Surgery and a surprise party all in one day

next week I celebrate 26 years working for Rick

Friday morning I had Radio Frequency Ablation on my Cervical Spine. This is my 3rd time having it. Basically they go in and  cut/burn the nerves that are damaged. I had C2-6 cut on both sides. The pain prior was horrifying. I would wake up multiple times during the night with a burning skull and neck, I would have to physically lift my head with my hands and turn it to the side...then I would fall back asleep until gut wrenching pain would wake me up. I was taking entirely to many pain pills during the day just to move. Of course the only opening in the next 3 weeks was yesterday (Friday), which happened to be My bosses surprise downtown at the Hotel Sofitel ChicagoWatertower. 

 They actual surgery lasted a good hour and a half. I was semi-conscious as the neurosurgeon needs to ask me questions while poking each nerve. Once the correct nerve was located...blast! a laser wiped it out...um OUCH! I drove myself to the hospital and a girlfriend picked me up (she also took Karrick home due to 1/2 day) I quickly changed and another friend dropped me at the train station. I could not miss Rick's party and still had enough Fentanyl , Demerol and versed that while I could not get behind the wheel of a car, I could hop a train and feel no pain. Tim met me at the station and we hopped a cab to the party. It was wonderful, so many old friends that I have not seen in years. many old traders from our trading floor days we there. Rick was completely surprised. About 9pm the meds started to wear off and I had to go. We took the train back home

 Ricks kids all came in for the party which was a gift to Rick. 2 came from college, Cornell and U of Kansas. His son is in the Army and he flew in for the night

I am really happy I was able to go...I was a little nervous. TJ took Karrick to his school Halloween party and we had so much to do for Karrick's Halloween party at our house on Sat. 4-8pm. TJ had a movie audition downtown at 2:30..thank God Tim took him. The casting director invited TJ to audition for another movie Tuesday evening, so he must see something in him. The party was great(Karricks) previous blog. I'm blogging backwards. Today I feel better, but my muscles are sore. I feel like I worked out too hard...I didn't. My 10 needle holes are swollen and tender. But I feel like a human as I can do basic things like turn my head or sneeze w/o lightening shooting through me

Karrick's Halloween party

Karrick hosted a Halloween party tonight. 9 of his closest friends were invited. It really was a spectacular party complete with fog machines, black lights, glowing walls and creepy music. Karrick wanted a Zombie to play "pin the brain in the Zombie's mouth" I used glow paint and it was pretty spooky.

Karrick was so excited that he set the table and placed a gummie Zombie on each plate

TJ and Callahan got in the fun too, we also had a fog machine downstairs and they made another spook house. I have a feeling some little kids may not be sleeping in their own beds tonight

Watching "Nightmare Before Christmas" Tim set up tiered seating using the kids mattresses 

Michigan

shot by TJ McGinty...St Joseph, MI

We were invited up to Michigan this week to spend time at my brother Jim's new cabin in Coloma.  It was amazing and I can't wait to blog about it, I must say I shot some amazing pictures.
 I had to pay Google for more blog memory, which should be updated tomorrow.  Yikes, has this happened to anyone else? I realize I post a lot of pictures and my camera is 15M but geez

insanity

 My life has become insane, all I do is drive from one place to another, all day long every day. Last week I took Karrick for his meeting at Lily's Talent. He was rejected...the kid has no teeth...seriously! I was completely shocked and stunned. My kids don't get rejected...other kids do. Well, actually they said...bring him back when his teeth come in. After the meeting I took Karrick to the Lego Store on Michigan Ave...pretty cool. A high school buddy works at Nordstrom so Karrick and I popped in the say Hello! 

 How cute is the skiddles dress?

 That night, still feeling rejected, I get home to find TJ has a movie audition the next day at Columbia college. It is a student film and is union (SAG) After work I dash home to get a monologue for the kid to recite, then rush off to pick up TJ from football. He has exactly 2 hours to shower, eat, memorize and audition. TJ refused to leave football early(fear of the coach calling him "a pretty boy") we should all have such worries.

TJ nailed his monologue, so the casting director gave him sides to the movie (script) told him to take 10min and memorize, which he did. The very next morning TJ got a callback...YAY scheduled for Sat at 5pm. 

He played football in the morning, then we cancelled a different audition and went to his callback. He did excellent, the casting directors called me in to make sure he was available on the 4 shoot dates and confirm it was okay for TJ to miss school. We really thought he would get the role, but he didn't...could be as simple as not resembling his younger movie brother as much as another hopeful. My kids are tough and don't take it to heart, something as simple as hair color can knock you right off the cast list.

Tuesday Callahan booked a shoot for Ginny's Catalog shooting in Willowbrook . He finished the entire shoot in less than 30 min while pocketing $90. Callahan now has 5 ads coming out in the next few months

With the rest of the day free, Callahan tinkered in the garage and built a working Trebuchet from scratch.  ...a pretty productive day for an 11 year old. I had to run off to the Neurosurgeon (can't make this shit up) I am having radio frequency Ablation for the 3rd time next week. Nerves C2-7 on the left and C3-5 on the right will be cut with a laser. I can't turn my head. sleep or move w/o gut wrenching pain. Brutal, brutal...multiple strong pain pills barely touch the pain

I am honestly exhausted. I do work 25 miles away 4 days a week, have 3 kids in 3 different schools and I am back to pick Karrick up everyday at 3:15. Well I often call a fellow mom to say "I'll be there in 10 min". The boys all play on the playground for 30 min anyway. I have gone downtown a minimum of 3 times a week for the past 5 weeks. It is a lot and I'm ready for a break.

Tonight TJ had his final football game, he played up on the A team and played the majority of the game. He has decided to wrestle for Glenbard East...the football coaches have been pressuring him for weeks now. I'm happy for him, but also feel a little Aarrggh!!! He will earn the coveted "3 sport letter" because he really is a baseball player which starts right after wrestling

This weekend we are heading to Michigan to my brother Jim's new lake house...it looks spectacular and we are thrilled.

I've complained long enough, I truly love the constant go go go. It's all I know and I am lucky to have kids that can do what they do...they are all pretty amazing in their own ways. I honestly couldn't do it without the help of my Tim...we make a great tag team 

Mr Turtle

My baby broke himself....Ouch

 TJ had a great great week at practice, The B team went up against the A in practice and my TJ showed up that A team. The coaches (A&B) were all over him with praise and TJ was super excited for Saturday's game against Naperville North. 1st qtr, 3 play TJ catches a un-catchable throw for 1st down. 4th play of game TJ is handed the ball and starts running...look at pictures as they were snapped in Sport mode....which catches everything, snap snap, snap in a row

 He is on his way to score a touchdown

 I know we all love our kids and believe they are the best, BUT...check out this kids form after 2 months of playing football....2 months in his entire 14 years of life

 Click on it, click on the picture with the giant black arrow...Aarrgh!!! Did I really need to see that? For the love of God! some things a mother just doesn't need to see...damn ass camera. TJ tried to cut across and slipped on the grass

TJ tried to stay in, he tried for the next 2 plays but couldn't put any pressure on his foot. He sat on the bench for the remainder of the game...then his coach yelled at him "we needed you on offense" I honestly believe we could have won, had TJ not broke himself.

School is closed until Wednesday so he had 4 days to fix himself. He is much better and will try to practice tomorrow (tue is 1st practice since game)

The coaches A nad B are desperately trying to recruit TJ to wrestling. I guess it is phenomenal conditioning for football

because they want him for all 4 years of football. So far he has no interest

A day out with Tim and Karrick

 Today we took Karrick to Sunny Acre Farm in West Chicago. I am just loving this weather and my tan is back! Not often does Karrick get 100% of our attention, but today he did. We went on rides, ate and even took a tractor ride. I had a ball with the camera. The colors this year are spectacular...I hear it is because of all the rain we had 

 I love love love love this picture

 Tim and Karrick sat by the water while I snapped some tender daddy, little boy shots. I love that Tim has always been super affectionate with our kids, which I believe contributes to their kind sensitive dispositions

    We had an all around amazing weekend. Dinner Friday night, TJ's football game that started out with TJ making 2 incredible plays before spraining his ankle. Tim and I went back to Wheaton and hit the shops, Dupage Historical Museum and lunch