BOO!!!

I guess we are being bah humbuggers for Halloween tonight...no light on at our house. We have so few...never more than 10 and those spread out over a couple of hours...I just decided that I didn't want to be subject to getting up and going to the door! I want to be upstairs in my comfy chair and not having to go up and down the stairs...guess chalk it up to getting older (note I didn't say "old" but probably should have). It has been a usual Tuesday...sort of. Woody had dialysis early per usual. Sounds like dialysis went well. He got lab results and most were in the good range...he gets smiley faces for each of his good numbers! The nutritionist called and left a message that she had forgotten to tell him about some change. She said we could call back or she would tell him on Thursday. I did call back, but had to leave a message. I guess we are playing phone tag now! Guessing she will just tell him on Thursday. While he was at dialysis, I did some major cleaning in "his" room (the family room and downstairs bathroom). I guess I wore myself out as I was really tired once I got him home. Donna agreed to postpone the library work afternoon. We'll try again later in the week! I think that I took two naps this afternoon. Woody wasn't ready to eat at noon so I told him that I would go upstairs and come back down at 12:30. It's a good thing that I put on an alarm or I might have been well on into the afternoon before I reappeared to give him lunch, as I fell asleep about as soon as I sat down. The alarm woke me up and I went down and got out lunch. We both ate and then I came back upstairs and at some point fell fast asleep again and didn't wake up till I got a text from Melany around 3pm. I have managed to read a little and also finished another ornament. I have the next one to stitch on the arm of my chair ready to be stitched as soon as I publish this. Including the one I am about to start, I have four left to make. I also started working on Sunday's Sunday School lesson...so have done quite a bit today despite my sleeping the afternoon away! By morning it is supposed to dip down into the upper 20s...glad we don't havae to go out early tomorrow...of course there is the next day when it may be even colder! The only place that I have to go tomorrow is for my haircut and that is after lunch...it may be nippy, but not frosty by then! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Good bye to October!

Busy Day

I did several things around the house this morning on our day not to have to be any where early in the morning. Late morning, Linda came by with Arbys and the three of us enjoyed lunching and talking...Linda and I did most of the talking, but Woody was in on the chatting! She left a little after lunch for an eye appointment here in town. I did a few more this and thats until it was time to go pick up Esther and Elijah. I was needed for transportationas they are down a couple of cars. Last week Abigail and another vehicle backed into each other. Her car is drivable. Then a few days later someone t-boned Joy as she was driving through an intersection...it was a three-way stop and Joy didn't have a stop sign, but the other vehicle claimed to not have seen her. Her car had to be towed so not drivable. Neither girl was hurt...that was the first fender-bender/accident for their family with four of their seven kids now drivers. What was "funny" was Kathy was talking to the insurance person about Abigail's accident when Joy called her about hers! Not so funny...but you know what I mean! One of the cars that the kids drive has a starter problem which Nathan and Elijah are working on...so one less car. Anyway, I was needed this afternoon to get Elijah to baseball practice and Esther to Horse-Play. I made a full circle of going to Winchester on one road...dropped Elijah off drove down the road a little way and picked up another highway and circled back towards Tullahoma and dropped Esther off. Horse-Play works with special needs children. Tonight they were having a Fall Festival...Esther said that even the horses will be dressed up in costumes! I dropped her off and then continued back into town and ran a couple of errands before heading home. While running errands, messages started coming in about folk who wouldn't be able to go to prayer meeting tonight. At a point, it was obvious that I was the only one planning to go...so I was told to take the night off! The temperatures are dropping rapidly around here and with the wind, it is quite chilly/cold. We have our first freeze warning for tonight. Brrrrr! We have been blessed with a particularly warm October so far...guess we are now spoiled, but knew that cold would arrive. It will be nippy when we head off dark and early in the morning. I'm ready to snuggle under a nice warm throw and hopefully stitch another ornament. I have seven finished and have started on the eighth so coming right along. Woody is either dozing or watching the World Series Game. I need to get the dishwasher running and wash a couple of items by hand and then I am done downstairs. I still have one more eye drop to put in Woody's eye tonight at bedtime. Tomorrow is the last day for drops! Yay!!!! One less thing to have to remember to do! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Today’s Front Porch View

What a beautiful day. It got up to 80°F today! We'd better not get too used to these temperatures, as "they" are saying that come Tuesday the temperatures will drop drastically and we won't be seeing any more really warm days this year. 80 is a bit too warm for this far into October, but I am also not looking forward to it getting cold and staying cold. Woody went to dialysis this morning per normal for a Saturday morning. He said that his treatment went well with no gitches...we got there a little early and his nurse took him right in and he was already out when I got there to pick him up. I came home after dropping him off a little after 6am and got back to work on my grocery list...once again the Kroger app erased my grocery list that I had completed last night. After I got the list remade...put it back in the app, but also had it on paper, too...just in case, I headed to Kroger. I came home and put the groceries away and by the time I had done that, it was time to go pick up Woody. Neither of us has felt the greatest this afternoon. I am feeling much better this evening. And, the good thing for Woody is that he has been sleeping. He hasn't gotten a lot of sleep lately so it is good for him to get some good sleep even if it isn't at an ideal time...afraid that he will be up most of the night! I'm waiting for him to wake up so he can have some supper and put another drop in his eye. I have managed to get two more ornaments made...so that makes 6 that are totally finished...half-way...six to go! I had planned to do a little cooking today, but in the end just bought the food...will cook it another time! Well, guess I will go back down and see if Woody is stirring and see if he is interested in some supper. Truthfully as much as he doesn't need to miss a meal, at the moment it is almost as important to get that sleep he has been missing! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Good Neighbor!

We have had a pretty good day...not a lot happened while we waited for it to be time for his oncology appointment...one of the reasons that I would just as soon have early appointments...get them over with and then the rest of the day is yours. Having a mid day appointment messes with both the morning and the afternoon...at least for me. With this appointment we know that his hemoglobin had risen back into the "okay" range...still fairly low for most...but for Woody and a dialysis patient...acceptable...above the line of having to get a transfusion. He is still two numbers below the goal at dialysis. He has worked on crossword puzzles a good part of the day...worked on them at dialysis and then took the ones he hadn't finished yet to oncology and now is working on a book of crosswords that he has. I worked on some more of the Christmas ornaments for grands and niece and nephew...have four finished now. I plan to work on the 5th when I go upstairs later. There are 12 total...so a ways to go, but they are a pretty quick stitch and quick to totally finish. While Woody was at oncology, I made meat for tacos...one of Woody's favorite meals these days...part of the choices that I try to have for him to pick from when it is meal time. I will probably go to the grocery store tomorrow (trying to get one more grocery shopping day in while food is tax free...that perk will end November 1). I have a soup planned that we haven't had in a while. Wonder if Woody will be interested...I'm guessing that he will be...it is different good...both in ingredients and the taste when all are cooked together. The hint is a "little taste of New Orleans." Now for tonight's blog title "story." As I hit publish yesterday, I realized that I forgot to include something very nice that was done for us yesterday. I had rambled on enough in the blog so decided to not go back in and add it in, but to tell about it in tonight's blog. Our neighbor, who lives in the house caddy-corner to the back of our house...the house that had the John Deere tractor parked near our back yard that I shared a photo of along with some of the Fall color out my back door. Anyway, this neighbor has been mowing what we call "the back forty" (lot behind our house and next to his house)for some years...when it was Nathan and Kathy's lot and has continued when it became our lot earlier this year. So it isn't unusual to see either him or his workers riding that area when they are doing his yard. But yesterday when Woody and I were coming home from dialysis, our neighbor was riding the mower himself and he, this time, was coming on into our back yard and riding the mower between the trees and right up to the house...then he continued and mowed down the side of our house and on into the front yard. Definitely above and beyond! We really appreciate it! I don't see him a lot to speak to him, but today I did see him outside so walked over to thank him for his kindness. What a help that was! I want to do something for him at some point. I asked him if he had anything that that he would like me to bake for him...he declined the idea of sweets, but he did say that when it gets cold (today it got close to 80), that he wouldn't mind some soup...so sometime on down the road I will make some soup and share it with him. We have such good neighbors...on all sides! It's nice to have those in the neighborhood looking out for each other! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Tonight's photo is from a barn trip earlier in the year...but the tractors made me think of our neighbor.

Thursday’s Doings

As I look back on the day, I'm not even sure what all we have done...just know that I am tired and Woody is, too. Woody is tired mainly because he hasn't been sleeping well lately. I hope that he can get some sleep tonight. He had dialysis today. I think that all went well. He did say that his blood pressure was low at the end of the dialysis time so that kept him from getting out of the dialysis room sooner. He has attempted to rest during the day. I woke up way too early this morning, so I came home from dropping him off at dialysis and went back to sleep for a couple of hours. I have done some stitching. I have started getting Christmas ornaments made for our grandchildren and niece and nephew. I have two of them totally completed and just started on them yesterday. I came up with a plan that includes a little stitching that is added to a bought ornament. I made "Liquid Gold" all afternoon. For those of you who have beeb following my blog a long time you may know what I am referring to, newer readers might not know. But "liquid gold" is homemade chicken broth. I read that it is called that because of how valuable it is to have it on hand in the freezer. I had run totally out so ended up making 12 cups. I freeze it in 2-cup portions. I have strained it and cooled it down by putting the stock pot into an ice-water bath. It is now in the refrigerator for overnight to let any fat that is in it solidify. The bones and all the veggies that I cooked all the goodness from have been taken to the outside garbage can and the pot and steamer insert are in the dishwasher getting cleaned up. This time I used a chicken carcass that I had frozen after I roasted a chicken a while back. This is easier than having to cook the chicken, debone the chicken and then make the stock. This way I get to delete the first two steps. It simmered all afternoon in a pot of water with a lot of veggies...carrots, celery, onion, garlic and herbs...fresh parsley and a little sprig of fresh rosemary. It smelled so good around here when I came in from outside. Well, I guess I had better get back down to the kitchen. All that would fit in the dishwasher are being washed as I type...but there are a lot left next to the sink or soaking that either didn't fit in the dishwasher or aren't supposed to go in the dishwasher that need to be hand washed before I come upstairs for the night. I also have to put one more drop into Woody's eye. It's good not to have to fit in extra drops between meals...now we are only doing them breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime. Before yesterday we were also fitting in another drop midmorning and midafternoon. Less to remember to do now. I did call TN Oncology this afternoon. I don't think that we got a call reminding us of him appointment tomorrow and it made me wonder if it was happening. But they say it is. So this is one of those "nightmare" weels (well, not quite that bad) that he has an appointment or somewhere to go every day of the week. Sunday = Sunday School, Monday = blood transfusion, Tuesday = dialysis, Wednesday = eye doctor, Thursday = dialysis, Friday = TN Oncology for his Keytruda infusion, Saturday = dialysis and then we are into a new week...not quite as bad as this week, but still pretty full. We both look forward to the days in the week that we don't "have" to go somewhere! Oh, and this week I cancelled one appointment that he had because of adding in the blood transfusion. I cancelled his dermatologist...now to find a week that we can fit that appointment in in tne near future! (rolling eyes!) To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Passed the Eye Test with Flying Colors

The tractor in tonight's photo was adjacent to our backyard. I never did figure out why it was there, but today it is gone. But made for an interesting Fall photo without having to go very far! It took forever for the eye doctor/surgeon to come in to see Woody this afternoon. I told Woody that he was probably talking someone into cataract surgery! And, I was right because when he finally came in he said that his previous patient had had a lot of questions that he needed to answer. Woody's new eye now sees 20/40 without corrction and has healed very well. He said that there was still a little swelling. We are to continue doing steroid drops through next Tuesday but can cut down to three or four a day...sounds better than six! He was very pleased with how well Woody has healed. The doctor did mention doing the other eye, but Woody said that he wanted to wait and the doctor to watch that we don't let the right eye get as bad as the left. So he made an appointment for six months out. I will be going to see this same doctor in two weeks...and he will once again try to get me to have cataract surgery and I will once again politely turn him down with the excusse of being a care giver. Mine are not that bad...not if I can see as well as I do to be able to stitch the tiny stitches that I stitch...that's my story and I'm sticking to it! Surgery is the last thing that I want/need at this time! Woody was pretty ready to get home and to settle on the couch. We sat for about two hours waiting for the doctor to come in...at the first one of the techs did check his eyes so part of the time was occupied but most we just sat and waited for the doctor. We left home a little before 1:30 for his 1:45 appointment (we are only 10 minutes away) and he didn't get settled back in his chair till 4pm...too long away for something that should have been quick. We hardly saw the doctor for more than 10 minutes, if that. But the news that he got was good and we will continue on with that. He was told that his eyesight may improve even more once all the swelling is down. Sounded good to Woody! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Usual Tuesday…Pretty Much!

They have changed things on this blog site...never like change...never know what is okay to do and what isn't. Finally got it to add a picture...hope that I haven't signed my life away by clicking on a couple of oks! Today has been pretty good for both of us. Woody did say that he felt a little stronger today after his blood transfusion yesterday. Though by this afternoon he was dragging and just wanted to head to the couch! We changed the drop routine today...went down to just one at each of the drop times. Made it harder for me to remember to do them...for some reason! But we have gotten them all in except for the last one that he gets at bedtime. Tomorrow he will go back to the eye doctor and the drop regimen will probably change again. I have done this and that around the house today...trying to put away items that were not in their correct places. I also looked through cross stitch books today as I need several different alphabets for some Christmas stitching...it was fun to look at old charts...some I still want to stitch...others I wonder just exactly why I bought them all those years ago! Marie and I went to our friend's house late this afternoon to take her supper for family who are starting to gather for tomorrow's funeral. We had a nice visit. And, I got to talk with my former Montessori student. Always fun to get to chat with one of my students after they have grown up! The kitchen is all cleaned up and ready for me to push the start button on the dishwasher. I have one more load of wash to get underway and then I think that I am pretty much finished for the day. It has been a beautiful Fall day...probaby one that could be considered an Indian Summer Day. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Monday Came and Has Almost Gone

These golden leaves shine brightly right outside my back door. Woody got his transfusion. I thought he ws getting two units of blood, but only got one. He was at the hospital for about five hours. They have to give him blood even slower than usual because he is a dislysis patient. All went well as far as we know. He didn't come home all perked up from getting more blood. He just wanted to crawl under his fleece throws and relax on the couch once he got home. But it is done and hopefully this blood will stay with him for a while! Yesterday I messaged his gastro doctor at Nashville Vanderbilt and requested that our initial consult with the doctor be via telemed. His nurse thought that would be a good idea. I know when we went to see him last that all he did was talk to us a few minutes and then order a test that we had to come back for. If we can eliminate one Nashville trip that will be good both for us and for Melany. The nurse messaged back with a day and a time and he will have the telemed appointment two weeks from tomorrow less than an hour after he gets home from dialysis...so good timing. The nurse asked if that appointment would work and I messaged back that it would. When I messaged her back I identified us as Melany's parents (he has been Melany's doctor for over 25 years...at the time that he diagnosed her with Crohn's). Melany had told me which nurse would answer my message and she was right. The nurse messaged back and said she was glad that I had connected us with Melany...that we were V.I.P! That made me laugh. But it is nice to have a touch point with some docs/nurses so they remember who you are! Woody's sort of memorable due to his horrific GI bleed! I left Woody in the capable hands of the nurses and came home as I had a couple of things that I wanted to accomplish and Woody was fine with me leaving. I did have to go back mid way through his treatment to give him his eyedrops. The nurse said that she wasn't supposed to do it...There was still 1-1/2 hours left when I went back so I went back home again. This time I spent part of the time talking through possible plans for a funeral meal. One of the things I did this morning was bake some banana bread to take to our friend whose husband passed away over the weekend. While at prayer meeting I got another volunteer who wants to help with a meal after the funeral. So the plans continue! Speaking of prayer meeting, I did go tonight, but Woody chose to continue resting after his long time at the hospital. I had quite the time getting to prayer meeting tonight...a train blocked my way...I could see the church through the train cars...but couldn't get there and the train was at a standstill. I finally headed down the road to a viaduct that let me cross over the train tracks. I eventually got to the church...just about a minute late. The train had moved out of the way by the time prayer meeting was over. That about sums up my day. It's time for eye drops again for Woody. This will be the last that I have to put the antibiotic eye drop in...was to do that one four times a day for a week...and today at 9 will end the 7th day of drops since his surgery. His eye continues to do well. We will see the eye surgeon again on Wednesday. We'll both be glad to set aside one of the kinds of drops. I have changed the dressing on his leg...there has been so much going on that I have trouble remembering to do what we have done for the longest time! But it is done! Tomorrow is up dark and early and get back into the dialysis cycle for the week. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

That Fall Glow!

Today has been a really pretty Fall day. As you can see from tonight's photos that leaves are changing...along with changing color they have begun to fall. Soon we will have a carpet of leaves everywhere. We had a fairly normal Saturday. Woody went to dialysis. While he was at dialysis, I did a Walmart run. Got things put away from that shopping trip and shortly had to pick up Woody. I got him home and settled and I headed upstairs for my monthly Zoom meeting with some Cottey College alum to discuss this month's book. We had our usual interesting discussion...I enjoy hearing the different opinions and thoughts on the books we read. I will say that it is not my usual intent to read books to analyze them...my reading is escape and for pleasure...but I do enjoy hearing what others see in what we read and I put my two-cents worth in sometimes. My childhood friend was there today. I always enjoy getting to see her and getting to sort of chat with her. Today's book was about education so the ladies talked about their experiences in their early education and also in later experiences in high school and college. Randi and I could compare as we had been in school together from 1st grade through our years at Cottey...not something that happens very often. Today's book club was unique as many who joined us were actually on Cottey's campus for a alumnae board meeting. Anyway, we had a good meeting bouncing ideas around. I look forward to it each month. Today we got assigned a different book for December to take the place of one that had been chosen that still isn't available to purchase. I have read all the selections already except for this one and was pleased to find it as a selection that I was able to borrow immediately as an e-book. I started reading it today. November's selection is a book that already read before the book club was formed...none of the other books had I read prior to the club forming. I will just review a summary of it online before next month's meeting. i made homemade croutons today. Nathan and Elijah stopped by and they nibbled on them and gave them their approval. I wasn't sure what I was going to have to eat tonight, but in the end decided on a salad so I could give them a real tryout! They met my approval, also. We have done drops throughout the day per instructions. His eye is doing really well. Today he finally gave up his patch during the day and seems to have done well without it. He plans to wear it tonight when he sleeps, but othet than that I am guessing that the patch will be put aside. He did say that it is nicr to see out of that eye again! He has watched football today and has done his usual crossword puzzles. He's glad to have his computer back (Nathan had taken it to a computer "doctor" here in town). He is back to doing Wordle every day. He got a little light headed during dialysis today. I think that it is good that he is scheduled for a blood transfusion on Monday. It looks like that has finally gotten straightened out...results of labs and also his appointment time have shown up on the MyHealth at Vanderbilt app. I will get him to the hospital mid-morning Monday...the good Lord willin' and the Creeks don't rise! Do you know the background on that saying...it is actually the Creek Indians rather than a body of water creek...FYI! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

So Much for a Low-Key Day!

So we started out the day...OKish. I got up a little later than I had planned but things went along well once I was up. I got Woody's breakfast and then got mine. I came upstairs to check email on my iPad and realized that things on the screen weren't looking just right...parts of letters were missing and well...my eyes were doing what they do when I have the start of a migraine. So I went back downstairs and told Woody that I was going upstairs and going to take Tylenol and rest my eyes for a while. That is what it takes so I rested. While I was resting the phone started ringing...when I checked later most were spam calls, but I found one text message that I needed to tend to. It was a nurse from the dialysis clinic. And, I was fairly sure that I knew what it meant...that he needs a blood transfusion...I was right. His red blood count had slipped down just past the line when he is low, but doesn't need a transfusion to the point that he needs one. So she told me that we needed to go to our local hospital to get his blood typed (this irritates Woody, as he doesn't understand why they have to do it every time when they have already typed him at this facility and your blood type doesn't change!). But whether he understands or not it is the rules and has to be done. His dialysis nurse said that she would phone in the orders to the Same Day Surgery part of the hospital (where transfusions take place). I decided that we would wait a bit to make sure that the orders got in before we got there. So he ate lunch and I did a couple of other things and headed off a little after 1pm. Parking was pretty full, but when we got inside there wasn't much going on in the check-in place or later in the waiting room. We should have known that things weren't going to go well when they couldn't find the orders. Finally they did find them and sent us off upstairs to wait to be called to have labs drawn. We waited longer than we usually do, but she finally came and got him. We went back and she said that she didn't need much blood for what they needed. And, Woody asked her why they have to type the blood each time...she said that she didn't know. Anyway we were in an out quickly once we got back there. She "only" had to stick him twice...so we headed home and he got settled and the phone rang again and it was a friend telling me that one of our friend's husband had died this morning. I needed to contact our Sunday School teacher to tell her. I started to get an email ready to send to our class and the phone rang again. It was the hospital. She didn't know what happened, but the lab person didn't draw the labs for the typing so we needed to come back! So we trudged back. We had to move quickly as things close up in the check-in place at 4pm and it was 3:30 when we got the call. I had already taken his bracelet off so they had to issue a new one. We went back upstairs and he got stuck in the other arm. This time I think all is well as we have received the appointment time for the transfusion for Monday morning (another "free" day that won't be free!). The orders say that his appointment is for 300 minutes or five hours...I guess he is getting two units...though a unit takes 3 hours so I'm guessing that 300 minutes is incorrect. Now to coordinate drops during that time period!!!! Always something. We weren't home long and the dialysis nurse called saying that the test they had taken indicated that he needs to see a gastro doctor...so that will be next on our list. I ended up postponing a dermotology appointment next week since we have become so covered up with appointments. I think that he has every day covered with appointments from Monday through Saturday of next week. His eye is still doing well. He spent some time today with the patch off, but he still prefers to have it covered to make sure that he doesn't reach up and undo what has been done! We have gotten in all the drops today except for the bedtime ones. My headache never got bad because I realized it quickly enough and took Tylenol. But I will say that I feel beat after all our comings and goings today. I had two errands planned to do this afternoon. Only one of them got done. I stopped and quickly accomplished one on our way home from the hospital the first time. Still have to do the second one tomorrow. All I can say is..."never a dull moment!" And, I would really like a few dull moments! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Eye Doing Well

Just found out that these cute little kitties have gone to their forever home. The family who came to get two ended up taking all four. Before they came to get the kittens they decided which two they wanted...but the little boy fell in love with one of the other two. And, the mama still wanted both of the ones they wanted originally. And, she didn't want to leave one all by its lonesome...so...they now have four kittens! Woody had a good dialysis day. Then the rest of the day we have both taken it easy. This evening when I put in his next to the last set of drops for the day, I asked him to look at the TV with just the eye that had the surgery and he could see it. He could identify the person on the screen. So things are definitely heading in the right direction! He still feels more comfortable wearing the patch. He is afraid that he will reach up and rub his eye...the patch reminds/stops him from doing that. Nathan and Kathy just stopped by to check on Woody and visited for a few minutes. That's how I found out about the kittens. I still have the last set of drops to put in at bedtime...with those...we will have completed three days of drops. Tomorrow I hope that he will attempt to wear the patch less and realize how much better he can see to do crossword puzzles, watch TV, and read. Tomorrow we don't have to head off for any appointments so maybe the lower-key day will let that happen...IF...he can remember to keep his hands away from that eye!!!!! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Day After Surgery 👍

I took tonight's pictures when I was at Nathan and Kathy's farm. Note the "Follow the Leader" line...well, all but Joseph...but there has to be one in the crowd. Kathy, Isaac and Joseph went out to the barn to bring back four little kittens to show me...and lots of their animals fell into line following them...suppose they were hoping for food or something?! The one thing that I learned when I was there is that Peaches is missing and has been for several days. Peaches is one of the cats that we gave Esther quite a few years ago now. Maybe she will return or be returned like her sister was several years back. Georgia, Peaches' sister, was found in Murfreesboro (45 miles away) all because someone took her to a vet and she was chipped so she found her way back to them. I got to see Georgia and speak to her on my way into their house on Sunday. Here's a photo of her sitting in the window (those are the girls' gifts in the foreground). I think she wanted to join the party!

Update on Woody: All is well so far. He saw his eye doctor/surgeon this morning. He could see better out of his left eye today than he could Friday...he could actually see the big "E" this time and two of the letters of the three below the "E". So improvement! The doctor said that as swellng goes down, he will start seeing better...but today's slight improvement is a step in the right direction! His eye pressure is very good and there was no sign of infection. The instructions were to continue to putting in the drops...to increase the steroid drops to six times a day to help decrease swelling. We have followed that regimen today...one more set of drops tonight at bedtime. He isn't having any pain. He says that it just feels like there is something in his eye. He continues to wear the eye patch though he doesn't need to except at night. He is afraid that he will forget and rub his eye. So eye patch as a reminder! We've had a quiet day other than the one appointment with the eye doctor. I did take a nap this afternoon. I may feel the after effects of surgery more than he! He has eaten well today after missing meals yesterday! So as far as we know all is well at this point in his healing from cataract surgery. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Milestones: 20, License, Cataract Surgery

Pictures are worth thousands of words! Tonight's photos tell that Abigail turned 20, Tennessee gained a new teenage driver by the name of Esther, and Woody had cataract surgery today. A big day for Dorrell households! It was a very long day for Woody. He left the house at 6am and didn't return till almost 3pm. I was able to come home for four of those hours while he had dialysis. At this point the surgery is a success. I guess we won't know how much of a success till he can see better out of that eye. I wonder if he will be able to tell any difference when we unpatch him at 6pm or 9pm to put in eye drops. His doctor came in after the surgery to talk to us and said that Woody's cataract wasn't the worst that he had ever removed, but that it was the worse that he had done in probably the last five years. I look forward to him realizing that he can see better. We were both really glad to be back home after that long day. As you can see from Woody's picture, he was already settling in for the evening. I hope he can sleep better tonight. Neither of us slept well last night. This is the first time that I have sat in my comfy chair since early this morning. I decided that I had better have Alexa remind me when it is time for the next drops, as I could easily fall asleep sitting here! I think that he was literally the last surgical patient of the day of any of the doctors. I know that I was the last person in the waiting room when they finally called me back. They didn't keep him around long after he came back to his cubicle. They gave me about two instructions and made him an appointment to go back to see the surgeon in the morning and then they had me go get the car and they were wisking him out the door. He was ready for his breakfast omelet when he got home. I put in two more drops and fed him! He has two more times of two drops before the evening is over. The time between drops is a bit shorter today because of surgery time. We will have the drops spaced a bit farther apart after today. The doctor just stresssed that he wanted the drops in four times by bedtime today and not worry about the spacing. Tomorrow we will do them breakfast, lunch, supper, and bedtime. The drops aren't as hard to get in as I thought they would be. I've done it twice so far...once this morning before he left for dialysis and then when he got home from the surgery center. I think I will sleep well tonight...as long as Woody does! Crossing my fingers that he is tired enough from not sleeping last night and then having dialysis and surgery today that he will sleep well! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

On Again…Off again…On again!

What a day! So first I will tell about yesterday! Joy's birthday was last Thursday and Abigail's is tomorrow...Joy wasn't home on her birthday and Abigail won't be there on hers...so it was decided to celebrate them both yesterday afternoon. So I went over and watched the open presents and also ate cake! We had a nice visit. I took a few pictures of their farm animals that may get featured in future blogs. All I can say about these birthdays...they are getting too old! How can it be that Joy is 18 and Abigail will be 20. Time is flying in all directions! Okay...now about today and the blog title of "On again...Off again...On again! Today has been a day of way too many phone calls. I really wished that I had kept track of how many were made to me and how many I had to make! We were told by the eye doctor/surgeon that we would be called today by the surgery center to give us the time of surgery. But the first call that came was from the doctor's office. They were having trouble getting Woody's secondary insurance to "claim" that he was insured by them! They couldn't find his patient number. We do not have a card for this company, but haven't had it for years and all has gone smoothly. For one thing they don't have to submit anything to them as Medicare does that. Anyway, the person handling the insurance at the office said that she would call again and I told her that I would hunt for any other information that I had. I gave her information directly from the latest EOB and it coinsided with the information that I have written down in Woody's wallet to give to various doctors...first time that hasn't worked! I kept looking for something else...another phone number or something waiting on the doctor's office to call back if she got things straightened out. Well, she never called so I called her back and she said that everything had gone through...(thanks so much for letting me know...not!). Okay so first crisis eliminated and now they could notify the surgery center that he was going to have surgery there tomorrow. So I waited and waited...finally several hours later...after lunch, I got a call from the surgery center. I answered all their questions, named all the meds that he takes, answered more questions. But when she found out that they had to work around his dialysis time, she had to hang up and then call me back as the time they had assigned him conflicted with his dialysis time. So more waiting for her to call back. She called back, but told me then that the anestheologist really preferred Woody to have the surgery on a non-diaysis day. I had mentioned how spent he gets after dialysis when she was gathering information. So she said that they were going to cancel the surgery for tomorrow and would call back when they found out when the doctor could arrange to do surgery on a day that wasn't assigned to him! While talking to her I knew that I got a call, but didn't even check as I was trying to get everything straight with surgery center. I hung up and Nathan called me on my cell phone. He said that he had just gotten a phone call from the doctor's office to say that Woody's surgery had been cancelled...he's our first emergency person to call...at least we know that works!!!! Before I could hang up from him, the doctor's office called to give me just that information. So I figured that we were through with phone calls about the surgery for today unless they were able to figure out the doctor's schedule and the surgery center's schedule and see if the two could mesh sometime! But...no! I get a call from the surgery center that the surgery was back on because the doctor felt that it would be okay to do the surgery after dialysis and I guess he convinced the anesthesiologist that it will be okay. I know that the doctor really wanted to do it on his surgery day, Tuesday, as he would have the team that he usually works with for these surgeries and he wouldn't if he does it on another day. She gave me a time...we are to be there at 11am and the surgery is schedule for 12:20pm. This means that he will go directly from dialysis to the surgery center. That will be a help in not having to transfer him a lot of times from wheelchair to car to wheelchair, etc. If we had had to go home first then we would add lots of transfers before finally getting into the surgery center. I hung up from that and it wasn't long till the doctor's office called to make sure that we knew about the change, again, in plans! I do appreciate them making sure that we knew what the final decision was! So...surgery for Woody tomorrow...Abigail turns 20 tomorrow...and, all will be right with the world! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Another Week Drawing to a Close

Another week ends...and we are already mid month. Didn't I just welcome in the month of October?!? Today has been pretty much just a regular Saturday. I tried to cram a lot of things into the day...dialysis comings and goings, cooking, grocery shopping (was missing an ingredient for my cooking), more cooking, fixing meals...and just doing a little of this and a little of that around the house. Whatever I did, we are now closing in on the end of the day. Woody said that he got taken off dialysis a little early because he started to clot. I was able to ask a few questions this morning when I dropped him off. One that had been niggling in the back of my mind...why can't they use heparin on him to keep him from clotting? I knew that I had given him heparin when we were doing hemodialysis at home. The nurse said that it is because he has so many hemotological problems...including low red blood count, etc. So question answered. I also let them know that he is to have surgery soon after dialysis on Tuesday. I am to call this nurse back on Monday after I hear from the surgery center about what time. The only thing that she said was that perhaps they would stop his treatment a little early. I also addressed that he is now eating better and for them not to think that weight gain was water gain...so they won't draw off too much fluid during treatment. She said that they aren't drawing off very much. At least I have been able to address some of the questions that have been at the back of my mind. Woody has enjoyed a multitude of football games on TV this afternoon and evening...so that has kept him occupied. One of my errands this morning was to pick up eye drops from the pharmacy that Woody will need pre surgery and post. So I guess a step closer to surgery on Tuesday. I have the kitchen all cleaned up so soon I will be able to head up to my recliner and settle in there. I am now going to go down and help Woody get settled in for the night. I have worked on putting finishing touches on my notes for tomorrow's Sunday School lesson throughout the day and will add the last couple of things when I settle in and then I am going to stitch! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Soon Woody May See Clearer?

A lot of our day was taken up either going to or from or in doctor offices. I win for this one. I was away from home for three hours this morning for my 6-month check-in with my doctor. Then this afternoon we were both away from home for 3-1/2 hours for Woody's eye appointment and most of that time was in the office as it is only 10 minutes from our house. Woody has been determined for some time that he had a cataract problem and he proved to be right. The biggest surprise is how quickly his cataract surgery will happen...took months to finally get an appointment...but his surgery will be on Tuesday, the 17th, sometime after he is finished with dialysis. He will be wiped out that day! For one thing he has an early dialysis time due to needing to eat prior to dialysis and he is still so spent that he can hardly wait to get home after and have a snack. The day of surgery nothing to eat or drink after midnight and he will have a late in the day surgery time. He will be as limp as a noodle by the time surgery is over! He will have the surgery at a surgery center here in town. It will be Lasik cataract surgery. He is pretty much blind in his left eye at the moment so, according to the doctor, he will see amazingly well after. The other eye does have a cataract also but not as bad. The doctor said it might not need to be done if he gets really good vision from the surgery. He said that he loves to see his patients' reactions after the surgery when they discover how well they can see. I hope that Woody gets good results! As tonight's photo shows, we are starting to see color in our trees. I took this photo from my doctor's parking lot. Still a ways to go to see lots of fall color, but it is happening. We are both pretty much done in after our marathon with doctors today. I hope that we both sleep well tonight, as we will be up dark and early in the morning! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Look Who’s Eighteen!

Our Joy had her 18th birthday today and she got to do one of the things she loves to do best...mission work. She is on a mission trip with our church to the Appalachians. Tonight's photo, I stole from Kathy! I realized that I didn't have any really recent picture of Joy all by herself...so I went hunting on Kathy's Facebook page! I hope that Joy has had a great day. I'm sure that she got celebrated by the mission group. Well, Woody us none the worse for wear after landing on the floor in front of his chair yesterday. Today he has stayed upright unless he was lying down (on purpose). It hasn't been the best day for him keeping his food down. He has been sick twice. He says that he never felt sick...it just happened and he never felt bad...same for the second time. It did make for a day of extra loads of wash! The new washer and drier are getting broken in well...lots of loads have already passed through them! Woody has settled in for the night...of course he thought earlier that it was morning and wanted his cross word puzzles! Maybe he got some decent sleep during a nap to make him think it was morning...but then again his days are pretty long with mainly sitting all day long not doing a lot unless he has appointments...so it is hard to keep time straight and he doesn't have windows in his room...though he should be able to tell that is daylight by looking into the kitchen or light that comes in through the curtain on the door that goes out onto the sunporch...but when you wake up you don't always look around to check out such things! He also has a clock that in large letters tells him what day of the week it is, if it is day or night, and what time it is, and the date...guess he didn't think to look at that either! Tomorrow is going to be a day of appointments for both of us. I have an appointment in McMinnville with my personal care physician...just a routing 6-month check in with her...but there is a time factor since it is about a 45 minute to an hour drive each way plus whatever time it takes me in her office. Then in the afternoon, Woody has his long awaited eye appointment...that will probably be a lengthy appointment. So lots of waiting in doctor's offices tomorrow for both of us...and, lucky me gets to go to both of them! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! I'll end with a BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JOY!

A Different Wednesday

This morning started lit pretty much like a day that Woody doesn't have dialysis or any other appointments...breakfast and then do "whatever." Woody worked on his crossword puzzles as he does every morning while watching morning programming on TV. I think he even managed to get in a little nap. He has definitely felt better today than a few days ago...progress. I decided that I would do a little sewing...a couple of little projects that I had been putting off. There is still one thing that I thought about doing, but never got going on it. I made the taco meat concoction for Woody's lunch. He enjoyed a couple of soft tacos for lunch. A little after lunch, I headed to town to run a couple of errands. Got those accomplished and headed back home. All continued as usual until a little before 5pm...Woody made the short trip from his chair into the bathroom. I was upstairs, but heard a noise that didn't sound right...so headed down as quickly as I could...much slower on the move these days! I got down and all was okay, but shortly "things" weren't. His trip out of the bathroom doen't go as smoothly as the trip going in. He got back to his chair, but as he attempted to lower himself into the chair he missed and slid on down onto the floor...so didn't fall, just slid slowly and sat on the floor. He said that the strength in his arms just gave out. It takes him a while, but he can methodically get back up...using his walker, a stool, pillows, and mind over matter (I think!). But he made it back into his recliner. He stayed there for a while "recovering" his strength, ate his supper and took his nightly meds. I came upstairs to "recover" from my "scare." Ended up falling asleep...so had about an hour nap and came to just a little while ago. I went down to check on him and he had transferred over to his couch/bed. All the effort he extended may help him get a good night sleep?!? But that slide down to the floor wasn't anticipated nor expected! Just glad that all is well and we continue to keep on keeping on! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Tuesday Followed Monday!

Perhaps..."things" are a little better than yesterday. Woody said that he thought that maybe he is feeling better...still not great...but "better" is heading in the right direction...hopefully! He had dialysis today. It was a good session, Woody said, just long. He has other patients in the center having treatments that he gauges his time from. When he gets there in the morning there are three or four already there with their treatments up and running. He knows when one of the men is being taken off that he has about 26 minutes left. The dialysis waiting room is an interesting place. After doing dialysis at home for more than two years, it takes getting used to interacting with other patients. I will say that as in the library, we suggest that you don't judge a book by its cover...so it is with these other patients. I will say that each and every one of them, including Woody, have a homeless look. The reason being that they all dress in layers and layers and wear knit hats and gloves even in the warmest of temperatures...because the dialysis room is so cold and because they feel cold while dialysis is underway. But in going in and waiting on Woody I have gotten to sort of know some of the patients who are in the waiting room waiting to be taken back for their treatments. And, we have interesting conversations. I feel for them so much...some come from really rough lives...others are just every day folk. One of the ladies forgot her neck pillow last week and I offered her one that I had in the car. I had actually just washed it and put it back in the car. It's the one that I used when we used to go on long car trips...of course now we rarely go on long car trips and I am usually the driver...so not using a neck pillow to rest my head back when riding! So this patient used it and returned it to Woody at her next treatment. Today she asked me if I made the pillow. When I said that I had, she asked me if I would make one for her husband. Not exactly the sewing that I was expecting to do, but I am now in the midst of stufing one for him. I cut it out and sewed it up this afternoon...not exadtly rocket-science sewing! I really feel for her and her husband...since Woody has been in center for his dialysis, this couple has been in the waiting room waiting the wife's turn. He is always so attentive to her. The last few times he hasn't been there...she has just been in the waiting room without him. She told me a couple of days ago that he was in the hospital...that he had to get a feeding tube. I keep thinking what this family is going theough...she has to be at the dialysis center for four hours three days a week and now she will have to be in charge of feeding him each of his meals. Just never know what all people around you are going through. So I'm happy to make this for him...hoping that it will bring him comfort/ease. Woody completed his crossword puzzles during his dialysis treatment today...something to help him get through the long four hours. I will say that those four hours probably pass much more quickly for me than for him! I left to pick him up a little earlier today as I needed to stop at the Post Office. There was quite a long line (for Tullahoma)at 10am...guess the holiday yesterday kept a lot of people from being able to mail things. I'm not sure that my gift is going to get to AZ before my niece's birthday celebration at my sister's. I procrastinated a bit too long! She may just get to drag her celebrating out a bit longer! I did stitch some last night and some this morning...seeing more progress on my Christmas stitch especially. Well, back to stuffing the neck pillow and then going down to check on Woody and put the last dishes into the dishwasher. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Another Monday

Well, not the best day for Woody. I continue to hope that he will feel better once he has the antibiotic out of his system that he has taken for the last 30 days. He finished it yesterday. So he hasn't had it today and just started back on his maintenance antibiotic when he ate supper just a little while ago. So he hasn't been off the one antibiotic long enough to see if he will feel better. Praying that we will start to see a difference over the next few days...time will tell! I ran a couple of errands this morning...well, attempted to run them...I was foiled in accomplishing one as I got to the Post Office to find it closed...really confused me until a lady who was getting mail from her P.O. Box said two words; "Columbus Day." Oops! Well, I guess I will go back to the Post Office tomorrow! I was able to go to the grocery store that is down the road from us to get the ground pork that they carry...the only place in town that I can find ground port with no additivies. While there I roamed the store to check out their specials and also to see if they have some items that I find hard to find. I bought a few more things along with ingredients for a soup recipe and also some other items that I needed for a recipe that I decided this morning that I want to make. So a successful quick shopping trip. I continue to work on two cross stitch projects so in between household tasks I sat for a while and stitched...probably stitched more than I did things around the house! I did do a load of wash and then another after Woody got sick this afternoon! Over the weekend I finally finished the cross stitch gift that I had put off finishing until the last minute...the gift that I was unable to mail this morning! Hopefully it will get there in time since I had had it stitched for quite a while...just couldn't make myself fully finish it! I went to prayer meeting without Woody tonight since he wasn't feeling well. When I came home, he was ready to have some supper and so far that has stayed down and he seems to be feeling a little better. Hoping that he can get a good night's sleep and wake up feeling much better...ready to head off to dialysis! I'm heading down to put the supper dishes into the dishwasher and get Woody settled and then I am ready to head upstairs to settle in for the night. Tomorrow is another day!!!! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Saturday

I came upstairs to blog a while ago and got distracted! I guess I will NOw blog! Not a lot going on here other than the usual Saturday doings. We headed out dark and early this morning to take Woody to dialysis. I came home and did several things...did some cleaning in the kitchen...I have a list of "things to do" in the kitchen on a little post-it note...got to mark one off...clean the inside of the microwave. Yesterday the check off was mop the kitchen floor. So little by little I am doing some jobs that need to be done. I also finalized my notes for tomorrow's Sunday School lesson and printed those off. So that was mainly what I accomplished while Woody was away. Since I had the Sunday School lesson on paper, I "gave myself permission" to stitch for a while this afternoon. Woody said that dialysis went well. He has enjoyed football this afternoon, Also this afternoon, Nathan, Kathy, Isaac, and Joseph stopped by and visited for a while. It was good to see them. Woody has settled on his couch/bed for the evening. He did sleep better last night and seems to be feeling better. We plan to head out to Sunday School in the morning...supposed to be even chillier in the morning than it was this morning. This morning wasn't too bad...it was in the upper 50s when we headed off around 6am...sweatshirts kept us warm enough. Overnight it may get into the upper 30s and then I think that there is a frost warning for tomorrow night...so the frost may be on the pumpkins overnight tomorrow! Brrrrrr! Not sure that I am ready for the cold to seep into my bones! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Appointment Friday

In and out of the house, the car, the doctor offices...that is how our day has gone. But they were good appointments...wound care doctor happy with the status quo of the wound on Woody's leg and has moved his appointments off to every four weeks...sounds good to us! Woody's doctor at oncology was on vacation so Woody saw a new doctor...again, his labs looked good. I guess the main problem at oncology was that it took two sticks to get his IV in. The first appointment I go to with him...it took about 1-1/2 hours from leaving the house to getting Woody back in his recliner. Just enough time for him to have some lunch. I take him and leave him at oncology. That appointment is always right at two hours. They call me (Woody doesn't have a cell phone) when it is time to pick him up. Since it is two hours, I can run an errand and I did a short Walmart run today. I managed to make a Christmas decision while I was there...so a good trip! I headed home after that and waited for the call to pick him up. Got the call and picked him up and he was back in his chair a little before 4pm...glad for his appointments to be over...we both headed to our chairs and rested. Woody is feeling a little better over yesterday's little better...so going in the right direction...hoping that trend continues! I'm typing this and watching Shark Tank...a show that we both enjoy. I'm not sure that I want to get "into" 20/20 as that is a two hour beyond Shark Tank's hour commintment...pretty long to sit watching TV...we'll see if I get sucked in to the story line tonight! Tomorrow is another early morning...supposed to be in the 40s in the morning...brrrrrrrr...not sure I am ready for dark and cold as we leave! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Thursday This and Thats

We headed off to dialysis dark and early...these days we start off in the almost dark...the sky is just showing hints that the sun will rise soon...and before we get to the dialysis center we are seeing pretty colors in the sky as we head pretty much east on several stretches of the road. If there is a pretty sunrise, it is usually at its prettiest on my way home. Soon we will probably be making the whole trip to dialysis in the dark. Woody said that all went well with his dialysis this morning, but he was really drained after and it took quite a while for him to feel a little better...even his after-dialysis snack didn't seem to perk him up today. So this has been just a so-so day for him. I did things around the house while he was at dialysis...more wash and dried bread cubes to make croutons for salads...didn't get around to making the bread cubes into flavored croutons...just bagged them up to finish that job another day. Same with banana bread...didn't get around to making it, but wanted to take the banana peels out to the compost so have the bananas mashed and ready for me to make the bread...guess that had better happen tomorrow. Tomorrow is going to be different for us...we have been having free Fridays...but tomorrow we will make up for not going anywhere for the last couple of weeks. He goes to wound care late tomorrow morning. Hopefully we will get home in time for him to have a bite for lunch and then head off to TN Oncology for labs, see the doctor, and have his Keytruda infusion...a two hour process. He will be happy when he gets home and can stay home for the rest of the afternoon and evening! Part of my morning and afternoon and now this evening, I have been working on Sunday's Sunday School lesson for my class. Woody is settling on his couch/bed for the night. He did say that he slept a bit more last night than he has been. Hopefully that is the trend! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Busy, Busy Wednesday

I set me feet on the floor "almost" running today! I headed down to make Woody's breakfast...note I didn't mention my breakfast. That is because I was meeting Jo and Carolyn for breakast. I got Woody's breakfast in front of him and I headed off to get dressed. We met up at the Downtown Cafe, a mom and pop cafe. This is where we usually meet when it is for breakfast...there is no rush here to get up and give up your table for whoever is waiting and we can sit and talk often for several hours. We had a good visit and a good breakfast...catching up on what is going on with each other and our families. When I got home I found Woody sound asleep so I slipped upstairs so I wouldn't disturb him. He did wake up in time for lunch...just before it was time for me to head out the door again. I had a hair appointment this afternoon. After the haircut, I went to the Credit Union and then to Kroger to pick up a few things. I got all the cold things put away as soon as I got back from the store. I will "confess" that I still haven't gotten the items that go in the pantry put away...just haven't had the energy yet. I have a little more cleaning up to do in the kitchen and then I am heading upstairs...very ready for my recliner! I do think that Woody is feeling better today. He has eaten better...actually ate three complete meals today. He moved over to his couch/bed and I dressed his leg wound and he is now settling in for the evening/night with the TV...trying to find something to his liking to watch. It's close to calling it a day for both of us...the alarm will go off all to early in the morning! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Tuesday Doings

We were up early heading to dialysis. While he was at dialysis I did some cleaning in Woody's room/the family room and washed his bedding. It's easiest to clean up in that room if he isn't in it! I think he is feeling a little better than yesterday...may have slept at least part of the night last night...but still isn't feeling the greatest. So far this evening, he has chosen to skip supper. I'm hoping to get to at least eat some yogurt before he goes to sleep...but we will see if I am successful! He did eat a very good breakfast and a good lunch. I worked in the library with Donna this afternoon...we deleted people! Does that sound bad? Well, what we were doing was trying to bring the list of library patrons in our computer up to date...many have moved away, grown up, passed away, etc. We had nine pages of patrons. We got about half-way through the list today and as I was deleting folk, I kept wondering how many pages we will have when we finish going through the list. Lots of memories when seeing some of the names...little children's faces as they eagerly checked out books, others who came in excited to find out we had another in a series, one sweet lady who came into the library every Wednesday night to visit and find something new to read...just lots of memories of friends over the years. I've worked in the library for close to fifty years...lots of folk have come through our doors. Lots of interesting requests...one of the best..."I'm trying to find a book that I read in the past. Will you help me find it again? It has a blue cover!" Do you think I found it for her with just that description?!? Or the gentleman, who enjoyed reading and would check out books to take with him when he traveled for work...he was bothered by some of the covers (maybe too feminine?). I considered sewing a book cover for him...but never did...might have but books vary in size so much that one size wouldn't fit all! Then there is the lady who came in asking if we had any good books...now that is a loaded question to ask a librarian! We've had fun in the library over the years. With the coming of the internet, reading an actual book is becoming less and less common. I know that I am one of those as it is hard for me to hold a book in my hand for a great length of time...a propped iPad or iPhone and swiping the screen to turn pages works easier for me these days...the librarian...I shouldn't confess that. BUT I still love real books! The best job of being librarian is buying books...I love to shop for books that I hope will appeal to others. I like getting them ready for the shelves aka getting them ready to place in people's hands! Woody has a down day tomorrow...no place he has to go. I do have plans for my day...a bit of galavanting...looking forward to it! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

First October Monday in 2023

I'm still trying to figure out how it could possibly be October already this year! I really do feel that I have just sat and watched the year march past! The calendar pages have been turned and they say it is October. It is what it is...so October it is! Woody said that he didn't sleep last night...so I think that he has been trying to make up for it today...at least all he has done pretty much is lie on the couch. I suggested that he not go to prayer meeting tonight and I met with no resistance...so that shows that he doesn't feel all that great. I told him that he didn't need to expend energy that he obviously didn't have! Hopefully he will sleep tonight. I don't know that he has slept all that much today...maybe more just rested so hopefully he will be able to sleep. I pretty much stayed upstairs and did things up here to keep from disturbing him so I wouldn't wake him if he did happen to doze. Nathan and Kathy had a scare this morning. Isaac fell out of the loft in the barn. He and Kathy were up there moving some boards and he stepped back into the ladder hole and fell to the floor beneath. Kathy told him not to move and called 911. So Isaac had a ride in an ambulance today. He said that it was weird to go for a ride all strapped onto a gurney. He checked out just fine...no broken bones and his head checked out, too. He had a CT scan and x-rays. The doctor sent him home saying to take ibuprofen if he got to hurting and to not fall any more today! To let you know that he is fine, he played ball tonight...had a hit and scored in the first inning. I guess, all in the day on the farm! I just got home from prayer meeting and Woody is having a bite to eat and his nightly meds...soon he will be calling it a night and hopefully his eyes will close and stay closed for most of the night! We'll be up and at um early in the morning once again. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Sunday Favorite to Welcome October