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.