My Store!!!

For the last year I have had a store/gallery/studio.. whatever you want to call it.. I meet clients there instead of my home (which is usually messy and contains a stinky cat, crazy baby & barking dog). So having the store has been wonderful.. I also only have to be there one day a week and the rest of the days are covered by someone else. So I don't even have to pay employees in my absence.. Again, it's been wonderful.. WELL, I came into work today and found out the I (we all) have 30 days to GET OUT!!! I'm freaking out.. My eye has been twitching since I got here.. I'm not sure what to do. Chris is pissed... So, just when my health was finally starting to get better, I get slammed with this. Lord, how much more can I take right now? And with wedding season upon me.. I don't have any weekends as it is and now having to move my gallery.. I'm just not sure of what to make of all of this.. I do however KNOW that all things are for a reason, it's just unknown right now.. I don't even think have enough money to move.. There's advertising, construction, signs to make, etc..... I suppose it could be a blessing in disguise. I hope I find a new place soon. I don't want to go back to meeting at Starbucks.. or worse, my home.. (that's just not going to happen)

Weight Loss

Well we are starting day 3 and I've lost a total of 4.2 lbs. and Chris has lost 2.2... Not too bad for not exercising and only eating healthy. I think blogging will help me stay on track and keep me accountable. Chris wants to loose 25 lbs and I want to loose 70. So, we have a long road ahead of us. If it takes me a year, that's fine. If we truly make the lifestyle change that we're suppose to, it shouldn't be that hard. My Aunt Sharon did it: 75 lbs. and she got rid of her diabetes.. That's my main goal. I'm actually not taking my diabetes medication and have been successfully keeping my blood sugar down throughout the day. Now, for some reason it's high when I wake up. It shouldn't be.. Not sure what's going on with that. I'll have to ask the Dr.

Our New Life

Chris and I started The South Beach Diet yesterday. Our friend Damian is doing it and has lost 8 lbs. in a week. So, I started with taking all the tempting things out of the house(gave them to Susie) and we started fresh with lots of meats and veggies. I know it's too soon to get excited, but I lost 2.5 lbs. So, the hardest part will be this first 2 weeks. Mostly the weekends when we're tired of it. The best thing I can do for us is PREPARE... So, I made our meat salads and am going to drop Chris' off soon.. In the future, I'll do that the night before. Mostly we have to cut our sugar and starches. We can add those things back in later, but in different ways. Whole wheat instead of white flour, etc.. Healthier choices.. forever.. That's going to be the key.. Forever. The whole life change thing.. So, I'll try to keep you posted.

In the meantime, I've had tons of pain and finally got a urinalysis to see what infection I had and I didn't.. They said all along that I didn't, that it was just trauma to my parts.. So, I made it an entire day (yesterday) without any pain meds.. and so far today.. I think I'm done with that. In fact, I think I'm done with the whole thing. Can I finally say yeah? Yeah!!

Alex: It will be nice when he can actually talk and tell me what he wants.. Even though we're teaching him sign language (he knows about 6 signs) his brain is smarter than those 6 concepts and there're tons that he wants to say.. So, he gets frustrated and bangs his head on the wall, my leg, the cabinets, etc.. I can usually figure out what he wants, but sometimes its difficult.. Poor baby..

Well, have a nice day everyone.

Wedding

Well, thanks to God, I made it... and we're home and done.. and in one piece.. but going to bed.

Wonderful & Witty

I wish I had wonderful and witty things to say like my family. But I'm in pain all the time.. Right now, it's 1:30 am and I can't sleep. I'm sure I have a urinary track infection from this whole kidney thing.. I am so sick of being sick... Nothing witty, just sick...
I'm going to take down that happy picture of the 3 of us and put a big fat sad face...

Birthdays!

Birthdays are happening today for 2 people that I love. Emelie and Matthew... Emelie is my oldest and bestest friend.... Happy Birthday! and Matthew is my sis-in-law's boyfriend. Happy Birthday!! Hope you two have a wonderful day!..

The Long Awaited Wednesday!!

Well I went to the Dr. this morning, waited for 45 minutes and then finally had the stink taken out.. Thank God!!! And talk about painful. The kind of pain where you scream and sweat at the same time.. ouch! But he was fast and it was done.. So, I'm drinking tons of water and am pretty sure that's I'll be completely up and running (without meds) by Sat. for the big wedding..

Thanks to everyone who prayed and thought of me during this time. I know God has a reason for everything. This month has been pretty taxing on all of us. For very long stories and reasons, I think God had me go through this so that Chris and I could reconnect and appriciate all that we do for our family, eachother, our home, etc... We missed the 7 year itch because we were pregnant. Then the next year came around and they do say that the first year of the baby is very hard on a marriage.. So, I'm glad he's been here for me and I for him.. Thanks God for food posioning and kidney stones. We are now a better couple for it.

More fun things: I was driving home today from the Dr. and crossing Chester Ave. was a Momma duck and her 6 babies.. It was the cutest thing ever...

Yeah! For Aunt Susie!

I've employed Susie for the day to help me with Alex and it's working out great. Unfortunately, he only slept for 30 minutes and woke up just as she was watching a favorite show.. But otherwise, staying out of my hair so that I can get some much needed work done.. Thanks Susie!

My stint comes out tomorrow and I hope for my life to be back to normal soon.

E-mail

My email isn't broken anymore. Google fixed what ever was broken.

I had a good day today. Slept. Chris went to Ian's b-day party with Alex and I was bummed to miss everyone, but got some much needed sleep. Ready for some more. :)

Pain Drugs

are the best.. I'm back on them and I actually made dinner.. Yes, dinner. Now the fact that I'm typing doesn't mean I'm not seeing double of what I'm typing. I'm praying for a better night.. Good night.

Wow, my body hates me!

I have been in terrible pain all day. I called the dr. to see if this is normal and she said it is with the stint. She said take the pain pills and try to wait til Wed. She did say that he was on call this weekend, so if I really can't stand it, to call him. But now that I'm back on the pain pills, it's about a 7-8 out of 10. All day I was a 15.. In tears at times. So, I'll take more prayers. Thanks for staying updated with me. I'm pretty sure I will miss Ian's B-day party tomorrow. :( I'm trying to convince Chris to go without me. We'll see..

As it turns out...

last night was one of the worst nights of my life.... I just kept having to pee. The stint that is in makes you feel as though you have to pee. So I hardly slept at all and now at 6 am, I just can't take another minute of it. At one point I was so mad, I told Chris to have someone just put me out of my misery... My request was not honored.. So I'm up having oatmeal. Partly why I'm having oatmeal is in honor of my grandpa. Just before I went in for surgery yesterday, this very old couple came in. Milli had fallen at the rest home and broken her hip. Glen (her husband) was with her and his daughter Gwen. They were just the sweetest couple joking about, "now make sure he's not signing any divorce papers", and "are you my winnie doggy?" whatever that meant.... But he in particular just reminded me of my grandpa sooooo much, I cried and cried. They must of thought I was crazy. They could see that I was upset and wasn't sure why. We were all also laughing because of the cute things they were saying to each other. Did I mention that they were like 85? Not young 85, old 85. There's a big difference. As it turns out, they've only been married 9 years. You'd of thought it had been 60.. Back to Glen, he was tall, had old ugly Navy tattoos and could hardly walk. He had a buzz cute.. He made me so homesick for my grandpa, I could hardly breath. Even now I can hardly stop crying thinking of him. So, here's a cheers to old Navy tattoos and oatmeal. Maybe I just stretch it a bit and have some brandy in my coffee.. :) JK

Results

Well, I'm home and done with surgery. Dr. Stone went in, found the stone, lasered it to a million pieces, and put in a stint. So, they are supposed to come out on their own and it's not supposed to hurt too much. Next Wed. I'll go into the office and have the stint removed. So, it looks like I'll be able to shoot the wedding with out any trouble. Thanks a million thanks for everyone who prayed for me. Rachel had a ton of people at her church praying and all my family and friends were praying. THANKS!!!!!

I'll write more later. I can't poetic while Chris is watching 30 Rock. It's a little distracting. But I did have a very good experience at Mercy Hospital. More later. Maybe tomorrow. Tired and going to bed. Thanks again.

Thursday

Well after we went to the Dr. yesterday, they decided to go back to surgery. So, I will probably have it about 3 this afternoon. As you can tell, I can't sleep. I don't think I'm nervous in the since that I think something terrilbe will happen, it's just I have a lot more time to think about it this time. Last time, there was no time. I only wish that last time had worked. So, the prayer for today is that they can easily see the stone, blast it with a laser (without cutting anything important) and the stones will come out. If they have problems, they will have to put a stent in, wait a week and go back in again. Which is getting very close to my wedding. At this time I do have a back up for the wedding, but I really don't want to go there. I haven't let a bride down yet and I don't want to start now. Thanks to everyone who's left comments and who have been praying.

I suppose more tomorrow. Lacey :)
PS. I don't have an infection after all. Yeah!

Wednesday

I had an X-ray this morning and it looks as though it hasn't moved. And I have an infection. So, I'll go see Dr. Stone at 2pm today and my guess is that I'll be put on the schedule of surgery tomorrow. That's what Chris and i think. most likely they will do the stent, wait a day or so and then go in after it.

That's all. Other important news. Something terrible is wrong with my email and I'm not getting it. So either call me or contact me through this blog.. Chris is pissed and trying to fix the problem.

Exciting Tuesday

Well, yesterday started out looking pretty boring, but ended up being the exact opposite. Rachel (photo friend) came over to pray with me in the morning and I felt much better, but before she left, I through up violently. Just once, but it concerned me. Then she had to go to work and another friend Vicki came about 10 minutes later to also help with Alex and I tied to visit, but was very tired. I tried to sleep but was not feeling right. I also had a hard time peeing. (not a good thing) So, I called the Dr. and said I need to see him today instead of tomorrow, but he was out of the office. So I told her I had vomited and couldn't pee and she said, "hang up the phone, go straight to the ER and he will meet you there." I said "for surgery?" and she said yes.. A little freaky. I guess they are now thinking the stone is blocked, which is not good, consitering the size.. 7 x 5... Like a sunflower seed.. but too large to go through the small tubes.

So, Vicki takes me and Alex to the ER and Chris meets us there. Then eventually she took Alex to Linda's for the rest of the day. Thanks everyone. I think because Rachel had prayed repeatedly for peace, I had it. I never once felt worried that I would die or whatever. Not even when we were traveling down the hall and we came across someone transporting a dead body. Not what you want to see going into surgery...

Anyway, they weren't sure what they were going to to until they got right into it. So, I ended up geting a spinal block (have very large bruse on my back) and doing what is call a lithotripsy. (sp?) It's where they shoot 4000 ultrasound waves through water at the stone and hope that it breaks up. Now I wait, drink lots of water and strain my pee. I do go in for an X-ray this morning to see where the stone/stones are. If there are problems and they won't pass, then we go to plan B, which is a stent and more surgery.

Thanks for your prayers again, but keep praying. We're not done yet. I have a wedding in 10 days and fully plan to be there. Maybe with assistance, but I HAVE to be there..

Waiting Game

Well, I drink water, take my meds, sleep, eat very little and wait... I have an appointment with a urologist on Wed. morning at 10 to tell me whether or not I should have surgery or wait for it to pass or blast it with ultrasound waves.. I'm hoping for the ultrasound waves.. I'm getting a little nervous. I have a wedding in 12 days. But knowing me, come hell or high water I'll be at that wedding shooting away. I may be bleeding, crying in the bathroom, or drugged out of my mind.. but I'll be there.. Let's just hope I'm done by then and this was all just another silly chapter to my crazy novel of "The Chronicles of Lacey". But seriously, I have promised my dad, Chris and many family and friends to get healthier. and I will.. So, I guess just keep praying. I know the prayers have been working. I've had peace and God fixed our bedroom fan so we could sleep at night. (very important) Good night family and friends. I love you too..

Wanted: Less Exciting Life

Well, an update is probably due. I started out the week with food poisoning and had a week of diarrhea.  Which led to major dehydration and a trip to the hospital last night with the result of a kidney stone 7.5 centimeters. Anything less than 8 they want you to pass on your own. Pain meds are the only way to go..  

I had just gotten off the phone with Chris who had just flown in Mississippi when I got this terrible pain in my lower back. I checked the internet to see what organ was there, but found no answers.  I think I was in too much pain to research properly. I called Kelli and she said, Wake up Ian (who is staying with us and on call with his work) and to call 911. A few minutes later, Chris arrived to find me in terrible pain and heading straight for the car, purse in hand, saying please take me to the hospital. He was tired and confused. . Not the welcome  home he was use to. I felt bad, but really couldn't talk, breathe or say what was wrong. Ian stayed and Kelli came over (in case Ian got called out).  Later Susie came to relieve Kelli who needed to return to her kids. Chris and I got about 3 blocks in the car when I had him pull over so I could throw up. I never did, but then couldn't breathe at all and that's when we called 911. They showed up in like 3 minutes. Me in my (only family can see, no bra) house dress.. And then I know one of the firemen.  Figures!!!! They asked me tons of questions, sometimes at the same times.. One guys was shouting at me and I thought if he yells at me one more time I'm going to fling my  arm and hope I hit him. I then walked to the gurney and almost fainted. When I got on to the gurney and they started strapping me down, I went into full blown panic attack. I don't like being strapped down...  at all.... ever.... s&m would never work for me.  When we got into the ambulance I had another panic attack and told "Brian" that he better not let me die because I have a 15 month old who just  started walking and on and on and on... Poor Brian. Chris was behind us the whole time and even at the door before they even opened it..  I got right in,  got and IV started with fluids, a CT scan that showed the stone, some great meds and finally we went to Walgreens, and very finally, we went home. As we laid down Chris said, "I've been awake for 24 hours".  He also said something to me in the hospital that I will never forget. He said, "you need to get better" "yes, honey, I know" "no, I mean, you need to get better because I can't live without you. You're always saying you can't live with out me, but I also can't live with out you, so you need to get better, really better".... So, that's my goal for this year-to get better...  Thanks for your prayers and I will be fine. It's just a kidney stone, Thank God...  But I'm very thick headed and God has been knocking on my door for quite some time now about my health issues and I think I'll open it and start the ball rolling to recovery..    I have a lot to live for..   

For now, I'm resting, on heavy pain killers and drinking tons of water. More later and pray it doesn't take too long.  

Food Poison Again!

I swear, I can't catch a break from puking.. Beware people.. This time I thought I was being good by having a salad.. Guess not.  I should of had that salad at home...  Sucks for me. I'm feeling better today and thank goodness. I haven't been well enough to do any work and my clients are tying to figure out if I'm lazy or crazy.. Just sick I say..  Sorry, clients..  

Hawaii - Century Club Celebration, Kona, Hawaii 2008

What can I say? Hawaii was beautiful, fun, jam packed and did I say beautiful already?.?.  

This first picture was the sunset on the last night right 

off Rob's backyard where the party was held.

This was the view from our hotel lobby. 

Chris and I did some driving around and found some beautiful places to take pictures.

When we arrived to the hotel, we were greeted with leis, ice cold juice, cold towels and Hawaiian smiles. 

The view of our hotel from the beach. 

There may be more photos to come. I'm still recovering from the flight, the sadness of leaving Alex behind and the joy of being home again with my family complete.  Sappy you say? I don't care. I missed my baby..  I think he gained 5 pounds.. and got cuter.. 

Hey, There's Henry The Turtle!

So here are a few photos of us under the sea with this amazing sea turtle, Henry. Yes, all turtles have names. This one of Chris is my very favorite from the whole trip...  

Yes, I am way under the sea hold my breath and trying not to die.  Then I got cussed out by a brown spotted eal.. I was a little too close to his home.