Monica Walters (aka, girl from prev post)

I got this email this morning from my co-worker in Overland Park, things are looking up a little:



Good Morning, I hope everyone had a good weekend.


Monica is doing a little better every day. Saturday, they removed the tube from her throat and she was able to talk a little. Her throat is really irritated so talking is still a challenge. She was developing a fever which they expected but they have been able to control it. Her right arm has been swelling and she has complained about it hurting so they had it X-rayed yesterday but don't have the results yet. They were hoping to operate on her hips to get them set but she has started to have some lung problems. Her lungs are collapsing from the bottom up and they started breathing treatments and deep breathing exercises to get them pumped back up. She has to cough to get that done and with her soar throat, that is really painful. She had tests run yesterday to see how her lungs are responding and the doctor will discuss this with them this morning. According to the doctor, if they can get her lungs stabilized, they will operate on her hips ASAP. The doctors have said they have never seen so many fractures in the hips before. They will put her legs in a repetitive motion machine right away as well to keep her knees moving to help with flexibility and stiffness.


All-in-all, she's fighting. Her blood counts are good and the bleeding in her spleen has stopped so she will be better able to fight infection so they are hopeful that her organs will not start shutting down. Kidney function is good. If all goes well, they will try to get her out of ICU and into her own room by the end of the week.


Tina is really beat. The hospital gave them a room to use but unfortunately, they have filled up and they had to take the room back. That puts the family out in the ICU waiting room. Lot's of family and friends continue to support Tina and Bob so they are hanging in there.


Linda and David sent pizza on Saturday and Sunday, I delivered a cooler of water and goodies. M&M's make everyone feel better!


Tina wanted me to thank everyone for their support and prayers. She is certain it's helping and she really appreciates everything so much.


I'll be checking in again later today and will try to update you all again. If anyone would like to go see Tina, she would really love that. It's nice to see new and caring faces around there.
Have a great month-end and let me know if you need directions to the hospital.

My Thoughts for Friday

I think that almost everyone anticipates a long weekend. We all look forward to taking that extra day to sleep, rest, clean, or just be out of the normal realm of monotony. We get ourselves worked up making plans, buying things, and filling up the car. We stop working on the day before by 2pm or so just to let our minds wander to where ever we're going on the weekend.

My parents were in Maryville last night. Needless to say, my younger brother was ecstatic. He didn't get the group over that he wanted, but a few friends to coincide in his alleged activities. I watched and laughed most of the time, and didn't let anyone leave. I couldn't stop it, so may as well baby sit!

When I got to work this morning, I got a wake up call (it would have been literal, considering I stayed up past 1am, except it was an e-mail). My co-worker's--from a different branch of CLT-- daughter was hit by a drunk driver last night. She is in "very bad condition" according to the email, and we are instructed to keep them in out thoughts and prayers. I was thinking, "Wow, this has never happened to anyone I know." Her daughter either just graduated or is going to be a senior, I don't remember which she told me last time we talked. Wow...

Hands Off!!

So what do you do when you're late for work after dropping off your daughter and you need to get gas? Ok, so maybe you don't have a daughter, but when you're late and hungry and have to get gas or else you won't make it to work at all... What do you do?

I stopped to get gas and decided to grab a soda and something to eat. Mmm... Doughnut rack at Casey's. So I finished pumping my gas, grabbed my cash and marched inside like I own the place. I filled my drink then waited as an incredibly tall gentleman finished picking through the doughnut selection, another man got there after I did. I picked up a little wax paper thing to use to pick up a doughnut, then spotted the pre-wrapped blueberry muffins (which the Casey's on 7 hwy NEVER has!!), but before I could even attempt to shuffle things out of the way.... The waiting gentleman reached out and grabbed my 44 oz drink that I had set on the counter and moved it out of the way. What else was I supposed to say other than "Thank you," but I don't like people touching my stuff... I know he was being nice and courteous moving the drink so I wouldn't have to. OR he thought that I look like the type that would just leave it in the way as I attempted to open the cabinet and grab my doughnut. I was perplexed with out a smart answer as to what to tell this handsy sir. I am very possessive of my space and food one rule: don't touch! And I am grown up enough to move my own drinks and am a big girl and able to take care of my self, Thank You!! Ugh.

This was a fun little test to Take...

Your #1 Match: INFP

The Idealist You are creative with a great imagination, living in your own inner world.Open minded and accepting, you strive for harmony in your important relationships.It takes a long time for people to get to know you. You are hesitant to let people get close.But once you care for someone, you do everything you can to help them grow and develop. You would make an excellent writer, psychologist, or artist.

Your #2 Match: ENFP

The Inspirer You love being around people, and you are deeply committed to your friends.You are also unconventional, irreverant, and unimpressed by authority and rules.Incredibly perceptive, you can usually sense if someone has hidden motives.You use lots of colorful language and expressions. You're qutie the storyteller! You would make an excellent entrepreneur, politician, or journalist.

Your #3 Match: INTP

The Thinker You are analytical and logical - and on a quest to learn everything you can.Smart and complex, you always love a new intellectual challenge.Your biggest pet peeve is people who slow you down with trivial chit chat.A quiet maverick, you tend to ignore rules and authority whenever you feel like it. You would make an excellent mathematician, programmer, or professor.

Your #4 Match: ISFP

The Artist You are a gifted artist or musician (though your talents may be dormant right now).You enjoy spending your free time in nature, and you are good with animals and children.Simply put, you enjoy bueaty in all its forms and live for the simple pleasures in life.Gentle, sensitive, and compassionate - you are good at recognizing people's unspoken needs. You would make a good veterinarian, pediatrician, or composer.

What's" Your Personality Type?

3 1/2 hours of sleep...

And going strong. As some of you may know, my "little" brother's graduation is Saturday. I am very excited for him that he made it (despite a HORRIBLE case of senioritis and being allowed to party his a$$ off by certain partents). So Tuesday night my mom has a wonderful idea... here's what "went down":

Mom: David, can you do a slide show like you did for [so and so]'s birthday for Saturday?

Dad: Well, I don't know when I'll have time to get it done... I have other things to do...

Mom: Well, I'd really like to have one running during the open house...

Silence. Both heads turn to the gulping noise in my throat.

Rachel: ok... I'll scan some pictures...

And after five hours of solid scanning and trying to find baby pictures, toddler pictures, grade school pictures, junior high pictures, sports pictures, prom pictures and then scanning all 100+ of them into the computer, editing them, and moving them to our outstanding movie maker program, I'm still not completely finished, but a he** of a lot closer than I was and completely pooped. I worked on it from 7 to midnight last night. Thank goodness Hannah came over to help with Madeline. That was a huge, HUGE relief. I would have been up all night if it hadn't been for her. But Miss Mad didn't sleep well, and we were supposed to be up around 5:30 this morning.... ugh.

But a liter of Dr. Pepper and a bag of peanut butter M&M's will keep me awake all day, right?

Birthday Party, for party animals

I made a little cake, covered it in white icing and pink writing and flowers. It was cute and so much fun. I was very happy to see everyone there on Saturday... I will get the pictures posted ASAP, but I have to get them from the camera and email them to myself, etc. I could be awhile, in fact it may be Friday since I have that day off work. I will strive for sooner than that.

Miss Maddie is now facing forward in my car... I think she really likes it too, now I just have to figure out if she's actually comfortable when she falls asleep.

New Pictures, New Pictues

Check out the New Pictures of Maddie in the photo album!! They're super cute!!

And they're really there!! I checked!!

So can I worry? And not feel silly for worrying?

My grandpa is recovering well. He's staying home and staying as busy as one can in a house... I think that he still goes outside to "help" the farm hands (i.e. stand there watch and give direction). He starts radiation on Friday. He'll go everyday for 6 weeks or something like that. It will be pretty intense, but I think that he'll do well. He's strong and maybe a little stubborn, not that that trait would run in the family. Hee hee. So he's ok, that's what I'm told.

I have another relative that I am more worried about, but she won't let me in to know whether or not she is worried. She went in for her routine boob squeeze (that I had to talk her into, she hasn't been for a couple of years and is over 50, and supposed to go every year). They called her back for another one. Not because she breathed wrong or anything. She saw the pictures and has what the doctor called "calcifications." She has to go in for a biopsy sometime soon. They didn't tell her whether or not it could really be cancer cells or just "calcifications." I don't know whether or not to be worried about her or to just sit back. It's my mom. What would you do?

Poetic Lately

So, note, for future reference for anyone reading this who doesn't have children. If they are sick, you cannot be. And if they are sick, you cannot sleep. If they have a fever, they will look pitiful and cute (but they will only want you!). Yes, Maddie has a fever, no, I don't know what's wrong with her, yes I would rather be at home with her, but, no, I am not. I think she's teething and playing hookie with grandma! ;)


I just wanted to post this, it's not great, but it means something to me...

To My Friends

They have been there, because they are true friends

Wild days of red hair and fast cars,

loud music, boys and sneaking into bars.

You watched and let me go, to learn

You were a steady flame, watched me burn

As I burned the years away... Youth and fun

Trying to enjoy life, now I need to run.

You were always there, just to listen,

Pretend to understand, and watch my wishin'

I wished to make an impression of me

Let everyone know who I was, you see

You knew it was a phase, how'd you know?

That I'd grow up, know where life'd go?

You're my same age, no older younger, same.

But you knew where that road'ld go... Flames

So here I am, single and alone, but not alone

A mommy, a worker, but the love you've shown

Never lets me down. Thanks for letting me grow

And as always, Thanks for the love you show.

To Danielle, Jessica, Hannah, Emily, and Danielle W. For all the years and all the memories. You gals are great.

No reason, just feeling creative lately. It must be the GREAT weather. Really. I'm super excited about the sunshine and warm weather.

This week

On Monday when I wrote that poem, the creepy Mr. E was supposed to come in to talk to our closer about title work, but he never showed. So today, I'm minding my own business and who pops in the door? Creepy Mr. E!! He apologized for missing the afore mentioned appointment, and wanted to reschedule. Ew. Now I have to see him two times. At least his meeting's not with me!!

It's half-way through the week, and that means finals at UMKC are almost over so some people will start getting into the swing of "summer," whatever that means anymore. I guess, just work! Good luck to everyone on their finals... You'll do great, and you know it! :)