Category: Friday Five

Good Friday Morning to you all. This has been an amazingly busy week for us. But I must tell you, it has been a beautiful week! Here, let me tell you all about it!

1. On Monday I had a doctor’s appointment in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It’s about a 50 mile drive each way. On Monday it was so beautiful. Despite a few clouds, a sprinkle of rain, the lush trees, the flowering gardens, and when I stepped from my car in Portsmouth, the smell of the ocean brought tears to my eyes! Since I was early, I sat down on the docks at a small restaurant and had lunch. It was just ideal!
2. Tuesday I had another appointment, but this one in town. It was a perfect day to run around and see people and places close by, including a family of Canadian Geese and another of baby ducks with their mother.
3. Wednesday, Jack and I went for him to be fitted for shoes. He will get two pairs, one sneakers and one casual shoes that will have an insert where his toe once was. Afterward I actually got Jack to go out and shop at Walmart with me. His first public outing. He did very well, and we were shopping for about an hour, when I looked up at him and noticed he looked like he was fading. I worried about his blood sugar, so I grabbed a Reese’s Peanut-butter Cup pack, as we checked out. I got him to the car, got him some coffee and asked him if it was low blood sugar or exhaustion. He took a big breath and said exhaustion. Needless to say, he took a nap that afternoon.
4. Thursday we saw the surgeons over in White River Junction, at the VA. They are really happy with the progress that Jack’s nubbin is making and very soon he will no longer need my tender ministrations each day. After his appointment, we also discovered a Chinese Buffet Restaurant and had lunch. Jack’s first meal out since this all began. It was delicious, cheap and close to the VA, so when we go for further appointments we know where to have our lunch!
5. A few weeks back I had a quasi disaster with my hair coloring. First it came out nearly black. Talk about a shock! Then when I asked her to fix this, it came out a deep auburn-ish red! Definitely not me! So I asked around and I found a licensed colorist who is going to fix my hair and then give it some shape. I can hardly wait!

     5. Plus 1. I graduated from High School in 1976. But that was a year ahead of my  real class. I took extra courses the summer before and graduated early, to marry my High School Sweetheart. Anyway, The Class of 1977 is having their Reunion at the end of September and I decided to go! I have not seen most of these people in 40 years! These are the people I started Kindergarten with, and whose birthday parties I went to and shared school dances with. Their lives were part of the fabric of my life. And best of all, I get to go to my hometown of Falmouth, Massachusetts! I will also be spending part of that weekend with two of my favorite people! My sister, Melodie and my cousin, Janet! Come to think of it, I think this is the first girls weekend we have had since we were kids! I hope now we are older, we can plan these trips together more often.

Here is a picture of me when I was a Freshman in High School. My Dad took it, when I was down at the lake near our house swimming, just before school started in September.

This was an exceptionally busy week, and I will try to get it pared down to the top five!

1. Jack’s foot, toe area, I will now call a “Nubbin“. That pretty much describes what is left on the top of the foot. Kind of cute really. He was seen by the Vascular Surgeon, who had amputated it, to finally get the stitches out. When I was introduced, I heard an accent but could not place it. I asked, and he said he was born and raised in Berlin, Germany! He arrived in America when he was a freshman in High School. And he spoke no English. Well, considering that his English is perfect, and he went to High School, College, Medical School and then did his Residency, and Specialty and got Board Certified and is only in his mid 30’s, it is safe to say that he is incredibly bright. Jack and the doctor chatted in German while the stitches were removed.
2. The “Nubbin” looks good. I was commended for the care I had given it all this time. In fact everyone liked the way I had wrapped the “Nubbin” and foot with gauze. Now the stitches are out, he can shower, but still must keep it wrapped and he still cannot drive until he is fitted for special shoes. He also must use a walker and/or cane when he walks.
3. I had my hair done this week and wanted to go a bit darker, and a little more ash because my hair had gotten kind of reddish/blond. Although I liked the cute trim she gave me, my hair is currently almost BLACK! I have an appointment tomorrow to get the color “fixed”! I can hardly wait. I catch looks in a mirror as I pass and I startle myself every time!
4. It was back to Weight Watchers for me this week. Being as sick as I have been, I have now lost 32 pounds. I do not recommend losing the weight the way I did. Being that sick and unable to eat is pretty yucky. I have just about 20 pounds left until I reach my new goal weight. I do not want to be as thin as I was when I was 40. I will be 60 soon and well, I think I’m entitled to a few extra pounds.
5. Have you seen the documentary, “Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy“?                                                                                                                                                             It was made by Prince William and Prince Harry to honor their mother on the 20th anniversary of her death. They obviously were and still are devoted to their much loved mother. It is my hope that Diana will one day be honored for her role in British History. I think her sons will make sure she is.

This week I am calling the Friday Five, the Friday Five Plus One. Simply because I cannot fit everything in to just 5 statements. So, here goes!

This week I am focusing on the last two weeks. So much has been happening, that the first two weeks of this month have gone by in a flash. When I am not running around trying to dot all my I’s and cross all my T’s, I am catching a nap or going to bed before nine o’clock on the evening. Here is a quick run down.

1. It all started a month ago when Jack said he needed me to doctor his toe. The big toe on his right foot was quite simply a bloody mess. Since he is an Agent Orange Survivor with Diabetes, I knew it was a big problem, probably before he did. He phoned the Veteran’s Hospital and the race began.
2. He was on antibiotics, but nothing got better. I was the keeper of the toe, changing the dressings and watching it. In reality, I was watching it become more infected and worsen. Looking back, I should have demanded a Vascular Surgeon look at it. Next time…(and yes, there probably will be a next time!)
3. Two weeks later, Jack was not feeling well. We packed a suitcase for him, and headed to the VA in Manchester, to their Emergency Department. They took one look at his toe and off he went, via ambulance, to the White River Junction Veteran’s hospital, where, three days later they removed all of his toe. Thankfully, since Jack has no feeling in his feet, he had no pain. Otherwise, we were told, this would have been an extremely painful operation. They started him on two IV antibiotics, and then waited and hoped that the pathology report would show which bacteria was inside the toe, and also that the bone pathology would show that they got all the infected bone.
4. They sent us home last week on Thursday. At that time they gave Jack a 50/50 chance of not needing more surgery to remove more of the bone. He came home with a slew of medical products for me to use to keep his foot clean, and antibiotics (two of them) in tablet form, to treat both the infection and any possible bone infection he might have left.
5. So, the last week he has had to sit with his foot elevated, and basically do nothing. That is very hard for my husband, who is a very active person. However, I think it’s been a tad easier, because he still has not felt well. I make his meals, clean his wound and then nap and go to bed early, because exhaustion seems to take on a life of it’s own.
6. Now here is your bonus this week. Yesterday, the Nurse Practitioner had the pathology reports on the toe that they removed. She told us that it showed that they had gotten all of the infection with wide margins in the bone.
   They did take a small amount of healthy bone, but this is okay. It means after one month of antibiotics, Jack should be healed.
   He will still need monthly care of his feet, and hopefully, this will keep him from losing any more of his foot. But there is no guarantee.

On a more serious note, I just want to say here and now, that Agent Orange was used so indiscriminately, that so many of our soldiers have been permanently damaged. Seeing the toll it has taken on Jack, I am just appalled! So I say to all the men and women of our military who have fought for our country, God Bless you, and Thank You!

I’m going to do something a little different with this week’s Friday Five. This week I will give you five reasons why, “Naps Are Good“!

1. Snuggling up with your dog, or cat, child or loved one, for a mid-day rest, relaxes you like nothing else.
2. Naps are a way of being extremely kind to your body. Stretching it out, and purposely resting each and every muscle is simply delicious!
3. Since I was so ill at the start of the year, I find napping has been a great way to regain my strength.
4. After my nap, I find I am more alert and I spend the second half of my day getting quite a few things done.
5. I am not nearly so grumpy after a good power nap. In fact I am pretty darn cheerful!

So next time you wonder what to do for an hour in the afternoon, lie down, get a comfy pillow and blanket and take a nap! Your body, mind and soul will thank you!

This week has been so full for me that I hardly know where to start. I guess since there are 5 days in the business week, I will just start with Monday and go from there!

1. Monday. I was supposed to have a follow up mammogram, but that was an error and so I went shopping instead. Good idea, except the skies opened up and on my way to my car I got completely drenched! The storms were so severe that it took out our power and we had about 2 inches of rain in a fairly short time. When I did get home I realized that the store hadn’t given me two of my bags of groceries. I wasn’t going back on Monday in the rain, but made arrangements to go back on Tuesday.
2. Tuesday. I called a friend and asked if she wanted to go to the store with me to pick up my groceries. Since we had extra time, we went to a few more places and then sat under some trees at a drive in and ate our sandwiches. It was a lot of fun.
3. Wednesday. This was the long awaited visit to the Infectious Disease Doctor. Things went pretty well and I really liked the doctor. She and I have a plan, that over the next two weeks we will stop the antibiotics and see if the infection returns. Hopefully it won’t, and all will be well!
4. Thursday. I decided that after 7 weeks I needed to dip my head in the fountain of youth! I called my hairstylist and she dipped me and trimmed my bangs. I letting the rest of my hair grow, to cover my scar.
5. Friday. A practical day. I have laundry planned as well as making up a casserole with some of this weeks dinner leftovers. Hubby is going to the doctor about his toe, and I will have a couple of hours of quiet.

So that’s my week. All in all, a good one. I hope that your week has been good as well. And I wish you a fun and happy weekend!

Here we are, another week has gone by and there are just 27 more weeks until Christmas,  December 25th, 2017!  It’s a scary thought, yes?

As this week flew by I was involved in quite a few things, and thinking of others. Here are the top 5 for this week!

1. I had to drive to Portsmouth, NH. I am not a big fan of driving, but I managed to drive down and back without any problem. And actually, I am a good driver, and Wednesday was such a beautiful day. Perfect for a long drive!
2. Thursday, Anneliese got her stitches out and Arnie got his teeth cleaned! Both got their nails done and all I need to do for them is bathe them and Greta and then strip their fur a little to get rid of their winter coats.
3. I baked another batch of cookies. This time for me. I’ve been slightly nauseous, and I find that Snickerdoodle Cookies settle my stomach. At least that’s the story I’m sticking to!
4. Arnie is still a little sleepy from his teeth cleaning and has been so sweet and loving with me.
5. Next week I have two appointments going. One for a follow up mammogram and the other is my first meeting with the Infectious Disease Doctor in Concord, NH.

Well, that’s all for this week. Have a great weekend, Everyone!

Life continues to fly by and this week was the return to a real spring! Yesterday our temperatures soared to nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit, with thick gooey air. So here are the five things going on in my life.

1. The apple blossoms are out on the trees. They’re so beautiful and fragrant. Truly one of my favorite times of the year in my back yard orchard!
2. I learned a new way of cooking a thick steak. Salt and pepper the meat. Sear it in a hot cast iron pan for 4 minutes on each side and then stick the skillet in the oven for 5 minutes. Done! It was so good!
3. My other great meal of the week was Scallops, Mushroom Risotto, and Corn on the Cob. Yes, I think I am finally getting back into my cooking groove!
4. With the temperatures close to 100 yesterday, I was so happy to have all the air conditioners in the windows. It kept the house nice and cool and the air fresh.
5. We are looking at attending Hubby’s Army Aviators Reunion in Kansas City, Missouri, in October. I think it would be fun. Anyone know of things to do in Kansas City, MO?

Another week has come and gone, and here I sit waiting for the warmth of Spring. It seems we are stuck in eternally gray skies, 55 degrees Fahrenheit, and rain. Not my idea of Spring weather, where flowers bloom and my fruit trees blossom. Ah well, here are the five things going on in my life.

1. I’ve been trying to get my Infectious Disease files moved to a new doctor here in New Hampshire. I’ve been waiting for an appointment. I called on Tuesday and discovered I needed to have the doctor in Boston refer me and send her notes. Fine, sent her an email, and waited.
2. Wednesday I learned that my Primary Care doctor had to also refer me to this doctor as the Insurance Company requires this.
3. After paying $1360.00 per month for my Insurance, all I can say about Insurance Companies is that they are not there to help you, but they are there to put so many hurtles in your path that at the end of the day, you cry in frustration!
4. Although in Round One, paying for my antibiotics, found them covering those, now they do not want to cover the special supplies needed when you receive antibiotics through a PICC line. I am appealing their decision. Wish me luck!
5. The weekend looks like a quiet one for us. Maybe I will take out a small Prime Rib to have on Mother’s Day.

The first week of May has flown by. My lawn is getting greener and the first blossoms are out in our orchard.

Truly my time of the year. I just wish that the temperatures would be a tad warmer. In any case, here are the five things that I was thinking about this week.

1. I’ve been trying to walk each day to regain strength. I started out in my driveway just walking a few steps. This week I did a half mile! I know that does not sound like much, but after being so ill, a half a mile is a long way. And I will keep working on it until I can do several miles!
2. We went out for Chinese food at the beginning of the week. A few hours later, I was so sick. So no more Chinese for a while. Today Hubby wanted Mexican. I tried to eat blander things, but within an hour, I felt pretty yucky. So no more Mexican for a while either.
3. I had my first appointment with my Primary Care doctor since this whole thing began, and I had written down everything I wanted to discuss with him. The appointment went well and we got everything covered in 35 minutes.
4. Yesterday was Hubby’s birthday. First I thought I would cook Lobsters for his dinner, but no one had them! Weird. Next I thought we would go to Canoe for lunch, and when we arrived, they were closed. It turns out they are now only open for lunch, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Woops! That’s when Hubby decided on Mexican.
5. Our old station wagon did not pass inspection. Junker city here it comes. Hubby was upset, but what are you gonna do? He would like to find a used pick-up truck, so we are now on the lookout!

Another week has flown by. As I sit here, with a smile on my face, I realize that I am getting stronger, I am feeling better, and my body is healing. I am grateful for so much, most of all my loving family. They were the ones that got me through all of this.

Okay, so here are the five things I’m working on this week.

1. Laundry. Yesterday I actually washed, dried and put away 5 loads of laundry. I did the stairs with ease, and actually got the clothes folded and put away while they were still warm.
2. I vacuumed the family room, and my bedroom. Now I know this doesn’t sound like a big deal, but after three months, it felt good to clean. (Did I just write that?)
3. I am cooking again. Again, many of you will not understand my happiness. However, I simply love to cook. But I learned something. When you aren’t cooking everyday you kind of lose it. I’ve been cooking again this week and so far one meal, that I could have made in my sleep, was a disaster, and the other lacked the usual mmmmmmm that I have with Beef Stew. So, I think I will have to work on getting back into my cooking groove.
4. Today I would like to clean the windows in the kitchen and the family room. When you have four dogs, their nose prints seem to be everywhere, especially when one has not cleaned in a while. I would also like to get into the shower and get that cleaned too.
5. I wasn’t going to write about this, but I have decided that since this will consume my life for the foreseeable future I will share this with you all. I also need to begin my fight with my insurance company. They do not want to cover the antibiotics I had to take to get the super infection under control. This is no small fee. They want me to cough up $12,000.00 for the medications. Now I am covered in my policy, but for whatever reason they have rejected the claim. So, the battle begins.

I am so happy and grateful I am getting better each day. Life is good and Spring is just around the corner!