Sunday Stealing

CAPS LOCK Meme

Stolen from: VERY MUCH QUESTIONS

1. YOU HAVE 10 BUCKS AND NEED TO BUY SNACKS AT A GAS STATION. WHAT DO YOU GET?
With $10, I’d probably get some coffee and a package of cookies or salties to eat in the car. We never buy snacks unless we’re on a road tirp.
2. IF YOU WERE REINCARNATED, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD BE?
A slug - although I’d rather be a hawk or an eagle.
3. WHO’S YOUR FAVORITE REDHEAD?
Kate (when she’s a redhead)
4. WHAT DO YOU ORDER WHEN YOU’RE AT AN I.H.O.P. OR BREAKFAST PLACE?
Two eggs, over medium, with hash browns and rye toast.
5. LAST BOOK YOU READ?
The Purcelle Connection by Estelle Ryan. Now reading The Black Box by Michael Connelly (a Harry Bosch novel)
6. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
I can’t remember, but we have Amazing Grace waiting to be watched.
7. DESCRIBE YOUR FAVORITE PAIR OF UNDERWEAR.
Cotton briefs
8. DESCRIBE THE LAST TIME YOU WERE INJURED.
The last big one was in August 2012 when I fell on the front porch and shattered my humerus just below the shoulder.
9. IF YOU COULD INVENT ONE THING, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Teleportation
10. ROCK CONCERT OR SYMPHONY?
Definitely symphony
11. WHAT IS THE WALLPAPER ON YOUR CELLPHONE?
A photo I took of the pink bluebird house during the snow last winter. (There are now bluebirds nesting in the house.)
12. FAVORITE SODA?
I really don’t much like sodas. I’d rather have water or coffee, but occasionally have tonic water with lime.
13. FLAVOR OF PUDDING?
I can’t remember the last time I had pudding.
14. WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE A PEDICURE OR A MANICURE?
Pedicure
15. ANY BUTTONS OR BLINKIES IN YOUR SIDEBAR?
I don’t know what this means.
16. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON YOUR BLOGROLL?
I don’t know how to answer this one either.
17. WHAT’S THE LAST PIECE OF CLOTHING YOU BOUGHT?
Yoga pants to wear at home (on the sale rack at Walmart)

Five plus one on Friday

1. Another lovely day. Started with swimming at the Y and coffee at Panera.

2. John had a tough sinking spell this afternoon, so we didn’t go to duplicate. He’s better tonight.

3. The yard man came and did a major job on the yard.

4. Renna fixed dinner for us tonight. Yum and Thanks!

5. There was a murder/suicide in the house across the street from Missy today. Not much information so far, but the rest of the neighborhood is safe.

6. Lots of crazy things happening today: plane crash on I-285 in Atlanta, four fatalities; two separate bad accidents in Cleveland (TN) with one fatality; bizarre rush hour accident on bridge in Chattanooga.

First night out, etc.

First night post treatment.

Mendelssohn, Brahms, string quartets.

What could be better!

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I loved having an Extra Special Blogger last night, especially that he wanted to say his own thing.

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We have a pair of bluebirds raising a family in our flamingo-pink bluebird house. This is the first time in however many years it’s been since Margaret made it for us. Exciting!

Guest Blogger - John

Today is a very special day.  I had my last radiation treatment this morning.  I had the last chemo treatment last Thursday.  According to the doctors my cancer should be in remission.  All I have to do now is to regain the strength and stamina that I have lost due to chemo and radiation.

It has not been a fun trip.  The side effects were not bad for the first half.  It got tougher and tougher as it went along.  I came out of it with almost all of my hair, most of my appetite, and all of my sense of humor.

I had the greatest support that anyone could ask for, starting with Mary.  She has been there for me every second of every day.  What ever I needed she was there, usually before I asked.  She had my back, front, and both sides.  The idea of going through this without her at my side is something I don't even want to think about.

My daughters were always there, I love you girls.  Mary's water aerobics class, as always, was there to support whoever was in need. It was my turn.  One never knows how great one's friends are until you are the one who needs a friend.

The nurses and techs at the hospital were always wonderful.  The radiation techs were always bright, cheerful. and caring.  This is at 7 am. I don't know how they do it.  Unless I can not judge people they truly cared about me as a person.  I did not see the chemo nurses nearly as often but the same warmth and caring was there.

I did it with a lot of support and love.  I want everyone that helped me through this to know that I really appreciate it  Folks, I love you!

One more

I went to Walmart this morning, but that was as far as I got. My knee started to act up again. Carol had offered to go to Aldi for me, so I "let" her do that (Bless her!!!). As another treat for me, I got a massage.

John seems to be feeling better today - still not much energy, but much better color. Most of the time, he's able to walk across the room without having to sit down along the way. One more radiation treatment to go, and then he sees the oncologist on Thursday.

Soon

John has had probably his worst few days over the weekend and today. He’s had the extreme weakness and lower intestinal difficulties. Only two more radiation treatments, though, and no more chemo. We’ll see the oncologist on Thursday to check labs and set up followup appointments and scans.

Grocery stores tomorrow. And the contractor is due to come by to set up stuff for getting the work done on the deck and the siding of the house.

Sunday Stealing

This isn't actually this week's Sunday Stealing, but an old one I stole from Bev at Airy Persiflage. This week’s Sunday Stealing was definitely not directed at my demographic. Thanks, Bev.


The phone rings. Who will it be?
A telemarketer.
When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart?
Always.
In a social setting, are you more of a talker or a listener?
Definitely a listener!
Do you take compliments well?
I try to remember to just say “Thank you”, and not to depreciate whatever is being complimented.
Do you play Sudoku?
Nope. I do word puzzles, mostly double crostics and cryptograms.
If abandoned alone in the wilderness, would you survive?
I could probably get through the day, but not longer.
Did you ever go to camp as a kid?
I went to Girl Scout camp, probably 4-6 summers.
What was your favorite game as a kid?
Jacks
Could you date someone with different religious beliefs than you?
Of course, assuming he didn’t want to convert me.
Use three words to describe yourself?
Old, creaky, friendly.
Do any songs make you cry?
Sometimes, but I can’t think of one right now. I always choke up when singing the Star Spangled Banner.
Are you continuing your education?
I like to think I’m always learning something new. And I finally got a college degree in 1990 (at age 54).
Do you know how to shoot a gun?
Not really. Although I have shot at squirrels in our back yard with a BB gun - and actually hit one once.
How often do you read books?
I always have a book going, and never go anywhere I might have to wait without one. Unlike some folks, though, I rarely read more than one at a time.
Do you think more about the past, present or future?
I don’t know. I’m trying to play for the future (what there is of it), don’t dwell in the past, and just cope with the present.
What is your favorite children’s book?
I always liked the Bobbsey Twins and then the Nancy Drew books.
What color are your eyes?
Brown
How tall are you?
I used to be 5'7-1/2"; now I'm 5'5"
Where is your dream house located?
I’ve always wanted to live on the ocean, but that’s not likely to happen. We’re comfortable in our house, but I wouldn’t mind moving into an apartment sometime.
If your house was on fire, what would be the first thing you grabbed?
John, and then “Pinkie” (some will understand this).
When was the last time you were at Olive Garden?
About a year ago, when I met some friends for lunch.
Where was the farthest place you traveled today?
Back and forth in the house.
Do you like mustard?
Sometimes, usually a brown mustard.

Tough Saturday

Today was probably John’s lowest day since he started treatment. He slept most of the day, and pushed fluids when he was awake. By suppertime, his color was better, and he said the chicken noodle soup even tasted pretty good.

I guess I was having a sympathetic “low day”, too. I had two naps myself. And spent most of the day in the chair, with the usual NCIS marathon on the TV. I did get some knitting done.

I hope the improvements continue tomorrow.

Friday stuff

Usual Friday swimming and coffee.
John had radiation treatment #27 (out of 30).
He picked a contractor to do the need repair work on the deck.
He’s really feeling the enervating effects of the treatment.
Hopefully, he’ll recover his energy quickly.
Talked to Sue about plans for the beach trip this summer.

Treatment #6

We both woke about 4 and couldn’t go back to sleep. It made for a really long day, and I’m sure we won’t be up late.

We got home from John's chemo treatment about 1:30. This may be his last one - although originally there was one more scheduled. The radiologist says his last radiology treatment would be next Wednesday, so another chemo the day after that would not be necessary. John hopes to talk to the doc tomorrow morning, so we'll see. His labs are still pretty good, and he still has hair, so the lack of energy has been the worst side effect so far.

Joyce and Dick brought us a pot of potato soup for supper. Just the ticket when we’re really tired. Thanks, friends.

Quiet Wednesday

Tina was here for a while this afternoon, trying to help us figure out how to stream videos from the library. We didn’t accomplish that, but she did help me relearn how to use our Roku box. Maybe we’ll get some use from that. Eventually she’ll figure out the streaming thing for us, too.

Tomorrow is chemo treatment #6 (of seven).

Updates

John was feeling better today.  He ate something besides soup for lunch and dinner.  And he even walked for about 15 minutes on the Riverwalk.
We talked to Margaret.  Bobby is feeling better.  He's able to get out of the house some, but not for long.
I got to the grocery stores today.  That seems to do really bad things to my knee. I'll have to figure out some other way to handle grocery shopping.

Usual Monday

Usual Monday stuff - swimming, coffee, and bridge.

Both of us had yucky cards.

Radiation oncologist told John his last treatment would be a week from Wednesday (#30). We thought it would be longer. We’ll have to check. John is very tired all the time. He’ll be so glad to have this over with and start to regain his strength.

Sunday Stealing

Funky Twenty-Five Meme


Stolen from: The now-defunct Tense Teacher


1. Most unflattering hairstyle you ever had? What made it so unflattering? Probably when, on a whim, I had John buzz cut my hair. Definitely not my style, and it took much longer to grow out than I had thought.
2. Favorite movie(s) that were made in the 90's? I have no idea. We see so few movies, and I can’t remember any specifically from that decade.
3. Do you rent movies? If so, from where? We don’t rent any more. We get some from the library or from On Demand.
4. Do you like cookies better when they're just out of the oven or after they've cooled? Who cares? They’re cookies, aren’t they. I guess I like them cooled.
5. Do you still talk to the person who gave you your first kiss? I don’t remember the event. In any case, I don’t have contact with anyone who was around at that time of my life.
6. Did you go to pre-school? If so, what was the name of it? There was no preschool then.
7. How do you take your coffee? Hot and black. Sometimes at a coffee shop, I might get a latte.
8. Do you like fuzzy things? It depends. I love peaches. Moldy things, not so much. Cats and dogs are fine.
9. Favorite kind of chocolate? Dark
10. Are you more optimistic or pessimistic? I’m pretty optimistic, with a strong strain of realism.
11. What about peopleofwalmart.com? Do you think the site is mean, funny, or both? Never heard of it, and don’t think I care to investigate.
12. Do you like fat sandwiches? If so, what does your favorite one have on it? I’m not sure I understand the term “fat sandwiches”. What I put on a sandwich depends on the main ingredient.
13. One restaurant you'd never been to but would like to go to? I can’t think of one. That’s not just that important.
14. Last time you got a haircut? Do you need one? Three weeks ago, and I’m planning to get one tomorrow. Usually every three weeks.
15. What's your favorite pattern for clothing (stripes, plaid, etc.)? It depends, but I mostly lean toward solid colors.
16. What's your age backwards? 97
17. When you see typos in a survey, do you correct them? Absolutely! I’m such a grammar/spelling snob.
18. When was your last vacation? Did you go someplace special? Last fall, we took a cruise on the American Queen from St. Louis to Minneapolis on the Mississippi River.
19. What's your favorite kind of pancakes? I’m not much of a fan of pancakes. I prefer waffles or French toast.
20. Do you like movies with computer graphics, like Avatar? Again we see so few movies, and this would not be a first choice.
21. Do you know how to sew? Oh, my, yes! I used to make all the clothes for the girls and myself and all John’s sport shirts. I almost never do any sewing any more.
22. Are you good at wrapping gifts? I do a good job, not elaborate, but rarely do it any more.
23. Do you like flavored yogurt? Yes - I don’t like plain yogurt.
24. How old will you be in December of 2015? 79

25. What's the age difference between you and your siblings? My sister was 5 ½ years older, but she died almost 19 years ago.

Sleepy Saturday

John slept most of the day today. Just no energy. I got a nap this afternoon, too.
I made chicken soup yesterday, and he had that for supper last night and lunch today. During the day today, I made beef stock from the tail end of a standing rib roast that I've had in the freezer. I put onions, garlic, mushrooms, and rice in it. We had it for supper and it was delicious. For the duration, I'm fixing whatever John feels like eating.

Friday trio

• Three of our swimmers had birthdays this week (ages 70, 73, and 86!), so we had a brunch after class this morning. Great food, as always. No presents, but it was fun to see who could find the funniest cards.
• We went to duplicate this afternoon and had terrible cards. We didn’t play them all that well, either. I think, out of 18 hands, we had the bid only 3 times. John’s energy was really gone by the time we finished the afternoon.
• We’re due to get bad weather tomorrow, so I guess we’ll be staying in. I hope we don’t get anything severe.

Chemo #5 (of 7)

Treatment number five.

Over half-way. Energy

Gone. End is in sight.

Wednesday, Week #5

Chemo #5 is tomorrow. He is really feeling the lack of energy. This has gotten pretty hard for him. He just can’t do things that he thinks he ought to do - even like walking on the Riverwalk. But he did get out for a little while this morning.

Both of my “indulgences” wound up being today. I had my mani/pedi scheduled for this morning. And I had to change my massage appointment, so this wound up being about an hour after that. Both are wonderful, but I do try to space them out a bit.

Tomorrow is mostly at the hospital for a chemo day.

Food and TV

I got my first fresh ear of corn today. John has a loose tooth, so wasn’t going to try to eat that. I love corn on the cob and this was pretty good for the first one of the season. Not as good as Bobby’s of course, but it’s way too early for that. Anyway, I cooked it in the shucks in the microwave. Have you tried that method? It’s an amazing way to cook a few ears of corn. There are lots of videos on YouTube about it. Check it out and give it a try.
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Instead of watching a rerun of NCIS tonight, we watched a National Geographic program on our PBS station called The National Mall. It was an interesting program about the development of the National Mall as the Nation’s Front Yard. Most time was spent on the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Wall, and the use of the Mall for demonstrations. Really a very interesting program. Catch it on your local PBS station if you see it in your listings.

Monday Miscellany

• Thunderstorms from about 4-6 a.m. this morning, then sunshine.
• Since last Thursday, we’ve had another 2.25” of rain.
• We still had swim class. John walked in the therapy pool.
• I went to bridge. No great cards.
• John had his radiation time moved to midafternoon today. Still didn’t take long.
• Papa Murphy pizza for supper tonight.

Quiet weekend

It’s been another quiet weekend. Lots and lots of rain - maybe another 2-3” of rain today, with more predicted to come in overnight. There may even be enough thunder in the morning to keep us from swimming. We shall see.

John wanted to take me out to dinner last night and I was hungry for a good salad. We went to Ruby Tuesday because I know they have a good salad bar. And it was good, plus a crab cake. John had their shrimp and grits. He said it was excellent and brought home enough to have for dinner tonight.

He may have no energy, and he may sleep a lot, but as he says, he still has his appetite, his hair, and his sense of humor.

Sunday Stealing

Book Preference Meme


Stolen from: The now-defunct Tense Teacher

Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror?
I don’t particularly like any of these, although I did like Harry Potter.
Hardback or Trade paperback or Mass market paperback?
The only books I’m likely to buy nowadays are e-books.
Amazon or Brick and Mortar?
Amazon
Barnes & Noble or Borders?
Neither of these, and obviously, there is no more Borders.
Bookmark or Dog-ear?
Bookmark, definitely!
Asimov’s Science Fiction or Fantasy & Science Fiction?
See the first answer
Alphabetize by author, Alphabetize by title, or Random?
Random - I’m definitely not that organized any more.
Keep, Throw away or Sell?
Never, EVER throw a book away. I try to give away as many as I can.
Keep dust-jacket or Toss it?
When I was reading paper books, I kept the dust-jacket.
Read with dustjacket or Remove it?
And I read with the dust-jacket on the book, using the flap as a bookmark.
Short story or Novel?
Novels, or nonfiction.
Stop reading when tired or at Chapter breaks?
Usually at chapter breaks, but I’m not wedded to it. I can stop in midpage whenever I need to.
“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time?”
“Once upon a time”
Buy or Borrow?
I would prefer to borrow from the library.
Buying choice: Book Reviews, Recommendation or Browse?
Recommendations, browsing, BookTV. I never read book reviews.
Collection (short stories by the same author) or Anthology (short stories by different authors)?
I don’t read short stories.
Tidy ending or Cliffhanger?
I hate cliffhangers - give me a tidy ending.
Morning reading, Afternoon reading or Nighttime reading?
Any time that works. Doctor’s offices are frequent reading places.
Standalone or Series?
I don’t much care, but each book in a series should also stand alone.
Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?
Monte Walsh by Jack Shaffer
Favorite genre series?
Nevada Barr’s books with Anna Pigeon is one favorite.
Currently Reading?

The Courbet Connection by Estelle Ryan.

Week #4

John's chemo treatments are on Thursdays, and yesterday's was his 4th (of 7). So he's just over half-way through. He'll probably start feeling "puny" (as he says) tomorrow and that'll last through part of Monday. He's having some trouble swallowing. But he does okay if he does as his mother tried to teach him all those years ago - take small bites, chew your food thoroughly, and put your fork down between bites. He says he's finally getting the message - only took nearly 80 years.

In between showers this afternoon, the yard man was finally able to get the grass (weeds) cut. And two contractors came to look at the jobs and repairs, so we’ll be getting estimates from them. One or two more are due to come next week. Spring is the time for repairs I guess.

Didn't it rain!

John emptied 4” of water from the rain gauge this afternoon. We got 2.5” of rain today on top of the 1.5” from yesterday and Monday.

During John’s chemo treatment at the hospital this morning, the bottom fell out. The rain just poured, with lots of lightning and thunder. By the time we went home about 1 p.m., the rain has slacked off some, but not stopped. The rest of the afternoon, it continued.


On the news tonight, the weather guy said at one point this morning, we got an inch of rain in 23 minutes! A friend who was at the hospital in another area said one of the hospital’s parking lots had flooded and cars were submerged up to their windows. And, of course, there were areas of flash flooding throughout the area.


It seems to have stopped now (10:00 p.m.), but schools have delayed opening in the morning until daylight so the bus drivers can watch for standing water.


Apologies to California.

Today was for me.

I’ve been having some severe sharp stabbing pains in my right arm in the area of the shoulder replacement. I’ve afraid there was something amiss with the prosthesis that would require more surgery, and I certainly didn‘t want to deal with that at this point.

The doc didn’t take x-rays, but he was able to reproduce the pain (big ouch!). He says that the sharp pain is coming from where the deltoid muscle is attached to the bone where it holds the shaft of the prosthesis. He recommended upward deep massage with an OTC rub (Ben-Gay, Aspercreme, etc.), and to just keep using the arm. So that means more work on the arms in the pool. I’ll ask my massage therapist to do extra work on that area. What a relief! I’ll see him again the end of July. Maybe by then, I’ll be ready start talking about my knee.

Not exciting (fortunately)

John had much more energy today. He even felt like doing some time on the rowing machine and on the recumbent bicycle.

I did just the grocery stores. Admittedly there was just a miniscule amount of time involved. My knee went out while I was there, so I tried to get through as quickly as possible. It was nice to see the early small watermelons in the store. We love them, and this one is pretty good for being so early. I forgot to look to see where it was from - probably Mexico or Central America.

One of the bidders to do the work on the deck was supposed to come this afternoon, but he never showed. We’ve had a lot of phone calls, though, and there are several appointments set up for the next few days. It’ll be good to make some decisions about that.

Monday Miscellany

It has literally rained all day today - sometimes just a sprinkle, and sometimes really raining. And there’s supposed to be more rain all week. We still have a little rain deficit in this area for the year. But obviously nothing like California. I wish we could share some of this with them.
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Winning at duplicate last Friday was great. But today, they announced the scores from last Monday’s contract bridge group. I came in first last week. I’ll certainly enjoy this for a while. Even with the yucky cards we got today.
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John’s still “puny” (to use his word), but he managed to go all day today without even ONE nap. And he stayed up until the news came on at 11! His cough is awful, but a lot of that may be due to Chattanooga’s awful pollen (even with all the rain). And so starts treatment week #4.
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We’ve needed some major, but basic, maintenance done to the deck and some other minimal stuff. John has several services coming this week to look at the jobs and give us estimates. And he talked to the yard guy to start working on the yard, whenever the rain stops.

Quiet weekend

This was a really slow, quiet weekend. Our duplicate on Friday afternoon was about all the activity John could handle. The lack of energy has really hit him hard. He got out to the boathouse for a few minutes (it was “opening day” for the rowing club, and they were doing clean-up and boat rigging). He didn’t help, just went to talk to folks. But he came home and went right to naptime.

We went to dinner with Carol and Stephen Saturday night, and Tina came for dinner (hash from leftovers) tonight. That was it for activities.

All we have on for next week are John’s treatments plus his quarterly dental appointment. This will be week #4, midpoint of the treatments.

Five for Friday

1. Early morning thunderstorms meant no swimming. John got to radiation, and we met Missy at Panera for coffee.

2. A massage is a wonderful thing. Even when she really works the sore places.

3. John felt well enough to go to duplicate this afternoon. And we kicked butt! We not only came in first, but by a large margin.

4. John had a severe sinking spell after supper, and went to bed before 7. I hope he can sleep it off through the night.

5. I finished the pattern part of the sweater I’m knitting. Just have the neckband, ribbing, side seams, and blocking to finish it.

Third Thursday

Week 3, chemo 3.

X-ray, breakfast, treatment room.

Worked today. Hooray!

Fun in Tennessee

Tennessee was the subject of Rachel Maddow’s lead story tonight. It seems that the NRA National Convention is being held in Nashville beginning Friday. The state is thrilled to be hosting 70,000 delegates and getting the benefits of the money they spend and the publicity they bring. And most of the declared and possible 2016 Republican candidates for the nomination for President will be speaking (although the Republican Governor of Tennessee was not invited to speak).

The Tennessee Legislature currently has a Republican super majority and loves to pass gun laws. One current law permits legally permitted gun owners to carry guns in public places, except where specifically permitted by the local government with jurisdiction over the spaces.

These are things that have happened in the last couple of weeks:

1. A bill was introduced that would allow legal gun-holders to carry guns in all parks, superseding any local laws that prohibit guns.

2. An amendment was proposed that this should also include the Legislative Plaza and the State Capitol (where guns are currently banned).

3. The bill has currently been tabled.

4. There will be, according to advertisements, 14 acres of vendors and displays at the convention. None of the guns at the booths can be in working order - firing pins must be removed from all guns.

5. Attendees with legal carry permits will be allowed to carry at the convention.

6. Except during the entertainment (Jeff Foxworthy, Alan Jackson, etc.)

7. Concealed weapons will be allowed at the speeches by the potential Republican candidates.

8. There is currently a guy in Nashville (the Radnor Lake Rambo) who walks around schools and other public places, wearing a bullet-proof vest and carrying a rifle (sometimes bolt-action, sometimes automatic). He has a permit for open carry, and has broken no gun laws by doing this. The police have no idea what to do about this guy.

Never a dull minute!

Rainy Monday

Rain on Monday makes

For good cards at bridge. We got

New floor lamp. Hooray!

Spring Sunday

We went to visit Margaret and Bobby this afternoon.  We went the back way, through Soddy Daisy and across the Sequatchie Valley, rather than taking the interstate.  The redbud trees along the highway were as full, plentiful, and colorful as we could remember.  We came home on the interstate and they were almost as spectacular there.
Margaret and Bobby were doing well.  Jesse was home for the weekend, so that was a special treat.

Seeing Stars

I know yesterday’s eclipse was spectacular - but it was cloudy here, so we didn’t see it.

However, we had a great show of the International Space Station tonight. The skies were clear and the ISS passed almost directly overhead for us. Wow!

We get e-mails to alert us as to when the ISS will be visible in our area (weather permitting). Click here to get to the site to sign up for notifying e-mails.

It is amazing!

Five for Friday

1.  Swimming and coffee
2.  Haircuts  (YEA)
3.  Skyped with Jean
4.  Tina came by
5.  Talked to Margaret

Chemo #2

John did okay during the treatment today. It does pretty much shoot the whole day. We didn't get home (or have lunch) until after 2. I had a short nap and John slept until after 5. I was cold from the treatment center until after my nap - thought I had more clothes on this time. John tells me to go out into the lobby to wait, but I hate not to sit with him. His lab work was okay prior to this treatment. We'll see what happens this week.

Warmer Wednesday

Today was another lovely day. John got to get in his exercise on the River Walk. He loves soaking up all that sunshine.


Judy brought us potato soup for dinner tonight. It was delicious and made with that very special ingredient, LOVE! Thanks, Friend.


I’m still pretty zonked from the lack of sleep the other night, so I’m off to bed. Tomorrow is a chemo day, so we’ll be at the hospital all morning.

Zombie Day

I pretty much just phoned it in today.


The phone rang at 3:30 this morning.  Caller ID said "blocked call".  I answered and nobody was there.  Hung up, and it promptly rang again.  Same thing.  I let it go to the answering machine next time - same thing.  So I just left the phone off the hook and we went back to bed.  John got to sleep, but I never did.


John went to radiation, saw the radiologist, and had his consultation with the dietician.  I went to the post office to mail the tax stuff and then to the grocery stores.


I thought for sure I'd be taking a killer nap, but got only a short one.  So I think I'll go to bed early tonight.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Panic

After the usual Monday stuff (now including John’s 7 a.m. radiation appointment), we came home to find the TV not working.

NOT WORKING?!?!? How can this be on a day when the Lady Vols are playing in the Elite Eight? I got on the phone with our cable provider. We tried lots of ons and offs and do-this and do-the-other. Nothing worked. Finally he set up an appointment with a tech house call tomorrow afternoon.

TOMORROW?!?!? OMG! Having to watch the game on the little non-HD television in the room without comfortable chairs. ARGHH!

John went to take a nap to rest up for the game, and I watched the news on the little TV. After UConn had annihilated Dayton, I woke him up. The first thing he did was try to do something with the TV. As an old electrical engineer, the first thing he tried was a total reboot, i.e., unplug the cable box from the wall and then turn it back on.

Well, damn! After some “whirring” and “thunking”, the stupid machine popped up a picture, with the Lady Vols and Maryland going at it. The old man still has “it”! Unfortunately the Lady Vols didn’t - and Maryland is going to the Final Four. I hope they give UConn a good game.

RIP L'Empress

One of my favorite blogs has been "A Place of My Own".   L'Empress was a lovely Connecticut lady.  I met her online, but never had the joy of meeting her in person.  We found an immediate connection over our passion for women's college basketball.  Unfortunately our two favorite teams were mortal enemies.  She was a graduate of and obvious fan of the University of Connecticut - the arch-enemy of our Tennessee Lady Vols.  We never let that stand in the way of our virtual friendship.  She had just moved into a retirement community and was hoping for many more years of life.
I wish she had been able to see her beloved UConn Lady Huskies win a 10th national championship (as it's looking likely they will do).  I'm sure she will be cheering for them from her new vantage point overlooking the basketball court.
RIP, L'Empress

Sunday Stealing

The Dirty Dozen Meme


Stolen from: The Archives

1. This weather is really..... changeable - just like Spring

2. You think you've seen it all, you should see me.... dance

3. I'm sure you would still love me even if... you knew me better.

4. I think I have finally realized... that life isn’t perfect.

5. Since the last time we linked up... a week has gone by.

6. I get super embarrassed... at my birthday party last week.

7. I really thought by now... I’d have learned more than I have.

8. If I thought no one would read it, I would write about... a few secrets.

9. I knew I was in the wrong place... when I woke up in a high-fashion, high-dollar store in my dream.

10. I am so not above... doing dumb things.

11. Let's pretend... was a children’s program I used to listen to on the radio on Saturday mornings. (DAMN, but I’m old!)

12. Just you wait...  "‘Enry ‘Iggins, just you wait!" (What else could I say)

Simply Saturday

We had a lovely day, albeit cool. John's still doing well. He did have some problems with his a-fib when he tried to exercise today, and will have to check with his docs on Monday about that.

Tina and Carol fixed dinner for us, Stephen, Missy & John (7 in all) - pasta and meat sauce, caprese salad, bread, green beans dessert. What special friends! And delicious food!

Almost forgot to mention the nail-biter ballgame. While dinner prep and post-dinner cleanup was going on the Lady Vols were doing very poorly against Gonzaga in the Sweet Sixteen ballgame. And then they managed to come from 17 points behind to send the game into overtime, and finally pull out the win. Now on to Maryland in the Elite Eight on Monday.

Five for Friday

1. Radiation treatment #3.
2. He took donuts for the techs and nurses.
3. I got my delayed massage this morning.
4. John’s a-fib kicked in when he exercises this afternoon. He doesn’t need this, too.
5. Women’s Sweet Sixteen started tonight.

First chemo

We got up before 6, and got to the cancer center just in time for his 7 a.m. radiation appointment. He was finished with that at 7:20. We had to wait about 30 minutes for the Oncology office to open, and then got started with signing in, taking vital signs, and a little more waiting.

Once into the treatment area, he picked out a chair and we settled in for the duration. This appointment was longer because there's extra stuff with the first session. The nurse had to get signatures and give instructions and information, etc. She finally started the drips about 9. I think he wound up getting five bags of stuff (saline, anti-nausea, benedryl, and the two medicines), and was finally unhooked and dismissed about 12:30. The nurse said the subsequent sessions would not take that long.

These folks do everything they can to make the patients as comfortable as possible. In the treatment room, the chairs are recliners; there are blankets, coffee, water, snacks, bathrooms, and no overhead music or TV.

But then we were home for some lunch and naps. Tomorrow he'll go by himself, just for the radiation treatment. So far, no side effects. We'll see what the next few days brings.

It begins

We had another gorgeous day today, with sunshine and highs in the high 70s. It's all-day rain tomorrow and then back to below freezing over the weekend. We are enjoying all the gorgeous trees in bloom, though (and the pollen and sneezing that go along with them).
-------------------------------------
We went to the cancer center this afternoon for the set-up and first radiation treatment. They hade a mold for his body to rest in on the table, and gave him three tattoos. He's currently set up for 7 a.m. appointments. We're both morning people, so that's not a problem. His first chemo is tomorrow and will follow the radiation treatment. I’ll drive him on the days he has chemo, but he’ll probably go to the radiation by himself (unless he starts feeling bad towards the end).

So it's started.

It goes on...

Last night, all my parts decided to ache at the same time, so I took a muscle relaxant and a pain pill. I went to bed (and to sleep) at 9:30, and slept until after 7 this morning (with only a few potty breaks). Obviously I really needed that.
--------------------------------------

We went to the oncologist this morning, and John’s treatments will start tomorrow. He will be having 7 weeks of chemo and radiation simultaneously. The radiation will be every day and the chemo once a week. He has his radiation “dress rehearsal”, which will include the first treatment Wednesday, and then the first chemo treatment will be on Thursday.

The doc says some people have almost no side effects, a few might have to be hospitalized, and all points in between. Whatever, John was definitely ready to get started, so we’re off to the races. Stay tuned.

"Normal" Monday

Today was just a “normal” Monday - Y, Panera, home, bridge. Tomorrow we have what we hope will be the planning and schedule-setting appointment with the oncologist.

The Lady Vols are headed to the Sweet Sixteen.

I’m achy and am having a hard time staying awake. I hope to get to 10 pm before heading to bed.

Weekend visits

Jean went to visit with Margaret and Bobby Saturday morning. She and Sue overlapped there, so got to visit with each other. Sue came here Saturday afternoon. She left here midmorning, heading back to SC. It was great to have visits with them - just don't see them often enough. Next time will probably be at the beach the end of June.

John has borrowed a recumbent bicycle and an erg (rowing machine) so he can get some exercise here at home. To my surprise (but not his), they both fit in our living room without moving too much stuff. I wouldn't want them there permanently, but it'll work for the duration.

Accomplishing that, plus laundry is about all we got done today.

Sunday Stealing

The I Meme


Stolen from: The Archives

I am... Mary

I want... to be healthy as long as possible

I have... the best family and friends

I wish... people would just be nice to each other

I hate... hatred and prejudice

I fear... that Congress will never be able to accomplish anything

I hear... birds outside in the morning

I search... for information on Google

I wonder... if people will ever learn to get along

I regret... I don’t regret - it’s a waste of time

I love... my family and friends

I never... say “never”

I ache... all over sometimes

I always... try never to say “always”

I usually... try to make peace

I am not... ready to stop traveling and seeing new things and learning

I dance... never

I sing... when I’m alone in the car

I sometimes... like to be alone

I cry... much too often

I am not always... as calm as I look

I lose... my temper over stupid things

I am confused... about why people do the things they do

I need... more time

I should...lose weight, exercise more, otherwise take better care of myself

Good friends, good food, good times.

I had the greatest morning. The swim class had a post-class party (covered dish goodies and coffee) for my birthday. Just getting together is special. But the hostess had everybody tell some tidbit about me. So unexpected and so emotional for me and something I'll keep with me forever.
----------------------------------------
I think John has had enough of doctors for a few days. He cancelled this afternoon’s appointment for a second opinion. His cancer is not something unusual, and he is happy with his team. Now the next appointment is on Tuesday with the oncologist - the quarterback of the team. We’re hoping that the treatment schedule will be set up then.
-----------------------------------------

This special day ended with a special dinner. Missy, Tina, Carol & Stephen joined Jean, John, and me for a carry-out Chinese dinner. Great company, great food, and just the right amount (i.e., no leftovers).

Life is good!

Music

Today was a lovely quiet day. It rained off and on all day, but no doctors’ appointments.

Jean came - first time we’ve seen her in several months, so it’s special to have her here.

We went to String Theory tonight. It was an unusual program - all percussion. Neither of us particularly likes drum solos, so we were apprehensive about the music. But this was not what you normally think of when you say “drum solo”. It was SO much more.

The three musicians played a variety of percussion instruments, as a group and solo. There were six or seven pieces in the program, none more than about 5-8 minutes long.

Far and away, our favorite piece was Musique de Tables by Thierry de May. It’s about 6 minutes long and is not like anything we’d heard before. Click here to listen. Please listen to at least a few minutes of it - it’s amazing. The sounds are very subtle, so turn the volume up on your speakers (I promise it’s not one of those things that will jump out with a loud noise). Just remember to turn it back down later. I’d love to hear your comments about the piece.

Tough day

We were gone for nearly 12 hours today - starting at the Y and finishing up at the hospital.

In the morning, John had the CT scan for the set-up for his radiation treatments. Then we killed about an hour until nearly noon, waiting for time to go back to the hospital for his biopsy.

The preliminary pathology didn't show any abnormality, but the doc is waiting for the final report in five or so days. John is not happy about this procedure or the doctor. He had a really bad coughing spell in the recovery room and feels like he got no help at all for it. By the time I got called back to the post-op area, he was still doing some hard coughing, but not like he said he had been doing before that. In any case, we finally got home about 5:30, and his coughing has been minimal.

He got some coffee and some ramen noodle soup, and was feeling better by bedtime.

Tomorrow Jean comes and we go to the String Theory concert. Should be a better day.

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Remember a couple of months ago when I so highly recommended the book, Being Mortal? Please click here for an short exceptional article on the question every doctor should ask.

Ten Things Tuesday

1. Tuesday is for the grocery stores. My time at Aldi and Walmart keeps getting shorter, though.

2. John went for pretesting for the laryngeal biopsy tomorrow, then did some exercise time.

3. John had to do some phone calls about tax questions.

4. I called to the repair service about the dishwasher that wouldn’t start last Sunday. They set up an appointment for Thursday.

5. The repair service called to say they’d had a cancellation and was it okay if the repair guy came today. Well, duh!

6. The dishwasher was working an hour later!

7. I had gotten a box of leftovers out of the freezer to thaw for supper. It was unidentifiable, so went down the disposal.

8. I tried another package of freezer leftovers, plus an Idahoan mix. This one was a winner.

9. John is npo after midnight.

10. It looks like Sue and Jean will be here at various times over the weekend. Yea!

Birthday miscellany

We met with the radiologist this morning, and finally met with the Nurse Navigator. These are all such nice people. They really do everything they can to make this difficult journey as easy as possible. He scheduled one more appointment this week. John will come in before his laryngeal biopsy on Wednesday for the specialized CT scan to set up the radiation treatments.

---------------------------

We finally got to play bridge this afternoon. Not that the cards were all that good, but it was still good to get out. We went straight from there to Bonefish Grill for my birthday dinner. John always has the same thing - the appetizer of mussels for his dinner. I had grilled scallops and shrimp this time. Whatever - it's all good.

-----------------------------

Then home to watch the women's basketball selection show. The Lady Vols are(is) a #2 seed, and the Lady Mocs are (is?) a #7. They're in the same bracket and play the first two games in Knoxville. This means that, assuming both of them win their first games, they will play each other in the second game. Not our favorite scenario, but …

------------------------------

We talked to Margaret tonight. She’s having a tough time. I wish we could help her more. Mostly all we can do is listen. Love you, Babe!

------------------------------

Happy Birthday to me!

Sunday Stealing

The One Thing Meme

Stolen from: Survey Haven

One Thing .....

that makes you smile: seeing family, puns (oops, that’s two)

that makes you cry: I never know - crying is usually a surprise

that you love to do on the weekends: get together with friends and/or family

that you do for only yourself: get a massage

that you have in your underwear drawer that's NOT underwear: actually, there’s just underwear there

that you do before going to sleep: put eye drops in my eyes

that you do within the first 15 minutes after waking: turn on the coffee

that's in your purse: wallet


that you actually LIKE to clean: nothing

that you DETEST cleaning: everything

that other people would find odd about you: that I like going to a movie by myself

that you would buy if I handed you a $100 bill: yarn


that you feel you HAVE to do before you die: live every day to the fullest.

Birthdays

This is birthday time

For us. Alison, Sarah,

And me. Wish us well!

A pretty good day

A plan might be coming together.

John was getting very frustrated about a lack of movement in various events that needed to happen before he could start his treatment. While not sleeping last night, he decided that he would go to the Cancer Center this morning and talk to some folks “face to face”.

His pulmonary function test was scheduled at 8 a.m., so that was first. After that, we went next door to the Cancer Center to see what we could accomplish.

It was amazing. John talked to the scheduler (twice) and to the doctor’s nurses. They agreed that Dr. A would want to have the laryngeal biopsy done before setting a treatment plan. While those folks were talking and planning, I got on the phone to Dr. L’s office and through several phone calls, got the biopsy set up for next Wednesday. John will see the radiologist on Monday, and see Dr. S for the second opinion on Friday.

All of this is to be followed by an appointment with Dr. A the following Tuesday to review all the findings and to set up the treatment schedule. Hooray!

And all this was done before 9 a.m. So we had time to get to coffee with the swimmers and get much-needed haircuts. We were definitely not great at duplicate this afternoon. But we get to have Kate and Wayne here and had lasagna for dinner.

All in all - a pretty good day!

Limerick

A Word A Day has been about poetry this week.  And today's poem form was the limerick.  This is my first attempt.  The best, funniest ones are usually dirty, and this one is neither funny nor dirty.  But it is description of our life nowadays.

There was an old man from Hixson

With bad lungs. We’re tryin’ to fix ‘em.

He goes in for test

Along with the rest.

Chemo and radiation to mix in.

Roller coaster

We went for John to see the ENT doctor this morning. Dr. L wants to do a biopsy of the lesion on his larynx. We're waiting to see what the oncologist recommends as to timing.

We're still working on phone calls, trying to get all things scheduled. The second opinion hasn’t been set up yet. And I guess that needs to happen before they can set up a treatment schedule.

Pulmonary function tests scheduled for early Friday morning. Plus he got a call about an asbestos study being done by his 30-year employer, so they're going to be paying for some of this testing.
======================
In our “normal” life - if anything can ever be considered “normal” - I had my mani/pedi this afternoon. And a special treat - Jesse and Caroline came by for a little visit this afternoon. He’s out of the Navy now and is job hunting in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area.

This week has been one wild roller coaster! And it's only Wednesday.

Day two haiku

More rain today, but

No appointments. Some phone calls,

Nothing definite.

Not the best, but not the worst, either

Well, today was the day for information from doctors. The first visit was to the oncologist. Dr. A is to be the captain of our team.

Not the best of news, but not the worst either. John has Stage III-A squamous cell carcinoma (non-small cell carcinoma) in the left lower lobe (LLL) of his lungs, with 4 left lymph nodes involved. His PET scans and brain MRI last week were clear. Dr. A says this is “curable” with treatment with chemo and radiation. His recommendation is for radiation with chemo give at the same time, weekly for seven weeks. The drugs would be Paclitaxel and Carboplatin. And he said the treatment would be “tough”.

John asked about getting a second opinion, so Dr. A’s office is going to set him up with a visit to another top oncologist here. We’re hoping to get that done in the next few days, so the treatment schedule can be set up and started.

Next we went to see the pulmonologist. Dr. B told us again what he had found. He’s going to set up full breathing function tests, and see John again in 3 months. He said he was 100% sure that this was due to John’s many years of smoking - even though he quit 30 years ago. Dr. B is also concerned about the possibility of a lesion on his larynx, and wants to be sure John sees the ENT doc. This is set up for Wednesday.

UTC Lady Mocs win!

Lady Mocs again!

Conference champion!

Ranked seventeen. Yea!

Sunday stealing

Threes Meme

From Remember the Stars

1. Three things that scare me: The current Congress, people carrying guns, getting Alzheimer’s
2. Three people who make me laugh: David Hyde Pierce, Robin Williams, can’t think of a third one right now.
3. Three things I love: My family, my friends, springtime in Tennessee
4. Three things I hate: Hate, stupidity, intolerance.
5. Three things I don't understand: The current Congress, intolerance, ignorance
6. Three things on my desk: Desk calendar, calculator, pencil cups
7. Three things I'm doing right now: Watching the Lady Vols win over Kentucky, answering these questions, I’ll be knitting when I finish this.
8. Three things I want to do before I die: Clean out a lot of this mess so the girls don’t have to do it, continue to travel, watch the grandchildren get settled into their lives.
9. Three things I can do: Knit, cook, love
10. Three things I can't do: Play a musical instrument, run, understand people who hate
11. Three things you should listen to: Your heart, your head, your gut.
12. Three things you should never listen to: Someone who tells you to do something you know is wrong, gossip about a friend, Fox news.
13. Three things I'd like to learn: I’m not really in a learning mode right now. I like to improve things I already know how to do.
14. Three favorite foods: Ice cream, salads, soups
15. Three beverages I drink regularly: Plain water, coffee, tomato juice
16. Three shows I watched as a kid: Remember, I’m old! We didn’t have a TV when I was a kid.

Five things Friday

1. The setting full moon this morning was awesome!

2. Sunshine and blue skies brightened everybody’s spirits.

3. John’s cardiologist doesn’t need to see him again for a year. The medication prescribed for his A-fib is working as expected. One doctor off the list, at least for a while.

4. The UTC Lady Mocs easily won the semi-final game in the Southern Conference tournament.

5. The UT Lady Vols easily won the quarter-final game in the Southeastern Conference tournament.

Enough of winter, already!

I absolutely crashed last night. I gave up at 9:30!!!! I left John with basketball games and he was a happy camper. I didn't get up until after 7 this morning. That kind of sleep doesn't happen unless it's really needed.

Today, basketball started at noon and continued until nearly 11. The Lady Mocs won their first tournament round handily, beating UNCG 78-44.

We met Carol and Stephen at Red Ginger for dinner. They’ve been in FL for several weeks, and it was good to visit with them.

Today swift and severe storm hammered Kate & Wayne in KY and Jean in Nashville. Margaret and Bobby got ice. Our valley got rain.

Spring WILL come soon!

Wednesday testing

John had a PET scan and brain MRI this morning, and all went without incident. We were at the hospital at 6:30 and, to our surprise and pleasure, were home by 9:30. Naps were necessary, to be sure. But not before Missy had come by to visit and brought lunch.

Next visit is to the cardiologist Friday (previously scheduled for routine check for his exercise-induced atrial fibrillation). Then I'll go with him to the oncologist Monday morning and pulmonologist Monday afternoon. That should be, I hope, when we find out just what we're dealing with. And I assume they'll have treatment options and recommendations. So that's the big day.

Weather has definitely been the big news everywhere. It was 71 here at 7:45 pm, and has now (8:30) dropped to 62. Sleet/freezing rain/snow is supposed to start sometime around midnight. Kate & Wayne have already gotten several new inches of snow (on their way to possibly 12"). We shouldn't get more than 0.5" or so, which I hope will melt tomorrow. Crazy!

Rainy Tuesday

We’ve had rain all day - but it is needed. And at least it’s rain, not snow. Although that’s due to change tomorrow night. Jean has postponed her visit, and will come down a week from Friday with Kate and Wayne.

I had my routine visit with the optometrist today. My glaucoma is holding steady with the drops. I ordered a new pair of glasses. The ones I’ve been wearing are in pretty rough shape, and with a slight correction, the insurance will pay for most of it.

One of John’s friends has been in the hospital for nearly six weeks. He went in with pneumonia and and developed MERSA. He’s finally on the road to recovery and has been moved to a rehab facility to regain strength. John went to visit him today, so that got him out of the house.

We’ll be out and off early in the morning for his first test (PET scans) at 7.

Rescheduling

Since John’s tests were postponed, Monday went off pretty much as usual. At bridge, the cards were mixed, my bidding was not the best, and I did play a few good hands.

After swimming, I called Nurse Betsy to tell her why we weren’t at the hospital. She said she would check on things for us. When she called back, she said that more reports had been sent, and that things should be moving along. When we got home there was a message saying we should call to set up the tests.

Surprisingly, there was someone there at nearly 5 pm to do the scheduling. John's tests have been rescheduled for Wednesday morning early (be there at 6:45). I've had to reschedule his appointment with the ENT doc, but it's more important to get the testing done. One additional question we want to ask when we see the various docs after the testing is “Who is in charge of the treatment regimen?” Always more questions.

-----------------------------------------

We're getting predictions for more bad weather Wednesday night, but not to last too long. At least it shouldn’t interfere with medical stuff.

Sunday haiku

Warm Sunday; snow all gone.

Monday tests postponed. Waiting is

Hard. Just basketball.

Sunday Stealing

17 Meme

Stolen from: Survey Haven

Are you a jealous person? No


When is the next time you’re traveling out of state? In April, I hope.

Can you write your name in a foreign language? Well, duh - it’s the same as it is in English.

When you’re getting ready for something, do you listen to music? Not particularly

What is your favorite day of the week? They’re all pretty much the same when your retired. I have different things I like about all of them

What is something you did yesterday and wish you could’ve done today? Can’t think of anything. A mammogram was the only major event of yesterday, and I certainly don’t want to do THAT again today.

If you woke up tomorrow and knew/spoke a different language, which language would you want it to be? I think I’d pick Spanish - it’s more likely to come in handy in my lifetime.

What did you last order online? Yarn (what a surprise)


Do you have any specific hobbies? Knitting, of course.

What’s a song you recently discovered that you want to tell everyone about? Not a song, specifically, but that I just found out that Lady Gaga has a great voice (I’m a little slow about some things).

Favorite fall or winter accessory? Hats, gloves, sweatshirts

What did you last eat? Gelato, just a few minutes ago.

Look to your left. What’s there? John’s chair - usually with him in it.

How long does it take you to fall asleep? Usually just a few minutes.

Is there a TV in the room you are in? Yes

What comes to your mind when I say red? Bright

Name something you think is pointless? Scriptless TV shows (so-called “reality” shows)

A Friday thaw

      I had my mammogram done this morning. I didn’t get immediately - there were just the techs where I had my mammogram done, so it's read elsewhere in the hospital (I guess). Anyway, they didn't call me back to get more pictures, so that tells me all is okay.
      We came in third at bridge this afternoon. I made one really stupid bid, but mostly we bid and played fairly well.
       Unfortunately, when we got home, there was a message on the answering machine that John's lab tests scheduled for Monday were being postponed. The insurance company had not gotten back to the hospital with precertification. So we'll have to wait until they get that and then reschedule. I called the doctor's office to notify them, and the nurse told me she had sent all the information to the insurance company early this morning. Oh, well..... John doesn't have to do any prep for Monday in any case. Unless they call back and reschedule.... or......

Chattanooga snow

We got about 8” of snow yesterday and overnight. It’s one of those beautiful, fluffy snows - just right for playing in - if you’re of an age and inclination to do that sort of thing. We just enjoyed looking at it and taking a few pictures.

We stayed in all day - mostly watching and listening to the snow melt. I had a huge attack of the sleepies and took 2-3 naps in the chair during the day.

Our driveway is not snow-free, and any melt-water will freeze overnight. So we won't be going anywhere early in the morning. My mammogram is scheduled for 9:30 - and we're expecting to be able to get there. But we won’t go out before then.

Update plus weather report

John's been scheduled for a bunch of appointments over the next ten days - starting next Monday. He is to have PET scans and brain MRIs on Monday. Then he is to see the ENT guy on Wednesday. A week from Monday (9 March), he is to see the oncologist at 11:15 and the pulmonologist at 3:15. I hope by then these two (or three) doctors will be able to tell us what he’s up against and coming up with treatment options to propose.

The hospital we're using has a large cancer center, and I had a long talk this afternoon with the "nurse navigator" there. She'll be our center source of information, explanations, etc. This is going to be special - at least for us. Her name is Betsy - with the same last name as my dear Aunt Betsy. So I know we have a special guardian angel looking over us. I told her that, and she wanted to know all about my Betsy. Definitely gives us a good feeling.

John's still doing a lot of deep coughing - left over from the bronchoscopy - and his chest/abdominal muscles are really starting to ache from that. The anesthesia hangs on, and by 8:30 he was already sleeping in the chair. At least he's gone on to bed.

=======================

We're having a beautiful, fluffy snow tonight. I'd guess we've already had 4+ inches (since 5 pm), and it's still snowing. . It's very light outside because of the light reflecting off the snow. But the temperature is supposed to go up into the 40s tomorrow, so it'll probably all be gone by tomorrow night - just in time for the next cold snap. Such is life in the sunny South. I've just had to reschedule my mammogram for the second time.

A day to remember - but not for the best of reasons

A little history here. John had prostate cancer diagnosed about 5 years ago. This was treated with radiation and went into remission. Last year, the prostate cancer recurred and he has been having treatment for this. About a month ago, he had a body scan and an MRI to check for “hot spots”. There was nothing in the pelvis around the prostate. But some suspicious places showed up in the chest area. John was referred to a pulmonologist. A bronchoscopy and biopsy were scheduled for this morning.

We had snow and ice when we left to go to the hospital this morning. (John said he heard they had closed the bridge because of ice shortly after we crossed it.) Glad we went on and chanced it, though, since we got there without incident. The procedure went as scheduled and John did well.

Unfortunately, the results were not good. He has lung cancer, possibly related to his long-time smoking (even though he quit 30 years ago). It's separate, not metastatic from the prostate cancer. And there’s another suspicious area on his larynx, which will be investigated by a head and neck surgeon.

Today, we're just dealing with that shock and trying to process the information. There will be lots more testing in the days ahead - to "stage" the tumor, breathing tests, PET scans, etc. Then the docs will be able to determine what sorts of treatment to recommend.

Stay with us. We’ll keep you posted on our journey.

It's Monday is it still winter?

It was in the 30s all day today, but at least not "doing" anything. We even had some periods of sunshine. I hope it doesn't "do" anything overnight. We're supposed to have John at the hospital at 7:30 tomorrow morning for his bronchoscopy and biopsy.

Just the usual Monday stuff today. We hadn't been to Monday bridge for several weeks. We had six tables today, which was nice. I had some good and some not-so-good cards - just the usual stuff.

Our ballgames were 50:50 tonight. The UTC Lady Mocs are now #18 and won their game with Mercer. The Lady Vols played South Carolina. Each was undefeated in SEC play, so this was a big game. It was a hard-fought game, but SC held on to win by a couple of points in the last few seconds. Only one more home game for UTC.

Getting out

We finally got out of the house today. We drove over to see Margaret and Bobby. It was the first time we'd been there since we helped get him moved in with Hospice. John mostly talked to Bobby, while I talked to Margaret. Bobby has lost weight, and is getting weaker. But he is getting around in the house a little bit, and even out of the house occasionally. Margaret is keeping occupied struggling with various medical entities and bureaucracies, and keeping track of all the phone calls, etc.

The drive over was interesting. The ice formations along I-24 going over Monteagle were gorgeous (if you've been in the area, you know where I mean). But the fog going over the top was horrible - both directions. John kept the flashers going both times. Very scary, but at least not for more than about a mile or so. At least we're home safely, and it was good to see Margaret and Bobby for a little while.

Sunday Stealing

Colorful Meme

Stolen from: Survey Haven

Could you tell me please, what color each of these things are?
~ Your hair: grey
~ Your eyes: brown
~ Your shirt: turquoise
~ Your socks: multicolored
~ Your shoes: slippers, multicolored stripes
~ Your purse: black
~ Your wallet: black
~ Your phone: blue
~ Your computer/laptop: blue
~ Your earphones: earphones for TV sound amplifying, black
~ Your best friend’s hair: grey
~ Your best friend’s eyes: brown
~ Your sky today: grey


Sounds pretty dull today, doesn’t it. That’s what happens on a snowy, rainy day.

Finally Friday

• It’s so boring to keep talking about the weather, even that’s all that’s happening around here.
• Only seven of us braved the single-digit temperatures to go to the pool this morning. But it was wonderful, at 84 degrees.
• And good to get out, get some exercise, and then socialize at Panera afterward.
• We watched a great documentary DVD called Hey, Boo! Not surprisingly, it’s about Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s excellent - definitely worth an hour and a half of your time.
• With any luck, tonight’s inch of snow, followed by freezing rain, will have melted and gone by early afternoon tomorrow. On these hills, a thin layer of ice is treacherous.

Cold Thursday

It’s BRRR cold, but we

Did get out. Mani/pedi

For me. John to stores.

Everybody talks about it

This weather is so bizarre! Last night’s forecast was for cold, very windy, and scattered snow showers. We left for the Y this morning in heavy snow, sticking to the ground. Well, OK….

After swimming, we came straight home, cancelled an appointment, and settled in for the day. At which time, the snow stopped and the sun came out.

For the rest of the week, the forecast is now calling for record low temps, possible sleet/freezing rain storms, and who knows what else.

And then, for Monday, a high temperature around 50!

I’m not complaining, you understand. We could be in Boston or Maine.

Enough already!

• Bobby and Margaret have settled into a routine at their house.
• John is scheduled for a bronchoscopy and biopsy next week.
• Buddy is recovering from surgery.
• Jim was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
• Hunter may have to start dialysis.
• Scott is having chemotherapy.
• Curtis has reached the end of any cancer treatment.
• Don was in the hospital last week with the flu.
• FJ was taken to the hospital at 2 a.m. with a severe gallbladder attack. She had surgery at noon today.

 Enough already!

The next day

We wound up being right on the edge of the rain/ice line - the "good" side. We had about an hour of freezing rain this morning, but then the temperature went to 33-34-35. It's been just rain since then. It'll probably be a mess when the temperature goes down tonight, but.....

Chattanooga was in a pocket, in the valley between the mountains. It was icy with freezing rain at the higher elevations, but not down here. Strange, but we’ll take it. I wonder what it’ll be like in the morning.

In any case, it was a good day for doing nothing - and we did it quite well - including some napping. John even wanted the second half of last night's dinner (lamb burgers, scalloped potatoes, squash casserole), so no cooking.
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The Lady Mocs won their game against Western Carolina easily, in an almost empty house. Western is in the mountains, so most folks stayed home. And the Lady Mocs have moved up to #20 in the national rankings!

Winter weather

I know the awful snows they’ve been having in Boston and Chicago, etc., are awful. But they are somewhat prepared to deal with it (if not in those quantities).

However, the weather around here for the next week is going to be super terrible - at least for this area. And nobody around here is prepared to deal with it.

The temperature didn’t get above freezing today, and the precipitation is supposed to start around daybreak tomorrow. And it’s supposed to rain/snow/freezing rain/sleet at least through Tuesday. And the temperature is supposed to be hovering around freezing or colder for the rest of the week. This will bring our area to its knees.

We both had medical appointments tomorrow morning, and we both received calls this evening to tell us that the offices would be closed and we should call later to reschedule.

We’ll hope for no power failures, since we don’t have an alternate heating source. We have a fireplace, but haven’t had a fire in it in probably ten years. It definitely wouldn’t be safe to try a fire in it now. And if the roads are icy, we have no way to get to a motel.

I guess we’ll deal with whatever. At least, we don’t have 20-foot-high mountains of snow to dispose of.

Stay warm, folks!

Pre-snow Saturday

Our Lady Mocs beat UNCG 76- 52 this afternoon - and then we went out to eat at our favorite Mexican place. This is amazing - our fourth time to eat out this week, and three days in a row. I guess I'll be cooking for a while.

Almost like a typical Chattanoogan when snow is in the forecast, I went to the store this morning. I was going to need milk and eggs on Tuesday, but since it's looking like we'll be snowed in, I decided to go out today. I just went to Aldi, and went as soon as they opened. So it wasn't too crowded yet.

Today was lovely - with the high reaching the high 50s. It was very windy, though - and that continues. The temps are supposed to be dropping through the night and tomorrow, with snow starting tomorrow night. Right now, the prediction is for 1-2" in the valley (where we are) and up to 8" in the mountain areas. We shall see.

Busy, mostly good

Friday was a busy day - not all productive.
The time at the Y and at coffee was well spent, of course. And we really needed our haircuts.
Duplicate was another matter. I think we came in next-to-last out of 14 couples. We seemed to have a severe attack of the dumbs. Oh, well - it wasn’t something that hasn’t happened to everybody else. We just hope it doesn’t happen TOO often.
We went to dinner with Tina at the Vietnamese place. They have reworked their menu. I managed to get the best dinner tonight - and it surely was good (shrimp stir-fry with udon noodles).

All in all - a good day.

Three for Thursday

1. Massage therapy is great. I had a massage this morning.

2. We went to String Theory - a great concert with piano and clarinet. This was certainly an unusual combination but, in listening, a very pleasant sound. In the program were selections by Debussy and Schumann and two mid-20^th-century composers.

3. Our evening ended with supper at 5 Guys & Fries.

What's up on Wednesday?

What’s up on Wednesday?
Swim class at the Y.
Coffee with the swimmers.
Trip to Costco.
Gourmet lunch (Polish hotdog and drink for $1.50).
John scheduled for bronchoscopy and biopsy.
Delicious supper (oyster bisque).
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Joke from Renna:
Sunday School teacher: “Jimmy, do you know the meaning of ‘resurrection‘”?
Jimmy: After some thought, “No. But I do know that if it last more than four hours, you’re supposed to go to the Emergency Room.”

Tuesday

Walmart and Aldi

Groceries on Tuesday are

The norm. One day/week.

Airplanes and airports

To and from Shannon, Ireland.

Canmore, Alberta.

The Year of Health Issues

I guess 2015 is going to be the Year of Health Issues.

First there was Bobby. Update: he’s doing well at home. He’s comfortable and is even able to get up and walk around the house for short periods. They have a sitter in the daytime, and Margaret has been able to go back to work, at least part-time. So there’s at least some degree of normalcy.

John went for his quarterly checkup with the urologist. His PSA was up slightly, which was not totally unexpected, and he was put on another medication. Plus he was sent for a bone scan and an MRI to be sure there were no “hot spots”, i.e., that the cancer hadn’t spread outside the prostate.

Today we went to see the oncologist. To our great relief, the bone scan showed only arthritis and no problems in the pelvic area or liver. There were some enlarged nodes in his midchest, so he’s being sent to a pulmonologist for a consultation.

And then there’s Don, Scott, Jim, Hunter, Buddy, Bob, Judy’s son, Missy’s mom, Jean’s husband, Sandra’s husband, and all other loved ones. 

Hugs to all.

Sunday Stealing

Why Do You Want To Know That Meme?

Stolen from: My Random Randomness



What TV gameshow/reality show would you like to be on? I’ve always thought I’d like to give Jeopardy a try.
What was the first movie you bought in VHS or DVD? I have no idea. I haven’t bought many over the years.
If you had one million dollars to spend only on yourself, what would you spend it on? I’d make sure we could afford all the housing and care we’d need for the reste of our lives - and then TRAVEL.
One place you've visited, can't forget and want to go back to? We’re going back to the Canadian Rockies this summer - have been there several times. Spectacular.
Do you trust easily? Yes
Do you generally think before you act, or act before you think? I try to think first, then act.
Is there anything that has made you unhappy these days? The results of the elections last November, and the results.
Do you have a good body image? Just realistic.
What is your favorite fruit? I like almost all fresh fruits. Right now, we’re enjoying grapefruit from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.
I’m always being asked… about my knitting.
The last big belly laugh I had was… I’ve just finished an autobiography by Carl Reiner. He’s one funny man!
What websites do you visit daily? My mail sites, A Word A Day, the Astronomy Picture of the Day, web cams from various national parks, Facebook, SeniorLearn, Seniors & Friends, the blogs I read via Feedly, various puzzles. Maybe I spend too much time on the computer.
What have you been seriously addicted to lately? The computer?
What's the last song that got stuck in your head? I haven’t gotten one stuck in a long time.
Favorite clothing? Soft clothes.
Do you think Rice Krispies are yummy? Not particularly. I prefer Cheerios or GrapeNuts.
What would you do if you saw $100 lying on the ground? Look around for the owner, check the nearest store to see if somebody lost it, and then spend it if I couldn’t find who dropped it.
Items you couldn't go without during the day? Coffee, water, iPad, cell phone, book.
What should you be doing right now? Answering silly questions.

Something to think about

One of my daily reads is A Word A Day by Anu Garg.  There's always something to learn about words at this site.  Occasionally, Mr. Garg puts some thoughts of his own.  Of course, he has a wonderful way with words.  I've been thinking a lot about this piece from last Monday, and just had to share it.

The beginning of 2015 means the starting of engines in the US presidential race. The elections will be held in late 2016, but around here we like to start early.

POTUS, the President of the United States, is a potent title. Stakes are high. If you have your eyes on the big prize, it helps to have endorsements from powerful people. And if you can manage to get the nod from the ultimate power, things should be breezy.

In the last election for the US president, no fewer than three presidential hopefuls received the baking of god. Clearly god likes to hedge his bets. Not sure why he changed his mind later on and dumped all three endorsees.

All the religious posturing by these politicians to convey their goodness should be an obvious turn off. Unfortunately, many voters want the candidates to wear their religion on their sleeves. Contrary to what they believe, religiosity doesn't necessarily imply goodness.

Religion is a personal thing. People should be free to spend as much time as they want in their places of worship or in their homes, praying to a god of their choosing. Why get government involved in the business of god (or god in the business of government)?

Why not vote for the most capable candidate irrespective of whether she bows to a particular god, or how often, or how long? Mixing religion and state is like mixing water and petrol. It spoils both. And it creates a hazard.

At one time both the religious leader and the political leader was one and the same person. In some places that’s still the norm and the results are disastrous.

Appreciated

      For several years, we have given some extra money to support the Women’s Basketball program at UTC (the University of Tennessee Chattanooga). It’s not a lot, and we’ll probably start increasing our gift.
      Tonight, the phone rang. It was a young man asking for “Mr. Z.”. After a few minutes of conversation, John hung up with a smile. It was a student on scholarship at UTC calling to thank us for our gift to the University.
       What a great thing for the University to do. It’s good for the students to acknowledge support. And it’s nice for us to know we’re appreciated.

I can't believe....

I can’t believe it is not considered child abuse for a parent to refuse to have a child vaccinated to prevenet disease.


I can’t believe that it’s not against the law for any child who has not been vaccinated (other than for medical or religious reasons) to attend a public school or any public school activity or function.


I can’t believe that a parent who professes to love a child would willing risk the child’s catching a life-threatening disease, when a simple protection is available.


For the sake of your child, get the appropriate vaccinations!

Tuesday miscellany

Not a whole lot going on around here today. After missing a grocery trip last week, I really did need to get there today. Nothing like getting back in the rut. We went to dinner at O'Charley's with Tina and Missy, and that was fun.
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I heard the news about the new Harper Lee novel, and will be preordering it.
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Did y'all see the wonderful full moon tonight? Our weather guy told us that we'd be able to see Jupiter just to the left of the moon. Really spectacular.
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John and I both have bad knees and were wearing knee braces today. His was the left, mine right. We might be able to do something in a three-legged race.

Sunday Stealing (on Monday)

Nosy Meme

Stolen from: FYeah Surveys

Average hours of sleep: 6-7 usually
Last thing I googled: Glacier National Park webcams
One place that makes me happy: Near the ocean
How many blankets I sleep under: One light-weight cotton blanket and a duvet.
What are you wearing right now: Soft clothes
Last book you read: The Dante Connection by Estelle Ryan
Favorite fictional character: Atticus Finch
Last movie I watched in the cinema: I’m not sure - maybe The King’s Speech.
Dream vacation: The next one, but first class all the way
Dream wedding: One that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
Dream pet: Somebody else’s kitten
Dream job: The one I have now - being retired.
How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? Usually I feel every one of my 78 years.
Which is worse, failing or never trying? Never trying, of course.
If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do? Sometimes it’s just taking the easy way out, and not making waves.

Super Bowl Sunday

This is the first time in ages I've been in the room for the whole Super Bowl.  And even kept the sound on and watched the commercials.  I really didn't care about the game - although, as John said, it was a pretty good game.


We didn't turn it on until the kick-off, so missed any of the pre-game stuff.


As to the commercials, we were pretty much unimpressed.  The biggest disappointment was the Budweiser commercial with the puppy and the Clydesdales - definitely not up to last year's.  As a group, we thought the car commercials were the best.  Our favorite was the Dodge commercial, celebrating their 100th year.  The 100-year-old folks were great.  The two Doritos commercials and the Viagra commercial were the only other memorable ones.  We muted and/or were out of the room for the whole half-time show.
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While the northern part of the country is being covered with snow, we've been getting lots of rain.  The temperature has risen several degrees (52-55F) from 5 pm to midnight, and we've gotten probably 2-3" of rain.  They're saying that it's supposed to change and the temperatures are supposed to be in the 30s tomorrow.  I'm just glad all this moisture isn't falling as snow.