The background picture on this page is my backyard covered in dandelions!

The deconstruction of my neighborhood is finally over. Now I live by a large field of dirt. Thank goodness, it isn't still winter or I might have to think about snow-fencing so the drifts from the field don't bury me and the dogs. LOL

These pictures from taken from the steps of the church down on the corner looking back towards my house. My house is that little white one on the other side of the "new" field in my neighborhood.
This view is from my back steps looking toward the church as they finish tearing down the last house in the neighboring block.

Seems like alot of my updates on this site could be named "Good News; Bad News" and this weekend isn't any better. I guess I shouldn't complain. I mean good things do happen along with the bad; but it's always at the extremes. For example, a few weeks ago, I got to go to an Indians game (a big high for me!) after recovering from a bout of thrush (and that's a very bad sign of my poor health). This week started with me recovering from the last of a second bout of thrush and a trip to the doctors. No results are back yet; however I am going to have to start taking my meds again (the side effects were bad enough that I haven't taken any medication for 9 months!). That means that I will be experiencing the initial reactions to the drugs once again, plus I may not be able to continue working because of the continuing side effects. Needless to say, I have driven myself damn near crazy worrying about whether I can keep working, and how I am going to explain all this to my boss. Recently, I read an article in the paper explaining how they don't believe they will every be able to cure HIV. That means I will have to continue to take the 28(!) pills a day for the rest of my life, and damn the side effects. Luckily, it'll be another week before I can start my meds again; but it's only proper that I talk to the boss, and let him know that there may be a potential problem here. Or, in a best case scenario, I may have to just have someone cover my job a couple days until the first reactions are past. :) Keep your fingers crossed for me.

I did feel good enough by this weekend to take a short trip up the highway to Kent State University - where Linda (DO's daughter) graduated and received her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. I'm so proud of Linda for her great accomplishment - while raising her two children on her own! I'm so happy that DO can now boast that two of her children have college degrees (Jodi got her Associates of Nursing 2 years ago while she was living with me).

Linda enjoying her three greatest accomplishments: Kerri Kayle and her college diploma

The blood work finally came back, and it isn't good at all. I found some old papers that prove the point in black and white. In March of 1998 (The second time I was in the hospital with pneumonia) my viral load was 140,000; while now it is 176,000. My T-cell count was 37; now it is down to 44. And, of course, the thrush is back! Another holiday and I'm sick. Ick!

On a totally un-related issue, DO finally got to retire and is enjoying the heck out of "not working".

After talking with the rep from Family Services (Vicki) about getting back on a med program, I was quite despondent about my whole situation. (May is always a bad time for me, because of Randy's death eight yrs. ago.)Checking on a whim, I discovered white spots of thrush again. Luckily, I've got some great friends, and Jodi rushed over just to be with me for a while. So I called off of work the next day to make sure that nothing deterred me from getting meds to get rid of that damned thrush. Of course, Dr. Hoppes had already left for his holiday weekend; but Dr. Kobe (Randy's doctor) was filling in for him, and she got me a script quickly.

By Sunday, the thrush was gone (although I was still kinda worn out because of it), the sun was out, the temp was mild, and my grass had been growing. I figured, heck, I have a teeny, tiny little yard I should be okay to go mow (and I do LOVE my yard work! Even though living on a corner lot with the hedges wrapping around two sides of my property is a pain. LOL). I was nearly finished, when I noticed a plastic ball in a puddle in my driveway. Well, living next to an elementary school, seeing stuff like that isn't anything new. I reared my foot back, to give the ball a good swift boot sending it over into the playground. However, the ball simply rolled over as I slammed my foot into it, exposing the three finger holes of a BOWLING BALL!! Needless to say, I spent the rest of Memorial weekend sucking mycelex lozenges, with my slightly swollen, very black, blue, and purple big toe propped up, thinking about the new lesson I had learned - Before kicking, always check. It could be a bowling ball!