Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Merry Christmas To All.....

 This is a little child like nativity scene.  I love this. I have had it a long time.  My daughter Liz gave it to me. 

  This is a sign I bought a few years back at the Horton's store in town.  I love this saying.   

  Ted is still on his oxygen. He seems a tiny bit better today.  I pray he will be off this oxygen soon. Say in a couple weeks.  His vitals have been in the right range. He still have a good appetite . Two of my daughters have dropped off groceries and gifts. It's still Christmas. 

  Wishing all of you well and much happiness. Begging you to be safe.  XO



Thursday, December 17, 2020

Busy Day.....

 Woke up to this on Wednesday. Got busy sweeping the porch and shoveling the drive.  We had about 4 inches of snow. Thankfully nothing like the northeast has and is getting. I am praying for all of you. Have seen some scary news reports this morning.  

 Ted called from the hospital and they were ready to release him to come home. Gee, doesn't that stand to reason...snowy out, no plows had gone down our road, school was cancelled, so send Ted home.  Since school was cancelled I called my daughter and she said she would pick ted up and bring him home. I said he will need some clothes as he said his were not to be found. Angie gets in her son's closet and picks some clothes for Ted to wear home , so she doesn't have to make two trip out to the country. 

  Ted is released with a small oxygen tank , nebulizer, and breathing exercise things. I have never been around anyone on oxygen and had no idea how things work.  The drs. had ordered meds to put in the nebulizer, a steroid to start tomorrow, and another antibiotic for a week.  I called CVS to see if those orders were called in, yes they were ,but the nebulizer meds was not coded for medicare to pay for it.  The pharmacist, worked with me so that I paid for a week worth till possibly getting the drs to do their jobs of coding.  So called Angie again and she picked up the meds for us. 

  I got to thinking if they have not coded the meds right....is the company that was to bring Ted's oxygen equipment , really bringing that??? So I actually was on the phone for 4 hours to get that working right. Why do I have to do this when it is up to the professionals . I will tell you it makes me crazy. I call the third floor nurses station to see if they had it coded right....the nurse says if Ted runs out of oxygen bring him to ER....Really?? Sorry to be complaining but I just need to vent somewhat. 

  I did get in touch with the oxygen supply company and they found the order on the back side of the nebulizer order....which he said should not have been there. He told me to hang on and he found that the delivery driver was in the town north of here. So by 8:00 P.M. the young man had Ted all hooked up to the oxygen concentrator. He brought some tanks also, in case of power outage. He showed me how to use those. Hooray !!

 When all the craziness of the covid , Ted's pneumonia, and now winter is over....this is what I want to do, as soon as we have some peace. :)  Take care everyone . Be safe. XO




 
 

Thursday, December 10, 2020

Life Can Be Crazy....

 I seem to always be writing about Ted's health.  That seems to be what our lives are about now.  Ted did his follow up with the Dr. on Thursday the 3rd. , after he spent Thanksgiving in the hospital , with pneumonia.  Went to get labs on Saturday., the 5th .Labs go to his heart dr and our primary dr. 
Ted just seemed to be getting worse each day. I asked if he would go to ER Monday evening. He says no let me rest, leave me alone.  He had no fever, blood pressures close to being too low a couple times. His breathing was ruff.  Tuesday, I asked him a couple more times to go to ER.  Tuesday evening, I decided to take his temperature...it was 97.7, which is about how he reads most times.  I actually dressed to take him to the hospital. I talked with him. I stayed up a while . I took his temperature about 40 minutes from the 97.7 reading and he was running a fever...it was 102.1 ...So I called 911, I did not think Ted could walk for me. 
 The EMT's put oxygen on him and took him to the hospital.  I could not believe this was happening. It was as if I were watching it, instead of being involved. I did remain calm..this is the first time I have ever called 911.  

  I had to call the hospital  3 times to finally get any news of what was happening. No one is allowed in the hospital that isn't on a gurney. The nurse said Ted has pneumonia and they did a covid test., and a CT scan. ..what the heck, is this the  groundhog's day movie?? For this is what happened at Thanksgiving.  One thing I did do was straighten Ted's medicine list for them. Every time Ted sees a dr, or goes to the hospital I had a new updated med list with him. I think they gave Ted the wrong meds when he was there at Thanksgiving....as the nurse was saying all his old meds while on the phone. I stopped her and begged her to write down what I was going to tell her. She did.  I am not sure any mix up of what Ted is on would make a huge difference...but hey why not do the right meds. 

  Ted has had a spit test(?) , urine test...do not know why.  But he got the results of the Covid test and it was negative. That's 3 tests he has had from Thanksgiving to now. Even though I can't  be in the hospital to visit him, I hope they keep him long enough to get on the path to getting over this pneumonia.  I am really tired. 

 Praying for all of you and us too. We really could use a break, how about all of you.? Please beautiful people stay safe ...let's hang in there and see if the vaccine is going to start us all on the right path to some stress free days of life. Our children deserve it.  XO
 

Saturday, December 5, 2020

A Little Bit Of Christmas...

Or should I say a lot of Christmas???  This is a house in the tiny town north of us. I always love to see their decorations. They seem to collect lawn decor from the 50's to now. No blow up stuff.  I am thinking of giving them my Snowman. 
 They must have a storage barn some where, as they also have this kind of Halloween stuff too.  They sure light up their neighborhood. 
Then not far from there is this old car with Mr. and Mrs. Claus. It is trimmed out in lights and looks so cute. I wonder if the car runs, or if the owner pushes it into place. 

  I took Ted to the hospital to get his lab work. To have them send it to his heart dr.  Hopefully the dr will get right on that. He had changed up some of Ted's blood pressure meds.   Ted says he feels good....but he isn't doing much of anything but sleeping. I hope that helps him heal. 

 Hope all of you are getting ready for Christmas. It is so near. I do not know about sending cards, because I have not been to the stores.  I know I have a few and I can craft some...so it may come to that.  Take care , be safe.  XO
 

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Great Grandson Max....

 Well my pictures are not in order...:) Here's Max watching Alex Trebek.  He used to squiggle around as if dancing when he heard the Jeopardy music. I always laughed , but I loved it. 
 He truly always seemed to be really interested in the show.  Hope he was absorbing knowledge.  
 Here's Max and me. Max has a birthday this week.  He is about two days old here. It's been 5 years ago. Oh where did that time go? It was hard enough to get to be with him before the Covid , not it is impossible. I am missing him, his family and baby brother Luke.  When we are allowed, I am going to be hugging those kids so much, they will be tired of me. 

 We are doing okay here, since Ted has been home. He is doing his breathing treatments to help himself get over the pneumonia.  He seems to nap more.  Hope all of you are well and please stay that way.  XO
 

Sunday, November 29, 2020

Got My Teddy Bear Back...


 Hi everyone. I have my Ted back home with me. Picked him up at the hospital at 11:30 yesterday. He has some meds and breathing treatments to do for a few more days. He is so much better already.  Thank you sweet blog family for your kind wishes and prayers. So much power in prayers. 

 It was a few days after Thanksgiving, but we had some of the delicious food my daughter Kathy made for our Thanksgiving day. It was just as good and enjoyable . I was happy to have something so wonderful to just warm up. 

   This morning at 7:00 , after Ted's treatment, he  was saying, "oh that coffee smells good" He said he hope the hospital didn't dull any knives while they were slicing off cups of coffee for the patients. LOL Must have been strong. 

 We all know there's nothing like your own bed and food.  I want to thank all the beautiful drs and nurses for getting Ted back on track so quickly.  For all of you front line people...bless your hearts. Be safe everyone. Don't over gather at Christmas either. Please. XO

Friday, November 27, 2020

The Old Pilgrims...

 I can't  tell you how  old these little chalk pilgrims are. My daughters made them in grade school. :) My oldest daughter Angie has them. She put them out every year. I did not see them this year, as there was no gathering in our family. Each daughter had their own small group, four or five. Ted and I had planned on staying home. 

  But Ted spent his Thanksgiving in the hospital. He started feeling weak and a bit short of breath Monday.  He would not go to ER for me. So he did a couple of phone visits with our dr. The dr. ordered a covid test for Friday morning(today) plus an inhaler. Ted started to run a fever on Wednesday and I said "You are going to ER, get your shoes on. " Thank God my eyes are better. I drove him to ER. Had to stay in the parking lot. The dr calls later and says , Ted's x-ray showed pneumonia . They did a covid test told him they would let him know. So the dr says he was admitted to the hospital and they would also do a CT scan. The test for covid came yesterday, it was negative...so they do another...it came back today negative. The dr. said Ted would be coming home tomorrow. 

 So that was our Thanksgiving. My daughter Kathy came yesterday, and brought us food. I told her to stay awhile...so we wore masks and sat across the whole living room from one another. She left after 30 minutes, and went home. I wiped the containers of food with disinfectant. Sprayed the house, and left to take Ted's phone charger to the hospital. I was only allowed to drop it off...no visitors. I swear we are beginning to be like theses old pilgrims, a bit worn around the edges and faded. We talk on the phone, that is good.

  Hoping your day went much better than ours. One more big holiday to get thru, praying everyone uses their good sense and keeps it small also. If we can get thru this winter, I think we may all have a fair chance. We'll get vaccinated. Also hoping our country will learn from all this, we are all part of this world , it isn't just about one of us, it's all of us. Stay safe and smart. XO

  
 

Friday, November 20, 2020

It's Been Two Years.....

 Two years ago today, Ted was diagnosed with Acute Myloid  Leukemia. He was admitted to the hospital that very day. I am so thankful for every kind word, well wish, and prayer that was uttered for Ted and I.  I have thought back over all those days, weeks, months , and these two years. It was the hardest thing we have been thru in our lives.  I have to be thankful that it was not during this covid time. How could I have stood being at home and Ted in the hospital. I stayed at the hospitals many nights, weeks on and off throughout the two years.

   Two  rounds of chemo that could have killed Ted for the first two months.  Almost lost him due to an infection in the picc line. Then again due to Cdif during his second round of chemo.  Then In May , 2019, Ted had a bone marrow transplant.  This has truly saved his life.   He doesn't  have to have maintenance chemo any longer. Goes to see the Doctors at the Indiana Blood and Marrow transplant clinic/Franciscan Cancer Center.  He will see them again in Feb. 2021. 

  I pray that none of you have to go through such a time...I know many have, more than once even. My heart goes out to you.  We are blessed and we know it. We had great drs, nurses and hospital staff. Our supportive family and friends.  I thank each and every person who did whatever they could for us. My cup runneth over. 

   

   

 I am praying for all of you to be safe and get through this Covid crisis. It is going to take all of us , using the best of our abilities to do it. Be safe. XO
 

Monday, November 16, 2020

Fall Is Gone......

  We pass this golden tree going down Main St. in town. It has been losing it's leaves in a couple of short days , the past few years. I think it's really cold snaps that we had here after those warm days. 
 Some pretty skies. Tons of leaf raking here. Now we need to get them to the back of the woods. Our leaf pile looks like a hedge at the back fence. 
Our little Japanese maple is finished for the season. It's red leaves turn a different shade and then curl up. I am missing the flowers and birds around here.
 A decade ago, Ted and I went to L.A. and the Hollywood area, with our travel club. We did get to see Alex Trebek host two shows. They tape them . During break Alex  will speak with the audience. I got to ask him if he remembered his first ever winner. He said, "not the first winner, but I do recall the my first ever champion."  Ted and I watch Jeopardy every evening.  Alex did tape enough shows ahead that we can watch him till Christmas. We miss miss Alex. 

  We are staying in . Going nowhere but to drs. appts. The weather has been really cold the last few days. Winds yesterday were very fierce. Windy again today but not as high.  The yard doesn't need raked today, the leaves are in the next county. 

   Hope all of you are well and planning on staying that way. Please use caution at Thanksgiving.  We are going to stay home this holiday season. Be safe friends. XO
 

Saturday, November 7, 2020

Catching Some Rays....

 Totally different meaning than in my younger days.  When the sun came up this week it was ablaze on the woods, out front. 
Burning thru the trees down the road, showing the gold of the neighbor's  two oak trees and our birch.
Then onto sunset...which did not seem to take long at all, what with the shorter days.  I am loving these above normal temperatures we have had  this week. It is like a sweet bonus, before you know what. Oh you know. LOL 

  Ted had his IBMT clinic visit yesterday.  Such a long day. Last time (3 mos. ago) he answered the Covid questions and had his temperature taken , then was given a sticker pass. This time there were Covid tests being given in the parking lot opposite of the Cancer Center entrance. The cases in Indy are higher than ever before...so tests stations are in many different areas. Yet...when Ted went into the Cancer Center entrance this time, he did not get his temperature taken. That seems ridiculous. He was just asked the Covid questions. You all know what they are.  What I am getting at is...here is the entrance where many with weakened immune systems go in the building and wait. Yet they are not taking their temperatures.  Go figure.

   Once in a room to himself, Ted got a round of baby shots. Got his vitals taken and labs. A who's who lab work, but he won't know the results for two weeks. The Doctor said Ted looked good and his counts were good. I still think his platelets are low...not within the range of normal. 

   Wishing all of you well. Please be safe. XO
 

Sunday, November 1, 2020

I Can See Again....

  I had my cataracts removed on Monday and Tuesday of this past week.  I can see once more, and I am forever grateful.  This field of beans got harvested last week also. 
  My daughter Karen brought over the last of her sunflowers for me. and some pumpkins. 
This is a sunrise from  two weeks ago.  I am amazed at all I can see now. I do wear sunglasses now.  

 I had the eye surgery and saw my own eye dr on Wed. he did all the tests and checks and said I had 20/20 vision .  I will need reading glasses for close work. This post will be short , as I am not to be doing much. I go see the eye dr again on Tuesday.  I just wanted to up date and thank all of you for your sweet prayers.  I am blessed with family, friends, and my extended blog family. Thank you !!! XO
 

Thursday, October 22, 2020

That's A Big Punkin.....

 This is a picture of a pumpkin I took about 4 years ago. I just now thought about it. We never went by this house again, since then. I am curious if the fellow is growing them again. 
 The pumpkins are so big the man uses a block and tackle to load them on a trailer.  So I am saying those watermelon are about 4 times the size of one at the store.  You can tell by the size compared to the double hung bedroom windows. Maybe Ted and I need to drive by that house again soon. 
This is a pumpkin I made from an old sweater, doily, and lace ribbon.  A wooden stick for the stem.
 I made various sizes, using the sleeves of the sweater too.  Twine is good for making the sections.
 I actually gave these little canvas pictures, that spell Boo, to my daughter.  I still have my sweet owl and the tiny white pumpkins. This month is flying by . 

  My tummy is doing flip-flops. I go this coming Monday and Tuesday to the eye clinic to get my cataracts fixed. I am so eager that I am nervous about it. My sister Pam, is going with me, as you are to have someone along.  She just had her cataracts removed 3 weeks ago. She did so well. 

   Hope all of you are staying safe and getting out to vote. We voted by mail.  We all need to wear our masks and think of others, not just ourselves.  Please. XO
 

Saturday, October 17, 2020

Remembering Past Autumns....

These pictures are from about 3 years ago....when I could visit Horton's.  I love seeing vender markets. The crafts are so cute and clever. Aren't those towels and pillows cute?
Wooden spoons painted to look like jack-o-lanterns.  Cheap fun craft for kids even.
I have seen some of these cans on porches for decorations. I like them. No, I am not buying any. I am about done ever buying decorations. I just keep painting and making over my old decorations. 
 Yes, there's rows of mums out at the markets. But these past two days we have had freeze and frost warnings.  So I hope they got covered.
As I look at these cans, I think we could paint food cans ourselves. LOL. They would not hold a big mum plant but you could stick some fake flowers in them.  Just for a bit of Halloween. 

   I have been trying to watch the trees changing and enjoy them. We had a couple nights of frost and hard freezing.  Rains may be on the way soon, and the leaves will fall quickly.  The  framers are harvesting like mad.  We can see a lot farther with the crops down.  Our neighbor and his uncle do a fine job with just the two of them working their fields. 

    Luke is still on the mend and  happy to be so much better. His mom says he has not complained about his nose hurting any more. Ted is slowly gaining some energy. His P. T. has helped his sore shoulder . He's about recovered full use of his arm. No one has said how it happened. Who knows? Just as in my fractured foot...who knows.( Ted says from me kicking him ) I am better also. The news is good here and we are forever grateful for all the kindness shown to us thru prayers and well wishes. Thank you all.  Please stay safe . XO
 

Monday, October 12, 2020

Good Visit....

On Saturday, My daughter Kathy came to visit and do her laundry here. She always brings us lunch when she does that.  This is a picture of all my daughters, Liz, Kathy, Angie and Karen.   Kathy had invisted Liz and Angie came later. Then after lunch Karen came . Kathy wanted us all together. 
This is Kathy's son Korey and his wife Ashley. They got married in Utah six years ago. We all went to that wedding.  Kathy did a video call with them , so they could tell us their good news...they are expecting a Springtime baby. Wow, my I am getting a new great grandchild.  So happy for them. 

  We did distancing, wore masks, and washed hands lots. After everyone left, I wiped down so many things . You all know the things, doorknobs, handles, counters, phones remotes, door facing, the bathroom. Wiping and washing everything all the time is exhausting. We would have loved sitting outdoors...but those no-see-ums biting things are out again. Please hurry and have a hard frost. LOL 

 Luke got a good report on Friday. He is healing. Thank you for the kind prayers. Wishing all of you well. Be safe. XO
 

Friday, October 9, 2020

October Is Pretty....

A week of October is gone already. It seems to have gone by quickly.  The Markets in town have fall plants, gourds, and pumpkins for sale.  The yellow house up in the next town did not put out their big display this year.  But we will drive up by there and keep checking. 
 This is the little Japanese park in the town, where my daughter Kathy lives. It is the sweetest place to watch koi and ducks at the pond. I did not get to go to the park this year. But I want too before winter. 

    I will let you all know what happens around here. Our great grandson Luke is really doing fine. His surgery went well and he seems to be full of pep and joy once more. Thank you everyone for your kindness of good wishes and prayers. 

    I had an x-ray of my foot, because it was hurting so badly I had to use a walker my daughter brought over for Ted when he was very weak once last year.  The x-ray showed I had a hairline fracture and a spot of arthritis that was irritating my nerves and tendons on the top,  right at the ankle line.  The podiatrist  told me to start wearing sturdier shoes.  I asked about the shoes I wore in the office.  Ladies, this is what the doctor told me..."I am not a fan of those Skechers, get a more constructed shoe." Wow and I have  lots of Skechers.  So I guess that a sturdier shoe  will help heal the hairline fracture.  I could not believe the dr. did not tell me more. 

 Hope all of you are well, keeping your distance, wearing masks, ad washing your hands.  I am not going to listen to anyone but scientists. This is what they are saying.   XO
 

Thursday, October 1, 2020

Thank You !!!!

 I have old pictures of Luke to show. No new ones, as I have yet to take time to learn to load my pictures. Still can not find the ones the Geeks  lost. 
 Luke has been a happy boy most all the time. 
His grandmother"Gigi"  did this to his hair and compared him to big boy burger  kid.   

 Here I am after a bit of playing with Luke  . I always sleep better after playing on the floor with great grandkids. 
 This was a couple years ago on the family vacation.  Granddaughter Lynzie and her awesome husband Mark, with big brother Max and Little brother Luke.
Last Halloween squeezing in with papaw Ted. I love this picture.
Lynzie sent this to us and we had a good laugh.   Toe sucking instead of eating lunch.  

  Yesterday was Luke's surgery, to remove polyps in his sinuses.  I cried a lot yesterday. Lynzie sent photos of him in the car, on the way to the hospital,  saying, "Mommy I am hungry, I don't want my nose fixed". Then one of him playing on a little push car thing the hospital uses for children. A picture of the nurse pushing him in that car with his blanket going to surgery, without his parents ...he went peacefully.  Later there was a picture of him sleeping. There was dried blood around his nostrils. His mommy got to stay with him at the hospital. He will probably be home some time today. I wanted to thank all of you for the prayers and good wishes for our Luke.  You all have been so very kind, my heart is full.  Bless you. XO