Iowa vs. Louisiana and the Flood

First of all let me say before I start to rant that I love my state. Louisiana is as varied a place as you can go. We have such cultural diversity and a wealth of history that rivals my number one favorite state of Texas. The food, the music, the joy for life is apparent to all who live here. The people are generous, they work and play with equal vigor. My only association with Iowa is thru my sister who lives in Riverdale outside of Davenport and with my son's 'people'. Joshua's father is an Iowan as is most of his relatives. Many years ago I met these people and appreciated the down to earth practicality and work ethic that they represented. My sister Patti is with the Red Cross in fund development and I am as proud of her as I can be. The Red Cross has been tireless helping those along the Mississippi while the waters have ruined homes, farms, and businesses. She has kept me informed of the more personal side so that I can understand the turmoil. My son has cousins in Parkersburg, Iowa which if you will recall was destroyed by a tornado, just prior to the flooding. Red Cross is still there helping. I am transfixed watching the news especially when they interview local people..it makes it more real to me and brings home the similarities and the differences between the two areas. Note that New Orleans was nearly destroyed by the levees breaking after Katrina... many levees have broken all along the Mississippi in Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. Homes were underwater in both places, people displaced after losing all they have, friends dying and jobs gone. The similarity ends there. I took care of evacuees from Katrina as they filtered thru my area in need of medical care on their way to other shelters or to homes. The complaints about what wasn't done to help the evacuees made the news for weeks with blame being placed up the chain to the President. Still today in the news you hear a pocket of people complaining that they haven't been given enough. I will be honest the largest complaints are from those who have by and large been taken care of by the government all their lives. I keep waiting to hear those same complaints from the people in Iowa. It may come later but for now they are too busy taking care of EACH OTHER, helping those who have nothing. They are neighbors taking care of neighbors. Apparently they don't know how to loot in Iowa.... maybe they need to get lessons on how to take advantage of a natural disaster to line your own pockets with illegally obtained goods. Don't get me wrong, during our disaster there were many people out in boats helping to rescue the stranded victims, doctors and nurses gave of themselves to help others, many opened their doors to evacuees, food was donated and money was given. Mistakes were made, some of them colossal as we watched the horror unfold in New Orleans. Today the devastation is still obvious in many areas. Many of our citizens have been scattered to other parts of the country. Louisianians gave of themselves to help our people but still there were those who wanted more and expected the government to continue to take care of them and did not feel that they had to work towards a goal of self sufficiency. We need to learn from the news. We need to watch those people up and down the Mississippi as they drag themselves forward and make a new life from the ruins of the old one.

Please contact your local Red Cross and give money to provide for those people who have lost everything. You can earmark your gifts for a specific purpose if you want.

Good Used Stuff

Wednesday was the day that I had had enough of my closets. I cleaned my bathroom closet and under my 2 sinks. I had a cleaning person doing the closets and under the sinks in the guest bathroom. I was exhausted and I am ashamed it took me about 6 hours to do the deed AND I threw out 3 large garbage bags full of stuff. Stuff. Stuff is important or at least at one time it was important or else we wouldn't have brought it home. The stuff I have in said places in my bathroom has been used at least once. To be truthful most of the 'stuff' has been used only once so it should be considered gently used. I should E-bay my stuff but that would involve me packing it up and going to the mailbox and mailing things in a timely manner when it sold. I have no doubt that it would sell after all, I bought the stuff someone else probably needs the same stuff I have. Mailing is the issue.. I still have a wedding present to get off to my Florida BFF's daughter and she is now expecting her first child. I have the present and it is wrapped... Tuesday... I am going Tuesday to mail the present to her, the baby gift to my husband's nephew, and a picture that my sister wants. I will not procrastinate. I digress, back to STUFF. The housekeeper did not want to throw out what looked like good stuff so she piled it on my bed for me to go through. I had stuff of my own to make a decision about. I have hot curlers, 6(SIX) curling irons in different sizes, 3 hair dryers(one is a bonnet style), and 2 flat irons. I have curling sticks(to give a corkscrew type curl to long hair), I have an automatic face scrubber, heated shoes that vibrate, jewelry cleaner for any type of jewelry and 2 electric tooth brushes. I found clippers, nippers, nail files and a wax hair remover. I found two different types of electric razors. Now those are treasures. I have an Epilady. It's been used once 23 years ago on Christmas Day. Again I just HAD to have an Epilady, it was all the rage back then. For those who don't know, an Epilady consists of two coiled springs that vibrate and as you pass it over your legs it rips the hair out by the roots. It allegedly keeps you from hair regrowth for at least 6 weeks. At any rate I knew I was getting it at Christmas so I let my leg hair grow. Christmas morning I opened it up and went to use the thing. I started it down by my ankle turned it on and it ATE IT'S WAY UP MY LEG. I started screaming to get it off, get it off. Both kids came running in. I was crying and screaming and they started crying. It was not one of my better moments. The box warning tells you to avoid using it in your arm pits and your pubic area....... AS IF. Forget water boarding, equip all interrogators with an Epilady one hit from that on their legs and the terrorists will give up Bin Ladin. The other electric hair remover is a slightly rough disk. It spins rapidly and 'sands' the hair off your legs. I got this for Becky at Christmas some time ago and she used it once. I used it the other night and its pretty neat. You just don't dare leave it in one position long because it sands the skin. Now this one leaves you a little 'ashy' so you have to use cream afterwards. Any of the above mentioned items are available and are FREE, just don't expect me to mail them anytime this year.

Engagement Party. The First Wedding Event

I am so very excited!! We had the first REAL event of the wedding. Shane's aunt and uncle from Georgia, Pete and Carol Adamson, hosted the event at La Cuisine de Maman at Vermillionville. The food was delicious, the company was the best and everyone had a good time toasting Shane and Becky's engagement.

From top to bottom above is a grouping of Shane's family. the next is a picture of moi and the guests of honor and my friend from Houston, Texas, Kay McGuire. Kay just happened to be in town for the dog show and came as Becky's 'aunt'. All of our relatives live out of state. The last picture on the right is of Stan between Desiree Doucet and Lauren Thomas.

Top to bottom again the first picture is of Benny (Shane's dad), Stan, me, Shane, Rebekah, Carol and Pete(our hosts) and Francis(Shane's mom). The next picture is of Jessica(Shane's sister), and Benny. This is the first time I have met Jessica and she is delightful... and I am sure Benny will say that she takes after him the most!!!!!


Top to bottom : Joshua and Rebekah( my babies!), then Stan and Rebekah and lastly Lexi Billeaud, Rebekah, and Leigh Billeaud who is Becky's maid of honor.



The above group picture is of the Southwest Medical Center ED staff and next is of Joshua and Lauren Thomas. Lauren works in California as a makeup artist for different movies... she has consented to do our wedding makeup..... thank heavens! Becky could not have ask for a better in-law family and quite frankly Shane hit the jack pot too!!!

My Answer to Anonymous

RE: Blog Pet Peeves 2-7
I have deeply offended you and for that I am sorry BUT I want you to re-read the entire blog. Give me some credit, like I said, I am not stupid. Yes I am cynical when it comes to the flagrant abuse of the health care system by a minority of people. I was not referring to the people presenting with REAL pain even those that have been on controlled substances for years. Many people I personally know need to remain on a cocktail of controlled substances just to manage their everyday lives until they can have surgical correction (if that is an option). Because I don't know who you are, I am guessing that you are not a nurse and if you are then for sure you do not work in the Emergency Department. The system abuser is taking up time and a room that could go to the person who really really needs the assistance(whether they are on medication already or not) There are few ER docs and nurses that cannot spot a system user and abuser a mile away and maybe that makes us all cynical but as I stated in the blog: I am tired of supporting the person who travels from state to state under different names to get an astronomical amount of medication each month. The driver of their group usually gets 1/2 the medication as "payment" so that he or she can sell said medication to our addicted husbands, wives, children and friends. I am tired of my tax dollars supporting a lazy liar who is working "off the books" in a manual job that is grueling without difficulty.... because he doesn't want to lose his check, one that OUR tax dollars is providing. I hit a nerve with you and I wonder why. I love my job but I stand by everything that I said and the pages that I didn't say. I do want to thank you for responding and telling your side. We are difficult to fool.

My "Family" Bracelet

I received the most wonderful gift in the mail. My niece, Robbon Heibel made me a glorious bracelet. Certain things make me cry. I can be depended to cry at Christmas when I get presents from my kids because they are usually heart felt and it just touches me. I teared up when I got this bracelet. You can't see it very well unless you enlarge the picture but there is a small silver nurse and a ballet shoe on the end to symbolize my two children. Its a 'mothers bracelet' made by my talented niece thus it is my 'family' bracelet.
Please visit her site at http://www.ddbyrobbon.com/ and place an order. The name of the art is lampwork jewelry and each bead that she makes is unique.
Robbon you deserve much success!!!

Dogs and a Gold and Silver Weekend

Bebe and Kay and Linda


Remember the Girl scout song that goes like this: "make new friends and keep the old, one is silver and the other gold" Well I just had a great gold and silver weekend. My friend Kay came in from Houston with her two friends and associates, Bebe and Linda. They came in style in a large motor home for the Acadiana Dog Show. They were accompanied by Cha-Cha, Henry, Diva, Highland Fling(can't remember her call name)and one more but I swear I can't remember the name. The above named are the most beautiful West Highland White Terriers. Kay, Bebe and Linda together are Ashscot Westies and they travel around with their canine brood to shows. I haven't seen Kay in years but it was like yesterday and she was able to come to my daughter's engagement party as her 'Aunt'. Kay can remember when Becky was small enough to curl up and go to sleep in a dog crate when we were at shows with her. The thing that I have found is that we really haven't changed that much but we now have our medical problems to share and discuss. I am in awe of these three women who lug crates, dogs, and voluminous dog show 'stuff' with them and have a great time doing so. I felt an immediate bond to these new friends.

We stayed for lunch today and had Linda's wonderful broccoli salad. I got the "itch" and no it wasn't fleas. I miss this. I miss the dog shows and the people. I miss the smell of the rings. I miss the excitement. I miss the passion demonstrated by the handlers and owners. Very few people go to the small shows as observers not like you see on TV at Westminster. These shows are where the next Westminster winner could come from, with enough points added to his record to qualify him for the show. So to my old friend and my new ones....keep showing those beauties and thank you for coming into my life. I feel very blessed