Everything Remains the Same

Okay, since my last writing I have been to my MDA clinic for follow-up with my neurologist for my ALS, I rolled in the annual Walk to Defeat ALS sponsored by the South Texas ALS Association and have been shopping for Chrismas (my favorite kind of shopping trips ... on-line).  Oh, I have changed the background for this blog, as you can see.  I have also been tweeking it to have other points of interest.  I hope you all like what I have done!  You can make comments to let me know what you think. 

All-in-all my clinic appointment at the end of October was uneventful.  By that I mean my ALS (sounds almost endearing) has not progressed.  Please, do not get me wrong, that is very good news.  Better news yet, it appears my upper body strength is better than my prior visit in June.  I will be challenging friends to arm wrestling matches soon (ha!).  So, I continue with my medication, B-12 shots and miscellaneous vitamins ... continue stretching and exercising my hands and legs to fight off worsened contractures ... continue to work at maintaining, if not bettering, my upper body strength ... and my next clinic appointment is in six months.

Cindy (my sister and in charge of my MDA clinic appointments) and I decided to go to Hobby Lobby on the way home from my appointment.  Looked around, did not see anything we  wanted so we left.  For some reason we could not get me transferred into the car (we were in my niece's SUV - one of Chevy's smaller SUVs - and we seamlessly transfer in and out of it regularly) ... on the fourth try I sat on the floor board and told Cindy to leave me there and just drive home.  So, this is mentioned because this is a first for me ... and for some reason we get tickled when we tell this story.  

Oui Walk - Oui Roll Walks to Defeat ALS

On October 23 the South Texas ALS Association hosted their annual Walk to Defeat ALS. The ALS Association is the only non-profit organization fighting Lou Gehrig’s disease on every front. Through a nationwide Chapter network, the ALS Association leads the way in global research, coordinates multidisciplinary certified clinical care centers, supports the people and families of those affected by ALS and fosters government partnerships. The Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure.  The South Texas ALS Association’s 2010 goal is $225,000.  Oui Walk - Oui Roll apparently wrote the book on fundraising for a cause ... my team raised $5,100, which put us in the top 10 teams for fundraising for the cause.  How fortunate am I to have such a wonderful extended family?  

Oui Walk - Oui Roll

Left to right - Back row: Bob Norris, Jeff Marcum, Carla Sanders, Darren Peters

3rd Row:  Veronica Getty, Margaret Neel, Bill Neel, Martha Holmgreen, Marcia Hidalgo.

Lisa Arizpe, Sam Arizpe

4th Row: Gina Garcia, Caroline Clopton, Anna Holmgreen, Cindy Holmgreen, Nadine

Hidalgo

Front Row:  Veronica Perez, Levi Perez, Deb Hidalgo, Adreann Holmgreen

What Have I Been Up To?

Me, work?  I signed up with a company to answer questions that are sent into the company, you know ... those people who are too lazy to search for themselves, but can sit there and text into their phones (go figure).  It is a mobile answers text service where people utilize both the text AND mobile answers voice service - asking the company millions and millions of questions every month.  I still have to go through their "Search University" to see if I have enough knowledge to search for other people.  I know I can search sites to shop from!  I will let you know how that goes once I test.

Have I Mentioned My Cookbook?

Last year my sister, Marcia,  and I wrote a cookbook, Oui Deux 2 Cook, inspired by all those little bits of paper that fly out of cookbooks when opened.  I mention this because we are currently collecting favorite recipes from the family for the next cookbook.  This is no easy feat, considering there are family members that still write their recipes.  I asked them to submit a story with their recipe ... right, they should all know by now if they do not tell me a story about their recipe I can make one up!  It is also turning out that we are going to have to prepare the recipes so we can take pictures.  My challenge ... coming up with the graphics for the cover ... the name of the cookbook ... Oui Deux2 Cook II.  I will let everyone know how that process goes.

I have got to get this posted ... I have started a new post and will get it done quicker!