Saturday

The main thing I did today was pick up our groceries at Kroger and then come home and put them away. I'm still not going to win any medals for speed in getting...or wanting to get things done around the house. I did make some macaroni and cheese today...just because I had been waning some...definitely not for Woody...I have never seen him eat macaroni and cheese...due to an experience of him having to eat it as a child and it making him sick. But every so often I want some so I make it just for me! I was in the process of cleaning up the kitchen when i came upstairs to blog. I will go down and get Woody set up and then finish in the kitchen. I am better, but still not feeling the greatest...haven't moved much beyond the initial impact of the first dose of prednisone. I slept a good part of the afternoon. Woody is watching the World Series. I forgot to share a serindipity that happened yesterday. One of my 2nd cousins got in touch with me via Facebook Messenger asking for my email...that he had some information and a question to ask that was too long for Messenger. He is one of my grandmother's sister's gradsons. He and his wife had been going through things and came across the family christening gown that their daughter, now 16, was the last to wear. They did not feel that it would be used in the future and he was giving me first right to refusal as my grandmother had made it 100 years ago (1921) for her sister's first child. I, of course, did not refuse! And, he will be sending it to me in the near future. I am so glad that I was in their radar to even think of me to pass it on to! Most of Cheryl's and my cousins are in the New England area so it would have been probably easier for him to pass it on to one of his cousins that he knows better. He lives in New York so would have to mail it to whatever cousin claimed it. He and I have been in communication about both his grandmothe's and my grandmother's handwork...thanks to Facebook...so glad we had been in touch. The reason he thought of me was that his mother had written a note and included it with the gown that it had been made by my grandmother and that she and her two sisters had worn the gown as well as grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. I am looking forward to getting my hands on the dress. It is in very good condition for being 100 years old. It is very simple, but quite a bit of hand work on the skirt and bodice. I'll take pictures once I have it in my hands! Well, off to get tonight's dialysis treatment set up! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Maybe Things are Looking Up!

I did hear from the doctor's office today. She phoned in a prescription for three days of prednisone and 10 days of antibiotic. The pharmacist suggested that I take the prenisone in the morning or I might not sleep. I told her that it might be good not to sleep if it would start clearing things up! I took it around 2 and here it is going on 7 and my head is definitely clearer and I'm not sneezing or blowing my nose as much...headache isn't gone, but at least it seems to already gradually be getting better. i had decided thatI was going to suggest that my readers invest in Kleenex as I don't know when I have gone through as many boxes as I have in the last couple of weeks! It seemed to be getting worse this morning and afternoon so glad to see that the direction is turning! Nice to be able to breathe out both sides of my nose for a change! I have worked on our grocery list this afteroon. I will submit it a little later and arrange to pick them up in the morning. Don't need a lot, but want to take advantage of this week's sales and pick up several things that we do need. There is no pick-up fee if you spend ar least $35 and these days it doesn't take many items to hit that total! Woody has had an ok day...not the best, but not a terrible day either. I will start getting his treaetment set up shortly. Last night he watched football and tonight he will probably go back to baseball and take in the third World Series game. He has read, done puzzles, watched TV, etc. today. It has been a bit of a rainy day and is supposed to be rainy again tomorrow. The temperature has dropped a bit...a very fall-like day. It only got into the mid-50s today. Well, time to go set up Woody's dialysis treatment for tonight. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Thursday

Tonight's photos show our backyard with the sun shining on it...didn't look this way today as the sun didn't really shine. We had rain several times today. A good day to not do a lot. I did message my doctor but haven't heard back from her. Wondering if she has Thursday off. I'll see if I get a response tomorrow. In the past getting in touch with her this way has worked so hoping it does this time. I rested a good part of the afternoon. Woody surprised me this morning and asked for scrambled eggs...just plain...but did sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on them. So he ate the best today than he has in a long time. He watched The World Series again last night. Tonight...no game. Well, guess it is time to set up Woody's dialysis treatment. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Mid Week…Again!

Today has pretty much been a "do-as-little-as-possible" day...partially recovering from yesterday's Vanderbilt trip. Once again Woody had no reaction to the T-VEC injection. We have just been glad to have a day that we didn't have any appointments. I'm still snuffling, sniffling, blowing, sneezing, and headachy. Woody has done his crossword puzzles, finished another book, and watched some TV. He watched The World Series last night despite "his team" not being represented. I did run an errand to the pharmacy today. I had a prescription to pick up and needed to find some bandages for Woody's melanoma tumor. I forgot to ask for more when we were at Vandy yesterday so now have to scramble to find ones that will work. They had exactly the type bandage that I need, but didn't have ones big enough. So will just have to work with a bit different bandaging. We haven't changed the bandage yet as there doesn't seem to be any bleeding this time and for a few more days it is supposed to be totally covered due to the virus that is injected into the tumor. Reason I am looking for specific bandaging. Oh, well, I have tried! We will make do till our next visit. And, I will be sure to remember to ask for them! I napped for a while this afternoon. I'm not good for much these days! Planning to let doctor know that I'm not improved since seeing her last week...going to "cry uncle!" Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Tuesday Travels

As you can see, the Autumn colors are beginning to get more vivid in Middle Tennessee...a very pretty drive both going and coming. We got off a little later than I thought we would, but last night I checked appointment times and they started a bit later than I thought they did. We headed out about 8:45, stopped to get gas at Kroger, and pulled up in front of the Ingram Cancer Center to take advantage of Vanderbilt's valet parking. The rest of our time there was mainly spent in waiting rooms...first for labs...long wait...short time in the lab...then wait till called in the cancer clinic waiting room...saw Debbie Wallace and a pharmacist...they checked on how the tumor was looking...Debbie made the decision that this time she would inject the tumor in two places (one in area she had been injecting (that part of tumor has shrunk quite a bit from the start) and the bubbled area of the tumor which is getting larger...then we headed back to the waiting room for 1-1/2 hour wait to get the medicine and get it thawed from the pharmacy...then finally we were in the room where she does the injections...got everything ready...injected the two parts of the tumor...the bubble part didnt bleed the way she expected...she bandaged him up and we were heading home at 2pm. We stopped for a late lunch at Arby's and then headed home. He decided to go the scenic route and the leaves are starting to get pretty...now the question is...in two weeks when we go next will the leaves be close to their peak or...will they mostly be off the trees? We're both glad to get home. I was very glad to get my mask off...not much fun to wear masks for long periods of time...and...then when one has sinus problems...definitely not fun! I have been blowing and blowing and blowing my nose ever since we got home! After we got home, I got Woody's mamual drain drained, took out the garbage...have barely had time to sit...and, now it is time to get tonight's dialysis treatment set up. We both did get some reading done while we waited today. We are both reading a John Grisham book...but not the same ones. I'm reading the one that Woody finished the other day (but in e-book form). He is an author that we both read and we had fallen behind several books during sheltering at home times. To sum up our Vanderbilt day: I think that it is felt that the T-VEC treatments are working on the tumor on his arm at least. It has also been decided that the tumor is really made up of two separate parts so both areas are being injected. Now we will wait and see if this bubble area responds as the more solid part of the tumor seems to be doing. She forgot to take a picture of it so I will try to remember to take one when I dress it and send the photo to her. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Muddled Through Monday

Woody and I both finished the same book this morning...Woody finished a bit before I did...he was reading a hard copy and I was reading an e-book. This is another book that Cheryl recommended shortly after she started reading it. I checked and she is still reading her copy. Woody finishing the book meant that I needed to make another trip to the public library. I did that right after lunch while he was draining from his extra dialysis fill. He has already gotten underway with one of them. I hope that he won't move along to quickly in it so he will have it to read tomorrow during our long wait at Vanderbilt. For some reason we have an even longer time until he can have his T-VEC injection. Probably a scheduling/appointment conflict with the timing. I know the scheduler pointed it out to me when he was making the appointments. Hope that there is a chance that it can be done sooner. He has labs scheduled at 10:15 and check-in at 11:15 with his PA, who does the injection and then she orders the medicine that has to thaw...that is usually an hour wait...but this time it is 2-1/2 hour wait till the time scheduled for the injection. And, the waiting room can be quite chilly due to vent placement...hard to dodge breezes! Woody is at Monday Night Furnace Room Prayer Meeting. I'm sitting here in the dining room watching for his car to drive up so I can go out and get him to take him inside with the wheelchair. He waits till after prayer meeting to have his shake on Monday nights so will make that as soon as I get him settled in his chair. Then we should wait at least an hour after he eats to connect him...which can be a problem when it is a day we need to be up, disconnected, breakfast eaten and out the door by 8am. We need to get moving a little sooner than appointment time indicates as we need to stop and get gas before heading out of town. My head still hasn't cleared...still waiting patiently...maybe! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Saturday

Tonight's photo is another hanger on in our gardens. It is a Mandevilla plant that a friend gave me as a thank you and it has thanked me ever since with magnificent blooms. I don't think that it has ever been without blooms all this time. Nathan moved it over to an old stump at the end of our driveway after the ramp was built and it has enjoyed it there as much as on our little patio slab (that is mainly covered with ramp these days). There is one place at the edge where my herbs and tomato and pepper plants still dwell. Speaking of herbs, I got chives out of the raised box this afternoon for Woody to have on his lunch, a baked potato. It has been another slow day around here...both of us doing probaably as close to as little as possible. Woody did his crossword puzzles and has watched a fair amount of football this afternoon and evening. He hasn't had the best of days, but at least the day is coming to an end! I'm still sniffling, sneezing, and blowing my nose and having a headache (big head)...ready for this sinus problem to be over! Still trying to be patient and do what the doctor suggested to keep from having to take antibiotics. Last night as I was finishing getting Woody's dialysis treatment set up, we all of a sudden heard some "intruders" in the kitchen. The kitchen door was shut as that is one of the rules for setting up...all doors closed, no fans, AC, or heat running, masks on, etc., etc. I recognized the voices, plis the phone had rung just a few minutes before so I figured that the "intruders" had tried to phone about their arrival and I didn't answer due to being in the midst of setting up. It was Nathan, Elijah, Isaac, and Joseph. The boys (Graham was at work at the bowling alley) were attempting to stay away from their house as long as possible because it was Joy's 16th birthday sleepover. They arrived at a good time when the door could be opened and they didn't have to mask. They stayed a while and visited until Isaac and Joseph expressed that they were ready to go home as they were sleepy. They had been out for pizza and had taken some to Graham at the bowling alley. While at the bowling alley, the boys had played some of the games that are in the bowling alley. I guess tokens are earned one way of another at the bowling alley and often when Graham is cleaning up he finds ones that have been dropped on the floor so takes them home to his sibblings. I know that Isaac and Joseph enjoyed using them and both had a pocket full of candy that they had "won" playing a game or two. They were supposed to go to Dairy Queen for dessert but Nathan was cold so suggested Cinnabon Delights from Taco Bell and that was agreed upon. They came to our house to enjoy that treat and I got to taste one...pretty good...with the frosting as an inside surprise. Woody declined the treat...which meant that they others got to have another! We had a nice visit. I'm sure that the girls had a good time "slumbering" or not! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Friday

Tonight's photo shows another of our garden Fall hangers-on...there are three more that haven't started to turn red yet. I'll let them continue to ripen on the plant as long as there aren't frosts in the weather predictions. I picked this one yesterday and brought it in the house and it has just about turned completely red now. We had no doctor appointments today, but we did get or make several medical calls. I made a call to Woody's dermatologist to change the appointment that he had this coming Monday...the problem with it was that it was at 8am and to get to an appointment that is an hour or so away by 8 just would have been pressing getting him off his dialysis machine in time. I got it moved to the next week and made it mid morning...much better. Not long after that my doctor's office called reporting on the labs that she took on Tuesday. A couple of them were high but she wrote those off as due to my body's extreme response to the Covid vaccine. I am to continue as I have been with meds and will see her in six months...sounds good to me! A little later in the day we got a call that I didn't get to the phone in time to answer...but a message was left...all that we needed. Woody's thyroid biopsy was benign and she wants to follow up in a year with another ultrasound and doctor visit. The last "medical" call was from Woody's supplementry insurance. They had mistakenly cut a check to him and were calling to appologize and to say that they had stopped payment, but the check had already been sent. "All" we need to do is shred or tear up the check when it arrives! Computer glitch...oh, well! I continue to cough, sneeze and blow...ready for this to go away...but I will try to be patient. I have done a little around the house...mainly things that I can do without bend my head downward...so a lot didn't get done! I have managed to get a couple of loads of wash done and part put away...still have another load in the dryer drying that still needs to be put away tonight. I have read a little...my head doesn't feel like concentrating on cross stitching. I napped some this afternoon. Woody has been reading. He finished one book and started the one that I got him at the public library yesterday. He has watched some TV and done his crossword puzzles. And, that's the "exciting" life we lead these days! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Another Thursday

I didn't feel like doing a lot of anything today, but did accomplish a couple of things. I did a couple loads of laundry and got out some of the Fall decorations. We went to our Fresenius appointment. Dr. O was feeling under the weather so it wasa telemed visit. He wants us to continue doing things the way we have been for a while since Woody's blood is getting cleansed so much better. Woody has started taking antinausea meds each day to see if they will help his nausea. The doctor agreed that he should give that a try. He may end up having a chest xray to check if anythng is seen that might be causing his cough. I made a Walmart run both Woody and I needed some things. I accomplished that and was glad to get home. I also stopped at the public library to return a book and get Woody another oneas he is almost finished with the one he is reading now. I shifted some things on our sunporch so the wheelchair could havea better parking place. Where it had been parked, it had to be moved to get into the laundry room. I think this will work better...we'll see. In a little while I will do the setup part of tonight's dialysis treatment. I'm still not feeling the greatest. Melany called this evening and she seems to be having sinus problems, too. Not fun! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Wednesday

The "main event" of the day happened early. The phone rang at 6:50am saying that were first on delivery list and he would be here in 10 minutes. Sure enough the delivery truck pulled up in front of our house at 7am. He rolled in four full dollies and got the boxes all stacked up in the living room, had me sign some paperwork, and he was off by 7:20...very efficient! Because I got up early due to the delivery, I already had Woody disconnected from his treatment. The delivery man stacks up all the solution boxes for me. But there are other supplies that I have to unbox and put away...I got those all unpacked and put away sometime mid morning. I had a kitchen task underway that took my attention before the putting away of supplies. I decided last night that I would make sour dough English muffins this morning...which means that I start the process the night before as part needs to sit out at room temperature over night. The last week I have been trying to revive my sourdough starter and it had gotten to the point of being active once again. I had made sourdough waffles over the weekend...those don't need active starter so I could use some of the starter before feeding it again. I am still using the starter that Melany and Wade gave me in March of 2020 (just before "safer at home" began). I keep some of the starter in the refrigerator in case I neglect the starter that I keep on the counter all the time. So between some of the starter in the refrigerator and what was on the counter and feeding it daily, I got it going again. Now to decide what to bake next with it. I enjoyed an English muffin for breakfast for a change. I don't think that I had made them since before Cheryl and Rachel were here for Alex and Brooke's wedding. Time just doesn't seem to be in my favor to bake bread very often these days. After the early delivery, we had the rest of the day to ourselves. Woody mentioned the other day that he takes up a good part of the day these days...which is true now that we have a manual drain to do sometime in the day. I have been trying to do the drain before lunch so his stomach isn't crowded with fluid around it. That way he can eat two meals, lunch and supper, without feeling so full before he even puts a bite in his mouth! Tomorrow we will head to Fresenius Kidney Center for an appointment with some of his "team" and with Dr. O. We have a few questions for Dr. O and the nurse. It's about time to connect him to his treatment for tonight...not many hours between disconnecting, draining, and reconnecting! It is just about a full time job! I'm still not feeling the greatest...but can't say that I am feeling worse...so that is good...I think! I've rested whenever there is a break in the diaysis schedule. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Jumped the Gun

Got my check-in with the doctor and had labs drawn...but I guess my sinus problem wasn't advanced enough to get any treatment. One thing good is that she knows that I'm having problems and if it sticks around too long or advances, I can let her know and she will prescribe some antibiotics without having to go back. She didn't want to do antibiotics at this point...just use Alegra (which I use daily) and Nasacort nasal spray that I use periodically. I still don't feel the greatest but will muddle along. My nasacort is low so I will pick up some more at WalMart when I make that shopping run. I found out that their small office in a town lots smaller than Tullahoma had been affected a lot by the Delta variant of Covid...at a point they were seeing 10 or more patients a week with it. Melany's friend from high school who died of Covid was one of her patients, though he wasn't treated by her. He ended up in a hospital in Nashville. She did say that at the moment the numbers are going down in Covid patients she is seeing. We have the Fresenius supply truck coming in the morning between 7 and 11am. Formerly we were the first on the delivery list, but since the supplies are coming from Knoxville now instead of Alabama, we haven't been first on the list. Woody drove me to my appointment. We barely got him off his machine before we needed to leave. He wasn't feeling the greatest and did get sick when we got back home..so perhaps wasn't the greatest idea to enlist him to drive me. Though he did volunteer as he enjoys the change of pace of being able to drive out of our area...change of scenery from his usual view from his recliner! Gives him something to do that isn't too physically demanding. Nathan, Esther, Elijah, Isaac, and Joseph stopped by and raked and blew a few leaves and swept off our ramp. They visited with us for a little while after their labors. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Hangin’ In There

Just like some of our flowers, Woody and I continue to hang in there! Today was an interesting experience at the thyroid doctor's office. She did the biopsies right then and there! So that is out of the way at least till we hear results. She numbed his neck and then took 5 biopsies! I tried not to look! We left a little before 2 and were home by 5:30. He rested for 30 minutes and then headed back out the door to go to Monday Night Furnace Room Prayer Meeting. He did say that his neck was hurting a little once the numbing wore off. He got home a little while ago...has had his shake and I guess we now need to wait for a bit to connect him...let his shake digest a bit before we fill up his abdomen with fluid that will press in on his stomach! The only problem with waiting is that we need to leave by at least 7:30 in the morning to get to my appointment for my 6 month check-in. To have him disconnected and have him eat his breakfast may be pushing it a little. I am sort of glad that I have this check-in as I think that I may have the start of a sinus infection. Hopefully she can help nip it in the bud! I know that Woody is tired after his latest "ordeal!" And, I'm tired too. I stayed up late last night trying to capture surgeries that Woody has had along with dates and where he had them. I'm tired of having to try to remember each time we go to a new doctor...so they are now in document form so I can attach them to forms we have to fill out. Oh, one interesting thing...for the moment Woody no longer needs his blood pressure meds (3 kinds). It may be due to dialysis working better...that was the guess of his Fresenius nurse. We will discuss it with Dr. O on Thursday...Woody's next appointment. Tomorrow's appointment is mine and then Wednesday is delivery day for Fresenius supplies...pretty full week. Hope we can rest well tonight. Dialysis has been going better the last couple of nights and he hasn't been sick since the one bad night...hope that continues too! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Saturday

This is one of the photos that I took in our front yard yesterday to show signs of Fall. The acorn was laying next to the red oak leaf so I gave it a little toss to have it "more in" the picture. After picking it up, I realized that it was an overcup acorn (note that the cap/cup almost totally covers the acorn. I checked and found out that the leaves are yellow on an overcup oak tree...so wrong acorn with the red oak leaf. The red leaf probably came from a red oak...you think?!? There is a way to check shape and size to find out exactly what kind of oak tree it came off of, but I didn't take the time to do that. I know that we have several varieties of in our front and back yards...Spanish oak, red oak, willow oak, now that I am seeing the opercup acorns we probably had an overcup oak. Woody has had a pretty good day during the daylight hours. Now during the night hours...not the best...he got sick quite a few times...I can vouch for that by the number of loads of laundry I did! I think that I have one more to dry or either take out of the dryer...sort of lost track of where I am with this last load! Several of those loads only had a couple of towels...I almost got to the point of waiting to do the wash...as it seemed as soon as one load finished, I had another load I needed to run. I'm hoping for a better night tonight. I am beginning to think that they are going to have to lessen the dialysis solution volume. But that will have to be dealt with on Monday...we will have to get through two more nights. I haven't felt the greatest today...don't know if it was just due to lack of sleep or the front that came through in the night or what. I rested a lot this afternoon and am feeling some better tonight. Woody and I both finished the book that we were reading...the same book...Woody a hard copy and me an e-copy. We both enjoyed it. Thanks, Cheryl, for mentioning what you were reading on your little get-away camping "vacation." I put "vacation" as both Cheryl and I aren't much on camping. This was in a camper...but still not my choice for a vacation...not really hers! Woody finished the book in one day. I took a few longer and I think that my sister took even a few more than I. Cheryl used to read a lot, but these days finds that once she picks up a book she falls asleep. That should be me since I am older than she by seven years! I have Woody's dialysis treatment all set up and waiting for the solution to warm so will connect him in a little while. I have the kitchen as clean as it is going to get tonight. Now trying to decide if I am going to put the rub on the pork roast and leave it in the fridge over night so it will be ready to put it in the oven in tbe morning so it can cook most of the day. I noticed that the recipe suggested this to let the flavors penetrate more, but in the past I don't think that I have done this step. Sort of feeling like skipping that step this time, too. I pretty much just want to retire to my recliner once I get Woody's dialysis going. Retire to my chair and hope and pray that Woody has a better night! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Guessing There is a Fly-In in Tullahoma This Weekend

So I looked it up and sure enough: Wednesday - Saturday, Oct 13-16, 2021 Beech Party 2021, Tullahoma, TN...Tullahoma is the home of The Beechcraft Heritage Museum. When there is a fly-in we see many staggerwings in the sky. I went outside to take pictures of our lingering blooms and ended up pointing the camera heavenward! What I was really happy about...the camera had no trouble focusing on the planes overhead...something that it would have had before the send back to get its focus issue fixed...so good to have it focusing easily! Well, hope all the planes have landed, a rainstorm has just begun here with chance of thunderstorms. Last night I mentioned that I hoped to be able to stitch once I got upstairs...well...I forgot that it was grocery shopping night...time to put items in my grocery cart to pick up this morning. I got that task completed, but didn't feel much like stitching after accompishing that task. I do like shopping this way...nice to put things in my grocery cart while I am sitting in my recliner...I can easily go downstairs and check about what I need and check recipes. I arranged to pick up our groceries this morning between 10 and 11...worked like a charm. It was even easier this shopping time since I had an iPhone to communicate with them...I couldl tell them when I left the house, which I could do before, but after that I couldn't tell them that I had arrived because I no longer had internet. I then it was very hard to call on my old slide cell phone as the screen was so dark that I couldn't see numbers to dial...anyway this time all I had to punch were the words "I'm here" and then type what parking space I was in and soon a nice young lady came out and loaded my groceries up. This was the first time that I could tell them if I was okay with anything that they had to substitute...guess that is an smart phone capability. This time my substitutions had either been okayed or rejected and the order was ready to load into my trunk. I was home in less than 30 minutes from leaving the house. I got all the refrigerated and frozen things put away and then ran my next errands...to the library to get Woody a book. I decided that he would like the book that I am reading as an e-book and they had a hard copy at the library. Got that and then headed to a close-by grocery store as they had Boston Butt Pork roasts on for my favorite price of 99c. I grabbed one of those and got strawberry ice cream which Kroger was out of and headed back home to finish putting groceries away. I did all that in less time than it would have taken me to do the shopping myself at Kroger. Anyway, I am a fan of "pick-up grocery shopping!" I think that Woody is enjoying the book I got him. He has been reading everytime that I have looked in on him...he will probably finish before I do and I have been reading my e-copy for several days. I called the Fresenius nurse to get a couple of things straightened out in my mind about the changes in his dialysis...I "think" that I understand better now since he talked me through one of the steps again...we will see when I connect him this evening. I think Woody has had a pretty good day, of course, staying pretty much in his chair, but hasn't felt too bad. He did get sick early this morning, but since then he has felt fine. It is raining to beat the band at the moment and I think that thunderstorms are on their way so I will post this before there is a chance of electricity going out! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A No-Appointment Day

I think this photo of a group of cows is my favorite animal picture from last week's barn trip. It needs a caption, but I haven't come up with one yet. Any of you have any suggestions? We have had a fairly quiet stay-at-home day. Woody still feels pretty good...still no side effects this time. I emailed his nurse practioner today to update her on how he was doing and to tell her how the care of his melanoma tumor was going. I told her that Woody was surprised that he hadn't had a reaction and that he was feeling since he didn't have one that probably it wasn't working. She sent back some reassuring words. She explained that a lot of people have issues (fevers etc) only after the first one as the immune system is primed. And said to encourage him that it doesn't have to make him miserable to work. And, those words did help to ease his concerns. I had to contact the Fresenius supply folk and ask that a few more supplies be added to the order that is coming next week. Since we are doing manual drains once a day I had to add drain bags and more gloves and more caps to cover the ends of his line. So there will be more boxs of supplies coming next time...up to this point we have only had 1 box of manual drain bags (10 bags per box) so we will have at least three boxes added to the supplies. We did the drain late this afternoon and drained off 2300 ml from his abdoman...a little more than a 2 liter bottle of fluid. You can see why he doesn't feel much like putting anything in his stomach sincr it is surrounded with all that fluid! At least he was fluid free for supper! He is supposed to have 1500 left in him now at the end of each of his dialysis treatments but the machine still hasn't "caught on to" the new way we are doing things! We'll see if tomorrow there will be less or if there needs to be something else changed in the settings on the machine. Seems there is always something new to figure out with this home dialysis! At least the nurses are just a phone call away and are very willing to walk us through any questions we have. Also there is a 24-hour number to call if we have a problem after work hours. Fresenius has a pretty good system worked out. By the time that I got the order revised, it was lunch time. Woody wasn't ready at that moment to eat, but said that a baked potato sounded good and that by the time it baked he could eat one. Hoping that his potassium level is still okay as baked potatoes aren't hight on his dialysis list! But at this point I am just wanting to get him to eat for calorie sake if nothing else...so am not paying strict attention to his dialysis diet...just want him to want to eat! After lunch I attacked a task that I had put off too long...writing thank you notes to our ramp crew. I made cards that had a picture of Woody walking down the ramp with his walker (picture taken a while ago as he pretty much only goes down or up in the wheelchair these days). So I made the cards and then wrote each of the gentlemen a thank you note. So there are 7 notes in the mail box with the flag up for the mail carrier to pick up tomorrow. Eight men helped with the ramp, but I had sent a thank you to one earlier when I wrote a thank you to his wife. That was a good job done. I have done a little cross stitching today, but not much. I am hoping once I get Woody connected tonight that I will be awake enough to do a little more stitching. Our weather is supposed to change tomorrow...move from the above normal highs to cooler temperatures...only supposed to be in the 40s when we head off to church Sunday morning. It has gotten into the 80s the last few days. We are supposed to get some rain and wind and perhaps storms as the cold front pushes through. That makes me realize that it is time to do a little of this cooler weather sewing for myself that I have stacked up to do. I pulled out a sweatshirt that I need to put a new neckband on and placed it on the sewing cutting table. I have the old neckband taken off so it is time to cut a new one and then get it sewed on...an easy fix...just have to be motivated "when" I have the time to be able to do it! That is the easiest and shortest cool weather sewing that is facing me so I should tackle it and then hopefully that will put me back in the sewing mood. Well, it is about time to get Woody's dialysis machine set up for tonight's treatment so the solution will be warming. The preparation time takes the longest in the process...20-30 minutes to get everything set up and then another 20-30 for the solution to warm up...so the first part can easily take an hour. Connecting him and disconnecting him take much shorter times. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Reaction Free

To this point, and it is more than 24 hours after he had his latest T-Vec injection, he has had no reaction...fever free, ache free, malaise free, etc. Whether this lack of reaction can be credited to early Tylenol intervention or if he just isn't going to have a reaction after the first...we will take it! I think Woody was surprised to be reaction free. He was able to go to both of his appointments today. We addressed the problem of too much solution being left in his peritoneum after his cycles are finished. It was decided that we will leave in the last fill until into the afternoon each day and then drain off that solution manually. I had hoped not to have to add in that step, but if it works and makes him more comfortable it will be worth it! The nurse stressed today that his dialysis is working so much better cleaning his blood since we added that extra solution. At his TN Oncology appointment Woody took it in his hands to address Keytruda with Dr. Eze at TN Oncology. Woody has developed a dry cough and he thinks that it is perhaps a side effect of Keytruda. He and the doctor discussed it briefly and it was decided that he would forego having Keytruda at least for a month. Keytruda is one of those imunotherapy drugs that can be stopped and then started up at a time on down the road...which Woody has already done. He took Keytruda some years back and went into remission so stopped. When it was found out that he had another melanoma diagnosis, he started up on Keytruda again. The doctor seemed to think that a cough wasn't a side effect of Keytruda, but if you look at the side effects cough is listed...along with lack of appetite and many others. I would be happy if his appetite came back at a little. He will go back in a little over a month and the doctor and Woody will look at how the month off has gone. I think that I got the side effects of all our trips/appointments...this afternoon I was good for nothing. I do feel a little better after taking a good nap. Last night I began the task of making spaghetti sauce. I divided up the tasks in the process...just browned the ground beef with onions, mushrooms, peppers, and garlic, drained the mixture and put it in the refrigerator until this evening when I completed the process of simmering the meat mixture with tomatoes, tomato paste, and herbs. Just finished cooking angel hair pasta and now I am ready for my supper. Woody has already had his supper protein shake. I am hoping that I will be able to tempt him with spaghetti at lunch tomorrow...but won't hold my breath that that will happen! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Over the River and Through the Woods to Vandy and Home Again!

Another long Vanderbilt day...back into the Vandy loop! We left the house at 9am and didn't get home until 4:30...of course, three hours of that were spent on the road. We did stop on the way home for a quick late lunch..."lupper." We stopped at Arby's to get what sounds best to Woody these days...their regular roast beef sandwiches. A good part of the time spent at Vandy was spent in waiting rooms...first waiting for him to get labwork done and then in the waiting room after we saw his nurse practioner to wait for the drug to come from the pharmacy and to get thawed. There was some time spent by the nurse and another nurse who specializes in surgery wounds discussing how to dress his melanoma tumor. A decision was made and I was sent home with special vaseline bandages to add around the place that continues to bleed (after he fell on it three weeks ago.). His nurse who administers the T-Vec felt that the main part of the tumor she injected last time had grown smaller...so that is good. The part that won't stop bleeding didn't deter him from getting the injection today. He took Tylenol right after the injection and was told to take it again four hours later, which he did. We're trying to keep him from some of the side effects that he got the last time that kept him feeing pretty rough for a couple of days. He slept for a while after getting home...which was good since he didn't get a very good night's sleep last night...again. We will address several issues with the kidney care nurses in the morning...as long as he can go to his appointment. I have decided that I will go even if he can't as we need to come up with a plan on how to handle the extra solution that they are putting in him. The barn in the picture is one that I have been trying to capture each time as we pass by. It is in sight one minute and then the next you can no longer see it due to the trees that surround it. This is as good as you can see it currently...perhaps as the leaves fall I will be able to get a better one. We will be going down this road a lot since he now the schedule for his T-Vec injection is every two weeks. We have the next two appointments made. Every two weeks...we will just turn around and have to be heading Vanderbilt way once again. We have been in this Vandy loop before...at times went multi times in one week...hope we can stick to every two weeks when I think back to the "old" Vandy loop! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Finished…Finally

I put the last stitches into the needlework project bag that I have been working on for a while. It's finished and it has the two cross stitch projects that I am working on currently. We're settling in early tonight as we have to be up and out of here in the morning...not super early, but early enough that it was a good idea to start Woody's dialysis early tonight. I had it ready for him when he got home from Monday Night Furnace Room Prayer Meeting. He said that he was ready to hit the hay as he was extra tired. I hope that he gets a good night's sleep...expecially since we will have the trip to Nashville plus get the next dose of immunotherapy drug that hopefully won't make him as sick as it did three weeks ago. I will be checking in a while to see if his first drain of the dialysis cycle has kicked off...last night it got stuck or something and Woody didn't realize it for a while and his dialysis took an extra long time. I will be checking to make sure that we don't have delays this treatment...when a Nashville trip is on the other end of the treatment we need things to move along! Will report in on our Vanderbilt day tomorrow night. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Celebrating 18 (Abigail) and 16 (Joy)

Birthday Shopping

Let's just say...I'm tired tonight...big day...shopping for two granddaughter's birthday gifts! Abigail and Joy both have birthdays this coming week...just five days apart. Joy will be 16 Tuesday and Abigail will be 18 next Sunday. Joy gave me suggestions for her and her older sister. Abigail decided that she didn't want to give suggestions...guess she wants to be surprised! I think I managed to successfully buy their gifts with just two stops, Office Max and Hobby Lobby. Hooe they like gheir gifts. I guess their family is going to come over here for a little birthday bash for both of them. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

October Barn Trip

It was a fun morning and afternoon barn trip! Marie, Carolyn, and I snapped many a photo and chased a lot of rabbits as we caught up with each other. It was a great day...got LOTS of pictures of barns and various and sundry other subjects that we saw on our latest barn trip. It was a beautiful day...started out very overcast but turned to beautiful clouds with blue skies as the day progressed. Lots of photos to go through...I promise many to come over the next days/weeks blogs. I haven't had much timento go through them yet. Played around with this one and made it an HDR (high dynamic range). Makes it a bit surreal, but I like the contrasts that are brought out. Woody survived the day without me! He was probably very happy not to have me interrupt him when he was reading, doing puzzles, or watching TV...or...napping! He seems none the worse for wear. He has had his nightly protein shake. Soon I will begin setting up his nightly dialysis. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Just A Hint

Today, when I looked out the kitchen window, I realized that there was just hint more of fall color than there was yesterday! There was rain in the early hours of the day and then only a drizzle or two up until a few hours ago...rain has rolled in along with thunder and lightning and we are under a tornado watch (just means conditions are right for a tornado). i had been trying to sew, but once the lightning started, I shut down my sewing machine and unplugged it. I did make some progress on my needlework project bag. After the storms blew in, I did some of the next preparation steps so I will be ready to proceed with the sewing machine once all chance of storms are over...maybe not till tomorrow. We have had a quiet day at home...except for rumbles of thunder. My one have-to task of the day was to call Fresenius and make the next order for dialysis supplies. Today's ordering process went very smoothly...which it usually does, but last month there was a long wait on hold and today not very long at all. So supplies are all ordered for the next delivery in two weeks. Woody seems to be feeling some better today...he has eaten better. I will go downstairs after I publish this and start setting up tonight's dialysis treatment. After I come back upstairs, I will begin gathering camera "stuff" so I will be ready in the morning to head out on a barn trip...so there should be some new barn photos for me to share tomorrow evening. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Busy Tuesday…For Me

The Fall and birthday gifts have arrived in AZ so now I can show you what I made for them...the little pillow decorations are a little more than 5-inches square...just the size to prop among the other Fall decorations they have. And the leaves can be sprinkled amidst their decorations, too. I want to make some of the leaves for us too...whether there will be time is the question...lots of possible things to do...problem? just not enough time to do them all. Woody slept later than usualso our day didnt get started as it usually does. I don't think that he slept all that well during the night, but when he finally dozed off he slept pretty soundly. After I got him disconnected from his dialysis cycler machine and had dressed his catheter site, I went to work to check his melanoma tumor. After I got yesterday's bandage off, I got it ready to rebandage it, but first took a picture so his nurse practitioner could see its present condition. She messaged back after seeing it to keep it dry and clean and that she wouod check it next week at Woody's next appointment to get the next injection in the tumor. So we will try. Hoping to start out the day and keep it going in the right direction, I asked Woody what he wanted to eat. He said that the only thing that sounded good was an Arby's roast beef sandwich. At the moment it seems that the best thing to do is to get him to eat something! So I headed out to grt him a roat beef samdwich...by this time it was very close to lunchtime. I think that he really enjoyed it. On my way home from Arby's I stopped at my sewing machine dealer's shop. I had them order a part for me and it had come in...so that was a quick in-and-out transaction. By that time, it was almost time to head to church to work in the library. Donna and I enjoyed visiting and catching up while we worked on processing books. We worked for a couple of hours and then headed home. I had two stops on the way home...the public library to return some books that Woody was finished with. I didn't even have to go in the library...just dropped the books into the book return slot. I made one last quick stop at a grocery store close to our house. Woody is wanting French toast instead of pancakes these days and I had run out of bread...so got some bread and a couple of other items and headed home. Just realized a few minutes ago that it is Tuesday and that I hadn't taken the garbage out. i got all the inside wastebaskets emptied and into the trash along with the recycle items...all are at the road now. I waited to take things out because it was supposed to rain today...so far nothing...if anything will bring rain it is all the cardboard boxes flattened and laying beside the curb...if they get wet I will figure that it is just the initial stage of them being recycled! I am hoping to either cross stitch or do a little sewing aftrr Woody's dialysis has started for the nightl. But I don't know...pretty tired at the moment! Have almost dozed off a couple of times while writing this...if makes no sense..that might be the reason! I'm almost afraid to say this as Woody has felt pretty good today...last night after saying that, he got to feeling really bad. But today has been much better...food is staying down and he hasn't rejected all food items...good sign. Time to get things set uo for his dialysis so the sooution can warm to body temperature. Tomorrow is another "no-appointment day! Sounds good! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious. Learned last nght one of Melany's classmates had died of Covid...51...just too young!

Quiet Day…Sort of…

We like quiet days. The only person to leave our abode today is Woody. He headed out a hour ago for Monday night furnace room prayer meeting. I'm watching for him so I can take the wheel chair out to save him from having to walk. I took advantage of uninterrupted hours and worked on my sewing project...the front and back are pieced together and have been quilted...good place to stop for the day...before I get too tired and make a mistake. I will cross stitch or read tonight. Woody didn't feel well at all yesterday, but does feel some better today. I hace been in touch with his nurse practioner, who is in charge of his T-Vec injections. She is sure that the flu-like symptoms and fever he had shortly after the injection were due to the injection. She is hoping that hisbreaction will be less the next time. I told her that he had bumped the tumor when he fell a couple of weeks ago and that it still wasn't healed. I will take a picture of it tomorrow when I change the bandage and send it to her. So we aren't totally free of medical stuff...but at least have no appointments. Looks I will be able to manage a work time at the church library with Donna tomorrow...something that we haven't done together for some time. I might even get in a barn trip this week. Well, Woody is home. Time to get dialysis ready for tonight's treatment. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! (Famous last words...He's not feeling very well at the moment...nauseated once again...sigh.)

Next…

Last night and today I got things put away from the last few days of sewing...put away enough to put out things for next sewing project (tonight's photo. This is for a sewing/embroidery project bag. I found the fabrics when my sister was here and a few weeks found a pattern I wanted to use for it. Now I have to find a time I can concentrate to get the pieces cut to proper sizes and then get busy with some more sewing. Always something to move on to do around here...no room for the word "bored!" I think Woody is feeling a little better today. He has enjoyed football on TV and read a little and rested. I made a pot of chili today...a taste of October! Then I had to clean the kitchen...about to turn on the dishwasher and then get Woody's cycler set up for tonight. My plan for the rest of evening is to stitch on Alex and Brooke's Christmas ornament or read...but will probably doze as soon as I am comfortable in my chair! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Welcome, October!

We woke up this morning and it was October...ust like that! And, the leaves have started falling. Today when I ran an errand, was the first time this Fall that I realized that the car windshield was covered with fallen leaves and I needed to run the windsheild wipers to swipe them away. Also the driveway has its first layer of leaves. Just a hint of what is to come before they all fall off!

We got a call from one of Woody's Fresenius Kidney Care nurses. He needed the date that Woody's Hemodialysis catheter had been take out and he also relayed that Woody had done well with this week's kinetics test (checking to see if the new settings, etc. were working to cleanse his blood). So we are to keep on doing what we are doing. Woody does seem to feel a little better today. I spent the day finishing up with my sewing projects to send to Cheryl and Rachel. I was determined that I would get them to the Post Office today. And, that goal was met about 30 minutes before it closed for the day. I also bought a book of stamps...I probably should have had yesterday as my goal as postage went up today...oh, well...at least they are on their way! And, if they travel as they say...the Alabama package should get there Monday and the two Arizona packages are supposed to get there Tuesday. If the P.O. is true to their word...Rachel's will get there the day before her birthday. Maybe I won't have to say "Better late than never!" Now i have sewing messes to clean up! i haven't spent this much time sewing in a long time. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!