Finally....job stability..

So..many of you know that after I got sick about a year ago I left a great job at the City of Safford...and during my recovery time we lived off our savings. Since then I have explored some business opportunities that seemed good at the time but unfortunatley with the present economy did not pan out. So...Jami and I made the tough decision to leave are house and home in Thatcher, AZ and move to my hometown of Sierra Vista, AZ where there are many jobs opportunities. As luck would have it we have been here for less than a month when a family friend who mentioned an opening with his Defense Contractor company and told me to email him my Resume' which I did. Well we did not hear anything for 3 weeks, so I took a part time job as a sales associate for Sunglass Hut at the Mall in Sierra Vista. Well, luck would strike again because the day after I started in the Mall I recieved and Email stating that the Project Manager for the company would like to interview first thing the next Morning. So, the next day at 9am i showed and interviewed with the PM and the division manager of a Company called ILEX. This company is the 6 largest Defense and Aerospace support contractor in the world. I interviewed to be a Finance Administrator. It must have been a good interview because the next day...less than 24 hours later I was called in to pick up and sign an official offer letter. Talk about blessings!!!! I am now doing all the finalizing on paper work and hoping that all the background and security checks go through. It is a huge weight off Jami's and my shoulders to know that we will once again have a guaranteed income, good benefits, and stability once again!!!! And yes, this means that once again Jami and Kason will be spoiled and pampered beyond belief...in moderation of course! HA.....if i could only say no!

SO MUCH FUN!

Being a dad is sooo much fun! Kason is seriously the cutest kid and he truly keeps me on my toes! He is one reason I am taking my time finding new employment...it is just so much fun spending time with him! He turns 2 on February 11th which is gonna be fun! He is already so smart and his personality is absolutley amazing! He loves spending time with mom and dad...he loves learning from grandma and grandpa...and misses all his uncles so much! His smile and kisses melt me every time! I love being a dad!

Follow -up and A New Years Resolution.

So...as you can see I started a new blog.. The last one stopped just as quick as it started. So..my new resolution is to write atleast once a week and use this blog platform as a journal of sorts. So here I go. Just as a follow-up on my first lupus posting which I did in August. I am doing well!!! As most of you who may read this have seen on my FACEBOOK page, my weight is sort of back..and lupus wise the medicine is stabilizing it very well. I have honestly never felt healthier. I am making an effort to get back into the top shape I use to be in college and am doing all I can to cope with the long lasting effects of the disease. Even though I will never be pain free I am somewhat use to it now. A huge shout out to all my Doctors who have taken a bad situation and made it tolerable. I am truly grateful. So life again is well...Jami and I are excited for this year to be somewhat normal and for our family to right our world that temporarily got turned upside down. I have no idea what 2009 holds but in my mind It can only get better....and I am excited...for it is truly a wonderful life!

Most of you know that I suffer from a disease called LUPUS. What lupus is, is my own immune system is confused and attacks my own body like it would attack a disease. So in essence my own body is trying to wipe me out. So how did this all come about! Well it started with the pain in my joints. About october of last year i noticed that I would come home and a normal day of work would make me exhausted. I was also felt amazing pain in my joints. Well being the stubborn guy that I am, I just ignored it until I coulnd't anymore. So...my wife dragged me to the doctors. The first visit actually stumped him.....all my symptoms led to something but he had no idea what it was. Test were ordered and we waited....around december he finally narrowed it down and told me that I had lupus. Another trip to a specialist(my RHUEMOTOLOGIST) confirmed the diagnosis. During this time the weight loss started to be more noticeable. By February i was not doing well..Results from a ultra sound came back and showed irregularities in my gall bladder, so a march 23 surgery to remove it was scheduled. March 3, 2008....it had been almost 4 days since i had been able to keep any food or water down...I also had gone through a week of having 104 and 105 fevers. That day afternoon I was rushed to the hospital for emergeny surgery to remove the gall bladder. In pre-surgery they had to poke me over 30 times to find a vein and insert a IV catheter. After the surgery I remained in the hospital for 7 days..my fevers never subsided so they kept me as a precaution. I was also put on heavy antibiotics and a new medicine to address the lupus. After being released I had a follow up visit with my surgeon and doctor where they informed me that I had a liver disease called hemochromotosis...or to much iron in my system. I also was in danger of my vital organs failing as a result of the lupus. I was told that if these problems were not quickly remedied i will have 4 to 6 months to live. Nothing changed and the medicines were not working and 8 days later i was 14 lbs lighter and back in the hospital..many test were performed and it was found that the current meds I was taking was actually making me worse....that is the night I almost died! After two blood transfusions, a change in medication I was stabilized. It was then determined that the hospital in Safford did all they could do and they shipped me by ambulance to North West Medical Center in Tucson...5 specialist saw me everyday for 4 days and worked with my rhuemotologist to determine a course of action. Luckily I had a great reponse to the new medication! The only problem that remained was I kept losing weight. After being released fro Tucson my next month was spent laying on the couch with no energy. About 2 weeks later i hit my weight low point at 105 lbs. So in about 6 weeks i went from 145 to 105...my diet was tiny as my body had a hard time handling any kind of food! I love Jami so much for the sacrifice and time she put forth to help me recover. Around the end of april I had a appointment with my Hemotologist/Oncologist were they told me that my labs showed that my liver disease was stabilizing but my body was not producing red blood cells..that is a common symptom of bone marrow cancer. So he did a bone marrow biopsy right there in the exam room..numbed my hip, cut a small hole stuck in a hand cranked drill into my hip and took out some marrow with a syringe..OUCH like crazy! And again we waited..A week later i was cleared! Today I feel alot better. I am a normal weight and have not had any flare ups for 6 months! I just want to thank all those that prayed and fasted in my behalf. Also others that helped so much. I truly love you and am thankful for all tht you did! It was an amazing and humbling experience. I have learned much! I want to tell my wife how much i cherish and love her. She was totally amazing through it all..She truly is the reason I am alive..