A new year and many plans ahead. I just told my daughter the other day that I need to live another forty years as I have so many things left to do before I go to be with my other loved ones.
Larry is off to Ft Riley, KS counciling our "Wounded Warriors" for the next two months, so I am busying myself trying to get organized, once again, which is a feat yet to be accomplished since we married five years ago!
Yup, you're right. It was five years ago that we married and we are still trying to successfully put two houses into two-thirds of a house as we remodeled one third of it into Larry's business when I moved in.
My health seems to have improved lately. By that I mean there have been no surgeries since 10/09. YEA ;)......So, I am actively dancing with my group again, preparing for two performances next month and I have, also, registered to run for Ms Senior AZ, again, in March. I think this time it is more for the fun of it, since I'm familiar with the ropes of it all now.
Hopefully, I will remain strong and be able to finish painting the house inside now. The past week I have been in the best throw-away mood. Every bare corner that appears now and then seems to be such a great accomplishment.
I signed up for the Real Estate class this semester at the college, however, it was cancelled for lack of enrollment. So, I guess I will take the crash class in April, which is taught in Sedona for three weeks.
Just went through the 3rd worst storm in AZ since 1902! Rain and snow and more rain and snow for almost a week. My girlfriend was snowed in for 10 days in her mountain-top home in Prescott. Hard to believe we live in the high desert. Some places north of us got over 100 inches of snow!
OK, that's all for now. Just wanted to see if this blog still worked, ha,ha!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Oh my goodness, has it actually been 5 months since my last blog? Spring was just springing and now, this is the 5th day of Autumn. I swear, the older one gets, the faster time goes by.
Larry is coming home from Ft Campbell in less than two weeks...hard to imagine he has been there almost 5 weeks already. He has decided to take off until January 15th, which will give us all the holidays together this year that we spent apart last year. Also, we are traveling together to Illinois the last part of October to attend our annual "Weenie Roast Bonfire." I am so looking forward to meeting my new over 10 lb great grand baby girl!!
I have not been as busy as I normally am the past few months as I have been recovering from knee surgery and from having my other Carotid Artery cleaned out. Not much dancin' going on either, so I have gotten far behind my cohorts. We are performing for my church's 25th Anniversary on 10/10. So, being as last Friday was the first time I practiced for months, I have a lot of practicing to do between now and then.
I am so excited about the party..I guess I am in charge..last Friday, the Women's Guild and I made 27 center pieces that I designed for the dinner tables. Sure hope all goes without a hitch.
Yesterday, Swiffer and I went for a 3 block walk. It might not sound like much, but for Swiffer and me, it is a milestone! One day at a time.
I only have one CASA child at this time and she will soon be adopted in a few months. It will seem odd to get a new case after all this time of working with the five cases I had. By the way, they all went to loving adoptive homes. God bless the adoptive parents that are willing to give my babies a nurturing chance in life!
Health-wise...it seems I only have one procedure left and that is radiating the stent in my heart to hopefully keep it from plugging up again in the future. Then, I should be good to go! God bless my many doctors and their staff and don't forget Medicare! (Our tax dollars at work! Who says the government doesn't know how to provide excellent health care? I only wish all these people speaking out against O'Bama's health care plan would consider Medicare before they start spreading their lies and blowing off steam!)
The best parts of the last few months is that my granddaughters came to visit for almost two weeks when I had my knee fixed and were a great help when I couldn't do much the first few days. Also, my daughter, Jacque, came for a short 5 day visit to watch over me after my last procedure. Now, if I could just get them to do this when I am healthy....what a joy that would be!
Luv to all my babies, big and small.....mom ,grammie, and great grammie...see you soon ;)
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Mixed Emotions
Today, I have many blessings and yet, I find myself very sad about losing my pastor back home last week and about my many friends that are ill and need God's healing, either in this life or the next. It almost makes me feel guilty about the MANY blessings God has in His great mercy given me and my husband.
Larry and I have been very busy, as usual, the past few months. Larry has been off counseling our soldiers and their families. His first stint was in Kentucky last Nov, Dec, and Jan/09 at Fort Campbell. His last one was at Fort Eglin, AFB in Florida. from Feb 13th until last night. He came home last night after flying through and/or over thunderstorms, tornadoes, blizzards, high winds, etc. There is a God! He made it home safely, along with his acute Bronchitis!
This AM, we went to church. I served the Blood of Christ and our Bishop Thomas was there visiting from Phoenix. He gave a marvelous homily, but then, he always does. I am so very grateful to be part of my Catholic Community here in Prescott Valley and proud to be on their church council and a Eucharistic Minister for them. We are presently planning a big dinner celebration for our church's 25th anniversary. Fr. Dan has asked me to be in charge of it and, of course, I accepted the responsibility! Something more to do in my spare time, ha,ha.
As far as my CASA kids go, two more of them are being adopted in April and I will be down to just one teen girl. However, even when they are adopted, I still consider them all my babies and they say I am like family to them. It sure is great. It helps to make up for my sadness of being so far away from all my babies and grand babies and great-grand babies back in my other home in Illinois. I really love it here in Arizona's high desert. In two weeks, my brother (Dan) and sister-in-law (Miko) are coming to visit for the first time. It will be so good to be with family, again. And too, I am going to Illinois at the end of April to celebrate my daughter's graduation from college for her Master's Degree in Sociology and my grandson's 15th? (how can he be that old?) birthday, my granddaughter's and her husband's new home closing and their announcement about if they are having a girl or a boy in August, along with my daughter's swearing in for the Harlem School Board, if she wins the election. And, of course, I have no doubt that she will, So, it will be a very eventful 2 1/2 weeks. Larry cannot come, as I said earlier, he will be in Kentucky.
This Wednesday, Larry and I have been invited to our retired priest's house warming. Where is his new house at, you might ask? Well. it is just about 2 blocks from my sister's house. who passed away about 18 months ago. Wow! Has it been that long already? Well, anyway, I hope I am ready to return to that area and will not be overcome with sadness when I am going there to celebrate a happy occasion.
While Larry was gone, I had the house painted outside. What a project that was. However, it was all worth it just to see the surprised look on his face when I brought him home last nite. I, also, bought and set up a twenty-six gallon aquarium during his absence and, oh yes, got bitten by a dog in the mouth a couple weeks ago, which is now infected. So, it has been a very eventful past few months.
My health and Larry's health is kind of up in the air at this point. I think tomorrow, I will make us both an appointment with the Cardiologist to get checked out. Especially after just losing my pastor back home to a massive heart attack at the age of 50 or 52. I believe. One just can't be too careful at our ages.
On a lighter note, spring is springing here in the high desert and has been for the past month or so. The Red buds and Flowering Pears are about through blooming and the Lilacs and Daffodils are coming out. I will probably plant our flower pots this next week and maybe work painting some more woodwork inside the house and our bedroom. Oh yes, and don't forget, get the taxes done for the second time. Since Larry's broker couldn't seem to get everything to us in a timely manner, we get to redo our personal taxes, ugh!
Next thing I know, Larry will be off, again, counseling our soldier's children this time and I will be off to Illinois for a long visit. Haleleulia (Spelling ?)
'Til next time, luv to all my babies big and small.
Larry and I have been very busy, as usual, the past few months. Larry has been off counseling our soldiers and their families. His first stint was in Kentucky last Nov, Dec, and Jan/09 at Fort Campbell. His last one was at Fort Eglin, AFB in Florida. from Feb 13th until last night. He came home last night after flying through and/or over thunderstorms, tornadoes, blizzards, high winds, etc. There is a God! He made it home safely, along with his acute Bronchitis!
This AM, we went to church. I served the Blood of Christ and our Bishop Thomas was there visiting from Phoenix. He gave a marvelous homily, but then, he always does. I am so very grateful to be part of my Catholic Community here in Prescott Valley and proud to be on their church council and a Eucharistic Minister for them. We are presently planning a big dinner celebration for our church's 25th anniversary. Fr. Dan has asked me to be in charge of it and, of course, I accepted the responsibility! Something more to do in my spare time, ha,ha.
As far as my CASA kids go, two more of them are being adopted in April and I will be down to just one teen girl. However, even when they are adopted, I still consider them all my babies and they say I am like family to them. It sure is great. It helps to make up for my sadness of being so far away from all my babies and grand babies and great-grand babies back in my other home in Illinois. I really love it here in Arizona's high desert. In two weeks, my brother (Dan) and sister-in-law (Miko) are coming to visit for the first time. It will be so good to be with family, again. And too, I am going to Illinois at the end of April to celebrate my daughter's graduation from college for her Master's Degree in Sociology and my grandson's 15th? (how can he be that old?) birthday, my granddaughter's and her husband's new home closing and their announcement about if they are having a girl or a boy in August, along with my daughter's swearing in for the Harlem School Board, if she wins the election. And, of course, I have no doubt that she will, So, it will be a very eventful 2 1/2 weeks. Larry cannot come, as I said earlier, he will be in Kentucky.
This Wednesday, Larry and I have been invited to our retired priest's house warming. Where is his new house at, you might ask? Well. it is just about 2 blocks from my sister's house. who passed away about 18 months ago. Wow! Has it been that long already? Well, anyway, I hope I am ready to return to that area and will not be overcome with sadness when I am going there to celebrate a happy occasion.
While Larry was gone, I had the house painted outside. What a project that was. However, it was all worth it just to see the surprised look on his face when I brought him home last nite. I, also, bought and set up a twenty-six gallon aquarium during his absence and, oh yes, got bitten by a dog in the mouth a couple weeks ago, which is now infected. So, it has been a very eventful past few months.
My health and Larry's health is kind of up in the air at this point. I think tomorrow, I will make us both an appointment with the Cardiologist to get checked out. Especially after just losing my pastor back home to a massive heart attack at the age of 50 or 52. I believe. One just can't be too careful at our ages.
On a lighter note, spring is springing here in the high desert and has been for the past month or so. The Red buds and Flowering Pears are about through blooming and the Lilacs and Daffodils are coming out. I will probably plant our flower pots this next week and maybe work painting some more woodwork inside the house and our bedroom. Oh yes, and don't forget, get the taxes done for the second time. Since Larry's broker couldn't seem to get everything to us in a timely manner, we get to redo our personal taxes, ugh!
Next thing I know, Larry will be off, again, counseling our soldier's children this time and I will be off to Illinois for a long visit. Haleleulia (Spelling ?)
'Til next time, luv to all my babies big and small.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
I'm Still Here!
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
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
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
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