Thursday, December 7, 2023

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!