Girl's Weekend (Gunn Lake)

Me, Katie McCoy (above), Emilia Czaplicka (below) with Ruth Engle and Shelly Fullum went leisurely down the canal on rafts. When I can't see the bottom I have issues so I really tried being brave but there were so many turtles it really spooked me out. I have a pool at home so that is my kind of rafting not having to worry about who is peeking at you. Some of the turtles were quite big or bigger than I would want them to be...lol.

Above is Haley. She is the first one that pooped out the first night so of course I had to get a pic of that. She did travel all day back from Virginia on her vacation and sat in airports but this is girl's weekend. It don't happen to often and if this old lady can stay up late anyone can.
I am a little out of order here in the pics but "Stivers" is where we stopped to eat on the way out to the lake on the first night. It was a little scary from the outside but some great food.

Unfortunately the boat wouldn't start at one point while out on the lake so we had to get a tow from the other boat in the picture. Dear sweet Shelly is such a handy lady that she is the one that tied the knot to get us back to the cottage.
Above are all of us except Shelly (she is taking the pic)...I should've had someone else take it but sometimes I just don't think of those things. We all went to Craig's Cruisers and ate dinner, played putt-putt and rode go carts. Left front (Ruth Engle, Haley Engle, Joy Engle) Right front (Emilia Czaplicka, Donna Hall, Katie McCoy). There are lots of deer in the area so someone dared me to scare away the deer by screaming out the window on the way back home so of course their request happened. I have the lungs of all lungs.
Above is Joy Engle just chilling out on the boat. Thanks for the use of the cottage, Joy. It will always be remembered and hope that there will be many more years ahead for girl's weekend. It was a hoot!!!!!
Here is me trying to be a brave soul with Turtle Lake...oh it is really called Gunn Lake but Turtle is more appropriate.
Shelly paddled us back down the canal...Thanks Shelly. The next day her muscles were so sore.

The bonds that we made on Saturday night doing an open forum night where we put questions into a bowl and then each of us answered the questions will always be remembered. We laughed, cried, and just listened at times. The connections is definitely what most of us needed at this point in our lives!!!!! I love each of them in a different way but knowing that we are all Sisters in Christ is our main bond and I am excited to strengthen those bonds from here on out.

Keep smiling

Cat Scan Update

My results came back from the catscan and I have to go see a colon specialist on Sept 3rd. I do have some scar tissue that may be causing some blockage and that is what caused my flare up and infection this past week. They are thinking it is from the diverticulitis but just want to make sure that there is nothing else going on. The antiobiotics are doing the job and I am feeling much better so hopefully from here on out I can finish off my summer on the upswing instead of the downswing. I will have a colonoscopy at some point but will not know the date until I see the specialist.

Keep on praying and smiling.

Ohio Pyle, PA

Between the two pictures is some of our small group that decided to go white water rafting in Ohiopyle, PA last weekend. We had a blast!!!! Andrea didn't go rafting with us but she did attend a wedding near this spot while we were rafting.
Rob and I posing for a picture. It isn't to often that I get in pictures because I am usually the one taking them. Thanks Ron Thomas for taking the picture!!! Much appreciated.

Here is the lodge we stayed in. Kind of different but it was clean. It is called Lodge at Chalkhill for anyone that is wondering or wanting to venture to PA to white water raft....Tennessee has better rapids...or at least I think they do. Not as many rocks...lol.
Most of the group rode down on motorcycles minus myself and Bruce and Andrea Spratt.

This is a picture of the area where we started but thank goodness not where we went down. Going out of the raft on a smaller rapid was enough for me. Those pictures are being developed as we speak.

This is a picture off of the deck of the back of the lodge where we stayed. Has a little lake where you can fish and etc...but no time for that. We left on Friday, rafted on Saturday and came home on Sunday. Would've liked to stay in the area a little longer to site see but maybe another time.

It was fun to connect with our group and just get away from every day life.

Ticking Time Bomb

I have been sick off and on since Sunday. Major cramping on Sunday night and all day Monday. By Tuesday night I was running a fever and all the great signs of the flu. Last night my temp spiked up to 102 so today I did a doctor visit. Dr. is hoping it is a flu bug but he hasn't heard of one lasting that long right now. My cramping in my abdomen has been excruciating at times so tomorrow morning I have a cat scan at 11:30 a.m. He is thinking it is possibly an abcest in my colon from my diverticulitis and said if I start fever and etc...again tonight after the shots and pills he gave me that I am to go to emergency right away. I haven't had an attack in a LONG time. Probably 6-7 years.

The downside is that I am suppose to go away this weekend for a girl's weekend and this is really pushing it since we are leaving on Friday sometime. Hopefully by tomorrow or first thing Friday a.m. I will have results back to whether it is my colon or not. If it is my colon then my girl's weekend will have to wait for another time....boohoo!!!!!

So as you see with my concussion a couple weeks ago, emergency root canals, and now this; I am a ticking time bomb and I just want to feel well for awhile.

Keep smiling!!!! and praying!!!!!!

Summer Time Fun

Tomorrow a group of us that are in small groups at our church are leaving to go white water rafting in Pennsylvania. There are eight of us going down and five to six of us riding motorcycles down. I am going to ride for a time but not sure I can withstand that many hours on the back of a motorcycle and the weather is suppose to cool off. If it isn't eighty on the back of a motorcycle I freeze. I LOVE the heat and get cold very easily so I will be joining the Spratt's in their car at times.

My softball injury is pretty much healed up. A little bruising to the touch still but my vision is all back to normal and etc....

I have a job interview on Tuesday (thanks to a friend that pulled some strings for me). It is the first interview I have had since losing my job on April 2nd. I know financially I need to go back to work for the health benefits and etc...but it has been WONDERFUL being a stay at home mom and wife the past four months.

Robert is kinda signed up for college but not having much luck getting classes since we got a late start. Our plan is for him to take 2 classes right now while working at Kroger's but so far he only has one class and is on a waiting list for another.

Looking forward to a girl's weekend away the weekend of the 15th. Haven't done that in a long time. It will be a blast!!!!!!!!

Keep smiling!!!!

Update

Each new day brings a new experience of this concussion. Today I awoke to a black eye. I was kind of surprised but now I know why there was blurriness for a while. The blurriness is subsiding but now I have eye shadow (that I don't wear). My equilibrium gets better as each day passes but it still isn't 100% I feel fatigued if I do anything major.

Tonight the co-ed team plays and Rob said "bring your mitt and shoes." My reply, "your team will have to forfeit because I won't be on the field for awhile." Of course he was joking. I don't think he would let me out there. I think he was just as scared as I was the other day when it happened.



Keep smiling.

Concussion

On Saturday a group of ladies from our church played in a softball tournament. We won the first two games which was a total upset for the other two teams we played against since we haven't beat them all year. We definitely were on a natural high. The first game...my niece Tammi started pitching and then Rob decided to put me in. I don't like pitching against this team (Grace) because they hit so many back up the middle and my reflexes are just not like they use to be. I endured the first two games but unfortunately in the third game I was taken by ambulance to Mt. Clemens General Hospital. I was pitching and Tracy from Grace hit one back at me and unfortunately I must not of seen it till the last minute but luckily I turned my head and was hit in the best spot possible on the side of the forehead. I seen white light and that was about it and it was pretty scary. My head felt luck a big fuzz ball swimming in a world of light. I never passed out but I wanted to but I don't like that feeling of blacking out and waking up not knowing what happened so I talked myself into staying through it. I immediately felt nauseated and my trip in an ambulance that is remembered is throwing up the whole way.

Once at the hospital I went in for a cat scan to make sure there was no fracture or internal bleeding. Two hours later I was back at the games rooting my team on as best as possible. I ended up having a concussion...thank the good Lord for all my wonderful teammates and other teams praying for me. It is minor besides my eye still having blurred vision which they say may take a few days to recover from the blow to the head. I will follow up with my family doctor at the end of the week.

Keep smiling!!!!!!