Thursday, June 20, 2013

It's another new day

Woke this morning with a lot less pain. Made me happy. I am almost afraid to wish..... It's OK though. It is part of old age I guess. Mine anyway. Going to Dr Avula's office this morning. Appointment for med refills with David (PA). Nothing specific bothering me, just a check up. For years I only went to the Dr when I was sick and sometimes not even then. Now it's every 3 or 4 months for a checkup and med refill. Boo. I was hoping to stay healthy.

No aspartame update. I lost count a long time ago at the amount of time I have been aspartame free. Must have been a fluke about the joint pain because it has returned. I happened to have had a upper respiratory infection and was on steroids. Must have been the steroids that helped the joint pain. That too is OK! I'm off the aspartame. That is what is important. Now, if I could just get off the cola completely. I drink two to three a day. Was hoping to just drink one but water just doesn't cut it. I will try again though. That is a lot of sugar!

Oh, the sites you see! I am in Smiths Grove waiting to go to the Dr Office. I am in McDonalds. WOW! I thought for a minute I was back in the 60's!! Hippie looking for real and a lot older than me!!

I ask for prayers for my Uncle to continue. He now has good days and a few bad days mixed in. Unsure of course what the future holds! Also, please remember Rick's sister Sue's sister in law. (her husband's sister, Carol) Did you follow that? Carol is in the hospital with pneumonia. I say this as a friend, not as a nurse. She is not in my hospital. Another sister (Teresa) called yesterday to let me know she was sick. Please remember them in your prayers.

I think this is all for today, almost time to go in!
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Mark 8:36 KJV
I love all y'all!
To be continued..........

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Rainy start!

Woke this morning to a much nicer day except for the rain. The temps are much more bearable! I love this kind of temp. Wish it was this way all the time. I think in my old age I am a bit spoiled to the AC. When I was growing up, I didn't know much about AC, we only had a couple of fans and we did just fine. When  I got out on my own, I discovered central air. What a joy! And now I can't take the heat haha.

Sometimes I write what is on my mind at the time. Well, not sometimes. All of the time. If you read this blog regularly, you know this. Sometimes what I say may be blunt and on point to something in someone's life. What I write isn't directed at anyone at all ever. If I have something to say to anyone, I say it to them. I write what I feel. Period. I don't mean to hurt anyone'e feelings ever by what I write, so if I have ever hurt your feelings reading this, I really sincerely apologize! I just write what my heart tells me. That is all I have ever written.

I am still having a difficult time missing Rick. I read somewhere yesterday about someone else who lost a husband 3 years ago. She is feeling the same way. There is another person at work in a different department who lost her husband suddenly. It has been almost 2 years for her. She hurts. And another just this past year and Aunt Bonita this past February. It seems sometimes it is almost more than we can bear. So I write. I say whatever comes to my mind. When it is about him, it helps. Sometimes it is just rambling. It helps too. Just to have a place to write what you feel helps. Try it!

Nana and Pap's grandchildren

I miss this man more than you can know!

four generations of my family

Our last photo together with Thomas
                                  Taken on Sunday before he went to hospital the next Saturday


135 days until Halloween
163 days until Thanksgiving
189 days until Christmas
Just in case you didn't see yesterday's post and were wondering how long it is until holiday time!

I love all y'all!
To be continued....................

Monday, June 17, 2013

It's a new day!

It is a lovely day outside. It is a bit warm, so far the humidity isn't hurting me this morning. I have been awake since about 5am. Seems like that is a normal wake time for me anymore. It's already getting light out by that time. Did you know we are coming up on the longest day of the year? Well, we are. Yes, I know each day has 24 hours..... the longest day means the day with the longest amount of sunlight. Then after a few days, the sun will begin rising a minute later here, setting a minute earlier there until we are back in the fall/winter pattern with "shorter" days.

It is a new day. If you decide you need to do something, then do it. It you change your mind, then change it. Do what you feel you need to do. If you decide you are not happy with your choices, and your choices involve someone else, and you decide you don't want to be part of that someone else's life anymore, then you forfeit your rights to have a say in that person's life anymore. If that person makes bad or stupid choices, that is on them not you. If you regret sending the other person away, they may be too hurt by things you said or did to want to continue. You might think you didn't do anything wrong, maybe you did, maybe you didn't. What you need to do is figure out what you want and make it known. Remember, the grass may look much greener on the other side. Sometimes when we get over there, we find it's just artificial turf. Sometimes when we get across that fence, it's much too high to get back over and we are stuck. Then, we either have to dig our way back across, or move on.

I love my grandbabies. I love my kiddos. The kiddos are grown but no matter what they do or where they go, they will always be my kids. Mine and Ricks. We likely made many mistakes while we were raising them. But, guess what? Those were our mistakes to make. We did the best we could at the time with the information we had. I am grateful both my children found the Lord. Neither of them go to church like they should, but hey, neither do I. I can't fuss at them for that, I should be an example and let them make their own choices. I have a difficult time going to church at Miller Hill. I love the church and the people there, but it's still hard to be there because it was the last place I saw Rick. I know it has been 3 years 3 months since he left. There is no way for you to know how it feels until you have to go through it and sadly, half of us will know. I hope its many, many years before you have to know how it feels. Please don't judge me for it. If I feel bad in the least way, I sometimes use it as an excuse not to go. I did that yesterday and missed homecoming. And I will answer for that. No one else will answer for my not going but me. Sometimes I feel like giving up and not going anywhere at all. Then I remember Christmas Eve about midnight 2008 when October Rose was just 2 months old and the promise I got that night. So, I must do something. I will just have to decide what to do and where it will be.

Please remember my Uncle Wade in your prayers. They were told yesterday that unless a miracle happens, he will not survive. And remember his brothers and sisters. They are saddened at the distance between them. He is in Arizona and will not be brought back here.
Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Jah, and rejoice before him. A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. Psalm 68:4-5 KJV
I hope y'all have a blessed day! Enjoy it!
I love all y'all!
To be continued...............

And just in case you were wondering:


190 days until Christmas!



136 days until Halloween!



164 days until Thanksgiving!


Thursday, June 13, 2013

Blessed!

It is a nice day out, a bit overcast and not nearly as muggy or hot as yesterday. Yesterday was the year high temp to date. I thought it was August when I went outside. It was 93 degrees officially. That is HOT!!

I came to town today to run a couple of errands and stopped by the library. My AC at home is not doing its job and I enjoyed the cool air in the library. Even though there are things "wrong", we are blessed to have a roof over our head, a place to sleep, food, clean clothes, a job.... the list goes on! My grandbabies are healthy. Feeling very blessed.

Nick is doing well today. He is actually out in this heat working, he is very positive in his attitude and almost like a different man. I am pleased with his life changes. I foresee those changes being permanent. He is helping me a lot more and for that I am grateful. Now, if he would just get that car fixed! LOL!

This weekend is homecoming at Miller Hill. It is my weekend to work, and I was off. Now, things have happened at work and I may need to work after all. We will see.  It is going to be very hot on Sunday. I don't know if I can take it out there in the heat or not. Will have to wait and see.

Stay cool! Keep an eye on your elderly friends and family in this heat. Make sure they have fans if they don't have AC.

Please continue to remember my family in your prayers. My Uncle Wade is still very sick and unsure how things will be.

I love all y'all!
To be continued...........


            Psalms
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Gonna be a hot one!!

I think today may be the hottest day of the year so far! I don't look forward to it at all!! I remember a time not so long ago (just a few weeks in fact) we were complaining about the chilly spring! No happy medium with us humans! Be care if you have to work outside. Check on sick and elderly neighbors- especially those with no ac! 


This sweet baby died Monday. She was inside Nicks truck and he didn't know. She jumped out while he was driving and was under his wheel before he knew what happened. She will be missed! Best kitty ever. No more fur babies for me! You love them and they die and it's too much!! When Bandit dies, I will miss him. He's been with us about 12 years. He's getting gray and hard of hearing. He sleeps with his eyes half open and at times I've nearly panicked finding him that way especially when I walk up on him and he doesn't hear me. 

Nick is still sad but seems to be doing better. It will take time and work out how it should be! It's hard when fiancés break up. 

Stay cool and have a blessed day!!
I love all y'all!❤
To be continued...... 

Sunday, June 9, 2013

One week and a day later

Nick is hanging in there. He's sad. He's trying, just having a difficult time trying to understand. It hurts to see your child hurt- no matter their age. You wish you could fix it for them. I'm trying to give him the best advice I can without prying too much. I told him to pray about it. And he has and he is a bit more calm about it. If he crosses your mind, remember him in your prayers. 

Also, please continue to remember my Uncle Wade in your prayers. Friday the doctors told his daughter there wasn't much else they could do. My mom is sad. Please remember her and her siblings as they face the possible loss of another brother. 

Sorry this post is asking for prayer but if we don't ask, we might not receive!

I love all y'all! ❤
To be continued.....

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

It's a beautiful day!

This past weekend has been somewhat stressful. Nick and Janna have split and he has been grieving the loss. He is beside himself and at a loss of what to do next. They were to be married soon. I hope and pray that the right, intended outcome prevails. 


He is seeing the beauty in the day and has changed his attitude about a lot of things the past few days. All for the better I might add. 

And it is a beautiful day by the way! Not too hot- wish it would stay this way; but, alas, this is KY and soon we will be in smothering heat and humidity. Such is life in summer in KY! Wouldn't want to live anywhere else! 

Another point if stress these past few days is my Uncle Wade. A few weeks ago, he underwent aortic valvuloplasty. A big word for ballooning a stenotic or hardened aortic valve that won't open or close properly. The other choice is AVR- aortic valve replacement that requires "open heart surgery" for valve replacement. This is a common procedure but it can be quite difficult with many complications. He had the surgery on Friday and talk about complications! he's had them. He needs a permanent pacemaker (not uncommon for this surgery) and his kidneys are needing much help to clean his blood. Yesterday his new valve failed requiring him to undergo a second major operation in less than a week. He came through that and we are hopeful for a full recovery at this time. Please keep him in your prayers. 

Last night I tried making homemade saltines. Yes, they were a success!! See the link to that blog to the left of this post.  There is also homemade white bread and buns posted there. Yum! I was actually hoping the crackers would somehow help the heartburn!  

Heartburn. Boo. That's something I suffered for years with in the late 1990's and had fixed in January 2000. The past 24 hours has reminded me a little of that. I have this esophageal burning. No real reflux that I can feel yet but that burn is there. I've restarted Pepcid and hope it gets rid if it! 

The above drawing is a Wikipedia picture of the Nissen Fundoplication  I had in 2000, a necessary but very painful procedure I never want to experience again! Hopefully this is all stress related and will be resolved without medical intervention!! 

I love all y'all! ❤
To be continued......

Monday, June 3, 2013

Just stuff

I worked the last 3 days. It was a "steady" busy until the last couple of hours yesterday then it was a whirlwind busy! But we got through it and most left on time. 

My birthday was the 28th. It was a great day. Went out to eat and then saw StarTrek Into Darkness. I'd like to see that again! Still need to see Iron Man 3. 

June 2 marked the second anniversary of a terrible day. It's the anniversary of the death of a sweet friend who I loved dearly. Complications from Lupus and pulmonary hypertension took that sweet girl from us. She left behind a daughter who is so much like her and a husband who loved her so much that at her funeral he said if he could go back to day one and know what he knows now, he would still do it all again. We still love you Jennifer! 

Please remember my family in your prayers!

I love all y'all!! ❤
To be continued.....

  My sweet friend! Jennifer Rene Grote❤