Fun with Flowers and My Camera

Saturday Jim and I worked really, really hard around the house. We were both EXHAUSTED!!! Then Sunday was a beautiful day that it was nice to just relax a bit and I decided to bring out the camera to capture some of my flowers that are so beautifully blooming. I have always had a hard time getting gardenias to grow and it makes me so sad because my mom has always had them and my grandma loves them. So it was only right for me to grow them, but the plants would always die. Well, I am proud to say that I finally have beautiful white gardenia buds. And the fragrance is just AMAZING!!!

My dad has also been on my case to learn how to use the macro lens I bought from a friend a few months ago. Either I'm really not using it right, or it's much more limiting than I ever imagined. You really can only capture a very teensy-tiny area, and getting it to focus can be almost acrobatic at times (not that it's a problem, I'll just have to get used to it). But here are my morning glories in the glorious sunlight.

(imagine the angelic chorus here)

Isn't the sunlight here just gorgeous?!?

3751 San Diego Steam Excursion

Ever since the San Diego steam trip on June 1st, Jim has been sharing with me tons of photos and video from all the various sources. This one I had to share as it is an excellent news piece that really captures the spirit of that day. I really feel it comes the closest to being able to share with you what the trip was like. Makes me so proud of all of hubby's hard work.

Just click on the link below (it may be a little sticky, but I did get it to work). Keep your eyes peeled when the reporter is in the cab, you may see a familiar face…
Rare American Steam Locomotive Back in the Southland

2006 - Lots of Tests

January – Blood tests again – YAY! The results? Elevated liver functions (LFTs). One went up, two went down.

Alkaline Phospate: 239 [Normal range: 27-142]
AST/SGOT: 42 [Normal: 1-45]
ALT (SGPT): 77 [1-55]

I stopped taking the pill and any other medication for anything to try to cleanse my system of junk – including pain relievers – that might affect my liver. Pretty sure I cut back on the alcohol too; I can’t remember if I cut it out all together at this time.

April – Blood tests. LFTs skyrocketed up. Way up into the wild blue yonder.

Alkaline Phospate: 553 [27-142]
AST/SGOT: 97 [1-45]
ALT (SGPT): 215 [1-55]

GI doc says, well it can take a while for the birth control to flush out of your system. “Let’s wait and see” (these were to become my new favorite words) and do more blood tests in 3 months.

July / August – LFTs still up.

Alkaline Phospate: 611 [27-142]
AST/SGOT: 94 [1-45]
ALT (SGPT): 163 [1-55]

Time for a liver biopsy. The biopsy is an interesting procedure. I'm awake and they locally numb the area on my right side just below my ribs. One guy is watching through ultrasound while another sticks the needle (or whatever) in that numb area. He grabs a couple pieces of my liver and viola! It's done. Then I have to spend the rest of the day laying on my side to make sure I don't bleed to death (dont' you love the drama?! It's just means you get waited on hand and foot - YIPPEE!!) But all in all it's a pretty simple procedure, just not one you want to do very often.

The biopsy confirms that I have hepatitis. Now, hepatitis simply means “inflamed liver.” There are many different types of hepatitis. And lucky me, mine is of the “non-descript” (my next favorite words) variety. I ask if we can name it after me. :) GI doc doesn’t know how I got it. He says it may get worse, it may not. We’ll “wait and see” – there are those lovely words again.

September – Shortly after moving into our new house, hubby and I decide to officially start trying to have a baby. Jim was very emotionally moved by the death of Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter. He felt a strong wave of how precious life is and didn’t want to waste any more time. I think also finally being established in our house, it was like we finally had all our ducks in a row.

November / December – I haven’t had a period for a very long time. I am hopeful that I am pregnant and hope to be able to share the news with family at Thanksgiving. But pregnancy tests keep coming back negative and I don’t really feel I have pregnancy symptoms. I finally call my general doc, and he sends me for blood work which confirms I am not pregnant. The next step is to schedule for an ultra sound at the end of December. At some point in here I am also put on progesterone to kick start my cycle again. The day after Christmas, I have the ultra sound and I also started feeling pretty lousy by that evening.

Intro to Web Design

Last night I started a new class called Intro to Web Design. It's a quick 5 week course online teaching the basics of HTML. Off and on I have wanted to learn some web design stuff, but didn't really feel I had the time to focus on it. Also, Jim works on our family website every now and then and I would love to have more knowledge to be able to help in that process more than just writing the text for pix and stuff. Then of course there is this blog which I would love to dress up better. So you may see some changes as I play around.

I've already been called a "blogging nerd" by one of my supportive friends. ;-p

As I was leaving class I realized how much I really was looking forward to learning something new. It reminded me that years ago I envisioned that some day I would love to take different classes just to learn different stuff - underwater-basket-weaving anyone? I guess I'm at the place in life now. YIPPEE!! Bring on the knowledge!!

2005 - In the Beginning

May / June – After one month of wedded bliss, I became aware that I was itching - a lot. The itchies moved all around but I had no rash; it was causing me to create scratches on my skin. Maybe I was allergic to something – hopefully not my husband! I saw my general doctor, he ordered blood tests and recommended I take Clariton to relieve the itchies. The blood tests came back normal with the exception of elevated liver enzymes. Hoping it was a fluke (maybe I had had some alcohol too recently) we did a second test. Not a fluke - still elevated.

Alkaline Phospate: 163 [Normal range: 27-142]
AST/SGOT: 37 [Normal: 1-45]
ALT (SGPT): 72 [1-55]

So I was then referred to a gastroenterologist (GI) who could specialize in what might be happening with my liver.

August – I met the liver specialist (GI) who ran more blood tests. Guess what – yep, elevated liver numbers.

Alkaline Phospate: 195 [Normal range: 27-142]
AST/SGOT: 66 [Normal: 1-45]
ALT (SGPT): 112 [1-55]

At this time in life I was working full time, trying to finish my college degree, and four-months newly married. I was also on birth control. GI doc said the pills could be causing my liver to be inflamed. I wasn’t ready to risk the addition of kids into the mix yet and I would be done with school in January – I would go off the pill then. So we wait.