Monday, December 31, 2012

2012 In Review

I started a review of what I felt was important back in 2008, I have continued the same format every year.

2008 is in regular type, 2009 in BOLD, 2010 thoughts are in Red, 2011 thoughts are in blue, 2012 will be in purple.

The children are all employed, and reasonably healthy. Trica our oldest daughter still struggles with Pancreatitis. Ditto..Trica is still struggling..she might just be a tad more cranky too. She has pancreatitis from a Gall Bladder surgery years ago. Trica is on  temporary medical leave from her job as an RN.  She had a very scary episode in October which we now believe was a direct result of a prescribed medication that was taken off of the market in November.   She still struggles with Pancreatitis. Everyone still has jobs, Trica is enrolled at UND and in three years she will be a Nurse Practitioner.  She still struggles with Pancreatitis. Everyone still has jobs, Trica is still studying to become a Nurse Practitioner..she is half done. Trica still struggles with Pancreatitis.

We still struggle with Doctors and Far Guys Trigeminal Neuralgia. We are comfortable with Dr. P he seems adequate. There are no miracle cures..Trigeminal Neuralgia is a rare disorder that you must just learn to live with...easy for me to say..Far Guy is the one with continual pain. Dr. P is still taking good care of Far Guy…nothing is new with TN, it is still one of the most painful disorders known to mankind. Dr. P is still taking good care of Far Guy..no great discoveries are forthcoming to fight this rare disorder. With Dr. P’s blessing Far Guy had several steroid injections in his Trigeminal Nerve.  The results are mixed..some were not so good and made the pain worse..others took the pain away completely for six weeks.

No new Grand-babies..No divorces..a few deaths (two cousins and a very dear friend) This year five friends died.. Rhonda, Jim, Sam, Charles and Pat. Two family members, my Uncle Delbert, and my cousins fiancĂ©e. No Grandbabies ( I think the baby years are over).  Deaths we had a few..My Aunt Marie and Far Guys Aunt Esther.  No new grandbabies and no divorces. Deaths we had a few.. Aunt Violet, friends Ardith and Elsie both from Indiana and friend Tammy succumbed to breast cancer.  No Grandbabies..I guess I should really give up on this since our baby turned eleven:) Deaths..My Cousin Rosemarie and Far Guy’s Uncle Willard.

No new pets, and no pet deaths. In 2009 Madison got a new kitten that she named Ziggy. Trica found a new home for her Pomeranian Daphne or "Daffy". Daffy now gets to be the Queen of her castle and no longer has to tremble in fear and hide under the couch to escape her terrorist companion Dakota who had a stroke a number of years ago and has an ongoing thyroid problem and is just not right in the head. I miss Daffy..she loved me. When they all lived with us..she was my constant companion. Paige got a kitty that she named Skittles and Savannah got a  pitch black kitty that she named Luna.  Andy went out and got himself a Sheltie puppy who is named Little Elvis. No new pets and no pet deaths.  No New pets or pet deaths..although Dakota is not looking real good.

Biggest Adjustment..Far Guy's Trigeminal Neuralgia and how it affects our day to day life. Ditto..we must always be flexible.... it just may not be a good day, or a good week.Ditto. Ditto. Ditto.

Biggest Change..Closing the Greenhouse business, a very wise decision. I miss it, but I am getting over it. Well I am way over this one..this years biggest changes..lifestyle..healthier eating..more exercise. Biggest change this year..being able to see without glasses after my cataract surgery. Biggest change this year was leaving Far Guy and Chance on their own while I went to work at the Museum…they can survive without me!  Biggest change this year..hmm..Chance and I having one day a week off while Far Guy works at the Museum..we love our day off!

Biggest Frustration.. Doctors that don't know their butt from a hole in the ground, and the phone ringing. Ditto.. and gaining weight because I quit a nasty habit..that I enjoyed..but now my metabolism is all out of whack.  For now and since July I have been an ex-smoker.  It ain't easy..it has been one of the hardest things I have ever done in my entire life.  I have however curbed the desire to lick every ash tray I see..and those smokers outside freezing their skinny butts off..I envy them..perhaps I will get over that with time..old habits die hard..I began to smoke as a teenager..that was well over forty years ago.  My daughter said "Mom we would rather have you alive and healthy looking and a little fat, than dead and skinny." The phone ringing still irritates me..and now that Far Guy has a cell phone sometimes they both ring at the same time. We are still non smokers..fatter ones.. Ditto..Still non smokers..still fat too. Ditto..still non smokers..still fat too. I still hate the phone ringing and most Doctors irritate the heck out of me.

Happiest Moment..a very nostalgic Ferris Wheel Ride last August with Far Guy. Playing a little "kissy face" stopped at the top! I had to think on this for quite some time.. I had many happiest moments this year and if I had to pin it down to just one moment it would be watching Chance and Far Guy on the lake shore of Lake Superior..watching Chance run between us. The happiest moment this year: When our oldest daughter Trica woke up after being unconscious for more than 24 hours..and she knew who we were. The happiest moment this year was finding out that Far Guy made the Emergency Life Flight to Fargo alive and that he had no Heart blockages..he had treatable pericarditis.  The happiest moments this year were spent with the Grands..at Guitar Concerts, Hockey Games and out on the lake.

2012 Notes:  Chance is in good health, he takes a baby aspirin every day to help with his stiff joints.  He is as spoiled as ever…and rarely is left alone.   I am not sure who is most forgetful Far Guy or Chance.  Chance feigns forgetfulness every evening after his first treat..and more often than not Far Guy forgets and gives him a second treat.  They are quite a pair.

Happy New Year’s Eve..stay safe..use a designated driver or call for a ride..or  don’t drink alcohol..have a soda instead! :)

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18 comments:

Primitive Stars said...

Morning, love the new Header pictures.......what a year, Wishing you and yours a Healthy and Happy New year my friend, Blessings Francine.

DJan said...

Happy New Year to you and yours, Connie! Nice review and comparison to the past few years. I like the format. :-)

The Colonel's Charlotta said...

Thank you for sharing your interesting photos and posts, and may the Lord's blessings be with you throughout the coming year.

The Colonel's Charlotta said...

Hmmm. Computers do strange things.

Signed,
The Colonel's Charlotta

linda m said...

Happy New Year to you and Far Guy! Love the review and the comparison to past years - very good way to judge progress. Give Chance an extra treat from one of his biggest fans.

Country Gal said...

That was awesome , loved the way you did this ! I am slowly quitting the nasty habit down to 4 cigs a day , Papa I don't think he will ever quit . Doctors frustrate me to , found out I suffer from fibromyalgia and have had IBS for years . I to have good days and bad days and yes it does run my life but hey that's the way it goes any day above ground is a good day . Hope you all have a Happy New Year .

Beth said...

Happy New Year to you and Far Guy. I enjoyed your review!

RURAL said...


Connie, I love your header...you are becoming quite the accomplished photographer.

And I love the year in review....have been reading it all along..it's interesting to see how life changes, but still stays wonderful.

Jen

MTWaggin said...

Wow quite a list but you know what - you persevere and are a better person for it. Health stuff sucks but next thing you'll know you'll be putting great grandbabies on the list!

Karen said...

I'm thinking that this past year has been better than some for you. Hope the coming year is even better. All the best to you and yours!

GramMary said...

Lovely new header. Agree that quitting smoking is the hardest thing ever...next to getting the weight off and keeping it off. You are not alone! Wishing you a happy and healthy new year, including injections that work for Far Guy, cooperative museum board members, healing for your toe, and less phone calls.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a good year!

How old is Chance and how do you administer the baby aspirin? Oscar is on meds but aspirin would be better and cheaper perhaps?

Anonymous said...

Love the format and all your good news and other news tooo.I so concur about doctors, one has to pay a fortune for no service, no time and a lot of crap. You sound so happy, in your area of the USA, we will get snow soon and ice, it is all wet here most of the year, little heat or sun, we did get 112 days of sun and heat, so we will get 30 days of hell it never fails..You are upbeat for all that your hubbs and you endure, your daughters illnesses, etc. Love Chance, that dog is adorable and loved.May your 2013 be happy,healthier, peaceful and full of more love!

Far Side of Fifty said...

He is eight..and he takes it with a bit of peanut butter or cheese..it really does make him feel better:)

Red said...

Cool post that summarizes the last four years. some things just don't go away so I hope that this year some of the nagging health issues clear up.
Happy New Year to you and all your family.

Lynda said...

I LOVE your year-end summary updates! Great way to see the overview. Your love for your family is beautiful. I don't think I realized that Chance was having some arthritis issues. Tell him he is never supposed to age cuz he gives too many of us great joy.

Pamela said...

I vote for more forgetfulness when it involves double or triple treats.

Rita said...

Love your summaries, Connie. Was a good year. :)