Catching Up...

It's been over five months since my last blog and A LOT has happened.



Dale and I took our annual trip to Vegas the beginning of May to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary and my 32nd birthday. We had a great time as usual. This year, we had our anniversary dinner at The Eiffel Tower Restaurant. It was wonderful and I highly recommend it. My favorite is still the food at Top of the World at the Stratosphere . It's the best! I also won a $1400 jackpot at Sam's Town!!!

Kolby graduated from Amarillo High in May. It was an incredibly emotional time for all of us. Dale and I only had six "full time" years with him where most parents have eighteen and six just wasn't long enough! He started Amarillo College the day after his eighteenth birthday in August and is doing great. He texted me this morning to tell me that he made a 91 on his second English paper. It was also his second A and in his most difficult subject. I've enjoyed watching him mature and grow over the past couple of months. I love him so much.

On June 24th I had a total abdominal hysterectomy. The first two weeks were hell! I was in the hospital for three days. While I was in the hospital, I found out that I was allergic to morphine. My whole body itched like crazy and I couldn't stop scratching. When the head nurse told me she needed to take me off my morphine drip I was so upset. Though I was itching like CRAZY, I was so scared to give up my easily accessible pain medication. The nurse reassured me that the vicatin she planned on giving me in pill form would be even better than the morphine. I must admit it was in the beginning! Unfortunately, I did not realize that a side effect of vicatin is constipation; serious constipation! Two days out of the hospital I was so nauseated and FEARED throwing up since my stomach was full of stitches. Thankfully I began taking some good meds and the only side effect was sleep... yeah! I quit taking the vicatin and once again questioned how in the world can anyone become addicted to drugs??? The side effects are enough to kill any kind of curiosity.

Five weeks after surgery I went to Las Vegas with two of my sisters for a week. We had such a great time!! And after lying down for 4 weeks, I was ready. We went out with the idea of doing what we wanted when we wanted and not committing to anything. We hit all the places that we'd never been, but had wanted to go. I recommend Firefly, a tapas bar on Paradise -- great food, great drinks, great atmosphere. I also took my sisters to the Double Down Saloon. It's a local, gothic bar that's referred to as the happiest place on earth and it's one of Dale's favorite places to go in Vegas. It's been featured on the Travel Channel twice; once with Samantha Brown and the other with Anthony Bourdain. Their house drink is called --get ready-- Ass Juice. I know, I know... gross! But it really is quite tasty!
I came home without any big winnings, but don't care. It was almost perfect. The only thing that could have made the trip better was if Taryl (my other sister) could have gone with us.

It's been three and a half months since my surgery. I keep hearing that I will feel "back to normal" again in 6 to 12 months. I try not to think about the time frame and just take life day to day.

What I have to look forward to:

• Kolby completing his first year of college
• full recovery from surgery
• taking 2 classes at WT so I can complete my intern hours for my LPC
• taking classes at AC to become a licensed substance abuse counselor

Until next time...