Several people have asked me how Buster is doing so I thought I would give you an update.  Buster’s biopsy did show that the tumor was cancerous.  The good thing is that Dr. Schallerwas able to remove all the cancer and besides not being able to have vaccines (other than the rabies vaccine) and having to have regular x-rays, Buster is the same as he was before surgery, just with one less leg.  He chases the dogs.  He jumps up on the table while we are eating and tries to steal food.  He can catch and throw bugs with his one front paw. 

If he knew my mom threw out her bread starter he would be very depressed.  He LOVES homemade bread.  He has been known to eat through plastic wrap to get to the bread.

Bugs loved to come in our 88 year old fireplace in our bedroom but we have no fear…Buster is on patrol.  He stands guard in front of the fireplace at night and waits very patiently for a bug to make an appearance.  Poor bugs don’t even know what hit them.  He throws them in the air and bats them all across the room.

His most annoying habit is eating paper and cardboard.  He loves to shred cardboard boxes.  I was printing fliers the other night and I heard a terrible noise.  I went into the office to find that Buster was treating the printer like his own personal paper vending machine.  In trying to eat the paper as it came out, he ended up jamming the printer.  I was quite annoyed that I then had to stand watch over the printer to make sure he did not feast on any more paper.

We love that crazy fur ball and are thrilled that he is doing so well!

First of all, our Depot Park event was a success.  There was a great turnout and I think the kids really enjoyed the activities we had planned for them.  By selling raffle tickets, t-shirts, and Fourth of July trinkets, we made a little over $300.  Being able to publicize our center and our upcoming fundraising carnival was awesome. 

When I got to Depot Park, I carried two tables and several heavy boxes to our area.  At the time, this was no big deal.  I knew that the sustained muscle contraction from carrying these items was not good for me and might make me sore the next day but I had no idea what was truly in store for me.

Our area was shut down and packed up by about 5:45 but I wanted to stay and watch Ed in the pie eating contest (you can see the video on Billy’s blog and some photos on Jon’s blog.  I will post my photos when I get them downloaded.  Bob Heuts got 1st, Jon 2nd, and Ed 3rd).  By the time we got home, I was dehydrated, shaky, and ready for bed so I ate a light dinner and went to sleep.

I woke up a few hours later in pure agony.  Now, I had two children without epidurals…I don’t use the word “agony” lightly.  My arms from the elbow down were…I really can’t even find the words to describe the pain.  It was not a normal muscle pain. It was like carpal tunnel magnified by 100 and it was all up and down my arms.  I applied ice, I applied heat, we used my TENS unit…nothing seemed to work.  Thankfully, I had some Tylenol 3 left over from when I was having jaw problems and I was able to take that.  It did not take away the pain, but it did take the edge off and let me sleep. 

The pain continued throughout the day yesterday.  I HATE applying ice but I had ice on my arms almost all day - even when I was asleep.  It did not take away the pain, but it would numb my arms enough that I could not feel the pain.  Thankfully the drugs let me sleep most of the day.  I really only woke up enough to take drugs and eat enough food that the drugs would not hurt my stomach.

I think the worst part is that I know better.  I shouldn’t carry heavy things.  I shouldn’t carry even light things for long because it is still a sustained muscle contraction.  But I hate standing back and watching people do things for me that I should be able to do myself.  Why is it so hard for me to swallow my pride and ask for help?  Hopefully this experience will stay with me for awhile and I will ask people to do things for me without worrying about what they think of me when I do it.

The Funny: (This was really funny at the time, but it may be one of those you-had-to-be-there moments.)

Lindsay and I were running errands today for our two upcoming events and I remembered that I needed to call Kim Pritt.  I was in the car so I did not have her extension with me…no problem, her company has voice activated dialing.  Here is how the next few minutes played out:

Little automated man asks very nicely, “Name, please”

ME: ”Kim Pritt”

LAM: “Ringing Sam _____.  To cancel, press star.”  (Good thing I have that cancel option.)

ME: ”KIM Pritt”

LAM: “Ringing Darrell______” To cancel, press star.”

ME: “KIM PRITT”

LAM: “Ringing Sam______.  To cancel, press star.” (and it was a different Sam than the first Sam!)

LINDSAY: “Give me the phone, she’s a Yankee and I’m a Yankee…Kim Pritt”

LAM: “Ringing Kim Pritt”

I get all these random names and she got it on the FIRST try.  Apparently, in trying to enunciate, I was really saying “KIIIIIM PRITT”

The funny thing (or at least to us) is that people can never tell us apart on the phone.  Even my own mom has thought Lindsay was me when she answered the phone.  Little automated man, though…he’s got it down.

The Bizarre:

I was working hard at my desk when I heard my phone make a sound I don’t hear very often.  I picked it up and the screen showed the little envelope that indicates that I have a text message.  The number was unknown to me and the message was, “I see you!”  ummmm….creepy!  I have a corner office so I have two windows…I looked out both windows and did not see any unfamiliar cars.  I asked Lindsay and Linda if they recognized the number.  Finally, Lindsay (being the good friend that she is), called the number and asked who was speaking.  The girl told her her name and Lindsay asked if she had just sent a text message.  Poor thing was embarassed that she sent it to the wrong number.  Horror movie moment averted!

The dorky:

My inner nerd came out again today (no comments from the peanut gallery).  I had started a diagram using text boxes in word to indicate the layout of Depot Park and where all of our activities will be so that I could hand them out to everyone who is so wonderfully volunteering tomorrow (that is a looong sentence).  I couldn’t get the scale right and decided to Google Depot Park to see if I could find pictures (what did we ever do before internet searches?). 

I found something EVEN BETTER…the project plan for the park.  I was able to print an actual layout of the park.  It even shows where the benches are.  I made a numbered list of activities at the bottom and then put numbers on the map to correspond with where those activities would go.  The fact that this made me so happy is truly pathetic. 

SANFORDIANS….DON’T FORGET TO COME OUT TO

DEPOT PARK TOMORROW!!!

When I started my current job four years ago, I was a little freaked out about being a boss.  I knew I could handle the other responsibilities of my job, but managing people…esp. a whole building full of women…made me a little uneasy.  I remember being introduced to Ms. Bertha (who could be my mother) and she made a comment about me being her new boss.  I was stunned into silence for a moment…I was a boss.  What in the world did I know about being a boss? 

I’ve made plenty of mistakes.  I’m sure there are quite a few current and former staff members who would agree with that statement.  However, I hope those same staff members would also agree that I learn from my mistakes and I try very hard to be a good boss.

Today was one of those days when being a boss was a little overwhelming. I think I spent about 90% of my day today just listening.  I listened to parents.  I listened to staff.  I listened to potential families.  And I did listen.  I made sure I was mentally present during all the conversations.  Although I was listening and responding, I was also trying really, really hard not to panic.  I had one main goal for today - choose and print pictures so that we can make a presentation board for the Fourth of July event on Friday.  It is 9:30 at night…no pictures chosen, no pictures printed.  I also have a long list of things that need to be done for the July 19th fundraiser.  Too bad my “real” job can’t be put on hold while I plan and organize the fundraiser! 

If you are one of my parents or staff members reading this, you need to know that I DO want you to come talk to me…just understand if I start to get a look of panic in my face! 

I have plea to all the wonderful Sanford bloggers out there…will you PLEASE consider writing a post asking your readers to check out the Stepping Stones blog?  It is going to take a real community effort for us to raise the $37,000 we need to make our playground accessible to ALL children and we need all the publicity we can get!  Thanks to all of you who have already included our site on your blogroll!

When you haven’t blogged for a while, you want to come up with a really awesome post that will blow your readers away and remind them why they kept checking your blog even though you hadn’t posted anything in days.  Sadly, I just don’t have it in me.  I do have lots of random thoughts, though.

Some day (probably late July after our big fundraiser is over), I am going to go back in time so that I can post pictures of Hailey’s dance recital, both girls’ birthday parties, and our beach trip. 

It is tradition in our house that we watch the video of the birthday girl’s “birth day”. As we were watching Hailey’s (she turned 6 on Friday), she said that that was the best time of her life because everyone was looking at her and no one else.  How in the world do we teach this child that she does NOT have to be the center of attention all the time??

Wal-Mart is starting to stock school supplies.  They have a whole wall of lunch boxes.  Is it weird that I can’t wait to take Hailey to pick a new lunch box?

I made fun of Webkinz when they first came out.  Hailey now owns two.  I have a feeling this is the beginning of a pattern.

Hailey purchased her second Webkinz with money she got from her Aunt Jo Ellen and Uncle Scott.  We found it at Limited Too because they are only one of 3 retailers in Crabtree that sell Webkinz.  I had a glimpse of the clothes my child will want to wear very, very soon…it scared me.

Hailey has just started her second week of Camp Voyager through the YMCA.  She loves it because she says all she has to do is play and eat!

The Lee County Schools Superintendent resigned today before a closed door School Board session regarding alleged immoral conduct…am I the only one who is really curious about that conduct?

The house I remember in little Washington had a banister halfway up the stairs followed by a wall. I used to sneak halfway down the stairs so that I could feel like I was closer to my parents but they couldn’t see me.  I even have a picture of me sitting on the steps with my head back.  I am wearing pajamas and an orange plastic bracelet and I am fast asleep. Ed just had me go in the hallway (at 9:44)…Leah was sitting on the floor with her legs crossed and her back against the wall.  She might have been hidden by the laundry basket if it wasn’t for the holes!  When she heard me, she covered her face with her hands.  I guess she thought if she couldn’t see me, I couldn’t see her.  too cute.

I just heard a new/old McDonald’s commercial with the twoallbeefpattiesspecialsaucelettucecheesepicklesonionsonasesameseedbun…it made me remember that I was SOOO proud when I was in middle school that I had that memorized and could say it super fast.  What a dork.

Speaking of McDonald’s commercials…do you remember the one where the teacher was leading her class through the rain and they were all wearing yellow slickers and saying “quack, quack, waddle, waddle”?  We had to cross the street to get to the beach on our vacation and we would walk single file and chant this.  Apparently I am still a dork.

I have always loved All Animals because they are so sweet to our dogs.  I love that they can board at Rae-Zor and have vet services from All Animals while they are there.  I still love All Animals but Dr. Schaller and Willow Creek Animal Hospital get my vote for BEST VET!  How many vets do you know that would call you at 9:00 at night just to let you know how great your cat was doing?  Not only have they not made me feel like a pain when I call to check up on him, but Dr. Schaller actually reminded me tonight to call tomorrow to check on how he was doing.

I had just told Ed less than two minutes before she called that I really missed him and couldn’t wait to see him.  It was so wonderful to have her call and tell me that he was so sweet and playful with everyone.  She said he puts his paw out of his cage when people come near or walk by. He clanked his food dish up against the side of his cage at lunch today and they said he was ringing the dinner bell.  He went from having to be hand fed yesterday to being a pig today and licking the bottom of the bowl and then hitting the bowl against the cage to indicate his desire for more food.

The best thing she told me is that she let him play in the office some today and he was throwing a toy mouse up in the air and batting at it.  I obviously have no regrets at having his leg amputated, but I was sad that he would not be able to throw his toys up in the air and catch then with his paws as this is something he loves to do.  I know in the grand scheme of things, it is a very small thing, but I am so happy that he is still throwing toys in the air with his front paw.

He also loved to grab Daisy’s face with both paws.  I’m sure he’ll find a new way to play with and torture her. 

I chose to take Buster to Dr. Schaller for several reasons.  My friends Jenn and Kelly both raved about her and said they would be taking their dogs to her new office.   However, the main reason I chose her is because my sister is friends with her and spoke highly of her and told me she has a tripod kitty that she rescued and operated on.  I knew she would treat Buster as if he was her own.  After talking to her tonight, I know without a doubt that she did just that and will continue to do so until we are able to take him home.

Buster is recovering from surgery.  I’m told everything went really well and he was a great kitty!  He is sleeping a lot and I just wish he could be sleeping in my lap!  I can’t wait to see our new and improved tripod kitty!  I wonder what the dogs are going to think?  I can’t tell you how relieved I am for me AND for the girls!

Thank you to everyone who offered up a prayer or a hopeful thought for Buster today!