The snow has stopped.   There was at least 6 inches on the ground.   Thank heavens for the condo.    We were all plowed and shoveled before we even woke up.

I was home until three PM when I went to pick up a prescription, some real bargains at the Pig and to Mass.

I am extremely tired.  My ribs are sore and there is always so much to do.    So you will get this much of a blog and no more.

Tomorrow, I hope to be more rested and perhaps can be more interesting.   I did take some pictures of the snow on the trees outside our condo.  Perhaps I can amuse you with that.

Anyway, I love you all.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

This day turned out to be another day from h - e  - double toothpicks.

It started out OK.   We got up at 6AM.  Dick was awake and Jody was coming to clean at 8AM so it seemed wise to just get organized.  

Then Yvonne, the RN from VNA came to take the INR blood test.   She was very concerned with the fact that Dick had trouble staying awake while she was here and examining him and conveyed this information to Dr. Kream along with the INR report.

So shortly before 11AM, after the Home Health Aid had come and bathed Dick, Amy from Dr. Kream's office called and said that Dr. Kream wanted us to go to the emergency ward.   There are tests at the hospital that cannot be done, for some reason, at the Clinic.   We were distressed by this but figured that we had better go since this is what her suggested.   I gave us lunch, and then  we headed out.    After four hours and tons of tests, we found out that nothing is really changed.    BUT as least we have some idea of what is supposed to happen in the next week.   He is to stay off of the warfurin and be tested Monday and every other day after that until it is where they want it to be.   Then we will schedule the procedure to drain the fluids from beneath the right lung.   Perhaps this will bring about a vast improvement, or will tell us that the heck is going on and we can treat it.

Of course, when we left, it had been rain/snowing for an hour and a half.  A wet heavy sticky snow.   There was already an inch and a half on the ground and it was slippery as all git out.

I did not go over 45 miles an hour all the way home. Obviously we made it safe and sound but we are an exhausted two people and will again be in bed very early tonight.    Tomorrow, the only places I have to go are to Mass and to Walgreens to pick up a prescription for Dick. 

Again, obviously, I did not go to pick up a fish dinner,  I did not go to shoot and I did not go to the Plymouth Art Center for the opening reception to show off the new addition.   Too bad.  So sad.   We were just happy to be home safe and sound.   I think our Guardian Angels must be exhausted too.   They had a heck of a time keeping us on the road.

So til tomorrow

Dia Dhuit

Mary

It was quite a pleasant day today.   Kind of cloudy but there was no wind and it was not too cold.

We were home all day and I was busy all day.   The first day home in several and things do get behind.

Sara, the PT, came at 11:30AM.   Dick did very well today.   He walked a bit and did two balancing sessions at the sink.  He got up at about 7:30AM and had a quiet morning which I know helped.  Tomorrow she is coming again at 1PM.    He has a busier day but there should be at least 2 hours after his bath so he will probably not be too tired.   

I went to UW Sheboygan at about 5PM to enjoy the one man show by Keary Kautzer at the Fine Arts Gallery.   It was entitled Keep it Simple.   And they are just lovely, mostly water colors .  I love the vibrancy and, yes, the simplicity of his paintings.   

Now I am home and this will be very short.   I had a rather painful day but the Tylenol seems to be helping.

Til tomorrow

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Well, we saw Dr. Kream, the pulminologist, this morning.   Bobbie met us at the Sheboygan Clinic to help get him in to the building.   

We were so grateful that the promised winter storm did not come down as low as Sheboygan County.  We had rain and the wind and the wind was a bit "brisk" on the drive over, but it pretty much stopped when Bobbie and I were getting him out of the car and in to the wheel chair.

Dr. Kream was very thorough.   He tells us that the fluid under the lungs should be removed as it is not drying up and could be the source of the infection or the recurring infection.   We have to stop the warferin for a time so that his blood will not be too thin to do the procedure.   He will be contacting a heart specialist to be aware of what is going on.   Then he sent us down to the lab for blood draws.   Dick said they took at least 10 samples for all the tests that are being done.   Friday an RN from VNA will take an INR blood draw to see how his thin his blood is and then we will start making the plans.

Whew!  

But a good thing.   We ran into Nancy, one of the CNA's from Rocky Knoll, while we were in the lab.   She retired on January 4th.   It sure was good to see her.   She was glad to see Dick too.  

We made it home at just about noon.  I had started chicken and gravy in the crock pot, so all I had to do was bake a potato and fix  a salad for our lunch.   Then I made a couple of phone calls and went right to the grocery store.  That went well.   Dick wanted raspberry ice cream.    I found raspberry chocolate and then bought some frozen raspberries to put on a vanilla based ice cream too.

I FINALLY got the currant/marigold and the marigold wines that I am brewing racked.   They are my last two batches.    In about a month I can filter them and bottle them and then I will be ALL done with wine making.  I really enjoyed it but it was much more fun when Dick and I could do it together.

Richard and Brenda called this evening.  So most of the above is old news to them.   They had such a good time in Florida and now are trying to decide what to do for Brenda's birthday next month.

I talked to Bart today too.   I wanted to let him know that Victor Williams had died on Saturday.    I forwarded Darlene, Vic's daughter's, email with the announcement so that he can read it and send a note to Darlene.   When Bart and I moved to Wisconsin from Minnesota 27 years ago, we lived in an upper above the Williams.   They were so good to us and when I bought my little house, Vic moved most of my stuff while I was at work.   They had a little dog, a Chihuahua, named Pepe.   He and Zero were best friends.   One of the sweetest memories if Vic sitting in his easy chair eating something with a dog on either side patiently waiting for his treats.   And they were never disappointed.

That's all I have.   Hope tomorrow is a bit quieter.   We will be home all during the day and I will be going to the UW in Sheboygan to see an Art Show that is featuring poems by the husband of a friend of mine.    His email is www.kearykautzer.com if you want to see some of his work.

So good night and Dia Dhuit

Mary

It has been a day of hope and a tired day too.

I had a doctor's appointment with Dr. Leban at 9:30AM so I got up at 6 and did everything I could before Dick got up at 7:30.   Then we got him ready for the day and I left for my appointment.

She reviewed my bone scan with me and it confirms her diagnosis with a twist.   The area between the 8th and 9th discs in my spinal cord is the problem.    First she treated it as a nerve problem as the MRI showed a swelling there, but the meds weren't helping much.  The bone scan confirmed that I have arthritis in that area which caused the nerve pain.   SO next Monday, I will go to Valley View Hospital here in Plymouth and have a cortisone shot in that area which should solve the problem.   Possibly permanently but at least for a rather long period of time.   Pray that this will work. 

I got home at 10:30.   There were two phone calls waiting.  I had to return the one to Christy at Dr. Sharon's office.   She was verifying the dose of a prescription that is being refilled and also making sure that we have gotten an appointment with Dr. Kream.   The other call WAS from Dr. Kream's office.    I called them back too and we have an appointment with him tomorrow at 9:30AM.   Bobbie will meet us at the Sheboygan Clinic at 9:15AM to help get him into the building.   There is an incline there and we are trying to keep the pain down in my ribs.

As I said, Dr. Bostwick believes that there is an increase in the fluid below Dick's right lung and wanted Dr. Kream to see him ASAP.   Perhaps they will drain some of the fluid.   We just need to make him better.

Nancy the Home Health Aid came and got him bathed.   Heidi the PT called.  I told her what was happening and they will call tomorrow or Thursday to start PT again.

I talked to Marty at Wisconsin Prosthesis and we have cancelled tomorrow's appointment and will reschedule as soon as we can.    Dick and I CAN go to Fond du Lac where he had hours more than in Sheboygan.   It is not much further and easy to get to.

We were home all afternoon.  I did some sewing and took a nap.

It is now getting close to settling down to bed.   I am so tired from the aching ribs that I could go right now.  As soon as Dick is tucked in I will be right behind him.  

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Well, no nap today.    We got up basically with the cat as Dick woke up then and it seemed silly to go back to bed then.   6AM is really OK if I sleep well, but I did not.   I had to get up with Dick once during the night and had a heck of a time getting back to sleep and then kept waking up.

I left at 9AM for Bible Study.   We had five of us there and had an interesting talk about Psalm 20.

Then I went to Mom's.   She only had two bills to pay so we had a nice long visit today.   I took the Bridget that Bob did for me to show to her and to the bible study.   They are all impressed. Of course.

Home again, Rachel had been here and drawn blood from Dick.   She called shortly after I got home to tell me that his coagulation count was just fine and to agree with the concerns that I had expressed to her yesterday about Dick's general condition and his forgetfulness.   She called Dr. Sharon's office.  He was not in so it was recommended that we got to Urgent Care here in Plymouth to see Dr. Bostwick.   He is the doctor who treated my sprained foot some time earlier this year. 

He took a fresh set of blood tests and an Xray and he reviewed everything else in the file.   The only thing he found is that the fluid buildup in his lower right lung is worse.   So he has left a message with Dr. Kream that Dick should see him as soon as possible.    Otherwise, we will have to wait for over three weeks for the appointment that is already scheduled.

Anyway,  We were at the Clinic from 3PM until 5:30PM and we are exhausted.   So. we are making our way towards an early bedtime.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Roxie enjoying herself as the queen she really is.

A whole day at home.   No visitors.   We slept until 8AM.   That was a pleasure in itself.   Dick had to get up once during the night but it still turned out to be a great night's sleep for both of us.

We had a very light breakfast as we got up so late.   It is just that it takes at least an hour to get us READY to eat.  Then, for lunch we had meatloaf with mashed potatoes, carrots for Dick and rutabaga mixed in with the mashed potatoes for me. 

I spent the morning getting emails caught up again.   Lots for CWI.    I also found out that March 1 is St. David's Day.  St. David is the patron saint of Wales.   So now we know three of the Celtic nations patron saints.   I wonder if the other four have them too.   I will let you know and tell you about St. David at the end of this email.

I took pictures of our Roxie sprawled out in front of the fireplace.   I will send a copy of that from Picasa later too.  

Richard and Brenda called this afternoon.   Their trip to Florida was everything they had hoped for.   The pictures show that.   They like Florida a lot.

We got a lovely thank you note from Nora and Ernie for the shower gift.    Nora also has let me know that Leslie is now out there to help after little Marcus comes to join us.

So that is all the excitement I have.   Hope your day was as gentle.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Saint David's Day (Welsh: Dydd Gŵyl Dewi) is the feast day of Saint David, the patron saint of Wales, and falls on 1 March each year. The date of 1 March was chosen in remembrance of the death of Saint David. Tradition holds that he died on that day in 589.[1] The date was declared a national day of celebration within Wales in the 18th century.

Children in Wales take part in school concerts or eisteddfodau, with recitation and singing being the main activities. Formerly, a half-day holiday was afforded to school children. Officially this custom does not continue, although the practice can vary on a school-to-school basis.
Many Welsh people wear one or both of the national emblems of Wales on their lapel to celebrate St. David: the daffodil (a generic Welsh symbol which is in season during March) or the leek (Saint David's personal symbol) on this day. The leek arises from an occasion when a troop of Welsh were able to distinguish each other from a troop of English enemy dressed in similar fashion by wearing leeks.[13] The association between leeks and daffodils is strengthened by the fact that they have similar names in Welsh, Cenhinen (leek) and Cenhinen Pedr (daffodil, literally "Peter's leek"). Younger girls sometimes wear traditional Welsh costumes to school. This costume consists of a long woollen skirt, white blouse, woollen shawl and a Welsh hat.

Crawl, a traditional soup, is often prepared and served.