and then there was the THANK YOU....

Have you ever gone about your day....doing the mundane that you do every day....doing the laundry...doing the dishes...doing the cooking....driving people here and there....and then someone stops you....gives you a big hug...and says THANK YOU....
AH........IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING!
Take a moment today to thank someone for the things they do for you!
Be Well....

Attitude...

Thanks for the kind words about my attitude Mary....but I will readily admit that it is not always the best every single day!! LOL....but then whose is?!? I am finding as the time progresses with this illness that one must LOOK ....even DIG on some days...for the best! Small things....come the easiest for me...a bird singing...the sun shining...a good piece of chocolate...and other days it is bigger things....the laughter of a child...the ability to do my art...the connection with good and honest people...and then it could be...laughing as a child sings a song over the phone to you...seeing a dream come true....dreaming a bigger dream...
I guess what I am saying is that I have come to realize that some things are important....some things are not....somethings are completely out of my control so why fret to much about them...some things just unfold and you have to roll with it...
Is it easy????? NO!! Some days it is the most difficult thing that I do....but I am learning...that lesson of patience...I am learning to see things in a positive way...I am learning to see the simple things...for if nothing else...still after these 58 years I am learning that I am a work in progress!
Be Well....

Update...

We learned today that Michael's good eye...(Which would be the right eye as he can no longer see out of the left one)....is getting worse...he has cataracts which are pretty bad in that eye which will require laser surgery...he puts a great deal of strain on this eye as it is the one that he can see at least partially out of....I am holding on to the hope that it will NOT get worse fast...but rather will be a slow process...I can't bare the thought that he will not be able to see at all....
Again I have to say that the kindness and professional way we are treated at the VA makes everything so much better....Finally seeing that our Veterans are being taken care of...especially those from the Viet Nam era...
We are holding on....things haven't gotten that bad yet...although I am aware daily that his short term memory is decreasing more and more....I hold back from saying...."I just told you that" over and over again....such a small thing really....but when you are use to having someone remember the day that you met and what you were wearing....well....can be difficult at times!
In the meantime we make some small plans....the weather is improving and we will be able to be outside more soon....and the birds are singing....Life IS GOOD!
Be Well...

several...

appointments this morning....so off and running....
The VA signed off on the problems that Michael is having not only with his lack of vision but also with the embolisms....agreeing that they are both a direct result of having Waldenstrom....(this rare blood cancer) .... Today, we have to have the Doctors sign off on them too....Not exactly sure what this is all about....but I LOVE to cross my t's and dot my i's when it comes to doing this paper work for the government.....whatever they want....to continue on with the care that he receives is OK by me!!!
Be Well....

Not to worry....

First let me say THANK YOU to all who have E-mailed me privately to see if everything is fine here in upstate NY.....
NOT TO WORRY....I took a little R and R to rejuvenate...to regroup...to re-energize!
Things here remain the same....we are currently waiting for the new Doctor appointments...which should come soon...So it seemed like a good time to take a little time off from the routines of the day....quiet time...down time...
We all need to do that it order to best serve ourselves and others....for strength comes from caring for yourself first...as selfish as that might seem on some days....but I am feeling better....a little clearer in my thinking....and ready to face anything that might be ahead of us....
Spring is in the air and it is certainly one of my favorite times of the year....a rebirth after a long winters sleep....the stirring of the soul....of life....time to strengthen the roots...and tend to the garden of love....
THANK YOU ....THANK YOU...THANK YOU....for the kindness that you bestow upon me and mine in order to tend to my soul garden!
Be well....

Updating....all heck is around the corner....

After going to the Doctors yesterday....So much will have to be done in the next month....
there will be the Neurologist appointment to find out about the shaking...and pain....
there will be the Urologist appointment to find out complaints Michael has....
there will be the MRI which needs to be done in another city about an hour away...
there will be a stress test to see about the embolisms and the fact that he gets out of breath just walking up the stairs...
And then of course anything these Doctors order....
All just before we start chemo again....
BUT....the snow has all melted....and the birds are singing! So we go with the flow....
I have spent the last few days getting paperwork in order to clear up a matter about a bill that the VA denied....Yesterday, I talked to a really nice man at the VA and he got me to the proper people and everything was faxed to them that they needed....So happy that someone didn't pass me off...
We were talking about how great the VA has treated Michael....and I have to say the clinic where we go has been wonderful...and of course they know us very well there even though it is so large...So many veterans go there....it's sad to see....but I know that they are in good hands there.
So for the moment we rest....we wait for the appointments to start rolling in....and we enjoy the Spring weather that is approaching....
BE WELL....

A sighting....

I have seen 2 Robins in the past few days.....A GOOD SIGN of SPRING!!
Not to mention that I have attended a gathering of family to celebrate my mothers' 84th Birthday....and yesterday I made a "thanksgiving" dinner for the celebration of my sons' 35th Birthday....I so enjoy being around my family....it gives me so much joy....a great deal of laughter....lots of love...and strength.
I am grateful that I live close to them....even more grateful that I am emotionally (in a good way) bonded to them....
Celebrating LIFE...and LOVE....as Spring approaches....
It doesn't get any better than that!

Stories...

I have been aware of other people's stories lately...listening with my heart...
Everyone has a story....there is not one that is better or worse than someone else...
It just is a "different" story...My heart aches for some of these stories....I can feel the
pain of it...My heart smiles at others....and I can feel the joy of it....Each story that we
have makes us unique in some ways....binds us in others....
May you create a GREAT story today...
Be well....

Lemonade....

We all know the saying....
"When life hands you lemons....Make lemonade"
So just how easy is that to do on a good day???????????????
Not to mention a bad day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Life has a way doesn't it.....
there is always a way to make something that is sour sweet....
just add a lot of sugar!! LOL.....
Add some sugar today to whatever you do!
BE WELL!

Homemade Lemonade Recipe

Picture of Lemonade - Tipnut.comPart One:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup boiling water

Part Two:

5 cups water
1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (8 to 9 large lemons)
1 TBS grated lemon rind

Directions:

  • Stir the sugar into the 1/2 cup of boiling water, dissolve.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and refrigerate.
  • Serve over ice.
  • ADD VODKA!

A birthday....

Today, we celebrated the birthday of my son....he turned 35 on the 27th of February...
35 years old!!!!! Is that possible???? I am very close to my son...when Michael got sick he moved back to upstate NY from NC to be closer... so that he could help out when needed....He spends time with us every Monday on his day off...and I adore him....The connection I have with him started before he was born....like any Mother I suppose...but I was going through a divorce at the time I was pregnant for him...and he was my saving grace....he kept me from falling apart...My daughter was 2 years old and the two of them kept me sane (well...as sane as a mother can be with a baby and a toddler!! LOL) For almost 11 years (before I married Michael) I raised him alone...but Michael stepped into the shoes of Dad easily....he took Jason under his wing and jumped in...father and son bowling...little league coach...and Jason flourished....Michael is DAD to Jason....
So today...we celebrated his birthday by going to lunch with my daughter and grandson too....it was a wonderful day....and reminded me that I need to do that more often...make special days happen...be joyous....be happy...feel the love of those who love me....and whom I love very much.
But is it really possible that he is 35?????
After all....isn't that my age!! LOL