Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Mighty Max Update

Max had his cardiology appointment yesterday. Great news: his heart function has improved! And it’s improved so much that it’s considered in the “normal” range now!! We are thrilled. He’s doing so well, and they don’t want to see us again for another four months! He still hasn’t really gained any weight, but they’re not concerned. His Mom and Dad will chat with our dietitian soon about switching over fully to the toddler formula, and that should help. It was pretty amazing to see him playing around in the play area of the hospital where Min played so many times last year while he lived upstairs in the CVICU. He’s doing really great with his g-tube feeds and oral feeds and is even starting to tolerate some bolus feeds with the toddler formula (bolus is basically how a baby would normally drink a bottle in one sitting, but via the tube - meaning, it’s like 70mL in 10 minutes, as opposed to a continuous feed of 70mLs per hour, if that makes sense). It’s basically one big step forward with his feeds and will help his stomach to know what it feels like to fill it more quickly and normally.

We are so proud of him and are so relieved to get such a good report.

These two are just so in love with each other. They are absolute besties. Precious.

Saturday, March 09, 2024

I'm On A Rant...

Going to get political here.  I have to because the crap going on is invading my sleep, my dreams.  I tried to watch the President's speech the other night but Big Bang Theory called my name.  I would go back and forth and honestly what I saw I thought he did a mighty good speech.  My issues with NOT watching it were the stupid REPUBLICANS!  MTG for one.  She is a piece of work and BAT SHIT CRAZY!!!  What happened to decorum and the RESPECT for the office of the president.  When T was in office he absolutely downgraded the office and EVERYONE lost respect for it.  He is the biggest bully and name calling jerk I've ever seen.  He's also running around calling the shots AND HE'S NOT PRESIDENT you numb-nuts!  Yup, I'm name calling now.  Pompous Ass!

The Republican rebuttal was appalling.  What the HELL!  Sitting in her kitchen talking that CRAP.  Even the Republican's were appalled by her.  Yup, barefoot, pregnant and cooking IN THE KITCHEN!  

You want to know WHY I have photos of my mother?  It's because she would turn in her grave to see the state our country is in, specifically for women.  What the hell are we doing to women in this country.  The world, specifically the middle east countries already have women as second class citizens and now we are falling in line to the 60's, 50's, 40's ... It is appalling what we are doing to women and where the HELL are women today.  We have lost our voice and not standing up for US and our bodies.  No MAN is EVER going to tell me what I can and can't do with my body.  I'm scared for our country our ways of life but I'm more scared what is happening to women, my friends, my daughters and granddaughters.  It's like the Handmaids Tale is coming to life right before our eyes.  If we actually put him BACK in office we will have a dictator in office.  It won't be for only 4 years my friends, he wants to be in control FOREVER!  Another H or KJU, or P...DO YOU NOT SEE IT!  Are we that STUPID to let this happen again but in our own country.  The apathy is appalling and I can't stand it.  
Momma, please help us.  I'm honestly scared what is happening and I can't keep it out of my dreams.  He is the worst thing that has ever happened to our country, to our lives and the IDIOT followers, it's like the crazies are taking over the asylum!  AND I MEAN CRAZIES!  

Our ancestors would be so embarrassed and ashamed.  Oh, and our State Superintendent...don't get me started on that piece of crap.  I saw on the news the other day of him in a classroom, PRAYING with the kiddos.  When my kids were little I got a bus driver in trouble because they prayed on the bus with MY children.  That is MY prerogative whether my children (grandchildren) have any contact with  anything religion, that is what church is for, that YOU pick out.  If my child had been in that class I would be filing suit against him.  No WHERE in the constitution does it say we can do that and I do not want prayer in school or we would need everyone's different religions to allow them to pray and I guarantee that is not happening.  They will shut that down to cram, SHOVE, Christianity only down every child's throat.  Not right, ABSOLUTELY NOT RIGHT.
Can you tell I'm mad.  I can't even watch the news without cursing and shooting the finger at all of them.  When The Hubby watches the news I leave the room, my mind and heart cannot take it anymore.  

I ask too, where are the women fighting for our rights, burning our bras.  It just feels like no one is stepping up to shout!  I remember the 60's and 70's and the rally's, signs, and screaming to the tops of our lungs for our rights.  Is the news just not showing it, are they standing on the sidelines, not being neutral.  I think they are, much like Fox News.  It's all I can do to control myself on FB and not comment on certain posts from certain friends.  
I think I wrote about having a falling out with my best friend.  She and her husband keep posting crap and it's making me nuts.  Most of the time I mute those people for 30 days and I may have to again because it's not going to change.  

Wednesday, March 06, 2024

False Positive

Well it seems that the positive Covid test was a false positive as she tested negative yesterday and everyone in her house tested negative.  If she were positive I would think one of the others would have tested positive as they are runny-nosed too.  So...YIPPEE!  Thank goodness.  

I am in a FUNK and this gray day is NOT HELPING!  Honestly I feel at loose ends with this retirement thing.  Here I have the time to do WHAT I WANT TO DO and I can't decide WHAT I WANT TO DO!  Poop.  

 

Tuesday, March 05, 2024

Spring and Covid

Last weekend was so wonderful.  The weather was absolutely perfect, albeit a bit windy.  The Hubby has, of course, another project going which impacts me and my beloved screened porch.  It was honestly time to rescreen it because of all the holes caused by squirrels and chipmunks.  I'm hoping it will be complete very soon.  We are also adding a drop-down canvas shade on one side and two little ones on either side of one of the screen doors, AND I believe new screen doors.  It should be the perfect place this spring and summer for us to use.  And with the shade more time to use the fireplace and enjoy the warmth longer into the fall season.
Took a little drive to see the meadow in full sunshine, the flowering quince or as my mother called it japonica.  By the creek evidence the beavers are hard at work.

I've been really struggling with the painting lately, hell, I've been struggling with accomplishing anything lately.  Reading is becoming a task, even posting here on the blog is becoming a trial.  I think I'm just in a funk.  It has now been a full year of retirement and I'm finding myself at loose ends, trying to figure out what I'm going to do everyday.  Didn't think I would have an issue as I was partially at that point with retirement, but I'm realizing that I am there.  

Yesterday I finally felt like I was accomplishing something on the canvas, we'll see.   

I did come home at lunch to watch Min for a few hours while her parents worked on some tax stuff while Max napped.  Af wasn't feeling her best and they've all been drippy with "allergies" but once Af left she immediately felt worse and just for precaution she took a Covid test...GUESS WHAT!  Yup, as I was hanging up the phone with her telling me she was on her way back, with mask, to get Min, Min, who was playing on my IPad, sneezed all over my IPad.  GREAT, just great.  The Hubby, just laughed.  I think we will be okay.  Af came sweeping in disinfecting everything as she went, door knobs, couch, my IPad...everything.  Plus we had the doors open with nice breezes.  We had it the end of December and I've had a booster, think we will be okay.  
GOOD GRIEF!  

Sunday, February 25, 2024

A Walk Down Memory Lane

I took a drive yesterday with my cousins to Rattlesnake Holla (Hollow) in Jay, Oklahoma. This house and the property is where so many of my favorite childhood memories reside. I called it Greatgranny’s. So many children ran through that house and around the yard. There was a gigantic garden, benches under trees to sit during the summer (no A/C!) and people always around visiting. The last barn was crushed by a huge tree but the house still stands, although the only inhabitants now are brown recluse spiders and a snake or two. There used to flowerbeds everywhere filled with yucca’s, irises, and Greatgranny’s prized Italian arum. I found tons of it mingled in the naturalized daffodils. I wanted to take some home but reading about its toxicity and ability to be invasive I thought better. Need to do some research.
We then ventured on to the other side of Jay to see cousin Martha. Today is her 85th birthday! Martha is the last of the generation that was my mother’s era. Martha and her brothers, Dan and Ben were momma’s cousins and like siblings to her as she was an only child. It was good to hug her. Gosh she looks so much like my Granny.







the garden...

The old chicken coop, although I don't ever remember them having chickens.

The old tool shed.

That porch, loved that porch.  I went digging around and found this photo of Big Dan, Martha, Ben, Danny and my Momma. The walkway stone is still under the grass and dirt.  


Once the water well.

We then ventured on to the other side of Jay to see cousin Martha. Today is her 85th birthday! Martha is the last of the generation that was my mother's era. Martha and her brothers, Dan and Ben were Momma's cousins and like siblings to her, as she was an only child. It was good to hug her. Gosh she looks so much like my Granny. It was a great day spent with cousins.

Friday, February 16, 2024

Weight Loss or Not

A busy couple of weeks we've had.  

The middle of the night on February 1 The Hubby got sick, and not the throw up kind of stuff, UTI kind of stuff, and bad real quick stuff.  He made an appointment with our doctor, I wanted him to go to his urologist (they could not get him in).  Our doc did the urine test thing and sure enough it was a rip-roaring UTI and prescribed antibiotics.  He came home and waited for the dang pharmacy to get the meds ready, SEVERAL HOURS!  Took his first dose and slept in his chair off and on.  I got him some cranberry juice and headed to the office to work on getting taxes together.  When home he had not eaten, did not want to eat.  He wanted to sleep and SHAKE!  There was no fever but he was violently vibrating as he slept.  He was miserable and I was scared to death.  I actually went into my closet, closed the door and called his doctor and told them what was happening because I was afraid he had sepsis!  They told me to watch him and if he got worse to go to the ER.  After a couple of hours of me in my chair keeping a vigilant eye on him, he settled and slept soundly.  He started to get better, sort of but Sunday morning as I got up and went into the kitchen to fix my coffee, he said he needed to talk to me. (FYI, he slept in his chair for 8 night/days.)  He wanted to go to the ER.  He could not pee anymore and was bloating up and in different kind of pain!  Okay, so had my coffee and protein bar, gathered reading material, journal, sewing (have to keep busy) and off we went.  We did NOT go to the pink hospital but the one out south via our doctors suggestion because the one on the hill was so backed up.  That was a smart suggestion as we were there only 3 hours.  They did bloodwork and more urine testing and we left with him to continue the antibiotics and they put in a CATHETER!  They said not to keep in more than 72 hours but his urologist, which he got hold of the next day, Monday, said they wanted him to keep it in.  So, from Sunday to the next Monday, my guy had a catheter, and was peeing, all the time, but was feeling better and better.  It was a slow heal as the medicine he was taking was really zapping him.  Also, not eating much for several days.  He lost 5 pounds during all this.  Honestly I was so scared and all kinds of thoughts were going through my mind as I watched him every day.  He looked horrible.  He is so much better now and has even gone dancing twice.  WHEW!  

Last weekend we even went to the cabin as he was feeling so much better.  So have catheter will travel we went.  Our friends, John & Lesa were having a Mardi Gras party on Saturday night and I knew we wouldn't be back for a few weeks because of dance and Max's baptism tomorrow.  The party was sort of fun but she had invited tons of people when usually it's our small group.  At one point, while sitting in the kitchen after dinner, a few of us, including a gastroenterologist, started the discussion of the weight loss drugs.  One of the ladies, who is a size 12 or maybe less, and a bit tipsy, was going on about her friend, who was a 12 but now is a DOUBLE 00 (how is that), and that she wanted to be that, was jealous.  She started crying about it and was contemplating using those damn drugs!  WHAT THE F..... is wrong with people.  I'm telling you I'm seeing people who you can honestly say are using those drugs because they look gaunt, absolutely gaunt and they are people who WERE NOT FAT!  The discussion was turning about fat, being fat, blah, blah, blah.  Everyone at that table, except me are/were at least a size 12 or 14, not larger.  I had had it and kind of got loud about the constant talking about being fat when (then I grabbed my belly) I ranted about stopping this continuing talk about being fat, I'm healthy, eating great, exercising...Then the gastro doc chimed in and said he's already seeing the effects of the down side of those drugs.  That if you don't get off of it for a few weeks BEFORE a colonoscopy, because the food stays longer in your belly, colon, that people are aspirating and getting pneumonia.  He said there are other things happening and that there will be lawsuits coming.  I KNEW IT!  

Then Monday, my art friend, who is diabetic and is on the drug and has lost over 80 pounds in just a few months and I had a talk.  I've told her my hesitation and all the stuff I'm doing.  I think she wants me to get on it, is encouraging me to do it.  I asked her when she was going to stop and she said never, "I'm a diabetic!"  I bet she's not now, but whatever.  I'm telling you that she was very large and there is nowhere for that excess skin to go on her.  She's wearing very tight jeans now and I'm pretty sure it's to pull up that skin.  She's starting to get that gaunt look on her.  Plus one of the problems is you lose muscle mass too.  People don't realize that.  She said I'm probably not losing weight even though I'm doing what I'm doing because I'm drinking...WHAT THE FFFFFFKKKKKKK.....  I was honestly very mad at her for saying that.  I drink maybe a glass of wine once a week or a gin and tonic, that is all!  What the hell!  Does she think I drink like a fish or something!

I'm telling you something is not going to be good with all this stuff.  Give it a couple of years and bad things are going to go down and those who ARE NOT DIABETIC using it are going to pay the consequences.  I dodged a bullet with the Phen-fen thing, I'm not trying this.  Too scared, tempted, but too scared.

I did get back to the easel...

Monday, February 05, 2024

ER Run and Squirrel Fight

Yesterday was interesting.  You see The Hubby has an issue and that issue had us spending half of yesterday in the ER at the hospital.  It all started in the middle of the night Thursday.  The next day he got into our regular doctor, actually the PA in the office (trust me she is better.)  He has an UTI and came home with an antibiotic and to drink fluids.  He hasn't been too hungry and was hesitant to drink fluids, i.e. cranberry juice, because it would make him pee more and that was PAINFUL!  By Friday night I was ready to take him to the hospital to the point I called his doctor.  He SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME!!!  His symptoms finally settled down and he slept peacefully through the night and Saturday.  We had Snicklefritz over to spend the night (she was supposed to come Friday night) and she and I had a great evening playing UNO, Cube Story, and watched most of Return of The Jedi, which I've never seen.  Sunday morning I got up early, as usual, and went into the kitchen to fix my coffee.  Oh, and he has slept in his chair since Thursday night.  He woke up and told me he needed to talk to me.  Okay, SCARED!  He said he wanted to go to the ER.  Sure, well, I got dressed, got Snicklefritz up, fixed her breakfast, dropped her at her house and then we were off to the hospital.  We went to the one location in south Tulsa, via the instructions from our doctor's office and got right in.  Honestly we only were in there about 4 hours.  Not much changed in what he is doing except that they put in a catheter.....TO GO HOME WITH!  Yikes, well, okay.  He has GOT to get into his urologist today and I hope it can come out.  I'm a bit anxious as to why he has this thing and does it have something to do with his enlarged prostate or cancer.  My mind is just whirring, making me nuts.  I NEED to paint or something to get my mind in a better place than worry and going off the deep end.  

Funny thing yesterday is when I left his cubicle/room to go to the ladies room, I came out and started down the hall to see in the room next to him a familiar face waving to me.  It was one of my art friends!  I went in and we chatted.  Jan has, I believe 4 huge dogs, 3 or 4 cats and is a local wild bird rehabber.  She has an aviary in her backyard.  Yesterday she had just stepped out of the shower and they had let the dogs out when they went after a squirrel, fighting over it.  She ran out naked, and got it away from the dogs, grabbing it around the belly part and it turned and bit both of her hands, fingers, to the bone.  She wanted to save it.  That's the person she is but I would have just let things happen, I think.  Anyway she ended up getting a tetanus shot and antibiotics.  They talked about a rabies shot but I'm guessing she didn't want that.  Wow.  FYI, squirrel bit the dust.

Saturday, February 03, 2024

Shake, Rattle and Roll

This is Frenchie.  He's my sweet little parakeet, now 4 years old.  Last night he was jostled, and I mean JOSTLED awake, as was The Hubby and I.  Did you feel it, the earthquake.  A little before 11:30 last night I was in a deep sleep when I heard Frenchie flitting around in his cage and then the hangy-things in the armoire jingling and the whole house SHAKING!  I just laid there feeling it and listening as the house creaked and the jingling-jangling happened.  When it stopped I jumped up and went into the living room to check on The Hubby (I'll explain in a bit). He was up but nowhere to be seen.  Then I heard him in the off the kitchen bathroom.  I asked him if he felt it and he said yes but he thought it was the wind except the bird was going NUTS!  It freaked dear Frenchie out. We had another one a few weeks ago that sent him flitting, but it wasn't big enough I could feel, he did.  My phone quickly rumbled as the first kiddo texted me.  Yes we felt it.  I got on the earthquake site and it said it was a 5.1 out of Prague, Oklahoma, not far away.  Of course, on Facebook it was lit up with everyone posting about feeling it. Hate them but then curious because they're kind of cool.  I'm weird, I know.

Now, The Hubby.  Well, he woke up in the middle of the night Thursday night with a burning, you know.  He was absolutely miserable.  He finally got into his doctor and he has a UTI.  Not sure how he got it but I think he hasn't been drinking enough water, my opinion, and too much tea.  I also suspicion he might have a stone, but we will see by Monday.  He's on meds, cranberry juice and I finally got a bit of food down him last night and this morning.  He kind of scared me yesterday because he had just taken the first go around of the meds a hour before but he was in his chair shaking and shivering so much and his breathing was shallow.  I kind of FREAKED!    He did not have fever, FYI, in fact his temperature was 97!  He was sleeping, thankfully since he'd been up all night long, but he scared me.  I called his doctor because my mind went to sepsis.  They calmed me and directed to watch him and if he got worse to go to the ER.  Also, B's bestie who is a PA and deals with the VA and old men and their down-unders, reassured me too.  He did settle down in about an hour and got peaceful in his sleep. After awhile I got him to eat some cheese and crackers and a cup of fruit that he loves.  He's better today although the "stream" is a bit lacking, and he's not in pain anymore.  I told him if that continues he needs to call the doctor again, in fact see his urologist to make sure he doesn't have a stone blocking it.  

That being said our Friday night was supposed to be watching the oldest Grandgirl but I just didn't know if I would be taking him to the ER or not.  Hopefully soon we will have her.  I sure hope he gets better next weekend so we can go to the Mardi Gras party, but all in good time.

So this weekend will be staying close to home, watching him and staying out of the rain.  It's quite dreary out there. 

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Max Update

Thought I would share a little update on this little boy...I should say BIG BOY!  He had his heart doc appointment on Monday came away with glowing reports that he is thriving!  The blood clot the were watching and is completely gone!  He is down a pound to 24 pounds but that is to be expected because he is mobile now.  He crawls all over the place.  
He's testing foods a little at a time, thank goodness and is one of the happiest babies I've ever seen.
His big sister is his best friend and they just play and play and play.  I watched Min while they were in OKC at the doctor and when they came back they tried him on the Y-Bike.  OH MY...he was able to peddle his little feet all around the house, with parents behind.  It was quite amazing to see.  Next up...walking soon, and FOOD!
What a champ our little Mighty Max is.

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

No. 48

 We've done it yet again.  We are celebrating another year of marriage, #48!  A little blind date 49 years ago has led to the next 48 years of an incredible life we've created.  

Happy Anniversary my love.

💕💓💕💗💖💘💞