A Nice Day

Look what came in the mail today!

I finally saved up enough $$ to order 10 copies of my last print book.  

Speaking of books, I have been writing my How To book in Book Wright by Blurb.  They will print it out for me, BUT, it is too many pages long, with too many photos and would cost me an arm and two legs to afford to get it printed for distribution.

Speaking of books, I also finished my Family History book that I want to give my kids, also with Blurb.  BUT, it is too long and has too many photos and would cost me over $100.00 PER BOOK to get one printed.  

SO--I am copying them off the Blurb site and putting them into Word.  THEN--I will go on a search at Staples or somewhere and find the kind of paper I want and...print them out and bind them myself!!!
OR, check at the printing company just up the road.

SO THERE!!

I want to get some sort of paper that is kind of like what they use in a magazine--kind of shiny, but not as heavy as photo paper.  It will probably cost me $100.00 in paper and ink, but that will cover at least 5 copies of the Family History book.  For the How To book, I will do the same and then if anyone wants it, I can print and bind a copy for them.  Figure out how much one copy costs, and just charge them that and postage.  I don't need a profit.  I just need the cost of this fun book.

SO THERE!!!

Now, my surrogate daughter Chrissy, (my daughter from another mother) wants me to test one of her crochet patterns.  This sounds like fun and will give me a new project to work on while watching baseball games.  She will pay me for my time and supplies.  Win-Win!

SO THERE!!!

I am a woman on a mission.

I Feel Even Better!

Yesterday I decided that I would go to the doc's office to get a blood draw to check my Potassium.  Pearl mentioned that she had an appointment with him at 10:30 and I told her she could ride with me.

I picked her up.  When we got to the office, she walked up to sign in and the receptionist said, "Are you Pearl Johnson?"

"No.  Pearl Ott.  I have a ten-thirty appointment."

"Ah-hh.  You have a ten-thirty appointment this coming Thursday, not today."

"What's today?"

"Tuesday."

"Oh."

So Pearl sat down next to me and, even though I had heard the conversation, she repeated:

"I'm here on the wrong day.  I have to come back...ah...wait..." and she got up and went back up to the receptionist's desk.

"Tell me again.... when am I suppose to come in.  Tomorrow at nine-thirty, right?"

"No, this coming Thursday--April thirtieth, at ten-thirty.  I will give you a card."

So Pearl sat in the waiting room while I got my blood drawn.

On the way home we talked.

"I could have sworn on a stack of Bibles that my appointment was today.  I know I wrote it on my calendar."

"Did you think today is Thursday?"

"No!  I know what day it is.  Good Lord!"

"Maybe you should start taking your Aricept again."

"I took it for two days and I didn't think it helped."

"You have to take it at least two weeks for it to start having any effect."

"I hate taking pills!"

"Not me!  If it helps me, I'll take anything they got!"

"I don't want to take Alzheimer's medicine.  I hate the thought."

"But if it helps--at least it will help stop your forgetfulness from advancing so rapidly."

"I hate this!  The same thing happened Sunday.  We had plans to go out with Bonnie and Earl for supper and at five, Merle asked me if I was ready.  I said, 'ready for what?'  I thought it was Monday--all day."
======================

This makes me sad!!!

Hip Hip Hooray!

I can't explain how great I feel today!

I think I found the one new med that was causing all my problems.  Didn't take it yesterday and today, I have not been wobbley or disoriented and only a bit dizzy and I know that is from the water pill.

I researched that new med--Clonidine.  It helps lower BP, but it is also used for ADHD, anxiety, to help people stop addictions, etc.  So, it is also an anti-psychotic med and I sure as heck don't need that.  I recognized my symptoms because they were exactly like the ones I had when a doc put me on Seroquil and Effexor and when I tried Chantix years ago.  I was falling down, having mini seizures.

I already take an anti-depressant, anti-anxiety med, I sure didn't need another one messing up my head.

My BP has been so good today--in the 130-140 ranges with diastolic in the mid 50's.  While my pulse rate is still in the 40's low 50's--it's been that way for two years now.

You should see the report I have kept and giving to the doc.  He will see exactly every med I took, when I took it, my BP every 4 hours and what I felt like each day.

I'm a good guinea pig!!!
==================
Dar was over today and I did not take my BP after she left because I was scared it would be way high.

She walked in and said, "Are you all right?"

I said, "No!"

and she said, "Me either.  I went over to tell my brother and sister-in-law goodbye, but they had left at 7:00 this morning.  My other sister-in-law told me that they said they were going to leave before I got there because they were afraid I'd get hysterical.  Well, I got hysterical all right, but it was because I didn't get to say good-bye.  Daddy is leaving on the 13th, my birthday and then...I will be all alone."

"Sorry."

"I just don't think I am going to be able to take it!!!"

"Good thing you have a job to keep you occupied."

...and the rest was all about her.  She didn't come over to check on me.  She came over to dump on me.  Once again--

but--I don't care.  I watched my soap, did the laundry and worked on my How To book the rest of the afternoon.

Then I watched an hour of the riots in Baltimore.  I swear those people act like ignorant savages.  They don't fear the authorities anymore and the cops are so scared of being sued, they don't do their jobs.

30 years ago, while visiting a friend in Baltimore, I saw how unreasonable the police could be to blacks--because I was with one, in a group of blacks that weren't doing a thing.  Now, they've killed this kid because they arrested him for "making eye contact" with them?  Similar to what it was like 30 years ago, so I know t his police brutality has gone on there for a long time.

But now, these damn black kids think they are entitled to loot and steal and burn and throw rocks at the cops?

Turn a water cannon on them!  Shoot them with rubber bullets.  Make them a bit scared so they will think next time.

This is a no win situation in our country and I place the blame for it squarely on the person who lives in the White House.  He has empowered them to think they can get away with this crap--telling them, "that boy could have been my son" and Sharpton and all the rest of the race baiters!

Dear Dr. King, God bless him,  must be spinning in his grave!!!

Hello!

Toughest six days I've had in a long time.  BUT--I think I am finally settling in and I feel much better today.  I have switched around the new meds--like taking one at a different time of day, and splitting one in half and taking 1/2 at 8:00 and the other 1/2 at noon.  Yes--self diagnosing and medicating, but I have researched these meds and I am doing the same thing the doc would do.

My blood pressure is reasonable now..and my pulse rate has stabilized into the 40's range, which is still too low, but I can live with it.

I kid you not--I've have been through some interesting things.  Not only dizziness, and a mild seizure thingie, but hallucinations and hearing voices.  Really.

Friday, I came out of the bathroom and headed to my chair.  About half-way there, I thought I was going to pass out.  When I got to the chair, I put my hand on the arm and sat down on the box next too it.  I looked at the chair and couldn't remember exactly what it was or how to get on it.  Scary--thought I had had a T.I.A.

I was sitting in this computer room and saw a bright red, blue and yellow plastic ball rolling down the street out in front.  I stood up to get a better look and there was no ball there.  Another time I saw a man walking down the street in front, but when I looked out the window, there was no one.

I tried to heat up a bowl of Chili in the microwave and couldn't remember how.  I decided to put it back in the refrigerator, but later when I went to get it to try again, it wasn't in the frig.  I thought maybe I had eaten it after all, but I started opening cupboards and the stove and...found it on the top rack in the dishwasher!

I thought I had had a stroke or Alzheimer's had set in fast!!

I canceled all my appointments for two weeks, because I certainly can't drive.  I will go into the doc's office on Tuesday morning to get blood drawn to see how my Potassium level is,  I have a regular appointment with him on May 7th, hope to have this figured out by then.

Sorry I couldn't post much as my eyes were very blurry and I couldn't remember some words.
======================

I am feeling better and today, went outside and looked at all my gardens and set up my porch railing planters to get ready to plant in a couple of weeks.

I did get something accomplished, as I have mostly sat in my recliner for the past week.  I got my fifth quilt done to go into the great grandbabies box of quilts.

I think I need a new crochet project--kind of tired of cross stitching.

What?

My blood pressure is down, but the new meds are making me wonder--who am I and where am I?

Such a disoriented feeling in my head.  I stagger when I walk.  

I get up take my blood pressure, take my meds and go back to bed for an hour.

I get up, take my blood pressure, eat, watch my soap and take a nap for an hour.

I wake up, take my blood pressure, stare out the window, eat, watch TV, take my meds, go to bed.

BUT--my blood pressure IS down.

Action Plan

So the doc comes in, after having looked at the reports I had left for him yesterday and said,  "I really appreciated these reports and suggestions.  I want you to keep recording your blood pressure for the next two weeks.  Three times a day, just as you have been doing."

"Okay."

"I have thought about this a lot.  It is going to be tricky to keep your blood pressure low and yet keep your pulse rate up."

So, he took me off two meds I have been on for years, put me on two new ones and double the Lasix.

We shall see, I go back in two weeks.  

I have tons of bottles of new meds and old meds, tried and stopped.  So if any of you want drugs, just let me know.  They won't make you high, but they will make you dizzy---if that floats your boat, LOL.

I no sooner got home and Wal-Mart called that my new prescriptions were ready, so back up I went.  Got some milk and English muffins.  Thankfully I had a Wal-Mart GC from my adopted daughter.  I was suppose to use it to buy myself a bouquet, but it paid for my prescriptions.

I now have $2.00 in my billfold, $10.50 in my checking account and $11.00 on my food card.  I should be good for the rest of the month.

Life sure can be interesting at times!

Egads and Little Fish Hooks!!!

Cold and rainy today with a bitter wind.  Kind of matches my mood.

To the doc's office early to get a blood draw.  A different nurse and she can't seem to find a good vein and have I mentioned?  I HATE NEEDLES!!!

I left a report for the doc to look at before I go back, late tomorrow afternoon.  A list of the meds I was on when the AFib hit and a list of the ones I am on now.  Also a list of my BP three times a day--that oughta scare him, I know it sure does me.  Questions and suggestions we might try to lower the BP again and in large letters:  WE NEED TO COME UP WITH AN ACTION PLAN!

The lowest my BP has been all week was 179/58.  Did you know if you have a high number that the bottom number should be higher too?  With the bottom number low, it is not a good thing.  With 179 Systolic, I should be in at least the 70's, diastolic.  

I went back to taking 30 mg of my BP med, twice a day, like I was on before, as the 20mg wasn't doing a thing.  Unfortunately, neither is the 30mg.  

Last night, my BP was 213/79--this morning 197/62.  Pulse rate: 48.  THIS IS NOT GOOD!!
=====================
Dar came over at 11:00, just as I was trying to relax in my recliner and maybe catch a tiny nap.  

"I got the glider chair."

"Cool.  What is a glider chair and why did you get one?"

"It was my Dad's.  Pat and my brother are moving next week and they sent Dad's chair home with me."

"Okay."

"I am really feeling forsaken."

"Why?"

"Well, Pat and my brother are moving to Arizona and Dad will be flying out to get a new place next month and....I'm going to be all alone."

"Your brother Mike and his wife are still here."

"I don't like her."

"Oh."

"I feel like I'm not good enough and that is why everyone is moving away from me."

"Oh good grief!  They are moving because your brother wants to live in Arizona and so does your Dad.  That's the only reason."

"It doesn't feel that way to me."

"Good thing you have a job or you'd drive yourself crazy."

"I think that is the only thing that will save me."

"I think YOU think too much!"

"I'm going to go get my hair cut at one today."

"That will make you feel better.  I'm going to have to cut this short.  I'm not feeling well and I wanted to catch a little nap."

"Oh...okay."
<not so much as a question on why I didn't feel well--cause you know--IT'S ALL ABOUT HER!>
===========================
Off to the Chiropractor at 2:00.  My neck feels better anyway

Got a Subway with my gift card, on the way home.

Hopefully tomorrow brings some sort of explanation of the BP and how to fix it!!!

Illegal Aliens?

 Karen Rivard Our van had just arrived to Madeleine's house in Guatemala. I was so excited to see her I couldn't even wait for them to open the door. I grabbed her sweet face right through the window!

Karen, Madeleine and Susanna, in the 

tropical rainforest.

In order to stay another three months, Madeleine and her friend Emma had to cross over into Mexico and stay a day.  Then they could get their Visas renewed and cross back into Guatemala.  They had to pay the guys $50.00 to take them across the river separating the two countries.

ARGGH!

188/723--last night when I went to bed.

165/75--an hour ago.

I hate this!  There is a wive's tale about not worrying about the top number on the BP, but it worries me.  I continue with the Doc's experiment, even though I know if I increased my BP med, it would straighten out.  I USED to take 25 mg of Lisinopril, twice a day.  I was down-graded to 20mg twice a day in the hospital.  I just KNOW the doc will increase it back up to 25 next Tuesday when I see him.  

I have to get a blood draw Monday 9:30am, so he will have the results of the test when I go in Tuesday at 2:30.  You know how I HATE blood draws--I get so nervous and jumpy when I see that dang needle.  I DO NOT have White Coat Syndrome--my BP at his office is usually 126/68.  AND the dang Lasix is giving me the dizzies.  I never met a water pill that didn't make me dizzy.

You know what is weird?  Dar and I have the same thing=AFib,  She goes to my Doc now.  We are basically on the same meds, but she has to be careful about low Sodium and I have to be careful about low Potassium.  

Just my luck--we'll probably go down at the same time and be in hospital at the same time--no doubt the same room!  My worst case scenario!!!
===========
Anyway--yesterday I drove on up to the hometown and joined my friends at the High School Cafeteria for their monthly Senior Citizen lunch.  We had a good meal and it was nice to see people I haven't seen in years.  Some of them look the worse for wear--I tell you.  Younger than me and not looking good.  Scary!  

Then I went out to The Farm to drop some stuff off for my sister and they were not home.  I found out later, we passed each other on the road as I was coming home to Howell and they were leaving Howell to go home.  HAH!

Today--I work outside even if it kills me!!!  Dar tells me the harder I work, the lower my BP will go.

WHAT?

Upright.

I am upright and on the topside of the sod.

When I woke up early this morning, I didn't know if by the end of the day, that statement would be true!  Geez Louise!

Woke up at 6:45 with bad headache,  Took my BP: 189/72.  Popped my two BP meds and back to bed.  When I got up at 8:30, my head was very "thick" AND I had to drive up to Wal-Mart to get my other new med: Lasix.  I felt disoriented and kind of groggy--good thing I only had 2.5 miles to drive.

When I got back to my car, I immediately took one of the Lasix with water and came back home.    My neck felt like it couldn't support my head.  Bad ache in the base of my skull, but the ache in the top of my head receded.  Although I have been told I am not to take Ibuprofen (Advil) or Aleve because they both can cause stomach bleeding, especially because I am on a blood thinner, I figured that would only occur if I took them everyday, so I popped two Advil.

I had to drive down to the Chiropractor this afternoon and made it there and home.  At least my neck felt better.  I took my BP and it was at 164/65, which was a lot better and, because of the Lasix, I was peeing like a broken water main.  I also took my Potassium.

Well--tonight I am feeling much better although,  extremely tired.  My pulse rate is back in the mid-forties, which I don't like, BUT my BP is at 151/62.  The top number still too high, but I think that will correct in a few days.  I just might lose the 4 pounds I gained last week--no doubt edema, although my ankles never swelled, and with my skinny ankles, I can tell quickly if I have swelling.

So--I think I just might make it to fight another day. I did manage to get my 4 loads of laundry done, without too much effort, but tonight I have noticed the Lasix is making me a bit dizzy==one of it's main side effects.  That's why I hated the other water pill!!  The good news?  A 30 day supply only cost me $1.25.  

Here it is, the 15th of the month and I only have $11.00 in the checking account, but the good news is, all the bills are paid, the car is full of gas AND I just got a notice, that because I have a $50.00 a month dentist bill, they raised my food assistance from 16 to $35.00 a month, which will go into effect on the 21st.  Whew.

Then I remembered, my "adopted" daughter Chris, had given me a Wal-Mart gift card last month to buy myself a bouquet--which I didn't have the chance to do, so.....I can at least get some milk and food if I need too.

Everything is going to be all right and I'll be fine!

Hey--thanks for all your comments.  For a time, I thought perhaps my blog had gone invisible and I didn't know it.  I think I write posts that are sometimes way too long.  It's the "writer" in me.  I get started and I just keep rolling along, putting in descriptions and conversations.

It might also be that I get lonely and the comments left make me feel like friends are near.  Thanks.   

A Nice Day

I have to keep putting this photo up at the top of my blog because...it is so beautiful and I am waiting for my Grape Hyacinth, Tulips and Daffodils to bloom!  67 and sunny today.

This reminds me of our blogging friend Balisha.  She died four weeks now and still her blog is left open by her husband, Joe and still, her blogging friends are leaving comments.  I think we are all thinking of her because this time of year, she would be posting photos of her gardens and the plans for what she wanted to plant.  What a testimony to such a wonderful lady, that even after a month, her friends are still thinking of her and missing her.
==================================
So, this morning I had to go back to my primary guy to see how his "experiment" worked.  He lowered my new BP med to half--trying to raise my low pulse rate.  Well, it did that--I got up to 53 beats per minute.  However, my BP also went up--every day--until yesterday it was 196/68 and this morning, 192/66.  I took a full BP tab this morning, not wanting to risk having a stroke before I got to his office to tell him, "You are nutz!"  "Our experiment didn't work."  He put me on Lasik to see if that will do any good AND back on 40 MEQ's of Potassium to counteract the water pill.

GEEZ OH PETE!!!  You know how I hate running to the doc's all the time!  I gotta go back next Tuesday and have more blood drawn!  Today, he also asked when I was going to have a Colonoscopy.

"Never," I replied.

"Why not?  You need to get one to check and make sure you don't have polyps."

"I've never had one and I'm not going to start now.  I am over seventy-five and "they" say you don't need one after that age...AND...if I get colon cancer, I wouldn't go throuigh the treatments anyway...so......."

He just shook his head, perturbed at me.

Apparently my new insurance company wants me to do all the preventative stuff, because he quizzed me on mammograms (last August), bone density (last August) eye exam (in a few weeks) cardiologist visit plus an echo cardiogram and EKG (last week) and colonoscopy.

He asked if I still smoked and I told him, "I use pipe tobacco now.  It is milder, has less chemicals."

"How long did you smoke cigarettes, how many and what kind?"

"Ultra lights, usually half a pack a day, for 55 years."

"Do you cough, have chest pain or shortness of breath?"

"No.  Never."

"When did you last have a chest x-ray?"

"Last week.  Isn't it there in a report?"

"Ah-hh, yes, here it is.  Completely clear and normal.  There are no nodules, no scars, no shadows.  You're heart isn't enlarged either.  Doesn't look like you've ever smoked."

"I never inhaled."

"Hm-mm.  Are you going to quit?"

"No.  Well...maybe, but not today."

"Didn't you quit a couple of years ago?"

"Yes.  For six months."

"Why did you start again?"

"Because I wanted too."

"Hm-mm."

"Do you drink alcohol?"

"No.  Never."

"Maybe you should.  Wine is suppose to be good for you."

"I heard the latest report that said it wasn't."

"Yes--I did too.  Well, all things in moderation."

"Including smoking."
=============================
When I got home, my BP was "down" to 184/62.  I had stuff I wanted to do outside, but I was scared to lift or work hard with the upper number that high.  Two weeks ago, my BP was 126/62--now with changing meds, "they" have me all messed up again.  I HATE MEDICAL PROBLEMS!!!   All this doctoring makes me feel mentally as old as I am physically, HAH!

I did get my Hummingbird feeders up and filled as I see on the migration chart that the little Darlings are in Southern Michigan and I am only about 50 miles from the Michigan/Ohio border.  I also got my two chairs and little table out of the shed and ready to wash them tomorrow.

Karen called and invited me out to supper.  Tonight she took me to a Mexican place.  We had a delightful waiter.  Lyle and he was so overtly gay and sweet, especially to the Madre, that we had a good time.  We spent most of our time talking about Karen's trip to Guatemala.

"Mom...you just can't believe how they live.  The house we built, is exactly four inches from the houses on either side.  There is trash everywhere.  It smelled horrible all the time.  Most of them have no electricity, and a lot of them share a public latrine.  You just cannot imagine.  Dust everywhere.  At the end of the day, you have dirt and dust in your hair, inside your clothes and shoes.  It is so hot and sticky.  Some days, if the power was out, which it was a lot, people had no water, because the well pumps are run on electricity.  We complain if our Internet or electricity goes out for a couple of hours.  Everyone should have to go to one of these countries and stay for a week.  We are the luckiest people to live here in the United States."

 We take so much for granted don't we?  It's really only by a quirk of fate that we were born and live here.  I know I am thankful for that.

Monday Thoughts

========================================================================

I don't know quite how to describe something I went through.  While I was in the hospital.  After they did the cardioversion on me--as I was waking up from the Propofol.

They gave me the injection and I felt the heaviness in my forehead and said, "Here I go," and went out.  What seemed like a few minutes later--I was waking up, I guess.

I heard the nurse say, "What's so happy?"  and I asked, "What?"

She said, "You just said OH, quite loudly and I looked and you were smiling.  What's up?"

I didn't tell her because it was so fresh and new I didn't know what to say.

Just a second before I heard her, I saw Jesus.  He was walking away and he turned and looked right at me and smiled the biggest grin ever.  I was so surprised I took in a sharp breath and said, "Oh!" and I tried to catch up with Him.  I felt such peace and I wanted to walk with him.  I was so happy to see Him.

He didn't look like any picture I have ever seen of Him, but I knew instantly who He was.    He looked something like this image I Googled and finally found, except other people were with him and he was grinning at me.

I don't know what to make of all of this.  No doubt a reaction from the drug.  When I go to bed at night, I can see this image so clear.  Was He looking back at me and walking away because I was once again well and not going with Him?  I have no idea.  All I know is that feeling of peace and happiness and His great big grin have stayed in my memory since.

I don't believe in visions and spirits visiting us and any of that, so I have to assume that this "visitation" was just a reaction to waking up from the Propofol, however, I have had that drug many times and never had an experience like this.

I wonder...was it real?  
=====================

I have been threatening to (since January) and today I did--mopped the kitchen and hall/utility room floor.  I love it all shiny in the sunlight.

Last year, when I walked, I'd walk down to Fred's Heart tree and back=400 steps.  This evening I decided I needed to start walking again, so off I went toward the Heart Tree.  I got there and just kept on walking--to the corner and back.  Equaled 800 steps.  I can walk better now than I have in years--although it has taken 3 years since my hip surgery to finally get back to being able to walk with no discomfort.  

Sometimes, when I go to Wal-Mart, I count my steps from the front of the store to where I begin filling my cart--usually the back of the store, and I noticed that I could walk 200 steps quite easily.  I thought it might be harder here, with no cart to hang on to, but--I feel real proud of myself and I think next walk, I can make it down to the lake and back.
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Hardly any comments on my blog anymore.  I guess I write too much?  Or what I write is boring?

Perfect Weather--66 degrees

I am lusting after this Oriole feeder.  On Sale (?) for $44.00!  Can you even imagine paying that much for a bird feeder?  All my feeders are copper, so this one caught my eye.

I guess my home made one will have to do.  I put it up yesterday, with jelly and a half an orange on the bush next to it.

John stopped by yesterday at 1:00 and unloaded the 90# of bird seed out of my car trunk and into my metal garbage can/bird seed container.  I tried to help him carry the bags, but he insisted he do it all by himself and handed the dog's leash for me to hold while he worked.  He put 1/3 of the sunflower seeds in the can and then 1/3 of the regular seed and bent over and fixed it with his hands.  Then repeated until all the seed was in the can.  I thought I'd stir and mix it up with a shovel, but he has paws as large as shovels and did a great job.  I never even thought of doing it that way.  Hm-mm.  I wonder if he has done this before or if he is just a smart enough man to know how to do something properly?  I filled up my feeders, sprayed them a bit with the Hot Sauce to keep the squirrels away and we are good to go.

Merle came down today and took down the frame-work and the insulation on my back door.  I have so much light coming into that hallway now--I am a happy person!

I vacuumed, dusted, rearranged the tables in my living room, cleaned the windows inside and decided to put up the summer sheers today--while I watched the Master's Golf Tournament.

Out with the heavy drapes and valances and cafe curtain

 In with the sheers and no cafe curtain on the bottom.

Do you think the tasseled valance is a bit too much?  Looks like a French Whorehouse?

I have no cafe curtain on the bottom half of the window so at night, any and all could look in.  They can't see me however, as my recliner is tucked back in the corner.  I just like wide open windows to catch every ray of light and bring it into my environment.  It doesn't get dark enough to put on inside lights until quite late, so---most neighbor's would be inside and not looking. Yes--I have blinds on every window, but I rarely lower them.  LOL 

Speaking of the Master's Tournament--what a great winner.  21 years old and set all kinds of records.  I hope he keeps going great in his career  AND  he is a lot nicer than Tiger.  At least if he hits a bad tee shot, he doesn't swear for all to hear like Tiger used too!
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A new week.  I will be outside over-doing!!

Feeling Better

Jean--the Guatemala mission is not like Habitat for Humanity, but the woman they are building the home for does help where she can--like making Mexican meals for them.  A lot of laying cement blocks and construction like that, so mostly the guys do the heavy work.  It is just a one room, with one window structure--I think no bigger than a two car garage.  Karen and Mark had to buy all the supplies to build the structure = $2,000.00, plus pay for their plane tickets down there.  We all chipped in something to help buy the supplies.  Even I managed $50.00. :-)

They were not allowed to take anything too glamorous with them, as gifts for the family.  They are not allowed to say anything like, "I wish you could come visit us," or talk too much about how we live here.  They are there to help the people, not make them more aware of their poor standard of living.  Madeleine did call beforehand and ask Karen if she could bring a lined tablet and two pencils for a young girl she knows.  The girl uses paper bags or any paper she can find and sews them together to form a tablet.  She is a copious writer and writes down all the English words she hears and then the Spanish word next to them.  Karen said she thought she could afford a $1.00 tablet and a couple pencils.  Karen said when Maddie gave the girl the tablet, you would have thought they had given her the most wonderful gift she ever had--and it very well might have been.

This is a MISSION trip-to help others, but it gave them an opportunity to be with Maddie this time.  It really is no different than what they do around here with feeding the homeless, or cleaning up the old tires dumped in the vacant lots in Detroit and building community gardens in Detroit.  Pammie constantly crochets blankets and hats for the homeless in Detroit and I make baby afghans for a place up the road that gives supplies to unwed mothers.  I used to sponsor a little girl on an Indian reservation in Oklahoma.  Jennifer buys dolls and makes doll clothes for the Old Newsboys distribution in Detroit.  My sister Susan knits lap prayer blankets for the elderly. My Mother used to sew dresses and clothes for the poor kids at our school back in the '50's and '60's, so I guess it is a family thing.   A kind of WWJD sort of thing?

Karen posted this on Face Book this morning.

"Guatemala house is complete & dedicated to Blanca & her son. The goodbyes were difficult & tear filled! Madeleine stays for another 3 months to continue God's work. Thank you to all who supported us with donations of prayers & money. May God bless you! "

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A kind of normal calendar month:

My calendar for this month:

I visited the Chiropractor this afternoon--he used the "rachet" thingie, also got a good session with the "thumper", and the "muscle stimulator" (TENS pads) and a nice rotation of my neck.  I feel great.  My shoulder bone doesn't hurt tonight and I can turn my head in all directions without any pain and no crunching!

Dar came over for an hour and we actually had a nice conversation!!!  She told me about her visit to the doctor on Monday and asked about my visit to him on Tuesday.  It was really quite normal.  Hm-mm.

This weekend weather prediction is sunny and in the sixties.  You know I will be outside--raking up a few leaves, filling up my bird seed can and feeders and getting my Baltimore Oriole feeder in place.

This house is a complete mess also and I wanted to start on my spring cleaning and rearranging.  Gotta get my heavy winter drapes off my windows and my summer sheers up!!

Guatemala Trip Winding Down

Susanna and Madeleine

                Maddie, Susanna and Dad

The one-room homes in Guatemala usually don't have cooking stoves.  The women cook over a fire-pit in the middle of the floor and all the smoke stays inside the home.  Not good.  

The kids built a ventilated stove for this single mother and her son.

No doubt, she will be the envy of the entire town. 

I like to think that maybe my
contribution to their project
paid for this stove. :-)
Karen and Mark have sponsored a boy (Francisco, standing by Karen) for the last 10 years.  When they got to Guatemala, they realized he lived only a couple hours away from where they were working.  Yesterday, they drove over to meet him and his family and bought them all a Coke.  The family does not speak any Spanish dialect that the interpreter understood, but after a soda and a game of throwing a Frisbee around, they seemed to have a good time.  Love has no language barriers!

Just a personal note here--in my opinion, I think it would have been wise for Karen to present the Momma with a life-time supply of birth control pills!!!!!  Nine people in a one room dwelling?

Aren't they adorable? 
My little brown-eyed girl having fun with the other little brown-eyed kids.
I think they like her!






Mark playing some sort of Frisbee baseball with the kids

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Doctor's appointment with my primary guy this morning.  He walks in the room, "Hi Babe!"  (??)

"Hi Doc."

"I was just thinking about you this morning.  You were my first patient when I started this practice."

"Yeah.  How long now.  Seven years?"

"I think eight or nine."

"Time goes fast doesn't it?"

and then I once again complained about my low pulse rate--I have been complaining about it for over a year and he said to lower my one BP med and come back next Tuesday.  Then I happened to mention that I worried about my Potassium being low and so he decided I needed a blood draw.

When will I learn to just shut up?

So, Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy comes in and tried to find a spot on my inner arm that didn't have a hole in it from the IV's, and then my blood didn't want to flow out very fast, so it took forever!  Come to find out, she graduated with and knows my grandson Stephen.  She is sweet and I think he needs to get to know her better.  :-)

Then, on to the dermatologist this afternoon--no big deal, right?  AHA, he finds some sort of spot on the back of my right calf and I have another needle stuck in me to numb the area and it hurt like heck.  He had to take a small slice to send off for a biopsy!!  Never had a thing like that ever before.  To make the visit there worthwhile, he DID freeze a couple of age spots on my face so I will look better.  BUT, I have to go back in a month!

GEEZ LOUISE!  I wanted to get all these doctor appointments taken care of the first part of this year and now...I have to go back for repeat visits.  

I'm almost afraid to go to the ophthalmologist, he will probably tell me I gotta have cataract surgery!!!

Tomorrow the Chiropractor--hope he doesn't have some sort of needle injection in mind!!
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Saw this:

Sprayed with this:

He came back--took one taste, jumped off the feeder and hasn't been back.  AHA!!