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.

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...

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.

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.