Meningitis Stinks!!!

Well, at least I have been able to find out a little bit more about the type of Meningitis that I have. When I first got the diagnosis there was next to nothing on the internet, and now I am finding things that say that there are a few people who have been cured from the Mollaret's disease...for some it took an entire year of in-hospitial I.V. treatments...So, at least there is some hope that I won't be this giant sick lump in my recliner forever!!! : ) I have been sick since the middle of January and it's getting really old! Today I had a temperature of 104! Yuck, yuck, yuck.

Ari made sure that I had an amazing birthday this year. My Sister had left me with a bag full of presents and implicit instructions for them to be opened on my birthday!!! So, when Ari came home from work at 3a.m. on the 5th, we were reading in bed and talking about when I should open my gifts...anyway, since it was technically my birthday, I ended up opening the gifts right there in bed. Jess and Rob gave me an increadible GIANT unabridged dictionary!!! I know, I am a complete nerd, but I have been wanting a decent dictionary for years! Over half of the words that I look up the definition for, were NOT in the pittiful excuse for a dictionary that I had, so this is super great! Also, I got a new calendar of the Greek Islands, which I LOVE, and a few other very thoughtful things...and then Ari gave me his gift. He was so cute with it, I haven't seen him be this nervous about something he had made/created since he played and sang me his song for our proposal! Ari had begun writing a story for me for my birthday, and while it's not quite done yet, it is wonderful. It's a children's book about me when I was a little girl and the adventures I go on in dream world with my faithful side-kick, Mokee my cat! When he was reading it to me, I got tears in my eyes. I must say that this is the very best gift that I have ever gotten! I can't wait until the story is finished and I can share it with some of you.

Since Ari had to work on the actual day of my Birthday, we had planned that the next day we would go out to a very nice restaurant up here in Mt. Village. We got a dressed up and asked Anthony if he wanted to come with us and right before we left, Ari's mom called and told us that dinner was on her! Wow, as soon as we walked in the waiter recognized Ari and Anthony and ushered us into a table. They all had thick Itallian accents and treated us like we were the most important people in the world! They asked why we were there, and Ari told them it was my birthday. Next thing we know, they brought out a champaigne for each of us, on the house, and proceded to treat us like royalty! The food was the best I think that I have EVER had, and that's honest! Ari got a $60 steak that was worth every penny, Anthony got Hawaiian Sunfish, I took his word that it was delicious, and I; well, we all started with an appetizer of fresh mozzerrella slices, fresh tomato and fresh basil with french baggette bread, olive oil and balsalmic vinigar...YUM. Then I had a ceasar salad and got a cream fettuccini alla planna....Oh my goodness, yummy. Then they brought out a $50 bottle of wine to go with Anthony's meal, and then they camd out, three of the male wait staff and sang me an Itallian birthday song, it was beautiful and they had a dessert for me with a lighted candle. The service was impecable, the food was extraordinary, AND then...they brought out the bill; they had comped the champainge, the bottle of wine, the appetizer dish and my entire meal, including the little dessert at the end!!!! I still cannot believe it! This was really and truly my best birthday yet! We left our waiter a giant tip because he completely earned it, and because the bill was about half what we expected it to be! It is fun to live life well once in a while, even if we all know that we are just pretending, or practicing as I like to say!!! : ) I always said that I was born to be royalty, no wonder I have always had such expencive taste! : )

I felt very loved and very well taken care for my birthday this year. I must admit that there is really no denying things, I am really and truly in my thirties now. (of course I am not super excited about that, but nothing can be done about it, so I'm going to enjoy it and thank God that I am no longer in my twenties!!!!) It's all sinking in that the thirties aren't going anywhere...as long as I can have a baby in the next few years, or at least adopt, I will be just fine.

Love to you all,