I'm alive and well!

October was a blur, November was two cataract surgeries, and I'm not sure what happened to December! I can't believe Christmas is so close, and on December 26 Rapid Rover comes at 5 a.m. to pick us up for a 7.30 a.m. flight to Seattle!

Us is me, Steph, Dan, Toast and Whiskey. Their move to Portland is really happening! Dan's car arrived at Manda's today, the pod with their belongings is en route, and we fly out Thursday. They'll spend Boxing Day at Manda and Ben's, then Friday they'll drive to Portland- a 4 hour drive- and the pod will be there and they'll move into their apartment. Steph's car has been sold, and she'll get a company car out there. 

I'll stay with Amaryllis and her parents until New Year's Day, when I have an 11 a.m. PST flight back here, and back to work January 2. Amary is so bright and alert- we facetime frequently- and I can't wait to see her again. They had snow on Friday! It was 50 here!

I've done some sewing, and it felt great. Some receiving blankets and burp diapers for a baby shower, and some flannel pillowcases for Mom, Manda and Ben. Mom had bought 3 panels that make a baby book each, and I sewed them for her. 

Now I have the urge to crochet snowflakes for next year. I've never used crochet cotton, which is like string. I printed a free pattern from a website, and I have to get the cotton and the tiny little hook. I figure I'll take it with me to Manda's and work on it in our down time. 

I've only read a few books this month. I'm not sure why, I did most of my shopping online. 

Sly and Tina have us trained well. When you go into a bathroom, Sly races ahead, jumps in the tub, and looks at you expectantly. He wants the faucet turned on to a trickle, so he can drink. His other trick is racing to the slider so he can be let out onto the porch. He loves to watch the birds and the squirrels.

Tina sits on the table next to Ralph's recliner and looks at him til he sits down and puts a towel on his lap. Then she gets on the towel and settles in. 

And that's what's going on in my world!
Holly

I'm still here!

I was so not in blog mode! Since the last blog entry, I've had cataract surgeries with lens implants to both eyes. The first time,  I was terrified! Everyone who has had it done assured me that it's so easy, but I was still afraid.
It was kind of surreal. They give you some happy juice in the IV, and you kind of drift, and the next thing you know it's over! With the first eye the doc recommended I get the super lens, because of my astigmatism. I did, even tho it wasn't cheap. The second eye only needed the standard lens.
I still taking drops in my eyes, and I have to use cheaters for anything close.
My first post from the iPad!

More Sadness

Manda's eighteen year old cat Sunshine AKA Kitten died. Friday morning. Kitten started her life here in NJ. Heather was working at our local grocery store and someone found two tiny kittens in the storeroom. Heather brought home one, and a co-worker took the other. Kitten decided Manda was her person. 

When Manda graduated college and moved to Houston, she came home and took Kitten to Houston with her, where Kitten was happy to be an only cat. She bonded with Ben during their evacuation from a hurricane, and looked to him to protect her. When they were transferred to Seattle, Kitten flew with them there. 

Kitten had a long and happy life, and died next to Manda with Manda petting her. What more can any of us ask? 

Deaths come in threes, (no matter what Ralph says), and the third was Ed and Jeanne's ancient little dog, Missy. Jeanne said even when she was deaf and almost blind, Missy knew when it was mealtime! She slept in a suitcase in the closet, and she'd emerge when it was time to eat. Missy will be missed by Ed and Jeanne. 

All the arrangements are made for Florence's viewing and funeral and burial. Her apartment is all cleaned out, and her clothes have been donated to Goodwill. We have two boxes of her "stuff" here. We were saying how sad it is that everyone has their treasures, and when they pass, what do you do with them? 

Tomorrow morning I go for visual fields testing, to make sure there's no glaucoma, then my cataract surgery can be scheduled. The doc will implant a special lens to correct the astygmatism, and give me wonderful distance vision. When the second eye is done, I won't need glasses except to read, and I'll be able to use cheaters for that! I've worn glasses all the time since 4th grade! I'll have to get my eyebrows done! I can buy sunglasses that aren't prescription! Wow! 

And the beat goes on.
Holly

A sad day

I had just gotten to work this morning when Ralph called to tell me that his mom passed away. She had gone to the nurses station for pain meds, which they gave her. The nurse did the charting, turned around and Florence was gone. Very peacefully and quietly, which is what we wanted for her. She had her 91st birthday last week.

We meet with the funeral director tomorrow afternoon to make the arrangements. 

When Ralph called me, I contacted my girls to let them know. Heather immediately felt like she had to do something, but didn't know what. Ralph told me to stay at work, since there was nothing to be done today. I did, but I was antsy all day- I felt like I should be doing something. It ended up that Heather and the kids came up when they got home from school, and Steph and Dan came over, and we all went to the diner to eat. Tomorrow morning Heather is coming up and she and Ralph will go wash Florence's clothing and donate it to Goodwill. 

After we see the funeral director, I have an appointment with the cataract doctor, and hopefully can get a date for surgery, and hopefully it will be soon. 

And the beat goes on.
Holly

Sick

Ten days ago I started coughing my head off at work. By the time I got home, I knew I was coming down with bronchitis. I had it last year at this time, and it was awful. I took tussin DM and went to bed, and was in bed mostly all weekend, exhausted and weak. I was able to get a doc appointment, and was given my first ever neb treatment- whew, does that make you jittery! I was put on a medrol pack and an inhaler. 90% of bronchitis is viral, which means treat the symptoms, but no antibiotic. By then Ralph had it too. 

I was out of work 4 days, and slept most of them. Yesterday and today I came home from work and slept for 2 hours. I just can't get over the fatigue. The wheezing is gone, and the coughing is mostly gone. Ralph is still coughing, and has only been able to lay down to sleep the past 2 nights. So I kind of lost a week! 

I only read 8 books in September, all from the library. I was even too sick to read! Forget quilting, my head was too fuzzy. I did a little crocheting near the end of the week. 

Florence continues to decline. She doesn't recognize Ralph most of the time, and she's in the wheelchair all the time, and the aides feed her. She just turned 91, and it's so sad. 

My favorite Eddie turned 10! How did that sweet, tiny baby turn into a handsome young man so fast? He rides dirt bikes, kayaks, loves his dog Honey, and reprograms his mom's iPad! 

Ralph also had a milestone birthday, he turned 65. Because he is my dependent on insurance, his new medicare is his backup. 

Ralph downloaded an app to put pix on here from the iPad, and if I ever feel totally human again I'll play with it. 

Work is great, other than the whole getting up early in the morning to go there part. 

I'll leave Amaryllis and Steph and Dan for the next post!

Holly

9-11-13

Always remember.

I'm still here!

I haven't been in blog mode. I was having trouble with my right eye, the vision was just off. I went to my regular eye doc, who took some pictures and said that I have cataracts starting, but he didn't think that was the problem. He thought something was happening with my retina- not what I wanted to hear! So my primary gave me a referral to a retinologist.

By the time my appointment came up, I was a nervous wreck, convinced I would lose the sight in that eye. I asked Ralph to go with me for moral support and for another set of ears.

After a short exam, the retinologist said my retinas are fine, I have cataracts and that's what's causing the blurriness! I could have cried, I was so relieved! Cataracts are so fixable! I now have an appointment with the cataract doc, as the retinology group doesn't do cataracts. I'm so happy to live now- 40 years ago when my Mom had cataract surgery, she was in the hospital for 8 days. She said they stuck her with needles all around and in the eye! Now it's all drops, and you're home on the couch by lunchtime. 

I was so worried about my eye, I haven't been able to concentrate on much. I did a little bit of sewing, and no crocheting. A little reading, a little computer time. And it's Labor Day weekend, and fun time is over! Back to the Salt Mines on Tuesday!

And I'm working on pix.

Holly