Posted in My House that God built

>STILL building a house

>
Okay my house is not finished. I was most sure that 6 months would be plenty of time to build a house.  Or at least be MUCH further along than we are. We really have been ‘doin sumthin‘ the whole time. But obviously NOT ENOUGH.

We (Keith and some of his guys from work) started the electric this last weekend.  That to did not complete in one day– It should in another.  
We did find that there are a bit more ‘little things’ the framers did askew.  So we are contemplating NOT using them for the dry wall work– IF we do, I will be more aggressive and bossy(bitchy) with them while they are here.  The little things may be the norm, a few inches off here or there, a wall/door misplaced, (they fixed it,but it messed up a bit of my concrete floor, so I will have to become creative with the holes) A couple of walls were not anchored to the cement wall, which would really be an issue if they fell down.  Little things…. One of the little things was on the raising of the trusses, they (after much instruction of NOT to) put one too close to the gable, leaving us short one on one end.  They had to build another for that end. The end that got too many we had a room designed in the attic that might one day open into the living as a loft– an after thought, but the truss guy designed it so we could do this.  The moving of the truss though made it so it would be impossible to open this loft to the living without much redesign.  So brain storm of Meg Ash and I was to put the opening to the room on the outside of the house, with stairs going up to it from the outside– Like Doc’s office on Gunsmoke.  — It will be Keith’s poker room and or ‘doghouse’.  I keep trying to convince him to put a toilet and sink up there also, but so far he thinks the work will be more than the convenience
The porches look great.  
The roof metal guy is coming tomorrow to give us some estimates and measure
The jury is still out on the loan.
We brought the second set of doors home with us after Christmas (Keith went and picked them up in Houston)
We bought the master bath.
We have only had two really big arguments since last posting.. pretty good for the circumstances– one of them being KEITH.  
Posted in Christy's Concepts

Christmas 2008 A First

>It has been a few days– So much to do this time of year!  Our Christmas was a completely new experience for us! A multitude of 1st.

1st Christmas to not have to put up a Christmas tree: One would not fit in our lovely abode. We thought of Christmas lights, but thoughts of Randy Quaid’s character in National Lampoons Christmas danced through my head.  
1st Christmas in many many years to not spend it in Midland in my home.  We have hosted Christmas for YEARS. Without a house it was impossible.
1st Christmas to spend in San Antonio.
1st Christmas no stockings were hung
1st Christmas to have 4 grandchildren-WOW. What joy!!
1st Christmas to have Christmas begin on the 23 and go through the 25– Two Christmas celebrations with the two families.
1st Christmas to not have a house
1st Christmas none of my children are ‘living’ in my home.
1st Christmas to not have parents. This was sobering.  Last Christmas was the first without Dad alive, we had eased into his not being with us the year before, with him not being able to come to the house, and us visiting him at the nursing home.  Last year doing for Mom and making sure she was taken care of for Christmas seemed help with the missing of Dad.
For the past few years I had been the ‘Santa’ for all of the gifts Mom and Dad had given to others, even the gifts they gave each other.  Mom would call often with the question of if I had taken care of so and so and what they were giving to whom, wondering if there should be more etc. She would have me pick out my own, insist to see it, since she knew I would sometimes NOT do this, it seemed self indulgent to me. This year of course none ‘from’ Mom and Dad. I missed it, even if it was really ‘from’ me.
Mom had tried to ‘back out’ of last Christmas, which we spent at Brian and Ashtons for the main meal and present opening.  I was insistent and did not let her give in to her maladies of the day, and I am so very thankful! Had that been the case I would not have the last picture of her with me.  As small item, but with so very much meaning for me.
This bit of sadness did not ‘ruin’ my Christmas! Actually just the opposite, it made everything so much more precious. The time to share with the boys and their families, the grandkids, even the candlelight service, that Dad enjoyed so much in the past, was so very special.  I have my memories of Christmas past, with my parents, my family as a child. I can remember the love and the joy we shared.  I treasure that.
This year as I watched my own grown children with their families, their children, making traditions, in their own homes, telling their children of Christ’s birth, I felt pure joy. Joy of God’s plan to save us. Joy that His plan is so constant so precise.
I was born to a young woman with no way to care for me, I was born without parents, with no one who wanted to keep me to love.  God had a plan. A perfect plan for me.  God gave me parents, brothers, a family. God gave me a husband a companion. God gave me children, 3 sons. God gave me daughters when my 2 sons married. God gave me grandchildren.
The love continues.
He continues the love. 
Posted in Christy's Concepts

>More of my Wellness.

>Last posting of my illness, I was on the mend.  The diagnosis a bit of a mix of things. That was on a Saturday, the following Monday was even more.

I woke up and readied for my shower and looked down at many many bruises and tiny red spots all over my body.  Frustrated does not even describe what I felt. 
 I called the MD office, I could not do a walk in in the AM because they had a staff meeting, so come at 2pm and they would fit me in.  They did, at 4:30-  Dr. Sponsel was not pleased with what was happening, with my body. The possibilities ranged from virus infecting blood to leukemia and even possibly other cancerous things…. He ordered blood work and a full body scan, to have results before Thanksgiving.  
Dr Sponsel is a Christian, who professes his faith with absolutely no qualms, very refreshing and mentoring to me.  He said he knew we were to have faith in these matters, yet he also believed God wanted us to have comfort and peace, and that having answers to things would bring this, even if it was ‘bad news’.  
Well some answers did come on Wednesday, before TG.  I had no blood platelets and spleen enlarged (must go ‘with’ platelet issue because scan did not come in for another week)
AND I had MRV/Epstein Barr virus-Which is MONO, a herpes virus.   The latter concerned me so much for the grandchildren, I had the nurse immediately call the MD back, before any more explanation of my diagnosis, so as to know if I had endangered them.  The call back was relieving, the infection needs to be of the slobbery kiss transfer, or more (thus the ‘kissing disease’) And if they were going to get it they would have already had it from me AND I was no longer infectious.  WHEW.
The next news was on my platelets, and bleeding from missing them.  I was not to bump into things, brush my teeth too hard, nor play with the grandkids in a way that would result in bumbs or  bruises, or I would start bleeding and they would take my spleen out. MMmh. “Could I fix this by drugs or eating broccoli or something ?” 
“Nope.”  
Ok, how long do I walk around like a china doll?”
“At least 4 weeks, it takes platelets some time to replenish from nothingness, IF they do.”
“IF?”
Probably will, since probably removed by virus(and found later RX given also)but some do not replenish properly if caused by other things. You will need to come into office every week to get platelets counted to make sure they are going up, for a few weeks,starting Monday.”
So there I was, monophied, bruised, but NOT diabetic,nor leukemic. Blessed.
Monday, I went in to give blood.  I commented that I assumed the body scan was ‘good’. They checked and found it had not come in at all as they had planned, so it had been overlooked. Whoops.  They then seemed to be a bit concerned again, maybe for chicken counting before all eggs in. They were going to call as soon as records found and reported to MD.  Tuesday, they called… MIRACLE to be documented. My platelets were completely normal, no issues at all, I would not need to come in again for any more rechecks. 4 weeks had turned to 4 days.    The scan had also been found and studied, completely clear (except morning BM still present to photographed, but we all know that I am ‘FULL of IT).
Since this I have also found that my Mono,was a ‘relapse’, like all herpes virus can do.  I had mono previously in life and the stress of all of the illness/dehydration and ? triggered it to raise it’s ugly head.  Dr. Sponsel and we are not thinking Mono was the primary cause, he still thinks it was toxins in the body that sent me over the edge– The tannins and fermented of the Wurstfest, cement poisoning when cement ate through my skin and into blood stream, pituitary tumor messing with adrenals all the time, celiac(autoimmune disease) =dehydration and total body collapse– And God can heal anything anytime, even before we know what we need healing from.. 
I was very sick, I was very aware of this and so very distressed at the thought of not being around for my family, my grandchildren births, graduations, marriages. So aware of missing my blessings, should I be called home now.  I was on my knees. I asked God for my healing and he gave it to me.  No diagnosis needed, only my God’s healing hand.   
It always takes something like this to bring things into a new,better light. To show what we take advantage of. The ‘things’ being our blessings.  I am blessed, I am always blessed, and rarely do I actually look at and treasure up my blessings as I should.  There are still many many things I wish I ‘do’. I know I should, because God has given me these things, yet I ‘do’ not enough with them.  
*My Grandchildren– more time, more goings on, -go ahead and splurge.. 
*My Boys- more time, more ‘talks’, tell them more about me– who else will?
*My Talents- use them, try them, – failure is not using them
*My Family- God gave them all to me, bio and adopted and legal they are all ‘real’ to me  and , I need to grasp those gifts.
SteveMikeLinda(s) YvonneAnneTeriJulieBeckyCheyanneTomTommyPaulWendiNealGingerDeanAshley
JoeyPattyFranMaryLeMonicaGeneJennyDianeCandiceJamieCodyNeal(s)TravisNathan
KarenTanahVioletGarySuzyFranBlaineJames(s)MaryLouAshtonBobbyColleen
JustinMegMelissa(s)JoeyDeuceM’lissaChrisTheresaLeeEvanTyBrianTrentDavidJoeEmory
RustyJuneChadErinChelseaZachGabDallas(s)AndrewLeslieKennethBryanDanielRachelEJ RebeccaJeffScottStephanieBrittanyMaryChristineKatyMKenzie
*My Husband- a perfect fit, my protector and friend. I need to know that and rejoice.
*My Friends- more than I know,more than I deserve.
Posted in My House that God built

> The framing has been completed. The trusses should go up tomorrow, and then the decking. Yes, that is a cat on top of the wall, and 3 dogs in the house.(Hobo is the dark brown new ‘find’.

The delay from illness and lack of follow through and change of roof supplier has taken it’s toll.
We will not have a house by Christmas. But that was probably really NOT going to really happen, anyway. WE will have a roof though, we will be dried in. Hopefully we will get a loan for Christmas. (Pray for such!)
The crew that are doing the frame work are again a God send. They are local too, the out of towner we thought would be the ‘better deal’ was 3x more than this crew. These guys are great, they helped me fix some walls that changed up because I just found 2 of my showers ‘moved’ thus a few adjustments had to be made– But they really helped a great deal made sure everything centered etc. Like they actually care! The second day they were putting up walls, it was COLD even had some snow flurries.
Posted in My House that God built

>The building continues

>The house and the blog progress suffered during my illness.

Prior to, we did pour the porches, order windows, and get our cement grinder in and begin grinding.
THE FLOOR: The grinder/polisher was a pretty big purchase , but it will be worth it in the long run– To hire it out would be about $18,000. Our machine was $7000 and we intend to sell it (we thought to hire me out, but after only 1/2 of one out of 8 grinds in, I will NOT do this professionally)

The first grind is to ‘roughen and smooth’ both. Heavy metal grinding wheels grind off the top layer of concete to expose aggregate. It worked well on the area of the house that
was poured first during our ‘rainy’ pour. That was about 1/4 of the house. The rest of the slab, our guys were able to ‘burn’ the surface, a good thing with the iffy pour we had, a bad thing when grinding. So I have to use water grind to get that ‘burn’ off’ . Making the grinding a bit slower. After I get through this, the rest should go 2x as fast.
THE PORCHES: They look great!! Our cement guys came and poured the porches and the drive in a couple of days. Actually showed up a day early, because they had finished up another job, we were not ready. But they helped me clean up around house while we waited for dirt– They are great!

WINDOWS: We ordered them about 4 weeks ago- pretty good price. They came in last week. We wanted to wait and put them in after roof– But….(explain later). So they put them in Monday.– They look great!! we have windows, no doors and no roof- 1/3 dried in?

ROOF: Steel trusses with Young NOT happening. They low balled us on the estimate, turns out this is their ‘way’. Our $18000 trusses turned into $28000. We got the cal
l just after leaving the Neurologist in Round Rock. — We have been searching since. Getting bids, probably should have done this before. It looks like a Littlefield wood truss company will be our roof.-40 something trusses around $8000 delivered. A crew that used to do Betenbough Homes (old childhood next door neighbor) may put them up. Still praying for the ‘right’ people for this. Hope it is not us.– IF this is our set up, then we should have a roof by early Dec.
DOORS: Do you know how much money doors cost? Right now 1 exterior doors will cost more than our air conditioner/heat pump.– Keith is thinking of building them himself– does anyone have a table saw/planer/joiner? cheep?
Posted in Christy's Concepts

>All is well-now- with my soul…

> I have not posted in weeks, because I have been sick for weeks, then still recovering for weeks. 

What was wrong?? No real diagnosis as of yet. 
What were the symptoms? They were immense, in more than one way.  
Began with a headache, dull and in the temples.  This was the Sunday after we had experienced the Wurstfest for the first time.  So I deduced that dark beer (with wheat which is a no-no) and lots of polka dancing and amazing homemade sauerkraut and being packed like German sardines in the something-named-German- building, was the culprit and popped two Aleve and proceeded to church and such with the family.
Well it became much worse from there.  The headache never left, my neck was killing me, all my joints were screaming at me.  Monday once home, I just curled up on my couch and had chicken broth and old movies and children’s Motrin. Tuesday, all pain a bit more intense- definitely not the flu, no other ‘sick’ feeling.  Called M.D’s, I have two I can try to get into.  Nope– two weeks away appointments. I thought ‘well maybe?this will go away’.  It did not.
With a ‘secret’ mobile # we finally did get into one of the MD’s (turns out wrong one)
He ‘guessed’ maybe flu– I was sure not, but he said if not , then we would try again.  I truly can not figure out why I can not convey how very sick I am. 
I will condense the rest if I can:
Wed: RX given makes me ill (er) neck, eyes, temples HURT.
Thurs: pain med called in– this makes me ILL (ER) pain more intense also.
Fri: Keith takes me to Odessa ER( he wanted to take me to Dallas, but I could not go that far)
I have intense pain, photophobia, neck pain, vomiting, my blood vessels have collapsed, my blood pressure is low. – I tell them I usually have great veins, and I have been throwing up and eating and drinking little, I suggest my being dehydrated…  I pee very little in a cup and I get cat scan, a ‘concoction of pain meds via IV and a bag of fluids.  I do truly begin to feel some better.  The diagnosis, maybe a histamine headache.   I am pretty good the rest of the day, pain subsided, and I can eat and drink.
Sat: early AM– It is back.  no nausea this time.  Pain intense– Keith takes me back to Odessa.
New MD– Get his concoction which contains morphine and no fluids.  The veins are not there still.  The meds, cover the pain but I can tell still there, not feel too well.  I tell him I really do not feel that much result except ‘muffled’ pain.  Sent home, with diagnosis – some kind of headache. DUH.  This treatment lasted about 3 hours.
Sunday: Keith has talked to 2 people during week that suggest Scott and White.  He finds they have a ‘branch’ in Round Rock–We are on the road to Round Rock by 8AM- I try to eat a Popsicle in Sterling City– it was good till San Angelo. — We arrive in Round Rock about noon-Now my blood pressure is the highest it has ever been in my life. They hook me up to IV after much problem with finding veins. Give a ‘concoction’ again, then fluids, once the fluids start flowing I feel much better.  I explain to nurses and MD all the vein issues and how much better I feel with fluids, I think I have dehydration. Not listening.  I am talking to Lee about it on the mobile, Keith is hearing this too, so he goes out and suggests to MD that I may need another bag of fluids, since mine is almost out.  She asks if I have peed yet, nope– So she says- Great deduction- and adds a bag- 1/2 way through second bag I am great!! Starving too.–We get out I get a pizza around the corner( wheat, but food!) I shop at Ikea and go to Jamie’s(niece that lives very near) I bend over to pet Sadie(dog) and BAM, lightening bolts of pain shoot to head and ears roar– CRAP– it is back, I almost cry.  But then 4 min later it goes away– Not cured obviously, but I just wont bend my head quick… The rest of evening perfect.
Mon: Appt with Neurologist with S.W. clinic– follow up suggested by S.W. ER.– He is DWEEB.
he suggests cluster migraine, or something like– Pituitary tumor not an issue, it is small (but it is there so…?)He has a concoction it is the ‘best’ (NOT) –2 weeks of Prednisone-upper- (steroid)(start with 8 a day, work down to 1) Valium-downer- and compazine – to ‘keep it all in’.
Prognosis: Christy=Zombie.— I asked him what this was for, he said “Your headache” . I told him it was gone yesterday- so I asked “do I have a headache?” He said I did.– I did not take his concoction.
Later Monday I went about 30 minutes w/o a drink and the headache began again.  So I started drinking drinking drinking– The head ache went away.
I am learning the tricks– hydrate constantly, keep proteins high.  (I know, looks diabetic)
The Friday following I did get into my Dr. finally– he was most distressed that we had not gotten to him sooner– told us to be insistent and barge into office— Good to know-too late.
–After the long description of above: He had some theories: Definite dehydration-severe. Why still a problem, will figure out.  Toxicity from something: maybe the cement I have been working with, Cement Poisoning. Maybe a accumulation of much, cement poisening, some herbals I was taking reacting with the smoked/salted/fermented German food I ate, and my pituitary tumor reacting to being ‘used’ too much. 
My first blood work did have a high blood sugar, as well as a low prolactin.  The blood sugar again diabetes suggesting BUT, also pituitary as well as the prolactin.  My second, ‘starved’ blood take, brought on no symptoms, and we are all expecting normal blood sugar now.  MD is still in the mind of a toxic reaction to …   ?
So now? I seem better– but since not knowing the cause of the problem– I am being cautious.  Somewhat.  I must get back to work, with cement grinding.  I now wear a mask, gloves and my rubber boots. I hydrate. I eat 3meals with protein. I pray.
Speaking of prayers, my prayers changed a great deal during this ordeal.  From get me over this, to heal me, to just take me, NOW. In the midst of all though was my total thankfulness and awe over my dear sweet caring husband.   I know most of the time Keith acts as if he has little concern of anyone or anything.  He allows you to ‘come along’ as long as you do it right.   This is NOT always, Keith saw to all my needs, left his work, got a hotel room for my comfort, held my head, rubbed my back, made me drink, listened to me wail– thought too I might die.  And did not want it. 
As always, God gives us opportunity in midst of a trial. Mine was to see my husbands love.