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

==========================
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!!
==================

Saw this:

Sprayed with this:

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

Gray--Sprinkley Day--Again!

I woke up at 8:15 feeling wonderful!!!  Not one tiny little palpitation in my throat all day.  I wasn't a bit tired-

Until...........

A two hour shopping trip to the Wal-Mart.  By the time my cart was full and heavy and I was moving toward the check-out lane, I remembered I had forgotten the CLR to clean my humidifier and shower head.  The CLR is located in the back of the store.

I felt like I was scuffing my feet along and my knees and legs were so shaky!!  Then, I had to load up the car, drive home and unload the car---8 trips to the car, up the porch steps, inside, back out and...repeat.  Lordy!!!  I collapsed into my recliner and so wanted to just kick back and catch a nap,  but...................had to get the stuff all put away.

I did stop and get 90# of bird seed--which still resides in the trunk of my car.

Then, I had to get all the trash together, get it into the garbage pail and out to the curb.  I pulled the garbage pail up close to the door and came back in to empty the den, bathroom, living room and kitchen waste baskets.  I toted it all out to the porch and...............the garbage can was sitting down by the street.  Apparently Merle came and took it out.  Thanks for nothing!!!!

Out to get the can and haul it back up on the porch, fill it up and haul it back out again.  GEEZ!!


10:00 and I am going to bed!  Tomorrow is another busy day. 

Tired.

Gray--sprinkley--bah humbug sort of day!

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

In January, I determined that I would call and make all the appointments I needed and get everything taken care of before Spring.

AHA--March 21st was a few weeks ago and the only things I got done were my yearly check-up and my new crown.

Then the whole thing last week.  So this morning, with great determination and fore thought, I got the phone numbers and the phone and...I go to my primary guy Thursday morning at 11:30 and the dermatologist at 2:40.  On Friday, I go to the Chiropractor.  I get to the Ophthalmologist in two weeks and the dentist  for cleaning, on April 30th.

So May 1st may  will find me all caught up with my medical needs and ready to get outside and start working in the yard.

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

I had a hard time getting to sleep last night and finally at 1:00, I remembered, I had forgotten to take my 5 mg of Melatonin.  While in hospital, they encouraged me to take it every night.  "So many people have trouble sleeping," the nurse said, "and it's so simple.  Melatonin is a natural hormone we tend to lose as we age.  It regulates our Circadian clock.  If they would just take it every night, no one would need any prescription sleep aids with all the side effects."  I was actually surprised they were so "into it", as most medical people pooh-pooh the whole vitamin/supplement thing.

So--I got up, popped that little pill and was soon asleep.  The fur kids were a bit disturbed by my getting out of bed, but they were soon nestled back up against my back and sleeping too.

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

I got up around 9:00, fed the kids and came in here.  As I looked up and out the window, I saw this guy (or girl, how can you tell?) looking right in the window at me.  It reminded me of a childhood nursery rhyme.

 
" A birdie with a yellow bill
Hopped upon my window sill,
Cocked his shining eye and said,
"Ain't you 'shamed, you sleepyhead?"

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

 I felt so "draggy" this morning--kind of dizzy and foggy headed.

"They" told me I didn't have to take my Potassium capsules anymore because they took me off the water pill and one other HBP med (Amlodipine) I was on.  My heart rate is low again--in the mid-40's.  I take two HBP meds in the morning and one at supper.  I decided, you know how I like to diagnose myself, that I would take the new HBP med in the morning, the other one at noon and then at supper.  My reasoning, it will keep the meds more continuous and even.

Then I decided that just because "they" took me off the water pill, perhaps I should still take some Potassium daily--seeings as how I have tended to have low Potassium for the last 15 years!!  I hate bananas and you know I don't eat right, so.....I Googled how many MEQ's are in one banana.

AHA--10 MEQ's in one banana.  My Potassium capsules are exactly 10 MEQ's per.  So...I took one and a couple hours later, started to feel much less foggy headed.  To me, there is no difference between eating one banana a day or taking the equivalent.

<that's my story and I'm sticking to it>

You know--I will either cure or kill myself one of these days.  HAH

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

I trucked on up to the Food Bank--I didn't go at all in March because...my appointment would have been for the end of month and they run out of stuff by then.  They had a good quantity of meat and fresh veggies today.  I am allotted 60#, and usually can only manage 25#, but today did a bit better at 35#.  They used to insist that I wasn't getting all that I should and I kept insisting that I was taking only what I needed and would use.  So...now they leave me alone.  

I know people (Dar) who would go in there and "stock-up" on canned goods--cases and cases at a time.  I don't need to do that (and neither did she).  I go every month and get what I need.  Why stock-up and take it away from other needy families when you can go every month?  But then, you know Dar.  When she worked at the Salvation Army--anything that came in the back door and looked good to her, went out into the trunk of her car and NEVER reached the selling floor.  To me, that is not only theft, but it is completely immoral!!!

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

Got home, unloaded and watched my Soap and then off to the beautifying place.  These are the before and after pictures.

I also got those big caterpillars that crawl across my face, above my eyes, plucked out and trimmed up.  Now--if I could just afford an eye-lid lift and a nose job, I'd be in business.

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

My friend (neighbor from where I used to live) called this afternoon, just after I got in the house.  As we talked, I could hear my smoke alarm, just outside this computer room, beeping.

Now--why would it do that.  It is not battery operated, instead hooked up to the electrical system so it never runs out of power.

I walked out and stood under it and distinctly heard it beep a weak little beep.  So I ripped that sucker off the wall and took it into the kitchen to wash it off.

Then, I heard the one over by the back door beep.  

What the What?

I had to go potty, so I went into the bathroom and heard it beep again--only quite loud this time.  I walked into the bedroom and---lo and behold--not the smoke alarms at all, but the dang, old carbon monoxide alarm, that sits near my heat register, going off.  It DOES run on batteries and apparently they were tired!!!

How strange, to be standing in the doorway of my computer and living room, 30 feet away from the carbon monoxide alarm in my bedroom and hear it so clear and think it was the smoke alarm above my head.  Just the way sounds echo down the hallway of this place.

=========

I haven't purchased any groceries in a month so tomorrow is the day! A long trip spent walking the aisles of the Wal-Mart.  I have been out of stuff for weeks, but either didn't have time to get up to the store, or no money until my SS came in on the 3rd.  

I also need to stop at the Tractor Supply place and have someone load 2-40# bags of birdseed for me.  I am not going to ask Merle to unload it for me this time.

Remember John, the nice man around the corner who cleared the snow off my drive all winter?  Well, he walks  his old dog Maisey by here everyday and sometimes comes up to my porch.  Maisey likes me and won't go home unless he lets her come for a visit.  He was by the other day and told me if I ever needed help or had an emergency, to call him.

I told him that I don't like to ask for help and he said, "What is it with women?  Nowadays, women are so independent.  I have dated two ladies and they just never wanted me to do a thing for them."

"Because, John, we have tried really hard to become this way.  We don't have husbands anymore and have had to learn how to take care of ourselves.  We don't want to become a burden on anyone...AND we don't want to ask any man for help and then have them take advantage of us or feel we owe them something."

He laughed.  "Well, I wouldn't feel that way.  So call me...if you need too."

I should have gotten his phone number!!  Well, when I get the heavy bags of seed home, I will wait until I see him walk by and run out and ask for help.

BUT...HE BETTER NOT GET ANY IDEAS!!!

Feeling Contrary

I have stuff I want to do.  It does not include, follow-up visits to the cardiologist and primary care doctors.  I am alive.  My heart rate is nice and steady.  I feel fine.  I do not need my time taken up with people that will tell me that I am fine!!
=================
Dar came over earlier today.  The first words out of her mouth when she walked in---

"Did you see?  I got rid of all that furniture.  They came and took it all.  He is going to paint my bedroom in payment for the furniture."

"Yeah--I saw them."

"I have so much to do in that house.  I just don't know I'm going to get it all done.  I don't like to paint so I am glad he is going to do it.  Plus...I need to have someone come in and clean all the carpeting.  I need to have someone come in and clean all the windows and I need to get new curtains."

"You have a lot to do."

"Yes--oh...how are you feeling?"

"Great."

"You and I have the same thing...AFib.  Did they have to stop your heart?"

"No.  They did a cardioversion to get it back into normal rhythm."

"Yeah--I know.  They stop your heart to do that."

"What?  They do not!  They put a tiny little electrode patch over the upper part of the heart and send a tiny little shock into it and that gets is back into normal rhythm."

"Oh.  Well...they stopped my heart."

"Well, I guess we don't have the same kind of AFib then, do we."

"Well--you know me.  I am a rare case with every medical situation.  So mine is probably worse than yours."

"Probably."

"Are you on Coumadin?"

"Nope."

"Well, I have to take a blood thinner, so...I guess that means mine is worse."

"Oh...I take a blood thinner.  One of the new ones, call Xarelto."

"What?  They wanted me to go on that, but how can you afford that.  It's like several hundred dollars a month!"

"Yes...I know, four hundred a month.  The new Medicare Advantage insurance I signed up for in December covers it.  I pay six dollars and fifty cents a month for Xarelto."

"Well, I've got the best Blue Care insurance there is.  Why doesn't my insurance pay for it?"

"I don't know.  What is your premium cost per month?"

"Two hundred and fifty dollars.  What do you pay?"

"Nineteen dollars and ninety cents."

"What?"

"Yes and it covers my dental, glasses and hearing aids, plus all medical, hospitalization and prescriptions AND, I have a membership to a gym if I want."

"Oh...well there must be hidden costs somewhere in there that you just aren't aware of."

"I don't think so.  A lady from the insurance company called me to see how I was doing, asked if I had any questions and told me everything was taken care of.  So.............."

"Hm-mm.  I'm going to have to check into that."

"Maybe because you are such a rare patient...have such a large medical file...maybe you can't get the kind of insurance I have."

That shut her up and she left in about five minutes!  I am feeling contrary today!!
====================
Look what I got Saturday, from Jennifer.  She had it delivered to me as they left for their vacation early Saturday morning.  She had tucked in No Bake cookies and home made Chex Mix, which she knows I love.

Tulips she brought to the hospital for me

When she came to the hospital, she acted like we had just seen each other the day before.  We talked normally about stuff, about her upcoming move, about the kids and their vacation.  It's like the last two years never happened.  Maybe things are back to normal?  I hope so.
==========================
Karen and Mark, older grand daughter Susanna and her hubs Derek are in Guatemala with Madeleine.  They already started building the house for a family there.  Plus Karen found out that a child they have sponsored through Christian Child Fund, for the last 10 years, lives only twenty miles away, so they are going to get to meet him and his family in person.

I gave Karen 50 bucks for their mission.  She didn't want to take it--I insisted.  Now I can, vicariously,  feel that I am helping too.  Of course, as I've written about before, this is no big deal for this family.  They are continuously either serving food at the homeless shelters in the area, cleaning up junk out of vacant lots in Detroit and building community gardens, or flitting down to Guatemala to build a house and a medical clinic.  They are an amazing family!!

I love how Susanna is holding that cement block like it weighs a mere 2#.  HAH!  They have their "we are tough" faces on.
=================
I got to Michigan Heart for my 4:00 appointment.  I was to see the cardiologist that was attending in the hospital.  I wanted to see my regular cardiologist (the one who saved Fred's life after his massive heart attack) but he was booked.  So--I asked if I could make an appointment with him in late June.

"You will follow-up with Dr. Bernstein today and if he wants to see you again...we can make another appointment with him."

"That's fine, but I still would like to make an appointment with Dr. Leonen...in late June."

"For what reason?"

"Because I want to talk to him."
<contrary bitch I am, but pleasant and with a smile>

"All right...hmm..how about June twenty-fifth at two-thirty?"

"That is perfect.  Thank you so much."

I go back to an exam room and answer questions from the nurse and get an EKG.  After a few minutes, Dr. Bernstein walks in.  This guy is about 5'6", if that and has the personality of a gnat.  I had noticed that while I was in hospital.

"You're EKG shows you are still in sinus rhythm.  You did very well with the cardioversion.  We don't expect any more problems, but if it happens again...we can put you on a prescription to keep your heart rate stable.  Do you have any questions?"

"Yes.  I can't use Advil or Aleve for my arthritis because I am on a blood thinner.  What would you suggest I use for occasional pain?"

"Tylenol."

"It doesn't work very well."

"Yes.  I know."

So he listens to my heart and lungs and carotid arteries and ankles and says, "Come back in three months."

"When I come back, may I see Dr. Leonen?  He's kind of my "go too guy."

"Certainly.  Make an appointment with him for around...oh...end of June."

"Thank you.  I will."
<hah!>

So after he left, I asked the nurse.

"I forgot to ask Doctor.  Do I have any restrictions on what I can do?"

"You can do anything you want," she said, "except play tackle football.  Being on a blood thinner, you don't want to take any hard hits or falls."  and she grinned.

So--onward and upward--ever forward!!

Resurrection Day

Today I am so grateful that a man, many thought of as a brilliant prophet and teacher or heretic and rebel, rose from the state of complete and total death, and walked out of that grave!  Then, more importantly, many weeks later, after many had seen and heard Him, as proof He was alive, ascended alive into Heaven with the promise that we will be there with Him and our believing loved ones one day.  Oh!  Happy day!
======================================

...an imagined conversation I thought of this morning..

Thomas, I’ve been looking all over for you.   Are you headed to Galilee?  

You aren’t?  I just saw Mary of Magdala, not even two hours ago.  She went to Jesus’ grave this morning and it was open and Jesus was not inside.  There was an Angel sitting there and he told her that Jesus is alive!  She looked around and saw Him, walking in the garden.  He talked to her.  Jesus talked to her, Thomas.  He wants all of us to meet in Galilee.  He’s going to come talk to us.

What do you mean you don’t believe me?  Mary saw him!  Don’t you understand?  Everything He told us was going to happen, has happened.  He is alive!

Why don’t you men ever believe what we women tell you?  We women and John all stayed with Him.  The rest of you all ran away and hid.  Mary is the first person He spoke too.  He told  her to gather all of us together.    Now---c’mon!

She is not crazy with grief!  No, she’s not hallucinating!  She saw Him and talked to Him and He talked to her!

She told Peter and John, and they ran to the cemetery, and saw the empty grave.  Later, they saw Him on the road to Emmaus and didn’t recognize Him until He spoke to them.  They are already in Gailiee  waiting for the rest of us.  I was there too, but left because Peter told me to come out and try and find you.  Do I have to drag you there?

You what?  

Oh, I see.  You thought He was our Saviour? You left your family…you left your job---you followed Him all this time, but when He died, you figured He had been lying, because the Messiah...the Son of God couldn’t die?  So...now you're mad?

Look at me!   

He.   Is.   Not.   Dead!

Oh....you doubt it?  You won’t believe it’s Him unless you see proof?  

What?  You won’t even believe then unless you see His death scars?  

You’re a real idiot, Tom! 

Look, Tom.  You know Him.  You have been with Him for three years!  You were there with all of us.  You heard Him.  We all had Passover supper together.  He told us exactly what was going to happen.  You should believe without having to have proof!  

Everything He said is true!  He is alive, Thomas.  Jesus is alive!  If you need proof, then come with me.  Let's go!

No?  You want to think about it some more?  Okay.  You just stay right here then.  That way you will never know. 

Whatever!  I’m heading back to Galilee. 

You can stay here in your doubt or you can come to Him in pure faith.

It’s up to you.  

Nobody is going to drag you kicking and screaming to Jesus.

It’s your choice.

<I walk away, shaking my head.  "Tom...you're a real noodge!">

Here's The Scoop

March 31,st--Tuesday evening--6:30.  I hadn't felt really well for about a week.  My heart started beating really fast and it didn't calm down.  I walked down to Pearl's, but they weren't home, so I walked over to Dar's and asked if she could drive me uptown.

"I just warmed up my supper," she said.  "Can it wait an hour?"

"I don't think I'd better.  Can you just run me up to the ER.  I think I am having an AFib episode."

"Okay--let me put this in the frig."

So I got in her car and waited.  Up we went and I told her to drop me off at the ER door and go home.  "I will call you later."  Knowing how she reacts, I sure didn't want her in the room with me!

They transferred me up to the hospital in Howell--a smallish hospital==nice, close to home--at 10:00.  I called her to let her know.

I got to ride in the ambulance!!!

They put me in the Heart Unit--with all the monitors blasting and beeping and carrying on.

Wednesday morning, I had an Echo and another EKG and then, they injected two large tubes of meds into my IV, hoping to stop the AFib.  Didn't work , although the heart rate was down, it wasn't regular.

Thursday morning, they did the Cardio-inversion (minor shock to the heart) and it worked.  Back in Sinus Rhythm.

Pammie brought me home Friday afternoon at 2:00.

AFib is no big deal!  It doesn't mean there is anything wrong with the heart.  They don't really know what causes it,--too much caffeine--coughing too hard--stress.  Mine was caused because my Potassium was too low. (A battle I have had for the last 15 years).

The real problem is that it can cause a blood clot and/or stroke.  SO---I will be on a blood thinner for--I don't know--how long.

The good part is--that new insurance I got in December--that I was worried about?  Covers the new blood thinner meds--I am on the Arnold Palmer/Kevin Harvek/Kevin Neiland--Xarelto.  Cost?  $400.00 a month--mine costs $6.50 a month!!!!!!!!!!  I am so thankful I don't have to be on Coumadin--because you have to have your blood checked all the time and restricted in what you can eat--no salads.

Another good thing, I have been on 7 meds for the last 15 years--I am now on 4!!

Another good thing--Jennifer arrived Wednesday, with Tulips and Peeps and cross-word books and went into attorney mode and talked to all the docs and nurses, LOL.

Because of all the heart stuff, including AFib that I had been through with Freddie--I knew exactly what was going on and what they would do.  Plus--in the last two years I have become so unafraid of dying that I am accepting of whatever happens and I was never scared or even nervous.  In fact, I had a really great/fun time with the young docs and nurses!!

60 and Sunny Today--2" of Snow Expected Tonight!

Today, I am grateful for healers.

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

I could not wait for the ortho surgeon to refer me to his physical therapy clinic, so this afternoon I drove to my Chiropractor.

It is NOT my shoulder, it is my neck.  My neck is very out of alignment, as is my spine.  I laid face down on the table, he went down my spine with the heel of his hands and such popping and cracking could be heard for miles.

Then I sat up and he went over my neck and down my spine with the "tapper"--which I call the "Woodpecker device".  Then he pushed here and there with his thumb and more tapper on my upper ribs in front (under my pectoral muscles).  Karen had told me three weeks ago that my right shoulder was higher than my left.

Twenty minutes, I walked out.  No pain in my shoulder or arm at all and only a slight soreness in my neck from the adjustment.  I go back Wednesday.

He is soooooooo good!

Zoomed up to Wal-Mart and got some milk and cheese and I think I will get through until April 3rd when SS hits my checking account.
===============
Then...Dar came walking in.

She had a colonoscopy early this morning.  An ordinary occurrence in one's life, right?  But wait. This is Dar!  Remember, she has the biggest medical file the hospital has ever seen, or so she has told me on numerous occasions.

She was fine when she got there, but fifteen minutes later, she started vomiting--except there is nothing in her stomach or entire system to vomit.  

Her blood pressure was 180/85--she had already told them it would be high.

They had a hard time getting the IV in because "I was so severely dehydrated."

She told them they were not to touch her until she was "out".

She finally, quit vomiting, or dry heaving, or whatever she was doing, so they wheeled her back.

She had her eyes closed and when she opened them, two tall doctor's were moving toward her.  She had a panic attack and started screaming, crying and kicking out at them, because, "I thought they were going to attack me." 
<can't you just see it?>

They backed away and a woman nurse (?) came up and tried to soothe her, wondering what was wrong.  So Dar, of course, told her, "I am an abuse survivor and I can't have men moving toward me like that!  It's on my medical record--you are supposed to know!"

That's all she remembers, so apparently while the nurse was calming her, someone else started the IV Versed/Fentenyl and knocked her out.

She is fine.  She has no polyps AND, the reason she had the colonoscopy is because she is so constipated.  After questioning her they found out that in the last six months, she has changed her diet and is NOT eating yogurt anymore, nor getting any fiber and not enough liquids.  So, the doc told her to start eating yogurt again, and drink a glass of Metamucil or BeneFiber everyday.  HAH.

She started getting colonoscopies in 1985, so it's not like this was her first one!

Abuse survivor?

She has never been hit by any man.
She has never had any man threaten her.
But--her mother deprived her of love because she never hugged her and her third husband, kept telling her she was unstable.  She had psychological therapy and they told her, because of her mother and husband, she had been abused.

So "ABUSE SURVIVOR" is stamped on her medical file. 

I tell you Dear Friends, this woman is not just weird or eccentric.  This woman IS unstable and is completely mental!!!

After she goes home from her visits over here, I feel like I'VE been abused!  LOL