Pennsylvania has the fewest sunny days of any place in the United States...and that includes Seattle.  No wonder we are all grumpy and want to do nothing more than hibernate during the winter months (and we won't mention the weight we all seem to pack on).  This is the first time since I can't remember when that I am feeling the urge to do some serious cleaning and organizing.  Guess it is my first taste of Spring Fever for the year.
 
This week has been all about doctors, tests and the like.  I had to take Megan to the emergency room again last Saturday night.  She had been out playing in the snow with friends and came home because she was having chest pains.  She can be a "bit" overly dramatic at times so we told her to wait a little bit and see how she felt.  That gave me time to shower and wash the dye out of my hair since I was in the middle of coloring my hair when she came home.  She was still miserable by the time I was done so I loaded her into the car and off we went.  Three hours later all we could tell you is it isn't her heart.  They did an EKG, chest e-rays, and bloodwork.  They decided what it wasn't, but didn't really do anything to find out what it actually was.  I guess they figure that is her regular doctor's problem.
 
Monday morning we had a follow-up appointment with Megan's regular doctor.  She prescribed Prevacid for reflux and Friday I took Meg for a sonogram on her gallbladder.  We won't know about the sonogram till next week sometime, but Meg seems to think the Prevacid is helping at least a little.  My son was joking about her falling apart and that it must be time to trade her in for a new model, but it sure does seem like it's one thing after another for one so young.
 
Tim also saw the doctor on Monday.  I have been after him for quite a while and he's scheduled then missed several appointments before finally making this one.  I know he works long hours, but his tiredness goes beyond normal.  Even when he has time off all he wants to do is sleep or watch television.  I've been trying to get through to him that while he doesn't feel good, it's been very hard on the rest of us.  A lot of life has been put on hold because I just can't make plans in advance. 
 
The doctor renewed his cholesterol meds, said his blood pressure and sugar were good, told him he has a good case of arthritis going on in his hip, and ordered a bunch of tests....colonoscopy, thyroid, sleep apnea, sonogram on a testicle, and bloodwork.  We have to schedule the tests ourselves and that is NOT going well.  Tim's had reasons all week why he couldn't call (I tried but they want to speak to him).  I'm being a big pain in his nether regions and making him a little mad trying to get him to call, but I'm not backing off.  He needs to do this.  He was supposed to get most of it done last year and never did.
 
We have been struggling with our internet connection ever since we got the new computer a month ago.  I have no idea what we did that suddenly messed it up, but the download speeds were slower even than dial-up would be.  In fact, something just would not load at all.  We put in a new phonejack, got new ethernet and phone cables.  I finally gave up and called Verizon's tech support and spent a couple of hours on the phone with "Habib," which I had dearly hoped to avoid.  When we finally got through all their "fixes" the internet was working a little faster, but still not like it should be and "Habib" said a line check showed my connection was still cutting in and out.  So frustrating!  He scheduled a technician to come to the house today.  I wasn't really excited, but what can you do?  He was scheduled to be here any time between 8-12.  He was here at 8:30, was very nice and helpful.  I was so pleased with him and the job he did!  The best part is my DSL is working properly now!  It seems the filters on the phones inside weren't doing the job so he put a filter outside where the line comes into the house.
 
Megan and I are cleaning the house today getting things ready for a visit from Matt, Ashlei and Sora tomorrow.  Sora walks (and runs) very well now and is into just about everything so we like to make sure everything is shipshape and babyproofed when she comes to visit.  They don't drive out here too often so it's always a big deal when they do.  Tim is planning to talk to them about that one of these days.  We probably wouldn't mind so much the infrequent visits if we didn't hear constantly about how much time they spend with Ashlei's family.  It's been a little hard for me to take how much Matt's rejected our values and way of life since being with Ashlei but I try not to say anything because I know he's under stress there as it is with Ashlei not really liking me.  I don't want to add to it or make him feel like he has to choose.  Tim just wants to point out that since they moved last year it is about the same distance to either family so that really isn't a valid excuse for coming here once every two months or so when they go to her parents' house several times a week.  What makes it especially hard for me to take is not getting to have much of a part in Sora's life.....a fact drawn to my attention weekly by a woman I work with.  Star is a nice woman and she has one of those incredibly close relationships with her daughter where she sees her every day, watches the kids a couple times a week, etc.  She simply can't understand that it's not like that for me and I know she doesn't mean to, but it makes me feel awful.
 
Mom and John started the trip home from Florida this morning and expect to be here by tomorrow evening at the latest.  Last I had talked to Mom, things were going well and they liked and were impressed with the facility.  They even got to consult with a doctor they had read about in a book on prostate cancer, a pioneer in the field, and liked him a great deal.  I had thought this was currently the only facility of its kind open in the U.S., but Mom said there are several.  The only others I remember are Boston and Los Alamos.  The Florida facility is the only above ground one, though.  The rest are underground.  I wasn't home when she called yesterday so will have to wait till they get home to find out if John is a candidate for sure and if so, when they will have to leave to go back. 
 
Well, I guess I should get back to cleaning while I'm feeling energetic and inspired by the sunshine and later I need to head out to the grocery store to get the ingredients to make manicotti for dinner tomorrow.  Tim and I may go see a movie tonight.  It depends on when he gets home and how he feels.  The theater in Ligonier sells tickets for $6 and then for $8 you get a large popcorn, two medium drinks and a box of candy!  Can't top that deal anywhere!  The last time we went to the mall theaters we got the $6 matinee ticket price, but the popcorn and drinks cost us nearly $30!  Robbery!
 
Hope you all have a great week and that the sun is shining on you, too!