Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you from Iowa, our home for the past 25 years.  Blows my mind to even say that! So many years in one place.  The trees are mostly leaf bare as we head into the third week of November.  Snow has not entered the picture yet, and in fact today we will have a high of 48 if the weathermen/women are correct.  

Speaking of warmer weather........it is a great day to get our windows washed.  Well, that is what I told Joel anyway!!  It is one of his least favorite jobs, but alas.....it has to be done.  I have put on some Christmas music to help energize us for the task ahead.  (I say "we" but unfortunately the task is mostly on Joel!) 

This week was yet another week of doctor appointments.  Monday was the eye doctor I see for glaucoma.  That is holding steady...yay.  The changes I see in my right eye (good one?) is the macular...dry...so nothing can be done.  The doctor said once again, "Your vision is still 20/20 and that is really great for the concerns you have".  Thank you Jesus.  Wednesday I saw the medical oncologist and had another good exam.  The surprise here was that the CT showed I did not have just two fractured ribs but "a line of them" from the radiation.  They are still healing which is good news.  Thank you Jesus.    Friday we headed to Mayo again and worked with the PT to figure out what to do for my hand that keeps swelling.  She sent me to a place called "The Limb Lab" where they make artificial limbs.  Strange place to go, but they have a woman there who helps fit you to the right sleeve and glove.  So we are still in the trial and error phase, but grateful for all the people helping to keep my arm working and the fluid manageable.  I must add in here that I am so grateful for Joel as we walk yet one more medical marathon together.  He wraps my arm every night using "fluff", gauze, short stretch bandages and a certain kind of foam placed in areas that have too much firmness.  He's getting pretty darn good at it!

I was thinking I would not get my walking in on Friday but we had to go to the Mayo Medical Store and that was a walk and a half from where we were.  Of course we got a bit lost as we had not been to the store in 2 years.  People are always willing to help direct you, which actually reminds me of when we were in Grand Central Station in NYC!  One of my favorite things at Mayo in the Gonda building is listening to someone play the grand piano in the lobby area.  

Moving on............we decided to watch a Diane Sawyer special last night on the Turbin family out in California.  What those 13 children went through because of their unbelievable evil parents was shocking.  And the realization that they got away with it for over 25 years?  Joel and I were curious about the story, but also felt like the two sisters who shared had a story that needed to be heard.  We noticed that the police officers and investigators involved in the case still were very emotional when talking about what they saw when they rescued the kids.  Officers see some horrible things and I know that when they involve children it is extra hard to absorb.  Just watching the special was difficult enough.

Last Sunday we headed off to church where we are still required to wear masks.  We find that a good thing with our county in an "extremely high transmission" level.  The church was packed which was unusual for the service we attend.  We realized it was Confirmation Sunday so just a few minutes after we sat down we got back up and walked out.  Joel just felt it was too crowded and I was in agreement with him.  We watched Lutheran Church of Hope from home instead.  It is so great we have those options isn't it?!  I can go to Facebook on my phone, get on Lutheran Church of Hope's page and then cast the service from my phone right onto the TV.  I am old enough to think this is amazing!  Ha....

So, you may be thinking, if they are so cautious about Covid what do they do when they travel?  We stop at rest areas, carry our own lunches to eat in our car at a park.  If we go indoors somewhere we are masked and use hand sanitizer.  We carry our own mostly because I react to some of them.  Are we tired of masks and avoiding people and places for the most part?  Of course we are.  BUT for us, it seems necessary for our own protection.  When I read that vaccinated people over the age of 80 still have a 13x higher chance of dying from breakthrough covid we cannot ignore that.  Just saying.......doing what we thing is best for ourselves and those around us.  Not out of fear.........but out of caution.  Not preaching here, just sharing what we do.

We did go to a food Co-op in downtown Rochester.  We picked up a few things and then checked out.  As Joel put away his card in his wallet we started to walk out and the clerk said...."You forgot your bag!"  What?  We both burst out laughing.  Yeah......sometimes we wonder how we get around at all!  Anyone else been there, done that?!?!  This store is a store we went to years ago and when we decided to buy cinnamon in bulk Joel opened the wrong slot on the lid and when he shook the cinnamon into a small bag it went up in the air like a cloud and landed everywhere~!!  The clerk was not impressed when we asked him for help.........and that cinnamon that went everywhere was on Joel's pants and when we went to get in the car he noticed it was all over the top of his boots too!  We have laughed more than once over that fiasco and wondered if they would even let us back in the store!  Ha..

Today I was washing the glass storm door and putting some heavy tape in one area where the wind blows in.  I needed scissors so left the entryway and when I came back a couple of minutes later there was a gift sitting on our porch in front of the door.  How did that get there?  Ans where was it from?  I brought it inside and discovered it was from our old neighbor.  They just moved from our neighborhood.  He is a realtor and he left his card on it.....and she is the nurse anesthetist I have had for several of my surgeries.  Really nice family.  What a nice surprise to find a frozen pumpkin pie on our porch!  

So, on this Saturday in November I am giving thanks for good news from the doctors, all the help I am getting with the Lymphedema, Joel washing windows, Christmas music (already), memories that make us laugh, lunch in the car, rest areas, safe travels, watching church from home, texts, phone calls, pictures that come across our phones, puzzles, a surprise pumpkin pie on our porch, and so much more..............

Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you from our corner of Iowa where chilly temperatures have arrived along with our first dusting of snow. Fall is definitely waving farewell here in our world.  Yesterday morning I sat in the living room with the fireplace on while Joel took his coffee out on to the porch where he enjoyed watching our three young resident squirrels play in a balmy 32 degrees.  Joel loves his morning porch visits, in just about any weather.  

Speaking of Joel he did get the Christmas lights up this week before the weather changed.  We have a mum and geranium still holding on, which he puts in the garage every night.  He did some tree branch trimming too which means he was up on a ladder, which means his wife was worried and watching out for him just in case he took a tumble.  What IS the age men quit climbing ladders?!  Watching him reminded me of when we had this narrow 30 foot tall antenna in our yard in The Philippines and Joel would climb up and sway with it.  And then their is the ceiling of this house that is 30 feet high over the stairs where he used an extension ladder at it's very top to paint when we bought this house 17 years ago.  Of course I knew nothing about that at the time!  Not afraid of heights for sure...but again I ask, when is too old for extension ladders just that ~ "too old?"

Our neighbor asked Joel if we wanted our yard to be free of leaves via his big John Deere that gathers them.  We came home on Thursday to a yard free of leaves. Of course there are more to drop later, but that was so nice......and he had the people he hired do the neighbors yards, too.  Such a kind, generous thing to do.  Being this is World Kindness Day, it makes sense to share the kindness of our neighbor,  John! Now it's my turn...........our turn to be kind!

Last Monday we headed back to Mayo and received good news.  The volume of fluid in my arm had gone down 50%....yippee!  It had us wondering if the machine was malfunctioning.  But every measurement was down 2cm.  We are still bandaging 2x a day and have added foam to target an area that is too firm (fibrosis?) and that seems to be helping some.  I have learned to eat with my left hand or use a long handled "ice tea" spoon to get food to my mouth when using my right hand.  We have had these spoons for 53 years and they are still some of my favorites.  Now more than ever.  Tomorrow we move to a sleeve and glove during the day and bandages at night, keeping an eye on things.   So thankful we are seeing progress in managing this stuff.  As time goes by I learn more about it and know that it has to be taken seriously.  It is one of the pluses of Facebook...people have pages that give info on Lymphedema and just what it does and how it affects the whole body.  So helpful.

Thursday I told Joel I felt like shopping..........now here's why that is a big deal.  I don't really like to shop at all so this was a surprise to us both.  We headed to a 50% off Christmas sale at Hobby Lobby for an hour and had such a good time.  Came home with a couple new fun decorations and a Christmas themed puzzle.  All half price so you can't beat that.  

Friday with the wind blowing snow around we decided it was a good day to make a stew.  We dug out the slow cooker ( once known as a crock pot)  and made pork stew our style with pork, sweet potatoes, carrots, garlic, and peas.  It was yummy.  

Speaking of yummy we are once again watching the new episodes of The Great British Baking Show.  It keeps us entertained although we really find the humor a bit over the edge and just plain annoying.  

The day we went to get our booster shots we had a good laugh.  We have lived here 25 years, so we kind know where things are.......we drove right by the drug store a couple blocks before both of us said, "Did we drive by the store?  Where is it?"  Then we turned around to come back and before we got there we both said, "Did we miss it again?? Where is it?"  We had a good laugh before I told Joel we should not tell anyone about this.....and so here I am putting it out there~!!  Hahaha

Thursday we went shopping for a few groceries and learned that we were getting 15% off of our total bill because Joel is a veteran!  What a nice surprise.....Joel spent 8 yrs in the Air Force, first as an airman working with radioactive testing on planes and then after applying for and getting an education program he graduated with a degree in meteorology and spent 4 years as an officer meteorologist forecasting weather for pilots.  We have always been grateful for our years he served our country and how our lives were shaped.  We are also grateful he did not have to go to Viet Nam as part of his service.  As close as he got was to forecast weather for the pilots flying there from The Philippines.  

Yesterday the books I ordered with my last Amazon gift card arrived and I started right in.....My favorite is the book, "Sweet Like Jasmine" by my long time online friend Bonnie Gray.  We connected when we were both bloggers years ago and she has now gone on to write books.  God has richly blessed others as she shares her own story, broken, healed and so beautiful.  Way to go Bonnie!  

So today I am grateful for the fireplace that flips on with a remote, the porch for Joel to still enjoy, the improvement in my arm and hand, a fun shopping trip, new decorations to enjoy, Bonnie's book, Sweet Like Jasmine, a neighbor's kindness, our years while Joel served, phone calls, texts and emails that connect us, laughter, Hallmark Christmas movies, the British baking show, Christmas lights up, pork stew, the power of prayers, and so so much more!

Enjoy your weekend!

 

Saturday's Scribbles

 

Good Saturday to you from Autumn in Iowa, although today it is supposed to get up to 66 degrees!  One last hurrah after a week of below freezing temps at night and highs in the 40's and 50's.  We lost a few of our plants this past week due to a hard freeze, but it is the end of the first week of November so it is to be expected.  Our sturdy mum plant is still gracing us with it's beautiful blooms, and one geranium is hanging in!  

Speaking of the first week of November, we ended October by going to church in the morning to help celebrate Trinity's 150th Anniversary,  and then welcomed trick or treaters Sunday evening. I think we had around 80 kids come through our neighborhood.  Joel likes to sit on the porch and greet them. I expect his mask looked like part of his "costume" since he was wearing his usual attire.....a denim vest, jeans, shirt, cowboy hat and boots.  Fall has definitely arrived when he pulls out his boots and vests! 

On the first day of November we headed to the Mayo Lymphedema Clinic for a consultation that lasted nearly 2 hours,  We were given so much good information and Joel was taught how to wrap my arm in bandages, which he does two times a day ~ morning and evening.  We are seeing the fluid go down some so that is good news.  

On Wednesday afternoon we went to a local drug store for Moderna booster shots.  I have to say I was very concerned that the nurse who administered the shots did NOT wear a mask.  Most who were there were in the 80's  ~ vulnerable to not only CoVid-19 but also flu and pneumonia.  Every medical facility we go to has a mask policy, so in my opinion so should the nurses giving shots at local pharmacies.  

Joel and I felt fine Wed night, in fact we went to the pre-sale for the Bazaar at the church thinking Thursday may bring a few side effects..........which did happen.  I spent Thursday on the sofa in pj's and Joel took extra naps.  Early bed and a fitful night's sleep....then the fever broke and I felt better.  Joel was back to normal Friday and I am feeling good now too.  Worth the challenge to be protected.  

Joel has been busy mulching and bagging leaves.  A few days ago the hard frost had the trees raining leaves.  It did not take long until we had a thick layer of leaves on the front lawn, driveway and street.  It definitely tells us winter is on its way.  There are many times I wish we were spending winters in Arizona or some place not so cold, but we are grateful for our warm house, cozy fireplace, and the beauty winter brings..........at least the first month or so until it "gets old".   I like having four seasons every year.  It is kind of like life.  We all have winter seasons that blanket us with "cold" challenges, but there is always hope and the knowledge that Spring WILL come.  Summer WILL follow.  H.O.P.E. rises....

Fall is my favorite season.  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  As a Pastor, pastor's wife and family we were always sooooooooooo busy at Christmas and Joel was always at the church so Thanksgiving was more of a family time for me.  No pressure.  Just turkey with all the rest, a time to be together.  We spend every other Thanksgiving with our family gathered here now, except for last year when Covid made that impossible.  So once again this year it will be the two of us for the holidays, with the hope of gathering after Christmas Day.  Not always fun, but it is really what we make of it, right?  Well, mostly.

So today I am grateful for the memories of Thanksgivings with family, for the Thanksgiving to come as each one is a gift, for Fall, for a couple warm days before the temps dip, for the Mayo Lymphedema Clinic and specialist Jenny, for Joel patiently bandaging my arm 2x a day, for getting our booster shots over, for lefse in the freezer, for trick or treaters, walking, Joel's bike riding, devotions with my hubby, phone calls from family and friends, texting, the prayers of others, keeping in touch with friends via Facebook.  And then there is laughter, that healing medicine........and so much more.

Enjoy the weekend!