Halloween...a day to remember

I've always like Halloween, never really had any reason to dislike it!  I think it has to do with how much I love to just watch people....and on a day when a lot of people are dressed up in costumes, it's just a fun day for me!
I love looking back at old pictures to see what my kids dressed up as when they were younger.  But today I'm especially reminiscent because one year today, I found out that a rare bacteria infection that had set up shop in my abdomen was officially gone.  
In June, 2012 I went in for what was deemed as a simple surgery, and what wound up happening was a 2.5 inch open hole was left on my stomach and was given oral antibiotics.  My blood work showed that after 10 days of the antibiotics and evidence of high fevers, I was sent to an infectious disease doctor.  She explained to me that my rare bacteria had a name, Burkholderia Cepacia.  It's a pretty bad bacteria that is really hard for humans to get rid of, since it is mainly found on plants.  It really liked me and began to colonize instead of die.  So I had a mid-line IV for some IV antibiotics, along with which I was assigned a home health nurse.  Mid Lines are for short term use.  So my doctor had them remove it after my second surgery which was in August.  About 3 weeks later, I found myself in the ER with a high fever and really bad abdominal pains.  One of the colonies had hidden and the bacteria was back in full force.  This got me a real quick admittance into the hospital.  While I was there, I got my PICC line.  The IV that threads to just outside your heart and is used for long term use.  Luckily I got my same home health nurse, and now i was on the "last resort" antibiotic.  After 7 weeks of this treatment and one more surgery, my blood levels finally proved that the infection was gone!  Whew!  
So Happy Halloween and here's to a another year of healthy living!!  : )

Cycling

Yesterday, Isaac, Mikayla, and I found ourselves at home.  Erica was at a DC Children's Choir retreat and Jacob was helping with one of his buddies' Eagle Scout project.  So after Mikayla's soccer game, we were all 3 here at home with no particular plans.  We decided to go on a bike ride.  We went down to the Needwood Park trail a short distance from our house.  Mikayla used Erica's bike since that one has gears.  We had a good time.  We rode for close to 9 miles.  That's pretty good, I think.  Mikayla was trooper and worked the gears pretty well with it being her first time to use them.
Today I woke up with a "great idea"!  With it being General Conference weekend, church was not going to start until later than usual (east coast living).  I thought it would be nice for Isaac and I to go on a bike ride again.  We went back to Needwood Park, this time with camelpaks on and runkeeper keeping our distance.  We rode for 13.6 miles today.  It was quite difficult actually.  I was thinking it would be pretty easy since i didn't feel too sore from the ride yesterday.  So we pressed start on our program and then i hopped up on the bike and as soon as my butt hit the seat.....OH....MY.....GOODNESS!!!  I mean, OOUUUCCCHHHH!!!  LOL
Today, Isaac let me lead the way.  It was awesome.  We rode 7 miles down the trail, turned around, and rode 7 miles back.  We aren't sure why our program didn't say 14 miles total, but it's fine.  Success.  I only wanted to quit once, but when you're out in the center of a trail, you have to keep going to get back to your car!  
All in all, a great weekend, and a couple sore bottoms! : )

October 1st, 2013

I was hoping for a normal first day of the month, but it was far from the norm.  How shocking to realize that "they" actually went through with it!  This day was the beginning of the government shut down...or furlough if you're in mine and Isaac's line of work.  Being contractors for the government is a high risk job.  We knew that going into it, however, this really stinks.  Actually, it isn't as bad as it could be.  Isaac is not getting to work right now.  However, I am.  His building is completely closed for non-emergency personnel.  He falls into that category.  My contract or funds for my contract had been already been paid, so that is why i can continue working for the time being.  It could be short lived, but for now, we are grateful that I am able to log some hours at work.  I have faith that our family will be fine and we will pull through.  I just hate that this happens so close to the holiday season.  I pray the government leaders can come to some sort of resolution quickly.