Nice!

 It was a pretty Fall day high in the mid 40's and sunny.  Nice weather!!

Far Guy did not have to wait around for his radiation treatment yesterday.  He barely sat down and they called his name.  I went with him to wait after the really long wait for his treatment the previous day.  35 minutes and we were in and out of the Cancer Center.   Yeah us!  Three treatments down and seventeen to go. 

We picked up our grocery order from Walmart and prescriptions at the corner of happy and healthy where for once they actually had the right prescriptions.  Will wonders ever cease?

Not so nice...I had to seen at the Express Clinic.  Since I have RA other things happen from time to time.  Pleurisy,  I had it one time years ago, I am on meds for the next five days and hope it is all gone by then.  Pleurisy is pain from inflammation when your lung rubs up against your chest wall. Uffda...it is no fun but hopefully will be all better soon.  Luckily I only have the pain on my right side. Old people get the darndest stuff.

Really nice that this dog still loves us.

Far Side

Progress

 I bought a new pole for my flag outside the door.  My old flag pole was too darn difficult to attach a flag and this one works better.  I have enough flags I could change them every week.   (years of collecting)

This is the one I chose for a week maybe two.   The Loons are here down at the lake according to my baby brother.  I have not heard them ...but the Canada Geese are honking when flying over and the Bald Eagle circles above in the trees.  ( He is looking for small critters to eat as most of the road kill has been consumed.)

 The patch in the side yard might be grass someday.  If it doesn't rain soon I will have to get out the water hose and tend to it myself. 

I have been selling some stuff...a very Vintage 1970's love seat left the house yesterday!  One less thing to clean around.   It was fairly ugly... it was useful when youngest Grandson Adam was a little boy ...he could stretch out on it and sleep very comfortably. (He grew)

I bought a set..a sofa and this love seat from friends Bonnie and Rueben when they got new furniture about 1999.  Chance claimed the couch but never the love seat...so it was almost as good as the day I bought it.  No one ever sat it it anymore...Jen used it for a luggage rack.  

Progress is slow but still progress.   Trying to look at the bright side of things!

Supper was salad and a Philly on a pretzel bun.:)

Weather: High was 69 F or 21 C eh.  Warm for the first part of May. 

Far Side

Sad News and Good News

 Last week was a week.  It began with my cousin Diane who lived in Alaska her Memorial Service was live on Facebook.   She was 68 years old. She died after heart bypass surgery.  Her Mother and my Mother were sisters. 

This past Saturday was my second cousin Patsy's funeral, she died from a tick bite that went to a bacterial infection and then septic...she was three months younger than me...her  Father and My Grandfather were brothers.  She spent the entire summer on hospice. I sent a card I did not attend the funeral.

Then Little Elvis died on Friday...that hit me hard.  He and I had a special connection. He loved me unconditionally. 

Friday was also a bit of good news, my second biopsy came back with clear edges!  Thank goodness I don't have to have more surgery on my face!   AND all of my eye tests came back okay, the Doc says my eyes show normal aging.  I also learned that I have an appointment with a different Rheumatologist...but not until April of 2025...this is after waiting two months for a referral and being accepted by their Rheumatology Department.  I am doing my PT exercises and I believe it is making a difference...I have PT appointments starting October 10th. My stitches in my face come out on Thursday this week. It is a medical appointment week ...we have six appointments....it is what we do. 

So the good news outweighs the bad I am not on hospice, I am not dead, I don't have to have more surgery on my face, I can see reasonably well and we can make it by ourselves to appointments...and we still have some dogs to love...Sadie, Baxter and Smudge.  

Far Side

Uffda times two

 Wow this little big surgery is kicking my butt.  I managed all the errands in town and then came home to crash for several hours.  Woke up to help with supper and spilled my entire plate of food on the floor.  

Uffda...life is sometimes messy.

Far Side

Tests

 I had a small bigger than I thought surgery yesterday at the Dermatologists Office.  The biopsy on my shoulder came back as atypical cells and the spot on my cheek came back as malignant melanoma. So both spots were taken care of.  I have a considerable amount of discomfort but am glad to have it behind me....keeping fingers and toes crossed that these biopsies come back clear and the huge hole in my face heals well.  They will do some kind of genetic testing on the first samples...some study to see if there is a genetic link to melanoma. 

 Hopefully I can cross this off the freaking list. 

All my eye tests came back okay/normal for aging eyes...cross that off the list too. 

Far Guy is taking good care of me.

Far Side

Repairs

 Yesterday we ran a couple of errands...all repair stuff.  The stopper in the bathroom sink broke.  Water was stuck in the sink, I wedged a knife in there and got the broken stopper pulled out.  We have a new stopper and Far Guy will play plumber one of these days. 

I tweaked my knee in my sleep or when I got up in the nighttime....so I hobbled into Walgreens and bought a knee brace.   It helps.  Last Spring I threw away all the ace bandages I had for larger joints...wouldn't you know it I musta jinxed myself.  So an ace bandage was purchased also.  With support and rest (RICE) I hope to see some improvement if not I will head to the Dr next week.   It is much different pain than the arthritis pain I have....on an interesting note..the two pains fight for attention. If worse comes to worse I have an old pair of crutches:)

After repairs were purchased we went to lupper at our favorite Mexican place.  Lunch/supper works for us.  Best part ...no dishes to wash and we were home in time to have a long nap and put my knee up.

Flowers in Dorset, MN.

Far Side

More pills

 What do the Doctors do best?  Add more pills to your diet, he doubled my Potassium and hopes that next weeks blood test is better.  Low Potassium makes me so tired.  He checked me all out and scratched his head, and ordered more blood tests...guess what I still have low Potassium. I have no doubt that he is a good Doctor, he teaches Medical Students.  He is also Far Guy's Primary Care Doctor.  

It was great to see the kids: Andy and Jen, Noah and Maddie!  AND of course Sadie and Little Elvis!  They were very happy to see us and I think Sadie was petted and fussed with for several hours straight!

Jen has a few things coming up in her front garden....looks like her Bleeding Heart made it another year! 

The weather was downright warm and sunny in East Grand Forks on Monday afternoon, then it cooled off on Tuesday and rained a bit. 

Sadie and Little Elvis

Far Side

Busy day

 Thursday is Far Guy's Infusion Day...he made the Nurses giggle so he got more than one stick with the needle.

  I had a blood draw, my Potassium is still low. Not sure what my Dr will do about it but he has been informed.  I already take two prescription huge honking potassium pills every day.  

I picked up the grocery order from Wally World and then headed to the other grocery store for fresh fruits. 

Far Guy and I planned the menus for the next week.  

Last evening were were invited to my baby brothers and his brides for supper, he did a BBQ Brisket and it was delicious, we also had roasted vegetables, applesauce and I made potato salad.  One of my cousins children will be a Veterinarian next year and she was up here shadowing a Vet, and she is staying at my baby brothers this week.  We enjoyed a game of Encore after supper. 

It was a good day! 

Flowers last summer.

Far Side

Stuff

 Finally I am done with Doctor appointments for a bit.   I have two types of Arthritis...Rheumatoid and Psoriatic, possibly Lyme Arthritis and Chronic Pain Syndrome. 

My Doctor up here in Grand Forks started me on an antidepressant that sometimes helps with joint pain and it seems to be working.  My every other week injections of Humira also seem to be helping finally.  I have kept a pain diary since November 1st.  The past week my pain has been less...I am at a six instead of a nine or ten. I still have severe fatigue...the Doctor hopes that will get better as the pain retreats. 

I have Polyclonal Hypergammaglobulinemia. The Hematologist and the Rheumatologist believe it is from Rheumatoid Arthritis.  Basically my immune system has gone nuts making so many antibodies.   There is nothing that can be done about it.  It won't kill me. Just another by product of arthritis.  The only way to treat it is to get rid of the underlying cause...which is Arthritis. 

 Ya well if I had a magic wand to wave! 

One day at a time.  One foot in front of the other! 

Far Side

Half over

 June is half over...boy that sure went fast! 

Soon it will be time to change the flag again. 

Not much happening here, yesterday I cleaned the bathroom and put a few things away.   

Started on a baby blanket.  Watched a true story on Netflix called  Molly's Game.   It was interesting and I give it an 8 out of 10.  My shoulder is doing pretty good!  A bit of pain if I do too much but Aleve helps.  My Doctor checked on me yesterday as she is going out of town. 

We had a simple supper...breakfast...scrambled eggs and bacon.

Far Side

Cut and pack

 I had a horrid abscess on my shoulder.  I have been fighting it for quite some time.  Uffda it was a smelly oozing mess.  I apologize to anyone who may have hugged me and thought I was rotting away or had not bathed in days.  We finally covered it with a Clearasil pad and sealed it up with tape because I was so over being a stinky mess...every time I used my shoulder it would ooze....nasty...nasty. 

Long story short the Doctor made a number of incisions and packed it.  She gave Far Guy instructions and a tutorial on how to pack it again in 24 hours and I am on antibiotics. 

My shoulder is sore but I will live to see another day or maybe two. 

That was enough for a Monday. 

The Lilacs are pretty much past bloom.

Far Side

Entertainment

 We bought a solar fountain to put into the birdbath.  

It gives us much enjoyment!   Old folks are easily entertained! 

Hopefully blogger will let me upload an image...I have a new photo editing software...it was an app ( Pixelmaker Pro)....I don't have it all figured out yet...what can I say...I am still learning! (Not sure how I got the water blue)

Have you played the game Splendor?   Jen and Andy introduced us to the game.  I ordered one.   

I watched two shows on Netflix this week Greater and soul surfer I give them both a 10...excellent movies!  For my series I began watching Heartland....I should be reading more as bookclub is next week...I am reading The Radium Girls.

I mowed the side and back yards and some of the Wild Gardens yesterday after grocery pickup.  Mowing was a dirty job again. 

I took my Dad to Bingo and I won 57 dollars so we got our money back...breaking even is a good thing. 

Far Side

Hummer and a Bluebird

We have two Humming Birds as far as I can tell.  I still have the little feeder out, I will replace it with the larger feeder soon.

Can you see the Hummer in this photo?

Resting on a branch, making sure the coast is clear.

At the feeder

Bluebird passing through I hope he stays. Not a great photo I took it out the kitchen window.

Chance and I sit outside after supper, there are just a few bees and no skeeters yet.

Far Guy had a crawling wood tick and we heard the first Loon May 16 2018.

Only two Doctors appointments this past week, I have an infection in my eye and it is much better after antibiotic drops.  Far Guy has been woodcarving outside just about every day the weather has been fantastic.

Asleep

I took one allergy tablet.  It made me sleep for ten hours then I was awake for six hours (during which time I laid down twice) and then I had a four hour nap and I am still exhausted.  It makes you dream crazy stuff too…I have decided to stop taking that particular pill.  Onward to a runny nose and itchy eyes of springtime in Minnesota.

I will shelve this information…it may come in handy for my family someday if I am trying to escape the Nursing Home.  One pill and I am conked out and when awake I am calm  although a bit spaced out….did I care what was happening when I was awake…not so much.

Chance is always good company when I am asleep/not feeling well….he stays right by me.  When he was little I slept with one hand in his laundry basket…just to keep him company so he wouldn’t whine all night.

If it isn’t one thing

it is another.  After a certain age your body falls apart.  

I knew I had an abscess…but I was not prepared to be told that I have two abscesses and will require extensive oral surgery.  YUCK.

It has been a week of appointments…I am waiting not so patiently for them to call with my appointment for surgery.  I finished a course of antibiotics but still have a big area of infection…if it gets worse I am supposed to call for a new prescription.  It was quite painful…keep you awake painful but for now it has settled down.

Far Guy said a Dairy Queen would make it all better and would also be lunch.

We went to our favorite sundae eating spot in town.

We park here to watch the bike riders or the runners…their trail is covered with snow now.  Sometimes we see ducks here…not so much that day. (There is a river out there.)

The road home still shows our snow, little by little it is melting.

I managed to spring clean the downstairs bathroom….feels good to have one more room done.  My bum hand is tired now and needs a day maybe two of rest. 

I watched a movie called August Rush  I give it four out of five stars.  I was awake for most of it.

Cords for Reading Glasses

I have a number of pairs of reading glasses.  Most of the time I just grab the pair with the cord that keep them around my neck.   I wear cords out… they get dirty/sweaty and I toss them away or the little plastic thingy breaks.  Some are way to short, some are too long.  Some hurt my neck, some got tangled in my hair.  Some held my glasses at a perfect length to catch pieces of food …hard to see anything when one lens has lettuce and dressing on it.  Not to mention that you feel stupid when you raise them up to read something and everyone notices the lettuce.

One day I was shopping and saw a perfect cord.  Then I got an idea…I could make my own afterall I had many of the supplies.   I attempted to make one during the Craft Retreat back in September…I was not strong enough with my bum hand to crimp the beads…besides that my first attempt was way to heavy..it was real pretty but too heavy.

Yesterday I tore it apart and recreated it.

I bought the one in front, it was the inspiration.

 

I made the tourquoise one and I am working on another in the background, that one is shades of blue.

If you wear reading glasses how do you keep track of them?  If you wear them with a cord around your neck when they are not in use…leave me a comment …I may make you one.

The Hand

The hand is sore.  Pictures will follow.  So you can bale out anytime. Getting older and having body parts wear out is not for sissies.

I had to be at the hospital at 9:30 AM for all the pre op questions and the nurse had no sense of humor. Of course she asked me if I felt safe in my home, well what kinda dummy says No when her husband is right there, I think it is a redundant question…seems to me that a paper and pen with the question written down on a piece of paper would be a better idea.   Then she asked me if I was depressed, I laughed and said “Not today.”  She said depression is NOTHING to laugh at and many people are helped because of the questions that nurses have to ask. Alrighty then. She wasn’t half bad at starting an IV, I have had better and worse.  I had to have an hour drip of antibiotics before going to surgery about 11:45 AM.

There was a young man named Casey just outside the OR reading something highlighted in a book.  I said “Hi I am Connie and I bet you are reading about my surgery?”  He replied “Are you the carpal tunnel scheduled?”  He is a Senior at the high school in Nevis and is shadowing Dr Smith for the summer.  John was waiting for me in the OR….he was the anesthetist.

I had some kind of anesthesia in the Operating Room to make me sleepy and not remember a thing and then they put a tourniquet on my arm. The whole surgery took about 20 minutes yet I lost a couple of hours…go figure.  Supposively the Doctor talked to me after the surgery…I don’t recall a thing that he said…good thing he talked to Far Guy.  I had a tumor near the tunnel that the nerve goes through…they are rarely cancerous. The Dr felt that I should have a good result long term since I had two problems in that area of my hand.

Casey’s Mom was the OR Recovery Nurse.  I heard a familiar voice…it was Paul (Far Guy’s Cousin) he helps push carts and deliver people here and there. The Recovery Nurse and I had a nice chat….and since I was talking so much she took me back to where Far Guy was waiting.  It was about 1:45 PM.

I got to eat some toast and have some juice and take pain pills and get dressed and head home.  We picked up a prescription and we got home about 3:30 PM.

My arm was all wrapped up in packing and gauze and an ace bandage.  I could move my fingers and my thumb.  Ice packs became my friend as they took away much of the pain.  I don’t remember much that happened on Friday or Saturday or even Sunday, I slept a lot.  I watched the weather channel and some marathon reality show and a bunch of Harry Potter Movies…I know I talked to a few people on the phone…who I am not sure. I wrote a couple of blogs and I hope they made sense.  Far Guy helped me bathe everyday and get a fresh nightgown on and brought me lemonade and made sure that I ate every so often and wrote down every pill I took and what time I took it. He brought me bags of ice and retrieved the one that leaked all over and woke me up in an icy bath.  Chance laid right next to the couch and slept when I slept. I know Far Guy cooked…chicken and noodles one night, a steak and a baked potato, a soft shell taco… no one starved to death.

Wednesday was the day I could remove the awkward big bandages. Off it came as soon as I woke up on Wednesday!  Oh I hated to look…if it looked as bad as it felt…wowza. It is a pain in the butt hand.  Some movements are very painful and I just cannot do them.  Taking the top off a water bottle, cutting an apple, cutting up a steak….it took me a few tries to butter toast left handed.  I ate left handed…and still am as it is just easier.  Pulling drawers out hurts…I can push with the hand but not pull…I cannot write decently…I have a hard time with fine motor skills…even holding a piece of mail in between my fingers and thumb. I cannot put my own bra on and Far Guy says he is better at taking them off than putting them on.  My fingers are still numb and I still have some swelling and ice is still my best friend to help control the pain.  I can only take so much and I am off to the couch for elevation and ice.

One day at a time.  Here is the aftermath. One week post surgery.

Noah and I tried to count the stitches we think there are fourteen.  Noah said “It will heal nicely.”  I hope so.

Far Guy says that my hand and arm are very angry with me…I have to agree.  The pain that I had before surgery in my elbow and shoulder is gone and hopefully the pain in my hand will be gone sometime soon.  I get my stitches out next Monday.  I can leave it undressed, but sometimes it likes a little more support so I put a dressing on it and an ace bandage.

The arm

I have an arm. It may hurt like the devil but it is a complete arm.  I have appointments with two different surgeons but not for two or three weeks.

I wrap my entire brace and arm in a fluffy blanket so it stays toasty warm at night and avoids any facial injuries by said brace flopping about in the nightime. I concocted a daytime brace with an elastic stocking and vet wrap…it helps with the pain.

Far Guy is my right arm.  He can scrub floors, scrubbing used to be my thing to do ..now it is his.

Thank goodness I am somewhat ambidextrous. I am not good at writing with either hand right now.  I will need more practice.  I can type (hunt and peck)! I can play cards totally left handed but someone else has to shuffle cards for me (those years dealing Black Jack have come in handy who woulda thunk it?)  I can wash dishes with one hand. I can pet the dog, I can dust…and I can cook as long as the pots and pans are not too heavy and have to be moved... my grip is non existent.

Carpal Tunnel sucks but I am trying to make the best of it.  I will be glad to get this common aging problem behind me.

My dreams are equally awesome and somewhat strange really weird, it must be from all the Ecotrin and Ibuprofin that I have been consuming.

This is the last I will mention it, I will let you know all about the surgery when it is over and done with.

Blanket Flowers or Gaillardia

eye eye

It has been 8 hours and my eyes are still big black pools.  I can hardly wait to go to sleep. I cannot be cranky whilst sleeping.  Good thing it was a cloudy day.  Good thing Far Guy had a meeting last night…Chance will put up with me no matter what kind of mood I am in. 

The bean field

We had storms on Tuesday night but the worst of it went south of us.  We got 1/2 inch of rain so the grass will grow again.

I had an eye appointment… my vision is pretty much the same.  I am getting new reading glasses.  Far Guy picked them out because of course I could see nothing. Isn’t it funny that the time when your eyes are getting dialated is when they want you to pick out new frames?  I know the glasses felt comfortable on my face.  I have another appointment for the usual Vision Field Tests…just to be sure I don’t have glaucoma.  My pressures are slowly going up 16 then 17 and now 18. I may have some cloudy spots that will have to be taken care of someday when they get bad enough, the Doc says my implanted lenses are properly in place and look good except for a few cloudy spots.

I have a headache and I am cranky…my blood pressure was way up…we had to wait about 20 minutes past our appointment time.  I know I am whining.  I will be better when I can see properly.

Far Guy was patient.  Chance went along because the high yesterday was 68F or 20C eh! A tad chilly for July but I hear it will warm up on the weekend.

Cross one appointment off the list. No rest for the wicked this week, one appointment or meeting after another. Next week isn’t looking real relaxing either.

Peony

My Fern Leaf Peony had one bloom on it this year.  It was a gift from Larry in Iowa several years back.

The regular peonies have not opened yet.

The ants are busy!  As far as I know ants are always on peonies.

Peonies always bring up old memories for me;

Bringing in bouquets and having to massacre the ants that escaped to the table top.

A Calico kitten who thought she was a fierce tiger hiding in the jungle of peonies.

The smell of peonies hanging in the air during church on warm humid Sunday mornings….back when ladies brought bouquets to church to decorate the altar.

Oh the petals…as the flowers faded the petals fall off in the slightest breeze.
*****
I have an abscessed tooth, it is very painful and my Dentist is in Mexico on vacation.( Who vacations in Mexico in June anyways?)  If it isn’t one thing it is another.  I felt “off” and achy all day Sunday and in the nighttime I woke up with throbbing pain that could drive you to drink. For now the pain is controlled with Ibuprofen and I started on an antibiotic….just another bout with old age.