Chuck's Journal

Hello everyone, this is my first time back to the journal in 8 years. I hope you all take that as good news!! this forum really helped me get through all of the emotions tied up in knowing you need heart surgery. The best thing I can tell you is that you can CHOOSE to heal and follow the directions of your doctors. My wife is a cardiac RN Supervisor, so I didn't have a choice!! Today is 4 days past my 10 year anniversary of my Aortic Valve replacement. I chose mechanical since I was 44 at the time. Many others were concerned about the requirement of Warfarin with a mechanical valve, but it has been easy. I feel great, and since I would not expect any of you going through this now to have looked back far enough to see my posts, I'm going to plagerize my 2 year post with a few adjustments. But in short, I wish you all speedy healing and peace of mind. You CAN do this!!

All I can say is WOW!! Ten years ago on 3/20/2012, a team opened me up, cut out my faulty aortic valve and weak ascending aorta and replaced them with manmade materials. Many people had told me it would take 9 months to a year to feel normal. It really took about 6 months. Prior to surgery, I had a resting heart rate of 90 bpm. Now it’s in the high 60’s. I had no idea that ‘normal’ could feel so good. I had known about my defective heart valve since I was 13. I knew it would slowly get worse and would eventually need to be replaced. The loss of stamina was incessantly slow. So slow that I never felt it creep up on me. I just knew that I could no longer even keep up with those older than me that appeared to be in worse shape. I spent about 5 hours being worked on, on a Tuesday morning and left the hospital that Saturday a new man. 106 days after surgery, I ran the 10k Peachtree Road Race with 60,000 of my closest friends. For the record, I've never been a runner.

I clearly remember waiting for the surgery and how painfully nerve-racking that was. When it finally arrived, I was joking with the nurse that was prepping me prior to surgery, they gave me happy juice and rolled me into the OR. As soon as I saw the lights in the OR, someone said, “Good night Chuck” and I woke up in the ICU. After that, it was simply a process. Do what they say and you’ll get better. Then all of a sudden, it will occur to you – wow, I really had heart surgery? My two reminders – my scar and the ticking. Both remind me constantly that I have a new lease on life. I plan to take full advantage of that. This forum provided me with knowledge and others' experiences that truly helped me make it through the waiting. That was by far the hardest part. For those in waiting now – You CAN do this! In the words of Jim Morrison, "Break on through to the other side!!" We’re waiting for you!

Wow, I almost needed a reminder that I had major open heart surgery 2 years ago. I feel GREAT! I'm still amazed at what I can do now that I could not do before. As I wrote last year, every once in a while, it occurrs to me "Wow, I really had heart surgery?" I did and it was a true blessing. I really don't have any other updates other than - this is a great life and we are blessed that we could be fixed!! Thank you for taking this ride with me!

All I can say is WOW!! One year ago tomorrow, 3/20/2013, a team opened me up, cut out my faulty aortic valve and weak ascending aorta and replaced them with manmade materials. Many people had told me it would take 9 months to a year to feel normal. I can honestly say physically, my body felt as if I’d never had surgery even before 9 months. Prior to surgery, I had a resting heart rate of 90 bpm. Now it’s in the high 60’s. I had no idea that ‘normal’ could feel so good. I had known about my defective heart valve since I was 13. I knew it would slowly get worse and would eventually need to be replaced. The loss of stamina was incessantly slow. So slow that I never felt it creep up on me. I just knew that I could no longer even keep up with those older than me that appeared to be in worse shape. I spent about 5 hours being worked on, on a Tuesday morning and left the hospital that Saturday a new man. 106 days after surgery, I ran the 10k Peachtree Road Race with 60,000 of my closest friends. I can tell you that the ability to be active for someone that was held back so long has gone to my head. Thursday, I’m going in to see if I’ve torn something in my right shoulder. I just have to laugh, since this happened due to feeling better. I clearly remember waiting for the surgery and how painfully nerve-racking that was. When it finally arrived, I was joking with the nurse that was prepping me prior to surgery, they gave me happy juice and rolled me into the OR. As soon as I saw the lights in the OR, someone said, “Good night Chuck” and I woke up in the ICU. After that, it was simply a process. Do what they say and you’ll get better. Then all of a sudden, it will occur to you – wow, I really had heart surgery? My two reminders – my scar and the ticking. Both remind me constantly that I have a new lease on life. I plan to take full advantage of that. Finally – all of you that offered the many words of encouragement, I extend a true heartfelt “Thank you”! (Pun absolutely intended) For those in waiting – You CAN do this! In the words of Jim Morrison, \"Break on through to the other side!!\" We’re waiting for you!

I missed my 5 month by 2 days and I have to tell you, it\'s because the surgery is now a non-thought. It is a distant memory. I remember the fun parts in the hospital (simply due a sense of humor) and all the well wishes, but the other stuff has greatly minimized. As I was walking my son to the bus stop this morning, one of my neighbors was out and asked, How do you feel? My honest answer was, Better than new! Physically, it is like the surgery has never happened. I simply feel a whole lot better. My friends and my clients routinely tell me I look great. I\'m glad it shows. For those of you waiting - - - please believe that being on this side of the surgery is wonderful, and you are currently in the worst part of the journey - the waiting. Due to this site and the wonderful people here, I knew what to expect after surgery, so I think back on that time as positive. I feel GREAT!!! You will too. Be patient and be educated. You can choose to feel good. Oh yeah, be nice to your nurses and they will make your stay more pleasurable. They don\'t get the recognition they deserve. When they see that you\'re appreciative, they will go the extra mile. You can believe me --- I married a wonderful nurse!!

Wow, I\'m 106 days out from Aortic Valve, Root, & Arch replacement. How am I doing? I just ran the largest 10k race in the world, the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta Georgia. It is the largest because they allow 60,000 participants. What was my goal? My goal was to finish, and finish I did in 1hr 27 minutes. I ran with my sister and a close friend that is a marathon runner. I really slowed him down as he finished in 47 minutes last year!!! Thank you to both my sister and my friend for the encouragement to try. I also want to thank all the runners that came up to congratulate me during the race. Take a look at my pictures and you\'ll see why!! Moral of the story -- If you\'re on this list and waiting for surgery, you\'re one of the lucky ones that can be fixed. If I can do this, so can you!!!!

Yesterday Ramona and I got the pleasure of meeting Nancy & Dick Friedman. It was a true pleasure. For those of you going through this process and are still pre-surgery, I have some great news for you. My Aortic Valve, root & arch replacement was on 3/20 of this year. Nancy was a few weeks before me. We\'ve both agreed that our quality of life is leaps and bounds over what it was prior to surgery. And now, the surgery is basically a non event. What I\'m really saying is that the scariest part is prior to surgery. After the surgery, the time passes pretty fast, especially if you can keep a positive attitude. Then pretty soon, you\'re finding all sorts of things you are able to do much easier than you could prior to surgery. Also - and I just found out how wonderful this is yesterday, if you have the opportunity to meet any of the people you make friends with here, DO IT!! It is an incredibly uncommon bond we develop here. When I first met Nancy yesterday, I felt as though we\'d been friends for years. Nancy & Dick - thank you for taking the time yesterday. Ramona and I hope we get the chance to see the two of you again soon.

Wouldn\'t you know, just as my body is healing to the point that I can start to do all the projects I planned for my time off, it\'s just about time to get back to work. My cardiologist has released me to go back to work next Monday 5/21. The great news in this is that the surgery was a complete success and my body is healing very well. Not to mention that I feel a whole lot better now that my heart is working like it\'s supposed to and the fact that I don\'t have this hanging over me anymore. I am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things and becoming productive again. I wish to give you all very special thanks for your thoughts, prayers, and overall positive energy. THEY WORKED!! And I\'ll be forever grateful.

It\'s hard to believe that my valve replacement is only one month out (3/20). It feels like much longer. As I\'ve said in previous posts, I was not blessed with a lot of patience. The medical staff all tell me I\'m doing great. I’ve already had one follow up with my cardiologist (Coumadin levels are being managed well) and on Monday have my first follow up with my surgeon followed by my second follow up with my cardiologist. My breathing capacity has been back to pre-surgery levels for almost a week now. I\'m walking 2+ miles a day through some respectable hills. While the hills still get my heart pumping pretty quickly, when I hit the level spots, I recover much more quickly than I have in years. In the past week, my chest has really improved. My sternum has been my only issue and an expected issue at that since it was completely split for the surgery. The two worst things in the first three weeks were coughs and laughter. Over the last week, laughter has gotten much easier and no longer painful. Keep in mind, I do not have a timid laugh. One thing I will say about laughter is that it really does help. A little over a week ago, I was with some really good friends when uncontrolled laughter hit me for the first time since surgery. I was hugging a pillow for dear life. However, to my surprise, the next day, I had a big jump in my ability to breathe and my chest felt much stronger. I guess Laugher really is the best medicine! I had my first post surgery echo yesterday. I got a call from my cardiologist today and the report is very good. The valve is working properly, which is exactly what I expected to hear. Now for the ticking. I may turn this into a party trick. Last weekend, we were with some friends. A few of them wanted to know if they could hear me tick. So we went to a very quiet room and anyone that was within about 2 feet of me could hear it tick. I\'m not able to hear it all the time, but if I\'m in a quiet room or when I\'m going to sleep, it is obvious. It is not distracting or intrusive. It is actually comforting. I can still feel my body healing. I also still feel better during the day if I can lay down for an hour or so. I may or may not sleep the entire time, but the rest really helps. As the healing continues towards completion, I\'m looking forward to not needing to lie down during the day. For those of you on the waiting side - please try to embrace the process. It will help. Don\'t be afraid of the \'fear\' entering your thoughts. Just understand that it will happen and it\'s best to try to move past it. Once you get to your date, things will start to fly by and the next thing you know, you\'ll be at home, comfortable and healing! I wish you all the very best - those waiting and those healing.

It seems like so long ago, however it has only been three weeks since my valve replacement. While it will probably be another three weeks before all the man-made stuff in me has fully integrated, it actually feels healed inside. My chest, on the other hand, is still healing and I still need to be careful with it. One of the most wonderful things I\'ve noticed is how fast my heart is able to recover from activity. This is new for me. When I walk my neighborhood, the most difficult part is right after I leave my driveway. It is immediately an uphill climb. That hill gets my heart pumping at a pretty good rate. However, as soon as the road levels off, I can feel my pulse rate start to slow. In the past, that took quite a while. Now it starts to happen much, much sooner. I\'m certain that if I had a flat place to walk, I could probably walk all day long at a regular pace. One of the things I\'m really looking forward to, that I took for granted prior to the surgery, is being able to sleep on my stomach. I\'m a roller when I sleep normally. Since surgery, so far I\'ve only been able to sleep on my back, with my back slightly inclined. I\'ve not been able to sleep flat yet. I\'m looking forward to that as well. I\'ve had my first sneeze, and while that was exciting, I\'ve also done something more painful. Last weekend, we went to a friend’s house for the evening. Due to the mix of people, the discussions became very lively and humorous. The first wave of laughter came by surprise and I nearly pushed one of them out of the way to get my hands on a pillow to hold to my chest. Of course that caused everyone to try not to laugh which exacerbated the whole situation. It ended up being the first time in a week that I needed to take something stronger than Tylenol when I went to bed. Even at that, I only took half of the pill. The next day, I was still sore, but it was really good to laugh. For now, I’m working on my endurance. I can tell that my body is still putting a lot of energy into healing. Over the next week, my goal is to start working a little jogging into my normal walks. The walks are almost feeling normal, so I need to start an additional push to continue the gain in endurance. I’m enjoying the healing process because I already feel that the symptoms that took me to surgery are almost gone. As my body continues the healing process over the next few weeks, I’m certain my endurance and abilities will increase significantly. Considering that my walks are already easier than they were prior to surgery, I’m ecstatic with my progress!! For those of you still in the waiting phase – You’re going to love this side of the process!

This morning, Ramona, Anthony and I were discussing the significance of today. We were all sitting on the edge of our bed when I said \"Shhh. Do you hear me ticking?\" Both Ramona and Anthony could hear my new valve ticking. What a hoot! For me, the ticking is obvious when I\'m in a quiet room, however it is not bothersome. It does not keep me awake at night. It\'s actually rather comforting.

For Nancy F, Mitch F, and Jeff S - I\'ve added my \"Thumbs Up\" photo from ICU. I have to admit, while I remember my wife taking the picture, I was simply looking in her general direction. I couldn\'t really see her!! She still laughs when she sees this! It\'s that warped RN sense of humor!!

Without looking at the calendar, it’s really hard to believe it has only been 15 days. It feels like a distant memory from months ago. I’m in a really good place now. It has not been hard to get here. The recovery is going very well. My color is better than it has been in years. I have most of my lung capacity back according to my spirometer – which is of course, a love hate relationship. I’m walking well and so far still taking my time. I live at the end of a small subdivision. It’s about half a mile to the front. It’s also about a 75 foot climb in elevation from my house to the front of the subdivision, so when I walk the half mile to the front of my subdivision, I’m also climbing the equivalent of about 8 flights of stairs. My endurance is coming back and I’m not crashing into a 2 hour nap after my walk any more. The magical part is that my body is already recovering from that activity faster than it did prior to surgery. I’m looking forward to seeing what I’ll be capable of once my body is done healing. If I had to give a frustrating part of the healing process, it would simply be time. I was not blessed with an abundance of patience. A close friend of mine has a special ring tone for me on his phone by Queen, “I want it all and I want it now”. I can’t say that he is too far off base. To those of you that are waiting for the blessing of being fixed. Look forward to it. Give yourself to the process. Do your research, ask your questions, be involved in the process, make your decisions and try to exercise some patience. Your time will come and like many before me have said, we are the lucky ones that can be fixed. The waiting can be scary with the fear of the unknown. Ask your questions to remove the unknown – you’ll be pleasantly surprised how the fear melts away. After the waiting, the rest is simply a process. One thing I’ve found entertaining. Prior to my surgery, I found there was no way to gently tell people I was about to have open heart surgery. The reaction was always “YOU’RE WHAT?!?!?” Now at 2 weeks out, I’ve had nearly the opposite reaction. They see me walking in, standing tall and say “YOU HAD WHAT?!?!? – TWO WEEKS AGO?” I guess I’m looking stronger! To those before me, thank you again for your help. It was and is, invaluable. To those still waiting, try to relax and remember, we’re here saving a spot for you on the other side.

I keep telling myself that it\'s only 6.2 miles and I have until July 4th. However I\'ve gotten confirmation that my sister and I have been accepted in the lottery for the 2012 running of the Atlanta Peachtree Road Race. We\'ll be there with 60,000 of our closest acquaintances. A number of you are walking more than 6 miles at 4-6 weeks out, so I should be able to make it a jog by 3 months out. Hmmm. Now I have that goal and need to make it happen!!! On a healing note, my spirometer is my torture device and best friend. I am back to just over 2/3rds of my pre-surgery capability and for the first day, I did not take anything other than tylenol except while sleeping. I don\'t seem to have the same neck/shoulder/back pain that some others have talked about, but it still feels really nice when my wife gives me a back rub. Did my stairs 8 times today before 1:00p - was a bit much. Took me until early evening to get my second wind. I need to brave the Georgia pollen and get outside to take longer walks - especially now that I\'ve been accepted into the Peachtree Road Race. Wish me luck!!!

Where the heck did it go? I\'m getting around much better now and no longer look at the stairs in our house as \"The Enemy\". Over all, huge upside. For those following me, please believe what those before me have said. While none of us expect it to be a Walk In the Park, it is manageable. Very manageable. Take your time and give into the process. The doctors and nurses directing the show have much, much more experience with this than we do. Now that my basic energy is returning and I can move around without wondering where I left my heart pillow, I\'m feeling a bit more integrated again. I think that was a term that Mitch F used, and I like it. I also want put here for my HVJ brothers and sisters that may not be on my FB page, the following post, and I mean it sincerely: You are all very kind. It\'s hard to believe that it was already a week ago today. I have to admit though; my body is still asking just what the heck ran over me. By the time I got out of the hospital on Saturday, I could say that I could feel the improvement hour by hour. Now, I can tell throughout the day, however I am expected to have good and bad days, but more good than bad. The doctors are all saying that I\'m doing wonderfully. That makes me feel better since I\'ve never done this before and hope to never have to go through it again. I do have a good piece of advice for anyone looking to spend some time in the hospital -- be nice to the nurses & staff! I\'ve always had a thing for nurses (can you tell?). Most of them do their job because they love it. None of them get enough recognition. Thank you all again for your thoughts and prayers. If you don\'t mind, I\'m going to hang on to them for a while longer as I heal.

I\'m still bit short on energy but I guess that is to be expected only 5 days out from surgery day. However I want to personally thank each and every one of you and especially my wife. I\'ve not been able to get through all of the wonderful notes you\'ve all written yet, but I will as my energy increases. I think the doctor was a little surprised when he came in on Saturday morning and said \"Do you want to go home today?\" I gave him an emphatic YES! Of course it felt like I was in ICU for about three days, in a regular room for over a week and it already feels like I\'ve been home for 3 or 4 days. I\'ve got to get that time frame thing worked out. I\'ve been feeling better every day and most days, I feel a little better hour by hour. Those wonderful naps are really helping. Embrace them whole-heartedly!

Home sweet Home!!! Back home about 3:30p saturday-doing well, Chuck says he hopes to have the energy to start writing tomorrow. Made it upstairs with no difficulty :) Thank-you to our great friends who brought homemade soup, and for our other dear friends who had Anthony over for an all day playdate and his 1st sleepover!!! God bless you all, nite nite

Recovery is coming along; spent the day with my hubby, moving around very well on his own; walked 4x prior to me leaving at 7P. He got in the shower and a nice massage from me, of course. He could possibly be discharged tomorrow! He is very grateful for all the prayers coming his way, thank-you again!

Chuck continues to have a wonderful recovery; walked 4x today in the hallway, sat up in the chair all day. Working on those deep breathing exercises, did receive one dose of Lasix(diurectic) due to small amount of fluid in base of lungs, otherwise all looking okay. Not much of a appetite but thats normal. Dr. Wolfe is saying a Sunday discharge; maybe Sat. Brought Anthony to see his daddy :)

Chuck has moved to room 2442; and he continues to feel better. Each day will get easier. All IV lines are discontinued, and he is working on getting his appetite back. Good night all...

Chuck is doing awesome!! Last evening, extubated at 16:30, doing well with pain control, had his cardiac drip on/off through this morning, started on an insulin drip last night just from his body adjusting to stress of surgery, otherwise vital signs were good. He sat on the side of the bed later in the evening. This morning at 5:30 when I saw him, he was already up in the chair, where he stayed up in chair until noon. His foley cath, and lines were removed, medicated with more Morphine (alternates with Percocets) then he walked around the nurses\' station, and then chest tube was pulled. 1400-he was up in the chair and tolerating clear liquid diet, and started his exercises :)) And he will be in a regular room within the hour- Room 3430- 3 East. I am home now to love on Anthony and will be going back this evening. Thank-you again for all the support and prayers!! God bless you all

Chuck has come through surgery!!! He was cracking jokes this morning, and very calm. Surgery started at 8:20; off heart bypass at noon; spoke to Dr. Wolfe at about 1:20, where he was settled in CVICU. Saw him shortly after, vitals are good, no complications, plan to take him off ventilator by 5pm, chest tube, arterial line, and such to be out by tomorrow.. Then the fun starts if Chuck moving out of bed, out of ICU by Thurs? Home possibly by Sat. Got pictures of surgery and he got a kiss from me. Thank you to all family and friends for all your prayers, and thank you God for a successful surgery!! Love you honey, Moni xoxo

I want to personally thank each and every one of you for making the waiting not so bad. You did that by removing the unknown. I know what to expect, I know what I\'m going to do, I know how I WANT to feel and I believe that is important. I may actually get some sleep tonight as I can feel it coming on. Much of my family and a few very close friends are going to be keeping Ramona company and the rest of our incredible friends have put themselves on call for anything we might need. I am blessed in so many ways. So, again, thank you all in ways I can never express, but I know you understand. My surgery is tomorrow which will then be followed by the rest of my life - Tomorrow\'s going to be a GREAT day!!! While I\'d love to take the time now to reply to everyone individually, I need to take the rest of the evening with my family. I\'ll respond as soon as I\'m up to it. My guess is sooner rather than later. I\'ll see you all on the other side. If you\'re already there, get a place ready for me. If you\'re coming behind me, take my hand and I\'ll help you through!!!

Not by the tooth fairy, but the Poem Fairy!! Thank you Nancy! It\'s been a nice few days since my last post. Emotions are good, I remain positive and I\'m truly looking forward to having this done. In all honesty, I\'m still a bit weirded out by the whole thing, but I know I\'m going to go through it well and come out stronger on the other end. I\'m just close to the end of the waiting . . . As my sister has convinced me, I\'ve signed up with her team for the Peachtree Road Race. 6.2 miles through Atlanta on July 4th. Her team is \"Scar Trek\". Rather fitting. Now that we\'re signed up, we\'ll have to wait until after my surgery to see if we get picked in the lottery. A few friends of mine and I are going to a golf course in Banks County Georgia in the morning, to do some last minute golfing. I\'m guessing I won\'t want to be swinging a golf club too soon after surgery. While the course is away from any major city, it was voted as one of the top 10 in Georgia. It is truly a beautiful and serene place to visit. Scales Country Club. I\'m getting a few more things finished up tonight before going to bed. The more I get finished over all, the less I\'ll be worrying about later. That\'s just how I role. Thank you all for taking this Great Adventure with me. The strength you give me is wonderful. You have made the process easier and for that I\'ll be forever grateful. The last thing I worry about is my wife. I know that while I\'m in surgery, she will be going through more stress than I have this entire time. I wish there was something I could do about that. I love you sweetie!

Recently I\'ve gotten a lot of questions from my friends as to what the expectations are. I\'ve answered those that have asked, but would like to take the opportunity to post it for those that may not have had the chance to ask yet. Monday 3/19 -- I plan to at least try to get some actual work done (my manager follows this!!) Tuesday 3/20 -- I show up at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville GA at 5:45a to get checked in for the surgery. The expectation is that the surgery will start around 7:30a and last between 4-5 hours. After that, I\'ll be sent to ICU. Wednesday 3/21 -- I\'m expected to be moved to a regular room, probably later in the day. Predicted discharge will be Friday or Saturday. I\'m not going to commit to regular email or voicemail checking while in the hospital, I\'m sure that\'s not a surprise. However, if you would like to contact us, here\'s how: Ramona Cell: 678-860-5542 Ramona email:  ramona.holmgreen@gmail.com Chuck Personal cell: 678-860-4495 Chuck Personal email:  chuck.holmgreen@gmail.com I wish to thank everyone that has given me support, knowledge and love. I really do appreciate all of you. It is truly humbling.

I\'m still ready. I\'m still excited to be on the other side. I don\'t feel nervous yet -- or at least I\'m fooling my self really well. Had my first dream last night that involved vague thoughts about the surgery. Parts were positive, parts were not. That pretty much fits my psyche. The dream does not worry me, due in large part to Adam\'s creation. Thank you Adam. Those of you on the other side have given me a gift. That gift is knowledge. For many of us, the biggest fear is the fear of the unknown. I feel like I have a pretty good level of expectation. I thank you all for that. I\'m almost there. A week from tomorrow, Dr Alan Wolfe will be taking my heart in his hands and fixing the issue that mother nature gave me. My belief in God says that there is a reason I\'m on this journey. My job -- find that reason. I\'m confident I will. I have my pre-op tomorrow morning. I meet with the person that will make sure I\'m asleep during the surgery and more importantly will make sure I wake up after. He is an important person to me as well. This is a busy week for our journalers. For you all, you have my prayers. I am certain you will all do well -- as corny as this may sound, I feel it. Be well my HVJ friends. Everyone that is following me, please understand, you are all very important to me. Chuck Holmgreen AVR 3/20

I was reading through Nancy B\'s guestbook this evening and ran across something that DVB had posted. DVB put what I\'ve been thinking, in words much better than I could have. Everyone on the pre-surgery side is looking for a way to be less stressed, less scared, and have less trepidations. I have a solution. Read what DVB posted to Nancy B and do your best to follow DVB\'s advice: ‘My experience is that if you can get to the place where you are excited about the surgery - that it will give you your life back - and you are fully engaged in preparing then you will’ be calm and relaxed. After you wake up \"on the other side\", if you can take charge of your physical recovery and push yourself the right amount every day, you\'ll do about as best you can.’ Based on what I\'ve been reading in your journals, we all seem to get there at some point. I encourage you to get there as soon as possible. I believe I am there. If you do not believe you are there yet - take my hand, I\'ll help you up! Jeff -- You\'re going to knock it out of the park tomorrow!! Be well my AVR friend.

It\'s 7:00a. Two weeks from right now, I should be on a gurney being rolled to the OR. I\'ll probably have happy juice running through my veins. Just got a quick shiver going down my back - but you know what - it feels good. Praying for Jan, Jeff & Paul. Next week we have Linda D, Jim, Chris, Robert W & Stephanie. Then it\'s my turn. Waiting patiently. (hope I didn\'t miss anyone)