November 3, 2006

Sorry my posting is so erratic. We’ve been so busy that sometimes I have trouble even remembering what day it is.
This week, Chelle had OP surgery to install a central IV line; a bone scan and a full body CT scan. The doctors will start her treatment off with chemotherapy and then do a mastectomy. Chelle has decided to have a double mastectomy in order to reduce the chances of recurrence and to have a better chance of having her boobies match when it’s reconstruction time.
An amazing thing happened on Sunday. Those of us who were there and knew about my sis’s condition got to witness a miracle as it unfolded.
This was the first time that Chelle had gone to church with me. I’ve invited her several times, but this time she came. The preacher changed up his routine a little bit and instead of the usual sermon, a husband and wife gave their testimony.
It was about breast cancer, their struggle with it and how God works things out.
It was completely amazing. When the lady began her story with, “One day I felt a lump in my breast and was diagnosed with breast cancer”, Chelle’s jaw dropped and she looked at me like I had planned the whole thing out.
Like I have that kind of clout.
This was not the first time that I’ve seen God in action, it’s just usually I don’t get to see the miracle while it’s unfolding.

I have to share this with you, too. If anyone wants to have their house smelling like a candle shop…go to Bath and Body Works. They have this new scent collection (oils, candles and outlet diffusers) by Elton John that is absolutely delicious. I think it’s called Fireside.
In three days time, I do believe that I wound up buying everything they had.
I first got some oil, and then I went back the next day and got more oil and 2 diffusers. Then I went back again the day after that and got even more diffusers and some candles. Now, I’ll have to go online to buy more or wait for the next shipment. I’m hooked on this stuff. It’s the Chik-Fil-A of the candle world - it’s addictive.
I also use candle warmers and they double the intensity of any candle.
You see, inside my small house, I have a variety of….umm…..how do I say it nicely…unwanted aromatics?
For instance:
A hard-working man who loves chili and beans (sweaty and gassy),
A beautiful, but messy 4-year-old (spilled food and drink),
A gorgeous 10-month-old puppy (who used to be a not-so-housebroken puppy),
Then add in several cats (and you all know that smell).
They spend all their time milling around like little worker ants, making and leaving unwanted smells everywhere.

Plus, I have a keen sense of smell and all this indoor ‘pollution’ drives me nuts. Especially in the cooler months when there’s not as much air circulating.
I’ll tell you, I cannot say enough good things about this Elton John stuff. It smells yummy.
Bath and Body Works also slips a coupon or two into your bag.
No, I don’t get a commission from them. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever bought anything from there before.
The Princess got a new dog -another schnauzer that she’s named Angel. It’s a blondish color. I’ve never seen that color on a schnauzer before. She looks like Benji with a schnauzer haircut.
Has anyone ever gotten a virus from brand new software? My keyboard and mouse kept screwing up, so I went to Wal-Mart and bought a Logitech cordless keyboard and mouse. While I was installing them, (using the CD that came with it), my virus protection program detected a virus. I wound up having to get rid of 3 separate Trojan infections. I returned the stuff to WM and told them why, but the clerk looked at me like I had an extra ear. I think she thought I was trying to scam her.
I finally wound up reinstalling (or updating, can’t remember which) my display drivers and now my keyboard and mouse work just fine.
I don’t get computers anymore. Well, wait…I understand the concept, I just don’t get the mechanics. A long, long time ago, I used to be a ‘key-punch operator/data entry processor’. Back in the days when computers were huge and it would ‘read’ the holes in a card. No screens, no menus…we really had to work when we worked on a computer.
I’ll be getting my first mammie-o-gram (heh heh) on Tuesday. I’ll let you know the results when I get them.
Today -Friday- was supposed to be the first day of my little sis's chemotherapy treatment. She had some stomach pains, got shuffled from doctor to doctor, had her second CT scan of the week and the conclusion is that she has a kidney stone. So we'll begin the chemo next week.
She has started her own journal (forced into it by family and friends) and could use all the support ya'll are willing to give.

Chelle's journey

thanks to everyone~
Dana