Easter 2009

We had a wonderful Easter weekend. We spent Saturday at the church Easter Egg hunt and BBQ. Deke made tissue eggs and ate from the dessert tables.

Sunday we went to church and the Easter bunny went by the house and hid the baskets and left eggs for the kids to hunt.

Darrin cooked our Easter feast, ham, party potatoes, green bean casserole and rolls. So we gorged on candy and food. Deke was ingesting sugar at rapid fire speeds and Chase and Darrin were in peanut butter bliss. I just loved watching it all and following the bunny trails behind Deke as he was hunting. Priceless moments.

Believe it or not, we didn't get a single picture, although we videoed the day. So not stills to share.

Love to all,
Ami

Holy smokes! March 6th, 2008

This is beyond lame!!! I knew it had been awhile since I'd updated my blog, but not that it had been 5 months...tsk tsk. Now I'll try to remember everything I can.

For Halloween Deke ended up being a horse. He rode hard and ate his spoils almost as quickly as they hit his bag!

We spent Thanksgiving in Kansas. It was wonderful. The serenity truly rejuvenated my body and soul. The food was yummy and the time spent with family was enjoyable as always. Deke was able to play with his cousin Sammy. Watching them gave you the sense of how they'll be double trouble later in life...tee hee. Deke also got to spend time with his 4 yr old cousins, Woodley and Barrett. Those two showed the little ones how to take Deke's little Tykes tractor and jump the steps into the dining room. Jump forward 30 odd years and they'll be doing the same thing. Their dad, Cousin Matt (in his 30's) came up for the walk this year and aired up Deke's wagon tires and caught air going down the neighbors steep driveway.

At Christmas, Chase, Shirley and I headed out to Puerto Rico an came back New Year's eve. This was the trip Chase and I were going to go alone, but I need help and Shirley was more than willing to go along with us. The beaches were beautiful and the water was gorgeous, but to chilly for me. We went to Old San Juan and stayed along the main strip. Chase loved it and Shirley and I enjoyed ourselves. I've decide I want to be home or somewhere with snow for Christmas. Going to sunny destinations, just doesn't feel like Christmas. My guys gave me a beautiful platinum mother's ring. It's beautiful! They did a wonderful job designing it. It is similar to my engagement ring, so I wear it on my ring finger. Gorgeous!!!

Travel is becoming increasingly tiring. I don't want to fly ever again!

For Valentines we all shared cards and candy.

I'll work on catching up next week.

Smooches,
Ami

Trick or treat!

Good day everybody. It's gorgeous here. We've been out and about running errands and looking at all the "pider and punkns". Deke is still determining what he wants to be for Halloween. He'll either be a little ghoul that scares everyone in a shiny black cape or a horse. He's big into growling and telling you to run...bossy little feller, so I'm thinking the ghoul will win. We visited the pumpkin patch last night an he picked out two. One big and fat, the other a baby squash.

We raised over $8,000 for ALSA and had a great time at the walk, even though a sickness came calling. Tuesday before the walk, I went to the doctor and was told I had a respiratory infection and was given an antibiotic I've taken many times before. Only this time I had a severe allergic reaction. Apparently, reactions are categorized on a scale 1 to 5, with 5 being the worst. I of course had a level 5 reaction and ended up in the hospital for 4 days!!! At first, we thought I was having a reaction to cousin Crystal's blueberry breakfast cake, because I broke out in little red dots from my head to my toes, as soon as I finished my second piece. Eventually, I started to itch and then my feet and calves turned an amazing shade of red/purple. Off we go to home our home away from home, Baptist Collierville. I came home Friday and started to have sores come up in my mouth. They felt like horns when air would hit them. Just breathing was extremely painful and talking wasn't a possibility, although I did manage to croak out a few words. This was caused by all the steroids I was given for the allergic reaction. The doctor played it safe and ordered a swish and spit rinse, so that I wouldn't react to it. What a mess. For those that asked or wonder why I seem to be having issues with medicines since my diagnosis, just don't know my luck (har har). Seriously, ALS causes your body to wear out quicker and leaves a person weakened and susceptible to all kinds of nefty illnesses.

Now for my costume this year, I'll be a bloated, horned witch...snicker

Saturday was my best friend, Kelly's, son wedding. I can't believe my little Scotty has grown into such a remarkable man. The ceremony was so touching, the reception was delicious and sharing the moment with them was priceless.

Crystal you need to share on the recipe, because it was fabulous!

Enjoy the kiddies this weekend! Sugar'em up and send them home.

Love,
Ami

P.S. I'm working on getting the walk pictures uploaded, so they'll be along soon.

P.S.S. I want to get out to see my Navy friends soon. Definitely before Sabrina has her little baby!

October 8, 2008

Whoozer! Has it been over a month since I've updated this???? Guess that's a silly question.

Anyhoo, the latest news is that I was in the hospital at the end of August with what they finally decided was serotonin syndrome, which was because two of the medicines I was taking, Lexapro for anxiety and Seroquel to help me sleep, were both serotonin uptake drugs, meant to make a person feel better. To much serotonin can make a person very sick. Of course, I'd be that person. All three of my hospitalizations have been related to medications and their side effects. Because of this I stopped all my medicines, except the muscle relaxers and and ambien to sleep. Last week we added baclofen a new muscle relaxer. I'm taking a very small dose to see how my body reacts to it. So far, it has reduced my twitching significantly and taken away the "squishy" sensations I had in my legs....yippee!

Many people hadn't realized that I do still walk. I walk around the house every day, but make sure my wheelchair is close in case I get weak. I use the super duper wheelchair when we go out. I don't risk falling in public! Not only would I be mortified, I'd hate to get hurt in the process. My new lift was delivered last week. The lift is used to transport me from bed to bath or to pick me up off the floor. I don't need the transporting yet and pray I don't have to use it to scrap my bootie off the floor! It came with only one wheel having a brake, which doesn't seem safe to me at all. When I questioned it, the company suggested I "try it. one brake should work." I was like "Nope. Not gonna happen. I won't be a guinea pig, cause my luck I'll end up back in the hospital!" The sling (part my body rests in) allows for my hind end to just dangle. I don't like that idea either, so were swapping swings.

More exciting news is that I nominated my brother for an leadership award with ALS TDI and he won!! He's going to Cambridge, MA for their summit meeting the weekend of the walk. This is great because he'll be able to hear the latest in cutting edge research and see the leading doctors in the ALS field.

We're getting ready for the 2ND annual cookout at the cove, which we host the Friday evening before the walk. We're also doing some spring cleaning and repair projects, all to get ready for our friends and family that are coming in for the walk.

If you haven't register to be on Ami's Awesome Army team for the walk, please do! Even if your a virtual walker, please sign up! Goto http://walktn.alsa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=WLK_TN_SignUp.....please, please, please sign up.

I also want to see Hip hip hooray! for Darrin's dad Ray. He raised almost $700 at his first annual horseshoe tournament! and still has folks bringing in more donations! Way to go Pap!!!

Chase is getting ready to run for vice president of the student council and Deke is going to the allergist Friday to figure out what's been making him itchy and bumpy.

Our next travel plans are a road trip to the Kansas Yoder's for Thanksgiving and Chase, Shirley and I are going to Puerto Rico at Christmas.

We plan on renovating our bathroom shower, so that I can use a shower chair in it. Which means we'll take out the 6 inch lip and make a ramp.

I hope I've caught everyone up!

Love,
Ami

Hot Springs, AR

Darrin has a client in Hot Springs, and we decided that we still had the travel bug. Chase invited his friend Dalton we loaded up the van for our first road trip in it.



We took off early Wednesday, drove about 3 hours, and went to the dealership which was adjoining the mall via a parking lot. While Darrin worked a few hours that first day, we went to the local mall and picked Deke up some new shoes, which were a necessary procurement since I had picked up the same shoe, literally giving Deke two left feet. While we were at the mall the power cut off. Unfortunately, when it went out I was getting my wedding rings cleaned and the policy of the store was to have the customers leave, while they locked down the store. Talk about feeling uneasy! Fortunately, after a few more on-offs the lights stayed on and I was able to get my rings. So we high-tailed it out of there and went to check into the hotel and get some food. The boys thought they were the coolest kids ever, because they had their own room. We thought we were the coolest parents because we got two rooms!

One evening, Karen the business manager, took the boys out on the lake in her boat and let them tube. Chase hung on forever. They also rode jet skis and Darrin put Deke between him and Chase. Just the thought of that made my heart flip. Of course Deke loved it!



Thursday I took the kids to the water park. Chase and Dalton stayed with Deke and I in the baby pool for a couple hours (only 12 yr olds can float on their back that long and talk of nothing of real importance. Deke and I played on the steps of the 1/2 ft deep round about (water circulates at a slow rate) baby pool. I met other parents around the pool and after awhile they realized my limitations and offered to help watch Deke so the boys could feel ok about going to ride some of the rides. Other parents even took Deke into the round about, but he was most happy sitting with me on the steps. Before the day was out he dove into the baby pool. First time he scared himself and me too. I grabbed him quick! Second time he dove and kicked! I still got to him, but the fear was gone! He had a buoy suit on and never went under water.

Friday evening, after Darrin got off work we went to Magic Springs amusement park. Just to watch the guys was enough for me. Dalton rode hi first roller coaster and won his first prize from the arcade.

We enjoyed ourselves immensely!

Yoder Reunion

The week after we went to Maui, we flew to PA f or the 3rd tri-annual Yoder reunion. It was held at Sam and Carol Yoder's property. To access the field where the reunion would be held, you drove down from the back of their property, crossing a bridge that lead to a picturesque meadow. On one side of the bridge, creek water flowed over rocks in a dammed area where there was a rope swing that the kids were using to see who could go out the furthest. On the opposite side of the bridge, the creek the water ran freely. You could see crawdads and different fish swimming by.

In the meadow there was a massive tent, and Amish ice cream wagon. We held all the events within the tent. We prayed, played and ATE. On Sunday there was a surprise. An airplane flew over the field possibly 5 times and dropped candy. It was hysterical. Children, teenagers, adults at least one in a wheel chair) and the older adults were chasing after the candy, barely taking the time to pick up the candy, whereas the kids where sliding in and snatching grass and dirt instead of picking up just candy.

During our visit we managed to get a good group of Darrin's friend (about 30 people) at a local place called Richie's................ummmmmmmmmmmummmmmmmmmmmmmm. All I have to say is garlic knots.......heavenly!

It was such a short trip. We didn't see much of Stella and Brad, but what we did was special. While the candy drop was going on, Darrin and his nephews Zach and Mitch were fishing. That evening we went to Stella's for ice cream. While we're there he decides he has to clean the fish..................................barf and was still to eat ice cream. Stella and Brad stopped by the reunion on Sunday. Everyone was happy to see her. I was happy we were be able to say goodbye.

It was time to hit the road. We had stayed at Ray and Nancy, who had son-in-law (brother-in-law) Kurt, install a shower down stairs and made their home accessible for me, I had felt at home there before this, but I can take the hint. ...sniff, sniff stinky. Seriously, for them to do this touched my heart.

Love
Ami


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Maui

We spent the past week in paradise! We arrived at the Ritz and were pleasantly surprised that our room was upgraded to a suite, because it was the only disabled room available. We felt like real VIP's. There was a foyer, living room area that was massive and had a king-size sofa bed, 60 ft. plasma screen; separate bedroom with a king-size bed and a spacious bathroom with a walk-in shower. There was access to a private patio with a sofa and table. The view was of the ocean and had direct access to the pathways that lead to the beach and pools.

Our first night we met up with my brother and my parents at the Pineapple Grill and ate the first of many fabulous meals, with great company!

We were able to spend every day with each other. We hung out in the cabana by the baby pool where Rudy (my nephew) and Deke played in the water. Each of the couples enjoyed a date night. Mom and Lewis were the first couple to have a night. Mickey, Val and Rudy stayed with us at the hotel, while the kids watched a movie. The adults played Dutch Blitz. Tuesday night we went to a luau that was awesome. The food was scrumptious and the performance was memorable. Darrin and I spent our date night at the Swan restaurant in the Hyatt and were seated in a front table, which had a spectacular view of a waterfall and swan's floating in the water. It was a delicious meal. After dinner we "walked" on a path that was along the ocean. On our last day we enjoyed taking the Sugar Cane train, which was a steam engine train that ran along the ocean side of the island.