoring husband, typed two separate blog drafts, saved them, and still don't know what to say to you guys. It just isn't coming out. What do I say?
OH YEAH...BTW...
Bella looked at the trash can yesterday and said "Mommy the trash cans stuffed, it can't eat anymore!"

When she woke up the other morning she was rubbing her eye vigorously and I told her she was going to poke her eye out (quick flashback to a scene in A Christmas Story) (typical mom warning) and she said "Oh, it's just this always happens...my eye always has a lot of crumbs". I love 4!
SERIOUSLY THOUGH WHAT DO I SAY?

I'm Back!

Wow, I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted something. I kept telling myself to make sure I came on and let you all know I was okay before I wasn't. I obviously didn't do it in time. I appreciate all of the love, emails, calls, visits, and prayers! I could never begin to express what it means to me to have such awesome people in my lives. I am thankful for each and every one of you! I am feeling a lot better. I've been doing a lot of NOTHING lately. I am working back into a really slow norm. When I came home Sunday the next step was to be able to get up a couple of times to go to the bathroom. TMI? Well, FYI I succeeded. Yep! No diapers here! Anyway, (Manuel's probably rolling his eyes at how MUCH i'm willing to share again) I then was able to go to Bible Study yesterday! Maggy came and picked me up and wheeled me into Ventura Missionary for our new year of Bible Study! It was so great to go and see so many loved friends. Today I fried chicken, made cupcakes and used the electric cart at the store. Mom took me of course. Haven't gone to do anything alone yet. Honestly, I'm a little afraid. But, I know God is with me holding my hand through it all! There have been so many instances this week where I was so worried of having to do something and He literally provided a way each and every time. He is so AMAZING! His love never ceases to amaze me! The last week has been a reminder to not get carried away in the "busy" life. I was taking too much pride in ALL that I "COULD" do. In all actuality, in things that were "too" much for me to do! As the doctor explained, it's just going to happen, I have to be active, but I have to know my limits before it's too late. To know that they were ready to intebate (put a breathing tube in) me for fear that my body was ready to call it quits is a real EYE OPENING reality. Honestly, I've been in that same instance countless times before and didn't go to the hospital. I know it is so stupid! The only way I could even try to explain it to you is that it's difficult to make yourself go in when you know that they are going to pump you full of steroids, breathing treatments and still say "it's not working". I have been reminded though that the difference is that they can intebate at the hospital and I can't here at home. DUH! I'm sure it's easy for others to see, but believe me it's also easy to think it'll pass. Anyway, I am praising God for the nurses at CMH! They went above and beyond to care for me. I had a nurse, Linda, who was just so gentle and loving. She would give me a bath, wait for me to catch my breath from being moved, and brush and style my hair (as best she could). I swear nurses are little angels from God! Then we have my friend Laura! She always makes sure I am taken care of when I am in the hospital. However, this time I must say it was a little frightening to be on the floor that she was charge nurse for. She wanted to poke me and change my IV! Wait a minute did she help me to the commode? Oh no! AAAAhhh! I just remembered that! I told her I was happy she wasn't the night shift nurse, who knows what she would have done to me! Love you Laura! See I'm back! Silly as ever! Oh yeah and a big SHOUT OUT to AMY! Without her you all would not have been able to keep up on my staus. She made sure to send emails out to several different groups in order to make sure I was being prayed for. The Lord works in mysterious ways and this is one of them. Through sisters, best friends, and love! Thanks Amy! I also have a little sister, do you know her? My parents didn't give her to me, but God did. I call her Tara (actually, I call her LaLa) but she keeps me young and hip. She brought me magazines, sat with me, and was a great big sister to Analiese and Bella one night. She made sure they had a fun night with her, they played at our house with her, and she just made sure they had a little "norm" in the midst of the storm. I love you too much LaLa! Then there's my Mags! What can I say, cut from the same cloth and just faded a little. She should be my Mexican twin but it just didn't work out that way! Thanks for coming and hangin' in 'da room with us! Even if you don't know that zero in Yahtzee adds up to ZERO points! So many of you took time to come and say hi, some of you even ran right past my room! So many good friends, so many angels! Thank you it helped, it really did. I love you all so much!