My Toe Fungus is Killing Me!!

Yipeeee!!! I went to have my herceptin treatment last Tuesday and I casually asked my doctor when I would be finished. It's been a year, and I knew I was close to being finished. Guess what?? He looked in his computer, looked at me, and said, "Yep, you can be done." REALLY?? Now, I know that I already beat this thing called cancer, but I was still fighting as long as I was still having treatment. I can't even describe the feeling I had when I was told I was done. No more treatment, which means I don't have to fight anymore! I am officially the winner! My chemo port is coming out on Wednesday and I should be hearing from my plastic surgeon about my final (hopefully) surgery soon. It's kinda like winning the lottery, paying off your mortgage and winning the super bowl all in 5 minutes, only 1000 times better. Thank you for all your prayers and positive thoughts. It brought me through. Mom and dad will be coming to stay with me for a few months. After his back surgery in December,dad's not done that well. I've been telling them it's about time they think about moving closer to me, and I guess it's time. He had an appointment with his surgeon at Duke Hospital last week, and he also agreed it would be a good idea for them to move in with me, at least until he's back on his feet. So, this weekend was spent getting ready. We've taken down Mikey's bunk beds, bought a new bed and recliner for dad, along with a new tv for the bedroom. He's temporarily taking Mikey's room, and Mikey's moving upstairs with Johnathan. So, after cleaning out Mikey's room (don't even know what to say about that, except now I know where all his socks went) and moving one of the beds out of the guest room to Johnathan's room upstairs, cleaning Johnathan's room to make room for Mikey, blah blah blah blah blah, I'm exhausted! Did I mention we're remodeling the bathroom this week? We're (well, not we, Jeff and Paul) removing the tub and replacing it with a 5 foot shower so dad doesn't have to step in and out of the tub. Mom and dad will be coming back with us when the boys and I go to visit them at the beach next week during spring break. His next follow up appt at Duke is in July, so they'll be here at least until then. We're all excited about them coming, but mostly I want my dad to get back on his feet. I've never seen him so weak. Being around the boys will help too, I think. Needless to say, all I wanted to do today was just chill out and relax. Went to church this morning, came home and made brunch. But, what was that, what, oh, crap, I still have about 8 more loads of laundry to do. How can 4 people make so much laundry?? I have 3 loads of dark clothes alone, not to mention the 3 loads of bleach and how many loads of sheets??? Alas, at least I don't have to bang the clothes on a rock to get them clean. Thank God for Whirlpool! As I'm folding my third load of sheets, one of those commercials comes on tv about that man's issue. You know, the people in the bath tubs at the beach. So, I'm thinking, if that feeling can happen at any moment, why didn't it happen yesterday as Michael and I were moving furniture and finding Mikey's dirty socks shoved into his tv stand?? Oh well, I guess you'll never see the Medlins on the beach in bath tubs. Gimme a break, who would do that????? Thirty minutes after Mikey is supposed to be in bed, he comes running into my room in just his little boxer briefs, "Mom!!!! I have this toe fungus and it's killing me!!!" "Well, if you'd wash with soap, you wouldn't have to fungus. Now, go to bed!" was my response. Loving, caring, compassionate mother that I am, I'm tired and your toe fungus wasn't killing you while you were playing on the Wii with Brian and Kevin from next door, was it??? The child would do anything to get out of anything! Good night, all. And remember, when that feeling hits, just hope you're on the beach in a bath tub.

I'm Going to Jail for That!!

Here we are, another beautiful spring afternoon in North Carolina. The tulips are blooming, the dogwoods are popping with color, the azaleas are coming alive after a brutally cold winter, and because of all the pollen in the air, there's more snot in our noses than Charlie Sheen's got porn stars. Holy cow, somebody get that man some help. Here's the thing about Charlie Sheen, in my unprofessional opinion. He's obviously having a manic episode. It may take months for him to come down from this. When he's finally medicated, he's going to look back at all these rants and, I would think, be mortified at his behavior. This is not a man who is in his right state of mind. It's not funny, it's not cute, and it's certainly not healthy. He's got children, for heaven's sake. Someone get a hold of him and fix him. He's a talented actor and he's crashing and burning in front of the world. There, nuff said about that. (I'm really not even a big fan of his, just tired of all the media attention. He's sick. The end.)

So, I guess I've decided to go ahead and have another surgery to fix the other side. I spoke to my nurse who works with breast cancer patients and she said it is not uncommon to have between 3 and 6 surgeries to get it right. That put my mind at ease a little. I was concerned that maybe my doctor just couldn't get it right. I've heard nothing but praises about him, and I've been happy with him so far, so maybe one more's the charm. We'll see and I'll keep you posted.

As you all know, I have two boys, 11 and 12. Johnathan is my 12 year old and Mikey is 11. For some reason, Mikey has been having issues lately with his coordination. He's had bunk beds now for a few years, and every morning when he gets up, he bumps his head, in the same spot, on the top bunk. It's kinda like rewinding a movie and watching it over and over again. He's also had issues with doors. I can't count how many times he's clunked himself in the head with the door, any door, not one in particular. Here's what he does, he goes to open the door, it ricochets off his foot, and bounces back, hitting him in the forehead, knocking him to the ground. WHAT????? YOU DID WHAT??? I think if he tried to do that, he couldn't. But, that's Mikey. So he gets the bright idea the other day of a really great Christmas gift he'd like to ask for. "Mom," he says, "can I get a set of throwing knives for Christmas?" HUH??!! Throwing knives? I didn't even know they made such things. But, sure honey, I'll run right down to the throwing knives store and pick up a set, extra sharp. Yea, right, that'll happen.

Do you ever over-exaggerate to make a point. Well, I never do, (only always) but today is such a pretty day, I figured I'd go for it. Six weeks ago, Johnathan and I both had the flu. He was out of school for a week, so the following Monday, I sent his doctor's note with him so he could turn it in, and I wouldn't look like a slacker mom. "Johnathan," I asked that afternoon, "did you turn in your doctor's note today?" "Yes, mom" was his reply. Well, a few weeks later, I received a notice from the school informing me of my child's unexcused absences. Oh no, I thought. He turned that note in weeks ago. Really? There's the note, tucked in his homework folder behind some test he didn't want me to see. "Johnathan! I thought you turned this in!" "Oh, I forgot." So, I stapled the doctor's note to the school note and sent it back in. Mind you, the doctor's note was dated 2/9/11. What's today??? March 25. So, today, I was going through his folder, and guess what I found? Yep, the doctor's note. So, after a 20 minute rant, I told him that I was probably going to jail and he'd have to visit me after church on Sunday. Now, you and I know I won't be going to jail, but sometimes it takes a little exaggeration to get the point across to a 12 year old boy. If he's not in therapy by the time he's 20, I'll be surprised. The torture I put my kids through.

Have a wonderful day, my friends. Thank you all for your continued support. It means so very much to me. I love reading all the comments you make. Thank you for finding my life interesting even though, at times, it's one big snore fest! If you get a collect call this weekend, it's just me calling from my cell, so please accept the charges!

Yak, on the bookbag?

Oh dear. Here's the problem. I saw my surgeon, Dr. Moskowitz last week for a follow up. He snuck a peek and I made the comment that Dr. Timmons (my plastic surgeon) was probably finished with me. His comment was, "Oh, I don't think he's finished." So, I saw Dr. Timmons on Monday and he's not satisfied with the way things have "settled" , or not "settled". So, do I go back in for a 4th surgery, but this time on the other side to do a lift, (I'm about 2 inches lower on that side) or do I just settle for what I have? Here's the thing. When I look in the mirror and see past the physical, I see a strong survivor. When I look at the physical me, I see cancer, disfigurement and age. I'm grateful that I came through this horrible experience. However, I was hopeful that the end result would be a little better. Maybe it will be. I'm not sure what to do at this point. Michael tries to be supportive, but, really, if you've not been through a mastectomy, you really can't imagine the kind of choices one must make. So, with the support of my doctors, and the Lord's guidance, I'm sure I'll make the right decision. I'm just so ready for this to be over and done with! Thanks for letting me whine.

I had to make my weekly gas run to Grover this morning. For those of you who aren't locals, Grover is the town with the cheapest gas. I pulled up to the pump, opened the door, and what did I see?? The same blessed thing I see every time I get gas. Someone has hocked a loogie right where my foot needs to go. What would possess someone to spit such a hunk right in front of the gas pump??? Come on people. Think of others!! Think of those of us who would rather drive 500 miles with a stick in our eyes, than to spit a loogie on the ground, in public! I don't even think I know how to hock a loogie!! So, not only do I have to tip toe through the phlegm, I'm standing opposite of a man, on the other side of the gas pump, who happens to chew tobacco. Really??? The only time I look in his direction (which was only twice), was the exact time he chose to lob a three foot line of tobacco spit on, where, yep, the ground in front of the gas pump. It's just not my day.

Today, I did a major kid pick up from school. I had both of Lori's (usually I just have one), my two, and Mikey's best friend, Eric. Got 'em all stuffed in the van, dropped of Jared and Josh, yelling after them to get their homework done before mom gets home, and headed home. Johnathan, for some reason, always acts up when Mikey has Eric over. So, at 7:43 pm, he's in bed. Nuff said about that. Anyway, I digress. We got home and Mikey was excited to show Eric his new PlayStation game that had just arrived in the mail today. He walked into his room, and what do I hear?? "MOM!!!! Trina yakked on my book bag!!" Holy crap, really, today??? Like I need this. "OK, I'm coming." I walked into his room and, no, Trina did not yak on his book bag. Trina yakked on the floor and he threw his book bag on top of the yak. Lovely. Can you guess what I did for the next 20 minutes??

Nine minutes to American Idol. Have a great night, my friends. Encourage someone tomorrow. Be kind, and appreciate all you have. For tomorrow, Trina could come along and yak on it all.

Chirp

Yes, still alive and kicking. I know I haven't posted in 2 months, but things have been keeping me busy. I ran into 2 of my faithful followers yesterday, and I was scolded for not blogging, so here you are Page and Johnna. Thanks so much for your interest!! At least some one's interested!

So, what's been going on in the life of Booby Doo? Since my last post, I've had yet another surgery. Dr. Timmons, my plastic surgeon put in a 3rd implant, but this one is a different shape. He's much happier with the way it looks, as compared to the others, but I'm still not even. Oh well, I guess it's as good as it's gonna get. I was able to go and drop a mortgage payment (not really) on a few new bras at Victoria's Secret. Love the girl who helped me. Now, at least I can get rid of those horrible sports bras!

If you haven't seen me in a while, the hair is just crazy! Curly and wild. Thank goodness for hair gel, it kinda keeps it under control. Not complaining, I'm just glad to have hair!

If you're like me, you dread that 3 a.m. "Mom, I can't sleep". Yep, 3:00 am, here comes Johnathan. "Mom, I can't sleep. My smoke detector is beeping." Crap, really???? Ok, I drag myself out of bed, of course it's on a night when Michael's not home, go up stairs and stand under the thing. Nothing. Turn to go back down, CHIRP. Ok, go back upstairs. Now, it's about 3:00 am, did I mention that? Mom doesn't do so well at 3:00 am, unless you're puking, or have a 115 degree fever. Of course, I have to turn on the light, which, at 3:00 am, is the worst thing you could do. The smoke detectors we have in our house are electric, so I can't just jerk it down. It has to be disconnected. Did I tell you it's 3:00 am?? But, Johnathan can't sleep, so I get a chair and, yes, climb up on the chair, at the top of the steps, because that's where the brilliant electrician who wired our house, put it, and without my glasses, try to figure out how to CHIRP take it down. I thought about smashing it with a hammer, but what would that teach Johnathan, who at this point is back to sleep. CHIRP. OMG. I finally got it down and just set it on the floor for Michael to look at it when he got home. CHIRP. What?? It's disconnected from it's power source CHIRP and it's still ##%#^&#@$ CHIRPING at me. Being the kind and considerate mom (at 3:00 am) that I am, I took the smoke detector downstairs so it wouldn't disturb his highness any longer. I walked back into my bedroom, laying it on the dresser, so I could climb back into bed CHIRP. Now, I'm beginning to get irritated. It's now about 3:20 am. CHIRP. Ok Lisa, think logically about this. If you hide it somewhere, you're just going to lay there listening for it CHIRP. THINK, MEDLIN, THINK. Battery!! There must be a battery! As I fumble for my glasses CHIRP, Trina is now wondering why she's the only one in bed. Yes, she sleeps with me. CHIRP. Hooray, a battery compartment, yes, I've found the battery compartment!! I got it open, and pulled out the 9-volt CHIRP. Ok, maybe it started the CHIRP before the battery was completely out of the little thingy. Ok, now, battery on dresser, smoke detector completely disconnected from any power source CHIRP. Seriously? How in the world can this be happening to me?? If I put it outside, I've got to turn off the alarm, and that's just way too much work at 3:20 am. Finally, about 4:00 it stopped CHIRPING at me. Holy cow, what a night.

Remember that song "I wear my sunglasses at night...."? I know why. The guy who wrote that song must've bought his alarm clock from Wal-Mart. About 3 years ago, I bought a little cheapy $5 alarm clock. Well, it served it's time and finally died. So, I purchased a new clock last week while grocery shopping at Wal-Mart. Let me just say, I spent a pretty penny on this new clock. All the $5 cheapy clocks had no radios, only BEEP BEEP BEEP alarms. Can't deal with that at 6:00 am. So, I spent $19.97, yes, almost twenty dollars on a new alarm clock! I got it home, took it out of the box and got it all set up. When it was time for bed that night, Michael walked in the room and said, "What the hell's that??" Yes, my new "high dollar" alarm clock was brighter than those spot lights that new car dealerships use for grand opening day. It has two switches, dim and bright. I've got it set on dim, but it's so bright that it keeps me up at night. I can't sleep on my left side because my face is illuminated by the alarm clock from you know where. Well, I can fix this, I thought, so I turned it toward the window, and away from my face. Now, not only is it still bright, neon, blue, but it reflects off the white blinds and is even more blinding. Who in their right mind makes an alarm clock with bright neon blue, high beam headlight numbers?? Don't 99% of us sleep with our alarm clocks on our nightstands?? Aren't our nightstands next to our beds, and don't we sleep in our beds?? Not with an alarm clock like that we don't. I think Osama bin Laden had those clocks made and shipped to the U.S. just to torture us so that he can take over the world. We'd be so tired we wouldn't care. I'm rambling. It's the lack of sleep.

Don't forget to set your clocks ahead tonight! Daylight savings tomorrow. Spring is just around the corner, thank goodness. Good night my friends, and remember, smoke detectors are our friends.

Am I the Only One Who Knows How To Answer the Phone??

Wow, what a holiday we've had. Christmas came and went. It was fabulous. Mom and dad were here, tree fell, only once, this year, the boys got a new trampoline, and we had snow. Mom and I baked 192 dozen cookies, and yes, I've eaten about 32 dozen. Had my treatment last week and surprisingly enough, I didn't get too emotional. I usually cry for a day or two, but not too bad this time. Mikey turned 11 on the 29th. I can't believe my baby boy is 11. Time flies. Enjoy the babies while they're still babies. The tree came down the day after Christmas and I got almost all the decorations put away by the 27th. No, I'm not the Grinch of Kings Mountain, but when you have a 9 foot tree in your foyer shedding needles quicker than I shed my hair after chemo, you're probably ready for it to come down. I love Christmas, but when it's over, it's over! My dad tells the story of their first Christmas tree after they got married. The first time I heard the story, he took it down on Valentine's Day. After 53 years of marriage, the story has evolved from Valentine's day, to "it fell over on the fourth of July and I dragged it to the curb!" Mom tells him he's full of, well, you know, and the conversation rests until next Christmas.

I left on 12/30 to drive to Raleigh for dad's surgery. He's been having intense pain for the last several months, so the doctor decided it was time to straighten him out, literally. His spine was pretty twisted and his nerves were really squished. The doctor said he couldn't believe he was still able to walk. So, after about 3 1/2 hours of surgery, 9 screws, 2 brackets and a cable connecting the brackets to his pelvis he's, hopefully, relieved of some of the pain. He's in a good deal of discomfort from the surgery, but he's able to move his feet in a way he wasn't able to before the surgery. The doctor was encouraged at the result, so time will tell.

So, last night, being New Year's Eve, mom and I decided to go out and have a bite. Let me just say, I love my mom very much, but, the only thing that's more pitiful than ringing in the New Year with your mom is going on your honeymoon with your mom. But, I digress. We decided, that is I decided to hop on over to the Melting Pot and get some dinner. Now, granted, we were not dressed up. Our clothes did indeed come out of the suitcase, wrinkled, (keep in mind that when mom and dad got married, she ironed his underwear, so she is pretty particular about her appearance and usually doesn't walk around wrinkled) and we weren't driving the Bentley. We walked in and little miss thing at the door looked at us and said, "I'm not sure if this is for you. It's a little pricey." WHAT?? Listen you little too skinny, shiny hair, perfectly manicured pain in the butt. Too pricey?? I know we looked a little disheveled, but for God's sake, we're not homeless bag ladies pulling a grocery cart looking for yesterday's leftovers. Needless to say, we stayed for dinner, dropped a few (I won't tell my husband how many) coins and let the manager know that little miss thing needs to be more careful how she talks to people. All we got for our insult were two free glasses of champagne. Not even the good stuff!! I might have to write a letter to Mr. Melting Pot. Maybe I can get a free dinner out of the deal.

I got home this afternoon. I hated to leave mom there by herself but had to get home to the family. Plus, I've got to teach Sunday school tomorrow. I walked into the house and Michael was on the couch, napping. Shocker. Walked into the guest room to see my boys and they were on the Playstation, shocker. The house was clean, Michael's a good housekeeper. I put my purse on the counter, and looked at the answering machine. 91 new messages. Seriously??? Well, maybe not 91, but 14!! Am I the only one who knows how to answer to phone around here? What if I was in an accident and left a message for my dear husband to come and jaws of life me out of my car?? I'd still be there. Holy cow, some things never change. But, they survived without me for a few days, I think Trina the dog was more excited I was home than anyone else. Welcome to motherhood.

Happy New Year my friends. May God bless you this year with peace and understanding. 2010 was challenging, but could have been much worse. So, enjoy your health and families and much love to you all in the new year. If you call my house and no one answers, it means I'm not home but my family is.