Rocky Lane

We started this blog last April when Rocky was paralyzed. Here we are one year later. Rocky has had an amazing recovery. His attitude is always positive, he's a fighter who loves life! He's back to running and romping with his best friend, Kaia. He loves to roll on his back in the grass and feel the warmth of the sun, loves to fetch, and LOVES to play keep away! He's really great at it.

I took Rocky to the Vet a couple weeks ago for a sore he had in between his toes on his front paw, the doctor, prescribed some ointment and bandaged his foot up. Rocky also has a fairly large bump on his back right on top of his hip. He's had it for a few years now, and at one time, it actually burst. We took him in for that when it happened and were told that the bump was a "sebaceous gland". We were told that it was pretty normal for it to rupture and drain itself. I know, that's really gross and probably TMI.

Since we were alreaddy at the Vet's office, I decided to have the bump checked because it looks like it has been getting bigger. The doctor stuck a needle in it and pulled some stuff out, put it on a little glass slide and took it to the microscope. After waiting about 20 minutes, he finally came back in and told me that the bump was a "Mast Cell Tumor" which needed to be operated on ASAP. Then that was that, he escorted me to the front counter so I could pay for the services rendered and told me he would email me some information on Mast Cell Tumors. The front counter guy, scheduled Rocky's surgery for three days later.

On my way home from the Vet, I continued processing all of the information. I called my friend Elena. Her dog had cancer late last year, and I wanted to see if her dog's cancer was the same as a Mast Cell Tumor. She confirmed that her dog, Aspen was diagnosed with the same types of tumors.

Jeff was on his way home from southern Utah. He had left the day before to go on an annual "guys only" 4 wheeler/motor bike ride. I waited until that evening when he was home to tell him. We both decided we needed to have a second opinion before we proceeded with surgery. We were able to get an appointment the next day at another animal clinic. The doctor tested the same area three different times, and was unable to find any cancer cells. They just weren't there. So, needless to say we were pretty upset that we had been given bad information. Jeff called and spoke to the owner of the first clinic, Dr. Law. He's the one who fixed Rocky's paralysis. He stood behind his doctor and insisted we bring him back in so he could take a look himself. After talking it over with Dr. Law, we decided to have the lump removed, just in case. We'd rather be safe than sorry. The lab results just came back on Thursday, and it is cancer. :( They are pretty sure they cut all of the cancer out. We're watching him closely, and sending positive energy his way for a fast recovery.

Kitchen - Before and finally AFTER!!

BEFORE..








Well - kinda, the kitchen is not 100% complete. We still have to finish the crown molding on the cabinets and the base boards. Take a look! Cheers! :))

AFTER..

"to each their own"

To each their own - to me, this means people are different and don't have to conform to one way of thinking, feeling, doing or being etc... Sure, I understand that some people are more close minded than others, but recently I've been super bugged by some people's close minded attitudes about other people and how they live there lives. I feel it makes the judgmental person look horrible. Nobody should judge!

If you have opinions that are not very nice, keep them to yourself. Not everybody needs to feel or think YOUR way. If you are bitter about something and that is the reason for the judgmental comments, cry a river, build and bridge and get over it! Keep your negativity to your self, please. Thank you.

Committed to a better way of life.

My sweet, sweet husby

 

 

Thank you for the lovely flowers, they made me cry. You are so thoughtful, and so sweet. I am so so lucky to have you in my life. Thanks for being my biggest fan and bestest friend in this whole wide world. I love you!

Update re: 5k for Diabetes

Jeffrey was so amazing in this race. I forgot to mention that in my post below. I am amazed by his everlasting strength and strive to keep up with him. He is definately what kept me going that morning, I probably would have cut a corner or just given up if he wasn't there pushing me to keep going. Thanks for being my support and motivation, babe. I love you.

Our first 5k - for Diabetes

Jeff and I walked/jogged our first 5k on Saturday for Diabetes. Brandon invited us and we took him up on it. It was a lot harder than I thought. I work out vigorously 3-4 times a week, I've been building my endurance for a year now. I cannot believe how hard it was and how much I struggled. It took us about 45 minutes. :(

The race was above the U by The Point, so there were some brutal hills. Jeff did awesome and kept up with me the entire time, he claims he could have left me in the dust, but he didn't so... claim shmame! :0) The next 5k Jeff and I are going to do is on May 9th, The Race for The Cure. If anybody wants to come joins us, leave a comment or send me an email. It's for a great cause and also great for your heart.

Our wedding day - Elise's story

I've been meaning to post this for a while now, although the event was a year and a half ago, I have vivid memories every time I have to drive on the freeway in rain or snow. Like this morning. I drove on the freeway for the 2nd time in wet conditions since that day, which was filled with just about every emotion I can think of.

It all started September 29th, 2007. The day I'd dreamed about for 25 years, and planned for a full year! It was finally here, I was marrying my prince in shining armor, without the shiny armor stuff. :) What an awesome morning - Jeff headed out early that morning to go golfing with his brother/best man, Jared. My younger sister, Lindsay was in town for our big day and was fulfilling her duties as my maid of honor like she had done it a million times before, although it was her first opportunity. She started my day off with a yummy coffee from Beans & Brews. Then she helped me load the back of her little Ford Ranger pick up truck with all of my pictures and decorations, including the amazingly cool sparklers she made - well, decorated to match my wedding colors and style perfectly!
It was so nice to have an extra brain to help me that morning. Who knows what I would have forgotten... It was about 11:00 am and we stopped to get gas at the Sev. As she was standing in the pouring rain pumping the gas, I watched the windshield wipers go back and forth wondering what that day would bring, "would the rain deter people from coming to our wedding? Wow... I'm getting married today." She got back in the truck and we were off to the nail salon for a final manicure. I remember trying to rush the oriental lady, telling her, "I don't have all day, I'm getting married, could you please hurry? please??" Lindsay decided we weren't going to have time to stop for lunch, so being the wonderful maid of honor she was, she went to Subway and got some sandwiches that we could eat on the way up to The Point. The Point Reception Center is on the top floor at the Huntsman Cancer Institute above the U of U Hospital. Anyway, my nails were finally done, I carefully left the salon, Lindsay held the door for me and then opened her truck door for me as well. I didn't have time to wait for my nails to dry, we needed to head! I carefully sat down in the passenger side of her little truck, she got in the driver's side. She looked at me and said, "what about your seat belt?" I looked down, then over my shoulder at the seat belt and then down at my nails and decided I wasn't going to risk messing my freshly manicured nails up. She kinda gave me a crazy look, reached over and grabbed the seat belt and clicked it in. I was thinking, yeah, she's probably right, I should put my seat belt on. She sure is nice.
We then drove out of the parking lot and were getting on the 215 freeway. I'm not sure what it was, maybe intuition, maybe an angel, but I remember right before we approached the freeway entrance, I had a strange feeling, a nervous feeling. I dismissed it and talked myself into believing it was just an unnecessary paranoid feeling. As we were driving east, Lindsay and I were talking about how glad we were that we had made amends and were friends again, and how much we loved each other. Then, all of a sudden, we switched lanes from an inner lane to the fast lane. We hit a puddle of standing water, I felt the truck kinda float and then, I remember Lindsay yelling, OH S**T!!, S**T!!, S**T!!!! We slammed into the middle concrete divider wall, I remember seeing the cars going the opposite way and thinking we were going to fly right over the wall and crash into other people. After smashing head on into the wall at about 70 MPH, everything was in slow motion, I watched the airbags come out after we hit. Then the truck flipped on it's side, my side, we slammed onto the ground and then skidded for about 10 seconds or so. I remember being held in my seat. I was held so tightly, that the airbags, didn't touch me. When we slammed down on my side, my head didn't hit the window. After we stopped skidding, Lindsay looked over at me and asked me if I was ok, I said "yes! are you ok?" She said yes! What do we do!? I said, "we just wait, we need help, we need help." I told her to roll down her window because of all of the smoke from the airbags, it was raining so hard, but the cold and fresh air was so comforting. I was worried that the engine would start on fire and we wouldn't be able to get out because the truck was on it's side. Finally, a Hispanic man yelled into the truck, "are you ok?" we both said yes and he helped Lindsay out first, then jumped in the truck, standing on the window, and lifted me out. I immediately, hugged the man and thanked him, I told him, "today is my wedding day, I'm on my way to my wedding!" He said, "you're very lucky" and ran across the freeway, in between all of the stopped cars and was gone.

I've told this story a hundred times it seems, but this is the first time I've ever re-lived it in writing. It's super emotional for me.

Lindsay and I hugged on the side of the freeway in the pouring rain for what seemed like 10 minutes, we were so happy that we were ok. I remember the horn would not shut up, it was blaring, and Kelly Clarkson was still singing her heart out in the CD player.
I called Jeff, and told him not to worry, "we're ok." "We just got in a really bad wreck, we hydroplaned and flipped the truck, but we're ok." "I'm still on my way to The Point." He asked me, "are you at 20th east?" I said, "yes, how do you know?" He said, "that area always has standing water." "I'm so glad you're ok, I love you!" I then called my mom and explained to her what had happened and told her I needed her to come get us. She did, we loaded all of my pictures and decorations from the back of Lindsay's totaled truck, which miraculously were all still in one piece. The sparklers were a little bent but that was the worst of the damage. Nothing was broken! The paramedics, told me, "these types of accidents usually end with fatalities, we don't see many people walk away from these." "You're very lucky".

We made it up to The Point and that's all I could think and talk about, the horrible wreck I was in. Before I knew it, it was time to get married. I was starting to get sore and stiffer by the minute. I was not in the mood for pictures, which took way too long! But they turned out better than I could have hoped for.




I am so thankful for all of the friends and family that helped make that day THE best day of my life! I am so very fortunate to have such a wonderful husband who is so committed to me and our marriage. I try never to take what I have for granted and truly appreciate my many blessings and the very blessed life I live. I was spared that day for a reason, my mission here has not been completed. I hope that I can continue to make others smile and help in any way I can.

And they lived happily ever after...

minor setback...

Time for counter-tops! All of the cabinets have been installed and now we just need countertops. Saturday, we went to The Home Depot to buy the precut slabs and realized that we can't use the precut slabs due to our corner cabinet not being a 90 degree angle. So.. now we have to have them custom made and wait until they're done, which will at least be another week. Ugh.. I am struggling without a kitchen. I really just want a sink, I can do without countertops for now...

work in progress...

No More Homeless Pets in Utah.

Please care enough...

If you want to know the answer to pet overpopulation just A.S.K.


A= Adopt from a shelter or a rescue group (petfinder.com) do not buy from a breeder or pet store,


S=Spay your pet (every animal unspayed animals contributes to this tragedy, even if you find homes for the babies...it is the concept called supply and demand), and


K= Keep your pet for its lifetime (pets are living creatures and will likely pose some challenges along the way...and like children, with a little effort and love most challenges can be overcome).

P.S. I just got my new No More Homeless Pets license plates, I was going to post a pic, but then I'd be subject to trouble and I don't like trouble. If this was an honest world, I would tell you all about them - I wish I could. I hope you get to see them. I really love them... and they love me! :) Happy Friday