William Penn obtained Pennsylvania as a payment of debt (his father's payment of debt actually) from King Charles II in 1681.

William Penn succumbed to a stroke in 1712. 

You ask why am I sharing this information with you?  DJ drove me nuts ALL THE WAY TO WORK THIS MORNING with these questions.  Did I mention my drive to work is 45 minutes? 

Tomorrow I am starting the South Beach Diet.  I do want to drop a ton of weight but it's more going to be a way of life for me.  30 is right around the corner.  I can see it.  The Woman Who Gave Birth To Me had her first heart attack at around 37.  She has very high cholesterol.  Pops had his first heart attack at 50.  He has very high blood pressure.  Both of my grandparents had heart problems.  Yep, it's time to change.  I need to drop the weight.  I need to quit smoking (I'm still reading the book.) 

Most of all I need to be around for DJ.  I WANT to play soccer, baseball, basketball, etc. with him.  I also need to get my allergies under control.  If something happens to me he has nowhere to go, but to a home in the long run.  I can't do that to him.  I NEED to be healthy for him. 

I'm making my vegetable quiche.  The aromas of turkey bacon are wafting through my apartment (yummy).   My string cheese is already packed.  I'm ready for it!

---

It's a good thing I didn't do Blogathon 2005 this year.  I was at the hospital most of the day visiting Pops.  Then I came home and did the movie thing with DJ.  He tried to stay up for the other movie we rented, but he just couldn't do it.  Fell asleep within the first 25 minutes.

Right after DJ fell asleep, FMM called.  He wanted to come over and hang out for a bit.  It's a confusing time for both of us right now.  I didn't get a chance to get into it the other day, but here's the scoop, the whole scoop, nothing but the scoop so help me God. 

After FMM and I broke up, he was single for a while and then met someone else.  He's been dating her for a few months.  In the role of BFF, I am privy to so much information about their relationship and it's been rocky for awhile.  Even more so the past few weeks (BEFORE we even hooked up).

He hasn't said anything to her.  I don't even know if he plans on it.  Personally, I think he's going to break up with her.  He was over here tonight for about a half hour.  In that half hour, she probably called him three times.  I didn't stick around to listen to the conversation.  But he was pissed off because he's telling me she keeps getting attitude and he's really sick of it. 

He thinks she might be cheating on him.  She got a number from some guy and was text messaging a guy (not sure if it's the same guy.)  Then she disappeared to DC last week.  Not that it makes it ok that he cheated on her with me.  Which is what it all boils down to.  Trust me, I'm not feeling too good about that part. 

In the famous words of Scarlett, I'll think about it tomorrow.

We thought Pops was going to be discharged today since his angioplasty went so well yesterday.  No such luck!  Really, why should anything be easy?  He developed hematoma (swelling filled with blood) at the puncture site.  They rushed him down to do an ultrasound to make sure that was the only complication and it was.  Pops still had high hopes he was going to be released tomorrow.  Nope.

The doc came in and told him on MONDAY they are going to lance the hematoma.  He could possibly be discharged on Tuesday.  Why are they waiting until Monday to do it?  Because the procedure isn't done on the weekend because everyone is off.  Seriously, this amazes me.  Pops is pissed he has to stay there until Tuesday. 

After Mouthy Mom's successes, I went to Barnes and Noble afterwards to pick up the South Beach diet book, the cook book and their guide.  I started reading some of it and it's good for heart patients!  Woooohooo, we're all doing South Beach. 

So, FMM came over.  Watched TV.  Talked.  Laughed.  One thing led to another.  My world got rocked.  Again. 

Today went well.  Very well.  I'm so excited!  After the catheterization, they found one blockage.  The artery was 99% blocked.  That wasn't a typo either.  It was really 99% blocked.  The docs are very surprised Pops didn't have a heart attack let alone any chest pain.  Kind of scared the crap out of me for myself since the woman who gave birth to me had a heart attack in her mid 30's.  I'm pushing 30 right now.  My son's former pediatrician had a heart attack and died at age 33.  Ok, it's time for changes.  Big changes.  I'm going to call my doc and see if I can get a stress test and get my cholesterol checked. 

Back to Pops.  His four arteries from the quad bypass are doing fine...it's the other one that's not.  They were able to do angioplasty though.  Still going to be some recovery time but not as much as it would be if he had another bypass surgery.  The angioplasty went fine.  He's doing good.  He needs to stay still for 12 hours which is the hardest part.  If everything stays good tonight (so far so good) he could be discharged around 12 tomorrow. 

FMM, who is one of my BFF (other than PIC), is going to sit with me for a bit tonight.  He called me constantly today to find out what was going on.  Heck, everyone has been calling me.  But he left a message.  He NEVER leaves me a message. 

My job has been really cool.  My boss is allowing to bring DJ into work me with me indefinitely.  How fun is THAT going to be?  I was talking to my girl Hez on the phone and was telling her.  She was telling me how lucky I am.  I told her to stop for a minute, close her eyes and picture son2 (who is an aspie) spending the day in work with her daily.  She started laughing.  Yep, she doesn't feel I'm lucky anymore:)

I was really worried about what I was going to do with DJ.  FMM said he would watch him the days he doesn't work.  DJ should love that.  FMM has a Playstation.  I can just picture the two of them playing Madden all day.  DJ will never want to come home.  FMM has the ultimate bachelor pad. 

Pops always thinks of me.  I work, take care of DJ, take care of him, clean the house, do the laundry, cook, buy groceries and run various and all errands, not to forget I'm in school full time.  Pops' heart today decided I really don't have enough stress in my life.  Dropped him off (yes I took off work to take him to his appointment) to have a stress test.  Of course there are abnormalities.  They admitted him in the hospital.  Wasn't once this year enough?  *sigh

I'm really hoping he's in and out this time.  He's having a catheterization tomorrow.  From there they will decide whether or not they are going to do a balloon or if they need to do heart surgery.  I'm really hoping they DON'T do the surgery.  They last time he had bypass surgery (a quadruple, circa 1999) he caught an infection on the operating table that wasn't identified for about 6 weeks.  That's where all of his problems started.  This will be the 5th time he has to be hospitalized in 5 years.  We only missed out one year of hospitilzation (oh darn). 

DJ was my comic relief for the day.  We went to the hospital while Pops was waiting for his room.

DJ:  Pops, is that your naked butt I see?

And the roller coaster begins.  I won't disappear this time.

Have you heard about Blogathon 2005 yet?  A bunch of bloggers stay up for 24 hours straight and post every 1/2 hour to their blog to raise money for charity.  Nope, I'm not doing it.  I KNOW I can't stay up 24 hours straight nor will I be able to post every 1/2 hour.  BUT there are people who can!  I am sponsoring two blogs who 1) I read daily and 2) whose charities affect/have affected me personally. 

So, if you want to be a part of this event head over to Mouthy Mom who is blogging for the MISS Foundation.  The MISS Foundation is a non profit organization providing support to families who have lost a child through different initiatives.  As most of you know, I lost my first son, Warren, to SIDS in 1996 when he was a month old. 

I'm also sponsoring Moi over at Bloggg who is raising money for the Autism Society of America.  Now I'm certain you all know why this organization is important to me.  If you don't you must have been under a rock or something.  My son, DJ, was dx'd with Aspergers (an Autism Spectrum Disorder) over a year ago (OMG, has it been a year already????) 

So, please, take the time and support these wonderful ladies! 

A New Chapter
posted 08/07/2005 @ 9:10pm

What A Tangled Web We Weave...
posted 08/07/2005 @ 01:42am

Not So Fast
posted 08/05/2005 @ 11:51pm

Oooopsie
posted 08/04/2005 @ 11:59pm

Looking Good
posted 08/04/2005 @ 09:06pm

Just Hold A Bed For Me
posted 08/03/2005 @ 10:50pm

Blogathon 2005
posted 08/03/2005 @ 01:06pm

It's so good to be home!  I loved our time away, but now I'm broke:) 

DJ had SO much fun on the beach.  We were there every day first thing in the morning until mid afternoon. 

DJ loved the boardwalk and all of the amusements.  He definitely didn't get my genes.  I'm the biggest chicken when it comes to rides!  He wanted to go on everything (minus the "baby" rides).  I put my foot down on the upside down rides.  Luckily he had GF and GD with him to go on all these rides.  I just stood with my feet planted firmly on the ground snapping pictures. 

I did go on a few rides with GB.  Ok, only one.  The train.  But at least I went on something!