Poem about my IV Infusion

I just wrote a poem about my IV infusion tomorrow....

You can read it here !

Thanks in advance....

Be well,
Dawn

Answers to some Questions about My Last Entry

Diane and Dawn both had some good questions about my last entry, so, I decided to clarify them here!

My book club book for this last month was 'Running with Scissors' by Augusten Burroughs.  I liked it a lot, but it was very raw, shocking, in fact.  It is not a book for the faint hearted, or narrow-minded.  There are many ugly topics in this book but also, humor. 

It has been made into a movie that will be released in Fall 2006, with a lot of big names.... I am excited about that.

On my own I also read Augusten's sequel memoir, 'Dry'.  I liked it better than 'Scissors' but you have to read them in order to get the full effect of the story.

Truth is stranger than fiction, and Augusten wrote journals for hours each day.  His books were out before the 'Frey/Oprah' incident, and have been thoroughly checked and found to be true.  I even did some digging myself, and was quite satisfied.

I picked the book for this months upcoming club meeting.  The book I chose is 'A Thread of Grace' by Maria Doria Russell.  It is a fictional account based in fact of the 43,000 jews that sought refuge in Italy and were in fact, saved by Italians.  Many were not saved, but most were, and even after 1943, after Mussolini turned to the Allies, Italy was not a land of peace and helping the Jews were not easy. 

I am excited and looking forward to the discussion, this is a topic that my club has not tackled before.  It is fun to see where everyone falls.  The next club meeting is a brunch at my house!  Yikes, pressure!  LOL  Nah, just bagels, muffins, and stuff.  I will keep it simple and easy.

To answer, another query, yes, my hubby is my son's football coach.  He was not head coach of the age group, but was in charge of defense.  This past season he was one of three coaches, next year, he will be one of two, unless he and his buddy pick up another assistant!

And, yes, Dawn, beer and wine and drinks at church!  It was not a church function, but the Knights of Columbus, and yes, it is a Catholic church.  The K of C can't fit everyone who comes into their hall for this Comedy show, so they rent the church auditorium.  There were 340 people in attendance at $25 a ticket.  All the money was for a local children's charity.

So, there ya have it!

Be well,
Dawn

 

My Weekend and Week Ahead! Arrrghhh!!!

  Boy, I tell you, sometimes this schedule makes me wanna cry!  LOL  

Friday, Fuzzy was homesick throwing up.  Poor thing, thankfully, by dinner he felt great and was eating again.  

Hubby had a football conference dinner and meeting so he was out from 8pm until 11:30pm.  Pumpkin cried.  How dare he go out to a meeting and not be home to put her to bed.  That is Hubby's thing.  Bedtime.  Ah well, mommy let her sleep downstairs on the daybed in the play room.  She got over it...lol

   Saturday we went early to a wrestling match.  Our friends, that we went on the cruise with, their son, Fuzzy's friend since pre-school, has been wrestling for three years.  We never got to a match, so we did.   

OMG, thank God my kids don't wrestle.  I used to watch all the time when I was in high school, but seeing it now, through a mom's eyes....truly frightening.  I don't know how necks were not broken.  We saw lots of kids wrestle that we knew through our kids, and my heart was in my throat the entire time.   

And, people questioned my decision about football???  Last week, at wrestling, a kids arm was broken in three places and one bone went thru the skin.  That did not happen at football!!  lol  

Okay, so moving on.... Saturday night was the annual K of C Comedy Night.  We go with a group of friends, including the wrestler's parents, who start the party at their house first.  We were there at 6 pm, off to the church auditorium at 7pm, to set up our food and drink.  You would not believe the stuff people bring to this, but our group did mostly munchies, beer, and some mixed drinks too.  The comedy starts at 8pm.  2 warm-ups and then the headliner.   

The headliner is a huge cult hit here in NJ as he had his own cable access show for 27 years.  He calls himself Uncle Floyd.  He was great.  Afterward, there are door prizes, we didn't win, and then more drinking and a DJ for dancing.  That was nice.  We hung about for a bit but were home by 11:15pm.  

I had to get up early Sunday and get out the door for my book club that was going to be a brunch at 11am.  I made it!  lol 

It was really nice!  The woman who hosted had muffins, 3 kinds of quiche and a big salad.  Mimosas and Parseco, an italian dessert wine with pureed strawberries to drink, and then sorbets for after.  Quite lovely.  The book discussion was lively and and enjoyable.  I didn't get home until 3:30pm.  

I walked in to my kids giving Hubby crap about me being out soooo long.  Hubby said jokingly, that he may have to install an ankle bracelet to keep me home.  I think not!  This cracks me up as I am home all the time.  The book club is the only thing I do away from Hubby and the kids.  Sheesh!   

Apparently, Fuzzy and Pumpkin wanted me to help them with homeworkd stuff, refusing Glenn's assistance for hours.  Pumpkin only lets Hubby help with math.  LOL  

So, the rest of the afternoon, I looked up cities in Canada, printed info, helped with spelling and grammar, all with Fuzzy and then helped Pumpkin get her goods together for being Star of the week at school, and printed out pix to show her family and pets to her class and pics of her doing her dance and piano recitals.  

There ya go...the family update.  I slept in today, Hubby took the kids to school, I only got up briefly to do Pumpkin's hair.  Hammer was all set with school work so I slept until noon!  Yikes! 

Tomorrow, the boys get their braces on.  Wednesday is my IV infusion in NYC, Thursday is Pumpkin's four fillings with happy gas.  That doesn't include piano today for Pumpkin and Wednesday boy scouts for Fuzzy and rabies clinic shots tonite for Libby!  And, of course, Pumpkin's dance lessons too.   

Sunday we leave to go to the week in a time share about an hour away in the Pocono Mountains, that my cousin gave to us.  It will be nice to get away...I think.  Of course, I am the one who has to pack everything...so that will fill up my Friday and Saturday!  Laundry, packing, etc.   

I hope to be able to post later this week again, but if I don't I guess you all now know why!!!  lol  

Be well,
Dawn

The ABC Game

Thanks to Hadon, who didn't tag me, but I am doing it anyway, because it is cool!  ( The Hadonfield Myers Experience )

A.  Admirable

B.  Beautiful (from my husband)

C.  Considerate

D.  Daring

E.  Emotional

F.  Friend

G.  Giving

H.  Happy (my son's friend says I am the happiest person he has ever known!)

I.  Intuitive

J.  Judgement-less

K.  Kissable

L.  Loveable

M. Mommy!

N.  Nurturing

O.  Open

P.  Passionate

Q.  Quick

R.  Reader

S.  Smart

T.  Teacher

U.  Unique

V.  Very organized (so says my daughter)

W.  Wife

X.   X-tra fluffy

Y.  Yummy

Z.  Zesty (from my son, Fuzzy)

I tag everyone!!!!!  Especially, Ellen!  <nudge, nudge> LOL

 

A Big Day

Today, I took the first steps toward fulfilling one of my personal dreams.

I started my book manuscript!

Just a few pages, but it is a start!  I don't know how long it will take for me to get it all down, or how long it will take to then edit, and then send out to publishers and then, hopefully get published, but every journey starts with the first step, and I have finally made that first baby step.

It is an anecdotal memoir, much like what I write in this journal.  In fact, some of the things I wrote in this journal will be included, I am sure. 

I guess J-Land has been my test audience of sorts!  LOL

Thank you....

Be well,
Dawn

My life in 15 Lines

I just got this from two of my favorite J-landers....

Tracey   one*hip*mama  and

Hadon   The Hadonfield Myers Experience

I think this is very cool!  So, here is mine!

My Name.............................. Dawn

childhood ambition.............To be a physicist

fondest memory................ My wedding and the birth of my kids

soundtrack.......................... 'Time in a Bottle'  Jim Croce
                                         (also my wedding song)

retreat.................................. My writing, the computer, a good book

wildest dream.....................Time in Paris, at the Louvre

proudest moment.............. Birth of my kids, I don't think I have one of myself yet.  It is still ahead.

biggest challenge............... Being a good mom & wife with RA

alarm clock........................... 7:00am

perfect day........................  Any day on vacation with hubby & kids

indulgence............................ Going out to dinner alone with hubby 

favorite movie.................... Too many to list, but near the top would be Casablanca, Moonstruck, Big Chill

last purchase....................... Books

inspiration.............................. God, my parents, my kids

My Life................................... Very busy, full of love and family.  Focused on raising the three kids, homeschooling one, being a wife, coping with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus, and still trying to live my own personal dream.  The fact that my dream is last should tell you something about me.  LOL

I tag everyone!  Luanne, Betty, Deb, Jody, Michael, Bill, Pennie, yes, everyone!

Be well,
Dawn   

Busy & Fatigued

It is amazing how busy you can be with your kids schedules!  I mean it!  I know the other moms & dads out there are nodding in agreement. 

I also had time to read a wonderful book this week.  Actually, I read three books, but the one I want to talk about right now is called 'Marley and Me' by John Grogan.

 Marley & Me - John Grogan    

Please check out the website above.

John's Marley, and my Libby, are both yellow labs that have a lot in common.  They both are untrainable, love to chew, drip water all over the house and can only focus when not being distracted by food, sounds, kids, people, or other animals.  Yeah, not a lot of focusing going on!

They also have in common unconditional love, a zest for life and a constant state of happiness!  Making us, as owners, in awe of them, and honored to be their 'masters', while actually learning from them.

The book made me laugh, made me think, and made me cry.  Bawl, actually.  Then again, I could not watch Lassie ever, or Bambi, so, remember that before thinking the book is too emotional for you. LOL

Another wonderful read this week was, 'Running with Scissors' by Augusten Burroughs.  I read it for my upcoming book club meeting, next weekend.  All I can say is - wow.  What a book!   It is a memoir of a shockingly bizarre childhood.  Augusten mentions near the end of the book, that he realized that the one thing he learned as a child was how to survive, and I must say, that was an amazing feat, in and of itself. 

At the end, my book had a chapter of the sequel memoir, 'Dry'.  It begins with Augusten, four years later, now working successfully, in advertising in NYC.  I am hooked.  Ordered it today, online, with a Barnes and Noble email coupon.  Hope it comes fast! 

So, basically that is what I have been up to lately.  Kids and reading.  And, sleeping.  I am feeling better from the Orencia, definitely much less swollen, and only 2 active, painful joints at all, which is great...  BUT, I am having a tough time with fatigue right now.  I am hopeful it will resolve with more Orencia, but it is tough to deal with.

My friend, Luanne, at LUANNE'S LIFE LIVING WITH LUPUS ,
has also been struggling with fatigue of late.  It is good to not be alone, but it sucks that either of us have to deal with it.

By the way, this is how I explain the difference between being fatigued and tired;

Tired means you can rest or sleep and the feeling will resolve. 

Fatigue will not get better with rest or sleep, and will only leaves when your disease is ready to let it go away.

FYI, that is a huge difference, which most people, do not comprehend.

That's all for now....  I am going to play some Bejeweled 2!

Be well,
Dawn