‘MY BAD???

Yep…just as I figured..I haven’t blogged in centuries, which brings me to this question, “Is blogging passe’?”…Is blogging being replaced by Facebook, Facetime, Google +, and the many other forms of social media?? I have to admit that I am NOT a big geek when it comes to getting involved in the social networking scene…Heck, I just started blogging in 2009. It would figure that just about the time I got the hang of blogging, it would drive off into the ditch..Or is it just “Blogger” that is slowing down?? I have a few blog friends who are on Word Press…and they seem to have many more people interested in blogging ..Just throwing that out there to chew on, for those who are MUCH more faithful bloggers than I have been lately..

Not too much exciting going on around here…Our rains have really helped my roses..They are so pretty, I had to pick a few..And the rains finally let up enough for Dennis to get a small garden planted..8 tomato plants, 4 green pepper plants, 4 jalapeno pepper plants, and 12 hills of potatoes…YUMMO!

We did have a “mini” Cave-A-Palooza here at our house for Memorial Day. Kelly and Cindy, the Heiser clan, Big Fluffy (Den’s brother-in-law) and Tommy (Den’s nephew) came over for a cook out…Taylor Heiser brought her “main squeeze”, Joshua Herrero, with her..This poor kid never knew what hit him..Our family is a bit overwhelming on first glance…I gotta say, that Josh held up quite nicely..Also, the poor kid is HIGHLY allergic to all  nuts and seafood (NO peanut oil either)…I really had to think hard to make sure I didn’t poison the kid while he was partaking of our picnic food..He has to carry epipens around with him like toothpicks!

Dennis Cave grilled his famous 3 whole chickens in Cave Dust (my rub).  They were deeeelicious!!

Left to right, Taylor, Joshua, Campbell and Peyton..our Posse’of kids.

This happened to be the 1 month “anniversary” of Taylor and Joshua’s “relationship…Josh’s mother made this and it was AMAZING! (Did anyone of you get a cake for dating a guy for one month??..Neither did I.)

Joshua is very skilled in the fine art of cake cutting..schooled by his mother who actually makes pastries and cakes for events…

Actually, Tay and Josh kind of met when they were both in the Kaneland High School Musical, “Into The Woods”..Tay was Cinderlla and Josh was Jack..as “in the beanstalk”..They both have wonderful voices and a great love of theater..In fact their Madrigal Group is leaving to perform in Spain next week for 8 days!!

Now, on to the “medical mystery tour” that has turned into a journey for the past almost 3 years…I have my surgery next Wednesday, June 8th..and absolutely cannot wait!! Nope, not a bit concerned about going “under the knife” yet again. This time my Doc has a bead and a bullseye on this tumor..and ,with his great skill, will exorcise the devilish thing from my neck!!!. I am putting all my eggs in this basket for me feeling much better by the end of summer…One neat thing about this “in and out” of Chicago on the train thing is that we have really had some great walks down “The Magnificent Mile”. And most have been on beautiful sunny days along the Chicago River…I’m not a big fan of the city, but I have to say that it is very beautiful with all of the landscaping, flowers and greenery right down town!!

OK, I can now check “do blog” off my list for today..I am no longer making promises to blog more often, because I never know when the urge will strike me (or I have anything worth saying). From now on , I fly by the seat of my pants on blogging…I work better with no pressure..but I refuse to give up!!

YEP!!!

Now I have become “very interesting” to my Doc!

Dennis and I have been riding the train back and forth into Chicago so I can keep appointments at Northwestern University Hospital…This last trip was for a whole gamut of radiological tests in Nuclear Medicine..I had a sestamibi scan, a CT scan and some other stuff I cannot pronounce. Basically, I was being scanned 2 1/2 hours out of the 4 hours we were there…They sent me the results the next day on my private NW Health site..In the words of my surgeon:

“Donna- this is a very interesting result. The scan showed that there is an area in the center of the right thyroid lobe with activity” say whaaat?? What KIND of activity?. are they playing cards?.He continued, “This could be a parathyroid buried within the center of the thyroid lobe.”..something buried in my neck?..”This  happens in a small percentage of people”. Naturally…I’m special..”It may be a good explanation why the parathyroid was not found during the first operation.  The implication of this finding is that we may need to take out some of the thyroid to get to the overactive parathyroid”…..Hey, what the Heck..get out your pickax and have at it..Just don’t disturb my 2 year old neck lift..I don’t want to have to hide at Thanksgiving again!!!

I have one more trip into Chicago before I go in for my surgery…I need to go in for pre-op, which means EKG, chest Xray, bloodwork…yada yada yada…My surgery is scheduled for June 8th..I will be overnight in the hospital and come home on the 9th barring any unforeseen hiccups…Den and I will take the train into Chicago the night before..We will spend the night at a hotel owned by Northwestern (which means if you are a patient it only costs $80 a night!..a perk for being ill!). We will walk the 2 blocks the next AM and I will go under the knife at whatever time they say..Dennis will ride the train home and I will party on with the medical staff, sans one naughty parathyroid gland and maybe part of a good thyroid gland..whatever…Our son, Kelly, will drive Den in and my two men will load me into Kel’s truck and whisk me away back to the cornfields of Sandwich…WOOT! WOOT!

OK, enough merry medical mystery tour..Den and I have been busy with our elders and also our Heiser grandkids who are deeply involved in track and field and musicals…Taylor and Peyton are now Academic Scholars at Kaneland High School..Tay is a Junior and Pey is a Sophomore..

Also, their little brother, Campbell, was in a musical at his middle school. Campbell is 12 years old, and a very special kid..He was part of the grassland ensemble in the production of The Lion King, Jr..The costuming in this musical was amazing…

Very proud Papa and Grama!!!!

I must apologize for not blogging as often..McGyver and I are so darn busy…We are helping our aunt get her husband into a nursing home…it is so hard. He is 92 years old and has dementia..He is in a wheelchair at a rehab place and really doesn’t understand what is going on..His wife is 100 years old and cannot take care of him at home anymore…and she is failing also…Dennis, I, a cousin and neighbors have been trying to get her up to see him as much as possible..Plus we have been making visits to Chicago for “moi”…It’s a trial just keeping the grass mowed!! I will try to be more diligent about posting blogs…

One more thing…If you have’t read my blog previous to this one, please take a moment to go to my previous blog and scroll to the bottom video..turn up your sound and enjoy a small sample of our beautiful granddaughter’s fabulous voice as Cinderella..I’m still emotional about that performance!!