Meet Me On Monday

There is no new Meet Me On Monday today on Never Growing Old so I went back to one that I have not answered.

Questions:

1.  What feature of the opposite sex do you notice first?
I've never really thought about this. Seriously.  I know it used to be hair.
2.  Do you talk to yourself?
Of course - it means I have money in the bank.
3.  What is your current relationship status?
Married - 14 years next month!
4.  Do you have a garden?
no
5.  What is your favorite licorice flavor?
strawberry

Sunday Souvenir

This was started by my friend and neighbor - this is the first edition of:

Sunday Souvenir

I have an organ in my dining room.  It is currently used as a dust collector and a plant holder (that will be next week).  Whenever someone new comes over, the first question is "do you play?"  Then comes the explanation.

The organ was my Aunt Helen's.  She was the organist at our church forever.  She had a piano and the story goes that I talked her into getting this organ.  This is also the organ I learned how to play piano on - I know totally backwards.

I don't remember how old I was when Aunt Helen go the organ, but I do know that I was in 4th grade when I took piano lessons.  The reason I took piano lessons - I didn't make it into (school) band.  I did make it into band when I was in 5th grade and played clarinet (my second choice) until I graduated from high school.

I did take piano lessons again in about 9th grade and once again practiced on this organ. 

So, this organ has a lot of history.  It still plays well, but the pedals don't work well and now have dog teeth marks on them.  It does get used when my SIL comes to visit because she is currently taking piano lessons.

Every once in awhile I think about getting rid of it.  There are so many memories that when I do get rid of it, it will be hard.

Celebration of a miracle with a concert

Ok - sort of a celebrating with a concert! 

Vincent's surgery was on Monday (August 1) and on Tuesday (August 2) Dan and I went to a concert.

We went to see Cinderella at Rams Head Live.  What a show!  I forgot all of the songs that I knew from them.  I have all of their cds, but didn't think I listened to them so much that I knew every single song that they played!

So, anyway it was kind of a celebration that I could tell my brother I was going to see them since about 2 weeks before, he texted me that Cinderella was going to be in New York.  He knew it was a band that I liked.

Back to Monday - Vincent's surgery was scheduled at 7:30 am.  All day I was thinking of him and we had been texted during the weekend.  I texted the family several times to get updates.  About 2:30 pm my SIL texted me that they had removed his bladder and were reconstructing it.  At about 4:30, I got a call and this is where I found out about the miracle.

At about 10:30 am, the surgeons came out and confirmed with Joanne that she wanted them to continue because the cancer was surrounding a major artery that runs down the leg.  The risk was great that if they cut the artery, Vincent could bleed to death.  If they didn't do anything, he would probably have a year to live.

When they finished the surgery, the surgeon came out and said that he had 2 other surgeons go in behind him and THEY HAD REMOVED ALL OF THE CANCER! They did end up giving him a bag instead of reconstructing his bladder.  That is just in case he needs to have more chemo sooner rather than later.  That will be the next step if they didn't get all of the cancer or if the cancer is still in his blood.  The other amazing thing - they did all of the surgery with 4 small incisions and a robotic arm.

Vincent is doing really well.  He was in ICU for less than 24 hours and was sitting up within that time.  By Wednesday, he was taking small walks.  He started with more liquids yesterday.

It's just a miracle.