Category: My Life

I made it through day one of my diet healthy lifestyle eating plan. Oh goodness, I did fine until about 7 o’clock, in the evening and then all I wanted to do was eat! Thankfully it was Monday, and I watch “Dancing With The Stars” in bed (Hubby dislikes this show) and I actually had trouble staying awake until the end!

Excitement continues in our house hold, but I still cannot share this news. And for those of you that already know, please don’t say anything just yet. Just know it is wonderful and happy!

I’ll be seeing my daughter this weekend as she is having a Thirty-one Party. I shall report in. I’ve never been to one before, but it is a bag/pocketbook/tote party. Like the days of Tupperware!

Yesterday I stopped in at the shoe store and bought myself a new pair of walking shoes. They are cute slip-ons, with great support, and my orthotics actually slip right on in. They are also blue jeans color.

Happy Tuesday!

Today I was more energetic than I have been in well over a year. I think depression will do that to you. After my cancer surgery and then the plastic surgery, I fell into a deep depression. Worst of all, my doctor had decided to decrease the medication I take for depression.

So I kept falling, deeper, and deeper into depression. It’s sort of like trying to swim in molasses. You just don’t get anywhere, and before you know it, you feel like you are sinking.

Well about 10 days ago my medication was adjusted and I woke up today and I met myself again. I made breakfast, (with gusto), I planted all my garden seeds in their little pots, I washed the floor in the kitchen (twice) and made a nice dinner.

And at the very end of the day I took a hot shower and got ready for “Dancing With The Stars”! And best of all, I feel good. Peaceful. Finally, like I can take a deep breath and relax. Life is good.

This morning was bath morning for all three dackels. Hubby was playing with them this morning and they didn’t pass the smell test, so into the sink they went! They’re all pretty good, with the exception of Greta who let me know she wasn’t happy, by talking to me all through her bath!

This actually is a good thing because they are due for their next flea and tick application on May first and they tell you not to bath them a few days before or after. So I am all set!

We will be bringing up the potting soil that we got yesterday and despite the cold weather I will plant the seeds today for the garden. I think I may very well put the seed containers on trays that I can move inside until it warms up. Right now, even my green house is cold!

I made a ham steak last night for dinner. I love ham, but with just two of us, it doesn’t make sense to buy a whole ham. Anyway, it was so good, served with spicy German mustard, and Bratkartoffeln (German fried potatoes like homefries).

After a long, cold, and dreary winter, I am starting to feel better, brighter. This despite the fact that I had an interesting encounter last week.

I was out to lunch with a friend of mine named Laurie. We spotted a woman we both know quite well, as we were leaving the restaurant. We stopped to say hello and Ann acted like she didn’t know me. Finally Laurie said, “You remember, Maribeth?” and Ann said “Oh my gosh, I would never have recognized you!” I smiled, trying to be gracious, and said “Oh, it’s probably the longer hair.” Now that gave her an easy out. “No” she said, “That’s not it!” Okay I thought, what do I do? “Well I had a lot of plastic surgery last year”.

Then she gave me a little bit of a smirk, like I had been caught having a face lift. “I had facial cancer, and after they removed the cancer I had to have reconstructive surgery. My Boston doctor is so gifted and I am grateful”. And at that, we left.

I felt a little bad at first, but then I thought of her rudeness. I know she knew who I was. We were on the same committee here in town for three years. We met twice a month and in a town of 6000 people you see each other all the time.

The I remembered the song from “Frozen”. “Let it Go!” and that is what I have done. (At least now that I have shared it all with you.)

For the last three weeks the Physical Therapist has been treating me with a drug called Dexamethasone topically. At first he applied in on a pad and hooked it up to a machine that sent pules of electricity into the affected areas in my hand. Little by little it became even more painful. Last time I told him I couldn’t use the zapping machine any longer.

So on Thursday he just applied it using an ultra sound wand. It felt terrible and my skin felt like it was on fire.

Friday night I started to develop a rash and Saturday I broke out in hives. The hives started out at the wrist and continued right up my arm to just below my elbow. So no more of this crappy medicine for me!

I’m not sure what they will do. The doctor mentioned she might want to inject me with this stuff and after breaking out in hives, I can safely say, that is not going to happen.

Perhaps I need to just plain stop using that hand for a good week. I do not know. Tuesday will be my next appointment. We will see what the Therapist says.

I have been waking at night lately for two reasons. I am a snorer and my hand/wrist/thumb on my right hand continues to wake me.

I simply cannot get back to sleep and lie there feeling awful. So, last week I made up our guest room, and when I wake in the night, I grab my pillow and go down the hall and get into bed there, all by myself.

At first I felt sort of lonely. You know, no husband, no dogs, but now I find I quickly fall back asleep and wake in the morning feeling rested.

Yesterday I felt an odd hot feeling on  my wrist. I took off the brace and noted that the area where my Physical Therapist puts on Dexamethasone liquid to ease the pain there, was all broken out and bright, flaming red! I guess I need to add this to my allergy list! One thing is for sure, I won’t let him use that again.

So that’s the wrap up from New Hampshire. Hope you all have a great Sunday!

I decided to try to just let my hair be curly, if that was what it wanted to be. The last few months, I have been blowing it dry so that it is straight. On Friday I just flipped my head over and using the defuser, blew my hair dry.

I think it actually came out pretty well, and frankly, I was getting a bit tired of wearing my hair straight. True to itself, the hair sprung back into it’s soft curly self, despite the fact that it is no longer in layers.

It still amazes me how long my hair is getting! I have not had long hair since 1984! So this really is a big change for me, and I kind of like it!

Tomorrow I will be going down to spend the day with Mandy, Matt and Savannah. Savi has a music class and then after lunch I will babysit for Sav so her parents can go to a matinee. Now this is really what we call Oma Fun!

My therapy on my hand went well and my hand. I like my therapist and I am getting more and more pain free motion back.

On Thursday I go my hair done at my salon. My hairdresser did an amazing job. She really always does. A year ago my dear friend and hair stylist Margarita passed away from cancer. I miss her so much, and even though my new stylist doesn’t do my hair the way Margarita did, she does really well. Our relationship is uniquely our own. But we all miss Margarita.

The day was another beauty! Blue skies, warmer temperatures and lots of snow melting! Yay Spring!