Good Season Lake Mohave…Thank You!

Katherine’s Landing @ Lake Mohave NV… 
nice and calm on a Saturday afternoon in September (on the 2nd day of Fall)…

This past weekend we decided to take our last river trip of the year.  Unfortunately we didn’t get to spend as much time there as we would have liked with the boat overhaul that took place this summer. We repaired, updated and overhauled a bunch of stuff on the boat this year and time only left a few trips this year.  And being that its now September and everyone is back to work, weekends aren’t as easy to get away for. But the Harp’s, Hudson’s and Cilderman’s all came out for the fun time!

We took Friday off work and headed out Thursday evening…which gave us 2 FULL days on the water. Was awesome!  Not many people can say they spent their first day of Autumn in 100+ degree weather, relaxing on a raft with amazing friends and family!!

Owen found napping on the boat easy…thank goodness he was able to catch a quick nap to recharge those batteries.

On Saturday we found a quiet cove to let anyone who wanted to jump off the boat (for a picture opt…b/c on Friday evening little Payton jumped off the roof by herself and no one had a camera…what the heck). So the big boys jumped from the roof and the kids jumped from the side…Payton wasn’t as brave that day!

I was SHOCKED that our Owen actually asked to put his lifejacket on and jump off…he is NOT a crazy boy like that…but he totally stepped up and did it! One jump was plenty for Owen but it was awesome…I was so proud of him! Payton, Tate and Jaxon jumped a good few times…Ryry decided to wait until next summer to show Baby Brynn how!

So we spent our last day on the beach and I will say I enjoyed every minute of it…broken foot and all! haha

Owen caught his first fish thanks to Trav…he wasn’t into touching it or anything but stood there long enough for the picture!!! Was so cute!  And OF course on our way back to the dock at the end of the day Owen always PASSES THE HECK OUT…dead to the world…but I love it. Only times he sleeps with me these days…so I enjoy every second of it…and take pictures of him to embarrass him with for the rest of his life haha.

We love going to the lake and are so thankful that my in-laws purchased this boat 10 years ago and allow us to use it as we want! Thank you Al & Marilyn…all the memories that have been made there and will continue to be made are cherished by many!

So another summer officially over…See ya later “Betty” (that’s the name I’ve given the boat…since we took Betty Laughlin’s slip at the dock I thought it fit for our boat name…its not official BUT I like it heehee)

…Until next summer!!!

PS. Owen was so not thrilled to have to be leaving the boat…he loves being on the “wake” as he says it…

 

 

<-----My grumpy boy after 2 glorious days on the lake!

Kaiser Week Continues

I thought our week of being at Kaiser all the time was over…but I was wrong!!!

Poor little Owen has had a cold that he just can’t seem to kick! Last week he had a fever on Monday & Tuesday…but it went away. In his typical fashion he wasn’t acting sick or anything…so life resumed as usual. Then on our way to Laughlin Thursday evening Owen had a horrible cough, which he did not have when I brought him to Mom’s in the morning…it just appeared during the day at some point! By Saturday there was a runny nose and the yucky cough persisted!  So yesterday when I picked him up from the babysitters I noticed the cough was still hanging around AND his little chest sounded rattily when he’d breathe.  Last time he sounded like this was in June and he had an ear infection, bronchitis and had to have TWO breathing treatments. So I made a same day appt and Owen and I headed to Kaiser after dinner.  And the verdict was….no pneumonia since the fever went away…no ear infection but he did have an upper respiratory infection and asthma that is flared with the cold. I knew that our children had a very high chance of being asthmatic since Yosh and myself both suffer with it…so Owen is just another asthma geek added to the family ::tear tear::. Makes me a little sad…but know its totally not the end of the world..

Thank goodness for free downloadable kid games on my droid..total lifesaver!!!

So after a breathing treatment..30 minute wait in the pharmacy for his steroids we headed home. Owen was exhausted…and so was Mommy!

THEN Today I had an appointment with the podiatrist.  When they called to make the appt they made it sound very urgent to get my foot seen…so it made me a little nervous. A few people have told me that when they fractured their metatarsal they had to have surgery…so I was freakin’ out a little bit!  I went in and had the cast removed for weight barring x-rays of both my feet. The doctor was very nice and told me that she thought the ligament in my foot was torn, which would have required surgery but it was totally ok! THANK YOU GEEEEEZUS! 

 

       Finally luck was on my side! 

So I have a follow-up with the foot doctor at the end of October..her instructions were to PROMISE her that I’d wear the CamBoot instead of casting me again. I pinky promised her. ZERO weight on the foot for 3 weeks then slowly progress into walking. I’m seriously gonna listen to instructions this time b/c this foot HAS to be back to dancing shape for our Ireland trip in December!!  So I’m very happy to be able to shower like a normal human being again (my “non-normal” showering only last 2 days…haha) the boot IS allowed off for showers only!

So I’m hoping our Kaiser visits slow a bit until my appointments at the end of October!!  Everyone needs to stay happy & healthy darnit! haha

Now I must go and rent my Knee-Walker so my arm-pits are raw for the next month!!!

Kaiser kinda week!

Where do I start….I had a pretty crazy week last week! My darn foot was still getting on my nerves…but I was obeying the doctors orders and starting to put light pressure on it as the week progressed!  Coincidentally, I had an appt with my family physician to have a planters wart frozen off my toe (I know gross but hey what can I do?) on Wednesday. My family doc is amazing, Dr. Delo…he’s been with us (my family) for many many years and truly cares about us! He caught mom’s breast cancer, my cancer, deals with our depression issues after Paul, and seriously treats us like the royal family…he’s amazing!! So to make a very long story short he made me get my foot re-x-rayed to find that I in fact did NOT have a severely sprained foot…I have a freakin’ fractured metatarsal! That’s NOT what I wanted to hear. He ordered me to go to the Ontario/Vineyard or Fontana Kaiser immediately to have it casted in a REAL, non-weight barring cast for 4-6 weeks! Totally bummed…especially since we had our last river trip of the year planned.  Yosh talked me into waiting to get it casted until we got back from Laughlin…heck I did walk a 5k at Light the Night…3 more days castless wouldn’t hurt right?! haha  So today when we got home from Laughlin I made my way to Kaiser to get my cast…bummer! This girl will be takin’ it easy for the next couple of weeks.  I’m currently looking into renting a “knee walker” so I can get around a little easier (check out the link…I’ll be like one of those hot old ladies on one!! haha)

It was a total Kaiser kinda week…Just so happens both my doctor appts were scheduled this week…my family doc on Wednesday w/ Delo and my regular oncology check-up on Thursday. I love my Dr. Chan appts…he goes over my blood tests w/ me, chats, makes sure I’m healthy and sends me on my way. I love it. This trip he of course asked what happened to my foot…so I told him the embarrassing story of falling while dancing at a bar. He told me that he was seriously very happy to hear that (hahahaha how funny is that)…he likes to hear about me continuing to live a fun, happy life post-cancer…he said that he was proud of me and proud that I was living a fulfilling life! haha I thought that was kinda awesome! AND he also graduated me to 6 month check-ups. Pretty stoked! No longer going every 3 months…now its every 6 months…before I know it I’ll only be going annually! Saaweeaaat! So next oncology check-up is the big 2 year…can’t wait!

More later about our last river trip of the year!

2011 Light The Night

With my life being very chaotic this week, with being on crutches, in and out of jury duty, and trying to write a 5 page paper for my Educational Governance class, I was also trying to prep for our Light The Night walk at Angels Stadium.  The doctor at the ER told me that I wouldn’t probably be walking in this event with my foot, BUT I was determined to make it happen.  The plan all week was going to be that Owen and myself were going to be pulled in our big wagon…but I’m  waaaaay to much of a control freak to let someone wheel me around! haha  I was giving my foot lots of TLC all week…

  I was doing the elevate, ice and rest as MUCH as I possibly could all week!
<---- Even at work I was having the athletic trainer hook me up with treatment (this pic of of some ice compression machine thingy)
And I think all the rest was successful. I was able to walk/hobble at Light The Night with the assistance of ONE crutch and a 800mg ibuprofen.

 

 

This year I figured that Owen was old enough to enjoy the whole Light the Night thing…and of course I had to get him an appropriate shirt for the event.  It says “I Wear Violet for my Mommy” …my littlest supporter…and I love him so!

 

 

 

Our annual team picture….Carin’ For Erin 2011

From Left to Right: Erin Gonzales, Taryn Gerke, Anna Cabral, Nichole Lindersmith, Donnita Lindersmith, Erika Paul, Bernie Gallagher, Jamie Newman Bottom: Addison Gerke, ME and Owen!

Lets take a peek at  last years team…

2010 Team: Me, Anna, Nichole, Sandi Newman, Donnita, Erika, Jamie, Gabby & Bernie

Missing a few…added a few…and hopefully for years to come we just continue to add more and more to our Carin’ For Erin team! I love this group of women…they come from all walks of my life…old, new, family, etc. All very amazing and love in their own special way.  Actually this year we discussed possibly opening the team up to men next year…this is a total family even, so why not let the hubbies join in on the fun next year!?!?  So boys…get ready…you’re all coming next year. We also decided that we need to “tail-gate” PG style next year as well…set up a little camp and make a day out of it!! It would be so fun!  And we all had fun decorating our shirts too…

Owen, Addi and Bernie kept us entertained with some parking lot dance moves…

 

 

We couldn’t hear much of the introduction, but I did hear a few things…1) Light The Night had over 200 walks in the U.S. 2) They raised over 45 million dollars for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and 3) They called us Carin’ for Ellen! booooooo I’m gonna write an official complaint letter! hahaha j/k

Owen had fun “sitting on Nana’s head” (that’s what he calls sitting on someone’s shoulders!") haha while waiting for our turn to get walking.

 

 

 

Red balloons are supports, gold balloons are In Memory of….and white are Survivors!

I think the walk was bigger this year than last…and I also think it was better organized and more walker friendly!  Thanks ladies for always supporting me and this amazing cause!

And ps my foot wasn’t too too sore this morning when I woke up!