Sunday stealing

1)Where would you retire to?
        We haven’t found anyplace we like better than where we are. I would love to be closer to the ocean, though.
2)What are your best physical features?

        The body is pretty well falling apart. I guess I’ll have to go with my eyes.
3)What are your best characteristics?
        Caring and friendliness, I guess.
4)What kind of books do you like to read?
        My reading is so sporadic now. I still like to read mysteries, but I do best with nonfiction.
5)What are you reading now?
       Wild. It’s an autobiography of a young woman walking the Pacific Crest Trail.
6)Where would you want to retire to?
       See #1.
7)What is your favorite time of the day?
       I’m retired - pretty much the same. But I am partial to early mornings and late evenings.
8)Where did you grow up?
       Houston, TX
9)How far away from your birthplace do you live now?
      450 miles
10)Are you a morning person or a night owl?
      Some of each, but if I’m going to get a job done, it’ll usually be in the morning.
11)What inspires you?
      Nothing specific - just something that lights my fire at the moment.
12)Can you close your eyes and raise your eyebrows?
     Yes
13)Do you have pets?
      Not any more.
14)How many rings before you answer the phone?
       I like to answer it right away - before the second ring, if I can get to the phone in time.
15)What are some of the different jobs that you have had in your life?
        Medical transcription (office, medical records, pathology, x-rays), medical office manager.
16)Any new and exciting things that you would like to share?
       No - and this is a good thing.
17)What is most important in life?
       Good health, someone to love and someone who loves you.
18)Did you dream last night?
       I don’t think so.
19)Do you remember your dreams?
       I usually remember that I have dreamed, but don’t remember the dreams specifically.

Another day .....

Wish we’d get some rain. There are lots of “popcorn” showers around us, and we hear lots of thunder, but so far, no rain in about 10 days or so. Doing it now, in fact.

It’s been fun. I got lots of antibiotics in the hospital because of the joint replacement. Despite my loading up with yogurt beforehand, I started up with a yeast infection. I had a diflucan pill that I’d had stashed away, and took that, with good results. Then I realized that I was starting a plain old UTI. Well, @#$%^^! I had some AZO, which took care of most of the symptoms but, of course, not the real problem. I finally got in touch with my family doctor this morning (she called me from a training session), and she called me in an Rx for more antibiotics and another Rx for diflucan. Sighhhhhhhh!
But the shoulder seems to be doing fine.

Status update

Recovery seems to be going well. I see the doctor next Tuesday, so just keep recuperating until then.

The swimmers are taking very good care of us - with a schedule of meals being brought in. I guess I’d better not get used to this, although it’s incredibly wonderful! We can’t possibly thank them enough, so we’ll just have to pay it forward when the time comes.

Tina has been in almost every day, being sure we’re getting anything else we need.

Otherwise nothing is going on. And since it’s pretty hard to type one-handed, I probably won’t be writing every day.

Take care of yourselves.

+4

Margaret finished up stuff, and went home this morning.  I guess we could've managed alone, but it was SO much more comfortable with her help and Tina's help.  They were super!


Carol's going to go to the store for me tomorrow, and we'll continue along with help from our terrific friends.
Many thanks to all.

Vote against the Tennessee Taliban

I recently found out there's a referendum on the November ballot in Tennessee on a proposed state constitutional amendment.  This advertisement was in this morning's paper and is the first I've seen about it from either side.  Needless to say, I'll be sending money to these folks.

Home

The surgery was successful, I guess.  At least I'm back together, and am back home.  Typing slowly, one-handed.  Thanks for all the good wishes. I'll  see the doc in 10 days, then probably start PT.

Back in a few days

I'm supposed to be at the hospital at 5:30 a.m. tomorrow for my left total shoulder replacement.  As far as I know, the surgery is still scheduled for 7:30.  I've been told it should last about two hours, and that I should be in the hospital for 3-5 days. We'll just hope all goes well and I get discharged in a minimum amount of time.


I'll be back in a few days.  Thanks for all your good wishes.

One more day

One more day to go.

Swimming, massage, laundry, then

Surgery Thursday.

Bridge!

Bridge was the story of the day today.  Something new and different.

John was high last week (when I didn't go).  We had a big group today - 6 full tables, plus one.  I don't know how I ended up, but I was in the high partnership for each of the five rounds we played.  It was sweet!

Shhhhhhhhhh

I've always said, "If you don't have anything to say, be quiet".  So I'll be quiet tonight.

Sunday stealing

Random Twenty

1. Last time you had butterflies in your stomach?
I can’t remember - I know it’s been a long time.
2. What was your last alcoholic beverage?
It’s been about 15+ years. Maybe a glass of wine?
3. Who can you trust?
John, always.
4. Where was your first kiss with your current significant other?
Houston, when we were at Rice
5. Favorite Band?
Any symphony orchestra
6. What is something you've learned about yourself recently?
I’m not really into pain.
7. Do you like anyone?
I like almost everyone. There are a few people I’d rather not spend a lot of time with, but….
8. Do you know anyone who is engaged?
Yes, Grandson Matt and Claire
9. What's your favorite number?
I don’t have one.
10. Who was the last person to make you cry?
Nobody really “makes” me cry. I cry at movies, commercials, happy news, stuff like that.
11. Did you ever go to camp as a kid?
I went to Girl Scout camp for about 4-5 summers.
12. When was the last time you cried?
I don’t remember
13. What is one thing you miss about your past?
I miss having lots of energy and being pain free. I miss Pink and Betsy and Ken.
14. What is one thing you've learned about life?
I’ve learned that there’s always something new to learn. And that you should never stop learning.
15. Are you jealous of anyone?
Not really.
16. Is anyone jealous of you?
I have no idea.
17. Has a friend ever used you?
Not that I know of. If someone did, he/she certainly wasn’t a friend.
18. Has anyone recently told you that they like you more than as a friend?
No.  I’ve been married for many years, and the situation wouldn't arise.
19. Who was the last person you drove with?
John - we came home from dinner tonight.
20. What are you looking forward to?
Getting this surgery over with and getting on with recovery.

Moving along

Get things done. Hair cuts

Today. H/VAC tomorrow.

Countdown to Thursday.

Rainy night; drug questions

We got about 1.5" of much-needed rain overnight.  It sounded so nice as we were going to sleep.

Or at least John was going to sleep.   I had one of my non-sleeping nights - the brain just wouldn't shut off.  It was about 3 a.m. before I finally got to sleep.

My bone density test at the rheumatologist's showed some increase in osteopenia, and the recommendation was for one of the new drugs to combat osteoporosis.  They would not be giving right now, a week before surgery, in any case.  But we'll talk about it again in six months.  I'll have to think about that.  I'm leaning toward not doing it.  The side effects can be pretty severe, my numbers are not in the osteoporotic range (at least not yet), and the semi-annual injections are very expensive.  We shall see... 
Any comments from folks out there?

The countdown begins...

My surgery is a week from tomorrow. Tonight we filled out our pill boxes for the next week. I had to pay close attention to which meds to leave out on which days. I have to stop several of the meds after Friday, and then take only three on the morning of surgery.

And I have to start planning what to buy at the grocery store and what to take with me.
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The new sidewalk is great. It already feels just right.
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Mr. M. is due to come Saturday morning to install the new HVAC system. Lots of money going out this spring.

Quiet Tuesday

WalMart and Aldi,

Manicure and Pedicure,

Even a good nap.

Getting it done

The workmen have just left here. We had the sidewalk from the driveway to the front porch redone, changing the slope to eliminate the step from the sidewalk to the porch (where I fell). They've also put in a reinforced wrought-iron handrail. It looks great. They'll be coming back in the morning to remove the wood form, and we should be able to walk on it by Wednesday. The next job is having the HVAC replaced. We're not sure when that's going to be done - hopefully before I go into the hospital.

I went in for my pretesting this morning. That took about 1 1/2 hours, with form filling out, signing, question-asking, information-giving, nasal swab, EKG, and blood work (they had to stick me three times before they could get any). I guess I'm as ready as I'm going to be.

Happy Mother's Day

John rowed. Breakfast. Nap.

Tina brought Mexican food.

Happy Mother’s Day.

Special Saturday

Last night, we had nearly normal sleeping - at least I did. And I slept until 8:30! I’m sure I’m not completely over the jet lag, but that certainly did feel good.

This morning was Sarah’s commencement from the University of Miami School of Law. Sue and Randy were there for the occasion. We were able to watch the proceedings via live streaming on the computer, wired to the TV. Unfortunately, the sound was garbled, so we kept it muted - at least until they got to the graduates. It was a big class. Fortunately, the graduates were “hooded” in alphabetical order, so we watched until Sarah was honored, and then turned it off.

Tonight, Matt and Claire took both sets of parents and one set of grandparents (us) to dinner at the Red Lobster near our house. Matt got there very early to get on the books for a table for 10; then he called us to come as the time got close. It was the first time the parents and grandparents had met, so it was a very special occasion - Mothers’ Day, plus Meet-Each-Other day. We had a nice dinner and nice chatting with no stress involved.

We are so proud of all our children and grandchildren and their accomplishments!

Just a whimper

It’s back into the routine with a vengeance - or maybe just a whimper.

In any case, John went to row and I went to my swim class at the Y. The class about did me in, and John said he started out very slowly. We did finish, though, and managed to get to coffee with the group.

I certainly am glad that I had the forethought to schedule a massage for this morning. It was greatly appreciated by this old body.

Fortunately neither of us had anything else scheduled for today. The next two weeks are going to get interesting. Lots to do in the time leading up to my shoulder replacement surgery on 22 May.

Home from Hawai'i

We got home about 11:30 last night, from our lovely two weeks on Kaua’i. We stayed in two different resort condos, one in Princeville on the north shore of the island, and the other in Lawa’i on the south shore. The north shore is cooler with showers nearly every day. The south shore is warmer, and we had no rain at all. It was pleasant, although hotter when the trade winds died (which they did the last couple of days). The water was more accessible to our place in Lawa’i, and John was able to snorkel every day. John, Ann & Al did something active nearly every morning (walks, garden tours, etc.). I went along for the ride usually, but sat in the shade and knitted while they “did”. On the north shore, we found one wonderful beach - almost deserted on a Saturday midday. There are of more peopled beaches, but none so charming as this one, IMO. Again, they walked on the beach, while I enjoyed the breeze, the ocean, and the sound of the waves.

We usually found some nice place to have lunch, then went back “home” to nap, play some bridge, eat supper, and play some more bridge. One high point of the trip was checking the LA Kings’ progress in the march to the Stanley Cup. Our Californians are huge Kings fans, so the every-few-days games were very important, whether on the TV or my checking the progress on my iPad. (Both units had good WiFi.)

We flew from Hawaii to LA on Tuesday and spent the night with Ann & Al. Then to Atlanta on Wednesday. For some unknown reason, our luggage was the last onto the carousel, so we just barely made the shuttle van to Chattanooga. But we got home safe and sound.

After unpacking and eating a bit, we turned in about 1 a.m. John slept well, but I had a lot of problems with leg cramps and wound up in the chair. But we both were up by 8. John went in for the lab work for his physical exam, and I did the grocery stores and laundry. We both had short naps, and will really have to work at getting over jet lag.

We’ll be going to the Y in the morning and I have an appointment for a massage. Next week is really busy, with doctors, etc.

When John gets his photos downloaded from his camera, I'll post some goodies (if I can make the photo-thing work.)