It's MEL...AGAIN! :)

Hey guys! :) Thanks SO MUCH for your kind words of encouragement, offers for help and prayers being offered up for me and my family's behalf. It means SO MUCH to me and I know I say that all the time, but I TRULY mean it from the bottom of my heart!

So, here's what another 24 hour day in the hospital has brought to my plate...Gallbladder surgery is on hold until Friday. In the meantime, I get the "privilege" of having my "innards" explored by way of an endoscopy to look mouth to stomach through pancreas...AND...to have my "other innards" explored by way of a colonoscopy to check out the plumbing and pipes down south! :) What fun I'm having prepping for that in the morning. So, those of you who know about this procedure, or have had the wonderful opportunity to experience this for yourself, will know all too well know what these next several hours will be like for me...and will understand the "lack" of length in this post. :) :) :)

I have seen the general doc, the surgeon, the GI doc & the kidney doc...I am still so completely satisfied that I am with the right team of doctors working on my case. The surgeon said he wanted a few more of the "GI puzzle pieces" to fit for him before he wanted to make a go of the gallbladder removal.

So, we are all pleased with that plan and so tomorrow will be another day of testing. My hard part will be over by early morning and then I'll get to spend the rest of the day in a wonderfully drug-induced "best nap in the world", and will most likely sleep for most of the rest of the day. So, you probably won't hear from me until all the happy drugs are out of my system! :-)-) late tomorrow evening.

One last note before I go, and on a more serious note...I still do sincerely desire the strength of your prayers. They carry me on wings of hope that I so dearly cling to in times of uncertainty. Thanks so much for caring enough to even stop by and take the time to read my blog, muchless whisper a word of prayer to the Almighty Father that we serve!

Blessings to you all!!

Melanie

Health Update from Mel

Hey everyone. Yes, it's me again tonight. My mom was gracious enough to sign on and blog for me last night. Dale was kind enough to bring my laptop up to me today and by this evening after enough pain meds in me to kill a normal human being...I have just enough sanity to be able to post a small update on my condition.

I am still in the hospital and look to being in here probably until sometime this weekend. I am hopeful to maybe be able to go home on Saturday or Sunday, but they don't get in much of a rush to do any kind of discharging on the weekends, so it is a strong possibility I may be in here realistically until Monday.

I've seen four doctors today and everyone has weighed in on their particular specialty. The plan at this point is to get me rehydrated which is coming along nicely. I've had 6 or 7 liters of fluid pumped in intravenously over the past twenty-four hours and already feel AMAZING strength just from the rehydration alone. I've suffered more today from the massive amounts of nausea & abdominal pain...more so than yesterday, but again, they are keeping me dosed up well on IV pain meds and anti-nausea medications, so that is helping even though I'm requiring large doses of that fairly frequently. I do have pancreatitis and "gastroenteritis" and the plan is to calm the inflammation down and to take out my gall bladder once and for all most likely on Thursday. One of the doctors said that this would probably reduce my number of pancreatitis episodes down dramatically. So, another surgery is on the horizon for me, but I am on board and ready to have it done if it will help with this persistent pancreatitis that seems to come out of nowhere.

I appreciate all the calls, texts, e-mails, & flowers that have brightened my days more than you will ever know. I have the best group of friends a gal could hope and dream for and I don't take your care and concern for granted. Well, this is short and sweet, but needs to stay that way for now since I need my rest. I will try to keep updated or have my sweet mama do it for me. Dale, Gentry & I covet your prayers.

Blessings to you & MUCH love...

Resting...in HIS care...

Melanie

Writing tonight for Mel...from her mom

To all of Melanie's readers, she has asked me to post a brief note for her.

Some of you already know Melanie has never completely recovered from that month-long stay in the hospital in November. She averages about one good day a week, if she is fortunate. Such is her life with this vicious intruder called lupus. She has been quite ill since last Tuesday but has not wanted to return to the hospital. However, having been unable to tolerate any solid food for days now, she had no choice. She has been admitted this evening and they first sent her to Cardiology to look at her heart, then lungs, then checking for any newly formed bloodclots. They were able to get the IV in on first stick, which is truly a miracle, given the condition of her veins. We're praising God for that! She will have many tests and consults in the hours ahead of her. She is dehydrated, is experiencing nausea and severe pain. They have fluids running wide open and are doing their best to get her pain under control. I'm praying that they can get this lupus flare calmed before it sends her into renal failure again.

You all know she always puts on her brave face for everyone. However, as her mom, I will tell you that Melanie really needs a miracle. I trust each of you will remember her in prayer.
Thank you,
Becky

A Birthday Tea Party for us girls...

The Sullivan Ya-Ya's

Christy & her Prince Charles

Inseperable...after all these years

Hand in hand...we faced the world together

I love my sis! - San Antonio, TX

Our first pink canopy bed!

Sorry folks...it was the 70's!!

I was scared of EVERYTHING!!!

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Today is my sweet sister's birthday...so glad I got to share some of the day with her and celebrate with her. Mom, Chrsity & myself met at this fantastic tea room for lunch today. It started out hilarious with mom being...well mom...and then once we got our tickle boxes turned upside-down and inside-out...well, we just couldn't quite pull it together the rest of the meal. Thankfully we were kind of stuck in a corner of the tea room, so we didn't really interrupt anyone else's "high class" lunch with our snorting! :)

First off, I was running around like crazy trying to get ready in time to make it there for lunch, then got caught behind some SLOW tractors and was about 15 minutes late getting there. I was unable to unearth a gift bag for Christy's gifts (probably in some of the junk I threw out last week), so I quickly stuffed them in my purse and off I ran to my lunch date. When I finally got there and sat down mom pipes up and points to my purse and says, "Oh, look! Are you reading a new book?" I just kind of looked at her and said, "Well, I was going to wait, but it's actually one of Christy's gifts!" So, my perfect "soap opera" moment of gift giving was quickly thwarted. Christy loved her gifts and we had a good laugh over that. Then we got to talking more serious "spiritual" things...and right in the middle of it mom lets a "word" slip out without realizing what she had said. And then when she realized she said something X-rated, she puts her hand over her mouth and says, "Did I just say that?!?!?!?!" That's when the pig snortin' laughs started and we couldn't get it together. Tears were pouring we were laughing so hard. Then every time we thought we had it back together, we'd look at each other and start chortling again. I don't think it would have been as funny if we hadn't been talking about such serious stuff. But we had a great lunch and took pictures outside afterwards. (still waitin' on those pics, gals!).

I don't remember one moment of my life when my sister was not in it. Mom says we were the BEST of friends growing up. Christy was my protector and caretaker and not much has changed over these thirty-something years. We had a rough patch during our teenage years, but when she got married and moved to North Carolina, it was like we became the best of friends all over again. My sister has lived her life with a grace that I've often envied. Losing her precious Dave when she was 23 years old, having to raise a child alone from 10 months to 8 years old, and then finding love the second time around in her "Prince Charles", she has lived her life with grace and dignity that amazes me!

I don't know what I would have done without her during my last stay in the hospital. I remember one night she knew I had taken a turn for the worse and things were touch and go and she got up at 2 or 3 in the morning and drove all the way up to the hospital just to be with me and help take care of me. Those are things I'll never forget. So, today I celebrate the life and birthday of my precious sister. I'm so thankful I have her in my life. She is solid as a rock and I'm glad that no matter what crisis may come along in my life, I can always count on her to be standing in my grandstand cheering me on through thick and thin. I love you, sis! So glad you're mine!

Happy Birthday...x2 - Ryan & Christy

The Sullivan's...at Ryan's baby dedication - 4/1983

Every family tree has a few nuts on it...we just happen to have more than average!

Ok...try to be normal for the camera...

Ryan & his beautiful bride...Christine Kramer (p.s. Dale hooked 'em up)

One of my favorite people to hang out with...my bubba, Ryan Matthew

April 14th...Mom came into our bedroom some 26 years ago and told Christy and I that she was going to tell us something that was going to change our life forever...we rubbed sleepy Sunday morning eyes and asked, "What?" She said, "You're going to get another brother or sister in about 7 months!" My first question was, "Are we adopting?!?!" Mom just laughed and said, "No! Mommy is having a baby!" We were beyond excited! Our only other sibling was our little brother who was 5 at the time. Now, another baby coming to the Sullivan family?!? We could hardly contain our joy at the thought of another baby to spoil. We were CONVINCED he was going to be a boy from the very beginning. Mom had great faith in that kind of thing. She says she asked for exactly what she wanted with each pregnancy...and she got what she wanted every time. Talk about somebody having an inside track with the man upstairs! So, from the time we found out another baby was coming, we had him named and would talk incessantly to "mommy's belly" when we would get home from school. Every little movement we witnessed and after waiting and waiting...and waiting for what seemed like an eternity, mama finally took her journey to Memorial Hospital on April 14th, 1983. Somewhere after 9:00 in the morning we got a call from the hospital saying Ryan Matthew had finally made his grand entrance. And what a BIG splash he made weighing in at just under 10 lbs!! He had a head full of red hair and we were smitten from the instant we laid eyes on him.

Watching Ryan grow up and become the man that he is today has been one of the greatest delights of my life. Ryan is the kind of person that reminds me of Nathaniel in the bible...a man in whom no guile is found. I've never met a more honest person in my whole life. He is a peacemaker at heart and MY bubba! Since he was the baby of the family by several years, he was always the center of attention, but that didn't make him spoiled at all. He is so easy-going, happy-go-lucky and a diplomat at heart.

God placed a special call on His life at an early age and he has pursued his passion for God with unending thirst. He found a sweet someone to share his life with two years ago and he and Christine have settled into newlywed life beautifully.

So, happy birthday to my doll of a brother. You will always be the person in my life that sings my song back to me when I've forgotten the words, adding beautiful harmony and making the anthem ring. I love you always and forever, bubba!

My latest guilty pleasure

I've always considered myself a plain jane type of girl. I like the classics in almost every area of my life. I figure if it's good enough to be considered "classic", it's good enough to leave it alone & enjoy it as is. So, I've gone through much of my life enjoying the simplest things in life. One of my favorite classics as far as dessert is concerned is a good old-fashioned vanilla milkshake. When it comes to ice cream, why mess with a good thing?...I almost always opt for plain old vanilla. I know it sounds extremely boring, but I just LOVE it...right along side a soft sugar cookie or piece of "plain" pound cake.

So, while pouring over my latest Bon Appetit magazine the other night, they did this small section about getting back to basics and started talking about the old time vanilla "malts" made back in the retro ice cream shoppes & diners back in the 40's & 50's. By the time I was done reading their mouth-watering description and history of this icy cold dessert, I had my grocery list going of all the ingredients I would need to make one of these babies at home...(which actually wasn't much at all). It actually turned out to be the easiest thing I've ever done, but that little addition of the "malted milk" just made it particularly unique. So, I've been enjoying one...or two...a day for the past three or four days. I know, I know...I gotta stop before I blow up, but I'm sure it's just a novel phase I'm going through and it will transition into the ordinary soon enough. But while I'm enjoying them, I thought I'd share my recipe with you and maybe you can enjoy some nostalgic magic of your own at home. Bon Appetit! :) :) :)

Old-Fashioned Malted Vanilla Milk Shakes

(serves 2)

3/4 c. chilled whole milk (don't even think of using skim!) :)

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/4 c. vanilla ice cream

(I use Breyer's French Vanilla because you can "see" the vanilla bean running through the ice cream, but if I lived in the south...Blue Bell ALL THE WAY!)

2 heaping TBS. malted milk powder

~ place 2 (12 oz.) glasses in freezer to chill for about an hour

~ pour milk & vanilla into blender

~ cover & blend 15 seconds

~ add ice cream & malted milk powder

~ blend until thick & creamy

~ divide between glasses; slide in a straw & stroll down memory lane!

TIP: I found the malted milk on the aisle with the coffee, creamer, cocoa & tea are found. (who knew?) :)

P.S. And by all means, if you are NOT a plain jane like me, feel free to use your imagination in making any flavor malt you like...just be sure you use the malt and dress it up and make it your own! :)

Monkey Joe's & Good Times

Running up the ramp on one of the inflatables...

Who wouldn't want a red hot sports car to drive around in?...

I'm ALMOST to the top!!! I think I can, I think I can...

My two blue-eyed boys!

Kissin' Cousins...

All tuckered out! Gotta have that thumb!

Auntie Mel & Court

Me & my sweetie

My sis - Christy & Me

Here are some pictures of our adventures over the weekend. I have a friend who is 25 months older than me. She is the kind of person that gives out of a loving heart and anyone who is the recipient leaves the encounter blessed beyond measure. I'm talking, of course, about my big sis, Christy. :) We got to have lunch together on Saturday and she came over to the house earlier this week just because she knew I needed a "pick-me-up"...and all it took was Subway, Red Velvet Cupcakes & the best company anyone could ask for. I love my sister so much and am so grateful for these times that we have right now to be living so close to each other. We had lunch at Red Robin with our honey's & kids & then Courtney came home to spend the rest of the weekend at our house. We took Gentry to a new place that's opened called "Monkey Joe's". It is a huge indoor place that has those big inflatables everywhere that the kids can romp & expend TONS of energy. Gentry enjoyed himself so much that we literally were DRAGGING him out of the place. Every time I grabbed his hand to walk out with him, he'd just sit down on the floor and say, "No momma, I wanna stay & play!" Of course, he was out about five minutes down the road.

I'm having a good time having Dale home this week with me. We've been in a spring cleaning frenzy & have adopted my sister's mantra for cleaning, sorting & throwing away. She says if you don't "love it, use it, or need it...get rid of it." We've been throwing so much stuff away, we might not even have a bed to sleep on by the time it's all said and done. It's a good feeling though. It's certainly brought back a flood of memories going through boxes that have been in storage since we left Virginia. Some memories are still too painful to delve back into, but some things I found and smiled through tear-blurred eyes. I found old piano lesson books that I used to take lessons from when I was a kid...I found ornaments people had bought Gentry his first Christmas...I found tapes of some of Dale's first sermons he ever preached...I found pictures of people I used to teach piano lessons to. So many facets of life & every memory is like a puzzle piece that makes up the picture of our lives.

I could have stayed in the basement for hours pouring over old letters, books, tapes, pictures, etc...but I happen to be married to a VERY choleric personality guy and he keeps us "on track" and makes sure we just "get the job done". I do need him for projects like that because I tend to take forever sorting through piece by piece of my past. So, we've got all of our "stuff" burned, goodwilled, thrown away, or put back reorganized, labeled & knowing exactly what we've got and where it is. It definitely gives you a sense of accomplishment & hoping somewhere in the back of your mind that you didn't throw away something of some paramount value! :)

Well, I need to get dinner going. We're going to have Chicken & Fig Packets...our new favorite! With a mixed green salad with green goddess dressing!!! I still have a Rum Cake I made for Dale over the weekend, so we'll have that with a cup of coffee & American Idol tonight. YUMMY!