05/01/2009

Yesterday, 4/30/09, I fell down again. I was rushing to get onto the sidewalk at Park Road Shopping Center and I tripped over a water main handle where I guess someone had pulled the lid up and forgotten to put the handle back down flush with the sidewalk. I gathered a crowd around me as I was stunned at first. Don was parking the car and I didn't know if he had seen me fall. After a couple of minutes, I realized that all that hurt was my right elbow where I had skinned it up pretty much. I saw Don coming toward me as fast as he could and I shouted out that I had NOT hit my head. I was so grateful to have only a skinned elbow. My glasses were jarred askew on my face and my left hand had a little spot right in the palm where the skin had been laid back. Lots of people gathered round trying to help me out and I was too stunned at first to answer their questions but soon was able to tell that my biggest injury was my skinned elbow. Anyway, after resting on a bench for a few minutes, a lady came out of a nearby store with a wet cloth to help me clean up and then Don and I went toward a plant store behind Blackhawk Hardware. I browsed there a bit while Don picked up several spaghetti specials from Charlotte Cafe. Then, he came around and picked me up to take me home. Isabel wanted to talk when I went down to pick up the mail and I am afraid I scared Don again by not answering the phone when he called. Of course, the timing of his call would be while I was talking to a neighbor. What a day, but little harm done I think. At least little harm physically. There still might be some damage to mine and Don's psyches.

Today was doctor's appointments all morning - regular annual physical type stuff that took a little long in waiting time but is over now. I had the doctor look at my arm and she thinks regular Neosporin will do the trick from here.

Then Don worked on my pc which has been acting up a little lately. We think we have it going right now so I am using it normally to see what happens next.

On a way-more fun note, Don and I went to a Rams Club event earlier this week where Sylvia Hatchell, the women's basketball coach, Woody Durham, Roy Williams and Butch Davis (the football coach) spoke. Roy Williams was hilarious with some of his stories and someone even asked how he got talked into the guitar playing in his underwear ad. He said he agreed to spend one morning on making the ad after he found our Coach K and one other coach had also agreed to it. I guess you know, each coach was filmed separately and then put together somehow for the ad. Roy Williams was filmed first and the first thing they asked was that he put on briefs. He said no and they tried to convince him. He finally agreed to wear boxer shorts and the ending was to have been someone off camera saying, "Coaches, put on your pants!!" Heidi Klum was to be there also in her underwear and Roy Williams was to say, "We will, but Heidi, you're okay as you are." This did not make it into the ad, but evidently Roy had practiced the line in case. Everyone in the room died laughing as he demonstrated the line - more than once. He also said he has recruited a tall (6'7", I think, and 182 pounds) guy who is skinny, skinny, skinny. He said he often asks players to switch practice teams by changing color of shirt for practice to vary who they play against and what they are able to work on. He says the guys are sometimes so tired they have a hard time getting their new shirts on so Roy shouts out "The head goes in the middle hole, guys." He tried this with the new guy and the shirt fell to around his ankles.

On the way out , Coach Davis was right behind me and Don so Don asked him to allow a picture with me. I have a picture with Coach Davis with his arm around me. Good looking guy too. We really do go to all the home games and then some so I was able to make a little conversation with him. What utter fun!!! And it just made the evening that much greater for me.



Cats are doing really well. Milo now sits in the water that gets on the shower floor. He comes out a little too wet to pet but he doesn't seem to mind a bit. He is very loving to Don lately and even Grayson came out and sat next to Don's chair last night so Don could pet his head. Good going by all my guys!!!

02/10/2009 Tue

Got my new glasses today. I am a little undecided on how much better I can see. It is still a bit blurry but, so far, I have been able to read whatever I have tried to read.

Yesterday, I was interviewed by a Yale University researcher who is trying to determine the cause of meningiomas. Mostly, she asked about hormone replacement therapy history; cell phone, CB radio, and cordless phone use (how long and for how many minutes per month/week/year - who would know); family history of tumors. The usual suspects, I guess. I did the best I could with the questions and we got more answers than I would have alone due to Marlene's familiarity with Ancestry.com. She looked up ages at death of several family members which I would not have guessed if given all day.

I hope everyone out there is in good shape for Valentines!!!!!!!!!!

02/05/2009 Thr

Not much today. I went to hear Sr. Minister talk about Moses at 11 a.m., then ate lunch and waited on Don to finish with his men's group. We went home about 1:30 p.m. and I was pretty tired from not sleeping as well as I should the last couple of nights (about 5 hours each night). Milo got in the shower this morning and stayed a little longer than usual. His tail got drenched on his way out and he looked so sad. What a little love, though!!! This afternoon, I made some phone calls and rested mostly. My eyes feel really dry today and I ordered Restasis from Caremark. I did not finish addressing cards but will try and do that tomorrow. I know all manner of children who need those valentine cards and they shall have them.

02/04/2009 Wed

I am learning about Facebook. If you want to learn about being my FACEBOOK FRIEND, click here.

02/03/2009 Tue

The day was filled with an eye doctor appointment - a neuro-opthamologist, no less. She was a teenager according to Don but I liked her very much - 5 years out of school so she is a young doctor. She thinks my eyesight will continue to improve but that I am not likely to get back all of my sight. (There are areas of the optic nerve which appear to be dead tissue and my range of vision has large areas where I can see nothing.)

She does think glasses will help me to read again which is a great relief to me. No driving right now, however. I ordered glasses and they should be in in 10 days or so. I really really really want to read the newspaper and magazines that are not large print items. We had a hard time finding a place that took the vision care insurance that I have which made me wonder out loud whether that type of insurance is worth it's cost. I am to go back in 3 months. Since my eyesight may change rapidly for the next 6-9 months, I got the most economical glasses I could buy. I hope I do have to change them out again before the year is out. I would happily pay for another pair if it means my eyesight has changed for the better.



Then Don and I went to eat dinner and ran into my next door neighbor at the restaurant. Don insisted on paying her bill and the restaurant staff thought she had absent mindedly left without paying. Don and I got a kick out of their dilemma before he let them know he had her bill and would be paying it when we left.

Milo still has his own dilemma about how to be in a shower with me without getting himself wet. He always runs away "at first mist" and gives me this look of "You mean thing you." I really wish he would enjoy drenching himself. I would happily give him a bath if he started liking the wet.

UNC beat Maryland handily tonight and I am glad since Don gave tickets to a friend who has never gone to a game in person before and they were sooooooo happy to be given tickets. I am glad our team put on a good show for them. We are planning to go to the Duke-Carolina game when they play in Chapel Hill. I hope we (UNC) win but I bet that could be anybody's game. Which reminds me, there was a Duke Blue Devil hanging on the wall of the eye doctor's examining room and I spotted it in a mirror. I said, Do I honestly see a Duke insignia on the wall. She assured me she was not a Duke person but she has a good dear friend who works there. I told her about Martha working there and about my Senior Minister loving the school, so it isn't ALL bad. She "borrows" the office of another doctor when she goes to the location we were at. Then she said, "Maybe I need to see about getting another room when I come here." Definitely, I would say.

Going to sign off now as I have had 5 hours of sleep tonight before waking up at 3:30. I will try to get another couple of hours before daylight encroaches. Sometimes I think I can sleep better in the daytime than at night.

Regards and love to all who read this - even the Duke fans.

02/03/2009

02/01/2009 Sun

Normal Sunday routine with the only difference being that Don and I went to breakfast alone as our friends who normally go also, had illness in their families. Don and I then went to Crowder Mountain to walk around a lake - which had been drained and was a big disappointment to us both. There were signs around the "lake" saying no fishing. I guess not. The poor fish were long gone. Despite all this, we had a good time and walked about one-third of the way around the "once upon a time lake" before running into a barrier that meant business. We turned around and retraced our steps back to the car. We did have a great time, though, on our great adventure and it was worth the effort.

01/28/09 Wed

Wow, a big day for me. My sister is in and she and her husband, went with us to dinner at Church this evening. I enjoyed having them join us. My sister's husband usually works late on Wednesdays due to it's being a heavy meeting day for him so it was a treat for him and for us at our table to have him able to join us.

I went to see my surgeon today after having an MRI this morning and my brain is looking good. The swelling appears to be going down and the MRI did not show reason for concern at this stage. My outside wounds are not healing as fast as most people's and I will go back in 6 weeks to have this reviewed. If the judgment is that it is not making enough healing progress by itself, then we will need to do something to make the wounds close up and the skin knit back together. (This is the way I understand it right now - and it sounds painful to me). The doctor speculates this is due to blood flow being less during my "extremely long" 11-1/2 hour surgery. Then I will have another MRI in 6 months. We got pictures with the doctor, his primary nurse, and the office administrator. (Some of you know Don and know that he loves to take pictures especially of special events like this truly happy doctor visit today.) I am sure I was just lovely in all of them, of course. (In only another 4 months, I might be able to use "product" in my hair and it might do something besides flatten out. I am looking forward to that day as I really want to do something better with this hair.) Everyone graciously accepted Don's invitation to have their picture taken and I think the surgeon even said something like, "Ah, free publicity."


I do have endearing feelings about this guy as I find him to be the epitome of competence and he also possesses a great deal of charm. I am willing to give him free publicity anytime. Just ask me if you ever need a brain surgeon. I would choose him again in a heartbeat but I don't want any more surgeries anytime soon.

My sister and I also worked on a jigsaw puzzle as one of the therapists thought this might help my eyes learn to discern color and shape better. Believe it or not, we got a pretty large section completed considering we had to tke a looooooong time to turn the pieces over to see the colors on the picture side of the pieces. We chose a color that was easy to discern and unique to a certain area of the puzzle so it went well for us.

Next week, I have an eye doctor appointment and my YWCA membership re-opens. Hooray, maybe we're getting somewhere.

Milo, the cat, is on another chair figuring out that he might want to jump up on something higher. He tried that earlier and the result is that some of my CDs wound up on the floor. I did let him know how very much I appreciated it too. He really does look like King of the World (or as Don thinks, a Buddha). He has his front legs crossed and his head held high so I guess it could go either way as to how others view him. I think he could also look like a Pharoah or a Sphinx.

Don wanted me to say something about the MRI. I was actually looking forward to it as I just felt that things were going well and that this was going to be a good day for results. I am sure most everyone has had one in the past and knows this but the thing makes noise like nobody's business. It sounds like something from Star Wars or Star Trek or some undersea world blipping. The technician (a 3-year degree is required to run the machine he told me) said ear plugs are required so I stuffed them in my ears. The machine makes all kinds of different sounds, some a machine gun like sound, tat- a - tat - tat, tat - a tat - tat, and on and on. It did this so much at one point that the table I was on vibrated. My sinuses meanwhile were draining into my throat so badly, I started to wonder if I could stand 30 minutes of lying on my back, remaining as still as I could be. Then the machine started making underwater sonar like sounds. B-oing, b-oing, b-oing. Just when I thought I couldn't stand much more, the technician moves me out and shoots a dye into my arm and we repeat much of the testing again. I was releived to be out of the machine because I wanted to cough really bad but he told me to go ahead and cough but DO NOT MOVE THE POSITION OF YOUR HEAD!!! So much for the idea that when I came out to get the dye injection, I could sit up and clear my throat really well. I guess the machine calibrates itself to a certain position and then uses that calibration for the various pictures it takes. All this is speculation on my part, but I know for sure that I was to hold my head steady and you also get asked by every layer of person you see whether you have any metal implanted in your body or on the clothing you are wearing. I'm glad I could answer no to all these questions as I needed an MRI in October to identify the problem to start with. I think I was steadily losing my faculties prior to the surgery as this thing had gotten so large it was pressing my brain into my skull and evidently had my optic nerves in a wrestling hold. No wonder I can't see well. There was a lot of gouging that had to go on to get the optic nerves freed from the grip of this large and hardened tumor. I'm glad I was asleep for all this excitement. and that the tumor itself is benign.

What a good day all in all!!!!

For the record, I am to Joshua in my year through the Bible reading. Of course, I am not straying outside the Bible for interpretation nor am I trying to object to some of the violence portrayed. I am just reading it or rather allowing my Bible on Tape to play so that I can hear every word. Some of it has gotten a little boring with all the laws in Leviticus and all the rules for building the Tabernacle. I don't know what a cubit is but I know the Israelites must have known as they built the Tabernacle according to God's specifications.

01/26/09 Mon

LAST PT SESSION!!!!!!!!! I am going to miss Jessica and Jennifer (and Rob from OT). I had actual fun today.

We tried out some machines and walked sideways on a treadmill (it stengthens this one hip muscle that is difficult to work out and, of course, it is the one I need to strengthen the most). Don came in and asked what on earth I was doing. I guess I looked like a crab walking sideways. I also went up and down and up and down steps several times. They have a couple of flights of actual stairs that lead to nowhere and people go on these steps to practice. I am still not over how difficult things are that I used to take for granted and would never have believed that going up and down steps would be something you have to concentrate hard on. While I can now go up and down the steps, it is somewhat difficult for me and I get a sense of accomplishment when I can do it several times. Today I had Jennifer, a great Carolina Basketball fan so we had fun talking about Carolina and speculating about the players and Roy Williams. Both Jennifer and I love the players and Roy Williams so it breaks our hearts when they lose.







By the way, how do Duke fans ever learn to spell Coach K's last name.
You would have to memorize how to spell it since it makes no sense with the pronunciation.

01/25/09 Sun

This entry is mainly for me and my own records so skip it if it is too boring to read about normal and mundane day to day activities. I want it as a record of how I progress through this journey although it is my hope that the journey through recovery will end sooner than later and end up in wellness and sight.

I slept 7 hours from 9:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. Pretty good considering the most I could eke out the previous night was 5 hours. It continues to amaze me how tired one can be and how sleepy and yet sleep will not happen without help from Ambien or some other drug. I hope I can return to normal sleep patterns sometime soon and maybe exercise will help in that regard. I am certainly getting more exercise now than I have in months. I listened on tape to the remainder of Numbers and went into the "pc room" to find a bible or reference book that might have a map to see where of all the wandering Israelites encamped. I thought I would do a quick post since I am hoping for a normal Sunday morning of church, Sunday School, and breakfast with our friends after. I do enjoy Sunday mornings so very much as there are so many good friends to speak with and the sermons are something to look forward to. My hat (as is my brain inside) is off to these pastors for the work they must do to prepare for all the church activities that happen throughout the week. It really does take a village of pastors to run a church this size.

Don and I went shopping and got me a new and larger monitor this afternoon. I CAN SEE THE WORDS ON IT!!!!!!!! I am thrilled. Anything for some seeing capability.

Milo continues to be CUTE. (You can see him below and he is even cuter in person than in a picture.) He woke up wanting some admiration this morning and he got it. I think I may have him spoiled just a tad, but it is the way I like him. It is good to make something in the world happy and I think he is fairly happy judging from his behavior. I don't know how healthy it is that he is so attached to me - literally. But I surely do know something in the world loves me dearly. I've spoiled critters before and have not regretted it yet. Milo looks like and acts like he is King of the World and even those meeting him for the first time notice his arrogance. At least, he is maintaining his 9 pound weight and does not seem to be gaining weight. I don't think food means as much to him as it has to other pets I have had. He just wants to one-up my other cat, Grayson - and he usually does unless I intervene on behalf of Gray. I think that is better than to have the 15 pound (not declawed) Gray kill the little 9 pound, declawed runt.

01/24/09 Sat

Today is Saturday and I did not sleep well last night so I got up and wrote notes to Sally, Julie, and Buzzy. Sally's children and Sally herself had sent a whole packet full of thank you notes for Christmas gifts and I am so very impressed with the maturity of Jack and Logan. Their notes are so enthusiastic and sincere that I can't help but brag on them to her. I let Julie know how much I love her Christmas gift, a Snuggie that is so soft and warm I hate leaving it at home. AND of course, I love love love Milo, the red tabby Himalayan that was originally hers. If there was a stronger word of affection, I would use it for this cat who trails me even into the shower. I guess he doesn't want to lose sight of me since I have been away for days at a time 4 times in the last 3 months. I take it that he did not like that much although he was well cared for every time I was away.

Don and I went to the White Water park via the newly opened route there. We walked for 25 or 30 minutes and then eat lunch there. Although it is a mild (temperature wise) day, the waterway was not open as there were few people there and the water was super cold from the temps in the days prior. Lunch was good. I had a classic hamburger and Don had a veggie burger. (They always cook it after you order so it takes a while to get served.) Then we came home and I am listening to Carmina Burana right now as I type. Lovely.

01/22/09 Thr night

Hi folks. Linda today went on her computer for the first since her 10/24/08 operation. We are switching the blog over to her control now. It is good to see her typing again - she is fast though sometimes she cannot see what she types. This new blog which you are viewing now is
http://lsmupdate.blogspot.com/
almost the same as the original one but without an "s" on lsmupdate

Please come here for future updates. The old site site will disappear before long.

01/22/09, Thr

Went to lunch with Marla to Mangione's and had a great lunch. Then went with Don to walk on the greenway near where he used to live. We got near Carolina's Medical but did not go all the way up to it. It took about 20 minutes and I was a little tired by the end but in good shape.

01/21/09 Wed

I went to Physical Rehab at 10 a.m. and was pleasantly surprised that I could stand up from the floor without benefit of any props. I PASSED MY LAST REQUIREMENT TO STOP REHAB!!!!! I am soooooooo happy. I have one more session to go over how to use machines at the Y and which ones help me the best. Mainly though, I need to be diligent about walking which I will begin tomorrow.

01/18/09 Sun

Good news as Friday we got the results of the echo cardiogram and they were good as were the results of the latest blood rest. Saturday was a trip to Bob Timberlake's Galleries and Lexington BBQ. Yummy. Sunday and a great message by Dr Howell in the Sanctuary and Cal in the Ownbey SS followed by fun lunch at Phil's.

Schedule through 01/28/09

01/16/09 Fri 10am pt, 11am ot
01/19/09 Mon 10am pt
01/21/09 Wed10am pt
01/26/09 Mon10am,pt
01/28/09 Wed 11am MRI, 01:30pm Dr. Asher
02/03/09 Eye doctor appointment Dr. Elizabeth Waller (Dr W)

01/15/09 Thu

This was a big day as we returned the electric chair, the walker, and some other items to Myers Park Methodist. What a wonderful program to share such equipment with folks with temporary needs. Thanks to Jim for his back and truck. Thanks to Susan for arranging.

Trips to the Church to hear Dr Howell for the second time do the Bible in an Hour while Don met with his his regular Bible Study Group. Then Grocery shopping and home to move the equipment back to the Church.

01/12/09 Mon

Oh what a good day as Linda had another Catscan, and there was no evidence of blood remaining from her fall. We had been told about 10 days ago it probably would take 4 months to clear. (Also confirmed today that the space filled formerly by the tumor is being filled as the brain expands slowly and satisfactorily, so that is good news too. Will have the more intensive MRI end of January for further confirmation.) Today's meeting was with the Neurosurgeon's (Dr. A's) office at 2:30 after the scan at 1:45.

Dr A's office had received the blood work results from the 1/6/09 sample drawn during the visit to Dr B in preparation for the MRI end of the month. Still no results of the Echo exam of 12/19/08 as there is some mix up in transferring the info from Charlotte Cardiology to Dr B office.

Earlier in the day OT and Pt went well. Linda was told working puzzles would be good for her. She has found a good magnifying glass and is trying to read some with that, practicing on her new large print Bible. At 7pm we were at the church for a great one hour through the Bible done By Dr Howell. Another big and appreciative crowd. Thank you James.

Dinner at Arby's as Linda had been wanting roast beef for days.
http://lsmupdates.blogspot.com/

01/11/09 Sun

Went to Church, SS, and out for Brunch. Linda bought a large print Bible for the Year of the Bible reading at MPUMC though mainly will use tape. Busy day tomorrow.

01/10/09 Sat

Linda doing well , except eyes. Marlene here for most of Thursday and Friday, and they cleaned out more old clothes. Linda got neat haircut.

01/09/08 Fri

Marlene in town Thursday and Friday. Cleaned out old clothes and took to Goodwill. Downtown for neat haircut. Later Don and Linda shopped for Bibles at Cokesbury. Looked at regular oldies but also the ESV and TNIV

01/07/09 Wed

Ok sessions at Therapy. Suggestion by OT Instructor was to check with eye doctor now instead of waiting as Dr. Asher is saying and this was done tomorrow for appointment early February. Linda has 20/30 and 20/70, poor color recognition, and limited field of vision which is main issue. At PT worked on getting off floor in event of fall which is hard. Also worked on shoulder. Walked and caught in rain. Encouraged more walking on various days. Extended PT to end of month. Ot ends 1/16/09. Good time at Wonderful Wednesday. Learned later she fell on her head early in morning today (or tomorrow) against the shower door but not bad. Be careful . .

01/06/09 Tue

Ok but confusing visit to Dr B. Originally scheduled as a followup to the sinus and congestion problem (which is ok now) in December and the visit to Dr C 12/10/08 in Dr B absence. Dr C suggested an Echo cardiogram and we suggested it be done at Charlotte Cardiology and it was on 12/19/08 Friday. Charlotte Cardiology promised to send Linda results in mail, did not, we checked and they (Wendy) changed to say they had to send to doctor. But Dr. B could not find and will research. In preparation for MRI (01/28/09 Wed 11am MRI, 01:30pm Dr. Asher ) at Charlotte Neurological need blood tests run before and had that done, after confusion getting the request/prescription from CN to Dr B office. Also Linda had fall (12/29/08 Monday) in meantime and needed to review that.

After doctor visit went to Green's Hot Dogs for lunch then to get Handicap Parking card (lasts through June 2009)

01/05/09 Mon

Linda stayed by herself last night and says she got 10 hours sleep. No sleeping pill, just the pain pill for side and shoulder. She was industrious this morning as she took care of a number of calls and issues so she is making progress in that way too. Linda is wanting to participate in the Year of the Bible at MPUMC and she is "reading' her lessons by listening to it on cassette tape. Cannot see well enough to read yet in books, etc. She has covered the first 6 days of readings in Genesis. Don is doing it too. Went to Dr Howell's 7 pm kick off Bible lesson tonight.

Ready to return the electric chair and other items borrowed from the church. What a help that has been. Anyone have a truck?

Going to Therapy today at 2 pm. I think she is apprehensive after the last visit.Follow up with Dr. Carter/Bullock Tuesday for the bout with stuffiness a couple of weeks ago. Expect results of Echo test then. Also with give blood samples for MRI and visit with Dr Asher later this month.

Adjuster came by Don's to see fire damage. Except for an old dryer and some clothes, not much damage but still smell smoke. Lucky . .

01/04/09 Sun

Good day as Linda went to Church, Sunday School, and out to lunch with friends. Looked forward all day to the UNC game so that (loss) was a downer.

--

01/02/09 Fri

OK day for Linda. Don's work at home interrupted by a fire in his dryer and dealing with that much of the day.No big damage except smoke. Click to see

01/01/09 Thu New Year Day

Good relaxing day. Don went home to clean up his place, ha, maybe to watch a game or two, too. Friends came by Linda's place with Christmas presents and a wonderful meal. Thanks for the visit and gifts and food, dear friends. Milo behaved most of the time. Found dvd/cd player from previous Christmas and listening to a new book on cd. (Does anyone know how to find your place when you want to turn it off and come back later? Cassettes are easy, just turn of and when turn back on tape still in same place.). Still need to finish the Dewey book.

Hoping to make SS on the 4th.