NYE Western Cruise 2008 - New Thread

[nskjerven]

Yes I can, but where's mom?????????????

I know, I'm a pain!

You are not a very patient woman these days, sheesh...

 

[Aisling]

You are not a very patient woman these days, sheesh...

i wuv u nanette

 

[bellelinus]

Hello Matey's......

Latest Regarding my brother:

I drove home from Walter Reed this past Saturday. I had been away from the kids and Shannon for over two weeks and I needed to get back home for awhile. Shannon, the kids and myself will be going back up to visit/help Chas on October 14th-19th. There is an organization called Miles for Heroes that will be flying us to and from. Additionally I am still on Travel Orders from the government as long as Chas is an inpatient so they will continue to put me up at the hotel, etc. when I go back.

Chas is doing much better physically. Everyday/week he is getting more and more "pulled out" - Stitches, catheter, drainage tubes, IV's, etc. As many of you know the less you are hooked up to the better. He has started PT 2-3 times daily and they are working on his upper body and left leg strength since he has lost quite a bit. All of his swelling has gone down since he is up and around. His lungs are doing great and they appear to have made a full recovery (although he still has some minor breathing treatments). The burns on his face and hands have healed up quite well and are just barely noticeable. His left leg sustained shrapnel damage and phosphorus burns so they had quite a few stitches - those are healing quite well - although he will have some scars left after they heal. He had some small shrapnel/particles on his torso but they removed any of those while still in Iraq and he has healed from those.

He is doing ok emotionally/mentally. Some days are good and some are not. Slowly, but eventually he will have more good days then bad days. I told him everyday it will get just a little bit better. Being in Ward 57 Chas will see that he is by far not the most seriously injured. The people and their stories of survival is absolutely amazing to me. People with neither leg and damages to either or both arms have some of the best attitudes I've ever seen on any healthy person. I know these kids have been through hell and yet they can still smile is amazing in itself.

While its very early he does want to stay in the military. This is possible as the Army, over the course of recent years, has allowed folks with his type of injuries to stay in - but we are still a good year away from really knowing the direction he will want to take. The military gives him quite awhile to recuperate and get back to where he was as much as possible. The PT area there at Walter Reed is amazing. They have some of the latest and greatest technology (rightfully so) and to watch folks with all types of injuries able to complete many exercises that folks with all of their limbs cannot complete is a great inspiration. We have been told time and time again that not only will he be able to walk but he will be able to run. It won't be easy as he has to relearn many things that come to someone with two working legs naturally but he has a good drive. He has a personal goal of standing/walking in a prosthetic by his 24th birthday this November 16th.

Anjelica, I only recently heard about your brother, and I am very glad to hear that he is doing well despite his serious injuries. I hope things continue to go well with you and with him

I did send our info to you a week or so ago -- our cabin number and our confirmation that we want to do the FE . . . if you didn't get it for some reason, please post here and I will re-send.

 

[disneykelly73]

I just went to pay my cruise payment.. and the DCL website is not working for reservation retrieval.

Hope that is not an omen. Grrrrrr....

Hopefully it is up by lunchtime.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Hugs to you Angelica You are such a wonderful sister to take all this time to make sure your brother is ok. He sounds like a very optimistic kinda guy (that's a GREAT thing being injured the way he was.) I am so happy for you that he made it home~

I am also sure Aisling has a list that'll help you know what's changed while you were away...maybe you could confer together to figure out where you left off??? (Page 1 here may help as well, Mom's been keeping up with the people updates for you.)

I am loading the Blaine shots right now. I really am glad Aisling took me over there - it was really heartwarming how worried she was about him once we got up close~

(I may have taken 250 but will only upload the good ones...being inside the studio and not being able to use the flash gave me alot of unuseable shots from R&K. but...as a well trained photographer, I knew the more I took the better chances of getting a good shot.)

My next trip up will be the Architectural tour of NYC. Aisling's promised to take me to the building where John Lennon lived and the one where Heath Leadger lived.

(Here's the link to all the thumbnails, click on the small photo to see the larger version)

http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a42/MousMManiac/NYC0908/

 

[disneykelly73]

I am now paid in full. Had a little problem, but called and DCL confirmed that I am paid in full, and good to go.

Anjelicia, I am glad to hear that your brother is on the mend. I can not even imagine what you, your family and most importantly your brother are going through right now. Just know that you all are in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[artman]

Kelly,

Congrats on being paid up. You didn't say you were excited. Are you losing your mojo?

 

[artman]

Nice pics Tig, looks like you guys had a great day.

I watched Regis & Kelly last night, didn't see you guys (I even paused during the crowd shots). I had a good laugh at Regis when he was trying to think of James Taylor's name (Peter?). Also did you guys catch Regis's reference to Nova Scotia? He will be here with his lounge act on Oct 3rd and 4th.

 

[disneykelly73]

I'M TOO EXCITED TO SLEEP!!!!!!!

Not feeling great today, sorry for my slacking off in the excitment department.. Still EXCITED for sure!!!! Was actually just looking online for a dress for NYE!!!

 

[Anjelica]

Good morning everyone - or for those on the East Coast - good afternoon. Another beautiful day here in good ol' St. Louie.

I will be updating the website tonight with all the pm/emails I have received the last few weeks. Additionally I am going to compare what I have to the first page of this thread since that has been kept up to date (thanks trinijbill and to everyone else keeping up with it).

On David Blaine - I was reading somewhere that he HAS to come down once every hour for a quick medical check and to relieve himself. It's not a very long check so he's still hanging upside down for 55 or so minutes each hour but I wonder if he can sleep up there. That man is crazy - I would die hanging upside down for more than a minute or so but then again I am a wuss.

Disneykelly - were you able to book your palo, etc. earlier due to the romance package? I wasn't sure since you said you just got it to show full payment received.

 

[Anjelica]

Also - I did want to thank everyone for their thoughts and kind words. You guys are truly a wonderful blessing and I appreciate everything.

 

[Marla Hellwig]

Anjelica thanks for your brother update sounds like your brother is a strong young man who will overcome this - it will take some time but before long he will be back driving ya crazy - as all brothers do to their sisters

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Marla, I forgot to tell you how beautiful your DD looked in her blue dress. She cleans up real purty ~

Nice comeback Kelly You are too cute!

Artman, there's alot of that show I really couldn't hear...esp when the audience was clapping. For as good as they sound on TV, without a studio speaker hooked up into their mic's - they are waaay too quiet~

Aisling and I were just far enough to the side to not get in the camera for the studio shots. Same thing happened to my friend Rose and I when we sat in on David Spade's show last year. Rose was on the aisle and *just* made it into maybe one shot.

The James Taylor (Peter?) comment was one of two jokes of the day...the other one was he kept calling Diane Lane, Diane Ladd....by the time we left the staff was ribbing Regis talking about the new movie with Peter Gere and Diane Ladd

When we got to central park, David was just taking one of those potty breaks. You can see some of this in my pics. The crane came over, he flipped back rightsideup, got on, got wrapped by a sheet and peed. The joke there was Aisling and I were sitting *right* under him when he went.

After rehydrating he flipped back over and then an eye doctor came to check on him. Made sure he wasn't going blind, and then the Doc and nurse took time to get pictures of themselves with Blaine. (It still is all about the publicity.) I also overheard DB talking to a production coordinator about how to get a shot of him from the roof of the Sheraton in the distance.

Poor guy is torturing himself...his words were slurred, his face was beet red, he looked very uncomfortable and extremely tired...and when we visited he still had a full day and a half to go!

Aisling, I took the time to look at schools again today. I went to one to ask about IT training already. The next one for tomorrow is to check into AutoCAD training. I also left a message at my local college hoping to get into a Communications course. Aisling, you would appreciate that one cause it's all about TV, Radio, writing, publishing and public relations in the media! That last one is what I'd *really* like to do. The AutoCAD might work out cause it's along the Graphic Design element, which is actually second on my list of things I can do. The IT training will be my fallback - something I could do and make good money at and still falls into my fortee. Not something I really want, just something I know I could do.

 

[disneykelly73]

Hey Anjelicia,

We actually decided to cancel the REAS package, and therefore paid later, since I was no longer going to be booking Palo at 105 days out. Maybe another trip in another year!! lol

I will be booking w/all of you on Sunday at 1201 am!!

Tigg, you liked that!! lol.. I couldnt help myself.. LOL!!!

 

[Aisling]

Hi kids,
I'm checking in for a moment. Busy day today. CCD (Cathechism) classes start at our parish school, and I meet my new 5th graders today. Class is from 3 to 5.

Judy and Robin, I'll help you with posting your pics when I get home tonight, unless some kind soul does it before me. Then I can put your pics on my family's cruise site.

Anjelica, feel free to grab some needed info off my site for our Official site...it's up to date. For my list, though, I only have active posters listed.

Gotta go!

PS YAY KELLY!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CustardTart]

...Chas is doing much better physically. Everyday/week he is getting more and more "pulled out" - Stitches, catheter, drainage tubes, IV's, etc. As many of you know the less you are hooked up to the better. He has started PT 2-3 times daily and they are working on his upper body and left leg strength since he has lost quite a bit. All of his swelling has gone down since he is up and around. His lungs are doing great and they appear to have made a full recovery (although he still has some minor breathing treatments). The burns on his face and hands have healed up quite well and are just barely noticeable. His left leg sustained shrapnel damage and phosphorus burns so they had quite a few stitches - those are healing quite well - although he will have some scars left after they heal. He had some small shrapnel/particles on his torso but they removed any of those while still in Iraq and he has healed from those.

He is doing ok emotionally/mentally. Some days are good and some are not. Slowly, but eventually he will have more good days then bad days. I told him everyday it will get just a little bit better. Being in Ward 57 Chas will see that he is by far not the most seriously injured. The people and their stories of survival is absolutely amazing to me. People with neither leg and damages to either or both arms have some of the best attitudes I've ever seen on any healthy person. I know these kids have been through hell and yet they can still smile is amazing in itself.

While its very early he does want to stay in the military. This is possible as the Army, over the course of recent years, has allowed folks with his type of injuries to stay in - but we are still a good year away from really knowing the direction he will want to take. The military gives him quite awhile to recuperate and get back to where he was as much as possible. The PT area there at Walter Reed is amazing. They have some of the latest and greatest technology (rightfully so) and to watch folks with all types of injuries able to complete many exercises that folks with all of their limbs cannot complete is a great inspiration. We have been told time and time again that not only will he be able to walk but he will be able to run. It won't be easy as he has to relearn many things that come to someone with two working legs naturally but he has a good drive. He has a personal goal of standing/walking in a prosthetic by his 24th birthday this November 16th.

Thank you for updating us, Anjelica. I shall be keeping my fingers crossed that Chas reaches his personal goal - he sounds a wonderful young man. I hadn't actually realised how young he is - just a few months older than my eldest son. My very, very best wishes to you and your family...

 

[CustardTart]

Hi everyone! Just checking in to spill the beans regarding new developments in my life.

I found out this week that I've been accepted (finally!) to study for a degree in Criminology and Criminal Psychology at University starting in October!!! I have wanted to do this course for a couple of years but got turned down both times before. Third time lucky certainly applies here... Anyway, it's a 3 year full-time course and I may stay on for an extra year's study and qualify as a fully-fledged Psychologist!!! Of course, it's a little nerve-wracking to be hanging with all the 18 year olds BUT I'm just so delighted to be there - I'll be talking "street" before you know it!!!

I'm going to the campus tomorrow (absolutely gorgeous World Heritage site in historic Greenwich!) to select my options and collect my timetable... I'm so unprepared - need new studenty clothes, a studenty bag and I'd better order a copy of M/soft Office for the Mac!!!

Tigg, I sincerely hope you find a course that really suits - there are so many fab subjects out there, it's an exciting time to be studying IMO...

As for David Blaine, I remember going to see him a few years ago when he was suspended over the Thames in a perspex box - that time I think he was there for weeks...

 

[Aisling]

Judy and Robin, go to photobucket.com
Sign up for a free photo hosting account.
Uplaod your photos from your computer...instructions are there, and very clear.
After uploading, highlight and copy the img code under the photo. Paste it right in your Dis post. I'll copy it from there and put it on the website.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Congratulations Kaz!

and Good Luck in your new venture!

 

[Anjelica]

Ok - Aisling dear you will need to hit me the next time you see me but I cannot find your website address anywhere - mind sending it to me again....

Updating the website now so you should see any changes out there within the next 20-30 minutes. I didn't have any changes for dining rotation yet but if someone knows something I don't please let me know.

Karen (aka CustardTart) - that is really cool and congrats. That sounds like something very very cool and interesting!!!! Enjoy it cause you know that 3 years is going to fly by.

For everyone else - the link is to some pictures of my brother at his AIT graduation (advance training and for him he picked combat engineer - he like working with his hands and blowing things up so I guess it suited him well). http://www.themcmurphys.com/2007_Chas_Army_Graduation.html and if you like watching the training videos (with music of course) here is the one from his graduating class - you get to seem some neat explosions and the bridge building they assisted on - http://www.themcmurphys.com/videos.html (click the Chas training one).