An abundance of rain

 We have had wave after wave of storms since four o'clock this morning.

Heavy, heavy rain, and lots of thunder and lightning.

I'll be curious to hear how much rain, once I turn on the news.

Dave had wanted to go out this morning, but he's still sleeping, somehow.   

I managed to go back to sleep for a while, between the rounds of thunder and deluge.

It's also probably not a good idea to go out due to all of the flooding there is likely to be going on out there.

I had to stop going to physical therapy due to insurance issues.  The attorney's office is involved, and I am just waiting to hear what the outcome is.

Regardless, I am still doing my exercises as consistently as possible, and took our second yoga mat to the office, where I will leave it.  It REALLY helped me to take both of my breaks on the floor, doing my stretches and such.

I can flop down onto the yoga mat in my office at home any ole time I want, but in the building, it's a bit more ... complicated... ,

Although, now I am at the point where I don't really care if anyone comes to my desk while I am on the floor, HAHA!

Not much else to report.  This coming week is my labs/treatment week, so only one office day.

I will have the lab draw blood for my PCP, as well, as she wants a follow up check on my cholesterol.

Today, I have a "Zoom" with my spiritual community, so that will be nice, and I hope to just take it kind of easy today, and hope that it goes by slowly.  I'll give my brother a call, at some point, to check in on his progress.

Have a good week!

EXTRA post....

 ..so... my brother finally came out on Facebook, and told the story of his heart attack, so I can now tell the story here.

He wasn't feeling well, at all, on a Monday (15th of July), and drove himself to the emergency department at the local hospital.

Ultimately, it was determined that he was having a heart attack, and the tests showed that one artery was completely blocked, and another was about 90% blocked.

All of his boasting of being in great health for a 71 year old, life-long smoker was proven wrong!

He was hooked up to monitors and i.v. pumps, and they did a balloon angioplasty to keep his heart going.  

His son, and my sister and brother in law, were by his side.

He stayed in ICU for several days, pending his TRIPLE BYPASS, and AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT surgery!  They did the surgery on Friday, the 19th.

Several more very difficult days in ICU, and then he was moved to cardiac step down, and eventually released home (after proving that he could walk a few steps), on the 27th, nearly two full weeks after he drove himself to the hospital.

His son stayed with him for the first week he was home, because he could NOT be left alone, and apparently they no longer send bypass patients to nursing care before they can go home.

Now, this week, he is on his own, and doing okay.  I've talked to him a couple of times, and he sounded much better the second time.

His recovery is going slowly, but well...and it's not, in any way, going to be easy.  

It will take time, and patience. Lots of patience.

He is still in a lot of pain (I mean...think about what is required to do cardiac bypass surgery), and gets very tired, very easily.

BUT, his prognosis is good, and he is determined to work hard to change his life, including quitting smoking, and hopefully changing his diet.  Because he suddenly knows that people love him.

Like that was a mystery or something.

Friends and family are coming by and helping out with meal prep, chores, and keeping him company.

Any and all prayers and good wishes sent his way will be appreciated. 

Saying good bye

 On Friday, we attended a funeral.

Someone who was very special to everyone who ever met her at my place of work was laid to rest.

Joanne knew everyone's name, and everyone's story, and she remembered every time she saw you, in the hallway, in the break room, where ever!

The first time I met her was in the break room, in 2013, and when she opened her mouth to speak, I heard MY Chicago accent!!  

We connected immediately as Chicago transplants, though she was from the south suburbs, and I was from the western suburbs, and we followed different home town baseball teams.

She worked for the paramedics side, and I worked for the business office, but we ran into each other a lot in the building, and she was always just SO kind.

When I was diagnosed with cancer, and getting ready to start chemo, she came over to our office with a dozen or so beautiful scarves that she had purchased for me.   She included information about where to go on line to learn how to wrap and tie them stylishly.... it was an example of her generous spirit, and kind nature.

She checked on me frequently during those first months of treatment, and when it was too hot to wear scarves, I just went bald-headed.  She'd walk through the break room while I was eating my lunch, and run a hand over my smooth pate. I could feel the love, even if we didn't speak.

Everyone called her "mom,"  especially the young paramedics and EMTs.

After we were sent to work from home during the pandemic lock down, she was the one person at the office that I missed the most.  She'd call me, once in a while, to check in, or to ask a billing question, or a question about how to use some of our system software.

Then we moved offices, and I didn't see her very much at all in the new building because it as so much bigger, and I was only there to pick up and drop off paperwork for the first several months.

2 years ago, before I started having to go to the office for full days, she retired, and we lost touch because we had never exchanged any personal information.

At the service on Friday, they parked an EMSA ambulance unit in front of the funeral home, and some of the senior medics wore their dress uniforms, with white gloves, and presented an honor guard for her.

It was beautiful.

My story was shared as part of the remembrances. 

The "EMSA side" of the room was PACKED.... the family and church side was only about half full.  That says a lot.... 

In other news, this past week was pretty much uneventful, which is okay.  

I got to go back to physical therapy, and worked my two office days.

My family member is doing okay, getting stronger.

We've had more surprising summer rain, and a cool front came through again a couple of days ago, allowing us to have open-window mornings (it was actually 69 degrees when I got up today),  and to get outside a bit.  

Dave has already been outside cutting back some shrubbery that's been scraping against the house.

Unfortunately, today is the last day of the respite.  I am very grateful for these breaks, though!

Wishing you, gentle reader, a lovely week!

Recovery

 My family member went home yesterday, and now the long road of recovery lies ahead of them.

I still have not spoken to them, so still do not have any idea if it's okay to share anything more about what happened.

The past week has been quite full, between that stress, and it being my week for blood draw, doctor, and treatment, as well as working full time.

The one positive after effect of my steroid got me through 2 days with almost zero symptoms in my back and leg, though, so I got a LOT done around the house yesterday!

On the flip side, though, my reaction to the benadryl "push" that I have been getting with every treatment just keeps getting worse, so I messaged my doctor, and we will not be including that anymore.

The pharmacist contacted me, and said that it's not really necessary, if we continue with the other medications that go along with the chemo.

YAY!

Just to clarify, the benadryl "push" causes me to be VERY agitated while I sit in the chemo chair.  I can't hold still, I can't focus my eyes, it's awful.  It lasts for about an hour, too, which is miserable. 

My previous doctor prescribed it as a drip, not a push, but where I go now doesn't do the drip.  The push makes it more intense, and I hate it!

So, next time, I will just get pepcid, anti-nausea, and steroid prior to the big bag o' poison.

Our respite from the heat ends today.  

It's been so nice to be able to get out and take walks on morning break this past week, but that will end now, until the next break in the weather.

It was lovely to sit out in our patio hot tub last night, but it probably won't happen again for a while....sigh.

This past week, we hired someone to do the lawn for us every 2 weeks for the rest of the summer.  It's just too hot for us to do it.

He's a guy our neighborhood association guy uses, and he doesn't charge that much, so it's do-able.

My prescription for physical therapy expired before we knew it, and as of this past week, I was not able to go, but have been doing my exercises.

My primary care provider submitted a new referral, but it was taking the insurance too long to approve it. Hopefully, I will be back to going in person this coming week.

I think I only need a few more sessions, but we shall see.

Received word that one of my long time co workers was fired on Friday.  This always makes me very nervous, as I honestly feel that they are working toward doing that with me.

My 11th work anniversary is tomorrow.

Hopefully, the coming week will go smoothly.  I will be back to working two days a week in the office.

Ugh.

Whatever.

Have a good week, and stay comfortable, no matter what your climate is like.

Breathe in, breathe out... repeat.

 I'm not sure if it's okay to post about this, so all I will say is that there was a major event in the health of one of my family members.

They are alive, but it was a close thing, and they face a long and difficult recovery.

The past few days have been very difficult for all of us, but especially for them.

I have felt very helpless, being here and them being there....but have taken up the task of notifying far flung family and friends, and keeping them up to date.

That has helped me feel like I am contributing to the cycle of care.

I am very grateful for electronic communication!

That has taken much of my focus the past week, so I don't have a whole lot to blog about today.

The soap experiment is over.... I decided that it wasn't really doing that great of a job after all, so I used it up, and am back to my store bought stuff.

The second time I washed the towels, they came out less soft.  It was quite disappointing.

I have my every 6 weeks oncologist visit this coming Thursday, and chemo after that, so I don't have to work two office days this week.

We've had another round of unusual weather.... rain and cooler temperatures in July!  It has been lovely!

We even got out to take a walk on Friday morning during my break, and are getting some things done outside this weekend.

I have another on line gathering with my spiritual community this morning, so I am off to get my day started. 

Have a great week!

Experimental soap

 Not much to report this week.  

The intense heat is back, and our back lawn is so thick and tall that we needed to hire someone to come mow again.  They're coming this afternoon.

There's supposed to be another rainy cold front later this week, though, and we will get a few days' respite again, before we are back in the sauna.

And then the grass will grow like crazy again, HA!

My two days in the office last week went okay.  I still don't know exactly why I have to do it, but whatever.

I got to attend two meetings in person, which was so much better than zoom.

Last weekend, I decided to finally try to make laundry soap out of English ivy leaves.  

We have the ivy growing all over the back of our house, and it's literally coming through the walls around the windows, so we tore a bunch of it off of the house.

I thought... "hey, here's my chance to try making that soap!"  

I'd known, for years, that you can make laundry detergent (or soap for cleaning, etc), out of ivy leaves, simply boiled in water, and steeped.

SO, I looked up the recipe on line, plucked a bunch of leaves, and made the soap!

It was so easy, and it's free!

My first load was towels, and they came out clean, and soft, so I did a bit more laundry, and was pleased with the results!

This past week, I had Dave go out and gather more leaves, and I made a bigger batch, and have done all of my usual weekend laundry with this soap.  I've added some lavender oil for a nice scent.

We shall see!!  I am not convinced 100% yet.... if it starts to build up on the towels, and make them stiff and icky, I will discontinue this experiment.  

That will take some time, though, so I'm willing to keep going until I decide that something about it isn't working.

Our 16th anniversary was Friday, so we took the day off.  

Dave had his last physical therapy appointment early in the morning, so we went out for breakfast afterward, and then did some running around. 

Got new sandals at an outlet store, stopped at a couple of little boutique type shops.

The 16th anniversary is Wax, which I find odd, but I wanted to find a single dedicated candle to burn as sort of a ceremony to mark the occasion.  I found it at the big "witchy shop" on 23rd St.

Then, we went out for a fancy dinner, and I did the candle blessing that evening.

Yesterday was a normal Saturday.... Dave got the front yard mowed early, and then did errands, and I did all of my chores.

I made sloppy joes for dinner, and we were in bed by 9:30. SO tired.

Today, I'm hoping to have some Spiritual connection time, and will do another load of towels. The summer blanket off of the bed is being washed right now, because one of the cats threw up on it.

We had hoped to get out to the woods at SOME point this three day weekend, but it's just been too hot, even in the early part of the day, for anything more than a short walk.

I've been feeling a lot better, for a lot longer, where the low back pain and leg numbness is concerned, so it would have been nice to get out, but it's not meant to be.

We DID get out and walk this past week, on morning breaks, a couple of times... when it was "only" in the 80s.  Just for a block, though.

The "sunrise steps" thing hasn't started happening yet... it's so hard to get up any earlier than we have to!

Dave has started to do his "due diligence," to start the wheels rolling for his retirement next year.

Lucky bastard.  

Have a lovely week!

Rain, glorious rain!!

 It's raining in Oklahoma in July!  Yippee!!

The rain that came on Friday brought a cold front, and dropped us out of the 100s, and yesterday it was ONLY 90 degrees.

We got stuff done outside, and I was able to take advantage of my pain free day from the steroids from Friday's chemo treatment.

Treatment went fine, and it was SO NICE to not have to work the next day!

The steroids were still with me yesterday and last night, again, so I was awake early this morning, but went back to sleep to the sound of the glorious rain.  JUST got up at 9:30, which is HIGHLY unusual for me, but SO nice.

This coming week, I start my two days in the office. Yippee.  So stupid, but whatever.  Trying to look at the bright side that it gets me out of the house another day a week.

They now pay me over $20 an hour, so I guess I better just buck up.... (that's a joke, I know).

Not too much else to report.  Still working hard at my home physical therapy exercises, and getting stronger every day, but I still have that aggravating numbness that comes and goes in my left leg, and I HATE IT.

Maybe we will try to get out and take a walk today, between the raindrops. We shall see.

I wish I could dance... I miss that most of all.

Well, I have a scheduled zoom with my Sisterhood in less than an hour, so I will bid you a good week, Gentle Reader.  Be well and happy!