Adrenaline

First and foremost - a shout out to my awesome hubby and family for allowing me to be selfish last night...and this morning. Getting in at 1am and not going to bed until 2am, I knew it would not be the wisest decision for me to brave the morning commute for a two hour drive going 20 mph into Atlanta again (for the 4th trip in four days). Love, hugs and kisses. Thanks for allowing me a little sanity. :)

Yesterday was exciting, in good - bad - good ways. First and foremost, I am officially recognized by Emory University Hospital to be a candidate for my son's kidney donation. YAY!!!! I got the call yesterday and completed my phone interview. No, I'm not being paid or bribed by my one year old son. Yes, I am a healthy person (oh...well except for migraines, year round allergies, a severe allergic reaction to penicillin products and a history of kidney stones) hmmmm...silence on the other line. Crap! Kidney stones? Just ONE episode 9 years ago. :) OK, we'll clear you after a detailed look at your kidneys and an in-depth urinalysis. YAY again!!!

So, here is how it is going to go. Emory's financial adviser is working with my insurance and with Matthew's to clear us from financial problems that they can find. Once that is complete, I get my jug of pee. :) This is the initial jug of pee collection - just to watch for protein in the urine, BUN, creatinine...so on and so forth to show healthy kidneys. Then once the results of that come in, I'll be mailed another jug (two actually) for a more in-depth look at electrolytes - calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid levels...all the fun things that can lead up to more kidney stones. Please let me pass this!! This is what I'm worried about! Not for another stone in the future, but something that would knock me out of the running. :( Then, once those results are back (which will take a while since it is run through a company in Chicago) I go to the two day in-patient gauntlet. This will include CT scans, renal and chest ultrasounds/xrays, stress test, EKG and open discussions with surgeons, coordinators, psychologist and chaplains. Again, if all of that goes well - we set a date! If we have absolutely NO hiccups, we could be transplanted by Halloween. :) I'm expecting November, trying to keep a little more down to earth about all of this. But I'm so excited just to move forward!!! EEEEEEEEE!

I was going to make this a two parter journal about my adrenaline rush last night at the Georgia Tech/Clemson game...but it's time to go wake up my three year old. So, I'm out of time. Just know - we won! But looked REALLY bad doing it. Props to Clemson for keeping the game alive. And props for GA Tech for not loosing sight of the W! Go Jackets. The Golden tornado is going after a Hurricane next week! :)

And in closing, just want to show what Matthew's kidneys look like now and what they will look like in a few short months. :) Just incase you were wondering...his kidneys are the ones that look like chopped liver. ;)

AJC article

I can't take credit for this article. It is an annual Thanksgiving piece that the Atlanta Journal and Constitution does every year. It always helps to make the Tech/UGA fans smile around each other...for just a minute at least. Most will not understand this, but those that do will undoubtedly get a chuckle. Enjoy! Go Jackets! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Field Guide for Tech, UGA fans
By Mark Bradley Wednesday, November 26, 2008, 01:01 PM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m asking: What would Thanksgiving be without the annual Field Guide to Tech fans and Georgia fans to make each side fling a gravy boat in anger? Less fun, I’d submit, and not nearly as messy. Napkins at the ready, here we go:
• Tech fans believe Jonathan Dwyer will be their version of drought-breaker Theron Sapp. Georgia fans feel like saps for making hotel reservations in Miami.
• Georgia fans giggle over Tech’s conference. Tech fans giggle over Georgia’s curriculum.
• Tech fans wonder where Mark Richt gets his tan. Georgia fans wonder where Paul Johnson gets his gall.
• Georgia fans screamed when Knowshon Moreno jumped over that Chippewa. Tech fans screamed when they heard Florida had scored again. (And again … and again …)
• Tech fans will welcome Urban Meyer’s volleyball-playing daughter to their campus. Georgia fans figure she’ll fit right in.
• Georgia fans built a Web site imploring Moreno and Matthew Stafford to stay. Tech fans are hacking into it as we speak.
• Tech fans are wild about Johnson’s Perfect Option. Georgia fans believe the perfect option would be for Willie Martinez to resign.
• Georgia fans consider Tech’s calculus requirement a bunch of hooey. Tech fans contend they need advanced math to keep track of all the Bulldogs who’ve been arrested.
• Tech fans think it’s hilarious that Georgia gets flagged for so many penalties. Georgia fans think it’s criminal that Rogers Redding, the SEC’s head of officiating, is a Tech grad.
• The Georgia fan’s lowest moment of the season: “Timeout, Florida.” The Tech fan’s lowest moment of the season: Gardner-Webb.
• Tech fans know their A-backs usually go in motion. Georgia fans wonder where their team’s “A” game went.
• Georgia fans were crushed when their latest Blackout flopped. Tech fans see color-coordinated crowds as gauche — even when it’s their school doing it.
• Tech fans can be a little snooty. Georgia fans can be a little obvious.
• Georgia fans always take note of the empty seats in Bobby Dodd Stadium. Tech fans always take note of the empty bottles outside Sanford Stadium.
• Tech fans don’t mind that Johnson’s offense makes him old-school. Georgia fans worry that Richt’s sunglasses make him look too cool.
• Georgia fans don’t know what to do with all the preseason magazines they bought that proclaimed the Bulldogs No. 1. Tech fans would be glad to offer a suggestion.
• Tech fans appreciated Michael Johnson leading cheers via the Bobby Dodd message board. Georgia fans did not appreciate Alabama affixing 31 first-half points to the Sanford scoreboard.
• Georgia fans will arrive early Saturday for the dedication of Vince Dooley’s statue. Tech fan Taz Anderson is ready to erect a downtown tower honoring Dan Radakovich, the man who canned Chan Gailey.
• Item of clothing no Tech fan would ever wear: A Reggie Ball jersey. Item of clothing no Georgia fan would ever wear: Jean shorts.
• Georgia fans are mad at some AJC guy named Mark Bradley for touting the Bulldogs too highly. Tech fans pretty much stay mad at yours truly, whom they long ago renamed “Bark Madly.” (FYI, Mr. Madly still thinks the Bulldogs will win. If you’re a Georgia fan, you should be very afraid.)

yellow jackets

Has anyone else noticed the abundance of yellow jackets still out this year. I thought by November they surely would have started hibernating. Granted it hasn't dropped below freezing yet, but it is chilly in the mornings. Hopefully, this is a promising sign of things to come.



Go Jackets. One win away from the ACC title championship game. I have faith and pride!

The Do's and Don'ts of attending football games

Yes, I'm a girl and a football nut all in one. I was raised on the Ramblin Wreck from Georgia Tech and a loyal fan through and through. Yes...even through the Bill Lewis years (shudder). While at the GT/Mississippi State game this past weekend (where we handed them their own backsides) I was thinking of some of the common "errors" of fans. I thought I would share my list with you...aren't you lucky?

First off, when you stand...you force the people behind you and the people behind them and the people behind them to stand just so they can see the play. Rules for standing are as follows:
When to stand -
1.When the team is beyond the 30 yard line towards the endzone if you are on the opposite side of the 50 yard line.
2. When a Hail Mary is thrown...whether it is caught or not is irrelevant, but if it is caught you should add jumping and clapping to your standing!
3. When a runner has pushed past 10 yards and is still on his feet...as they say...he could go all the way!
4. Points - in the form of touchdowns, field goals or a safety. Get on your feet and hoot and holler loudly.
5. A loose ball or turnover. It helps to make sure the refs are making the right call knowing that the are being watched. ;)
6. Kickoffs give support to your teams special teams...pumps them up.
7. Naturally when your team enters the field at the beginning or following half time...show some love.
8. And last but not least, for the national anthem. You're an American before you are a fan idiot! On your feet! Not from here...I don't give a horse's hiney...you're here now. Show some respect you turd!

When not to stand-
1. Second down. First down - sure show support at the beginning of a play or as a congrats on getting that first and ten. Third down - on your feet for the D! Fourth down - whether you or the other team is going for it...you need to make some noise!
2. When a player is hurt. Now's not the time to stand up and clap for the awesome tackle that left the poor guy writhing in pain.
3. When the team is playing right in front of you. If they are snapping the ball on the 28 yard line and you are sitting on the 25...I think you can see just fine.
4. During mid-play. If the ball was just snapped...it is not the time to realize you need a trip to the weenie cart! You can hold off until the whistle rules the play dead...the weenies will still be there and no one will call you one!

And one final thought, be mindful of what you say. Kids are surrounding you, so keep the dirtier thoughts you are having about that ref t yourself! Also remember the players are doing the best they can. They didn't go out there with the intention of dropping that pass...and I bet they are much more mad than you are! Just have fun, enjoy friends and family and be a good sport and fan!
Go Jackets!!