READING, RHIZOTOMIES AND R&R

There's been a lot going on at our house the past ten days. I'll start with today. I was at the hospital at 10:15 this morning for another treatment on my back ... something quite different from the last one.

Unfortunately, the last treatment wasn't as successful as we had hoped, so my Doctor took a different approach. Frank took this photo with my Iphone and I'm really disappointed with the images. The quality is not as good as I like and I thought it would most certianly take pounds off and make me look much thinner. Wrong!
Anyway, my cute doctor had his designer scrubs on again and I was able to sneak a quick photo or two of him for those of you who wanted to see him. Almost makes the procedure worth while!

He injected me in six different places in my back and we're praying that this works. In the original procedure last week, he only injected me once with steroids. Sometime that works and sometime it does not. If the procedure today works, then I'll go back in in about 10 days and they will do a procedure called a Rhizotomy. Today's procedure was a diagnostic procedure and he won't perform the Rhizotomy without this preliminary work up. Here's what he did today if you're interested. Just click on the links.

Facet Neurotomy

You can also check this next one out to see what the next procedure will be.

Rhizotomy

Hopefully, if all goes well, we'll be on our way to the beautiful Mediterranean in less than a month, sipping martinis from our balcony in Venice and watching the tourists glide by for 3 days before we board our ship for our cruise. (Our Room with a View)

I continue to ask for prayers that these procedures work and I'll be as fit as a fiddle!
We had lunch with Ruth Turpin, our travel agent who owns Cruises, Etc., in Fort Worth, and she had some wonderful suggestions for us as she has just returned from Venice. We ate at the Baker Street Pub

and decided to have fish and chips for lunch as we probably won't be having that on our cruise!

It was delicious.
Two weeks ago several of us gathered for lunch at the Highlands and celebrated 3 birthdays. We do this on an annual basis. We used to all paint together at the Upstairs Gallery so this has become a tradition.

I had Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and spinach and actually ate all of it! Birthdays are always a good excuse to eat (as if I needed an excuse!)

And speaking of food, I have just finished a wonderful book that was written by Julia Child. That movie, Julie and Julia has created a monster! I read everything I can get my hands on about her and plan to do some serious cooking when my back heals. I adore a challenging recipe and can't wait to dig in again. On my friend, Jo Ann Patton's recommendation, I ordered "My Life in France".

Not only is it a delightful little book, you literally salivate when she talks about food and it's preparation. She has such a keen wit and along with her nephew, she put this book together right before she went to join all the great chefs that are now in Gourmet Heaven. In this book she talks about sitting for a well know artist who painted her portrait for the cover of Time Magazine. I researched that and found the cover. I don't think it really does her justice as she was much more attractive that this portrait but then I just could be prejudiced. Reading this would certainly benefit anyone who loves food and loves to eat.

She is truly missed by all of her followers ... and I definitely fall into that category!
Jo Ann also recommended "Pass the Polenta" which is written by Teresa Lust.

On the cover it says that Teresa Lust was appropriately named as her passion for food is in every word of this provocative little book. I can't wait to read it.
The movie, "The September Issue" has opened in NYC. I can't wait for it to come to our area. As I said in a previous post, Anna Wintour, the Editor of Vouge, is the niece of a dear friend of mine and is the subject of the docudrama. I saw this pencil drawing of her in the Times and loved it.

We purchased a new TV for our bedroom and we gave the old one to our son. When he was moving it into Ian's room, he hit the doorknob and the screen shattered. Poor baby! It cut his hand up pretty badly. I'm so thankful that this injury was no worse than it is.

Guess I'd better sign off for now. I'm supposed to be resting!

I once again want to thank you for all your prayers. I wasn't a bit nervous this morning and we'll continue to hope for great results. In fact, I plan on looking much younger and thinner in a few weeks and riding my old horse, Cricket, again ;-)

All kidding aside, I have all the confidence in the world in Dr. Cottingham and I know everything will turn out for the best. Let's hope so as Frank is getting a little tired of being the chief cook and bottle washer!
XOXO, Pcasso