Category: My Life

The other day I picked up our local paper to check out who is running for various town office’s in our March election. You all know that I am, but still, seeing my name in black and white made the event all that more real for me.

When I went out the other day I picked up paper, laminating sheets and a clip so I can make myself a “Hi I’m Maribeth ******running for Library Trustee.

I plan to get up early, do a full make-up job, wear my long underwear and then stand outside in the candidate area to shake hands with people as they come to vote.

I want people to know who they are voting for. I want to meet the people in my town face to face. I just hope when they see this face,

they won’t run screaming from the polls! Hopefully they will see this face and feel comfortable voting for me. At least one thing is for sure, I won’t be some anonymous name on a paper ballot. I will be the strange woman in the parking lot smiling and shaking hands (and freezing her butt off, I’m sure)! The election is March 9th.

Many of you have asked, so I decided that today was a good day to fill you all in on the latest on my eyes.

Most of it is good news, so sit back and relax while I fill you in.

During my doctors visit three weeks ago, I was not given the chance to ask any questions. The doctor was busy, and he said a few things and was off. I took what little he had said and went on a search for answers. You know, I went to Dr. Google!

From what Dr. C. had said I believed I had a condition called Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). This is not a good thing and I envisioned myself slowly going blind at an early age.

I started wondering if I could train a dackel to be a seeing eye service dog. Could they do that for me?

This past Friday I went to see my doctor again, and here is the full report:

My right eye, which had the retinal detachment in December is slowly healing. He reminded me that I am perhaps expecting too much from that eye, as it has been just a little over a month since my surgery. However, everything in that eye looks good and I should get almost all of my vision back in that eye. I will need glasses now all the time, but heck, what does that matter?

My biggest concern is for my left eye. I knew before the right eye problems that I had a membrane growing across the retina on that eye and suddenly I was panic stricken that I might lose the vision in my left eye and be left with the newly problematic right eye.

Really, my family calls me “The Worrier” because I worry about everything. And this is true. Even I have to admit that. So here I sat, day after day, worrying that I would lose my vision, and wondering if a dachshund guide dog would be accepted by the Guide Dog World. Really, my dreams were not good ones and I fell into a bit of a depression.

Then on Friday I went in to see Dr. C. I was prepared with a printed sheet of questions and most of all, I wanted to know for sure if I did have Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR).

Much to my relief I discovered that I DO NOT have PVR in my left eye. I do however have a problem called Epiretinal membrane (ERM), also known as macular pucker.  This involves growth of a membrane similar to scar tissue across the macula. Eventually it will thicken and need to be removed. In the meantime, the vision in the left eye will continue to deteriorate until the membrane is ready for removal.

The first thing I asked was, can I go to Germany in May/June to breed my dog? Yes. He does not think that the surgery is imminent, and the trip to Germany should be okay. Before I leave I will be sure to have the Retina Specialist in Berlin’s phone number, just in case. (See what I mean about being a worrier?)

Should anyone of you need someone to worry about something for you, please let me know. My husband tells me I’m not happy unless I am stewing about something!

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

Here is a picture of our lake on Sunday morning. You can see the ice fishermen out early on the lake. Also that is the Wolf Moon setting at dawn.

At 7:02 this morning the temperature here was 4 degrees (F) with 55 mile an hour winds! Yeah, it was cold! So I got on the computer and sent a Twitter message to our local weatherman and about a half an hour later he mentioned that “Dackel Princess in ***** New Hampshire, reported in with 55 mile an hour winds and 4 degree weather!”

I’m such a kid, really. I was so excited that I jumped up and down and started screaming! “That’s Me!” And the only one here to witness this were the dogs!

Here is Greta witnessing the great event!

Before we knew it, it was time to drive over to the doctor’s office for my eye exam. I was nervous due to the fact that I am a born worrier. I was also concerned because I needed to step up and let my doctor know that I needed him to talk to me, and not rush me through my appointment.

Hubby drove me because of the high winds and blowing snow, and I was glad that he did. We chit-chatted all the way over and I felt pretty relaxed. I’d brought my computer with me because the last time I went I learned that the hospital now has free WiFi! So instead of reading 3 year old magazines, I sat and read my email, sent a message on Facebook, and surfed the web.

Finally I was called for my appointment and I must say I was very happy at the end. I felt I really connected with my doctor, and the news on my recently detached retina was good. It’s recovering right on schedule. My left eye (which had a detached retina 7 years ago), has been diagnosed with a macular pucker (also known as Epiretinal Membrane, ERM). In time I will need to have this membrane removed, and I should retain some if not most of my vision in that eye! He said I would probably need glasses for the rest of my life, but who cares? As long as I can see!

We drove home in the cold, talking and listening to the radio, and as soon as I got home I started a fire in the hearth. Oh how lovely that has been. Warm, bright and nice. At one time or another all the dackels have been in front of it. Fritz, who is afraid of fires, is hiding in the mud room bathroom.

Tonight is the Wolf Full Moon. I got on my coat, hat, scarf and gloves and went out and took pictures. It is lovely.

So my day was a good one, and it is ending nicely as well, despite the 50 mile an hour winds that continue to blow. Tonight I feel relaxed, happy and at peace.

Today I got out……alone. After Weight Watchers I drove to the next town and gassed up my Jeep, picked up Hubby’s favorite salad dressing, and then shopped for the foods to make me thin.

Yogurt, fake eggs, and new low sugar instant oatmeal! I’m not sure how that will taste, but I am hoping that it will be good. I also hit the vegetable isle and loaded the shopping cart with all sorts of yummy vegetables, and fish. I got the most delicious piece of Swordfish that Hubby and I shared for dinner.

By the time I got to the check out register I realized I was feeling pretty tired. Make that extremely tired. It then dawned on me that I have not done so much since early December. This was a first.

So I drove home, stopping for our mail and picking up a salad for my lunch. I came into the house and was greeted by excited and happy doggies, who I immediately let out to run. I put away the frozen foods, and once I got the dogs in, I sat down and had my salad.

Hubby arrived back home from skiing and he carried the groceries up for me. What a doll! After I put everything away, I sat down, pulled the blanket over my lap and fell asleep for about an hour. I woke feeling groggy, with three dackels draped all over me.

The best part of the day was that I actually did get out. I did get the shopping done, and I got the groceries put away. I’m getting back on my feet and that is a very good thing.

The sun came out at 4:10 pm, shortly before it set on Tuesday afternoon. The temperatures were starting to drop and since I find my middle aged body unable to control it’s thermostat, I decided to make a fire in the hearth. Hubby thinks I am insane, but I sure do love my late afternoon fires to take the chill off of the family room. I did smile when he went over and rearranged the logs, so the fire would burn better!

I’m a lucky girl to have a Hubby who looks out for me and the pups.

Greta was in the kitchen this morning with me while I made breakfast. I heard a noise and looked down. There was Greta picking up a dog dish, just like Snoopy!

It was the cutest thing. Since I am a soft touch, I got a little bit of crunchy food for the three dachshunds. Greta was smiling after that. Her little ploy worked!

I took today as a quiet day because many of you told me to. Of course I listened and put my feet up and snuggled with Arnie, Anneliese and Greta, who was very grateful for her crunchy snack!

Hubby is going skiing on Wednesday while I go to Weight Watchers and shop for a few things at the grocery. The Library calls me in the afternoon, so I will have a 2 hour meeting there.

You know what was totally wonderful? When I turned on my old computer and looked at the pictures, there were the “lost” pictures of Anneliese’s puppies birth! I was just thrilled!

It was truly a great way to end my day!

My day started exceptionally early due to the fact that Hubby and the three dackels were all trying to push me out of bed! I pushed back hoping everyone would get the message, but they only pushed harder and I had to fight for my space. Eventually we all settled down, and I got a little more sleep before Hubby woke me so I could help him prepare for the last day of skiing before the rain comes! Hopefully, the rain won’t wash away all of the snow, but it is not looking good.

While Hubby was out, I tossed Fritz out the door and put the dackels in the family room and vacuumed and washed the kitchen floor. That floor has been causing me a lot of grief, mostly because I know when it was last washed and it just wasn’t good! So, today with steely determination, I got that floor done!

My eye ached in the afternoon (I know, I overdid!) so I decided it was time to sit down, have a nice cup of coffee and turn off the TV and listen quietly to music. Something I have done a lot of, since my retinal detachment. Watching TV seems to bother my eyes, but soft music is soothing!

I have a fire burning in the hearth, and a simple dinner of lamb chops and baked potatoes planned. The evening should be quiet and dreamy, a perfect ending to the weekend.

This was how my day ended.

This picture was taken in the next town to mine. I have started putting my small camera in my pocketbook! You never know when you might see something great!

The day was bright and beautiful, cold, but beautiful! I spent most of the day doing laundry and  napping, as the dogs got me up exceptionally early.

We went out tonight for dinner with our friends Vicki and Jack. I had duck and Hubby had  Prime Rib. It was a nice time. I left the TV on while we were gone and it seemed to help Fritz. Although I was extremely worried when we walked into the house, that I might find….

**********

The other day a friend sent out this video from Germany. I just fell in love with the music and although I didn’t understand the lyrics (at first) due to my very poor German, I found a translation, that I believe is close (German speakers please correct the inaccuracies!). I like the theme. It’s all about life.

House at the Lake

I was born here, walking the streets
know the faces, every house and every shop
I got to get out, I know every pigeon by name
thumb out, I wait for a glamorous woman with a fast car

the sun glares, all flies past
and the world behind me shrinks slowly
but the world in front of me was made for me
I know she’s waiting and I come for her

the day is on my side, the winds at my back
a female choir at the side of the road, that sings for me
I lean back and look in the deep blue
close my eyes and walk straight ahead

chorus:
and at the end of the road stands a house at the lake
leaves of an orange tree lie on the path
I have 20 children, my wife is beautiful
all come to visit me, I don’t have to go out
seen in a dream, the house at the lake

I seek a new country, with unknown streets
faces of strangers and no one knows my name
winning all in a game with marked cards
losing all, god has a tough left hook

I dig for treasures in snow and sand
and women turn my world upside down
but one day I’ll have luck
and return with both pockets full of gold

I’ll invite all old friends and relatives
and all start to cry tears of joy
we have a barbecue, the mothers cook and we drink booze
and we have a party for a week every night

Chorus:
and the moon shines bright at my house at the lake
leaves of an orange tree lie on the path
I have 20 children, my wife is beautiful
all come to visit me, I don’t have to go out
seen in a dream, the house at the lake

and at the end of the road stands a house at the lake
leaves of an orange tree lie on the path
I have 20 children, my wife is beautiful
all come to visit me, I don’t have to go out

yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

I was born here, here I’ll get buried
my ears are deaf, I have a white beard and sit in the garden
my 100 grandchildren play cricket on the lawn
when I think about it, I can hardly wait.