...and breathe!

So what an adventure we have been on since Chase left for Florida 2 weeks ago. ( First off I can't believe its already been 2 weeks!)

Just a few days after he left we got news that Mike, his step dad, was rushed to the hospital at 3 am one morning with trouble breathing. He was on another round of Chemo for lung cancer as it had come back and apparently his body wasn't responding so well. Turns out his lung was collapsed. For a week he stayed in ICU on a ventilator being closely monitored. The doctors outlook wasn't good and 1 week from the day he was admitted he passed away to be with God. It was a sad day, whats worse is I had to tell Chase, who was alone, in Florida. Not only was he in Florida but at that moment I had no way to reach him as he wouldn't have his phone on him until 3 am due to job security. I debated making the 8 hour drive to be there for him but at the time it wasn't logical. He was pretty distant but with good cause. We found out prior that in the event of Mike's passing that Chase would not be granted leave. I know this was heartbreaking for Chase. I even offered to bust him out of Florida and promised to have him back before any one noticed. I would have given anything to be there when I had to tell them and I never want to tell him news like that again over the phone.

It was a hard night, and Morghan didn't understand why I was crying so much and I honestly had no clue how to tell her that G-pa went to Heaven. She asks about Jesus and Heaven all the time and I'm still not 100% how to explain it all to a 3 years old although I try very hard.

The next morning began another adventure. Morghan was running a fever of 101 at 9am. This was odd to me because she very rarely runs a fever in the morning. In the afternoon/evening, sure. I gave her some Motrin and we went on with the day as she seemed fine. She was running and playing as usual. She started crying saying her tummy hurts but it would come and go. Things is, when it would come.. she would be in tears and I didn't really know what to do. As the day drew on her fever rose higher and higher. By 9pm she had hit 104.8 and that was it. I had alternated Motrin with Tylenol and she was getting worse. By now of course the height of the fever was definitely taking its toll on her. She was just laying there breathing heavily and I got scared so I rushed her to the ER. We did not make it home until early the next morning after they had run numerous tests. Strep, neg. Mono, neg. etc. Finally her UA came back and the doctor explained that she might have a kidney or bladder infection. We still needed the results from the culture but those wouldn't be available until Monday so we were sent home. She had antibiotics and some extra Tylenol just in case. Monday morning rolled around and her fever was finally down to 100.9. By 2pm at her follow up dr. appt she was back to 98.8, and I couldn't be more relieved. However she was still having these horrible tummy aches. Her DR called for the test results of the culture and turns out its positive for bacteria. Now they are running more tests to try and get a better idea of whats going on. Should know more by tomorrow.

Relay for Life

For those who don't know what this is...

"The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay, teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events up to 24 hours in length."
(YOU CAN ALSO GO TO RELAYFORLIFE.ORG WHICH IS WHERE THE EXCERPT CAME FROM)

My mom participate in this event in Pearland one year and I participated in the event last year locally. I joined a team of co-workers and this year I really want to do it again. I want to start a team. I don't even know where to begin! The lady who was team captain last year isn't here anymore and I haven't heard anything about starting a team lately. Part of me is worried I'm going to place to much responsiblity on my plate that I won't be able to handle (even though stress makes me work MUCH harder!)

I'm going to talk to my division head tomorrow and see what he thinks. Especially since my previous division head just passed away of cancer. I REALLY want to do this so I hope I can get it off the ground. I don't have much time as I believe its in April!

Press pause, please!

- Thursday at 10am I arrived for the walk through of our new house. At 11am I began unloading my car! :) ha! I had been up since 6 am packing because I waited until the last minute to do so. We packed/moved until 8pm that night. Seriously? Do we really have that much stuff? We now have 4 bedrooms so that's nice and no more carpet! yay!
- Friday I didn't get home from work until 11pm and then
- Saturday we spent the whole day cleaning the old house top to bottom. I must say that a magic eraser is my new best friend. I was worried we would need to repaint Morghan's room, NOPE! I went through 5 of them but damn that house is clean!
- Sunday we spent the afternoon at a friends house for a birthday party and BBQ.
- Monday I had class until 5 for work.
- Tuesday I go called in to work where I later discovered my boss passed away after a long battle with cancer. This really put me down for the rest of the day.
- Today Chase left for Florida and I swear he wasn't gone 4 hours and it already felt like an eternity! I was late for work because when the guy came to hook up our cable, Internet, and telephone he took an hour and a half!

Between all that I was editing photo shoots and making cards for people while I impatiently waited on today for Internet.

I got a letter back from St Jude thanking me for all the cards that were sent. I'm not sure if I posted yet but courtesy of a BUNCH of kiddos we were able to mail over 500 handmade Valentine Cards to St Jude. I was so happy! Now I just need to make copies and mail them out to those who helped out. I can not wait to start another project.

One of the great things about this house is I can finally have a art/craft/hobby room! For all the various things I do, I can now contain everything so its not all over the kitchen table.

There is still so much more to post, yet I still have a 2 page long list that I must tend to so I am off to see what I can accomplish next!