The LAST of the Old Vine... :(

The Old Vine

Just a few pictures before it turns into The (new) Vine:

Long Lost Friends

Mer and Sarah came all the way from Philly to visit me on Sunday. The last time we saw each other was about 9 years ago... We have not changed a bit!

New Backyard

No poison ivy, I swear!!!



Seating for 5

















New Front Yard

BBQ

Susan - "hmmm, just like ikea furniture"



Susan - "Brownies are ready!!"






Susan - "Are we done YET?!?! Im starving!"

Springtime!

Georgy porgy inspecting the flowers and posing for a picture with his rock buddy.
Mike using power tools!
Pink bubbly and yard work go hand in hand.

Federal Hill Facts

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My portrait at the Kohl Wedding.

Coumadin Saga Continued...

Today was supposed to include a short visit to Hopkins: get blood taken, wait for results, leave. I hurried the process and we left early, so then we had to go back!?!?! My coumadin levels needed to be retested. This time we waited for the results: 5.3. It is supposed to be between 2 and 3.... Last Monday it was only 1.9.... I made excellent progress and they will prick me again on Thursday. I am officially afraid of needles!

While waiting for all of these results, I took advantage of the time to tour the Hospital. Everyone else gets to walk around, but I was always stuck in one room for treatment. I was able to walk through the original Main Building.



It made me recall the HBO movie Something the Lord Made:

"based on the true story of two unlikely partners – a black lab technician and a prominent white surgeon – who together in one famous operation at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in the racially segregated 1940s ushered in the era of heart surgery. Their unusual, poignant and sometimes stormy partnership did more than challenge the medical establishment; it challenged the social establishment of the day."




A portrait of
Vivien Thomas hangs in the Blalock building, where my port was installed.

3 days and $75 later...

I finished my taxes! Yeah! 4 days ahead of schedule!

Thank you Turbo tax!

April Showers bring...

April Flowers!

Missing Something?

Day 10...

A more 'metropolitan' way to fend off criminals...."

A good friend introduced me to the most beautiful pepper spray container I have ever seen: PepperFace.com

The cast of My Name is Earl is participating in a celebrity action.

Joe Wilson Look Out

And Stay AWAY from my Yogurt!


I got a blender! It makes smoothies! No, I have not put tomatoes in yet.... Soon. Let me know if you have any recipe suggestions.








today's recipe:

Orange Juice
1 banana
1 green apple
1 fiji apple
9 frozen strawberries
some frozen blueberries I found in the freezer

Barren Backyard

We have a nice size backyard. Last year Mike slaughtered the Poison Ivy Tree. This year he is planting new life.



He found some vines at Sam's Club: Grapes, Blueberries, Blackberries and Raspberries



Day 1



Day 6

2.2 INR

No more lovenox shots!

My blood was drawn again yesterday and I waited hours pacing the waiting room for the results. When the nurse told me she had the results, she asked "what range did the doctor want your INR to be in before stopping the shots". I said, "you tell me what number I got and I will tell you what range". All the other nurses laughed and she said,"I told you she was smart". I was not going home with anymore shots! Luckily 2.2 is within the 2-3 range that the doctor wanted. See, the good doctor is on vacation, so she was not there to speak for herself....

http://www.yogatoday.com/

I did down dog last night for the first time in MONTHS!!!

Thank you Ann!

Yoga Today

Cheese Mavin

Come get to know her this Saturday, March 24th from 12pm - 3pm at 1137 South Charles Street!

Whant to do Shots? NO!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday I went back to Hopkins to check out a swelling in my neck. They said it was probably just a structural change in the tumor and it probably was not a blood clot because that would be on the same side as my port. This swelling was not on the same side as my port. After many medical professionals felt my neck I was sent for a CT Scan. It showed a blood clot! Who knew I was capable of getting a blood clot? Apparently the tumor wrapped itself around my little vein and slowed the blood flow back to the heart. The blood got tired of sitting around and started to clot. So now I am on Coumadin, but it takes a few days to kick in, so I have to get shots of Lovenox. Yes, SHOTS. The insurance company and hospital all feel that these can be easily given to yourself or by a loved one. I volunteered Mike and we went back the next day for his training. He did an excellent job. The needle does not hurt becaue it is very small and it is only a subcutaneous injection.

Injections

Container for used bits


On a lighter note, should i or should i not open the wedding present on my living room floor? It is not actually for me.... But if its a good gift, I could just replace it with one of mine and no one would know the difference.... Hmmm...

My fiance suggested that i keep a blog. Since he does nice things for me, like bringing me ice cream, I took his suggestion. Look, Steven Colbert has his own flavor of Ben & Jerry's! Sorry, Photo Booth seems to be confused and reading things backwards....

Only a month ago I was gainfully employed at WYPR and now I am on a medical leave of absence. This morning I was able to watch 2 full hours of E! True Hollywood Story. Ask me anything about Kate Hudson and Goldie Hawn because I am an expert!

So far I have had 3 Rituxan treatments and 1 Chemo (ABVD) treatment. I feel pretty good, just tired. Especially on treatment days when they give me so much benadryl. I get so sleepy....

I can't wait to see Blades of Glory. I heart Jon Heder.

Brushing my hair became too much work, so Kelly from About Faces Timonium cut it all off for me. I think its quite adorable. Kelly is very talented!