Prescott AZ Retreat

The darling loft we will be renting on and off throughout the summer is just a doll house. It even has heated bathroom floors! The view is unbelievable and the weather was perfect. Couldn't have asked for a better July 4th! We even attended the rodeo with my youngest son and his wife and our seats were the best! I felt like I was in the middle of all the action and still can't believe those young cowboys have the nerve to get on the backs of the bulls.

The insurance company has agreed to reconsider their decision and my appeal over them not paying for the MRI. Truly, it's infuriating! It's not like my idea of a good time is lying in a machine, not able to move and banging noises going on over my head. Yippee! Okay, don't get me started!

I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday!

Yea!!!

I finallyhad my biopsy and it was clean! It took about two hours because the calcification was very close to my chest wall, making it next to impossible to get to but the radiologist did it and am I glad! I'm sore as all get out and can only take baths, not showers, for one week but who cares? I feel like I can breathe again.

Wow--what a week: Ed McMann, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. It bothered me that Jackson's death put Farrah's very difficult struggle on the back burner. I'll bet that some of these recent political scandals (the offenders) are happy something has taken the attention away from them. I'm beginning to wonder if there are any straight governors or senators.

I'm not sure where this picture was taken. Most likely Wyoming. Did any of you know that The Grand Titans are still growing? Can you imagine?

Glad you like the waterfall, Betsy. Yes, could feel the spray a lot!

For Betsy

I promised Betsy I'd post pictures of waterfall(s) if I saw any and of course, Yellowstone Park has amazing ones. I have a fear of heights so it was difficult for me to get too close to the edge to get great shots but you can still see how powerful this waterfall is.

It's amazing to watch Mother Nature repair the forest after the huge fire of 1988. New trees are sprouting up all along the roads and the burnt ones are becoming a part of the earth. We (humans) just have to step back and watch. It's really wonderful.

The Bad Lands...

Miles and miles of prairie and suddenly, there are the Bad Lands. It was truly amazing.

This area (from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada) was once all sea. The earth's plates shifted and the water drained and what was left was tons of fossils, etc. I love the fact that it is all strongly protected so our history won't disappear. We saw a baby rabbit that didn't even run away because it had no reason to fear humans. It was great to see.

In this vast wilderness, you can imagine to Sioux Indians riding on their horses and coming across these grand taverns and splits in the land and thinking, "How are we supposed to cross this?" This is how it got its name...bad land according to the Sioux.

There are wild Ferrets that eat Prairie Dogs (sad but nature) but the Ferrets are vanishing for some reason. There are only 120 of them left. I'm sure the little Prairie Dogs are celebrating that fact!

Home again!

I was ready to go into the imaging facility when they called and said they had to reschedule. Just received a new and improved machine and it wasn't quite finished being installed. So...I decided I was going to get this trip to MN out of the way and enjoy myself in the process and not worry about the biopsy. I'll call and reschedule today.

Of course, received a letter from our insurance company denying payment on the MRI because I don't have a history of breast cancer so therefore, they have decided I didn't need an MRI. Another battle to conquer.

Our trip was so beautiful. America is amazing. I know these shots are probably in the wrong order but I have Lexus Butt and I'm groggy but wanted to check in with all of you. This is the sights you see in Yellowstone National Park. The Bison came so close to the car Businessman could have reached out and touched it but not recommeneded!

The saga continues...

I now have to have a biopsy. Just thrilled to death over this! Luckily, my doctor got me in for Tuesday so we'll be able to fly to MN on Wednesday, as planned. The last time I had a biopsy, I wasn't feeling so grand the next day. It takes quite a bit out of you. But, I'm believing it's all benign and everything will be fine. The calcification is so far back in the breast tissue they are having a hard time reading it, thus--the biopsy.

Thanks to all of you for your concern and prayers and Ro, I'm surprised you survived your childhood! Chatty, thanks for mentioning me on BWS. When I have time, I'll run over there and post. My life has become visiting doctor's offices lately!

MRI

The last time I had an MRI, it took 50 minutes and I was miserable. If the tech tells you that you can't move one inch, of course, this is when you itch, have muscle spasms, need to cough or sneeze so this time, I had my doctor prescribe Valium so I wouldn't have to go through all of that again. However, MRI's now only take 20 minutes so I was pretty loopy the rest of the morning.

Naturally, the Radiologist won't read it until today and then, tell my doctor the results either by mail, fax or phone--who knows? The patient is the last to know, which irritates me. It's my body! But, I have made the decision to not worry or be stressed over the upcoming results. What's gonna happen is gonna happen.

We await my doctor's call so we can make our trip through the Northwest! Our week end in Prescott was wonderful. The loft was a doll house. Decorated beautifully and a view that took our breath away. I actually had goose bumps one afternoon! There was a light rain and the smell from the forest was unbelievable.

Businessman has been working me to death on the back patio. Granted, I gave him my ideas of what I wanted to do and low and behold--he made them happen. We have more to do today so I'll take some pictures when it's finished.

Hope all of you are well and Chatty, I asked the tech about the new high tech MRI and they don't have it yet.