An Update or On With the Fight!

 

I promised an update on what is next with my fight against this cancer. I do feel like I’m in a war against the cancer that is attacking my body and my plan is to put up quite the fight against it! After going through the first series of chemo treatments without much success, in fact the cancer actually grew a bit, I am now about to head into Round Two. I had an appointment with my oncologist last week and he has a new plan of attack. The first round I had chemo every third week. This one we are hitting it a bit harder with chemo once a week. The treatments will be a slightly lower dose each week but the overall amount of medication will be increased compared to the first series of treatments. He is also adding a new medication this time. So now my medications will be Carboplatin, Paclitaxel, and Avastin. Avastin is the new one and it is supposed to do a good job at attacking cancer. They did not give it before because it can have more potential side effects. I am armed with several medications to help with the side effects including pain pills and a steroid to fight inflammation. Previously I took the steroid the first three days after chemo, this time I will take it the first seven days after the first chemo treatment using all three medications. Some of my treatments will just be the Paclitaxel, alternating with all three medications in one treatment. My first, which should be this coming week, will be all three medications and is expected to take all day.

So, knowing I am about to start a new and possibly tougher round, I have been trying to get things done around here so I can take it easy when the chemo starts. I’ve not really felt like doing a lot around the house but I’ve done what I can. I even gave Tom a haircut today!

There has not exactly been a lot of activity going on here but we have continued to have special family visits which we love! I think I mentioned in my last post that we were planning to go out to eat with my son Chris and his wife Kristi. We did that last weekend after first visiting them at their house. We had a wonderful time with them and great food at one of the many special Kansas City bar-b-que restaurants! Last Wednesday my other son, Sean who lives out of town, came and spent the day with us. It was so nice to catch up with him. Then on Friday my grandson Gavin came out to visit us, and even brought us some delicious homemade Snickerdoodle muffins that his girlfriend Amalia made!  We had such a nice visit with Gavin. He is really a kind and caring person and a very special grandson! Plus, I always enjoy him telling us about the various experiences he’s had as a firefighter in Independence.

After loading up on lots of family visits and love, I am ready to start Round Two with my fight against this cancer. It may be challenging but I have no intention of backing down to it! I want to thank every one of my blog friends here. There is something very special about bloggers. Even though I did not post for a year due to a variety of reasons, you are all still here and supporting me. That means so much to me. I may not post for a while depending on how things go, but I will post again as soon as I am able. Thank you all for being here! I am blessed in so many ways!

Ups and Downs

 

My fight with this cancer continues and while it is a bumpy road, I'm determined to keep fighting. My third chemo was three weeks ago and six days after it I was once again back in the hospital. I'm beginning to feel like the hospital is my second home. It was for the same reason as before, colitis that caused more pain than I could handle. This time I had some pain pills at home but they didn't touch this pain. I know I must sound like a wimp for pain but really, I'm not. I usually handle pain fairly well. Something about this chemo seems to cause me to get a bad colitis infection several days later. They do like me to be on IV antibiotics for that infection, so at least hospitalization allows for that.

The original plan was for me to have three rounds of chemo and then another CT scan. The hope was that the cancer would have shrunk some making surgery easier. Then after surgery I would have more chemo. When I was recently admitted to the hospital a CT scan was done and it showed that the cancers had actually grown. That was not what I wanted to hear. I had another CT scan this week of my lungs and I’ll get those results next week. I see my oncologist April 22^nd so I should find out then what happens next. I’m a little discouraged to hear the cancers have grown despite the three recent chemotherapy sessions. However, I’m certainly not giving up and I’m willing to have more chemo if necessary.

I’ve been having three weeks off between chemo treatments but this time I have an extra week off. That helps me to have a longer break and start to feel a bit better. I still don’t have a lot of energy but I am feeling like doing a bit more for a change and that is nice!

I had a special Sunday after I came home from the hospital. My granddaughter Annika, her husband Nick, and my adorable great-granddaughter Juniper came over for a visit and they even brought lunch! It was such a blessing to be able to spend some time with them. Juniper is nine months old now and crawling. She has always been the happiest child I have ever seen and she spreads joy everywhere she goes! Family always lifts my spirits and reminds me how very lucky I am!

This coming Saturday we will be able to visit with my oldest son Chris, and his wife Kristi. We will also be going out to eat with them which is something I have not done in quite a while, so it will be a special day for me. Then the next day my other son Sean, who lives out of town, will be coming to visit us. Family is everything and Tom and I are certainly blessed by ours!

 

Chemo

 

I said I would post again to bring you all up to date with what is going on here. While chemo is not the most pleasant thing to write about, it has been my life the past couple of months so I’ll fill you in on that. In order to get it all started I first had a minor outpatient surgery to get a port in my chest. My treatments all go through the port rather than a vein in my arm. They feel this is safer due to the strength of my chemo. Since my cancer is stage four and has spread from the ovaries to the colon, they are hitting it up fairly hard. I am currently having chemo treatments every three weeks and each treatment lasts almost a full day. I receive two different medications administered separately. The first one takes a little over three hours and the second one is a bit faster. I always have blood work first and then see the doctor. After that the chemotherapy gets started. I don’t need to tell you how scared I was, especially for the first treatment. I had seen family members go through this but it is a bit different when it is yourself.

                                           My view during chemotherapy

The actual treatments were not as bad as I had anticipated other than lasting for so long. The cancer center I go to has many chemo rooms and each room has four chairs for patients. I kind of like having two or three other patients there to visit with when I feel like it. The chairs recline so we can take naps which I sometimes do. They provide snacks, drinks and in my case lunch since I’m there all day. Before the treatments are started, they load you up on strong anti-nausea medications plus other meds to prevent side effects. These medications do help quite a bit. I always take something to read as well as a puzzle book to work on and there is a TV if you are interested. My son, Chris, drove me to the first treatment and I have been driving myself since then. I hope I will be able to continue driving since my husband Tom is no longer driving. The day after the chemo I go in to get an injection that helps keep my white cells from dropping too low. I also go in once a week for blood work. 

The truly difficult part of chemo for me starts the second night after the treatments. In my case I have terrible aches and pains along with a weakness I have never felt before. I have plenty of medication at home for nausea and it helps most of the time. However, I ended up in the hospital for a week a few days after my first chemo treatment. I was in so much pain plus I had a severe colitis infection.

I managed to stay out of the hospital after the second treatment but all of the discomfort I felt the first time just seemed worse. I also started feeling numb in my fingertips and toes which is related to chemo induced neuropathy. I have learned to not plan anything for at least a week after each chemo treatment because I am just barely able to function during that time.

My hair started coming out a week after the first treatment and by now I just have a little fuzz on my head. It is hard to see and experience that. I ordered some chemo hats to wear although I rarely leave the house these days. We are having groceries and most other items delivered which helps.

So yes, chemo is rough, very rough, but as long as I can manage I am going to fight this with all I have. There has been a time or two that I was so low I wondered if I could continue but I know I have to, so I will.

I’m sorry this is such a downer of a post but as I said, this is my life right now. Maybe if someone else going through this reads my post it will help them to not feel so alone. Or if someone has a friend or family member going through this it will help them to understand what their loved one is dealing with. At any rate, I appreciate you all being here.

 

Hello!

 

It’s been a little over a year since I’ve written a post, but I promise I have not forgotten any of my blog friends. However, I don’t blame you if you have forgotten me and I understand since I haven’t been around. I don’t want to be one of those bloggers that just disappears so I thought I would post an update on the past year. 

It’s been a very busy year with the highlight being that I became a great-grandmother last summer! My granddaughter Annika and her husband Nick had a beautiful, 9-pound 10-ounce girl in July. Her name is Juniper Lark and she is such a happy baby, always a joy to be around. I would post a picture but her parents do not want any pictures of her on the internet and I totally understand that. I love having a little one in the family again! 

Another highlight of the year was that my grandson, Gavin, graduated from the Fire Academy which is part of a two-year program in an area community college. He first earned his emergency medical technician (EMT) certification and then went into the Fire Academy program. He is now working as a fire fighter for the City of Independence. Of course, we are all very proud of him!

Tom, Gavin, and myself at his graduation.

Tom has been doing okay although he still has health and mobility problems. He is still using his walker and I’m happy to say he has not had a single fall since he started using it! Our sweet cats, Sophie and Zeus, turned nine this year and they are still bringing us much love and happiness!

Sophie & Zeus

Most of 2024 has been a very good year for us until December when I got hit with some health problems. I have been diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer that has spread to the colon. On December 16^th I had some severe stomach pain to the point that Tom called an ambulance to get me to the hospital. After a CT scan they discovered I had an almost complete blockage due to colon cancer. I had surgery and ended up getting a colostomy (which I hate!). They did not remove the cancer yet because they want me to have chemo first. After many more tests in the hospital it turned out that the cancer had started in my ovaries and from there spread to the colon. I spent over a week in the hospital and came home on Christmas Eve. I think I was in shock most of December after receiving such an unexpected diagnosis. Just to make things fun, I came down with covid a couple of days after I came home from the hospital.

Since then, life has been a blur of medical appointments and a second hospitalization last week after my first chemo treatment. I came home last Sunday after a week in the hospital with colitis. I still have pain from the colitis but I’m trying to get to feeling better as my next chemo is Thursday, March 6^th. I had two medical appointments yesterday and hopefully no more until my all-day chemo appointment next week.

I know, I’m 72 and these cancers are stage four, but I am not giving up! I’m trying to stay positive and keep fighting! Despite that, I sure could use any prayers and healing thoughts! No matter what happens, I feel incredibly blessed in my life especially by my wonderful family!

I’ll try to post again when I can and fill you in on everything a little better. I send you all my best, I've missed you!

 

Amaryllis and ❄ Cold ❄ Weather!

 

Back in November Chris and Kristi (my son & daughter-in-law) gave me a lovely gift of an Amaryllis. Believe it or not, I had never had one before. What a fun gift this was since I was able to watch it grow from a bulb to beautiful flowers! 

11-26-23  This tiny growth popped up.

12-1-23 Five days later it has more than doubled its size.

Between 12-1-23 and 1-5-24 this little plant grew very tall, but no flowers. Then on 1-6-24, it greeted me with a bulb just beginning to open.

1-6-24 The first bulb opens!

1-11-24

                                                                    

Four days ago I woke up to three large blooms. By this time it had grown so tall that I had to tie it to a small dowel to support it.

 

1-14-24

Yesterday I discovered a fourth full-size bloom plus another bud getting ready to open! Kristi told me it would grow fast and she wasn't joking! Although it spent a month growing very tall with no flowers, once the flowers started coming they have not stopped!

It seems like winter has really arrived for most of us in this past week. Much of the country has had record-breaking low temperatures. Sunday we did not get above 0 F and on Saturday we didn't get much above it. I know the states north of us have had it much colder than that recently but for the Midwest, these are pretty cold days! Saturday our football team, the Chiefs, had a playoff game here and it ended up being the fourth coldest NFL game on record. It's hard to believe people fill the stands in this kind of cold but they do. Even Taylor Swift was there but she was in one of the enclosed boxes. She has been attending almost all of our games since she started dating one of our players, Travis Kelce.

I hope everyone is staying warm and healthy!

Happy New Year!

 

I hope this new year has started out well for everyone. I always become a bit introspective on New Year’s Day but I think that is a good thing. I like to reflect on both the past year and the new one. I see the new year as a book of blank pages waiting for me to fill. I always hope each year that I can improve on how I fill those pages!

2023 has not been the best year for us in many ways but I am thankful that we have had some very happy days sprinkled around to help keep us going! My granddaughter, Annika’s wedding provided a great joy for us all. Each family birthday gave us a chance to come together and enjoy each other’s company. There is nothing I love more than spending time with my family. And of course, our two cats Sophie and Zeus always bring us love and happiness.

I look forward to the ways I find to fill these new blank pages of 2024. I have much I want to accomplish and blogging more often is high on my list! Thank you to those who have stayed with me through my blogging absence. I appreciate you! I hope you all find the happiest of ways to fill the blank pages in the book of your new year!

The Good, The Bad, and The Happy

 

Hello! Back in June of 2022 I took a blog break (here) due to many changes in my life. I discovered that at my age I don’t adjust to changes as well as I did in my younger years. I tried to return to blogging this last March but only managed two posts. Well, I’m back once more with no promises on how often I’ll be able to post, but I’m going to try. I’ve missed all my blog friends!

The past year and a half has been quite a ride. Yes, there’s been good, bad, and thankfully also some happiness. I’ve been incredibly busy learning to handle all kinds of new challenges while at the same time, I’ve swept some of my own problems along with some depression under the rug. It’s hard to take time for yourself when you have other things and people to care for. But I’m getting there, one day at a time and we are both still blessed with love and support from these two sweet cats!

Zeus, always in charge!

Sophie with her Christmas bear.

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s been going on since I last posted:

The Good – Tom and I are both doing better at dealing with Tom’s health problems and the many ways they affect our lives. I am adjusting to being the only one taking care of everything as well as being the only one driving. I’m even learning to get used to driving in places that I used to always avoid, like downtown Kansas City! I guess I had gotten spoiled with Tom doing so much of the driving and helping with other things. 

Tom is more comfortable using his walker now and we are both doing better at dealing with it in many different situations. It does come with a bit of a learning curve. In fact, I’ve even bought a second walker to leave in the car for when we go out. 

When I first took the blog break, I had a list of things I wanted to accomplish but when Tom’s health became worse all those things went to the back burner again. Finally, I have been slowly accomplishing many of the items on my list. Also, I am doing better at getting Tom out of the house a little more. He has spent far too much time confined to the house in the past couple of years. I’m also doing a little better at trying to remember to take care of me too.

The Bad – Last April Tom had a mini-stroke (or TIA) that sent him back to the hospital for a few days. Then I had a cancer scare last August and had to have a breast biopsy. Thankfully it was negative, but I still have to be tested every six months due to ongoing concerns. Both of these situations were frightening and set us each back a bit but we are grateful that they were not as bad as they could have been.

The Happy – Our granddaughter Annika got married on September 23! She and Nick have been dating for several years and got engaged about a year ago. We love Nick and already felt like he was part of the family even before the wedding. It was a beautiful, large wedding and a very happy day for all of us!

   

I may write some posts about a couple of these things I’ve mentioned but for now, I have rattled on far too much! I hope you are all well and happy! I’ve missed you!

If Life Gives You Lemons

We are still working on adjusting to the many changes we’ve had in our lives recently. Everyone goes through the usual ups and downs in life and we learned long ago that you have to deal with what life gives you. 

It’s been a bit more difficult to get used to the physical changes Tom has faced because they seem more permanent. A year ago, neither one of us would have believed he would be using a walker now. He’s getting used to it and even admits it does help him. Besides, if life gives you lemons you make lemonade, right? Or maybe in our case, if life gives you a walker you turn it into a “cat transport vehicle”! 

It's Been a Long Time

Hello!  Most of you will remember that I took time off from blogging to better adjust to some life changes.  Tom had been having many health problems and we were not doing well with the necessary adjustments in our life.  I had hoped I would be able to get more accomplished in regard to these changes if I took a couple of months off from blogging.  Unfortunately, things don’t always work out like you plan.     

A lot has been happening in these last few months.  Tom’s balance problems continued and he started to have falls on a regular basis.  Last month he had a bad fall hitting his head.   He was really banged up and of course head wounds tend to bleed a lot.  My son and I took him to the emergency room and he was admitted to the hospital.  He had a CT scan, MRI, and x-rays.  Thankfully the tests were all clear.  Still, he was kept in the hospital for four days at the end of which they admitted him to a rehab facility for ten days of occupational and physical therapy.  He came home a couple of weeks ago and now has weekly visits from a home health nurse, occupational therapist, and physical therapist.  His balance is still bad so at the doctor’s suggestion we purchased a walker for him.  Not something he wanted but those falls are just too dangerous.  So now we are essentially starting over with his physical condition but we are staying positive about it all.    

I celebrated my 70^th birthday in August and since then my health has continued to throw me hoops to jump through.  I had my annual mammogram and a nodule was found that was concerning.  They now have me coming in every six months for a scan in order to check for changes. Then I had a fall that sent me to the emergency room with possible broken ribs. I lucked out and they were just bruised.  (I’m clumsy at times!)  Before that was completely healed, I began having gallbladder problems eventually leading to surgery.  I discovered having your gallbladder removed can bring challenges in your diet but I’m working on adjusting.  I was just healing up from that when I got hit with a bad case of RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus).  It has been going around here quite badly with the hospitals full.  My body still was not ready to give me a break because I then had to have a questionable growth removed from my face and sent in for a biopsy.  I was fortunate and it was benign!  I’m really not telling you all this to complain but more to fill you in on what has been going on in the last few months.  I so wanted to get back to blogging much sooner but things have just been crazy around here!

The past few months have taught me a lot about myself and how I handle challenges.  I’ve always been good at managing whatever life throws at me but I’ve discovered the older you get the more difficult some situations can become.  I’ve also learned that sometimes (actually much of the time) I just can’t get everything accomplished that I would like and that’s okay.  More importantly, I am learning to bend with the wind and try not to let it break me.  

Thank you if you’ve stayed with me this long.  I sure have missed everyone and look forward to catching up with you all.

Sophie

Zeus

 These two sweet cats have definitely brought a lot of joy and love to us over the past months!

A Reboot

 

Have you ever felt like you needed a total reboot?  I have come to realize that I am at that place at the moment.  Somehow over the past few years I’ve gotten out of sync with myself.  Tom and I have had some uninvited changes in our lives over this time period and I need to do a better job of taking care of things.  

A lot of this has to do with Tom’s health.  You may remember a couple of years ago he had a bad case of the flu.  I wrote about it here.  He has physically been a different person since then and seems to continue to get worse or at best no better.  This had been over two years.  Even though he tested positive for the flu at the time, the doctors now think he may have had one of the early cases of Covid.  At that time, they did not even have Covid tests much less know much about treating it.  He had recently been to a woodworking convention where he had contact with people from all over the U.S. increasing his chances of catching what we didn’t even know was going around at the time.  They now think much of his current condition could be related to him being sick then and his previously existing health conditions have been made much worse because of it.  Among other things, the neuropathy in his feet has advanced to the point that it is difficult for him to walk even with a cane.  He also has neuropathy in his hands now which reduces his fine motor skills.  Over this time I’ve worked hard at helping him to accept and deal with his physical changes but I only recently realized that I had not fully accepted all the changes and the many ways they have changed our lives.  Of course, I have taken care of him and helped him in every possible way as well as taking care of everything around the house, yard, and such.  But I have also fallen behind on many things that need to be done. 

I don’t mean to sound like I’m whining or complaining.  I’m just honestly sharing some situations that I’ve come to realize I need to get a better handle on.  Because of all this, I’ve decided I need to take a blog break for a while.  I have not been doing the greatest job of blogging anyway.  I am hoping if I take some time to deal with things around here, I will then be able to come back and put more energy into blogging.  I’m definitely not leaving all my friends!  I’ll still be reading your blogs but I may not be commenting as often for now.  If any of you want to get hold of me you are welcome to email to the address on my profile.

Thank you all for your wonderful friendships.  You definitely improve my life by being in it!  💗

We will be back!

No Price Too High

 

In the U.S. 27 school shootings have taken place so far this year and over 200 total mass shootings have happened.  This year is not even half over yet.

Below is a portion of an article published today by the NPR News Service.  The entire article can be read here: 

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/24/1101050970/2022-school-shootings-so-far

“A shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, that has killed 19 children and two adults marks the 27th school shooting this year. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the shooter behind Tuesday's incident was killed.

This comes just 10 days after a shooting at a Tops supermarket in Buffalo, N.Y., that took the lives of 10 people.

The U.S. has surpassed 200 mass shootings this year

The Gun Violence Archive, an independent data collection organization, has counted 212 mass shootings that have occurred so far this year, as of Tuesday. It defines a mass shooting as an incident in which four or more people were shot or killed, excluding the shooter.

The U.S. ended 2021 with 693 mass shootings, per the Gun Violence Archive.  The year before saw 611. And 2019 had 417.

As for school shootings, according to Education Week, 2021 had 34 such incidents at educational institutions (the highest since the organization started its database). In 2020, there were 10 shootings. Both 2019 and 2018 recorded 24 shootings.”

I have very strong opinions about this and not everyone necessarily agrees with me.  As far as I am concerned there is no price too high to protect our children.  Many changes need to take place including an improvement in the treatment available for mental illness.  On May 17^th this gunman bought two AR-style rifles legally just after his 18th birthday.  The next day he bought 375 rounds of 5.56-caliber ammunition.  I know our constitution gives us the freedom to bear arms.  But should that include the right to buy weapons of mass destruction and large-capacity ammunition magazines?  Those are weapons of war not needed for hunting or target practice.  Too many politicians are bought by big businesses and groups like the NRA (National Rifle Association) and continue to vote against making these types of rapid-fire weapons illegal.  As I said, no price should be too high to protect our children.    

A Wonderful Mother’s Day

I was blessed to have a very special Mother’s Day.  It actually started early when I received a flower delivery from my oldest son Chris and my daughter-in-law Kristi on Friday.  Chris and I have a tradition of just the two of us spending Mother's Day together usually in Kansas City and often at the Plaza.  The Plaza is a popular shopping and dining area designed in the style of Seville, Spain.  Because of his busy work schedule, I don’t get to spend a lot of time with Chris so having this one-on-one time on Mother’s Day really means a lot.   

 

Mill Creek Fountain on the Plaza

We went to Cooper’s Hawk, which is a three-level winery and restaurant for our lunch.  In fact, we went there last Mother’s Day too and enjoyed it so much we decided to go back this year.  They served a complimentary glass of champagne to all the mothers dining there which was an unexpected treat. 

Cooper's Hawk

 

After lunch, we enjoyed walking around the Plaza checking out the shops and just enjoying the day.  Although it was overcast, it was one of the first days that were warm enough to not need a coat.

My Mother’s Day did not end Sunday because on Monday my other son, Sean came over to spend some time with us and then took both Tom and I out to dinner.  After dinner, he also treated us to frozen custard at a local custard shop.  I feel so fortunate to have two such wonderful sons! 

 

Bad Blogger!

Well, that’s what I feel like I am lately.  I love following blogs and my intentions are good when it comes to blogging.  I guess I just get sidetracked with other things too much.  Not that there is much going on in my life these days but I do stay busy with many little, mainly unimportant details of life.

I apologize that I have not come back with the results of my recent Summons for Jury Duty.  I would have posted sooner if it was anything of interest.  I had been told to call the night before I was assigned Jury Duty to get a possible recorded message if they no longer needed me.  When I made the call there was only a message telling me to call one hour before the time I was to be there the next morning.  The next morning I called as instructed and was told I did have to be there.  We live in a small town outside the city and I needed to leave an hour before the required arrival time in order to allow for parking and such.  I was headed out the front door when my watch buzzed that I had a text.  I checked and sure enough, it was Jackson County Courts telling me my jury service had been canceled.  Talk about waiting until the last minute, I was halfway out the front door!  Happily, my week had been given back to me plus I can not be called for three more years.  Since they can call you until you are 75 in Missouri and I’ll be 70 this summer, that means I can only be called one more time.  I don’t mean to sound like I don’t want to do my civic duty but I have served jury duty many times since I was in my 20s and I feel like I have done my part!   

Overall, April has been fairly uneventful for us.  I’ve been doing a little family history research on Ancestry.  Anytime I do that an hour can quickly turn into a large part of a day as I usually fall into the family research internet rabbit hole!  I enjoy it and occasionally I find something of particular interest.

I hope everyone has been doing well and enjoying spring.  I know many of us have only had a small taste of spring so far but hopefully that will soon change!  

Take care my friends!

 

          

Uh-Oh

 

About a month ago I went to the mailbox and found a jury summons.  Now don’t get me wrong, I like and want to do my civic duty but I get summoned every three years or so.  I have served on both criminal and civil cases and missed up to a week of work on several occasions.  I’ve gone many times to the Kansas City Courthouse and the Independence Courthouse for jury duty.  Slightly frustrated, I put the summons on the table with the other mail and went about some other things I had been doing. 

The next day I remembered I left the summons on the table and went to get it.  It wasn’t there!  I tore the house up (twice) looking for it and never found it.  You have to have your summons because it has your juror number and jury card.  You must show up on the assigned date or be fined and /or jailed!  I was freaking out as I have never lost anything like that.  I tried calling the jury office and of course could not get a real person.  The recording gave me an email address to write and it also let me leave a message.  Over the following four weeks, I left a message and emailed every week with no response.  Luckily, I remembered the date and location of service but I was sure nervous about arriving without my juror number and card.

This past Monday morning I received a phone call from the jury office!  I was never so happy to hear from someone.  She apologized for the delay.  Jury duty was canceled for a year during the pandemic and apparently they are still catching up.  I was not able to get a copy of my jury card but she did give me my juror number and confirmed the date and location.  So next Tuesday I will go to the courthouse with that information and see how it goes.  There is a chance I won’t have to serve because that is the second day that week for jury selection.  There is a possibility they will have the number of people they need by then.  If they don’t, I will happily do my duty. 

                                               Sophie & Zeus say Hi!

Sophie

 

Zeus

100

 

Today would be my Mother’s 100^th birthday.  She used to laugh and joke about how she was going to live to be 100.  Even though she died at 66 from a second round of cancer, I believe a part of her is still alive in my heart if nothing else. 

 

Mother in 1939, age 17

My Mother was born on March 1^st 1922.  She was the youngest of three children and the only girl.  When she was four years old her father died from appendicitis.  That was much more difficult to treat in those days, especially without the help of antibiotics.  After his death, her mother and the three children moved closer to family.  The love and support of family made all the difference for them.

 

Daddy, Mother, and
my oldest brother, Charlie, 1940's

Even though my Mother’s adult life was often challenging, she always loved her children and grandchildren more than anything.  She would sing fun songs that the children loved like “Mairzy Doats” and “The Purple People Eater”.  When I was a teenager she was always understanding and supportive of my interests.  By then she was sick much of the time and I often took care of her as much as I was able when I wasn’t in school. 

Mother's Day, 1965

I have so many memories of the little things about my Mother, such as some of the items she carried in her purse.  There was always Dentyne gum, a small tube of Blistix, a handkerchief, a compact, and lipstick.  She used Coty cologne and makeup and I still remember the scent of both.  She took great joy in simple things and loved gardening.  One of her favorite activities was getting together with as much family as possible and having a picnic at a creek or lake nearby.  You know, it’s the many little things we remember about our loved ones that we later realize were actually the big things.    

Hello!

I’m back!  Well, I haven’t been away but I’ve not been posting much recently.  I’ve felt bad about having this blog and then not writing much this winter.  I’ve even considered stopping blogging but I don’t really want to do that.  This has been a winter of many distractions that have kept me away from the computer.  I’m hoping to change that.

So, what’s been going on this month?  Both of my grandchildren have had birthdays.  Annika turned 26 on the 3^rd and Gavin turned 20 on the 15^th!  I cannot believe how quickly they have grown to be wonderful, caring, young adults!

The bird feeder stays busy these days!

February has been the month for extreme winter weather for us.  We have had big snows each week.  Our temperatures have stayed below freezing almost constantly which keeps us inside most of the time.  I usually buy groceries each Thursday but all month it seems we have the most snow and ice on Thursdays!  I don’t mind changing my shopping day though as I keep enough food in the house for storms.  We’ve had to change a few medical appointments due to snow and ice but that is not unusual around here.

Our deck has remained snow-covered
except for what the wind blows away.

I love to feed the birds, especially in this weather.  They offer much entertainment for us and our two cats Sophie and Zeus. 

Sometimes the squirrels help
themselves to the bird food.

Have many of you gotten started on the Wordle games?  I enjoy doing them especially since it is just one game and done each day.  I have a tendency to start on games and not know when to stop sometimes and Wordle keeps me from going down the “game rabbit hole”!

There is not much exciting to write about at the moment here but maybe that is a good thing!  We are having more snow today so I’ll probably go out tomorrow if the roads are clear.  I’m sure we are all looking forward to Spring but I don’t really mind Winter because there is so much beauty in all four seasons.  Take care everyone and I will try and be back much sooner!

 

Sending the Warmest of Christmas Wishes to All My Friends!

I am also sending apologies to you all for not being around and commenting on your blogs this past month.  For that matter, this is my first blog post since the end of August.  I know, that's bad! 

This has not been a usual December for me as it has been one of those months where everything seems to go wrong.  Tom has had continued health problems, my grandson was in a car accident in which he totaled his car and even one of my sweet cats has been ill.  While all this has been going on there's also been more than the usual number of little aggravating things like having fraud charges made on our bank card. Of course, it has also been Christmas time with shopping, wrapping, and other things going on. 

Please know I'm really not writing to complain but to let you know why I have not been around.  There's simply not been any time and my stress levels have been pretty high.  Actually, I feel very grateful because with all that has happened the outcomes could have been much worse than they have been.  Tom is doing better, my grandson was not hurt in the accident and even my cat, Zeus, is doing better.  I may not have gotten as much done in preparation for Christmas this year, but hey, we've made it to Christmas Eve!  

I've missed all my blog friends more than I can say!  I hope you are all well and enjoying the season.  I am hoping life will calm down a little in January and I can get back to reading and commenting on your blogs.  Please know I have not forgotten any of you and I am sorry I have not been around.

May you each have a peaceful and merry Christmas and a happy New Year! 

 

This Summer…

 

Where has this summer gone?  The days have raced by faster and faster and we are already looking at September tomorrow.  Schools have all started here but it will still feel like summer for at least another month.

So, what’s been going on here?  Earlier this month my granddaughter, Annika, spent the night with me just so we could spend some time together catching up.  Even though she is 25, we have always been close and can easily talk all night (which we did!).  Annika enjoys old movies so I introduced her to a really old one, but a classic: Arsenic and Old Lace.  This was released in 1944, stars Cary Grant and was directed by the famous Frank Capra.  It is a classic black and white comedy and one of my favorite old movies.  Many of you have probably seen this movie but if not and you like classic comedies from the 1940s, it is worth seeing!

We all had a bit of a scare several weeks ago when my 19-year-old grandson, Gavin, got sick with Covid.  This new Delta variant is all over the place here and spreading like crazy.  It’s almost worse here now than it was last year since this one is so much more contagious.  We are very grateful that although Gavin was pretty sick for a couple of weeks, he did not have to go to the hospital.  He is doing better now and has been back at work for almost two weeks.  He still doesn’t have his taste back and is not feeling his best just yet, but he’s getting there.  I am so thankful he is doing better!

I had my 69^th birthday on August 9^th.  (It seems impossible that I am nearly 70!)  Since Gavin had been sick and quarantined, I celebrated it late with my son Chris’ family this past Saturday.  I keep telling my kids that my favorite gift is simply to be able to spend a little time with them!  We had a wonderful dinner out and then went to Chris and Kristi’s house for cake and gifts.  I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with Chris, Kristi, Gavin, Annika and Nick (Annika’s boyfriend).

Left to Right: Gavin, Annika, Nick, Tom, Me, Kristi

 

Kristi, Chris and me

Well, this has been my August other than some usual medical appointments and such for Tom and myself.  Except for Gavin getting sick, it has been a good month overall.  I hope all of you are well and enjoying the final days of summer.  Take good care and thank you for your friendship even though I am not the most frequent blogger!

 

August

What does August mean to you?  Is it just another summer month or does it hold other meanings?  I always think of “back to school time” when August arrives, even though my children and grandchildren are grown.  These days many schools start by the middle of August or sooner.  When I was a child school started the day after Labor Day.  However, August signaled the time to get ready to go back to school.   I’m sure you remember the excitement at picking out your school supplies and some new clothes and shoes. 

As an adult, I think I was about as excited as my two sons when it came time to shop for back to school. I loved seeing all the new school supplies and helping my boys pick out a few new outfits for school.  My birthday is August 9^th and my mother always sent me a little money as a gift.  She always told me to be sure and get something for myself.  I never told her, but I always used the money to help buy school supplies as money was always tight then.  Actually, that was using the money for myself because it made me happy to be able to get the things my boys needed to start the new school year.  I also know that my mother would have done the same thing.  😊

When August comes around I also start thinking about the seasons changing.  It is still a very hot month here and actually so is September.  I guess it just makes me realize that the summer is nearing its end and Fall is around the corner. 

Does August hold any special meanings for you?

                                        

It's definitely still a beautiful summer here.

Hello

I may not be blogging much lately but I’m still here and still reading all your blog posts.  My friends here are very important to me and I am grateful for your friendships.

June is always a busy month for us.  My daughter-in-law Kristi's birthday is June 4^th, Tom’s birthday is June 23^rd (yes tomorrow!) and of course we celebrated Father’s Day this past Sunday.  In between all that Tom and I both have had several medical and dental appointments and we have had people we hired to come out and do some work around our house.  It’s been kind of crazy around here!

We hire someone to come out and clean our gutters around the roof of the house twice a year.  There are many trees in our neighborhood and the gutters seem to fill up quickly.  Tom used to do that job but it is much too dangerous for him now with his balance problems.  Last year we found a very nice man that is a teacher at the high school here.  He has a gutter cleaning business on the side for additional income and he has been a blessing to us.

This month we also had tree trimmers come out to trim the trees in both our front and back yard.  We have a row of Osage Orange trees at the back of our yard and they grow quickly plus the winters here can be damaging to their branches.  About every five years or so we have them trimmed to prevent potential problems.  Some people say we should have them cut down but I love having trees around the house. 

I was trying to capture the sunset and you can see some of the trees I'm talking about here.  In the summer they fill in and provide a lot of shade.

Some of you may recall in my last post I was concerned about some medical tests I was going to have done.  I had both an upper & lower GI test and they were not as bad as I thought they would be since I was sedated for both of them.  They did do a biopsy from each test and it took two full weeks before I got the results.  Fortunately, both of the biopsies were benign however the one from the colonoscopy was a precancerous adenoma.  I was told I have a high risk for colon cancer so I will have to repeat that test every five years instead of every ten.  I am, of course, thrilled both tests were benign and I feel quite fortunate I did not put them off any longer.  A colonoscopy is one of those tests we never want to have done mainly because the prep the day before is not a fun thing.  However, I have learned the importance of having that test done because it truly can prevent cancer.

We are hoping for things to slow down a bit for us in July and maybe I'll even come up with a more interesting post than this one!  Take care everyone!

Cat pictures just for fun:

Sophie says Hi!

Zeus says I'm sleeping, don't bother me!

 

The First of June - Already!

  

My blogging has fizzled out to almost nothing since January and in fact I only posted once last month.  Sure, I have a lot of excuses but really, either you blog or you don’t.  I will never be one that posts every day like many excellent bloggers I know, but I do like to post once a week.  Hopefully I will be able to improve and get back to that routine.

So, what’s been going on this month?  Like so many others living in many different areas, we have had almost daily rain and much cooler weather than usual for us.  All that rain has meant I am playing the game of trying to catch a dry day to mow the lawn weekly since it is growing like a well-watered jungle.  The plus side is the cooler weather is much more comfortable for mowing than the usual hot and sunny weather.

A positive thing has happened recently.  Tom finally decided to get hearing aids!  You may recall I had previously mentioned that he has lost all hearing in one ear and quite a bit in the other ear.  He was evaluated by an ENT earlier in the year and given the specifications for what type of hearing aids he needed.  Tom was a little unsure about taking this step so he didn’t get them right away, but after some time he finally decided to take the leap.  Accepting your aging is not an easy thing for many people.  Thankfully, we received our stimulus checks just in time to pay for the earing aids, as those that have them know – they are rather expensive!  So now he is getting used to them and trying to remember to wear them.  He can hear much better with them but just needs to get comfortable wearing them.

It’s not been the best month for me as I’ve had some minor health problems which have required a series of medical test.  A couple of weeks ago I had a CT – Calcium Score Test which is essentially a CT scan of your heart to check for blockages.  I passed it – Yay!  I have spent the rest of this month dreading some other tests that I have to have this Friday.  I will admit up front I’m a big chicken!  Due to some health issues I have to have Upper & Lower GI tests.  Yep, the lower GI test is the dreaded colonoscopy requiring the miserable one-day prep before.   I had one over ten years ago but it’s that time again.  The Upper GI is the scope test which I’ve never had done, although I should have had one a long time ago since I do have a hiatal hernia and reflux.  I didn’t have the scope earlier because, yes, I’m a chicken!  They are going to do both tests on the same hospital visit.  So, chicken me has spent much of this month worrying about this coming Friday.  I realize that may sound silly but well, that’s just the way I am.  Friday morning Tom will drop me off at the hospital.  He is not allowed to go in with me due to the hospital still observing strict covid rules.  I wish he could go with me to help with my courage, but that’s the way it has to be.  I will be put to sleep for the tests (they better do a good job with that!)  and when it is all over the nurse will call Tom to pick me up.  I’ll let you know more when I know, however if I have a biopsy from either test, I probably won’t know those results until next week.

Sorry for a post full of TMI but I am just an honest and straightforward person about things like that.  I have felt bad about not posting more often this month but honestly, my head has not been in a good place for posting and I’ve just not been feeling well.  Hopefully I will be better after this week!

I haven’t taken many pictures recently but I do have one.  There are many squirrels in our neighborhood and suddenly one of them has decided he wants to move in with us.  We have to watch the door when we go out or in because he has tried to run into the house.  Can you imagine the havoc with two cats if a squirrel came in the house!  I think he sees how spoiled the cats are and wants to join them! 

Take care everyone!