Stick a needle in me, I'm done!

As I was posting pictures to the blog today, I was alerted that I had reached my free allotted space. This happened once before, and I found a temporary solution to the problem. However, if it happens again, I am not sure I will be able to solve the problem so easily. I just wanted to provide a 'heads up' in case one week you came to the blog and find a link forwarding you to a new blog. I like posting pictures to add to what I write. However, I am also very frugal and not willing to pay for additional space for this hobby.

With all that said, at last posting we were still in Phoenix, AZ waiting for the rig's radiator to be repaired and re-installed. It was not looking promising that we would be back in southern NV in time for my MD appointment on Monday, so we purchased a $33. plane ticket for me to fly in on Sunday. Within hours, the rig was getting close to road ready, and Friday night was our last night at "Camp Cummins". Saturday morning we had a re-cored radiator and a new fuel filter, so we hit the road! We stopped to fill up in Kingman, AZ where the wind was blowing a cold, cold wind! I quick washed the windows, and scurried back inside and away from the wind! While John continued filling up, a gentleman asked him if anyone had ever told him that our rig looked like a big blue whale that had a baby. John chuckled and replied that no one had ever made that comparison before, and the guy added that our rig looked real nice. $250. later we had a full tank and continued on our way. On the way to Phoenix of course we crossed the new dam bridge, making the U.S. 93 drive from NV to AZ much smoother crossing Hoover Dam. The northbound view is much more spectacular than southbound.

Although the bridge walls are high, we saw a little more of Lake Mead when we went northbound than we could of the Colorado River going southbound.

I was glad to be back, because in church Sunday morning The Jubilee Singers from First Presbyterian Church in Las Vegas, NV were performing. When I was a kid, First Presbyterian Church is where I attended. Although this group was formed after I left, my mother had performed with them for a while, and I knew they were good! I enjoyed the gospel singing and enthusiasm that each of these singers put into praising God!

I was also glad to be back so I could take part in the church Thanksgiving potluck Sunday night! The church provided four turkeys and two shank hams. I brought baked beans. There was lots of delicious food there and great fellowship. I enjoyed the good meal because Monday morning after 7:30 food and water was off limits! Monday was the appointment that I had been both dreading and looking forward to. I was going for my first ever transforaminal epidural injection. I requested sedation, but once I found out the sedation was via I.V., I requested sedation for the sedation! The procedure was not as bad as I had feared, and I know that is because I had so many people lifting me up in prayer, that God was sending blessings down surrounding me with His peace and comfort. In this picture you can see the needles going into my vertebrae.

 

I thought the relief would be immediate, and the MD did not specify either way, but said that I was o.k. to walk through WalMart, so we did. Halfway through the store, I realized I should've gone with the wheelchair as I had been doing prior to the shot, but we forged through and I rested the remainder of the day. My brother, the physical therapist said that he has known the injections to take 4 - 7 days to take effect, so although I was disappointed, that provided me more hope. Today is day four, so any minute now I should be feeling better.

Tuesday my niece had her first two cavities filled, which she was not looking forward to.  While she was enduring that, I took my nephew for ice cream at the Inside Scoop where he got three scoops of ice cream in a waffle cone. Being sure he would not eat the entire thing, I got a 'go cup'. We sat there and he ate the entire thing! I reminded him he still had to eat supper when he got home, and he informed me that he was not full. We prayed for my niece and made her a card, and when I saw her that evening she was happy and said that it didn't hurt!

That night John and I went to the community Thanksgiving service at church which began with everyone standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Four local Christian churches participated, performing music and sharing testimonies of God's love in their lives. It was a wonderful praise service and an offering was taken up and donated to the local thrift store.

 Wednesday we enjoyed my nephew's class Thanksgiving play and talent show. My nephew performed part of Beethoven's 5th symphony on the keyboard. 

 This week John contracted a gentleman to wash and hand wax our big blue whale. It is very shiny now, and he says it hasn't looked this good since it came out of the paint shop.

Thursday morning I was up at o'dark early to peel sweet potatoes and apples for the crock pot. I was also in charge of a dessert, and I am still in disbelief that I did not prepare anything chocolate! After I watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and did some reading for school, we went to my Mom's and step-dad's for the Thanksgiving feast with 19 others. We chowed down on 2 turkeys, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits, green beans, green bean casserole, fruit salad, berry salad, caramel apple salad, french silk pie, lemon pie, pineapple icebox cake, apple cake, and cool whip!

The kids enjoyed coloring on the paper tablecloths, and then had fun on the scavenger hunt. There were bubbles, giant checkers games, foam footballs, light up Christmas decorations, reindeer antlers, stickers, and more!

Today I am staying in to do schoolwork and enjoy leftovers!!