1 Week

I just got back from the Doctor's office for my one week post-op appointment. The staples came out! Yeah!! My belly now looks less like a mold for a battlefield re-enactment and more like, well...a topographical map. I go back in 4 weeks to get the g-tube out...wish that was a bit sooner...But it's better than having to wait 5 weeks. I guess. I've lost 12 lbs since surgery and 18 lbs since my first appointment way back in August. My shirts are hanging longer and loser and my pants are lose without having to sit down and loosen them first! :-) I guess things are going well so far. I've only had one moment of an emotional breakdown...Monday night in the shower. I just started panicking about the whole financial aspect of being out of work for over a month with holidays and everybodies birthdays coming up, plus the uncomfortableness of not being able to bend over without getting short of breath and light headed because of the g-tube (I was trying to shave my legs at the time). I took some pain medicine had a good cry and went to bed. Everything was better the next day...as it always is.

Tonight is the Chirstmas party for our group. The last chance we have to get everybody together before the holidays are really maddening rushed. This is the first time I'm going to drive since surgery. Should be exciting... Tomorrow night is Kent's pinning ceremony from nursing school and Friday is graduation. My Uncle Doug comes in sometime next week from Milwaukee for Christmas. So much going on and so little time...

Have a great weekend!!

3 Days Later

3 Days later I am still figuring out how all of this works. I'm trying to figure out when I'm full and when I'm not. When I'm hungry (which I think is never) and when I'm not. Trying to get in enough fluids to stay hydrated and enough protein to heal. Trying to figure out when I'm in pain, and just have gas. Which by the way has been most unlady-like. The pain medicine makes me sleepy, but without it, the g-tube in the left side of my stomach hurts. But with it, I can't sleep at night... Just lots of figuring out to do. I never thought in a million years that cottage cheese would taste so good!! It's the only "food" I've had since Tuesday!! Unfortunately, it will be a month or so before I can actually chew... I'm really looking forward to homemade mashed potatoes on Christmas!! I'm anxious to go to the mall, just to get out of the house! I can't stay awake long enough to work, and I can't drive yet, so I've no idea what I'll be doing for the next few weeks. I go on Wendsday to get the staples out, so that will be interesting. Especially if Jennifer, my completely non-medical little sister decides to pass out on me. I already told mom she'll have to take me to get the tube out 'cause I know Jen won't be able to handle that!! Okay...I gotta go start on another bottle of water or tea. I'll try to get some pics of my little Christmas tree up soon. Happy Shopping!!

An Update...

T- 2 days. In 48 hours from now, I will be sitting in a hospital room recovering from surgery. It's such an odd feeling to know that my life will never again be the same. I'm nervous, excited, anxious, and a teeny bit scared. But, I know that this is the right decision for me to make. This is the best thing for me t do for myself. I have to get healthy. I have to get back to where I once was, even further than that. I want to start running again. I ran for a short period of time in high school when I played soccer, I've been thinking that it's time to take it up again. I'd like to find a race to enter this spring. I just gotta find one. So, thanks everyone for you thoughts and prayers already. I really appreciate it!! I'll try to post pics of my little Charlie Brown Christmas tree soon. Seasons Greeting!!!

Yikes!!

Lord Have Mercy!! In less than a week I will be going in for surgery. It's coming oh so fast, I can barely comprehend it. I am ready for this, but am icredibly anxious at the same time. While I understand the science of the whole thing, It's a completly different horse when they're talking about your internal organs!!! Mom and I spend literally all day long at the doctor's office- we got there a little before 9:00 and left there around 1:30, then we headed to the hospital for the pre-op stuff. My hands have been shaking all day long. I am totally on information overload. Lord have mercy...

There is so much I have to do...cleaning my apartment, cleaning my car, picking up a few things I need for the overnight hospital stay and the one week stay at Hacienda Mamma's, arranging for the sick time from work, helping mom get the house ready for the holidays and ready for me to come, laundry enough to make me sigh.

And that is what I keep doing... sighing... It seems to be the only way I can keep my head clear right now. I sighed my way through work this week (I'm sure I'll do more of it during the weekend!), sighed my way through the doctor's today and throughout the night whenever I think about what it is I'm about to do myselft...

Then. Then, I think about what is to come. Losing the weight that I have literally been caring around my entire life. Freedom from food. A second chance to have the life I want. A reset button on all of the horrible habits I've picked up on over a lifetime... I'm looking forward to the after. :-) I'm lookin forward to my birthday in January. Mom has already promised me a shopping trip!!!I'm looking forward to being able to

buy cute clothes. And getting noticed by guys...

Below are some of the worst pictures I could find of myself...I'll try to get some more up soon...

It's been so long since I've posted anything! I didn't realize how long it had been! Life has been steady...Moving at the same hectic speed that it usually does. I realized today how late in the year we really are when I bought Christmas placemats and napkins. The fall is in full force. I've opened my windows and wore sweaters the last couple of days. Michael has a double header football game this weekend and I'm really looking forward to a fall afternoon at the football field. Seems almost idealic for sunny Florida. Other than just the usual, not a whole lot has been going on. When it does happen, I almost always forget my camera! :-)

What is about to change is pretty stinkin' big. Over the summer I was considering taking a travel assingment down in south Florida. But, my family, espcially mom, asked me to get healthy before I took on such a big undertaking. So, I started looking into what that meant for me. I ended up at a surgeon's office talking about lap banding as a means to lose weight. What they told me was not at all what I was expecting. They felt that the lap band procedure would not give me the effects I need for the risks involved in the surgery. Instead, the recommened that I have gastric bypass. To say I was shocked was an understatement! I went home and talked about it with my family and a few close friends and did a lot of praying and considering. When I decided that this is, indeed, what I want and need to do, I submitted a claim to the insurance company. About 6 weeks later, we heard back and things are now moving very quickly. I've seen a psychologist, had my gall bladder ultra-sounded, seen a nutritionist and tomorrow, I go for blood work. On Thursday, November 29 I go for pre-op day. Then on Wednesday, December 5 I go in for surgery.

I'm nervous about the surgery and I'm nervous about my own abilities to have the self-control to do this, but I am confident in Dr. Jawad, and I am confident that with lots of help I can do this. The fun part will be seeing my clothes getting too big and seeing the physical changes in my body. I am looking forward to going to Brazil this summer (God willing) and experiencing it without getting short of breath running across the airports and being able to be more mobile. I will try to post some pictures every couple of weeks so that ya'll can see the changes. I ask that ya'll keep me in you prayers for the next several months as I recover and adjust to this new lifestyle...

Happy Fall!!!

Brothers and Sisters

A friend of mine made the mistake of telling me that you can watch full length episodes on ABC.com. I finished watching all of the Grey's Anatomy episodes. And, then, I found a new show-- Brothers and Sisters. All that I knew about it was that Sally Fields and Calista Flockhart are in it. What I wasn't expecting was to fall in love with the Walker family and all of their idiosyncrasies. Sally Fields is the mother of a large brood of kids who is dealing with her husband's death and with it the death of her idyllic life as she discovers that her family isn't necessarily who she thought he was. What they also discover along the way is how much they love each other and depend on each other.

What I see when I watch the show is the ever changing dynamics in my own family. I am a daughter, a sister, a stepsister, a stepdaughter, a confidant, a best friend. I have a different connection with ever person in my family and they have a different connection with each other, too. My relationship is different than the one that my brothers have with her. But what is important, is that they have a relationship with each other. We are connected in ways that we never thought possible about 7 years ago. While none of us are homosexual or drug addicts or even marrying senators, we do have our own dramas. We have needed to support each other more than ever in the last year than we ever really had to in the past. And yet, this has put us in this amazing place. We are all closer than we ever were before. I look forward to going work on Sundays and Mondays, because I know that Kent will be there. I know that he will be there to protect me in a difficult situation. I know that Jen is my best friend in the whole world. She is the one person I would call if I ever got engaged to Rob Lowe. Michael is my kid brother who makes my car stink like smelly boy and grass and sweat. And yet, my heart overflows with joy every time he gets into my front seat after he finishes a game. I love that we have a "growing up" relationship where we talk about music and books and current events. I love and adore the fact that my relationship with my 3 close siblings is ever changing. I love that I have an older stepsister who has blessed our family with two of the most gorgeous boys in the whole universe. I love that we pick on each other and drive each other mad. Rachel Griffiths, one of the stars of Brothers and Sisters talked about how wonderful it is to be picked on by those that you love to know that you are loved.

And so, my brothers and sister...in the face of whatever challenges we may face in the years and decades to come I have only this to say. I look forward to those challenges, because I know that I face them with ya'll--some of the most important people in the world to me.

A Thought...

" In spite of illness, in spite even of the archenemy sorrow, one can remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one is unafraid of change, insatiable in intellectual curiosity, interested in big things, and happy in small ways."

Edith Wharton, A Backward Glance

Vacay!!!

I am sitting here at work (it's 5:30 in the morning) desperately wishing I wasn't here, but rather sound asleep on a lumpy pull out sleeper sofa at a condo. I got vacation...for 2 whole days!!!

We drove down to Daytona on Saturday afternoon. By the time we got everything settled it was late and rainy, so we took the rest of the evening to do stuff like inventory the contents of the condo, buy groceries for the week and explore the grounds. Sunday, we got up early and hit the beach. It wa so much fun to be able to sit and do nothing but read a good book and listen to the waves crashing on the shore. I took some pictures--it was gorgeous!!! But, alas, I am here and not at home. Hopefully they'll get posted buy the end of the week. Michael bought a new skim board. He's pretty good...I suck!!!! The, in the afternoon, Drea, Chris and the boys came out for Drea's birthday. We got dinner at Red Lobster (yummy Cheddar Bay Biscuits!!!). Then we spent the evening out on the beach. It was so much fun watching the boys explore and discover the sea for the first time. Especially Jordan. Once he realized that the water wouldn't swallo him, he wanted to crawl right into it!!!

Then, Josiah decided he had to "go poopy". Well, we really didn't have anywhere to go. We were a good distance away from the condo. So, I said "Siah, just go poopy in the water. That's what Nemo does". It took some convincing, but he was game. I got his little Cars swim trunks pulled down just enough and along came a huge wave. It knocked both me and him down. My heals went over my head and I lost my hat. He got plowed face down into the sand. He looked at me with these huge eyes and dripping wet and said "Beffy, I still gotta go poopy!" I laughed so hard, I could hardly stand up. Mom and Drea were laughing so hard as well. The poor little guy thought that he was trouble!!!

I can't wait to get back and see what's going down there. In the mean time, I'm here at the salt mines...

An Unofficial Decision

A couple of months ago, I started researching travel nursing. I've spent hour looking up different companies, pay rates, benefits that each company offers, etc. I've been talking to a supervisor and to those who mean the most to me to get an opinion of what I should do. The overwhelming answer has been "Go for it!!!". So, I filled out an application with American Mobile, one of the largest travel companies in the country. I now have a recrutier with the agency, Michelle. She called me the other day and we talked for about 30 minutes. The end of the story...she's looking for assignments for me in the Jacksonville area as well as the Ft. Lauderdale area and the Ft. Meyers area. I'm excited about the change, because this is what I want. But, I'm also nervouse about the changes. I am a walking contradiction...more later!!!

Summertime

My goodness!! I didn't realize it had been so long since I'd posted anything. So much has been happening, at yet nothing at all. Brie got married; I've been working like a crazed woman. But the best is yet to come-- a week from tomorrow we go to Daytona for a week. It's not glamorous, but it's away from home and the telephone and the stresses of life. Then about a week after that, I leave to go to Hilton Head, South Carolina for a conference for work. I'm just excited to be back on Hilton Head. The conference it's about sepsis and the newest trends and ideas in critical and emergency care. Hopefully, we'll come back with all kinds of new stuff to use at work!!

Last week, we went tubing down the river. Always an adventure, but this time was especially so...

I've had a cold that I can't get rid of that didn't really help things at all. Then, I got stuck in the reeds at the beginning of the river. I had to paddle my way through them and the gooey gross stuff at the bottom of bank to stand up and reposition myself. When I finally got going, I realized the worse thing that could have happened...my raft was losing air. I was sinking!!!!! Thankfully it was a small leak and not a large one! Then, my loving and wonderful younger brother decided that his singular goal of the trip would be to tip over. You gotta love 13 year old boys. I managed to stay on top of the tube for a little while. Right around the half-way mark, he succeded and I toppled right on over. I think he and the mostly deflated raft were in cohoots together. So, I had to swim most of the way down. Part of it back upriver because I kept getting separated from the rest of our group. By the time we got to the end, I could barely move upper arms. I fell asleep as soon as we got home. I didn't wake up until the next morning. Thankfully I didn't get too burned. All that time at the pool payed off... ;-)

The plan for today was to clean the apartment and the car and then go swimming. Well, the weather isn't cooperating with the last two... I guess I'll be sequestered to either reading here at home or going shopping with mom. darn. :-)

Viusally Challenged

This has been such an insane week! Next week is so busy: a mandatory class for work, I picked up an extra shift for a friend, and Jen is leaving for Jamaica for 2 weeks. So, I thought that I wouldn't pick up any overtime and just have a nice, quiet week. Spend some time with Jen and try to squeeze in some girl time while I was at it. That was the plan, anyways. Of course it didnt' happen. My schedule got changed at the last second and I was on for Sunday, Monday, and Wednsday instead of my usual Tuesday. We were short-handed on Tuesday, so I offered to help out some.

My buddy next to was getting a new patient from the recovery room. The patient care techs from the floor he was previously on, brought down his belongings before he got there. They included a prosthetic leg (he is an amputee) and a shiny, apple red scooter. That should have been clue #1! The techs from the other floor just sort of throw everything into the room and we didn't pay much attention. When the patient got to the Unit, I helped Eileen move him from the stretcher to out bed. We were moving around alot and the candy apple red scooter was just in the way, so Tammy (our tech) decided to just shove it forward. Well, that plan backfired, because the chair back she was pushing on collapsed and nearly sent her flying across the now demon possessed scooter.

I decided I needed to help Tammy. It took the two of us a couple of minutes to figure out how to turn the dang thing on. We finally did get it to start, it rolled backwards over poor Tammy's foot! I asked if she was okay and she said "yeah", and we again started on the mission. We pulled on the other lever. She was behind the scooter and I'm in fron of it. Or, at least I was for a few minutes. The next thing we knew, she was laying across the front of the scooter (again), and I'm pinned between the tower in the room with wire baskets cutting into my back and the scooter. I was completely unable to breath!! Not because I was hurt, but because I was laughing SO hard!! I mean I was literally doubled over I was laughing so hard. I wanted to explode because we were trying to hold it.

Another one of my co-workers walked in at that moment, came over and looked at the speed obssessed scooter and said " Silly girls. You gotta turn the speed down from the tortoise to the hare. Then it won't get away from ya". These directions came complete with a dial with pictures of the infamous creatures on it. Sometimes, it helps to look at the machinery before you operate it...

Jennifer

Jennifer, this was supposed to be posted a couple of weeks ago, but we've been busy...

Jen,

You graduated high school about 2 weeks ago. You marched down that proverbial last mile as a High School student before you walked across the stage as a High School Graduate! I was so proud of you! You looked so cute in your black sundress and gown and (too small) cap with the honor cords and ITS medallion. You looked so pleased and happy and content as you walked past the crowd. I cried just a little in that moment with so many thoughts running across my mind and heart.

You are no longer Baby JenJen. You don't stand behind me and pull my hair anymore. We haven't shared a bed in ages. Gone are the days of wrapping our selves up in blankets and pretending we were living in the Applacian hills when we played Chirsti. We don't argue nearly as much anymore. Most of them are over which shirt belongs to whom instead whose toys are whose. You have grown so much over the years, not only in physical heighth (you stagger over me), but also academically, emotionally, and spiritually. You are a pop-culture master, but you still have a deep appreciation and an occassional love for the Classics that you have performed over the years.

You are preparing to leave in a few days on a trip that will change your life in ways that we cannot even begin to fathom right now. I am immensly proud of you for taking this step of faith into the unknown; for giving up other trips that may have come your way and for the sacrifices and hard work that you have made to be able to go. You will do wonderfully as you teach the children about God's love for them not only in the lessons that you will teach, but also in the love that you will show them. It is because of these acts of love and your passion to make sure all children are show this that makes me proud to be your sister.

As you begin the journey to becoming the woman you are about to become remember this: God is with you always, to deliver you out of your trials, not through them. And that I love you, no matter what.

Your Big Sister,
Beth

Why I Can't Wait to go to Heaven

I took care of a 34 year old Cerebral Palsy gentleman this week. He hasn't been in the hospital that much, but now that he is, he's very sick. I work hard for 2 nights to keep him off the ventilator, but our best efforts came up short, and we had to intubate him at about 1:00 AM on Wednesday. His family came up to see him after I called them to tell them that we had to do this. His sister, Carmen, and I had talked several times over the 3 nights. When she got there she just cried and cried. I cried with her. All I could think about was "what have I done to this guy?" I honestly don't know if he'll survive without the breathing machine or if we'll ever be able to get him off of it. He's out-lived the average life expectancy for a CP patient by about 10 years already, espcecially with a case as advanced as his. But then it hit me--I'm not in control of this! God is. He knows what He's doing. He's taking better care of Gaspar than any of us ever could. This guy has no way of being to comprehend God's love for him even on the most basic level. I don't even know if the family are believers in any capacity. But, I do know that when he does pass away, whether it's soon or in 5 years or in 10 years, God will give him a new body. One that is free of deformity, and pain, and complications. He will be mad perfect in God's image. I can't wait to meet that Gaspar. To know that all of my efforts, no matter how trivial, will have gone to some good. I pray this for all of my patients, but it hit me especially hard with him. Please lift this family up your prayers. They will have a very difficult road ahead of them in the next few days and weeks.

I'm Just Not Sure

I've been feeling restless lately. Restless with my job, restless with my ministry opportunities. Restless with where I am in life. I feel stuck. I'm not sure what to do. Then, a nurse at work was talking to me about how she travels and how much she loves it. She's about my age, no significant other, no children. She owns a house that she's trying to pay off and is wanting to go to grad school to be an ARNP. She worked in the ICU at Munroe, but when she gets to Virginia, she's going to work in the OR. She's thinking about doing PACU and ED in her next assignments.

This concept has been sitting on my mind for the last few days. While I think it's cowardly to run from your problems, and I know that there will be problems everywhere, I've been kicking around if this may not be a good idea for me. I've been praying about it and asked my mom to do the same, I'm still just not sure what to do. There are so many benefits to it- great pay, the companies pay for your rent and most of them pick up you utilities as well, they pay for your travel, health insurance, and most others have many other benefits as well. Even, being able to see family and friends across the countr. The disadvantages are many as well-being away from my family and friends here at home, not having "my" home, the great potential for being disconnected from my friends and church and the goings on here in Ocala.

I'm torn. I feel that God is closing doors here, and that He's opening doors as well. I'm just not sure where those doors are...

I'm just not sure

New Light

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned”
Isaiah 9:2

I just returned from Brazil last Monday. We had so much fun using the gifts that God has given us…whether they were doing medical work or doing construction or working with the children, we all worked hard!! It was a life changing experience to see they way that these people lived. To see the conditions that they thrive in, and that in so many ways the desires of the heart are universal. Every mother wants to protect her baby; every teenage want more than what their parents have. Every body needs to see the Light of the world.

One lady in particular that I remember really stole my heart. She came in and sat in the three hour line to be triaged. When it was finally her turn to be triaged, she came up and sat beside me. My translator, who had learned my routine, asked her why she had come to the clinic that day. She gave vague answers, reluctant to tell us much. She complained of an occasional headache, occasional joint pain. As I was writing down her vital signs and her complaints, she finally started to open up to me, and told us her story.

She has two daughters, both were married. Her youngest daughter’s husband left her and their 3 children, leaving them penniless and without anywhere to leave. So, they moved in with my patient. Her oldest daughter had also been married. Her husband murdered her and then disappeared, leaving their 9 children essentially orphaned. The grandmother, my patient, had taken them all in within the last year. She was unable to care for all of them on her own, so she gave the youngest three up for adoption. She doesn’t know where her own husband is, so she is doing this on her own. As she is telling me the story, I could nearly palpate the strain of the load she bearing. Everything she had hoped for her daughters had been thrown to the wind, and she is doing her best for her grandchildren. But, she felt like she was failing them.

I sent her back to the advance practice nurse that was with us. Before the patient got back there, I told Charlotte the story to prepare her. Unfortunately, nothing could prepare us for everything else that she shared with us. Not only is stressed to the max, but she is also depressed and suicidal. All of the women wanted to hold her in our arms and cry for her and with her. Instead, we called Alana, the missionary we were working with, over. Together we talked to her about God’s love for her and how he can be the salve to the wounds she’s been experiencing. We got her address so that the local pastor and his wife could call on her to check on her and the children. And the, we did the only thing left…we prayed for her. We prayed for her calmness, and for to be able to call upon God everyday, and for the healing of her and her family from all the tragedies they’ve experienced over the last year. While, there was very little we could do for her physical ailments, I am confident that we helped cleanse some of her spiritual wounds.
I think about this petite, stoic woman often. I pray whenever I do that God would give her strength to carry on the good battle. I pray that she would see the Light that is around her

There's no place like home!! The Tampa International Airport

Sul, my waiting companion in Sao Paulo

3000 people in a very tiny airport...

A mad hatters tour of Sao Paulo

How we all felt...note the red bag in the middle...

The ceiling of the Sao Paulo airport...the last thing I saw befor going to sleep on Saturday night...

Florianopolis

The Vera girls!!!

Sunset outside of our hotel...

Amy, Laura, Joy, me, Chad, and Jonathan at the yummiest pizza parlor I've ever had!!

Yummy...chicken heart!!!

Innocence

Brejaru

A house in the neighborhood...

Edison. He's why we went

Some of the local wildlife

Simply stunning

Joy, the old pro...

Me sand surfing...note the look of terror!

The young people at the beach in Florianopolis

Sunrise over Brazil, the way down...

The Ultimate April Fool's

So, last Saturday, we started the trek back home. What we didn't know was how much of a journey it would, indeed be!!

Our plane was scheduled to leave from Florianopolis at 1630 (4:30) on Saturday afternoon. So, we got up early, did some last minute shopping and went sight seeing in the afternoon. We got to the airport right around 1430 (2:30). The first hurdle was when the lady at the ticket counter told me my tickets were cancelled. Not good. Steve was standing behind me and took over with Ron Greenwich, the missionary we were staying with. Apparently, our little unscheduled stop in Campos messed everything up...for everyone! So, that go settled and figured out. Then began the wait for the plane. About 3:30, we got word that the plane wasn't coming at 1630, but at 1830...two hours late!! So, we pulled out the iPods, books, laptops and traveling pillows to settle in for a long wait. At 1730, it got changed again to 1930. Another hour of waiting!! Yeah!!! So, we pulled out the second books and the iPod chargers and changed positions. Well, at 1900, the time got changed again to 2000 (8:00 pm). We finally took off about 2045. We were delayed yet again because they were having difficulty closing a cargo door. I felt every rivet turn and them turning every wrench...I was in the back row!! All of this should have been a good indicator to us of what exactly was going to happen.

We finally made it Sao Paulo, after we circled for another half hour. We landed in the industrial section of the airport and were bussed past the Fed-Ex airports to the international wing. Good grief. The Youngs and I rushed past the customs and left the rest of our group to run to the American Airlines terminal, hoping we could make our ridiculously delayed flight. We got there just as it was taking off...but it wasn't our plane anyways. It had left two hours earlier on time...

So, we started camping out again, completely oblivious to the fate of the rest our group. I called my parents here in the states, after a week and a half of not hearing from them. I got a little emotional at this point. I wanted to do nothing but cry. That isn't an option, though. We finally found someone that works for the airport at the international connection counter. They told us to stay put and someone would be with us and the growing crowd shortly. About two hours and a nap later, they came back. They called our names and told us to wait about 50 feet from where I was lying down. My hopes were raised that this is it...we're going home now! No such luck...we were taken down to baggage claim and instructed to get our bags.

Down there, we all found our bags. And discovered we weren't the only Americans. We met up with a group of very...vocal women from New York on vacation in I think Argentina. There were also 3 Army Reserve guards who had been on assignemnt in Salvador--they didn't even have Brazilian visas!! We were then taken upstairs to the TAM counter (the Brazilian international airline) and were told that we would be given vouchers to go to hotels and get dinner as well as vouchers for taxis. At this point its about 3:00 in the morning. It was at this point we realized...it's Aprils Fools!! Then, we were told that TAM wouldn't be furnishing our vouchers because technically, we wer on an American Airlines flight, so they would be responsible. Sheesh!! So, we stood in the American Airlines line and realized that everyone was being told a different story, and was getting different information. The joys of international traveling... The army guys were given guaranteed flights out (together) two days later and put up in the equivalent of the Swan hotel at Disney. We were told there were no available confirmed flights for over a week and the only way out was to take standby flights... we took what we could and went to find a taxi to take us to the hotel. We promised to meet Victoria, our new traveling buddy there.

We pulled up to the Novotel at about 4:30 in the morning. It was all lit up and there were bellhops waiting on us at the door. We felt like we had died and gone to heaven! There were fresh beds waiting on us and breakfast would be ready in an hour. Glorious!!! We were taken upstairs and shown into our rooms. Feather pillows and the best shower I've taken in a long time were waiting on us. While Joy showered, I went scavaging for food...in my pajamas. We ate breakfast and crashed. For a few hours. It was so difficult to sleep...kids runnig up and down the hallways, the anxiety of not know what was going on next. Around 1:00 we gave up and got up. We both another shower and went exploring. I was attempting to call my parents again, when we got a phone stating that we had 10 minutes to get out, or we'd have to pay for a half day's use of the room. We ran to get Steve and Janna (Joy's parents) who were leisurly relaxing in the pool, unaware of the time limit we had. We hurriedly checked out and waited on Victoria as she checked out. Then wen to the dining room to eat dinner. But, wait sorry! You've checked out. You can't use your voucher... Thanks Tam!!!

So, we did the only thing we could do. Went back to the airport-home away from home. We got there and learned that most international airlines are mobile!! Where American had been the night before, is South African airlines. American doesn't come until 5:30 in the afternoon! Yeah. So, Joy and I went exploring...again. We found Pizza Hut and ordered pizza and paid too much for drinks. And, we found the rest of our group! They were even worse off than we were. Flying Delta, they hadn't even been given vouchers and were paying for everything themselves. Because, Delta isn't operated by TAM, therefore there is no obligation to help them out. They were attempting to get out via United, but nothing was guaranteed. By 6:00 they had left to go back to the hotel. So, we stood in a line with about 500 people waiting to see what our fate would be. We got our names put on a list and told to wait to the left of the counter. On the ground. No chairs. Right where the baggage carts are taken back out, so watch any appnendages you want to keep!

Nothing was available on the 8:30 flight, so we sat some more. At 9:00, my name was called!! I got the last availble seat on the second flight out to Miami... Hallelujah! There were angels singing with me!! It was 9:06, and had to get on American Airlines flight 906 in twenty minutes. There was still 2 security stops and customs and airlines to get through. Plus a long run down the terminal. The gate was in the very back of the terminal. This was going to be fun! I took off running. I was a little bit rude to the people in line with me, whispering "vamanos, vamnanos" under my breath. "I didn't get to say goodbye to anyone, why should you? Just walk!!" Then, here comes the American Airlines guy...my savior out of this line!! He rushed me through security, and customs and gave me one piece of advice...run!!!!!!!!! And run, I did. Like I haven't done in long time. With two carry ons flailing behind me and my passport, tickets, boarding pass and customs declarations in my hand. Praying that no elderly people would bust out in front of me in those little motorized scooter thingies. Success!! I got to the gate with no hesitations or difficulties. The little guy even told me that I hadn't needed to run so fast...they weren't going anywhere without me!!

I got on the plane and was informed by another passenger that my seat was changed so the he could sit by his wife. Uug. So, I walked back up the aisle and across in front of the big screen and back down again. I sat down next to the ever primping wife and took a deep breath. I was going home!!! I watched Miss Potter and ate dinner, only the 3rd meal I'd had in nearly two days, and listened to Josh Groban and slept as best as I could on a plane.

We landed in Miami at 5:30 in the morning on Monday. I got a phone call from Joy saying they were an hour behind, me and should be on the connection with me. So, I drank a real diet Coke and pulled out the book...again. Then, I got another phone call...the Youngs had gotten stuck in customs and weren't going to be able to make the connecting flight. :-( I was on my own again...

I got on the plane to Tampa. I was seated next to a mom and her little boy flying from Miami to Tampa, headed to vacation with her family. It was fun to see flying through the eyes of a little kid, again. I read more Jodi Piccoult and noticed the 3 empty seats a row ahead of me. We landed in Tampa a mere 45 minutes later. We disembarked and I waited the hour it was taking my mom to finish the drive from Ocala to Tampa. And was oh so happy to be in the States again.

Joy and her family made it a few hours later and Joy was back in her condo by 4:30. The rest of the group didn't make it back to Alabama until late Tuesday afternoon. As Laura Ingalls-Wilder would say... Alls well, that ends well...

Not a Manic Monday...

Today was the first day that we spent at the clinic. We loaded up early (about 7:30) to head to the neighborhood were working in. As we pulled through the barrio there were houses surrounded by garbage, sewer, old cars, and much more debris. In a different situation, I would call them oasis of hope, but the homes didnt provide that. They are old, dilapidated and in many circumstances not much more than one slighly wider room.

We pulled up to the complex where the pastor of the local church, Pastor Humberto, has been working for the last few years, we were greeted by people anxiously awaiting our arrival. The sick were waiting inside filling out fischias--sort of like triage forms in the ED--and children were awaiting the rest of the group for Bible school. We worked throughout the morning and then sto0pped for lunch. Pastor Humbertos church (where I went to church last night) had fixed us lunch. It was a traditional Brazilian spread-- black beans and rice, shredded chicken casserole, boiled potatoes and cuattas (sort of like hush puppies). We had Guanrana and Coka liche to drink and the best fresh bananas Ive ever had.

The afternoon was more of the morning. We saw a total of 93 people today, and dispensed drugs to 135 (dont ask about the math).This is nearly 3 times what the group saw on the first day last year. Keep praying for us and for those that were going to encounter. Part of the medical counseling is that we educate them about their physical health, but also their spritual health. There were several who werethis close to making a decision today...please pray for them.

Tonight, we went to a local mall and got dinner. I had a pasticia (please dont ask me to pronounce it..it wont work!!). Then guess what? More shopping!! Im off to bed. Lots more work awaits us tomorrow.

Ciao

Days One and Two

First...its wierd to see my blog site in Portuguese...good thing I know it well!!! Days one and two were spent in various airports-Tampa to Miami. Miami to Cámpos (unscheduled--yee haw), Campos to Sao Paulo. Sao Paulo to Florianopolis. The fog was so bad on Saturday morning that the Sao Paulo airport was closed...so we almost missed the flight from Sao Paulo to Florianopolis. We said lots of prayers to get here and to get all or our luggage here together. As did the Alabama groups luggage and the thousands of dollars of medicine that they brought!

Last night we ate at an open air restaurant. We had rice adn chicken and stead and fried shrimp. Everything comes with salad and rice. Yummy!! Guaranara and Coca Liche were spread all around. It reminded me of the dinners in the Bible or in the glory days of the South when everyone would sit around and just pass the food and enjoy the fellowship.

We shopped until we dropped today! We also squeezed in the beach--always great fun!! We ate at a seafood restuarant on the beach and went to dune surfing. Its like snowboarding, but with sand instead of snow. Tonight is church at Ron and Alanas churches. Steve and one of the boys are preaching. Im excited to experience this, definetly somehthing new! Afterwards, were getting dinner at a pizza place. Who new that that pizza was so popular in Brazil, but its everywhere!!!

Im excited for tomorrow when we start work at the clinic. This is what Ive been looking forward to. Lots of hard work, but very fulfilling.

Ciao!

AAAGGGGHHH

In a little over 24 hours, we will be leaving. I have no idea how I'm going to get everyting done and still remain a sane, competent,productive person and be ready for this trip! I still have to pack ( I hate packing for stuff like this), do laundry, finish cleaning my apartment, and run various errands (going to the bank, finish picking up little things I need, etc.). But not neccessarily in that order. What I did think to do-- make an appointment for a pedicure this afternoon!! Hopefully I'll feel a little bit better after soaking my feet for an hour or so.

The frustrations...I bought a portable power pack for my iPod. Only it's the plug-into-the-wall type and not the operate-on-battery type. Have to return that. I have to haul my big, heavy, packed suitcase into a grocery store tonight to weigh it. The weght limit is only 70 lbs. I have that much stuff in the medical supplies we're taking. I'm tired already ! ;-)

Enough complaining! I gotta get busy. More to come tomorrow!

So Much to Say...So Little Time to Say It

This month has flown by! I honestly don't know how I've gone a month and not updated...Yeah, actually I do. I've been working and life has been happening. Three birthdays and many overtime shifts and not nearly enough sleep, here we are. Life has been good. I bought an iPod (about stinking time!), and I'm thinking about packing for my trip ( I leave on Friday!!!!). I started working at an Emergency Room near my parent's house...that is interesting. Never a slow moment there! There are so many stories that I wish I had a few more minutes a day to write so I could share them with everybody.

I'm Tminus 3 days before I leave, and I'm determined to keep everyone updated. Pictures will come once I get home. Then anxiety and excitement are building. I'm happy...

The Perfect Valentines Day

As a perpetually single gal, Valentine's Day is not traditionally, my favorite holiday, for I think some pretty obvious reasons. This year, however, I got revenge for myself.

I met Jennifer, and her friend, Laur, at Taco Bell for lunch. We sneaked it into the theatre and watched Music and Lyrics with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. The film is hilarious!! We laughed like crazy. "Pop! Goes my heart". You gotta see the movie to get it. Then off to Wal-Mart to buy my own Valentine's Day present-- a shiny new camera. It's 7.2 mp and PINK! How cool is that?!?! Dinner was at Ronnie's house with Ann, Raegan, and Kara. We had a glass of wine and played cards and "either... or..." and dished about boys and what we hope for one day. It was officially dubbed Singles Awareness Night. Girls will be girls! Kara has the pics, but hopefully I can get some up here soon!!

Love

Last Wednesday, I got up at an unbelievably early hour-- 5:30. But, it was for a good cause. I spent the day in Lady Lake helping with storm relief. We spent about 8 hours hauling trees from one very disorganized pile where they fell to a only slightly less disorganized pile where they waited for the county to come and haul it off to be destroyed. It was hard, backbreaking work. I was the dirtiest that I had been in a very long time. I had dirt in places that hadn't seen dirt since I was a kid-- like in my ears and between my toes. We helped a lady named Cathy clear out the pasture where she keeps her ponies and to clear the area where her chickens roam, and we did a primitive fix on the fence line. She couldn't seem to thank us enough.

Neither could the second house we went to. They raise birds--parakeets and parrots, I think. We picked up trash inthe yard and they guys put tarps on the roof. We the other crew got there we started cutting up trees again, so they could be burned off. This couple was just completely overwhelmed. They tried to pay us in some way. He ended up giving some of us leather gloves to continue on in our relief efforts.

The truth is they paid us. The community paid us by fixing us lunch at a local church. They paid us by allowing us to come and help them. They paid us by allowing us to be the Body of the Church and doing what God commanded us to do. The price of the sore backs and arms and blisters on toes were completely worth it, though. Especially when we heard that an elderly couple we had been working with gave up their vacation to come help with the clean up. Or, when we heard that the Chainsaw guy-- a blacksmith who had driven down from Minnesota to sharpen the relief efforts chainsaws-- led one of the homeowners to Christ!

It sounds cheesy, but I've been thinking about it all week. This is what we, as Christ-followers, are commanded to do. It felt good to do something for someone else, and to push myself out of my comfort zone for a day. In a song on his new C.D., John Mayer has a line where he says that one day the love he's given will be returned to him. I hope that we helped do that for someone on that day.

24

I turned 24 a little over a week ago. This one is playing with my head. While it isn't normally a "milestone" like 25 or 30, it's big for me. You see, I'm the same age my parents were when they had me. I am officially in my mid-20's. I can no longer pretend to be a "young" adult. I am the real deal--lacking only a mortgage and a marriage! But, at the same time, it's a great place to be. I am independent; I have a great job, and make good money; I have a group of friends around me that care about me and a whole new batch of friends that I'm getting to know better. I am getting to live the life my parents never got to live. It's a strange feeling.

So, I decided for the glorious event, something big must be done. So, Joy and I bought tickets to see John Mayer in November and I began planning. Then, life happened. Some of my friends experienced tragedy in their lives and were unable to be with me. Others are in the middle of huge life changes. So, it was a small group that ventured down to Ybor City to eat at The Dish--one of my all time favorite restaurants. We got there...but there was no Dish!!! Atrocity of all atrocities!! We had to settle for the Spaghetti Warehouse. While it was good--just not the same experience.

The next week, Dale was in the hospital. Needless to say, we were not in a very festive mood. But, mom took me and Jen and Michael, and Kent out to dinner Outback. It was good to be able to laugh and eat with some of the people that mean the most to me. I got the Vera Bradley travel organizer that I've been dying for. Perfect for the upcoming Brazil trip!!! A Vera wallet and some Brighton earrings. What else could a girl ask for?

Saturday, after spending the morning with Jen at District competitions for Drama, Joy and I went to Orlando. We ate dinner at the Cheesecake Factory--Yummy!!! Then we sang out hearts out for 2 hours with John Mayer. It was the show I had hoped for. Simple, unassuming, yet entertaining. It is a memory that we will always have.

Tomorrow, my little brother turns 13. We're going to Moe's this afternoon to celebrate. And I have to go buy his present. Shhh...our little secret! :-)