Wolf - just now saw this thread.

Your Mom is in good hands so don't forget to take care of yourself while you lend her your strength and support.

Your Mom sounds like my Mom. Whenever my Mom starts giving me instructions and locations of stuff - I just tell her that we (her kids) are far from through making her life miserable so she'll have to stick around for a lot longer.

Prayers and positive thoughts are on the way. Keep us posted.

So what's the latest? Have they decided to do the surgery?

Hope you and she are both feeling better...

I also just saw this thread....

I will be sending you warm thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery for your mom. It looks like you are doing everything you can for the time being. Good luck.

Surgery is scheduled for Monday, 7/10/2006 if things proceed as they have been. They installed a PICC line today (a kind of fancy IV, that will make it easier for them to give meds that might irritate a regular IV.)

Her room got moved today, too. The downside is that she will have to break in a whole new team of nurses. The upside is that she is now on the med-surg floor rather than the cardiac telemetry floor, because she doesn't need the heart monitor any longer.

PICC lines are *so* much better than being stabbed all over, over and over again. Once they're in, hospital life becomes much easier.

My mother is definitely scheduled for surgery on Monday, supposed to start between 1100-1200 EDT.

~~~~~~~~~~

I went to Build-A-Bear for the first time yesterday.

I had been meaning to go, because they had a limited edition Build-A-Hello Kitty.

I'm nuts for Hello Kitty.

Not bad nuts, but I guess I should say I'm entertained by all things Hello Kitty. I don't have 1001 doodads ... just a couple of watches, a cellphone charm, a wallet, the occasional online avatar ...

http://www.blackstormhawk.com/cellar...shnikitty.jpeg

So, anyway.

I was going to go to Build-A-Bear last weekend because a coworker told me about the limited time Hello Kitty. She was only supposed to be available through July 5th.

With all the chaos involving my mother, I didn't make it.

I figured that eventually I would get there.

Yesterday was the first time that I was able to get to the Stupidly Big Mall™. I decided not to go to a party after visiting with my mom, just so I could have some time to myself.

And what a time I had.

I quickly noticed that I was the only person over 40 there without children in tow. I'm used to this. A cheery Bear Adoption Consultant (or however they refer to themselves) greeted me at the entrance to the store. She helped me through the early stages of the Build-A-Bear process. Selecting my new friend's "skin" was easy. I was guided through the stuffing preliminaries by another cheerful young lady, who managed to get me to behave in an assortment of goofy ways as I warmed my new friend's gingham check heart between my hands, jumped up and down and wiggled to add joy and smiles, and placing in love and good wishes.

A hug check to make sure she was stuffed properly, and she was sewn up, and escorted to the bath for a final plush brushing.

Dressing her was actually more of a challenge that I thought. I almost immediately found the cutest of tee shirts, but had to shop about a bit for the white demin skirt with eyelet lace hem and Sketchers Sneakers. I passed on the Hello Kitty purse, but did get the underwear. You can't go without underwear, after all! I got some extra bows, and a set of very cute jammies for bedtime.

Fill out her birth certificate, and it's time to go home.

I also got her a little friend (a mini-bear dressed like a witch) to hang out with while I am at work.

You can't feel bad after that. It's just not possible.

http://www.blackstormhawk.com/cellar/hellokitty.jpg

Awwwwwwwwwwww! So cute!

I need a picture of the mini witch-bear, please.

I'll take a couple with my digital camera instead of the cellphone.

The Hello Kitty Photo Shoot
 

First, a better shot of Hello Kitty relaxing on the sofa.

http://www.blackstormhawk.com/cellar...y/kitty001.JPG

Hello Kitty likes to spend time with her friend.

http://www.blackstormhawk.com/cellar...y/kitty002.JPG

http://www.blackstormhawk.com/cellar...y/kitty003.JPG

Detail of the eyelet lace on her skirt, and her Sketchers.

http://www.blackstormhawk.com/cellar...y/kitty004.JPG

I see London, I see France, I see Hello Kitty's Underpants.
http://www.blackstormhawk.com/cellar...y/kitty005.JPG

I just thought that it was overly cute that there is a cutout on her clothing for her tail.
http://www.blackstormhawk.com/cellar...y/kitty006.JPG

Hello Kitty's Jammies and her very own special slippers.
http://www.blackstormhawk.com/cellar...y/kitty008.JPG

Gosh Wolf, those pictures are a little risqué.
Maybe a nsfw tag is appropriate.
At least a tcfw (too cute for words) tag. :lol:

I, myself, am almost overwhelmed by the cuteness.

I love the little witch-bear!

Amazing! You sure know how to have a good time, Wolf!

Wolf, I gotta say that this is the cutest thing that I've ever been aware of you doing. Go you!

I have my moments. Sometimes, like this, they take me unawares.