Sunday, April 17, 2011

Our Week in a Glance

Wow, am I behind on updating and posting! Sorry! What can I say, other than it has been one crazy and chaotic week! I had no downtime in between attending briefings with Kevin and home life with my family. I am still trying to recover from a week on the go. My body is straight exhausted and it leaves me a little frustrated just knowing that even after months of recovering I am still struggling in some areas. This past week we passed the eight month mark from the first kidney failure.

Last weekend we decided to head downtown on Friday night to see the view of El Paso from the parking garage as before. We were told that it is beautiful with all the lights. Honestly, it was a pretty site, but not as beautiful as others have made it seem. Caitlin was terrified to get out of the car for the first few minutes, then decided to join the rest of us. We left Nicholas in the car so that he would not try to climb on anything to look over. He did love looking at the pictures I took on my IPhone!









Once last Saturday morning rolled around Kevin had to leave us and head to work for his 24 hour Staff Duty. We are so tired of him spending every weekend with either Staff Duty or CQ.  The kids and I just hung around the house until that evening, when we joined the neighbors at the park for a huge birthday party. I didn't take pictures, but did get videos of the kids playing some of the games over there. I will add the videos later. The kids had a blast and thankfully wore themselves out!

I thought the sun looked pretty cool. We had real bad wind and sand storms over the weekend!

Past that, not much happened over the weekend. Just the usual housework, laundry, cooking, and time spent together.

Monday began a week of us being on the go and a lot of note taking! Monday through Friday I attended so many briefings with Kev for things that we have to accomplish to things that we need to know since he is getting out of the army. We attended ACAP (Army Career and Alumni Program), TAP (Transition Assistance Program), DTAP (Disabled Transition Assistance Program), and VA Benefits and Claims. The briefs typically lasted all day, except for two that were half days. On the half days we had appointments with his PEBLO (Physical Evaluation Board Liaison Officer) and other medical appointments. I felt like we ended up all over Fort Bliss, Biggs, and Beaumont; and this place covers a lot of territory! However, at the end of the week and crazy moments, I will say that it was nice to spend the week with my husband like I was able to. Even if he was grumpy at times from having to sit around privates and soldiers that have never done anything yet want all the same perks and benefits as us. There were also the typical soldiers that would try and talk big then the truth (normally no combat patch) would come out and the ones that have been deployed would get pretty irritated looking. There was also a day that we found out that if the unit of Rear Detachment (unit that has soldiers here while the unit is deployed) awards the soldiers for being back here they can be awarded the same as combat soldiers and are entitled to certain things as the ones who have been in the war zone. Let me just say, this really set our COMBAT VETS off. I have to agree with our combat vets. If you have never been deployed you should not be entitled to the same things that are for the combat vets. I find it very upsetting that they are when they are back here, spending time with their families, doing as they want, drinking, partying, not having the worries or the stresses from being over there.

On Friday we went to my orthosurgeon appointment. I have to have another surgery in two weeks. I fell on three different occasions, the last one a couple months ago and managed to break my coccyx (tail bone) and messed up my lower back. Every time I have fallen has been due to my levels not being monitored and being inaccurate. Anyhow, from the breaks and fractures, I never healed properly. I now have to have a small incision on my lower back/coccyx area for this to be corrected. The recovery is approximately six weeks before I can get around without  a lot of problems... However, it does take about a year for the full recovery. Let me just say, I am dreading this, but I know it won't be at all as bad as the others I have done. Of course, as any surgery there can be complications but I am not even stressed over it. NO, I am not being seen at William Beaumont. Lol, I know many of you are wondering that. This surgery is fully off post by a civilian doctor.

We also found out that Kevin has to go in for another procedure on his face for his skin cancer. We go the first week of May for this surgery to be completed. Another spot formed on his face that has to now be surgically removed. The procedure should last about an hour then we will be able to come home. There was about five spots on his face, four of which were burned off. He has had multiple spots burned off, killed by laser treatment and topic chemo. We are hoping this next procedure will be the last one for awhile! So, say your prayers!

That is our past week in a glance! Now, I am going to work on the sites I am now with and put together some of my articles!

Girls School Pictures, Spring 2011

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