Are You An Overcomer???

I believe I am! I just got some $930 unexpected medical bills this week. I was sure last night I would not be able to attend my 25th high school class reunion and the 2009 Dairyland Dare. I spoke to Noreen this morning(alpha pack pres) and she said they could help with the cost of the room & gas cost for the Dairyland Dare. I have been listening to some Joel Osteen cd's in my car as I never have time to read right now....it sure is helping me cope with all the challenges I am experiencing right now. I have convinced myself I will emerge next spring leaner finacially as well as physically and sharper mentally. I have eliminated my landline & internet so am limited to the library. There is someone jabbering in the background making it hard for me to concentrate on formulating an intelligent post & I keep hearing there is a waiting list for the computers....so I will pursue a more informational post another day! I'll make it...Overcomer Part II!

Forget that second post...I'm at another public library...SO GLAD...there are 2 library's in this county I can use!! Luv the edit feature on blogspot, too!

I was put on a z-pack(azithromycin) two 250 mg pills first day and one 250mg pill remaining 4 days and stays in system for 10 days. Went to urgent care in Ladysmith. Pretty sad when the doc I saw there says..."You don't want to have to go to emergency here....you'll wait 4 hrs!" It IS true!! I got hit by a piece of firewood at the cabin accidently when I was 4yrs old. It took 4 hrs before I got taken care of. My parents were furious! However, there is a positive outcome to urgent care...the doctor & nurse actually knew about alpha1...How great is that??? I think it's awesome!!!!

Back to the overcomer bit. Last night after work I stopped by two lending institutions to investigate my refinancing options at each of them. I learned I can't get refinanced as well as orignally thought but, it is still better than last years original mortgage. My cars too old to refinance @ a better rate. I had been looking forward to being down to one medical bill but, I remember when the combined bills were $4000 + two years ago. Now the combined total is only $2100. It is a step forward. I have my fishing gear & hunting gear and I reside in hunting & fishing heaven where I now live!! I have my hunters safety cert that my Dad insisted on. I have a garden, an orchard and I know how to can!

I have piles of books to read over the winter. Tip top of that list is "How The Memory Works" followed by several algebra books. I've always struggled with math and I'm bound & determined I will best that bugger!! I may not have an OST membership this winter but, I do have my bike, my Kurt Kinetic fluid trainer, my Spinervals DVD's, my yoga mat, my pilates & yoga dvd's. I am planning when I get over this upper respiratory infection to begin bicycling the 10.9 miles to and from East Mart during the week to save gas costs to work. If I really get brave I'll pedal to & fro from the Tony Depot during the week....it's 16 miles. Where there is a will there is a way.

I have vivid memories of the lengths I went to to get my associates degree from EOSC yrs ago....the last few days seem reminiscint of them. I've recalculated & recalculated debts vs. income and asked myself how do I juggled them around. I am sure that I don't have to remove insurance from anything like I did in college though...WHEW!! It was all SO WORTH IT back then and it's all worth it now!! Back then I had to remove my liability ins from my truck to pay off the fall semester bill so I could enroll for the spring semester. I bummed a ride to McAlester once a month for groceries and whatever I got then was what I had to live off of the entire month. Why is it our greatest memories come from times we were poorest?!

Thought For The Day:

"Even during our darkest hour there is

hope & opportunity"

Off To Spend!

Didn't know what else to type for a heading. Using library to post. Not much cpu time left today. Got an email from a newly diagnosed Alpha. It's funny...I get burned out on being an alpha1 advocate sometimes but, then I'll get contacted by someone who is looking for knowledge & encouragement and I forget my burned out feeling. I remember what it felt like when it first hit me. The next thing ya know I just so want to help them have hope as well as the ability to regain their equilibrium!

I think I might have a cold. I have been working 9hr days. My days have begun at 4am and ended sometime around 9 or 10 pm. My field of dreams is shaping up though as a result. I have been coming home from work and driving right out to the field to work. I did sleep in today because I have been so exhausted to the point on Tuesday I arrived at work late. I destroyed my perfect attendance record I had going for 1.5 yrs. Makes me mad at myself! Going to Spring Street Sports to buy Hammer gel/Perpetuem products...Hopefully I can keep it under $50. It usually winds up being $125 +. I am a bike geek. I can not be trusted in a bicycle store!!

Being Active In The Alpha1 Community...

Has many pluses!! I just got offered a placed to stay for free when I spend the weekend in Chicago in August. That just rocks!! There are also other benefits as well. A social outlet, an opportunity to share what each other knows/has learned about alpha1 and how to fight it. Lovin' the rain! Corn & pumpkins are doing awesome! Can hardly wait for PYO season in August!!!

For Every Problem.....

There are many solutions. I'm in the middle of the book "The Difference Maker". In fact, I'm in a chapter addressing big people overcome big problems. I thought about the fact was I a big person or a small person ad was my attitude right about the Hallie Rath event.

My conclusions was....Maybe Not : (

So, I started revaluating how I looked at it and began looking at it from a different perspective. The funny thing is we could & in some cases should use this kind of thinking when dealing with alpha1.

In other news. I believe my oldest sister & I are going to take a week long road trip to Virginia in early September. I ave not been there in 24 years. I was looking online at tourism info & I didn't recall just how gorgeous it was. WOW!!

Hallie Rath event...

I will not be donating funds or attending the event. They have put in place a dress code. In addition to that I have issues with the UW's attitude towards alphas. They didn't always have this attitude. Henry Eckert who I have refered to in previous posts and done a couple different events with was a recipient of a bi-lateral lung transplant from the UW & Dr. Love was his tx surgeon. Sorry to disappoint folks!

On the up side...sweet corn season should be finished on my farm and instead I should be able to take the entire weekend off. I am thinking spend the weekend in Chicago & attend Cindy Wilson's alpha1 support group mtg...if I can figureout how to get where it is on time!! Then Field's, Shedd's, Borders down by water tower place(I LOVE that bookstore!!) and who knows what else!

Klondike Monster...

....Actually Klondike hill. Is thee single most nastiest hill I have ever seen!! I think it could make me cry before I even got half way up one side!

I said I wouldn't post but, I had a bad nights sleep last night so, I took it easy tonight. It got real humid during the middle of the night and I woke up with difficulty breathing.

Anyway....Klondike Hill....I had never been able to find over off of hwy 48 by Rice Lake. I had my friend Steiner give me a ride over to pick up my truck. Along the way I talked about training for the Dairyland Dare. He said when he drove gas truck "We were told we weren't to go down Klondike Hill.". He then offered to show me where it was over off of 19th street by Bargain Bills. It's over a mile long. We figured there was a 4 mile square I could hill train on. I had discovered a hill I thought would be good to train on Sunday over by Canton on 23rd st. I may just have a fighting chance at having what it takes to complete the DD metric century!

Exhibit # 1

Exhibit #2

Nuff Said!!

Where's Katie???

For the last month and a half my day has begun at 5am and ended at around 10pm. By that time I am completely wiped out. I have either been working at my job that provides me with a weekly paycheck or tilling, planting, watering, weeding garden or raking & mowing lawn. I did take off yesterday to attend a graduation party in Chippewa Falls. My cousin brought his son up from Ohio to have a grad party with relatives.

I expect to stay busy like this till November with the farm & cabin. I went so far as to send an email to my sister (who has a cabin up here) to come over here and raid my raspberry patch & personal gardens since I don't believe I'll have time enough to can jam or veggies. I'm sure if our other sister from CA lived closer she would love to have the opportunity to raid my gardens....not to mention my greenhouse in spring!

I don't anticipate posting a lot. I plan to do the Dairyland Dare and hope to make it to the Hailey Rath event in Beloit the following weekend (http://haileyrath5k.org/). Do I ever wish I could curl up in a ball today. I can hardly wait till I get to sleep in an entire weekend!!

Colds & Exercise

Colds at anytime when you are a symtomatic ZZ are never welcome. During summer I think they are less welcome. They are so hard to get over for anyone during summer. I think I might have one....I feel under the weather but, I am hoping it's just because of the cold and humidity. We had much needed rain yesterday. My lungs feel somewhat tight. You would think since I infused Friday at noon I would be immune to a cold. Grr!! Time will tell pollen in the air doesn't help either!

Exercise...well, that's what I'm about to go do at OST. Even when you are sick you should exercise BUT, be careful. Don't over do it!! If your lungs are congested sometimes exercise helps loosen up mucus to help bring it up out of the lungs but, so does an accapella valve(flutter valve).

How Do You Hug Someone For Possibly The Very Last Time?

That was a recent post on Facebook by a dear friend of mine. The person he was refering to was his grandma. She IS the sweetest person I have EVER met!!! In 1995 I spent Christmas with them. I had stepped out of the family picture. She said : "You're like a second daughter to us. You have to be in the picture!" I don't have a picture of it but, I will never forget that day! There a million other moments, too!

I've never seen her angry. She always has spoken cheerfully. She has a wonderful sense of humor & loves to have fun. She's always been very affectionate. She always says something encouraging to you when she talks to you. She is the most amazing person! I know I talked about Noreen who passed away from luekemia a few years ago and how I would like to have her grace while aging not so gracefully. I'd also like to have Barbara's cheerful and patient disposition as well.

How do you hug someone for possibly the very last time???

I guess the very best you can...enjoy the feeling...make sure they know they have special qualities that you hold dear....not everybody gets that chance...embrace the moment. As a couple of my high school classmates have told me to help me keep things in perspective....Katie, I could walk outside and be hit by a car. We all need to make the most of life where we're at right now.

Can't Wait To Get Back To Work!!

I am ever so sore. A hot shower holds a close second to a calgon take me away bath I'm discovering!

Those gas prices I hear will reach $3.50/gallon by the end of July. Definitely got to get into that bicycling part of the way to and from work. Plus, if I'll get that needed 20 miles a day exercise needed for training for the DD.

I did my IV(infusion) today. I got a good first stick! Yeah!!!

I had a first though!! My saf-t-intima partially gave out by the y part of it?! I was very surprised!! Nah, I'm not scared of it happening again....but, it was aggravating. I got a good second stick w/ no complications the second time around!

I think I'm gonna refocus next yr on just sweet corn & fall decorations. There is only just so much Katie to go around. Plus, I won't be so tied down! LOL...I say that this year but, that could change. For 3 years now I've said "I'm not going to mow lawns next year." Then the next year rolls around and I say..."Well, it'll be that much more money in the pot!"

Still very busy...

I am quite tired & sore. I seem to use my facebook acct now more than ever. I did consider switching from home internet/cell phone to a blackberry but, I still couldn't justify it. I keep reading how facebook has become quite a good business tool. I expect I will set up a facebook acct for Rock Bottom Farm. I've learned that the things I want to do as far as marketing product are getting folks around here pretty excited(in a good way)! I wasn't sure as I was cooking them up....I may not even do the farmers market. I may just sell it here at the farm and make the occasional special delivery to the private resort/ five star resturant chefs. I will be soooo glad when this week is over. In the next couple weeks I plan to build a summer chicken coop for my apple orchard. If it rains this week that will be my work on tractors day. I think it's time I figureout where my blue goo is for arthritic bod!

It's too bad about the U.S. Gov't blocking the sale of Talecris to CSL. I honestly hope we get better leadership during the next presidential term. I also found it laughable a few weeks ago when the FDC decided......Cheerios is a drug due to advertising that's been in place for over 2 yrs according to some genius in the FDC. I should have bought one of those Cheerios boxes for collector purposes!!

No Biggest Loser....My Bad!

I got up early with good intentions. Got busy with the my greenhouse plants. Then I was busy over at Stevens Lumber yard looking into windows. Then I came home & got busy with removing the OSB from my truck. I just noticed the time....I had a 3 hr window to get weighed in today 9am - 12pm. Oh, well....I can still get down to 145 without participating in OST's Biggest Loser type program.

Gonna go get busy mowing paying lawns!

The Biggest Loser...

They are having one of those kinda programs @ OST(the place where I do cardio & weight lifting). I didn't do it last year but, I am able to this year. I need to get down to 145 but, I'd love to get down to 143. I know several years ago when I lost weight the wrong way for a wedding(before I was diagnosed w/ alpha1) I dropped down 4 sizes. At that time I had dropped to 150 pounds.

I took a voluntary layoff to get caught up on lawn & garden work. I now know why farmers had so many kids....to keep the lawn & garden looking well cared for!! Also, I took voluntary layoff to get more involved in training for the DD. I need to get more prepared for longer rides. I keep threatening to bike 10 miles to work & 10 miles from work to train & save gas. Don't ya just love them escalating gas prices!!

As for the DD my loosely laid plan is to really give R the first 50 miles while it's cooler and take my good natured time the last almost 15 miles when it is sure to be warmer.

Dairyland Dare

This will likely be my last year to participate in this trek. The Horribly Hilly Hundreds which is another trek I once contemplated participating in I will likely never participate in either as they have moved away from chip timing. Many of these larger treks want so much for what they offer....it just doesn't seem as worth it to participate. I do still intend to do treks but, more leisurely ones such as the Rotary Pie ride in Janesville, WI or there's another trek up by Arbor Vitae in September that interest me. Wheels In The Woods I think it is. Each of these combined costs will be signicantly less than the other two. In fact, what it will cost me for the Rotary ride & Wheels in the woods will be equal to the DD or the HHH.

I am pretty sure I'm not going to post much as I have become very busy with my farm and readying myself for the farmers market. I have around 3.25 - 3.5 acres of crops. Almost half will be sweet corn. I also am slowly getting mechanical equipment in good working order for the farm, lawns and the cabin. I have 2 mechanical projects completed & have 5 more to go. The plan is to complete 3 more before I need to start attending farmers markets. The remaing 2 will have to wait till fall along with the dismantling my traditional wood barn. I am enjoying the farm more and more....all the time. I am still in awe of what I have! I'm still noticing new things to appreciate about it!

The dominant motivator for working so much ground is to get a little extra set aside so that when my breast reconstruction is completed in December and I'm off work because I'll be on restriction I can breathe easy. Last time I had a lot of trouble with Mayo releasing the proper information the the disability insurance reps. If that turnsout to be smooth sailing...great! Then the other aspect is I am hoping to make a 2 - 3 week visit to my primary health POA in Pensacola,FL. Enjoying a little warmth in December or January wouldn't hurt my feelings either. My neighbors seem to think it wouldn't be an inconvience to them to tend my animals. Plus, being down in Pensacola Karen can have the reassurance that I am not overdoing anything. She has had to protect me from myself before! I asked her the last time I talk with her if she remember that time I tried to go to work with a 102 temp 22 years ago. She said "Oooh, Yes." As in that kind of oh, yes that expresses....and I hope I never have to go through that again! That was TOO scary!!

Ugh! Hopefully Never Again....

Turned into eight teeth surgically removed. Got given laughing gas before being knocked out by IV meds. I'm talking to the doc one minute and the next minute I hear them telling my driver what I need to do as well as what I can & can't eat. LOL

I have to call Terry....would have more luck getting some of those things through to my brain now!! My original plan was to stop at a local hangout when we got back to the area. He woke me up shortly before we reached it and says "Still wanna stop?" I slowly turned my head left to right and mumbled no.

I have had extractions before but, never used pain killer meds. Eight teeth is a lot though. I'm sad about losing the teeth but, I know it was the right thing to do!!

Our health is priceless.....pride cometh before destruction.

What Kind of Childhood Games Are You Playing?....Pick Up Sticks!!

That's what Johanna had to ask me on the phone earlier in the week when I answered. SEE she does have a sense of humor!!

I had been cleaning up the sticks in one of my lawn accounts when she called. Not the nicest day in the world. Windy w/ warm humidity. So glad that's done! Received my parts for my Skag from Anderson-Thomas. Now, I'm back in business as far as lawn mowing.

Had my "last supper"- prime rib, baked potato, salad & various other goodies. Going to be a while before I get partial denture plates. First got to get my med bills paid off! Got UofC physicians bill paid off. Now, onto UofC Hospital bill(August pay off) & then onto paying off cancer bill. GREAT news!! Heating fuel prices have dropped by 30% from what I paid last year & I found a more affordable mortgage/car insurance carrier....every bit COUNTS!!

Would post more but, got less than an hour to finish what's left of "last supper" and off to bed.

Swimming With the Sharks...Gonna Make It to High Ground!

Yesterday we had the shortest meeting scheduled for the conference room in the history of me working there. Rumors ran rampant as they often do in a manufacturing plant. I had often read & heard that some people go into business because they "had no other choice". I had my "head screwed on" that if it was another mandatory layoff.....I was gonna swim with the sharks and make it to high ground. After the meeting it occured to me that's what a person needs to do when they are facing disability or sudden awareness of a disorder or disease. We need to chose to believe we will overcome. That medical break throughs will happen. That we will learn something that gives us an edge!

May Is...

ALPHA-1 AWARENESS MONTH

Good News & Hardwork!

When I saw Dr. Hogarth this last Monday my lung function had improved 10% in the last year. He said to keep doing what I was doing. I asked him if I became more diligent with my exercising would that improve anymore. He said maybe but, by exercising I would for sure be able to do more with the lunbg function I have now. Either way that IS good news!!

I do have some female issues so, I need to see an OB/GYN. I had presented the issue to him first because I knew ZZ's are notorious for miscarriages and premature menopause. I wasn't concerned about the former....just the later!! I scare guys up here where I live because I'm educated and know how to do a lot of things most women don't. Just call me the INTIMIDATOR! ROFLOL

He said it likely isn't anything to get scared about. He gave three possible scenarios. The last being the one to be scared about. More than likely I just need to get re-syncronized. I've been under some pressure/stress lately.

Hardwork is coming in the form of training for the DD, market farming & tearing down my barn. Cory looked at it and he said to tear it down and if I still wanted the traditional barn.....Save what I could and rebuild it as I could afford to. Now, I need to look around for a couple good roofing harnesses and possibly scaffolding.