Sometimes Hard to See a Barn for the Trees

And sometimes it is hard to see the forest for the trees. At the moment it is hard to see how we can get in all that needs to be done to nurse Woody back to health adding in everyday general tasks. Today we have done a little of both! Woody started out the day after the best night's sleep that he has had in more than two months. He has had a fairly good day, I think. Towards the end of the day, he got overtired and did get sick again...so towels and some clothes are washing! I had just run a load of wash with some new sweat pants that I had bought him today. Several of his pairs of sweats were downstairs in the rehab's laundry and we didn't tarry to try to retrieve them! I got my hair cut late this morning and after that made a quick stop at WalMart for said pants and also some wound dressing supplies. I have done my extra nursing duties and dressed all wounds as best I could just a few minutes ago. I also made a schedule for his pills. He has one antibiotic that he takes every 12 hours and another that he takes every 48 hours. Woody is now all tucked in and probably asleep. I also had dialysis duties to tend to today for tomorrow's return to dialysis routine. I had to get back into the routine of making a dialysate batch every other day. The batch I started this afternoon should almost be finished and will be ready to check for chlorimines in the morning. Davida, our dialysis nurse, is planning to be here by 8am, weather permitting (possible freezing rain overnight). I am to have things up and running so that things are pretty much ready to connect him. Davida and I have been texting today about tomorrow. She first needed his current medications to put in her records. Then she told me that we would be doing labs. I figured we would need to. I had to find out which tubes we would need. I already have the things pretty much set up for labs. We will be doing them both pre and post treatment. Then she told me that we would be doing several other tests that have to be sent off...water, dialysate, and something else that has to be tested and sent off Fed Ex. I sent back a wide-eyed smikey face, but told her that I really wanted to send her the rolling eyes one! I did get a "ha, ha, ha" back from her. I brought the step-by-step manual upstairs during one of my rest times and looked through it to refresh my memory. I plan to get up by 6am to be able to get Woody's breakfast and get all the dialysis tasks done that I need to before she gets her. Looks like we will be back in the saddle with dialysis once again come morning. Here's hoping Woody gets another good night's sleep! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Home After Almost Two Months Away!

It has been quite a day! Nathan and I headed to Nashville around 9am with the intent to bring Woody home. Once we were on the Interstate I called/texted the head nurse and social worker at Woody's rehab with our plans to have him released. A couple of incidences over the last week added in with other things just told me that it was time for him to come home. The final straw for me was when Infound out that Woody was never brought his supper on Saturday night and when Woody brought it to the attention of a couple of his care givers all that was said was that the kitchen was closed. I told them today that he just can't afford to miss any meals! So that added on to other errors on their part cinched it for me that I was going to go along with Woody's wish to leave today after dialysis. It took us a couple of hours after dialysis before we got him out of there, but we were successful. He was discharged AMA...against medical advice which meant, according to them, that they wouldn't set up home health care or wound care for him. But I think that our reasons for leaving were understood as valid and someone decided that they couldn't send us away without home care...so that is being set up! I guess this is a case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease/attention. And, I was to the point that I couldn't in good conscience leave him there...which I told them. All these conversations were handled in a pleasant way on both sides. We finally got everything that we needed and were on our way home around 1:30pm. Nathan and I got him in the house...transferring from car to wheelchair went fairly well. He wanted to go into the bathroom as soon as we got in the house. His strength was a bit taxed getting up off the toilet...but he finally made it back into the wheelchair with Nathan supporting him a bit. He was very glad to once again sit in his own recliner. He did get sick to his stomach not long after Nathan left...but we think that it was from all the exersion from moving around. He has been fine since he got sick. He wanted to be a part of the prayer meeting tonight so we invited the group to come over to our house. That worked fine and Woody was glad to be a part of this small group once again. When they left, he maneuvered, by himself, from the recliner to the couch. He got himself settled in the couch the way he likes to sleep and was fast asleep before I got out of the room! I'm hoping that he has a good night's sleep! I guess this tale is still "to be continued," and, now we will have his home recovery time! He is very glad to be home...He left our house at 2am, or some such, on December 9th and hasn't returned until today, January 30...about a week less than two months! That's a long time! He will start back on home hemodialysis on Wednesday. He had dialysis today and we will take tomorrow off to get organized and then start back on home hemo on Wednesday. Davida, one of our Fresenius Kidney nurses, is going to come over to help refresh me on all I have to do...my two month vacation is just about over! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Finished!

I finished the Ruth Clouds Sampler this morning. Note the date of 1790. Usually the year on a sampler is the year one finishes stitching a sampler. She stitched this one in her 11th year which would mean she was born in 1779...during the Revolutionary War! she stitched it about seven years after the war ended. The original of this sampler is housed in the Chester County, PA Historical Society Museum. Chester County is one of the original counties established by William Penn in 1682. This museum houses an extensive collection of American samplers, most being from PA. The group of letters at the end of the last line of the sampler were probably initials of family members...if you look at those letters in groups of two each has a "C" for the last initial. She used combinatons of six counted stitches to make her sampler: cross stitch over two threads, cross stitch over one thread, eyelet stitch, herringbone stitch, queen stitch, and four-sided stitch. As my cross stitch piece is finished, Woody and I have decided that his stay at the rehab is drawing to a finish. I plan to call the rehab on Monday and start the process of discharging him. Woody is positive that he is ready. And, I have come to that conclusion a bit slower than he! But looking at what he can do strength-wise he is back to where he was prior to being so sick. He has proved that by being able to move around as soon as they lifted the non-weight-bearing limit from his right leg. Last night he was trying to figure out where something was in his room while I was talking to him on the phone. He put the ohone down and went to where I suggested and found what he was looking for. And, it took some walking to get to where it was. There's been several things like this. He actually walked to physical therapy, a much longer distance than he was walking around here prior to his hospitalization. The rest of the obsticles should be able to be met once he gets home with some outside help from home health and our dialysis nurses. I think one of the things that they can't know/see at the rehab is where he was prior to getting to them. He hadn't been up running any races for a very long time and he/we were handling everything at home. Anyway, we are ready to get him back home! He is MORE than ready! To Be Continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Another Friday…Come and Almost Gone!

Today has just been one of "those days." Not a lot happened...except that I ended up on the phone for quite a while with Woody and rehab folk. Woody continues to be determined that he is ready to leave. The rehab folk think he needs more time. I'm still not sure! So I am a bit torn...but can see Woody's side of the argument also. If he gets his way he will be home next week. At this point, all I can say is...time will tell! I have puttered around the house doing a little of this and a very little of that. I have also done some stitching so the sampler has grown a little more. I got a message from my friend Ruth that it looked like it was her sampler. The funny thing is that both Ruths' last names start with "Clo." Tonight's sampler progress photo will show her that it is a different Ruth! We now know this Ruth stitched this in her 11th year...next time, hopefully, it will show the year it was stitched originally. This is a reproduction sampler from back in the early years of our country. To Be Continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Thursday Doings

Another day just about done! Woody continues to be very hopeful about coming home soon. He says he did everything for PT today and showed them that he can get around since they lifted the edict about non weight bearing. He asked wound care folk what will be done about his wounds since he is going home soon. They told him that home health would be set up for him. What he doesn't seem to understand is that it takes some time to get this all coordinated. He was told that it usually takes from 4-10 days...he told me no way for 10 days...very emphatically! He doesnt understand red tape, I guess! Someone told him that a social worker is the person who will get the ball rolling and he was waiting to see her this afternoon. He was going to call me once he saw her. He hasn't called so don't know if that means he didn't talk to her yet...or that he is just having trouble calling me! I told him that the social worker also has to call me and tell me what and when things are going to happen. I don't know whether they are stalling because he isn't ready or what! I talked recently to one "power that be" and she indicated he isn't ready yet. I don't know if showing them that he can get around is enough or not! So...time will tell...but Woody is ready, at least in his head, we'll just have to wait and see. I hope his patience doesn't wear too thin! The other thing that has to happen is getting back into our local home dialysis program...since he has been out of their system more than 30 days, he has to be entered back in! Our nurse says that isn't difficult, but that they will have to give me a refresher to make sure I remember! Another schedule we have to be worked into! Today, I did grocery shopping at Kroger. I like being able to use their app on my phone to make out my list. When done all items are listed according to aisle. makes it so much easier to shop...keeps me from doubling back the way I used to! Well, today I found they had updated their app and list making was different. Why can't "well enough" be left alone! I finally got it figured out and my list made and headed off to shop. I got everything put away and had a late lunch after that. I then rested in my recliner, planning to stitch, but my eyes had other plans and I took a nap instead. But did stitch once I awakened. I finished the row I was working on last night and moved on to the next. Just two more rows after this one...so closing in on a finish. To Be Continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Lazy Day for Me!

I just haven't felt like doing much today...often the way I feel after going to and from Nashville. So today I haven't pushed myself to do much other than usual daily chores. I have dozed off and on and done some stitching. I haven't worked on the sampler pictured above for some time...it got put aside for Christmas ornaments. So today I decided to get it out and work on it. I am working on the row where the needle and thread are parked. Those stitches are called Queen Stitches. Each one of those tiny brown diamonds takes four long stitches and four short stitches. It is not a quick moving area to stitch! I worked some more on that row after I took the photo and I am now to the middle of the "U." I'm not quite half way across the row. I would like to finish that row tonight, but not sure I can stay awake long enough! It took me a while to get back into the rhythm of the Queen Stitch...but finally my stitch memory took over and I am moving a little faster. Woody was disappointed with PT today. They could not find any change of orders. I reminded him that I hadnkeft a number to the doctor's office if that happened...but he had forgotten about the number being pinned to the wall! Hopefully tomorrow! He is detrrmined that he is going to be released in the next few days, but I'm pretty sure that he isn't ready to leave yet. I told him that he needed to talk to the powers that be to find out what he needs to do to get out! I know he is frustrated and ready tonbe home, but I don't want him to come home too soon and need to go back. Nathan stopped by with treats...homemade goat cheese and some sausage from one of the pigs they raised. I approved of both! The children aren't liking the goat cheese, but do approve of the sausage. Nathan was glad to find someone to share the 40# of cheese that took several days of his labor to make! I hsve the kitchen cleaned up from supper...dishes that needed to be washed by hand are washed and others are in dishwasher so...I'm ready to go back to doing "nothing," as in picking up needle, thread, and linen and putting in a few more stitches before I fall asleep. To Be Continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

The "Ban" Is Lifted!

We had a successful telemed appointment with Dr. Holt and she agreed to fax orders to the rehab that his right leg is to "weight bearing as tolerated." Woody thinks that this now means he will be home soon...but the healing of his wounds has to be taken into account, also. So we will see if this starts to speed up his homecoming. He is very ready! Nathan and I had a pleasant journey to the rehab and back...the traffic on the way home was typical of rush hour, but we made it... We pulled into my driveway about 6pm and Nathan clicked the button on the garage door opener and he put the car into the garage for the first since we got the new door. There are supposed to be high winds tonight, so Woody asked Nathan to put it in the garage. So the car is all tucked in! I came in and got busy making a pot of soup...a new recipe, Cheeseburger Soup. I would call it sort of a glorified potato soup that has some ground ef in it. It's pretty good. I'm enjoying a bowl of it while typing this. Woody continues to seem stronger each time we see him. He had occupational therapy while we were there. He did exercises to strengthen his arms and upper body...anyway, I think that is what they were for! But he did them and seemed to do them well with his right arm and did them as much as his left arm allowed. I look forward to his report about PT tomorrow since the ban has been lifted and he can bear weight on his right leg! I'm wondering if he is going to be weaker than he expects to be! I'll report tomorrow night on what he reports to me. To Be Continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Voice From the Past!

I got home a little while ago from prayer meeting...grabbed a bite to eat and headed up to blog. Today I had a planned phone call to talk with someone from our past...his voice has changed since the last time I had seen him! I talked with our ring bearer from our wedding. It was good to talk with him again! He had just turned six a couple weeks before our wedding. I'm not sure when we saw him last...but he was probably under ten...so hus voice has definitely changed since then. We have talked a couple of times over the years and I sort of keep up with him when he posts on Facebook about family trips, etc. But it was really great to actually sit and talk for a little while this afternoon and catch up with each other. Where have the years gone!?! I also talked with Woody this afternoon. He is getting pretty antsy to get out of rehab. We are hoping that Dr. Holt, his Vandy orthopedist for 15 years, will lift the ban on him putting no weight on his left leg so he can find out if he can maneuver the way he could prior to hospitalization. We will have a telemedicine appointment with her tomorrow afternoon...hoping that it goes well!! Time will tell! Nathan is taking me to Nashville tomorrow afternoon. I have spent the day doing a little of this and a little of that. I do have a clean microwave oven and the dishwasher is ready to run once I get the dishes I just ate supper on in the dishwasher. I am making preparations to shampoo the carpet in Woody's room/the family room. I brought the machine downstairs this afternoon...a major accomplishment! I'm trying to get some jobs done around here that are difficult to do when Woody is here and we are doing dialysis. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Happy 9th Birthday, Joseph!

Zoom!

Well, I zoomed today with some alum from Cottey College. We discussed A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum. A story that was part autobiographical about being a Pakastani woman in both Pakestan and than imigrated to the US. Definitely eyeopening...part sad...part depressing...part horrifying that women are looked upon and treated the way they were/are. Some at the discussion were very deep thinkers and shared some very philosophical ideas...mostly the younger alims who are still out there in the workforce. I mainly sat and listened and only piped in once in a while and mainly with short statements! But it was a very enjoyable way to spend some time on a Saturday morning. Oh, and, I did get the book read before time for the meeting and even had my Sunday School lesson planned and did a little sewing prior to the meeting. They plan these bookclub meetings once a month. I called Woody after the Cottey book club meeting. He said that his day hadn't been the greatest, but not really bad either! We only talked a little before his lunch tray came. I figure that he would watch some game or another after lunch. He said that he was waiting to see what came on to watch. I finished my sewing project and then went downstairs to make muffins, a surprise for Sunday School in the morning...at least a surprise for those who don't read tonight's blog before class tomorrow! Our lesson is on "I Am The Bread of Life"...thought we needed some bread! They are cooled now and wrapped up to take in the morning. I still have a little cleanup in the kitchen to do, but needed to rest some first, as my back has really been bothering me. Just sitting quietly in my recliner with a heating pad sent me off to dreamland so I got a pretty good nap. To Be Continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Calmness Prevails!

Woody and I are both thankful for a much calmer day today than we had yesterday and the night before! It really didn't take much to make it calmer! Woody went back to his usual routine at rehab: dialysis, PT, wound care, OT, etc., etc. We talked for a while on the phone this afternoon. Woody still says that his experience was as if he was kidnapped. He said that when he came back, they had packed up all his stuff in a box as they hadn't planned for him to come back! Of course, through all that happened yesterday, there always was a chance that Vanderbilt might admit him to the hospital. We're both thankful that didn't happen. He went back to rehab with a paper from the infectious disease doctor telling them some adjustments that she wanted them to make with his medicine. Woody is now wondering if that paper got into the right hands. I know that feeling! It took me several phone calls to make sure that our request for transport got into the right hands...which it had. I have had a fairly uneventful day. Nathan stopped by to give me some legal papers. I had him work some on the garage door opener...it works with the remote and he helped me get the pin number added to the security box on the outside of the garage, but still "no cigar" on getting the phone paired with the garage opener. We will continue another day on getting that to work. I did go so far as to contact the garage door opener app folk through an online chat. No luck there either, but she had me download a different form of the app and then I could do no more as it involved getting up on a ladder to unplug the unit from the plug on the ceiling of the garage! No ladder that high for me anymore! She emailed me instructions for out next try when Nathan is here. Guess it is a "try, try again" situation! I'm teaching Sunday School on Sunday and I have been working on getting a lesson pulled together, but didn't do as much as I should have today. I have been concentrating on speed reading through a book that is going to be discussed in a zoom "book club" tomorrow that Cottey College is doing for alums. When I first found out about the bood discussion, I put in a request for an e-copy of the book. It finally was available for me day before yesterday and the zoom meeting is tomorrow. So I have done a lot of reading in my down times today. I'm 75% done with it so maybe I will have it read by 11am tomorrow and still get some sleep tonight! I have continued to clean up my crafting messes both in my bedroom and the sewing room. Today I went throuh some things that I am ready to get rid of. Nathan said that he would come by sometime and take them to a local thrift store. It is good to have those items bagged up. I should probably look around and add to what I have ready to give away! I have even run the vacuum some today. I had planned to vacuum yesterday, but never dared to because I might have missed hearing the phone! So I have done a lot of "things" today, but in a laid back way! I did make a quick trip to the grocery store. I've got some baking planned for tomorrow and needed sour cream...of course, more items than just sour cream hopped into my cart! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Twilight Zone?!?

I'm not sure I can do justice to the telling of what has gone on since I blogged last night! Around 8:30-9:00pm last night, I filled out the online forms for Woody's appointment with the infectious disease doctor this afternoon. I got to a point in the forms that they were asking certain questions about how Woody was feeling, problems, etc. that he was having right then, so I called him to ask him those questions. He answered the phone. He answered the questions that I had and we talked for a few minutes. I hung up submitted the online forms and shut iPad down for the evening. I had been dozing off and on after that, and was surprised when I got a call from Vanderbilt. A lady was asking me several of the same questions that I had just answered and I told her I had just filled out online forms with same questions and she said she had to ask them again. The one strange thing...other than the time to be calling me...was that she asked if they could text messages to my cell phone. I told her "yes," but wondered why! We hung up. And, not long after that I got a message that Woody had an appointment at the Vanderbilt ER...this did not compute in my brain. I just told myself that I would get it straightened out in the morning. Then I was texted some doctors' names and nurses, etc...that texting went on till close to 11pm. I just couldn't figure out what all this had to do with today's appointment. This morning I opened ip email fairly early and found an email about information in our MyHealthatVandy app. Opened that up and realized that something was going on at Vandy ER and that he had been taken there last night shortly after we hung up from talking. It seems that his blood work had come back with a very low hemoglobin reading and he needed a blood transfusion. He got his first unit of blood in the middle of the night and then Woody said they waited six hours to decide that he needed another! While all this was happening I was in the background trying to contact folk...about whether he would be able to make his appointment, about transport, about what was going on, about canceling transport, about having to figure out transport to get him home, etc., etc. It has been a very confusing day for both of us. Woody just got back to rehab a little after 5;30pm. I have talked with him. His comment was that they kidnapped him last night and wouldn't tell him what was going on! I told him that I had no idea that the call I got asking questions after 10pm had anything to do with a hospital visit. So we were both pretty clueless and left to figure out things for ourselves! I did get a call from the rehab early this morning, shortly after I had pieced things together. She said that she didn't call last night because it was so late...not sure that is the way I want it, if there is a next time. All would have made way more sense, if I had been told as they were whisking him away! I talked to Woody's ER nurse and she said she would get back to me when they decided how to handle the afternoon appointment. I needed to know if he would get back to rehab in time to take transport back to Vandy for his appointment. Well, she never called back, so I finally called her at noon. She didn't answer her phone that call...so I waited till 1pm. I did get her then and she told me that he had been given a second unit of blood and they would release him in time to get to his appointment...but not back to rehab in time for transport...they would take him to his appointment via wheelchair. The next problem arose about how to get him back to rehab. Rehab could transport only to and from...could not bring him back from an appointment they didn't take him to! Vanderbilt discharged him prior to his appointment so they really didn't have any responsibility to get him back to rehab. They did take on getting him to his appointment. I had gone back and forth so much with both rehab and Vandy that I finally gave a rehab contact to the Vandy contact and let them duke it out! Rehab said that it was definitely in Vandy's court to transport him back. And, it did end up Vandy's responsibility. They gave Woody a phone number to call transport when Woody got through with his appointment with the infectious disease doctor. Woody does not have a phone, but must have gotten someone in doctor's office to make the call for him...because he did get back to rehab a little after 5:30pm. From Woody's account it sounded like the transport back wasn't the greatest experience! I'm sure he can add lots to this "story!" So much has happened I'm not real clear on what infectious disease doctor said/did. I think she may have tweaked his medicine a bit and wants to see him in a month. I think the rest of the experiences of the day overshadowed the mild mannered appointment! I hope that my post-blogging time is calmer for both Woody and me tonight! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Happy Birthday, Kathy!

Today is Kathy's birthday. I went over for lunch and all the kids were home so I took advantage and got some family group picures. For the last two I set the camera on time delay and Nathan pushed the shutter and got into the pictures before the camera took the picture. We had an enjoyable lunch, present opening time, and visiting. They are a busy bunch! They all have places to be...getting folk from place to place became a little easier, as Joy got her driver's license this afternoon after the party. Way to go, Joy! She was nervous about the driving test. Kathy said that she did great! I talked to Woody after I got back home and his day was going okay. He had had dialysis. Wound care had been in to check his pressure sores and the one place on his leg that is celulitis...or whatever. That wound and any infection will probably be discussed at his infectious disease appointment tomorrow afternoon. He will be transported from his rehab to Vanderbilt and then back to rehab...hope that goes as planned! This morning I made a trip to the Credit Union before the party to have my signature notarized. That is such a nice service that the Credit Union provides fot its members. I haven't done a lot on my craft/stitching/sewing messes today...haven't had time. Last night I sewed up three of the items that I made yesterday morning and stuffed them. All they need is to have the opening sewn closed. Before I went to the birthday party, I sewed up the other two and have them ready to stuff. When I have that done, I will sew up the openings on all of them and add a 2023 charm to the back and they will be done for next year. I plan to do that this evening. And, get them packed away for next Christmas... I didn't ralize that all my comings and goings had made me tired... I just woke up from a little nap...right in the middle of blogging...tonight's blog may not make any sense! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Happy Barn!

We found a barn with a heart shadow on it and then when I was looking through the pictures that I took that day, I thought that this one looks like it is smiling! I have had a rather productive day. I woke up early and decided to start working on putting away items I used when making ornaments...I probably put away twenty-five spools of thread, if not more...folded up scraps of fabric and put thrm back in their storage boxes according to color...threw away a lot of too-small scraps. But before I put away everything, I decided that I wanted to machine embroider some ornaments for next year. Before 8:30am I had five Christmas items stitched for gifts for next year! And, I just made myself stop and blog before I did more on them. I have them all pressed, interfaced, and cut to size...next step is cut out the back and then attach a hanging cord to three of them. I'll then sew around them and then stuff them, sew up the opening on the bottom and that will be five things ready for next year. I have a special box to store them in till next Christmas giving time! I figured out how many ornaments I made this year...22 of which sixteen were hand stitched. The others were machine embroidered. I think that there will be less hand embroidered ones next year as I want to have time to stitch some other things that I set aside this year to stitch ornaments. I also made ten linen dish towels that I machine embroidered. So lots of sewing and embroidering went on throughout the year. It was funny, I have a file folder with patterns for shapes that I might need for ornaments that I make...I used several of these this year. One of the things that I did this morning was put file that folder back in our file cabinet. But, guess what...just a few minutes ago, I had to get said folder back out for these new ornaments. A situation of as soon as I put something away, I need it again! I had a treat for lunch. I got a call from Ruth and she asked if I would like her to bring me lunch...which I accepted gladly! We had a good lunch and an even better time just talking and sharing! I talked to Woody after Ruth left. He had had a good eating day...very good breakfast...ate everything given to him. Then he did a little snacking on what we took him yesterday and then he said that his lunch came...not sure he was still hungry at that point, but did eat part of it. Like I said yesterday, he seems to feel hungry once again! So hopefully he will start adding some pounds onto his body! I managed to call his rehab to find out if the note I left yesterday about setting up transport to an appointment on Thursday had gotten to the right person. It took two phone calls, but I did find out she had gotten it and it was all set up for him to be picked up, taken to the appointment, and returned to rehab. I am leaving it in their hands now! Well, off to sew up some ornaments and then stuff them. Tomorrow I will continue to clean my sewing area and my cutting table. Tonight, I may do a little stitching on one of my pieces that I started recently. Nathan called a minute ago to let me know that he can take me to Woody's on Tuesday for his telemed appointment with Dr. Holt, his orthopedist...hoping to talk her into lifting the non-weight-bearing edict on his right leg. To be continued. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

MLK Day 2023

As we entered the interstate today, there was a large fire truck flying a large US flag out over the road...using it's ladders. Then as we traveled down the interstate there were several fire trucks or other emergency vehicles across the overpasses. I believe that they were trucks from various cities in the surrounding area...might have been Coffee County emergency vehicles...once we passed the four or five overpasses there was no more signs of this activity in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Nathan came over to the house around 8am and took our car to get shod with four new tires. When that task was completed, he came back to get me and Christmas gifts for Melany, Wade, Erin, Alex and Brooke. I finally convinced Woody that we needed to give their gifts and he agreed. We'll see how long he makes Nathan and family hold out for their gifts! We dropped off the gifts on our way to Nashville to see Woody. Woody was doing pretty good today. Not long after we got there, PT came to get Woody for therapy. Woody asked if Nathan could go with them and they said he could. I stayed behind in the room trying to "organize things!" I folded and hung up his clothes that had been washed for him and straightened out the things on his table and little night stand. We brought him some new snacks, for which he was very thankful. I definitely think that he is starting to feel hungry for the first time in a long while. He ate a pretty good lunch while we were there. We stayed for a while after he got back from therapy and then we headed on back to Tullahoma. I got back a while ago from prayer meeting and now I'm settling in for the night. It has been a busy and pretty full day. I'm ready to settle into my recliner and either read or stitch. I did get all the ornaments finished last night...so now I can stitch what I want without feeling guilty that I should be working on ornament finishing! I am gradually cleaning up the mess. I put quite a few things away last night and this morning before I left and worked a little more before it was time to go to prayer meeting. Gradually the mess is disappearing! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Update

Not a lot to report. I went to Sunday School and worship service this morning. I sat with Nathan, Kathy, Isaac, and Joseph. Three of their crew is at a church youth retreat. One sent to church with her boyfriend. And, Graham was in the balcony doing audio visual stuff. Nathan, Kathy, and I talked after church about getting tires on the car and when Nathan and I would go to see Woody this week. As the day wore on we have finalized our plans. Nathan will come get the car and get the tires on in the morning. Then he will come back and get me and we will head to Nashville to see Woody. We plan to make a stop at Melany's to drop off their Christmas from Woody and me. I talked to Woody for a short time to let him know that we are coming to see him. He was hoping to take a nap this afternoon along with watching some football. I got busy in finishing ornaments. I waited to blog till I could say that all the family ornaments are finished. That leaves one to make a friend who I will see on the last day of the month. I "think" that I will go on and finish hers after I get things gathered together to take tomorrow. Once the ornaments are totally finished, I will have quite the clean-up job! It will be good to put all the finishing items away...lots of fabrics and other odds and ends strewn around the bedroom and the sewing room! Get all that put away so I can make my next sewing mess! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Saturday Doings

Last night while Isaac and Joseph were here I managed to interpret Woody's handwritten Christmas/New Year letter and get it typed into my iPad and start editing it and making it fit on one side of a piece of paper. I printed it out today and edited it...did that several times till I was as satisfied as I was going to be! Then I took on the task of printing them and stuffing them into envelopes. Woody had addressed the envelopes and I had to check those as his beautiful writing of yesteryear is no longer as legible as it once was! I had to make sure that addresses were correct and attempted to make them more legible...we'll see now how many get returned, as I DID get them stamped and out to the mailbox this aftefnoon. As a matter of fact, I got to the end of our driveway as the mail carrier drove up and we exchanged letters...I gave her 41 and she gave me two! I called Woody to let him know that the Christmas 2022 letters are on their way to family and friends. He shared that he had called the kitchen number this morning and managed to get what he wanted for breakfast. During the week he can't do that as dialysis happens during breakfast time...but today he took advantage of it being Saturday and ordered what he wanted. So it sounds like he ate a very good breakfast today. I am thinking that he is finally feeling hungry once again. The other day when he missed breakfast, he got into his tin of snacks and finished up what was in there. I am making a list of snack items to take him, when I go to see him next. I am happy to have our Christmas letters off in the mail...one more thing to mark off the Christmas to-do list! I took a nap this afternoon. I'm hoping that I can get back to working on the last of the Christmas ornaments...down to one for Melany's family, three for Nathan's family, and one for a friend...so add those up and there are STILL 5 ornaments to go. I have the next one all ready to cut out and then sew up and stuff. I'm still struggling to decide the best way to finish up the ones for Nathan's family...reason that they are the last...probably! I do still have one for a friend but won't see her till the end of the month. But I want them ALL done. Last night I did do a little stitching at the end of the evening. I stitched just a little on two of the new things that I started recently. I stitched a length of thread on the border of the tiny sampler and stitched the "A." I stitched a length of thread on the Christmas piece. So I didn't do a lot, but made a small amount of progress on both of those. Well, I guess I will go see if I can finish Erin's ornament tonight. It's funny...I have left all our grandaughter's ornaments till last this year...though, they were some of the first that I finished cross stitching at the first of last year. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

At Last!

The garage door installation happened today...our 2021 Christmas present from Wade and Melany. It is just about one year from the day Melany ordered it. The installer said that it was because of the color...guess they only keep white in stock?!? oh, well...it is here and fit in the space AND opens when a button is pushed. It's a "smart" door BUT you have to do some things to the ooener that is up overhead...and I am going to have to depend on Nathan or Graham for that. I don't think I shoukd be up on that ladder! But remote buttons work so we can open it...we'll work on the smart way another time! We're all locked in from garage entrance into the house and it should keep the family room/Woody's room much warmer to have the door down! It may be smart, but still not smart enough to help me park the car in the garage! The car can supposedly parallel park... ut they didn't teach it to make the sharp turn to get it lined up to park in the garage! I will rely on others to do that for me. I can back it out of the garage! The garage door installation took most of the morning and a part of the afternoon...8:30am till a little after 1:00pm. I managed to make a pot of ham and potato soup during that time period and get a load of dishes washing. Woody was pleased to hear that the garage door was installed and that it opens and closes. Melany figured that it was already warmer in Woody's room, the family room. At the moment I have visitors. Both Nathan and Kathy were going to be away for a little while this evening and the two oldest were out of pocket and the next three down the line were going to a youth retreat this weekend so that left the two youngest, Isaac and Joseph without supervision for a few hours this evening...so I have company until Nathan comes to get them. I am going to try to insert a photo, but iPad isn't being cooperative here in the middle of the blog post. Will try again:

It allowed me to take a photo but not use one I had already taken...the first one showed their oretty smiles...this one looks like they are praying! I can explain...they are taking advantage of extra screen time because they are at Grammy's! The boys helped me with an undecorating task first...they put away the Fisher Price Nativity...sorted all the pieces and got them into their proper boxes. One table emptied of Christmas items! Many to go...and Woody really doesn't want me to undecorate till he is home...To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Oh, Woody said that a PT person worked with him strengthening his right arm and trying to increase the movement outward of his left arm, the one that has a partially frozen shoulder.

Home…Again!

I took off a little before 7am from Melany's, after checking the radar, thinking that I had a window to get home with next to no rain...and, it worked! I got all the way to Tullahoma before I got a light sprinkle on the windshield. By the time I got home, it was still sprinkling, but I hardly got wet getting in the house. It wasn't too long after I got home that the bottom dropped out. We have had off and on rain/storms all day. But I have been high and dry! I got a call from the garage door installer that they would be here in the morning...still not holding my breath since it has been right at a year since Melany and Wade ordered it. I do think that it may actually happen tomorrow and we will have our 2021 Christmas gift from them! During one lag in rain, I moved the car and parked it out in front of the house so the driveway is clear for the workers. I talked to Woody for a little while after I got home. He had had dialysis and at that point his day was going well. He was happy with his breakfast today...scrambled eggs and sausage...his favorite! I napped for a while this morning. Then I felt a little revived so have worked some more on ornaments...the never ending 2022 Christmas task! I am about to finish another one...so ones to finish are lessening...thank goodness! I want to just stitch on what I want to stitch! I will confess that the other day I started a new tiny sampler, a small all red sampler, and a new Christmas stitch...just wanted to! So I'm anxious to get all these ornaments finished so I won't feel guilty stitching on what I want to stitch! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Quite a Day!

We got up and we all had breakfast together. Then Melany and I took off for Nashville a little after seven. What is is usually an hour drive took us 1-1/2 hours. Woody was at dialysis and as it neared his appointment time we had his nurse check on him and came back saying that they were taking him off early. He got back to the room just a little before the appointment time...or what we planned to be the appointment time. We kept being told that it wasn't time to check in. I finally called a number to check on what was going on. They checked and said that we were in the virtual waiting room. So we waited a long while more and then called a different number that I found that said to call it if we had waited more than ten minutes! At that point it had been around two hours! That person said that he would check and took my number so someone could call. Well, a call never happened. So at the almost three hour wait, I called the last number I had called and she said that I was no longer in the waiting room...that I must have logged off. I assured her that I hadn't...that I was watching to stay on and also watching my power on my iPad wane! She said that she would make amother appointment another day or later today. We opted for the later time today, though, not happily on my part! But in that time we waited we saw lots of Woody's care team, a good thing! The wound care team came in...this time with a physician who specializes in wounds.They are really working with the two pressure wounds and his one place on his leg that he went to the hospital for almost five weeks ago and ended up having gall bladder surgery. Guess we have come full circle and are back to wound on the leg! Very impressed with the wound care team. While waiting for 3:30 to arrive, we also saw two from his PT team. They insist that he can put no weight on his right leg...so I made up my mind to contact Dr. Holt to see if she would lift that as it is holding him back for regaining strength. On our way home Dr. Holt's office called and I explained circumstances...that his leg is no worse than it was a year or more ago and that he has adapted his gait using the walker to very carefully use that leg as little as possible. She will check with Dr. Holt and see what she is willing to do with her orders of non-weight-bearing. She has to fax any orders to the rehabilation place. Also they are supposed to call me. He went to PT for a very short time and got back shortly before his telemed appt. But while he was out of the room, we finally got the social worker, a head nurse, discharge person to come in to talk to us. it was funny how they finally ALL coverged on Melany and me. We had tried several times today tried to get someone to come in to talk and give us a progress report...at that point unsuccessfully! But when we told the PT people that Woody thought he was going home today...PT texted some if the powers that be and just like that, they were in our room. They thought that I, also, thought he was going home today! Best misunderstood statement of the day! They were so relieved when they found out that I knew he wasn't ready! Melany told them that I had told Woody that he was delusional if he thought he was ready to come home! They all laughed with relief at that statement. Anyway, I learned more about length of time allowed for rehab by Medicare (100 days). I now know phone numbers to call, if I have questions. But they said that he isn't ready...both for rehab and wound healing reasons. They say they evaluate weekly and make decisions about treatment and progression. I will say, we saw progression today. He sat up on the side of the bed, by himself, to eat lunch. He pretty much transferred from wheel chair to bed...care partner allowed him to...though probably shouldn't have! But Woody was happy to do it! When we finally got his telemed appt, it was very cut and dry...not much to it. He is through with his surgeons unless he has a problem. The late appointment made us get back to Melany's when dark was closing in so they have an overnight guest again tonight. Another problem...it looks like I will be traveling home in the rain tomorrow...that doesn't make me very happy! Oh, well! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

The Birthday Perks of Having a Cousin Who Works at Disney!

Nathan, Kathy, Isaac (birthday boy today) and Joseph (birthday boy on the 22nd) and their mommy are in Florida for a ministry conference. Today, Isaac's birthday, Isaac and Joseph got to go to Magic Kingdom with their mommy (birthday girl soon) as the guests of their cousin/niece. Fun way to celebrate birthdays. Isaac is in the Cardinal t-shirt. Happy birthday, to our laughing grandson, Isaac (his name means laughter...fits him to a "T."). One of Woody's wishes as he has been recovering was to talk to one his coworkers. I managed to get the phone number and managed tongrt in touch with him and gave him Woody's lhone number at rehab. Woody was so happy to report to me today that Tommie had called him...made his day. I left this afternoon and headed Murfreesboro way and got here a little before Melany got home. We have had a nice evening visiting. We had a corned beef and cabbage dinner...very good! Melany and I will leave bright and early to meld into rush hour traffic in Murfreesboro and Nashville...not an easy commute to Woody at that time, We need to be there around 9am...hopefully we will make it for checking in for a telemed visit by 9:15 for a 9:30 appointment with his surgery team who did his gall bladder surgery. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

We Love Our Barn Trips!

We love barn trips so much that we actually found a barn with a heart on it! We came upon this barn just when the sun was casting shadows with the two silos so it looked like a heart had been painted on the roof. It was a beautiful day for a barn trip...especially after yesterday's rain...today, pretty blue sky and clouds every now and again. I took LOTS of pictures of barns, farm animals...quite a few baby animals today, and even a few bird pictures. I have only downloaded one camera worth of photos...and, haven't even really had a chance to get a good look at those. When we discovered the heart barn, that was the one all three of us voted to be tonight's blog photo. It is just fun to be with Marie and Carolyn for several hours, even if we hadn't found any barns we would have had fun! But barns were in abundance today so there is new fodder for the blog for many days to come! I did talk to Woody for a few minutes while we were on the barn trip. He was back from dialysis. Today, he had managed to have someone find the numbing cream and he took it upon himself to put the cream on the area where they stick him and then wrap his arm with plastic wrap. He said that he was at least partially successful. The first stick hurt some, but the second one he didn't feel...probably the cream had had time to numb that spot before he got stuck. He had made an attempt to figure out with the dialysis nurse how a telemed appointment was going to work when it was scheduled during dialysis time. She said that they would get him early and then stop his dialysis a bit early that day. Woody just had the days mixed up. He told her tomorrow and the appointment is Wednesday. Guess they can trial run it tomorrow! I am blogging early tonight because I will be at prayer meeting when I usually blog. I continue to plug along with finishing my Christmas stitches into ornaments. Slowly but surely...getting done. I have three more ready for the next step...I think I will do at least the next step on those three, after I publish this...that will be three more closer to completion! The stack of unfinished is getting smaller...but just not small enough...that will happen when there are no stitched pieces in that stack! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

And, the Walls Didn't Fall Down!

This morning I went to Sunday School and to the worship service. This was the first time that I had been inside the sanctuary for a worship service since the doors closed due to Covid back in March of 2020! Woody and I have attended the service regularly during that period online, but haven't been in person since Covid. It was good to be a part of the congregation once again. I really appreciate the way our church worked with the Covid shut down. For a long period of time they had an outside service in the park across the street and also livestreamed them online and then when they went back inside they continued to livestream them, also. It made it great for us since we really never missed a service...whether at home or away. We "attended" during these last weeks in the hospital, too. I talked to Woody this afternoon. He said that he was hoping to take nap this afternoon, as he hadn't slept well the night before. He had watched Charles Stanley on TV for his church service today. He tried to get ours on his laptop, but didn't and when he saw Charles Stanley on his TV he decided to stop trying! I think that you could say he has a love/hate relationship with his laptop...mostly hate! I filled out online forms this afternoon getting ready for Woody's telemed appointment on Wednesday. I am continuing to complete Christmas ornaments...the seemingly never ending task! I did stitch a LOT of ornaments this year! After I blog, I will stuff one that I just sewed up on the sewing machine. If all goes as planned, I may have some new barn photos tomorrow night...camera batteries are charging for a barn trip! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Saturday Doings

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

Epiphany 2023

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

A More "Normal" Day

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

Another Busy Day

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

Busy Day

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