July 13, 2009

• Back with Twinges & Pictures!

  This is the day our guest, Karen, goes back to Tacoma.  She is in the backyard watching the little girls in their pools.  One more day of 105 temps for her before she returns to a more reasonable west coast temperature!  For the rest of our week (until something like Thursday), it is supposed to be in the triple digits.  Karen kept asking (when she first arrived) where was this excessive heat and sun we had told her about!  She got to *experience it* and, I'm sure, is ready to say good bye to it all!  She just came in from avoiding another heat stroke in the backyard!!!  It's 10:00am an already 90 degrees out there.  "Excessive heat" barely describes what we've been having in Oklahoma.

  Yesterday afternoon and evening, we had a surprise birthday party for Karen.  Her birthday is actually later this week, and she was SO *not* expecting anything from us.

   
        ABREEANA'S HEART WAS BROKEN WHEN SHE WAS TOLD THE GIFTS WERE NOT FOR HER!!!

                                             
                                                              BEING CONSOLED BY JOJO 

  We had several gift bags of goodies and some sweet and funny cards mixed in ALL for Karen. 
        
  Things were happening on a more positive note, when Abreeana was assigned the title of "helper"!!!!!

  In Karen's final birthday card from Jesse and me, she was presented (a running joke before she even GOT here) with a final bill of her stay with us - hotel, food, concierge service, as well as guided tours!!!)
                                

    
        

  A birthday cake and gift from Marie, who couldn't stay for dinner . . .   

   
  Rissy and Marie

  I made a chicken and vegetable stir fry meal - quick and easy, she enjoyed it, and wanted to watch me make it, so she could duplicate it when she got back home.  Quick and easy (and even CHEAP) are words that bring our ears to attention quickly around here!

   
  The candles are in "code" and represent different numerical values that shall remain nameless!

                   
                                          
                                           And what would a birthday be around my house without
                                           some cat or dog involvement in the tissue paper????!!!!!!

  OR . . . *any* day without us and our pets???

   
                                                       A man (*my* man) and his dog!

  Also, in other trivial news, yesterday would have been my paternal grandparents' 92nd wedding anniversary.  I always have a secret celebration in my heart on July 12 - remembering all of the sweet times I spent with my dear grandparents.

     
  Blurry - but my grandparents!!!!!

  This ring was given to me by my grandmother before she died.  I've worn it for around 20 years.  It was the ring given her in the picture above on July 12, 1917 and is inscribed with their initials and the wedding date.  I never take it off of my right ring finger - except to take the picture below.

   
  Chemo sure has changed my hands to dried-up-looking claws.  I have been told by many that my younger looking skin will come back after all of the chemo drugs are out of my body.  I sure hope so!!!

    Jesse, Abreeana, Luci and Annamarie last night.               Luci, Annamarie and Rissy at today's breakfast table. 

  Unfortunately, this weekend didn't get by without me experiencing some bone pain.  Yes, "pain" and not "aches" this time.  It hit me Saturday evening, fairly hard, and Saturday night I was told that I moaned in my sleep all night long.  I was aware of some moaning, and knew I had been awake more than I had been asleep.  It was well after 1am before I started to doze, and then finally near "gettin' up time" before I slept a little more soundly.  Sunday was a long day and I felt sharp tongued and short on patience with the girls.  I hate it when I get like that.  They weren't exactly little angels yesterday, but they don't need to hear me speaking crossly or sharply - ESPECIALLY when I'm *supposed* to be a teaching example.  Well, suffice it to say, yesterday I was NOT *any* sort of an example!

  The pain is still with me this morning, but more of an ache.  It feels like my thigh bones, knees, and hips have a pulse beat of their own.  Yesterday when I woke up, I told everyone I felt like a Barbie doll whose legs had been screwed into the hip sockets just slightly off kilter!  The only doll I could thing of with screw-in legs! 

                                                                       
                                                         Aolani -bright and early this morning!

  PRAYER REQUEST:

  Total change of subject . . . . I haven't mentioned it, but, my Daddy went to the hospital about a week ago after falling at home.  He falls every now and then, but this time Mom couldn't help him up.  I called just as he had landed on the floor.  He was in a hospital (virtually down to the street) and then transferred to one that required an hour's drive each way.  The drive was really hard on my mom and she almost fell asleep one night driving back from visiting him.  Finally, and fortunately, he was transferred back to a place 5 minutes from their home.  They will try to exercise him and strengthen him.  He's had a lot of back issues and has suffered strokes (some mild and one more serious).  They aren't trying to explain what happened this last time with his fall - just charting the experience for future reference.  It's exceptionally hard on him to be in a place where some look so deathly ill and sick.  I know how that feels since I see the same thing at my chemo appointments.  On top of everything else, there is a family reunion planned (his side of the family) at my sister's house in August.  We are praying he is able to be released and join the fun. 

  Please pray that his body is strengthened and that he is encouraged to eat - despite the flavorless facility food!  He's a dear person to me, as are all of my family members.

  ======================

  Well, to say I will miss Karen is an understatement.  Like all of our company we've had recently, she has been so easy to be around.  Despite sending her the fake "hospitality bill" she was a help and a comfort to me, as she has undergone chemo and a single mastectomy several years ago.  A sweet friend and, now, more like family than friend.

  Jesse will be home around 1pm to prepare to take her to lunch (if she wants) and then the airport.

                                
                                          We're all smily faces around here this morning!

  My day will be used to rest and let my body continue to rebound from this last round of pain.  I felt like I slept better last night, but Jesse said I moaned in my sleep off and on all night.  At least it didn't keep me awake!

  Be Blessed  ~

  • 12:22 pm
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