Some of the Disney Cruise Fun!!!

Our Disney Cruise was a blast! From characters, to dressing up, great ports of call, and family time who could ask for a better trip?! We gave mom the trip for Christmas so we had my family, P.C., Jill, Ethan, and mom. Jill's sister Julie and her family came along too... they are just as sarcastic as us so fit in just right with the Frailey's! Dressing up was huge on this ship and not just for formal nights! There were Princess nights, Pirate nights, super hero's, funny hats, you name it we dressed in it!

Characters everywhere you go! From the moment we boarded the ship we were welcomed by Chip & Dale, Mickey, Pluto, and Goofy! Then of course what's a Disney Vacation without a Disney breakfast? Fun, Fun!

The Man of the Hour!!

Lovin' on the monkey's! He had a snake around his neck too I'm telling you this boy has NO fear!

Cold in Key West... yes sweater, jeans and wind like you wouldn't believe!

Just a few picks.... we only took about 800 so this is just a peak of the fun :)

UPDATE on Surgery

so I realized I left out one VERY IMPORTANT detail to my story.... I have MAJOR skin allergies. Always have, I'm allergic to just about every insect never to the degree as to what just happened but a simple mosquito bite on me looks like a spider bite, flea bites look like mosquito bites.... you get the idea. I have to use certain types of laundry detergents because I'll break out, etc. so insect repellent is essential for me on the beach or any outdoor outing for that matter. So just to be clear just because you go layout on the beach you aren't going to end up in the hospital with a weird infection.... just me :)

Cruisin' & Bruisin'

I’ve been a little less then forthcoming with what’s been going on with me a the hospital frankly because it’s kind of a yucky experience I’ve been going through. Let me start by saying this note is brought to you by OFF! Insect repellant! As many of you know and have seen in pictures I recently returned from a great Disney Cruise. I was cruising during the cold front we had in Atlanta so it was pretty cold for the Caribbean as well. Needless to say I made a rooky mistake. I say that because I’m a pretty seasoned traveler and spend a good portion of my vacation & business trips on the beach. I ALWAYS wear bug repellent but this go around with the weather as it were the thought of insects and thing just didn’t cross my mind. ROOKY MISTAKE! I should have worn my Off regardless of how chilled it had gotten in the Bahamas.

Here is a letter I sent out a few days ago to those that knew what was going on and pretty much explains what happened.

Friends & Family,
I wanted to give you all an update on my “progress”. Today (Monday) I was scheduled to go in for a minor surgery though I don’t know that I even would consider it a surgery. Ultimately they make a tiny incision and clean out the bacteria build up from my new Bahamian friends “sand mites.” – turned into major infection cellulites and Staff…

Here’s the latest… the not so surgery scheduled for today was cancelled for the real deal tomorrow. The doctor devoted to poison, bites, and stings found a particular string of bacteria that is highly contagious while I’m opened up (which I have been since Friday in the ER) that changes the course of the surgery needed. I guess it was a good thing I asked for no visitors I like to think it’s because I’m a little inspired I’ll go under anesthesia which wasn’t in the original one and the incision will be much larger and “scoping” is going to be much broader to get rid of everything and find any hidden treasures. Additionally I’ll be opened up in two areas not one to be sure the entire area is covered and all bacteria removed. Also, just to be clear those of you that are scratching right now thinking you have it… you don’t. It can only be passed by open wound contact meaning you would have had to have touched my wound since Friday when they opened it. I’m now in isolation at the hospital with a huge red sign on the door saying something like, “Enter at your own risk - you may die- Heather is a killer”. I can’t remember exactly and I can’t open the door but I swear it was close to that.

The bad news it’s a more invasive surgery the GREAT news is I’ll recover faster than the current rate I’m at letting this clear up on its own. The infection is too nasty it’s just needs more attention and I’m happy to give it if it means I’ll get over the infection quicker.

The things you’re wondering (or at least most of you have asked so I’ll just fill you in)

My pain level: well that just depends if I’m high on morphine or not but it is safe to say I’m not in near the pain I was on Friday for any of you that saw me or spoke to me so there is major improvement. Honestly it comes and goes I can go hours with nothing more than a slight tingle to the next minute intense pain.

Improvements: I am improving so were not sitting still and I’m not getting worst…. It’s just a slow process. I think everyone (myself included) expected me to make an exit Saturday morning but none of us knew how bad this infection had gotten. Just remember that when you’re wondering why in the world I’m still in the hospital.

Visitors: Well I think the isolation stage makes that pretty clear. Byron wanted to stay in the funny little costumes my nurses are now wearing but I wouldn’t let him. I’m not about to have him get this. I’m just more grateful than ever that my quick lobby visit with JP and Ethan didn’t work out last night.

So there you have it friends! Thank you for your prayers, hands of service, and love you’ve shown to me and my family. And for any of you doom and gloom folks go doom and gloom somewhere else I’m perfectly fine, in good spirits, just might be going crazy from boredom in this hospital room.

Love,
Heather

Since that letter I went in to a very successful surgery and had all the bacteria removed. I arrived home around 9:30 last night and not a minute too early! I’ll be home for a week or so it appears which I’m not thrilled about. In-home nurses are coming to dress my wounds daily which is very strange to me… the only time I’ve been in the hospital was to give birth to my son which was easy breezy so this is very foreign to me.

There it is friends. I’m on the mend and ready to get back to normal!!

Thanks for all o f your support!!!

Going Rogue!

Ok those of you that know me well are about to fall out of your seat... I read a 450 page book! If there is one thing I don't like to do it's read books. Short of US Weekly a few magazine publications my church produces I don't really read a lot. I'll read articles on the web, blogs, smutty entertainment magazines but that's about it. Over Thanksgiving we took a 10 day cruise to South & Central America (I'll be blogging about that tomorrow.) Like everyone I knew nothing about Sarah Palin when she stood side by side with John McCain during the elections and didn't really feel I got to know her well... the media did a GREAT job of cutting her off or asking her questions that had NOTHING to do with being the Vice President. During the few times I did hear her speak I typically agreed with what she had to say but through out the campaign found myself questioning what she truly believed because she really wasn't given then platform to express it. Biden we knew, anyone that didn't could simply look at his voting record over the past several years in the Senate. Palin on the other hand was a mystery and remained so through out the campaign. When her book came out the timing was perfect since I'd be hitting the open seas for 10 days 4 days of which were spent "at sea".

I opened the book and couldn't put it down! It was really good and I learned so much about her. I actually felt like I related to her. From the early days she's been a full-time worker and mother, Her husband is very supportive of her career choices, She's a devout Christian and attends church regularly, She's worked from ground up and is by no means some rich snooty type, She believes hard work is the back bone of our country, on a political level she believes in small government and that the key to government success is through local government rather then relying on D.C. to make all the decisions, she believes in cutting spending rather then raising taxes, she believes people should be self reliant and not depend on others to feed and clothe them, she is proud to be an American and patriotism shines through every sentence of the book.

I have to say I'm impressed with Sarah and I hope to see her again in the future.

Why the lack of blogging?

I haven't blogged much lately and I got to thinking yesterday that's a pretty sad thing! Not for my faithful readers but for me! A few years ago my aunt gave me copies of my grandmother's (dad's mom) journals. I LOVE LOVE LOVE to read and re-read her entries! Reading the stories of my dad are priceless. My blog has become my journal. I don't post all of my entries (lucky for you) so that I have a record happenings including the more "private" ones that I'm not looking to share. Well the last few months have been so hectic I haven't taken the time to share even with myself! Not to mention it didn't help that my laptop crashed and typically I blog in the evenings after the house has calmed down and work isn't looming. With no laptop (yet another thing on the to-do list; REPLACE LAPTOP!) that leaves me only the time at work to blog which as you all know if you're blogging you're likely not working. SOOOOO... dilemma! But, I plan to buy a new laptop right after Christmas anyone know do they tend to have better prices then? The sales seem good now too. The logical side of me was just thinking there could be better sales trying to get rid of some things overstocked but what do I know I'm not in retail. So there you have it. If you're wondering where I've been I've been everywhere but on a computer to blog. But I think until I get my new laptop I'm going to take the first few minutes of everyday to catch up the blog.

Let it Shine!

You know how every Christmas Pageant, Church Program, or recital has THAT kid... the one that's loud, shouts the words to a song as oppose to singing, and waits 'til the room is completley silent to belt out the next line of the song? Well JP proved to be not one bit stage freight Monday & Tuesday night as I discovered J.P. is THAT kid... At first he was reserved and much more interested in the Nativity set-up behind him until he saw all the attention he could get from belting the song and adding his own choreography. Pardon the clarity of the video they're taken from my still camera not a video camera and I was laughing my head off so everything is a bit shaky!

October FLEW by!

ok, the month flew by and with only one post by me! Just know it was BUSY! Between vacation to Disney, Training at work, and Halloween party's this month was packed! Update coming soon!