A December to Remember

The month of December arrived as I continued to recuperate from my sinus infection. The previously scheduled surgery on my foot was postponed until I finished taking the full course of antibiotics. The new date for surgery was the 10th. I convinced myself that I was well enough to proceed with the surgery (I really wasn't) while George told me to reschedule it again.

I had a method to that madness of proceeding with the surgery, because one year ago I had booked a week in Key West at Blue Water Key Resort and I needed a 15-week recuperation window. The week delay was now cutting into my timeline.

The surgery went well. I left the hospital the same day with a plate, two brackets and six screws in my foot, as well a a pin in my second toe that had needed to be broken and reset. I was placed on the same, strong antibiotic that I had taken for the sinus infection, and was given a powerful drug for pain. Now, all I had to do was sit back and let my bones mend. It was one of my more painful surgeries.

Good friends had lent me a wheelchair, but entering the RV was a tremendous challenge. One that caused me to almost re-break the broken toe! Neighbors far and wide heard my scream. Weeks later, a woman came up to me while I was sitting outside and she said, "Oh, you're the poor woman who screamed." I guess stuff like that gets around fast in a small community.

Life was spent in the RV being cared for - expertly - by George. There was very little I could do without his assistance, and he was always patient and caring. I counted my blessings (along with the days we would be swimming in Key West). 

About ten days later, I visited my surgeon who sent me to the ER with a note, indicating I was exhibiting signs of a DVT - deep vein thrombosis, including chest pain and difficulty breathing. The night before, I actually considered calling for an ambulance due to how badly I felt.

My original diagnosis in the ER was a lot of fluid in and around my lungs. I heard doctors saying, "congestive heart failure," "possible heart attack" and "thrombosis." I remember not feeling panic at this point, just a feeling that I wanted to go to sleep and wake up from a bad dream. I was weak, tired and in pain. 

On Christmas Eve, after about a week at Celebration Hospital, I was discharge after having a total cardiac work up. Gratefully, all my tests came back negative. The only explanation for all that fluid was that it probably developed from the original congestion of the sinus infection and made worse by the anesthesia from the surgery. 

Okay, this issue is behind us now and it's time to go home...but, getting released posed a huge problem. Part of my cardiac workup included an angiogram that was performed through my wrist. This prevented me from being able to hoist myself up the stairs into the RV.

Prior to being discharged, my mind raced with options and fortunately, I remembered that our friends owned a house nearby and had a spare room. After a quick call, we found out there was "room at the inn" on Christmas Eve for all of us, including Lucy. As it turned out, we had their whole home to ourselves since they were out of town. To make things even easier, we had a key to their home. 

Throughout the entire medical issue, I hadn't cried once, however, as George wheeled me into their home, tears of gratitude slid down my cheeks. I was overwhelmed by the situation and the bag full of new medications we had just picked up from the pharmacy, but also feeling so blessed to have friends who moved a huge obstacle out of our way.

Someone thought this was a
special chair just for her.

Christmas Day was going to be a relaxing and quiet day.

It wasn't.

I'll skip the unpleasant details, but I ended up heading back to Celebration Hospital by ambulance. This visit was a six day stint consisting of a battery of tests for gastric issues. The cause of this new problem was due to all the antibiotics and additional pain medications that I had been ingesting since the end of November.  It wreaked a bit of havoc on my insides.

We ended 2019 with hope and prayers that 2020 was going to be a terrific year. After all we had been through, how could it get any worse?

Meanwhile, as we were hoping and praying, Wuhan, China was to become a place that would go down in history as the epicenter of "COVID-19." Not until March 11th was it officially labeled "a pandemic" and people started to pay attention. Unfortunately, it would take thousands of deaths before most people started to take  it seriously.

My next blog entry will document, at least for my future reference, what it is like living in 2020 with a compromised immune system during a pandemic.

Deep thought for the day: "Good morning, good morning! It's time to celebrate! Good morning, good morning to you!"

This song's music was composed by Nacio Herb Brown and lyrics written by Arthur Freed, for the 1939 film, Babes in Arms. It was performed by Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney.

This is the song I sang to my boys as they grew up and now, I sing it to my husband. All three hate/hated it, or perhaps just my rendition. I'm not sure which, but I do know that I loved and still love singing it, because it's always a "good morning" when we wake up, have a place to live, clothes to wear, food to eat and love to give and receive... So, good morning, good morning to you! ~ vc

Mother's Day 2016

The "Eagle," aka Allie, landed safe and sound at Raleigh State Fairgrounds on Friday afternoon. The place was packed with trailers and RVs for a huge horse show that was taking place on the grounds. The campground for the fairgrounds is located behind the horse stables, so it was an ideal spot for all the empty trailers, contestants and fans to camp out for the week-long event. Despite the crowd, it was quiet, albeit a bit smelly in some locations - like the three big roll-off containers full of horse poop (future manure). I assume backhoes must have been responsible for the pick-up and deposits of the unpleasantries to the dumpsters.

Looking out one window at the horse trailers lined up across from us.

Looking outside the right side.

Three dumpsters in a row (hard to see last one) filled to the top!

On Saturday, "G" and I took the kids to see Disney's newest animated feature, "Jungle Book," in 3D. It was an awesome movie that grownups couldn't help but be fascinated and amazed by the advanced animation necessary to bring all the animals of the jungle to life. The movie was followed by dinner at Applebee's, then back home for showers and a few games of chess. These kids amaze me.

Somewhere over the rainbow...

Me and the NC girls.

Papa G and Cooper, the Mozzarella Stick King

Nina, presenting mommy with her breakfast in bed. 

Mother's Day began with a Face Time with the three grand kids in Colorado, where I was so impressed with their gift for mommy - a breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, strawberries and coffee, prepared by Nina and served to mom in bed by all three smiling faces. That had to be one of the best gifts my daughter-in-law has ever received. Kitchen was even cleaned up as part of the present, and I saw the final results and can attest to a bright and sparkling kitchen.

Love....captured in a photo.

L to R: Me, Joan, GiGi and Moo Moo (Ronnie)

The afternoon was spent with the other half of my special loves. We enjoyed a relaxing day at Ronnie's and Frank's (aka Moo Moo's and Pop Pop's) house in the company of GiGi (the kids maternal Great Grandmother). There were dogs galore, good conversation and fabulous food. The kids spent most of the day in the pool and our seats on the enclosed back patio afforded us a front row seat to their antics and awesome swimming capabilities. 

I enjoyed a nice conversation with Gigi about the assisted living facility she lives in. God Bless her, at almost 90, she was telling be about all the "old people" who live there. I got a kick out of her referring to people her age and younger, as old. I feel the same way a lot of times, finding it hard to believe someone is my age when I assumed they were older. I have to believe it's either my mirror or my mind that is fooling me. Since GiGi looks amazing, I have to think it just might be our minds. 

A big thank-you to Ronnie and Frank for always opening your home and hearts to G and I. How fortunate for us to like and enjoy each other's company so much. 

The only photo I was able to get of me with my pride and joy - my son, my friend.

Savannah!

Cooper and Summer

The Three Musketeers - their energy astounds me.

As the day drew to a close, I began to feel ill and discovered that my insulin pump and Continuous Glucose Monitor were not working properly. Alarms that should have alerted me to extremely high glucose levels failed to do so. Once back in Allie and feeling worse, it was decided (and insisted by "G") that a trip to Duke-Raleigh Hospital's ER was in order. So, another holiday was spent in a hospital getting myself back to feeling better and regulated. Darn those electronics!!!! Can't live with them and can't survive without them.....

Today finds me exhausted, but better. Poor "G" needs to catch upon his sleep too, so I'm sure there will be an afternoon "cat" nap on tap for us both. Life is good when you can take an afternoon nap. 

Deep thought for the day:  "Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly. Birds fly over the rainbow, why, oh why can't I."  ~ Arlen and Harburg 

The serenity of a bird's life: Soaring high, swooping low, constant fluid motion, beauty and song. Similar to my life, I guess. with the highs and lows. Gotta love it, no matter what challenges you face - face them head on and then soar. ~ vc