Update: Frankie

Emotionally: Lots better. I'm still not fully recovered from everything, but I am so in a better place. I still get weepy when I see old men in jeans with black tennis shoes. I cried the other night at our town parade when the WWII vets were driven by. I miss my Dad. Yet, life goes on and so have I. I trudged along like I was walking knee-deep in water, then got a little closer to the shore, and now I'm okay.

Computer: I am not on the computer every day anymore. I have kicked the habit. That was absolutely liberating. Now I'm looking for a good balance. I miss blogging and I miss my blogging friends. I still won't be on the computer every day, but I will every couple of days!

Health: Not so hot. I decided to take a chance and go to a new doctor. She and another quit the clinic that all other doctors belong to so they could start fresh. She had a great reputation and I finally got brave. Had a physical at the beginning of the month.

It was the appointment from hell--but I loved her. For once, a doctor listened to me! From the inception of this blog, I've been bitchin' about periods, pain, PMS, etc. I was always placated by my old doctor. Last time he said, "Why, I thought they were supposed to get better as you got older."

Not my new doc. She jumped on it. She asked me a series of questions and then right then and there did a cervical biopsy. That hurt like holy hell. I screamed out many times. I have cramped ever since. It was benign, thankfully. She also sent me down the hall where I had an ultrasound. I had a great tech who actually told me what she was seeing. She found three fibroids and an ovarian cyst. The cyst burst the next day and it hurt so bad. The tech said there were probably more fibroids that they couldn't see.

Back for blood work, then back to see the doctor. I was referred to an OBGYN. He visits our town every two weeks. I saw him last week. He was fantastic. He couldn't believe with my history (fibroid when I was 28) that I wasn't checked out years ago.

Anyway, he discussed the options. At that point I wanted to have a hysterectomy and be done with the whole bloody mess. He suggested an ablation instead. That's where they burn the lining of the uterus. So I'm going to do that. It's a same-day surgery with a short recovery. It's being set up right now, I need to check back.

I am scared to death of surgery, but I am so hopeful for relief. The pain has been horrible, which is typical with fibroids.

Projects: Right now I am trying to get finished with scanning the family photos. This is such a slow, tedious project. It is highly emotional. I'm getting there. I hope to be done in three weeks. I hope I'm done before surgery is set. This is my main focus right now.

School: I've got 8th grade planned out, just need to tweak. Will post our list soon, order the final books and map out our school year. Waiting on cash, as aside from our mortgage, we are debt free now. Don't know how the surgery will set us back, but we have good insurance. Hoping it's not too bad.

I am thinking of joining the homeschool group in the big city. The local group is made up of lovely women, but aside from one ice skating party this past year, they only do co-op. I am not interested in co-op. The big city does all kinds of things. Thomas needs to be around more kids than his friends, and I think it would be a great opportunity. If we go to the big city every now and again, that means I get to go to Taco Bell, too. lol Or if I'm feeling rich, maybe the Olive Garden! It's all about food for me! With his new desire to read all the time, access to a bookstore more frequently would be nice, too.

Travel: Have to visit my MIL sometime this summer. Also have our fun little weekend planned. By chance, I found out the riverboat ride I booked us for will be free for me because it's my birthday. I haven't spent a birthday with my husband in years. He won't mind because he won't have to get me a present. lol

That's about it.

All caught up. I will start blogging more. I really needed a break. I'm refreshed now.