Mother update

My sister and I had breakfast at our usual place this morning and it was quite good! Awfully good service too...you know, that can make or break a meal!

From there we went to see Mother. We were both amazed! This was the most lucid we've seen her since the stroke. She was vaguely discontented, but any partially aware person would be in her circumstance. She said that everyone is good to her there and that there was nothing in particular the matter. The 3 of us sat in the garden and visited for about an hour and she said it was time to go in. While we were out there several gaggles of geese flew over honking loudly. She was able to see them and hear them and enjoyed that a lot. We left her in the dining room where they were setting up for a Halloween party.

Grocery shopped and went by the Vet's office and still got home by noon. Not bad.

It's hot today, but the weatherman says that's gonna change! Thank goodness!

Natalie Eades

There's a little girl in our town with leukemia. Her name is Natalie Eades. I don't remember for sure how old she is, but it's 2ish. Her mother's sister, Allison, works where I work. This has been an ongoing thing for months and months and months. Please go to benjaminglenbishop.blogspot.com to read more about this remarkable child and the struggle she and her family have been going through. You can also go to carepages.com and put in Our Natalie for updates.

Less work

Well, something happened at work yesterday that I've been worrying about. Hours were cut for all of the folks in the office that are clock punchers. The two full time girls were cut from 5 days to 3 days and I was cut from 3 days to 2 days. I'm worried that it'll be enough to pay for my insurance...if it is, there will be nothing at all left over.

Times are tough for everyone. I knew we were slow at work and obviously I could tell that the number of orders were way down...just didn't realize that my measly 5 hours that were cut would make enough of a difference. Must really be bad.

So now I'll be dipping into my emergency supplies...well, of course! That's what they are for! The only thing I haven't stockpiled is pet food and of course perishables. Everything should be okay.

Now if I'd only get off my duff and do something positive with this extra day at home!

Busy day

Yesterday was a busy day. I didn't plan it that way, but sometimes it just happens.

It began with a fellow coming to measure the roof for replacement...while he was up there he almost stepped through in a couple of places. One spot I suspected (there's a damp spot in the dining room) the other surprised me, it's over the spare room in the little part of the house. He'll get back with the estimate...hope it's soon!

While the fellow was on the roof he swept sections of it, so that created a pretty big job for me. I had to sweep the front porch and walkway. Not that that's such a big deal, but I'm still not 100% from that fibro attack and it felt like a big deal!

Before the roof fellow got here I started laundry and it was way into the afternoon before I finished as it had been several weeks since I'd done any. Sure feels good to have it done, but it's not all put away yet and I still need to change the bed and wash those sheets. Hope to do that today.

While I was out on the side porch doing something with the laundry the dogs went nuts. When I checked it out there was a strange truck in the driveway with two men. Turned out they were at the wrong house, but I knew one of them. They'd been fishing and had a cooler overflowing with mullet just caught. They gave me two really pretty ones and went on their way. that was awfully nice, but these were whole, uncleaned fish and it's probably been 30 years since I've cleaned a fish and never a mullet.

I scaled them inside a plastic grocery bag in the kitchen sink and that turned out pretty well with very little mess, but then when I cut the heads of there was more blood that I expected and the insides were interesting, too. Mullet are quite different that brim! Anyway, then I filleted them and put them in a brine in the fridge. Later made cheese grits and a salad then dried the fillets and dipped them in a seasoned flour, beaten egg/water and then in cornmeal. Fried them up in canola oil and then had quite the unexpected feast! Talk about wonderful! Just finished fish and cheese grits topped with diced tomatoes for breakfast! Yummy!!!!!

My to do list is bottomless.

Going to work today. Not feeling wonderful, but so much better than I've felt for the last week or two.

It's 36 degrees this morning. Awfully cold. Can't turn the furnace on as I've not had it checked out and the pilot light lit...got the space heaters out last night. Ran them long enough to get the thermostat up to 65. Used one in the bathroom this morning to shower.

Can't leave the dogs out in this. If it were sun shiny I would, but it's dark. Maybe I can come by and put them out on my morning run. We'll see.

I've felt awful for so long that I've almost forgotten what it feels like to feel good. Yesterday I found out what the problem is...Fibromyalgia. I understand there's no cure for this and the current drugs on the market are scary with side effects that I certainly don't want to deal with. The only answer to date is to learn to live with it...what else can one do?

Our weather is going to be grand starting tonight! Low 70s for highs and 50s for lows. How perfect is that? We had a big storm last night that lasted until about 2 hours ago with high winds, lightening and booming thunder that caused the dogs to burrow deep into the bed!

My sister wants to go to the 2nd fish fry at the Methodist Church in Waukeenah tonight. I think I'll be able to go. I'd like to go. We'll see.

Hot, hot, hot

Wow! talk about unusual weather! Last week was luscious! Highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s, Fall! Well, this week is July in October. Highs in the upper 90s and lows in the mid 70s! Talk about a very unwelcomed switch! The weatherman just said that this trend will hold until early next week. Ick!

No particular news about Mother. Nancy and I saw her Saturday and she seemed the same. Bert is visiting with her daily and thinks she doing great. Last night Uncle Buddy called and wanted to know what's going on. Bert had called him and told him we had the feeding tube removed. Well, as you know, in order to have a feeding tube or any other life saving device removed it takes a court order. That's not what happened. The staff at the nursing home don't know how the tube came out, but it did. Neither the staff or the family had anything to do with the removal, but we elected not to reinsert it. Mother's living will (which we found after the fact) was very clear about no artificial means being used if something like this stroke (or anything else) happened. She is able to both eat and drink, in fact she's able to feed herself. The feeding tube has kept her from feeling hunger and she has only picked at food. Perhaps now she'll eat.

I feel like I'm defending our decision. Maybe I am, but I'm convinced that it was the right one.

I also talked with Aunt Betty last night. It's the first time I've heard her voice in years, but I'd know it anywhere! She sounds great, but when I asked her how she's doing she told me that she's on a walker and does have a lot of trouble getting around. But, she added, the walker's RED and that does help, it makes her happy!

Well, about a minute ago NASA crashed a probe into the surface of the Moon's south pole. They are looking for water. I went out to see if the moon's still there, but the fog's so thick that I can barely see the roof of the house much less the moon.

Well, lets see what tomorrow brings!

Mother update

Just got home from Tallahassee.

Mother's feeding tube came out this week. We don't know how, did she perhaps pull it out herself? We'll never know just what happened. The staff nurses at the nursing home tried a couple of times to reinsert it and couldn't, so she was scheduled for surgery to have another one put in. Neither my sister nor I wanted the tube in the first place and Mother's living will states that she didn't want a tube either. The original feeding tube was put in shortly after Mother had the stroke at Bert's urging and before we found her living will. The tube was replaced once already and both my sister and I think that another surgery is the last thing Mother needs. So, after soul searching and a talk with Mother's doctor, my sister (she's Mother's medical surogate) told the nursing home not to have the tube replaced. We were told that "nature will take its course" and that she won't be getting the fluids or nourishment a normal body needs. This could take as long as 2 years.

Reconnected once more!

The fellow who fixed my computer brought it by late yesterday. I had really dreaded putting it all back together, but when he offered to do it I said yes, of course. It actually took him less than one minute...would have taken me quite a while. What a relief! Anyway, he said the computer had a worm. That's why it just gradually went down hill and finally died. So now I have a new hard drive and a pristine computer, it's taking me a while to find stuff, but I'm sure I will.

The weather is absolutely wonderful! It was 50 when I got up at 5 this morning and at 7 it was 48! Love it!

Went to the Rare Door for breakfast this morning and then ran some errands. Got home in time to take Jazzy in for her rabies shot. Weighed her and she's 41 pounds!

So now I'm in for the duration, well sort of. Norma called and we're doing dinner tomorrow night. Haven't done that for a while, so I guess it's about time.

Sat down and paid all my bills this morning on the computer. It's really, really nice to have it back!