Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes it is once again that time of the week that we all look foreword to, when we can take time to cease the labors for the week and take a little bit of needed time out to enjoy the fruits of those labors. It is once again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday.

Hey football fans, the Blue and Gold Spring game is finally here. Tonight at 7:00 at Mountaineer Field the final WVU Football practice of the 2009-10 school year will take place with the annual spring football game. Price of admission is just $5.00 and that money is donated to WVU Children's Hospital.

Hopefully the weather will be cooperative with us today for this evening's game. I remember going a few years back when it was snowing for the spring game, let;s let this be a magical night under the lights.

777 Days

It has been that magical number of 777 days since my first date with Michelle. 777 is a number that has always been very lucky for me, it's the number I always play in the lottery and have hit.

Well, I played 777 one more time and gambled on the biggest decision one makes on their lifetime on that number. I wanted it to have meaning and I wanted it to be special.

This morning, in our back yard by the stream and on the bench, I proposed marriage to the love of my life. My gamble of 777 paid off, she said yes.

Headed DawnTawn

How is that for a little bit of Pittsburgeeze? Yes I am traveling on business today and headed to the land of the yinzers, DawnTawn Pittsburgh, Home of the Gum band.

I'm actually heading up for ESRI's "Better Ways to Design and Share Maps" to brush up on some skills and see what will be coming with the new upcoming release of the software.

Everyone from my office is going up, plus a former co-worker is will also be attending the event with us. We are going to go to South Hills and catch the subway in to avoid all of the morning rush hour traffic associated with Pittsburgh.

It'll be nice to get out of the office for the day.

Hump Day

It's humpday, which means we are on the downhill part of the week awaiting on another weekend. I have to say that this week is moving along quite quickly.

Yesterday was a bit of a treat, it was the first time in a couple weeks that Michelle and I were able to come straight home after work and didn't have to go anywhere or do anything after work. So it was home and we made chicken salads for dinner and a trip to the rails to trails with Sadie for a nice evening ending walk.

I did manage to order my birth certificate yesterday, I haven't seen it in a number of years and wouldn't even know where to begin to look to find the paper copy. So a quick phone call to Mom and a quick google search to VitalChek and I have the process started to get an official copy of mine. You never know when you may need a copy of one, so I ordered one.

Oh well, can't get to the weekend without getting this day over with, so hi ho hi ho...

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Hey, life is back to normal and it is Tuesday, I can't think of a better reason to do a tidbits section.

* First the good news. Mom is Home and out of Mountainview Regional. I noticed a very big upswing in her health each day this weekend and didn't think she would be in there the one to two weeks that they were suggesting. She progressed quickly and was released yesterday to return home to a modified normal life.

* We were supposed to start the 2010 Softball season last night with our first game of the year. Mother nature however was not compliant and dropped a whole bunch of the wet stuff on us yesterday to a point where they cancelled the games. Next game is next week.

* I see Val and Bobby got a new truck, a lifted up Dodge that looks like it could go about anywhere one would like to go.

* Nick had a little bit of a scary episode this weekend. A poison Ivy infection that was starting to get into his eyes. He took a trip to the emergency room and they did a few things to pretty much kill it all off plus some meds to help recover, so he is recovering.

* Michelle and I will be going over for Dinner with one of my oldest friends this weekend when we go and visit Smitty and Steph. Been a while since I've seen him, so a visit is in fact long overdue.

* Michelle and I are probably going to have dinner.

* I spoke with Michelle's Golf Pro dad yesterday, he informed me he is kicking his arch rivals butt all over the golf course so far this spring.

* have a great Tuesday, Hi ho hi ho

PLAY BALL!!!!!!

Well it is finally here, the time that I anticipate after the last game of the season, the first softball game of the year. The season is officially upon us as we are the team kicking off the season in the first game at the main field of the 2010 season.

Once again we will be MiHaley's for the second straight year. Mike is once again going to sponsor the softball team as well as being a player once again.

I had some absences last week to deal with some health issues for my mother, but she is getting twice as well as the day before with each and every passing day. I'm taking the night off and going and spending it with the boys of summer and having some fun.

Hopefully the weather will allow us to play tonight.

Avatar

A few nights ago after leaving the hospital, I went our and bought the movie Avatar. Well last night we finally got a chance to sit down and actually watch it. WE have an HD TV and we have a Dolby surround sound system, but I think last night watching Avatar that for the first time we were able to fully bring out and experience just exactly what our home entertainment system could do at it's full potential.

It was a pleasurable experience to say the least, the colors were vivid and the sounds were like nothing I have ever experienced sitting at home and watching a movie before.

The movie was awesome for anyone who has yet to see it.

Move Finally Made

Well Mom is finally out of the hospital, the one thing they were waiting on before they released her happened yesterday morning meaning that things were all go for moving her to Healthsouth for a week or two to help her get acclimated back to a normal life of doing every day things.

Michelle and I walked around the facility yesterday and were actually quite impressed. We spoke to the aquatics instructor and viewed where they do all the rehabilitation exercises for the patients.

It's nice to finally be able to step back from the very long days at Ruby for once, worrying about her hour to hour condition and be able to relax a little bit.

Gerald will be able to bring her dog Gabbie in for a visit this weekend, so you know the both of them will be very happy to see each other after a lengthy absence.

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes it is once again that time of the week that we all look foreword to, when we can take time to cease the labors for the week and take a little bit of needed time out to enjoy the fruits of those labors. It is once again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday.

Actually for me it seems like all of my days are just running together anymore, but we are at Friday and this workweek is just about over with. It's time to actually sit back and relax a little bit, it has been a very trying week and a half to say the very least.

The NFL Draft started last night with the First round, this evening they are going to do rounds 2 and 3 and Saturday 4-7. This is the first time that they have used such a format for the draft, but I think I like what I am seeing so far.

Hi Ho Hi Ho....let's get this day over with!!!!

Early Evening Yesterday

After so many consecutive, long and trying days over the past week or so, Michelle and I made it an early night yesterday and left the hospital at about 6:30. Mom had a couple of her friends visiting wand was actually in pretty good spirits, so we decided to slip out and have a little time at home.

I ordered a couple of pairs of crocs while Mom was in surgery last week, and as we got home there was a box on my desk that had out new crocs in them. They are the funniest looking shoes, but I swear they have to be the most comfortable pair of leisure shoes I may have ever had on my feet.

It was nice to finally sit at home and relax a little bit for the first time in a while. I even got to bed early last night.

Hump Day

Well we are are the middle part of the week, even thought my last 7 days all seem to be long and running together it is still Hump Day for the rest of the world.

Visited Mom in the hospital last night, she had to have a CT scan because they thought she may have a blocked bowel, however everything came back OK and they are going to feed her with a tube for a 24 hour time period and give her some laxatives before they put her back on a normal diet.

We thought she would be transferred to Mountaineer Regional Rehabilitation Hospital today, but that doesn't seem very likely to be happening today. It could still happen, but not likely today.

It was just a week ago that this entire episode started.

Mom possibly moving

Another day and more progress was made with Mom on her recovery. She was up walking a few times yesterday and is starting to rebuild her endurance with the newly repaired ticker.

If there is a bed available today, she will be being transported from Ruby Memorial Hospital to HealthSouth Mountain view Regional Rehabilitation Hospital on Van Voorhis Road. Providing there is space available and she will be there for one to two weeks doing rehabilitation.

I stopped by to see Nana in the hospital yesterday afternoon, however she had already been discharged and was at home resting.

A weeks worth of chaos is finally coming to a conclusion, maybe we can get back to normal now.

Back to Work

After a five day time period from hell, where Jack Bauer would have even said that's enough, It's time for me and everyone else to start to get back to work.

Let me recap. Mom goes in for a Cardiac catheterization on Wednesday Morning. If they found a problem a stent or a balloon would have been inserted to fix any problems with Mom's ticker. She comes back from surgery and we are told that surgery was needed and that they were admitting her.

All while Mom is in surgery, I get a call from a hysterical Michelle that the house next to her sisters, a friend of hers had blown up and that a friend of hers died in the house fire, all while screaming for help that her children could hear. Upsetting to say the least.

Thursday Mom goes in for surgery that we were hoping could be done with a robot, but her asthma caused it to lead to opening up her chest and doing a double bypass open heart surgery. She was placed in ICU after the surgery until Friday evening.

Friday evening they moved her back up to the 10th floor as the recovery process had started...or so we thought.

Saturday when I first arrived she was very confused. Had trouble trusting people and for the most part of the day seemed to have maybe taken a step back.

Saturday evening was the day from absolute hell. It started off with Mom attempting to walk for the first time since her open heart surgery. She was so excited to actually be walking again that she just took off down the hallway as free as one could be. When she got to the end of the hallway she was very out of breath, starting to panic and frantically crying that she could not breath. A small dose of pain medication was administered and she calmed down.

A little time passed and she was calling out names and phrases much like my Dad did when he was in ICU before he passed away. One or two word phrases that they continually say over and over again.

Doctors walk in and start to examine her, the word stroke is mentioned and as of yet has not been ruled out. During all the chaos and frantic times, I get a call that Jean is bringing Nana into the emergency room as she has just had a stroke. However when I met Jean in the Emergency Room doorway she told me that she thought Nana had a TIA and it appears that may be what had happened. They have admitted Nana, she is doing great, but they are still running a series of tests on her.

Back upstairs and Mom is now being moved to a step down unit (more monitored) and starts having paranoid illusions. Let's just say it was not a pretty night and it was a long night.

Sunday they had moved Mom back to her "Normal" room and the paranoid illusions were still very prevalent, but milder as there was not a room full of people causing her to panic. We did finally get her relaxed and to sleep yesterday evening (she had been going since the night before) and when I called to get an update status on her this morning they said she had rested well throughout the night and was starting to trust and recognize people a little more.

Today I am back at work, then back to the hospital as Michelle is returning to work for the first time since last Wed, she will be going with me to the hospital initially then is going to attend the funeral for her friend who died in the house explosion last week this evening.

It's back to work this morning. So how was everyone else's weekend?

Another Update

Long night last night to say the least and it turned into a little bit of double duty. In a nutshell for a brief moment in time last night we thought mom was having a stroke. She had just had open heart surgery a couple days before and yesterday was a little bit of a setback for her.

While the ordeal of the fear mom was having a stroke, Jean called and told me an Ambulance was bringing Nana to the Emergency thinking she had a stroke. It turns out she had a mini stroke and snapped out of it and Mom did not have one.

Kim stayed with Mom last night and it was a long hard night where paranoia and illusions were thrown into the mix. Long night that's for sure.

Everything is stable today. Nana is having a few tests and Mom is physically feeling better. Maybe it's two steps forward after one step back.

Update

Well we all left the hospital last night feeling much better than we did the night before. Mom is doing good, is feeling spunky and is well on the road to recovery after open heart surgery.

She is starting to get and walking around a little, talking to people and having a good ole time considering the situation.

There is talk of her even being able to get out of the hospital by Monday if all goes well, and she gets to moving around properly. Thanks to everyone for the prayers and well wishes, she is doing much, much better now.

Update on BLOG

Obviously my blog just posted and it is the next morning. They removed the ventilator tube from my mother early this morning after her blood gas numbers returned to normal. She has been stabilized and they are going to try to give her some solid foods this morning as well as get her up out of bed.

She is doing OK and well on the road back to recovery.

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes it is once again that time of the week that we all look foreword to, when we can take time to cease the labors for the week and take a little bit of needed time out to enjoy the fruits of those labors. It is once again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday.

For me my day is very much up in the air at this point. As many of you know my mother had open heart surgery yesterday. As we were getting ready to leave the hospital last night she was starting to come out of it all. She was fearful to have the breathing tubes (yes plural) down her throat and inserted into her neck and was giving a natural resistance to them.

I sometimes write my blog the previous night and have it post the next morning, like I am doing right now. At the time I am writing this I have no idea what the night is going to hold. My sister Kim and my sweetheart Michelle are both still at the hospital in loving support of my mother.

Hopefully by the time that this blog posts, things will have settled down and mom will be doing better. Hopefully the fresh smell of coffee (yuck) will be filling our kitchen and I will need to wake Michelle up and tell her to get ready for work. This is the best case scenario, I am hoping this is what happens in about 8 hours. Time will tell though.

Update on Mom

Mom went into surgery at about 7:15 this morning. They had hoped to do her procedure with robot controlled probes, but this turned out to not be the case. Complications with deflating one her lungs due to the asthma caused the surgeon to have to go in through the chest cavity.

While they were operating they must have seen something beyond what they saw yesterday with the cathader and ended up doing double bypass surgery.

We are currently sitting in the waiting room waiting for her to recover and wake up. She has a breathing tube down her throat and another one in her neck to assist her in her breathing.

I just received word she is starting to wake up.

Open Heart Surgery

Well we went in yesterday for my mother to have a Cathader in my mom to check out her heart and it's condition. If there were any problems they were either going to stick a stent in it or a balloon to open up an artery if there was any trouble with it.

Procedure took an hour and we thought she was done, until the Doctor came in and talked to us about it. Seems one artery is over 50% blocked and it was one that was hard to get to so with that procedure, so it's off to the next set of plans.

She is going to have open heart surgery this morning. First they are going to go in with three small incisions and try to do it roboticly, but if that is unsuccessful they are going to have to open her chest up and do the bi-pass that way.

It's fairly routine, but will take a few hours and recovery will be 49 hours of they don't have to open her up and up to five days if they do.

Surgery scheduled for 6:30 this morning.

Hump Day

Woo Hoo, It's Humpday...even though I am off for the day. The rest of you can enjoy a nice hump day and a middle of the week type of day.

Mom is having a heart cathader done this morning and I am taking to day off and going to be at the hospital with her. If they find anything they are going to take measures to correct it then, probably just placing a stent in if need be, but they are not going to let her go home unless someone is there with her to take her home.

Oh well, I hope everyone has a great day.

Second Practice of the Year

Well, the Softball team got together again last night for the second practice of the season. We had a pretty good turnout, better than last weeks and it was once again nice to assemble the boys of summer again.

A special thanks to my sweetie Michelle for running and getting the field rented for us first thing this morning so we could have our field of choice, day of choice and time of choice to hold practice. She went out at 8:30 and got us all legal for yesterday evening.

I think next week we are going to scrimmage March Westin and both teams will get consecutive time slots so that we can do a two hour scrimmage.

I've been doing a lot of walking lately and losing a few pounds, so my preparation for the year is ahead of last years pace.

Does Anyone Like Mondays

Dear Monday, why do you always have to come around and ruin a good weekend? I mean we had a couple of nice days and you have to come and throw a monkey wrench into the whole nice relaxing weekend. Thanks Monday, but can't we do a do-over for Sunday?

Oh well, I guess we're only four days till Friday so we'll make the most of this. We are going to try and have our second softball practice of the year this evening. We had our first one last Wed, but half the team wasn't there for one reason or another, so we will try once again tonight to assemble the boys of summer.

Well reality is it is Monday, and as much as I don't to start this week.....Hi ho hi ho...

Early Morning Ramblngs

Like every other morning I am the first to bed and the first to rise, I think I learned this trait from my grandparents some years ago as they were the early to bed early to rise types. I love the early morning, I think I always have and always will.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish one of my oldest and dearest friends a very Happy Birthday today. Smitty is turning 21 just like me today! Happy Birthday Buddy.

Michelle managed to do some yard work yesterday, she is a plant and flower person, so we stopped by Lowes, Tathams and the other Lowes yesterday looking for annuals for her to plant in some of the planters around the house. She was doing that and I continued to reinstall software on my computer.

The evening ended with a nice stroll along the rails to trails.

Back Online

I don;t know why I keep visiting ebaums world, it has caused me more trouble than all the midget porn sites my mother is addicted to.


However the computer is back up and running like new after bring infested with some nasty spy-ware. You would think I would have learned my lesson after the first few times...LOL

Not sure what is on the agenda for the day, Michelle bought a couple of beds from a co-worker for Chad and Hayley, so we'll be waiting on them to be delivered this morning, after that the day is pretty much ours.

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes it is once again that time of the week that we all look foreword to, when we can take time to cease the labors for the week and take a little bit of needed time out to enjoy the fruits of those labors. It is once again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday.

Well let's see, you know when you tell a kid not to touch the stove because it is hot and they do it anyhow just for spite, that would be bad. However when the kid keeping touching it after they have been burnt, it shows complete stupidity. Ed is just that stupid.

You know when you go to that specific website and you have had to reformat your computer at least 1/2 dozen times that you would learn. Ed is that stupid, he is once again reformatting his computer.

Hope your day is going better then his. I am going to quote his famous line, "sucks to be you"

Have a great weekend everyone

First Practice

I guess you can say that the off season is now officially over with for the softball team. Last night the boys of Summer assembled for the first time of the season and had the first initial practice of the 2010 season.

Mostly old faces and one new one so far with a few more to come. A few of the regulars had other commitments and things to do tonight, but we should probably be able to assemble the full allotment of softball players ranging from guys in their prime to old guys like me starting my 4th decade of playing softball at BOPARC.

This season was no different for me, I'm in spring training form and a long way to go to get to my playing form. I'm way past my prime and remember the days of when I was making plays, but I still love going out and spending time with the guys.

I love this time of the year.

Happy Birthday Terri Rehmani

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my beautiful Sister Terri Beth a very happy Birthday today. If you should happen to see Terri, make sure you wish her a lets see she is three years younger than me and I'm 21, so that would make her 17 today.

Anyways, Happy Birthday Terri, I hope it is a very special day for you and that all of your hopes and dreams come true today.

If there is one thing I can say for her, she is blessed with an absolute multitude of lifelong friends.

Tuesday's Tidbits

* It's Tuesday,. it is definitely time for a good tidbits.

* It is day 753 on the Ed and Michelle count. 753 days ago she made me watch that horrible movie that she picked, 10,000 BC.

* 263 Shopping days until Christmas. Time is running out...LOL

* We tried a new pizza place her in Morgantown yesterday. They recently opened up a Ledo Pizza in the Suncrest Towne Center that was actually pretty good. Light flaky crust and heavy on top quality toppings. We'll eat there again someday.

* Michelle's Great-Niece Page will be five years old today. Happy Birthday Page.

* Michelle's Nephew Corey was rushed in over the weekend for an emergency appendix operation. All went well and he is at home now relaxing.

* Michelle and I stopped in to Kassar Foods yesterday to get some ideas for new dinners. They sell Gyro meat and I think we may do some Gyro's in the near future.

* Would you believe the chain I wear around my neck broke yesterday. I have taken it in to Jane V Jewelers close to my home, they are one of the few places that actually do repairs here in shop. I've had to have it repaired before, but it has been a number of years and it hasn't been off my neck in that time period for any length of time other than cleaning.

* Mom put down the midget porn, I'm off to work.

Back to Monday

Well I guess it is time to put our noses to the grind stone once again and return to our labors for the week. I guess it's just a little harder to head back after a weekend of so much fun and great weather.

Michelle made an awesome Easter dinner of Ham, Home made mashed potatoes, Home made gravy, fresh home made rolls, steamed mixed vegetables and we found a great use for all of the old Easter Eggs when we made deviled eggs...YUMM.

Let's see, what does the week ahead have planned for me. First softball practice of the year will take place one day this week. It'll be great to once again assemble my boys of summer for the first time of the year and hit the field. Very special group of guys who I look forward all winter to spending the summer with.

I am pretty sure Nasrin hinted she would be in town today also.

Did anyone notice all the pretty colors and foliage that just seemed to pop up over the weekend? Oh yeah, winter is now a distance memory!!!!

Hi Ho Hi Ho...

Happy Easter

I would like to take this chance to wish everyone a very Happy Easter this morning. I hope everyone has plans and will be spending it with some special people. We will be having our second Easter Dinner here today. Michelle is a great cook and I know everyone is looking forward to it.

Yesterday we had our Easter Egg hunt at the house, it turned out great and the weather was very cooperative. I think for the most part everyone had a very good time and I did get a number of pictures that I have uploaded all of them to my site here. I had put a good number of them on facebook, but not all of them.

There was a lot of sadness in Mountaineer nation last night, the Men's season ended with a 78-57 loss to the Duke Blue Devils. I am very proud of the Mountaineers who end up 31-7 on the season. For those of you not knowing yet, DeSean Butler got injured and it turned out to be a Sprained Knee.

Have a Great Day

Easter Egg Hunt

Well it has been about a month in the planning stages, Michelle and I decided quite some time ago to do an Easter Egg hunt on this day. When planning an event so far in advance you take a risk of bad weather, considering there was probably still snow on the ground when we decided to do this. We are going to be blessed with sunny skys and temperatures in the 80's today!!!!!

I just wanted to do something for the young children, create some memories and get some pictures and capture very special moments in time.

I don;t know who is more excited about this, me or Michelle as we are both looking forward to having a little fun, creating a few memories and spending time with some very special people.

Let's not forget to cheer on the Mountaineers tonight also as we play Duke in the Final 4 Semi-Finals and try to reach the NCAA Championship game Monday night!!!!

Big Ole Hairy Good Friday

Yes it is once again that time of the week that we all look foreword to, when we can take time to cease the labors for the week and take a little bit of needed time out to enjoy the fruits of those labors. It is once again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Good Friday.

For those of you lucky enough to have the day off, good for you. For those of us that have to work, it sucks to be us but today is at least Friday.

Just to clear everything up, yesterdays BLOG was in accordance with April Fools Day. Michelle and I got together and came up with something that we thought would be believable and went with that. Needless to say we got a very good response out of that one, much better than anticipated.

Hayley will be coming home tomorrow from Alabama. She flies into Pittsburgh tomorrow morning and Chad and Laiah will be going to go and pick her up from the Pittsburgh Airport as Michelle and I host the Easter Egg Hunt here. Weather is going to be in the 80's tomorrow, so I hope everyone has a great time.

Hi Ho Hi Ho....

We Tied the Knot

Late last night Michelle and I went to the Mon County Courthouse and did a midnight wedding and got married. It was a spur of the moment and we were tired of waiting, so we called the courthouse and went down in the middle of the night and got married at midnight.

We know it is a surprise, but this is how we decided to do it, we didn't want to burden anyone of having top come and sit through the long tedious ceremony. We just thought it would be best on everyone if we just ran away in the middle of the night and did it.

I was going to have pictures taken, but stupid me forgot the film for the camera.