Happy Birthday Gar

One year ago...

On his birthday last year Gar wanted a Rubiks Cube cake. So I tried my hardest to replicate the Rubiks Cube :)

Last Halloween Gar and I carved pumpkins together...it was a lot of fun! :)

This was taken in New Hampshire last October. It is definately a typical Gar picture :) Oh how i miss his funny antics!

Well today would have been gar's 23rd birthday. Today many, many memories flood back of great times we shared together. He loved this time of year. He loved Halloween and always thought he was lucky to have Halloween and his birthday so close together. He had told me last year, that this year for halloween, he wanted to find a big box and paint it like a Rubiks cube...if that doesn't sound like Gar then I don't know what does! :) It was also about this time last year that he, Sara and I all went camping in New Hampshire. What a fun time we had. He loved camping and the fall foliage was amazing. Even though we were iceicles when we woke up, I guess camping in october in New Hampshire wasn't the warmest idea! Another great memory was when gar insisted that we carved pumpkins around Halloween time last year. It was alot of fun, even though Gar's looked 10X better than mine! haha!

It is comforting to know that Gar is happy now, afterall that is all I ever wanted for him. He had a wonderful heart. I was lucky to have known gar, lucky to have felt his love, lucky to have spent many fun times together. I will never forget him and all he taught and gave me. Today on his birthday I remember him just as much as any other day. There isn't a day that goes by when I don't think about him and miss his smile, his laugh, his jokes and hearing about his dreams. Such dreams as driving an Audi, going into space, having a family of his own. I will always hold Gar deep in my heart, on his birthday, and every other day of the year. I love you Gar!

Happy Birthday!!!

Update...Update...Get your update!

Once again it has been a crazy week around here. Dad is back in the hospital. He was doing fantastically until Wednesday night. He just said he was feeling "under the weather." Well once again, that "under the weather thing" just happened to be his body retaining fluid. Another "side effect" of the chemo...the drug that is doing so wonderfully combating his cancer. Anyways. He, luckily, had an appointment with Dr. Millstein (cardiologist) who is an exceptional doctor. He insisted dad be admitted because his heart rate was in the 40's (about half of what is healthy). Due to this low heart rate his kidney started failing. As some may know, dad only has one kidney. He was born with one kidney therefore he has had to take extra careful care of the one kidney he still has. With this they addmitted him to C.C.U (basically ICU for coronary patients). His renal (kidney) sepecialist came in and shocked us when she said his kindey was only working at 20%. NOT GOOD.

Then there was a miracle.

His heart went into a sinus (normal rhythm). No more atrial fibrolation! Mind you, he has been in atrial fibrolation since his chemo began. Bascially A.fib as it is called is fluttering of the atrial chambers of the heart. They aren't as strong as they once were and can not give a strong pump as they should. But his nurse realized a legitimate "P wave" on his heart monitor and called the doctors in. Sure enough, for no known reason his heart bounced out of A.fib. This meant that his heart went from the 40's to the 70-80's! Wonderful! With this his kidney function jumed to 39% and things started to look up.

Even though he is not in Afib anymore. Being the exceptional doctor that he is Dr. Millstein still wants to put a pacemaker in on Monday. No more rush as there was before. So Monday dad will be under the knife once again. It is hoped that this device will keep his heart beating high enough to keep his other vital organs doing well. That way there is no worries of heartrates in the 40's anymore. If it drops below a certain bpm it gives his heart a wee little shock and bam he's back pumping at normal speed :)

As long as his bloodthinner levels are at the correct levels on monday he will be having his surgery. please keep him and our family in your prayers.

Sure this is just another "bump in the road" so to speak. It is very difficult to see my dad so sick. I miss him around the house. But I must say he is a strong, strong man. He takes all of these issues in stride and never looses his spunk :)

thank you to everyone for your continued support, our family couldn't do it without all the prayers and support!

xoxo

Do It :)

4 PLACES I VISIT OVER AND OVER
1. Avery Point
2. Three Rivers
3. Walmart
4. Curves in Mystic
4 PEOPLE WHO CALL/TEXT/EMAIL ME REGULARLY
1. Monica
2. Chelsey
3. Catlin
4. Jeannie
4 FAVORITE FOODS
1. Chicken
2. Mac & Cheese
3. Green Peppers
4. Chocolate Covered Strawberries
4 PLACES I WOULD RATHER BE
1. Georgia
2. New Jersey
3. Hawaii
4. a cruise ship :)
4 MOVIES I WOULD WATCH OVER AND OVER
1. Juno
2. My Girl (1&2)
3. The Notebook
4. Rent
4 BANDS/GROUPS I LOVE TO LISTEN TO
1. Rascal Flatts
2. Jack Johnson
3. Colbie Callat
4. Jewel