My red neck neighbors

I have some neighbors that fit the redneck definition to a "T." Now they are generally nice people and keep to themselves but every know and then they get on my damned nerves, this morning is one of those times.

During the day they take care of all their grandkids which means they have generally four or five kids in the yard ranging from 3 years old to 11 (which is actually their youngest daughter) but once those kids are out in the fenced in yard that is it. No one is watching them, there is no adult with them. Top that off with the fact they have 6 dogs, none of which weigh more then 15lbs, who run around barking at any and everything that walks by. We cannot even go in to the yard without having those little yap monsters start up.

Several times a week we have to ask the youngest girl, 3, to stop climbing the fence to try and pet our dog. This morning my wife and I were sitting in the rec room which is the back room of the house and we kept hearing what sounded like someone jumping up and down on the deck. We thought at first it might be the dog jumping around but when I looked out the window the dog was on the other side of the yard. I decided to check the deck out and there she was, the 3 year old who had climbed the fence and then up the stairs to the deck was playing on the deck. No adult in sight, no one to make sure she was safe and she could not get back down the steps on her own, my wife had to go out and help her down. Just about then is when her grandfather showed up to look for her. He did not say a word to us about it, not so much as a sorry and he certainly did not say anything to the girl about her inappropriate actions. No, instead he lifted her over the fence, let her loose on their side and then he went back inside to what ever he had been doing before.

It is an everyday event that we see this 3 year old wandering around the yard unsupervised. Worse is that we live right on a major street, our front doors are less then 10' to the street. I am at my wits end with this family and their wanton attitude towards the kids they "care" for. All I need is for this kid to fall off my deck or get hurt some other way in my yard because someone was not properly supervising them.

It is very frustrating and now it is to the point that we are discussing putting up a privacy fence. We do not want to cut the neighbors off but they apparently are not going to listen to our concerns about the kids coming in to our yard nor do they seem like they will be getting rid of the dogs anytime soon. I feel that my family is entitled to some peace and quiet and if the only way to get it is by putting up the fence then that is what I am going to have to do.

I watched the presentation of the Medal of Honor to SFC Smith's family. The mom had his son, who is about my own sons age, accept the award on behalf of the family. It was very touching but the whole time I was watching the ceremony all I could think to myself was how much his son would rather have his dad then that award.

A blog that needs checking out

Here is a blog I have been reading for a bit and thought that maybe some of you would like to pop on over and read. Her entry for Sunday the 3rd is a strong one and is perhaps the single best blog entry I have ever read.

Time for the A/C...

The temps here have swung big time from where we were in the 30's the other day and now we are heading in to the 80's. My rec room faces the west and has a wall of windows and sliding glass doors so in the early evening when the sun is setting it gets very warm back there. When the room was added it seems that they either did not insulate properly or consider the airflow of the house so there is a big difference in temps between it and the kitchen, which is only 15' away.

I set all the ceiling fans in the house for the season and for most of the spring we can open the windows and enjoy the cool mornings and evenings but yesterday and today that is not the case. While it was only 78F outside the greenhouse effect drove the house temp up to 82 and even with the attic fan on and the North/South windows opened I ended up having to go turn the A/C on.

Tomorrow however we are supposed to have rain for the next 3 days. That means it is time to put together the tornado kits, change all the batteries in the flashlights and radios and clear a path to the cellar because. While I like the season I hate the constant up and down from the warnings. In a good season we will have several tornadoes touch down and tons of warnings which mean one has either been sighted or is radar indicated.

What to do on a Sunday?

While I was lying down taking a nap a wasp somehow made it in to the blanket with me and stung me on the arm. It woke me out of a dead sleep and within a minute it felt like someone was standing on my chest and by the time I walked to the hospital (about 6 houses) my throat was closing and I was coughing and wheezing for air. I never knew I was allergic to wasps but then this is the first time I have ever been bitten by one. The doctor told me that I need to get an Epipen as well as set up a sting kit at home with benadryl & zantac and take it as soon as I suspect that I have been bitten. Just what I need, more crappy meds to keep around the house and in my backpack.

They took me directly in at the ER and stuck me with an IV, Benadryl & Prednisone and then gave me some Zantac to take as well. Within a few minutes of the drugs whoever it was that had been standing on my chest took a break and the my throat also started to clear up and I could breathe again.

It seems like in the last 2 years I have spent more time in the ER then I did in the almost 33 years before and the trips now seem like they are for "piddly" reasons. Oddly those "piddly" reasons are more life threatening then would seem.

Anyway, I am home now and feeling much better. I am going to settle in and watch the Biker Build Off on the Discovery Channel, probably my favorite channel on the idiot box.

Scoliosis...

My surgery was probably the most painful thing I have ever had done. I will never even have the words that could make someone understand what it was like other then if ever given the choice to have the surgery or not be able to walk, I would seriously consider the options.

I was watching a show last night called "Extreme Surgery" and they were covering surgeries to correct scoliosis. Unlike my surgery where I had fusion and instrumentation at 1 level these surgeries had fusion at multiple levels and instrumentation pretty much through the whole spine. What was more amazing is that the patients were young girls, probably 9 years old. I could not imagine having to go through all that at such a young age and all I could think was how scared those poor girls must have been.

At one point during the surgery they ran in to a problem when a computer they were using to check the function of the girls spine stopped working. Without the machine working properly they would not be able to check the function of the girls spine and would then have to perform what is called a "wake up." They would literally have to bring the girl out from anesthesia before they closed the incision and have her move her toes. Fortunately they did get the machine working at the last minute but they were cutting it close. I could not imagine having to be brought out from the anesthesia to have a test like that done. Wow!

In the end the surgery was quite a success and the doctors were even able to install a special rod that will "grow" as the girl grows though at some point in the future they will have to replace those rods with another set.

Watching these kids have to go through this is amazing. They bounce back quickly and are back to playing within weeks, like it never happened. I was still in bed a week after my surgery and it was probably 3 weeks before I even attempted to climb stairs let alone go running around. While it hurts to see children having to suffer with the pain and then surgery it is somewhat comforting to know that their little bodies heal so quickly, simply amazing.

Not really in the mood to post much today.

The electrical jolts from yesterday finally stopped and now it is back to just the normal pins and needles and burning in the arch and toes. You know you have really lost it when you would prefer to have one pain then the other pain, right?

Maybe later on I will post some more but for right now I am just going to veg out.

Rest In Peace Holy Father

The Pope has passed away. For those not familiar with the process by which a new Pope will be chosen you can read this.

Feels like I am being electrocuted...

I have been sitting here in the recliner and for the last few hours I have had a new sensation in my left foot, almost like I have stepped on a live electrical cord. If you have ever been electrocuted with a low voltage wire you will know what I am talking about. My guess is that this is progression in the damage to the S1 nerve root which is the nerve that runs to the area I am feeling it in right now. Since there is not much we can do about it I will just put it on the list to bring to the doctor at the end of the month.

My eye

It is doing much better this afternoon. I put some neosproin on it and the swelling has gone down by about 1/2 so I figure by the day after tomorrow it should be cleared up.

I am not sure exactly what happened but I will make sure I don't do that again!

Staying on top of the Social Security Administration

Like I have been doing every few weeks I call my case manager to see where we are at in the process. Hearing all the horror stories about taking months to get your first decision I decided to make sure that did not happen. By calling my case manager every few weeks I cut several months of the process by making sure that all records from the doctors are sent in, that they get copies of all the radiologists reports etc...

Apparently the only thing they are waiting on is the questionnaire they sent to my wife which I know she sent back some time ago. Not sure why they do not have it yet but the problem could have been that she did not send it back in the envelope that it came with. Why I am not sure, but I do know that if it does not go straight to the case manager it can get lost or take a long time to make it's way through the system. The case manager said she is sending a new questionnaire for her and that she can fax it back.

After that I am hoping for only a few weeks before the decision. Obviously we want a favorable ruling but if that is not the case I have a law firm that specializes in Social Security cases and they work on a percentage of the back pay received. While I would prefer not to have to pay someone for this it is sometimes the only way to get a favorable decision.

The doctors visit went quite well and my wife got to meet the doctor this time. We discussed the insurance issue with the medications and he said they will call my carrier and get it fixed. If they for some reason decide that I can no longer have that med then he will switch me to something like MS-Contin or methadone.

Know I have been on Kadian before and did not have much relief from it. However that was on the 24 hour dose with nothing for breakthrough. His opinion was to try the 12hr dose and keep the breakthrough meds going. We will see what happens as I still have 4 days before I can refill the meds.

We stopped to get bagels but since they were very busy we just bought the bagels and some Asiago cheese foccacia and went to my mothers house to make sandwiches. It was $20 cheaper and most certainly much quicker and we have bagels for the next week at home. The foccacia is excellent for munching on and while you can make a panini with it I prefer to just tear some off and dip it in olive oil that sundried tomatoes have been packed in.

Terry Schiavo has passed away

Story Here

Sadly after a 14 day fight to stay alive Terri Schiavo has passed away.

While we mourn your passing I find my comfort in knowing that your pain is gone. Rest in peace Terri.

Off to the doctor

Well, we are off to the doctor in a few minutes. Since it is about an hour or so drive, into a major city during rush hour that means it will be more like 2 hours.

If I have to watch the incredibles ONE MORE TIME, I AM GOING TO SCREAM! My 2 year old is watching it everyday. That is all he wants to watch!!!

11th Circuit & Jesse Jackson...

It looks like the 11th Circuit Court has refused to hear the Schindler's request for a new hearing. I have not seen a copy of the petition or what they were hoping to have the new hearing based on but I guess it is moot now.

Jesse Jackson has also said that his attempts to win over a few state Senators to change their votes on a bill that would have saved Terri has failed. It is a complete turn around from earlier comments made by Jackson in which he had found 4 of the Senators were "flexible" in their votes and they were enough to get the bill passed.

It now seems as if all hope is gone and after 13 days Terri's life is now measured in hours instead of days or weeks. It is truly amazing that she is going in to her 13th day without any food or water. Almost as if she is fighting to stay alive, that she is not giving up. I have said it before but it is truly sad that we treat our convicted killers, rapists and child molesters much better then we treat our sick and infirm. We even treat international terrorists better then that, clearly a sign of a society that places no value on ones life if they are unable to speak for themselves. Would they dare do this to the Pope who is now on a feeding tube?

It also appears that Michael Schiavo has no say or control in whether Terri is given an autopsy after her death. He had earlier stated there would be none and the his lawyer made an announcement that he had changed his mind. It now turns out that he had no say in the first place and once again he looks like the fool he has proven himself to be time and time again.

Edit: After hitting the publish button the news covered a brief bit on the Schindler's filing another appeal to the US Supreme Court. No doubt this will be based on the motion for a new hearing preiously denied by the 11th Circuit Court.

Report Cards & Bagels...

Tomorrow is the trip to the doctor and I have a laundry list of things I would like to talk about. When they called this morning to confirm my appointment I asked if they had received the letter about my meds and found they were working on it as we were speaking.

Since my wife is off tomorrow she is going to come with me and after the appointment we are going to go grab a sandwich at Panera Bread Co. and grab some of their Asiago bagels and Rosemary & Onion Foccacia bread for home. If you have not had their bagels they are much better then Einstein Bros. Bagels which was formerly known as Bagel & Bagel. However they both can be a bit pricey for a lunch sandwich so I would suggest just buying the bagels and making your own.

My oldest is starting to play mind games and is learning that it is going to cost him big time. They were given their report cards last Wednesday, before the Easter recess but seeing that he never brings any of the papers home we never know what is going on. It has gotten that his teachers and I email each other daily for assignments and upcoming events. Somehow the report card issue was lost in the back of my mind and he took full advantage of that by not giving it to me until yesterday. His grades were horrible, even after all the help we have been giving him he is still not doing his school work. Worst of all he will not sit and be quiet in the classroom.

I got an email this morning from his teacher about his not bringing the report card back so I replied that I had just received it yesterday and she would need to give me a day to go over it with my wife. She quickly replied letting me know they went home a week ago. Arrrrrgh!

Of course after seeing his grades I know exactly why he did not give it to me on Wednesday. He would have spent the entire Easter recess in his room grounded. I was calm about it when he got home, let him know that he had messed up and why he did it and that since he decided to lie about it to avoid being grounded that his punishment was going to be that much worse. So for the next several weeks he will come home from school, no friends over, no outside. When homework is done he will take his shower and find a book to read, which will be approved by myself or my wife and he will read until dinner. When dinner is done he will read for 45 minutes and then it is lights out.

It is frustrating because we sacrificed a ton for him to go to this school and he just does not seem to get it. The public school system here has steadily gone down hill and they did away with the special ed program meaning all students were in one room together and the class was moving the pace of the slowest learner. I spent time as a parent in the classroom helping the teachers but by the end of the year they were well behind where the state required them to be. This meant they fell in to the no child left behind program and have not been able to get themselves out of it.

Being that we are Catholic we figured we could get him in to Catholic school, be taught not only about our religion but have a smaller class and be with students who care about learning. I guess we were wrong and have told him that if he does not pull all his grades up on this last quarter that he will be heading back to public school.

Now it is all up to him so we will see how he does.

SFC Paul Smith

The Congressional Medal of Honor is the highest award that can be bestowed on a US Servicemember. Sadly many of the men who receive it are killed by the action in which they earned it.

Since 1993 when SFC Randall Shugart and MSG Gary Gordon the medal has not been awarded. Prior to their awards it had been close to 20 years since the last award.

Out the outbreak of Operation Iraqi Freedom the fighting in some areas was intense and many medals of valor have been awarded to the men and women of the US Military. From all accounts that I have read SFC Smith was your average fun loving guy who cared for his troops in the same manner he did his family. Those troops were his family and like any parent he went to extreme measures to protect them, so far that in his drive to portect his men he himself lost his life.

The lengths that men will go to protect each other is amazing. Mere words will never do justice to his actions which is why we recognize these men with such an award like the Medal Of Honor. I am humbled by men like SFC Smith and pray that he is smiling down on all of us and holding my seat on the final objective.



His Medal of Honor citations follows. I ask that you take a few minutes and read about his unselfish actions that saved so many men.

Citation and more information on the battle and SFC Smith.

On April 4, 2003, the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, attacked to seize Objective Lions, the Baghdad International Airport. As part of the Brigade scheme of maneuver, Task Force 2-7 Infantry was tasked to establish a blocking position against a brigade-sized counterattack on the main entrance to the airfield. Task Force 2-7 had been fighting for three consecutive days and had moved through the night before reaching the blocking position. Morale was high, but Soldiers were experiencing fatigue. B Company, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment (Knight) was in the east-most position oriented along the main avenue of approach ready for the main enemy counterattack. A Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment (Rage) was attacking to the southeast of the Highway.

The main entrance to the airfield was a four-lane highway with a median to separate incoming and outgoing traffic. Large masonry walls with towers approximately 100 meters apart bound the highway. On the morning of April 4, 2003, more than 100 soldiers from the Task Force 2-7 Forward Aid Station, mortars, scouts and portions of B Company, 11th Engineer Battalion were in the median behind the forward most blocking positions. The B Company, 11th Engineer Battalion 2nd Platoon Leader was on a reconnaissance mission with the B Company, Task Force 2-7 Infantry Commander. During his absence, 2nd Platoon received the mission to construct an Enemy Prisoner of War holding area. Sgt. 1st Class Smith was in charge of 2nd Platoon.

Sgt. 1st Class Smith assessed the best location to be behind the masonry wall bounding the highway. Two guard towers along the wall were ideally situated to provide overwatch to the holding area. An M9 armored combat earthmover (ACE) knocked a hole in the wall to create an opening to a large courtyard with a louvered metal gate on the north side. With the help of a squad leader and team leader, Sgt. 1st Class Smith checked the far side of the courtyard for enemy, found none, and posted two guards. From the guard post at the gate small groupings of buildings were 100-200 meters to the northeast. To the northwest, a large white building with a white dome was visible. The location seemed perfect as the courtyard was along the northern flank of the blocking position and enemy actions to this point were mostly from the east.

SFC Smith's view of the wall and tower
Sgt. 1st Class Smith's view from his position in the courtyard. Iraqi troops were firing from the tower on the left, and climbing over the wall in front. Click for a bigger picture.
While an engineer squad began to clear debris in the courtyard, on of the guards saw 10-15 enemy soldiers with small arms, 60mm mortars, and rocket-propelled grenades (RPG). These were the lead elements of an organized company-sized force making a deliberate attack on the flank of Task Force 2-7. Sgt. 1st Class Smith came to the position and identified 25-50 more soldiers moving into prepared fighting positions. Sgt. 1st Class Smith instructed a squad leader to get a nearby Bradley Fighting Vehicle for support. While waiting for the Bradley, Sgt. 1st Class Smith had members of 2nd platoon retrieve AT-4 weapons and form a skirmish line outside the gate. By this time, the number of enemy identified rose to 100 soldiers, now a confirmed company-sized attack. Three of B Company’s M113A3 armored personnel carriers (APC) oriented .50-cal. machineguns toward the opening in the wall and the surrounding guard towers, now occupied by enemy soldiers.

Sgt. 1st Class Smith’s actions to organize a defense against the deliberate attack were not only effective, but inspired the B Company, 11th Engineer Battalion Soldiers. He then began to lead by example. As the Bradley arrived on site and moved through the hole in the wall toward the gate, Sgt. 1st Class Smith ran to the gate wall and threw a fragmentation grenade at the enemy. He then took two Soldiers forward to join the guards and directed their engagement of the enemy with small arms. The enemy continued to fire rifles, RPGs, and 60mm mortars at the Soldiers on the street and within the courtyard. Enemy soldiers began moving along the buildings on the north side of the clearing to get into position to climb into the towers. Sgt. 1st Class Smith called for an APC to move forward to provide additional fire support. Sgt. 1st Class Smith then fired an AT-4 at the enemy while directing the his fire team assembled near the front line of the engagement area.

Running low on ammunition and having taken RPG hits, the Bradley withdrew to reload. The lead APC in the area received a direct hit from a mortar, wounding the three occupants. The enemy attack was at its strongest point and every action counted. Not only were the wounded Soldiers threatened but also more than 100 Soldiers from B Company, the Task Force Aid Station, and the Mortar Platoon were at risk.

Sgt. 1st Class Smith ordered one of his Soldiers to back the damaged APC back into the courtyard after the wounded men had been evacuated. Knowing the APC ’s .50-Cal. machinegun was the largest weapon between the enemy and the friendly position, Sgt. 1st Class Smith immediately assumed the track commander’s position behind the weapon, and told a soldier who accompanied him to “feed me ammunition whenever you hear the gun get quiet.” Sgt. 1st Class Smith fired on the advancing enemy from the unprotected position atop the APC and expended at least three boxes of ammunition before being mortally wounded by enemy fire. The enemy attack was defeated. Sgt. 1st Class Smith’s actions saved the lives of at least 100 Soldiers, caused the failure of a deliberate enemy attack hours after 1st Brigade seized the Baghdad Airport, and resulted in an estimated 20-50 enemy soldiers killed. His actions inspired his platoon, his Company, the 11th Engineer Battalion and Task Force 2-7 Infantry.

Sgt. 1st Class Smith’s actions to lead Soldiers in direct contact with a numerically superior enemy--to personally engage the enemy with a fragmentation grenade, AT-4, and individual weapon, to ultimately assume the track commander’s position to fire the .50-Cal. machinegun through at least three boxes of ammunition before being mortally wounded--demonstrates conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty. His actions prevented a penetration in the Task Force 2-7 sector, defended the aid station, mortars, and scouts, and allowed the evacuation of Soldiers wounded by indirect enemy fire.

the U.S. Army Star

You have to love insurance companies!

I finally get the doctors all squared away, find one that truly understands the pain of arachnoiditis and how it will affect the quality of life and now I get to deal with the insurance morons.

Just the other day they sent me a letter letting me know I can get my meds from them much cheaper then I can through CVS. I am all for that and when I see the doctor on Thursday I plan on asking him for those prescriptions.

Well today I got a letter from them letting me know they will not pay for the pain meds any more until I jump through all their damn hoops and have the doctor sign this, fax that and swear some oath. Ok, I made the oath thing up from dramatics.

I don't get it. A licensed and board certified pain management doctor is the one prescribing the meds. Where is their problem in that???

I called the insurance company and asked them exactly what they needed so that in case they forgot to mention any of this to the doctor I would be prepared for when I see him. I have all the names and extensions of who they should speak to as well as the reference numbers.

They sure do like to make things difficult. What they don't understand is that without the meds my pain level shoots through the roof and is unbearable. I already asked the doc what he would do if I told him I was at a 9 or 10 and he said I would have to be hospitalized until they could control the pain. HAHAHAHA, I hope the insurance people screw this up because instead of paying $30 a month or whatever it is that the meds cost they will be paying a few grand a day for me to be in the hospital.

They are truly an amazing piece of work. Nothing like screwing your policy holders over. They get their premiums on time, everytime. When I need medical care they send me first to a crackpot and then deny me my meds. However, I am sure once the doctor sends them the paperwork they will get me squared away.

Field trips and fresh air...

I am sitting here watching my son play the piano. It is pretty much the first time in 2 weeks he and I have been alone. My oldest had a weeks spring break, 2 days of school and then 5 days for Easter recess but is back in school today. I figure we will veg out for the day and since this is mom's Friday I will make my 5 Spice Chicken with some stir fried veggies and sticky rice for dinner.

The oldest was supposed to go to a band clinic with the school band today but it is 30 miles south of us and the parents are having to drive the kids down and back. While he could get a ride with one of the other kids he was not keen on going, it is 12 hours long and they do not expect to be back until almost 9pm this evening. I think this was the first time I have been given a permission slip and asked "do I have to go?"

I did sleep a bit better last night then normal. I got to bed about the same time I usually do so the only thing I can think of is the fresh air that I got yesterday. It was a wonderful 70F/21C here with a slight breeze so I opened all the windows and turned on the attic fan and let the house air out from the winter.

I also talked to the nurse at the doctors office yesterday about the lamictal and the sudden rash I developed after increasing the dose. They want me to back off of it a little each night for 3-4 days and then come in and see them to figure out another prescription. I am not sure I want to be on another anti-seizure medication for the nerve damage. None of the ones I have been on seem to help any and all of them are expensive.

Never let it be said...

That my being a pack rat would not pay off.

In the middle of posting something tonight my wireless card crapped out on me. After an hour of trying to un-install and re-install the drivers for it I decided that the card was dead. Of course that whole time had a looked down and to the left I would have seen it's little power light was no longer lit and saved some time and frustration.

Have no fear! When I got my new modem from Southwestern Bell they sent me a wireless card with it. Why? I have no idea but I did not have to pay for it, and they would not take it back so it went into the "closet" for that day when I might need it.

Well today was that day. After a bit of moving some boxes I found it! I took it out of it's little case, plugged it in and was off and running as soon as I could remember my 128bit WEP key.