Baby Girl

This will probably be my last post for about a week, as we're leaving tomorrow to head up to PA. Not sure what all we'll get into up there, but I do know that Thursday, I'll be heading to Hershey Medical Center for my appointment. Please keep me/us in your prayers as we go thru another doc's appointment.... who knows, mayber they'll find something up there that's been missed in the past.

Big Decision

This morning I made a huge decision.... since I'm not getting any better that I can tell, and I'm constantly having to call in sick for work, I called this morning and had them take me out of service. This probably doesn't make much sense to most of you, but it's basically like being laid off.... only it's for medical reasons, so it's not quite as bad as it sounds.... but it's also something I wish I didn't have to do. What this means is I can draw sick benefits, which pays a set amount of money each day, and this will probably add up to more than I'm making just working a couple days here and there. I won't lose any seniority or anything, it's just when I'm better, I'll have to go thru the medical department to get put back in service. It was a tough decision, but something that kept popping up in my mind that maybe I should go ahead and do it. So now I just ask that you'll continue to pray that my doctors will be able to figure something out and I'll be able to be back and working regularly soon!

Pic of the Day, and a little update.

I should mention that some of my shots you may have seen already, depending on whether you've viewed my facebook or flickr pages.... so apologies for posting reruns if you've already seen them.

A bit of an update.... today I went to see an opthalmologist to have my eyes checked. I had my regular eye exam back in December, but I wanted to make sure that everything looked OK, since sometimes my headaches get worse as I'm driving, and other assorted duties. Of course, everything looks fine.... nothing wrong with my eyes.

When I got home today, I had a letter from Penn State's Hershey Medical Center in PA, reminding me that I had an appointment on June 5th with them. Ummmm what??? Some of you may remember that this was one of my first choices to go to, but they are pretty selective about who they take in, so after I went to UVA, I kinda forgot about them. But it seems as though they've looked over my files and have decided to see me, now the question is, do I go ahead and go up there as well as see my doc at UVA or what??? The thing that's got me leaning towards going is that Stephanie, Mia and myself were going to be in PA the beginning of next week, so I would be up there..... that's a wild coincedence, or it's God telling me to stay a couple extra days and go to Hershey. I'd love to hear y'alls opinions about whether I should keep the appt. or cancel it. I'm still planning on having the spinal tap at UVA on the 23rd.....

Hit that comment link or shoot me an e-mail with your thoughts.

Train Watching

I've decided that since I don't always have enough to say each and every day to warrant typing out a blog entry, I may jump on the wagon and post just a picture or 2 when there aren't really any updates......

Memorial Day Funtivities

Some people call me Chris, others call me ToT, but you can call me the Train Station....

Ahhh holidays.... paid holidays.... feels nice to be at home or wherever, spending time with the fam, and knowing that you're getting paid to do it. Feels good to me anyways.... I'll take free money just about any time I can get it.

Anyhoo, it had been the plan since about Thursday or Friday of last week, that today (since we were all off from work) that we were going to do a little outing. The choices were to either go to Natural Bridge to the Safari Park, or go to the N.C. Zoo in Asheboro..... we decided on Asheboro, but as the day drew nearer, family members started dropping out for various reasons, so it was just going to be Stephanie, Mia and myself going. So the plan was to get up early and head down to the zoo, getting there not long after it opened.... well needless to say, as we're not morning people, this didn't happen.... at all.... we decided not to go.

Mommy and Mia stop for a rest on the tiger sculpture

But as the morning wasted away, we decided we needed to get out of the house and do something fun, so we decided to head to the Mill Mountain Zoo in Roanoke. It was a good trip all in all, although it didn't provide for great pictures because of the cages surrounding the animals.... I mean sure, they have to be in cages, but I guess I was used to the NC Zoo and how the animals have lots of room to roam around, and you can get pretty good shots of whatever you want. Also, just so I can get this out... admission to the MM Zoo is $7.12.... what a weird price right??? Sorry, just needed to say that one more time today.

Self portrait in the fun-house style mirror.... freak....

Stephanie and Mia rode the Zoo Choo.... you can see them on the next to rear car.... they wouldn't let me drive....and yes, I did actually ask if I could.... I mean come on! I can drive the real thing, why not the mini-loco????

So anyways, we had a good time and I got some pretty cool shots, although mostly of stuff that isn't an animal....

Also I might mention that it was HOTTER than Hades today walking around.... which is why when we got home we put Mia in her bathing suit and let her jump into her pool for the first time..... she loved it! My little girl is growing up! yipes! Next thing you know I'll be sitting and cleaning my shotgun as her first little boyfriend comes to pick her up for a date.....

Yet Another Change

Well I'm not gonna lie, the past several days have been rough.... I was headache free on Friday, down on Sat and Sun. with pretty bad ones, again with headaches on Mon, Tues and today, although I did make it thru work today.... So anyways, as I'm sitting at work this morning my boss comes down to the shanty (yes, a shanty... it's what we call it) and says hey to the workers... as he's leaving he says "ToT, (that's what they call me at work) come by my office this evening when you get off and talk to me." sonofa.... i know what it's about, it's gonna be about my work record.... and I won't BS ya, it's a bad work record. So I promptly call Stephanie and have her call UVA and find out what the deal is with them. Well, after searching thru the computer and not finding anything, finally they come across my file and yeah, I'm scheduled to have a spinal tap on June 23rd.... Thanks for calling me UVA!

Anyways, so this evening rolls around and I go to meet with my boss. He asks me how things are going headache wise and I tell him the truth.... still every day. Luckily I have a nice boss who's working with me thru all this, I had been keeping him updated on my situation in the past, but since much hadn't changed, I had kinda slacked off.... anyways, he just wanted me to bring in some doctor's notes and what not so he'd have something to show for my absences. Here I was, pretty much thinking all day that I was going to be taken out of service for who knows how long.... but thank God it went a lot better than that. Although to be honest, it would almost be better for me/my family if I was taken out of service, because then I could claim sick benefits/unemployment and would actually make more than I'm making now by only working a couple of days a week(if that many).

So that's the latest.... I'm still trusting God to heal me, I just think I should also bring the doctors in on all this and see what we can find out..... especially since it's easier to get a doctor's note than a God's note.

You can continue to pray for wisdom and insight for my doctors and also that I make wise decisions in all that I do.

The First Days

So Friday, it became official..... No call back from UVA, and no medicines.... or I should say, less medicines than usual. There are some pills that I still need to take for things other than my headaches.... my thyroid meds for instance, yeah, I only have one side of my thyroid.....

Well my first day went great.... Made it to work on Friday, and amazingly stayed headache free the entire day.... the next few days however were completely different. I missed work Saturday and Sunday because of waking up with headaches, and then today I'm off from work, and awoke with a pretty bad headache as well. So we'll just have to see how my days continue to go..... I know relief won't be instant, and I still trust God to heal me in time.

As usual this photo has nothing to do with my post, I just took it the other day and now I wonder what my neighbors must think when they see me wandering around our yard with no less than 3 different cameras hanging off around my arms and neck.... psycho....