Update as of 9/14/06

(Just a quick note. You can double click on most of the pictures to enlarge them. I just figured this out. Enjoy.)

The most difficult time of this summer has been the loss of a close friend through a accidental drug overdose. It has seemed that the entire summer has just been one chaotic time. Loosing this friend unexpectedly really just through me off kilter for a while.

Finally, Cindy and I took a much deserved break and went to Niagara Falls, Canada. We were originally going to Georgia, then her cousin died. She had to go to the funeral, so that changed our plans. Then we were going to the Jersey coast, but then the hurricane Earnesto came through. So, we went to my other favorite place. We went camping in the tent for several days and then stayed in a beautiful hotel overlooking the falls for two days.

On Sunday we were getting ready to head home. My central line started to come out. I contacted my nurse and she said to come home and call them. Unfortunately, things went from bad to worse and the area started bleeding. So, we had to go to Buffalo, New York to get treatment, or at least try to. That turned out to be a joke. We ended up leaving the hospital after almost 9 hours of no treatment. I am scheduled to have another line put in on the 19th of this month. These are the things memories are made of apparently.

Next week I have to go see my neurosurgeon about my back. I will be probably having some rather delicate back surgery on the base of my spinal canal due to a congenital birth defect that has started to affect my nerves in my low back, legs and feet. This appointment will also be on the 19th of this month after the surgery.

I have to keep postponing my lung specialist appointment. However, she said she definitely needed to talk to me about some of the test results. You know, it is my job to make the doctors work for their living! :O) My next appointment to see her is October 3rd unless someone cancels and I can get in earlier.

I am still going to school full time online and keeping up my 4.0GPA. I am very proud of this fact because it has come through a lot of trials and I have still made it. Next term, which starts in just a few weeks, I have taken on 5 extra credits to push the envelope a bit and see how well I do. Hopefully, I won't mess up my GPA by this foolishness. I just want to get finished as soon as possible. If I make it through that, I might add another 5 credits, which is basically unheard of, but hey, I like the challenges! So, time will tell, I suppose.

I am missing my friends in Utah, Georgia, other places in the country, and my friend Michelle, who is in Zambia as a missionary. She has only been gone about 5 months, but it seems like she has been gone forever. I feel lonely out here a lot because I really don't have a lot of friends excepts one or two besides Cindy and her family. I am thankful for the ones I have, though.

When you think of it, pray for my friend Lisa and her son "Celli" who is in the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, PA awaiting a lung transplant. It has been a long battle for them, but he is getting excellent treatment at CHOP and hopefully will have a lung transplant soon, but we want it in God's timing. He is doing better than he has in a long time and it is nice to see. Please pray for his mom, my friend Lisa, that she will stay strong and the Christians around her will continue to be a blessing and help to her. My friend, Kesha, went out there to help her with her youngest daughter Alycia who just started school. God has been so great in providing all their needs and it has been a blessing to see how God has taken care of them and blessed them and shown miracle after miracle to them.

One other thing I would like you to pray about is that I would be able to see my biological grandfather who lives in Champaign, IL and is in his late 80's. I really would like to see him again soon. I haven't heard from him in a while and I know his health is failing.

Soon Jack Frost will be nipping at my nose. The trees have begun to change their color and it has become cool here. We will close our pool soon. I don't particularly care for the winter and snow because I become literally house bound. This southern girl will not drive in the snow! But the fall is beautiful.

This year has flown by and I can't believe that so much has happened and it is almost over already. It is true that time goes by faster the older you get!

Well, I guess that is all for now.
I will update again soon.

Take care,
I love you all.

Helen
Psalm 121