May 9,2009- Bittersweet Day

I experienced the most kind and compassionate deed a person can do. He is the most remarkable fellow in my life and I'm so lucky that he is my husband. Curious? Well I took my sister to work today and she noticed a dog laying on the side of the road. I hate to see that, it just breaks my heart. I told Roger about it and when we went to go to Lowe's he stopped to make sure the dog was dead. The people whose house the dog got hit in front of came out and asked if it was our dog, well no we said and he said he called animal control but they wouldn't come out till Mon. to pick her up. Roger didn't like that so went did our shopping and got home and unloaded and all of the sudden he came out of the house crying. He said he must go get that dog a give it a proper burial, he said it's the right thing to do! I started crying with him and we both went down and got her. Roger would not let me see her, she was apparently in bad shape. Roger wrapped in a warm old rob and put her in a box. The dog was a Black Lab around 100lbs (much like our Albee) so she wasn't small, she did have collar on but no ID. We brought her home and found a nice place to bury her and Roger sweated and groaned digging up that hole for this poor dog for about an hour. The box fit perfectly in the grave and he said a prayer and we were glad it wasn't laying on the side of the road anymore. Nothing deserves to die like that and be left alone. So many people went by that dog today and didn't think twice about checking on it. So sad. So for her, whatever your name is, RIP! Your new family is nearby and we love you without having known you. We treated you with respect and dignity as we try and do with everyone in our life.


Peace & Love,


Amy

Keeping Up With Amy- 5-8-09

It's been a rough week for me. I'm seeing light at the end of the tunnel though. We went to Duke on Monday for pre-op for surgery on Tuesday. After the visit we went to our favorite place in Durham to eat, "The Cheesecake Factory" and then we went shopping at Southpoint Mall. Fun and relaxing before the big day. We had to be in pre-op at 5:30 AM and it couldn't come soon enough because I coughed all night, terrible. We got pre-admitted and waited only a moment before they came and got us to go back to pre-op holding area. They have a new waiting room and 64 new pre-op holding rooms and we were FAVORED. You are allowed one person to go back with you until you go into surgery now. That was a NO-NO before. If you sit and observe what's going on around you it really is like organized chaos. Doctors, Nurses, Transport people running around like chickens with thier heads cut off. If you listen to those around you, you will find someone is always got something worse than you do. The lady next to me had melanoma that had spread to her lymph glands and she was only in her 50's. The crotchy old man from across the hall just wasn't a happy man, complain, complain about this and that. He had a hurt back. I try to be quiet and just keep answering the questions they ask about a 100 times knowing the reasons for this happening since I had experience in the medical field and surgery. They wheel me back to my room and boy it's the smallest in the unit. I've been there before and remember everybody and we start chatting while they strap me down. The O2 mask is placed over my nose and mouth and I smell pleasant lemon and then BOOM, I'm out! I wake up and my neck is as big as a grapefruit and I'm very sore. NO COUGHING though!! Roger pops in a little later while I sleep it off and then he tells me they took the stent out and did some laser treatment around the collasped airway and they want to see me back in 2 weeks. I'm just happy I'm not coughing. What a relief!! The rest of this week is a blur. I slept alot! Still no coughing as of today! Lots of Ice Cream this week to rest my sore neck, Yummy! Lot's of TLC from my honey. There are a few perks from one unpleasant procedure. I'm NOT COUGHING!! I can't say that enough!