Monday, August 18, 2008

The Grand Finale

The last phase to restore Jerome J. Collins' grave happened just over a week ago.  While Ronnie was over here in the good 'ole US of A bumming around NYC for the first time with his family, things were coming together back home in Cork for the grave of Jerome J. Collins.







With the final addition of railings around the grave, it is now restored to it's former glory just as it was back in the early 1900's with exceptional detail.  Even the finials on the 4 corners were not overlooked.  I hope my family would be very proud and honoured.  It's a testament that the memory of Jerome Collins and what he died for is still remembered to this today.  










  
Thank you to Brendan Walsh of Cork, Ireland's  Walfab Engineering Ltd. for the excellent work, along with Mark Walsh of Cork, Ireland, and Wojciech Zabrocki of Wolczyn, Poland who returned home after completing this job.  All men seemed very proud to have had their hands on this work.  Brendan told me in his email, "I would like to say it is a great story to tell and well done for all the hard work involved".  Thank YOU Brendan, and also thank you to Mona Hallinan of Cork County Council for providing the funding for this project.  Also thank you to Ronnie for pushing the papers to get this done, as well as Catryn Power for her continual involvement and guidance.  



All photos courtesy of Brendan Walsh.  May not be used without written permission to Walfab Engineering LTD, Cork, Ireland.  




Friday, August 15, 2008

Good news and bad news

The bad news: I had an emergency appendectomy a week ago this Friday.

The good news: it was removed on the luckiest day of the year 8/8/08 and it did not burst, the Dr. got it out in time. Of course, any of you reading this will probably think I am unlucky for having such a surgery on the luckiest day of the year. I, however, view the glass half full and am thankful I listened to my intuition that "something was just not right" and made my husband haul my butt into the clinic where I was quickly diagnosed and admitted for surgery all in less than 4 hours time.

The bad news: I can't lift over 10lbs for the next 8 weeks nor can I go 4wheeling with my husband next week up the North Shore, which btw is one of my favorite places for sightseeing.

The good news: I don't have to mow the lawn for the next 8 weeks, nor do I have to lift heavy dishes, NOR do I have to lift heavy piles of laundry, OR take out the garbage, all courtesy of Dr's orders. Oh, did I forget to mention that I'm also getting out of vacuuming as well for the next 8 weeks? And my wonderful son who is going on 5 is my little cheerleader asking me if I'm feeling better every day, even though I have to kneel down to hug him instead of lifting him up.

The bad news: I got put on Levaquin per Dr's orders. A VERY bad drug to take after surgery with super scary side effects.

The good news: I refused to take the Levaquin and insisted to the Dr. he prescribe something with much less horrific side effects. Come to find out after googling "Levaquin" there are many class action lawsuits due to it's reputation to rip tendons, amongst many other problems the Dr. did not warn me about when he wrote out this script. What the heck, doc?!

The bad news: I was saying serious explicits every morning while trying to get out of bed for the first 4-5 days.

The good news: Everything is on the mend and each morning I am thankful for another day. I even lost 2lbs.

The bad news: I have 3 wounds that the Dr. gave me and about 5 stitches, not including the one in my belly button, which, btw, does not look like my cute little belly button anymore.

The good news: These 3 wounds are due to a laparoscopic surgery which is the new preferred method to remove an appendix. Had I had the traditional surgery with the huge traditional wound, well, I'd still be saying those morning explicits.

The bad news: Ronnie and his family came over to the US and had a great time in NYC and Boston. I never got to make it out there to see them.

The good news: If I made it out to NYC to see Ronnie and his family, I most certainly would have ended up having my appendectomy in NYC. Lucky thing I didn't make it out there.

The bad news: Just one week prior to my appendectomy, I happened to catch my Irish Claddagh ring on the ice maker at home. I had not taken off this ring for over 15 years and by now there was no way it could easily come off. When it caught, the seam split open catching my skin and hurting my finger like the dickens.

The good news: my handy~dandy husband used a couple of pliers to pry the ring off my hand. Whew, what a relief and no long term damage to my finger either. As for the ring, well, it hasn't gone back on my finger and it's not going to either. Do you know that if I hadn't of caught it on the ice maker, that the surgical team would have had to saw it off during my ER appendectomy on 8/8/08 because jewelry is a big no~no?

So this is why I have not posted as of late, because I have been too tired to do so. I do have more good news, but you will have to wait as I will post it this weekend sometime.