I have mastered the technology!!!

Hello everyone-this will be short. I've got to give a quick shout out to Maria for showing me how to do a posting...though you may regret it in the future. And I HAD to tell Doug that ice & sleet is being predicted here in Dallas tonight/tomorrow, and they're already discussing school closings!!! Makes you miss the crazyness, right??? Let's hope we can survive the 30 degree temps predicted tomorrow....

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Hi everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving to all... we had a really nice day, starting with fun at the park, then watching the parade, then a nice map, then dinner at Jenn's with her family, Cindy, and Cristina. Mmmmmmmm Honey Baked Ham is all I have to say! It was really yummy. And L thought the cranberry mold I made was ice cream, so everyone was happy.

Doug, I can't believe it was snowing. You tell Reid, that, yes, the schools should have been closed for snow in NOVEMBER. I hope you guys had a really nice time yesterday, and know that we all miss you here.

Well, the James Bond movie was... really, really good. Different, but I really liked it. It was darker, and had less humor. A lot more physical action, and the new guy is in really good shape so it was believable. And, he is HOT. And the Bond girl is the best yet. She is super-hot and smart - again, different, but really, really good. The ONLY negative thing I have to say about the movie was about one very ridiculous scene involving an AED. But, isn't there one of those in almost every James Bond movie? As an added bonus, there was a Bond marathon on TV yesterday, while I didn't get to watch very much, I did get to see the really, really incredible opening of "The Spy Who Loved Me". Sooooo, the bottom line is, the movie was great and I hope the new guy has a lot of movies left in him. He's only 37. Mike says they have finished - that this was the last story, so they may not make any more. If this is the case, I may have to switch from using my spare time to find George Michael and have him come to Cindy's house, to using it to find someone to write more James Bond stories so the new guy can keep making movies. Oh, I forgot one more thing, that I won't say is a negative, but did throw me off for a while - while the movie is supposed to be about James Bond as he forst became a 007, I had not read much about the movie beforehand (I wanted to keep a really open mind with the new guy). I assumed, since it was supposed to take place BEFORE all the other movies, that it would be set in earler times. Nope - present day. It bothered me for at least the first 20 minutes, then I decided that they did how it had to be, and I got over it and enjoyed the move lots lots lots.

**Please forgive me for the number of times I used the words "really" and "hot" in this post.**

It's SNOWING !!!!!!!!!

I woke up this morning, and it has started to snow (OK - it's only flurries), and the kids were really excited. Reid asked me if school was going to be cancelled today. I had to tell him that, unlike in Dallas, the snow has to actually reach the ground before they will close the schools.

Maria - was Casino Royale everything you hoped it would be?

Welcome back to Dallas rodenti.

We should know by tomorrow if we are actually going to get this house - but, because I am superstitious, no pictures until after closing.

See you (or at least some of you) soon.

Doug

PS - Where did the Medical School blog 0n the links come from - it doesn't sound like anyone I know.

Back to "normal"

The rodenti are back in action here in Dallas. See Jenny, Cindy, and Charles who are all sooooo happy to be back.



Not only is the cowbell safe and sound and back where it belongs, Jenny and Cindy brought back a special treat for Jim, as a "thank you" for letting the cowbell go on the grand tour of Italy... yep, you guessed it, a cowbell from Zurich (where they ahd a daylong layover). Now ol' Bevins has another little bell to keep him company on Jim's desk.



Long live the cowbell (we really are a little heavy on the cowbell here, lately, huh?).

OK, so it didn't take as long as I thought

Priscilla, the new blog title is for you.

Now THIS is more LIKE it!

All right, some bloggy good action! Mmmmmmmmmm yeah.

Doug - OK, I am gonna rename the blog to something to do with "cowbell", but I have to do something creative with it, so it may take me a while. Like, a really, really long while because if there's one thing I am not, it's creative! Did that sentence even make sense?? I am a little emotional, here, because if ONLY I had known about www.cowbell.com sooner, just imagine all the things I could have done! I really got torn up when I saw the wedding cowbell. Is that not the coolest favor ever ever ever? Sigh. Glad you are off service and off call. Whew, it sounded like a doozy. So, they are calling you Dr. Z - you know, when I first read that, I was certain it was for ZITHROMAX. But maybe it should be for Zithrondansetron. Good luck with the house thing. That's all I will say about it for now.

Priscilla - Welcome to ye olde blog. No, the cowbell cannot offend one's sensibilities... here, we view the cowbell as something revered... sacred... I am starting a mini-shrine to it in our office. Well, mostly because Jim is a little upset the cowbell went transcontinental without him, so I was trying to make him not miss it so much. OH, sorry I am going into Priscilla's paragraph talking to Doug again, but - when I looked at the www.cowbell.com website, I was thinking of how HARD it was for me and CIndy to find the cowbell back when we were looking. We had been looking for weeks - you would think in Texas cowbells might be easy to come by, but nooooo. We went to saddle stores, farm feed stores, cattle stores (or whatever you would call them). COME ON - no cowbells. Someone (I can't rememebr who the brilliant person was) said "Why don't you try Elliot's hardware?" We thought the person might be a little crazy, but there the cowbells were, on lucky aisle 13. If only I had known, we could have gotten Jim a personalized cowbell. Oh, well. Priscilla, I have a funny story about the tea - there is a Korean store by me that sells "Slim-Mate tea" and I always thought it was MATE (as in rhymes with EIGHT) and it was a brand name or something. One day a few weeks ago I realized it was Mate! I felt like a dumbass! But I had a good laugh about it. Send me the link and I will put it on the sidebar. Oh, and I will not talk about you leaving. No. Way.

Allyson - I am going to divorce Mike and marry you. xoooxooxoxooxoxoxoxoxooxxoxooxooxoxo

Jenny - I remember the airport like it was yesterday, too. That, and coming home to a house fully stocked with food, diapers, bibs, toys, and all kinds of baby stuff. I have the greatest friends in the entire world :)

Heidi - just give us a shout when the computers are behaving themselves.... we miss you already!

Jenn and Cindy - don't you want a piece of this fun?? C'mon!

Check it out

For all of you new to the cowbell blog - here is a crash course

http://www.geekspeakweekly.com/cowbell/

Don't Fear the Reaper.

Welcome to the Cowbell Blog

Welcome Heidi, Priscilla and Allyson - now that the blog has extended well beyond the Wednesday crew, perhaps it is time for yet another blog name change - (I believe this would be the 4th name change in as many months) - Since the ultimate theme is Cowbells, maybe we should just give in and call it the COWBELL BLOG.

By the way, on www.cowbell.com you can order customized cowbells, with your own design, starting at only $23.75 - a nice Holiday gift for the music lover who has everything.

As noted previously, I am now "off call" for 2 whole weeks, before it starts over again. Final tally - 2 ALL, 1 Stg 4 Neuroblastoma, 1 Ewings, 1 new Hemophilia and a post-transplant Fanconi in the PICU - no resident/no fellows. I give you permission to feel sorry for me (and yes - I would like a little cheese with my "whine").

I think the house issue might be back on track - we are working with the builder to correct the garage issue, and assuming that works out, we are still planning to close in December. Since posting pictures has been the kiss of death so far for the house hunt - I will refrain until after closing.

Our COG audit is also done (we passed) - so the stress level around here has dropped significantly.

I hope to see at least some of you in December, and let's all keep our fingers crossed that COG does not cancel the spring meeting in Dallas.

Doug

I finally made it to the ?cowbell? blog!

Hello everyone,
I have no "technical difficulty" excuses, I just hadn't gotten on the computer at home to officially join the newly re-named (isn't that right?) Cowbell blog. I have thoroughly enjoyed the posts, especially all the terrific pictures. I must admit, however, that Allyson is not the only one who lives under a rock--I have no idea what the heck the "cowbell" thing is. Yes, I saw the picture posted in the command post of Jenny and Cindy in Italy with a cowbell between them on the ledge of some ancient wall, but did I have a clue as to the significance of the cowbell? Nope--I was reduced to my usual response when I have no idea what's going on--just smile and nod...or was that roll my eyes and nod? : )
I figure now that the blogger spot is named after the cowbell, I have a moral obligation to be informed, regardless of the fact that the whole story likely goes against all my sensibilities (especially if it involves anything to do with some guy named Will Ferrell--like I said, I live under a rock...or more accurately, in a pink bubble). So, I welcome anyone's efforts to fill me in, please!

On a different note...and please, as hard as it is, please refrain from the ganja remarks, Allyson...on a different note...Doug, I do miss you in clinic on Wednesdays. I find myself drinking yerba mate alone at my cubicle desk instead of its rightful, prominent place of honor with you in the command post! Makes me sad. Sounds like you might have needed some this past week while you were on service to keep up the energy til 9 p.m. every night. Have you found any good purveyors of this fine tea near Asheville? If not, I did find a website that had a nice offer for a whole "kit" with the gourd and straw and all. Just say the word and I can look again to see if I can find it...maybe we should post a link to it from the blog! What do you say, Maria?

P.S. That's a fabulous picture of Lucy in the red dress with the flower! She's awesome! Love. Her. : )

And yes, you are not the only one who has been J-E-A-L-O-U-S of the rodenti in Italia. I decided sometime last week that at some point in my life, I do need to go take up residence in Europe for an extended period. Don't know when that will happen, but perhaps as a part of my impending doctoral studies in applied linguistics and health care or something. Yes, you read that right. Penn State University is coming out with a new track in their PhD program in linguistics for Fall 2007. No promises I will be out of all of your hair(s?) by then, but the temptation may be too great to resist! We shall see how the application process goes--the deadline is February 1st for Fall 2007...no worries...I'll still be able to blog from PA if necessary! Thank God we live in the Information Age!

Enough for now.
Priscilla

Yaaay!

Doug is off service.

Random pictures I downloaded from the camera today...

OK, I finally downloaded pictures from my camera after a while, so here they are (in no particular order...)

A picture I took of Cindy just because I thought she looked particularly lovely that day.

Liz's belly

Liz's belly again

Liz's belly AGAIN. I think there are twins in there or something!

Randy being kooky

Martha with a "have I told you lately how happy I am to NOT be on oncology service??!?!" smile

Do you miss your BMT peeps?

Heidi and Mitzi

Randy as Cap'n Hook on Halloween

I couldn't even get a picture of Heidi's freaking going-away cake before Bob managed to hack into it FOR GOODNESS' SAKE

Poor Doug!!!! And, welcome Allyson!! And, bad news about the babysitter...

OK, I didn't mean to make anyone feel bad! You have had a week like Naomi, Laura, and BOB were on service, if that is even possible! I'm sorry it has been so crappy. Don't be bringing any bad Dallas karma with you over there!

And what's the deal with the house? I bet Bonnie is just about to cry... how stressful. But, everything happens because it is meant to happen - so if this falls through, it's because your perfect house is out there somewhere.

Well, ask and you shall recieve. Allyson is on the blog. Yeeehaw! And Priscilla should be close behind. Not only will they have plenty to say, they are both more interesting than me :)

OK, Allyson. Casino Royale is the latest James Bond movie to come out. It is being released I think on the same day as the latest Will Ferrell movie (week from today). Now, I have to admit that I love Pierce Brosnan. He as the Bond I grew up with and is my favorite Bond by far. He should have been Bond a LONG time ago, back when those jerkheaded meanies at NBC wouldn't let him out of his Remington Steele contract or whatever that nonsense was. Not that I would divorce Mike and marry him or anything...... but I loooooooooooooove him. Love. Him.

But, alas, his time as Bond is up. He is getting a little old. Pierce, darling, if you are reading this, don't take it the wrong way. You'll always be my favorite. So, there's this new guy Daniel Craig. Not only that, but Casino Royale is sort of a prequel - the story of how Bond got to be a 007. So it's old school. Sure to be different than Die Another Day. I just wasn't sure about it all. Then I saw all the commercials. And heard his voice. Definitely Bond-esque. And he is pretty hot. SO now I am totally excited.

But, alas, Amanda had something come up and can't babysit on Friday night. And Mike is in school that night. So, I think I am going to go see it on Sunday. I CAN'T WAIT.

Anyway, Allyson I am so glad you're here. But I think the blog needs a name change once again, sicne now we have a Monday person here. And if Priscilla and Heidi come, we have truly expanded beyone Wendesday clinic... but, having chaged the name of the blog several times already, I am out of creative things to call it. So I am taking suggestions.

Good night!

Hanging my head in shame (and exhaustion)

Alright Maria - I am not worthy.

I feel like I am on service with Naomi and Laura here - in the last week, I have gotten 2 new ALL's, a stage 4 neuroblastoma, and a new Ewing's sarcoma, and a post-transplant Fanconi's anemia patient with severe ARDS in the PICU - all without residents or fellows. I haven't left the hospital before 9pm this week, and I am on call through Monday. Add to that, we have our COG audit on Monday also. The stress levels are pretty high here right now. Not that that is any excuse for not posting here. In fact, the only reason that I am doing so now, is out of shame, and to reassure all of you back in Dallas (except for the rodents in Italy) that I am indeed still alive, and it is okay to feel sorry for me too.

Also, it looks like yet another disappointment on the housing front - the builder of the house we are trying to buy, has apparently built the house without leaving room to build the stairs needed to get from the garage to the house, thus effectively turning it from a 2 car garage to a 1-1/2 car garage. It also looks like there might be an underground spring underneath the house (we are awaiting the inspection to clarify that).

Other than that, everything is going well - Bonnie and the kids are great, and despite the fact that I have had a truly crappy week in the hospital, I still enjoy my new job.

I miss all of you - and I hope you gave Heidi a rousing send-off (even though she has not sent me the papers that I asked her for).

I miss all of you

Doug

Random stuff

1) Cindy, when you get back and over your jet lag, we need the Best of Will Ferrell DVD at work. There are some new clinic folk who are not familiar with the legend of the cowbell. We owe it to Doug the keep the memories alive.

2) I am sorry. I have a bone to pick. I am the only one posting. I don't mind, but I am not all that interesting. In case you hadn't noticed. And probably everyone is tired of hearing about Lucy, George Michael, and James Bond. Jenn and Cindy, help me out here. I am gonna try to get Heidi on the blog now that she is going over to the dark side (Doug, her last day is Saturday. Her going away party is tomorrow). I am thinking of getting Priscilla, Allyson, and Lizzie on here with me so someone else besides me is talking! And yes, I know Cindy has been in Italy for a week, yeah, yeah, yeah. What about the FOUR MONTHS before that??!?!??!??!?! OK, I am done.

3) Only ONE MORE WEEK until the Casino Royale premeire! My in-laws were here last weekend and I think my father-in-law thought something was wrong with me because any time the commerical would come on, I would start dancing and kind of squealing (well not really, but I am not sure what else to call it) and then sing this 007 song I made up. As soon as I can get my hot little hands on the new theme song, I will once again make and give (absolutely FREE) my special homemade compilation CDs of all the James Bond theme songs in order. Or, maybe because this is CASINO ROYALE they are just going with the old classic theme? I haven't had the time or energy to figure it out yet. Most of the ones I already have were semi-legally downloaded (hee hee hee), so now that WinMX is gone I'll probably have to go and buy it or something.

4) Cindy, you missed an exciting clinic this week.... it was a delightful mix of hematology and oncology - too bad I don't like the hematology! We finally figured out what was wrong with our girl with low sats and anemia for the last few months...... methemoglobinema. I'll tell you more later but suffice to say we got George all excited and we even ordered a sulfhemoglobin level. Geirge even saved her smear for quizzing the fellows. Now you know if you get asked about hemolytic anemia, basophilic stippling and big ole red cells.

5) The best thing about today (yes, even better than Bond!) is that today is the one year anniversary of when Lucy became part of our family. How time flies! I still remember everything about that time so clearly. I remember the days before I left and how Doug and Cindy were about the only things that kept me sane (and were so understanding about me getting NOTHING done at work that week!) I remember how we felt while in Beijing knowing we would meet our daughter in days or hours. We have watched her change from an anxious baby into the extroverted, boisterous, and hilarious girl we know today. We know that while she has lost something in not being able to stay with her birth famil and in her birth country, she has fit into our family in just the way we would have hoped for. It is hard to remember what life was like before her! I look at pictures from when we first came home and can't believe how much she has grown and changed. Last night, when we was tucking her in, she gave me a hug (I lay on her bed with her and sing to her, and she will put her arms around my neck and hold me there next to her - one of her many stalling tactics, like "more kisses, mommy!". Of course, I am more than happy to oblige!). I kissed her face, and she held her arms out to me and Mike and asked for a "family hug" (which is what we do every every night when Mike and/or I get home from work) - but it is the first time she has asked for it herself. It was a few days after her birthday when she said "I love you" for the first time - before that, she would say it but she was repeating it after one of us would say it. I remember the day she said it after I was getting her dressed in the morning and I kissed the bottoms of her feet, and she said " I lub you!" I cannot imagine my heart being more full than it is right now. To all my wonderful friends who have been with our family through this amazing journey - we are so lucky to have you in our lives. Thank you for indulging my reminiscing. I love all of you!

In Lanzhou

In Guangzhou

Tamra, Thresa, Lizzie, Jenn, and Cindy ready to welcome us at 5 AM at the Dallas airport (Jenny was taking the picture)

Lucy in September 2006

Doug, hope all is well in NC. We love and miss you!

You're gonna WANT that cowbell....

Wait, what's that in the picture below???

Hmm, maybe if I could look at it a little bit closer...

Yeah, baby, it's the cowbell!

Cindy, Jenny, Charles and Audra are having a fabulous time in Italy. They will be there another whole week and I am J-E-A-L-O-U-S.

I hope Jim will be happy to see that the cowbell is not only safe, but having a blast.

L's cousin.....

Those of you who have been waiting along with us know that Mike's sister and her husband have been waiting for their referral of a baby from China, too. Today, they got their referral and I am crying happy tears because the baby is beautiful, and from Gansu province, like Lucy, and it is relatively rare for people from the US to get referrals for Gansu babies. She is from a different orphanage, same province. Here she is:





Check out the nifty captions on the photos :)

The cowbell heard around the world.......

About ten minutes ago I got to work.....

I got a call from Cindy, who said to meet her down at the circle drive with the cowbell.....

I ran up to the PNPs office, grabbed ol' Bevins, and ran back down to the circle drive and handed him off to Cindy.

The cowbell is going on a world tour.