Good Saturday to you from our corner of Iowa where Autumn is bringing us cooler nights and low 70's during the day. The leaves on some trees are starting to let go, although our Maple tree will hang on to it's giant leaves until late November. We don't hear the birds anymore, only geese. There is an open area in our association that used to be farmed, and hundreds gather there this time of year. Fall, I love it!
Speaking of Fall, we were hoping to take a few trips after our daughter's wedding, but this lymphedema will now have me with a wrapped arm over a layer of foam and therapy 3x a week for a month. Can use prayers that after that the swelling will be reduced enough for a compression sleeve. My niece's hubby is a lymphedema specialist and I now know I need to be really careful not to get a cut, or even a hangnail in that arm....infection comes quickly. If we lived closer we would be at the Mayo Lymphedema Clinic, I was there once and we were very impressed. I confess that we are both weary and trying to muster up a better attitude about this new health issue. Enough already.
Speaking of enough, it is only a couple of weeks until the wedding and I ordered enough dressy type jackets for three people with the hope that one will fit. I am now on Plan C. Not a bad choice, but not my first choice. Isn't it funny how we want to look so dressed up for an event that lasts only a few minutes....buying clothes we may never wear again? It is so much more important to be there and enjoy the moment which is but the beginning........ Yes, we are concerned about Covid. Nasty stuff. Our oldest son is battling a breakthrough case right now and we know others who are. I purchased a mask with an over lay of lace to be "fancy" at the wedding! Too bad the compression sleeve I will be wearing just for that day can't be lacy too! At least my arm won't be obvious with wrapping.
My hubby has been on a strong anti-fungal medication for over 2 months. Slowly I noticed a change in his personality...a bit irritable......napping 2-3 times some days....and the biggest change? He would wake up "down" in the mornings. Totally out of character. It took me awhile to realize what was going on, we both finally were aware, so he called his doctor who said, "Just STOP taking it!" He did, and within 3 days he was more his old self. He took a tumble off a ladder recently, being three steps up and said to me later, "I just forgot I was on a ladder I guess". Yeah..it was time to get off that drug! It made me think about all the medications the elderly are put on and how much it changes them subtly over time. Sad really. I know my brain is much better since I went off the arimidex. I still have other symptoms but memory is back 95%. We just need to always be aware of how medications affect our bodies and our minds.
The other day while surfing through channels to see exactly what we do have I came across one called "Decades". They carry a lot of the shows from the 50's, 60's, and up. Mary Tyler Moore Show......Dick Van Dyke show....and many others. It was interesting to watch some of them...so simple and yet so funny too! Joel and I find little to watch on regular TV anymore.
Speaking of Joel, he is off to the installation of our new synod bishop today. I'll be watching livestream on TV. It is right here in town this year and the new bishop lives right across the street. Our neighbor was a pastor at the church we just joined and will now be our NE Iowa bishop. He is a great guy and we think he will do a superb job.
Joel has been riding more this past week and working on some wood projects. He keeps very busy "putzing" as we call it. I've been spending way too much time on the wedding "outfit" which means that even though I bought my new pants in a "short" length I still need to hem them up 3 more inches. Yeah, my legs are that short! I had to drag out my faithful sewing machine that I have had since 1976 without it needing any repairs. When our household goods were shipped back from The Philippines, there was some damage done to my old machine and some of our furniture we purchased while there, so the Air Force bought us a new sewing machine! We also bought a freezer that year that is STILL working. Must have been a good year for machines. Most of the furniture we bought while overseas was wicker or rattan. A loveseat, coffee table, chair or two, night stands, and more. Plus we took a picture of a grandmother clock we wanted down to a builder while there and they made us a beautiful clock. We got the "innards" from Germany via the military. We love our grandmother clock!
I have been doing self massage for lymphedema all week and I have walked 20-35 minutes this week, hit the pillow at night by 9:45 most nights and started reading a new book my sister Jan sent me written by author Nicole Philipps from South Dakota. A few inspirational podcasts by Kathy Vallotton have given me a spiritual boost.
I think it is time to end this ramble........or scribble. Today I am grateful for being able to start rehab this Monday, finding a Plan C to wear to the wedding, fall weather, gathering geese, old TV shows, phone calls, texts, photos we get through our phones, laughter, tears, neighbors and a new bishop too, podcasts, porch sitting on a cool evening, and so much more.............
Enjoy your weekend!
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