He's No Longer Sleepless in Seattle - He's in HOUSTON!!!

Well, the Seattle Boy has arrived at long last! We were running late, but the connection time was actually just about perfect - big surprise.  We made a quick trip from IAH to Pei Wei, had a good dinner and then came home to some delicious, fabbo Fran's sea salt caramels that Braden brought me - my favs! His GF Maren will come after the surgery - her parents are in Seattle (and we're supposed to be there, too) so she is not able to be here at the beginning - I think it's nice that she's coming at all - not necessary, but so sweet!

Today, I got a tiny bit more info - hospital time will be 4-5 days or possibly even less and then home with Tylenol (amazing!). Then, I'm supposed to be pretty much down and resting for about 7-10 days at home. I thought that I would be coming back to work after that, but apparently not - they tell me that I would be expected to concentrate there (imagine that) and that probably wouldn't be happening for about 6 weeks. Then, I'll be easing back into the office - so, not sure about the schedule, but still kinda sad that it will be longer than I thought. Guess this is something to be expected - after all, we're talking brain surgery here - but I really don't like being not up to par.

Another piece of news - big in my life, you know - is that I can take the 11 p.m. pill at 9 p.m. and therefore go to bed earlier than I have been and get a little more sleep. Of course, it's almost 10 p.m. already, but we have a visitor so I'm visiting - and writing this.

Tomorrow is my last morning in the office - seems so weird to be wrapping things up. At the first of the week, I had three things I needed to accomplish - I am almost finished with one of them, but haven't made any progress on the other two: tomorrow, tomorrow, I'll do it tomorrow - it's only a day away!

Braden will pick me up and get a bonus tour of our new offices and then we have some errands to do. I'm planning on a force-clean of his room, too. Then there's dinner with friends at Yia Yia Mary's. New carpet comes Saturday a.m. and maybe a quiet dinner that night somewhere with just us. We have Sunday lunch with more friends and Sara Kate, Ryan and our grand dog Winnie arrive that night.  I have a functional MRI on Monday a.m. and my mother and sisters will be in that afternoon - maybe a few more family members on Tuesday. We have a Tuesday a.m. appointment with the surgeon - everyone's invited - then with the anesthesiologist after than. Fun days, huh!

I was relieved to learn that the 11p.m. Wednesday time that was the scheduled time shown for my surgery was actually a default for all surgeries just to block the room. I am certain that my surgeon's golden hands are shinier in the morning than at 11 p.m. at night!

So, now you know about me and who's here and who's coming and the schedule of events. Are you bored yet? I think I may have written some of this before - I'm writing so many e-mails that I can't remember what I've told to whom. But, it's going to be a big time, uh huh, uh huh!

Now, I really am going to bed - pretty tired here. Sleep tight, everyone! (and congratulate me tomorrow if I actually manage to post this) - Love from the Brainiac/gbg

HELP - I Need Somebody - Not Just Anybody - SARAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Okay - I am so stupid about all of this stuff. Sara says that she fixed it so that I can post on the blogspot, but of course I can't figure out how to do that. I can't IM on Facebook and - this is the worst - I forget my password every time I try to login and then I have to change it. I don't think it's my current issue, I think I'm reasonable smart - it's just that I am old and there are so many more important things running around in my mind these days. Of course, I have always had to write these passwords down in order to remember them - but there are so many more these days. Shoulda just stuck to one!

So, another blog in the wrong spot that Sara (the social media genius only second only next to my friend Jennifer Texada, who is really, really up on all this stuff) will have to transfer to the right place tomorrow. She (Sara) has promised me lessons and maybe if I take notes, I'll be able to do it on my own - only, unfortunately, that time is soon coming to an end. It will be Sara and sisters and daughter and any others who wish who will be doing the updates soon - so bug them if they fall down on the job!Now, having taken that final tiny turquoise pill of the day, it is time to turn in. I have starved myself off of naps the last few days because, after sacking out hard for three-four hours every afternoon (bliss!), I wasn't able to sleep at night. In fact, I think - although I'm pretty positive that I aced those cognitive tests on Tuesday - this lack of sleep might have had an effect on my reasoning in that process.

However, I have been "studying" for these for more than two years now. Clif gave me a very unexpected gift for Christmas in 2007 - a Nintendo DS Lite (never had heard of such a thing!) - and I got very serious about it. Using my additive personality, I began to play with these Brain Age (how appropriate!) games constantly - love it, love it, love it and have almost given up reading for this pursuit. So, this training stood me in good stead on Tuesday - except for the blocks I was supposed to use to match patterns - there's a reason why my dad is an architect and I am not. Hummmm, can't remember (uh oh) if I said this yesterday or not, but anyway, I felt stupidly silly to have been so tired when it was all over, but I do think I did okay! My clinical neurologist told me that I was inspirational and I grabbed onto that!

Brian and Tiffany were here for dinner - easy pasta - tonight. It is so nice to have them staying close. Sara Kate calls - very special, so good to hear from her. And,big excitement, Braden comes tomorrow - can't wait for that very big hug!

Today I got all of my upcoming appointments - I'll be busy for the next few weeks, to say the least. I've got to type it all out for Clif - he forgets all of this all the time (glad it isn't just me!) and these are things I need him to know. I also have a schedule of all the special family folks who are pouring into my house to be there with me next week - lots going on there, too, but I'm really grateful to them all.

I'm also continually grateful to all of you for the help - Clif really appreciates the driving and being able to get a little work done without having to come fetch me every day. I've loved the lunches and especially the visits - and appreciate the rides home.Time to turn this off - hope I can turn my brain off - in a good way - you know what I mean - so that I can sleep. Love to all - the Brainiac

I Couldn't Sleep at All Last Night (a post from Gail)

Here's another post from Gail. Now that she is a "contributor" on this site, she'll be able to post them herself.

Gail writes (on the LotsaHelpingHands site):

Here's another post that my techno buddy, Sara, is going to have to transfer to the other site (which I didn't even know was different from this one) - it's a good thing, for more reasons than one, that she's in charge of me!

Now, to the daily news. My schedule has been "working" at the office in the mornings until about 12:30 p.m. and then home for lunch and a nice long nap. I think this must be cutting into my sleep because the last few nights I have been waking up and then taking a very long time to go back down. If you haven't gotten a thank you from me - and there are many of you that I owe one to - please know that I have been writing them in my head (scary thought!) in the middle of the night. I will try to get pen to paper very soon because I want you all to know how much I appreciate EVERYTHING - too much, soooo much - thank you, thank you!

So, back to the day. After not much sleep, I was up and at-em and ready for the cognitive testing scheduled for this morning (April 14) at 9 a.m. I did some good "studying" on my Nintendo DS Lite during the night - pretty funny that Clif gave me that so long ago and that I like it and that the "games" were actually a great deal similar to what was placed in front of me today. The appointment got off to a late start - said they didn't get the page that I was there, but I gave them a pass this one time. The testing lasted about two hours and I felt silly to be so tired when it was all over. I just hope I made an "A."I came home and have stayed awake all afternoon in an attempt to be able to get some sleep tonight. Wish me luck.

Mainly, I have been answering e-mails - what in the world did we ever do without e-mail - oh, and cell phones - gotta have those, too.Tonight, Brian is coming for family time and pizza - always a distraction and always great to see him. We enjoyed him with Tiffany last night - what a daughter-in-law she is going to be. We are so happy to be getting to know her - just didn't plan for it to be this way. Braden, the Seattle son, arrives on Thursday night - can't wait to hug his neck and have him here. I'm not sure that he will be excited about my plans to clean out his room, but, hey, there's no time like the present, right! Maren, his cutie-pie GF, will be here the day after the surgery and we're happy about that, too. Yesterday, I received a goodie package with yummy treats from her from Harry and David - so sweet. We are sad because the plans were for us to leave in the morning to go visit in Seattle - and meet Maren's folks for the first time. At least we will have them here with us during this important time.

My poor Sara Kate worked so hard cooking and cleaning while she was here that she was sick by the time they left on Sunday. I feel terrible that she feels so terrible, but I'm counting on her getting well soon. I think she and Ryan - and, by the way, bless Ryan for tearing down the eyesore that was Fort Goodwin - wonderful, wonderful! - anyway, I think they will be back in Houston either late Sunday or Monday a.m. Winnie is coming, too, and that, for sure, will be something to take our minds off of things. My mother and sisters will arrive either Monday or Tuesday - not sure yet, but certainly so happy that they will be here for virtual hand-holding during all of this. My dad will probably come back after the deed is done - he's not a hospital kind of guy and, unfortunately, has spent his share of time in one this fall (doing well now!). I will be back in the office tomorrow with a few things on my list that must be accomplished this week before I'm out of here for a while. I love the calls, the contacts, the cards - I love it all - I love you all - you're the very best.

-xxxtheBrainiac

An Easter Update from Gail

Gail posted this update on the LotsaHelpingHands site, so I wanted to make sure everyone got to see it on her blog, too. Guess I need to make sure she has admin access on this site, too!

-Sara

-------------------------------------------------

From Gail:

I thought that everyone would like to know that I had a wonderful Easter weekend with so, so many special people around me. I am learning many lessons about what one should do in situations like this - I've not been great about this in the past, but I am going to be paying it forward in the future!

My sister Shannon drove my parents down and my daughter, son-in-law and Winnie, a very loving Labradoodle, made the scene, too. Sara Kate and Mother spent lots of time cooking and cleaning - do you know that there are no spices that sell for $.49 anymore? I don't have any either - but I did :) My pantry has not been this clean since I moved in that house 30 years ago!

Easter Sunday was a spectacular day - the sun even came out. Tiffany, the fiance of my son Brian, has earned many points with all of us. She offered her home for our Easter lunch and she even had party favors. The food was delicious and I could even taste it. Brian blew us all away with his special and thoughtful gifts and cards - kinda made me teary. We had a wonderful family day. It wasn't exactly how I planned to introduce the two families, but, hey, I was a great icebreaker!I hope that you, too, had an uplifting Easter Sunday - and that maybe you found the Golden Egg!

P.S. Braden arrives from Seattle on Thursday p.m. (we originally had departure plans to visit him this Wednesday - oh, well, another time) and we're looking forward to having him here. He doesn't know it yet, but we're going to clean his room out :)

Gail Goodwin - Lady in Waiting

As many of you know by now, Gail has been diagnosed with a frontal lobe brain tumor. She was diagnosed on Wednesday, April 1, when co-workers discovered she couldn't talk (a big red flag if you know Gail!). After a few hours in the ER at Memorial Hermann and several tests, they found the culprit to be a large tumor that had apparently been there a long time.

With some medication to reduce swelling, she is talking again, feeling good given the circumstances, and is back at work. Unfortunately, she can't drive for six months! Her surgery to remove the tumor is scheduled for April 22 at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Until then, we're all just waiting.

Various family and friends will continue to update this blog throughout Gail's progress. You'll probably even get some posts from Gail herself. In the meantime, please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. She is very hopeful about the treatment that lies ahead.

Many of you have generously offered to help out with rides, meals, etc. during this time. We have set up an online calendar where you can sign up to help the Goodwins in a variety of ways. Please visit: http://www.lotsahelpinghands.com/c/613105/ and sign up to be a member if you'd like to.

That's all for now. Thanks for all of the support and concern. Feel free to leave comments, etc. on this blog. If Gail doesn't check them herself, we'll make sure she gets all of your messages.

Sara Farris (co-worker/friend)