It Happened This Week . . . It Happened Five Years Ago

October 16, 2006, five years ago, we said goodbye to our sweet Granny. She was 99 years old. I had 26 and a half years with my great grandmother. I don't think too many people can say that. I still miss her. I still add her to my Christmas card list every year. I wish everyone could grow up with a great grandmother like her -- one who worried endlessly over things like us jumping off the front porch, one who kept her fridge stocked with Cokes and her candy tin full of chocolate, one who could turn Kraft macaroni and cheese and Chef Boyardee spaghetti and meatballs into culinary masterpieces.

October 16, 2006, five years ago, I went to the doctor with "something weird" on my c-section incision. I was quickly admitted into the hospital and, within hours, diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis and rushed into emergency surgery. Believe me, it's the most surreal feeling in the world to be wheeled into surgery with no real certainty that you'll wake up from it. That feeling was probably worse than all the physical pain I endured over the next few weeks. I did wake up from surgery, hours later, and when the doctors gathered around my bed and asked me if I had any questions I said, "Yes. Did the Cardinals win?"

Life goes on. I was lucky, fortunate, blessed, you pick the adjective to make it out of NF alive and to make it out as well as I did. It has a 100% fatality rate when not caught in time. (And "in time" is just a matter of days). Over the years, I've connected with many survivors of NF and many people who lost family members to the infection. I realize just how fortnuate I am. I came out of it alive and well. I have an ugly scar on my abdomen and my stomach is misshapen. But I'm alive. And I was able to have two more babies (something doctors did not think would happen). And I'm healthy. And I have my left leg (a slight concern in the aftermath of the surgery -- the left leg was attacked more viciously). And the Cardinals are back in the hunt for the NLCS . . .

This past week was busy and crazy. Parts of it were fun (hello! My baby turned five!). Parts of it I would rather not ever go through again (the sickies - ugh). But regardless of how crazy . . . or how mundane . . . or how anything else, I'm just glad that I still have this life to live it.

Here's a look at our week:

Sunday 10/9: