Semester 4 is in the books!

Congratulations, Gooding Institute class of 2010!

Yesterday was graduation for the upper class. It was an awesome day! Watching the seniors get their hoods and diplomas, I was looking ahead to next December and just dreaming away. Kerry even received a scholarship during the ceremony! We had no idea, and it is GREATLY appreciated. I am so insanely proud of him and his accomplishments, and the best is yet to come. So now with that group graduated and out, Kerry's class is instantly promoted to senior status. One year to go. That is exciting in itself. :)

Not to put myself in the spotlight, but I will also mention that I was selected as Bay Medical Center's employee of the month for December 2010. I'm floored and deeply appreciative of this, as I've only been there right at a year. I have great co-workers, and a pretty awesome manager, and without them in the clinic, I'd be more than crazy!

Christmas is here, as well! Our favorite time of the year by far, and this year will be very special. I can't wait to see my big brother, hang out with the rest of the family, eat, go to a Christmas Eve service at church, watch 24 hours of A Christmas Story on TBS, help Brayden celebrate his first Christmas, swap gifts, and the rest of the things that come with the next few days. And since we'll be spending the night at my parents' house next weekend, I'll probably do just like I did for years as a child – look at the stars out the window in my room and look for Santa. ;)



Merry Christmas to you.

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving!

I realize it's the last day of November, and I'm late posting, but you'll have to excuse me.  We've been home in Red Level/ Andalusia loving on our new nephew, Brayden!  He is SO beautiful, and we're thrilled to be Uncle Kerry and Aunt Colie.  He got here pretty late on the 22nd, and was beautiful and healthy from the get go.  It was an amazing Thanksgiving back home with family.  Congratulations to Erin and Josh!

As December starts and this year comes to a close, we're so very excited to only have a year left as a student and wife of a student!  We don't mind it for now, but we sometimes (me in particular) get restless and ready for a change of scenery.  It is a little mind boggling that 2010 is nearly over, and as I sit here and write out Christmas cards, I can't help but look forward to all the events that will come in the next year!

Please continue to remember us in your prayers, and as soon as the magazine is out, I'll post Kerry's article.  That's his latest project...he'll be a published author!  Isn't that something?   My current projects still revolve around cooking, and I must say, I'm getting pretty darn good at it.  Except for the fact that I'm somewhat of an accident waiting to happen, i.e. slicing my finger on a mandolin and burning my entire hand on a cast iron skillet, I'm making some pretty tasty things.  So come visit, and I'll cook you up a little something ;)

I am due to return to the neurologist in a couple of weeks, so I'll update on that as it comes.

Days go by...

Yesterday was our 3rd/9th anniversary.  It's hard to imagine a more crazy day than the day we got married.  Thank goodness for pictures, because so much of it is still a blur in my mind.  Even with the madness, I still consider it to be one of the best days of my life...I mean, look at this picture!  So goofy and in love, just as we have been from the moment we met.  I wouldn't trade the past nine years for anything.  Not to say they've been perfect, but if things trend the way they have, we have a lifetime of goof left in us (ha).  

To celebrate this year, I cooked a big dinner on Friday night before our anniversary.  Then the actual day of, we headed for Bonefish grill, as per tradition, and walked the beach and sat in the sand watching the sunset.  I know blah-dee-blah romantic stuff, but it means a lot for us to just unwind and take in our surroundings while we're here.  And this happens to be the PERFECT time of year.  I couldn't imagine celebrating an anniversary any other season...it just makes sense for us.  

This time next year I hope to be sorting things to sell or give away so that we can MOVE, and I certainly hope Kerry has a job nailed down by then.  It just seems so far away, but when I look back, I think it isn't all that long.  Heck just yesterday we loaded the Equinox like the Clampetts and drove all the way to Baltimore for an adventure, right? 

So on to the future...this weekend we will fulfill our other anniversary tradition and snap a few photos, this year without Otis because he's just too camera shy.  I'll post to facebook and maybe here when that's done. 

'til next time  : )

SEPTEMBER!

Today marks the start of my most favorite month of the year!  In honor of that, I'm posting a video I made for my Kerry to honor our 3rd anniversary...even though that doesn't happen til the end of the month.  I celebrate the whole month though, and I see absolutely NOTHING wrong with that!!!!


Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Another semester down, and all the updates that come with that...

That's right!  Another semester is behind us, and wow did it seem to go by fast.  Maybe because it's summer time, maybe because of wishful thinking, or maybe just because hindsight is better than foresight...who knows?  Semester #3 is gone, and a fresh, shiny new one will start tomorrow.  Along with it will come new faces that we welcomed at the hail party this weekend.  It's strange to think of Kerry as an upperclassman now, but it's a very good thing!  I'm so proud of my straight-A student!  That, and he was chosen to be a member of a committee for the AANA.  Pretty swank, huh?   But we all know how special he is, so I'll stop.  I'm just SO proud of him and his accomplishments.  This time next year (dare I say it) we'll be looking at other places to live!  YAY!  The end is in sight.

At the end of the semester we had a little free time to take a little vacation from PCB.  Of all places, Kerry chose New Orleans. I was skeptical to say the least, but it turned out to be a wonderful trip!  (Mostly because I like to eat, haha...)  We spent the better part of 3 days and 2 nights in a beautifully restored old home that is now a B&B on Esplanade.  The owner is a fabulous cook, too (absinthe in the sauce on the crepes? Hello?!)  We had a good time touring the city on foot and taking in the music at night.  We will be going back because there is so much more to do than we were able in the time allotted.

We also took a canoe trip nearby to us here in PCB on the Econfina Creek.  I have never seen more beautiful blue water existing in nature.  It was a nice retreat from the usual busy highway and tourist filled places here in Bay County.  This will be a definite return trip for us as well.

The trips were fun while they lasted, but it's back to life, back to reality tomorrow bright and early.  It sure is good to have Otis back home (he stayed with my parents while we were gone), and maybe get back into a routine of sorts.  Until then, the countdown rolls on.  ;)

Bye bye, wisdom teeth!

It was nice to have a day off on Friday, except the reason I was off was to get these pesky wisdom teeth out once and for all!  I put it off way too long.  As far as procedures go, I'll say I've had worse, but the recovery hasn't been so fun.  I don't remember much after the doc said he was putting meds in my IV that would make me cough (which did...ha).  The next thing I knew, I was awake and had a mouthfull of gauze!  All I wanted to do was sleep, so that's what I did, and let me tell you, that was the BEST SLEEP EVER!!!  It was so nice to have my mom and dad here to take care of me.  And Kerry was there, too, just as soon as he could get away from the O.R. on Friday.  Even Otis wanted to be in the bed with me and right in my face.  Such a sweet weenie dog :)

Everything is going fine though!  The right side hasn't hurt the first time, but the left is still a little sore because of the way the sutures are positioned. Not much swelling at all either.  Hopefully it won't last too much longer.  Things are looking up because I got my first solid food down this evening, and I will be going back to work tomorrow.

Since I last posted, we found out we will be having a NEPHEW!  YAY!  I can't think of a better Christmas gift for that side of the family. =)

I know I would normally post a picture, but since there wasn't much makeup or hairstyling going on this weekend, I decided to spare you this time ;)

Til next time!

Updates, updates, updates

I realize what a terrible job I've been doing keeping my blog updated lately!  I'm so sorry :(

I've been going home to Andalusia every weekend since Dad's surgery to keep a check on him and mom, and I'm happy to report he's doing fabulously!  He also got an A+ checkup from his cardiologist yesterday, and was told to keep up the good work. 

On to my laundry list of woes...or so it seems! HA!  I saw my (new) new neurologist last week, and have quickly decided that he's gonna have to earn my trust.  He put me on some new medications and was talking about possibly doing nerve blocks, which I am 99.9% against.  On top of that, after my appointment Wednesday, I woke up Thursday with an infected wisdom tooth that very rapidly got worse.  That being said, I now have an appointment to have my wisdom teeth removed on the 18th of this month.  Nice.  So here's hoping that procedure goes well, and the healing is as rapid as the problem started ;)

Kerry and Otis are still doing quite well and both are keeping me going!  Kerry's still making awesome grades and racking up cases in the O.R., and O is just his usual wonderful self.  I'll post later on and let you know how the teeth turn out, as well as how the discussion goes with Dr. Makki about shots in the back of my head (that I don't want...).

God Bless!

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Happy 29th anniversary to my sweet parents!  I'm so happy DAD CAME HOME today!  =D
What a way to celebrate an anniversary, right? Things are looking good for him.  Now they're beginning the recovery time, which won't be easy or fun, so please continue to remember them in your prayers. 

OK...on another note...What's up with the baby boom?  I glanced through my facebook friends list and counted on my fingers the number of people I know that are expecting and came up with a grand total of...get this...18!!!  WOW.  And everyone is due in Nov/Dec/Jan.  Whatever's in the air or water, I don't want it, so get me a mask and hide me!  Seriously, CONGRATS to all of you, and to the 2 of you that just had yours, CONGRATS to you, and to the one of you having TWINS (!!) DOUBLE CONGRATS :)    AND.........Kerry and I will be changing our names to UNCLE KERRY and AUNT COLIE ;)  How exciting!!  I'm pulling for a niece, myself.  (hint hint) So, congrats to Erin and Josh.  Can't wait to meet the little one!

What a busy Christmas this will be!

The Long Day is Over

I borrowed the title from Norah Jones, but that's exactly how I felt as I lay my head down on a guest bed at Aunt Mary's house last night.  It was a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng day, but a success according to all doctors and nurses involved.  

I had planned to drive up yesterday morning before dad's surgery to wish him well, but as I slept the night before, plans were changed and his surgery was moved to the first one of the day.  I guess so I wouldn't worry or try to drive too early, my parents elected not to tell me this tidbit, so by the time I was up and moving things were already in process!  I wasn't mad, but it didn't necessarily slow my driving ;)

He was already back for prepping when I got to Dothan, so I sat in the waiting room with my family and waited, waited, waited.  He did just fine!  Not sure exactly how long the surgery lasted but phonecall to phonecall was nearly 5 hours.  (plenty long in my opinion)  Now the fun part begins, and he's already back to some of his ways.  He spoke to us precious little yesterday, but that's to be expected - not too surprising the first thing he asked me specifically about was Otis.  How do you like that?!  With his good progress, we're hoping he moves to a regular room and out of ICU today, and hopefully home over the weekend.  The doctor and nurses all assure us he is doing spectacularly.

Thank you all for your prayers, and I'll go ahead and ask for more, because he's gonna need all he can get over the coming weeks!  Recovery is tough, but for this guy it's gonna be tougher.  He already wants to know when he can play golf again, and he's worried about things at work...but those things will just have to wait for now.  SO thankful things are looking up.  :)

The HEART of the matter...

WHAT A WEEKEND. 

Please keep us in your prayers during this week-tomorrow especially!  My dad will be having open heart surgery for coronary artery bypass grafts.  He had some tests last week at his doctor back home, which didn't go so well, so he had a heart cath on Friday in Dothan.  Kerry called me at work, so I left early to be with my parents.  We rushed up there together to hear the news that he has some pretty major blockage and needs surgery.  I spent the weekend with them in Dothan at the hospital (Kerry had to work), and will be going back to Dothan tomorrow for the surgery.  Please remember us all, especially him, as he goes through this and recovers.  It's very much a surprise, and VERY scary for us all.

I'm trying to be more optimistic as a general rule, so it is good that there was no cardiac muscle damage to speak of yet, and the blockage is all we're dealing with, so they expect him to recover fully, and fairly quickly.  God is good.

I will keep you posted on results and outcomes.

Two down, Five to Go!

Another semester of CRNA school is behind us, and I'm happy to report, the pristine 4.0 is still intact!  I'm SO PROUD of Kerry!  He's working so hard for those grades, and he absolutely loves his clinicals.  I believe he's found a career he was meant for.   That leaves us with somewhere in the neighborhood of a year and a half to go.  Who knows where we'll end up after that!  Our current favorite thing is to dream though, and pretend...so we play house hunters online and pick out houses in different areas based on what we think we'll be able to afford.  We're so sick of renting it isn't even funny!

Not much else is different around here.  The weather's warming up and it's nice to live at the beach for a change with all the spring breakers and snow birds gone!  I have another neurologist appointment at the end of the month, so I'll let you know what goes on there.

And in case I don't see you, Happy Mother's Day!  :)

Talk about a Headache...

If I have never experienced a let down in my life, yesterday was the best example I could ever think of.  I found the absolute BEST doctor I have ever been to, hands down.  The entire visit was everything you could ever hope for: speedy service, the doctor sat down with me for 2 hours and really listened to me, examined my head and neck thoroughly, seemed genuinely concerned, made a plan with me on paper of what we were going to do and everything...only I found out when I left there that he's NOT IN MY INSURANCE NETWORK!  I had no idea.  I was referred to him by another doctor, and didn't even check.  Rather than make me pay out of pocket, he said he would write off the cost of my visit.  Very nice.  I'm crushed though.

Moving on to the info I found out...no change on the MRI's from last week, but he would like for me to have a more specialized MRI called a "stand up" MRI in Tallahassee that shows a better picture than supine images.  You can see in the example I found online that the sitting image better shows the herniation of the cerebellum because of the downward force.

He also wanted blood work done since I've been on the same medicine close to a year, but all the tests he ordered are null and void because my insurance won't pay for anything he wants.  Boo.  So we're back to square one finding a neurologist I can trust down here.  I NEVER thought I would say I miss Montgomery, but I finally found a reason I do.  That and we're going to miss the 4th annual doxie races this weekend.  Double boo.

So as usual, I will ask you to keep praying.  I still have a headache, and still have no doctor :(

Easter!

Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!

Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!

Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!

Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!

 

 

Happy Easter my friends!  Take some time from the eating and egg hunting and chocolate overload today to remember why this holiday is even here.  Blessings to you all.  :)    And save me some marshmallow Peeps!!

 

Nicole, Kerry, and Otis

A quick update for you...

I visited the new neurosurgeon on the 31st (Dr. DeSilva).  He quickly ordered 2 more MRI's to re-evaluate since it has been a while since the last ones were done, and set up 2 other appointments for me.  One is a regular neurologist and the other is an ENT to evaluate my facial/cranial nerves.  I did the MRI's on Wednesday and Thursday and hope to hear some kind of result possibly Wednesday from the neurologist.  I'll pass along any information (new or otherwise) at that point.  Days and nights have been a wild ride lately for me!  Keep the prayers coming, if you don't mind.  I'll return the favor ;)

A really rough one...

I know I haven't complained about my headaches on the blog for a while...or even updated the situation...but that's only because there hasn't been much to update lately.  We've been searching for a new neurologist here in Panama City because Montgomery is too far to drive for regular appointments, and I'm pretty sure my insurance company would not like the idea anyway.  Friday was a very frustrating day trying to call back and forth between offices to get an appointment and get my old records faxed to a new doctor.  I appreciate patient privacy laws, but sometimes they're a real pain!  So after the runaround I'm in to see Dr. Karin Maddox here in PC in late April...way overdue.  :(

I think yesterday was probably the worst headache I've ever had.  I think I managed pretty well, but came home and crashed after work.  If I had the option to call in, I would have.  Gotta love that orientation period though!  Complaining aside, I'm thankful for my job, and my coworkers were more than helpful with my awkwardness yesterday ;)

I have a feeling we're headed for some form of treatment other than medication.  Dr. Maddox's office said to call back and check for cancellations to see if they could get me in earlier than April, so I'll be sure to let you know.  I would most likely be referred back to my same neurosurgeon at UAB if this course of action is taken.  At this point, I'd go willingly.  Please continue to pray about this situation!  Thanks.

Charity's Married!

Another milestone...another friend tying the knot :)

I hadn't seen her mother in YEARS and at the rehearsal when she walked in and saw the group together on stage her comment said it all..."You guys are all grown up!"  That we are, but sometimes I just refuse.  I still don't feel ready to take on all of that just yet...but anyway.........

Charity's wedding was sweet, and it was beautiful.  I'm thrilled for her and pray blessings on her new life as Mrs. Hart. 

I posted a link to my facebook this past week from another blog I found while I was doing some research.  My headaches have gotten increasingly worse over the past few weeks (add dizziness and nausea to the mix), and I've contacted a neurologist down here, but I can't get an appointment for several weeks.  I hate I can't see my same neurologist in Montgomery, but at least with my insurance I can stick with my same neurosurgeon in Birmingham!  So in the limbo time I've joined a few websites to get some of my treatment questions answered. I put a link to a particularly inspirational blog on my blog, but here's the link: http://ihavechiaritype1.blogspot.com/  She described her whole process and even included pictures after her surgery and such.  I still hope I never have to have it, but I really would like to feel better, you know?  So keep me in your prayers that we get this straightened out! 

Another Trip Around the Sun

I turned 25 yesterday!

Kerry put aside his studies and trips to Panera to spend the day with me. He and Otis woke me up bright and early with breakfast in bed...waffles and scrambled eggs.  I shared with them, and I don't think I've ever laughed harder at this dog.  We have to get it on video some time, but he has absolutely no table manners lately...we'll leave it at that ;)  AND the birthday fairy came to see me "while I snored" according to some people...and brought me a new charm for my Pandora bracelet.  Pretty original way to give me a gift, don't you think?  (It'll only start to worry me if he's wearing wings and a tutu.)

Next Kerry showed me my birthday cake he decorated all by  himself.  He drew a running shoe, Otis, a heart, and wrote all kinds of crazy sayings all over it.  Truly a masterpiece!  We saved sweets for after lunch though.  I was told to get up and get dressed because we had a date with a massage table!  We got an hour long couple's massage at Beach Massage on Thomas Drive.  Let me rephrase that...a MUCH NEEDED couple's massage.  I fell asleep during it ;)  My foot hasn't felt that good since before my run back in December!  I came home and took a nap for a bit.

Later on we continued the birthday tradition we started several years ago. No matter where we are, we try to make it to a Bonefish Grill for our birthday dinner.  No particular reason why, we just like it...so we decided to get out of PCB and drove over to Destin to eat at that one (where we actually started the tradition).  We stopped at one of the beaches along 30A on the way for a few minutes, but it was too cold to hang around.  We had a fabulous meal and came back home with the intentions of staying up until 10:58 to celebrate my turning 25, but we fell asleep...and that's ok because I was pretty tired!

All day I had to think of a song Kerry played for me earlier in the week.  Jimmy Buffett:

"Hear 'em singing Happy Birthday

Better think about the wish I made

This year gone by ain't been a piece of cake

Every day's a revolution

Pull it together and it comes undone

Just one more candle and a trip around the sun"

 

I hope my next trip around the sun is as wild and crazy as the last few have been.  If not, it'll just be boring :)

New Year, Same Us

Welcome to 2010! It's hard to believe how much can happen over a decade. Looking back all the way to New Year's Eve 1999 going into Y2K we had NO idea what was coming our way, did we? During this time, Kerry and I met, graduated high school, graduated college, got married, moved more times than we care to remember, made TONS of new friends, said goodbye to several folks, and somehow managed to make it through intact.

Though the dynamics of our families may have changed and our friends may be scattered here, there, and everywhere, our hope for the new year is that Christ may be the center of our lives just as in the past. That's the one constant we've come to count on.

All that being said, the countdown rolls on. I can't wait to see what's in store for the next decade. :)

2003
2009