This has been a much harder surgery than the mastectomy. The entire time I was in the hospital I had to pretty much keep my arms to my sides, only moving them from the elbow dowen. This was to protect the new breast flaps that they had harvested from my abs. Try getting out of bed when you have incisions hip to hip and you cannot use your arms. It was miserable. My blood preassure was low...something like 88/50 (I usually only run 120/60), my heart rate too high and my hymogoblins (I know I didn't spell that right) were low and so about the 2nd morning after my surgery they wanted to give me blood. I told them NO! and called my dh. He called my pastor and they prayed for me. About 3 hours later my doctor came in. I asked her if she thought I needed blood. She said no, that my vitals were fine. Minutes later they came and took my blood preassure again and guess what...my blood preassure had gone up enough to where they were satisfied...and steadily went up until by the next morning I was normal. I was so thankful and I knew that God had touched me. I'm still weak, but feeling much, much better. I get to go to the doctor today and hopefully get some of these drains out. I have six of them and they are very uncomfortable. I am not allowed to lift anything over 5 lbs for a MONTH! I'm not allowed to raise my arms for another couple of weeks. And I have to sleep in a recliner so that I'm not flat on my back and so that I do not roll over on my side. All of this is to protect the new breast flaps. I'm so glad my kids are older (9, (almost) 13, 16) they are helping me keep dishes and clothes caught up. Not very cheerfully though. :glare: And...by the time I'm all healed I'll be due ANOTHER surgery ...this one not as hard and more for cosmetic reasons. Anyway...I think I'm at least halfway back to normal. Thanks everyone for praying for me and thinking of me through all of this. You have been wonderfully supportive and I appreciate it. RhondaM.

I'm so sorry. This is so sad. :grouphug: RhondaM.

Thanks everyone. Just knowing you have me in your prayers makes a difference. Ok...I'm off to church. Directly after that dh and I are leaving for a Holiday Inn near the Medical Center so that we will be just minutes away in the morning. I won't be taking my computer with me so just wanted to write one last time. Iget out of the hospital Friday, so I'll check in soon after that. Thanks so much, Rhonda

I think I am going to SCREAM! :eek: Major anxiety attack going on. Dh keeps telling me to take a 1/4 of a xanax but I just refuse. We have church tonight and I don't want to be so chilled that I can't feel God. So I just have to deal with it. I feel like I'm going to be SICK I'm so anxious. Please, please pray for me. It is at 7:30 in the morning...it will be something like an 8 hour (or longer) surgery. Oh gosh. I HATE anesthesia, and I HATE anxiety attcks!! Rhonda :scared:

Is your dog more used to the down stairs than the upstairs. Maybe she needs to be taught how to act one roo at a time, rather than have run of the entire upstairs. Maybe she needs a time out spot upstairs, a small crate with a her bed and toys. A treat now and then for behaving. As far as the dog and cat, you could just give kitty a room to escape into rather than an entire floor. How big is the dog? How aggressive? Does the dog just want to play? If the dog is not too big and just wants to play I'd let them loose together. Kitties are usually very well versed in teaching puppies manners. Just ask my Australian Shepherd. She bows to all felines. My little orange tabby has taught her her place. LOL :D They are all (I have 4 cats) working a bit harder on the little westie puppy. He is quite undeterred by wacks in the face.

Praying. If she wants a place to go and talk, for support and answers to questions let her know about breastcancer.org. They have forums there and lots of helpful ladies. They even have a board for those waiting to have their mamograms. Rhonda

DON'T do THIS!

Finally, the day for my reconstructive surgery after breast cancer is here. I would have had it done along w/ my last surgery...but some of you may remember I was a little sick, so the reconstruction was canceled. Now..in the midst of all this spine flu mess I get to have my surgery. I do NOT want to get sick before this surgery (and have it put off again) and I dread even the thought of getting sick AFTER my surgery! They will be taking tissue from my lowed abs so I'll have discomfort (hopefully not pain) in chest area AND stomach area! And if my kids get sick I won't even be able to take care of them much!!! I'm staying home from church tonight and keeping my 12 and 8 year old with me. (My 16 yr old will go w/ my dh. But I am instructing them to PLEASE leave a little early and not hang out and talk.) Sunday morning I think we will go, but get there a little late, not send the kids to class, and then leave a little early. Just to avoid face to face contact with others. Sunday night there is no class, so we will just get there a little late and leave a little early. Other than that we are staying HOME. Dh can go for food between now and then. He will have to face people at work, but he has his own office so hopefully not have to deal w/ too many people. I am a little concerned because my dd will be staying with some close friends while I am in the hospital...and her husband works at a hospital. I don't want to leave her at home with my older two because they argue so much. But I don't know what else to do. :confused: I'm NOT paranoid about this flu...but...I don't need this right now. My attention is SUPPOSED to be focused on being worried about MSRA staph and anesthesia awareness. :tongue_smilie: Can I get prayers from you guys. For no sickness, no anesthesia problems and beautiful b:):)bs! Rhonda

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1894625,00.html?iid=tsmodule ''At the biotech company Novavax, researchers are testing the use of virus-like particles (VLP), instead of the virus itself, to stimulate a flu immune response. Using this method, a vaccine for the 2009 H1N1 virus could be in production in 10 to 12 weeks, rather than the usual four to six months. "We have made vaccines against multiple flu strains and tested them in humans and gotten relevant and robust immune responses, which checks off the major boxes that the technology works against flu," says Rahul Singhvi, president and CEO of Novavax. ''

I hope it is ok to bring this information here... Mom says Patriot Act stripped son of due process: http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/5049867/

I've been hearing about all of this on infowars for a couple of days. Seems they are saying this: 'They' (meaning the globalist/one world government) have primed us for a major flu like this, and now here one is. And they just happened to have a vaccine for this very virus ready (or almost ready), when it usually takes 6 months or so. They have everyone ready to accept martial law/manditory vaccination and manditory quarantines. Infowars says (I THINK this is what they are trying to say) they think the vaccines are what the real threat is. When we take the vaccine it supposedly lowers our bodies defenses so that when the real pandemic hits it will kill 2 billion or so of us. Genocide for profit. I know, it is crazy. Total science fiction. Not totally unbelievable though. :tongue_smilie:

I think that if people really want to talk about this sort of thing we should do so in e-mails. Don't you think? I'd hate for a really interesting topic to be shut down by the PTB. (Though I do understand why it should not be on this board) My e-mail is chili woman at aol dot com.

Things that make you go hmmmmmm.

:iagree: I agree. There is all kinds of stuff being pushed through...or trying to get pushed through right now. :glare:

I googled it. I could not find what I recognized as a credible source. (Anyone have a credible source about this????) Not disagreeing with you though. Something is very fishy about this. I'm wavering back and forth between burying my head in the sand and screaming the sky is falling. I don't want to take the vaccine either. But then I've been listening to infowars for two days and err.... Thanks Peek for turning me on to him. :tongue_smilie: I really needed to be worried about this right before my surgery which is MONDAY! Could there BE any worse time ing for reconstructive surgery!!!!! Ok...going to go :chillpill:. RhondaM.

My husband just called and said that the news is saying this happened in a Houston hospital, but did not say which hospital. He was brought here by his family from Mexico to get help. Dh said they were an illegal alien Mexican family.

I own this and plan to use it this year w/ my 3rd grade dd. RhondaM.

Our school name is Freedom Ring's Academy and here is where I got the name for my school... Freedom http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gt6GsoybGI Every dawn becomes a new day A time to love, a time to cry Every river knows it's own way And it's the same for you and I Every heart must have a reason A winding road, a midnight flight (Chorus) Freedom, freedom What we all need is freedom in our hearts Freedom, freedom What we all need is freedom in our hearts We fight and die defending honor The pride and prejudice we hide A mother's tears, a father's anger From tryin' to stop the pain and lies So we pretend to look for answers I blame you and you blame me (Repeat Chorus) We don't need the pain anymore To move our mountains, to reach our shores What I have found is the choice I bring What I can do to let freedom ring (Repeat Chorus) Freedom from the darkness Freedom from the violence Freedom from the hate Freedom from the fear lord Freedom from the hunger Freedom from the unforgiveness (Repeat Chorus) (Repeat Chorus) freedom from the pain and trouble free from all my two sacks o' rubble nuthin' standin' in my way about to find my super place Where I can make my troubled mind somehow leave the past behind There Iwill proclaim thescene that all Ireally need is freedom Freedom, freedom What we all need is freedom in our hearts Freedom, freedom What we all need is freedom in our hearts

I voted 'done planning' and I am for the most part. Still have tweaking and scheduling to do on a couple of areas. For the most part here is what we have going: 3rd grade Monday - Thursday Bible- Golden Bible (w/ MP Intro to Classical Studies) math - Abeka 2 thru 1/2 of 3 latin- prima latina writing - CW Aesop A cursive - New American Cursive poetry - different poetry books Then alternating through the week: (Mon.) Nature Study and Little Annie's Art Book of Etiquette & Good Manners (Tues) Greek Myths (w/ MP Intro to Classical Studies) and Creativity Express (computer art program) (Wed.) Famous Men of Rome (w/ MP Intro to Classical Studies)and The Great Composers (Th) Nesbit's Shakespeare (and Shakespeare coloring books and paper dolls) and Music Ace (Friday)Different Devo books, Blue Fairie Book and Guerber Story of 13 Colonies and Story of the Great Republic with readers, map work, narration, timeline. Plus lots of good literature every day. 8th Grade math - BJU Pre-Alg Greek: Greek in 30 Minutes a Day English: CW Diogenes, 2nd 1/2 of R&S 6, Kolbe literature, PP Screwtape Letters science: PH Physical Science History: Hakim w/ SL 100 notes, test and project ideas from Hewit (plus extra books (fiction and non-fiction) projects: Practical Graphic Designing, Stop Motion Animation, TwigJig Philosophy (still picking between my books) PE: weight machine, treadmill, speed bag, trampoline, bike riding 10th Grade: math: (if he is finished w/ Alg. I) Jacob's Geometry English: Jensen Writing, Abeka 8, LLATL Gold British Lit. science: PH Biology History:Streams of Civilization vol. 1 & 2 w/ Hewitt guide and The Teaching Company World History DVDs PE: weight machine, treadmill, speed bag, trampoline elective: Drafting music: drumming elective: Philosophy (still picking between my books) It all looks so cut and dry...but it's NOT! It sure does make me feel better to write it all down though. RhondaM.

I can't post it here (it won't show the correct format) so I'll need your e-mail address. You can pm me if you want. Rhonda

Angie, If you are looking for a little extra American History to go along with SOTW 3 I may have just the thing. Donelda long ago lined up Guerber's Story of the 13 Colonies and (half of) Guerber's Story of the Great Republic with SOTW 3. (there used to be a link on Paula's Archive for this schedule, but I could not find it when I looked.) But I happen to have a copy saved to my computer if you'd like it. I LOVE the Guerber books. (And there are book suggestions in the back of each one for further reading.) If you are not familiar with them you can see chapter samples and the TOC of both books at Nothing New Press. http://www.nothingnewpress.com/guerber.shtml Let me know if you'd like a copy of the schedule. I'm reading my dd these books next year. She will be in 3rd grade too. Also...if you want even a bit more, you might look at Truthquest History Guides. They have 3 guides call American History for Young Students I-III. They are guides rich with commentary (I like the commentary, many others don't), tons of book suggestions of all kinds, and they line up SOTW, the Guerber books and other spines. http://www.truthquesthistory.com/ Hope this helps. Rhonda

Hey thanks. I've book marked it. Rhonda

Would you share with me too? I'd love to see it. chiliwoman at aol.com Rhonda

Brittney, did you guys really build your own model? I was looking for a way to do this very thing. I couldn't find any helps on Amazon except for a pop up model. Not what I was looking for. I'm excited about getting into Shakespeare this year. When my middle ds was 10 or 11 we sat down and listened to ArkAngel's dramatized unabridged audio of Hamlet. We followed along with the Folgers book. Before each scene we'd read what it was going to be about. He had read the children's version before so was familiar with the story. We listened to it over several days and just really enjoyed it. This year I SPLURGED and bought a big box of 38 Arkangel CDs!!!! I am so excited about it. I have a couple of children's versions of the plays (Nesbits and Lambs I think) so we will read those...I've ordered (for my 8 yr old dd) a child's coloring book of plays and paperdolls too! I know there are lots of picture books of the plays as well. So once a week we are going to have a Shakespeare day. It is funny because while listening to a play ds will occasionally hear a quote that he is familiar with and his eyes just light up as he realizes that it originated from Shakespeare. I love it! I want my kids to hear Shakespeare so much that it is never anything they feel they cannot understand. I don't want them ot be like me and listen to their first Shakespeare play when they are grown. When I listened to Hamlet with my son that was my first Shakespeare experience. I didn't know what I'd been missing! Rhonda

Thanks for the link. I've meant to pick this up for a few years now but have never gotten around to it. I doubt I get to it this year either. Thanks for the reminded though. Rhonda