The Stuff of Life

Lately, when John and Maizey stop in, Maggie has come out of hiding.  She goes over by the TV and lays down to watch Maizey.  Saturday night, Maizey laid down on her belly and crawled over to Maggie.  They touched noses and all was well.  

Sunday night, Maggie stayed on the couch and Maizey went over and put her head on the edge of the cushion where Maggie was laying.  All was well.  

Monday morning, Maggie sat over by the TV again.  John did not have a short leash on Maizey and she went bouncing over to Maggie.  Maggie just watched and didn't react.  Then Maizey wanted to play and as dogs will, lunged a bit toward Maggie.  That's when Maggie bopped her in the face.

John called later and told me that Maizey had a bit of blood on her fur.  "Oh!  I'm so sorry." I said. He was a bit incensed that my cat had ATTACKED his doggie.  
When they came back Monday night (yes, two visits in one day!), I told John to keep Maizey on a short leash.  Maggie came out of hiding, laid on the floor by the TV and the two animals (about a foot apart) just looked at each other and then, both fell asleep.

It will be nice when it gets warm enough for John and I to sit out on the porch and then the two animals can nose each other through the screen door, like they did last summer.  
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I am having an unusual week--for me anyway.  Something going on every single day!!

Monday I went to the Chiropractor and tried to get (and failed) my hair cut right after wards because the Salon is on my way home.  Tuesday, I went for my 2:30 hair cut appointment.  I had three large bags of pop bottles to turn in and I usually go to Walmart or Meijers for that.  I was near Meijer's, but tried to make a left turn out of the Salon exit onto the busy street and got tired of waiting, so I turned right an up a mile to the Rich People's store.  They have a wonderfully, working and clean bottle return area.

I went into the main part of the store to turn in my receipt and get my five bucks and noticed--Pepsi was on sale.  10 for $10!!  YOWZA!! and because this store as the best "their own made" salads, I got two for $5.00.

Then off to the check-out lane and there, bagging groceries, was a friend of Maddies' I had met because of his involvement in the  High School band.  So I had to get a hug from him.  He is--oh how did we used to describe these people?  Slow.  Mentally slow and so of course, as they usually are, (stereotype) a very nice, happy, polite young man of 19.  All the kids in the band that I knew, treated him as one of their own, which has given him a lot of self confidence.  The Rich Peoples store hires a lot of these types of kids and pays them a good enough salary.

I got home, backed into my parking space and left the trunk of my car open and up--knowing full well (hee hee) that when John drove by on his way home, he stop and haul in the 10 heavy, liter bottles of Diet Pepsi.

Before he arrived, Merle was out on a walk and all of sudden, he was walking in the front door with bags in each hand.  Plus, he put them into the cabinet where I store my Pepsi.  For his help, he of course wanted a full frontal hug, which I gave, but stepped back before he could do his usual "thumbs along the under arm--side of my boobs" feel.  I am becoming pretty adept at this avoidance maneuver!

Today I had a dentist appointment at 3:00.  Actually looking forward to the X-rays, cleaning and dentist check-up.  After my soap, I took my required anti-biotic and was getting ready to leave when a huge bout of explosive diarrhea hit!  I called and cancelled and am kind of relieved.  Thankfully, I was still at home.  Maybe if it is a bug, the anti-biotic will stop it?

Thursday, is lunch with the Old School Gal Pals and stop out at The Farm to see my sister, unless the stomach distress persists!    

Friday morning it is off to the food bank.  Friday afternoon at 2:30, another Chiropractor visit.  My back continues to feel better every day.

Saturday, well nothing so far, but lots of basketball games to watch as the NCAA Tournament gets fully underway.

Sunday, Maddie is dancing in the Max Lucado "Punchinella" ballet at the high school.  Jennifer, Pam, Karen and I will be going, along with my eldest grand daughter and eldest grand son, where I will get to meet his new girlfriend.  We are going out afterward for supper.  I will miss Michigan State's second game for this, but---------for Maddie?  I would do anything for Maddie and not once mention the game. :-)  Sunday, with my girls and some grandchildren, will be a good day to keep my mouth shut unless asked and just smile and do the "doggie" head nod.  HAH!

Beware the Ides of March!

My Mother used to say, "Beware the ides of march", in a deep, powerful voice, then hunch her head down and look around as if someone were sneaking up on us.  My sister and I would have such a laugh. It got so every March 15th, we'd go through this tradition, the minute we came into the kitchen for breakfast.  

I started it with my kids when they got a little older and first thing in the morning, on that day, I'd call my Mother and in my deepest, most foreboding voice say the phrase and then hang up the phone.  The Ides of March was a very superstitious day for us--much worse than any Friday the 13th.  

My sister and I still say it to each other, but it is no longer a funny tradition.

I posted this on Face Book this morning.
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This is personal, and many would say, “Why does it matter now?”

I thought this might be a good venue for my family and cousins to finally see the truth and as information for others who might come up against this disease.

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Our Mother died 46 years ago today, 3 months shy of her 54^th birthday.  I was 31, my sister 17.  There was never a cause found for her death. She had been extremely healthy all her life.

 Every year, on March 15th, I wrote a letter to Henry Ford Hospital, requesting ALL her hospital records.  I wanted to know if this was some sort of genetic quirk that we should know about.  

It took me 20 years, but I finally received the thick, envelope in the mail.  Inside were letters between her doctors at Owosso Memorial, Henry Ford Hospital and the Hematology specialist in Detroit.  Notes from the specialist saying, “I can find nothing wrong with this woman.” 

It has been very difficult for me not to know the “why”.  All we knew is that it seemed something was wrong with her blood.   Yes—a brain aneurysm (after a blood transfusion) ended her life, but that was not the cause of her underlying two year “disease”.  The autopsy showed nothing!

Fast forward to a couple of months ago.  An elderly lady (87), who (coincidentally) lives on my street, was hospitalized. She had the exact same symptoms as my Mother.  “They” thought she had internal bleeding so an endoscopy/colonoscopy was done, kidney biopsy, liver biopsy, spinal tap and finally a bone marrow puncture.  Exactly the tests our Mother had.  

“They” gave the lady blood transfusions until that didn’t help anymore—exactly what our Mother had gone through.  The lady passed away in December.  She was also seen by specialists.  It took them a long time to come up with a “maybe” diagnosis. 

(Coincidentally) My doctor was one that this lady had seen, so, when I had my yearly appointment with my doc in January, I asked him about this deadly, whatever it is, disease. 

They now “think” it is MDS—Myelodysplastic Syndrome—the prefix “myelo”, having to do with spinal or bone marrow.   Not Aplastic Anemia.  Not Leukemia.  Not Multiple Myeloma (blood cancer).  The bone marrow “simply” stops  making red blood cells, but also stops making white blood cells and platelets.  It usually starts in younger people.  They are (mis) diagnosed with anemia and given B12 injections and put on iron supplements.  It gradually gets worse.   

There is no known cure.  Possibly a bone marrow transplant could help, but that is not a guarantee. It is a rather rare blood disorder with about 8,000 cases in the US each year.  Because it is so rare, there aren’t a lot of research programs.

So—here we are, 46 years later, still with no real information on what causes this anomaly or how to treat it.

Why does all of this make me feel better?  Because now, I am pretty sure I know the “why” our Mother died, and I didn’t want to wait until I got to Heaven to get the answers!  Don’t we all want to know the “why”?

But, I also have to wonder—were these just coincidences?  That I would just happen to live on the same street as the elderly lady with the same disorder?  That my doctor just happened to be one of many that treated her?  

I rather think it was God’s way to finally ease my mind.

Maybe not the "why", but the "what"?
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One of the last photos of my Mother.  She looked as vibrant, happy and smiley as she always had.

Hm-mm

Trying to think of something profound or interesting to post.

I got nuttin' Honey!

Still going to the Chiropractor twice a week for my back pain.

John and Maizey stop in every day.  Tonight, Maizey got too close to my cat Maggie and Maggie whopped her a good one on the nose.

Oh--and my Spartans won the Big 10 Tournament.
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I'll try to have a more exciting week so that I have something to post about.

Sigh

Good Grief!!!

I am a bit perturbed with my neighbor men across the street.  Her husband DID drive her home from hospital, her son DID come out and open the passenger side car door for her, neither one helped her out of the car.  They both went on into the house, while she struggled with the walker, with her one good arm, and walked up the steps and into the house.  

A few moments later, her husband emerged and jumped into his car and took off.  I checked the time and realized, it was time for him to go into town to have lunch with his men friends.  He has breakfast with them, a few hours later he joins them for lunch and then around 4:00, he goes back into town to have coffee and a snack.  Last year, she told me his routine.

I don't care if we have 16 inches of snow--this old guy, who can barely toddle, clears off his car and never misses his dates with his buddies.  So, I can imagine, it was important to get wifey-poo home so he could get away again!

GOOD GRIEF!
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I go to bed at midnight and wake up at 9:00am.  Have for years--before I worked and after retirement.  Normal sleep habit.  The sun is now coming in through my bedroom window at a different angle and I woke up this morning at 7:15am.

Of course, the minute the cats see me stir, they are up and nosing me with their cold, wet noses.  Of course, the minute I come out of my sleep coma, I have to pee.  After all of that--there is no going back to bed.

Go to the bathroom, step on the scales, then feed the cats, make my warm cocoa, grab my medications and come into the computer chair to see if the world has self-destructed, check e-mails, play my Face Book games and then face my world.

On a normal morning, that all would take me up to 11:00am.  This morning, I found myself wandering around at 9:30, and ready for a nap!!!
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I did notice that, with the sun coming in my windows at a new angle, there is dust everywhere!  Dust on my TV screen, my living room tables, my printer, scanner and shelves in this room.

Did I grab the duster and the vacuum and the Windex and pretend to be Mrs. Doubtfire--Suzy Homemaker--Mrs. Clean?

Of course.  NOT!  I will wait until the sun rises to a higher angle so these dusty areas don't show and then---well---someday I'll get round-to-it.

Maybe later today--unless of course, there is the B1G Basketball Championship games on TV at noon.  Or I need to watch Nancy Reagan's funeral--or my Soap.

GOOD GRIEF!

So many things.  So little time!

Not One Thing--Day 3

My neighbor lady came home after surgery on her fractured arm, and with a walker she was using one-handed.  Too bad her husband and son didn't have the courtesy to help her into the house!

Does this animal look like he thinks he's royalty?

Until the squirrels come to eat, then he gets all timid and crouches low so they can't get him!

A nice evening sky.

Thoughts and Stuff

Today--I did not one thing!!!  Well, actually when I went out to get my mail, I decided to limp the 50 feet up to Merle & Pearl's.  My back still hurts, when I walk, but the Sciatic is the one that hurts the most.  EGAD!!!

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I was sitting in my recliner, half asleep with two cats laying on me, when I heard a tiny noise.  I got up to look and--there was an ambulance at the house across the street.  I figured the old guy Bob had a heart attack or something, but then I saw him talking with his son.  Pretty soon, the EMT's came hauling Marilyn out on the stretcher.  The blanket wasn't pulled over her face, so that is always a good sign.

Come to find out, she was in the kitchen, turned and ran into the kitchen island, fell and suffered a compound fracture of her left arm.  The whole ball of wax--bone sticking out of the skin.  All that gory stuff.

Bob came home, but not her, so I suppose they are keeping her for surgery.  Probably have to have pins and screws and all that gruesome stuff done.

The ambulance has no sooner pulled away and in came a big apparatus and I watched as they pulled out a long hose and put it down the sewer pipe to flush out the sewer between Jackie and Marlyn and Bob's house.

Merle and Pearl had told me that the lady across the street from them had been having problems with backed-up sewage.  Last night Dar had told me that her house has had a bad sewer gas smell.

So when I got home, I told Dar and she was going to call the office to tell them her problem too.  What was really strange is that I told Dar, "Laura has had sewage problems."

Dar said, "Laura who.  Where does she live."

"Laura.  The lady with the autistic son."

"Oh.  I guess I don't know her."

"She lives next door to you!"

"Oh.  I've never met her."

Of course not Dar, because it's always ALL ABOUT YOU! <which I did not say, but thought.>  How can you not know the people that live 30 feet on either side of you?

I was curious, so I went outside and said to one of the workers, "Are we having a sewer problem in this area?"  (Knowing full well the people across the street were).

"Nope.  We're just flushing it so we don't have any problems."

LIARS!!!

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Speaking of liars--my sister called me tonight and we were talking about our Primary election today.

Susie said, "I know a lot of people and do you know, not one of them is voting for Donald Trump."

"None of the people I know are either."

"Then why is he winning in every State?"

"I heard a report that he appeals to the angry, under-educated, blue collar, gun-toting, beer drinking, kind of red neck people."

"Well, that would explain it.  We don't know any of those kinds of people."

I said, "Yes we do.  Your nephew and my son...probably adores him."

She said, "Well, at least Mark won't be voting Democratic in November.  There is something to be said for that."

and we both laughed!!  Yes, she and I are critical, judgmental, gossipy women.  Not openly, but in our private conversations.  HAH.

Spring Is In The Air--Tra La Tra La

One of my blog buddies, Teresa, is going to send up some nice warm air from where she lives in Chicago.  We get Chicago's weather a day later, so.......thanks in advance, Teresa.  LOL

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I wasted an entire weekend.  Well--not exactly wasted, but---I had such a back ache I could hardly walk.  I put my TENS pads on my back Saturday morning, plugged them into the device and had the pulsating-electric current going into the painful areas, off and on, most of the day.

That night, I took a Percocet that the doc gave me and slept really well.  However, the Percocet (oxycodone)  made me groggy and dizzy all day yesterday.  So I wasted Sunday.

Spent both days sitting in my recliner watching basketball games and crocheting.  Which in the long run, isn't good for my back or legs.

I need to walk, but considering I couldn't walk--------

ARGGH!  It is a Catch 22 situation.  I haven't had very bad back issues since I got my last hip replacement, so I was surprised.

I did watch a good (to me) movie On Demand, and it only cost me $2.99.  Blythe Danner and Sam Elliott in "I'll See You In My Dreams".  Movie for old, widowed or alone people.  Parts of it reminded me of me---and Fred.

John and Maizey stopped in both days, which was nice, but also tiring.

I couldn't believe that Maggie The Cat came out of hiding to visit with Maizey.  She even laid down in a submissive pose.  I told John to hang on tight to Maizey's lease because if she had run over to Maggie, my cat would have scratched and bit the poor doggie.

I watched the last Downton Abbey episode.  It was wonderful, but oh, I do feel sad that the Series is over.  I have each of the 6 DVD's so I can watch is all again, but..........I did look forward to Sunday nights and the viewing.  Sigh.

I enjoyed watching these animals coming in to their feeder.

Fox Squirrel

 Gray Squirrel

This afternoon I got in to see the Chiropractor.
"Whadja do now?" he asked.


"Something new for you to work on Doc.  My back."
"Your back?  You haven't had trouble with your back for years."

"I know.  I was protecting my left shoulder, so I think I lifted something too heavy with my right hand and...."

"Face down on the table, please."

and he used the tapper on my right lower back and then up on my right shoulder and then I got the big MS (muscle stimulator) pads on my lower back and walked out of there a new woman.

Of course, it isn't fixed yet--I go back Friday, but it sure feels a lot better.

Dar stopped in tonight, just as I was getting my supper ready.  She was all ablaze with anger and had just blown up at her son and his kids.   She asked her grand daughter to clean the bathroom they use and she found out her son had done it instead.

As we talked, she calmed down a little bit and I found out that the Dad had cleaned the bathroom because the grand daughter didn't know how.

"How can a girl be fourteen and not know how to clean a bathroom?"  Dar asked.

"Because she never has before and doesn't know how to do it.  Why don't you teach her---in a nice way?"

"She doesn't know to make a bed either!"

Poor Dar.  These kids have basically not learned how to do anything because they lived in a shack or trailer and slept in sleeping bags with an outside privy.  Dar just can't get that through her head.

"You have to be very specific with things you want them to do.  Write it out for them."

When Dar says, "Empty the trash and take the trash can to the curb."  Her grandson empties the kitchen garbage pail, puts it in the trash can and takes it out to the curb.  He doesn't realize there is more than one waste basket in the house and he needs to empty them all, and put in new bags.  Last week he took out 1 trash can, they have 2, but he didn't realize he had to take out 2 because Dar said, "Empty the trash and take the trash can to the curb."

He did just exactly what she had requested.  She will have to say, "Empty all the waste baskets in each room, into the garbage bag.  Put new bags in the waste baskets.  Take the full bag AND the bag from the kitchen and put them in the outside trash canS and take both cans to the curb."

Yes--it would drive me nutz too.  But these kids have the training of 5 year olds, so they need to be taught.

They have had no schooling or socialization and living in the conditions they did, they didn't have trash pick-up, nor bedding to launder and re-make the bed.  They don't know they are suppose to shower and change their clothes more than once a week.

A sad situation made even more difficult by a demanding, critical grandma.
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I raised the lower part of the glass storm door up about 7 inches so the nice warm clean 62 degree air could come in and air out this house!  Warmer tomorrow.  

YAY!!!