All is Well!

I have been missing in the 'blogger' action!!! I'm so sorry. Just can't get back into the blogging routine.

UPDATE:


Mr. Clark continues his health fight. Right now we are playing the medicine game. It's complicated to keep him  comfortable and stable. He seems to be doing ok.. We found a miracle drug that helps his restless legs.

The side affects are alarming. But Mr. Clark has had some much needed relief. So We are trying to work through them.
The little things right now like:
1- He has had noooooo appetite: (I need this for a few months!) which has caused his sugars to take a nose dive. :(  Just had to tweak his insulin pump again. SHEW.
2- His blood pressure has been high/low. Grrrrrrrrr
3- He is getting random blisters

 And the battle goes on.
 

During this time he had a blood hemorrhage in his left eye and couldn't see out of it. He had surgery on 4/16 to correct it. Once again, the Doctor said, "He's Mr. Miracle Man" he can see 20/25. We were sooooooo happy!

We have been to Dallas to get evaluated for yet another year at Baylor on the Transplant list.

We stayed 4 day's: ( A needed break from the routine)  It was a trial run taking dialysis with us. Holy Cow was I nervous. Mr. Clark just slept through it! LOL (Yes, we feel blessed to be able to travel with the machine) It is a lot of work. (Thankfully Clark could do all the lifting.)

  I still haven't resolved my shoulder issues- I just don't lift. Scrapped the physical therapy because of the travel. Haven't got back to it. :(



Here is the pics of our adventure:

The Sixth Floor Museum At Dealey Plaza
" The Book Dipository"
chronicles the assassination and legacy of President John F. Kennedy



The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens
The most fascinating thing we LOVED was our Tour Guide. I can't believe I didn't get a picture of him. These gardens are even more significant when you know the history of how it came to be.  Owned by Everetter DeGoyler who's home you can tour. We enjoyed it so much.
 
*Arboretum History
The Dallas Arboretum was founded upon the dreams of a few visionary Dallasite

By 1980, DABS had raised over one million dollars and purchased the 22-acre Camp Estate, which is adjacent to the DeGolyer Estate. Both estates are located on White Rock Lake.
• In 1982, the signing of a contract between the City of Dallas and DABS created an arboretum and botanical garden on the combined 66 acres of the DeGolyer and Camp properties. The gardens opened to the public for the first time in 1984

The Dallas Arboretum is a 66 acre garden that houses both the DeGolyer Estate and the Camp Estate.

Along with the beautiful gardens we got to see a couple of girls celebrate their Quinceanera.

Baylor Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas
Mr. Clark is on the Transplant list at Fort Worth ( Baylor) as well as Dallas (Baylor)
As well As Kansas University Medical in Kansas City, Kansas

The Fort Worth Zoo
(AWESOMENESS)
I didn't get good pics but we LOVED it!

This is the NASCAR 'O Reilly 300 at the Texas Motor Speedway

A lot of fun!!!

Thankful Thursday: Climbing Mountains

 This is a perfect reflection of the conversation I've been having with our children lately. "You never know what's around the corner" (especially to those who are suffering the loss of their loved ones due to horrific accidents lately) Life is fragile. This quote gives us perspective.
 SO.......
I am thankful today for continuing to have faith that we can get through what's ever in our path  by putting one foot in front of the other! It does feel like a mountain, but we all have mountains to climb. It's wonderful once you can look out from the top and see how far you've come.

Yesterday, I could have posted that Mr. Clark was just doing fantastic. (**Can't wait to show you his latest little project.) The bedroom is temporarily on hold while we wait on the electrician to tie up some loose ends and bring it to code!!! And of course Mr. Clark can't stay still. Remember-- no sitting, laying, now standing is difficult so he keeps his mind distracted. Ya... He just is finding joy in building-- something he's never had the desire to do and has become quite good at his new found talent!!!! ; )  --Sooooooo proud of him b.t.w.

In the mean time (TODAY) he is having issues with his left eye. The good eye. It has started bleeding (in the back of his eye) and we are waiting to see if the blood will dissipate on its own or if he will need eye surgery to remove the big blood blob so that he can see better. Pretty Scary. The whole dialysis thing is on hold today because he gets Heparin which may encourage the bleeding more. (good and bad) It's a day off for us! Keep him in your prayers.

Yesterday, I also FINALLY got into the Specialist to tell me the results from the x-ray on my shoulder. It's still a guessing game because I can't have an M.R.I.  due to the metal in my ears from my stapies surgery from years ago. Yes, I won't sacrifice my hearing or my balance. So the verdict today is an impingement (pinching the nerve when I move) . The long process of guessing about the rotator cuff continues. I start physical therapy next week. If that isn't successful  then I will get cortizone shots or scope surgery. Grrrrrrrr  I'm managing but wearing down. Mr. Clark has served me dinner in bed. He has Set up the dialisate because the big pure flow box bit the dust. It's fixed now but Lifting the bags has been impossible for me. We've just been a team. I'm noticing that his heart breaks when he comes in from work and I'm in my PINKS--- the flannel pj's!!   I've lived in them lately!!! He's a trooper!

We have to be THANKFUL for our own mountains to climb. So many have it so much more difficult. This is just a bump along the way for us. Although we all never know what's around the corner we can gain courage that we are not alone. And the Savior, Jesus Christ carries our burdens.

Can't wait for this weekend. YOU KNOW THIS IS MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR!!!   See what it is:
HERE:

The Last Bedroom Project

REMEMBER: The Whole in the Wall to make the Last Bedroom

A NEW DOOR

The first Wall and the outline of the 'CORNER' Closet

The West Wall --didn't get a pic. of the window?

The Last Wall is up.
 Now to framing the closets.
And--- the dreaded insulation.


We'd rather be with family...


This is what you do when you have to stay home.
 It's Mr. Clark's DISTRACTIONS
When I'm woeing in bed ( I cannot lift a 2X4)
he's working his guts out! 
Such an amazing guy for as sick as he is.
SO PROUD OF HIM!


MORE PROGRESS TO FOLLOW!

WOW! My Morning Read: Women in the Scriptures: Drusilla

Women in the Scriptures: Drusilla: Acts 24: 24 Background:  After returning to Jerusalem after years of missionary travel Paul was persecuted by  Jewish leaders and acc...

Oh what did I find??

I've been researching where my Great, Great Grandfather came from. It's been so frustrating because at one time I had the information. It just disappeared. Until today. Mr. Clark has been going through his treasure boxes (after 30 yrs. of never opening them.) and there it was sitting on the floor. Seriously!!!!! It is a L-O-N-G sheet of paper that came out of a genealogy book I've had since I was Eight. It was resting along some other V.I.P documents. Such as some of Mr. Clark's family history's and most valuable was Clark's Grandfathers proposal to his Grandmother, long distance through a letter and also her response to his letter. So fun! Pretty fun day.
Information I knew and information I didn't know like Great, Great Grandfather and Grandmother lived in  Bristol, England (where  Mr. Clark served as a missionary for our church) and then New Jersey before they went to Utah via the Daniel Robinson Handcart Company. Kinda fun info.
Still searching for 'The rest of the story'.

Update: Still know answer on my blood work.  No news is good news, I suspect... But my shoulder(s) yes, both of them have issues. Could not get an M. R. I because of the metal stapees in my ears. Grrrrr
 Feeling pretty bla. Wishin everyday I was up to traveling. **

Missing the kiddo's more than words.

Latest Crazy (to keep distracted) Project!

From Left over paint!

Had to cut a whole in the exising wall.

Close off the Unfinished Back Bedroom to make a storage closest



Drywall up

Getting the ceiling up!

UPDATE: THE SICK HOUSE!

WARNING: THIS IS NOT A POSITIVE POST.

STOP HERE! WE ARE DOING OK

I woke up this morning with my hair literally glued to my head. A three day weekend and once again I spent it in bed. Flat for days and realizing I've done this for months now. First feeling exhausted and Second --Grrrrr Had the cold/flu bug twice but it feels like it has never gone away. Thought I was being lazy and needed to get off my duff. So I signed up for 'boot camp' an exercise regiment at 5:00 am one day a week (nearly killed me the 3 times I went!), took on a bible study for youth at 6:00 am one day a week. Plus my (2) full time jobs. I say 2? Mr. Clark's dialysis is my second full time job! but honestly Its not as hard as it sounds. My job? at school? I drive kids back and forth to job sites/school. It's a piece of cake. And I come home and sleep. And lately I sleep every 30 minutes through dialysis. I've just been that tired. So it's not that hard.
In between....
Mr. Clark nearly lost his life. Sick with pneumonia, he just wouldn't wake up. Some how I got him to the hospital. Yes, it was a nudge from heaven. Mr. Clarks Mom, I believe. I swear his Mom whispers to me a lot . SO GRATEFUL. And most of the time I listen! She  also nudged Mr. Clark do get into the truck with probably the help of a few more angels! He was nearly unconscious! When we got to the hospital his oxygen was 60%. They said he would have died in the night. Terrifying. But the message to us both. IT IS NOT HIS TIME. Life can easily slip away when it is. During this time, I had the cold bug. Pretty hard to stay in I.C.U for 5 days SICK. Bahhhhhhhh Because I.C.U doesn't allow visitors past Nine I was able to come home and get some rest.
Rest????????? It  hasn't helped. I wake up tired.  On top of this, I have tried to keep up with Mr. Clark who has to keep distracted because of his intense restless legs. He can't sit, or stand. He just has to keep busy. And because he's the weak one I try to keep up with him. I'm exhausted on top of being exhausted.
Yes we've done a lot of projects. If we took a movie of it. It's about doing something/crashing on the floor, doing something/crashing on the floor. Seriously both pushing our selves.
On top of all the business, somehow I have hurt my shoulder lifting. So I've been to the doctor and the chiropractor. My shoulder has been Taped --that's a new one for me.  This week--- yes my M.R. I was finally approved. and blood work to see why I'm always so exhausted.
In the mean time. Mr. Clark is fighting the flu again.
And depressed............  Our trip to see our family is post poned until June/July
Lets just let JUNE get hear and let us be healthy!!!!!!!!