Seahawks and Christmas

This past weekend was quite fun. First we decided to pull out the Christmas decorations a little early and get the house ready to go. Okay...I know what you're thinking...Christmas decorations already? Before Thanksgiving? Well, so we are a little early, but we are both obsessed with Christmas, have been listening to Christmas music the last 2 weeks, and won't be at home this year for Christmas. Because we are going to Florida to visit my grandpa and spend Christmas in Disneyworld, we thought we should enjoy our decorations while we're at home. And...because we won't be getting a tree (so sad) we only have like 1/2 of our stuff out. Alright, so I guess I didn't really defend myself, but who cares? We LOVE our house when its decorated! I think Yoshi does too. He's already broken one of the stocking holders. Oops!

On Sunday, I was got to go to another Seahawks game with Matt! It was so much fun. Actually, my throat hurts today from screaming so loud. Even though they lost, again, it was still so fun to be a part of the crowd. His face doesn't really show it, but I think he liked having me go too!

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October Fun!

It's been awhile since I posted...we've been pretty busy. My eye is slowly healing, having a few complications at times, but otherwise doing well. I received the bill from the hospital yesterday. The total surgery was $19, 255.13. We only owe $179.35 - whew! We were really worried about how much my insurance company would pick up. After everything, I only owe a little bit for the IV solutions and sterile equipment. I couldn't believe how much it cost for the donor cornea - over $9,700 dollars! The funny part was to get rid of my old cornea was only $1,200 dollars...just proves that a crappy cornea isn't worth a whole lot.

In other news, Yoshi is growing everyday. He has been loving the fall weather, especially the rainy days when he can dig in the mud. This should help explain:

Matt and I went to our favorite pumpkin patch for hay rides, homemade apple pie, and of course pumpkins! This has been a tradition of ours for the last 4 years...it's probably one of my favorite places in Whatcom County!

Last night for Halloween, we stocked up on candy expecting to have dozens of little kiddos coming to our door. Living across the street from an elementary school and a park we see tons of kids everyday. So...we had a quick dinner, watched The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, and anxiously waited for the doorbell to ring. After 1 hour and no kids I was getting a little restless. Finally a knock. I opened it to find a young mom and a 1 year old little girl who couldn't even walk! Why does she need candy at that age? It didn't matter, I was so excited to have a trick-or-treater I gave her 2 lollipops! Then it was time to wait again. About 30 minutes later we had 1 little boy who only wanted to take 1 piece of candy. I was so happy to see another kid I wanted to give him the whole bowl! But, he nicely took 2 pieces and off he went. And...that was it! Only 2 trick-or-treaters the whole night! So...now I have 4 bags of left over candy and no one to give it to.

Since our halloween had turned into one lame night, we decided it was time for Yoshi to put on his costume. He wasn't really a fan.

There you go. October 2008 for the Vance Family.

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tales of a transplant

hey everyone.  It's me...1 1/2 weeks after my transplant writing to you with one eye (sorry for any typos that you might find).  Just wanted to give you an update of how everything went and how I'm doing.  The actual surgery went well, according to the surgeon.  He said it was a good, healthy cornea that fit my eye well and my check-up appt. went well too.  So far so good.

Recovery on the other hand was not so fun.  Between having severe menstrual cramps (starting 1 hour before we left for the hospital - good timing I know), to throwing up in the car not once, but twice in 1 week...I felt a little miserable.  My intraocular pressure also rose to dangerously high levels (according to my symptoms) which gave me additional pain in my forehead, ear, and jaw.  It sort of felt like I got in a really bad fight and was punched repeatedly in the eye over and over and over (well, you get the idea).  At first my eye was really swollen and red, but looks much better now.  I have to take eye drops 4 times a day and have some pretty intense restrictions (including no physical activity for 1 month and no sit-ups or push-ups for 3 months...no gym for me!).  The first week I felt like a slug, dragging myself off the couch every so often to go to the bathroom, but otherwise being waited on hand and foot by my sweet hubby.

This week is going much better.  I still don't have a lot of energy (taking 2 hour naps after a 20min. trip to Costco), but no pain.  It's going to take some time getting used to wearing only 1 contact, driving with a blurry eye and working full-time again, but things are looking  up.  Thanks again for all the prayers, phone calls, and yummy meals.  It really means a lot!

Oh yeah...I almost forgot.  No pictures to show right now because my eye is really sensitive to light and the thought of a camera flash in my face makes me want to vomit.  So...just imagine my smiling face with a strangers cornea in my right eye.  

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Surgery

Tomorrow morning I will be admitted to Swedish Medical Center for my 1st cornea transplant. I am very, very nervous. Yes, I know the doctors are amazing and many people have had this done before and I have lots of support. I know all of these things. But, I am still scared. Recovery will be long, painful, and frustrating at times. Needless to say I won't be able to post many updates since using my right eye to focus will be difficult in the first few weeks. Thanks for the many prayers and support. I'll post some pics of my pirate eye as soon as I can!

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doggie day care

In preparation for my upcoming surgery, Matt and I decided to try a doggie day care for Yoshi.  With all of the weight restrictions, bending over rules, and eye protection I have to do, we thought it would be very hard to have Yoshi at home the 1st week while I recover.  So...after doing some research, we enrolled him in Ruff Day Doggie Day Care.  Yesterday was our "test" day to see if the day care thought he would be a good fit.  If they said yes...then we're in!  I didn't think I'd have to be worrying about day cares and placement tests until we had kids...this made me a little nervous.  Yoshi isn't used to being around other dogs, but has never had a problem so I figured he'd be okay, but it's my job to worry about him.  So yesterday morning Matt and I dropped him off as we headed to work.  As we opened the door I got more anxious to drop him off.  I guess it's sort of like those moms who worry on the 1st day of kindergarten.  He nervously walked into the room and then instantly turned around, jumped up on the window sill and gave us those cute little puppy eyes saying, "Where the heck are you guys going?  What is this place?"  Another cute dog ran right up to try and play with him.  He wasn't having it.  I felt more anxious, but knew he'd be fine and drove off to work.  

At the end of the day Matt picked him up and got his report card.  Yes, they actually write out daily report cards.  The teacher (or whatever you call someone who works at a doggie day care) said, (and I quote), "Yoshi was very anxious today.  He settled down a bit - not much."  As I looked down at our cute little puppy (now laying at my feet absolutely exhausted from his nerve-racking day), I had to laugh.  Very anxious, huh?  He must take after me!

Good news is we're in.  He's enrolled for 5 more days after my surgery.  We'll just have to wait and see if he makes any new friends.

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Labor Day

I'm a little late in posting this, but the day was so fun I couldn't pass up talking about it. Matt and I both had Labor Day off and decided to spend the day un-laboring and go have a little fun. We started off by giving Yoshi a bath. At almost 30 pounds, he's getting a little too big to wash in our bathtub. But, he's so funny afterwards. He is so cuddly and tired and just curls up on the couch with his blanket and takes a 2 hour nap...everytime!

We've been wanting to go up to Mt. Baker all summer for a day trip and hike. So..we got a picnic packed, put our hiking shoes on, and drove 1 1/2 hours up the mountain to Artist Point - a beautiful lookout near the top of the mountain. Well...we didn't foresee the climate change as we changed altitudes. It quickly went from 72 degrees down to a chilly 44! And Matt only had a t-shirt and shorts on. Needless to say, our cute picnic lunch ended in a race of who could cram in their sandwich the fastest and make it back to the car to turn on the heat.

Because of the drop in temp. we got to see a little snow too. Yoshi loved it!

Unfortunately, about 10 mintues after we got up to the top, fog started rolling in...and fast! In a matter of 10 minutes we went from having a slight view to seeing nothing at all. So..after a cold lunch and a cloudy view, we decided to drive all the way home. So much for a day trip - we were only there for about 30 minutes!

At least the sunset that night was great. Nothing beats an end of the summer Bellingham sunset.

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become an organ donor...please!

Thought it was time to give everyone a little eye update.  For those who don't know I have a corneal disease called keratoconus which affects the shape of the cornea greatly distorting my vision.  I had 2 surgeries 2 years ago to implant rings in the hopes of slowing down the disease process.  Welp...it's not working out so well.  I had a check up at my ophthalmologist last week who said I needed a cornea transplant ASAP on my right eye.  I've noticed my vision has been a little more blurry lately and I've been getting more headaches, but didn't think I'd need a transplant right now.  So...Sept. 25th is the day of surgery.  It'll be about a year long recovery process and I'll have 2 weeks off from work.  I won't be able to read/watch t.v./use a computer during those 2 weeks - it's going to be a little boring to say the least.   I'm definitely anxious and scared about the surgery and the recovery period, but thankful that there is something available to help my vision.  I'll keep you all updated and post lots of great pics of me with my eye patch.  I've decided this is the year to be a pirate for Halloween!

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