I'm Sorry I've Been Such a Bad Blogger This Week

My dad has had a really difficult week.  He's been back in the hospital since Monday.  We were told that he probably won't make it through the weekend.  He's alive for now but not really living.  He's been extremely agitated today and the nurses are doing everything they can to keep him comfortable. 

Cancer is such a cruel disease...

I Can't Believe You Just Asked Me That!

Only 3 more days to get your goodies mailed out!  I haven't heard back from most of you so I don't know if your swaps have been mailed out or received.  Please keep me updated on when you send, receive and blog about your swap.  Sagira and Frankie met in the furs this past Saturday to exchange their pressies.  Click on Frankie's link to check out his loot.  I'll post other links as they become available so we can all see what everyone got.

You're probably wondering about the title of this post?!  Well, most of my time these days is spent helping my mom care for my father.  He can be a handful at times.  As a result, I really have nothing to post about other than how I'm annoyed by the many bugbites that have cropped up all over me in the past week or so.  I have one by my eye that I'm especially excited about.

Sooooo.....  Awhile back, I'd asked if there was anything you'd always wanted to know about me and I'd answer any questions you may have had.  (I'm too lazy to find the link.)  Well, I thought I'd do it again.  If there's a question you've always wanted to know and have just been dying to ask, this would be the time.  And if there isn't, that's fine too.  You have a whole week to come up with questions and I'll answer them (if I actually get any, that is!) next Monday.  Ask away...

Half Full Friday!

Half Full Friday is a series of weekly posts that Eyegirl originally started in June 2009.  We believe that a lot of our happiness is determined by our attitude about the things that happen to us.  So by participating, I'm deciding to see the glass as half full instead of half empty; I'm choosing to concentrate on the positives instead of dwelling on the negatives.  The Half Full Friday posts are a way to do just that.  They're a list of the things in my life that have brought me happiness over the past week.  I'm determined to find something good in each day.  Are you?

For the next week, I'd like to challenge each of you to keep a list of at least one thing that brought you happiness each day.  Be sure to link up here once you've posted your list!  (This isn't a blog hop so please only link up if you've participated by posting your happy list.  Thanks!)

~I'm happy because...

We finally got warm weather for longer than just a day or two this week!

One of my meetings this week went much better than I expected it to!

I got my ceremony pretty much figured out!  I have to put one on next month for one of the organizations I volunteer for and it's probably the most difficult part of the job - deciding what to do for it.

Out of the 21 things on my to-do list, I only have 4 left!

I finally found my BBW gift cards!

My dad is home from the rehab center!

I got two more participants for my Third Annual Doggone Dog Swap!  This brings the total to 18!

I got another follower this week!  If I could see who you were, I'd follow you back!

*****

Nothing new to report on my dad.  He has a team of doctors and one of them told him he had liver cancer.  Last Friday he went to his oncologist for the first time and this doctor said that he wasn't covinced.  He thought it was more likely lung cancer but possibly a combination of the two and scheduled an MRI.  I felt like we left there with more questions than answers.  My father went to do the MRI but couldn't lay still long enough since part of the cancer is along his spine.  I guess the hospital didn't learn anything from when he went in to do the CT scan.  Now he goes back in on Monday to try it again, this time with a sedative and pain killers.   I don't see any real improvement in him but he isn't necessarily getting any worse either.

*****

I had every intention of posting pix of my beautiful baby boys for Wordless Wednesday this week but I was much too busy hosting a pity party for myself and didn't get around to doing it.  And then I was going to do it yesterday but that didn't happen either, obviously...  So here's one today, instead.

Booker and Asa's mama asked to see my roses so here's a snapshot I got yesterday.

Doggone It

Only 10 days left to shop and get your goodies in the mail! 

Don't forget to let me know when you sent, received and blogged about your swap.  I've created a chart and am keeping track of everyone.  So far I've only heard from Sarge and Finn.  Click on their links and it'll lead you to their posts.  That's my favorite part; I love seeing what everyone got.

I've updated the post where I list everyone's partners because we got a few more participants since then.  Because of the uneven number, I finally got to participate this year.  HOORAY FOR ME!!!  The last 2 years, it was an even number so I didn't get to join in which was kind of a bummer.

Half Full Friday!

Half Full Friday is a series of weekly posts that Eyegirl originally started in June 2009.  We believe that a lot of our happiness is determined by our attitude about the things that happen to us.  So by participating, I'm deciding to see the glass as half full instead of half empty; I'm choosing to concentrate on the positives instead of dwelling on the negatives.  The Half Full Friday posts are a way to do just that.  They're a list of the things in my life that have brought me happiness over the past week.  I'm determined to find something good in each day.  Are you?

For the next week, I'd like to challenge each of you to keep a list of at least one thing that brought you happiness each day.  Be sure to link up here once you've posted your list!  (This isn't a blog hop so please only link up if you've participated by posting your happy list.  Thanks!)

~I'm happy because...

I can see a huge improvement in my father from just a week ago!

 
It didn't rain this whole past week!
 
I enjoyed another red velvet cupcake cappuccino yesterday!
 
The price of gas had gone down by about 7 cents when I went to buy some yesterday! 
 
I saw a flyer at the store for a Dog Walk fundraiser!  Gonna have to go back and check it out again because I can't remember the date and I really wanna take the boys.
 
Sarge and Zona's Mom both joined me for Half Full Friday recently!  And Velvet Over Steel joins me every week, of course!  Please feel free to play along with us.
 
I got some new followers recently!  Welcome!  I just wish I could see who you are so I could follow you back.
 
I won another one of Katie's giveaways!
 
Every one of my rosebushes has buds or is blooming!  So pretty!

Source:  weheartit

This morning, my father meets with the oncologist for the first time, to discuss his options.  I'm really nervous and anxious about this appointment. I'm afraid they're going to say there aren't any options at this point.  Just have to keep my fingers crossed and pray for the best.  He's still at the rehab center getting daily occupational and physical therapy.  We think he'll be there until next Friday. 

 

I was going to post some pix of the chi's for Wordless Wednesday but I wasn't feeling well so I'll carry them over for next week. 

 

So I know not everyone checks their stats.  I like to check mine from time to time but not religiously or anything and can't help but wonder how accurate blogger's stats actually are.  There's one post in particular that seems to pop up almost every single time I check them and I can't figure out why it's so popular.  It's not like it's an earth shattering post or anything - it's one where I'd gotten an award and passed it on to other bloggers.  I think it's about a year old which makes it all the more curious.  And plus when I look at the referring urls/sites, sometimes I'll find one I've never heard of before so I'll click on it and for the life of me, I can't figure out how anyone ever found my blog from it.  It has nothing to do with me in any way, shape or form and doesn't even link to me.  (For instance, someone found my blog from a roofing website in another state recently.  Huh?!)  Has anyone else noticed stuff like this when they check their stats or is it just me?

 

I had an interview last week for an office assistant job on campus.  I didn't get it but I kind of knew I wouldn't.  During the interview, one of the two ladies said that they tend to hire people right out of high school so that they can help students build working skills and that I already had them since I've been out in the workforce.  She called to let me know the bad news and asked if she could share my resume and praised my past experience.  I told her I'd be thrilled if she shared it but I'm not expecting anything to come of it.  I've had other interviewers say they'd do the same thing in the past and it never got me anytwhere.  You never know though.  I also had an interview for an internship just over a week ago.  Still haven't heard anything which really surprises me because she made sure to keep in touch regularly up until the day before we met, sending me an email saying she couldn't wait to meet.  She did say she wanted to work with me either way, whether I got the internship or not.    At this point, I'm just going to presume I didn't get it and that she's waiting for another project to open up before she contacts me again.

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone for your kind comments.  I could really feel the love flowing from the blogosphere.  I got a lot of blog hits this past week and even a couple of new followers. 

Source:  weheartit

So...  It's official, my father has liver cancer.  He's already survived kidney and skin cancer but I don't think he's going to be able to pull through this one.  We've already been told it's very agressive and incurable.  It can be slowed but not cured. 

He's been released from the hospital and is now at a rehab center for physical therapy to rebuild his strength.  We're not sure how long he'll be there; he's still very weak.  He's doing significantly better though and is about 95% coherent now with only mild confusion. 

We're waiting for the oncologist to contact us to go in and discuss his options.  My mom didn't even want to do the biopsy but I was very insistent on it.  My father was not in a position at the time to be making medical decisions for himself  and I'm listed as second on his medical power of attorney so I won that fight.  I just want to know in my heart that when he passes, that we were informed of all of his options and that we did everything we could for him. 

I don't know when I'll get to blog again but I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for all of your support and your kind comments.  I'll get around to visiting everyone when I can.

Bloggy Break

My father's not doing well at all.  He's was admitted to the hospital again yesterday and the news just seems to be getting worse.  As of last night, the hospital was saying my dad is full of cancer all over.  We're still not sure of what kind but they think that it's kidney cancer. 

Right now, he has no coordination at all and is very confused much of the time.  He's been in the hospital since yesterday afternoon.  We're still waiting for answers and praying for the best. 

I'm not sure when I'll be back but I'll be taking a short blogging break.  My priority needs to be my father and doing what I can to ensure he's well taken care of.

Half Full Friday!

Half Full Friday is a series of weekly posts that Eyegirl originally started in June 2009.  We believe that a lot of our happiness is determined by our attitude about the things that happen to us.  So by participating, I'm deciding to see the glass as half full instead of half empty; I'm choosing to concentrate on the positives instead of dwelling on the negatives.  The Half Full Friday posts are a way to do just that.  They're a list of the things in my life that have brought me happiness over the past week.  I'm determined to find something good in each day.  Are you?

For the next week, I'd like to challenge each of you to keep a list of at least one thing that brought you happiness each day.  Be sure to link up here once you've posted your list!  (This isn't a blog hop so please only link up if you've participated by posting your happy list.  Thanks!)

~I'm happy because...

I got some more spring cleaning done this week!

We went several days in a row with no rain!  And then it really came down.

I enjoyed a lovely Red Velvet Cupcake Cappuccino yesterday!  I ate it with a red velvet cupcake -- just because I could! 

Thanks to Sarge, this is my most successful Doggone Dog Swap yet!  Still need one more participant to swap with Shelby so let me know if you're interested!

I had a job shadowing session!  Actually, that was last week but I forgot to include it so I'm carrying it over into this week because I really was/am happy about it!

I have an interview for an internship next week!  Unpaid, but good experience.

Source:  weheartit

Sadly, this has been a rather uninteresting week.  After the stress of last week though, I'll gladly take it!  Mostly I spent my days close to home catching up on reading, bad tv, spring cleaning, reading blogs and anything else I could find to amuse myself with for longer than 5 minutes.  I even took my dad's beagle for a walk!

 

I've decided I officially miss school.  Never thought I'd ever say that!  I was sooooooo busy this past semester and always felt like every spare moment should've been spent focusing on school and that I never had any free time for myself.  Now I have an excess amount of free time on my hands and I'm not sure what to do with myself.  I've been half-heartedly looking for work only because I don't know what will happen with my dad and I want to make sure I can be there for him if I need to.  Before I know it though, summer will be over and I'll be back to complaining I miss it.  :)

Third Annual Doggone Dog Swap and Partners

Thanks to everyone who participated in the swap.  This one has the most participants out of the three I've hosted so far.

The deadline has arrived and you should've received your swap partner's information by now.  Please let me know if you haven't gotten it yet and I'll resend it.  Remember, it's coming from a different email address than the one you sent your information to.

Here are the ground rules, if you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

1.  The maximum you can spend before postage is $30.  You don't have to spend that much but you can't spend more than that!

2.  You'll need to let me know when you sent your package and when you get yours.  If I discover that you received one but never sent one out, you'll be outted and blacklisted from participating in the future!

3.  You must post about the swap once you receive your package.  I want to see what you got!

4.  You have until June 30th to get those packages mailed out.  That gives you one full month to go shopping and to get it in the mail.

5. This is the most important rule - HAVE FUN!!!!!

Want to know who else is playing along and who they're partnered with?
Meg - Amber          Dolce - Addie         Shelby - Mr. Pip
Katie - Deborah      Sagira - Frankie      Muchkin Memoirs - sprinkles
Sarge  - Finn            Booker - Meeko    Mona and Weenie - ~ks
If anything comes up and you aren't able to continue with the swap, please let me know immediately so that I can make other arrangements.  I won't be mad, sometimes things just come up that are beyond our control.

Happy Shopping and Swapping!!!