Looking Back and Ahead

May 22, 1965  I had just been to my Senior Prom with Reed,  the brother of my best friend on Earth, Linda Cruzen.  It was a night to remember.  My long dark brown hair was up in what they called a French Twist.  I had on a one of a kind dress that was handmade just for me.  It was made of white lace over teal taffeta.  I had on long white gloves and a large corsage given to me by my date.  We danced and had fun then went to dinner at a real restaurant in Sherman Oaks on the Boulevard  (Ventura Blvd. to the masses)  I got in late at about 1AM which was past my usual 11PM curfew but it was Prom Night.  Mom was roused by my coming in so I went into her room and we talked.  She wanted to know how my dance was and did I have fun.  She had me tell her what we ate and all about the evening.  She was happy I had a good time.  Then she said good night and asked me to send Grandma in.  That would be her mother Grandma Hazel.  I bedded down in the living room where I had been sleeping since Grandma came to help take care of my mom.  I was on the fold out couch dozing off when Grandma came back in and got my dad and they both went in with mom.  I knew something was going on but I didn’t think about what.  Grandma said Mom told her she wanted to go home.  I was tired and happy and I dozed back off in that haze.  The ambulance showed up a few minutes later.  They got Mom and Dad left to go to the hospital with her in his own car.  He got back at 6AM and got they boys and they all left to go to the ranch at Lake Hughes because he had something he needed to do there. 

The phone call from the hospital came in at about 830.  They didn’t say what they wanted other than to ask that Dad c all them as soon as he got to a phone but Grandma Hazel knew.  I guess I did too.  Mom had slipped into a coma at about 5 when my Dad had left there and she died shortly after that.  She was gone.  It was hard to believe even though I had known for weeks there was nothing they could do for her.  Liver Cancer in 1965 was a death sentence.  Liver transplant was all but unheard of.  It was something that happened in movies of the Sci-Fi variety but not in real life.

I barely remember the funeral except that there were lots of people there.  And after that nothing.  Not for a few weeks anyway.  Then I graduated from High School in June.   

This year will be the 49^th anniversary of her death.  She is still missed by me and I am sure my brothers think of her also.  With the birth and growing up of my children I remember things she did as a mom.  I’m grateful that I have been able to impart some of those lessons to my own girls. 

Tyler is doing well in his recovery.  We found out this week that he is 100% engrafted with donor cells.  That's awesome!!  He was also approved to go back to school.  He will not be doing that until the new semester begins in September but That's only because there is only a couple of weeks left in this school year.  He will continue with his tutor til he gets back to regular school.

And finally me.  I am doing pretty good.  Had my eyes checked yesterday and I have no problems there.  I get a new pair of glasses but not too much has changed in my prescription.  

Hope you are all well and happy!  Love and Hugzz.....R

Happy Easter All!!

Hi there Family and Friends!!

Easter is just a few days away.  I always like to share little things that make me happy about a holiday and this one is no exception.  I love to watch the little ones go looking for all the eggs that pesky old Rabbit hid out in our yard.  Again this year I am thinking he will have to hide them on the stairs.......there is still too much snow out there.  But whatever happens it's fun to color eggs with them on Saturday and I love the smells of the ham in the oven and Wendy making Deviled Eggs. Yum.  Wonder if I can get her to make yams for me this year.  She hates those nasty things (As she calls them) But she always takes good care of her Momma.  I am guessing that as usual she and I will be getting baskets together Saturday Night when she is finally able to get the little ones off to sleep.  They will be up at 6 no doubt and it just doesn't do to tell then the EB was running late.  LOL

Tyler is home and has been doing better.  He still has a lot of problems with eating.  Nothing tastes good and when he does find something he is only able to eat a small amount.  They put him on an appetite increasing med and it seems to be helping slowly.  He lost something in the area of 30 pounds thru this ordeal so he has a lot of catching up to do.  He now weighs less than Mikey by a couple of pounds.  His hair is slowly growing back in.  He is going to PT twice a week to try and regain some strength and to get the muscles working but it's slow going and he is very tired.  He is so awesome tho.  And he does try.

Did I say it snowed again last night and so we woke up to 3 inches of fresh nasty wet snow??  Oh Well it did.  Oh and did I say it snowed and iced up all day??  Ok well it did.  Oh and BTW did I mention it was supposed to snow again tonight.....well yes it is.  4 to 6 but you know what liars those weathermen are. We shall see.  But yikes!!  Can you tell I am sick of snow?????  Well I am!  LOL

A week ago Saturday our little community came together In an effort to help the kids with all the medical bills that are mounting up due to Tyler's Bone Marrow Transplant.  It was a huge success and we are all just over whelmed by the response from our Town.  Another thing that is going on Monday is a restaurant in town is donating proceeds from sales of specific menu items to Tyler's Benefit also.  I can't believe how much love and caring there is here.  Say prayers of thanks with me to all the wonderful people who made this effort come to fruition.  Here is the quarter page ad they placed in the local paper.  Thanks!!

As for me.....well I have been being a good girl of late.  I have not been sick and I am trying really hard top get thru the rest of this winter stuff without pneumonia.  If I do it will be the first time in 5 years I have not gotten sick.  I guess I am doing something right and the man upstairs is looking out for me.  I am still continuing to crochet my little fingers off.  My next project is gifts for my niece's daughters who are graduating from High School in May.  Congrats girls!!

Home from the Hospital

March Is Here and it has already been eventful.  Tyler was home from the hospital after getting past his 100 day milestone and he ended up back in there due to a fever.  He is here in the local hosp so it isn't as bad as being in St Paul but still he is not home which means Mike and Wendy have to be with him.  

I also ended up in the hospital myself.  I had a spell of delusions or something.  I was not able to answer simple questions and I don't know but I was lost.  People were talking to me but I didn't know what they were saying.  I wasn't able to do the simplest things like dial the phone.  And I didn't know the answer to things like how tall am I.  It was weird.  They did a bunch of tests to see if I had a stroke and I did NOT.  So they don't really know what happened other than the possibility that my missing dialysis made my system toxic.  Anyway I got home on Sunday from the hospital in time to kiss Tyler goodbye as he left for the hospital.  

Mallory came in my room on Sunday and she looks at me and says Oh Hi Your home!  Yes. Then she says so are you staying???  LOL  I am for now.  Love my baby girl.  She is such a trip.  She is with me this afternoon because Daddy is at work and Mommy is at the hosp.  We are playing Barbies and have Madagascar in the dvd.  What a fun afternoon for the girls!!

We are all waiting with much excitement to get the kitchen done.  They have new flooring and all new bottom cabinets put in.  They work is almost done and our man Sherman says Thursday he will be finished.  The kitchen is going to be gorgeous. The counter tops are beautiful!!  The flooring is great and Wendy has moved the fridge to a new locations so we are adding a huge amount of space that we have never had before.  I will get pics posted when they get done.  I can't wait to be able to cook in the new kitchen!!

With Tyler's Benefit coming up in 3 weeks we are all busy getting ready for that.  We have lots of cool stuff for the auction and we have a yummy spaghetti dinner planned.  Be sure to check back here for all the pics and a review of all the fun we had.  THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT.  

Same Old Thangs

Wow Mid February and we are still having weather.  We are sitting here waiting for another estimated 12" of snow to fall.  The temp is 32°  But the temp will drop and the snow has started and so then we will have snow pack, ice and rain that freezes then more snow on the highway. Today's a good day here to stay indoors and fine something to do.  I made a big pot of split pea soup that's in simmering as we speak.  It smells wonderful and I can't wait to dig in and get my tummy full of warm yummy goodness.

I am crocheting these days.  I have made a ton of stuff and have much more to do.  I am making a few afghans for the Benefit in April for Tyler.  So far they are in several forms of not finished but they will be by the date.  We plan on doing the Afghans on a silent auction basis to see if anyone is interested in getting a nice home made throw for their laps during these long winter months.  And around here it stays cool at night thru summer so a nice cozy lap throw is just what the doctor ordered.  I am also making slippers and hats and all kinds of other neat stuff.  I have been using the wash clothes I made and they work great to get that dead skin off and leave a nice shiny glow to the skin.  I sound like an ad for one of those acne medications but really......this will work better and is a lot cheaper.  LOL

So on to the news with Tyler.  He is doing so much better now.  His marrow is starting to grow.  His blood numbers are on the rise and he has been fortunate in that so far he hasn't gotten any of the nasty virus' that these FA kids can get after the transplant.  So we are looking forward to getting him and the rest of the family back home in the middle of March.  Not much longer but it has been a long hard time for all of them.  You can follow along with him on his Facebook Page or his CaringBridge Blog.  The url's are over there--->  LOL   You can find it on the right panel.

And a quick update with me.  I'm doing great.  I have not been sick at all this season and the way I am feeling these days I don't think I will have the problems this year.  As much as I don't like going to dialysis I really believe it is what has made me healthier and feeling better and stronger.  I will keep it up for sure.  

Welcome 2014

Man it's hard Io believe 2014 is here already.  Didn't we just do this??  And for this year's resolution I am continuing with what I have been resolving for many years now and that I have actually managed every time I resolve to do this.  I resolve for the year 2014 not to make new year's resolutions.  Ok done for another year.

This year is starting out rough weather wise.  We have been at or near zero for the last few weeks now.  And we have had some of the lowest highs I have seen since I moved here.  It's 6 right now but it was down to -23 last night.  Yes that's 23 below zero.  Our freezer isn't that cold for crying out loud.  LOL  I am hoping it will warm up soon.  But the outlook for the rest of the week isn't promising with Monday being the coldest at an estimated high of 13  or wait  that would be MINUS 13.  Jeez Canada take your cold snap back.  We are done with it now.

Christmas was wonderful.  Jeff and I went to the Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis to be with Wendy Mike and all the kids.  They have a little one bedroom apartment there at the RMH and it isn't bad really.  One bedroom with two big beds and a nice set of bunk beds and then a kitchenette with a microwave and sink and an area for the dinner table and a chair and couch.  The bathroom is good sized and there are a ton of closets for storage.  Not bad at all for a little place to hang their hats.

Tyler is having a tuff time right now with an infection in his chest and his Hickman line.  The doctor put him on Z Pack and he seems to be feeling a little better.  But he still has a temp so he has to stay in the hospital for 48 hours after the temp is gone.  With the way he has been going it looks like he will get out on Sunday.  Keep your fingers crossed.  He still isn't eating but from all reports his taste buds are out on strike from the chemo and it will take a while before he can taste properly.  So now everything tastes like sucking on a penny or something metallic tasting like that and it's horrid for him.  He is wanting to try now though so that's a good sign.  They are still feeding him with the NG tube for now.

Mikey and Mallory are both ok but they are having a hard time emotionally.  They are tired and they miss their friends and their routine and being home.  So they are either crabby and snotty or they are crying.  Sweet little Mikey has been acting out and so he and Tyler either fight or cry when playing together.  It will Be better for all of them to finally have Tyler out of the hospital so they can all be together.  Then they can get into some sort of routine of eating and getting to bed and up and so on.  Until then I don't expect things to calm down.  But once Tyler is on his way to recovery the other little ones will calm down too.

As for me......well I am feeling pretty good.  This is usually my month in the hospital with pneumonia and I don't even have a cold.  Knock on Wood!!!!!  I am trying really hard to stay healthy.  Since the kids have been gone I have been up moving more.  I can get my own drinks and sometimes I even get my own food too.  LOL  Jeffrey and I have been cooking together.  I cook the stuff and he gets it all out for me then he cleans up.  We have it down to a science now.  It's way better than running to McD's for a sandwich all the times.  We have made stuff like couscous with mushrooms and we cooked meatloaf and I made broccoli cheese soup.  It was all yummy.  Oh and we made Lima beans from scratch.  Man that was so tasty we are going to make it again.

I hope everyone had a good Christmas and New Year's.  Stay Safe and Happy and May God Bless you with all you need and want.  I love you all!!!

Hugzz......R

It's Very Cold Here

Where to start.....Tyler had his Bone Marrow Transplant and he is doing great.  I am so impressed with the little guy.  He is trying really hard to get better fast.  His body is responding well and he may get out of the hospital next week or so.  We all have our fingers crossed.  They will be staying at the Ronald McDonald House that is right by the hospital.  He has to stay there until at least 100 days after transplantation.  So we still have a long way to go.  Mike and Wendy are tried and of course they are worried but things are going well.  Mikey and Mallory are also there in the hospital every day while Mike is at work.  Someone has to be with Tyler at all times.  They switch off nights where one is a RMH and the other one is at the hospital with Tyler.  It gets tiring but they are holding up pretty well.

There was a benefit Bake Sale yesterday for Tyler.  Everyone in the community came together to either donate stuff or buy stuff or both.,  It was wonderful.  I am so touched by the outpouring of concern and caring we have in this little town we live in.  It's awesome!!!  Thank you to everyone who helped us.

The weather here has been reallllllytyyy cold.  We have snow too and I hear we expect more in the next few days.  It's 930PM here right now and the temp is -8.  It's supposed to go down to -15 tonight.  You people who live in California have no idea how cold it is.  LOL  I laugh at you and remember back to when I first moved here and thought that 20 was COLD.  I guess you get use to hanging if you hang long enough ya know.  

I am doing great actually.  I have been healthy (for me) and haven't gotten sick since last winter. As much as Dialysis is a pain in the ass to go to it sure is making my quality of life much better. Jeffrey moved back in to help take care of me and to take care of the house and the animals.  He and I are doing great.  I have been able to do a little cooking and so has he so we are eating.  He does the dishes and takes out the trash,  He feeds the animals and his big job is taking care of the wood and the stove so we keep warm.  It's a big job for him but he is taking it on and not complaining too much.  LOL  Jeffery is Jeffrey but we are getting along just fine.

I have been crocheting up a storm.  I have made lapghans for the family and myself and I made some things like hats and so on for friends.  It has been so much fun to sit and create instead of just taking up space.  I am still on the computer a lot too but not like I was.  I am going to make as much as I can to offer at the Benefit they are having for Tyler  We will be having all kinds of things to offer and the proceeds will go toward helping the kids pay the major medical expenses they are getting for this Million Dollar Kid we have.  LOL  And seriously the medical expenses will be around a million if you can even believe that.  How outrageous is that?  Anyway there are people in our community who are putting this thing together .  I will keep you all posted on what we will be doing.

As always you can follow Tyler's progress on Caring Bridge and on his Face Book page. 
Tyler would love to hear from you too so if you get a minute send him and Mikey and Mallory a card or a note to PO 245 Amery WI 54001

Love to you all.  

Sunday

Sunday finds me ready to watch some football and the final NASCAR race of the season.

Thursday Wendy, Mike and Tyler headed off to the hospital and got him all settled in.  Machelle had the kids but they wanted to come home so Jeff and I had the little ones that night.  Friday off to school for them and then they were back at Machelle's but again they wanted to be home so she brought them and we had another sleep over (as we call it when they sleep in my room).

The stove decided to blow a gasket (literally) Saturday so Mike had to come all the way back (he had already been here earlier to get the kids) and he had the little ones with so they ended up spending the night here and in their own beds.  I think it worked out well because the kids were tired.  I was talking with Wendy last night when she got the call and they will be moving into Ronald McDonald House today so all is well. They will be able to stay there for the whole time Tyler has to be in or near the hospital.  Thank God.  We were rather worried about living arrangements for the last few days.

Friday Tyler had his full body irradiation.  Wendy said he was sick to his stomach the rest of the day but by evening he was feeling better and the anti nausea meds were working  He was able to eat a pulled pork sandwich for dinner.  Yesterday he started Chemo.  You can read all about what's going on with Tyler on his FaceBook Page or his Caring Bridge Page.  Wendy posts almost daily updates.

Finally we have some very cool bracelets that we are offering for a $3.00 donation for each.  If you are interested in getting yours please let me know and I will give the info to those who are handling the processing.  There is a photo of what they look like.  I wear mine all the time.  They are stretchy so can fit all sizes.  Thanks for your help.

Quick Update

This will be a quick update but start checking back often to see how Tyler is doing.  Also you can join him on Facebook here or Caring Bridge here.  You have to sign up for the Caring Bridge site but they do not give out your info so it's safe and secure.

Tyler has been in and out of doctor appointments for the past two weeks. They have checked every molecule of the kid's body and found for the most part he is very healthy other than the Fanconi Anemia.  He has the day off tomorrow and then he will check into the hospital on Thursday.  They all will be staying at the Ronald McDonald House as soon as they can get a room.  In the mean time they will get a hotel room for a few weeks if necessary so they can be within the 50 mile limit from the hospital.  Either Mike or Wendy will be at the hospital 24/7 with Tyler and the other parent will be with the little ones the rest of the time.  It is going to be a juggling act for a while but I'm sure things will settle into a routine when the actual transplant has happened.  That is scheduled for November 21.  They will be using cord blood instead of a live donor for the transplant.  It is my understanding that using cord blood eliminates rejection so that is one good thing.  Also tho it takes a little longer before it starts making new marrow.  So Thursday is check in to the hospital day and then they do radiation and then a few days of chemo before the actual transplant takes place.

I will be updating here and also Wendy will be doing updates daily on Facebook and Caring Bridge to a lesser degree.  Jeff has moved back into the household so that he can take care of the stove and outside animals.  He will be here for me also.  I am able these days to get myself food and drinks but I can't put wood in the stove.  The temp right now is 22 and it's 6:30PM so as you can see it is getting colder here.  There is no snow yet but there will be soon.  Jeff will be here to take care of clearing the porch and other areas where I have to go to get to the van and go to dialysis.  It's also safer for me to have someone here in the house in case I fall or do something else stupid.  :)  

Keep check back here everyone.  Also please say prayers for Tyler and the rest of my family.  This is going to be a long journey and we need all the good thoughts and well wishes you can send us.  

Love and Hugzz to all of you!!

Another Day....

It's hard to believe but it looks like summer is pretty much over here. Right this minute I am looking out the window. There is a huge bank of dark gray clouds on the horizon.  It has been raining off and on for the last few days and it is getting cooler.  We are supposed to get up in the high 70's by the end of the week end.  We will see about that.  Looks like we need to get the last BBQ of the year in real soon.

Tyler will be going in for a bone marrow transplant in mid November.  His platelet count is almost non existent at this point. Even the smallest bruise can be very harmful because he has no clotting factors in his blood.  The Fanconi Anemia is causing his marrow to not make the platelets he needs.  New marrow will allow his body to make the cells he needs.  The whole process is very long and involved.  He will be in the hospital for a month or more and it will take several more months of being near the hospital before he can come home.  They will be staying at the Ronald McDonald house until he can come home.  He will be out of school for a year so he will have to be home schooled. Just getting everything coordinated is a major task.  We have to get someone to be here to help care for me and take care off the winter chores of the wood stove to keep the house warm. They will all be gone from home the entire time except for trips back and forth to get me and do all the other things that need doing...getting mail, paying bills, getting food in the house for us and the dogs and so on.  I'll keep you posted on progress or if you want you can go to Tyler's Facebook page. Click here for his Facebook Page or here for his Caringbridge Page. Wendy posts things on both sites and Tyler loves to read all your comments and good wishes.  Also some wonderful friends of ours are putting a benefit together for us. Please go to the FaceBook page set up for the benefit.  You can help in so many ways.  And any help you can give is greatly appreciated.  And many thanks to those who have already helped in so many ways.  Lastly on the Tyler front.........we need all the prayers you can manage.  Please say a prayer for him.

I have been crocheting these days.  So far I have made hats for all the kids and a few extras to give to the hospital for those who may need one.  I have made a couple of afghans......well actually more like lap blankets or Lappies as I call them.  And I am in the process of making baby lappies for my friends twin granddaughters.  Keeps me busy and off the streets..  And in the end someone gets a nice hand made item.  Be nice to me and you might get one too.  LOL

Ok enough for now.  Wendy was in here accusing me of writing a book so I'll finish for now and let you get on with your day.

 

Good Day Friends and Family.

The big news around here has been the weather.  It was almost 100 on the heat index with the humidity up in the 80% range.  It was horrid!!  Hot and wet was the word of the day.  It only lasted for a week but that was enough.  Mike put the air conditioner in the window for me so I could breath.  Even dialysis was warm and stuffy and that place is usually cool to down right cold. It is now finally decent again.  The days are in the 70's and the nights are in the 60's.  I'll take that any day.

We are all reasonably well here.  I continue on dialysis 3 days a week.  Some days are good others not so much.  All in all I feel pretty good tho so it is helping.  I am still tired most of the time and I am weak still too but I have been getting out more and moving around the house more now that the weather is nicer.  I want to ask you to help all persons on dialysis.  There are those in the government who want to cut funding to dialysis patients.  This will seriously effect the care I and thousands of others receive. Please contact your congressman and senators for your state asking to leave the funding at least at the levels it's at now.  I am sure you can Google the problem and find several places to respond to.  Thanks.  It could save my life.

Tyler has been having more problems with his blood counts being lower.  It looks like he will be in for the Bone Marrow Transplant next summer.  Of course I will keep you all up to date but you can also go to Caring Bridge and read his Blog. Wendy just updated his Journal.  You will need to sign up and then log in but it is a safe site and you don't have to worry about your email address being spammed.  http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/tylerstoolbox  He also has a FaceBook page.  Go to FaceBook then type in the search Tyler's Crew.  Friend him and see what the latest is there too. He reads well and loves to read his FaceBook page with all your greetings and comments. If you are interested in reading about his condition you can go to http://www.fanconi.org/  They have a brief bit of information on what it is and so on. Plus they have a lot of links to get you more in depth information.

Jeffrey was back living here for months and months but has now moved back out.  He is going to be working at Polaris, where they make snowmobile among other things, doing security work.  Kathy has also left us after living here for a year.  She wanted to be on her own again so she moved back into the Sr. Apartments where she lived before.  I'm here for the long haul and according to my daughter yes I am not allowed to move out.  Why I would want to is beyond me but it is a joke she and I have.  I'm not going anywhere!!

I think I am in my 2nd childhood these days.  I decided that with my fingernails growing like weeds I would either have to cut them again or paint them.  I decided on painting this time....Blue!!!  What do you think of them??

Wendy didn't have any odd colors so being the good daughter she is she got me a bottle of Blue with a Green shimmer.  What a deal!!!  LOL

All the kids have had their birthdays for the year.  Tyler just turned 9 on June 21, Mikey 6 on July 10 and Mallory 4 on July 7.  It's a rough month for the paycheck but once it's over it's over til next year.  All at once.  We had a small family party for each of them on their special day then in between we had a big party for all of them.  Wendy and Mike got a ton of cup cakes for all the guests and the kids made a haul of toys and money from family and friend!!!

I think that does it for ths report.  See ya soon!!  My love to you all!!  Drop me a note when you get a minute.  Love to hear what you are all dong!!

It's been busy here

Finally it has decided to be Spring here.  Days have been warm and up in the 60's and nights are staying in the 40's.  Everything is turning green and all the nasty white stuff is gone!! And of course that means the mosquitoes and other buggies are starting their yearly pursuit of dinner....meaning that all of us are now on the buffet table.  Man I need to call my Avon Lady soon and get that order in for Skin So Soft before it's all gone. Wendy has been out front cleaning up the planters.  She has the Mole Momma and her babies, the frogs and the Swans all in their places now.  Mike is in charge of the yards so he has had the kids out there picking up twigs while he mows.  In a few days I am sure Wendy will get the garden boxes ready for the tomatoes and the cukes and the zucchini and all the other stuff she has growing on the porch.  Looks like a busy growing and canning/freezing season is just about upon us. 

This week our little Mikey lost his first  tooth.  He is so proud and is going around showing everyone his missing tooth spot.  Of course the Tooth Fairy showed up and took his tooth and left money in it's place.  Awesome deal.  I wonder if she will bring me anything when I go get this tooth pulled and my new bottom dentures made. Bet she's in another country when that happens.

Here's his toothless little mouth for all of you to see too!!

Last night it was getting to be bedtime and everyone was starting to get settled in for the night when we heard a thump and then a pop and then everything went dark!!  It seems that some dumb ass with his tractor out in the middle of the night crashed into the power pole.  Took out the whole neighborhood.  Wendy went out to see how bad it was and when she went to turn around in this man's driveway a few hundred yards up the road from us she almost ran over power lines that were down in his drive.  Mallory totally freaked out!!  She was really scared.  She screamed and cried every time her parents left my room.  The boys thought it was great fun.  Mike went out and got the generator from the shop and set it up.  When he ran the cords in the house I was able to hook up my plug strip. And of course being a computer nerd, I set up the laptop and they all came in my room and we watched Nemo.  Finally around midnight and with two little ones asleep they all went upstairs and off to bed.  The power came on at about 2 so I got my oxygen plugged back onto the condenser.  But the tanks were still on the floor next to me.  Good thing too because the power went off again around 5.  I just plugged into the tank and went back to sleep.  By the time I got up this morning the power was back on and I was back on the condenser.  And the kids had been in here and snagged one of the netbooks to go upstairs and play computer on.  But the good thing was that gave Mom and Dad a chance to sleep in til 9.  Wow.

I am doing OK health wise right now.  In fact I should be good til August or September now as far a colds and illnesses.  Dialysis has been going OK these past few weeks.  I am having trouble with the fistula and have had to get needle poked three or four times before they finally get them in a place that doesn't blow out or infiltrate.  My arm has been really painful for that reason.  My doctor is finally back from maternity leave so I will get in to see her in the next couple of weeks for meds check and just a general checkup.  God I'm glad she's back.  It is so hard to try and explain to another doctor what is wrong when she knows....a lot of the time she knows just by looking at me.  I guess when I an gray and quiet she gets all the hint she needs.  Most of the time that isn't me.

OK time to get this posted for you.  Mike is making Gyros for dinner so I have to go weight in on the pronunciation gyro or yuro.   Makes no difference to me how you say it cause I say his are awesome!!!

Love to you all.  Remember those who gave their all so you could sit around tomorrow with a shrimp on the barbie and a beer in your hand. 

Hugzz.....R

It's 4AM.........

Do you know where your Mother is???  Wendy's Mother is in her room watching TV and working on the computer.  I say working because most of the time she.....Ok  ME....most of the time I am playing a game.  I have 3 or 4 I play on a regular basis.

My Mother is no doubt up in her kitchen in Hood River Oregon having a cup of coffee and reading the paper.  Not real sure but I know for many years that's what she was doing.

My daughter Wendy, Mother to Mallory, Michael, Tyler and Jeffrey is fast asleep in her warm little bed.  I know this because I can hear her when she gets up if I am awake.  The kids are all doing fine.  The boys are really busy with school and Scouts.  Both of them are Scouts this year.  Wendy is still a den leader and works hard giving them all kinds of cool things to do to earn their belt loops.

My daughter Laura, Mother to Eli, Nadeyah and Myrandah is hopefully fast asleep also.  Her oldest is home right now after getting into some trouble but my guess is she will be gone in a day or two.  In June she will be 18 but Laura will, no doubt, have many more sleepless nights ahead of her.

I have been feeling pretty good these past few weeks other than being tired and having really sore muscles. Dialysis is ok.  At least it is doing it's job.  I have no cough thank god and am breathing ok for now.  I have a problem with really dry skin.  Wendy got me a new to the market product called Gold Bond Diabetics' dry skin relief.  If you have dry skin you should give this stuff a try....diabetic or not.  It has a strange feel to it when you put it on but within a minute or two it's soaked in and doing it's job and you can't feel it.  I hate lotions and creams that feel heavy and greasy. 

The weather here has been anything good.  It was snowing last week then over the weekend it got up in the 70's and we saw Mr Sol.  Then last night we are back to snow.  Spring is still trying to get here but she is having a hell of a hard time.  We may just skip into summer the way things are going.  I have a couple of photos for you to check out.  It's May for crying out loud and we have a foot of snow.

Gotta Love Kids

Wendy sneaked out today and went to the gym for an hour so I had Mallory with me.  We were watching Finding Nemo.  We love Nemo.  The part came up where Bruce chases Marlin and Dory into the torpedo tube and I am saying to the TV "don't you hurt them Bruce"  Mallory then, in her loud Mom voice, says "You leave them alone you Big Bitch!!!!!".  I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing out loud but I managed to say thru snickers that she shouldn't say "that word" and she should call him a bully or a meanie.  Kids!!!  Ya wanna know what you sound like to them.....just listen to them play or watch TV.

I am doing OK these days health wise.  The pneumonia is gone and so is the cough finally.  Dialysis is going OK too.  My fistula is working well and I haven't had much trouble with infiltration lately.  My blood work is coming back into all the normal ranges finally and that also makes me feel better.  I am now trying to get more strength back so I can get out and do a few more things.  I am not a big shopping person but a trip to Walmart once in a while is fun.  And of course going out to dinner is always nice.  Pete's Pizza has a great Fish Fry all you can eat on Friday nights!! 

We thought we were done with the cold and that Spring was finally on the way but it turns out the liar of a groundhog needs to rethink his prediction.....it's the middle of April for crying out loud and we have snow falling as i type.  What's with that??  We had dire predictions of 10-12 inches but we didn't get that much.  Still it covered everything in a few inches of white stuff.  Thank god Mike didn't have to go plow the driveway this time.  Please pray to the Spring Goddesses to bring forth the flowers and leaves.  I am sick of white!!!

Not much else to report this time.  Everyone is fine here.  The kids are not sick and that keeps the rest of us healthy.  Wendy is still losing weight and is up to 50 pounds off.  She joined the gym last week and gets over there every time she can.  Not only is she losing weight but she has lost a lot of inches!!  She is looking awesome and we are all so proud of her!!  

My love to all of you!!  Be Safe and Stay Happy!!!

The Rest of the Week and Beyond

I was in the hospital for a total of 7 days.  During that time I had much antibiotics pumped into me and I had dialysis take pounds and pounds of nasty stuff and I came out on the other end feeling like a bar rag after a long night.  I am now doing better though.  The pneumonia is gone and the cold left over part is slowly receding.  I still cough but the seal bark is now better and I don't sound like I am losing a lung anymore.  LOL  My cough was horrid for a few days there.

Since I got home I had my 65th birthday.  I got a wonderful gift from my dearest friend Karin of a Samsung Galaxy Table.  I love it to death and I have so much fun with it.  Thank you Dear Friend.  From my family I got a brand new recliner!!  It is dark brown so it won't show the dirt so bad and it is as comfy as a cloud.  I love sitting in it.  If you know me at all you know I sleep in it also since i can't lay down to sleep with my lungs the way they are so I got a new bed too!  Kathy got me the newest Josh Groban CD.  It's wonderful and I just adore that mans voice!!!  My darling daughter fixed my favorite dinner for me which was Corned Beef and Cabbage.  My whole family goes yuck at the thought but they all ate some and we agreed it was awesome!!  Then we had singing nd my cake.....or should I say cakes.  Wendy made all of us individual mini bundt cakes.  They were so cute and SOOOO YUMMY!!!!!  Take a look and see for yourself!!

There were no candles but Mike explained that it was a no burn date and he couldn't get a burning permit so.......LOL.  Thank you all for all of the wonderful wishes for a Happy day!  It was that and more!

My Week So Far

Saturday

I haven't been feeling great for a while now but  I got sicker on Saturday. Wendy was sick alll last week so we figured I got this from her.  For dinner Wendy made a wonderful Manicotti.  It was delicious but I was only able to eat 4 bites.  Bedtime

 I was really tired so I went to sleep.

Sunday 

I knew when I woke up that I was sick....I mean REALLY sick  At about noon  I asked Wendy to take me to the hospital.  She started to get the van but I decided I couldn't get to the van so she calle the anbulance.  They got there in a few minutes and got me loaded up.  Then off we went on the 5 minute ride to the hospital.  I got into an exam room and when the doctor came in apparently I passed out and stopped breathing.

The next thing I know Wendy is kissing my forehead as they are loading me in the helicopter to airlift me to Regions Hospital in St Paul.  I also found that I couldn't move at all.  Nor could I talk.  I had been put on the ventelator.  Back to nothing again then I woke again around 10. At that point I just fell back to sleep and let the vent do the rest.  

Monday

Today us a better day.  I can communicate by writing so they told me what happened and what they are going to do.  I get the vent out if I can breath on my own.  So I am working on that.  Several hours have passed now.  The vent is out and a really nasty bone marrow IV is gone.  I feel horrid and all I am going to do is sleep.  Sleep???  that's a laugh.  I am in a giant teaching hospital in the ICU.  They never leave you alone ever.  hehehe  when the doctor comes in he has a gaggle of other doctors with him discussing your case like on House. 

Family Remembrance

Yesterday was my youngest brother Larry's birthday.  I don't know why but since I moved here to Wisconsin we have drifted apart.  I haven't talked with him for several years   But I decided that no matter who I had to call or what I had to do, I was going to wish him Happy Birthday.

After a couple of calls to other family members my oldest brother gave me the phone number.  Thanks Randy!!  I talked to him for a while too and caught up on all the news from him.  Looks like I am going to be a great aunt any minute.  Good luck to Sammy and Rich!  Hope Ella arrives with a minimum amount of effort.  You are in my prayers!

The weather here has taken a turn for the cold again.  Right now it's -11 if you can believe that.  Oh it 1015AM.  Man talk about waiting for spring.  And we had more snow too.  Now everything is just a sheet of ice.

Not only was yesterday my brother's birthday but it was also my Aunt Ruth's birthday.  We lost her recently.  I really miss her.  When I was very small my parents had to leave me with my grandmother and my aunt because my mom was pregnant with my brother and she was sick the last few months.  When they finally came to get me I screamed and hid from my mom.  She said I crawled under the table to get away from her and screamed I wanted my mommy.  My aunt was like a mother to me all my life.  I love her.

I have to get dressed now and ready to go to dialysis.  Larry I was so happy to talk to you!!!  We have to keep in touch!!  Love you lots!!

Bye for now!

Redneck Dog Sled

I just had to share this little snippet with you all.

This is what my Grandchildren do on a cold Saturday afternoon in Wisconsin to amuse themselves.
Enjoy!!!

Frozen Week

I just looked at the weather forecast for next week. The High for Monday is supposed to be -3.  Yes that is Minus 3.  Yes that's the high for the day.  It is expected to go down to -12 over night.  You want to talk about cold???  Well go ahead and whine.  But just remember that it has to Warm up around here just to snow.....which BTW is expected on Thursday.  Yes we are praying for snow. Something has to happen to warm it up around here.  LOL 

I have had bronchitis for about a month now.  I have been off and on antibiotics and so far have managed to stay out of the hospital and at home without my usual wintering in Hospital World.  This is the first winter I have been home for in three years.  Yeah Me and Yeah Dr Jenny for keeping me well.

Everyone here is fine.  The kids aren't sick.  The kids have all stayed healthy in spite of the flu going around school.  The boys are both doing well in school.  Tyler reads like a champ. His math skills are getting better too.  He is learning multiplication and division   Mikey is starting to read also.  He is doing adding and subtracting too and getting good at number and letter recognition and writing.  Mallory isn't in school this year because we didn't qualify for Head Start.  But Wen does a good job of teaching her what she will need to know when she goes into Pre K in September.  We are all working on getting Mallory potty trained but some days it is a total bust.  Other days she doesn't have any accidents.  Wendy got a potty training video that she and Mall will be watching. I asked if there was a book with the vid but there isn't.  I thought if there was Wen could beat the kid with the book.  She didn't see my humor.  Oh well.  hahaha

The boys are both in Cub Scouts this year.  It keeps Mike and Wendy busy too.  They had Polar Camp today.  They all had fun.  Tonight they are all going to see Monster Jam.  Should be great fun for all of them.  Nothing better than watching giant trucks smashing into cars and flipping over and all that good stuff!

Ok time to go but I leave you with this thought.....I recently have been watching a very cool show on TV called Criminal Minds.  At the beginning and the end of each show they do a quote from different people.  I love this part of the show.  I have heard some very profound quotes but this one I find exceptional:

In youth we learn,
In age we understand.
     Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach

Starting the New Year Off

Wow 2013 already.  Whoda thunk we'd get this far.  I have been fighting off pneumonia for about 3 weeks now.  For the first time in three years I had Christmas and New Years at home with my wonderful family.  I have been sick but I go to the hospital daily for injections of antibiotics so I have managed to escape captivity so far.

Christmas Eve we all went over to Mike's sister Karen's house for our family time with all of them.  It was good food and great fun watching all the kids open gifts.  Chloe and Mallory are the littlest and those two are great buddies and Oh SO CUTE!!!

Christmas Day we were here when Santa came and dropped off some neat stuff.  Wendy fixed our traditional Egg Casserole for breakfast and then we spent the rest of the day relaxing.  I, of course, watched sports.  Friends Drew and Vicki and their 3 boys came over so I got to play Grandma to their little one Joey who is just two months old.  He is such a sweet little boy and already he is huge.  His nickname is Tank!  And he's so snugglely!!  Wendy is his God Mother so i guess that makes me his God Grandmother then right??  LOL

Dialysis is going as well as can be expected I guess.  My blood chemistry is good and the treatments are doing their job.  I have lost almost 100 pounds this last year. A lot of it was fluid I was retaining that dialysis has removed.  I have these skinny little bird legs now.  If I could get rid of the fat hangover in the tummy area I would be one hot momma.  HAHAHA  In case you can't tell my sense of humor is still in tact and my outlook these days is very good.  Trying to stay in decent shape is not for the faint-hearted.  I will be 65 this year and it has been a struggle at times but I'm finally officially here In my "Golden Years".

Stay tuned for my further adventures!!  Love to you all!!

Hugzz.....R

Knee Deep

Wow We got up this weekend to snow snow snow!!!!  It got up to about 8 or so inches.  I think it is done for now but it sure dumped a bunch.  The trees are all laden down with white powder and the driveway vanished.  My son in law got out there and plowed it all really well so no problem getting in and out since I had dialysis to go to this morning.  The kids were surprised and delighted to get their first snow day.  Trying to build a snowman was a daunting task though as the snow is very dry white powder and it didn't stick together   We ended up eating the carrot that was supposed to be  Mr. Snowman's nose. LOL

Thanksgiving was great food and fun as usual.  

Then life settled back into the before Christmas shopping frenzy.  I think I have almost everything I want.  As usual the money runs out before the list but what the heck!!!  It's fun to get those bargins with that last few dollars!!

Have a happy week Friends!!!

Hugzz