Sad news

Today I received some very sad news. One of my dearest friends is now receiving cancer hospice. About eight months ago she started to cough; after a month of this and when she started to lose the ability to breath normally she went to her doctor. He gave her some medicine, which didn't help so did some tests. He found out she had a small cancerous growth at the upper area near the airway.

Chemo was started immediately and more tests to see if it had spread and one tumor was found on her brain. Radiation was started right then to see if the tumor could be taken care of. When she finished the radiation she was in a very weaken condition and she ended up in the hospital where she received two blood transfusions. She was still too weak to restart chemo and more tests reveled that the cancer had spread to other areas of her body, her liver, bones, and blood. The best that can be done now is to help her be a comfortable as possible and enjoy each day. The sad part is that she has never been a smoker. Lung cancer runs in her family and she and I spoke of the other family members who had had lung cancer and they were all smokers. I am devistated by this news. She lives about 6 hours away so it hard to go and visit her also. Her daughter is staying with her and her husband for as long as her mother wants her to stay. I hope that I can find a why to go and visit her within the next few weeks.

I received the hospital bill for my surgery today. Almost $36,000 of which we pay about $1,200. Thank goods we have insurance. I am curious about what the surgeon's bill will be.

Physical therapy is going well. Today I was put on a machine that you pump which could be very beneifical. I needed a hair cut very badly so was able to have that done today too. I don't like to go to town more than one time a day, we live 15 miles in the country. With gas at $3.20, I try to do as much as I can in one day. I was able to do some grocery shopping too. I think I will see about having a massage the next time I go to PT.

I was able to finish the Historical Society Annual Report today. Our receptionist did a proof reading and I did the correcting and emailed it back so she could print out a copy and one of the board members who is an English major can read it and I will do the final correcting. I'd like to give it to the board members tomorrow night at our board meeting.

Ardmore went to pick up the drills that he had purchased earlier this year. It is hard to believe that it is almost time to start spring seeding. I am hopeful that the weather holds up and we can get the crop in and then it rains when we need it. Today was a very nice day, although quite windy. Tomorrow is suppose to be in the 60s.

Time to read some scriptures and get some sleep.

Patience is a virtue I don't have enough of

I've been to PT twice now and have about 15 different exercises to do three times a day. Each day I feel a little stronger. I do think sometimes I overdo though. Like tonight I had dropped a couple of dvds and needed to pick them up. I use the tree yoga pose to pick things up, but sometimes don't lift my leg high enough and then can feel it in my back. I have to be more observant when I pick up something. Things do seem to go well and I am impatient to advance to a cane.

I called Michelle's last night. I really didn't think she would be home, she wasn't but Leah and Bryce were. Bryce will be out on sick leave from the Coast Guard for a few months. He broke his arm just below the elbow a week ago. On Friday he had surgery. The CG doctors put a plate on the bone to hold it together until it heals. They told him it could be removed in about six months. Today when I called, he was in agony and was icing his arm. They must have given him a nerve block when they did the surgery so he had no pain until late in the evening and now today.

Ardmore cleaned and painted the John Deere 8650 he purchased last fall. I can tell he is anxious for spring. The only snow we have left in the yard is little patches here and there. The grass is even getting green, even though it has only been 48 for a high.

My brother and family live in Hoyt Lakes, MN. This past week they have had two snow storms. Last Saturday through Monday they received 24 inches and then yesterday they had another 6 - 10 inches. Minnesota had a band of snow that started just west of Fargo and ran from about Grand Forks to south of Fargo all the way to Duluth. We were so lucky, no a flake dropped here.

Yesterday, I stopped at the museum prior to my PT appointment. I have been working on the Annual Report for the historical society and needed some info. I forgot to get one thing but haven't checked my home computer for it yet. Hope that it is there, then I will be done and all it will need is editing.

I called Brian this afternoon, we have been playing phone tag lately. He had the day off and was running errands. Told me it was the most beautiful day, about 90. He said he had been berating himself because he thought he should be working at the salon but then realized the day was a blessing to have off and was going to enjoy it. Good for him!

Recovery equals having staples removed and going to PT

We took the Volkswagen to my doctor appointment in Grand Forks on Monday. Not a good thing to do. The VW has bucket seats with wings that are pretty high and small. I am use to driving a Mercury Grand Marquis with comfy leather seats. The VW also had cloth seats. When one has hip surgery it is nice to be able to slide on the seats, couldn't do that in the VW. The wings were very uncomfortable and by the time we got home after the two hour drive to GF and the two hour return trip, I was sore! All in all, it was a good trip though, my staples were removed and I can drive. I return to work on April 29 for half days. My next doctor appointment is on May 20.

Today is my first time at physical therapy. I am a bit apprehensive as I don't know what they will expect me to do. Dr. Schall told me not to overdo in PT, to watch my pain level. Mickie and I are going to lunch before PT and then I'm meeting some friends for ice cream at DQ after that. I hope it isn't too much.

I have been working on the historical society annual report this week. I am glad I have an outline. It makes it easier as add the information. Our staff is a wonderful help. She emails me all the info I need, such as the statistics.

The Minnesota 150 Northwest MN Consortium project is coming right along. They do need teh RCHS photos and information for the book. I will need to stop at the museum today and see that that is taken care of also. We have made many changes and additions as we have organized the exhibit. Tamara has set it up and is very excited about it. I can hardly wait to see it. She sail in an email today, that she had ideas for the next exhibit. Whoopee! We have had a great time putting it together. It has been a wonderful opportunity for us all.

I'm also very excited about our Women's History Month for 2009. This will be the first year that we have tackled that program. I was so fortunate to find a wonderful person to volunteer to Chair the program. She has organized a committee of great women who I have such admiration for. They will do a wonderful job.

10:30 pm

This day has gone by way too fast. PT was good, I know more about the 50% weight rule and how to use it correctly. I received several new exercises to do each day. It will now take about a 1/2 hour for each set and she wants me to do at least three sets a day. Not bad, especially if I am able to see progress. She felt that a month of PT would probably be enough.

I went back to the museum after meeting with my friends and checked out our exhibit photos for the 150 project. Britt will put them on a disk tomorrow along with the write ups. I need to contact the hockey hall of fame in Eveleth to get the rest of the info that I need on one of the photos. Seems like we are always busy with something!

A short walk to the end of the driveway

We spent most of the day listening to general conference. It was inspiring to listen to so many testimonies of our Savior bore by our general authorities.

This afternoon I decided to try to walk out to the end of the driveway with my cane. It was a bit windy coming back, but I did it. My left knee gave me the most problems. When that knee is replaced I should be able to move better and without pain there also. My next surgery will be on that knee when I am recovered enough to handle it.

More cabin fever, so we decided to go for a drive and ended up at DQ where I had my favorite sundae, a caramel, hot fudge with pecans. Yumm...

Cabin Fever after about 3 weeks

Well, this week I suffered from cabin fever. I went to town with Ardmore a couple of days. I really needed a pedicure! What is it about having a pedicure that makes a woman feel so feminine? It must be the color of the nails! Just soaking my feet and being pampered was wonderful.

The next day, Ardmore had an appointment so I went to the museum for about an hour. I had finally completed the historical society newsletter and it was ready to be printed. A couple of our faithful volunteers were there and we did a quick proof read. I ran off 200 copies. On Friday, our receptionist completed copying the rest, prepared them so a couple of board members could labeld and stamp them. It always feels so good to get the newsletter out. This is our fifth quarterly newsletter.

I feel there has been great strides since my surgery. I am a little sore on my upper thigh this evening, but perhaps I have done too much today. I added leg raises to the exercises this am and did two sets of 25 on the right leg. I couldn't do them this evening. The staples come out on Monday, then on Wednesday, I start physical therapy. Monday will be three weeks since surgery. It is surprising how quickly time goes by. I hope to throw the walker away within the next week of two.

Michelle went to Stanislaus on Friday for her entry testing for acceptance into their music school next fall. She is still not sure if is she wants to go there or to Sacramento. She went to Breanne's last night and enjoyed it so much. She said Damen is absolutely adorable. She took lots of photos of Damen. I hope she emails us some.

Brian and I visited on the phone a bit today. He was at the salon waiting for a color to set . He seems to be busy every time I call, which is good. He was going to an opening at an art gallery with a friend this evening. I talked with James earlier in the week. He has been taking an instrument class for flying last weekend and again this weekend. He has definitely not given up on flying for the Air Force.

We watched church general conference today. We have general conference from Salt Lake twice a year, the first weekend in April and October. The head of our church, President Gordon B. Hinckley, passed away in January at age 97. He never seemed that old, he had such vigor and vitality. Today in a Solemn Assembly we raised our hands to sustain the new a president/prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, his councilors, one new apostle, new Young Women's Presidency, and several changes in the Quorum of the Seventy. A Solemn Assembly is held when a prophet passes away and a new prophet is sustained by the members of the church.

I hear Ardmore driving in so it is time to close and visit with him.

15 days Since Surgery

15 days since surgery! Today was my first excursion day out of the house since I came home. Ardmore was going to go to the store and I had our taxes ready to file so we headed to H & R Block. Farm taxes are always a lot of work to prepare for. One needs car mileage and then the sales of commodities, government payments, etc. plus all of the expenses accrued during the year, such as seed, fertilizer, chemicals, fuel, insurance, machinery purchased, hired, or rented, etc. I use Excel to track our input and output, as we are not big farmers and own only about 800 acres. We do not need to hire an accountant to keep track of our expenses, we can do it ourselves. Thus said, today was file day. It is always a relief to be done but frustrating to see how much we usually end up paying. Then it was off to Nelson's Cafe for a dinner of hot pork sandwiches and a salad.

Another thing that is hard is that one can't lay on their side at first. One must have pillows between your legs so you maintain a separation between your hips. You then roll onto your side and make sure the knees are in a safe position. One night I was extremely tired and fell asleep on my side, waking up two hours later very stiff and with a sore back. I don't do that any more.

Little things are really a nuisance. I love dark chocolate chips and keep a Ziploc bag of chips with a half package of graham crackers in a cotton carry all by the bed. It is amazing how satisfying a few chips are because one can savor a couple for quite a while, and the calories are not out of sight. I have dropped the bag so many times, it has driven me insane. Thank goodness for the reacher. Then tonight after I went to bed and started watching a movie I reached for the back and it was upside down. The chips had fallen out, and the bag was not zipped shut. I don't think the reacher was designed to pick up individual chocolate chips! I will have to get the vacuum and clean them up sometime tomorrow. I also think I will put them in the bag that zips so if it falls again I won't have that problem.

James called tonight. James is our youngest. A 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force stationed at the LA Air Force base. He had so much news. He had broke up with his latest girl friend, again. Usually, he just wants me to listen, so I do. Tonight was no different. He is also discouraged with his job, it is not what he really wanted to do in the Air Force. He has wanted to fly in the Air Force since he was 6 or 7 and has not been able to do that. He presently works with the satellite systems. Well, this coming Friday, he begins working on his master's degree in Space Systems. He was very excited about this. We talked for about an hour about all sorts of things. One's children and grandchildren are such a source of joy.

Friends can make the time so much easier to bear. On the second day of my being home, my visiting teachers came over with a strawberry-hot fudge sundae. Yum! Our visit went by way to fast but I tired quickly also, which they recognized. Then on Sunday, my friend, Roxann brought dinner while Ardmore was gone doing some church service. She and I enjoyed her delicious lasagna, salad and rice krispie bars. We have so many memories as her son and James were best friends along with two other neighbor boys. These four boys fished, hunted, snowmobiled and four-wheeled their years through school. A inseperable quartet of wonderful young boys and great men now that they have grown.

Enough!