Movie Day Yesterday

Hey, Y'all,
Yesterday, Mae and Imazo and I had a lovely time eating out and watching a Robin Williams movie which I had rented. We ate at Applebee's and then went back to Mae's to see the movie. I ordered the Veggie Patch pizza and could only eat half of it, so I brought the remainder home with me. I may eat it today, and then again, I may not. It just depends on my want-to.

Mae had a new Lazy-boy recliner delivered yesterday to her home and she got to try it out while we watched the movie.

After I got home yesterday, I was privileged to meet my neighbor, Scott's, dad and his uncle. They had brought some belongings of Scott and Laurie that they had left behind when they moved here from Michigan. They were only at Scott's for about 36 hours or so, and had to leave early this morning. I really enjoyed visiting with them. It was a pleasure.

My grandson, Daniel, called me last night, but I missed his call and called him back this morning. He was calling me to explain why he felt Noah should not visit us with the two older children. I am afraid I played dirty pool by doing the guilt thing begging him to let Noah come too. But he expained it very nicely and I understood where he was coming from, and am quite sure he made the right decision. I do look forward to seeing the two older children with their grandparents a couple of weeks from now. I also look forward to the time I can see the whole family some day.

This afternoon, I am planning on going over to Mark and Allie's new home and spending tonight with them. I know I need to get out more and get my energy rebuilt. It is very difficult with still no appetite. I am continuing to lose weight, but don't know what to do to change it. I just want to lie down and rest.

Well, that is about it for right now. This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for now. Love to all of you. Bye.

Doctor's Appointments

Hey, Y'all,
One of my daughters called me yesterday (several times because I was outside talking to a friend), and informed me that I had not blogged in a couple of days and she wanted information about my health status. I told her sorry, and said that I am doing okay. She knew I had been to see my cardiologist in Knoxville and wanted to know how he thought I was doing. I told her that it was a good report and that he was pleased in general with my progress and made an appointment to check my pacemaker later in the year. He said my heart had apparently not been damaged by the three surgeries I had in April and June. My liver (bilirubin count) continues to improve, my potassium level is good, and my kidney function is good.

Today, I went to see my family doctor, and she was pleased to see me looking so well. She was quite upset by the errors made by the surgeon who operated in Knoxville on my gall bladder. She told me he not only nicked my bile duct, but severed an artery in my liver. The doctor in Nashville did all the right things and literally saved my life. She told me to give him her thanks of gratitude when I see him in the last of July. I have to go back and have him remove the "J" tube that is still in my abdomen. She also told me that I have an option of suing the doctor in Knoxville, but I don' t believe in law suits. I just feel blessed to be alive and kicking. I know that it was due to God's grace and kindness that I am still here among the living, and the skill of Dr. Wright in Vanderbilt Hospital. Thank you, doctor and thank you, Jesus!

As for how I am feeling, my energy level is still quite low, but I bought some vitamins today, and I hope they will help.

Tomorrow is a movie day and I will be previewing a couple of them this evening. I went to Wendy's for lunch and had part of a spicy chicken sandwich and some frosty chocolate dessert (to take the bite out of the spicy). Couldn't eat all of it, but enjoyed what I ate. I am baking a sweet potato for supper.

I went to visit my friend Marian for a while this morning after I got out of the doctor's office. It was good to sit and chat for awhile.

My daughter, Carol, and her husband, Daryl are coming to visit in a couple of weeks and bringing the two oldest greats with them. I wish they could also bring Noah with them. It will be very close to his 4th birthday and what a treat it would be for him and for us. I would beg his mom and dad if I thought it would help. It would please our hearts greatly. I don't ask a lot of any of them.

Next week, I go to pick up Gramps at the assisted living facility, and I know he is anxious to come home, as I am to have him home with me. I am sure it will be hard for awhile, but we will manage. I have really missed him.

Yesterday, I had lunch at the Morristown Shoney's with my niece, Donna, and my sister in law, Big Bonnie (Gramps' sister) and that was quite enjoyable.

Please pray for a friend of mine, Dot, who recently received a kidney transplant at Vanderbilt. I hear from her daughter, Richelle, that she is doing well. Also, please pray for my cousin, Mike, and his wife, Beverly. He is dying from face cancer and they have done all they can for him. He is the son of my Aunt Daisy (my mother's sister, both now deceased). Thank you for your prayers. Also thank you for your continued prayers on my and Gramps' behalf.

This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for today. Much love to you all. Bye for now.

Quiet Days and Nights

Hey, Y'all,
Yes, it has been extremely quiet in my life for the past several days. It is a good thing that I enjoy my own company. Ha. I am never bored, but quite often, am accompanied by aches and pains. They have become my almost constant companions. They never let me forget they are there. Food is beginning to taste a little better, but am not able to eat very much at a time. Making it for myself is a chore, as well.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of going over to the home of my neighbor across the way, who has a horse ranch. Darlene has three border collies, that are quite beautiful, and are quite the beggars when it comes to cadging food. She had invited me for supper - hamburgers with cooked onions, a salad of cucumbers thinly sliced with slivers of raw onions, and a huge strawberry as dessert. I am a very slow eater, and was still working on my burger, which was on dark bread, and quite tasty. The dogs had been lying at our feet and had been fed a few tidbits by Darlene.

I feel something on each leg, and look down, and there is one of the dogs, Boomer, who has his head rested on one of my legs, looking up as though waiting for food. Resting her head on my other leg is one of the other dogs. It was just too funny. I finally wound up sharing what was left with them. I had eaten all that I could, and it was quite delicious.

I had a call from Imazo and Mae yesterday, a brief visit from Laurie, and no calls from anyone else (except for my neighbor, Darlene, inviting me over for a burger).

After I returned home from Darlene's, I read some, and later had a yogurt, called Gramps and talked for a few minutes. I watched some television, and later went to bed. I had a very quiet night, getting up a few times and finally got up around 8 a.m. this morning. I chatted online awhile with Teresa, and then went into the kitchen and had some breakfast. I expect a very quiet day today.

That is about it, folks...this is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for today. Maybe more tomorrow. Love to you all. Bye for now.

New Movie Day

Hey, Y'all,
Well, I decided it was time for a movie day with Mae and Imazo. I had not seen them since I was in the hospital in Knoxville over 3 weeks ago. So I called them the other day and set it up. This morning I got up and took my medication and my shower, then had my breakfast of cereal. I took my morning sashay around the perimeter of my nearly acre yard, and then came in and cleaned the kitchen.

Around noon, I left here and headed into Knoxville. When I got to Mae's house, I got out of my little red car and went in to say howdy to Mae and hug her. Then we left for Imazo's and after hugging her, we all got into the car and headed to the Cracker Barrel for lunch. I ordered the spicy grilled catfish (one of my favorite meals there) and ordered the green beans and hashbrown casserole as the two sides and surprised myself by eating half of the dinner. I brought the rest of it home for dinner tomorrow.

We enjoyed our lunch together and went back to Imazo's for the movie. I brought one back from Teresa's for us to watch called, "Heart and Souls" and they really enjoyed it. I knew they would, because I had watched it in Alabama and enjoyed it tremendously. I enjoyed seeing it a second time. After the movie was over, we sat and chatted awhile, then talked to Darlene in Arizona. It was really good to talk to her.

I am sitting here enjoying a Dannon Yogurt as a snack. I may have a sandwich of some kind after while. A card came today for Gramps from our grandson, Andrew, but I don't know how to get it to him, perhaps I can get my neighbor to take it to him, since I don't want him to know I am home yet. Yeah, that is a great idea. Just talking about it helped give me an idea. That way, he won't have to wait until I bring him home to get it to him.

Well, I am hoping I will sleep well tonight (hope springs eternal in the human heart).
It would be great to get one good night's sleep. During the day, I have this little nagging cough which just comes on me, and at night there is the pain from my incision. (whine, whine). I know it has to get better eventually, doesn't it?

On Tuesday of next week, I go see my cardiologist at UT Medical Center and on Wednesday, I see my family doctor. I am sure they will both be pleased to see that I survived the Great Ordeal. ha. They both really care about me, I know.

My neighbors came to visit me for awhile last evening. It is always good to see them, and they are great encouragers. I am looking forward to talking to Gramps each evening. He should have gotten my letter with my picture in it today. Hopefully, it made him happy. We do not find a lot to talk about, and I have to think of questions to ask him without making it sound like The Great Inquisition, if you know what I mean.

Well, that is about it today from Blabbin' Grammy. So I am signing off for today. More tomorrow. Love to you all. Bye for now.

Half a Year Is Gone

Hey, Y'all,
I know it doesn't seem possible, but half of 2009 has gone by the wayside, and we are getting ready to go through the second half.

What a six months it has been for me...I am trusting the second half will be an improvement over the first. Gramps and I have not been able to travel at all this year, but it has not been all bad, you know. I believe the second half can only improve, don't you?

I did get to spend some quality time with Carol and Teresa. And I thank God for that.

I decided this morning to drive into Jefferson City and get a haircut, and it does look better. Then I went to the grocery store to get a few things. I took in the wrong billfold, and after writing a check, I had to leave my groceries and trek out to the car for my other one so I could have an ID to show the girl at the checkout counter. I was not feeling great, and had to go slowly to get my ID. By the time I got back in they were checking someone else out and I had to wait for my buggy. I also saw that they had put most of the stuff in one bag (too heavy for me to lift), so when I got out to the car, I had to do some switching into the other bag. Whine....And it was hot....whine...
and I was weak...whine... ha ha. I finally got the stuff transferred equally and crawled into my car, rolled down the windows and drove home.

I am still not sleeping well, but I am trusting that will improve sometime in the future. YES! I have a slight cough that seems to be connected with the surgery and is just enough to be annoying.

This morning after my shower, I put away some more of my stuff that I brought back from Teresa's. Some of it, I have to figure out where to put it. Last night I folded and put away laundry that I had done.

Laurie, Olivia, and Gabe came down this morning and helped me water my flowers in the yard and on the porch. Thanks to them, the flowers have survived my absence, and I am most grateful!

Allie is coming over after while...she just called to see if I needed any thing. She is just going to visit for awhile. It is always good to see her. The letter that I sent to Gramps a week ago, came back to Teresa's yesterday. I had apparently addressed it incorrectly. All the information was correct, but in the wrong order. A matter of semantics, it seems.

Well, that is about all for today. This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for now. Much love to all of you. Thank you all again for your prayers. Bye for now.

Good Friends Abound

Hey, Y'all,
As I sit here in my computer chair, I am feeling a little shaky still, and a lot sore. My sleeping at night is still kind of discombobulated (good word?). I wake up sometimes in pain, and have to move my sleeping area. Last evening, I decided I would go to sleep in my bed. So I slept pretty well until sometime in the wee morning hours when I awakened hurting, so after a trip to the bathroom, I went into the living room and lay down on the couch, where I slept peacefully until 8 a.m.

I arose at 8 a.m. and took one of my morning meds, wrote some checks for bills due, and took them down to the mailbox. I came back and decided to make some breakfast, which consisted of a scrambled egg and two pieces of raisin bread toast, plus a cup of hot tea. I could only eat the egg and one piece of the bread, plus about half the cup of tea.

Yesterday, I had visits from my neighbors, Laurie and Olivia, Mark and Allie and their granddaughter, Kyah, and Gene and Judy. It was lovely to see them all. Laurie and Olivia came and helped me with the laundry, and put it away for me.

I must get busy today and at least put away some things that are still in my living room, that I brought home from Teresa's. I am still quite shaky on my pins, but am hoping to begin to feel stronger soon. My appetite is still on the wane, and I am having to force myself to eat. I need to see my family doctor about something that would help that. If I can get up the energy to go, that is. ha.

I continue to talk to Gramps each evening and I know he looks forward to our chats as much as I do. He is a dear and the people up there really like him. To know him is to love him.

Well,not much shaking here right now. This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for now. More later. Love to each of you. Bye for now.

Home At Last

Hey, Y'all,
Little did I dream when I left my little home here in New Market almost 4 weeks ago, that I would be away and so sick for so long. Were it not for the prayers and kind help of so many people, I truly believe I would not be here now, but probably six feet under in my resting place.I know now it was not yet meant to be. God is Good, isn't He? I am so blessed and so thankful!

Two weeks under the care of my daughter, Teresa, certainly had no little part in my recovery. Her sweetie pie husband, Tom, brought me the four and a half hour drive from Madison, Alabama yesterday morning, and then he turned around after chatting with my neighbors, Scott and Laurie and did his return trip to his home.

Needless to say, I was quite exhausted, but knew I had to go a few places before I could sit down to rest. I got into my little red car, and headed to the post office to rescind my request to have my mail forwarded to Teresa and Tom's and got there just at the right time to stop the process. Then I headed on up to have a bite of food (or two) and then to the grocery store to pick up some items. When I got back home, Scott carried in the groceries and put them away for me, with the promise that Laurie would be down later with Olivia to clean out the old stuff from my fridge.

I then proceeded into the bedroom where I changed into my gown and crawled into bed for a rest. I don't think I went to sleep, but I did rest. I called a few people to let them know I was back, then I got up and began the task of putting some of the things away that I brought home with me. What a chore! It is still unfinished this morning, but I will "get a round tuit". ha.

Laurie and Olivia came down around 7 p.m. and cleaned the fridge, put away clean dishes and did what was in the sink.

I called Gramps at around 8 p.m. and he told me he had skipped supper because he was afraid he would miss my call. I told him that I always call long after supper is over, and please not to skip supper anymore. I told him if I missed him, I would always call until I reached him. He said "okay."

My rest last night was not really great because I had some pain after I woke up around 2 a.m.I guess I am going to have to expect some of that as I go along. But at least I did get a few hours sleep.

I opened all my piled up mail this morning, and of course, it was mostly bills and junk mail. There were a couple of cards (one of them being a really cute card from granddaughter, Emily, with 2 badgers on it.) It was a knock-knock joke that was punny. She knows how much I enjoy puns (as does her dad, Daryl). The joke went:
KNOCK! KNOCK! Who's there? TWO BADGERS. Two badgers who? (Inside : TWO BADGERS SICK!) Cute, huh? right down my alley. Thank you, Miss EM!

Well, I am going to go into the living room in a bit and rock in my new rocking chair that I had intended to use in recuperating from my surgery in Knoxville. I may even nap awhile as I am rocking. Who knows.

My cardiologist in Knoxville called me yesterday as I was on the way home from Alabama and told me he was quite pleased with the blood work that was done at the clinic on Wednesday when I went to get my staples removed. One of these days, I am going to count the staple holes, because I would like to know how many there were.
(Inquiring minds want to know,don't you think so?) I have one of those inquiring minds. Keeps me alert, don't you know?

Well, I know Mark and Allie will be over later today after they finish with their yard sale to get all the stuff cleared out of their old home. What is left over this afternoon will go to Appalachian Outreach program,which provides goods to needy families.

That is about it for right now, I feel like I am about to go to sleep or something. This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for now. Love to you all. More tomorrow. Bye for now.