Saturday Doings

I headed Murfreesboro way about 8am...in a light rain. It rained most of the way to Melany and Wade's...never super hard. It stopped for a few minutes in Manchester and I got on the Interstate when it wasn't raining...but not long after I got on it began raining again. It had pretty much stopped by the time I got to Melany's and really didn't rain on us much during the drive in their vehicle to Nashville. Wade and Erin also came along. We visited for a while with Woody, then the four of us went to lunch at the above pictured restauant. It was a VERY nice lunch...served family style...lots of good eats. One of the desserts was creme brulee. This happened to be one of Woody's "dreams" during his "drugged condition" after surgery...he saw an open door and there was a woman chef and she told him that she was making creme brulee. For quite a few days he wanted to know where his creme brulee was! The Maggiano kitchen fixed him a creme brulee to go and sent him well wishes from the Maggiano staff. He gobbled that rught down when we gave it to him! We also took him some lasagna and a three cheese ravioli. He did nibble on them a bit...but put it aside for a little later...and...now he can't find it. I don't know if it is just out of his sight or it it got moved too far away for him to reach it. His lack of mobility has him at a major disadvantage! I took him a new reacher...but he wasn't sure where that was either...I can only tell him where things were when we left him...but don't know where they have gotten to since. He just told me that his nurse told him that they are very short handed today and that he having to deal wjth many more patients than usual. I felt that Woody's color wasn't as good as it was the last time we saw him...but maybe that is because he didn't have dialysis today. Melany agreed that he was very pale today. It was a nice visit. Woody just called to make sure that I got home safely. I got home just before dark...it was my goal to not have to drive in the dark. I'm glad I'm home. I plan on going to Sunday School and church tomorrow. I haven't been to Sunday School in a month and haven't been to an in-person church service at our church since before the Covid lock down. Woody and I have attended our church virtually during those 2 3/4 years. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Epiphany 2023

Today is the end of the Twelve Day's of Christmas...the day that is celebrated as the day the kings brought gifts to Jesus. I used to dread January 1 because it meant it was time to undecorate from Christmas. One of my coworkers at Montessori told me that she never undecorates till after Epiphany...that sounded goid to me to add another week of decorations! I will now begin s l o w l y to undecorate...I plan to bring down a box or two at a time and start putting things away. Probably won't start tomorrow as a trip to see Woody is planned. I will atttempt to drive to Melany's and let them take over with the driving from there to Woody's rehab. I don't often drive out of town these days and don't like Interstate driving...but will give it a try...now that I have my new glasses I feel a little more at ease. Will let you know tomorrow night how the trek goes! I've never driven to the house Melany lives in now...will have to depend on my iPhone for directions! I can get to a certain point in getting there, but once in the subdivision I get confused. Maybe actually driving it will get me straightened out and I will know where they live! Woody continues to get stronge. He is eating better. He is looking forward to the tin of treats that I"m taking to him tomorrow. He is still having problems withhis blood pressure dropping when he stands. They're working withhim trying to solve that problem. Today, he had a team of two having him move to different positions while taking his blood pressure. Hope they can figure this out so he can get going on his PT and OT. To be continued. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! I am coming back to add on...I was having to type blindly for most of the above...screen I was typing on went blank...not easy...I want to add thwt I had a delightful visit and lunch with Linda H, We had a good time eating and chasing rabbits...we went down many paths with our confersation. I will end with Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year...as it took us that long to get together for this lunch that was initially planned for Linda's birthday in Novemeber. Olé! We had a Mexican menu...I'm still full!

A More "Normal" Day

I didn't have any where I had to go today so pretty much stayed at home and did things around the house...a little cleaning and a little cooking and a little stitching and a little visiting on the phone. I did go out this afternoon for a auick trip to the store down the street. Woody called today to share his experience in the gym at his rehab. He said that he did the parallel bars...I could just picture the gymnasts at the Olympics!!! He said that he was able to stand using them, but unfortunately his blood pressure dropped and they had to stop. I'm just glad that they have him up and attempting standing! No wonder his blood pressure dropped! He has only been upright a few times in the last four weeks. He hadn't had breakfast because he was taken to dialysis before breakfast was served. If he hadn't had breakfast, that meant that he probably hadn't had anything to drink since last night, before attempting his parallel bar feat! And, his blood pressure can go low during dialysis. Many reasons...hopefully they can get something figured out! But, I am glad that they had him up and attempting to stand and put one foot in front of the other! He sounded in good spirits today and sounded a bit stronger. We will all just keep on keeping on in our new normal! To be continued. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Another Busy Day

I had several errands to do this morning. One accomplishment was finding Woody a new "picker upper"...one of those reacher grabbers. His broke just before entering the hospital. Vanderbikt OT said they were going to bring him one, but never did. Alex suggested Lowes when we were visiting Woody on Monday. I checked there and did find one so it is on the dining room table along with other things we will take him, when we visit him on Saturday. I made a quick stop at Hobby Lobby...tons of people there! I stood in line longer to check out than it took me in the store. i needed some embroidery floss for my next planned stitch...once I get all that I have stitched finished into ornaments! I also needed some black interfacing. That was it...less than $5...I left most of the bargains for the masses! I came home and got the two packages ready to send in the mail. I was going out for a late lunch so stopped on the way and mailed them...heading Alabama and Arizona way. I had lunch with Carolyn and Jo at a fairly new Italian restaurant here in town. We enjoyed good food, but most of all enjoyed time together. A bunch of our friends were eating there, too...old home week! I came home and got to work and finished the stitching on the last ornament for our family...still one more unfinished ornament for a friend. I have done the first step to finish another of my stitches into an ornament. Still quite a few stitches to fully finish...but in the downhill side! I do still have to machine embroider one ornament. Never ending?!? Nathan came by to take my car to have its tires checked...and I have now ordered four new ones...always something! Woody called earlier and seemed to be working hard to be able to move again! He said he moved from chair to bed with help...but maybe not so much as before. I missed one call today. It was from Dr. Holt, his orthopedist. She was just checking in to see if we needed anything before his appointment towards the end of the month. She is his only current doctor who has treated him since the very beginning of his melanoma adventure at Vanderbilt. She is just a super doctor and so thoughtful. I may message her through the Vanderbilt portal to see if she thinks she needs to see him sooner. We moved the appointment off a bit yesterday, as I couldn't see how he could make it into her office, but today she said it would be a tele med appointment. She has been treating him for 15 years and has done three major surgeries for him...a medical friend, indeed! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Busy Day

Our Carolers have gained a "lantern/street light!" Melany made this pretty lantern ornament. It hung in Woody's hospital room with the light on the whole time...till battery ran out! The color of the light can change...he had it red. Melany replaced the battery so it is running again and now I have it here at the house to enjoy...no place in Woody's current room to hang it. It hung on an IV pole at the hospital. Today I have spent trying to get things that needed doing done! I decided last night that instead of going into the grocery store that I would fill my shopping cart online and pick up my groceries this morning...just didn't feel like spending a couple of hours in the store. Timing worked out well as my hair dresser had a cancelation at 10:30...so I picked up my groceries a little before 10:00, headed home, out away cold and frozen items, and headed her way, I was so glad to get my hair cut...I was almost two weeks over due for my cut and with my curly hair it gets very unruly if I go very much over 4 weeks! I am a happy camper. I needed to rearrange several appointments for Woody...orthopedics called me and moved it off a little...but can't move it off too far if it is to be considered a post hospital appointment. We'll see if he can get there by the date they gave us...a couple weeks off...time will tell! I have talked to him a couple of times today. He claims to be eating better/more. He is very deoendent on nurses, aides, etc. checking in on him since he is unable to get up. He was having trouble getting them to answer his call button. He found out that the button and light have an electrical problem...in all rooms. Seems that "should" mean they check in more, but he says not! He's waiting right now for the person who picks up his dinner tray so he can have her get a message to a nurse. Not a good situation! He called me to check on some crossword clues online. He has his laptop...but it isn't plugged in and it has run out of juice and he can't reach a plug. I know the plug it needs to be in so it can stay plugged in all the time, but when we were there yesterday, we couldn't get to it as they had his dialysis chair parked in front of the path to get to it. I worked on paying several bills this afternoon. Doing what Woody had set aside to do after the first of the year. At least he reminded me to do pay them...his days and months haven't totally run together! I think it is time to stitch and rest in my comfy recliner...done enough for this day! Oh, I even got an appointment changed for me...all the way in April...my doctor was going to be out of the office when I had my apoointment...so mine got moved off a week! Lots of moving and shifting around...hair appointments and several doctor appintments. To be continued. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! For tonight that may mean weather...we may have some rough stuff pass through during the night.

2 Days In

Two days in and 2023 is already a blur! We had a really enjoyable family gathering yesterday at Wade, Melany, and Erin's. Nathan, Kathy, Graham, Joy, Esther, Elijah, Isaac, Joseph and I all headed to Summitville where Nathan and family conducted a church service. When we left that church, we headed back to the interstate, got on the intestate, and headed towards the Proctors. Shortly after we got there Abigail and Payton joined us a few minutes after we got there. We had a wonderful lunch...a fajita/taco bar with tons of fixings. Yum! Just enjoyed leftovers from yesterday before I came back home late this afternoon. This morning we went out for breakfast at Maple Street Biscuit Company. Another yum! Melany, Brooke, and I went shopping for a couple of outfits for Brooke (Christmas present from Wade and Melany). Then we went back to Melany's and regrouped before heading to see Woody. Melany, Alex,Brooke, and I went to see him. I took him a few things that he had asked for. We had a very nice visit. He is really doing fairly well...except for...being sooooooo weak.

Here's his most up-to-date photo snapped this afternoon. He had dialysis this morning and was finished when we got there. He called just before we left to go see him to tell us that he was through with dialysis. It was good for Goosey to see Alex and Brooke. Erin had planned to go but wasn't feeling well today due to her diabetes. By the time we got back she was feeling better and when I left she was feeling well enough to play a game with her parents and Alex and Brooke. Nathan picked me up fourish and I am now home. Enjoyed the time with family, but will admit to being very glad to be back in my own home! I will also admit to being very tired. My recliner feels very comfy. I'm hoping to be able to stitch for a while tonight..just one more ornament to finish stitching, but still many to completely finish! Tomorrow is another day...as Scarlett would say! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! I will add that Woody is still very weak...great difficulty getting his legs up under him to be able to transfer to a chair...just think...he was only gotten up a very few times over the almost three weeks he was in the hospital! He is still VERY underweight...and the food isn't very appealing to him. He is also having trouble sleeping. He called me a little while ago to report a very bad thinderstorm that had passed over them...he said it had passed, but that it had taken out his TV...but he has his computer again, thanks to Payton...so that will have to entertain him till his cable TV is back on! He has a very positive attitude about his rehab place and all the care givers who are working with him...a definite plus! Now...if he just felt that positive about the food!!!

Happy 2023 from Dorrells & Proctors