Lemme tell you... it has been FOREVER since I have been able to enjoy a good movie on my big screen. Wow. I watched the new Michelle Pfieffer movie White Oleanders. It was all right. I also have The Road to Perdition and... lemme think... Maid in Manhattan. Yeah, that's the one. So I'll be logging to go watch those soon.

When I was done with the movie, my pain killers had taken their toll and I ended up rolling over and going to sleep for a bit. My trusted Chewbacca Lynn sleeping on my legs to keep them warm. (Chewy is my dog) I slept until Shawn got home at almost midnight. He woke me up to make sure I hadn;t been sleeping too long. Thank Goodness. Don't want me to get too far off my schedule for when I have to go back to work.

Shawn brought me good news and bad news. The bad being that when I was discharged from the hospital, the surgeon forgot to give my nurse the off work slip I needed so I called and asked them to fax one over to my boss. Because of the Union, I only have 48 hours after discharge to get one in or I take the hit for missing ALL the days. Well, although the nurse promised, they never got the fax. Damn it to hell. So I will have to call them tomorrow. I think I'll go get a hand written note and deliver it myself just to be safe tomorrow.

The good news, we got our profit sharing back this month. Work took it away and said we weren't making any money a few months before Christmas. We all knew that was a scam and the Union was s'posed to be fighting it. This month, our quarterly pay was there. We all laughed and joked about it only being 50 cents or no more than 20 bucks. But pretax, it was 265. YAY. I REALLY needed that. Both of our car payments are late. So I can get those paid and a few other bills. Plus start saving the 1200 bucks to get my flipping car back. Ugh. And to think... I will have a short check this coming week. Grr.

I went back to sleep for a bit after Shawn and I talked. Then I got up and I dreaded it, because I knew it was timw to change my dressing on my arm. I had to have Shawn remove the tape. That felt like it was tearing my flesh right off. They used some strong tape, lemme tell you. Man. He was all into looking at the gash under my arm and told me how "gnarly" it was. I have never heard him use that term before. So, despite my weak stomach as of late, I looked. Its less horrifying and a lot smaller than I originally thought. There is a long slice in one spot, but it isn't gaping open or anything. Underneath that is another slice that is a bit of a gaping hole. Gross. I went pale and stopped looking. The only instructions I had was to run water thru it. Umm, suuuuuuuuure.

I started the shower and used a luke warm and very slow spray to do it. It wasn't tear jerker painful, but it wasn't comfy either. It burned a bit. But I must admit, the hot shower I took after felt soothing.

It's good to know I'm healing. I'm letting some air at ,y wound now, before I have him re-dress it. My left arm is all tore up. I have a bruise on my hand from where they drew blood, a pin poke near my elbow on the wrist side from more blood and a HUGE black and blue and purple bruise from where the IV was.

I think of all the pain I went thru this past couple of days. Think of the hole in my arm, the bruised other arm, the pain and sleepless nights before that and the mind tripping thoughts... and it all pales in comparison just thinking about the soldiers in Iraq fighting for their lives, and the Iraqui people.

God bless the troops. Keep them safe and bring them home soon....

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Heavenly Father, I come before you a humble sinner. Repentant for those sins. I beg of you forgiveness and insight. And thank you for getting me through the difficult, and scary times I have just faced.

Lord, I come to you today in light of others and their trying times. We have troops in Iraq. Please, keep them safe. Give them insight, strength and calm their fears. Be with their families, comfort them and hold them close as they need you now more than others. And Lord, send your angels to the Iraqi people who must be terrifed and alone. Be with them too, in these horrifying times of war and it's devastation. Be with the American people, Lord. As their country, their soldiers are at war. Whether they agree with it or not. Help them to come together in these trying times, and to not fight against one another for their beliefs. Help us all to put aside our thoughts and work together as one, a united people, hell bent on getting our men and women back safely.

And Lord, Send Ange an Angel. She needs one now to give her strength. Please carry her should she lose her strength. And fill her heart with love and with hope.

Be with us one and all, Lord. We are all your children. Now and forever.

In Jesus' name,

Amen