I Remembered!

It has been a do-a-little-of-this-and-a-little-of-that day...nothing major accomplished except for getting through another day! I continue to work on Christmas presents...machine and hand stitching is finished on the ornaments that I have been making to send out of state...now to get them fully finished, as in making them become an ornament and not just a piece of fabric with Xs on it! They are slowly but surely getting finished...just two to go for out of state and I have been working on them off and on today, I had a friend call in need of some names to be put on Christmas stockings so I have been working on planning for those, also. Woody has been rapidly reading through the books that I got him yesterday. He finished one earlier this afternoon and is already well on his way into another. Tomorrow we go to Fresenius Kidney Care Center for his appointment with his nurse/s. Nathan has taken it on to get our green car reshod...tires are supposed to be here to be put on tomorrow. And, it is now time for me to head downstairs and start setting up Woody's dialysis treatment for tonight...last treatment for November. It is time to bid November a fond farewell! This afternoon I started to gather up the pumpkins and other Fall items that I have around the house so I can put them away till next Fall. Normally I would be decorating for Christmas, but I have decided to take a year off from decorating. We'll see if I continue to feel that way as December dawns! But I know one thing...if I do skip decorating this year...I will be very happy when it comes time to put Christmas away! A big plus! I have decided that I want to sew and cross stitch more than I want to decorate this year...plus with all my sinus problems I haven't been feeling the greatest...really don't want to be leaning over into all the boxes and my back tells me that I don't need to be walking up and down the stairs with boxes of decorations. All this to say...I'm tired...and want to just sit back when I can and just sew, stitch or read...so that will be my 'tis the season this year! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! And, we need to be cautious...Covid is still surrounding us. Our Sunday School member I mentioned at the end of the blog a week or so ago, was entered into the hospital this morning and is not doing well (obviously since she is in the hospital). The doctor told her son that they would do all they could to keep her comfortable, but that she was in serious condition.

Not Sure What My Excuse Is!

Forgot to blog again! My sister just texted me not to forget to blog. Tonight Woody went to Monday Night Prayer Meeting. While he was gone, I was working on getting an invitation out for our Sunday School Class Christmas party...guess that is my excuse for tonight. 'Tis the season! I was working on the iPad but not for the blog! About the time that I got the invitation sent out, Woody got home and it was time to make his shake and then finish getting his dialysis treatment set up. We don't have to be anywhere tomorrow morning so timing for tonight's starting time isn't as critical as sometimes. For some reason our usual Tuesday appointments have been moved to Wednesday this week and next. I started setting up the sewing machine this morning to make another Christmas ornament and there it sits...the thread lined up and the machine on and set up for machine embroidery but still sitting! This afternoon I went to the public library to replenish Woody's book supply...needed to go today because they had a book on hold for us and they only hold them for so many days and the holiday weekend fell in there so I wasn't sure when they would take it off the reserve shelf. I got it and a stack of others...at least he has reading material for several more days! After I got home, I sat down in my recliner to do a little stitching, but never got the needle picked up...nap time instead! I don't seem to be getting anything done and look how close December it is...just one more day in November! Yikes! I know that I have said it many times...but time is REALLY flying by quickly lately. Going back to Woody's trip to prayer meeting tonight. Kathy texted me asking if Woody had gotten home okay...he hadn't when I got the text...but then showed up pretty soon after that. I wondered why Kathy asked...thought that maybe she had gone to prayer meeting. But no...Woody had a flat tire on the way to church so one of the men at the prayer meeting got in touch with Nathan and Nathan came and changed the tire out for the spare. I guess Nathan will be our shopping assistant tomorrow and get us a new tire. Never a dull moment! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Pie Day…Again!

i just realized that I got out of routine and forgot to blog tonight...well, date will be Sundat the 28th...this blog is really for Saturday the 27th. I was getting Woody's dialysis ready when I usually blog because we need to start earlier on Saturday night so he will be through in time for church. I was also in the midst of finishing stitching an ornament so as soon as he was connected I came back uostairs with a one-track mind...get my stitching project finished! I got it finished and guess I dozed off...and, now I am awake after my good nap and it will be a while before my eyes will want to close again...this happens often! Since we had so much pie left, we invited Nathan and Kathy and kids back today for another pie day! We had another good visit and beside pie eating, they raked and blew the leaves out of our front yard and off the ramp again. Guess tgey worked for their pie this time! Tonight's photo I "borrowed" from Kathy. This is Joseph with one oh his new sweet puppies. He's pretty in love with them as I think this photo shows! I made an interesting discovery today. I checked to see if Woody's next appointment at Vanderbilt had been changed and it had. We were expecting to have the new one later in the day due to Dr. Wyman's limited office hours...usually we see him in the afternoon and Debbie Wallace had indicated that it would be later, which I told her would be fine, as earlier than the usual 10am time with her would be almost impossible with Woody's dialysis schedule. Well, when I found the new appointment time I gulped, as they have us arriving by 7am for labs! We would have to leave here no later than 6:30am and with rush hour probably should leave earlier...and I will have to have Woody's dialysis done in time to disconnect him, etc., etc. Woody thinks that we need to leave the appt. as is since we are being fitted into Dr. Wyman's schedule. My brain is trying to calculate how early we will need to start his dialysis in order to be finished and have him disconnected by 6:30...head spinning at this point...won't get much sleep that night!!! I guess it's possible, but...Well, on that note, I will put it out of my mind for now and try to go back to sleep! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Happy Pie Day from the Dorrells and the Proctors

Here's a selection of photos of our visitors today. There were 15 of us...Alex had to work so he was missing, but represented by his wife of five months. I posted all three of the with all of them in them because of the two "serious" ones there is one or two that had a better picture in another. I never did grt Erin's eyes open. Then the goofy one that the kids look forward to having taken. A couple of serious ones for one silly one seens fair to me! The pies were enjoyed by all, includinf Goosey (Woody). He had his favorite, pecan. Some tried them all and quite a few of us tried two kinds. We have quite a bit of pie left over, so we are going to have a repeat pie day with Nathan and family tomorrow. Ee all ended up in the family room to join Goosey for pie eating. The last photo is showing the heights of the Dorrell siblings...Graham is still the tallest...but for how long?!? Elijah is really shooting uo and has surpassed his older sisters in height...though, Joy claims to be of equal height with him. Abigail the oldest of the girls now stands in the middle of her two younger sisters, Then it's Esther and then Isaac and Joseph. The last two are still in age order, but Joseph seems to be catching up with Isaac...Isaac didn't have his shoes on and everyone else did so he is a bit taller than Joseph than it shows in this picture. We really had a nice visit. Abigail and Graham left first as they both had to be at work at 5pm...Graham at the bowling alley and Abigail was going to babysit. Not long after the rest of the Dorrells left as some felt the need to go check on mama dog and her puppies. Then next to leave were the Proctors. And, now we are home alone once again! Alex called during the festivities and he is going to come see us this next week since he missed today. I had another serendipity today. My former boss (She doesn't like me to call her that!)...so the owner of the Montessori school where I worked for 27 years called. She was decorating and putting Santas on her mantel. I gave her a lot of Santas over the years so she said she got to thinking about me and called. It was nice to catch up with her. So all in all...a very nice day! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Happy Thanksgiving From Woody and Lois

And, tonight's photo shows what I have been doing all day! Five pies made and ready for our Pie Day tomorrow when the Proctor and the Dorrell families gather here for dessert. I "think" there's enough for 15! I made 2 pecan, 2 pumpkin, and 1 deep dish apple. We don't usually have apple, but I decided that we would change it up a bit this year and have more variety. Woody has had a good day. He feels fine today and even nibbled a bit on some of the pie makings...a few pecans, an apple slice, and even had a small piece of the Cranberry Orange bread...along with his three other meals...so he definitely feasted more today than he does most days lately! We hope that you and yours had a very thankful day! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Baking Day

Today I did some Fall baking...I made Mother's recipe for Cranberry Orange Bread and also made a batch of pumpkin muffins. I shared this baking with a couple of neighbors. I am now in the midst of making pie crust for our Pie Day on Friday. I am putting the ingredients for the crusts together and then patting them into round discs, wrapping them in plastic wrap and putting them in the fridge to await rolling out tomorrow. I have two in the refrigerator. After I blog and get Woody's dialysis treatment set up then I will make two more...and maybe another depending on the time and how my back is doing...at the moment it is protesting a bit! Woody has not had the best of days and didn't have the best night last night either. I think he hada reaction to his latest injection into his melanoma tumor. And, I am blaming it on Woody's stubborness...he decided that he wouldn't take the Tylenol after the injection. My thoughts...he will take it next time...but he said ne might not...and then did admit to being stubborn. (rolling my eyes!) He has sat with a throw over his head most of the day. He must have gotten some good sleep at some point, as when he heard me in the kitchen working on the pie crusts, he wished me a Happy Thanksgiving...and it took a bit for him to understand that it was still Wednesday. At least he had slept soundly for a period of time! He has kept me busy washing as he was nauseated this time too and I washed a load of towels and clothing and got those washed and next thing I knew I had another load...which I need to get out of the drier so he will have his throws for tonight. Always something...or so it seems! He is feeling better this evening. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! (A member of my ladies Sunday School Class recently moved into a rehab/nursing facility. We learned yesterday that she has Covid and was pretty sick.)

Special Delivery

Note what I found in my doorway when we got home from Vanderbilt...the deliverer had to be someone who reads the blog! So I had a mystery to solve. I happened to be texting with Kathy so I chose to start my sloothing with her...and bingo...Ifound the source of my missing ingredient! She found it at WalMart. Thanks, Kathy! Now my ingredients for pies are complete...(unless...I find out that I neglected to put something on the original list...please, no!) I'm thinking through my recipes to decide what I might be able to do tomorrow to help on my "main pie making day," which is Thanksgiving Day. I have some other baking I would like to do tomorrow, too. I will see if the energy to do such will be forth coming. These trips to Vanderbilt wear me out. Everything went fine today...traffic was a bit heavier than usual...though not really bad. The trucks were really out today. Woody said all the truckers must be trying to get their loads delivered so they can go home to have Thanksgiving with their families. The lab waiting room at Vandy was just covered up with people...took more than an hour for Woody to be called in for lab work. Then he was called in very quickly once we got over to the waiting room to see Debbie Wallace. She is to the point that she wants to have Dr. Wyman check on how he thinks the tumor is doing. She is concerned because she had so much trouble getting the medicine to stay in the tumor the last time...but this time the medicine went in much better...also she injected it higher in the tumor and Woody didn't feel the injections. The last time she injected at the base of the tumor and it was quite painful. Debbie plans to rearrange Woody's next appointment so Woody can see Dr. Wyman. She talked to Dr. Wyman today and he mentioned that it might be helpful to do a little radiation on the tumor. So we will see what happens on down the road. We had the 1-1/2 hour wait for the medicine to thaw...so another wait in the waiting room. Woody read and I prepared my Sunday School lesson that I am to teach on Sunday. Really that last wait went by fairly quickly. And, the injection doesn't take a lot of time. We left a little after 8:30 this morning and were home by 3:45 this afternoon...with a stop at Arby's for a late lunch...Woody looks forward to a roast beef sandwich at the end of these Vandy appointments. This morning we did do the manual drain before we left for Nashville...made it a much more comfortable day for Woody not having all that solution inside him the whole time we are away. I finished a couple more ornaments on Sunday and yesterday. I am putting the fully finished ones on the bed in the "office." That group is growing. I am still stitching away, too. I hope that I feel like doing a little stitching when I go upstairs after I get Woody connected for his nightly dialysis. I am pretty tired...so I may fall asleep with needle in hand...but maybe I will get a few stitches in...every stitch brings me closer to a finish. Be safe! Be well! Be cautios!

Gathering Together

Thanksgiving is a time of family gatherings. But before we gather with family, I have started gathering together recipes and igredients that I will need for our part of Thanksgiving this year..."Pie Day!" These are the nonperishable items along with cookbooks. I decided to just gather them together in this place on the counter rather than put them away and have to search them out again in a couple of days. I did my online Kroger shopping last night and then picked up the order this morning. Everyone in town must be making pecan pies as dark Karo syrup has vanished from shelves. I like to use a combination of light and dark...this year we will only have the dark Karo in the amount that I have on hand...I also went to another store down the street ad they didn't have any either...and I am through looking...what I have will work fine! I will use "fresh" pumpkin that we cooked and froze...I have some thawing now. I needed to do my shopping today since we will spend a good part of the morning and afternoon tomorrow on the road or at Vanderbilt. And, Wednesday is just too close to the big day...the stores were covered up today...I can just imagine Wednesday. I am set...and this year all I will be cooking is pies...lots of pie crusts and fillings to feed our crew pie on Friday! Woody is getting ready to go to Monday night Furnace Room Prayer Meeting. He is taking the white car tonight so he can pull it into the garage when he gets home. We are supposed to have a hard freeze overnight and we need to leave fairly early in the morning...this way I won't have to scrape windshield! We're going to start his treatment early tonight so he will be finished in time to ge able to drain him before we leave. We were given perission for him to not have to leave all that extra fluid in his abdoman when he is away all day at Vaderbilt. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Sign of the Season to Come!

Tonight's photo shows what I have been doing a good part of the day...machine embroidering. I can crank out ornaments faster machine embroidering them than when I hand stitch them...some will get hand embroidered ones and some will get machine embroidered ones...but both kinds made with love! I had to go to JoAnn's late this afternoon as I was out of white machine embroidery thread. i'm a bit later writing the blog tonight as I wanted to get one item finished before I blogged and also wanted to get Woody's dialysis going since we have to be up and out of the house fairly early to head to Sunday School. We both continue to go to Sunday School, but come home after Sunday School and watch our church service on my iPad. We are still avoiding large groups of people as much as possible. Woody continues to be a voracious reader...he finished another book today and started two others...one nonfiction and one fiction. I have two more Christmas items finished. I had planned to make some holiday sweet bread today...but once I got busy in my sewing room didn't make it back to putter around in the kitchen...anothrr day will do for the baking! I have a few items that I will need for our pie day on Friday...been making that list. I'll go through the recipes tomorrow and make sure that all that I need is on the list and the decide whether I will go in Kroger to shop or just arrange to go and pick up what I have chosen...probably need to do that on Monday as we go to Nashville on Tuesday and Wednesday will probably be crazy at any grocery store...whether I go in or just pick up. I will continue to work on my Christmas sewing during the coming week. I am progressing on the hand embroidered ornament that I am in the midst of. Because...after all...'tis the season! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Little of This and a Little of That

A day to stay at home and I'm not sure just what we have done! Guess it is good to have that kidof day once in a while...a day that nothing specific has to be done. I've muddled around in the kitchen some...enough to have a mess that needs to be cleaned up...mainly from our meals of warming up this and that. I have some dishes that need to be washed and/or put in the dishwasher because we finished something that was in the refrigerator...so need to do something with the dishes that they were in. Woody has been reading up a storm so I made a trip to the public library to repleish his supply. I picked up a couple that we had requested and also added a couple that Woody asked me to get and a couple of others that I chose to add to the stack that I got. He has already finished one that I got today...it wasa very short book. So the to-be-returned-to-the-library pile has already started stacking up. I think that we have both dozed a bit thus afternoon. Woody was once again confused as to what time of day it was when he woke up...it was 5:30 and he thought that it was strange that I was up so early! I talked with Melany...we discussed a little about our Thanksgiving plans and talked for the first time about what we might do about Christmas. Thanksgiving is going to be a bit different this year...Melany and Wade and family are going to have Wade's brother and wife over on Thanksgiving Day. Kathy and Nathan had thought that Kathy's sister and family was going to spend that day with them...though, it looks like those plans have changed. But when that was what was originally thought I suggested that the Proctors and Dorrells come here on another day that weekend and have pie here. Woody isn't interested, this year in turkey or any of the fixings...except "maybe" the pies so this sounded like a way that we couod get together as a family but not have it all about the big feast. So that is the plan...on Friday we will all gather over here for pie. Now it looks like Malany and family will gather at Nathan and Kathy's for a Thanksgiving meal before coming over here. Those are the plans, at least as of today! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

'Twas The Week Before Thanksgiving

I just realized that it is only a week till Thanksgiving...which, I think, means that it is only five weeks till Christmas...give or take a day or two. Time is flying! Woody's appointment went well at Fresenius Kidney Care. His labs looked good so nutritionist was happy. We didn't seem too down in the mouth so social worker was happy. Doctor and nurse were happy, too. We were wished a happy Thanksgiving and sent on our way! It was drizzling this morning...the precursor of a cold front...and temperatures did drop quickly...it's already 39°. It's supposed to drop below freezing tonight by a degree or two. I have done a bit of cooking today. Woody said that meatloaf sounded good so I made a meatloaf which he had two small slices for lunch. I have been needing to cut up a pork roast that I bought a coupoe of days ago...I sliced part of the roast into chops and left part as a small roast and one end of it I cut into bite-sized pieces to make Shanghai Pork Stew...which is simmering as I type...my supper...a bit late tonight. An unexpected nap put me off schedule...but I do feel a little more rested. Maybe I will even be able to work some more on Christmas ornaments and gifts once I have Woody's dialysis treatment going for the night. I did get two more ornaments finished yesterday and started stitching another one...moving right along! Well, it is time for the next step in the soup and then I need to get Woody's treatment set up...so...Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! (Reality that Covid is still with us...a sibling of a long time friend passed away yesterday at our local hospital due to Covid...and this is the 2nd member in his extended family to die of Covid.)

Much Better Day

Woody got to feeling better sometime in the night...so today was a much better day. The day started out pretty early since we had to be ready for a delivery of dialysis supplies anytime between the hours of 7 and 11am. Often we are first on the list and they are here by 7, but today the truck with supplies didn't get here till a little after 8. The delivery time gave us plenty of time to get to Woody's appointment at TN Oncology. That appointment was fairly quick as Woody's oncologist decided to put off starting back on Keytruda for another month at least. He echoed what Dr. Wyman at Vanderbilt said...that perhaps Keytruda isnt necessary at the moment since his tumor is being treated in another way and scans showed that there wasn't evidence of more melanoma in other parts of his body...just the tumor and a lymph node of same arm as tumor. So for the moment Keytruda is on hold. Also since Woody's cough is beginning to go away, the doctor thought to see if wouod be even better staying off Keytruda another month. After the appointment, we stopped to get gas and then stopped at Kroger to get a couple of things. By that time we were ready to be at home! Nathan did stop by and put a new bulb in our outside light over the garage door. Nathan came in and visited for a few minutes. Now it is time to set up dialysis...another day in our lives is coming to a close! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Malaise…Again

The day after his Covid booster hasn't been the best of days for Woody. He spent a very restless night...which is why he thought that he was so sleepy and was lacking energy. But late this afternoon, he finally decided that perhaps it was due to his vaccine and decided that perhaps he should take Tylenol. He has pretty much stayed "buried" in his throws for most of the day. He said that he has been cold all day. Hopefully he will be feeling better as the night progresses or at least by tomorrow morning. He has a late morning appointment tomorrow. I think that he will be able to make it to the appointment. He seems a little better when I gave him his evening shake a little while ago. Early afternoon, I headed off to Hobby Lobby to get a couple of things that I needed for some of the ornaments I'm making. I found what I needed...plus a few more items...isn't that just the way it goes in placrs like Hobby Lobby! I also had to make a stop at JoAnns because Hobby Lobby doesn't carry one of the items that I had on my list. We are scheduled to get our next Fresenius Kidney Care delivery in the morning...sometime between 7am and 11am. Our delivery is usually first so it will be "up and at 'em" early tomorrow morning! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Covid Booster Day

When I checked with out pharmacy last week, they said that they give Covid shots/boosters on Mondays and Thursdays. Woody decided that Monday would be good so a little after lunch we headed down the street a couple of blocks and parked in front of the pharmacy front door. I went inside and got the paperwork he needed to fill out and gave them his proof of vacination card. It was only a couple of minutes after Woody filled out the paper and I took them in that one of our pharmacists came out to give him the booster. So far so good. He is sure that he will have no side effects except for a sore arm...I hope he is right! He chose not to take any Tylenol after his booster shot. Fresenius Kidney Care strongly recommended that he get his booster prior to holiday gatherings...guess he has complied! I continue to work on Christmas ornaments/presents. I did actually complete one ornament fully today...the only one ready to gift! Woody has gone to Monday Night Furnace Room Prayer Meeting. I am typing tonight's blog at the dining room table facing the window so I can see him pull up when he gets home. I have his treatment all set up so the solution is warming and will be ready whenever he wants to get started with his treatment tonight. I guess I will read till he gets home...then I will go "fetch" him from the car with the wheel chair. He uses his walker to get in and out of the building for prayer meeting...about the farthest he walks using the walker these days. Around the house, he only uses the walker to get from the recliner to the couch or vice versa or into the bathroom. He doesn't do a lot of walking these days...trying to protect his leg that has all the hardware in it...that leg is not in good shape...we know that some of the hardware/the repair is broken so he needs to be careful. The fix for that problem is a total tibia replacement which he definitely doesn't need to go through...that "fix" means six months in a cast...we don't want to even think about that "fix!" Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Beautiful Autumn

What a pretty day we have had...a bit on the chilly side...but sunny and beautiful with the sun shining on the fall foliage. Melany and Wade paid us a visit, arriving late morning and staying until late afternoon. They brought us lunch and left the leftovers...yum! They helped us change the batteries in our car key fobs. Our car, due to batteries in the key fob being low, has been acting "demon possessed" lately...beeping sounds when another car approached, turning on strange messages on the dashboard and then beeping, etc. I finally saw a message that said that the battery was low in the key fob...so we are hoping that is the cause of all the strange messages, beeps, etc. Woody's key gave the message that the parking assist was on...first for the front and then for the back and wouodn't let us turn the parking assist off. We never saw a message about his key fob battery being low, but we deduced that perhaps that was the cause of the message. We will see when we go to church if putting in new batteries will give us back our mild mannered car! I'm certainly ready for the car to behave itself again! Wade blew leaves off the ramp and our front walkway and part of the driveway and part of the front yard...looks nice and clean temporarily...till the next gust of wind takes more off the trees...there seems to be a bumper crop of acorns this year...dangerous to have underfoot! While Melany and Wade were here, I made a quick trip to our pharmacy we each had a prescription to be picked up. While there I found out their schedule for giving Covid booster shots. They have Moderna and give them on Mondays and Thursdays. Woody got a call yesterday from Fresenius Kidney Care urging him to get his before the holidays. We plan to make that an errand on Monday. They tood me that they will come out to the car to give it to him, which will help not having to get him inside in his wheelchair. This afternoon we got to talking about trips that we had taken in the past. I got out the scrapbook that has pictures and info about our trips to Massachusetts back in 1977, a trip to Williamsburg in 1981, and our month-long vacation that took us to Yellowstone and beyond...17 states and 6000 miles! That trip included a stop to see both sets of grandparents...Grandma and Grandpa Dorrell in Missouri and Grandma and Granddaddy Gilmore and Auntie Cheryl and Rachel in AZ. It was fun reminiscing...guess the funiest story of that trip was "Melany's buffalo shoes!" Melany remembers it as a sad memory as we could never get her special striped tennis shoes, that she had saved her money for, clean again and had to throw them away after she took a misstep in a field in Wyoming! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Busy Friday

Once again today I have tried to dig deep and find some energy to be able to do a little cleaning that has been neglected. I dry mopped the kitchen, 3 bathrooms, and the laundry/sunporch area. i wet mopped the kitchen and 3 bathrooms. I got a good start on the bathrooms...just need to clean sinks and wipe off the counters to declare them "clean enough" for this cleaning. I brought the vacuum downstairs and vacuumed the living room and the dining room...and that is as far as I will go with my cleaning for today! While Woody was draining mid day with his manual drain, I ran to the library to get him some books. He is happy to once again have a stack of reading material. It didn't take him long to get underway with one of the books. This trip to the library he had some suggestions for me to look for. I checked the online catalog before I left so I knew what they had on the shelf so I couod head staight to those shelves in search of the books he was wanting. It's about time to set up his dialysis treatment for tomight...seems like that time rolls around all too often...can you imagine if you were the one being connected for all those hours after being connected!?! And, Woody's usual comment about his dialysis is that "it takes so long." Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Veteran's Day 2021

We have had a quiet Veteran's Day. Woody was out of library books and I realized as I was on my way to the library that it was Veteran's Day and that they woukd probably be closed...I was right...but was able to return what he has finished. I will return tomorrow and attempt to get him some more reading material. I considered going to the church library, but decided that the church was probably closed for Veteran's Day, too...decided I had run around enough finding things closed for today! We did get mail...Yesterday's that I hadn't brought in...I checked once yesterday when I took the garbage can back from the road, and then forgot to check again. Today I cooked a pork roast and cleaned up the kitchen. I had planned to make a pot of soup but my energy ran out before I got to that and didnt want to mess up the kitchen, again! My energy level is still low, but my sinus problem is better...not totally...but much imoroved...now to just feel like doing something! I will say that needing to rest in between tasks has given me time to get extra naps, some reading, and some Christmas ornament stitching into most days. The count of Christmas ornaments that I have finished stitching is going up. But at some point I will have to make them into ornaments! We had rain come through this afternoon. Woody said it lulled him to sleep. I changed the dressing on his melanoma tumor...removing the dead part and cauterizing it definitely helped...all heavy bleeding has stopped. Well, I guess it is time to go get his dialysis treatment set up. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Day After Vanderbilt

Tonight's photo was taken yesterday after we got back on I-24 heading home. It is at a high spot on the interstate that gives quite a view...one of the first places that gives a good view of one of our geological features: The Highland Rim. I enjoy getting views of The Higland Rim in my photos in or area...good touch point as to where I am and what direction I am taking my photo from. Tullahoma is situated in the foothills of The Highland Rim...a very distinctive feature in our area. Here's two more photos that I got yesterday that include our Highland Rim:

We were both ready for a low-key day after yesterday's travels and appointments. We got going slower than usual...nice not to have to rush. I got him disconected from his dialysis and then got him breakfast...lately he has been having 2 scrambled eggs and one sausage patty. But today he had to have one scrambled egg and 2 sausage patties as we were down to one egg. When I shopped last, he hadn't started on his egg-eating kick...so I didn't know to buy extra eggs! I had gone upstairs and was trying to get up enough nerve to go down and dress his melanoma tumor...wasn't looking forward to it! The phone rang and it was Debbie, Woody's nurse in charge of his T-VEC treatment at Vanderbilt. She was calling to check on how the tumor had done overnight after they had "worked" on it yesterday. She was also checking on Woody as she knew he didn't feel the greatest yesterday due to ALL the dwell fluid that he had in his abdoman. Her call helped me to get up the courage to go down and change the dressings. It had fared very well overnight with only minimal bleeding...it hadn't bled through the bandaging and also bandaging didn't stick to it. She told me that if we had any problems to message her through the Vanderbilt portal and she would get back with us...appreciate her care so much. I let her know that all was well after I changed the bandage and sent her photos to show her how well it seemed to be doing. Now...it does not look good...but good in comparison to what it has/could look like! After I did the manual drain of his extra fill, I headed off to replenish our larders and get what Woody passed on yesterday...his treat after treatment...an Arby's classic roast beef. I needed eggs, as I mentioned above, and was about out of vanilla ice cream for Woody's shakes so I decided to do an in person short list shopping spree...this way I could pick out my own produce and meat. I got that shopping done...also got to visit with a couple of friends while shopping. I made that stop at Arby's and headed home. Woody enjoyed his sandwich and I put groceries away. After that excursion I was very ready for my recliner and it didn't take very long for my eyes to close for a good nap. So a bit of a low-key day, but one where I did actually do something other than stay home or go to appointments! Woody is feeling much better today and once again didn't have a reaction to his injection. This time he only took one dose of Tylenol. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Vanderbilt—To and Fro

At the moment tiredness has taken over and I could hardly manage to get a photo on the page! It was a long day and I think that it has caught up to both of us. We left around 8:30am and got home around 4pm. Of those 7-1/2 hours three of them were on the road...to and fro, five minutes were spent in the lab, and a total of 30 minutes total with the nurse practioner who checks how he is doing, orders the injection, and administers the injection...the rest of the time was spent in waiting rooms. We did have the assistance of a surgical nurse. She messed with the tumor and got sort of pulled the dead tissue off which set it to bleeding again. They wrapped it snuggly and sent us out to wait in the waiting room while the injection med thawed. When Debbie, the nurse practioner who is in charge of T-VEC injections, checked on the tumor after we sat for 1-1/2 hours it was still bleeding so she went looking for another nurse from surgery to cauterize the tumor with silver nitrate sticks...those got the bleeding stopped pretty well and then she injected the tumor. She wasn't able to get as much med in this time due to being afraid of getting the tumor to bleeding again. She is pleased with the way the solid part of the tumor is shrinking...but wishes that what used to be bubbles on the tumor would get less. We're hoping that cleaning up the dead tissue will help that part start shrinking, too. I do know that it is smaller...especially when I go to bandage it. It is easier to cover with the bandages provided than it used to be. Debbie put a lot of gauze on it and put the bandages over those and then put a knit sleeve over that and gave me extra of the bandages and the sleeves. Oh, and she lightly wound a strip of Coban around all that too hoping to keep it from bleeding. I don't plan to do anything with the bandages tonight unless it is to take the coban bandage off. I will just say that we looked like a surgery scene for a while in the room where she injects the med...quite a bloody scene. It wasn't the best day for Woody because his treatment left a lot of fluid in his abdoman...he was very ready to get home and have me drain it off. He was at the point of feeling like he was going to be sick so he couldn't take the Tylenol immediately after getting the medicine injected. He didn't take it till he got home and after I had drained him...then he felt he could swallow something once again! I hope that he doesn't have side effects because he couldn't take his Tylenol. He is already stretched out on the couch...dozing...I think...I hope I can get him to stir in a little while when it is time to connect him for tonight's dialysis treatment. I know that we are both glad to be home and glad for the fact that there are no more doctor appointments this week. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Oops!

I guess the time change has me all confused! i just realized that I hadn't blogged yet and it is 9pm...which would have been 10pm when last I blogged! I just got busy while Woody was at Monday Night Furnace Room Prayer meeting. Once I get him in the car to head toward church on Mondays I go back inside and get his dialysis treatment set up so it is ready when we need to get it started. He comes home at different times so it can be necessary to start it pretty quickly if we need to head out in the morning for an appointment. And, in the morning, we do need to head out between 8 and 9 in the morning to get to Vanderbilt for his appointments. Usually he has his shake after he gets home, but tonight he had it before. That way we can get underway sooner as the kidney nurse suggested that we not start the treatment until about an hour after he has eaten. Tonight that would have put us getting started pretty late. This way we got it underway by 8pm so hopefully he will be finished in plenty of time for us to get out the door when we need to. The other reason that I forgot about blogging is that I needed to make a batch of Woody's sausage.. Usually I mix it together the night before and then cook it in the morning, but didn't want that task added onto what our basic morning routine. So I mixed and cooked the sausage...then there was clean up. I never sat down till just now...and, I am very ready for my recliner and the heating pad...my back is bothering me tonight...trusting that the overnight rest will have it feeling better! Will "try" to remember to check in tomorrow night to report on our Vanderbilt visit...sure that it will be a routine visit...lots of sitting in waiting rooms. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Move An Hour Closer to AZ Tonight

Preparing for time change...trying to remember which clocks need to be changed and which change by themselves! And trying to figure out what time to start Woody's dialysis treatment so he will finish so we will get to church on time...always confusing to me. i have changed the clocks downstairs and will begin as always...maybe little earlier tonight since his treatmnts have seemed to take a little longer lately. Hooefully we will get there on time! I have been working on Christmas stitching since I still didn't feel like doing much today. The stitching is finished on Alex and Brooke's ornament...so on to something else. I switched back to some Fall stitching this afternoon...just because I felt like stitching on it while Fall is still here. Woody has kept occupied with football this afternoon and evening...a change of pace for his week...something different to do from his recliner! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Friday Rolled Around Again

I woke up early and read for a while and then went downstairs to see if Woody's treatment was finished. It wasn't. I gave Woody his crossword puzzles that I had printed off and then went back to read for a while longer. I told him to let me know when dialysis was done. It was finally finished around 7:30. I disconnected him and fed him breakfast. By that time I was ready to go back upstairs and rest a while. I will say that I have gotten in a lot of naps during my sinus problems. I will say that I "think" that perhaps finally my sinus problem is going away...I have been able to breathe out of my nose most of the day today...a definite improvement! I still have a sinus headache at times but even that seems better most of the time...hopefully by the time the ten days of antibiotics are behind me so will this sinus mess be behind me also. I took another nap this afternoon...guess I am catching up on sleep? I did have enough energy to make New England Clam Chowder this afternoon and got the mess cleaned up. Once Woody had his evening protein shake, I got the dishwasher going and lights are out in the kitchen. The clam chowder is quite tasty...glad I found the energy to make it! I have managed to do a little more stitching on the Christmas ornament I am making for Alex and Brooke...getting close to being finished. Need to speed up on ornaments. I think that I may have to say that it's time to stop stitching hand stitched ornaments that are going to be given this year...time is running out...the rest may have to be machine made. I have quite a few stitched...but...have to now get them made into ornaments...and...like I said...time is running out! Christmas will come whether I have ornaments ready or not! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

100-Year-Old Arrival

Tonight's photos are my first attempt to photograph the christening gown that my grandmother made for her sister's first baby in 1921. The son of the second baby to wear this gown is who sent it to me and it arrived late this afternoon via UPS...all the way from Rochester, New York. There is a note included with it written by the second baby to wear this and it stated it had been made by her Aunt Ethel, my grandmother on my mother's side, and worn for the first time in 1921 and that it had been worn by her and her two sisters and many children and grandchildren. Thelast to wear it was the cousin's (the one who sent it to me) daughter who is now 16. It is in very good condition...there has been some mending on it...some by skilled needlewomen and some not so skilled! It is still very white...photos might not look as white as it is due to lighting. This entire dress is made my hand...all the eyelets and other embroidery on it my grandmother did. The only things that she didn't make are the lace pieces that go under the arms...I am almost questioning if they were on the dress it to start with...will be checking it out more closely! The French seams on the inside are tee tiny! It is a very simple style...but lots of handwork went into it. I'm very pleased to be in possession of it...now to keep it safe! I think that it is neat that I camr into possession of it 100 years from when she made it! I really never knew my grandmother as I was two when she died. But I have many pieces of needlework that either she or her sister, Mabel, made. They both did beautiful needlework. Mabel is my grandmother's sister, the mother of the three girls who originally wore this gown before it being passed down to future generations. We went to Fresenius Kidney center for a check in with Woody's nurse...mainly for bloodwork prior to Woody's visit in two weeks with Dr. O. His appointment was at 10am and we were home before 11 and we drove around a little to check out some of the pretty trees in town. Hope you enjoy seeing the treasure that I received today. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Wednesday…I Think!

Not a lot happened today...pretty much a "do-nothing" day. I got things done that had to be done and the rest of the time rested...Woody pretty much followed his usual routine of being connected, disconnected, etc. from his dialysis machine and later in the day being connected and disconnected from a manual drain. He did his crossword puzzles and has read...already finished one of the books that I got for him yesterday. The library called and have one for him that I had puton hold for him...so that will replace the one he has already finished. I also read some today...something that I can do without much effort! I'm still waiting to feel better! I did turn out the light a little while ago on a clean kitchen. The dish washer is finalizing the clean up for me. I did get a short visit with the Hastys this aftdrnoon...it had been "long time no see!" So it was good to see them masked face to masked face for a few minutes. Once again I napped most of the afternoon once I got Woody disconnected from his daily manual drain. Tomorrow is a routine appointment with the Fresenius Kidney Center nurse for bloodwork and perhaps an anemia shot and/or an iron infusion. We turn in home records since our last visit. This visit is usually fairly quick. Well, time to get Woody's dialysis treatment set up. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

All's Well That Ends Well!

Shortly after I published the blog last night, Woody had a "scare." He reached to get his keys and wallet out of his pockets and his wallet wasn't there. The first thing that I did was check our Credit Union account to make sure that there wasn't some unwanted purchases on his debit card. There were none. I then headed out to the car to see if his wallet was in the car, but I couldn't find it. So then I got my debit card out and found the phone number to call. Woody called and managed to get the card blocked. He had only been two places that day, but at that point in the day we couldn't retrace steps as it was dark and things were closed. First thing this morning, I headed out to see if it happened to be on the ground near the car and to also search the car in the daylight. I moved the front seat all the way foward and there it was down the side of the seat...I guess in a shadow last night. So thankfully it was found. The Credit Union called soon after we found his wallet so they unblocked his card and...all is right with the world! I will say that I made a decision to photo copy all cards that are in our wallets as there are numbers that one needs plus this will give a record of what is in our wallets. As Woody said, he really had no idea what was in all those places in his wallet. I just know that when I looked up about replacing a driver's license that it possibly could be done online, but one of the things needed was the deiver's license number. I got all Woody's cards copied...still need to do mine. I ran an errand this mroning once "things" had settled down. And, then after lunch I went to get my hair cut...thus I was out and about and took my camera so snapped a few pictures. As you can see...things are becoming very colorful around here. After I got my hair cut, I went to the public library to get Woody some more reading material...can't keep him in books these days! After I got the books, I walked down the greenway path that goes behind the library and walked to the bridge and snapped a few pictures with the beaver dam in them...I'm not sure if I included some of those or not...if I didn't I will post some tomorrow night. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

New Month/Week…Different Appointments

Welcome, November! And, the start of a new month equals new appointments. Today was the dermatalogist in Murfreesboro for Woody for his three month check-in. She did freeze off a precancer squamous cell place on his face and scraped off a wart that had been bothering him for a while. She also decided that the bandages that we have been applying to his melanoma tumor on his arm are irritating his arm and making it itch...probably the adhesive. He is allergic to many adhesives. So she put some gauze over it and wrapped it with a coban stretchy bandage. We'll have to talk to his Vanderbilt nurse as to what to do for those five days after he has the injection when it has to have an occlusive dressing on it. For now this is fine. His appointment was late morning and we didn't get home till almost 1pm so that appointment and travel time cut into our day...not a lot accomplished before or after the appointment for either of us. He is at Monday Night Furnace Room Prayer meeting at the moment. I have his treatment set up for tonight. He will come home and have his protein shake and then wait a while after he eats to get him connected. I still don't feel great. I am through with the prednisone...still have quite few days left on antibiotics. Hope by the end of those I will be feeling much better! One can at least hope! Woody is home so I'm off to make his nightly shake. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!