I'm as confused as the rest of the world!

 Nothing surprises me anymore.  I wouldn't be shocked by anything.  That's what the past almost 6 years have done to me.  Prepared me for anything, I think.  We are just trying to stay alive and anymore that seems to be a full time endeavor.  We are still pretty much hibernating.  Since school started here Aug. 28th almost every class in my daughter's school has been in quarantine.  It only took 7 days of in-person learning without masks for kids to be infected with Covid.  So far my daughters have remained well but they are wearing masks daily.  One daughter received her 3rd dose of vaccine yesterday.  Ron and I are getting our 3rd dose this afternoon.  Last year, with a mask mandate, neither daughter had a single student absent with illness.  I think that says it all about masks!

We have still been working on repairs from last spring's hail storm.  Roof has been replaced along with gutters.  Still waiting on siding.  We had a new patio put in with a cover.  We are loving it.  We have sat outside every evening since we got it enjoying the fresh air and rag weed.  Ugh  We are still replacing shrubs but by next Spring I think we will have the back yard looking pretty good.

I have finished a lot of my Christmas shopping.  Again, just trying to stay busy.  Don't know what Christmas will look like this year as the number of infections in Oklahoma is still very high.  The girl's 1/2 brother and his family are not vaccinated nor planning to be so it is hard to figure out what to do.  It has definitely been a cause for concern.  We want to stay safe but at the same time want to have all the family together.  I know this is a situation for a lot of families.

Hope all are safe and well.

Oldie but a goodie

 Well, I had another birthday.  We didn't do any celebrating or anything but I'm grateful to start another year.  I have had a lot of friends who were not so lucky so I'll never complain about being a year older.

After getting a shot of cortisone in my knee I started physical therapy.  I had no idea just how weak my legs were until I had to move them!  Also my hip is weaker because of the hip replacement so that has been challenging.  I've been going 2 x a week for about 6 weeks and I'll go two more times then do a home workout.  It's getting too worrisome to continue in person therapy due to the rising numbers of Covid. 

I am so angry that our so called Governor has passed bills forbidding schools from requiring masks.  I can't make sense of nonsense. Our hospitals are at near capacity and the ICU's are full.  Healthcare providers have been begging the public to wear masks but we haven't seen much compliance.  Ron and I have just gone back to staying out of businesses and limiting our contact to just family.  When school starts that will be limited as well.  Since my daughters are teaching unvaccinated children we won't be able to be around them either.  

We finally got our roof replaced.  Looks good!  We are meeting with the contractor this afternoon to finalize plans for the new patio and patio cover.  I'm anxious to hear some suggestions.  We still haven't replaced the damaged siding on the house but I expect it will be done when the patio cover is installed.  I'm still trying to decide if I want the whole patio enclosed as a screen in porch.  Since mosquitoes are my enemy I think it would be great to have a place to hang out outside without the worry of being eaten alive!

Ron had his yearly CT scan done last week and he got another clean bill of health.  He has been cancer free 8 years now!  A milestone we never thought would be possible. 

Mike is doing well also.  He gets a little anxious about Covid but who doesn't?  Our only living uncle passed away last week.  He was our mother's 1/2 brother.  Mike handled that news pretty well.  He and Uncle Gene talked a lot on the phone and they used to sing hymns together so I know Mike will miss him.  He was 92 years old and had survived cancer 3 times.  He had lost a leg due to diabetes and they recently discovered he had lung cancer.  So it is a relief his suffering is over.

Ron and I are working hard to lose our Covid pounds!  Every year it gets harder to lose weight.  I've managed to lose 14 pounds but Ron keeps losing and gaining the same 10 pounds.  I don't think his heart is in it.  Can't blame him.  I still have another 20 pounds to lose.......I can't believe I gained so much weight.....could it have been the homemade cinnamon rolls, the cakes and cookies I baked....I tasted and sampled my way to a 30 pound weight gain.  

Well keep on keeping on and stay safe!  

Forgot what normal feels like.

I recently lost my primary care physician.  She left and the search for a new doctor began.  I wanted to find another female physician but settled on a nurse practitioner.  I saw her July 2nd and really liked her.  We went over medical history and but then a brief exam mainly consisting of listening to me breathe.  I warned her that I would sound horrible and she would either think I had pneumonia or worse.  So she listened and agreed I sounded awful.  Then she talked about her "health goal" for me.  She said she wanted to get me feeling at least 75% better.  She also said she didn't want to step on any toes (referring to my pulminologist) but wanted to add another inhaler to my list of meds.  I started the new inhaler and within 2 days my lungs were completely clear.  The first time in 6 1/2 years. It has been miraculous to me and has made me question why my lung doctor has never tried to add anything or why he just accepted the condition as (my new normal).  I forgot what good felt like.    I think I need to stop just accepting what doctors say and start advocating for myself.  

Rain, Rain, go away.....

Well the contractor came this weekend and we have the  of work to be done finalized.  Don't have a time-line of when they will be getting started.  Of course the weather is acting up again and a hail threat has been forecast.  If it is going to hail again I'd rather it happen BEFORE we get the new roof.

What do you think about the new CDC guidelines?  I'm not sure they mean much.  If you've been vaccinated you can remove masks in most instances.  How the heck do you know who has been vaccinated and who hasn't.  It's easier to tell with mask requirements in place.  You can bet those without masks haven't and aren't planning to be vaccinated.  Now you will have no idea at all.  Our city has a mask mandate until June 1st.  I figure they will drop it after the 1st.  I'm concerned we are moving a little too fast.  Oh well.  This was messed up from the beginning.

We have a forecast of rain for the next 7 days.  A total rainfall expected of 5 to 7 inches.  Our backyard is already a swamp.  But, it should help out the drought areas in Oklahoma.  Wheat farmers should be happy.

Ten Years and Counting

Today is our 10th anniversary.  Hardly seems possible.  There have been hurdles but nothing we can't handle.  Sometimes I marvel that two people who are opposites in every imaginable way can somehow make it work. We definitely teach each other tolerance and patience.  Ron had wanted to take a short day trip today and we planned one but at the last minute Mike got panicky and we had to abort that plan.  We will try again at a later date.  So we are going out for dinner tonight.  Our first restaurant visit in over 18 months.  This restaurant offers outside dining so we feel comfortable about trying it out.  

A couple of weeks ago we were hit by a storm with softball size hail and 80 mph!  70 percent of the homes in our town were damaged.  There are so many windows boarded up and car windshields demolished.  We are getting a new roof, new siding, a couple of windows but fortunately our cars were protected.  It will be several months before things start getting back to normal.

Ron has been going to physical therapy for his shoulder but has had minimal improvement.  He is getting an MRI next week and my guess is he will need surgery.  My knees are feeling better since I started taking Collagen Peptides.  I don't know if that's the reason they are better but I'll take it!

I don't know what to expect next, Locusts?  We've had ice storms, artic blast, hail the size of my head so nothing would be a surprise.  I imagine summer heat of 120 or higher.  Careful what I say..........I don't know who is listening.

Becoming Bionic one joint at a time!

Well, the knees finally gave out!  It's time to see the orthopedist and get knee replacements.  I've really been scared of surgery due to my lung problems but it's either that or be confined to sitting!  It hurts so much to walk that I am avoiding it.  I know they won't do them at the same time but part of me wishes they would.  That way I'd only be under anesthesia once instead of twice.  But I think I'm too old to even be considered for that.  A girl at our church had both knees done at once but she was only in her 30's and she had to talk them into it.  She did just fine and was really glad they did both of them at once.  I'm seeing my GP this afternoon and will her for the referral. 

Ron is seeing an orthopedist this morning for his shoulder.  It's been hurting him for awhile and he has limited range of motion.  I'm sure he will have to have an MRI before he will know what is going on.  Looks like we have a lot of doctor visits in our future.  I have a CT scan the end of this month as a follow-up on the cancer scare a year ago.  I'm actually overdue for the scan so it needs to be done.

We had a lot of storm damage from the artic blast.  We lost a lot of shrubs and had our last big tree cut down yesterday.  Everything looks so barren and I don't know if I have the energy to start all over landscaping a yard.  Not to  mention the expense. 

I'm happy to report my brother is still doing well.  He doesn't call us constantly and he's enjoying being able to read again and has been devouring books.  He was a history major in college and has been reading historical books.  He has also resumed journaling.  It is absolutely amazing to see his brain "wake up" from the fog he has been in for the past 10 years.  I'm sorry it took so long to have a doctor recognize what was going on.  I've asked every doctor that has seen him over the years if his cognitive issues were medication related or was he suffering from some form of dementia.  No one would even discuss the issue.  I realize that it is a fine balance to control the symptoms with the least amount of psychotropic drugs required.  They have such unbelievable side effects.  Mike isn't resentful at all he just says, "Well, I'm better now and that's all that matters." 

If Ron and I are both looking at surgery it's a good thing Mike is doing so much better.  I'll have to get meals prepared ahead and find someone to help out for awhile but it is a lot more doable today than it was a year ago.  Mike can do so much more for himself now than before.

 

From Siberia to the Bahamas

 You just gotta love Oklahoma.  We were in Siberia last week and the Bahamas this week.  Today was in the 70's after being -12 a few days ago.  Ron and I took advantage of the sunshine and picked up my daughter's little dog and brought her over for a play date.  While the two pooches ran around in the backyard we cleaned out one of the flower beds and just soaked up the sunshine.  I told Ron I'm a little concerned about the upcoming tornado season.  Since we have been in a state of extremes for so long no telling what that will be like.  Last year we were considering building a tornado shelter but could never decide what kind or where to put it.  Normally we just get in an interior hallway and put bike helmets on our heads.  That is about as much of a shelter as I can get Ron in anyway.  I could just see him getting blown away standing outside the shelter door.

I got a long overdue haircut today and feel so much better.  It's funny how that one little thing can improve your disposition.  I literally couldn't do anything with my hair.  I prefer to keep it short because basically I'm too lazy to spend too much time fussing with it.  Besides no matter how much time I spend trying to fix it my hair has a will of its own.  I've either had really long hair which I put in a ponytail (when I was younger) or really short hair.  I guess I have my extremes as well.

I've been thinking about the yard projects I'd like to get done this year.  We have to have another tree removed because of storm damage.  We are also considering having a new patio installed, larger with a cover.  We want to have a ceiling fan as well.  If you don't have shade in the summer you just can't bear the heat.  It's brutal.  In my wildest of fancy's I'd like a screened in patio so I can get away from the mosquitoes....I'm a human bug zapper!

I guess we'd better keep entering those publisher clearing house sweepstakes if I'm ever going to get my wish list completed.

The Big Thaw

 Well we are beginning to thaw out in Oklahoma.  We were above freezing yesterday by only 3 degrees but we got up to 40 today and the snow is melting.  We were so lucky compared to our Texas neighbors.  Not nearly as many people lost power here but then Oklahoma didn't deregulate their energy grid.  We were able to buy from other states which kept us going.  I've been amazed at how Texas Republicans are blaming everybody from the Easter bunny to Santa Claus but mostly Biden and AOC for their problems.  The federal government isn't moving fast enough says the state that is always wanting to secede from the union.  Anyway I wouldn't wish what they've gone through on my worse enemy.

Mike didn't pretty good through the arctic blast but he's been a little wack-a-doodle the last few days.  I think his meds were cut just a smidge too much.  We missed the sweet spot.  Guess we will talk to his psychiatrist again.  Also his hand tremble is back since he stopped the buspirone. The shaking is a side effect of Risperdal.  Everything has side effects and you just have to decide which is worse.

We got to visit with my daughters Thursday for a little while.  We didn't wear masks but maintained distance.  It felt almost normal.  I'm looking forward to them getting their second dose of vaccine and hopefully soon we will be able to get together more often.

Our schools are still closed due to the weather.  Going into the third week.  A lot of the schools suffered damage from the storm.  A lot of broken water lines.  They will do remote learning Monday and that will allow teachers to get vaccinated.  A vaccination clinic is being held and they plan to vaccinate about 7,000 Monday.  All of this will make it safer for in person learning.  It's what I've been praying for this past year.

Here is to warmer, safer days ahead!!

Happy Valentine's Day

 Well, like everything else that's going on we are now getting unusually cold weather for Oklahoma.  Right now it is 7 degrees and will be about 17 below zero tonight.  They predicted 14 inches of snow but we don't have nearly that much.  Some places have 6 foot snow drifts but we are ok on that front.  I've just retreated under the covers and Ellie and I are keeping each other warm.

Ron, Mike and I are fully vaccinated now and my daughters have each received their first dose.  This was such a relief to me.  One clinic opened up to teachers for one day because they had so many cancellations due to weather. So the girls took advantage of the opportunity and got their shots.

Like a lot of people I watched the impeachment trial.  I had no expectation of a conviction so I wasn't disappointment with the result.  I just want 45 to fade away which unfortunately he has no intention of doing.  

Hope everyone is having a great Valentine's day and staying warm and toasty!

A bit of sunshine in a dreary day!

 One thing I haven't shared is the miraculous changes happening with my brother.  After a discussion with his psychiatrist changes were made to his medications and we have been slowly reducing his clinozapam and have eliminated his buspirone.  There was almost an instant change, like a thin veil had been lifted and underneath is the brother I remember.  He is thinking clearly and his constant phone calls have stopped.  He doesn't lose his train of thought and just overall is AMAZINGLY better.  Of course he still requires assistance with meals and grocery shopping but the improvement is miraculous.  I can't even describe how much this has helped Ron and I.  I feel so much more hopeful for the future.  We will continue to monitor him and if we see an increase in anxiety we will quickly report it to his doctor.  I don't think he was initially over medicated because his symptoms at that time were so severe it required that level of sedation.  But he has improved and as long as his symptoms remain controlled it is best to use as little medication as possible.  We have been through hell for the past 10 years.  We can finally breathe again.

I have no words! But I'll give it a shot!

 On the 6th of January I received my first dose of the Moderna vaccine.  I was so excited to get it I had not slept but a few hours the night before.  So about 11:00 I fell asleep but awoke to find the Capitol building under seige.  I was taken back not sure what was happening but I never once felt shocked.  Nothing is shocking that relates to Donald Trump.  He prepares you for anything through his rhetoric.  The only people who seem to have been surprised by Wednesday's insurrection were the Capitol police.  God only knows why as they were being offered assistance days before the event.  

I know there are conflicting ideas as to where we go from here.  Do we impeach 45 even if no action is taken during the first 100 days of Biden's administration.  Knowing how short memories are  I wonder if there would even be a chance of conviction.  Part of me believes there must be some consequence for his actions.  No one should ever be above the law.  Though we see that is not the case when one has the privileges afforded by race and wealth. It is played out in courts every day.

Something else that has come to mind is the need for every American to hold a mirror to their own face.  We have to ask ourselves if we have contributed to the divide by engaging in verbal combat with individuals who do not share our political views. I left social media because the attacks from both sides were becoming more and more hostile.  I realized that no ones views were going to be swayed by a post on Facebook no matter how articulate or logical you think it sounds.

My biggest concern of all is how do we combat disinformation?  The first time the idea of "alternative facts" was introduced I thought we were doomed.  Now, no amount of data, research, fact will persuade someone from what they "want" to believe.  Technology and the information highway may be the biggest enemy of democracy.   It is not an external threat I fear will bring the country down.  The seeds of distrust were planted and cultivated and here we are.  People willing to destroy the very thing they believe to have been stolen from them.