Hello to all my grab friends!

I have been on a hiatus for quite some time, but now that things may be settling down (or I hope) I am gonna give grab another run! As most of you know I am finishing up my undergrad degree in communicative disorders and deaf education this spring and will hopefully be relocated out of hel... I mean Utah LOL. I will be applying to several grad schools so wish me luck. During this past semester, I had to have some sinus surgery: bilateral ethmoidectomy, left sphenoidectomy, bilateral maxillary sinuses and a left frontal sinus modification to be exact. During the surgery my ENT found a 3 cm cyst in my right maxillary sinus and sent it of for testing. When the lab reports came back it wasn't good news, I had a very rare bacteria called achromobactor xyloxidans denitrificans which had to be treated by meropenem intravenous medication. I had to have a PICC line put in and self administer my medication every 8 hours for two weeks. I just had my final biopsy last week and everything is going great finally. I had to do all this during the semester which made it very trying.

As if that wasn't enough, I had to deal with my ex-husbands crap trying to get custody of MY son and having me investigated. Of course the judge awarded Austin to me :) thankfully! My mom, beezangel, flew down when I had surgery back on November 1 and that was wonderful to have her here during that time. Also, I had to take my GRE (YIPPIE not) with out much time to study for it as I have had deadlines to meet. Then, I tried to drop a class which never ended up getting dropped so I had to petition my records to have the class removed (psychological statistics). I finally was able to get that dropped and now I am retaking it this semester as I wasn't able to take it with everything going on last semester.

As this chapter in my (well our) life comes to a close, we will be on our next journey so I can follow my dreams of becoming an audiologist! I am very excited to get the next chapter started to see where it takes me :).

I just wanted to let y'all know that I am still kicking and I am still alive at least for now. We shall see what this semester brings and where I get accepted to grad school!

Lots of Hugs,
Laadysouth (Courtney)

Finally!!! Grades have posted for spring semester. Not to shabby in my opinion, but it looks like I am not to great at managing stress! :o

Here is what I ended up with:
COMD 3120 Disorders of Articulation and Phonology ~ A
COMD 3400 Acoustics and Anatomy of the Ear ~ A
COMD 3650 Clinical Processes and Behavior ~ A
COMD 5100 Language Science ~ A
HEP 3400 Stress Management ~ A-

I have a cumulative GPA of a 3.92 going into my last year of my bachelor degree and after just over 100 credits completed! I am hopeful I will be able to maintain this while I am applying for GRAD school in a few months! I have decided to take two classes this summer because I will have to take a break next summer for moving (maybe) to a new location for grad school plus I want to get use to taking classes during the summer because it will be required during grad school. Never to late to start preparing what it will be like although the course load then will be much more intense.

I hope all you MOM's out there are having a great week and I wish each and every one of you a VERY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

Hugs,
Courtney

Hi Guys!

While I am waiting for my last grade to post I thought I would give everyone an update on future plans.  I am taking the GRE this July (wish me luck) and I have to get a minimum of 1000 on it.  I am also taking two online classes this summer and will hopefully be moving into a house getting out of my moblie home on campus.  If that wasn't enough I am having to make some tough choices where I want to apply to GRAD school!  I have to start applying in October at the latest so I can make sure all of my required materials are "in" by the deadline not to mention giving my instructors plenty of time to write recommendations for grad school.  Currently there are 72 ASHA accredited colleges nation wide that offer the Au.D (doctorate in Audiology).  Here is a small list of the ones I am looking at!

1. Vanderbilt (Nashville, TN) ranked 1st in the nation

2.  University of Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa) ranked 2nd in the nation

3. University of Washington (Seattle, WA) ranked 3rd in the nation

4.Utah State University where I am currently enrolled for my undergraduate degree in communicative disorders and deaf education

5.  University of Northern Colorado (Greeley, CO)

6.  Texas Tech University (Lubbock, TX)

7.  LSU Health Science Center  (New Orleans, LA)

8. University of Oklahoma Health Science Center (Oklahoma City, OK)

Each of these programs have the cochlear implant programs built in and these are places I wouldn't mind living for the next 4 years or so once I am finished with my undergrad degree.

So you think you FLUNKED your exams????!!!!!

These are actual answers from test papers and essays submitted to science and health teachers by junior high, high school, and college students around the world!!!

"When you breath, you inspire.  When you do not breath, you expire."

"H2O is hot water, and CO2 is cold water"

"To collect fumes of sulphur, hold a deacon over a flame in a test tube"

"When you smell an oderless gas, it is probably carbon monoxide"

"Nitrogen is not found in Ireland because it is not found in a free state."

"Whater is composed of two gins, Oxygin and Hydrogin.  Oxygin is pure gin.  Hygrogin is gin and water"

"Three kinds of blood vessels are arteries, vanes and caterpillars"

"Blood flows down one leg and up the other"

"The moon is a planet just like the earth, only it is even deader"

"Mushrooms always grow in damp places and so they look like umbrellas."

"The body consists of three parts: the branium, the borax and the abominable cavity.  The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abominable cavity contains the bowls, of which there are five: a, e, i, o, u."

"The pistol of a flower is its only protection against insects."

"Many women believe that an alcoholic binge will have no ill effects on the unborn fetus, that that is a large misconception."

"Germinate: to become a naturalized German."

"Magnet: something you find crawling all over a dead cat."

"Vacuum: a large empty space where the Pope lives"

"To remove dust from the eye, pull the eye down over the nose."

"For a nosebleed: put the nose much lower than the body until the heart stops"

"For drowning: climb on top of the person and move up and down to make artificial perspiration"

"For fainting: rub the person's chest or put the head between the knees of the nearest medical doctor"

"For dog bite: put the dog away for several days.  If he has not recovered then kill it."

"For asphyxiation: apply artificial respiration until the patient is dead."

"For head cold: use an agonizer to spray the nose until it drops in your throat"

"To keep milk from turning sour: Keep it in the cow"

"There are 26 vitamins in all, but some of the letters are yet to be discovered.  Finding them all means living forever."

"Many dead animals in the past changed to fossils while others preferred to be oil."

"Vacuums are nothings.  We only mention them to let them know we know they are there."

"Some oxygen molecules help fires burn while others help make water, so sometimes it's brother against brother."

"We say the cause of perfume disappearing is evaporation.  Evaporation gets blamed for a lot of things people forget to put the top on"

"To most people solutions mean finding the answers but to chemists solutions are things that are still all mixed up"

"In looking at a drop of water under a microscope, we find there are twice as many H's as O's."

"Clouds are high flying fogs"

"I am not sure how clouds get formed but the clouds know how to do it and that is the important thing."

"Clouds just keep circling the earth around and around and around.  There is not much else to do."

"Cyanide is so poisonous that one drop of it on a dogs tongue will kill the strongest man"

"A blizzard is when it snows sideways."

"A monsoon is a French gentleman"

"Thunder is a rich source of loudness"

"Isotherms and isobars are even more important than their names sound."

"It is so hot in some places that the people there have to live in other places"

"Wind is like the air, only pushier"

HAHAHAHA...  It was a cheesy laugh I admit but at least it was one!

HUGS!!!!

Courtney

Hi all!

Just thought I would let everyone know that the end of semester is fast approaching.  I have already completed 3 classes and have 2 more finals left for next week.  I am looking forward to the break although I will actually miss going to class!  How sick is that?

So far this is what I know:

Stress Management (HEP 3400) I have a 91-92 for my final grade which is an A-

Accoustics and anatomy and physiology of hearing (COMD 3400) I have a 95 average but will probably end up with a little higher (97) and get to opt out of my final because I have an A!

Language Science (COMD 5100) I have a 103 average and an A for my final grade!

I have COMD 3120 Articulation and Phonological Disorders and COMD 3650 Clinical Processes left and in the 3120 class I have a 97 average going into the final and in the 3650 class I have a 94 going into the final.  I should have no problems maintaining my A's in those classes!

This has been one of those "trying" semesters with all the medical stuff going on with not only my son, but at the beginning of the semester I was diagnosed with Meniere's Disease and my grandmother had breast cancer which was successfully removed.  My step-dad was also diagnosed with cancer, but at this time there is no treatment available for him.  Please keep my mom (BeezAngel) and her husband in your prayers.  Also, my mom is working on her degree in business management and has successfully maintained all A's!  I am so proud of her! 

Lots of Hugs!

Courtney

Hi all!  Here are some pics of the bandage before we took it off.  They were taken yesterday evening after we got home.

There are a few more in my Cochlear Album.  The following pics may be a bit disturbing so I warn you now.  Here is what it looks like after the bandage came off.

As you can tell, he is in great spirits.  He decided to lay down after these pics to take a nap but he is still not having any pain.  Let's hope he will recover quickly!!!

HUGS to all my grab friends who have kept us in their prayers!

Courtney

Hi again, it's me the crazy mom of the blue haired kid!

Surgery lasted for 2 hours today and we were home by 4:00pm.  I have uploaded some new photos to my album, but I have to wait for grab to approve them.  Once they are approved I will let you know.

Austin is doing great.  As soon as we were leaving the hospital, he wanted Red Lobster and Burger King.  He got the later of course!  He hasn't had but one dose of pain medication since we have been home and isn't complaining of any pain.  We have had our first nose bleed and I expect a few more, but that is normal with this surgery.  The only thing he is complaining about is his bandage and once the pics are approved, you will understand why!  It doesn't hurt, just itches like crazy according to him.  He is comfortably sprawled out on the couch playing his PS2 and getting waited on hand and foot.  I will keep everyone posted and put new pics up when the bandage comes off if grab doesn't think they are too graphic!

Lots of hugs,

Courtney

Well it's official.  Surgery is at 8:30am in the morning and we have to be at the hospital at 7:00am.  I am not looking forward to getting up that early, but as a parent, we do what we have to do.

Last night we decided to do the "do" and this is what my "angel" looks like now :)

 How handsome my little man is!  Gotta love it!

Keep us in your prayers!

Hugs,

Courtney

Well it's official, sugery is postponed until further notice.  My son woke up this morning running fever still so I called the surgeon and anesthesiologist to discuss the "plan".  It looks as if surgery will be sometime next week or as late as June.  I am trying to get him in as soon as possible so he doens't have to go any longer without hearing.  Please keep us in your prayers!

Hugs,

Courtney

Hi all!!!

As most of you know my son's surgery is suppose to be tomorrow however at the pre-op appointment today, he began running 103.2 fever which spiked to over 105.  There is a little concern that if by morning the fever has not broken we will have no choice but to postpone surgery until at least next week.  Currently he is not running fever and I am wondering if the culpret was not his nerves.  He woke up this morning around 5 am because he had a migraine and was running a 101 fever but after giving him his meds, that soon broke.  It wasn't until about 10 hours later that the fever reappeared.  Is it due to the migraine or nerves?  He was worried about having to get a "shot" (blood drawn) today and I think that might have instigated the entire situation.  He is not complaining of any pain or upset stomach so that has all been ruled out.  Hopefully it's just nerves and it will pass (I hope).  We have had a talk about it tonight and he seems much better now that we have discussed everything and what to expect tomorrow.  We shall see in the morning.  I will update my blog in the morning to let everyone know the outcome.  Keep us in your prayers!!!!

Hugs,

Courtney

Sorry I haven't updated lately, but I have been extremely busy with trying to get projects and tests done in advance of my son's surgery as well as making him a new quilt just for surgery.  He wanted a Pirate themed quilt so that is what he got!  I have uploaded the pictures to my album, however I am still waiting on grab to approve them.  My son spent Easter with his dad so now we are trying to get back into our routine!

As for the surgery update, my son wants red hair like his mom so that is probably what we will do for his hair color.  He is still wanting a mohawk, but we shall see.  He may take the clippers and shave it all off like he did the last time.  He is excited about having the surgery although he knows that this time the incision will be much longer on his head.  His current scar runs from about 2 inches above his ear all the way down behind his ear.  The new incision will follow this one and then extend from behind his ear towards the back of his neck about an additional 2 inches which I am not pleased with, but this is the way this particular surgeon performs this surgery.

I will probably not be on much on Thursday or Friday, but I will update everyone on Saturday and hopefully have some pictures to upload.  Please keep us in your prayers during the surgery and recovery time. 

Lots of Hugs to all my grabtastic friends!!!

Courtney (laadysouth)