....a lovely morning! The sun is beginning to shine but the line which marks out Mandarin is blurred by fog. My thought is the sunshine will burn off the fog quickly and we will see 88 degrees before the day is out. I will spend part of my day making escalloped potatoes with ham for my Dinner and a Movie gathering this evening. Guess I had better get that fire extinguisher from outside and bring it in the house while I cook.
Last night at dinner I shared my doctor visit stories with Linda H. and Judy J. and we had good laughs over it. Judy especially questioned the reason for asking me about a fire extinguisher, that simply baffled her. I had heard a radio host report a couple years ago that we will come to a point where we will not recognize our country anymore, or the world, for that matter, and I think it's happening. That which would have been ridiculous a few years ago has come to pass, including questions about loaded weapons and fire extinguishers!
Besides the laughs we also enjoyed good conversation and delicious food at Cracker Barrel. Linda's mom, Iva, is in a rehab facility, recovering after a couple of falls. She is not making much headway in getting her strength back because she has suffered additional falls when Linda has her over to her house. As much as Linda likes getting Iva out, it often ends in disaster. Iva, on the other hand, is as stubborn as ever, and prefers not to eat in the dining room with all those old people. And the physical therapy???? "What good is it for me to put colored pegs into the holes? That's so stupid!" But, Iva has a boyfriend in the Home, a young orderly/NA....so she does have a bright spot in her stay there. I have seen this all before when I worked in the old folk's home, and Judy's daughter is the administrator of a nursing home in MI, so shares stories as well.
Speaking of nursing homes, as Judy was driving us home, my bro-in-law, Harvey, called to ask me if anyone had called me about Sharon. It seems his sister has been in the hospital on and off and now presently since Friday, at this time in ICU in Green Bay. Sharon is the cancer survivor, having had a brain tumor at the age of 16 and given six months to live. She underwent conventional treatment and then experimental treatment, some controversial ones. Though she lost her sight, she got back her 'reason' for most of her life, but over time, the scar tissue and her background prevented her from maturing beyond age 16, or even regressing some to a younger age. But acts like an old lady, again via her background.
So, anyway, she lives in an adult group home and they noticed that Sharon was sleeping more and falling more. The doctor checked her out and thought she was okay but the next day, Saturday, the staff took her to the ER. Then she was transferred to Green Bay where they could run more extensive tests and her doctor was on staff. Harvey and John both told me she was unable to speak clearly, as though she had marbles in her mouth, was running a fever, but the doctors could find no infection. She has stomach pain which might be attributed to gall stones but the tests showed no infection. Also some liver involvement which is often connected to gall bladder problems. The medical folks are baffled but I guess she is where she needs to be in this situation. John has been to see her a couple times, and since Harv lives in Green Bay, he can stop by after work to check in. I guess Nancy went to see her one day since Sharon was admitted. I am so glad that Harvey called and let me know.
When I got home, I called Marian to let her know about her younger sister, Sharon. It turns out that Marian had only recently been released from the hospital herself, having congestive heart failure. By her voice, I could tell Marian was agitated and she informed me that she had her medications changed again, adding steroids and lasix to help get the fluid out of her heart chamber. But she is also suffering with a skin rash from head to toe, no apparent cause. Biff even tried washing her clothes at his facility to see if it was soap or something like that. No one can figure out what the cause it but the rash was making her wacky. They gave her an Atavan, and the nurse applied a hydrocortisone ointment which helped to settle her down a bit. I asked her if she didn't already take Atavan, as I knew she did before, and Marian said the doctor took her off the medications for controlling her mania and depression. Yikes! I could tell in her voice and cadence that she was off of them. On top of all that, she has basal cell carcinoma on her face which will be surgically removed next week. Her strength is sapped so she now needs someone to push her wheel chair around instead of propelling it herself. Other than that, she's fine!
So, I called Harvey back to tell him about Marian's condition and told him that she was sad that she has not heard from anyone up north in a long while. I had sent her mailing address and phone numbers to everyone so they could keep in touch. He assured me that it's not that they don't care but rather they are not good at communicating. That is true, and I am honored that he has called me twice in the past few months. I let him know I greatly appreciated being informed and warned him that I am coming up next week so we can get together somehow. It sure will be nice when he is retired and not have to work those goofy hours like he does now. Often I will tease him that he might as well have been a farmer with that early to bed/early to rise bread route of his!
Today I will get busy and write, or type, a note to Marian since I don't have time this weekend to drive down there. Tonight is the aforementioned Dinner and a Movie, and tomorrow evening my friends, the Douglas's, are coming over just in time for the end of the world to arrive. We are going to hold hands and go together, just as it should be! They were at Cracker Barrel last night when we were there, on their date night. Sunday is worship and Bible study and then pool time, Lord willing. There was supposed to be an event at The Club but this a.m. I woke to an e-mail reporting the Island Bash was postponed until August! That frees me up to attend the house concert on the 5th floor then, the last one as the owner is moving out due to divorce. So sad! And the condo is being marketed at just less than half its original value. Ouch!
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