Where to start?
Larry has been at Fort Campbell three weeks today. He is beginning to acclimate to his new surroundings. It is very hard for him, being away from his home. I believe routine is his security. He is, however, expanding his horizons, learning a lot, and making many new acquaintances and perhaps a good friend or two. Four more weeks to go....seems like an eternity. What a different life I have being alone all the time.
My life has certainly slowed down, not due to his absence, but to my many (so it seems) ailments lately. My heart doc found my Carotid Arteries to be 99.9% blocked in one and 60 to 70% in the other and ordered no dancing or unnecessary movement, especially bending down or over, until he at least unplugged one of them, which was for a five week period! Two weeks before that he found my new stent that was just installed in January to be 80%blocked, which he cleared to only 10% blocked at that time during my November Angiogram! So, three days ago I had the worst Carotid Artery cleaned out. Yikes...came home yesterday. If I recover from this one, I will be thinking twice about getting the other one done...sure was a very scary and painful procedure; not to mention having to spend 36 hours in the recovery room with NO TV!!! That's enough to make anyone go nuts..listening to all the patients before and after surgery and the worried families coming in before their loved ones procedures all worried and then feeling better after their procedures, but scared at how bad the loved one looked after surgery! Also, how scary it was to see the hospital personal so worried about my recovery. Finally, I assured them they didn't have to worry, I felt fine, I was tough and a survivor. When they finally told me what the problem was, I told them to quit giving me that Morphine and give me Tylenol and a cup of coffee and my blood pressure would return to normal. Apparently it was very, very low...not good when procedures are done on Carotid Arteries they told me. Anyway, sure enough, I was right and a few hours later the doc ok'd me to go to a regular room. If they would have informed me earlier why they were so worried, I could have clued them in much earlier. Darn that Morphine..it just doesn't like me or me it. I ended up being the talk of the hospital and they kept pumping me full of the strongest coffee I ever tasted for the rest of my stay. In fact, when I left their yesterday, my BP was 159/78 and the nurses were lovin' it! Hard to believe at a hospital, Eh?
Had a rough nite last nite. Guess I over did it by traveling home 100 miles, visiting my girlfriend's sick sister for an hour, picking up Swiffer, unloading my friends car, then getting in my car to drop off pain med prescription, grocery shopping for milk and 15lbs of cat food for our wild cat (which was really heavy for me to carry), then stopping at Panda Express for a to go dinner, couldn't get their door open and instead of asking for help, I pulled 'til it opened and I think I really strained my incision. By then I felt too bad to go pick up my meds, so went home, took Tylenol and had a very rough, painful, and worrisome night.
Today, I took a shower and boy did it feel good. One thing really different now is that I can feel my scalp a lot more. I guess I have been burning my head with the hair dryer and didn't know it 'cause today it was REALLY hot on my head, now that I have some feeling up there! First thing I think I said in recovery was that my hair hurt! Weird! One of my foster parents picked up my meds for me today, so boy will I be drugged up tonight probably. Hope to get a good nite's sleep.
Hopefully, tomorrow I can make it to church and get my Christmas cards ready to mail on Monday. Then Monday lots of paper work to do and various things to research and unscrew up. You know, if something can get screwed up, the corporate world will figure out how to do it, like hospital bills and stock brokers, and the U.S. mail, etc!
As I close, let me end on a positive note with giving my utmost gratitude to ALL my family (especially my husband, Larry and daughter, Jacque) and friends (especially my friend Shirley and her husband, Ed, who took me to the hospital, supported me through all this, let me stay at her condo the night before the surgery and then took me home to Prescott Valley)for their prayers and support through all this. I know it has been just as hard on them and maybe even more difficult in some instances because of the miles that separate us. I am so very blessed to be loved by so many. Sure don't know what I have done to deserve all this love. Guess that is what God's grace is all about. He gives us so many unearned blessings because He loves us so much! It is such a spiritual feeling to feel so loved (the true meaning of Christmas.)
Merry Christmas and much love to ALL my loved ones and friends and the little ones that I work with that need a lot of love and to their foster parents who try so hard to help them feel loved and safe.
Your mama, grammie, grammie nana, friend and CASA
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Update
Well, much has happened since my last post, so where to start?
Larry has received his Military Task Orders for his first assignment. He is leaving for Fort Campbell on the 28Th for 47 days. That's right, the day after Thanksgiving! Originally, he was supposed to leave the day before, then they changed it to the day after. That will be the last time I see him until the middle of January. So, no Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Years Eve, and New Years holidays together. It will be different having absolutely no one to share them with :{ Then, he will leave shortly after his return home for Fort Dill. I think that is by Fort Meyers in Florida for at least 60 or 90 days. This is something he has always wanted to do and he began applying for the opportunity last June, I believe. His contract is quite an accomplish..and a lot of red tape had to be dealt with. Now that the time is nearing, I am beginning to feel that it will be quite an adjustment.
I have been busy helping him with his training, finances during his absence, packing, travel arrangements, etc. He will fly from Prescott airport to Los Angeles and then to Nashville, which is about 40 miles from Fort Campbell. I understand that during his stay there, two army units will be coming home and one is being sent to Afghanistan, so he and the other counselors will be very busy, we are told.
During his absence, I have two doctor appointments at the Ariz Heart Inst on 12/4 to discuss my future. Between now and then, my Ventrical Physician is going to figure out how to fix my 2 Carotid Arteries. The right one can maybe be stented according to the my cardiologist that did my Angiogram days ago , but I heard him say to his assistant that he was really worried about the left one, which might mean they either have to open it up and clean it out or do a bypass. Whatever it takes, pain, time flat on my back, no dancing for a couple more months (he stopped it last month after seeing my ultra sound and told me to rest, do nothing that might jar the blockages loose, etc) and being laid up over the holidays. it will be worth it as living like this is certainly not me! There is so much to do and so much dancing to be done before I leave this Earth! Also on the 4Th, my Cardiologist is supposed to have figured out why my stent in my heart plugged up 80% in 9 months and what he is going to do to prevent that from happening again. So, it looks like the month of December, again this year, will be spent trying to become a whole person, again, as it was spent last year. My, my..a year of tests, procedures and Doctor appointments and the problems still aren't fixed!
On a happier note, last Saturday was National adoption day. I had one of my CASA kids get adopted. The newspaper wrote a front page story about it. If you are interested, click on this link.. http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=61378 It is always great to have a happy ending for more kids or shoud I say a happy beginning and future?
I now only have two CASA kids left...one ages out the day after Christmas and then I will be down to my CASA baby of 16 mo old. Hopefully, I will , also, have a happy story to tell about her soon. Then I think I will take a few months of from being a CASA 'til I get all fixed up heart wise and I get the things done around here that have been pending for years....and believe me, that is quite a platter full!
Well, must run to the store now to get a turkey to cook this week for Larry. We are invited to his son's on Thanksgiving and every time I go to someone else's house for the holiday, I really miss my cooking! So, we will have two Thanksgivings!
If I don't blog for a while, God be with you all, now and during the holiday seasons.
Love to all my babies, big, and small, and tiny. Love yo mama, sister, grammie and great grammie nana and auntie and great auntie and special friend.
Larry has received his Military Task Orders for his first assignment. He is leaving for Fort Campbell on the 28Th for 47 days. That's right, the day after Thanksgiving! Originally, he was supposed to leave the day before, then they changed it to the day after. That will be the last time I see him until the middle of January. So, no Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Years Eve, and New Years holidays together. It will be different having absolutely no one to share them with :{ Then, he will leave shortly after his return home for Fort Dill. I think that is by Fort Meyers in Florida for at least 60 or 90 days. This is something he has always wanted to do and he began applying for the opportunity last June, I believe. His contract is quite an accomplish..and a lot of red tape had to be dealt with. Now that the time is nearing, I am beginning to feel that it will be quite an adjustment.
I have been busy helping him with his training, finances during his absence, packing, travel arrangements, etc. He will fly from Prescott airport to Los Angeles and then to Nashville, which is about 40 miles from Fort Campbell. I understand that during his stay there, two army units will be coming home and one is being sent to Afghanistan, so he and the other counselors will be very busy, we are told.
During his absence, I have two doctor appointments at the Ariz Heart Inst on 12/4 to discuss my future. Between now and then, my Ventrical Physician is going to figure out how to fix my 2 Carotid Arteries. The right one can maybe be stented according to the my cardiologist that did my Angiogram days ago , but I heard him say to his assistant that he was really worried about the left one, which might mean they either have to open it up and clean it out or do a bypass. Whatever it takes, pain, time flat on my back, no dancing for a couple more months (he stopped it last month after seeing my ultra sound and told me to rest, do nothing that might jar the blockages loose, etc) and being laid up over the holidays. it will be worth it as living like this is certainly not me! There is so much to do and so much dancing to be done before I leave this Earth! Also on the 4Th, my Cardiologist is supposed to have figured out why my stent in my heart plugged up 80% in 9 months and what he is going to do to prevent that from happening again. So, it looks like the month of December, again this year, will be spent trying to become a whole person, again, as it was spent last year. My, my..a year of tests, procedures and Doctor appointments and the problems still aren't fixed!
On a happier note, last Saturday was National adoption day. I had one of my CASA kids get adopted. The newspaper wrote a front page story about it. If you are interested, click on this link.. http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=61378 It is always great to have a happy ending for more kids or shoud I say a happy beginning and future?
I now only have two CASA kids left...one ages out the day after Christmas and then I will be down to my CASA baby of 16 mo old. Hopefully, I will , also, have a happy story to tell about her soon. Then I think I will take a few months of from being a CASA 'til I get all fixed up heart wise and I get the things done around here that have been pending for years....and believe me, that is quite a platter full!
Well, must run to the store now to get a turkey to cook this week for Larry. We are invited to his son's on Thanksgiving and every time I go to someone else's house for the holiday, I really miss my cooking! So, we will have two Thanksgivings!
If I don't blog for a while, God be with you all, now and during the holiday seasons.
Love to all my babies, big, and small, and tiny. Love yo mama, sister, grammie and great grammie nana and auntie and great auntie and special friend.
Friday, October 31, 2008
What Next?
Got home from my Illinois trip on Wednesday.....landed in Phoenix on Monday...went to girlfriend's house in Scottsdale by cab...went the next day to Arizona Heart Institute for a 64 slice CT with contrast at *AM (Tuesday) only to be told I couldn't have the test because my heart was beating too fast. At my 11:45AM appt with the doc, I was told that he didn't like unanswered questions and that I had to have another Angiogram ASAP (I had two of those already in January of this year.)
He told me to have a seat in the waiting room and the nurse would schedule it for me. After an hour, I checked to see if they forgot about me and was advised that, NO, the doctor had ordered an Echo Cardiogram of my Carotid Arteries in my neck and that I would be next. Well, the results were not positive, of course. While taking the test, I noticed that up by my jaw(on the screen) it looked like fireworks going off. I asked the technician what that was about and was told that the red, white, and blue fireworks display I was seeing on the screen was my blood trying to get through my clogged artery! Then he checked the other side and I saw the same thing. Maybe that explains all the jaw pain I have been having for years.
So, the doc had left for surgery and hadn't seen the results by the time the nurse came to me to discuss my pending angiogram. She said she would call me on Wednesday after he sees them to discuss the prognosis. Well, it is 3 days later and I am still waiting with jaw pain.
Anyway, my angiogram is set for 11/12 at 12PM and the blocked Carotids resolve is still pending.
Now, not to mention almost having pneumonia, which I apparently brought home from Illinois with me....haven't slept over a couple hours each night because of coughing....like the title says, "What Next?"
Tomorrow, Larry and I will celebrate his upcoming 60Th birthday with friends at dinner and then we have season tickets for the theater. Hope I feel strong enough not to be a drag on the party!
Larry will be leaving the end of November for Kentucky where he will counsel our troops who are reading themselves to be shipped to Iraq. He will be gone for six weeks! I wonder how that will feel? I hope to get much done in his absence. However, spending Christmas and New Years alone doesn't sound like the best way to celebrate the holidays.
Enough for now...must try to get some rest for this weary body...:(
He told me to have a seat in the waiting room and the nurse would schedule it for me. After an hour, I checked to see if they forgot about me and was advised that, NO, the doctor had ordered an Echo Cardiogram of my Carotid Arteries in my neck and that I would be next. Well, the results were not positive, of course. While taking the test, I noticed that up by my jaw(on the screen) it looked like fireworks going off. I asked the technician what that was about and was told that the red, white, and blue fireworks display I was seeing on the screen was my blood trying to get through my clogged artery! Then he checked the other side and I saw the same thing. Maybe that explains all the jaw pain I have been having for years.
So, the doc had left for surgery and hadn't seen the results by the time the nurse came to me to discuss my pending angiogram. She said she would call me on Wednesday after he sees them to discuss the prognosis. Well, it is 3 days later and I am still waiting with jaw pain.
Anyway, my angiogram is set for 11/12 at 12PM and the blocked Carotids resolve is still pending.
Now, not to mention almost having pneumonia, which I apparently brought home from Illinois with me....haven't slept over a couple hours each night because of coughing....like the title says, "What Next?"
Tomorrow, Larry and I will celebrate his upcoming 60Th birthday with friends at dinner and then we have season tickets for the theater. Hope I feel strong enough not to be a drag on the party!
Larry will be leaving the end of November for Kentucky where he will counsel our troops who are reading themselves to be shipped to Iraq. He will be gone for six weeks! I wonder how that will feel? I hope to get much done in his absence. However, spending Christmas and New Years alone doesn't sound like the best way to celebrate the holidays.
Enough for now...must try to get some rest for this weary body...:(
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Back in Rainey Illinois
This has to be a record, blogging again so soon, I mean!
Where to start? Firstly, I am in Illinois now where the sun has decided to shine for only the second day since I came here six days ago! If there is anything I would miss the most, if I ever left Arizona, it would be the 355 days of sunshine and beautiful blue skies, which are so prevalent where I live in the 5200 ft elevation in the mountains of the high desert in northern Arizona and the oh so fresh, clean air.
Went to my sister's memorial service in Pekin, Il last Saturday. I was telling her daughter that Ruth and I used to chat about the big party I would give her for her 70Th birthday, which she would have celebrated last May if she hadn't passed away. Well, we did have a BIG gathering for her, not to celebrate her 70Th birthday, which would have occurred on May 29Th, but to celebrate her almost 70 years of physical life on this Earth. Even though she was not there physically, she certainly was there in spirit and I am certain she was so very proud of how almost her entire family came from many corners of the U.S., including Hawaii, to add to the celebration in their own special ways. Yes, that is how I feel about that day. I feel, we truly celebrated her life and what she meant to our family through the different family member's talks of what she meant to them. It seemed unbelievable, what is so impressionable in little children's minds and thoughts and how those thoughts never seem to go away as we grow older. Mostly happy memories of Ruth were mentioned and then there were some comical memories, too! Kudos to her daughters who labored long hours, I am certain, preparing for the event, especially her daughter, Deb, who lives in Pekin and carried most the responsibility.
I know Ruth is very proud of all their efforts.
It was great to reunite with family members I hadn't seen in years and to meet for the first time some of my great-nieces and nephews that I had never met before. Wow, do I ever feel old when I see my grown-up nieces and nephews. My granddaughter's husband said to me at one point, "Let me see, you are Tim's mom and he is Shana's dad and Shana is Aubry's (his daughter) mom. Wow, that makes 4 generations, doesn't it?" "Yes, I said. All I have to do is stick around for about 20 more years, 'til Aubrey has a baby and then we will have five generations!' "That's doable," he said!
The bad part of the day is that it had to end and we were not able to spend more time together. It is sad that, in my family's case anyway, it seems that we only get together for funerals. What is wrong with that picture?
During this next week of my visit here, I am looking forward to happier times, celebrating my daughter, Jacque's, birthday and my granddaughter, Stephanie's, 16Th birthday, before I head for home on Monday.
Last night I babysat my 2 year-old great-granddaughter for about two hours. What a little whip she is. So bright and intelligent...as I walked by the Jonas Bros pictures on the wall while holding her, she started telling me their names and pointing at them! Unbelievable! She is such a happy and beautiful little girl...YEA to her parents for the gentle and loving ways they have exposed Aubrey to these first two years of her life.
Larry is at home planning his life for the next six months away from me.:( He has accepted a contract with the military and his first assignment will be in Kentucky for six weeks and then on to Florida for who knows how long. It will certainly be an adjustment for us, but I am happy that he will have these new experiences and, also, that he will be there to help our military families, as they go through these traumatic times. God bless our soldiers for keeping us safe and their families for the daily sacrifices they make living without their loved ones!
O'Bama is holding his own! God be with him and protect him and his family. We are praying for him daily.
"Til next time"..Yo mama, yo Grammie and Great Grammie Nana, yo sister and
yo friend..Kathleen
Where to start? Firstly, I am in Illinois now where the sun has decided to shine for only the second day since I came here six days ago! If there is anything I would miss the most, if I ever left Arizona, it would be the 355 days of sunshine and beautiful blue skies, which are so prevalent where I live in the 5200 ft elevation in the mountains of the high desert in northern Arizona and the oh so fresh, clean air.
Went to my sister's memorial service in Pekin, Il last Saturday. I was telling her daughter that Ruth and I used to chat about the big party I would give her for her 70Th birthday, which she would have celebrated last May if she hadn't passed away. Well, we did have a BIG gathering for her, not to celebrate her 70Th birthday, which would have occurred on May 29Th, but to celebrate her almost 70 years of physical life on this Earth. Even though she was not there physically, she certainly was there in spirit and I am certain she was so very proud of how almost her entire family came from many corners of the U.S., including Hawaii, to add to the celebration in their own special ways. Yes, that is how I feel about that day. I feel, we truly celebrated her life and what she meant to our family through the different family member's talks of what she meant to them. It seemed unbelievable, what is so impressionable in little children's minds and thoughts and how those thoughts never seem to go away as we grow older. Mostly happy memories of Ruth were mentioned and then there were some comical memories, too! Kudos to her daughters who labored long hours, I am certain, preparing for the event, especially her daughter, Deb, who lives in Pekin and carried most the responsibility.
I know Ruth is very proud of all their efforts.
It was great to reunite with family members I hadn't seen in years and to meet for the first time some of my great-nieces and nephews that I had never met before. Wow, do I ever feel old when I see my grown-up nieces and nephews. My granddaughter's husband said to me at one point, "Let me see, you are Tim's mom and he is Shana's dad and Shana is Aubry's (his daughter) mom. Wow, that makes 4 generations, doesn't it?" "Yes, I said. All I have to do is stick around for about 20 more years, 'til Aubrey has a baby and then we will have five generations!' "That's doable," he said!
The bad part of the day is that it had to end and we were not able to spend more time together. It is sad that, in my family's case anyway, it seems that we only get together for funerals. What is wrong with that picture?
During this next week of my visit here, I am looking forward to happier times, celebrating my daughter, Jacque's, birthday and my granddaughter, Stephanie's, 16Th birthday, before I head for home on Monday.
Last night I babysat my 2 year-old great-granddaughter for about two hours. What a little whip she is. So bright and intelligent...as I walked by the Jonas Bros pictures on the wall while holding her, she started telling me their names and pointing at them! Unbelievable! She is such a happy and beautiful little girl...YEA to her parents for the gentle and loving ways they have exposed Aubrey to these first two years of her life.
Larry is at home planning his life for the next six months away from me.:( He has accepted a contract with the military and his first assignment will be in Kentucky for six weeks and then on to Florida for who knows how long. It will certainly be an adjustment for us, but I am happy that he will have these new experiences and, also, that he will be there to help our military families, as they go through these traumatic times. God bless our soldiers for keeping us safe and their families for the daily sacrifices they make living without their loved ones!
O'Bama is holding his own! God be with him and protect him and his family. We are praying for him daily.
"Til next time"..Yo mama, yo Grammie and Great Grammie Nana, yo sister and
yo friend..Kathleen
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Four or Five Month Update?
What can I say...the world goes on, I guess, even when we fail to update our blogs. The excuse I use for being so remiss is that I am so overwhelmed with life that when a few down minutes exist, I choose to crawl in the recliner, turn on CNN and worry about what is happening in this world and/or take a nap! What is wrong with that picture, I ask?... :( Now, having just gotten caught up on reading my family's blogs, including my granddaughter's from September!!!!, I feel it is very selfish of me not to share What's Up In AZ on a more consistent basis. Therefore, I am really going to try to do better in the future. ;)
Why am I overwhelmed, one might ask! Let's see....
I am a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for three foster children who each have a separate case. so that means three times the paper work and three times the monthly gatherings with my foster kids and their families.
I am on the Removal Review Board for Foster Children (two /24 hour on call commitments per month.
I am on the Foster Care Review Board for 8 hours each month, which doesn't include reading about 10 cases prior to the review each month ( about 10/15 hours to prepare)
I am a home bound Eucharistic Minister for my church and give communion to two shut-ins weekly.
I serve communion at church two to three times per month.
I have just been appointed to our church council by my priest, which meets monthly and we are just beginning a financial drive to build our new church! (I wonder how much more time that will require?)
I am responsible for doing the administrative duties and billing for my husband's mental health counseling private practice.
I dance 3 times a week at practice from 7AM to 9:45AM, plus we perform 2 or 3 times a month at various places.
I am, again, preparing my dance routine to "Big, Blond, and Beautiful" from Hair Spray for the MS. Senior AZ Pageant next April 2009.
I am revamping our landscaping in the front of our house...
I am finishing the interior painting of our entire household that I began in 2004..since last week my husband's therapy area now has the same colored woodwork throughout.
I try to maintain a 1700 sq ft home in an orderly fashion, which at this time is good in some areas, but quite lacking in other areas.
Oh, don't let me forget, I have purchased the needed materials to scrape, patch, sand and paint the outside trim on our home and, also, to install rain gutters where they have never been before to keep the wood from rotting again!
Lastly, I have an appointment upon my return from Illinois on 10/ 28 at the Arizona Heart Institute in Phoenix for a 64 slice CT scan to figure out why I still have Stable Angina, even after having two stents put in the main inlet to my heart last January.
I am certain that I have failed to mention other things, eg; trying to keep my husband happy and helping him through his trials of obtaining new contracts, which ,by the way, we just did with the militart branch of the government. Last week, after three months of pursuing this, he was accepted as a mental health counselor for our military. This means his assignments can range from 3 days to 30, 60, 90 days...counseling at various worldwide locations! They have promised that they will not send him to Iran or Iraq...how comforting is that? One positive is that during his absence, I will not have to cook and clean the kitchen every day, which takes up about 3 to 4 hours of my days!!!
During his absence today, I will do about 12 hours fo monthly reports and reports to the Judge for my foster kids, make a pot of chili, a pan of corn bread and a carrot/spice cake with cream cheese filling. I have two days left to prepare him, his business, my volunteer activities,the house and me for my trip to Illionois, where, hopefully, I will have a chance to catch my breath and give and receive lots of kisse and hugs to fill my bucket enough to last me 'til next May when I visit Illinois again to attend my daughter, Jacque's, graduation from grad/school.
Thank you Lord for my many, many blessings and Your grace because I certainly don't know what I have done to deserve them all. I guess that is why we speak of Your grace, because You give Your love and miracles without our having earned or being deserving of them. We love you Lord.
Lots of hugs and kisses 'til we meet again to all my babies big and small from yo mama, yo grammie, yo great-grammie, yo auntie, yo great-auntie, yo sister and yo friend.
Why am I overwhelmed, one might ask! Let's see....
I am a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for three foster children who each have a separate case. so that means three times the paper work and three times the monthly gatherings with my foster kids and their families.
I am on the Removal Review Board for Foster Children (two /24 hour on call commitments per month.
I am on the Foster Care Review Board for 8 hours each month, which doesn't include reading about 10 cases prior to the review each month ( about 10/15 hours to prepare)
I am a home bound Eucharistic Minister for my church and give communion to two shut-ins weekly.
I serve communion at church two to three times per month.
I have just been appointed to our church council by my priest, which meets monthly and we are just beginning a financial drive to build our new church! (I wonder how much more time that will require?)
I am responsible for doing the administrative duties and billing for my husband's mental health counseling private practice.
I dance 3 times a week at practice from 7AM to 9:45AM, plus we perform 2 or 3 times a month at various places.
I am, again, preparing my dance routine to "Big, Blond, and Beautiful" from Hair Spray for the MS. Senior AZ Pageant next April 2009.
I am revamping our landscaping in the front of our house...
I am finishing the interior painting of our entire household that I began in 2004..since last week my husband's therapy area now has the same colored woodwork throughout.
I try to maintain a 1700 sq ft home in an orderly fashion, which at this time is good in some areas, but quite lacking in other areas.
Oh, don't let me forget, I have purchased the needed materials to scrape, patch, sand and paint the outside trim on our home and, also, to install rain gutters where they have never been before to keep the wood from rotting again!
Lastly, I have an appointment upon my return from Illinois on 10/ 28 at the Arizona Heart Institute in Phoenix for a 64 slice CT scan to figure out why I still have Stable Angina, even after having two stents put in the main inlet to my heart last January.
I am certain that I have failed to mention other things, eg; trying to keep my husband happy and helping him through his trials of obtaining new contracts, which ,by the way, we just did with the militart branch of the government. Last week, after three months of pursuing this, he was accepted as a mental health counselor for our military. This means his assignments can range from 3 days to 30, 60, 90 days...counseling at various worldwide locations! They have promised that they will not send him to Iran or Iraq...how comforting is that? One positive is that during his absence, I will not have to cook and clean the kitchen every day, which takes up about 3 to 4 hours of my days!!!
During his absence today, I will do about 12 hours fo monthly reports and reports to the Judge for my foster kids, make a pot of chili, a pan of corn bread and a carrot/spice cake with cream cheese filling. I have two days left to prepare him, his business, my volunteer activities,the house and me for my trip to Illionois, where, hopefully, I will have a chance to catch my breath and give and receive lots of kisse and hugs to fill my bucket enough to last me 'til next May when I visit Illinois again to attend my daughter, Jacque's, graduation from grad/school.
Thank you Lord for my many, many blessings and Your grace because I certainly don't know what I have done to deserve them all. I guess that is why we speak of Your grace, because You give Your love and miracles without our having earned or being deserving of them. We love you Lord.
Lots of hugs and kisses 'til we meet again to all my babies big and small from yo mama, yo grammie, yo great-grammie, yo auntie, yo great-auntie, yo sister and yo friend.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Where To Begin?
Shock, shock..we are all still alive here in the high desert! So much has happened since my last blog..hard to choose what to talk about, so will try to stick to the main points, so as not to write a mile-long blog.
Firstly, the Ms Senior AZ pageant was a vast learning experience for me. Although I did not win or even place in the top five, I learned quite a bit about pageantry, made many new friends and qualified to become a member of the Cameo Club. So, why is that so great, you ask? Now my friend, Shirley, and I can perform duets at their shows, which they have to earn money for Alzheimer's. Who knows, maybe I'll try again next year, "God willing and the creek doesn't rise."
Maybe next year, I will not be sick as a dog with a horrible cold at pageant time, as I was this year.
My three CASA cases are moving along towards permanency of adoption, some more smoothly than others. With my poor health and busy schedule on top of it all, I have been a bit remiss spending time with my CASA kids. I, now, plan to correct that, beginning with taking them all to the circus in the next few weeks. My thirteen year-old and I did go on a hike three weeks ago, which was great fun..she is such a dear young lady. In the next couple weeks, I have three court hearings and two foster-care review boards and three child-family-team members to attend and three CASA reports and two reports to the judge to write, files to organize and dispose of and then I will make an attempt to organize the office.
The best happening I have experienced in the past six weeks, or so, is my visit to Illinois to see all my babies, big and small and, yes, even the tiny one! Where to begin? My time was very busy there for two weeks doing movie going (the Narnia Movie), mini putting at Volcano Falls (my favorite course!), attending and providing transportation to My 12 year-old's three girls fast ball games, attending and providing rides to swimming lessons for Brennan (5Th level) and Kristina (junior lifeguard) classes, lots of eating out (especially great to see and eat at my friend's restaurant, yum, yum!), lots and lots of shopping...praise God for Marshall's dept. store, where one can buy great quality for half the price), cooking a few good homemade dinners, which my 14 year-old grandson informed me about, saying even though he loved me and enjoyed my visits, two weeks of homemade food and no fast food was really hard for him! Sorry Brennan, I really fear your health on all that fast food and hope your liver doesn't begin to fail like the guy's that ate only at McDonald's for 30 days! What else, oh yes..took a ride up to see my son and daughter-in-law in Kenosha, WI. It was great to see where they live now temporarily one block from Lake Michigan..cooked goulash for them and one would have thought I made fillet Mignon! They were both sooo delighted! Took a 12" stainless steel fry pan for a gift and have since heard back from them that it's the best pan they have It browns so well and even their hamburgers taste sooo much better! Ah yes, tricks of the cooking trade passed onto the young by the elderly. I slept on their 3rd floor guest room air mattress. The bed was fine, however the climb was a challenge, at best! I do believe, however, it did make my heart stronger from the experience.
I had the opportunity to see my great-granddaughter for two weekends as her mommy and daddy had to work, along with spending an afternoon at my granddaughter's apartment, swimming and eating Subways...YUM, YUM! Aubrey, was quite ill the last weekend and just wanted her Grammy to hold her for three hours, sure brought back a lot of memories of raising and holding and cuddling all my babies when they were not up to par.I cannot express how much I grew to love her and her mom more during that time. In fact, now that I am on the subject of love..let me say that .."One always loves family, because they are family..even from a distance", but when our lives intertwine in close proximity, we acquire a bond that cannot be broken. A bond that brings us sooo much closer and helps us to relate to one another's feelings so much more intensely than loving one another from a distance. I have always felt that way, especially since in the past, I had 4 grandchildren nearby and one 500 miles away many years ago. Today, having just spent two weeks with my children, 4 grandchildren and a great-granddaughter, I feel such great love for them and their families and a much closer bond to them than I feel for my granddaughter and great-grandson, who I haven't seen but only twice, I think, in the past two or three years. I do worry so about them and our lack of contact, however I cannot control the situation and have put them in my "God Box", knowing He is in charge. I love them both very much, want the best for them, and wish we could be closer...maybe, some day.
Next to lastly, even though I was quite sad to leave my family in Illinois, it was great to return to my loving husband in Arizona and structure in my life, again. I have been home almost four days now, and with each day, things are becoming a bit more organized and I am beginning to feel my head above water a bit from my neglected duties caused by my two week absence. Some calamities that needed caring for were not caused by my neglect..just by my absence and having had to leave them up to Larry..such as watering my little plants on the coffee table that were over watered, causing the dark brown water to leak on the coffee table,and rip down onto my off whit carpets..through the area rug and onto the big rug underneath, along with the bottom drawer of the freezer being left open an inch for a week, causing the thawing of all the food in it, a big ice build-up which would not let the drawer close again until it was defrosted, and probably, as a result, a huge electric bill on its way here! Other than those major events, all went pretty smoothly in my absence.
What's coming up in the next few weeks? My CASA Belle group is performing about 6 times..making pretty big bucks each time..$75 to $150 per performance, A lot of yard work, painting inside house walls..revamping master and guest bedrooms, more tests ordered by my Cardiologist yesterday, and hopefully, a visit to the Arizona Heart Institute to get a second opinion, clean all closets..removing clothes to big for me and too small for Larry..organizing office..much, much ironing...replacing missing roof shingles before the monsoons start..just for beginners. A busy summer ahead.
Lastly, Larry and I so very blessed with loving families and friends and, also, for an abundance of material acquisitions and a sufficient income, at this time. We pray daily for all the troubled people in the world and especially for those folks close to us, knowing that even though their lives are experiencing trauma at this time, that they are all in His tender loving care.
Bye for now and much love to all my babies, big and small and tiny..mom, grammie and nana
Firstly, the Ms Senior AZ pageant was a vast learning experience for me. Although I did not win or even place in the top five, I learned quite a bit about pageantry, made many new friends and qualified to become a member of the Cameo Club. So, why is that so great, you ask? Now my friend, Shirley, and I can perform duets at their shows, which they have to earn money for Alzheimer's. Who knows, maybe I'll try again next year, "God willing and the creek doesn't rise."
Maybe next year, I will not be sick as a dog with a horrible cold at pageant time, as I was this year.
My three CASA cases are moving along towards permanency of adoption, some more smoothly than others. With my poor health and busy schedule on top of it all, I have been a bit remiss spending time with my CASA kids. I, now, plan to correct that, beginning with taking them all to the circus in the next few weeks. My thirteen year-old and I did go on a hike three weeks ago, which was great fun..she is such a dear young lady. In the next couple weeks, I have three court hearings and two foster-care review boards and three child-family-team members to attend and three CASA reports and two reports to the judge to write, files to organize and dispose of and then I will make an attempt to organize the office.
The best happening I have experienced in the past six weeks, or so, is my visit to Illinois to see all my babies, big and small and, yes, even the tiny one! Where to begin? My time was very busy there for two weeks doing movie going (the Narnia Movie), mini putting at Volcano Falls (my favorite course!), attending and providing transportation to My 12 year-old's three girls fast ball games, attending and providing rides to swimming lessons for Brennan (5Th level) and Kristina (junior lifeguard) classes, lots of eating out (especially great to see and eat at my friend's restaurant, yum, yum!), lots and lots of shopping...praise God for Marshall's dept. store, where one can buy great quality for half the price), cooking a few good homemade dinners, which my 14 year-old grandson informed me about, saying even though he loved me and enjoyed my visits, two weeks of homemade food and no fast food was really hard for him! Sorry Brennan, I really fear your health on all that fast food and hope your liver doesn't begin to fail like the guy's that ate only at McDonald's for 30 days! What else, oh yes..took a ride up to see my son and daughter-in-law in Kenosha, WI. It was great to see where they live now temporarily one block from Lake Michigan..cooked goulash for them and one would have thought I made fillet Mignon! They were both sooo delighted! Took a 12" stainless steel fry pan for a gift and have since heard back from them that it's the best pan they have It browns so well and even their hamburgers taste sooo much better! Ah yes, tricks of the cooking trade passed onto the young by the elderly. I slept on their 3rd floor guest room air mattress. The bed was fine, however the climb was a challenge, at best! I do believe, however, it did make my heart stronger from the experience.
I had the opportunity to see my great-granddaughter for two weekends as her mommy and daddy had to work, along with spending an afternoon at my granddaughter's apartment, swimming and eating Subways...YUM, YUM! Aubrey, was quite ill the last weekend and just wanted her Grammy to hold her for three hours, sure brought back a lot of memories of raising and holding and cuddling all my babies when they were not up to par.I cannot express how much I grew to love her and her mom more during that time. In fact, now that I am on the subject of love..let me say that .."One always loves family, because they are family..even from a distance", but when our lives intertwine in close proximity, we acquire a bond that cannot be broken. A bond that brings us sooo much closer and helps us to relate to one another's feelings so much more intensely than loving one another from a distance. I have always felt that way, especially since in the past, I had 4 grandchildren nearby and one 500 miles away many years ago. Today, having just spent two weeks with my children, 4 grandchildren and a great-granddaughter, I feel such great love for them and their families and a much closer bond to them than I feel for my granddaughter and great-grandson, who I haven't seen but only twice, I think, in the past two or three years. I do worry so about them and our lack of contact, however I cannot control the situation and have put them in my "God Box", knowing He is in charge. I love them both very much, want the best for them, and wish we could be closer...maybe, some day.
Next to lastly, even though I was quite sad to leave my family in Illinois, it was great to return to my loving husband in Arizona and structure in my life, again. I have been home almost four days now, and with each day, things are becoming a bit more organized and I am beginning to feel my head above water a bit from my neglected duties caused by my two week absence. Some calamities that needed caring for were not caused by my neglect..just by my absence and having had to leave them up to Larry..such as watering my little plants on the coffee table that were over watered, causing the dark brown water to leak on the coffee table,and rip down onto my off whit carpets..through the area rug and onto the big rug underneath, along with the bottom drawer of the freezer being left open an inch for a week, causing the thawing of all the food in it, a big ice build-up which would not let the drawer close again until it was defrosted, and probably, as a result, a huge electric bill on its way here! Other than those major events, all went pretty smoothly in my absence.
What's coming up in the next few weeks? My CASA Belle group is performing about 6 times..making pretty big bucks each time..$75 to $150 per performance, A lot of yard work, painting inside house walls..revamping master and guest bedrooms, more tests ordered by my Cardiologist yesterday, and hopefully, a visit to the Arizona Heart Institute to get a second opinion, clean all closets..removing clothes to big for me and too small for Larry..organizing office..much, much ironing...replacing missing roof shingles before the monsoons start..just for beginners. A busy summer ahead.
Lastly, Larry and I so very blessed with loving families and friends and, also, for an abundance of material acquisitions and a sufficient income, at this time. We pray daily for all the troubled people in the world and especially for those folks close to us, knowing that even though their lives are experiencing trauma at this time, that they are all in His tender loving care.
Bye for now and much love to all my babies, big and small and tiny..mom, grammie and nana
Thursday, May 15, 2008
And Life Goes On!
Well, here I am, almost 2 weeks to the date of my judge's interview for the pageant update!
The week after, I was totally worn out and could not do my Cardio Rehab. The nurse threatened to report me to my doc if I didn't TOTALLY rest for one week, eating lots of veggies and fruit. So, that I did and this week I am totally renewed!
Received my labs from last week and they are the best ever! My Cardio Rehab, also, went very well on Tuesday. Surprising what a little rest will do, EH? So, on with LIFE!
This A.M. I spent about an hour on line looking for a new gown for next year's pageant..;)
Well, I don't know if any contestant ever one on their first try and I am beginning to get excited about next year! This Sunday I will attend the Post Pageant Party in Peoria, AZ and receive my gifts and dvd's and professional pictures. It will be fun to see all the gals again.
For today, however, I intend to spend a couple hours cleaning the garage, as we are getting a new door on Tuesday, and maybe plant my plants that have been waiting for almost a month to go into the ground, before they all die. I will do all this after I sit down and pay bills for an hour!
Yesterday, I caught up with the regular laundry and next I will strip the beds of flannel sheets and ready them for this Spring weather we are having, which also includes taking the down comforter off the bed that has been much too hot for the past couple weeks!
Yesterday, I took Leo to the train..As we left his house, he said, " Guess that's it!" I responded, "Yes, another chapter in your life." He said, "And what a chapter it was!" He seemed to take it much better that I expected. In fact, I think I was more sad than he as we left the house for the last time. He offered to have me take anything I wanted from the house that was up for sale, but I just couldn't bring myself to accept his offer as everything just brought back sad memories. So, we left with my sister Ruth and Misty (as Leo put it) in the suitcase, which was in my car's trunk! Guess he didn't trust leaving the ashes out of his sight and is hauling them home in his suitcase! As I attempted to lift it, I asked him, "What ever is in this suitcase, bricks?" As I have never lifted such a heavy one! "No," he said, then added, "Just a few things, not that much." He didn't tell me at the time about the heavy ashes in there, maybe 'cause the last time he handed me a velvet bag with Misty's ashes in it explaining to me that I was now holding Misty, I almost threw up! So, he didn't tell me about the ashes in the case until we were on our way.
We had lunch at Denny's and shared a strawberry shake (Ruth's favorite) almost in celebration of Leo taking her and Misty home, it seemed...:( We drove to Flagstaff and had no trouble finding the historic four story hotel Leo had reservations at. It is two blocks from the train station. This A.M. at 4:30 he was to be picked up by a cab and taken to the station to catch his 5:15AM train. So, buy now, he, Ruth and Misty are on their way home to Illinois. Another chapter in my life closed, too. (I am very sad now, thinking about it..don't know if I will ever get over the loss of my big sister, who was the only constant I ever had throughout my lifetime, until last October. "You are severely missed, my dear, dear sister and almost mom.)
We must all move on now, knowing she is better off where she is and is now experiencing the love of those that went before her and of our merciful and forgiving Lord. "Til next time, luv to all my babies big and small, yo mama and grammie.
The week after, I was totally worn out and could not do my Cardio Rehab. The nurse threatened to report me to my doc if I didn't TOTALLY rest for one week, eating lots of veggies and fruit. So, that I did and this week I am totally renewed!
Received my labs from last week and they are the best ever! My Cardio Rehab, also, went very well on Tuesday. Surprising what a little rest will do, EH? So, on with LIFE!
This A.M. I spent about an hour on line looking for a new gown for next year's pageant..;)
Well, I don't know if any contestant ever one on their first try and I am beginning to get excited about next year! This Sunday I will attend the Post Pageant Party in Peoria, AZ and receive my gifts and dvd's and professional pictures. It will be fun to see all the gals again.
For today, however, I intend to spend a couple hours cleaning the garage, as we are getting a new door on Tuesday, and maybe plant my plants that have been waiting for almost a month to go into the ground, before they all die. I will do all this after I sit down and pay bills for an hour!
Yesterday, I caught up with the regular laundry and next I will strip the beds of flannel sheets and ready them for this Spring weather we are having, which also includes taking the down comforter off the bed that has been much too hot for the past couple weeks!
Yesterday, I took Leo to the train..As we left his house, he said, " Guess that's it!" I responded, "Yes, another chapter in your life." He said, "And what a chapter it was!" He seemed to take it much better that I expected. In fact, I think I was more sad than he as we left the house for the last time. He offered to have me take anything I wanted from the house that was up for sale, but I just couldn't bring myself to accept his offer as everything just brought back sad memories. So, we left with my sister Ruth and Misty (as Leo put it) in the suitcase, which was in my car's trunk! Guess he didn't trust leaving the ashes out of his sight and is hauling them home in his suitcase! As I attempted to lift it, I asked him, "What ever is in this suitcase, bricks?" As I have never lifted such a heavy one! "No," he said, then added, "Just a few things, not that much." He didn't tell me at the time about the heavy ashes in there, maybe 'cause the last time he handed me a velvet bag with Misty's ashes in it explaining to me that I was now holding Misty, I almost threw up! So, he didn't tell me about the ashes in the case until we were on our way.
We had lunch at Denny's and shared a strawberry shake (Ruth's favorite) almost in celebration of Leo taking her and Misty home, it seemed...:( We drove to Flagstaff and had no trouble finding the historic four story hotel Leo had reservations at. It is two blocks from the train station. This A.M. at 4:30 he was to be picked up by a cab and taken to the station to catch his 5:15AM train. So, buy now, he, Ruth and Misty are on their way home to Illinois. Another chapter in my life closed, too. (I am very sad now, thinking about it..don't know if I will ever get over the loss of my big sister, who was the only constant I ever had throughout my lifetime, until last October. "You are severely missed, my dear, dear sister and almost mom.)
We must all move on now, knowing she is better off where she is and is now experiencing the love of those that went before her and of our merciful and forgiving Lord. "Til next time, luv to all my babies big and small, yo mama and grammie.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Is It Over or Just Beginning?
Here it is Thursday already..the pageant was five days ago...guess I am just beginning to get my feet back on the ground!
Well, I did not win or even place in the top five this time...This time, you say? Well, maybe I 'll try again next year..most the preparation is already done..should be a piece of cake next time! We'll see. Sure made a bunch of new friends..hope they all stay in touch..we went through a lot together.
It really seems nice having time to do the dishes and the laundry and maybe even vacume the floors tomorrow..what a treat!
Then, of course, I have my three CASA kids that I have almost totally ignored the past month and even longer because of the pageant demands and my illnesses. Looking forward to socializing with them and fighting the system for them again.
This Saturday, Larry and I will take Leo's dresser to him as he is being moved on the 12th and next Wednesday, the 14th, I will take him to Flagstaff where he will catch the train to Illinois the next day at about 6AM, I guess. Another chapter of my life closed..can't think too much about it as it is still very hard for me to accept the fact that my dear sister (and almost mom) is no longer on Earth. I miss her so very, very much! I understand that this Autumn Debbie will have a memorial service for her, which will help with some closure..it did with my sister Laurie, anyway.
I must now concentrate on getting stronger as my nurse a Cardio-Rehab is quite concerned about the down turn in my Cardio results. She feels I totally wore myself out the last couple weeks with little sleep, the stress of the pageant, all the activities, the dancing and to top it all off, being quite ill with a really bad cold. She made me promise to rest 'til next Tuesday and eat lots of veggies and fruits to help regain my strength and if I don't show improvement by Tuesday, she will report it to my doc...whoa!! sounds pretty authoritarian to me. In a couple weeks, I intend to get a second opinion, anyway.
Til next time..love to all my babies big and small..yo mama and grammie
Well, I did not win or even place in the top five this time...This time, you say? Well, maybe I 'll try again next year..most the preparation is already done..should be a piece of cake next time! We'll see. Sure made a bunch of new friends..hope they all stay in touch..we went through a lot together.
It really seems nice having time to do the dishes and the laundry and maybe even vacume the floors tomorrow..what a treat!
Then, of course, I have my three CASA kids that I have almost totally ignored the past month and even longer because of the pageant demands and my illnesses. Looking forward to socializing with them and fighting the system for them again.
This Saturday, Larry and I will take Leo's dresser to him as he is being moved on the 12th and next Wednesday, the 14th, I will take him to Flagstaff where he will catch the train to Illinois the next day at about 6AM, I guess. Another chapter of my life closed..can't think too much about it as it is still very hard for me to accept the fact that my dear sister (and almost mom) is no longer on Earth. I miss her so very, very much! I understand that this Autumn Debbie will have a memorial service for her, which will help with some closure..it did with my sister Laurie, anyway.
I must now concentrate on getting stronger as my nurse a Cardio-Rehab is quite concerned about the down turn in my Cardio results. She feels I totally wore myself out the last couple weeks with little sleep, the stress of the pageant, all the activities, the dancing and to top it all off, being quite ill with a really bad cold. She made me promise to rest 'til next Tuesday and eat lots of veggies and fruits to help regain my strength and if I don't show improvement by Tuesday, she will report it to my doc...whoa!! sounds pretty authoritarian to me. In a couple weeks, I intend to get a second opinion, anyway.
Til next time..love to all my babies big and small..yo mama and grammie
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Ready, Set......Go!!!
Woke up Tuesday AM with a horribly burning throat and sinuses...just what I need with a million things yet to do for the pageant! Got out the echinasia, and cold eeeze. Troat continued to burn..could not swallow...went to the store and bought two bags of potato chips. Started eating them on the way home and WALLA!!! Within about five minutes, throat was better...so every 3 or 4 hours since, I eat more chips. Feel much better today...just wish my nose would quit filling up. That'll be cute tomorrow if I have to keep wiping and/or blowing my nose during my interview with the judges (did I mention, also, wiping the make-up off my face at the same time..:(......?
Dress has been redesigned, revamped and added to, toe nails are polished, finger nails are glued on (Still have to file and polish them) and I am having quite a time here trying to type with them! I wnet spray tanning for the second time in 8 days..pretty tan right now. Two interviews today with the Prescott and Prescott Valley news papers. Seems like they are interested after all...the Prescott Paper said they were going to write a story about me, instead of just publishing the press release from the pageant people! Sure hope I at least end up in the top five, so I don't embarrass my city! They are coming to our performance on Monday to take more pictures and get the results of the pageant.
Just need to finish packing and go over my lists of lists so as not to forget anything!
Debbie called today from Pekin to ask me if I could take Leo to the motel in Flagstaff on the 14th. Guess he is going home to Illinois on Amtrack and needs to spend the night there 'cause the only train going his way leaves at 4 or 5:30AM. Said I would be happy to do that. The movers are coming on the 12th..they will be towing his car. I don't know how he will sleep there the next two nights with no furnitue. Larry and I are thinking of asking him to stay here 'til the 14th...we'll see. She has rented an apartment for him 2 minuts away from her with the mall and a city park a block away, so he won't have to drive much. He had a crashed fender last time I saw his car and Deb said he ran into Kim's car coming out of his garage a couple weeks ago. Too bad..wonder how Kim felt about that?
A bit chillier here today about 67 degrees..a bit windy, but the air smells very fresh..just like up at the lakes in Wisconsin.
Signing off now...my next blog will probably be Sunday night or Monday..
Love to all my babies, big and small..yo mama and grammie
Dress has been redesigned, revamped and added to, toe nails are polished, finger nails are glued on (Still have to file and polish them) and I am having quite a time here trying to type with them! I wnet spray tanning for the second time in 8 days..pretty tan right now. Two interviews today with the Prescott and Prescott Valley news papers. Seems like they are interested after all...the Prescott Paper said they were going to write a story about me, instead of just publishing the press release from the pageant people! Sure hope I at least end up in the top five, so I don't embarrass my city! They are coming to our performance on Monday to take more pictures and get the results of the pageant.
Just need to finish packing and go over my lists of lists so as not to forget anything!
Debbie called today from Pekin to ask me if I could take Leo to the motel in Flagstaff on the 14th. Guess he is going home to Illinois on Amtrack and needs to spend the night there 'cause the only train going his way leaves at 4 or 5:30AM. Said I would be happy to do that. The movers are coming on the 12th..they will be towing his car. I don't know how he will sleep there the next two nights with no furnitue. Larry and I are thinking of asking him to stay here 'til the 14th...we'll see. She has rented an apartment for him 2 minuts away from her with the mall and a city park a block away, so he won't have to drive much. He had a crashed fender last time I saw his car and Deb said he ran into Kim's car coming out of his garage a couple weeks ago. Too bad..wonder how Kim felt about that?
A bit chillier here today about 67 degrees..a bit windy, but the air smells very fresh..just like up at the lakes in Wisconsin.
Signing off now...my next blog will probably be Sunday night or Monday..
Love to all my babies, big and small..yo mama and grammie
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
The Pressure is Mounting!
Yes, just three more days until my interview with the pageant judges and four days 'til the pageant itself. Yikes!
Last night I began adding embellishments to my very plain gown I chose over three months ago to wear for this pageant. However, after seeing the other's gowns last week, mine is very, very plain. I refuse to spend 100's of dollars and sometimes 1000's for a pageant gown...so, I bought some rhinestone rope and some material to drape from the back to some arm bracelets that I am about to construct! Say a prayer...I haven't a clue what I am doing..this is a first attempt for me. Last night I sewed the rhinestone rope on the gown's halter top, all around the edges and added a rhinestone pine I purchased in Vegas 30 years ago on the bodice of the gown...not too bad!..If I knew how to put a picture on here, I would do it..but, alas, no time to figure that out right now. Wish you were here, Joke, to help with the draping part..I haven't a clue, but will begin soon my clueless efforts..should be done by tonight. I must do it in between my home communion visit to a church shut in at 11AM...my Cardio Rehab jaunt at 1PM and a family team meeting at 5PM for one of my CASA cases. Whew!
Then in my sparetime, I will try on and choose a suit (I haven't worn any of them for about 10 years, hope one fits!)to wear for my Friday interview with the judges, frost my hair, try and figure out how to wear it with my new hair piece, buy some fake fingernails..try on my new lashes, make a new hairpiece accessory, study my questions and still find time to practice my routine that I keep totally blanking out in parts.....:(
By next week this time, it will all be over and I can finally rest..I told my girlfriend that got me into this thing that I really hope I do not win as I need a rest! I think just being in the top five would be quite an honor and if I am up to it next year, I can try again...who knows?
We have ordered a new garage door which came in last week, but of course, we have no time to even think about cleaning the garage in the next week or so, so they can install it. We have that to look forward to, perhaps next week and the weeds are growing and my purchased flowers are drooping from living in their little containers for weeks!
It is in the 70's here every day. We have much to do before the rainy season comes in July...saw it was 46 in Chicago, yesterday. BBRRrrrrr...cold. Glad I am not there, but sure would be nice if you all were here to share in the excitement this weekend...maybe next time, if there is one.
Well, off to sewing now..take care and love to all my babies, big and small...yo mama and grammie
Last night I began adding embellishments to my very plain gown I chose over three months ago to wear for this pageant. However, after seeing the other's gowns last week, mine is very, very plain. I refuse to spend 100's of dollars and sometimes 1000's for a pageant gown...so, I bought some rhinestone rope and some material to drape from the back to some arm bracelets that I am about to construct! Say a prayer...I haven't a clue what I am doing..this is a first attempt for me. Last night I sewed the rhinestone rope on the gown's halter top, all around the edges and added a rhinestone pine I purchased in Vegas 30 years ago on the bodice of the gown...not too bad!..If I knew how to put a picture on here, I would do it..but, alas, no time to figure that out right now. Wish you were here, Joke, to help with the draping part..I haven't a clue, but will begin soon my clueless efforts..should be done by tonight. I must do it in between my home communion visit to a church shut in at 11AM...my Cardio Rehab jaunt at 1PM and a family team meeting at 5PM for one of my CASA cases. Whew!
Then in my sparetime, I will try on and choose a suit (I haven't worn any of them for about 10 years, hope one fits!)to wear for my Friday interview with the judges, frost my hair, try and figure out how to wear it with my new hair piece, buy some fake fingernails..try on my new lashes, make a new hairpiece accessory, study my questions and still find time to practice my routine that I keep totally blanking out in parts.....:(
By next week this time, it will all be over and I can finally rest..I told my girlfriend that got me into this thing that I really hope I do not win as I need a rest! I think just being in the top five would be quite an honor and if I am up to it next year, I can try again...who knows?
We have ordered a new garage door which came in last week, but of course, we have no time to even think about cleaning the garage in the next week or so, so they can install it. We have that to look forward to, perhaps next week and the weeds are growing and my purchased flowers are drooping from living in their little containers for weeks!
It is in the 70's here every day. We have much to do before the rainy season comes in July...saw it was 46 in Chicago, yesterday. BBRRrrrrr...cold. Glad I am not there, but sure would be nice if you all were here to share in the excitement this weekend...maybe next time, if there is one.
Well, off to sewing now..take care and love to all my babies, big and small...yo mama and grammie
Sunday, April 13, 2008
SORRY!
Oh my goodness...has it been about three weeks since my last blog? Unbelievable! Even now, I probably need to be practicing my routine instead of blogging. However, having just read Jacque's blog, I guess if she can find the time to do it, I can too. So, for the next few minutes, I will ignore the laundry, the ironing, the organizing, the sewing, the paperwork for my husband's business and a lot more, while a type a few notes on here. (Just a minute, I need to add Downey to the rinse cycle!) OK, I am back :(
Now, the pageant...they now have a bit more info on www.msseniorarizona.com about the contestants. There are many lovely and very talented ladies in the pageant. I must keep remembering that I am told by the pageant directors that I am not competing against the others and that I am only competing against being "ALL I CAN BE", because that is what I will be judged on. Good thing, 'cause boy there are some great ladies in the pageant. We have had two rehearsals, so far. Each time, it seems I forget a bit less of my routine. Hopefully, by the time I perform it (oh my goodness, is it just three weeks away?) I will know most of it and maybe even have added a bit of styling and technique..pray for a miracle ;(...I must say that it is actually getting to be fun at times and I am meeting some very nice people....lifetime friends? possibly. I am revamping and adding some bling to my gown, (got some design suggestions from the designer that is doing my costume. God bless her. Oh yes, the costume creation wheels are turning and I got to try on the shell of it last Wednesday. It is to be ready by this Friday so I can pick it up then. The designer, Judy, told me last week, "Don't you worry, honey, I will do a very special job just for you. I will add a lot of bling and you will be very sparkly, and you will be just beautiful! She is such a dear and the owner is, also, so very kind...I don't know how I deserve such "Grace" from them, but thank you God for all the help and support I am receiving throughout this ordeal. Without it, I would have given up long ago.
Larry will be going to the pageant with my friend, Shirley's husband and their single son, Darin, and Larry's single daughter, Joy...hint, hint! Also, Larry's son, Matt, and his wife, Michelle, and their two teenagers are coming. Along with some of my friends and there husbands and possibly my dentist and his staff and some of the staff from Randell Designs..Sure wish my family lived closer..I know they would all be there if it was possible.
Cardio news...I have been attending Cardio-Rehab for three weeks, now. The nurse said I am improving. She said at my stress test in Feb, 2009, my heart shut down when stressed and my blood pressure crashed...now, during my exercise routine there at rehab, my pulse goes up along with my blood pressure to about 175/over 90....yey!!! God is good! I can now do my entire routine without collapsing, anyway..used to be I could only do about 8 or 9 measures of 8 and then I would have to sit down. Yes, the last couple weeks, I have become optimistically hopeful that I will be around a few more years, anyway..Thank you Lord for your many blessings.
Ok, enuf for now..back to the laundry..luv to all my babies, big and small..mom and Grammie
Now, the pageant...they now have a bit more info on www.msseniorarizona.com about the contestants. There are many lovely and very talented ladies in the pageant. I must keep remembering that I am told by the pageant directors that I am not competing against the others and that I am only competing against being "ALL I CAN BE", because that is what I will be judged on. Good thing, 'cause boy there are some great ladies in the pageant. We have had two rehearsals, so far. Each time, it seems I forget a bit less of my routine. Hopefully, by the time I perform it (oh my goodness, is it just three weeks away?) I will know most of it and maybe even have added a bit of styling and technique..pray for a miracle ;(...I must say that it is actually getting to be fun at times and I am meeting some very nice people....lifetime friends? possibly. I am revamping and adding some bling to my gown, (got some design suggestions from the designer that is doing my costume. God bless her. Oh yes, the costume creation wheels are turning and I got to try on the shell of it last Wednesday. It is to be ready by this Friday so I can pick it up then. The designer, Judy, told me last week, "Don't you worry, honey, I will do a very special job just for you. I will add a lot of bling and you will be very sparkly, and you will be just beautiful! She is such a dear and the owner is, also, so very kind...I don't know how I deserve such "Grace" from them, but thank you God for all the help and support I am receiving throughout this ordeal. Without it, I would have given up long ago.
Larry will be going to the pageant with my friend, Shirley's husband and their single son, Darin, and Larry's single daughter, Joy...hint, hint! Also, Larry's son, Matt, and his wife, Michelle, and their two teenagers are coming. Along with some of my friends and there husbands and possibly my dentist and his staff and some of the staff from Randell Designs..Sure wish my family lived closer..I know they would all be there if it was possible.
Cardio news...I have been attending Cardio-Rehab for three weeks, now. The nurse said I am improving. She said at my stress test in Feb, 2009, my heart shut down when stressed and my blood pressure crashed...now, during my exercise routine there at rehab, my pulse goes up along with my blood pressure to about 175/over 90....yey!!! God is good! I can now do my entire routine without collapsing, anyway..used to be I could only do about 8 or 9 measures of 8 and then I would have to sit down. Yes, the last couple weeks, I have become optimistically hopeful that I will be around a few more years, anyway..Thank you Lord for your many blessings.
Ok, enuf for now..back to the laundry..luv to all my babies, big and small..mom and Grammie
Saturday, March 22, 2008
SPRING HAS SPRUNG IN P.V.!
So sorry to hear about all the snow back home. Sounds like the last big storm of the year there. I hate to rub it in (ha,ha), but our Forsythia, Daffodiles, Pink Bud and many other kinds of flowering trees are in full bloom around here and have been for almost two weeks! Gotta love Arizona in the high desert this time of year. Makes a lazy one's thoughts turn to pulling out the old dried up plants from last year and putting in the new! Especially the ones at the front door greeting Larry's clients. They are probably thinking, "HHhMMmmm, sure are some lazy people that live in this house," or maybe "Guess this guy doesn"t make enough money to hire a gardner his rates must be reasonable or maybe he should raise them." Whatever, there are just so many hours in a day and since I have been taking these heart drugs my body wants to spend the majority of them SLEEPING! I am supposed to get used to them some day and those hours should lessen (the doc maintains.)
The few hours I feel refreshed during the day, I try to spend on learning my routine. I have two weeks left before I have to perform it during pageant rehearsal, so the pressure is on! On April 4th, I have my first costume fitting and rehearsal! How exciting is that? Seems hard to believe the time is drawing near.
Now, the Swiffer story.......Everyday, Swif-her and Larry go on a two mile walk..or should I say Larry goes on the walk and Swif-her normally rides in the pak on his back. Well a week ago, after they had been on their journey for over a half-hour, the phone rang. Seeing it was Larry calling, I panicked knowing for certain something was dreadfully wrong! Upon answering the phone, I learned that Swif-her had jumped out of the back-pak sometime during Larry's walk. He had no idea when it had happened, as he is always so busy listening to his books on CD that he is oblivious to the rest of the world, especially the little six pound dog he is carrying that will bark at everything that moves along the way and that the barking had stopped for the last 1/2 hour! Panicking, I threw a jacket on over my jammies, got in the car to search and found Larry had called me when from about 1000 feet away. Guess he didn't notice Swif-her's absence until he was within a few houses of our house! We needed a plan..needless to say. We decided to check with an elderly couple that always waves to Larry in the very beginning of his walk to see if Swif-her was in the back-pak then. We did just that. "No," the lady called out when questioned. "She wasn't in the back-pak and we wondered why Larry was carrying an empty back-pak on his walk!" Oh my God! That means Swif-her had been roaming free in a strange neighborhood for over 45 minutes! We began stopping at various neighbor's houses along Larry's route asking about Swif-her. No one had seen a little white powder puff dog running loose. While Larry was chatting with one neighbor, I noticed a little white spot running down a road about a block away and quickly drove there to check it out. By the time I arrived, the white spot had vanished. I returned to find Larry wondering down the road, back and forth, walking from one side of the road to the other..unaware that a car was in back of him (me)and closing in fast. Finally, he got in and we proceeded to look for Swif-her. About this time, almost ready to have a panick attack, I began telling myself that the world wouldn't quit spinnng if we never saw her again and that life would go on. Then, I bagan thinking, "Nothing is lost in God. Nothing is lost in God." A few minutes later, while sitting in the car checking with another neighbor, a truck pulled up along side of us and the young man inside said, "Is this what you are looking for?" There was Swif-her trying vigorously to jump out of his arms, through his truck window and through my car window! Words cannot express my emotions. I could hardlybreath and was thinking, "Is this what loosing a child feels like, too?" The young man continued on saying, "First I saw your husband walking aimlisly back and forth on the street, a few blocks down I saw this little white dog running down the road and instantly felt that this is what that man was looking for, so I stopped and picked up this little dog and have been looking for your husband ever since for the past 20 minutes! Oh my goodness..so I surmised that this truck had 1st seen Larry..then picked up Swif-her right after I saw her and before I could get there..the truck went back to find Larry, but I had picked him up and he was no longer wondering aimlessly down the road and then we all spent the next 20 minutes going in circles looking for each other. Whew! I am dizzy after just thinking about all this. Needless to say, Swif-her did not go on any more walks until a couple days ago, after I bought her a harness and now she is securely attached to the back-pak with her harness and long leash. Now, if she jumps out, what are the odds that Larry will notice that she is walking along side of him on the road instead of being in the back-pak? 100 to 1, maybe, before he ends his walk. Either way, Swif-her will hopefully return home safely each time..walking or riding!
That was a long story, but needed telling. Hope you got a few laughs. Easter is tomorrow..had church last nite. It started about 20 minutes late because Father Dan had to go bless a parishioner that had died shortly before. Upon his return he said, "What a great day to die!" Still wondering about opening our service with that! Church tonight..2 1/2 hours long with much of it being outside..having second thoughts about attending this year as it will be cold and we must stand for about an hour out there before entering the church. I am serving communion tomorrow at the 11AM service, so will surely attend that one. Making ham for dinner...no guests for dinner...will miss my family immensly...been thinking about making a visit, but it is very costly and right now we are trying to pull in our straps like most other people, not being certain of what the future holds as far as income goes.
Will close for now..know that you will all be in my thoughts tomorrow and I will be there with you all in spirit..luv to all, yo mama and grammie
P.S. Mailed stamps for the kids today and $'s to help with Kevin's and Brennan's dinner...sorry it is not more timely.
The few hours I feel refreshed during the day, I try to spend on learning my routine. I have two weeks left before I have to perform it during pageant rehearsal, so the pressure is on! On April 4th, I have my first costume fitting and rehearsal! How exciting is that? Seems hard to believe the time is drawing near.
Now, the Swiffer story.......Everyday, Swif-her and Larry go on a two mile walk..or should I say Larry goes on the walk and Swif-her normally rides in the pak on his back. Well a week ago, after they had been on their journey for over a half-hour, the phone rang. Seeing it was Larry calling, I panicked knowing for certain something was dreadfully wrong! Upon answering the phone, I learned that Swif-her had jumped out of the back-pak sometime during Larry's walk. He had no idea when it had happened, as he is always so busy listening to his books on CD that he is oblivious to the rest of the world, especially the little six pound dog he is carrying that will bark at everything that moves along the way and that the barking had stopped for the last 1/2 hour! Panicking, I threw a jacket on over my jammies, got in the car to search and found Larry had called me when from about 1000 feet away. Guess he didn't notice Swif-her's absence until he was within a few houses of our house! We needed a plan..needless to say. We decided to check with an elderly couple that always waves to Larry in the very beginning of his walk to see if Swif-her was in the back-pak then. We did just that. "No," the lady called out when questioned. "She wasn't in the back-pak and we wondered why Larry was carrying an empty back-pak on his walk!" Oh my God! That means Swif-her had been roaming free in a strange neighborhood for over 45 minutes! We began stopping at various neighbor's houses along Larry's route asking about Swif-her. No one had seen a little white powder puff dog running loose. While Larry was chatting with one neighbor, I noticed a little white spot running down a road about a block away and quickly drove there to check it out. By the time I arrived, the white spot had vanished. I returned to find Larry wondering down the road, back and forth, walking from one side of the road to the other..unaware that a car was in back of him (me)and closing in fast. Finally, he got in and we proceeded to look for Swif-her. About this time, almost ready to have a panick attack, I began telling myself that the world wouldn't quit spinnng if we never saw her again and that life would go on. Then, I bagan thinking, "Nothing is lost in God. Nothing is lost in God." A few minutes later, while sitting in the car checking with another neighbor, a truck pulled up along side of us and the young man inside said, "Is this what you are looking for?" There was Swif-her trying vigorously to jump out of his arms, through his truck window and through my car window! Words cannot express my emotions. I could hardlybreath and was thinking, "Is this what loosing a child feels like, too?" The young man continued on saying, "First I saw your husband walking aimlisly back and forth on the street, a few blocks down I saw this little white dog running down the road and instantly felt that this is what that man was looking for, so I stopped and picked up this little dog and have been looking for your husband ever since for the past 20 minutes! Oh my goodness..so I surmised that this truck had 1st seen Larry..then picked up Swif-her right after I saw her and before I could get there..the truck went back to find Larry, but I had picked him up and he was no longer wondering aimlessly down the road and then we all spent the next 20 minutes going in circles looking for each other. Whew! I am dizzy after just thinking about all this. Needless to say, Swif-her did not go on any more walks until a couple days ago, after I bought her a harness and now she is securely attached to the back-pak with her harness and long leash. Now, if she jumps out, what are the odds that Larry will notice that she is walking along side of him on the road instead of being in the back-pak? 100 to 1, maybe, before he ends his walk. Either way, Swif-her will hopefully return home safely each time..walking or riding!
That was a long story, but needed telling. Hope you got a few laughs. Easter is tomorrow..had church last nite. It started about 20 minutes late because Father Dan had to go bless a parishioner that had died shortly before. Upon his return he said, "What a great day to die!" Still wondering about opening our service with that! Church tonight..2 1/2 hours long with much of it being outside..having second thoughts about attending this year as it will be cold and we must stand for about an hour out there before entering the church. I am serving communion tomorrow at the 11AM service, so will surely attend that one. Making ham for dinner...no guests for dinner...will miss my family immensly...been thinking about making a visit, but it is very costly and right now we are trying to pull in our straps like most other people, not being certain of what the future holds as far as income goes.
Will close for now..know that you will all be in my thoughts tomorrow and I will be there with you all in spirit..luv to all, yo mama and grammie
P.S. Mailed stamps for the kids today and $'s to help with Kevin's and Brennan's dinner...sorry it is not more timely.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Bored!
Let's see...what's up around here? Well, nothing too good on TV tonight, so thought I'd think of something to update this blog. Next Monday, of course, I will not be saying this with the Bachelor and Dancing With the Stars back on the air!
Went to my dance class this AM..my group is performing Friday for some women's Political party, but I am bringing and serving soup for the soup supper at church that night, so I will not be with them performing. However, I will perform on the 17th. So, we are busy getting ready for that. So many of my dance group are ill. I am trying very hard to stay healthy. We have bad flu all around us here and I am high risk...that is why I am careful wit the hand washing, shoes off in the house, no touching eyes and nose, etc.
Got the taxes off to the accountant last week. Now, we are just waiting for the results. They need to be mailed by the 15th.
Tomorrow I have a most important court trial for one of my CASA babies. Say a prayer all goes well. The permanent placement planning part is about to begin. Hard to let these babies go to people that I feel will not be a nurturing family. All I can do is tell my opinion to the judge and hope it makes a difference and then PRAY! So far, so good. We have had all happy endings up to now, but not without a struggle.
I am considering being on the board of the Mental Health Clinic here that does all the counseling for our foster kids. Maybe, if I get the position, I might be able to make a difference in a small way for them. We'll see.
Wednesday I begin my Cardio Rehab and then I am really gonna hit my routine hard..have about three weeks to get it memorized. Also, depending on whether the rehab makes a difference, I might go to the Arizona Heart Institute for a second opinion.
Well, Larry just came home, so will cut this short for now.
Love to all my babies, big and small....yo mama and grammie
P.S....65 degrees here today and SUNNY!
Went to my dance class this AM..my group is performing Friday for some women's Political party, but I am bringing and serving soup for the soup supper at church that night, so I will not be with them performing. However, I will perform on the 17th. So, we are busy getting ready for that. So many of my dance group are ill. I am trying very hard to stay healthy. We have bad flu all around us here and I am high risk...that is why I am careful wit the hand washing, shoes off in the house, no touching eyes and nose, etc.
Got the taxes off to the accountant last week. Now, we are just waiting for the results. They need to be mailed by the 15th.
Tomorrow I have a most important court trial for one of my CASA babies. Say a prayer all goes well. The permanent placement planning part is about to begin. Hard to let these babies go to people that I feel will not be a nurturing family. All I can do is tell my opinion to the judge and hope it makes a difference and then PRAY! So far, so good. We have had all happy endings up to now, but not without a struggle.
I am considering being on the board of the Mental Health Clinic here that does all the counseling for our foster kids. Maybe, if I get the position, I might be able to make a difference in a small way for them. We'll see.
Wednesday I begin my Cardio Rehab and then I am really gonna hit my routine hard..have about three weeks to get it memorized. Also, depending on whether the rehab makes a difference, I might go to the Arizona Heart Institute for a second opinion.
Well, Larry just came home, so will cut this short for now.
Love to all my babies, big and small....yo mama and grammie
P.S....65 degrees here today and SUNNY!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Bad Blogger
Yesterday, I got a call from my daughter asking if all was OK, because I hadn't blogged for five days!!!! Well, I explained that no news meant no changes, but that was not acceptable for her as, I guess, she would like boring blog updates each day just to confirm there were no changes and the boring life is continuing. Maybe boring is not the right word and I should say routine, instead.
So, here I go with my, now, weekly update.
What I can remember is that I didn't go to church on Sunday (and I was supposed to help serve communion that day) because I had the flu ( I guess. Larry thinks it may have been a reaction to some of my drugs...who knows?).
I did not go to dance practice Monday A.M. because I was so sleepy and drugged up from my new heart meds. I did, however, attend two Child-Family-Team meetings later that day for two of my CASA..foster kids. At the first meeting at 10AM, I experienced quite strong chest pains, as I was feeling I was alone in being the heavy at that meeting when asking my teen child to be responsible for her actions, while I felt the other team members were enabling her to be irresponsible. When expressing my thoughts after the meeting to the facilitator, she advised she felt my actions were necessary and someone had to do it and, because of politics in the system, other members were probably uncomfortable doing it. Oh the joys of being a volunteer and having to answer to no one but the Judge. No wonder he says he really puts a lot of stock in our reports and reads them thoroughly, because we (as volunteers) have no agendas. However, she did add that she felt it wasn't worth me having a heart attack over. But, those who know me know I have to say what I feel is right.
Tuesday, my friend and, also, dance director, Shirley, and I went to Phoenix. In the morning we went to my dentist for a denture adjustment and at 12:30PM we went to the Arizona Heart Institute, so she could get checked out. We were there 'til 4:45PM. It was a great experience for both her and me. I know, I will feel more comfotable now, if I need to go there for a second opinion, which may very well be the case in the near future. I, also, found out that they have locations here in Prescott and Prescott Valley, so that might be an option, too. My paramedic neice in Peoria IL, Debbie, says they are the best in the nation! So, we'll see. Anyway, then we spent the night at Shirley's condo in Scottsdale (or sometimes better known as Snotsdale, because of all the wealthy folks that live there). Her husband, Shirley and I went to an Italian restaurant for dinner that served excellent food. First time I ever heard of a Spaghetti Calzone. It is their signature dish and delicious! The next day, Wednesday, we went to some consignment shops searching for a dress for me for the pageant, as I was still unhappy with the two possibilities I already posess that I have been considering. No luck..I did, however, see a cute jacket (just a black knit blazer type jacket)there for $245 - used!!! Can you imagine? Most the clothes there are from Europe. When Shirley asked me the size of a garment and I said , "It's size 26," she responded, "What kind of a size is that?" She is so cute, a millionaire over and over, again, and buys her clothes at the Goodwill and other inexpensive resale shops! That is what makes her such a great person to be around. It is so wonderful having a really good best girlfiend, again. It's been a long time.
The strangest part of all our searching is that we didn't find a thing in Phoenix that impressed us, but when we were driving back home we stopped at a thrift store in P.V. and found a darling dress for $10 that looked like a cinderella dress. Jacque, you would have loved the color..pale salmon! But, I said I would go home and check my two possibilities before making a decision, which I did. And, lo and behold, while trying on one of the possibilities, I got a great idea how to enhance it, and now I am set. I have my gown for the pageant...yey! Now, all I have to do is learn my routine by the end of March...sure hope I get more wind and quit feeling so sleepy!
Last thought, for now, is that I start Cardio Therapy on 3/12. The nurse said it will make a big difference..I hope so, 'cause I am concerned about all the Angina I am still experiencing.
What's up for today? Getting #'s together for our Corporate and Personal income taxes! Yuk..Corps have to be turned in by the 15th of March..drats.
OK..I did it, Jacque. Gotta love that girl...don't know why I was blessed with such a "Joy" in my life...yo mama and grammie
So, here I go with my, now, weekly update.
What I can remember is that I didn't go to church on Sunday (and I was supposed to help serve communion that day) because I had the flu ( I guess. Larry thinks it may have been a reaction to some of my drugs...who knows?).
I did not go to dance practice Monday A.M. because I was so sleepy and drugged up from my new heart meds. I did, however, attend two Child-Family-Team meetings later that day for two of my CASA..foster kids. At the first meeting at 10AM, I experienced quite strong chest pains, as I was feeling I was alone in being the heavy at that meeting when asking my teen child to be responsible for her actions, while I felt the other team members were enabling her to be irresponsible. When expressing my thoughts after the meeting to the facilitator, she advised she felt my actions were necessary and someone had to do it and, because of politics in the system, other members were probably uncomfortable doing it. Oh the joys of being a volunteer and having to answer to no one but the Judge. No wonder he says he really puts a lot of stock in our reports and reads them thoroughly, because we (as volunteers) have no agendas. However, she did add that she felt it wasn't worth me having a heart attack over. But, those who know me know I have to say what I feel is right.
Tuesday, my friend and, also, dance director, Shirley, and I went to Phoenix. In the morning we went to my dentist for a denture adjustment and at 12:30PM we went to the Arizona Heart Institute, so she could get checked out. We were there 'til 4:45PM. It was a great experience for both her and me. I know, I will feel more comfotable now, if I need to go there for a second opinion, which may very well be the case in the near future. I, also, found out that they have locations here in Prescott and Prescott Valley, so that might be an option, too. My paramedic neice in Peoria IL, Debbie, says they are the best in the nation! So, we'll see. Anyway, then we spent the night at Shirley's condo in Scottsdale (or sometimes better known as Snotsdale, because of all the wealthy folks that live there). Her husband, Shirley and I went to an Italian restaurant for dinner that served excellent food. First time I ever heard of a Spaghetti Calzone. It is their signature dish and delicious! The next day, Wednesday, we went to some consignment shops searching for a dress for me for the pageant, as I was still unhappy with the two possibilities I already posess that I have been considering. No luck..I did, however, see a cute jacket (just a black knit blazer type jacket)there for $245 - used!!! Can you imagine? Most the clothes there are from Europe. When Shirley asked me the size of a garment and I said , "It's size 26," she responded, "What kind of a size is that?" She is so cute, a millionaire over and over, again, and buys her clothes at the Goodwill and other inexpensive resale shops! That is what makes her such a great person to be around. It is so wonderful having a really good best girlfiend, again. It's been a long time.
The strangest part of all our searching is that we didn't find a thing in Phoenix that impressed us, but when we were driving back home we stopped at a thrift store in P.V. and found a darling dress for $10 that looked like a cinderella dress. Jacque, you would have loved the color..pale salmon! But, I said I would go home and check my two possibilities before making a decision, which I did. And, lo and behold, while trying on one of the possibilities, I got a great idea how to enhance it, and now I am set. I have my gown for the pageant...yey! Now, all I have to do is learn my routine by the end of March...sure hope I get more wind and quit feeling so sleepy!
Last thought, for now, is that I start Cardio Therapy on 3/12. The nurse said it will make a big difference..I hope so, 'cause I am concerned about all the Angina I am still experiencing.
What's up for today? Getting #'s together for our Corporate and Personal income taxes! Yuk..Corps have to be turned in by the 15th of March..drats.
OK..I did it, Jacque. Gotta love that girl...don't know why I was blessed with such a "Joy" in my life...yo mama and grammie
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
UPDATE
Boy, what a BAD BLOGGER I am! Sorry for the delay..life has been up and down the past couple weeks. I will try to fill in the blanks.
Doc is still trying to figure out why my heart is only pumping less than 25% when not at rest. Nuclear Stess Test results came back..no dead heart muscle..YEY! Got a copy of my medical records which read that he suspects intermediate to high probability of right coronary in-stent restinsis. (I think that means the stent they punt in has clogged up, which might explains why I feel worse now than before they put the stent in!) When I went on line to learn more about it, the first thing that came up was a lawsuit against the two companies that make the drug emitting stents because about 30%?, I think, of the people that get them are having trouble with them. Yup..that's what I needed to know right now, right? Anyway, I wore a Holter Monitor for 24 hours which ended yesterday afternoon. The nurse said they would call me by the end of the week with the results. Oh, did I mention that my doc is in Australia for five weeks and when I asked who was relieving him, the answer from the nurse was, "Well, I am here!" When I asked, again, the relieving doc's name, I got no answer. So, I guess my health concerns are on hold for the next five weeks.
According to my records, I have been diagnosed with severe cardiomyopathy with an ejection fraction of less than 25%, among other things.
I have made up my mind that I am not going to sit around waiting to get better, so last Saturday night, I performed with my dance group at our prestigious theater in town celebrating its 103rd birthday. Got home about 11:30PM, worn out I might add. Then church on Sunday...great to see everyone again and to take communion. Yesterday, I did my homebound communion for a shut in from church that has ..Parkinson's disease and he cannot walk now. I feel lucky after visiting him.
I have still been cooking good dinners for Larry and keeping up my household chores pretty much, along with the laundry.
I am behind on much of my CASA paperwork, which I plan to work on today as I am on call for the Foster Care Removal Review Board and need to be around the house today to answer the phone should Child Protective Services call me to do a case review.
After my paper work completion goal occurs, comes getting our corporation and personal tax figures together...then I will start painting the house again..hoping to complete what I started two years ago. It would be nice, at least, to have all the woodwork in Larry's Therapy Area the same color!...:( And if I run out of stuff to do, I can always attack our office area that is two feet deep in papers....yuk!
So, that's life at the Provence's at this moment...it seems like there is something missing about it....I think it is what some people refer to as FUN? 'Gonna have to work on getting some of that into our lives as well, I guess. Where does one find time to fit that kind of stuff into their lives? Have to think about that!
Think I'll make Larry some chocolate oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips and raisins in them today..He is gone up North for the day in Selegman counciling the school kids..some of these days are very draining for him and I bet oatmeal cookies, upon his return home, will put a BIG smile on his face!
Luv to ALL my Babies...big and small. yo mama and grammie
Doc is still trying to figure out why my heart is only pumping less than 25% when not at rest. Nuclear Stess Test results came back..no dead heart muscle..YEY! Got a copy of my medical records which read that he suspects intermediate to high probability of right coronary in-stent restinsis. (I think that means the stent they punt in has clogged up, which might explains why I feel worse now than before they put the stent in!) When I went on line to learn more about it, the first thing that came up was a lawsuit against the two companies that make the drug emitting stents because about 30%?, I think, of the people that get them are having trouble with them. Yup..that's what I needed to know right now, right? Anyway, I wore a Holter Monitor for 24 hours which ended yesterday afternoon. The nurse said they would call me by the end of the week with the results. Oh, did I mention that my doc is in Australia for five weeks and when I asked who was relieving him, the answer from the nurse was, "Well, I am here!" When I asked, again, the relieving doc's name, I got no answer. So, I guess my health concerns are on hold for the next five weeks.
According to my records, I have been diagnosed with severe cardiomyopathy with an ejection fraction of less than 25%, among other things.
I have made up my mind that I am not going to sit around waiting to get better, so last Saturday night, I performed with my dance group at our prestigious theater in town celebrating its 103rd birthday. Got home about 11:30PM, worn out I might add. Then church on Sunday...great to see everyone again and to take communion. Yesterday, I did my homebound communion for a shut in from church that has ..Parkinson's disease and he cannot walk now. I feel lucky after visiting him.
I have still been cooking good dinners for Larry and keeping up my household chores pretty much, along with the laundry.
I am behind on much of my CASA paperwork, which I plan to work on today as I am on call for the Foster Care Removal Review Board and need to be around the house today to answer the phone should Child Protective Services call me to do a case review.
After my paper work completion goal occurs, comes getting our corporation and personal tax figures together...then I will start painting the house again..hoping to complete what I started two years ago. It would be nice, at least, to have all the woodwork in Larry's Therapy Area the same color!...:( And if I run out of stuff to do, I can always attack our office area that is two feet deep in papers....yuk!
So, that's life at the Provence's at this moment...it seems like there is something missing about it....I think it is what some people refer to as FUN? 'Gonna have to work on getting some of that into our lives as well, I guess. Where does one find time to fit that kind of stuff into their lives? Have to think about that!
Think I'll make Larry some chocolate oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips and raisins in them today..He is gone up North for the day in Selegman counciling the school kids..some of these days are very draining for him and I bet oatmeal cookies, upon his return home, will put a BIG smile on his face!
Luv to ALL my Babies...big and small. yo mama and grammie
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Spring Has Sprung In Prescott Valley, AZ !
That's right, it might hit 60 degrees today..already in the high 50's and this AM I noticed new leaf buds on the rose bushes..Heaven! The temps are unbelievable in the Midwest, when I read about them each day in the newspapers. It won't be long now and we will be working in the yard..I don't know if I am looking forward to the work, but I am certainly tired of looking at the dead flowers in my planters outside!
Health update....just got the report from my doc yesterday, (Cut and paste is sooo wonderful, isn't it? The test results came back great....... NO DEAD MUSCLE TISSUE!!!!!! HOO RAY!!! Now, they just have to tweek my medicine (I stopped taking the beta-blocker four days ago, because once again, I am allergic to it.) Then I researched the availabilty of the old Mexiletine medicine I was on in 1999..had Walgreens order some and they have it today. Now, just waiting for my doc to call them to release it. (This med is to regulate the heart beat and stop the arrythmia) Then, they said my heart will become stronger through Cardio Rehab Therapy. The nurse practitioner stressed no exercise 'til I get on my new meds...so no dancing 'til then..drats, I am supposed to perform two shows next weekend. Oh well..I have just been praying to my Lord to "Please, let me live until I die." Thank you God.
Since this last report, I talked to my cocky doc late yesterday. He advised me that he wasn't there to be pushed around into administering meds to his patients that he felt weren't needed. So, he is ordering a Holter Monitor on Monday or Tuesday for me to wear for two weeks to prove I am still having palpitations, before giving me anything for them. Maybe I need to start listening to the people who have been encouraging me to get a second opinion and/or at least to get a doc that has more respect for his patient's opinions. Oh well, so we'll play his game a bit longer. In the meantime, it will be good to have no blod clots a s a results of the arrythmia I am experiencing! So, that is the news. Nice to have uncertain good news for a change, EH? It is wonderful to be able to breath again as a result of stopping the beta-blocker my doc insisted I take, even after I informed him of my allergy history of them! Who knows, maybe everything is OK now and I won't need more meds. We'll have to wait and see. He says my heart appears to be stronger now, but doesn't know how long it will last. The present change could just be from an adrenalin rush I may be getting because of quitting the beta-blockers, he is thinking. So, Monday I intend to resume my dance practices and we will see what happens.
Today, Larry and Swif-Her and I are going to Phoenix (or really Buckeye, which is south of there) to Larry's daughter's (Joy's) house for game night with her brother's family and Joy's friends. We will spend the night. It might be nice to get of the house for a change. Then tomorrow afternoon, we hope to go to Uncle Leo's house to help Debbie, who is coming from Illinois tonight to pack up what Leo wants and get what's left ready for the estate sale. He is moving back to Illinois and I understand the house goes up for sale March 1st or around there, anyway. It will be good for him to be around his friend, Bob.
Must run for now...luv to all my babies, big and small, Grammie and yo mama....;)
Health update....just got the report from my doc yesterday, (Cut and paste is sooo wonderful, isn't it? The test results came back great....... NO DEAD MUSCLE TISSUE!!!!!! HOO RAY!!! Now, they just have to tweek my medicine (I stopped taking the beta-blocker four days ago, because once again, I am allergic to it.) Then I researched the availabilty of the old Mexiletine medicine I was on in 1999..had Walgreens order some and they have it today. Now, just waiting for my doc to call them to release it. (This med is to regulate the heart beat and stop the arrythmia) Then, they said my heart will become stronger through Cardio Rehab Therapy. The nurse practitioner stressed no exercise 'til I get on my new meds...so no dancing 'til then..drats, I am supposed to perform two shows next weekend. Oh well..I have just been praying to my Lord to "Please, let me live until I die." Thank you God.
Since this last report, I talked to my cocky doc late yesterday. He advised me that he wasn't there to be pushed around into administering meds to his patients that he felt weren't needed. So, he is ordering a Holter Monitor on Monday or Tuesday for me to wear for two weeks to prove I am still having palpitations, before giving me anything for them. Maybe I need to start listening to the people who have been encouraging me to get a second opinion and/or at least to get a doc that has more respect for his patient's opinions. Oh well, so we'll play his game a bit longer. In the meantime, it will be good to have no blod clots a s a results of the arrythmia I am experiencing! So, that is the news. Nice to have uncertain good news for a change, EH? It is wonderful to be able to breath again as a result of stopping the beta-blocker my doc insisted I take, even after I informed him of my allergy history of them! Who knows, maybe everything is OK now and I won't need more meds. We'll have to wait and see. He says my heart appears to be stronger now, but doesn't know how long it will last. The present change could just be from an adrenalin rush I may be getting because of quitting the beta-blockers, he is thinking. So, Monday I intend to resume my dance practices and we will see what happens.
Today, Larry and Swif-Her and I are going to Phoenix (or really Buckeye, which is south of there) to Larry's daughter's (Joy's) house for game night with her brother's family and Joy's friends. We will spend the night. It might be nice to get of the house for a change. Then tomorrow afternoon, we hope to go to Uncle Leo's house to help Debbie, who is coming from Illinois tonight to pack up what Leo wants and get what's left ready for the estate sale. He is moving back to Illinois and I understand the house goes up for sale March 1st or around there, anyway. It will be good for him to be around his friend, Bob.
Must run for now...luv to all my babies, big and small, Grammie and yo mama....;)
Friday, February 1, 2008
The Christmas Tree is In the Shed!
Finally, yesterday - Jan. 31st...the Christmas Tree came down, the living room is sparkling and I no longer feel claustrophobic ,and guilty, and totally stressed out when walking through the living room! When expressing those same emotions to Larry this AM and about how it took over three hours to do all this yesterday, he went on to to express how he would feel better if I had the garage cleaned out, too, so he could excercsise in it! And, while I was at it, he wished I would get rid of some of the furniture in the house, so he could put his excersize equipment in the house where it was when I moved in here and the car in the garage. I guess he has forgotten that the room that had his equipment in it is now his therapy room! Maybe his clients would like to use it during therapy...:(
Just like a man...the more we do, the more we can do attitude...but no stress in that!
Today, I was going to put together my curio cabinet that I ordered last August and it finally came last week..but, instead, I think I will bake a spice cake with carrots and dates and cranberries in it with whipped cheese dressing! No Calories or carbohydrates in that, EH?
No dance practice this AM as, at this time, doc says no dancing for a week and no going to Phoenix with Shirley today, either, for a denture adjustment, as I cancelled that appt a few days ago, not knowing what the future would hold after my Angiogram. I have a Nuclear Stress Test on Wednesday..pray for good results!
Called Randall Designs this AM. They will have my costume ready for my fitting on 4/4 to be ready for pick-up before my 4/12 pageant rehersal. They will discuss making my hair accessories at that time. Unbelievable! They are so kind. Please, Lord, let all this health stuff be settled by then and help me to learn my routine with great style and poise! God bless Shirley for all her help...she has it almost all choreographed! I think she is more excited about all this than I am. what a great friend!
Been pretty cold around here the last few weeks...like in the 20's at night and 45 or 50 degrees during the day. Rained quite a bit last week and of course Swif-Her didn't want to go out to potty and get her feet wet, so some days she didn't! Too funny..hope she doesn't split a bladder one day! She is due to come in heet this month and we have no husband for her, yet. Still don't know if this timing is convenient either. Larry suggested today that we just get her fixed. Maybe he is right. I don't know what we would do if something happened to her because of pregnancy complications and with no Auntie Ree around to help out, what would we do? So, we'll consider no babies for her..too sad!
Must run now and try to accomplish something today before the day is gone.
Oh yes, one of our best friends, Mel, who sponsored both of us in the church, is having open heart surgury (triple or quadriple by-pass) right now as I speak. Please keep him in all your prayers. he is truly God's loving child.
luv to all my babies, big and small...yo mama and grammie
P.S. Jacque, my spell check is not working either!....;(
Just like a man...the more we do, the more we can do attitude...but no stress in that!
Today, I was going to put together my curio cabinet that I ordered last August and it finally came last week..but, instead, I think I will bake a spice cake with carrots and dates and cranberries in it with whipped cheese dressing! No Calories or carbohydrates in that, EH?
No dance practice this AM as, at this time, doc says no dancing for a week and no going to Phoenix with Shirley today, either, for a denture adjustment, as I cancelled that appt a few days ago, not knowing what the future would hold after my Angiogram. I have a Nuclear Stress Test on Wednesday..pray for good results!
Called Randall Designs this AM. They will have my costume ready for my fitting on 4/4 to be ready for pick-up before my 4/12 pageant rehersal. They will discuss making my hair accessories at that time. Unbelievable! They are so kind. Please, Lord, let all this health stuff be settled by then and help me to learn my routine with great style and poise! God bless Shirley for all her help...she has it almost all choreographed! I think she is more excited about all this than I am. what a great friend!
Been pretty cold around here the last few weeks...like in the 20's at night and 45 or 50 degrees during the day. Rained quite a bit last week and of course Swif-Her didn't want to go out to potty and get her feet wet, so some days she didn't! Too funny..hope she doesn't split a bladder one day! She is due to come in heet this month and we have no husband for her, yet. Still don't know if this timing is convenient either. Larry suggested today that we just get her fixed. Maybe he is right. I don't know what we would do if something happened to her because of pregnancy complications and with no Auntie Ree around to help out, what would we do? So, we'll consider no babies for her..too sad!
Must run now and try to accomplish something today before the day is gone.
Oh yes, one of our best friends, Mel, who sponsored both of us in the church, is having open heart surgury (triple or quadriple by-pass) right now as I speak. Please keep him in all your prayers. he is truly God's loving child.
luv to all my babies, big and small...yo mama and grammie
P.S. Jacque, my spell check is not working either!....;(
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
I'm Back Home!
Sorry about all this health stuff..I sure don't want to become a hypochondriac, but I don't want to leave concerned parties hanging either.
My Angio Gram today showed the stint is where they put it and is working perfectly! YEY!!! The doctor feels that when I am stresses physically and emotionally simultaneously it is too much for my much weakened left ventricle that is only pushing out 25% of the 55% to 60% that a good muscle would be pumping under those circumstances. He believes the answer to be.."Let go and Let God!" Just choking, but it is a thought. He did say I needed to do whatever is necessary to eliminate as much stress as I can. He, also, wants a second opinion and has made an appointment for me for next Wednesday to do a Nuclear (or sometimes called a chemical) stress test. so, that's where we are at right now and thank you everyone so much fro all your prayers..God is good and He is working...Yesterday, the priest anointed me and prayed for my medical staff today. I feel a whole lot better now that I didn't have to have bypass surgery...at this time, anyway.
I am amazed at how many people are offering to help and bringing food and praying. It so wonderful to feel soo much love.
luv to all my babies big and small, your mama and grammie..;))
My Angio Gram today showed the stint is where they put it and is working perfectly! YEY!!! The doctor feels that when I am stresses physically and emotionally simultaneously it is too much for my much weakened left ventricle that is only pushing out 25% of the 55% to 60% that a good muscle would be pumping under those circumstances. He believes the answer to be.."Let go and Let God!" Just choking, but it is a thought. He did say I needed to do whatever is necessary to eliminate as much stress as I can. He, also, wants a second opinion and has made an appointment for me for next Wednesday to do a Nuclear (or sometimes called a chemical) stress test. so, that's where we are at right now and thank you everyone so much fro all your prayers..God is good and He is working...Yesterday, the priest anointed me and prayed for my medical staff today. I feel a whole lot better now that I didn't have to have bypass surgery...at this time, anyway.
I am amazed at how many people are offering to help and bringing food and praying. It so wonderful to feel soo much love.
luv to all my babies big and small, your mama and grammie..;))
Monday, January 28, 2008
Good News :) , Bad news :(
Had my post-procedure tests today..the good news is that, without being under stress,, my heart is pumping out oxygenated about 45% now (it was less than 25% before the procedure and 55 to 60% is normal) and the not so good news is that under stress there has been no improvement. :( The doc thinks the stint has slipped or is becoming clogged..drats! So, Wednesday AM back to the hospital I go and they will start all over.
Needless to say, I am not a happy camper at this moment. I am trying to remember that I am right where I need to be right now for some unknown reason and I know there are many prayers being said on my behalf and I am so very grateful for every one of them.
Much to do tomorrow to prepare for another stay in the hosp, including taking down the Christmas Tree!
Luv to all my babies, big and small..mom and grammie
Needless to say, I am not a happy camper at this moment. I am trying to remember that I am right where I need to be right now for some unknown reason and I know there are many prayers being said on my behalf and I am so very grateful for every one of them.
Much to do tomorrow to prepare for another stay in the hosp, including taking down the Christmas Tree!
Luv to all my babies, big and small..mom and grammie
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Drama at the Provence's!
Sorry for the delay in blogging, life has really taken up so much of my time. The more I do, the further behinder I get!
1st and foremost is the pageant, which will be here before I know it...As we all know, the month of December was a big set-back in many ways for me and I was unable to work on my dance routine...now, here we are four days from my first pageant rehearsal and I still haven't learned 40% of my routine, let alone polish up the styling and technique! I have been giving many hours the past 10 days trying to choreograph part of it and learn the other part that Shirley has choreographed. God bless Shirley for putting in endless hours helping me on this. Without her, I wouldn't be in the pageant, I am certain. Now, Friday after dance practice here with the Casa Belles, she and I will head for Phoenix for my second meeting with the MAN! Randall Designs will be taking my measurements..after losing 12lbs and then begin finalizing the design and begin making my costume that needs to be completed in three weeks! Guess they are capable of doing it with that time when you consider they made all the stars costumes in just four days from week to week. How exciting!! Still haven't found a gown yet..the MAN said they might have one for me to borrow when come Friday...then we will spend the night in Scottsdale in Shirley's condo and attend pageant practice Saturday from 9 to 12..hope this is all wortyh it.
Now, the trauma....Last night, Larry dropped a bronze praying hand and a black permanent marker off the cabinet in the kitchen. The hand fell on the marker on the floor..braking it in many pieces..needless to say, the permanent ink splattered in every direction! Of course, he did not tell me of all this or ask for my help until he had smeared it into and all over about a 1 1/2 square foot area! Oh my gosh! I tried pure ammonia..nothing..then bleach..nothing..by now, the worst is happening..for the first time since my procedure, I began to have Angina horribly up my neck, which made matters worse cause that was telling me that my heart wasn't fixed after all!
Suddenly, I remembered an old worn out piece of Mr. Clean Magic Eraser under my sink! I retrieved it and when I began rubbing it on my floor the stains started disappearing along with my Angina! Eventually, the entire stain came off the porous, cork like, $3500 kitchen floor. Now, today, I noticed a couple more splashes feet away from the original accident that had thoroughly dried and soaked into the floor. Another miracle, the remnants of the eraser pad and clear water removed those spots, too. I just got through e-mailing Procter and Gamble about this incident..I am sooo grateful..I told them I was going to tell everyone I knew about their product..by the way, coupons for it were in the Sunday paper and the pads are on sale at Walgreens this week! So, now you have it..my testimony for Mr. Clean Magic Eraser!!!
3rd...I am on the Foster Care Review Board in Verde Valley all day tomorrow..I have ten cases to review..(a paper pile about four inches thick of information) before then, so I better get started reading :(
Next Monday, I will have another stress test to see what improvements have been made, because of the procedure...now, since the trauma last night, we know there is still more to be done if possible, so the next time Larry has an accident of sorts and they seem to happen frequently) I can withstand the experiences without having chest pains and/or Angina.
Now, I think it is time for a short nap...
Luv to all my babies..big and small...yo mama and grammie
1st and foremost is the pageant, which will be here before I know it...As we all know, the month of December was a big set-back in many ways for me and I was unable to work on my dance routine...now, here we are four days from my first pageant rehearsal and I still haven't learned 40% of my routine, let alone polish up the styling and technique! I have been giving many hours the past 10 days trying to choreograph part of it and learn the other part that Shirley has choreographed. God bless Shirley for putting in endless hours helping me on this. Without her, I wouldn't be in the pageant, I am certain. Now, Friday after dance practice here with the Casa Belles, she and I will head for Phoenix for my second meeting with the MAN! Randall Designs will be taking my measurements..after losing 12lbs and then begin finalizing the design and begin making my costume that needs to be completed in three weeks! Guess they are capable of doing it with that time when you consider they made all the stars costumes in just four days from week to week. How exciting!! Still haven't found a gown yet..the MAN said they might have one for me to borrow when come Friday...then we will spend the night in Scottsdale in Shirley's condo and attend pageant practice Saturday from 9 to 12..hope this is all wortyh it.
Now, the trauma....Last night, Larry dropped a bronze praying hand and a black permanent marker off the cabinet in the kitchen. The hand fell on the marker on the floor..braking it in many pieces..needless to say, the permanent ink splattered in every direction! Of course, he did not tell me of all this or ask for my help until he had smeared it into and all over about a 1 1/2 square foot area! Oh my gosh! I tried pure ammonia..nothing..then bleach..nothing..by now, the worst is happening..for the first time since my procedure, I began to have Angina horribly up my neck, which made matters worse cause that was telling me that my heart wasn't fixed after all!
Suddenly, I remembered an old worn out piece of Mr. Clean Magic Eraser under my sink! I retrieved it and when I began rubbing it on my floor the stains started disappearing along with my Angina! Eventually, the entire stain came off the porous, cork like, $3500 kitchen floor. Now, today, I noticed a couple more splashes feet away from the original accident that had thoroughly dried and soaked into the floor. Another miracle, the remnants of the eraser pad and clear water removed those spots, too. I just got through e-mailing Procter and Gamble about this incident..I am sooo grateful..I told them I was going to tell everyone I knew about their product..by the way, coupons for it were in the Sunday paper and the pads are on sale at Walgreens this week! So, now you have it..my testimony for Mr. Clean Magic Eraser!!!
3rd...I am on the Foster Care Review Board in Verde Valley all day tomorrow..I have ten cases to review..(a paper pile about four inches thick of information) before then, so I better get started reading :(
Next Monday, I will have another stress test to see what improvements have been made, because of the procedure...now, since the trauma last night, we know there is still more to be done if possible, so the next time Larry has an accident of sorts and they seem to happen frequently) I can withstand the experiences without having chest pains and/or Angina.
Now, I think it is time for a short nap...
Luv to all my babies..big and small...yo mama and grammie
Sunday, January 13, 2008
The checks are in the mail!
Hallelujah! Again, kids, so sorry the cards are a couple weeks late, but maybe they will be more appreciated at this time, ha,ha! They went out Saturday AM and, Cassie, yours were mailed to your mom's house as I do not have your new address....Enjoy ;-)
Yesterday, Larry and I were blessed with another miracle..Jeremy, his son, called and asked if they could come for a brief visit about noon. Well, everyone that knows me would say it'll never be OK at such a short notice! Well, you are all wrong. I figured I was willing to deal with anything to accomplish this huge hurdle. To make a long story short, Jeremy, Melissa and our most beautiful baby grandson, Jonathan came and stayed for 2 1/2 hours and a great bonding time was had by all.
A few hours later, one of my foster families called to say they would be dropping by in a few minutes to say hi. When they came, they gave me a beautiful daffodil plant. It is sooo nice to feel loved. My rewards from my volunteer work are so much greater than what I give. God is good.
This AM, Larry and I returned to church after missing last week and I helped serve communion, after which we drove into Prescott and met Shirley for lunch. I made a tape of my dance choreography done by another gal for her to preview. She called me at 7PM to say she'd been working on it for hours and has 1/2 of it ready to go! YEA! Please, God give me the strength to practice tomorrow at 7:15AM! I am so blessed with a friend like Shirley.
So, that's it for the weekend...besides the big milestone of Larry teaching me how to work our DVD player and how to record our TVO programs on a DVD. Welcome to the world of high tech!
Luv to all my babies, big and small...mom/grammie
Yesterday, Larry and I were blessed with another miracle..Jeremy, his son, called and asked if they could come for a brief visit about noon. Well, everyone that knows me would say it'll never be OK at such a short notice! Well, you are all wrong. I figured I was willing to deal with anything to accomplish this huge hurdle. To make a long story short, Jeremy, Melissa and our most beautiful baby grandson, Jonathan came and stayed for 2 1/2 hours and a great bonding time was had by all.
A few hours later, one of my foster families called to say they would be dropping by in a few minutes to say hi. When they came, they gave me a beautiful daffodil plant. It is sooo nice to feel loved. My rewards from my volunteer work are so much greater than what I give. God is good.
This AM, Larry and I returned to church after missing last week and I helped serve communion, after which we drove into Prescott and met Shirley for lunch. I made a tape of my dance choreography done by another gal for her to preview. She called me at 7PM to say she'd been working on it for hours and has 1/2 of it ready to go! YEA! Please, God give me the strength to practice tomorrow at 7:15AM! I am so blessed with a friend like Shirley.
So, that's it for the weekend...besides the big milestone of Larry teaching me how to work our DVD player and how to record our TVO programs on a DVD. Welcome to the world of high tech!
Luv to all my babies, big and small...mom/grammie
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Almost Good As New ;-}
YEY!!! How great God is....awakened this AM at 7:45 feeling almost good as new..what's with these late sleep-in hours since my return home? How grateful I am to be able to walk a bit and not have my groin hurt..how grateful I am today to know the reason I have been feeling like a wet dishcloth since my procedure (according to the doc, yesterday) is because I lost a lot of blood and am quite enemic!..So, off to Walgreens yesterday to get those iron pills! After I pop a couple of those, I should be able to start fitting in a busy schedule ahead. Have an appt with the Cardio on Jan 28th to recheck my fitness with all this new blood flowing thru me, ha,ha!
Talked to Kim this AM and was sad to find she was unaware of all these recent events...guess it is hard to inform everyone, especially if they are unaware of our blogs. I gave her my blog address, but Jacque, I know you are so very busy, but if you could give her a quick call someday after 3PM or just after 7AM her time, when she is off of work,,it would be so wonderful. I know she feels really disconnected from the family since Auntie Ree's passing.
OK...off to the races today..5 CASA reports to complete and Larry's billing for the Courts and his private practice and, of course, the laundry and maybe take the tree down and the Christmas decor in the yard! (sorry I am not there to help with your laundry, Joke)..what if, each day, the two girls each did a load or two? Remember how I had to do 2 loads everyday and 6 on Saturday to keep up? = 6x2 = 12 +6 = 18 loads a week and a couple extra here and there? Thinking back, I remember how I resented doing those 2 loads a day while dad rested...HHHMMMmmmm. Oh well, we made it and so will you, dear..just want you to know you don't have to be Super Woman and that it is OK to reach out for help. (End of speech)
Love to all my babies, big and small...grammie/mom
PS..the holiday cards might get in the mail by the end of the week and, Cassie, your B.D. card too,...I haven't forgotten you. ;-]
Talked to Kim this AM and was sad to find she was unaware of all these recent events...guess it is hard to inform everyone, especially if they are unaware of our blogs. I gave her my blog address, but Jacque, I know you are so very busy, but if you could give her a quick call someday after 3PM or just after 7AM her time, when she is off of work,,it would be so wonderful. I know she feels really disconnected from the family since Auntie Ree's passing.
OK...off to the races today..5 CASA reports to complete and Larry's billing for the Courts and his private practice and, of course, the laundry and maybe take the tree down and the Christmas decor in the yard! (sorry I am not there to help with your laundry, Joke)..what if, each day, the two girls each did a load or two? Remember how I had to do 2 loads everyday and 6 on Saturday to keep up? = 6x2 = 12 +6 = 18 loads a week and a couple extra here and there? Thinking back, I remember how I resented doing those 2 loads a day while dad rested...HHHMMMmmmm. Oh well, we made it and so will you, dear..just want you to know you don't have to be Super Woman and that it is OK to reach out for help. (End of speech)
Love to all my babies, big and small...grammie/mom
PS..the holiday cards might get in the mail by the end of the week and, Cassie, your B.D. card too,...I haven't forgotten you. ;-]
Sunday, January 6, 2008
We Are Back Among the Living!!!
That's right..
Larry and I walked in our front door about 5:30PM last night and I thought I had gone to heaven...(even though our household had the appearence of being stirred with a spoon!)
Oh my goodness..the first thing we did was order a pizza from Pizza Hut and take a couple swallows of real coffee! Then got into our jammies and I quickly fell asleep in the chair 'til about 10:30PM, at which time I went to bed to sleep soundly until 8:15AM!!!! WOW! I haven't slept like that since I can remember!
Now, it is 11:22AM and Larry and I decided not to do church ;-{ this AM ...being, as I felt like I had been run over by a Sherman Tank when I awakened. Cooked breakfast...ham(with all fat removed) and eggs fried in Benecol and wholegrain & flaxseed toast with Benecol. Tasted like filet mignon!
Prognosis for all who care..(help me not to become an Aunt Ruth(God Bless her) in this respect;-
(I just returned from a four day stay at the hospital where a stent was injected into my right arterial vessel that is responsible for allowing blood to enter my heart; this inlet was blocked with hardened fiber more than 70% is all they would tell us and had been for a very long time, which weakened the left muscle (now diagnosed as Cardiomyopathy)of my heart (that was trying desperately to supply my body with needed blood that wasn't there to pump, for who knows how long), which in turn is interfering with the electronics and the my heart's ability to maintain a steady beat, due to the flittering of the weak muscle. Now that blood is entering my heart(full speed ahead, I expect!), all the docs have left to do is strengthen the left heart muscle through drugs (which, hopefully, I will not be allergic to as I have been in the past and , so far, so good.) We are very blessed and God is working! The docs think this blockage maybe even genetic, as so many of our relatives have had heart problems. The doc that installed the stent had nothing but praise for my cardiologist who took the time to take many pics from many angles of my heart and uncovered a very hard to detect problem. (Funny, I was just reading an article a short time ago that addressed how a seemingly perfect angiogram (as mine was in 1999) can really have unseen blockage if the pics are not taken from the correct angles. So, again, I feel very blessed and know that God was and is working for perfection in all our lives. It was and is a very humbling experience. One that really spells out what is important in one's life and makes me very appreciative of my many, many blessings. I will try to keep everyone posted as to the satus of all this without going overboard and becoming a hypochondriac. Who would ever have thought? Infallable me!!!
Now, after a quick shower and very needed shampoo, off we are going to get Swif'-her, who Larry took to the sitter two days ago, where she can play with her friends, to help fend off her loneliness for me . YEY!!! ;-}
Next stop.......Ms. Sr. Arizona...1st routine discussion, taping, and possible, rehersal is tomorrow.
Much love and hugs and kisses to all my babies, big and small....mom and grammie
P.S......All this makes me question if Aunt Ruth's cardiomyopathy problem stemmed from the same source of a unnoticed plugged artery.
Larry and I walked in our front door about 5:30PM last night and I thought I had gone to heaven...(even though our household had the appearence of being stirred with a spoon!)
Oh my goodness..the first thing we did was order a pizza from Pizza Hut and take a couple swallows of real coffee! Then got into our jammies and I quickly fell asleep in the chair 'til about 10:30PM, at which time I went to bed to sleep soundly until 8:15AM!!!! WOW! I haven't slept like that since I can remember!
Now, it is 11:22AM and Larry and I decided not to do church ;-{ this AM ...being, as I felt like I had been run over by a Sherman Tank when I awakened. Cooked breakfast...ham(with all fat removed) and eggs fried in Benecol and wholegrain & flaxseed toast with Benecol. Tasted like filet mignon!
Prognosis for all who care..(help me not to become an Aunt Ruth(God Bless her) in this respect;-
(I just returned from a four day stay at the hospital where a stent was injected into my right arterial vessel that is responsible for allowing blood to enter my heart; this inlet was blocked with hardened fiber more than 70% is all they would tell us and had been for a very long time, which weakened the left muscle (now diagnosed as Cardiomyopathy)of my heart (that was trying desperately to supply my body with needed blood that wasn't there to pump, for who knows how long), which in turn is interfering with the electronics and the my heart's ability to maintain a steady beat, due to the flittering of the weak muscle. Now that blood is entering my heart(full speed ahead, I expect!), all the docs have left to do is strengthen the left heart muscle through drugs (which, hopefully, I will not be allergic to as I have been in the past and , so far, so good.) We are very blessed and God is working! The docs think this blockage maybe even genetic, as so many of our relatives have had heart problems. The doc that installed the stent had nothing but praise for my cardiologist who took the time to take many pics from many angles of my heart and uncovered a very hard to detect problem. (Funny, I was just reading an article a short time ago that addressed how a seemingly perfect angiogram (as mine was in 1999) can really have unseen blockage if the pics are not taken from the correct angles. So, again, I feel very blessed and know that God was and is working for perfection in all our lives. It was and is a very humbling experience. One that really spells out what is important in one's life and makes me very appreciative of my many, many blessings. I will try to keep everyone posted as to the satus of all this without going overboard and becoming a hypochondriac. Who would ever have thought? Infallable me!!!
Now, after a quick shower and very needed shampoo, off we are going to get Swif'-her, who Larry took to the sitter two days ago, where she can play with her friends, to help fend off her loneliness for me . YEY!!! ;-}
Next stop.......Ms. Sr. Arizona...1st routine discussion, taping, and possible, rehersal is tomorrow.
Much love and hugs and kisses to all my babies, big and small....mom and grammie
P.S......All this makes me question if Aunt Ruth's cardiomyopathy problem stemmed from the same source of a unnoticed plugged artery.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
P.S.
Last, but certainly not least, Larry and I are both very grateful for God bringing us together and for the wonderful marriage and friendship we have today.
A New Year!
Yes, A New Year!!! Larry and I just came from church where I received a special blessing from Father Larry..which included the thought that "only good will come from my Angiogram tomorrow"....It is such a blessing in itself to have a church to go to where we have many friends and can really feel the Spirit and Love of Christ present. God is good!
Larry and I are looking forward to a new year of organization, saving money and, of course, tithing (can't spell it, let alone do it!) and giving back to the Lord in gratitude for all His blessings and we have had many this past year, along with some events that we didn't consider to be what we would have wanted. However, God has a plan and sometimes we don't understand His Plan, but that is what makes us His children and not His teacher and/or advisor.
Let's see, this past year I went to Illinois in March/April and renewed my real estate license for two more years (just in case I may need to buy/sell a house in Illinois in the next two years and/or become a realtor here in AZ. In which case I would only need to take the AZ State test and not the national one, too. Upon arriving home from IL, I found my sister to be quite ill and after having taken her to the ER and insisting that something was badly wrong, after they said everything was checking out OK, they agreed to do a CT on her head and found a huge tumor which was Cancerous. After four months of dreaded Chemo and radiation, she died. Her family had those four months to begin to accept the fact that she wouldn't be with us much longer and she passed away in Oct 8th. It has taken a great deal of adjustment, on my part, to accept her death as she has been the only constant in my life since I was born, especially since the death of my mother in the eighties. There has been no funeral for her yet, however, our church has said three masses for her and I am beginning to feel more at rest about her having found her way to Heaven. You see, a few weeks after her death, she came to me in the night very troubled and saying that she couldn't find her way to Heaven, which I shared with Father Dan and he is the one that suggested having the masses for her. God bless him. Her husband, Uncle Leo, is beginning to look more positively towards moving back to Illinois in the Spring and has been busy clearing out the house and anything that reminds him of Ruth since before her death. On his behalf, I must say that when Larry and I visited with him on Christmas Eve Day, he was pretty cheerful and seemed grateful for our visit and gifts and white chili we brought him. I do believe he will be much happier in IL where his best friend, Bob, lives.
This New Year, together we have many blessings to be grateful for...six healthy children and seven grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren and my Prescott Valley family here, Trish and Dan and there daughter and recently adopted two more daughters. It was a horrendous struggle, but God was working and they are a beautiful, deserving family of their two new adopted girls, ages four and one and we love them all very much. We are, also, grateful for Larry's contracts with the school system and the Supreme Court/Juvenile Division and for his private practice...all of which have provided us with the ability to remain debt-free and to share with others less fortunate and our church. We are grateful for the good health we have experienced, and, yes, even for my recent diagnosis which now can be improved upon with treatment and I will get my strength and energy back and become my old self again. This past year, God has blessed me a new best friend, Shirley. I love her as a sister and when she is with me tomorrow at the hospital, we will tell them she is my blood sister. God is good!
Projected events for our New Year include, a cleaning of the garage, a new garage door, a cleaning of our furnace and air conditioning vents, redoing our yard's landscaping, a new deck (need lots of help on that one!) finding a new place or owner for my beautiful bedroom set that will not fit in our house and needs to be removed from Leo's house, giving him back their full sized bed and dresser and bringing my daybed back here from their house, painting the kitchen, bedrooms, living room and finish painting Larry's office area....on and on, an endless list..but, I must not fail to mention the Ms AZ Pageant I hope to be in on 3/1/08. My goal is to win the State Pageant so I can compete in the National Pageant that gives away two awards to contestants that work with children. One is $5000 and one is $3000, which, if they awarded one to me, I would choose to be donated to the 'CASA for Kids' very deserving program.
This all sounds like a great plan, don't you think? Bottom line is "Thy will be done and help us to accept it." A Happy and Healthy and Wondrous New year to all...mom/grammie and Larry/pa pa Larry
Larry and I are looking forward to a new year of organization, saving money and, of course, tithing (can't spell it, let alone do it!) and giving back to the Lord in gratitude for all His blessings and we have had many this past year, along with some events that we didn't consider to be what we would have wanted. However, God has a plan and sometimes we don't understand His Plan, but that is what makes us His children and not His teacher and/or advisor.
Let's see, this past year I went to Illinois in March/April and renewed my real estate license for two more years (just in case I may need to buy/sell a house in Illinois in the next two years and/or become a realtor here in AZ. In which case I would only need to take the AZ State test and not the national one, too. Upon arriving home from IL, I found my sister to be quite ill and after having taken her to the ER and insisting that something was badly wrong, after they said everything was checking out OK, they agreed to do a CT on her head and found a huge tumor which was Cancerous. After four months of dreaded Chemo and radiation, she died. Her family had those four months to begin to accept the fact that she wouldn't be with us much longer and she passed away in Oct 8th. It has taken a great deal of adjustment, on my part, to accept her death as she has been the only constant in my life since I was born, especially since the death of my mother in the eighties. There has been no funeral for her yet, however, our church has said three masses for her and I am beginning to feel more at rest about her having found her way to Heaven. You see, a few weeks after her death, she came to me in the night very troubled and saying that she couldn't find her way to Heaven, which I shared with Father Dan and he is the one that suggested having the masses for her. God bless him. Her husband, Uncle Leo, is beginning to look more positively towards moving back to Illinois in the Spring and has been busy clearing out the house and anything that reminds him of Ruth since before her death. On his behalf, I must say that when Larry and I visited with him on Christmas Eve Day, he was pretty cheerful and seemed grateful for our visit and gifts and white chili we brought him. I do believe he will be much happier in IL where his best friend, Bob, lives.
This New Year, together we have many blessings to be grateful for...six healthy children and seven grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren and my Prescott Valley family here, Trish and Dan and there daughter and recently adopted two more daughters. It was a horrendous struggle, but God was working and they are a beautiful, deserving family of their two new adopted girls, ages four and one and we love them all very much. We are, also, grateful for Larry's contracts with the school system and the Supreme Court/Juvenile Division and for his private practice...all of which have provided us with the ability to remain debt-free and to share with others less fortunate and our church. We are grateful for the good health we have experienced, and, yes, even for my recent diagnosis which now can be improved upon with treatment and I will get my strength and energy back and become my old self again. This past year, God has blessed me a new best friend, Shirley. I love her as a sister and when she is with me tomorrow at the hospital, we will tell them she is my blood sister. God is good!
Projected events for our New Year include, a cleaning of the garage, a new garage door, a cleaning of our furnace and air conditioning vents, redoing our yard's landscaping, a new deck (need lots of help on that one!) finding a new place or owner for my beautiful bedroom set that will not fit in our house and needs to be removed from Leo's house, giving him back their full sized bed and dresser and bringing my daybed back here from their house, painting the kitchen, bedrooms, living room and finish painting Larry's office area....on and on, an endless list..but, I must not fail to mention the Ms AZ Pageant I hope to be in on 3/1/08. My goal is to win the State Pageant so I can compete in the National Pageant that gives away two awards to contestants that work with children. One is $5000 and one is $3000, which, if they awarded one to me, I would choose to be donated to the 'CASA for Kids' very deserving program.
This all sounds like a great plan, don't you think? Bottom line is "Thy will be done and help us to accept it." A Happy and Healthy and Wondrous New year to all...mom/grammie and Larry/pa pa Larry
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