Six Out of Eight

That's the head count as of right now. There are six of us ill and in various stages of this respiratory trial. The remaining two are two of the triplets but I know they will fall to this because it is just too strong a germ to miss it's chance on them too.
Other than the germ from Hell, we are okay. I was productive at work yesterday. I managed to send out about 200 tapes and dub another 100. Alan managed to help Brenden get his little derby car ready for his race Saturday. It's beautiful. I'll take photos when they put the wheels. I'm hoping they'll be well enough to go. Today, I have managed to get in a walk, bake a pound cake, sort the bills, rake some leaves and toss out some clutter. I am doing quiet things as Kate came home from one hour of school this morning sick to her stomach and she's sleeping. The antibiotics aren't giving her stomach a break but she says she can breathe easier.
A friend of mine emailed me earlier to say he reads this. Big surprise on that but it's okay. I mentioned this on Facebook and it's a free country if he chooses to read my ramblings. He has known me longer than 10 years and it seems he didn't know much about me. Either I don't talk much about myself or he's not a good listener. I had posted things off the top of my head in one of those challenge deals. I'm not much for those either but I did it because it was my cousin who had asked.
Here is the big thing he did not know. He did not know I had been diagnosed with cancer 4 years ago. I would like to say that this didn't bother me but what planet was he living on at that time? I was mad for a few hours but I just let it go after a while. Here are the reasons why:
1. What was he going through at that time that he did not have a clue about what was happening in our home? Hello there...We saw each other at church and I know it was mentioned. I'm convinced that this is probably a big part of the reason he didn't know but I'm not one to ask.
2. I got tired of talking about it to Everyone!. I love our friends but it was tough then to rehash everything that I had going on sometimes on a day to day basis.
3. I didn't broadcast it outside of everyday friends. I had a lot going on and I didn't call everyone to fill them in. I leave people alone for the most part when it comes to my problems.
I feel bad he feels he was left out of the loop. I know we spoke during those months when things were crazy but I didn't bring it up is all I can think of other than him not registering it.
So for informational purposes, I had bladder cancer. I found out on October 28th, 2006. No, I have never smoked or been much of a drinker. I was never a truck driver or a hair stylist ( it seems that these are the top occupations for bladder cancer- so I'm told). I've lived a pretty clean life and it pissed me off to know I had something that was usually caused by lifestyle choices I had avoided. That is what clean living will do for you. I went to Cleveland Clinic for assessment for a Neo bladder. Neo Bladders are used to replace your real bladder after it's removal. They are made from a piece of colon. My surgery was on Feb. 28th, 2006. I had two of the best surgeons in the world for my surgery - Drs. Campbell and Gill. It took 8 or 9 hours. I can't remember. I'm allergic to most pain killers. I ended up using Tylenol for most of the pain management. I looked like a mad scientist was doing an experiment on me. It's better not to know more about that. Alan never left me in the two weeks I was there. He slept in a chair beside me. I go there every year for a check up. I am due this spring to go. I have good days and bad because there is a high rate of UTI. I have to self catheterize daily. Yeah, you read that right. Don't ask. I don't sleep much because I am not supposed to go more than an hour or so without eliminating. So, I'm awake a lot in the middle of the night. The most important thing that came out of such a crappy period in my life is that my faith strengthened. I am a thankful person. I love Ash Wednesday. That was the first day during my hospital stay that I felt lucid and we prayed with a hospital administrator with ash on her forehead. That's it.