Category: My Life

My Birthday seems to have stretched into a nearly one-week long celebration. Not bad really. I think when you get to be over sixty you should enjoy these monumentous events as much as possible.

Of course, I had a great celebration with Mandy and family, but then, on my birthday I got up with Arnie to discover that the boy had something very wrong, which led to a bloody mess on my bed.

At first, I blamed Lili. I thought perhaps she’s played too hard with Arnie and bitten him.

However, after I cleaned Arnie up and actually used the doggy clippers to remove the hair on his back (A small area mid-back) I saw what appeared to be a really bad “hot-spot”.

So I quickly showered and dressed, as I knew I would be driving Arnie out to the Vets. Which I did later in the morning.

Yes, it’s a mean “hot-spot” and he is on meds for that. I also picked up more pain medication for Anneliese to keep her comfortable.

Coming home, I bought the last things for my birthday dinner, which I cooked, and came home.

What did I cook for my dinner? Vidalia Onion Swordfish, Roasted Herbed Potatoes, and Brussell Sprout Saute. Dessert was a Strawberry and Cream Ice Cream Cake served with Champagne. All in all, not a bad meal. Definitely not diet-friendly, but what the heck, it was my birthday.

In 24 hours Arnie’s back is looking better. I think he is feeling better too. Thank goodness.

On Wednesday it was my last meeting with my ladies. It was 22 degrees with a stiff wind and snowing lightly. But we all showed up, wearing multiple layers of clothing, and stayed for nearly an hour. When I left my nose was bright red, and my fingers and toes were frozen! But I wouldn’t have missed this for the world!

So now we are back to reality here. I’m only going out when I have to, and I’m being cautious. Our Covid numbers are climbing and since it is that time of year when colds and flu abound, I figure it’s best to isolate at home.

I have everything to make a nice Thanksgiving dinner for the two of us. And I also will have my favorite thing that evening. A nice warm turkey sandwich.

It’s a strange time right now, around the world. So many people are sheltering in place. Families are divided and kept apart by this virus. Memories are not being made, and it’s just plain not fair.

But such is life. I hope and pray that soon a vaccine can be made and once again we can go about living our lives.

Monday was a cooking day. I made 2 meatloaves for the freezer, put some steak to marinate in fajita seasoning, and lastly, made six stuffed peppers for our dinner. I also made two small pies in my mini cast iron pans for dessert tonight.

Before you fear for my WW diet, I was careful to make everything point friendly and healthy!

I will be honest with you all. I was in this crazy cooking mode because I wasn’t handling my feelings very well as I struggled to handle Katie’s birthday.  I felt so very sad.

I imagine I could have simply sat motionless and crying all day, but I decided to be proactive and just keep working it out.

So, I was whipping around the kitchen staying busy. I only nicked my thumb once and burnt my hand slightly. All caused by being careless.

I did do one other thing. I subscribed to “Britbox” on Amazon Prime. Now I can watch a few of my old favorites like “All Creatures Great and Small” and “The Vicar of Dibley”. Both of these shows fill my heart in different ways.

I’m healing well and I think, in the end, I’m going to look okay. For this, I am eternally grateful.

Tuesday found me going in many different directions. As it was our Election Day, I dressed up warmly (It was only in the ’20s with a brisk wind) and I went and voted. Done!

Next, I went and filled up my car with gasoline, and stopped and got a container of oatmeal. I sat and had breakfast before heading into the grocery store and buying a few things. Done!

Then I was off to the doctors where I got the best news. My pathology report was back and the tumors were all benign! Yay!

My stitches were removed and I feel pretty good about things. While the doctor was cleaning the tumors and scar tissue he managed to give me a beautifully lined up eyebrow!

Please pardon the “hat-hair”. It was so very cold and windy and a hat was the only way to keep my ears warm.

I drove home and made lunch for the two of us, and then I noted that Anneliese isn’t feeling her best. I’m worried so this will mean a visit to our Veterinarian fairly soon.

We now go into the giant waiting game to find out who has won our Presidential Election. Personally, I believe our voting system needs to be reformed. There are just too many ways for people to cheat.

Day one post-op found me doing very well. I kind of felt like I’d been kicked in the head by a horse, but really, the ache was far less than it was on surgery day.

The swelling has begun, and a bruise is forming under the eye and around the incision itself. But I am so lucky. Dr. S. is amazing, gentle, kind, and gifted. I felt so taken care of and valued as his patient.

And a big thank-you to all the nurses who cared for me in pre-op, surgery, and post-op. The women were incredible and they prepared me and then made sure I was okay all the way along.

Also, thanks to Pandora and their 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s station. One nurse asked if I liked the music and I said “Absolutely! It makes me think of being in High School.” All but one of us in the OR were close to my age. But one young nurse needed to be educated with “good” music! LOL

I am also loving my hair-cut. I was a little unsure if I should have gotten it cut so short, but I’m really liking this. It’s very easy and soft.

So the worst is over and now I put myself into healing mode. I am all for that!

My day started far too early as I was feeling nervous. Would they find this problem? Could they fix it?

Well, It rained the entire way, which meant a weird trip down and then a mad dash to the door of the Surgery Center when I arrived.

My doctor ran late with his patient before me, but eventually, I got in and then Dr. S. took 2 hours to remove 2 Neuromas and a whole lot of scar tissue.

A Neuroma is a growth or tumor of nerve tissue. Neuromas tend to be benign (i.e. not cancerous); many nerve tumors, including those that are commonly malignant, are nowadays referred to by other terms.

Neuromas can arise from different types of nervous tissue, including the nerve fibers and their myelin sheath, as in the case of genuine neoplasms (growths) like ganglioneuromas and neurinomas.

My doctor was rather excited about the surgery, as my case was somewhat unusual. I asked to see the tumors afterward, and even I was amazed at what I saw.

It was all done under local anesthetic, so I drove myself home, and by the time I arrived, the Novacaine had worn off and I was starting to feel a giant ouchie.

It’s only 8:30 on Monday night, but I am ready for bed. I am so thankful to have this behind me.

The news is very good for my eyebrow! I saw the doctor today and was approved for surgery.

I will be going in tomorrow (Wednesday) for a Covid Test, and all my Pre-op work-up. Then I need to shelter at home. No going out, no going anywhere, until after the surgery.

The surgery will be Monday, October 26th in the morning. I opted for local anesthesia, and this means my recovery time will be slightly less. I will be able to drive myself both ways.

I do plan to relax after the surgery. I’ll come home and just chill out. I already have a meatloaf made for Jack and I will do the vegetable preparation the night before.

So after all this time, the hard nodule that has been causing me such discomfort will be excised and hopefully, all will be well.

I’ve been so worried about what the insurance would cover, and it was explained to me that in a case like this, they will cover it because there is a medical purpose for the surgery. I guess these sorts of rules must be so someone doesn’t attempt to have breast enlargement surgery and have the insurance company pay for it. Or worse yet, have a face-lift or lip enhancement (aka guppy lips). I can understand, and I guess I shouldn’t have worried. This really is medically necessary.

So off I go to get myself swabbed and then I’m home until Monday!

Well, here I am on Monday afternoon, planning my week. The next two days will be very busy and a bit on the nerve-wracking side.

After seven years, the scar on my brow from cancer surgery has become painful. Well, it’s actually been painful for a while (a few years) but it has reached the point of causing me discomfort each day.  It’s like having two beans under my skin. When I put on make-up, it hurts. When I wash my face, it hurts. Finally, my Dermatologist suggested I see a Plastic Surgeon for a revision.

The reason I am nervous is that although I have good insurance, it will be the decision of the Insurance Company whether or not I really need this.

I have said for many years that it was NOT our Healthcare System that needed to be revised. No! It is the Insurance Companies that need to have their systems revised and curtailed! Imagine some account manager for XYZ-Insurance Company being able to say whether or not you get care!

Unfortunately, the Insurance Companies have a lot of Lobbyists and they have controlled our healthcare system and availability for years! And now, as I wait to find out if I can have a revision, I must ask myself if my Insurance Company will deem it necessary.

After that appointment, I will be stopping at the grocery shop. I have a lot of things to buy.

Of course, once I get done with the shopping, I will need to come home, put all the groceries away, and make dinner! Long day.

Wednesday I have my ladies meeting in the morning, and directly after that, I am driving to get my hair done.

After that, I have no plans for the rest of the week. We pulled the last air conditioner on Monday and now we are officially in Winter Mode. I need to check the fuel oil and set the thermostats.

Yes, busy, busy, and then some quiet.

Have a great week everyone!