Maria

Fearless

                The most fearless woman I've ever known!

Surgery #2

Well, Mike now has two good eyes.  He had his second cataract surgery this morning and it went fine.  Now 4 more weeks of eye drops and maybe things will get back to normal.  I know Ron will be glad since he's the one that has been going over and putting drops in Mike's eyes every day.

Yesterday Ron and I drove to the Ikea in Frisco, TX to pick up some things for my daughters and some of their co-workers. We hired someone to sit with Mike and the trip let us see how that would go. We were gone from 8am until 6pm  and it seemed to go fine.  We didn't get a call all day and that was a first.  Mike enjoyed the company and this gives us some hope that maybe we can try to get away for the weekend or over night.  We've both decided that we absolutely need a break or we are going to burn out.  It's good for Mike as well.

We are sure tired though.  The fast trip yesterday and then up this morning at 4 am.  I'm about to crash!  

One Week Post-op

My patient is doing pretty good.  Considering his entire routine has been turned upside down he's doing real good!  

Yesterday I took him to the mall so he could walk inside.  He really misses his gym and exercising.  I was able to slip into Hallmark and purchase my daughters Christmas ornaments for this year.  Mike walked about 20 minutes and was then ready to go home.

Today Ron picked him up and they went to the church to do the recycling.  Then they went to Walmart and filled Mike's list.  Tomorrow I take Mike for his 2nd post-op visit and we will know if he is still a go for his 2nd cataract surgery.  That is tentatively in two weeks.  I sure hope everything looks good tomorrow.  The only issue I can foresee is that his eyes are very dry.  He's still using lubricating eye drops and I hope it is enough.

This whole ordeal won't be over until the first of Oct.  By then he should be healed and have his new glasses.  We will all do a happy dance at that time!!!

I've been trying to get a leg up on Christmas shopping.  I usually have everything purchased by September 1st.  I don't know if I'll make it this year.  Too much going on but I've already purchased several gifts.  Going to sew curtains and a dust ruffle for Julie's room.  I have the material now I need to get the sewing machine out and get going.  I've got several ideas for everybody else.  I really want to sew Piper's Halloween costume this year.  I want to make her a princess dress.  She is so enamored over princesses.   That may be a little too industrious a goal but I haven't given up the idea yet.

Well, this is just a quick update.  I've got to start supper.

 

Frustration & pity parties

Frustration overtook me yesterday and try as I might I hit my limit with my brother.  No matter how hard I tried to explain how to take a shower without getting water in your eyes the poor guy just didn't get it.  I kept asking myself how hard of a concept is "just turn around"...keep the water at your back!  My Lord he just kept making it harder than it needed to be and my dam burst.  He had decided that he wanted Ron or I standing outside the bathroom every time he showers.  It was just too much.  The more we do for him the more he demands.  I told him he needs to be as independent as he can be and that when we reach the point that Ron and I have to bathe him then other arrangements need to be made.  (As if "other arrangements" will even be an option.

Finally after tears from both sides I convinced him to go to bed.  That all would look better tomorrow.  And sure enough today he is better.  Even took a shower by himself (wearing goggles) but whatever works!  

Our lives are completely consumed by my brother's needs.  We can't go anywhere or do anything without constant phone calls.  I'm not resentful but I'm very tired.  When he is hateful or demanding I just want to thunk him on the head.  I have to constantly remind myself that he is functioning at a very self-centered 9 year old level.  

Without Ron this would all be impossible.  There is absolutely no way that I could do this by myself.  Between preparing his meals and keeping track of his meds and doctor appointments that by itself would overwhelm me.  I will say that being so focused on Mike sure keeps me from focusing on my own health issues.  

Last night I got to thinking about my feet....they are completely numb up past the ankle.  Worse on right foot.  I feel some nerve discomfort, I wouldn't call it pain.  My right foot and leg swell and turn red.  I have no idea if this is related to my diabetes but my fear is that it may be.  My blood sugar is well controlled.  Fasting this morning was 90 and has remained low all day as usual.   But none of this kept me from worrying a little last night.  I would definitely like to keep both my feet until I die of some other affliction.  But while I was completely filling up on self-pity I started thinking about my friend Maria. 

She was 19 and standing by her prized Mustang car when she was hit by a semi and both legs were severed on the spot.  She survived with the loss of both legs and a crushed pelvis.  Her right leg was severed at the hip and her left below the knee.  She's considered a bilateral amputee.  When she awoke in the hospital her first words were, and in this order...."How's my car and Will I be able to have children?"  The car was totaled but she went on to  marry and have 2 children.  Both things the average person would have thought impossible.  She also became an Occupational Therapist and I can't think of anything she can't do with the exception of bowling...  She's a certified scuba instructor, a therapist, a wife, mother and soon to be grandmother.  I've never heard her complain.  The only thing that gets to her are people who question whether she deserves a handicap parking sticker. 

So I decided to squash my pity party and went to sleep instead!  

Seeing clearly

Day 3 and everything is going good so far.  Mike's vision is improving in his post operative eye and it will continue to improve as the swelling subsides.  He can't manage his eye drops but since they only have to be administered twice a day it isn't a big problem for Ron and I to do it.  I've been going over by 8 am and staying until lunch time.  Ron goes over about 6 and stays until Mike's bed time.  Mike does fine by himself for a few hours.  I think we are going to make it!

Our weather is about to improve big time.  We had over 110 last week and we are dropping into the low 80's all next week.  Thank goodness, that extreme heat can be brutal.

Ron will be getting a CPAP machine soon.  After his sleep study they said he was borderline but with his involuntary leg movements all night he is just exhausted all day.  Hopefully the CPAP machine will help.

This update is short and sweet.  My brain is tired!

 

Success

Mike had the cataract in his right eye removed this morning.  He did great!  Fortunately today is one of his good days and he was very alert and cooperative.  It went without a hitch.  He is home with us and resting.  Ron took his glasses to Eye Masters to have the right lens removed so maybe he will be able to see a little better through his glasses.  Right now his eyes are mismatched and his operative eye can't see through the old prescription but he still needs it for his left eye.  He will have his other eye done in 3 weeks.  So one down and one to go.

Tomorrow I'm having dinner with a couple of my former co-workers.  Haven't seen Sheri in over a year.  It will be nice to get out with the "girls".  I don't do it often enough.

I've been trying not to talk politics too much but today I received my t-shirt   

It showed up a little late but I wore it to Walmart anyway.   I'm sure Ron wasn't thrilled with me but he didn't say anything. I think he's just tired of listening to me go on and on about the fiasco in Washington.

The woman whose campaign I volunteered on, Claudia Griffith, tragically died suddenly of a heart attack.  She was 67 years old and had been a state representative and was now running for the state senate.  She was a huge supporter of education and was at the Capitol meeting with teachers every day during the strike.   She was in a run-off for the Democratic nomination.  Fortunately the other candidate is also a supporter of education but just doesn't have the name recognition Claudia had.  I was just so shocked at the news of Claudia's death and it sure reminded me that we are all on borrowed time.  I don't dwell on that fact but I sure try to live one day at a time.

Time Stands Still For No One

Before I could turn around twice it was July!  Our puppy is now 5 months old.  She is the light of my life.  She has entertained us and kept us hopping now for over 3 months.  Where did the time go?   We had her spayed two weeks ago and for the first week she was just a big baby.  Only wanted to lay in my arms and rock.  Now she is romping and stomping like nothing ever happened.  At her last weigh in she weighed 4.8 pounds.  Her sister only weighs 3.8.

 

Ellie 10 weeks

Ellie 5 months

We have no regrets about getting a puppy and it has been great that we are home all the time.  Our next adventure will be obedience training. Mine or hers!

Mike was supposed to have had cataract surgery this past Monday but after arriving at the surgery center at 5:30 am we were told they didn't have him scheduled.  So he has now been rescheduled for this Monday.  Overall he is handling it pretty good.  Ron has been driving him everywhere since he no longer drives.  That has been trying at times.  He will be staying with us after his surgery for about 6 weeks.  I sure hope God sends me an extra dose of patience!

We had a great 4th of July.  We first went to see a neighborhood parade in Piper's neighborhood.  She was in the parade!

Me and Piper before the parade!

 

Parade Pic

It was a cute parade.  They even had a fire truck lead the parade!  We then had a cookout at my daughter's house and swam.  It was very relaxing!  Just my kind of 4th!

Next Friday I will be 69 years old!  Now that has a ring to it.  Like everyone else I have a few health issues to battle but all in all I'm very fortunate!  There are always things we would like to be a little better....I'd like to be able to walk father than I can right now.  I'd like to erase a wrinkle or two...but those are such minor things compared to some.  

Ron is doing pretty good.  His seizure medication is hard on him.  Makes him tired and he has trouble sleeping.  It also makes him agitated.  We told the neurologist and he changed the medication and gave Ron some samples. It was working so much better but when Ron went to get the prescription filled the co-pay was $600.00 for a 30 day supply.  We tried using discount coupons and tried to sign up for assistance with the cost but we make too much to qualify but not enough to afford a $600.00 a month co-pay so he's back on Keppra.  Thank you big pharma!  

I'm not going to mention the great orange one!  I have no words anymore.  If he can say and do the things he does with no consequence than I have nothing left to say!  But come November I will have a LOT to say!

Hope everyone's summer is going well and that your temperatures are lower than ours.  Today 109 and humid.  It's miserable!  But as fast as time is going right now this is very temporary!  I've already started my Christmas shopping!