My Trip to Fort Jackson, SC

There are times in your life where you know that you know things. Such as there is war in the Middle East. Men and women, children are dying in this war. Military personnel and civilians. We all know that. How personally has it hit you that a member of the armed forces has died?

When we went to South Carolina to see Michael graduate, naturally we left out of the DFW Airport. As we were going through security, we came upon and intermingled with about 6 Air Force soldiers in their Class A uniforms. I had one to my right and one to my left. I was so excited to see Michael graduate that I had chatted up a storm to the soldier on my right.

I asked, "Where are you headed?"

Him: "I wish I could tell you we were going to have a blast. We're not, though."

Me: "Are you shipping to Afghanistan?"

Him: "No, ma'am. We're escorting one of our own home. We all here, in this group, stayed with him until the very end. Two of us will escort him all the way home to Baltimore. The rest of us are here for the ceremony at the aircraft."

The tears came immediately. Then the soft sobs.

Me: "I'm so very sorry."

The last thing I said that was intelligable was, "Thank you for what you've done for us."

I'm not sure why I get so emotional when it comes to patriotic events. It could be a parade, it could be the 4th of July. It could be Veteran's Day. It doesn't matter how many times I've seen soldiers in the DFW airport, I cry.

This day, I couldn't control myself.

I walked over to the chair where Greg was getting his shoes put on and he looked at me with the most puzzled look on his face. He couldn't figure out what made me cry so hard. It took me nearly 30 before I could tell what I'd just experienced. All he could do was hug me.

The thought that was going through my head continuously was, "Oh Dear Lord, please keep his family close to you. They are going to need your guidance." I also realized that here we are, Greg, Shane, Kelci and myself are going to watch our oldest son, brother and boyfriend graduate from BCT at Fort Jackson, SC. We are going to SEE him graduate. We get to hug him. We get to see him smile. We get to laugh and create more memories.

This Air Force Soldier's family is going to see their son in a different light. Somehow it hit me like a medicine ball in the gut and made my stomach not feel so well.

Michael will graduate from AIT as a combat medic (68w). There is a better than great chance he will go to Afghanistan. Talk about reality striking at a moments notice.

Did this prevent us (me, especially) from making memories in Fort Jackson, SC? Nope. I can feel deep sorrow for another's loss while at the same time relish in the pride of Michael's accomplishments. This is what we face when we have a child or relative in the military during war time. Just remember to hug a little tighter, don't go to sleep mad and remember to pray at every spare moment.

It can all change so quickly.

That was just the beginning of our journey. There are so many other stories to tell.

Random farts and the like

Hi Everyone! I'm sorry I've been bad about keeping in touch. There are way too many things going on to be able to keep up frequently anymore. Please forgive me!

This is my thought for the day....gotta love Jeff.

I had my root canal yesterday. The procedure itself went off without a hitch, but needless to say the aftermath sure leaves a lot to be desired. The left side of my face is swollen unbelievably. I can't open my mouth more than to take a drink. What a way to spend my weekend, huh? Kinda sorta stinks.

We leave for South Carolina on the 19th for BCT graduation. Am very excited to go, needless to say. Michael's girlfriend is going with us. Right after that school starts for Shane's Junior year.

Michael's girlfriend's father fell and hit his knee on the curb. He's on crutches for a while.

Shane just got back from TN from visiting with his grandparents. Now he has lawns to mow, work to do and chores to catch up on.

Rob will have dentures come the 21st - FINALLY!!

Thanksgiving may be a big holiday for us here this year. Keep your fingers crossed!

Love yas. Stay safe and be happy.

Moving Along........

I actually watch zero reality tv because as far as I'm concerned, it's not real.

Until

The Next Food Network Star.

I'm ticked that Jamika has been voted off when Debbie should have been gone 2 weeks ago. Debbie cannot, will not and has NOT taken responsibility for her wrongs. I've got a problem with that.

Even though I have been wrong, I have apologized. I can't help it if the apology is not accepted.

Debbie?

Go Home.

Sincerely,

Nancy.

I wonder........

How can the ex-wife determine all on her own that the kids have no father?

Can you explain that to me?

Go Here

You won't be sorry. I promise.

http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/Battle%20Hymn/index.htm

I'm in Pain

I often wonder what ER docs think of patients that come in and complain of pain. Seriously. I'm not one to complain about being in pain for any reason, but when I ask my husband to take me to the ER because I'm in pain, it's going to be a pain level that can't register on any 1-10 scale.

Last night was one of those nights. It has been progressing for a while. I've been staving of some sort of illness. I'd start with symptoms of a sinus infection. It'd go away. I'd feel like I was getting an earache. It'd go away. My throat would start to hurt. It'd go away. See a pattern here?

Well this last week, these symptoms have returned and weren't so willing to go away. The new area of pain is my upper left quadrant of my mouth. Not one tooth in particular hurt. The whole quadrant did. Until Thursday. The pain became focused on my top left molar. ALLLLLLLLL the way in the back, of course. Couldn't bite. Couldn't hold my mouth completely closed. If my teeth tapped, it would send me to the moon.

I first made an appointment with the dentist. 24 hours later, I changed it and made an appointment with the doctor because the pain in my ear, sinuses and throat was worse than the pain in my tooth. I left work on Thursday and went right to the doc's office. Both ears are infected, have strep and a sinus infection. Like I was shocked.

Friday morning I woke with pain in my tooth like I've never had before. I'm anal about keeping my mouth taken care of b/c I hate going to the dentist so much. I floss, I brush, I do all we're supposed to do for mouth health. My wonderful dentist fit me in to take a gander.

He took an xray.

He tapped.

He pushed.

He pulled.

It all hurt like you wouldn't believe. Poor Greg's hand was going to be crushed if the doc couldn't find a reason for this pain. Nothing he did, not even the xray showed the sourse of such pain in my mouth. He gave me another antibiotic as well as a pain pill. Hydrocodone 7.5. I don't like taking pain pills. Towards the end of her life, my mother was addicted. I saw what it had done to her and I wanted to parts of it. So I have a fear of pain meds almost as bad as my fear of dentists.

Well last night (Saturday), the pain was so over the top that I was shaking and crying. I finally gave in and asked Greg to take me to the ER. When you sign in to be triaged they ask what your complaint is. What was my complaint? Pain? Most people go to the ER for pain, right? Most people are in some sort of pain for whatever underlying reason, right? I felt the need to pinpoint the pain. I put "Mouth Pain". As if that is going to get attention quicker. Once I handed my clipboard over, I felt so stupid for sitting there. I couldn't bring myself to leave, though. The pain was THAT intense.

The long and short of it is #1 the ER doc had the coolest last name. We chatted about his name for a few minutes. It put me at ease. #2 The area where I was in the ER was separated by curtains only. EVERY SINGLE person in there complained of pain for one reason or another. #3 the ER doc couldn't find an underlying reason for the amount of pain I was in any more than my family doctor nor my dentist could.

Ask me what his instructions were...C'mon......ask me......

His instructions were to double the pain medications every 6 hours and he added another antibiotic.

Double the pain meds? Are you kidding me, I asked him? He asked me if one is helping. I told him no. Not even touching the pain. He gave me a comforting hand on the shoulder, looked me in the eye and said, "You're far from a drug addict, Nancy. You need the pain relief. It's ok to take 2x the dose your dentist gave you. Quit taking it by Monday evening." I looked at Greg as if to get his approval, too. He gave me 'THE' nod. It was ok.

Guess what?

I've doubled the dose and am in considerably less pain. I go back to see my doc tomorrow. I can feel a difference in the swelling in my mouth. It's still 'touchy', but tolerable.

I still do not like pain pills. I don't like the way they make me feel. Don't have to worry about me becoming an addict. Besides, they make me itch. What's up with that?

ttfn...

Of Course I Said Yes. Silly.

Yes. Shane's hair is blue.

Why?

Because the baseball team did it.

I'm really surprised that the folks that ask me if I 'let him' do it. They were SHOCKED.

Of course I did. Isn't there worse things in life than blue hair that eventually turns green after having your hair bleached 'orange' first?

Of course there's worse things. Blue hair isn't a 'worse' thing.

Honest. It's not.

^Shane being a smart aleck for the camera.
Kelci and Shane. They made a S'mores cookie for the weekend company. Kelci spent the nite Friday nite. Kelci is Michael's girlfriend. Not Shane's.

He almost looks thoughtful, doesn't he? I think he needs to poop.

Remember one important thing. It's only hair.

It'll grow back.