Grand Canyon Trip over the 4th of July

What a trip!  Jesse and I drove up to meet Matthew, Mandy, and the kids in Grand Canyon over the 4th of July holiday weekend.  We try to make the most of long weekends, and boy did we ever with this one!  This trip was about a week after my surgery and I wanted to still go, so I made sure I would take it easy during the weekend trip.  And Mandy was about a month and a half out from delivery at this time, so she too needed to take it easy during this time.  So, all of the backpacking  and heavy work would have to fall on Matthew and Jesse.

It took me and Jess about 5 hours to get to the campsite we were meeting Matt & Mandy at and it was a nice trip, especially when we hit the area around Flagstaff with all of the beautiful green, pine-laden mountains.  The trip down from N Las Vegas for Matt/Mandy wasn't as short as ours even though they were closer....the twins in potty training and a yummy stop at Cracker Barrel turned it into about an 8 hour trip for them.   They arrived before us and were able to set up camp for us all.  They had a new, large tent and Jesse and I were to use the smaller 2 person tent.  We brought the air mattresses which needed a good foot pumping to blow up and that became Jesse's job (with a little help from the kids) for the hour after we arrived (see video below).   Their tent was a very large one which held the queen and twin size beds plus a little room on the sides (which is where Matt ended up sleeping), and the 2nd twin bed we brought was snuggly put into our small tent.   We enjoyed a hot dog supper, smores, and running after the kids running around the campsite.  Poor Daisy the dog was ready to go home the moment she arrived.   

This camp over was the first for me and the first for me and Jesse together. Matt and Mandy have camped before, but this was the first for the kids.  Matt had the kids stay out in the tent a night or two before the trip to get used to it, BUT, this would prove not to help things that night.  All went well, save the occasional fall and bump of the head or knee of one of the kids, until bedtime.  The kids were ready for bed and the process of bathing and pj adorning was hilarious.  Fortunately our campsite, #256, was very close to the bathroom, so that made the trips to dump the training potties a little more bearable for Matt/Mandy, but we all either had to use wipes or go without bathing for a while...fortunately no big deal since we were camping for one night only....no big deal, right....well, as I was saying all was going well up to throwing the kiddos in the tent for bed.  While Matt/Mandy, Jesse and I were sitting around the fire we could hear the kids giggling and 'talking' when they were supposed to be sleeping.  Of course, what kid is going to go to sleep right away when they are having too much fun?!  Anyway, Matt got up to tell them to go to sleep and I followed behind him and we found that Elise had managed to get out of her pjs and socks and was giggling and rolling around naked over the bed!  Too funny!  Matt got her back in the pjs and the kids settled back in their sleeping bags and we adults turned in to bed soon after.  

Jesse and I had to snuggle in tight because of the close quarters; I fell into peels of laughter when I looked over and saw his face almost touching the ceiling...he looked like he was in a casket!  Yes, the tent was small and the air mattress we had elevated us up closer to the ceiling; plus, I had to add some padding in between the mattress and the walls so we would have enough room to sleep together...but this added to the strain on the tent to where we almost couldn't zip the tent flap shut!  I continued laughing for a good 20 minutes or whenever I finally fell asleep.

On the other side of the camp was  a different story.   About an hour after us adults went to bed the twins started crying, and loudly.  Now, as we were close in the campsite, Jesse and I could easily hear the screaming and crying.   I needed to go to the restroom and as I walked up the the road, I could hear them, though faintly.  Other campsites I could hear people talking or snoring, so I knew the kids weren't keeping other people awake.  But, throughout the night, the twins, especially Micah, would wake up screaming-crying and poor Matt and Mandy were working intensely to get them to quieten down and go back to sleep...they managed to get about 2-3 hours of sleep and needless to say Matt and Jesse's plan to see the sun rise over the Canyon went capoot.....well, it ended up being me and Jesse when we both woke up about 5:00 a.m. and needed to go to the restroom...after much hassle to get out of the bed and tent, we figured we might as well go on to the rim.  I'm glad we did...we were the only Americans awake at that hour as the others were from Europe or Asia...I guess it was mid-afternoon their time and they hadn't adjusted to the time zone here.  Anyway, we managed to get great shots and enjoyed the quiet, cool morning along the Canyon rim (south side). We returned to the campsite about 7:00 a.m. and the Frenches were still in their tent, however slowly coming to....guess who was bright eyed, though....Micah!  The very one who kept everyone one else up through the night, despite Matt's desperate prayers and Mandy's endless rounds of softly singing "Holy, Holy, Holy".   

So, they got to start their day on little sleep, blood-shot eyes, and sore bodies (yes, the queen air mattress deflated during the night).  The day quickly warmed up to a humid hot and being in the company of short-attention spans, a dog that doesn't want to be there in the first place, and tired crowd, the tour along the G. Canyon rim was short.  But we did manage get some great shots and video, a quick run into the visitor's center, a picnic and short hike before we headed back to Matt/Mandy's home for the rest of the holiday weekend. 

Saturday we celebrated the 4th of July by hanging out at their home, playing games, taking the kids for a swim and then watching fireworks at the neighborhood park.  In fact, I think the rest of the weekend we spent recovering from our camping experience...ha!

It was a delightful weekend and such fun to watch the kids continue to grow and interact with us and each other.   Hope you enjoy the photos and videos!

World's largest Kokopelli...outside the park in Flagstaff

Supper cooking up

The tent Jesse and I used...

The French Quarter...
The kids making their own canyon
Micah helping Uncle Jesse pump

Sunrise over the south rim

Morning hug...what you can't see is the fork Micah is holding up against Elise's neck (not intentionally)

Levi birdwatching










The kids visiting with new friends at the picnic site

Trying to get Micah to cross his eyes

Levi showing his funny face
On our short hike along the rim

Me and Daisy, the terrified dog


Matt and Jesse the pack mules







On the drive to Las Vegas, this awesome rainbow showed up in the midst of this intense storm we were driving through.
Beautiful sunset over the desert in the rain.

Isn't God our Creator awesome?!  It just blows my mind that people look at this huge, glorious canyon and cannot believe in God.   And this huge, holy, awesome, infinite, just God wants to redeem people to Him through the sacrifice/death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, Who took our place in God's wrath and judgement, Who took our sins and washed them away for those of us that, through grace, have believed in Him.  Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty!

"By awesome deeds you answer us  with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples, so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs.  You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.  You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide  their grain, for so you have prepared it.  You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth.  You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.  The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy." Psalm 65: 5-13

After the Knife

I survived!  Not that I really doubted or that Jesse did either, but I also feel like the not-so-norm happens in my life from time to time, so I didn't want to be that rare cause of death :)

Anyway, this was my first surgical experience, beside have wisdom teeth taken out, and so far was pretty positive. It apparently only took about 40 or so minutes.  All the nurses and help were so nice. I like my doctor and heard he is the top in the states for surgery on ovaries, utuerus, etc with the conditions I was dealing with.

And as typical, I hang on to humor to get me through challenging situations, so Jesse and I cut up, no pun intended, all the way up until I had to be wheeled off to surgery.  And as that, I don't remember a thing after being wheeled into the surgical room, and my next memories are when I was waking up.  I remember after my wisdom teeth were taken out and the 3 gum surgeries I had when they gave me 'goofy gas', that I didn't like waking up and so it takes me a while to come out of the sleep.  And that was today; it sounded like her voice was getting a bit fearful, but I finally came to.  and of course, quipped one liners off whenever they came to mind...I'm sure they weren't expecting a comedy skit when I woke up....my last one I remember was with the girl wheeling me outside; I was SLOWLY changing my clothes and coughing, b/c of the throat tube, and she came in the bath to check on me...I was clothed then, but she and the nurse working with me wanted to make sure I was ok, and so I had also managed to get my hair fixed and the nurse said, "ah, you look nice", and I replied, "yes, don't hate me because I'm beautiful"....the nurse laughed b/c she had already heard my earlier comments, but the young helper hadn't so she stood there unsure to laugh or not....I was drugged but it was still funny.

Anyway, I'm alright; don't feel like talking too much; my calves are SORE from the pressure leg cuffs, and there's a bit of soreness in my gut.  Additionally, my shoulder is starting to hurt which is a sign that the gas they pump in me to make my gut cavity open up more so they can work, is rising up through my body.  So, they all said for me to walk when I'm starting to recover from the anethesia...which we did tonight.  

So, I'm off to bed again and hope that I don't have any extra pain tonight.  They were surprised at how healthy I was...I don't take any meds, no health issues, no other surgeries beside the dental work....so I think the good health the Lord blessed me with has really been a blessing for this.  But....we'll see what tomorrow brings...it may be a whole new story!

Night Before the Knife

Today went by quickly and here  I sit at 11:30 p.m.  a few hours before I go to the hospital for an out-patient laparoscopic procedure which we hope will solve our infertility issues.  Sugar Cube is lounging on the couch with us and sitting right next to me.  Jesse has fallen asleep (he'll need his rest to take care of me :) ), and I'm blogging with the clear mind that I have right now, and watching old movies.  I hope to catch up on reading and blogging while I rest over these next few days post-surgery.  

From Wikipedia:

Laparoscopic surgery, also called minimally invasive surgery (MIS), bandaid surgery, keyhole surgery is a modern surgical technique in which operations in the abdomen are performed through small incisions (usually 0.5-1.5cm) as compared to larger incisions needed in traditional surgical procedures. Laparoscopic surgery includes operations within the abdominal or pelvic cavities, whereas keyhole surgery performed on the thoracic or chest cavity is called thoracoscopic surgery. Laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgery belong to the broader field of endoscopy.

The key element in laparoscopic surgery is the use of a laparoscope. There are two types: 1)a telescopic rod lens system, that is usually connected to a video camera (single chip or three chip) or a digital laparoscope where the charge-coupled device is placed at the end of the laparoscope, eliminating the rod lens system.^[1] Also attached is a fiber optic cable system connected to a 'cold' light source (halogen or xenon), to illuminate the operative field, inserted through a 5 mm or 10 mm cannula or trocar to view the operative field. The abdomen is usually insufflatedwith carbon dioxide gas to create a working and viewing space. The abdomen is essentially blown up like a balloon (insufflated), elevating the abdominal wall above the internal organs like a dome. The gas used is CO₂, which is common to the human body and can be absorbed by tissue and removed by the respiratory system. It is also non-flammable, which is important because electrosurgical devices are commonly used in laparoscopic procedures.

From WebMD:Laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis

Laparoscopy is the most common procedure used to diagnose and remove mild to moderate endometriosis. Instead of using a large abdominal incision, the surgeon inserts a lighted viewing instrument called a laparoscope through a small incision. If the surgeon needs better access, he or she makes one or two more small incisions for inserting other surgical instruments.

If your doctor recommends a laparoscopy, it will be to:

• View the internal organs to look for signs of endometriosis and other possible problems. This is the only way that endometriosis can be diagnosed with certainty. But a "no endometriosis" diagnosis is never certain-growths (implants) can be tiny or hidden from the surgeon's view.
• Remove any visible endometriosis implants and scar tissue that may be causing pain or infertility. If an endometriosis cyst is found growing on an ovary (endometrioma), it is likely to be removed.

Laparoscopy procedure

You will be advised not to eat or drink for at least 8 hours before a laparoscopy. Laparoscopy is usually done under general anesthesia, although you can remain awake if you have local or spinal anesthetic. A gynecologist or surgeon performs the procedure.

For a laparoscopy, the abdomen is inflated with gas (carbon dioxide or nitrous oxide). The gas, which is injected with a needle, pushes the abdominal wall away from the organs so that the surgeon can see them clearly. The surgeon then inserts a laparoscope through a small incision and examines the internal organs. Additional incisions may be used to insert instruments to move internal organs and structures for better viewing. The procedure usually takes 30 to 45 minutes.

If endometriosis or scar tissue needs to be removed, your surgeon will use one of various techniques, including cutting and removing tissue (excision) or destroying it with a laser beam or electric current (electrocautery).

After the procedure, the surgeon closes the abdominal incisions with a few stitches. Usually there is little or no scarring.

What To Expect After Surgery

Laparoscopy is usually done at an outpatient facility. Sometimes a surgery requires a hospital stay of 1 day. You will likely be able to return to your normal activities in 1 week, maybe longer.

Why It Is Done

Laparoscopy is used to examine the pelvic organs and to remove implants and scar tissue. This procedure is usually reserved for checking and treating:

• Severe endometriosis and scar tissue that is thought to be interfering with internal organs, such as the bowel or bladder.
• Endometriosis pain that has continued or returned after hormone therapy.
• Severe endometriosis pain (some women and their doctors choose to skip medicine treatment).
• An endometriosis cyst on an ovary (endometrioma).
• Endometriosis as a possible cause of infertility. The surgeon usually removes any visible implants and scar tissue. This may improve fertility.

When laparoscopy may not be needed

Directly viewing the pelvic organs is the only way to confirm whether you have endometriosis. But this is not always needed. For suspected endometriosis, hormone therapy is often prescribed.

How Well It Works

Pain relief

As with hormone therapy, surgery relieves endometriosis pain for most women, but it does not guarantee long-lasting results.

• Between 70% and 100% of women report pain relief in the first months after surgery.¹
• About 45% of women have symptoms return within the first year after surgery.²This number increases over time.¹

Some studies suggest that using hormone therapy after surgery can make the pain-free period longer by preventing the growth of new or returning endometriosis.³

Infertility

If infertility is your primary concern, your doctor will probably use laparoscopy to look for and remove signs of endometriosis.

• Research has not firmly proven that removing mild endometriosis improves fertility.⁴
• For moderate to severe endometriosis, surgery will improve your chances of pregnancy.⁵
• In some severe cases, a fertility specialist will recommend skipping surgical removal and using in vitro fertilization.

Overall, pregnancy rates are highest in the 6 to 18 months after surgery.⁶

After laparoscopy, your next steps depend on how severe your endometriosis is and your age. If you are older than 35, egg quality declines and miscarriage risk increases with each passing year. In that case, your doctor may recommend infertility treatment, such as fertility drugs, insemination, or in vitro fertilization. If you are younger, consider trying to conceive without infertility treatment.

Endometrioma

There are various ways of surgically treating an endometrioma, including draining it, cutting out part of it, or removing it completely (cystectomy). Any of these treatments brings pain relief for most women, but not all. But cystectomy is most likely to relieve pain for a longer time, prevent an endometrioma from growing back, and prevent the need for another surgery.¹

Risks

Complications from the surgery are rare but include:

• Pelvic infection.
• Uncontrolled bleeding that results in the need for a larger abdominal incision (laparotomy) to stop the bleeding.
• Scar tissue (adhesion) formation after surgery.
• Damage to the bowel, bladder, or ureters (the small tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder).

What To Think About

The benefits of laparoscopic surgery compared with open abdominal surgery include less tissue trauma and scarring and smaller incisions along with being able to have an outpatient procedure or a shorter hospital stay and a shorter recovery time.

The skill of the surgeon is critical when surgery is used to treat endometriosis that is causing infertility. The use of a laparoscope, lasers, and some of the operative procedures require additional training for a surgeon. Doctors report varying pregnancy rates after endometriosis surgery.

Surgeons disagree about reconstruction of fallopian tubes that have been affected by endometriosis.¹

In vitro fertilization (IVF), an assisted reproductive technology, is an alternative to surgery to correct infertility caused by endometriosis.

Animals in our backyard

Road Runner

Bat

While in Korea, we didn't see many animals....with the exception of feral cats and pet and stray dogs running around.  The few bird species I saw were a bit mundane and typically fell in the category of pigeon or crow.  We saw black bear, tigers, and giraffes, but that was in the zoo.  Even when we went up hiking in the beautiful Seoraksan National Park, we only saw a beautiful green frog species, some butterflies, and cute little chipmunks.  I guess the devastation of the Korean War on this small peninsula still continues.   So, when we returned to the States, I was so happy to see various animal species in our travels to TN and IL for family visits and then across the US to our latest home in Tucson.  And I completely forgot how Tucson is just abuzz with all kinds of birds and lizards and such in a vast array of color and design.  Since arriving in February, we've managed to see all of the desert creatures that live here...of course, we saw some, like the Mountain Lion, in the Desert Sonoran Museum; but we still have managed to see javalena, coyotes, road runners, snakes, scorpions, black widows, and many different birds and lizards in the home we were renting and the one we're now in.  So, I'll share the photos and video of some of the animals we saw either in our backyard or at the Sonoran Desert Museum.

French family visit in May

Over the Memorial Day weekend we had my side of the family, The Frenches, over to celebrate our dual wedding anniversaries...mine and Jesse's and my brother's and his wife's....so, we had my brother's family and my parents.  Quite a fun time!   Mainly, we stayed close to home because of the twins, Micah and Elise, but we did manage to venture out and see the Sonora Desert Museum, drive by the Pima Air and Space Museum, go to church, eat out once, have friends over from church for a cook-out, and play around the house and backyard.  At the time, Levi is 3 years and the twins are 20 months...the rest of us are old .... ha ha!  Matthew & Mandy and Jesse & I went out on the town for our double-wedding anniversaries...we went to a VERY cheesy mystery dinner, but we had a very fun time anyway.

we drove through the East Saguaro National Park

Fun videos:

Sugar Cube's Toilet Training

In rebuilding my blog, I'm not sure why I'm starting out with the subject of toilet training our cat, except that I have a video to post and want to show family and friends. It is actually quite incredible that one can train a cat to jump up on the toilet to do their business, and as you'll see in this video, we 'regular-folks' are in the middle of doing such said work.  Sugar Cube is our little furry delight in this family; our only 'child' at this point in our marriage.  She has it so good in life and knows it!   We're also in the middle of a weight-loss program with her, so she's got much change going on with her life now.  Anyway, Sugar Cube, aka "Sugie" "Sugar" "Cubie" "The Cube" "Sugs" "Cube", has been a little blessing in our life and I just adore this pretty little cat and appreciate that she is also a smart cat which has taken this training a little longer than desired due to the battling of the wills between her and I!   This video is actually one that I caught her in the act, much to her embarrassment, and if I can find other video or photos of this process I'll add them as well.  Well, again, this wasn't the way I was going to kick off my re-constructed blog (re-constructed b/c my sweet hubbie, Jesse/Porta, accidentally deleted when trying to post another blog-site in our account),  but welcome back to our blog and a window to our life!!

Porta, Steph, and the Cube