One Less Teen in the Family

Graham turned 20 yesterday...where have the years gone? It seems almost like yesterday when Nathan called us from Texas and I got to hear Graham cry very soon after he was born. Graham stopped by today to get his gift from us and while he was here we took advantage of his computer knowledge to answer a couple of questions and solve a couple of problems. He's nice to have around!!!!! He solved Woody's problem and then helped us both get started using the Credit Union through my app and on Woody's new laptop. We had been accessing it thorugh the old laptop and lately that meant that I was the only one able to get into the site since Woody isn't going upstairs these days. Woody was relieved to see that we still had money in the account! (rolling my eyes!) I have been working on our grocery shopping...putting things in the shopping cart and will finalize it a little later tonight and arrange to pick up groceries in the morning. Woody is at Monday Night Furnace Room Prayer Meeting. I have gotten his dialysis set up for this evening. I will fix his shake when he gets home. More spoiling went on yesterday. Ruth stopped by after church with Arby's for Woody. He enjoyed a sandwich yesterday and another today. Like I said we are very spoiled. We are both enjoying all the special treats in the fridge. I can't believe that last week at this time we were preparing to head out early in the morning to go to Vanderbilt for Woody's surgery. He continues to do very well. Maneuvering with the walker still isn't the easiest for him but it wasn't all that easy prior to the surgery. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Starting to Get Spoiled!

I was looking for a barn to post tonight and came across this Great Blue Heron. I'm sure that I posted it back when I took it, but that was almost a year ago...so probably forgotten by most! I was a breezy March day last year...the weekend after I got my new point and shoot camera. i think that this was about my favorite of the first pictures that I took. Just love the feathers being blown in the wind. We have had a nice day. I think that Woody is improving nicely. He hasn't had any Tylenol since yesteday morning...a good sign! I made a quick trip to the Post Office to get stamps so I could send off the library notes that I wrote yesterday. That job is done. About the spoiling mentioned in tonight's title: Jo stopped by this afternoon with some yummy soup and we had a nice visit. After Jo's visit, I checked on all of Woody's surgery places and all looks good. He's healing nicely. The bandage on his long incision where the tumor was removed has been changed. His drain is taken carr of for today. And, now "all" that is left for my daily nursing duties is getting his dialysis treatment set up and then connecting him and getting it underway for the night. We'll start a little early tonight so we will be ready to head off to Sunday School on time in the morning. Woody is teaching his boys class tomorrow. He has finished another book today. I would say that things arr almost back to normal, though, he is moving even more slowly than he usually does! But all in all we are doing well four days after his surgery. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

And, The Beat Goes On

I'm not sure about the title tonight...as I was hovering over the title spot this title came to me and so I went with it...not sure that it has anything to do with our day...except...that our days go on and about the "beat"...well, we march to a different drummer around here...but whatever the beat...it does go on...and on and on! I think that we have had a good day...Woody hasn't taken any Tyelenol since this morning at breakfast. That's a positive direction in his recovery! We managed quite easily getting to and from the doctor appointment. It was a very short appointment as he saw the doctor via computer screen. It is sort of funny to see ones doctor being wheeled into the room on a cart! All of the team were encouraging Woody to take his phosophorus binder...early on he was told to just take it with breakfast, but now they want him to take it with every meal. Maybe they convinced him today? Time will tell! I am not stressing about emptying the drain bag. I had the nurse check it today and he said that it looked to him like it just wassn't draining much and that we had the bag squeezed the way it was supposed to be. I have looked at it several times and if there isn't enough to measure to empty then I haven't emptied it. I willl empty it in a little while and call it a day. We did get a robo call today giving us our post op appointment with the surgeon...next Wednesday. I feel like all is heading in the right direcion. We are still being well taken care of by friends. Donna stopped by with some food today. We appreciate our friends so much. I worked today on church library work at home...getting letters written to families who have had books placed in memory of loved ones. That was a good job done. I had been going to do this for some time and finally did it. Woody has taken it easy other than going to the doctor today. He has pretty much had a usual day...crossword puzzles, TV, reading, resting, etc. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Extra Nursing Duties Must Make One Forgetful!

While taking my shower, i realized that I hadn't blogged! Oops! The patient is doing very well. He did manage to get up from his recliner and walk a short distance with his walker. I guess we will be able to get to his doctor appointment tomorrow morning. My "nursing duties" have increased quite a bit...now have to find time to empty the drain bulb and strip the tubing three times a day and today added a new duty of changing the dressing where the tumor was removed. I dreaded that, but it really wasn't bad. He does have a rather lengthy scar...but it is all sutured up and isn't bleeding. It was easy to remove the bandage that they had on and replace it. But time consuming...that bandage change is what I did when I usually blog...that time when the dialysis solution is warming up. It has essentially been an uneventful day...good to have one of those every so often! He still has pain under his arm where the lymph node was removed and that makes it hard to get up and then put the pressure he needs to on his walker. At least tomorrow for his appointment he will be propelled either by wheelchair or car...only has the effort to get in and out of the wheelchair and in and out of the car. I'll try to remember to blog earlier tomorrow! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Feast for the Body and Soul

I don't know what people do without really close friends! Today my "barn buddies" aka "barn crew" brought us supper. We will be eating like kings for several days. And, I will admit that it was very helpful to not have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking today. In some ways I feel like a Mac truck ran over me...and, to think that I'm not the one who had surgery! Woody is really doing pretty well. He does have pain...mostly under his arm where the large lymph node was removed. He is managing his pain with Tylenol. He isn't the most mobile. Standing up from his chair is pretty difficult, as is walking with the walker...having to put pressure on anything with that arm isnt very pleasant. He did sleep some during the night and neither of us heard Melany leave at the crack of dawn this morning. I really slept...fell asleep before I turned off my light and didn't wake up till I heard my phone ping telling me that Melany had arrived safely at her school...and on time! Woody has napped a couple of times today. He took an especially good nap midmorning and didn't wake up till lunchtime. I still have no idea what his arm looks like where the tumor was removed. We aren't to remove the dressing till 48 hours after the surgery...that is tomorrow...not looking forward to that! Like I have said many times in this blog...I an NOT a nurse! I'm still wondering why I keep getting nursing duties!!! Waiting rooms are interesting...yesterday's experience in one was no different. Before Woody got called back to a room, we had a man and a lady sitting across from us who about drove me crazy with their constant chatter. The man's wife was having surgery and one of his wife's friends was waiting with him. This lady had had some health problems and the man was being encouraging to her, which was very nice. But the main problem with them was that they weren't wearing their masks correctly...even Woody noticed and thought that they were pretty inconsiderate...he may have said rude. They kept sipping coffee...which we think gave them the "excuse" to wear it down. I was really surprised that the Vanderbilt "mask police" didn't call them on it. The lady was asked to put her mask on correctly when she went to the desk to ask a question. I really did have trouble concentrating on my reading to their chatter. I will say that in their chatter I realized that Dr. Kelley was operating on the man's wife...so as long as his wife was still in surgery, I knew that Woody's hadn't started! The next experience was a very pleasant one...a pleasant surprise. I got called to the phone to be told about picking up a prescription at the pharmacy. After she told me, she asked if I would ask if there was a Frederick family in the waiting room. Well, when that person turned, we both recognized each other...a friend from Tullahoma! We went to the pharmacy together and then chatted for a while catching up with each other. Our chatter may have bothered others...so we might have been "one of those" in the waiting room! But it did help pass the time while we waited to see "our patients!" Her son was having surgery. I had been trying to keep family and friends informed as to what was going on with Woody...and once I started chatting with Carol, I fell down on my job! Then I got called back to Woody in the recovery room and then had to put attention on him trying to talk to him to get him awake and then had to get him dressed and ready for the rainy ride home. By that time Melany was here and we were off. And, the rain distracted me from doing much texting on the ride home! Sonforgive me if I was keeping you up to date and then fell silent! And, to sum up our day after surgery...not too bad...hoping that he becomes more mobile tomorrow and the next day as he has an appointment at Fresenius Kidney Center with Dr. O and his kidney team Friday morning. The one thing that I had to do was make the next dialysis supply order...and, I did accomplish that. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Quick Blog Tonight…Surgery Over & Back Home!

Surgery went well. The doctor chose not to do a skin graft. He was concerned where the place was located...so near the elbow...lots of movement. I think that Woody might have had his arm in a splint if doctor had done a graft. Surgeon was able to use a flap of skin from his arm and pull it over the place...he said that it was a tight pull. The lymph node was the size of two golf balls! The tumor is gone...yay! He has come home with a drain from the place where the lymph node was removed...under his arm. So I now have drain-emptying duty three times a day...can you see me roll my eyes?!? This, too, will pass!!! He is sore, but quite alert. He did doze a bit on the way home. We are having bad storms...lots of rain. Melany is going to spend the night and head to school from here in the morning. Short and sweet tonight, but at least you know surgery is over, Woody is once again in his recliner, and we are very glad to all be home safely. As Woody would say, "To God be the glory!"

Eve Before Surgery

I'm not the happiest of campers this evening. I have been reminding Woody all day that he needed to have his dialysis treatment started this evening no later than six. He never said anything until less than an hour before prayer meeting that he was going to prayer meeting...best for me to make no comment at this point. He has gone and that's all to be said about it, I guess! I wasn't even thinking about what day it was today...just focusing on tomorrow and what needs to be done this evening before going to bed...at this point Woody has pushed off the things that need to be done and now has left for an hour or so and we will be really pushing it to be ready to leave by 6:30 in the morning. We did get notification through the Vanderbilt MyHealth app that his Covid test was negative. So if we can get there, I guess he is good to go...surgery wise. I'll report in tomorrow night with news of how everything went. I'm probably repeating myself, but it has been a couple of weeks since I told what is going to be done (I think...I have told so many people not sure where I have said it and where I haven't!) He is having three procedures all done by the same surgeon: 1) remove large melanoma tumor on his arm, 2) do a skin graft, and 3) remove a lymph node under his arm. The lymph node and the cancer on his arm were the only hot spots that showed up on his last PET scan. So he might be cancer free for at least a moment! This surgery isn't really curative...due to the nature of the beast/melanoma it will probably be back. But his oncologist here in Tullahoma is hoping that Keytruda might be able to keep it at bay once it is no longer so large. I'll report tomorrow night...or might post a little earlier tomorrow. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Success!

We didn't get out the door quite as early as we had meant to this morning, but, I guess early enough. Woody was successful in getting his Covid test at our hospital here in town. Saturday was not the best day to have to do this as these tests are usually done in another part of the hospital which isn't open on Saturdays. But they weren't busy and I guess they took pity on us two old folk...with one in a wheel chair...and decided that they could do a Covid test for us. Our hospital is now owned by Vanderbult so this test results will be entered into the Vanderbilt system...so no paper work was given to us. Once results are in the system, I will be able to read the results as I can read all of Woody's test results there. So as far as we are concerned we have followed what they told us to do...just not where they told us to do it! It surely was nice not to have to make an 80 mile round trip to have this test done! We alsonran a few errands while we were out...like getting gas for the car so it will have plenty for Nathan to take us Tuesday. We also stopped at the Credit Union and the pharmacy. Covid test and the errands all took about an hour total of our time. We were both glad to get back to the house. I have worked on getting ready to sew...when I feel like sewing. I had a lot of theead to out away before I could really do much sewing. So that is done. I have the sewing cutting table cleared and two pieces of fabric spread out on it for a project and another piece spread out on the bed for another project. Now to get motivated to do one or the other of the projects! I think that is ad far as my sewing energy will get me today...only energy left is to get Woody's dialysis treatment going here shortly so he will be be finished in time to head off for Sunday School in the morning and then maybe I will still have enough energy to do some stitching on my sampler tonight. I'm coming right along on that. I should know my alphabet by the time I am finished with this one. So far I have stitched an alphabet with uppercase letters and one with lowercase letters and now I am doing another uppercase alphabet. Of course I may be confused as these alphabets have no "J" in them as back in early years the "I" and "J" were used interchangeably. Also one of them the "V" and "U" are in reverse order...could be that they are both the same letter as "U" and "V" were also used interchangeably back then. This sampler is a reproduction of one stitched in 1790. "Ss can also look like Fs, but in this sampler they look like today's "S." The little girl who stitched the original sampler was eleven. This sampler is a very simple one...no motifs...just letters and numbers. It is mostly made up of cross stitches, but she did use a few speciality stitches. The alphabet that I'm now stitching is made up of Algerian Eye stitches...an eyelet type stitch, which is slowing my stitching down a bit. Here's my progress: Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Signs of Spring!

I spotted the first of our miniature jonquils yesterday. Several more were blooming today. I told myself that I would take a picture of one of them for the blog...problem was...I waited till it was too late in the day to get a good picture. These are really tiny and low to the ground...so I had trouble holding the camera still since I needed to hold it down low to get them in the picture...on top of that, it was cold so I was attempting to not shiver. I probably needed our gardening bench so I could kneel down closer to it, but since the lighting wasn't very good, I just snapped a few to see if any would even be close to in focus. And, none really were...so I just played around with one of the less blurry ones and made it look artificial and sort of abstract. I will use it as a poor excuse for photography and promise to get a better one at another time! Our main news of the day is that we got a call from Woody's surgeon's office this afternoon saying that Woody's surgery time has been moved earlier so now we need to be at Vanderbilt by 9am instead of 10:30. Two problamatic things...1)we will now have to have Woody's dialysis completed much earlier than usual which means a much earlier starting time the night before and a really early rising time and 2)we have to face rush hour traffic on the interstate and in Nashville. We will have to alot even more time than for the little later time. But overall it will be good not to have to wait all morning (though, we still may...knowing how things go at Vanderbilt!). Nathan knows about the time change and it will work for him. Woody just wants to get rid of the tumor...he is counting the number of nights till he gets to have this removed. It really is becoming very bothersome to him...it's large, bleeding, itching, and hurting. Woody is more than ready for this surgery. There is only one more hurdle to have to get over before Tuesday...a negative Covid test 72 hours before his surgery day. He plans for us to head out fairly early in the morning to get that done. Then he can go back to counting his sleeps till he goes for surgery! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Dreary, Bleary Day

Today's photo shows the view from my recliner that I have today out the bedroom window. It rained a little this morning, but has just started pucking up late this afternoon. I decided to take a picture now before it gets dark in the next hour and then decided to go on and blog early. I doubt that much will happen in the next couple of hours...between now and when I usually blog. I will say that I have had a very lazy day. I haven't done anything that I didn't have to do. Woody and I have both sat in our recliners a good part of the day. I have done a little stitching, talking on the phone, and snoozing. Woody has done his puzzles, read, watched some TV, and may have done a little snoozing too...now whether he would own up to the snoozing...I'm not sure! It has been rather breezy here most of the day. When I went out to get the mail, I found the yard bucket/wheelbarrow had been blown over. I righted it and took it and put it at the back of the house...blocked in by the house, ramp, and garbage can...that should keep it from being blown away. I did a little sewing yesterday and thought that I might do some more today, but with the threat of storms I knew that I would just be having to unplug my machines...so far we have onlynhad a slight rumble of thunder...so guess I couod have done some machine sewing. I'm not sure if they are still predicting possible tornados for us or not. It didn't get quite as warm today as predicted so that may help to keep severity of storms down. And I don't think that the sun ever came out which will also help to keep the chance of tornados down. I guess, as always, time will tell! When I went out to the mailbox, there wasn't that "tornado feel" in the atmsophere. We're all hoping for a calm rainy night! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Appointments Accomplished

The main "news" of the day: Woody got his Keytruda infusion and we had the preop phone call from Vanderbilt. Now the latter was not easily accomplished. I decided that I would have Woody take my cell phone in with him so he could answer the call while he ws having his infusion. I gave him a lesson on how to answer the phone and he thought that he would be able to do it. When he came out from his appointment, he told me that he hadn't been able to answer the phone...that where he was supposed to slide on the screen to answer...that it wouldn't slide. I have had this happen to me so Injnew what he was talking about. Then we had to figure out how to return the call...no message was left. We decided to attempt to call back the number that had called us. The person who answered didn't know who had called us, but did take the time and effort to try to track the person down. And, she was successful. But our connection was really bad. But because we had filled out forms online, there weren't many questions to be asked so the call was short and sweet. So Woody is one step closer to having his surgery. The last step to be taken prior to heading Vanderbilt way next Tuesday is to have a Covid test 72 hours prior to surgery...which is Saturday. So we get to stay home for a couple of days with no appointments. Tomorrow is supposed to be stormy so we will be glad to stay home. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

At the End of the Day I Often Wonder…

At the end of most days I wonder just exactly what have I done during the day and why I didn't have enough energy to do more. I go to bed thinking of what I will accomplish the next day...and, rarely do I accomplish much of any of what I planned the night before. So I tried today to remember just what I had done (doubt that I remember all...but I did see why perhaps I am sometimes just too tired to do anything beyond just what HAS to be done! Lately I have been settingnthe alarm for 7 and a second one for 7:15 so hopefully I will get up by 7:30! I am not really a morning person. I am definitely a night owl which makes rising in the morning not my favorite thing! One of the first things I do while still snuggled into my recliner (my bed now for many years), I reach for my iPad to turn it on so I can print out Woody's two crossword puzzles. Then I usually glance quickly at email. When I finally throw aside my covers, I head for the printed out puzzles to take down to Woody...these puzzles he anticipates each day...looking forward to them. I hand him the puzzles, a pencil, his glasses, and his clipboard. Then I check to see if his dialysis treatment is finished. Today it wasn't so I headed to the kitchen to make sausage patties. We ran out of Woody's breakfast sausage yesterday so last night I put the ingredients together all ready to cook them this morning. So I made two pounds of sausage into patties and cooked them. Once they drained I put them on a cookie sheet and put them into the freezer to freeze so I could put them into a freezer bag to store in freezer...ready for me to slip out one or two each morning for his breakfast. Before the sausage was all cooked, Woody's treatment was finished so I got him disconnected. Once he is disconnected, he makes his way from the couch to his recliner and I head back to the kitchen to finish the sausage and start scrambling his eggs. I got his breakfast in front of him on his TV tray and I headed back to think about what I might want for breakfast. Today I decided that I wanted a fried egg. I got my egg on a plate and about the time I ate one bite, Woody started coughing and that triggered him not being able to keep his breakfast down...quicker than it went down it came up. I try to have a towel near him just for these moments, but today he didn't have one because I had just washed towels and hadn't put one back next to his chair. But I managed to get him a towel...pretty much in time. Of course then there was a mess to clean up...the towel, his sweater...So got all that done and a load of wash going. And, I guess, at that point, I was able to finish my breakfast! Woody decided that he wanted to wash his hair today so I gathered what he needed and left him to accomplish that task...I was close enough that I could assist if he needed me. In the meantime, I needed to start lunch as he decided that he was ready to have ham stuffed potatoes today for lunch. I got the potatoes washed, pricked and into the oven to bake. I may have at this point sat for a couple of minutes as I needed to send a couple of friends the obituary of a friend from church who died on Sunday. Then I needed to get the ingredients prepped that go into the ham stuffed potatoes. When the ootatoes were baked, I scooped out the potatoes and mixed potato with the other ingredients and then stuffed them and popped them back in the oven to cook a little longer. At that point, it was time to do Woody's manual drain. It takes 30-40 minutes for the last solution that is put in at the end of his dialysis each treatment. While that was draining, I went upstairs to take a quick shower and get dressed (by this time it is almost noon and I had a one o'clock appointment to get my hair cut. I got back downstairs...disconnected him from the manuak drain. Put his Ham Stuffed Potato on a plate and it was time for me to leave! I got back a little after 2 and ate my ham stuffed potato. I wasn't starving as I had nibbled as I put the potatoes together! I know that around 3pm I went upstairs and rested for a while...at some point my eyes did close, but not for long. I then gathered all the wastebaskets together to empty them into the kitchen trash bag and gathered up recycle items...Thank goodness I had knocked down most of the cardboard boxes from dialysis supplies a day or so ago...I only had to knock down 3. Then it was get all those boxes out to curb...it took 4 or 5 trips out to get everything out there...lots of boxes this week since it was a delivery week. We empty a box every day so there are always quite a few, but this week even more. By the time I wrestled all those things out to the curb, I was ready for another rest. I thought that I would stitch and did a little, but my eyes closed shortly for a little while longer...till it was time to make Woody's supper protein shake. I ate and then cleaned up the kitchen, including mopping the floor (as I had been meaning to do that task for several days), then sat down to write this...and NOW it is time to get tonight's dialysis set up. And, writing all this down makes me realize why I have a back ache AND haven't gotten much else done today! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious. (Our free covid tests arrived today...hope we don't have to use them!)jJust remembered, I also changed he dressing on melanoma tumor this morning. I knew I wasn't remembering everything!

Happy Valentine’s Day 2022

Tonight's photo of Mother and me dates back quite a few years...probably 1950 or 1951...I'm guessing that I am either two or three. I'm sure that the original photo has the date on the back, but I'm too lazy to go try to find it! I scanned the photo onto my laptop some time ago and use it at this time of year for my Facebook profile photo...so captured it from Facebook to use it here. I think that my Aunt Lois probably made my Valentine outfit. Mother made most of our clothes for us but this looks more like what my aunt would have made and sent me as a Valentine gift..just guessing...no one left to ask! Woody is at Monday night prayer meeting. I have just gotten his dialysis set up for tonight's treatment. So it will be ready for "whenever" he wants to start dialysis tonight. Today was grocery shopping day for me...well, it was grocery pick up day as I did the shopping online last night. I still really like doing my shopping this way. Today's shopping did leave a glitch in it. Woody told me something that sounded good to him...Ham Stuffed Potatoes...well, ham isn't on his list of foods to eat...but once in a while! And, by the time I mix in all the other ingredients there isn't a high concentration of ham. So I a small portion of sliced ham...but in the end they didn't have it. So after I got the rest of what they did have put away, I headed down the street to a close by grocery store and found what I was looking for...but, of course, in doing this I ended going into a store which I have been avoiding. This store is rarely very crowded so I grabbed my ham and checked out and was back in the car quick like a bunny! Hopefully I didn't come in contact with any Covid germs! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Yesterday we were in the 60s, though it was windy so it felt a bit cooler. Today, I didnt go outside till after lunch and was surprised at how cold it had gotten. I had been nice and comfortable inside! Warm one day and cold the next...the norm around here at this time of year. It surely is easy to get used to the warmer days, though! I made a pot of soup this morning, I thought about making potato soup, but was out of carrots and I lije carrots in my potato soup. So I put carrots on my grocery list and started looking around for ingredients to make something else. I remembered that I had a piece of cod in the freezer and thought about fish chowder...something that I had never made before. I found a recipe that also included clams and I had a can of clams in the pantry. So I took off with that recipe and it turned out to be a keeper. Good to make and eat some good hot soup on this chilly day. Woody has stayed in trying to keep warm...snuggled under several fleece throws in his recliner. He has been reading, doing his crosswords, and watching some TV...maybe did a little eye resting, too. While we are getting tonight's dialysis set up and waiting for the dialysis solution to warm, we are watching a bit of the Olympics. We're trying to get his dialysis started a little earlier tonight since we have to head out bright and early for Sunday School. I have made the decision that I won't be going to Sunday School till after Woody's surgery. Being exposed to Covid twice in three weeks has made me a bit gun shy! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! (Oh, and, I forgot to mention last night that my gout rescue med seems to have done its job once again.)

New Kids on the Dorrell Farm

We got a later start than usual and then decided on doing some things that made the day fairly busy. Woody wanted to get a haircut before his surgery and today was supposed to be the warmest day of those coming up. So late morning after we did the manual dialysis drain, we headed off. I wheeled Woody into get his hair cut and then I left to go to the library. Woody was in need of some books again. I also stopped back at the house to get my camera as we had been invited to stop by Nathan and Kathy's sometime today. We were going to decide if we were going after Woody got his hair cut...see if he still had the energy to stop for a visit. And, stop by their house, we did. They wanted to show us their new kids...three baby goats along with baby quail, a puppy, and various and sundry other animals. The weather was good, except that it was pretty windy. Nathan pushed Woody around the farm and the rest of us took the walking tour. We saw all but Graham and Abigail of our Dorrell grandchildren. We headed back home and have been resting ever since...well, sort of! I did take a nap...not sure about Woody. I do know that he has already started one of the books I got him at the library. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Lay-Low Day

I have done as close to nothing as I possibly could today...trying to lessen a gout attack. Rolling my eyes...why gout?!? I haven't had a problem with gout for some time, but the other day my elbow started hurting...it took me a day or so to realize that it might be gout. Gout for me seems to be in any joint in my body...I have had it in my feet, ankles, knees, hands, wrists, elbows, shoulder...if it is a joint it seems that my gout can travel there! I have a gout rescue medicine that my doctor prescribed for me some years ago. I take it every twelve hours and usually after a dose or two I am better. I have taken 4 doses at this point and I do note that the tenderness in my elbow is going away. I have also been trying to drink more water...during the winter I tend to not drink enough. Dehydration can cause gout problems. I will probably take one more rescue med dose tonight and then hopefully "things" will be back to normal and be controlled with the med that I take regularly to keep gout at bay. My gout had been under such good control that the doctor had me taking that med every other day rather than every day. I have started taking it every day till this bout with gout passes! I have read and stitched and napped today. I continue to feel fine after my Covid exposure. Tomorrow is 5 days since my exposure. Woody has had another day of doing lots of crossword puzzles...did his daily two and then has been working in one of the crossword books that he got for Christmas. He does puzzles with the TV droning in the background. Tonight we watched College Jeopardy while I got his dialysis set up and changed the dressing on his tumor. We are just waiting for the solution to warm up and then I will connect him for his nightly dialysis treatment. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Midweek Showed Up, Again!

I got several photos on Monday of barns and farms that I am pleased with...considering that we were traveling right along down the road and I had to snap quickly ornwe would be past them! This morning I vacuumed the living room and dining room. I like to vacuum the living room the night before or the day of delivery of the dialysis supplies...that way where the boxes are stacked will get cleaned before they are covered with boxes. Just when the room looked almsot normal, another delivery arrives and fills up the room again! While waiting for the supplies to be delivered I got busy making slaw for Woody to have with the baked beans. Delivery arrived a little before I was finished...around 11am. Once he left, it was time to do the manual drain for Woody. While the solution drained, I finished the slaw. At least I had made the cooked dressing first so it was cooled by the time I had everything sliced and grated, it was ready to be poured over the other ingredients. Woody has been doing crossword puzzles from books given to him at Christmas. We got a call from Woody's kidney nurse this afternoon. He needed to change the appointment that had been scheduled for this coming week. So now he has an appointment a couple of days after his surgery...hope he feels like going! I did tell the nurse about his surgery. Woody has had his protein shake and soon it will be time to get his dialysis treatment set up and change the dressing on the tumor on his arm (not my favorite job!). Soon the tumor will be gone...and, at the start no changing of dressing because they want it left alone so the graft will take...instructions I will happily follow! I'm sure eventually there will be dressing changes, but I won't be dealing with the shape of the tumor...of getting it covered. His tumor is the size if a small to medium size fist. The doctor gave this type tumor a name that means that it grows up like a mushroom...good description...a very ugly mushroom! Woody called his tumor grotesque the other day...and I didn't disagree with him! Well, dialysis duties await as well as some dishes calling to me in the kitchen that either need to be put un the dishwasher or washed by hand. Once those duties are done, then I plan head to my recliner to stitch...and...NOT fall asleep with fabric and needle in hand like last night! Be safe! Be well! Be cautios! (And, I will add that I still feel fine...no symptoms of Covid, but I am still staying home to be safe.)

Surgery Date is Set

Today has been "one of those days!" A day when there has hardly been time to sit down and catch my breath. I guess the most important thing that was accomplished today was getting the date set for Woody's surgery. It will be two weeks from today, February 22...George and Jo's birthdays! Jo said that she would be glad to share her birthday day with Woody for him to have a successful surgery...sounds good to us. I'm not sure if George is happy to share his day or not! After we got the day, then I got busy making sure that we could get to and from Vanderbilt! Nathan can take us and drop us off and Melany said that she can come pick us up...so that worked out! In amongst all those calls, I also got a call about our Fresenius dialysis supply delivery. We got a later time this time...sometime between 10am and 2pm. I'm not going anywhere so that will work. I also took on quite a bit of cooking. I made my mother's recipe for Boston Baked Beans. Woody said that beans and slaw sounded good. I just took the beans out of the oven a little while ago...they slow cooked in the oven for 8 hours...not much to do while they cook...but there was preliminary preparation that took a while and then of course there were lots of dishes and kithen clean up. I will make the slaw in the morning. I also made marinera sauce for me. I think that it is the first time ever for me not to double the recipe. This will be a good amount to have over angel hair pasta and also perhaps make an Italian baked dish of some sort and hopefully use it on a pizza...pizza sounds good to me...haven't had pizza in a long time. There might even be enough to freeze some...not sure since I'm not used to this smaller amount. We have done the normal routine of dialys during the day..disconnecting first thing in the morning, then a manual drain late morning, then set up tonight and just a few minutes ago connecting for his treatment for overnight. While waiting for the dialysis solution to warm up, I changed the bandage on his tumor on his arm. The nurse yesterday gave me some ideas on how to bandage it better. We'll see if I accomplished that or not when we rebandage tomorrow! I still feel fine after perhaps being exposed to Covid...hoping/planning to continue to feel good!!!! No time to be sick...especially with Woody's upcoming surgery. I am going to lay low and stay home this week so I don't take any chances of exposing anyone. There's plenty to do around here and we really don't have anywhere to go this week. Woody continues to do two crossword puzzles a day. At the moment he doesn't feel like reading...but he has done a lot of reading lately...so good to take a break once in a while. And, now things are quiet around here for the evening and I plan to cross stitch, that is, IF I can stay awake! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Surgery in the Near Future

i captured tonight's photo on our way to Franklin, TN to see Woody's melanoma surgeon. The plan is to remove the tumor and then do a skin graft and also remive the lymph node under his arm. The surgery will be at Vanderbilt in Nashville. The doctor prefers to operate where all Woody's been treated before and wherevall his records are. The doctor said the surgery would be in the next couple of weeks...but...we know how that goes...lots of factors have to be figured in besides when the doctor thinks he can do the surgery! Vanderbilt is supposed to call us with day, etc. We just know it will be in probably the "near" future! Woody went to Monday Night Furnace Room prayer meeting. He's home, had his protein shake, and will get connected to his dialysis cycler machine in a little while...letting him digest the shake for a little while before starting tonight's dialysis. I'm a bit late blogging tonight as I had to take care if some Sunday School "business." I learned earlier that one if the members of my class tested positive for Covid today and she was in class yesterday. So I have been sending emails to let individuals know who were there yesterday. I usually mask, but this time didn't because I was teaching. Wish I had! Oh, well, what will be will be! I had a strange phone call today...the lady who was to handle one if my orders at Christmas called to say she had just learned that what I had ordered hadn't been delivered to me. I assumed she was talking about Kathy's present...a St. Louis Blues throw...we initially received two Dallas Cowboys throws. That was our miracle gift...I emailed about the mistake and before I heard back from my email, Fed Ex was at our door asking to pick up the incorrect gift and had the package with the correct gift. Later that day we got an email saying to take a picture of incorrect gift, etc. So don't think anyone knew what the other was doing...and, now we get a phone call two months later trying to correct the problem! I still say it was a miracle Christmas gift! And, once again I will say: Be safe! be well! Be cautious!

Saturday

The last time Marie and I went on a barn trip we spent a little time going up and down a few streets in Bell Buckle, TN. There are many unique homes in this quaint town. This Victorian was very interesting both for its architecture along with its yard and the obvious gardening interest of the owner. Many interesting structures in the yard. On the outside of the fence every few pickets there is an interesting saying...some about gardening, but not all. Today has been another low-key day...just trying to stay warm! Once again, I just did a little here and there around the house, worked on tomorrow's Sunday School lesson, and have stitched. I have a goal in mind that I WANT to have this ornament finished tonight...ready to move on to something else, but don't want to leave this one unfinished. I am getting much closer...I think that I only have two or three colors left to use in what is still to be done...but the colors are so scattered, it is hard to keep up with where I am...much less where I have been! The greens are different colors/tones, but once stitched it is hard to distinguish them...plus the size of the stitches are very small...hard to tell that they are Xs. But, I think that I will be able to finish this tonight...if not tomorrow before the next roll of the dice in the cross stitch game that I am "playing" online with a group of stitchers on FaceBook. Woody has been cold today...he has many throws stacked on top of him and often when I walk into the family room, it is hard to find him as he has even covered up his head! He has his Sunday School lesson ready for his 6th, 7th, and 8th grade boys. As soon as I publish this, I am going downstairs to do the set up for his dialysis for tonight. We need to start a little earlier than usual as we need to be out the door fairly early in the morning for Sunday School. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Friday Rolled Around, Again!

Tonight's barn is very hard to capture in a photo...just where it is positioned from the road...when I can see it we are up "in the wires!" And, when we get down more to barn level, it disappears behind a rise...but here is one of the most recent attempts at capturing it through the windshield as we are traveling down the highway. We didn't get any...or not enough to count...of the frozen precipitation in the night...it has just been cold all day. It has hovered around freezing all day...either a little above or a little below...I think dampness and the breeze makes it feel much colder than it is. I have done a little around the house...not much...after lunch I settled into my recliner and did some stitching...I'm hoping to get the ornament that I am stitching on finished this weekend. I'm ready to move on to something else! This has not geen my favorite thing to stitch...I picked it and wanted to stitch it for Melany's ornament for this coming Christmas...but it is more tedious than I expected and am very ready for one less demanding in the number of color changes and easier counting! Maybe I can stick with it enough over the next couple of days and have it finished and put away till I am ready to make it into an ornament. Wether I'm finished or not Sunday, I will move onto another project subject to the roll of the dice in an online stitching game I'm playing. But I hope not to have to come back to this one! Woody has done his usual...crossword puzzles, reading...maybe a little, resting, and watching TV. And, now, it is once again time for me to get his dialysis treatment set up so he can begin tonight's dialysis in a little while. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Rainy Day

Look closely at tonight's photo and you will see that this has three barns in one picture...that doesn't happen very often. Today Woody had an appointment with his Feesenius Kidney Center nurse. It was just the routine monthly appointment for labs to be drawn prior to his next appointment with Dr. O and the kidney "team." I guess we were gone from the house for about an hour. The rest of the day we have done a little of this and a little of that while it rained outside. it was a good afternoon for napping and I think that we both took advantage of those napping conditions! I will say that thankfully the rain held off till we were home from Woody's appointment, so we got to and from the car each time in dry conditions. All this rain is supposed to turn to some form of frozen precipitation sometime during the night. Woody just got word that he is needed to teach Sunday School this Sunday because one of the other teachers is out of town and the other has a child who has tested positive for Covid. So both Woody and I are teaching this Sunday because of Covid. Marie still hasn't totally recovered from her bout with Covid...she is still weak and has no stamina. I guess it is time to get Woody's dialysis treatment set up for tonight. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

More Rain's Coming

We've had rain off and on today...so far not any heavy rain...I guess that is coming tomorrow. And, the sign in tonight's photo will need to be heeded. When we took this picture, there had been rain and there was water on the road ahead of this sign...but not enough to be a problem. That may not be the case tomorrow! last night I made a "small" order at Kroger to pick up today. Lately the thing that is small about grocery shopping is the small amount of groceries you get for a bigger than usual amount of dollars! But "supplies" were running low for Woody's shakes and they actually had bottles of pineapple juice for the first time in ages...so when I saw that when I checked yesterday, I decided that it was the right time to restock. On my way home from picking up the groceries, I stopped at Arby's for a treat for Woody...Classic Roast Beef Sandwich for his lunch. Time to get Woody's dialysis started. Happy Ground Hog's Day. Did your ground hog see his shadow...ours didn't. I think that means that Spring will get here when it gets here...whether he saw his shadow or not! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Been Moving Barns!

I've spent quite a bit of time today moving barn photos on my iPad into their own folder. I think it will be easier to find a barn to post if I don't have to weed through ALL the photos. I also did a lot of photo deleting. I have them all saved on a thumb drive so really don't need to clutter up my iPad with so many...still many, many even with my deleting effort. I moved over 400 barns into a "barn" folder. I really need to go through that folder and weed a little more from there. And, it would be a good idea for me to go through the "library" of photos again as there are many more that can be discarded too. The garage door representative came today to measure for our new door. He left me with a job that I have to get an electrician for...which I am a bit fuzzy on just what exactly I am supposed to get the electrician to do! Well, there is time to figure it out as the door is still quite a few months away from being installed. This morning I got the Fresenius nurse appointment changed since it overlapped with the surgeon's appointment. Nathan, Esther, and Isaac stopped by to check on us and picked up some sticks in the yard. So it has been a busy day of coming and going at our house...with Woody and me staying put...letting others do the coming and going! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! HAPPY FEBRUARY!!!