The Really Good with the Really Bad

It's been while, i was cheating on my blog with Facebook........ We survived 107 Degree heat, went to the beach with Maggie, Rasa, Charlie, Brandon and Forrest with our 5 dogs for the 2009 30th Birthdays!, started to harvest my tomato's, squash, and cucumbers, had another horrible fight with my brother, got my much needed outside referral to OHSU to decide what to do about these damn implanted coils, helped Mom and Dad with their house as much as I could, and Forrest started a new home based business that were super excited about. And developed an ulcer in my stomach, It is all a finite balance and all I really want is good relationships with the people I love.

Crazy Storm Video Downtown Newberg, Oregon June 4, 2009

This was the craziest storm I've ever witnessed in Oregon in my entire 29 years here. It was 80 degrees, I was outside with my friend Cindy's daughter saying 'hi' to the tabby alley cat next to the jewelry studio. The temperature dropped instantly to around 60 degrees outside, the sky grew yellow and black, and an amazing wind with strength that rivals the Columbia Gorge at it's best began to blow. Dust, Bark dust and leaves pelted my camera while I tried to take video. Cindy screamed at me to stay inside. Me?? Yeah right, I never miss the opportunity for a great storm session. Trees were bending, bowing, nearly touching the sidewalks and lawns with their limbs. A tree across the street at the bookstore snapped in half and landed on the awning.

The storm lasted all of about 2 hours. The winds brought the largest raindrops to follow it's act. I left the studio and headed home. The road was littered with heart shaped cottonwood tree foliage, dirt and dust. We had a few trees that fell. One Cottonwood snapped in two life a toothpick. It really was memorable and a testament to the strength of nature.

I am trying to upload the video short I took, hmmmm......I hope I can figure it out.

JEWELRY!!!!

I've been trying to get some jewelry pieces done for the upcoming sale at Camp Cactus. Check out Jane's Blog in my favorites links to get the info on this local artist craft and art sale. My hands are sore but it was sure worth it. It feels good to get something accomplished and to get my minde off of everything going on in IrisLand.


Squared Sterling Silver with Brown Picture Jasper

Sterling Silver and Pink Swvarski Crystal

Sterling and Amber with Black-Eyed Susan Pendant

Congo and the Bandit, Cockers Take over NE Portland Home!!!

This is Congo and Bandit. My parents dogs, my moms babies. Congo is the Black and White, or Party Mix Cocker and Bandit is the miniature St. Bernard. Congo just turned 12 years old!!! I raised him when I was 17. Bandit was really sick with a Thyroid condition for years. He was so miserable. Now that he is on thyroid medication he is a different dog. Happy, loving and overly enthusiastic, as any self respecting spaniel would be. Bandit is hilarious, Congo is too, less so since he went stone cold deaf in the last year. We still talk to him.

Family Dinner, Sun Play, & Flowers, ahhhhh

Never can I pass up warm light sunset rays when I have a camera in hand. Forrest's Mom Stacey lives on Bull Mountain and has these amazing picture windows that look out onto the Oregon Coast Range and lets in the the most amazing light. I spend hours looking out through them when we watch her house. We were over for a belated 30th Birthday Dinner for my man. It was nice and calm. Great Copper River Salmon. mmmmm. Stacey's iris' were still in bloom and gorgeous.

Oh Riley!!

This dog worked her way into our lives and hearts. She is one of the silliest dogs ever and talks to me all the time. She can be such a baby than turn and be so independent you can't break her concentration. Her instincts are very wild. Maybe she has Akita, Husky, or Malamute in her. She sure acts like a hard-headed snow dog. Someone told me a few days ago at a bbq that Riley looks like the healthiest homeless street dog they'd ever seen. A little rough around the edges, maybe.

Planting the Veggie Garden

My friend Roxanne came over and helped me plant seeds last month. Rosie is really good at digging holes for me to plant things in, all I have to do is point where I want it and she digs it out. Pretty cool to have help with that. Good Dog.

My Saga Continues, FOUND: The Cause of My Horrendous Back and Side Pain

SOOOOO...... I have been having horrible, piercing, persistent bi-lateral side pain since last fall. This March my back was so bad I was crawling, non-stop crying, and the symptoms have never fully resided. In February I went into urgent care with really bad side pains in what I thought may have been appendicitis. I was sent home with a diagnosis of chronic constipation, lovely, I know you all wanted to know that. That diagnosis is true enough, what they neglected to tell me was that I still have my Esssure implants in from my sterilization surgery nightmare and it is protruding 1-2millimeters out of my uterine lining. My primary care doctor told me this last week when I went in to have my back checked. As I have said before, I can take pain, even this extreme pain, I was resolved to live with it miserably for the rest of my life. I had surgery in June 2008 to remove the implants and my fallopian tubes. My surgeon felt it was the best option and wanted to be sure I didn't have anymore complications with the Essure Coil Implants. So why are they still in me, floating around, hanging partially out of my uterus causing me untolerable pain? It was such a tough decision to be sterilized, I wanted to have my own biological children with the man I love. We weren't willing to risk my life and Forrest and I made this decision with much thought and counseling. This is one of many complications with this procedure and my emotions emerge again every time something happens. I am scared, worried, and hurting. Surgery was the last thing on my mind, I have had my fill. I find out next week what I have to do, these implanted coils have to come out. Either by themselves, or with my uterus attached. This sucks!!!

Riley and Cassidy Playing Tuggy Rope

Aren't they sweet........in all acutality, Cassidy would win this fight anytime, any place, she is one tough cookie. My wonder cat.

GIANT DOUG FIR, THEY DO EXIST

Check out this GIANT Pseudotsuga mensiezii, or Douglas Fir, Our State Tree!!! This shot was taken in the Santiam River Valley, WOW!!!! It must have been 15 or more feet around!! 5.24.09

Rosie & Riley Birthday!!! Detroit Lake 5.17.09

Forrest, myself, the dogs and our friend Jeff took our boat up to his family's cabin at Detroit Lake. It was a beautiful day and Rosie and Riley's Birthday!! Rose is 3 and Ri is 1. We went shooting with Jeff and his dad Pete and the puppies went swimming. Actually, Rosie coaxed Riley into the water but she caught on pretty fast. My Rosie is a WATER DAWG, you can't get her out for anything, she is in the middle of the lake before you even throw the ball!! Can't wait till the boat us up and running!

Anyone's Dog??!!

Even out here in isolation the lost dogs find us. This sweet low rider is staying at the Newberg Animal Control, yes they actually take lost and stray dogs in out here in Yamhill County. Poor girl, I hope someone claims her.

My Body's Betrayal......................

I decided that when Maggie nudged me into creating this blog that I wouldn't turn it into a poor me festival. Sticking to those guidelines has been easy, the tendency to cover up my issues and suck it all up has become second nature. My brain has plenty of time to think about how Ehlers-Danlos has effected my life and I don't have many people to talk to about it. So why then, when having so much to say about my special condition, am I afraid to write it down. Maybe sharing my torment could help someone else who is stuck in this syndrome or help another who cares for someone in my same predicament.

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Hmmm...... Type III, Hypermobility type. That's me. Actually, there is a whole lot more to me than this disability. Reminders that EDS isn't my title, character, or societal definition takes serious commitment. Wrapping myself in a day of pain, the piercing pain in my sacrum. Every second is a bucket of pain, pills, and desperation. Telling Forrest that EDS has become my definition of myself, who i am, and where I am or not going. It's strange, the hurt has been so prevalent for so long that I never know what is really hurt, and it takes something crippling, popping, cracking, mis-aligning, searing, or stabbing to get my specific attention. Attention to details, that is more my game. The overall picture hurts undoubtedly and acknowledgment gives the pain power. So powerful that if not suppressed and ignored surely begets my disabilities definition of myself. I am pain, I am Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Type III with fibromyalgia, scoliosis, and chronic myofascial pain syndrome. There has to me more.

The guy in the picture has extreme skin hyperextensity, I think I have seen him on TV in a freak circus. Yet again giving bad information for the world to misunderstand our situation. At least he is making a living at being EDS inflicted. We could all be so lucky.

Beautiful Wine Country Day!!

I finally got my wonderful man to take a few hour break from his work and we headed up the hill to our family friend Laurel Hoods vineyard. Such a gorgeous day and the dogs got to know the "big dogs"(horses), better. This is such a great piece of property and we are super lucky to have access to it, they puppies know it by "you wanna go the farm?"!!!!!!!!!

Moment of Silence please... smile, I mean I am so sad

THE ROOSTER HAS DISAPPEARED!!!!! Forrest and Gary think I hired the chicken mafia to take care of the nasty bird. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. The bird was pecking, kicking and attacking me every time I strolled through the yard. Poor Roxanne got beat up by him every time she came over. Kick him, he came back for more. I played rooster and purse baseball, he was a bit stunned and came back at me meaner than before. Really, I don't know what happened to him, I am a bit concerned and would like to know what his fate really was.. No more ruffling my hens feathers. RIP.

Springtime in Dundee!!!

Wow. This is the neighbors vineyard behind the Dundee Property. Caught just in time, they weeded it the next afternoon. Nothing beats a good cloud day!

Update : What is Going On??

Spring is in full swing out here in Dundee. My daffodills are blooming, the iris' I planted are sprouting and are being persuaded to bloom in their first year. Spring Break has passed, Forrest went to Arizona to visit family and pick up some tools. He bought a truck to bring these tools home and broke down in the Mojave desert, he was towed to Barstow, CA where he was stuck for many days figuring out what to do. He has come home with some funny stories that you all can ask about in the future. Maggie, Rosie, Riley and I went to Lincoln City for 2 days. We stayed in the most awesome, frugal hotel ever!!! The Historic Anchor Inn. It reminded me of Ernie Hoods house in West Linn. Covered in kitchy antiques, a mounted bear's bust made of moss, and one of the coolest original retro bars I have ever seen. It is really affordable, takes big dogs, and they serve breakfast in the morning. You can find them listed on my links. We ran the dogs, Riley learned to swim by surprise, and Maglet taught me to felt, my new favorite hobby!!

My dad's cancer treatments are finally working and he gets to lay off a bit on the chemo. We are still waiting to see what is going to be the best route for him to take. It is looking hopeful. My mom and I want to get him better enough so they or we can all take a trip, maybe a Alaskan Cruise. Mom needs a vacation too, caregiving is tough work. I just wish she would quit smoking. I am trying really hard to quit, and can almost never resist when spending time with her. If she were to quit it would make it easier for me to spend more time at their house.

I have been continually throwing my back/right hip out this month. Pain like I hadn't experienced in years took over my body the week before my beach trip and is coming back today. I really don't know if I can take living with that sort of pain. I can take pain, I am a pain princess, but specific pains, yikes!! Poor Forrest didn't sleep his entire week of finals, he had to listen to me screaming and crying from the persistent, sharp pains, while he tried to help me and get some really needed rest. Sorry Baby. It is coming back and I am fighting it, taking it easy, allowing myself to take care of me. Sometimes I get so mad at myself, my body. I want so much from my life, but the Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome keeps getting in my way. I would give anything not to hurt anymore. Anything. Forrest's Mom is really trying to help me. She is a ND, and really good at what she does. Thankfullness for her isn't enough to describe all that she does for me.

Forrest has one term left and he will have his Associates Degree. He just found out that he is the first member of the Arriaga family to acutally have a college degree. Shocking to both of us, but really cool. He came home the other day with a life size poster of himself from PCC. Ever since he did the scholarship speech last year he has been the poster boy for donations and voting in favor of PCC bond measures. He has been working for Freightliner and was lucking enough to still have work, until the end of this week. Forrest is looking for work now, we really hope he can find employment in the industry he has been training so hard to enter into. We'll see.

That's the quick rundown, I gotta go heat pack my hip. Bleh.

Today is My 29th Birthday

At 1:14pm 29 years ago my mother brought me into the world. You can still visit the building where my birth took place, though it has gone through major reconstruction. Bess Kaiser Hospital became an Adidas Sportswear Headquarters. 29 doesn't feel much different from the lower 28 years prior to 1:14pm today. Cruising faster towards 30 I battle the indecision of whether it is better to get older, or maybe best to grow younger. 30 years old. 30 years old means you are an adult, you have history, you have experience you wished and thought you had at 22. But 30 hasn't hit and the cover of blaming my indiscretions on being in my 20's has now, 364 days until expiration.

Noah's Awake & With Us!!

Noah woke up the day after I posted the story of his accident. He is doing well and thankfully is acting quite like himself. He is talking, eating, but still in alot of pain. He has some Rehab to go through and is expected to make a full recovery. He is one lucky dude!!!

Noah Norton's Christmas Accident

My dear young friend Noah was hit by a pick up truck on Christmas Evening as he walked home along the road he lives on from a friends house with his wife and our friend also, Roxanne. The truck didn't stop. Noah is currently in Emanuel ICU with a fractured skull, bruised brain, punctured lung, shattered shoulder blade, fractured knee & wrist, and he is still in a coma. His doctors are hopeful because he is only 20 and super strong that he will make it, and that is all we can hope for. Here's the link for short version of the story from oregon live.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/12/newberg_police_seek_pickup_in.html

Let's all send him good wishes for a speedy recovery. Noah is a kind, helpful, passionate, and enthusiastic person, these things happen to good people and I will never understand why.

Snow Storm of 2008!!

The rooster ventured out during the first sunbreak we'd seen in days.

This is the view over my garden looking west over the filbert orchards during the snowstorm. We had at least 20" of snow, and almost an inch of freezing rain!!