A lot happened in a week...

 

My last update was about my visit to the MD Anderson ER. Well, a lot has happened since then. I know it has been a week, so let me recap. I was diagnosed with a UTI and given antibiotics. While on the way home Caleb was headed to get checked and was diagnosed with the flu. 

So, I stayed home sick after my visit. We had been looking for a smell in the house for a while. It seemed to kind of come and go. Anthony took apart our kitchen sink pipes to clean them out. They were gross. I was gagging through this process. The smell seemed to go away for a day or two, but always came back. Well, upon coming home from the ER that day, I was determined that there was a rotting carcass  under the house in the crawl space. I looked pretty late in the day that Thursday. It was NOT a rotting carcass. It was a busted sewer line. The whole crawl space was filled with...well, you get the idea. Plumber couldn't come until Friday, so the plan was to use as little water as possible, since every drop went down there and stirred up the smell. The smell was coming up through the pipes, since there was a gaping hole where the pipe used to be...the broken part was about 2 feet away. In the meantime, I created myself a safe room. The spare bedroom did not smell...I am guessing since it didn't have any direct access to the bathrooms or kitchen. I closed the air vent, opened the window, place a fan blowing out, and put a blanket at the door. Thankfully, it worked. That was my room for several days. 

Friday, the plumber came out and gave us a quote of over $2K, BUT he couldn't do the repair until some clean up happened. The remediation guy came out a few hours later. I won't even tell you that quote, but I legit sat down on the back porch and cried. I think the poor guy didn't know what to do with this sick crying lady. I don't even remember all that happened. He talked to his manager, friends, and family. He asked about insurance. I got my policy. He walked me through how to file the claim, so it wouldn't get denied...apparently, wording is important. Once they started asking questions I couldn't answer, he took over the call. This was late Friday, so still flushing poo under the house. I got a little protest when I said no laundry and no dishwasher until the pipe was fixed, but every drop of water stirred the poo pot. 

I will spare you all of the back and forth, but sometime Sunday night, the nephew of the remediation guy showed up with a shop vac to clean the area needed to fix the pipe. Then a few hours later, the plumber repaired the pipe. Anthony (my son-in-law) had got me Cody Johnson tickets for Christmas. By the time I got back from the concert, the pipe was repaired. I could not smell the poop anymore, but the pipe glue about killed me....back to my safe room. 

Monday was my chemo day. Before I left, I sent the remediation guy the information the insurance company had given me that morning. He sent them the report and filed the claim. I have no idea what else happened that day. I came home from chemo and Marc was on the phone with someone...really not sure who. I went back to my smell free room and slept. I fell asleep around 5:15pm and woke up to my alarm at 5:45am. He may have tried to tell me about that phone call, but I don't remember.

All I know is that I NEED all of that poo (I am sure you can imagine I would prefer a different word, but am trying hard not to use it) cleaned up. I have dogs. I have cancer. I am on chemo. I do not want to be killed by poo. Can you imagine the obit. Jennifer died by poo... LOL 

So...Wednesday came along. I know there was some back and forth with the insurance company. We KNEW they would not cover the pipe repair. The other  was deemed and emergency, so things did progress some. Well...while I was on my way to get my chemo pump disconnected, I had a flat...blowout. I was in the middle of the Katy Freeway HOV/Toll lanes and still about 3 miles from my destination. I have drilled it into my kids to NEVER stop on a highway. A rim is replaceable...life is not. Well, this was not an easy drive. I think I was at least a mile away from the HOV exit to the mainlanes. There were so many cars and a lot of 18 wheelers. I was a little worried about how I was going to merge into the left lane and make my way over to the right while driving on a flat tire. Thankfully, I miraculously made it all the way to the right shoulder where I kept on driving. My tire was now shredded and it stunk. My destination still felt like it was so far away. At some point, I called Marc to tell him what happened. He started telling me something about the insurance company, but I couldn't hear anything. I made it off the freeway, but there were not any side streets to pull off onto. I also knew that I really wanted the pump off and I felt horrible. If I sat outside for any amount of time, I would likely end up very sick and being carried to an ER. I had a choice to make. I made it to a light. My destination was a half mile ahead. I kept going! I made it and parked in the back of the parking lot. I scheduled AAA as I was walking in. My disconnect took longer than anticipated. I told the AAA guy I would remote unlock my car and head down asap. He was done before I was! I told him I was on my way down to show my id. Well...apparently, I never took my id out of my Rodeo badge. I don't carry a purse with me, just my badge with my id and a credit card inside the pocket. Thankfully, my concealed carry id was acceptable. He said my rim looked fine. THEN reminded me to not go over 55 on my donut. 

If you know me and my driving, you know that not going over 55 is near impossible. Bubba ordered my tire and it would be in Thursday at some point, but I couldn't get there until Friday. This meant driving into work on the Grand Parkway, Hardy Tollroad, and all of the other highways I drive going only 55. Y'all, 55 is dangerous on these roads. I had to cave and set my cruise control at 60. 

Somewhere in all of this we got word that the insurance company approved clean up. Not the $30K version, but the $7K clean up. 

Keep in mind that this is chemo week and I really feel like what is under my house.  I knew I needed to get into Bubba's early, but it was hard. THEN at 5am Friday, Caleb called. His car broke down. I just couldn't. I was so sick when I woke up. Caleb left is car in the road after he called AAA. His friend took him to the Academy...he was late and got totally punished for it all day. Marc went to find the car and wait for the tow truck. It was a morning. Sometime before noon, I made it in to get my tire replaced. Thankfully, the rubber stayed on the rim for me to completely shred it, but the rim was not damaged because of that. New tire done...  Poop clean up guy showed up to start stage one. (It is Saturday now and I am waiting on him to show up for the next step). Talking to him was near impossible. At one point I just had to sit down on the porch, because I was feeling so sick and weak. I honestly have no idea what he was saying or asking me. 

Hannah did my grocery shopping. Caleb and Yadi came over to cook hamburgers. At some point pretty early, I went to bed. Thankfully, I feel somewhat alive this morning! Still not good, but alive. Now I am wondering which kid I can pay to come clean my house. Hannah doesn't do it well. Samantha has been sick and staying away. Caleb doesn't have a car. I don't even have the energy to change my sheets. 

Caleb's car is going to cost over $1K to repair...several things wrong. UGH! It won't be ready until mid-week. We may be helping him cover that cost for now. He has to purchase his firearm and a few other things in the next week. Phew....Caleb and firearm in the same breath is a little frightening! Y'all...sometimes it feels like we are hemorrhaging out money way faster than it could ever come in!

All is well though...

Specific prayer requests for this week: 

The poop clean up needs to happen and finish. This is super important for many reasons, but my health being the biggest one. I am thankful the insurance company is covering the cost! Please pray that I will feel better. I need to feel like I am in the land of the living this coming week. I am just so tired of feeling so sick. Please pray for Caleb in the Academy and for his car to get fixed and not breakdown again...I am really tired of this car! Pray for Marc to do well at work. He is commission based and this is a VERY slow time of year. There are also a few other big things coming up.