Another Nurse in the Family

What a week! We boarded Maizie at the vet's office Tuesday through Thursday morning and rode with Becky in her van to Ft. Morgan, Colorado on Tuesday. Then Wednesday morning we went to Severance, Colorado to watch Regan graduate from her LPN training. I got to do the pinning for her. I could feel her mother's presence as I was doing it.

After the ceremony, we went to a "Yuppie" restaurant, as Dennis called it.  He wanted to go to Denny's cafe, but Regan wanted to go to this place that was located in the basement of a bar. It was a nice place, and the food was very pricey. 

After the meal, we took Regan back to the place where the ceremony had been, so she could get her car, and we said our goodbyes.  She says she wants to try to come back to Clyde for Josh's July 4th party.  It would be good to be able to spend some time with her.

It was 10:00 p.m. before we got home in Clyde. We pretty much went straight to bed, we were so exhausted.  Yesterday, we went to Concordia and picked up Maizie and did some shopping. 

Today, we were up early to get to my appointment in Manhattan to see the dermatologist. It was a nurse practitioner that saw me. She took a biopsy of my lesion on my face. She said it looked like a squamous cell carcinoma, which is what Becky had diagnosed me with, too. 

I won't know what the diagnosis is for sure for 2 weeks or so. They will call me with the diagnosis and discuss a plan of action, but odds are that I will need surgery to remove the cancer. She said they have a new method that allows them to get it all and know for sure that it is all gone before closing up the wound.

Becky wants me to have Dr. Purdom do it. But I don't know what method he uses. I'm going to have to pray over this issue.

This evening, we went to Concordia to the Lutheran Church for an after-graduation party for Moyra, and her boyfriend, Brandon Allen. Moyra will be going to Emporia to study math education.

All the grandbabies, except for Maliyah were there.

Alex and David were there with Willadean. She's a cutie and looks a lot like Daddy. Alex is expecting again in November, so that will be fun. Teresa was there with Addie, but I didn't see Clayton. I guess he is fighting an ear/sinus infection. Gunner was playing with the little ones, letting them chase him around the room. Nash and Ivy were playing. Lauren got her exercise chasing her to keep her out of the street.

We were tired when we got home. Soon after, Jason called from his house. He's not feeling well, and says he has kidney disease. He's prescribed Farxiga, to help his kidneys. And is having trouble getting it. I take it too. But I'm getting low on mine too. And so I can't really help him much. Another thing to pray about.

Lord please help my family. I know we are needy, and we don't always live like you would have us, but I can't lose another child.

Nice to be home and thankful

I have enjoyed today. I didn't have to go anywhere. Nowhere at all. I enjoyed eating my own food, and drinking my A&W Root beer Zero Sugar. and my ice water. I enjoyed playing with my dog, Maizie. I enjoyed doing my puzzle books and playing my computer and phone games.

I especially enjoyed my home, even as messy and dirty as it is, because after seeing the news on tv about tornadoes and storms all around the states to our east, I am so thankful that we were spared and aren't homeless today.

Jason is going through some health issues right now. His kidneys are not working well at all. And he has been prescribed Farxiga, but he can't get his meds because of shipping wars. I wish he could be on our ChampVA insurance and get his meds for free or reduced cost. Farxiga is very expensive if purchased without insurance. He's trying to get it through Canada, but delivery is very iffy. 

He's over here right now working with Dennis on the pickup. I hope he's not overdoing it. Maizie was very excited when he came, and every time he comes through our door. She is such a loving people dog.

I'm torn between what I want to do, and what I should do around here. I've got way too many "projects" to keep up on. My genealogy is ongoing, and I don't seem to make any progress on it. My art is going to be a priority this weekend, because I have art club on Tuesday and I'm scheduled to display a painting at the bank. I don't have anything new to display, so I need to get one framed and ready to hang. I also have to get our monthly projects ready. Homework this month is to paint birds. I can't even remember what the monthly project is for May. I need to dig out my art workbook and check that out.

I still have a graduation card to get ready for Noah Macy, one of Janet's grandkids.He graduated from high school last weekend. I'm sure they think I have been avoiding him, but I'm going to send him a card and a little cash.

I also want to get back to working on one of my novels. I don't care which one, but I want to get something self-published soon. 

And last of all I want to work on cleaning out my office and my closets, so I can find the things that I know are in there, but can't get to them. That willl be a huge project.

Ok. I'm on it. Wish me luck.

Colorado Trip

We are looking forward to next week's trip to Colorado. We haven't seen our granddaughter, Regan for over a year now. She is graduating from LPN classes and hopes to go back for her RN classes. She's a little late in doing it, but we are proud of her for going back and sticking with it this time.

She and Maliyah are getting along better too. She's making more time for Maliyah, and they are doing things together more often. Regan's ex-boyfriend has split, which is good news, because he was not supportive of Regan, and really disliked Maliyah. 

We'll leave for Colorado after Becky gets off work on Tuesday. She has reserved a room for us out there, and we'll be getting up early in order to be at the graduation ceremonies by 9:30 a.m. I am going to be pinning Regan, which is a dream I've had since Teresa passed.

We won't be able to stay out there long, because Becky has to work on Thursday, but we'll have a meal with her and visit for an hour or so before we head back. I hate having to rush back, but it is what it is.

My major concern right now is what to do with Maizie. I may have to board her somewhere, if none of the family can take her in for the two days. That will be a focus for tomorrow, I guess.

The Big C

I have been noticing for the past month, a lesion on my face beside my nose under my left eye. It started out looking like a blackhead, which I don't normally have and over a two-week period had grown to the size of a large pea, with a crusty scab.

Sometimes it itches, sometimes it is tender. As it grows, it has become more tender, and more noticeable to others. 

My daughter saw it and said it looked like a skin cancer lesion and has insisted that I get it looked at.  So yesterday, I saw my Primary Care Physician. She peeled the scab off of it and palpated it, then said she was afraid to try to excise it, because of the size and location of it. She is recommending me to a dermatologist and promised to get the appointment set up. So far, I haven't heard back from her. If she doesn't call tomorrow, I will call her again.

My dad had skin cancer lesions on his face and arms. He worked as a farmer and rarely covered his skin while outside in the sun. Back then, it wasn't commonly known that this would cause cancer. 

I worked outside in the sun, too, as a child. My skin never tanned, it would freckle, burn, blister, peel, and start over. The only time I ever tanned was when my freckles became so many that they blended together.  

When we were first married, I would go to the lake with Dennis, and we didn't use skin protection. I got some very serious sunburns back then and the blisters would join together so I had some very large blisters on my shoulders and back. I learned that a tan was not for me, and started using sun block (spf50), and staying in the shade.

If I want a tan now, I use a self-tanning lotion or spray. Usually, I just accept that I will never tan and show my pale skin. Thanks for that gene, Daddy!

 

A Busy Weekend

A very busy weekend. Thursday, I rode with Dennis to Manhattan to celebrate our anniversary and invited Karsyn and Whitley to join us. We enjoyed a good meal and conversation.

Friday, we ate lunch in Clifton at the cafe. Best food, best prices, good atmosphere. The Friday special is one of our favorites: hot beef sandwich, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, roll, and pie. 

Saturday, we went to Cobe Chaplin's graduation party in Concordia. His actual graduation is next weekend, but it was more relaxing to do it separately. We visited with Josh and Dyan, Teresa, Clayton and little Addie, Becky and Rusty, Gunner, Missy, and lots of other family and friends. There were many I didn't know there, and some that I recognized faces and could put them into a particular family, but their names escaped me. Gunner has a birthday this week (17), and so his family went to Salina to "The District", whatever that is, and celebrated.

Today, we went to church, then went to Concordia to let Gunner interview Dennis about his Vietnam experience. That took an hour, because Dennis gets warmed up to a topic and talks for an hour. :O)

After the interview, we hurried bac k to Clifton, to meet Karsyn at the cafe for breakfast before she had to leave for Manhattan. 

Now we are relaxing at home. Dennis is on his phone checking his bank balance, and I'm writing this blog piece. Hopefully, I'll get motivated to clean up Maizie's messes. 

Tomorrow will be another trip to Concordia to do some shopping we've put off all week, and I have some phone calls to make to schedule appointments and such. I also need to start on some family trees for family members.

Some good news (for a change)

Dennis received a call from our daughter a few minutes ago. We are dog sitting for them while they are having a weekend away. Apparently, we are expecting another great grandbaby from our granddaughter, Alex and her husband, David.  Their firstborn, Willadean, will turn one year old in November.  So these babies will be pretty close together in age.

I'm feeling better after starting my antibiotics. I still cough up thick phlegm. I really need to drink more fluids. Cleaning my living room is another problem to work on. Maizie is driving us nuts with her destructive habits.

She chews up her toys, shoes, old slippers, anything wood, plastic, or cloth.  She barks constantly at night, especially now, while she's in season. I'm hoping she will settle down soon.

My project for today: sort and bag coats that are taking up space in our front room. Most of them are Dennis's, but a couple of them are mine. Also, I need to store about a zillion baseball caps, most of them are Dennis's, too.

Laundry is a daily chore. If I miss a day, I pay for it in a ton of dirty clothes. How could two elderly people make so much laundry?

Since I have a dishwasher now, that job is easier, but still takes time in gathering and rinsing and sorting, then loading the dishwasher. If I don't let them sit dirty too long in the sink, I can keep the odor away.

Well, since I'm not getting too much done here on my computer, I'll shut down and get to it. Good evening!

Anniversary dinner Long overdue

Dennis took me to Manhattan last evening to finally celebrate our 54th wedding anniversary, which was January 2. This is certainly not the only time we've had to celebrate long after the actual date, but this is probably the longest we have waited.  Usually, it is due to poor health issues, which is what happened this year. Both of us have had poor health this past few years: his is mostly due to Agent Orange Poisoning, cancer treatments, heart attacks, surgeries, and back/leg pain. Mine is usually chronic bronchitis, and asthma, sinus infections, and back issues.

We're both hot messes. I seriously doubt either of us will live to 2030.

Anyway, yesterday started with a grooming appointment for Maizie with Dr. Fakler in Concordia. He is a small animal clinic vet, who is wheelchair bound, due to a serious spine injury while he was in the Army. He was held up by a gunman and shot, the bullet damaging his spinal column and rendering him wheelchair restricted for mobility. So sad.  We had a nice chat while waiting for Maizie to be finished. She looked like a different dog when she came out. She still has the Wonky Donkey ears, which are hilarious, but the rest of her is closely trimmed to her body. She looks like she is half the size that she was when we dropped her off. But it's the same dog. 

It was raining in Clyde and Concordia in the morning, and then it stopped for a while before resuming raining in the afternoon, and even into the late evening.  But we only ended up with 0.66 inches of rain in our gauge. It did green things up nicely for our trip to Manhattan.

While we were shopping in Manhattan, prior to eating, I called our two granddaughters there, who are attending KSU. Karsyn is in pre-vet classes, and Whitley is studying pre-nursing classes. We invited them to join us for supper at Texas Roadhouse, one of our favorite eateries. They joined us for our meal and each of us had a different entree. I had the chicken fingers, which were delicious. Dennis had his usual 6 oz. sirloin steak, baked tater, and corn, Whitley had what looked like a pork chop, but was actually a chicken steak. That had to be a really large chicken! Karsyn had herbal chicken. That looked tasty too. We had a great time chatting and sharing pictures.

Today, we've been relaxing at home. I've been working on my computer and Dennis is watching his CSI and other crime shows. I don't mind. At least it's not gold miners or alligator hunting. Those shows are so repetitive they get boring to me.

I'm hoping to get back to my writing and art this week. And I've got scholarship chores to attend to. Senior Awards Night is coming up fast. This month is looking to be very busy and very expensive.