Thanks to all..........

I just wanted to give all of you a quick update. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I have peaked and it is as bad as it will get. I guess we technically have one more day that it could get worse, according to the doctor. It seems that every day something is worse and something seems better--very strange. Food still has no taste, my mouth only half works and I continually have trouble with my eye. I would say that, after waking up this morning, the eye is not good today. I think there must have been something in it when we patched it up last night, so it feels scratched today. So, it wasn't bad enough before--wonderful. Besides that, it seems that my reaction to the medication is tiredness--but I guess that isn't bad. When I sleep nothing hurts.

I also wanted to take a second to tell everyone thanks for all the wonderful notes, emails, texts and phone calls. I really appreciate it. Also a special thanks to my nephew, Hayes, niece, Camrin and sister for the wonderful get well picture they sent me the other day. I must explain alittle--Hayes calls me Aunt Dor (I guess like Tor??). That is why they did what they did below. Thanks guys.


Because of my eye, I have started to have Layne help me with my emails. It seems that I can't spend more than a few minutes in front of the computer before my eye gets mad at me. She is also helping me blog--it is nice that we are both home, although she may not feel the same. I am a little bossy.

Thanks again--I hope today will be better.

Bells schmells..............

Things can be going great and wonderful and then bam--maybe just to remind us to be thankful?? As most of you know Sunday Heath and I celebrated our 12 year wedding anniversary--that is the good--now the not so good. So, since I got back from Minneapolis I haven't been feeling great but nothing that seems out of the ordinary. I was having some pain in my neck (on the left side), I had noticed that food wasn't tasking the same for the last few days. Then on Friday (5/29) I was complaining about my left eye--it was scratchy and watering. So, Saturday I got up and we left the house for awhile but came home because I was tired. I took a nap and woke up to eat. I was eating and told Heath that my mouth felt funny. He looked at me and had me smile and make crazy faces and said it didn't look right. We kinda just left it at that--I had just woken up and thought maybe I had slept on it weird. I fell back to sleep and when I woke up again and went into the bathroom--I could tell something was wrong. When I smiled the left side of my face drooped and my left eye was weird.


We called the nurse hot line and she suggested we go to Urgent care. We were seem quickly and the Dr has diagnosed me with Bell's Palsy. Very scary at first and even thinking about this unknown things worries me. I have done some research and it seems that it isn't super serious and will just run it's course. Right now, it just seems that the left side of my face isn't working. My eye doesn't want to blink so it is very red and irritated. Hopefully this is as bad as it will get.


So, if I look like a crazy lady the next time you see me--at least you will know why. I am going to do more research and see another doctor next week and hope it doesn't progress any further.I just wanted to tell my friends--it is easier to go through stuff with friends!! :) I really do believe that this will all be fine in time. Just take a few minutes to be thankful..........


Because of this development we had a rather low-key anniversary. I really wasn't up for much so we had some Sushi, went to REI (Heath's favorite) and then to the mall to have my wedding ring cleaned. We ended up at the grocery store to get food for dinner and just hung out at home. I must say, it was a great day.

This is my face Sunday--just slight drooping on the left side. I would say that it is 4 times as bad today.

Monday I went to doctor. It seems that things will peak in the next 24-48 hours and then very slowly get better. It could be 3 weeks or 9 months--they just don't know. I will go back to the doctor in two weeks to see if any progress is being made. My face is worse today and droopier. My eye is very dry and irritated—I can put a patch on to keep it shut and give it a break, but then you have no depth perception.

I will probably stay home the next few days while it peaks, then see if I can work a few hours a day—that is what the doctor has recommend until I see him again in two weeks. It does not seem that I have the worst of this thing and I should recover completely—it will just be irritating and uncomfortable. I very much appreciate all he messages and positive thoughts. Thanks so much!! Keep it coming!! I will try to keep all of you posted.

12 Wonderful Years

I woke up this morning to remember that 12 years ago today I got married. First, it is just a little scary to think it has been 12 whole years--that seems like a great deal of time that has gone so fast. I think everyone asks the same questions--am I happy? am I where I want to be? am I still in love? I am happy to say YES! I am happy and I am still very much in love, maybe even more in love with him today than 12 years ago. The question that I do ponder on a little longer is the; am I where I thought I would be or hoped to be? My answer is.... not necessarily, I would like more money and maybe a different career, but honestly, I could have the best career or plenty of money but that wouldn't make me feel any different about Heath. We have each other, we are happy, we have enough to get by and we laugh--so really, I am right where I want to be--close to him.

I wanted to add some music to the post when it was opened but I am not sure if it is possible or how to do that. So, I will add a link to my new favorite "love song". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iraoHE6JlY



Enjoy the photos below. There are plenty more but this was enough to remember the day and to think about the years since.

Happy Anniversary to all those out there I don't remember to tell--enjoy your time together.

Stellar 13 (Kansas City)

Our second big tournament was a national qualifier in Kansas City--this was April 3-5. We all flew there and that was fun!! This is Layne and Laura on the tram at the Denver Airport on our way to KC.

The girls always had a great time together--the volleyball at this tournament was not great for the team, but I feel they learned a great deal from that weekend. I will always remember someone's hair......

They did get to go to a fun game place--it had go-karts, laser tag, video games, etc.....

I actually have not photos of the girls playing this weekend. I know there are some out there and I hope to get my hands on them soon.

Stellar 13 (Part 2)

This blog has the rest of our Crossroads photos and although I have plenty of action shots of the team, I am just going to post those of Layne (and one of Heath). Below, Heath doing some coaching. Not sure if he was mad or excited??

Layne doing a sub.

Getting ready for another ace serve.

Yep, it was an ace!!

Passing

Big spike

Check back for more of the exciting Stellar 13 season.

Stellar 13 (Part 1)

I will try to give you a little season-in-review since I did a horrible job of updating during this past club volleyball season. Some background information, Heath and I coached the Stellar 13 team this past season (which included Layne). We have determined one thing, we will not be coaching Layne next year. We are going to let her go out and experience different coaches and different methods. I will officially say that I don't plan to coach a team next season. I want to be available to watch and support Layne. I will not predict what my coaching future holds for me, because I really don't know.

Over-all it was a good season. We had a very young and inexperienced group of girls, but we trained them well. We attended two national qualifiers--one in Denver and the other in Kansas City and just had our end-of-season dinner last night. The girls hugged and cried!! They were a great group of girls and I enjoyed coaching them (most of the time). :)


Below is our first tournament of the season--we had to travel 2.5 hours to Ft. Morgan, CO. It was a rough day but they did win the final cross-over match at the end of the day!!




Since we had such a young group, we felt that it would be beneficial to have a few video sessions. We watched our own play and some of the Women's National Team. There was usually pizza involved and lots of laughing.



Tournament #2 in Denver. We did well, finished 3rd, and moved back up to Division #1.






Our Hawaii trip was between tournament #2 and Crossroads (qualifier in Denver). So, next are photos of our fun tournament in Denver. It is a national qualifier, so it lasts 3 days--we stay in Denver and it is really a blast for the team. They are a goofy group of girls and I think they loved to have their picture taken. This was the first night at the hotel and they were excited. It was hard to get them to their rooms to go to bed.







After our first day of competition, we were headed to lunch and met up with the Bubba Gump shrimp.






That evening we decided on the Spaghetti Factory. The food isn't the greatest but it is a fun place. Well, we will probably never go back--it ended up being and almost 4 hour dinner!! Most of that waiting for our table. This was early on--before the whining started.






It was the balloon guy that really saved the night. He made these great balloon hats for all the girls and Heath.







Day two of competition was Dig Pink day in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness. It was very cool to see all the pink--everywhere.





This was a little strategy session. The girls played really great on day two--they took control of all three matches. It was fun to watch how much they had grown as a team.

I have some great action shots of Layne during Crossroads that I will share with my next post.