Found the new Photo  Display thingy….pretty cool. Course I had to plug it in. Wish there was  a way to choose the pics to display, rather than just your newest photos….. but I guess I’m OK with what they put up.

Tonight is dinner at Polli’s with Alicia and Mike.

Meanwhile, I have to track down Silver_Fangz and have a little chat with her about her interpretation of “maybe if we have info information” into a YES. Hmmm….. I guess her hearing is not as improved as we thought….. or maybe it’s just her listening. She wants to go camping this weekend with a bunch of friends, including her boyfriend and all her girlfriends boyfriends will be there as well. Does anyone else see the potential for disaster? There will be parents, but we have met them or talked to them yet. We’ll see.

Had the “talk” <in finger quotes> with Squirt today. Not that she didn’t already have most of the info through casual conversations we’ve had. We had the “offical” talk today.

Ahhh the joy of parenting! Whee hah!

Ok, I’m off to play with the photo thingy some more….. I love toys!

Specialist cleared Silver_Fangz — although she’s still on the mend, we don’t have to go back unless she starts feeling poorly again. How cool is that?? Yay for us!

I met my first xanga friend IRL yesterday. Alicia aka akbo1955 and her husband Mike. Got to see their condo which was so nice! We also had a great lunch at Stella Blues which if you ever make it to Maui you should visit. We also drug the family to the beach and spent some quality family time. We actually literally had to drag Silver_Fangz out of the house. She grumped the first hour but she finally came around and had some fun and got some sun. It was really good for all of us. The sun, the water and the togetherness.

Today hubby was off so we took the opportunity to shampoo the carpets. With pets and teens they get dirty faster than we can blink. And there is ALOT of them! I also worked on school work, and getting the desk top computer working properly. I think it’s time for a backup, format and reload. Ughhh. I hate that job. Computers are a mixed bag. One one hand a marvelous tool. A way to connect with others, create many wonderful things, play music, movies, shop… and on the other hand they are an expensive and sensitive piece of equipment that continuously needs maintenance and upkeep.

I’m seriously wanting to make the move to Mac. Everyone I know that has a Mac has NO problems and loves them! It’s just so hard to make the switch when our family is embedded in the PC world. I think when I go back to work, I will make the switch!

Question for the day:

Apple or PC?

Well hubby is back — hooray.

Squirt is out with a friend — Hooray!

Silver_Fangz fell asleep on the floor in front of the TV (right in front) where she was laying in order to hear. Poor kid. I feel bad for her. Wish I could make this go away. As a mom, I just want to fix it. Aaarrrghhh….. so frustrating!

I have homework due — uh…. no hooray.

OK — is it just me or are there any other Survivor fans out there disappointed in this years show? I’m having problems getting into it. I think it’s just too — blah. They aren’t really “surviving” — they are given food — including chickens, started with a hawaiian sling to catch fish, started out being giving flint. It’s pathetic. They are living the cush life. Basically they are just camping out. The challenges are all the same and aren’t really that challenging. Maybe I’m asking for too much, but it seems like they could at least come up with some new stuff for them to do.  I guess I’m just to demanding, but I want to see some uncomfortableness… not just oohhh… so and so doesn’t like me…. WAH! It’s SURVIVOR — not prom night and voting for most popular. Blech….

OK — enough ranting about the incosequential events such as reality (yeah..right) TV.

I’m off to do some real life things of my own, like laundry, dinner and homework.

Question of the day:

What would be difficult for you to do from a reality type show??

Yesterday was spent talking to doctors, medical centers, and insurance companies in an attempt to get the referral and authorization necessary for Silver_Fangz specialist appointment. As usual, with Triwest, the process was muddled and complicated beyond belief. It actually started on Tuesday when I started trying to get the referral from my Primary Care Manager. They were closed on Monday, and only open 8:00 am to noon Tues. However they weren’t answering the phone until 10:00 am (I know this because I was calling every minute (literally) from about 8:30. At 10:00 the phones miraculously stopped being busy and I didn’t have any problems getting through from then until they left.  Now, Tues. I was trying to get the appointment, which I needed a referral for, which they couldn’t give me till I had an appointment — you see the fun that was headed my way?? I finally got the appointment at about 1:00, called the PCM to let them know and SURPRISE — they were already closed for the day.

Yesterday the PCM’s office manager calls at 8:49 am and wants to know if I have an appt. yet. I reply yes I finally got one. THEN — she totally pisses me off by saying…… (read in a snotty condensing tone) “Well I waited here ALL day yesterday to hear from you”.

HUHHHHH??????? WTF????

I reply “Really? Cause when I called at just after 1 you were closed for the day.”

Her: “Well yes, we closed early yesterday”.

Me: Well, If I’d had a number where I could actually reach someone from office, I would have gladly called you there, but there wasn’t much I could do when I reached your closed message, was there?

Her: Well, even if you’d had my number I wouldn’t have come back in,to the office to deal with this………

Technically they were available for 2 hours. She waited ALL DAY??? She lives really short days. At 2 hours per day that makes her like….1000??

Anyway — enough rants about stupid condescending, holier than thou office managers.

The appt. went really well. Dr. felt that Mastoiditis was too strong for her condition although she may have had some infection of the mastoid bone. Mostly she just has an bad middle ear infection. He was surprised that they hadn’t prescribed something stronger for the pain. So now Silver_Fangz has moved into “Viocadin Land”. He also prescribed prednisone to assist in the recovery process. He said the pain should go away first, then slowly the hearing will return.

I’m ready for that. It’s bad enough that she ignores us, but now that she can’t hear us it’s really frustrating. Besides I’m ready to have the TV volume at something less than 500 db! We go back to the specialist on Monday. He was super nice! Thank goodness. I feel so relieved. 1) that it’s not as serious as they led us to believe and 2) that we have someone on board who really knows what he’s doing and is super supportive.

Huge weight off my shoulders! And I’m sure Silver_Fangz feels that way too! She would appreciate it if you guys stopped by and wished her well and said hi…. to say she’s been bored to tears this week of enforced rest is an understatement (especially since it’s no school this week, her friends are out having a great time, she’s stuck here resting!)

“Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.”

~ Winnie the Pooh

A Featured_Grownups assignment

The Xanga Story:

We may have done this topic at some time in the past – but not since I’ve been hosting and this is something I’d really be interested in!

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE AND WHY ARE YOU HERE – Share your Xanga Testimonial!

When did you join Grownups With Content Worth Being Featured – and what does the group mean to you?… Why are you here?

Nuff said. I soon found this was a great place to have fun, dump, and meet people. I even found out that a good friend of mine that I wa separated from had started a xanga at around the same time (although we didn’t know that for months). I had few comments and fewer readers, mostly my daughter Silver_Fangz. I was hesitant to join any blogrings due to being suspicious and afraid of criticism. But in September I made the big move and joined a few blogrings. I joined the AF Wives blogring, Bloggers Over 30, and Homeschool Moms.  The first line of my entry that day spoke about decision —

I joined the Grown-ups with Content worth being featured blogring in January of 2006. My first entry for Featured_Grownups was about The person who had the most impact on your life. I loved that assignment! Through my other blogrings I had read writing assignments that other bloggers did and the idea of writing to a topic was very interesting to me. So I went over and joined up. Not long after that I joined up with another writing ring — the Kween_of_the_Queens. I love the assignments of both of these and I especially enjoy reading others. Some funny, some serious, some sad — . I wish that we could get more serious content on Featured Content — but that’s pretty tough to do unless you have daily commenters in high numbers. I’ve made it once, and I know several members make it regularly. I just like to get some content that is other than teenage drivel up there!

The best part of Featured_Grownups is reading the assignments. It’s always lots of fun to see what others are thinking. Besides, it’s helpful to have a topic to write about when the old idea center drys up!

Second part of the assignment for Kween_of_the_Queens:

POSITIVE ROYAL INFLUENCE

Tell us about any “Royalty” (whom YOU consider royalty) that has been a positive influence in your life.  Names are not necessary, but tell us how they have influenced you.  Was there something specific?  How has your life become better because of them?  What are your feelings about this person now?  Can you pass on this positive influence in your life?  We want to know as much as you can tell us!

I began this part of the challenge by trying to think of royalty. Names flitted through my mind. I considered actual royals and those that just behave in a royal manner. I thought of the King of rock-n-roll — and how his influences have gone on to enrich my life through music. I thought about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table – how their story began in me a life-long love of all things medieval. I considered Princess Diana, and how we all watched her wedding, marriage, divorce and death with morbid fascination. Many still follow the lives of her sons today. We watch movie stars and treat them as royalty, and endless processions of elevated mortals march across our television screens each day.

I thought about those that weren’t royalty, but behaved as such. Like my Father-in-Law, who never met a stranger, and had no enemies. Mother Theresa who went through life seeking only to help others. In the end though, only one royal influenced me tremendously.

The King of Kings,  — only Jesus could be my positive influence. He saved me from myself. He is my strength, my hope, my compassion. He gave me all I need to do right in this life. He showed me how to live it and then …through his death and resurrection, he gave me life.

I feel kind of somber today. Silver_Fangz ears are really hurting her. Tried to get ahold of my Dr. to no avail as he was closed yesterday. Today he will be open until noon and I’m hoping I can talk to him for a few brief moments so I can get a referral and contact the ENT. See one of the “bennies” of being military is you have this great healthcare program called “Tricare”. What you find is that it takes three times as long, quadruple the paperwork, and only 1/8 of the practitioners will accept it. It’s really a joy to deal with. I get told that these types of “bennies” make up for our substandard pay scales — hmmm… yep, that does it for me, I’m happy. :rolls eyes:

Not that I’m complaining (much) we are fortunate to have health care as I know that is a huge problem for many families out there. So — I’ll shut up about it now, and be grateful for what we’ve got instead of moaning over what I don’t.

Moan.

Alright, now I’m really done. Have to take Squirt to a gymnastics camp today and get this Dr. stuff figured out, so I’ll catch up with you all later~ Until then be good — and if you can’t be good, be good at it!

The Kween_of_the_Queens latest writing challenge:

The Sage Five

Please list 5 (five) bits of advice that you think a newlywed couple needs to know.  many of us are married, or have been married for many years.  Please impart the wisdom of your experiences to these young people!  A simple list is sufficient.  If you feel a need to go into detail, by all means do so!  If you merely wish to list 5, that’s fine too!

This is a tough one. Everyone’s marriage/relationship is different. Unique to the people involved. What works for some would never work for us, but I’ll go with a few things that have worked for us:

1. Be friends. This has been the foundation of our successful relationship. There have been times when we didn’t like each other, times when being a lover, wife or soul mate was overwhelming, but always he has been my best friend. I can always count on that.

2. Be responsible for your own feelings. An example of this is that we have rule, if one of us is angry at the other, and doesn’t want to sleep with them — the angry one takes the couch — no kicking the other out of the bedroom. Now, this has never happened — we have never gotten that angry with one another, but it makes us take responsibility for our own feelings. No playing the victim. If you are angry, you have to deal with it and work it out.

3. Work on it. Relationships need to be nurtured, guided and tended. Neglect causing stagnation and eventually distance. We work on our relationship by talking to each other, spending time alone together and by nuturing our own spirits.

4. Take time for yourself and your own interests and pursuits. Each of us has things that we enjoy. We need to take time to nurture our own spirits and have things that are not part of the “relationship”. I scrapbook, shop, enjoy photography, reading, music. Hubby golfs, dives, enjoys activities with his car and surfs. I don’t begrudge him time off playing, and he gives me plenty of room to have my own time and friends. We both benefit from this.

5. Wait 5 years (if possible) before having children. This is the greatest gift we have given ourselves. The first five years are tough enough, just learning how to live with each other and how to deal with being married. It changes things when you have children, in a good way. But it’s busy…. and hectic and all consuming. It’s not easy to work on building a great relationship when you’re swamped with diapers and 3′ O’clock feedings.

The best advice I would give is to communicate with each other. We took a marriage encounter course before marriage and we learned to fight fair. That was a big help. We learned to communicate without blame, to express our wants, needs and desires without making demands and to listen caring and compassionately to others. We also learned to touch when arguing. A gentle hand placed on the arm while arguing lets the other person know that even though there is anger, there is also love.

Marriage is tough. The most important thing is to choose your partner wisely. I think it’s important to commit for the right reasons: because you want to see that person everyday for the rest of your life. Because your life will be more complete, fulfilled and joyful with that person in it.

Tomorrow I will complete the other part of the assignment. For now I’m off to contact the ENT and our family Dr. Have a great day everyone, I will be back to read and comment later on this evening!

So today the plan was to spend the day putting together a photo tribute in honor of my youngest daughter’s 13th birthday. (The party and sleep over was a big success btw). Then I was going to take her to the fair, while Silver_Fangz took it easy. She was feeling very poorly, ears hurting, slight fever etc. We planned to take her to the Dr. on Monday. Then I would take hubby to the airport, as he left tonight for a week on Oahu.

However: that was not to be the case. Instead, we spent most of the morning and afternoon in the ER. Silver_Fangz passed out again today. She passed out on Friday at the fair, and today she was standing in the kitchen talking to her dad. She grabbed her ears and said her ears hurt really bad – then her knees buckled and she went down. I heard her head hit the tile from the living room. When I got into the kitchen, her eyes were open but rolled all the back, she was making a funny noises and her head was rolling back and forth. I thought she was having a seizure. I called 911, but she came to and hubby said we could drive her (she got quite upset – <read hysterical> at the thought of an ambulance).

Now, before going further, I need to lay down some background. Silver_Fangz is highly needle/vein/blood phobic. The thought of having blood drawn makes her queasy and panicked. Ok, back to ER. We finally get in (there was NO one in the waiting room, but we stilled waited 45 minutes before being seen) and the doctor finally comes in. Asks if there is any chance of her being pregnant — fortunately she adamantly answers – NO WAY! Not possible – WHEW! Dr. orders a slew of tests…. EKG, Urinalysis, CT Scan, X-Rays, and “Chemical” that’s what he said – swear to God! So, first test to show up… you guessed it. Lab tech with blood draw. Silver_Fangz of course FREAKS out — starts screaming, crying and getting hysterical. We all talk to her, Dr.. nurse, tech, mom and dad — to no avail. Luckily the other test pick up the problem.

She has Mastoiditis. It is an infection and inflammation of the mastoid bone behind the ear. It’s fairly uncommon these days .0004% occurrence in the US. Yay. Before antibiotics, it was the number one cause of children’s deaths. yay again. It is resistant to treatment, and recurrent. Oh boy and yay. Serious complications may occur if untreated — meningitis, deafness, facial paralysis and host of other equally unpleasant things. She did end up getting a shot (a serious antibiotic boost in the butt) she wasn’t happy about it but we finally convinced her that it absolutely needed to happen! She also has Augmentin horse pill sized antibiotics to take for the next ten days. She’ll be in the house in major “rest” mode for the rest of this week. Hopefully we can kick this in the rear end right away. I’m calling an ENT tomorrow, I want someone following her the entire time.

I feel like an awful parent. This only happens when an inner ear infection goes untreated or from Streptococcus pneumoniae. She’s been sick off and on for the last couple of weeks, and had strep a couple of months ago, but honestly — she’s been acting fine. Her ears started hurting Thursday night and since they didn’t stop we planned on taking her to the Dr. tomorrow. She’s been running a slight fever, and obviously not been well this week end, but other than that it’s just been cold symptoms. Sigh…….

I did take Squirt to the fair for a short time as today was the last day. Put hubby on a plane for Oahu this evening. Tomorrow my classes begin, the girl’s are out of school for the week and the fun is just beginning. Hopefully she’ll at least start feeling better — she’s on enough antibiotics to kill a horse.

I’m off, I’d better get some rest…. I think I’m going to need it! Wish me luck.