Friday, Saturday, Sunday

So what'd y'all do this weekend? You won't believe what all I did. First up, Friday night festivities. I went out. Big time. Bowling. Putt-putt. Rollerblading. Dancing. Naaaah, not really, but I did go out. Actually out. Out of the house. Can I get a wooooo hooooo? Oh, yeh!

I'd planned on taking the wheel chair, but feeling squirrely I ventured out with just my walker. We went out with our good friends Ryan and Angel to celebrate Angel's new job and although we didn't know it at the time . . . the send off of Ryan's facial hair. A tragedy really - get a little bit of ice cream in it and off it goes. *sniff, sniff* Just a sec whilst I wipe my tears . . .

Sooo, Logan's for steak and then Cold Stone Creamery for I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. Yummmmmmy. I had the absolute best ice cream I think I ever had. It was cake batter ice cream mixed with chocolate chip cookie dough, fudge and whipped cream in a delicious waffle bowl dipped in chocolate. So special, I tell ya, it even had it's own name. I think they call it "All Lovin' No Oven."

A. Next to a movie perhaps? B. Or rent one and head home? C. Maybe a quick stop for pool filters? Wrongo. The answer is D. none of the above. I'd already had quite a big night for my first real outing in eons. It was all I could do to make it upstairs to bed. Took my LDN and lights out. THE END.

The came Saturday morning at 5 am. Get ready for a wooooo hooooo. I slept DRY from about 11 to 5 in the morning. Yay! Yay! Yay! Now. Say it now. "Woooooo hooooo!" Jason and I had talked on the way home the night before about how excited we were to see what improvements lie ahead. We each talked of what we hoped to see and rejoiced at what we already had. Whether it be LDN or prayer or the combination of the two . . . somethin' was workin' on me. Somethin' powerful!

Should I wake him and happily report that I slept even longer uninterrupted by urgency? Should I wake him to tell him how miraculously rested and rejuvenated I felt? Nah. I decided to let the poor boy rest. He's a gorgeous one, my husband, even in his sleep. And before I knew it I'd fallen back asleep myself. Buzzzzz. Buzzzzz. Buzzzzzz goes the alarm clock. What was it set at 6:30 for on a Saturday?

Thankfully Jason grabs for it and shut 'er off. Or so I'd thought. Minutes (which seemed like seconds) later it buzzzzzed again. Smack! That was loud. Surely he took care of it this time around. Buzzzzz. Buzzzzzz. "Jason," I remember asking, "Any reason we need to be up this morning?" "Ummmm, no," he answers amidst the buzz buzz buzzing. And still the alarm sounds. "Baby," I say a little sterner, "can you turn OFF the alarm then?" And silence.

And sleep. Until 10 o'clock when Jason awakes with a hankering for a Dean's stromboli. Huh? That's not on his diet. Anyways I decide that'd prolly be too much of a walk for me and opt to stay in bed. Jason calls his parents to invite them and see if we can retrieve the kiddos from them there. And it's a date. And stromboli does sound awfully good. I'd just ventured out with friends. What kinda mom would I be if I didn't at least give goin' out with the kiddos a try? And off we went.

Parking just by the door we'd made it in and were seated with time to spare. And then came the kiddos looking as if they'd just gotten up. Apparently they too had partied hard the night before. All kissed and hugged and reacquainted we settled in to order. And after all that, none of us ordered stromboli. But I did have a huge delicious breakfast. All I needed now was another "All Lovin' No Oven." Next?

To shop for school supplies or not to shop for school supplies? That was the question. How 'bout "NO!" What up family? You think 3 nights of LDN has cured me? Geesh?! I may look better. At least that's what you're tellin' me. But I still need my walker. And I still can't stand too long. And going too far gets me outta breath and gives me a headache. Have I mentioned when my right leg begins to spasm that it's warning me to get off it? And not listening to it equals FALLING.

So whether or not I could have pushed thru and went shopping, I opted out. Let's give this LDN a few more days time before I add over doing it to my ever growing pessimist's list of reasons I'm not getting better faster. So the rest of the day I spent on the couch. Farmville, Facebook, spider solitaire, Netflix, etc. The most important part of the afternoon and evening being - REST!!!

P.S. I discovered about 1:00 or so I'd forgotten to take my Provigil. A wonderful little pill that if I fail to take I suffer the rest of the day for. And at times, sleep the rest of the day because of. Anyways, I'd forgotten again when I'd got home. Then at nearly three Jason catchin' me lookin' at the clock asks, "Did you take your Provigil?" Wellllll, nah. But it was kinda late now to take a pill that works to keep me up all day. I hadn't fallen asleep thus far so I opted out entirely secretly hoping for an early bed time.

And I made it. Awake alllll day w/out prescription assistance. And in bed by 9:30, so wish granted. Anytime before 10 around the Spindler house is considered early. LDN in and swallowed, but hold up a tic. I was cooooold. Brrrrrrrr. "Can I get another blanket, baby?" Ask and ye shall receive. I was awarded the blanket of all blankets. One made by Jason's grandma that is so incredibly warm it's even heavy to lift. I haven't even been able to fold it myself for years now due to it's massive weight. Awwww, thanks! This would warm me up for sure. Thank you, Baby! And thank you, Grandma!

But then at 1:30, I woke up having to PEEEEE. BAAAAAD. And I was HOT. And I couldn't hardly move. I nearly went into panic mode. Getting my arms free to lift my upper body I realized it was the blanket holding me hostage. I grabbed it with both hands and slung it off of me hard enuff I'd thought it should've smacked the far wall of the bedroom. Alas, it mad it just off my right leg. And once it was free the momentum of it plus my upper body thrust my left to freedom as well. Then wobbly as a toddler I made it to the potty.

Did I get a star on my toddler potty training chart? Nope. But I should've. Anyways, I toddled back to bed knowing some how or another I absolutely MUST remove the warmest of blankets in the entire world from my bed. But how was I to do it? I prayed for strength. And you know what I was given? Smarts. I look at Jason as I consider waking him to help and notice that he's slid down quite a bit more than usual from the head of the bed.

LIGHTBULB! Our bed is set on an incline. Gravity is welllll, gravity. And so if I sling the blanket towards the foot of the bed it may just make its way off easier than slinging it over Jason or pulling it to the floor on my side thus making for a future immovable road block. I gave the downward slippery slope theory a go and off, off, off she went. Had Grandma been there helping? Or maybe God Himself? Surely not as He has way more important prayers to tend to, but still I thank and praise Him. He saved me that night. I'm sure of it.

The rest of the night I spent coverless. And on one of my many bathroom trips I even stopped long enuff to put my hair up I was so hot. As I cooled down my urgency slacked and I found myself getting to stay in bed longer between trips. NOTE TO SELF (and Jason): Suffer thru the chills. No more blankets. Especially Grandma's. So two steps forward, one step back. Soooo my fault. I know not to get too hot. I know not to miss my Provigil. I know not to over do no matter how well ya feel or how long it's been since you've been able to do anything. My bad.

And buzzzz, buzzzzz, buzzzz. Please don't tell me it was going off at 6:30 again. It wasn't, but it was 8:30 and I sooo didn't wanna miss church again. We'd already missed 2 in a row. I wanted to go. I needed to go. I prayed for strength again and as I was praying, guess what? I fell back asleep. Then at quarter after 9, I wake to see Jason reading something or other off his phone. I say, "You promised you wouldn't let me miss this morning, Baby," as I get up and make my way yet again to the commode.

His reply was that we hadn't missed anything yet, but we prolly would. I hurry out of the bathroom to my closet and grab some clothes. All the while praying, please Lord let me make it. Then narrowly missing a crash on the floor, I flop on the edge of the bed to better reach my underwear drawer. And Jason asks, "You're not seriosly considering still going, are ya?"

At that I reply, "Well, I sure hoped to but I'm awfully damn close to giving up." Then we sat silent. I considered dropping my clothes at my feet and flopping back in bed but first prayed that it be God's will. And then Jason spoke. And as wretched of words as they may have been I believe they came from God as they were exactly what I'd needed to hear to get me on my way.

"There's no way we're gonna make it now," he said. Well, thank you Jason. And thank you, God! They both know all too well not to tell an Orth she can't do something. Grrrrrrrrr! With that I started dressing right there. Ordered the boys up and to hurry getting ready. We were having a hurry up and don't miss the bus to school drill. Whoops! Y'all missed brushin' your teeth. Get back up here and brush while Daddy showers.

Boys all ready and Daddy dryin' off I order the boys to the kitchen to pick out breakfast they can take in the truck. Then once Jason is dressed I order him to let the dog out, get my Provigil and find my shoes whilst I finish dressing and brush my pearly whites. So shoes, pill, and a coke in hand Jason follows the boys to the truck but waits to hold the door for 'ol crip. He's soooo a keeper. Hands off ladies or I'll beat you with my walker!

And we're off. And early. Yay! Better yet, how's about a wooooo hooooo? Great service. Great song selections. The first being about Jesus lifting me. And then victory in Jesus. And one of my dad's all time favorites, even played at his funeral - "In the Garden." Then just when I thought I'd miraculously made it thru tear free Andrew gets behind the piano.

This gorgeous, uber talented young man just happens to be a cousin of mine but I promise you dear readers I am in no way bias and/or partial. He sings an original him and a friend wrote a few years back. Beautiful!!! I almost come undone and then he dedicates it to his grandma Wanda who just so happens to be my grandma too. And just so happens to be sitting right next to me - also losing it.

Please let that be it Andrew. No such luck. He does another. And I'll be a monkey's uncle if every last word of that song hadn't been meant for me. It talked about thinking you were really somethin' but realizing that you couldn't even walk without holding His hand. I can't even type about it all these hours later without tearing up. I'll have to get the words for it and share 'em with ya later. Anyways, thank you Andrew. YOU ROCK!

He was a hard act to follow, but Uncle Scott held his own. He always does. He taught from Luke Chapter 19, I think it was. A bit about Zaccheus. Remember the song about him being a wee little man and climbing a sycamore tree? Anyways, the message was good and the alter call fruitful. Can I get an, Amen? But I feel like my message is getting a bit long so I gotta move on . . .

Nearly off Bonebank Road we get a call asking us to Dean's for lunch. Well sure. Why not? Maybe we'd have our strombolis today. And the parking near the door? Taken. On the street nearest the door? Taken. On the corner nearly a block from the door? It was ours for the taking. Yippee! So up the street we went. And the average person may not realize it but that particular street does have a gradual incline towards where it meets Main Street. I kid you not. It is there. And it is real.

We used the entrance near the bar that we hardly ever use and thankfully so as my right leg had been locked in a spasm since well before the entrance. Suffice it to say my warning was about to run out. So the first uninhabited table I grabbed a chair and flounced down in it. The family that had stayed behind with me offered to go get the family already settled in at our regular table. I said, "Nah, I've got only one thing on my mind right now, and it's the bathroom."

I didn't know which warning to heed. That of my leg or my bladder. Eventually the bladder won out and thankfully my leg, not wanting to get drenched, decided to cooperate. Dear right leg, Thank you! OXOXO, Me And to the table when asked what I wanted to order . . . all I could think of was bed rest. Too exhausted to lift a strom I ordered a burger. But how was I gonna make it outta there?

Good thing we're tight with the owners. Hehehehe. Thank you, Uncle Bud for movin' your truck. Easy out and home. And leg not shaking I proclaim, "I'm gonna try this without the walker." And before I could field any protests I was out the door. Truck, truck, truck, lighthouse, chair, table, chair, door, banister, wall, wall, wall, wall, table, shelf, sink and toilet. Can I get a woooooo hoooooo?

And then to the couch touching the wall only twice. Wow. And, say it with me now, "Wooooo hooooo!" So the rest of the afternoon I spent maxin' and relaxin'. And the evening? Much of the same. Now I'm off to bed. Sheet only. And I'm soooo excited to see what tomorrow will bring. Could it be a stronger bladder? Better walking? More energy? Total world domination?

Pray with me, for all those, won't you? I promise that everyone with MS will be LIBERATED should the world domination prayer be answered. But seriously, any of the others would be great too. So keep prayin' y'all. And I'll keep ya posted. Love ya. OXOXOXO