Military Surprise and Updates

It's been quite awhile since I've written. Our daughter is home from the Army. I was awoken to an early birthday surprise. We expected her home in December. 3 days before my birthday I was called out of our room with my eyes closed, I was led by the man, told to open my eyes and there before me was our daughter in her military wear, with a bouquet of balloons and holding a cake. I was so happy.

She came home with a certificate as an IT specialist. The Army is paying for 14 more months of schooling. GI bill, Health insurance for a time being, 2 more years of using the PX, she can continue to honor herself and the Army wearing her ACU's when appropriate, etc. We're really proud of her effort and achievements.

A few days before, on Monday, I was gifted another early present. A baby kitten. He's adorable and we bonded closely right away.

On my actual birthday, the 26th of October, I was in a terrible flare and rested the early part of the day. They made me a spaghetti dinner. Loved it!

I've been busy at MDJ, but we hired 1 co-leader approx. 2 months ago and 2 more approx. 2 weeks ago.

I've managed to pry myself away from our bedroom and am out in the living room much more that I had been the last several years. My laptop hasn't been in our bedroom since our daughters return home. Had already planned on making that change and did that same evening.

When I turn in for the night, I'm no longer near a computer. If I nap, I'm also not near it.

I've been playing Wii with the family and Guitar Band (I'm the singer) It's fun!

I'm still only taking 2 meds from the 7 I was on for many years. I went from 20mgs of Suboxone a day to my current 12. 8mgs in the morning and 4mgs in the evening. 1mg of Suboxone is the equivalent of 25mgs of Morphine. I used to take 30-45 mgs of Morphine a day. Suboxone would be as if I was taking 300 now and when I was taking 20 it would equal 500. eeps! I still get a lot of break-thru pain and some days I still can't budge so I turn to relaxation, breathing and meditation.

So that I didn't have to go back on Zanaflex/Tizanadine (24mgs of muscle relaxer, I was on for 5 years) I opted to try Calcium and Magnesium supplements instead this last Monday. It's for the Dystonia and myoclonic jerks and spasms. It's worse when I'm laying down or about to fall off to sleep, but it started back in my entire body which was previously eased by the relaxers.

I continue to use the tools and coping strategies learned in the FRP aka my Flare-up protocol.

Phase 2 is Monday evenings.

Beginning yesterday, We're home schooling our son. It's actually Independent Study (ISP)

We created his daily subject schedule of 6 courses last evening.

Am staying as busy as possible even through the crashes.

I know there's much more, but think that's it for updates... cannot recall much more going ons at the moment..

Hope you all have been well..

Until next time...

From AIT 25 Bravo to the 3rd Infantry Divison

She lay awake all night with a different kind of emotion rushing through heart. An emotion that causes her a sense of fear. Our second daughter is the one in the U.S Army. The one the Army rarely knows what they're going to do with her. From not graduating boot camp from a hip fracture that occurred during a midnight training exercise in the water where they were all carrying planks above their heads and one of her unit let go causing a domino effect where she fractured her hip.

4 days before graduation we found out she was graduating after all. The passed her run. Money was tight at the time, but this one had some back pay coming, husbands friend and long time co-worker put the tickets on his credit card for us. All of us. Master, slave, oldest daughter and son. The co worker did this without hesitation, his own free will. He was never asked for such a thing. What a wonderful man. We paid him back in full plus 50 in interest/extra and 20 lottery tickets a bit over a week later for doing something so generous for us.

We went to her graduation in South Carolina and afterward drove to mom and dads where one spent her 40th bday. The kids got to see their grand parents and extended family. None of us had in many years. Our army girl was happy to have her grand parents attend her graduation.

We drove our daughter to AIT in Fort Gordon GA and dropped her off at her new home before driving on to moms.

She came home for Christmas, where we met her then boyfriend. They are always decent before the parents. We were blind sided. We no longer have respect for him. Our daughter tried to file for an anulment but in the State of GA it isn't allowed if one has slept with their husband. A divorce is on it's way. Once he became her husband, he began physically abusing her, humiliating her, degrading her and more. Very sad. They were married spontaneously, out of the blue, court house, had a type of love, but wasn't in love.

This one knew something wasn't right not long after they left to return to GA from Christmas vacation. Our daughter paid for the flight tickets (they weren't married yet) she purchased many things for him that were NOT gifts, but a promise to pay. He drained her.
Our girl had a decent savings. Now it's gone. %$^&$#@@@!!!!

Army girl was suppose to be home this Wednesday, we were told we may not see her for years now. This ones belly tied in knots. She was supposed to be deployed to Germany and then Iraq and because of all the changing information from day to day, we just didn't know anymore. Not long ago we learned she was going to be Medically Discharged. An honorable discharge because of her hip. Not anymore, she graduated, afterall.

Until she graduated from AIT a few days ago. She graduated as the only female into the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart. Now she'll be transfered to Fort Stewart, Georgia where she'll begin a new kind of training.

Infantry?!!!

No!

~sighs This one is not permitted to tell where her deployment will be after training.


This scares this one. Her dad didn't even like it. One saw the look on his face after he got off the phone with his daughter. She was suppose to stay in what she just finished being trained in. Computer Networking, Intel. Her hip has never been fixed. While she graduated from AIT, she still has to pass a 2 mile run.

Not being trained in battle. Now she will be. We raised a strong girl. She tough and proud.

Have been thinking about this for days now. As my pain increases, during flares, one thinks of this even more.

Everyone say's get everything in writing. And our Soldier Girl did. Apparently it wasn't enough.

It does not matter son or daughter, a mother is afraid to lose her baby ducks. A father keeps most of his emotions inside.

Please continue to pray for our Soldiers, Our Soldier Girl Erykah, too.

Mom has alot on her mind...

Until next time...

(The people in the photos are in the first- brother, Army Girl, older sister. In the second, Army Girl and Dad.)

Bi-Weekly Update

Slept nearly all day today, woke up about 7p.m this evening. I got a few weeks relief from my blocks, but the last 4 days has returned completely. While I had problems with my back during the weeks past, it hadn't come back in my foot yet. It's back and burning like hell.

For the most part and since I'm lacking finding things online to do other than my daily ritual of reading and replying to emails, checking up to see if there's any new clinical trials etc, checking into my pain group, I've been watching movies on my computer.

I thought I'd get my surgery date sooner, but it doesn't really surprise me that I haven't. It has to go before a review board before authorization.
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Our daughter goes to Germany in May as of now and then deploys to Iraq in November. She was suppose to be home one more time in April, but because she's having trouble passing her 2 mile run due the hip fracture, she may have to stay behind to practice and/or complete it. If she does have to stay behind, her husband will be coming to join us for 2 weeks. It's cheaper to fly here to the in laws than it is to fly home to his home town in Puerto Rico. We're happy to have him. Met him over Christmas time. We like him, but it may seem kind of awkward without our daughter home, too.

They have their own room here. (I'm in it now lol), but will be moving to our sons room soon enough. If I don't get my surgery date before he comes will just straighten this one back up and move to the other sooner.
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It's really hard having pain return, you get that break of ease, of relief and then when it comes back it seems it's ten fold when it's probably really not. It's just that you think it is because of that break in pain. If find myself, or should I say my family finds me having fallen asleep sitting up with my face in the palms of my hands, or laying on my side with my left hand propping my cheeck up. I just doze off.
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Well I'm about to pop a dvd into my laptop and try to get some relaxation going on.

I wish you all most well,

Until next time...

Congratulations to Our daughter and new son-in-law

Yesterday, February 20th, Our daughter was Wed.

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Jose T.

Sorry we couldn't be with you, can't wait for the formal
in Puerto Rico.

Take care of your man- Erykah,
Take care of our girl- Son

Love,
~mom

(Proud of you both for serving our Country in the U.S. Army)