#3

So, yes, indeed, as I suspected I will be having surgery 3# this year on Tuesday. This time, it's on my ear again. It's not my Dr.'s fist choice as a measure of treatment. The affective-ness of this surgery has gone from 70% success rate, to pretty much something most Dr.'s believe its just a placebo. (according to google). In other words, it works for some and it does not work for others, and if it does work, it might only work for a month, or it could work for years. Its different for everyone. This procedure will be similar to the first one I had where he will shave off some of the mastoid bone around the ear, do some other things that only Dr.'s know about, and this time he will put a shunt in. It's called Endolymphatic Shunt. I could tell by my conversation with my Dr., he would have preferred for me to do the Gentamicin injections which are 90% effective. I told him that the problem with the injections, are the side affects, and if my 3yr. old could make herself breakfast, then I might go along with it, but that isn't the case. He understood, having small children of his own, he could relate. Which I appreciate.

I figure that with the surgery, I have nothing to lose by giving it a try. The good news is that it will be 100% covered by insurance. I just had a feeling they would be calling me telling me I owe some ridiculous amount of money because they didn't want to cover this certain type of surgery because of some ridiculous reason. But they didn't!

It will be at the same surgery center as the last two, probably with the same two pre-op nurses I've had before. (what are the odds of that?)

I'm also glad I'm doing it now, and not waiting. I have a wedding to shoot on the 15th of October, and I am PRAYING I am fully recovered by then. I'm also glad I'm doing it now and not waiting until after the wedding. The pressure and ringing have been getting worse, in a way that its not subsiding. Even for a little bit during the day, and when it's constant like it is, the crummier I feel and the more likely I'll have an episode. Which I HAVE been having during the night. And one time during the day when I was at CCCCD taking a statistics exam. Pretty sure I failed because I had to guess on most of the answers so I could high-tail it out of there.

But, whatever. All you can do it move forward right?
I'm praying that this will put the whole thing to rest for a while, I know I'll always be dealing with this, but a break from it for a year or two would be nice.

My Dr. told me last time I saw him that he thinks I have Menieres because of an autoimmune problem. A bout a month ago I was reading on the internet that there is a link between people with Menieres who also have Thyroid disease. I nearly jumped out of bed. Of course none of this is a fact, but I thought very interesting how both became very apparent in a matter of a few months of each other. (That also could be another reason why I had trouble breast-feeding.) Looking back, I think that's why my Dr. sounded so intrigued when I told him I had a partial thyroid-ectamy. I think maybe that helps figure out just a little bit, why I have this "disease".

I will be typing a full report after recovery. We will see what happens next in the "Tara's Surgery Saga of 2011"

She's having a baby!

Last Tuesday I was able to drop Maddie off at preschool and head off to a Maternity shoot in McKinney. Tara is one of my best friends and we have known each other since I was a Sophomore in High school. In fact, here is a picture of us back then. I found this recently and laughed. We had found a neighborhood in Lukas were the name of the development is Tara and the names of the streets are names from Gone With the Wind. (I can quote this movie, along with Princess Bride, but that's for another time.) Anyways...We were super exited to find our names on something so large, since, it's not a very common name.



So, now, ten-ish years later, she is about to deliver their first baby girl in December. So, here are some of her maternity shots. To see more: www.taraedwardsphotography.blogspot.com

cRaZy DaY!

Today was the CRAZIEST of all the days. Its Thursday, so it was a preschool day, which was great, I would be able to get some studying done for my Statistics exam on Saturday. Its SUPPER hard to do homework and study when you have a little body in your house running to and fro wanting to play. I also had a Dr.'s appointment in Dallas at 2:30. It takes me 30 minutes to get there from my house, and preschool ends at 2:00. But, I thought, no worries, I'll just get there early for the pick-up line, have all snacks and entertainment for the waiting room all ready to go in the car and head strait from the school to the appointment. THEN, I remembered, today was the first day for Maddie's ballet class. At 4:00. oh dear.

Ok, so new plan. Pick Maddie up early from pre-school at 1:30, bring her home, change her into her leotard and tutu, grab snacks, entertainment (ipad) for the Dr's office, camera and ballet shoes for ballet. Go to Dr.'s appointment, pray that it doesn't take long, then make it back just in time for ballet.

Everything was good to go until I got into my car to pick Maddie up and it wouldn't turn over. ARE.YOU. KIDDING.ME? it worked fine this morning! (the check engine light had been on for a couple of days. oops) Luckily, my dad was turning into the neighborhood when I started to panic. He threw around some car lingo that I pretended to understand, and went onto thinking of a solution to my current problem.

New plan #2 take my dad's truck to pick up Maddie, (in Allen) get her home changed, grab my stuff, then have my dad take us to get Brian's car at work. (Richardson) I would take Brian's car to my appointment, (Dallas) then Maddie to Ballet, (Sachse) then back to pick Brian up from work (Richardson). And that is was I did. There was A LOT of driving involved.

Maddie was precious in Ballet. I could tell she was exhausted but she had fun.

(she's the one with the yellow bow)

First Position

Play time!

This past Sunday, Brian, Maddie and I got to go play at the park for the first time in a long time! In these past few months it seems like, we have been cooped up inside because of the heat. Poor Maddie hasn't been able to go to the park because the slides and swings have been radiating so much heat, you could almost see the steam. Not to mention the second we leave the house, without even making it to the car, sweat starts to poor down our foreheads. So, this summer, we did a lot of in-door playing.

Maddie was ecstatic when we suggested we go to the park that evening and play she did.

Waiting Patiently for daddy to gather his things.

We went to the small park near our house, but where ever there are slides, she's a happy camper.

Trying out the monkey bars

Maddie's First Day of Preschool

Tuesday was Maddie's first day of preschool. It was also the first day of preschool that I was not in the same building as her. It was the first time she didn't sit with me in Chapel, the first time we were not playing outside together or me being able to check-up on her when ever I felt like it.
It was a little bitter-sweet. She put on a small show when we dropped her off, wanting one more hug and kiss, and of course I oblidged. But, like what other several other mom's and dad's did that day, after many first-day photos, hugs and kisses, walked right back out the front door, and on to the tasks of the day. For Brian, who went with me to drop her off, went to work. Me? I had GLORIOUS moments of sheer silence. I went home, and did most things I normally do, but I did it in silence. I got to watch HGTV when I ate lunch, ran some errands and then, 2:00 p.m. came very quickly. I was excited to pick her up to see how her day went.

She looked SO big walking out to the pick-up line with her back-pack on her back. Her teacher said she had a great day and she came out of her shell quickly. Maddie also told me she had a good day when we got back in the car. She is excited about tomorrow, so I'm glad I made the right choice by keeping her in school. They will be learning and doing a lot this year and I am also excited to see how much she will be growing and little by little getting ready for Kindergarten.

I forgot to get a picture of her and her teachers, but here she is before we left the house Tuesday morning. I could not get a reasonable smile.

Baby Brylee Photoshoot

The other day, I decided to take baby Brylee and Maddie on an impromptu photo shoot. I originally wanted to shoot both Maddie and Brylee together, but that didn't work out so well, especially towards the end when both girls had decided it was time to move on to a different activity. We went just down the road a little bit where there is a very small community garden/pick-nick area with lots of nice trees for shade. We just went down there and played and took pictures. Both girls had a great time in the out doors. I feel like we have spent most of our summer in doors because of the heat, we all needed a change of scenery. The weather was nice and the breeze was great! Here are a few of my favorites of the day:
For more: www.taraedwardsphotography.blogspot.com