NEIGHBORS

  I’ve been a resident in this neighborhood/house for fifty-five years. During all those years, the neighbors have been mostly friendly and helpful if help was required. Over those years, I watched their kids grow up as they watched mine. I have a lot of very fond memories of the folks that inhabited the houses in this neighborhood.

Unfortunately, time passes; and while I’m still here, the majority of my favorite folks and their/our children moved on to new locations for one reason or another. There’s only one other person in the neighborhood who’s been here longer than me and she turned 100 in September. I’ve a feeling I’ll be the eldest, longest residing neighbor in the not-too-distant future.

What’s caused me to reflect on all those years, those neighbors and the replacements who now occupy the houses around me is the fact I cannot do anything that would be personally satisfying because what I’d choose to do is undoubtedly illegal and would be recorded on someone’s camera. Still, I remain annoyed and thought getting those annoyances out through my fingers might be helpful to me.

I was fortunate enough to have one neighbor for thirty-eight years. We got along famously and were comfortable enough to borrow an egg, a cup of sugar or whatever our recipe lacked from each other. We simply met at the fence and handed over whatever the other one required. They were older and ill health necessitated their move.

Initially, the family that moved in seemed like a good fit, that is until he began to send us emails and letters about the fact our mutual fence was at least one foot on his property. He wanted that one foot back. Well, we didn’t erect the fence, the original property owner did so, and once a fence has been in place for thirty-eight years, it cannot legally be removed and replaced so the neighbor can recover that one foot of ground. This might not have been quite so annoying if John hadn’t been fairly ill at the time.

The house behind me was owned for many years by my son's best friend’s family. This family allowed me to put my yard waste behind our fence as well as my cutting back ivy, blackberries, morning glories and weeds so they didn’t grow through the fence. Again, initially, this family seemed as though their occupation of this property would be just fine. I did check about placing yard waste on their property and ceased doing so when they responded to my inquiry asking I not do so. This was just fine. At one point, I asked about the English Laurel and with agreement (they hated it as well), my sons went back there and cut it all down. 

As I had done for the entire time I’ve lived here, I continued to police the area next to the fence to keep the weeds from coming through. That appeared to be just fine until this fall when my granddaughter came over to cut and rake back the weeds from the fence. There was some yelling back and forth which I couldn’t hear because I wasn’t wearing my hearing aids. My granddaughter told me the woman was going to text me. I put my hearing aids in and my phone in my pocket.

No text came and all was quiet until my granddaughter yelled for me to come behind the fence. There stood a Lake Forest Park Policeman. I was trespassing and it didn’t matter that I’d done this for fifty-five years. It’s not my property. He hoped we could settle it amiably with us going back through the gate and remaining on my side of the fence. When the weeds grow through, then I can cut them back…great, just great.

My final annoyance has to do with the motion sensor light across the street. Once before, over a year ago, I asked if the light could be repositioned so it does not shine into my bedroom and into my eyes. Supposedly, it was moved; however, now that the trees are losing their leaves, the light shines right into my bedroom. 

This time I sent an email asking to have the light readjusted. It comes on when cars drive up and down the street, the neighborhood cats walk through the yard or the wind blows hard. I received an email back claiming I’d asked to have this done more than once (not so) and that they thought it had been fixed since I hadn’t brought it up (leaves on the trees blocked the light). My request for a readjustment was denied (a safety issue) and I could choose between having it on all the time or having it remain as is. Well, I certainly don’t want it to be on permanently.

So, the light remains as it was; however, I took care of the problem myself. I taped a large piece of aluminum foil over the part of the window through which the light shines. It no longer shines directly into my eyes. And, yes, I could pull the shade closed and eliminate it altogether, but it’s not a choice that would work either. I sleep with my window open 365 days a year and when the wind blows, it makes the shade move and make noise which wakes me up. My problem, right…right.

The remainder of my neighbors are just fine. We chat, wave from our cars, visit each other now and then. Still, I wish the neighbors that originally occupied these three houses were still here. But, as people keep telling me, life moves on, things change, and I just need to adjust.  So, okay, by writing this, I’ve decided I’m adjusted!!!

FAMILY VACATION IN TENNESSEE (Part II)

     

      After a very fun time in Nashville, we got up and headed for my brother’s home in Crump Tennessee.  It’s a little more than two hours from Nashville, and the car’s GPS led us right to Crump and then his home on the Tennessee River. Initially, Ricky didn’t have a clue as to who was parking in his driveway because he didn’t recognize the car and the plates said Florida. As we climbed from the car, he, of course, recognized moi. Lots of hugs and introductions all round.

          It was also Ricky’s birthday, so the fish fry he planned was for both his birthday and our arrival. As the afternoon moved forward, so did the appearance of guests and family, all with potluck items to add to the table. I introduced AJ, Haley and Tyler whenever possible, but they certainly didn’t seem to have a problem mixing in with all the guests.

          I had a chance to catch up with Uncle Gene who will soon be 85. He looks terrific, and while still sad due to his wife’s passing, he keeps himself busy around his place and eats most of his meals at a diner in town (more about that later).

          Ricky had a few assistants when it came to preparing and cooking the catfish. I stayed away from that section of the fish house, but should have investigated because whatever piece of equipment he was using to cook the fish looked totally foreign to me…something I’m going to have to ask him about the next time we talk.

          Not only did family attend, but either three or four couples who are Ricky’s neighbors. Everyone was very outgoing and friendly, and I appreciated seeing my nieces and nephews even though it didn’t seem as though there was enough time to catch up with everyone. I’m also certain you, my reader, has attended events where you wished you’d had more time with every single person there.

          The food was excellent, as it always is at a potluck. The catfish was cooked to perfection and my plate was practically overflowing with the various accompaniments. I also ate my first frog leg and was so amazed by how good it was that I had a second. It was a bit like a chicken wing only bigger and tastier. I wondered if I could get them in Seattle and still don’t know because I haven’t checked.

          The party went on for the entire afternoon and into the late evening. While I didn’t get a chance to talk a lot with a number of the folks, I went to bed thinking and hoping I’d get a chance in the days to come. In some cases, I did.

          That was Sunday. Monday, we just kind of lazed around for the morning. Ricky and Tomia did lead us over to the Shiloh Military National Park. Again, there was a video for us to watch and I learned so much about the earliest battle of the Civil War which lasted two days. Initially, it looked as though the Southern Military group was going to push north and defeat the Northern troops. It would have been a defining win for the South. Unfortunately, the Southern fighters were exhausted and General Grant was on the other side of the field for the North. Almost 24,000 soldiers from both sides died which is why it is called the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Later I looked up this site and found that an actual tour can take up to seven or eight hours (if you like to hike) if you want to see everything that’s referenced. This Military Park also contains a cemetery and well-preserved prehistoric Indian Mounds.

          Ricky and Tomia went off to buy some jalapenos for jalapeno poppers. We stopped at a store and I bought salad fixings and corn on the cob. I had heard Ricky tell Tyler that we’d have duck for dinner. What I didn’t know as I watched Tomia fill the jalapeno peppers with cream cheese (No, I couldn’t help because there wasn’t enough room at the counter.) was that she was adding a piece of duck breast before wrapping the whole thing in bacon. Ricky then cooked them on the grill.

          I made the salad and Tomia showed me how to cook the corn in it’s shuck in the microwave. It’s two minutes per ear. When it’s done, you hold the skinny end with a hot pad, cut off a bit of the fat end and the corn slides out totally free of the silk. Amazing. Tomia then put the corn into two separate containers, each with a cube of melted butter. By the time we ate, the corn was saturated…and extremely yummy. Also yummy were the stuffed jalapenos. I ate two, and initially expected them to be HOT, but the cream cheese and fat from the duck breast somehow prevented the HOT from being too HOT.

          On Tuesday, we were off to Muscle Shoals and Haleyville Alabama. We went first to the Muscle Shoals recording studio. I had no idea that this little nondescript building was responsible for recording so very many artists. At one point, it was Detroit and Muscle Shoals that were responsible for recording the music we all love. The gentleman who provided the tour knew so many stories about so many artists, I now wish I had put my phone on record. If you’d like to learn more about Muscle Shoals, there is a great documentary which can be found at https://youtu.be/hKmGUIM1uAI?si=NJ1BU94hXdDn036-.

          Then we went to Haleyville so Haley could have her photo taken beside the “ville” sign. We were hungry and stopped at a Mexican restaurant that we found didn’t serve alcohol. We had a small appetizer, left and tried another Mexican restaurant. We could see the bar as we walked in, so this was the place. Tyler and I had medium margaritas and Haley had the fishbowl while AJ stuck to one beer. A little bit of shopping for Haleyville souvenirs and then we headed back to Crump.

          On Wednesday, Ricky took Tyler and Haley fishing on the Tennessee River and my niece Anita came to visit. AJ went for one of his marathon walks. Anita shared lots of family information and delivered t-shirts she’d planned to send in 2019. Some health issues took precedence and she didn’t remember they were tucked up in the closet until we came to visit. Niece Tina (Anita’s younger sister) runs a dog rescue operation in addition to her regular job. The run/walk happens the beginning of November and on the long-sleeved t-shirts, there’s always an “in memorium” section. The 2019 carried the line, “In memory of John Karlberg.” I had no idea the news of his passing had gone far enough to be remembered there. AJ, Haley and I each got a shirt, plus I brought one home for Thor. Anita also told me Tina is looking up in the attic for another shirt that remembers either Kaizer or Karma, probably Karma, which she’ll mail out to me.

          Both Tyler and Haley caught a big catfish that afternoon, and as we sat on the deck, we saw them returning up the river. I didn’t personally see the fish being cleaned, but there are photos. The results went into the freezer and I’m sure Ricky and Tomia will think of the kids when they chow down.

          I thought we had planned to go out to dinner (my treat) on Thursday. First, we went to the Tennessee River Museum across the river in Savannah. It was very interesting to learn about the area and how it developed because of the river. I also brought home the Historic District Driving-Walking Tour Guide. Number 13 is called the Williams-Churchwell House. It was rebuilt in 1869 because the original was burned in the Civil War. The blurb about the house didn’t include any family information. Number 20 in the guidebook is the Churchwell McGinley Taylor House, built in 1876 and purchased by E.P. Churchwell in the 1880s. He was a merchant in downtown Savannah and the home has remained in the family for over 125 years. I’m gonna have to ask Ricky if we’re related to those Churchwells.

          When we left the museum, we ended up parking behind some buildings, but I didn’t know why until we got inside where we found Uncle Gene. It’s the place he always has breakfast and lunch. He was treating all of us to lunch. It was cafeteria style, and I ordered the chicken-fried steak (HUGE), mashed potatoes and deep-fried okra. I could have had corn and peas, but they were reminiscent of when Grandma or mom opened a can and cooked them for hours. I also passed on the corned bread, biscuits, bread. A glass of sweet tea went well. I wasn’t able to eat it all, so Haley (who ordered a hamburger from the menu) finished it off. Ricky had ordered a piece of caramel pie which he shared with the table. OH MY, it was yummy and I ended up with the last couple of bites. Uncle Gene ordered three servings of banana pudding. I haven’t had banana pudding like that since the last one my momma made. Another few bites and I was…as they like to say…full as a tick. I also had a feeling there’d be no dinner out that evening.

Back at Ricky’s, I went for a walk in the hope my tummy would decrease in size. Walking back, I ran into Ricky who was taking Haley and Tyler to Uncle Gene’s to fish in his pond. Tomia and I sat around and chatted about stuff for a while. When AJ returned from his walk, Tomia drove us over to Uncle Gene’s. Now, when I say he has a pond in his back yard, I mean a POND. He told me his property line is on the other side of the trees on the opposite side of the pond in the middle of the creek back there. He doesn’t do all the upkeep himself any longer, but has someone come in a mow the hay on one side. He said it was due for a second mowing right about then.

I think everyone tried their hand at fishing except me and AJ. We sat with Uncle Gene on his back deck and watched the fishers and the ducks and one swan move around the pond. Tyler and Haley caught some small fish, but released them back into the pond. The day was coming to an end when we said farewell and piled back into the vehicles to return to Ricky’s and pack. The sun was still shining as dusk fell.

We packed up, including three boxes that would be shipped via UPS the next day. I had the smallest box and Haley and Tyler the largest. Haley said in the future, she was going to buy one of those hard suitcases and carry her stuff back home in that…far far cheaper than UPS. Then to bed with a bit of concern about Hurricane Helene…would it hit Nashville?

The next morning, it was windy and rainy. We said our thank yous and farewells, stopped by the UPS store with our boxes and hit the road. I was happy to be in the back where I couldn’t see the highway because I think visibility at seventy miles an hour, or whatever speed AJ was traveling, was pretty much zero.

Still, we arrived in Nashville without a problem, turned in the car and went to our rooms at the Hilton adjacent the airport. AJ had applied for and received permissions for us all to enter the airport and take advantage of the restaurants and gift shops. We did and I wanted ribs one more time; however, the rib joint didn’t look all that appetizing, so AJ and I ended up at Hattie B’s Chicken. It was both hot (cooked) and hot (spices). I asked for macaroni and cheese but got fries which was fine. Once again stuffed, I picked up a couple more souvenirs before heading back to the hotel and bed.

The next morning, it was still windy, but the rain had stopped. The airplane was on time and lifted off without a problem

NASHVILLE, JUST NASHVILLE

 

          I honestly don’t know how I had any kind of life when I was working full-time. I’ve been trying to sit down and write about my Tennessee trip since I got home last Saturday and this is the first opportunity I’ve found…and then only because my tummy isn’t happy and I thought it was better to stay home close to my own convenience rather than risk going to my fitness class and being totally unfit.

          The trip to Tennessee was splendid. Everyone got along and we all had a lot of fun. We arrived in Nashville Thursday afternoon, checked into the hotel and went out to find Broadway…this is the street that has bar after bar after bar. Honestly, I was absolutely amazed at the crowds of people that were walking up and down the street. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people except for functions like the breast cancer walk.      

          And, I was totally enthralled by the wide variety of appearances of the various individuals strolling along. Again, I’ve never seen such huge differences in how people dressed, made up their faces, combed (or not) their hair. I could have happily sat on a chair on the sidewalk and been entertained for an entire day.

          Not only is it bar after bar, but every single one of them has live music. As I walked past one, the sound began to fade only to be replaced by sound from the next location. Out of all the musicians I heard, there was only one talentless guy…AJ told me to silence my hearing aids and I did, but I could still hear him…he managed to make a few of my favorite songs sound absolutely awful.

          Many of the bars have an extension on the roof. At one place, I counted 74 steps; at another 95 steps. Do you think I got my exercise in Nashville? I also have to admit that I did have to stop and breathe for a bit when I climbed the 95 steps. I definitely needed a drink or a beer once I arrived. If there isn’t live music up top, the band on the bottom is piped to roof speakers. At the place with the most stairs, the sign indicating the mezzanine was behind the door (or the door may have been open covering the sign), so I didn’t stop where the kids had told me they were. I got to the top only to realize the top wasn’t the mezzanine because I couldn’t find my people. When they found out where I was, they made the trek up to retrieve me.

          At one place, I talked to the man who perused IDs to make sure the person entering was old enough. I was never ever asked for ID…can you believe that? Anyway, I asked him for the name of the band that was playing. He told me he didn’t know, that several groups would be there playing throughout the day and night. When one group left, it would go to another location and play there while a new group would come into that bar. I guess there’s lots of work for musicians and singers in Nashville.

          There was one very impressive young woman who played the fiddle. We (more like Haley and Tyler) kind of followed her and her band to various places. When she came around with the tip bucket (seriously, like a 5-gallon Home Depot bucket), I got a chance to talk to her. She’d been playing since she was four years old, so she’d been playing for twenty-two years. Her fiddle-work was amazing and she was cute as a button. Haley said that at one place, it looked as though the tip bucket had more than $1,500 in it.

          AJ and I were out and about every day wandering here and there, but were fairly happy to call it a day by 8:00 or 9:00 pm. Haley and Tyler stayed out every night until midnight or 1:00 am, bar-hopping and dancing and listening to music. To say they had a splendid time would be an understatement.

          I have to confess I did drink one afternoon/evening. Back at the hotel, I laid down to wait for AJ to do whatever he was going to do. Then I’d get up and get ready for bed. Well, I fell asleep (or passed out) and didn’t wake up until the morning. OMG, it’s been decades since I went to bed without brushing my teeth or washing my face. I couldn’t believe how bad my mouth tasted and felt. I think I used half my toothpaste scrubbing.

          We did tour the Ryman Auditorium. The tour begins with a wonderful video about the Ryman’s history. It was narrated by an actress portraying Lula C. Naff. This widow and mother began to work at the Ryman in 1904 as a stenographer. In 1910 Ms. Naff became the official Ryman manager, a position she held until 1955. She often went by L. C. Naff to avoid discrimination. She was responsible for efforts that went toward saving the Ryman when the possibility of it being demolished was promoted. The video was very informative and interesting and if you’d like to know more, look at Wikipedia. Anyway, I don’t think the kids realized the video made me cry. I managed to suck it up before we had to get up and leave. The video just brought back so many memories of growing up and listening to the Grand Ole Opry with my mom and grandma…they would have loved, loved, loved the tour.

          At the end of the tour, you can stand on the stage and have your photo taken. Well, of course, we all did that. Unfortunately, my photo has gone to another dimension for the time being. I know I unpacked it, put it on the counter with other stuff, but it’s disappeared. I’ve looked in all the places I could have put it, including the garbage, but it’s no where to be found. I wanted to frame that damn photo, so the fact it has gone to that other dimension, really pisses me off.

          On Saturday, we toured the Country Music Hall of Fame. OMG, again, the memories some of the exhibits brought back was amazing. After an hour or two, I got to the point where I felt overloaded with music, information, photos, etc. To do this place justice, I think I’d need to visit several days in a row, leave and then return the next day to take up where I left off. There’s Just. So. Much. To. Take. In. Also, there is one exhibit that must get changed periodically according to who’s currently the most famous. There was one entire long wall, plus additional exhibitry devoted to Luke Combs that began with his birth. Again, I’d like to be able to take my time and absorb the entire Combs exhibit.

          We could also get food at almost every single place we visited. I only had barbequed ribs once, but they were soooooooo gooooooood. I tried to have them for the last time in the Nashville airport coming home, but that restaurant didn’t take orders and then serve. Instead, you chose from what was behind the glass and those ribs didn’t look very good. I’ll have to have a Briley’s fix in the near future.

          Here I am at three pages and I haven’t even left Nashville yet. So, I’m going to stop and post this to my blog. I’ll continue with the family visit and other tours as I continue to write and blog about the trip. I know there’s lots of stuff I could have included in just this post about Nashville, but I’m older now and think I may be having difficulty with my short-term memory…that, or it was simply overload, or at least that’s what I prefer to think.

FALL PLANS...A PEP TALK...KINDA

 

          My blog hasn’t’ seen a new post in quite a long time. It’s not that I haven’t written anything because I have; however, the main reason I didn’t post them to my blog is because on rereading them, they were more of a pity party than not. Who wants to read “poor me, poor me, poor me” ad nauseum?

          Anyway, I have way less to poor me, myself and I, so I’d just better look to the future and make plans for the betterment of my life. Seriously, there’s really no reason for me to feel down or sorry for myself. I have what’s basically a new heart, plus the other things that are affecting my body aren’t terminal, just mainly annoying.

          So, I’m not going to go into detail about the various annoyances, rather I’m going to write about what I’ve been accomplishing and/or what’s in the future.

Next week, I’ll board a plane with my son AJ, granddaughter Haley and Haley’s friend, Tyler. We’re flying into Nashville where we’ll spend a couple of days. So far, we’ve made reservations to tour the Ryman auditorium and have our picture taken on the stage. I can look at that later on and pretend I’m an actual country singer…as if. We’re also going to tour the Country Music Hall of Fame and walk down Second Street which is lined with bars. We don’t plan to imbibe at each of them, but the one named AJ’s is a definite visit. My brother’s wife also suggested we visit Printer’s Alley.

After those two days, we’ll get up and head for my brother’s house which is about two hours from Nashville. It’s also his birthday and I think he’s planning to have a fish fry to celebrate, welcome us and have other family guests. I’m looking forward to that and to introducing my Washington family to my Tennessee family. It’s going to be so much fun; I can hardly wait.

We don’t have the following days all planned out, but on one of them we’ll drive to Haleyville Alabama (for Haley, of course) and to Mussels Shoals, the home of the oldest, and still operating, recording studio in the state. Haley and Tyler also want to go fishing and I think my brother, Ricky, is going to oblige them. Heck, all they really need to do is walk down his hill and stand on the bank of the Tennessee River and toss in a line. I don’t know if that really would work, but not being a fisherwoman, I don’t know.

Memphis was also on our list of go-to places, but I think we’ve decided to give it a miss. The cheapest tour of Graceland (why we were going to go) is almost $100 and you don’t get to see much. We could drive in to Memphis (another two hours) and just walk about the grounds which are quite lovely I’m told, but according to the Tennessee natives, Memphis is not a very safe city.

Still, there’s lots of stuff we can see and visit with Ricky’s house as our home base. Shiloh National Military Park is just minutes away and I found it very interesting on my first visit. Plus, Savannah Tennessee is just on the other side of the river and has lots of things to do, i.e., the Tennessee River Museum, Historic District, whiskey tasting, a Civil War History Tour, and who knows what else. I know the whiskey tasting will be top of the list…most likely.

AJ’s wife, Angie, couldn’t join us because school is in session. And Kuma, well, Kuma gets a vacation as well at Roscoe’s Ranch in Maltby. He spent last Sunday night there as a test and he did very well. The person who dealt with him on Monday indicated he was a “Goofball.” Since Haley’s worked there for years, I know Kuma will be in good hands while his “Mommy” is gone, but I’ll still miss him, I’m sure.

Once I return home, it will be time to begin putting the garden to bed for the winter. Because of all my health problems for what seems like the entire year, lots of work I would have normally done didn’t get done. But I plan to get it done this fall so that come spring, it will rejuvenate in a much better way than it did this past year. I’m even thinking about purchasing some new lily bulbs. I’ve saved the catalogs and know I have to place my order by November 1^st. I guess how much I spend on lilies will depend on how much I spend in Tennessee.

My return will also include having Xander most every weekend until we complete his Halloween costume. He wants to learn to sew and we’ve begun. We bought the material, washed and dried it and cut out the pants. We did a bit of sewing on the pants and Xander is getting more comfortable with the machine each time he uses it. I’m going to have to cut out the jacket before I leave town mainly because the pattern is much more difficult than I expected. It’s been a long time since I’ve made anything using a pattern. Most of my sewing has been simply mending, so I hope my teaching Xander allows him to learn. 

So, as you can see, the remainder of September and October are pretty much on the books. There’s going to be no time for sickness, doctor visits, urgent care visits or feeling down for absolutely no reason at all. I think I’ll print out this blog and put the copy beside my bed. Me, myself and I will read it each night and remind ourselves that life is good, life is busy, life is exciting, life is fun, life brings new experiences each and every day, in one way or another. How’s that for a pep talk…I think me, myself and I rather like it…a lot.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

 

          Fifty-eight years ago this evening, John and I became husband and wife. He’s not here to celebrate with me and I miss his presence deeply on this particular day. It is a number we would have celebrated together with cards, dinner, drinks and physical afffection.

          Yesterday was the fifth anniversary of his passing. I had told him that day it was okay to move ahead and go beyond to join my father and those he loved who went before. Our son, AJ, did a masterful job of remembering and celebrating his father and his family and I was touched and pleased that he wanted me to publish it on Facebook.

          I remember being so young and so in love that the thought, the very idea of days like yesterday and today weren’t even on my personal horizon. I’m still amazed at how quickly all those years passed. It doesn’t seem all that long ago the two of us were just beginning our journey together. Looking back, it’s true we had our difficult times, but the good times, the good memories far outweigh any negativity that visited and that negativity was always on a temporary basis.

          Just yesterday our granddaughter, Haley, asked me for some examples of her Pa’s handwriting. I thought perhaps she was going to weld me a sign that said, “I love you, John,” but no, she wants to have a tattoo on her body with her Pa’s name. In the process of looking for a good example, I pulled out of the closet the three big shoeboxes of cards we gave each other, our sons and the cards our sons, granddaughter and friends gave us.

          I spent yesterday afternoon on a trip down memory lane. My dining room table is currently a big mess that spills over onto the kitchen counter. I decided as I went through all those cards that I would return to our children and grandchildren the cards they bestowed over all those years. And, in the process, I found a few gems I thought had already been passed on. To AJ will go the pictograph letters his dad sent him from Naknek Alaska in 1977. To Thor will go the teapot shaped card he gave me with a Stash Peppermint Herb Teabag still in its wrapper with a little rhyme that says, "...I'll try my best in every way, but when you get upset with me, relax and have a pot of tea. 

          In all these cards I also found ones that friends had given both John and I. In some cases, I am thinking about putting them in an envelope and returning them with a thank you for the love and affection provided when the card was given, but also the love and affection and great memories they provided this, the second time. I wonder if those recipients will be pleased with this gift.

          It is my hope our children, grandchildren and friends will enjoy looking at these pieces from our pasts. I hope it reminds them of the love we held/hold for each other. My journey yesterday brought some tears, but more than anything else, a tremendous feeling of being surrounded by love throughout our entire pasts right up through the typing of this blog.

HEART HEALTH UPDATE

 

          For more than a week now, I’ve been trying to write a post about how I’m doing after my heart attack and stent placement. I want to be informative as well as amusing; however, my funny bone seems to have been affected in some way and refuses to find humor in much of anything these days…very annoying, not to mention depressing.

Anyway, as of this afternoon, it has been three weeks since the doctors placed six stents in my cardiac arteries. I’m still amazed by what they did, the fact they needed to do it, and how much better I think I’m feeling as a result. The miracle of modern medicine undoubtedly saved my life.

          As for how I’ve been doing and am doing currently, I still feel very tired and could probably take a nap every afternoon, but rarely do. Of course, if I lay down to read my book, then the next thing I know, I’m waking up and the I-pad is on my chest. I’m assuming it’s just my body adjusting to blood coursing through all my veins and arteries the way it’s supposed to.

I’m also fighting off depression, i.e., how can I possibly be depressed when I’m alive and better off than before stents (BS). Doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, although some articles I’ve read seem to indicate becoming depressed can be considered normal. Part of the depression may be not having a normal schedule as I did before all this happened. That will change Friday when I return to my fitness class. I don't have to wait six weeks to exercise after all...good news. That means I’ll see people three days a week rather than just now and then. I’m sure that will assist with lifting the depression…I do miss my friends and my schedule.

To keep myself busy, I’ve been working around the house and in the garden. I did become a bit concerned during the weed wars when my heart rate got up into the 120s. I felt just fine, but thought I should check it out on the internet. Turns out my optimum heart rate with exercise is 137 beats per minute, so I had more than a few beats to spare. That’s good news, or at least I think so.

          The week after the procedure, I saw the cardiologist as well as another doctor from my personal doctor’s team. It certainly seemed like overkill to me, but the general MD did order blood and urine tests which the cardio MD did not. I also received a covid booster. I would have gotten the flu shot as well, but it won’t be available until fall. Now, the good Lord willing and the creeks don’t rise, I don’t have to go back until October.

          I’ve also been talking to my cardiology nurse once a week about how I’m doing and how to go about changing my lifelong habits so they are more heart healthy. I must admit I haven’t been doing a very good job, i.e., last week I had two (2) bacon cheeseburgers, onion rings and two (2) small milkshakes, not to mention a restaurant breakfast. Add to that the fact I only walked two (2) days during the week and there are no gold stars next to my name. On the other hand, I did purchase a heart healthy cookbook for one, and except for those two BAD days, I’ve paid close attention to my diet…I was paying attention those two days too, but OMG, every single bite was absolutely yummy.

           Lastly, there’s my brain function. I’m beginning to wonder if some of the plaque in my arteries got loose during the procedure and has taken up residence in my head. Or, I suppose it could be due to being tired, but I find myself searching for words when talking or thinking. Eventually what I’m looking for churns its way to the surface, but I sure hate the wait and sometimes the wait is so long, the conversation has moved on to another topic. Did these spells last this long BS or does it just seem that way because of my experience and my search for changes?

          I also have a new mattress which arrived yesterday. It came all rolled up and the delivery guy carried it in on one shoulder. I was amazed how it EXPANDED once they took off the plastic wrap. He told me it would take 24-48 hours for it to fully expand, so Kuma and I alternated between the twin bed and the couch all night…I’m tired today and figure we’ll sleep like logs tonight. I decided on getting a new mattress because there was no back pain when I got up in the hospital, but it returned big time the first night home. I have high hopes this new mattress will alleviate any further suffering…I’m way more than ready.

          So, there you go. This is how I’m doing three weeks out. I wish I could have posted more amusing information, but like I said, my funny bone refuses to cooperate. I’ve great hopes that once I’m working hard at being fit, it will wake up and rise to any challenge I…or anyone else…might present.

MY REFURBISHED HEART

   

       Those of you who read my blog are aware of my June diagnosis of Stable Angina. What you don’t know is the fact it developed into Unstable Angina. I began to keep track of the episodes on June 27^th. By the end of the day July 8^th, I had had a total of twenty-six episodes and the last six had occurred on that very day. Was I concerned? Sort of, but if I took a nitroglycerin tablet and breathed, the episode went away within five minutes or so.

          On July 9^th, I had my scheduled phone call with the cardiology nurse. This is the program I joined to improve my heart health. I had sent her the table of my episodes sans the last day, i.e., July 8^th. We didn’t do the scheduled program after we talked about the table and the previous day’s six episodes. She said she wanted to talk to my cardiologist and would get back to me.

          The cardiologist called me a few hours later, the end result of which was for me to go to Swedish Cherry Hill Emergency and be admitted to the hospital as soon as possible. She planned to have an angioplasty performed the following day. I wasn’t prepared for this, i.e., Xander was spending the night, so his dad had to come get him. AJ needed to come get me and take me to the hospital. Haley had to come stay at my house for the night with Kuma.

          After a small glitch regarding my admission (the orders couldn’t be found initially), the paperwork was completed and I was in a room hooked up to all the machines as I had been the beginning of June. In the ER, however, I was told the cardiac enzymes indicated I had had a small heart attack…how about that!!! Let me add here that I had had no episodes at all on Tuesday, having made sure I moved slowly all day. The heart attack must have happened on Monday but none of the six episodes, or any of the episodes really, seemed like my idea of a heart attack. Once I was settled in, AJ went home.

          After a not so restful night (they kept coming in to check this and that), a woman showed up early and performed an echocardiogram. She told me she couldn’t tell me anything because the doctor had to read the results. Seriously, how does she know what to look for and document if she cannot read what she’s seeing on the screen???

          Nurses were in and out and a total of three doctors came in to see me. The first one was Dr. Brown and he was the most important since he would be the one doing the angioplasty. A variety of times for the procedure were given but finally, a nurse came in and hauled me off to the operating room. I thought I was totally aware during the entire procedure; however, I was totally wrong.

          As it turned out, I was extremely fortunate I didn’t have a huge heart attack and fall over dead. I did, however, have a Non-ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction. Dr. Brown installed six, that’s SIX, stents in my heart. A percutaneous coronary intervention was performed on my left anterior descending coronary artery and two stents were placed. A percutaneous coronary intervention was performed on my circumflex coronary artery and two stents placed. A percutaneous coronary intervention was performed on my left main coronary artery and two stents installed.  There’s a lot more verbiage in Dr. Brown’s report; however, this is what was accomplished.

          Dr. Brown’s report was completed with the following, “This was a complex procedure due to bifurcation disease, calcification. Additional work required beyond usual steps included serial balloon dilations, T-stenting left main bifurcation. Usual time for this procedure is 30 min and this took 70 min.” I guess you could say I was one lucky individual to have survived long enough to have the procedure(s).

          My chest hurt when I was returned to my room. The nurse gave me a Percocet and I pretty much slept/dozed until the following day except for the multiple times nurses came in to check a wide variety of physical responses. Eventually, discharge orders were written and AJ came to pick me up and take me home.

          My orders at this point in time is to remain calm and rest for about the next week. I’m also to not do anything that requires great physical exertion for six weeks. I am to take up walking on a daily basis but not to the extent I am exerting myself. Of the three new prescriptions given in June, one has been deleted and two new ones added. I have two cardiology appointments next week and one at the end of the month.

          Let me tell you how absolutely amazed I am by all of this. I am also extremely amazed I’m still alive. I was a walking heart attack just waiting to happen. AJ, Thor and other family and friends could be planning my memorial service today instead of just checking in to make sure I’m doing okay and don’t need anything. Seriously, how could my coronary arteries become so bad while my body continued to move about as though there were nothing wrong…my heart rate got up to 124 beats/minute exactly one week before the myocardial infarction.

          In any case, I guess I’ve been given a new lease on life, or at least will be after the next six weeks. I’m not exactly sure what that means at this point in time, but I’m sure those six weeks will give me the time I need to reflect and plan for the future. I’m also extremely grateful for the staff at Swedish Cherry Hill and Dr. Brown and his crew for saving my life. I’m also extremely grateful for my family and friends who rallied round to take care of stuff when I couldn’t and who will continue to monitor my well-being.

          I think you could say I’m one enormously lucky woman.