Recovery

On May 26th I had the wonderful opportunity to have a hysterectomy so I've been out of commission for a few days. Today is the first day that I have felt half decent. I believe it's a man who has made the decision that a woman should be able to go home after 1.5 days in the hospital after having her guts removed. And bladder repaired. I'd like to ask him if he thinks he could handle that after having a private part of his cut off and then head back to work a few days later.
I'd like to thank those who have loved and supported me through this. Jared, my son who works in the OR where I had this done is always so cute and attentive. He always makes sure dad and I have the best anesthesiologists to do the job. While I was there he came in my room before surgery and visited. I was scheduled to go to surgery at 11 so they had me come in at 9:30am. At 11 they took me to the holding room you go to before surgery and the anesthesiologist and doctor come in to talk to you before. Well, after 45 min. they came to tell me the doctor had been held up in another surgery so it would be a while. Well, then again after 45 min. they came to tell me it would be quite a while because there were bad complications in the surgery before mine. They wheeled me out back to my room in Same Day. Kristi, and her kids and Jared came back to visit me and so did Rog. They kept me company until I finally went to surgery at 3pm. Everything went well and I was in my room around 6:30pm. I was quite nauseated and vomited a few times but Rog was at my side to help me through it all. He's been a great help and I've appreciated him so much. I had friends come and see me and bring me things. My sister came with her husband and brought me a malt and gifts. Shana and her family brought me a malt too. They tasted so good. Teresa brought me a big rhubarb plant because she knew I wanted another one. Cindy brought me some beautiful white flowers. I've had phone calls etc. People from my ward have brought us dinner and that's been nice even though I feel guilty.
I was in the hospital til Thurs. and I came home that afternnoon after having everything taken off me such as catheter and iv's. The last two days I felt like someone had run me over with a big truck but today I'm feeling somewhat better. Just weak and sore. I go outside and sit in our rocking chair just to get outside and get some fresh air and see the beautiful yard Roger has once again prepared for us.
I"ve been blessed not to have had any complications. I'll be so glad when I can run and jump and walk for exercise. We take our good health for granted that's for sure.
Thanks again to my family and friends for their love and support. I will pay you back some day.
Love,
Me

In Memory Of My Mom

For the past several years I have wanted to donate to and walk/run in the 5 K Susan G. Koman "Race for the Cure" race. This year Jake inspired me to do it. I'm so glad that I did. Two of my sisters, Kayleen and Cyndee decided they wanted to do it with me in memory of our mother. Mom passed away at the age of 57 in 1981 of breast cancer. She fought a good fight but back then there weren't the kind of treatments that they have today. I have such great respect for all women who have had to endure breast cancer. What fighters they are. I would walk for miles and miles and miles to find a cure if I could. As we were there early this morning my thoughts were upon my mom and all the other moms who have lost their fight. There were pictures of women on some of the backs of runners/walkers in memory of someone. Next year we're going to do that. But I could feel my moms spirit and I know she would be proud of us to represent her in this cause. Many times I had a lump in my throat and held back my tears as I was walking and thinking of her. I know she was with us. I would encourage any of you who have the opportunity to walk for this cause to do so. There was a sea of women. They had 18,000 people register but it looked to me that there had to be more than that. But to know I was a part of that for just a little while made my heart swell.

There were booths before the race giving away lots of different things. We donned our breast cancer capes, warrior scarfs and off we went. For as far as you could see down the street there were thousands of people lined up and ready to go.

Here is the starting point. A rainbow of pink balloons.

I know mom would be proud of us!! This is for you mom!! We miss you and love you!!

Cyndee, Kayleen and I are ready to "Race for a Cure" So Happy Mothers Day to you mom!! What an inspiration you were to me and continue to be. I miss you and love you so much. We will continue to walk now in your behalf and will pray for a cure of breast cancer.

A Taste Of Hawaii

Roger and I had the opportunity to go to Hawaii with our best friends Deb and Steve and Lora and Scott. We had planned this trip since January and the day had finally come. We were hesitant on going when it came right down to it because there were so many things going on at home. But we did anyway. The time we spent there was beautiful. We got to see and enjoy so many wonderful things. It had been 30 years since Roger and I had been there so it was fun to go back. We flew into Honolulu and from there we went on to enjoy 8 days of paradise. I wish I could post all our pictures but there were so many we had to buy a new memory card for our camera. We enjoyed a luau, swap meet, snorkeling, the guys golfed with Sua, we went to the Polynesian Cultural Center, Dole Pineapple Plantation, Hawaiian Temple that was under rennovation, Pearl Harbor, and my best friend Lora got married while we were there. What a fun time we had.

It was such a fun surprise when we got off the plane and were walking to get our luggage. My niece Lesli and her husband Sua who live right across the street from the airport, came and surprised us all with lei's. I couldn't believe it. I had no idea she was going to be there. That made my day!!! They smelled so good and were so beautiful.

Almost every morning we would go for a walk down by the beach. It was so nice, calm, quiet and peaceful. This was just steps from our condo.

The flowers were spectaular. Everywhere you looked there were different kinds. The colors were gorgeous.

This is what I loved spending my time doing when we were at the beach. I love to snorkel. We got to snorkel right out on one of the lagoons at our resort and we also went to Hanauma Bay which was beautiful. I've always said if I died and came back as something else it would be a fish. I love the water!

Rog, Lora and Scott, Steve and Deb are catching some rays. We spent almost every day on the beach. It was so beautiful.

The bathing beauties. We loved hanging out at the beach or at our hotel pool. We had to come home with a nice tan to prove we'd been to Hawaii!!

Twice we went to the swap meet. Wow what killer deals you could get on everything and anything. I could go there on a weekly basis. I even had to buy a suitcase there to carry all our stuff back on the plane. Lora, Deb and I were buying, buying and buying. Had to take back souveniers to our family.

We're all decked out in our hawaiian outfits. All ready to go to the Paradise Cove Luau. While we were there we got to see hawaiian dancing, we made flower head pieces, danced, and watched a young man climb a tree for a coconut. The food was excellent. We watched as they took the pig from the pit. The entertainment was awesome. Roger, Lora and I got called up on stage to help out too. What a fun night.

While we were at the Dole Pineapple place we met up with our good friends Mike and Teresa. They were there visiting their daughter who lives in Hawaii. We've got such good friends. Steve and Deb, Scott and Lora, Mike and Teresa. We couldn't have had a better time!! We went to the Dole Pineapple Plantation. Everyone said we had to get some pineapple ice cream. Well, it was so good we went three times. Except the 2nd time it was just the guys and they got there 4 minutes after they had closed up for the day. They were desperate so they were checking all the doors around the building. When that didn't work they walked with their heads down to the parking lot and saw some people eating a pineapple ice cream cone. They were desperate enough to ask them if they could buy it from them!!! hahaha..just kidding of course. But the ice cream was that good!!

The flowers were spectacular at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Everywhere you looked there were waterfalls and flowers. The rain brought out the colors even more.

We visited the Polynesian Cultural Center one day. It was raining the whole time but it was still so beautiful. They had a canoe parade that would have each canoe with dancers from their island. Such as Samoa, Figi etc.

This is Ko Olina Beach Resort. We had 3 lagoons right by us. What an awesome place to stay. We were so blessed to have our good friends Steve and Deb invite us to stay with them. Everything at Ko Olina was immaculate.

Lora and Scott got married while we were there. What a beautiful, romantic experience. Kayleen, my sister bought the lei's for them as their wedding present. Lesli, my niece made the arangements for the preacher, the beach, lei's, music etc. What a fun day. I"m witnessing their marriage license for them. Congrats to Lora and Scott! Love you guys!

Lesli loves her Unke Roger. It was so nice to see her. Lesli lives right by where we were staying so she spent several days with us. She came to the beach, had us over for dinner, we went out to a club and danced and she made my girlfriends wedding so beautiful. Planned the whole thing. What a wedding planner she is!!

We all put our best foot forward..Mine of course are the bright pink toes. I had them done before I left. I had palm trees made on the big toes.

Gotta have a self portrait!! This is on the beach right where we stayed. Our condo is in the background. The sun is so different in Hawaii. I tan quite easily but we still had to use some sort of sunscreen to protect us. Thank goodness Roger never got sunburned again like he did 30 years ago. Rog and Steve working on their tans. It was so nice and refreshing to lay in the water to enjoy the sun.

We went to Pearl Harbor and got to enjoy the beautiful things there. It was very touching to see where this all happened on Dec. 7th 1941. Many people lost their lives and are entombed here. What a nice experience to visit here again. Very heart warming. In respect to the people who were killed no cell phones are allowed to be on. You have to whisper while on the Arizona Memorial.