A Year about to End

... Ahem...

What can I say? This year was something very very DIFFERENT. It was the BEST of times, it was the WORST of times... Yup, that's how to describe it...

The BEST:
Marrying the Mage & Deedee's birth. In my whole life, and that is 34 years, I have never been as happy as when these two events collided against me. Not even when I graduated with my MBA in hand... Yup, THAT much happiness!

The WORST:
Deedee's hospitalization because of lung failure, and possible outcome of SMA Type1... Which will lead to some life changing events in the future... for all of us. The drama has been taxing, heartbreaking, unnerving and simply a live-action horror movie. And this, followed by Groundel's constant hospitalizations thanks to the foot-that-wont-heal. By now I know all the hospitals in the area, and it is NOT a nice thing to know by heart, true story.

So... The Mage and I hold on to our belief, and we prepare ourselves for a very rocky road ahead of us... We believe Deedee will heal her lungs, the waiting game is the worst part. Anything can make or brake us. Bad sleeping, erratic nerves... The uncertainty of news, the getting better 3 steps ahead to get worst 6 steps back is really REALLY hurting... But we hang in there. Deedee wants to stay with us, we want her home... And if she is to live with SMA so be it, we will do everything within our power to fight that illness and give her as much time as she can have of happiness, love, warmth, thrill, adventure... you name it.

Seven months, one year... Ten... Forty... It is not quantity but quality. Many men die, not many men REALLY live. And we will make sure that whatever is the number of her stay in this rotten planet, she will REALLY live. She already KNOWS the love of her favorite slaves... parents... you name it. She KNOWS she made a big difference in our lives, and she KNOWS she will make a big difference... period. She is here with a great purpose ahead of her. And we are to be the facilitators... the guardians... the action-starters. It all began with us, and it will not stop. Things will be difficult and will test all our wits and our courage... But we will look back and laugh. Because in the end, we will win. Together, as we are now... The DeeVa, the Mage and the Witch.

And besides the family core of the three of us, the extended family that shows us we are not alone and gives us courage as well lives on...

Groundel has a strange link with our DeeVa, seems he is her magical familiar... And he cares a lot for her. It has been hard for him being in the hospital, knowing all that's been going on with DeeVa and beeing able to do nothing but stand on the sideways praying... wishing... believing... I was able to give him a picture of DeeVa taken on Xmas day, so at least he can see her. Our funny mischievous Deedee...

LightShadow has been deeply involved, granting her time and support daily. She has been a model of a godmother and a very good friend to the Mage and me, and to Groundel. Her presence inspires certainty, tranquility and action. To all of us.

Coriolis have not been around physically but has been here in spirit, calling all the time, lending an ear and words and good thoughts and prayers... Much needed... Much appreciated. Always sharing the joys and the sorrows in black and white. Complicated, and I wouldnt have it any other way.

L. and Karah have also been of great support, even if they are beyond the seas... Who knows, maybe we'll get to meet sooner than we think! So many wheels are turning at the same time!

The surprises that Christmas dragged along were from my work, where one person (Onis) has been constantly calling to know what's going on, and another four (Marta, Xionara, Raquel & Sylvia) have dropped by leaving some details in the way...

And last but not least, Raven made a brief apparition if only by email, but a useful one. Thanks for the references.

So, let this year end taking away all that is BAD, and let the new year bring on plenty of nourishment for all that is GOOD.

I raise my glass of wine and wish you all PEACE, LOVE, PROSPERITY, COURAGE and much HAPPINESS for the new year. May GOD bring much BLESSINGS to your LIFE!

10-4

PS: Deedee's latest update in her blog: A Little Mage in The Family

Merry Blues

... Joyful sadness

It is all bittersweet. Celebrations, lights, knowing that it’s just 2 days for Xmas… Oh, we all made many plans for Deedee’s first Xmas. I wanted to take her to the lighting of our church, LS wanted to take her to the Siervas de Maria lighting, and we were to have a family gathering on Xmas eve… I guess we will have a celebration even if it is quiet. After all, it is about God’s birth… But the sadness of knowing Deedee is in the hospital and we cannot even get her in our arms is just too much… Her latest news, here in her blog, A little Mage in the Family: The sound of music.

All in all, it is better that she stays for a long time, if it means her healing completely. Her lungs need to get healthy and strong… We know what must be done… That it is hard, yup… It is. That it breaks our hearts all the way, yup. That too. This is the time for family, and although we are not together physically, we are together in spirit. We miss her, all the time, in everything we do. Just 4 hours a day to enjoy her presence, touching her little fingers and loosing ourselves in her eyes… is not enough… How can it be enough!

The Mage and I both have made some arrangements at work, hope it all ends ok. Whatever. Not thinking too much about that right now, more important things to take care of.

About Groundel… The forecast for him is 43 days in the hospital, if not more. He’s got bone infection and one kidney is very sore, so he’ll have more tests. So… Xmas, New year and Three Kings Day are kinda off-limits for him… I also know he’s been worried sick about baby…

All this drama is getting to be too much. Very draining. Very tiresome. But… We all will pull trough. Yup, together through the good, the bad and the ugly. With help from the Divine, courage, will and faith… and help from a few good friends…

10-4

Baby holds on...

and Texas Weeps

Baby holds on. She got a new tube in her chest to drain her faster... And still wakes up ready for songs. More on her blog, A Little Mage In the Family: Another Day

In Texas, Maria Luisa's mom died. An old, fierce Cuban with many stories to tell, she battled diabetes and many other things for long. Now she rests in peace, as she knew the love of her family and now she knows the might of God.

10-4

UPDATES and then some

...

The winner of the heartless-coldest-meanest comment of the day: “Para que quede vegetal major que se muera”. Comments that REALLY pisses you off, and then they wonder why you say nothing to the so-called “immediate family”. Well, you-know-who-u-are, my girl has no brain damage thank God, but if she had it would make no difference because I love her. But I understand, it is a word that you simply cannot acknowledge in your dictionary if it is not glued to monetary gain. I believe in true love, a concept that you cannot even start to grasp, a concept that my husband shares with me as well. Our child is a gift, the greatest gift that we were granted. And all that matters is the joy she brings into our life, the light we see in her eyes. If you think it is a burden, ANYTHING for YOU is a burden… Then simply “Apaga el televisor”, or go ahead and change the channel. We don’t need people who even dare to throw comments like this without knowing anything about what is going on.

I had to get that off my chest, as I was completely appalled and outraged by such statement. I wonder if I had been born with anything “unexpected” if I would have been left to die because I didn’t meet the expectations…

So… Rollercoaster of feelings, of people, of many things… That said… Deedee is stable within the circumstances. Still draining her lungs. But, as I had said to everyone, she had no flu. The X-Rays showed she had no sickness or pneumonia. Just liquid, that right now is being drained little by little. The tube she had in her nose was removed, leaving on the one in her mouth, her chest and the monitoring wires. She needs more time to heal, so results arrive, so things move on. I believe she wants to be with us, she feels the love… and she will stay. I hope that by next week she leaves intensive care and is put in a room… And I expect her home to open her Three-Kings Day gifts. Details on Deedee's recent whereabouts are in her blog under Holding On

Thanks to everyone who has called, written, text-messaged and visited. The support is very much needed and very much welcomed. The Mage and I are trying our best to stay cool, be happy and positive around Deedee , and to keep the faith… And all of you have fueled our hopes.

In other news, Groundel’s pressure is a bit high, and now he also has been diagnosed with bad kidneys. He’s still at the hospital, room 458. Please call him, it is lonely up there in that far away place! Besides, that’s why he put up a phone! Duh!

I’ve got a small cold due to all the running in and out of hospitals… Blah! Just what I needed… But big deal, the show must go on, and it will!

10-4

PS: They requested blood donations for Deirdre, she's blood type O positive. I cannot donate because I'm diabetic so if anyone else can, you are more than welcomed to do so! The blood donation center is at the building just at Mayaguez Emporium's side (Santander Plaza), in front of Centro Médico (BANCO DE SANGRE 787-834-6099)

HOSPITAL WOES

... Baby is sick...

Deedee is in the hospital, was taken to ER on Monday night and then in a rushed ambulance to the San Antonio Hospital. She is in intensive care right now. Her lungs were filled with liquid, and then they collapse yesterday early in the morning. She's battling the odds... So you prayers and good vibes are very much needed so she keeps her will to stay. We need her so much... We are running out of options in matters of what to do... Hope God grant us a miracle this Xmas.

More about DeeVa's hospitalization & details in her blog's newest entry, God wants another angel

Groundel is still hospitalized as well, his stay in Bella Vista will be beyond Xmas for sure.

DRAMA! DRAMA!

We love drama...

This weekend was quite hectic… All the conmotion began on Friday…

FRIDAY: DeeVa’s Ped Appoinment, Groundel’s Doc Appointment and mandatory chores
DeeVa has me worried with her lack of kicking and normal movement, checking the list for milestones she has not reached any concerned with her legs or raising her head. Also her right side seems a bit more raised than her left side, her struggle with drool seems non-stop heading towards 24/7 monitoring to make certain that she doesn’t choke and her 4th month is just around the corner so she will need to get her vaccine shots. Enough reasons to visit the ped. Daddy took her into this adventure. I took the afternoon off to go into nanny duty as Groundel was in a doctor’s appointment and so couldn’t take care of baby.

So, I met the Mage in the City of Hills. We had lunch together (awww) and I took baby. The ped gave a note so we can see a neurologist in Ponce to run tests to make sure DeeVa is fine. Everything else (drooling, raised chest) is normal and should just be monitored. Fine… Now I need to get the date for the neuro visit… Without good tires and overall car crisis, I better get it for after the Holidays…

Groundel called me up to pick him. He had some news as well… The doc wanted to hospitalize him in BellaVista so his foot could be treated by the wound center, so it finally seals. Good thing, about time the doc did something proactive, it’s been more than a year and Groundel needs to have a healed foot so he can get the eye operation and get a job… And then check up his hearing loss problem (yup, he is THAT defective… no pun intented! LOL). Bad thing… Who’s gonna take care of DeeVa while he’s in the hospital. A BIG headache begins…

Anyway… The Vangie Delivery made it, and I finally straigtened up the Citi account… which left me completely broke for Xmas… How lovely… Arrived at home with an empty pocket and a bit worried about both DeeVa & Groundel’s wherabouts… The big old jolly guy left three packages under the tree for DeeVa, in Vangie’s name… not to open until Xmas! Presents! More presents! Buahahahhahahah :P LightShadow passed by to visit, and so I put Perfume, Scent of a Woman… Hmmm… I love foreign movies… This was entertaining, maybe if it didn’t have the comic punchlines I would have liked it better… But that is the horror/gore/spooky freak in me talking. I can see the vampire subtleties… but the whole nose thing was too toony for my taste… It was fun, though.

SATURDAY: Laundry, Laundry & more Laundry, plus The Golden Compass
I got up early in the morning to try and put together the mess in the house… Right… Put up Chicago while I had breakfast, to get the feminist spirit pumping and so to get awake and energized… Last Thursday the drivers from work made their good deed of the month by stopping at my house and bringing the washing machine up to the second floor. Yay! Finally, after all these months of going for laundry service… I will be able to do the unthinkable at home: wash clothing (because this last week there has also been water in the house, miracles do happen).

Anyway… Chicago finished, I do some laundry, and I put on Number23 while cutting some fabric to FINALLY do the curtains for the bedroom closet (that fabric has been running around for more than 6 months...) so the stuff is neatly hidden from sight. The Number 23 movie didn’t grasp my attention, only actually watched the last half hour and it all was rubbish… The Mage had to work, so he floated away… Groundel was taken by his aliens for dinner and a movie… and I kept on doing laundry the whole afternoon. By nightfall I took a bath and put up Number23 to see if I could actually watch the movie…

Groundel arrived, got two phone calls and the baby awoke… So, I took those as omens of just forgetting about the movie (since it was crap anyway). The Mage arrived before midnight, so me decided to go see a movie instead of going to the scheduled parranda of this week. So, Golden Compass it was… It is an entertaining movie. Loved the bear (with Gandalf’s voice), absolutely loved the witches and the gypsies. The only thing that is turning out to be a real pain is the new trend of doing trilogies… The movie doesn’t fail to leave a good hook with many side adventures for two sequels… All in all, it feeds the fantasy vein… Always something I can’t turn away from.

SUNDAY: MariaIsabel’s Baptism & Groundel’s Hospital Stay
We arrived at 2:30am from the movie, to wake up at 8:00am and get ready so we could be on time at church by 11:00am. It was MariaIsabel’s baptism and we were not gonna miss it! I dislike the San Benito church, the impersonality of the priests there… It was funny the “swapping” of babies (my sister and her hubby were godparents of the godparent’s baby). After that, we went Chinese before the Mage went away… Then I delivered Groundel to the hospital and waited until mid afternoon for the lovely service in there…

Left ER because the emergency room was getting filled with too many coughing people and cannot risk baby getting sick. Stopped at auntie’s to deliver the news on everything… She wants to take care of baby, but I know she can’t. Being 85 is a base… Baby is heavy, already 14.7 pounds… It is difficult for me to lift her, now imagine auntie who has a bad arm due to one of her falls…

So… Made the last stop at my sister’s home. They were already serving dinner, so I made good timing to fill the belly. Stayed until nightfall… took some cake for the Mage and FINALLY went home… Baby had not slept in the whole day, so she fall asleep as soon as she touched the bed. The Mage arrived as I found some funny Thundercats videos, and we were up until midnight. I fall asleep as soon as I hit the bed…

MONDAY:Groundel's Hospital Update, Work & Babysitting Waking up is hard to do… especially when you really REALLY need the sleep… Gotta hate duty… A spider greeted me in the staircase… Made it to work and I already asked for this week’s afternoons off. I know Groundel will be there all week long… probably Xmas week and probably New Year’s week… (sight). The Mage will have next week free, and I will have the other one free, so we got bebysitting covered for the next three weeks… If the hospital stay of our many is longer, then we will need to take special measures… and the Mage will have to ask for a 3rd shift if possible. It all sucks, but there is nothing else that we can do…
I also called the Ponce neurologist to get a date, and I was given Jan25th. Bad in a way, I expected a closer date, but I know days will fly because of Xmas break. The emotion and excitement never stops…

LightShadow passed by to check on Groundel and she told me he’s still in Bella Vista’s ER (Camilla #15), has not been placed in a room, and the doc has not seen him yet. Great… So nothing much about that matter… Wait… She just called again with an update! They will take him to the upper floors to clean his leg and prepare it for treatment… I don’t think Groundel is in Kansas anymore… That means taking away dead tissue from the leg, tearing it with a sharp razor string by string, cell by cell, until there is no bad skin cells left… no more, NO MORE!!! BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

Ok… Next!

So far, nothing else has brought wonder to the day. Hopefully will get to rest some today… If such a thing is possible. Cannot say that I live a dull life, though…

10-4

Work woes...

or more of the same shit...

Back at work… Just 3 days and I just remembered why I wanted a career change so badly… Trying to do something about it on the inside… Hope it works somehow, because if not next year will be the last one filled with this insanity. Talking the talk, following procedures, being a good and polite player. Let’s see if patience can actually help complete the masterplan…

At home, everything is quiet and flowing. Flowing... Rain has made a nice pool in front of the stairs and a broken tube has made sure it raised to more than an inch... Who wanna throw in the fishes?

Groundel is babysittig on afternoons as the Mage has to go to work. I arrive and the Little Witch expects the mandatory attention… And then sleep, or try some…

The Mage is also jobhunting, so if anyone knows of anything within the Mayaguez-SanGerman radious please, please, please let us know. He needs to get out of the Umbrella Corp. before he gets the T-virus.

Me… I’ve already got a headache… Was throwing a friggin cable “con los idiotas mirando” and been putting together some loose ends in matters of making people at work happy… Yesterday was helping a director write a letter in English, and at the end of it we included her credentials, where we work… and somehow it was like a happy lightning hit us: That sounds important… Wait… It IS important! What we do here IS important. A pity that the same organization won’t see it…

Well… Yesterday I almost met Madre Teresa… I got out for work and since it was raining all night the floor was wet, and that plus the bad tires that my car has led to my car getting stuck trying to go uphill, sliding towards the side… I managed to control it half an inch before it actually fall downhill… Nice scare to liven up the day making me wide awake. It rushed plenty of energy through me, true story.

Since the game was aborted on Saturday, went with the Mage & Deedee to see El Calvo. He was doing his mandatory every-year-is-springtime-cleaning spree. Woah! We stayed until almost 10pm! So many updates, so little time! He also lend us some movies so we have something to fill into the evenings: Premonition, Perfume, Hannibal Rising, Number 23, among others. So war we’ve seen only Premonition… a very predictable, slow and uneventful movie starring Charmed’s McMahon… Gosh! That guy has plenty of bad luck when it comes to his movies! His role as DrDoom sucked so much thanks to bad, bad writing… And this infidel hubby in Premonition followed that sucky tradition…

Last week we also saw 1408. I expected more hardcore horror or thriller… Not scary, and a bit weak for my taste. I think it is a lovely ghost story in which a child makes her parents reconnect thanks to her memory…

The next excitement of the week, getting eyeframes for the Mage at midday… Hope he has foodie ready. And gotta take Deedee to the ped on Friday, something in her chest bothers me… plus the never-ending baba is too weird, even for me.

Hope I get to see The Golden Compass and Sweenie… Is that too much to ask for?

10-4

20 days to go

Ho!Ho!Ho!

So… December arrived… actually it kinda landed on us by mid-August based on the media but who cares… The financial deficit of the isle keeps on going up, as well as the never ending buying behavior of the ‘ricans. Plastic money and more embrollo, nothing like a good Ho! Hmmm…

So what’s up in the Lands of Mist? Well, Anthill is the same… Rainy afternoons, cold nights and sunny mornings. Traffic keeps building up at the entrance of the small citadel due to the never-ending construction… Nothing different… And the Comatose City (aka Lady Sultan of the West aka City of Pure Waters yeah right)… Holidays leading to stupid people in midday frenzy heading towards the mass-hypnotic-will-bending superstores… Ugly traffic by 3:30pm, and this is NOT metro area… Ugh!

FAMILY:
There is a rumor of someone going to the states for good with hubby dearest… Hmmm… Giving away pets and preparing the ship for high waters. Interesting, just don’t forget responsibilities like… erm… your daddy who is put away in storage waiting for the reaper? Sheesh! I foresee a storm is coming…

So, in other news, Marisa is cuter by the second, so AuntNita should be very happy and proud. Haven’t heard much of the TexasCrew…

I sent a message in Thanksgiving to some chosen ones. The mage and I decided to celebrate Thanksgiving in our home, so we took the ZombieCrew and my AuntieDearest to Anthill for food and drink. The afternoon went quite fast, and there was no bloodshed (oh, nothing is perfect). Loved the turkey, loved the pie, and absolutely loved the company of my favorite spellcaster… Grrrrr….

DeeVa is doing just fine. Now following the steps of a pirate as Captain Babbossa, leaving a lovely trail in everything. She’s got a doctor’s appointment after the 17th, when she’ll become 4 months old.

The Mage has been a bit more time in the house, doing some surprising things, making me smile and getting down and dirty with the uvas playeras. Hope that his thinking leaps go deep, rooting truth and will inside his brain. Muah!

FRIENDS:
Coriolis has been more missing in action than usual… Seems he’s got a premature menopause or something… HOPE THAT THIS NEXT WEEKEND THERE IS A GAME, DAMNIT!

LightShadow & Lynnette went to Rome and did what Romans do… Literally! At the Colisseum! Oh, you gotta hate them!!!

Karah sent DeeVa a lovely blanket. Thank-u-very-much!

Groundel has been playing and chilling and completing the “cupones”circle. He’ll attend a bone scan next Friday and has another doctor’s appointment next week.

PETS:
Coriolis: Just read about the little bitch, so my condolescences. Yes, we can weep more for animals than for humans… It’s not their fault we make their lives miserable…

Kitties still happy and kicking, waiting for Xmas eve so they get their special treats…

WITCH:
Me, will begin working next Monday… Yay… I know what awaits… All this time out of the flow of the real world has been both a breath of fresh air and a taste of acid. I definitively found out I am NOT a stay-at-home person. I hate housechores, cannot stand the monotony of being there day by day, night by night. Better to pay for whatever… But if the going gets tough I definitively give face and some punches as bonus. Has anything changed? Amount of available time to do anything… yes. Lines of thought and lifestyle… no. I’m too old to change, know myself too well, and perhaps this whole new experience as a mommy was what was left in the to-do list that doesn’t includes traveling. So far, so good. Looking forward to make changes at work or elsewhere if possible. I foresee two more responsibilities falling over my shoulders… but whatever… I know what lies ahead… For now, everything makes sense within the chaos, the mage and the little devilette are sweet and the world keeps turning tides in our favor little by little, one by one…

Oh, went to see BEOWULF. We know the story, so no surprises there… The CGI was ok, not as stunning as 300 but ok… Loved Beowulf, Loved the Mother of Monsters. Light entertainment that brings a smile and fills the eyes with candy.

So… Ho! Ho! Ho! 20 days to go! To naughty and nice alike… Merry Xmas, and goodnight! :P
10-4