The Dackel Princess

Life or Something Like It

Good morning, gentle readers. I know I haven’t been writing much lately, and it is due to the ongoing saga of my injured knee.
I injured my knee over two months ago; one will recall that I had to wait three weeks just to have an MRI on my knee. The interesting thing here is that the day after I had my MRI, which contained the words “severe damage” six times, I was able to get in to see an orthopedic surgeon.
The doctor feels that physical therapy would do me some good. I cannot put weight on my leg without horrible pain, and without it giving out, so I was very skeptical about going for physical therapy. I did not have to worry too much, because physical therapy couldn’t see me for over a month.
I’ve called my doctor back and explained my situation to him. His nurse called me and said she would get me into physical therapy. Yesterday she called me again and told me that that would not happen. She said she can’t get me into physical therapy anywhere within a 50-mile radius of my home. So now no one really knows what they want to do with my knee. I would like them to go in and clean up the damage to my knee.
I am not bone-on-bone. I do have a lot of arthritis and bone spurs and a meniscus that has been torn and has definitely seen better days.
I was thinking about this this morning as I was sipping my tea. I remember watching Lindsey Vonn at the Olympics last winter, when she fell and suffered a serious injury. She had flown her doctors in; she had the best medical treatment, and when they had stabilized her, they flew her out and back to her home state of Colorado.
I’m thinking that perhaps if I were young, gorgeous, and loaded with money, I would be getting treatment above and beyond what I am right now.
I do have excellent insurance. And I can afford to see good doctors, undergo necessary medical procedures, and ensure my knee is treated in a timely fashion. But here I am over 2 months of not being able to move I haven’t been getting out to get my groceries I order them. I don’t see people because they are out there, and I can’t get there.
I missed my 50th high school reunion. I missed my grandnephew and his wife’s wedding, which I was really looking forward to.
And during this time, Heidi had cancer surgery twice. She has been an amazing companion to me through all of this, and I hope I have given back to her everything she has given me.
So my friends, life has given me a bowl of very bitter lemons, and I’m not quite sure what I am going to do with them yet. I’m hoping for some resolution to this problem. I think I may have to go further afield to be examined by other doctors to get some results.
At nearly 68 years old, I am not ready to sit in my chair with my legs up and a blanket across my knees for the rest of my life; I want to get back to the land of the living.

The Friday Five Sept. 25th

This week was my busiest in a while. And now, as I sit here at the end of the week, I must say I’m a bit happier than I was last week.

I finally had my MRI. There were six problems that were rated “Severe” in the report. I read along, and I felt like crying. Finally, validation for all the pain I have been in! I discovered that I could make an appointment with an orthopedic doctor myself. I did not need a referral. So I did a lot of reading and found a doctor I felt comfortable with. Then I called for an appointment.
After waiting three-plus weeks for the MRI, I felt sure it would be a long wait for the doctor. I was wrong. They fit me in the next day. The doctor thoroughly examined my knee, and after going through the X-rays and MRI, said he would like to have me try some physical therapy. The Physical Therapist will be a good person to evaluate the knee and report back to the doctor if it continues to worsen.
My only problem now is that the earliest Physical Therapy appointment is in one month. I am on a cancellation list, and I hope I will get in earlier.
Heidi woke me on Thursday with the classic signs of a doggy ear infection. I called, and they squeezed us in.Sure enough, she has an infection in one ear. She got the “One and Done” treatment and is much happier. She is also out of the cone of shame (which she is also happy about).
We are due for a major storm this weekend. I filled up my car with gas; I am moving my patio furniture inside and battening down the hatches.

I wish you all a good weekend!

Zucchini & Tomato One-Pot Pasta

Zucchini & Tomato One-Pot Pasta

Ingredients:

Zucchini /and or summer squash
Tomatoes
Garlic
Onion (chopped)
Olive oil
Tomato Sauce
Meatballs
Pasta
Water
Grated cheese

Preparation:

Add olive oil to a large skillet, then add the zucchini, tomatoes, onions, and garlic.

Cover with a lid and cook for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables become very soft.

Remove the tomato skins, then mash all the vegetables together until you have a rich, chunky sauce.

Add the tomato sauce and mix well. Add the pasta to the sauce and add enough water to cook it.

Cover and cook until the pasta is tender and has absorbed the delicious tomato-and-zucchini sauce.

Add meatballs.

Finally, sprinkle generously with grated cheese, cover again, and let the cheese melt.

You can make as much or as little as you want! Serve hot and enjoy!

The Friday Five ~ Sept. 18th

I have just a few more days until my MRI. Call me frustrated. To be in this much pain and to have to wait for three weeks to get in for the MRI is ludicrous! Aside from my wait, here is what’s been happening in my corner of the world.

The pathology report is back on Heidi’s tumor. The lymph node is not involved, and they were able to get all the cancer with wide margins! She goes in today to get her stitches out.
For the last 6 days, since Heidi stopped the medication to keep her quiet, she has been running around doing her zoomies! Both inside the house and outside. I will forever be grateful to the spider that bit her and caused us to pay attention to her backside. It’s why we found the tumor and got it out!
Well, last weekend I missed my grandnephew’s wedding to a beautiful woman who is the love of his life. I was looking forward to that!
This weekend I am missing my 50th High School Reunion. I’ve been looking forward to this for months. Since my painful knee is my right one, there goes a long drive.
Well, I will end this with a cute story. Heidi’s littermate sister sent her a cute Pupsickle chew ball.She loves the treat inside and playing fetch with me. Yes, my little girl is feeling better.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone, and to my Falmouth High School classmates, enjoy the party and have a champagne for me.

9/11 Twenty-five Years Later

We can all tell you where we were and what we were doing on that fateful day in September.

September 11, 2001

It was a beautiful day here in New Hampshire. Sunny, bright, clear with blue skies. I was showering and getting ready for a dental appointment while Jack was shingling the house. It was a day like any other here.

Jack had the TV in our bedroom pointed out the window so he could listen to the morning news.

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my arm, and Jack told me I had to get out of the shower now; something was happening. I was a little dazed and confused. I shut off the water in the shower and grabbed my towel.

Jack and I watched Fox News, ABC, and CNN in our family room. A plane had hit one of the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center in downtown New York City. Jack, as a former Airline Pilot, knew immediately that it was no accident.

While we were watching, another plane suddenly came in and hit the other Tower!
We were both in shock. We listened to reports. No one was saying terrorism, not at first. But both Jack and I knew.

I look at this picture, and I know that none of those innocent people got out alive. That thought brings me to tears each time I see it.

We watched the Towers come down, one and then the other. We knew people had died. We just didn’t know how many.

At 12:30, I drove to my dental appointment. There was no other car on the road. Not one. I got to my dental appointment and found that I was the only patient who hadn’t canceled that day.

When I got home, we watched TV all day. I called my family and my close friends. Just to hear their voices.

It doesn’t matter what your political affiliations are or how you feel about war. What matters is that on September 11, 2001, innocent people died in New York City, in Washington, DC, and in Shanksville, PA.

People like you and like me. Just because. That day I learned that we are no longer safe here at home.

I also learned that when our country is attacked in such a manner, we pull together and unify.

God bless all who lost their lives that day, their families, who will never be the same, and all who serve this country each and every day to protect and defend us.

September 11, 2001: Basic Facts

Chronology
8:46 AM, A plane crashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
9:03 AM, A plane crashes into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
9:17 AM The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shuts down all airports in the New York City area.
9:21 AM The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) halts all flights at U.S. airports. It is the first
time in history that air traffic has been halted nationwide.
9:38 AM: A plane crashes into the Pentagon. Evacuation begins immediately.
9:45 AM The White House evacuates.
10:05 AM The South Tower of the World Trade Center collapses.
10:10 AM A portion of the Pentagon collapses.
10:10 AM Plane crashes in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
10:22 AM The State and Justice Departments, as well as the World Bank, are evacuated.
10:28 AM The World Trade Center’s north tower collapses.
10:45 AM All federal office buildings in Washington, D.C., are evacuated.
1:44 PM Five warships and two aircraft carriers are ordered to leave the U.S. Naval Station
in Norfolk, Virginia, to protect the East Coast.
4:10 PM, Building 7 of the World Trade Center collapses.

The Flights
American Airlines Flight 11
From: Boston, Massachusetts (Logan Airport)
To: Los Angeles, California
Lives: 92 people on board
Crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 AM

United Airlines Flight 175
From: Boston, Massachusetts (Logan Airport)
To: Los Angeles, California
Lives: 65 people on board
Crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center at 9:03 AM

American Airlines Flight 77
From: Washington, D.C. (Dulles Airport)
To: Los Angeles, CA
Lives: 64 people on board
Crashed into the Pentagon at 9:38 AM

United Airlines Flight 93
From: Newark, New Jersey
To: San Francisco, California
Lives: 44 people on board
Crashed into rural Pennsylvania (southeast of Pittsburgh)

Victims
Victims came from more than 90 countries around the world.
The following are the number of people who died at each site:

World Trade Center 2,823 (includes airline passengers)
Pentagon 125 (not including plane victims)
Flight 11 – 92 people on board
Flight 175 – 64 people on board
Flight 77 – 64 people on board
Flight 93 – 44 people on board

The initial numbers are indelible: 8:46 a.m. and 9:02 a.m, the times the Towers were hit. Time the burning towers stood: 56 minutes and 102 minutes. The time they took to fall was 12 seconds. From there, they ripple out.

That day, these first responders also died as they raced to the scene trying to save anyone they could.

343 Firefighters (including a chaplain and two paramedics) of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY)
37 Police Officers of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department (PAPD)
23 Police Officers of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and 8 Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics from private emergency medical services.
1 Patrolman from the New York Fire Patrol

Fact Sheet
U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC
August 15, 2002

The Friday Five ~ September 4th

September has begun. Some kids are back in school, and as I drove home from the doctor’s yesterday, I noticed that the leaves at the tips of the trees are starting to turn. Autumn is upon us. Here is what’s happening for me this week.

1. My knee remains very painful. I went to the Orthopedist yesterday. I am set for the MRI on September 21st. Then we can plan out the treatment. Meanwhile, I am in an immobilizing brace. This makes life challenging. But at least it helps keep my knee from buckling and hopefully prevents another fall.
2. Here is my confession of the week. Ugh! I have ordered a walker to help me get around.The cane just isn’t cutting it when the knee gives out. I also wanted one that would keep me walking normally, not step-stop-step-stop. It is arriving today. With wheels on all four points.
3. Today is also surgery #2 for Heidi. I plan a very quiet weekend for the “Walking Wounded”. Naps, movies, and good nutrition.
4. Yesterday, I was able to set up the kitchen sink so I could give Heidi a half bath. Take it from me, the girl smelled bad. So I washed her from the belly button up. Then I put on a temporary cone while I washed the good cone (Is there such a thing as a good cone?). At the end, she was smelling sweet with a nice, clean cone and collar.
5. Lastly, the skies are clearing, and it looks like the sun will be shining down soon. A great way to start the holiday weekend. Happy Labor Day!

The Walking Wounded Report

Yesterday was just not my day. My knee is still painful, and the X-ray showed a lot of bone spurs and bits of debris, which have been causing me discomfort since my fall. I’m grounded since my knee keeps giving out.

I suppose that my Primary Care will order an MRI to diagnose and plan for future treatment. One thing I have finally accepted is that the pain is winning, and like it or not, I have to do something about it.

***************

The second thing that happened yesterday was that the Pathology Report came in on Heidi’s growth. It is indeed cancer. Since it showed that they did not get it all, Heidi will go in on Friday for further surgery.

My girl is not even five years old, and she is now facing a very serious surgery and treatment. I hope all will go well, but I am very concerned for her.

Currently, her staples from the last surgery have healed well. She is moving better and is not as uncomfortable. At least until Friday, when they operate again.

And because I’m sure you want to see her adorable face. Here is her cone shot.

So, Heidi and I are the walking wounded. We do find solace by snuggling in the recliner. My legs up and her body snuggled in her spot with the cone and her snout resting on my leg.

We’re watching a lot of TV, doing puzzles, and trying to just take my mind off of everything that is going on.

The Friday Five ~ August 28th

The summer is coming to a close. In some places, the kids have already gone back to school. Life is going on.

Just a little over two weeks ago, I fell. It was a stupid, careless fall, and thankfully there were no broken bones. I did, however, twist my knee, and instead of getting better with time, it has gotten worse.
My Nurse Practitioner ordered X-rays and some blood work. So I drove the eight miles to our local hospital, arriving at 3:15. I went straight to X-ray and learned that, as of the end of July, they will close the X-ray department at 3:00. I stood talking to the receptionist and explained that there was no one to drive me tomorrow. She went back to plead my case and returned just as the last walk-in X-ray person was leaving. She asked him as he stood in the doorway, and he looked at me and said, “NO.”
Ordinarily, I would not care, but driving anywhere right now is painful as the knee I hurt is my right one.
I drove home and curled up with Heidi in my recliner, where I could prop up my right leg. Come tomorrow morning, I will return to the hospital and get the blasted X-ray.
Heidi is doing well. I have not gotten the pathology report yet. Hopefully soon!

The Friday Five ~ August 14th

The weeks are slipping by, and with them the sunny days and heat of the summer. I grew up in the tourist destination of Cape Cod. Each summer, our bridges and our roads were packed.

Now I live in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, and since more people are taking staycations, our roads are packed!

So, as I watch the sun set, these are my thoughts.

I am doing searches for replacement windows for the house. I know it must be done, but I am shocked by the prices. I want nice airtight windows. Simple windows. But for the prices I have been quoted, you would think they are lined with gold!
Miss Heidi is going in for surgery next week. She has developed a tumor that is walnut-sized. I’d hoped it was a simple cyst, but it is hard. Poor baby.
My sister, brother-in-law, niece, and grandniece are coming next week. I have a list of all the fun things to do around here. And I discovered an Asian Fusion restaurant and a fabulous ice cream place for a treat after! Pictures to come.
They’re continuing to do testing to determine the best course of treatment for my own health problems. Ah, the joy of the golden years!
I was thinking how very lucky I am. A year ago, I had lost the vision in my left eye. There were many long days spent wondering if my vision would ever return. From July until October, I was in limbo. Then one day I woke and had bits of vision coming back. By Christmas, it had all returned. I am so fortunate!

Have a happy and joyous weekend, everyone!

The Friday Five ~ July 31st

Here we are. The last day in July of 2026! Now, how did that happen? It’s been a good summer, and this year I decided to make small improvements around the house. Here’s the list.

I had an overgrown area bushhogged and the broken birch trees removed. The poor trees simply cannot take heavy snow or ice. It looks a bit barren now, but I know it will fill in with ferns and other fauna.
I purchased insulated blackout curtains for the family room and my bedroom. During the really hot days we had, closing these helped keep the heat out. Somehow putting these up makes my home look a lot more cozy!
In “The Madison”, Stacey tells her daughter, “I am 65 years old, I don’t have a whole life ahead of me. I have a very small window to be reckless…and that’s what I’m going to do.” I’m not being reckless, but at 67, I see that as far as time goes, my days on this earth are numbered. So my plan is to enjoy the time I have left.
I called Sunsetter Shade. I have an awning of theirs that we put in back in 2000. It’s old, cracked, and I need a new one. The salesman came by in the middle of a power outage. I was unable to open it; however, for the size we have, there is only one that would fit width-wise, so I selected the fabric and made the deal. It should be here in about three weeks.
I got the cutest sunbed for Heidi. It will help to keep her off the patio and away from spiders.
Her bites still have not healed. She goes back today for a recheck.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!