When I was a younger, I often thought about what it would be like to be a photographer.  I remember a time having a film camera and having my sister Pauline pose for me on a hill in front of trees.  Our family didn’t have a lot of money back then so I never had much of an opportunity to buy much film, take pictures and have them developed.  Even so, I always enjoyed taking pictures when I had the chance.  As a teenager I remember taking a photography class for a summer youth program which was held at a college.  I loved that class… venturing out to the Copper Mine and taking pictures then returning back to the college to actually learn how to develop and print our own pictures.  There was one picture I was particularly proud of, so later that evening I snuck back into the dark room to show a friend.  Needless to say, we got caught and got in trouble.

Since then my photography dream kind of went by the wayside.  That is until Ken bought me that awesome Canon digital camera last Christmas.  I’ve had several cameras before that awesome one but for some reason or other, this camera has once again sparked my interest in my dream.  It has made me more aware of looking for and taking “good shots” and has even inspired to me to try and get better.  After a year of having this camera, it also inspired me to put together my best photos from the past year and create a book .  I was so please with how this book turned out that I decided to make one every year to make myself better.  I don’t know if I will ever be a real, money-making photographer but I’m gonna keep snapping away!  (The book is viewed best full screen.  Cover photo was taken by Ken.)

Click here to view this photo book larger

The past few weeks the casino has been awfully nice to Ken. Within a span of two weeks he won enough so we were able to get that new washer and dryer we’ve been wanting for a while. Aren’t they pretty? And they are oh so quiet!

He also had enough to buy us a brand new television for the living room and an HD-DVR. Too cool!

Last but not least… he also bought himself a new computer. The only thing that would be better than him winning all those bucks is if it would be me. But that rarely ever happens so let him bring home the big bucks!

Ken had surgery today on his right foot… tarsal tunnel decompression and plantar fascitis something or other. The doctor was going to fix the nerve in his foot and cut the tendon. This was Ken first surgery since he had his tonsils removed when he was a kid. I think I was more nervous than he but more realistic as far as how much pain he would be in afterwards and how long he would be off work.

He had to be at the hospital by 7:30 so we had to leave bright and early. He was also required to take crutches with him because they said he would be using them for 3 weeks.

Ready to roll and armed with crutches.

See, it was still dark when we arrived at the hospital. Ken was trying to get use to the crutches before he actually needed them.

Right away they gave him a hospital gown to put on. It was too small and one of the ties was missing. I made him ask for a bigger one so he wouldn’t be flashing everyone.

And then they put in the IV. That didn’t hurt too much… not nearly as much as when they drew blood!

He was then moved to the holding room where they asked him for the millionth time what was his name, what was his date of birth, what he was having done and on which foot. As you can tell, he was pretty relaxed… even goofy!

Finally, the doctor came into the holding area explained a few thing and initialed his foot.

Just before they wheeled Ken into the operating room they put the anesthetic into his IV. He said it hit him pretty fast! From the time they put it in the IV until the time it hit him, it was a very short time… less than the amount of time it took to wheel him from the holding area to the operating room which was right across the hall.

From the time he went in until the time he came out, it was almost two hours. It seemed like forever waiting though! When the doctor came out and talked to me, he informed me the surgery went well. He also said the nerve in Ken’s foot was pinched in three places… two in the actual foot area and one near the ankle.

Ken had a big boot on his foot when they wheeled him out.

He was told he had to stay for at least another hour so they could monitor his pain level and vitals. We were there for about another hour and a half. Ken had to take some pain meds (Vicodin) and, just in case because he doesn’t do well with pain meds, he asked for a “barf pan”. He didn’t need it.

By the time we finally left the hospital we were both starving so we decided to make a quick trip to Culver’s. I thought for sure Ken was going to need that “barf pan” on the way there! He started getting extremely nauseaous, even broke out in a sweat! He was okay though once he moved the seat so he could lay down. At first we thought it was that cigarette he smoked as soon as we left the hospital but then we realized later in the day that Vicodin and motion are not a good combination for him. Other than the expected pain (that I expected but he didn’t), he is doing pretty well. And me… I am not use to waiting on him hand on foot but I’m quickly getting use to it. I offered to stay home from work to take care of him tomorrow especially since he is hobbling with dogs under foot. Ken said he would be okay on his own. We will see. I still think he will be in a lot of pain tomorrow.

OH! An the worst part of the whole day… when the nurse informed his before discharge that he wasn’t allowed to shower until he sees the doctor. That would be on Wednesday. It’s going to drive him absolutely nuts!!

A friend of Ken’s stopped by during the holiday break and asked us if we wanted to go to Mexico with him.  He has asked us before and never really gives us much notice.  The first couple times he asked, the trip was within a week.  This time, it was the next day!!  Ken told him we couldn’t go… not only because it was such short notice but also because I do not have a passport.

For the past year Ken has been telling me that I really should get a passport.  I don’t know if/when we will be taking a trip to another country but he keeps bugging me to get one.

The main reason I had not gotten one yet was because I can’t find my birth certificate and I would have to get it from Illinois.  I thought about seeing if I could order it online.  Even though I know the city and county where I was born, I don’t know the name of the hospital.  Since Bonnie was born at the same place, I gave her a call to see if she knew.  That got the ball rolling!  She gave me a web site where I could print out a form to send to them.  She even typed out a self-addressed stamped envelope to include when I mailed the form!  All I needed to do (besides fill out the form) was make a copy of my driver’s license and pick up a money order.  Well, that was done and mailed out and I expect it to be here soon.

Now the only other document I have to get is a copy of my marriage license.  That is the easy part… I only need to take about 10 steps in my office to find the original!

I must have motivated Bonnie to get her new passport too.  She sent for a copy of her birth certificate two days before I did and I got her a copy of her marriage license from my office.  Bon text me today and said she received her birth certificate in the mail today.  Mine should be arriving any day now.