Happy birthday Mom

She has given up on birthdays she says it her birthday it is her dad’s anniversary day for becoming a father.

But anyway...

Mom - “May the day of your navel festivities be felicitously joyous.”

I wanted to do something special for her but my belly got in the way. :-(
Stupid belly!

I also wanted to get her something but once again I am not running at full speed, or anywhere close. I was able to make her a book with her help of all the christmas cards we have done from 1978-2006. By my standard of what is good and what I wanted this book has issues, but it made her day an that was the important part.

All I need is one more... thing

It is sad how quickly I can get bored of things. And I will go off in search of that which will break up my day distract me from my troubles, only to fine out later that I am bored of that hobby as well.

When I was a small kid, people would always comment about how my toys were in pretty good condition or that I had so many. He is a spoiled, because he is an only child. Well that wasn’t true. My dad didn’t make a lot of money, so for several years we were living from paycheck to paycheck. And the “New” toys were often gifts from others. So when I did get it something it was special. I had to take care of it make it last. If I was careless and it broke we weren’t going to buy a new one.

My mom had this thing also (I didn’t know it at the time, but learned later) she would watch me play and see what I was playing with, and which toys were on the shelf not being touched. She would take the neglected toy and make it “disappear” for a while and replace it with one of the other “disappeared” toys. So because I hadn’t seen it for a while it became a “new” toy again. Using this technique it was easy for her to see over time what I liked playing with and what I didn’t so as much as I fought not wanting give my toys away she was able too “Clean out the closet” every now and then.

So now fast forward several years. I don’t have anyone looking over my shoulder watching me play. My “toys” are now bigger and more expensive. And upgrade-able or expandable become my favorite things on package labels, and the death to my bank account. :-) Only this much for more memory, this much for a camera filter, etc.

One thing I love doing, almost to the point where some might rate it as an addiction. I love finding “free” software on the Internet, it is almost like treasure hunting. I love being able to make the computer do more without spending any money. Some of my most favorite “utilities/tools” and killer apps, are freeware. Unfortunately the really good programs for video editing, or photography (digital darkroom apps) I haven’t found a free solution. Some come close to being that “treasure” I am looking for, but usually something is missing. Yes I know that there are places on the net I could go and download the program for free but I don’t like running pirated software because usually the sites that you have to go through to get the programs are not safe or child friendly.

So it is sad that I am never satisfied, always wanting one more this or that. I now know why it is good for man to work. Being sick and stuck in a chair most of the day. Can make you nuts. So I have tried all these different hobbies which definitely help pass the time. I have tried video games, movies, tv programs, photography (hard to find new subjects when the walls don’t change), knitting, crocheting, cross-stich, computer games, browsing the internet, blogging. And have gotten the same result. To much of any thing is still to much and leads to boredom. But maybe the next hobby will be different.

Update part 2

Well yesterday’s infusion lowered some of my values but not enough. So today I got to repeat yesterdays procedure as a 2nd attempt. I am so thankful I have a PICC Line, it has saved me from a countless number of IV pokes and bruises.

The cool thing about all of this unknown when it comes to numbers, and strength, and transplant concerns. I still know that God is in control of it all. Some might be quick to think that God doesn’t care, or he should have fixed it by now. But God has not abandoned me, He is not slow. If the miracle comes to fast I might not recognize it, if it comes to quick I might not appreciate it. Is that the reason behind all this time and sand? The promise land is just ahead, around the next corner. If I give up the fight now I and turn bitter and turn on God because it it the easy thing, I might never see how close I really was from being out this. Two weeks turns into 40 years.

Job 1:20-22
“20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship
21 and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.”
22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.”

All things work together for God’s glory!

As for me and my house: “We will serve the LORD our God and obey him.”

Update sortof

Well in some ways nothing has changed but in some ways it has. Still no news on a new liver. I wish I could say that I haven’t posted anything because of surgery but that is not the case.

I am continuing to get more and more swollen with retaining fluid in my belly, thighs, ankles and feet. It makes moving extremely hard and difficult. Lasix help a bit but it hurts the kidneys so my numbers which everyone is watching go up.

I had lab work done today and the numbers were elevated. My meld score calculated to somewhere around 30. Which is a very bad thing. Medicaid has agreed to pay for a second transplant as long as my meld was not over 28. (The doctors, already went to battle to get it raise to 28 they started out saying 25.) Because my meld was high they called me in to get an infusion. So I got to spend all afternoon in the hospital infusion lab.

Happy New Year!

Now we start a new year 2007!!!

What great things does God have planned for us this year?

Merry Christmas

I want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas.

This Christmas has been really a weird one for me. I was expecting to be back in the hospital, but it hasn’t happened yet. It doesn’t feel like Christmas this year at all for me. We have watched a bunch of Christmas movies that should put you in the Christmas spirit. One thing that I enjoy, or has been one of my Christmas traditions is to go to the crowded malls when you don’t have any thing to buy and people watch. Like window shopping except you watch the crazy people and I am reminded how empty life is without Christ. And He is the reason we celebrate the season! The Hope of the world!

"The Nativity" movie

This year I haven't had the strength to get out. My mom has been out and about making several trips to the store. Coming back reporting how crazy it is out there and cold. So in my weak state where I have problems just walking around the apartment. I have been glad to miss a lot of the holiday hussull-and-bussull. I consider this year to be the year of quarantine, I don’t want to catch the bugs that are going around right now, so I can be eligible for transplant they won’t transplant me if I get the flu. We have been really careful who comes around or where I go, and then give it all up to God because he is the only one really able to control any part of my health and surgery.

But one thing my mom and I got to do today was find enough strength to go to the theater and see the "The Nativity" movie. They did a really good job on the movie. I highly recommend it. It always concerns me when “hollywood” tells a story how they have to add, or change the movie to to fit there view. But one thing they did a good job on accurately retelling the Biblical account, and the parts that were added didn’t change the story but were in the relm of possibilty, they kept with the history and culture of the time. The only thing I feel that could have been done a little better
Luke 2:8-15
“8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11 Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.””

They didn’t fill the sky with the heavenly host singing Glory to God!. I guess I will have to wait till I get to heaven to hear the heavenly host singing Glory to God! And it will be better than anything man can make up or digitally manipulate.

For me and my mom It was good to get out and it wasn’t like a waste of time, either. I have been wanting to make it to either Church saturday night or a Christmas eve service but it hasn’t happened. So like some start up churches that meet in a movie theater for service, we went to a theater on Christmas eve and heard and saw the Christmas message.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.

The dreaded Christmas card mailing

This week I have spent quite a bit of time working with my mom to send out her Christmas card and letter. It once again reminds me of why I don’t like the Post Offices to much trouble. Email is a lot easier. And the Blog is even better, one post can be viewed by a bunch of people. Even the ones that you would accidentally forget or don’t know their address.

Something to think about

When Trials come they will either strengthen or weaken your faith.

Happy Birthday Micah!

Well, I am now another year older, and 20 lbs lighter So does that make this a good thing or a bad thing? But unfortunately this year I and far more weaker, and sicker then I was last time. Last year, being a busy time for people I got to go out with a lot of my friends spread out over a week and eat at several different resturants and be sung too many times and got to share "birthday" dessert with lots of friends! This year is a lot closer to home and not seeing as many people, trying to stay as healthy as possible and trying not to spend all my energy in one place. This year I get to spend it with my Mom, first time in maybe 6 years.

Year 27 death of the old Micah, does that mean Year 28 will be the birth of the new and improved healthy Micah? Oh I sure hope so!

But I know: Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
and also: Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

So no matter what happens this next year I know that God is still on the thrown and providing for my every need. So this year will be another great year no matter how scary or what the roller-coaster ride looks like now. With God’s help I am going to climb a mountain this coming year!