" O.K. So I'm Not the Greatest Mother !"

It's my fault, I admit it. Yesterday I took my Katie (16) to the Ear, Nose and Throat doctor once again. 

 

Katie has had allergies, specifically mold, since I can remember. Recently she has been sick on and off . Her ears have been horribly blocked and has had plenty of headaches and migraines to go along with that.

Kate's doctor, who is French Canadian by the way, what is it with us and Canadian doctors? Anyway he cleaned her ears out and REMINDED me that she has exema in her ears!

 

Oh stupid me!! I forgot. What kind of a mother would forget something like that I ask you? Because of the excess dry skin in her ears, she is supposed to get her ears cleaned every six months at the doctors office.

Anyway she feels so much better now, headaches gone, ears are clearer, still on antibiotics as a precaution. I should have remembered this. Katie had it when she was a baby on her feet. I used to have to bath her little feet in a special soap and use Aquaphor on them.

 

So now I must remember to take her back in the office in six months.

Did you know that ENT doctors don't advise using Q-tips in your ears. Or cleaning solutions. The Q-tips can actually push excess wax into one's ears. I've actually had bits of cotton removed from my ear from Q-tips but I still use them. Old and stubborn I guess.

Katie doesn't use them at all.

 

So now that we all know what a crappy mother I am, I decided to do something I rarely do here. I am going to tout a product I have recently discovered.

Besides being an old and crappy mother, I also have had problems with very dry skin. It's getting like old lady skin, all thin, dry and wrinkly. I have been trying all different types of products.

All of the name brand and store brand lotions and creams with all of the same results, it soaks in my skin and then it's dry all over again.

Well last week while looking for the next new miracle cream to try, I came across this...

 

 

Yes it's good old fashioned Vaseline but with a new twist. It has Cocoa Butter in it. And it cost around $2.00. So I thought "Why not give it a try". It's a little different from regular Vaseline, not quite as greasy. It also soaks into the skin more as opposed to laying on top.

I started using it on my body and my face. A little bit goes a long way and my skin just loves it. 

Now I wouldn't say that I look twenty years younger but I will say that my skin is much, much softer without feeling greasy.

So there you have it, my Vaseline commercial. I would highly recommend this. For the price you can't go wrong. 

Oh and it has a nice , very light , cocoa butter scent. My husband and dogs just love it.

So if you too are suffering from old, wrinkly,dry skin, give it a try. All you'll have to lose is about $2.00!!

18 days left !!!

" 20 Days to Go, Keepin' Busy! "

I really can't believe how fast the time is going by. 20 more days until the knee surgery. Things have been going smoothly so far. I had some blood work and urine analysis done. Once my family physician gets the results and gives his o.k. and the insurance gives their o.k. then we'll all be o.k.!!

In answer to Linda's question, yes Jake will have 15 paid days off. If that's not enough time we'll work something else out. It will be tricky and painful for awhile but I'm pretty sure all will be fine. And I'm not afraid of pain meds especially before physical therapy.

Oh and here is a bit of exciting news. My daughter Ginny, is coming home from North Carolina for a weekend in August after the surgery. Pain or no pain, she will be a sight for sore eyes and knees!!!

In the meantime I've been keeping very busy. My Katie hasn't been feeling well again. She will see her ENT doctor tomorrow but he has also referred her to a Neurologist for her reoccurring migraines. 

Now I am just hoping that this is hormonal. Also my husband used to get them a lot when he was her age as well. I'm trying not to worry yet. Jake will have to take her to the neurologist as I will still be in the hospital. In the meantime prayers would come in handy here.

I've also been sewing a lot lately. Well when I can fit it in. I bought a laundry bag from Argentina, supposedly, from the thrift store along with a belt and some corduroy.

I wanted to make a bag for my laptop which has a 17 inch screen. 

So I made the bag to fit my computer!!

I used corduroy for the lining and added a little pocket inside.

I thought it came out pretty well. I had also made a little, well I don't know what you'd call it but Katie grabbed it up right away!!

You can keep little things in it.

And this one I already posted a photo of but I have since added a zipper with a beaded zipper pull. And a ribbon handle. This one is for Ginny, I really love this one the best.

I already have two more requests and would like to make myself a pretty little bag to take to the hospital to keep small things in.

I've also been doing my post-op leg exercises as suggested in the joint replacement class along with riding my stationary bike 2 miles a day. The handlebars move back and forth on it so I can work on my arm strength as well as I will need that for the walker.

I don't really know how I will feel while in the hospital but they do have wireless internet there so I am going to try and post if I can. Of coarse this is all dependent on how I feel and how busy they keep me while there. But I have already taken a "before" photo of my knees and will post an after as well. 

Now you may or may not want to see that so I will try and warn you when I do. That is, IF I am in my right mind at the time!!

But my ultimate goal with this is to inform and educate about this surgery as it is quite common anymore. I would not be surprised at all if one day one of my followers may need it done.

But now I just wait. Wait and prepare. There are things that will need to be changed in the house. Like a place to keep the dogs when I am up and about. And moving my clothes and bedding downstairs.

Also putting handrails up in places where there should be handrails and there aren't any.

Preparation. Anticipation. A little bit of worry. But mostly, I'm still excited! We will see how excited I sound "after" I get home!!

That's it for tonight everyone.

Oh and to my friend Jackie, don't worry, I was and am going to call you!!! I miss you, Love Di ♥

" 26 More Days and Counting!"

I surely cannot believe how fast the time is going by. In 26 days, God willing of coarse, I will be in surgery. I feel like I'm going to be the Bionic woman. Truthfully I am so excited.

 

Yesterday I attended my "Total Joint Education Class". I was the only one there that is having both knees replaced at the same time.

Last year at this time I was to afraid to go through with this surgery but today I am excited. I know how much work will be involved and the pain levels I hear are supposedly pretty high.

 

But I am still excited as all get out! I learned quite a bit at the class. Although about half of it I read online. Folks I am in for quite a bit of discomfort and probably some depression and possibly a bit of

"I give up" from this surgery.

 

But all I can keep thinking about is all of the things that I'll be able to do once again that I've been missing out on over the last four years. What really bothers me the most sometimes is that I'm 53 not 83 and I spend more time sitting than moving. But that is going to end soon!

 

Today I went to my family physician for my wellness check up. He said that I looked good to go but I have to have some more blood drawn and a urine test next week. They did an EKG right there in the office and his nurse, who I've known for several years said to me after the test, "No matter what anyone says Diana, you're normal!".

 

I told her that I'd let my husband know and thanked her! On my way out my doctor said, "You're in for a rough road.", but I already knew that. Don't care, just want to get it done with.

 

I've been very busy this week and I don't want to bore anyone to tears so I will cut this short. If I have time tomorrow, I will post some of the details about the surgery, post op and what I have to look forward to once I get home. 

 

It's a lot. But God's right here with me and knows how much fun I've been missing. And by "fun" I mean being able to just get a job and take care of my family!!!

 

I'd be grateful for that much. 

" Nesting with Weeds "

Yesterday afternoon started off camp week once again. This is the fifth week for Katie and Natasha.

I'm sitting at the edge of Kate's bunk in the above photo. Natasha quickly grabbed the full size mattress, smart girl!!

This is one of the largest cabins, it sleeps 15. most of it is behind me but trust me it's large!

I hung around this time with Katie and Natasha while they waited for their group of girls. I have a feeling they are going to be exhausted at the end of this week of camp.

Katie hanging up church clothing. No closets, just nails. Rustic!!

Finally, their first charge! My granddaughter Sarah. This is her first time at camp and away from mom and dad for an entire week.

Think she'll make it?

She looks pretty happy so far and they are allowed to go home if they can't handle being away but I think she'll make it.

She is my granddaughter after all!!!

So now I am alone again and I spent my entire Monday cleaning my house. Everything. The floors, laundry, the kitchen, the basement.

And then it hit me. I was on the phone with my husband and I said "I'm nesting.". My husband said "I know, I wasn't going to try and stop you!".

I'm not pregnant. It's a bit past my time with that. I am however

anticipating my surgery. Somewhere deep inside me I feel as though everything has to be just so before the surgery. And I realize that my house will get messed up again before that but I just can't help myself so I popped a pain pill and went nuts.

Tomorrow afternoon I will go to the hospital at 2:00 p.m. for a class about joint replacement. It's required. That's fine though as I have many a question written down to ask. It's a two hour class and they'll probably have trouble shutting me up. I like to know how everything works!!!

So this evening I had to water the plants. This heat wave takes it's toll especially on new plants. And I noticed how many weeds are taking over the yard. It's been too hot for me to work much out there and Jake hasn't been home to help with the trimming so,

it's weeds, weeds everywhere.

So I decided that I don't care about the weeds at this time as it's just too hot to matter right now!!

But I will tell you this, I will try to have the whole yard in shape before the surgery too!!!

Just give me a couple of weeks!

" What Will She Think of Next?"

Two pieces of fabric.

 

 

 

 

A sewing machine, a little spare time and two buttons,

equals...

And that my friends is what I like to do with what I find at the thrift stores!!!

"Hurray for the Weekend!!"

The weekend is upon us and this will be a hectic one for us. My daughter Kate and her friend Natasha have been staffing at camp every other week this summer and this is the weekend that they will start the next week off with.

Natasha on the left and my daughter Katie on the right.

This week they will be in charge of girls the ages of 3 years  through 8 years.  

My granddaughter Sarah will be attending for the first time. She is eight years old and this will be her first time away from mom and dad for an entire week. They don't always make it through the week but at least Sarah will have her Aunt Katie in her cabin. That should help.

My sweet granddaughter Sarah when she spent the night a couple of weeks ago.

 

The girls kept themselves busy last night painting rocks. I am going to put them in my garden.

I haven't done much today as I cleaned house yesterday. I've been cleaning for this family for about six or seven years, maybe more I'm not sure!


It is very hard on me and I do have to take a pain pill before I go but I just love this job. The next day I am exhausted from it but still I enjoy doing it. I had to tell Linda, the woman that I clean for, that I can only clean for four more weeks and then I'll have to quit for awhile.


She knows why and I'm pretty sure that I can go back to it eventually, but I will miss it. Hopefully after the surgery I'll be able to do much more for longer periods of time. I just pray that all goes well.


Just 32 more days. I'm still so excited even though I know that I most likely will be in quite a bit of pain for awhile. I just keep seeing the bigger picture you know? I keep thinking of all of the things that I will be able to do again instead of sitting in this chair most of the day.


Everyone thinks that I am so busy and I am but most of what I do, I do sitting. Even my gardening. And I so miss walking. My husband and I used to walk through the woods together quite a bit.


I think we both miss that.




Well back to the weekend. Katie will spend most of it in a frenzy packing her things for camp and you wouldn't believe the amount of stuff she takes with her!!! It fills the entire back of my station wagon.


After church on Sunday, I will take her out to the camp and then I will have the week to myself again. Sometimes it's lonely. Sometimes it's relaxing. It just depends. After this week of camp, Kate will be home for a week and then back to camp for one more week.


After that school starts. Right about the time of my surgery. It all seems to be going by so quickly. One thing that I will have to do with the help of my husband is move downstairs.


My bedroom is upstairs right now. So we will have to relocate my things to the bedroom downstairs. I hate sleeping downstairs!!
I have a feeling that with the pain after the surgery, I won't care much! There is also a possibility that I may have to stay in a rehab center for a bit after the hospital. I should find out next week when I go to my class.


It may all sound boring and if so I apologize but you never know when you may need to have a knee or two replaced. I'm just trying to give you the heads up!!


Have a fun and interesting weekend !

"Today"

We are having one heck of a thunderstorm right now and I am just loving it! The lightening is a bit unnerving however to me and my doggies. Roxy, as is usual for her is trembling and panting even as I type this with one hand while the other is petting her!

Ruby is barking wildly while running all through the house as if to say "How dare you make such a racket whoever you are!". 

I'm enjoying it because it means that I don't have to water my plants tonight and it has cooled the air temperature sufficiently which in itself is a blessing. It was 118 with the heat index today! It is now 80 degrees, and it feels so good.

When I woke this morning there was no plan for the day in mind. So after a bit of morning Joe I decided to take a drive to here...

I was asked last week if I could run in for some more ex-rays.These in addition to the MRI I went for last week will be used for measurements of my new knees. I will be having one surgery. Both knees at the same time. Next week I have to go to a joint replacement informational class at the hospital. I am looking forward to that as you can imagine, I have many questions.

Also next week I will see my family doctor for a wellness check-up and more blood work. Hopefully all will go well and then I will see my Orthopedic surgeon on August 10th, six days before the surgery.

My husband has three weeks vacation coming. He will use it then which is a comfort to me. He really is a great help to me.

After the ex-rays I took off and went to church. I worked for a couple of hours. There was more work than I expected. I will probably run back there again later this week to finish a little more.

I went home from there and picked up my daughter Katie and her friend Natasha who had spent the night. We went thrift shopping. Something my Katie used to hate. For some reason she has changed her mind now, especially when mom is buying!

Yesterday I was playing around with my sewing machine and made a couple of wallets. Katie grabbed the first one and has it in her purse already. I was only able to get a photo of the other one.

 

I've never made these before. It was a bit of a challenge with no pattern but also kind of fun so I bought some fabric remnants today to make some more.

The other one I made was smaller with little pockets to hold small items. So now Katie's friend Natasha, wants one and my daughter Ginny in North Carolina wants one too. I sent her a photo over the phone.

I also found a jar of buttons and a long zipper that I will use to make a purse. Tomorrow is a free day for me so I think I'll get creative again!!

Well the thunder and lightening has all but died down. The dogs are much more relaxed. So I'm out of here for now but before I go I am posting a photo of my favorite flower in my yard. Same as last year. I just love these little beauties!

 "Cosmos"

Enjoy your evening.

"Hot, hot, hot !"

I just came inside from watering my flowers, it is very HOT out there. When I watched the weather channel they said that it was 93 degrees here with a heat index of 110! 

I wouldn't have even ventured outside but I have a lot of new plants that aren't yet well established, so outside I ventured.

Do you remeber when we tore down the old fence? Well I should say my husband tore it down while I watched!

The above photo was taken shortly after the fence came down.

This is how it looks now. I have a long way to go but it is showing some promise. I have divided some Black-eyed Susan's and Purple Cone flowers. I also bought some new perennials.

It's been very slow going for me with my knees and all of this heat. I've been trying to get up early and work before the sun hits this side of the yard. Since finding out that I can have the surgery, I have been able to sleep much better!

I love rocks. I started this rock flower bed a few days ago but had to quit because of the heat. I don't have to kneel. I have a very nice little Lawn Buddy Cart that enables me to sit and just roll along in the grass. One time while working on my little cart weeding in the driveway, I actually started to roll away! You see the driveway slants and if I lift my feet for just a moment, I can easily roll right out into the street!

I've often envisioned this scene where a car is driving down the street, when all of a sudden this short, fat, screaming woman

with garden gloves on,

comes swiftly rolling out into the street as the car tries to stop in time to miss me!

I guess I have a strange sense of humor because that sounds so funny to me. Anyway the plants are watered and I think by next year things will be very nice back there.

I bought an "American Girl" magazine for my granddaughter Sarah. She spent the night with me on Friday. I had a plant that needed to be put in the dirt so Sarah sat and read her magazine while I did that.

After that we went inside where I made us some homemade cheeseburgers and fries and we watched " Gnomeo and Juliet ".

Oh my gosh that was such a cute movie and right up grandma's ally since she collects gnomes!! 

It was a good night.

Notice Mr. Grumpy face! Not my son but my grandson. Wait I will try to find a smiling one....

There, I knew I had one! 

I think I'm going to throw something out here. Not that ANY of my kids read my blog but just in case,

I would really like a new camera for Christmas this year. It doesn't have to be very expensive. Just something a little better than what I have now!

It seems that most of my photos are blurry anymore no matter what settings I use. So kids, pool your cash and get mom a new camera!!!

I love you all!!!

What's the use, they'll never read this!!

Ho, Ho, Ho !

" I'm Bursting !"

I received the dreaded call today. I've been a bundle of nerves waiting and waiting for this call. It was the call that would tell me weather or not I could afford to have my double knee replacement surgery.

I didn't think it would be possible. I was quite sure that I wouldn't be walking much longer. My knee's have progressively deteriorated to the point that shots no longer last more than two months. 

Two nights ago as I walked my dogs for their final walk of the evening, I was in tears by the time I made it back to the house. This is more pain than I can handle anymore although I do believe that I have handled it well.


Last Friday I went for my MRI that would take the measurements for my new knees. It took two hours. The girls said that I kept moving although I didn't think that I moved at all. It was so uncomfortable. I've had MRI's before but not like this. 


I had all but given up on this surgery thinking that Jake and I couldn't afford it. But as it turns out, it was all a misunderstanding. The letter that I initially received stated that we would have to pay our share of the surgery within five days of the surgery including six months worth of follow up visits. The call that I got today just downright made me cry.


It seems that the letter that I initially received was a generic letter. Our insurance is picking up a majority of the expense. The orthopedic center is going to put us on a payment plan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thirty-nine days. In thirty-nine days I will have two brand new knees!


I will be able to sit without my legs up, dance (Oh how I miss dancing while I clean house!), walk, walk, walk!!!! I can go for walks with my grandchildren and husband again. I can have my grandson spend the night and be able to chase after him. I can take my grandchildren to the park to feed the ducks and play.


Hopefully I'll be able to walk up and down the stairs again without taking one step at a time and fear of falling. I'll be able to cook a real dinner for my husband without ending up in a bad mood and crying because of the pain of standing for an hour and a half!!!


I feel like I am in a dream right now. I need to keep my head on straight so I have decided to document the entire process. I will start sometime this week. I have my granddaughter over tonight and we've been having so much fun. I can only imagine the fun we can have if I could walk more!!


I can't contain my excitement tonight. But there was a lot of things that lead up to this. So I feel that I should record all of it from beginning to end. But for now I just want to say , Thank You Lord.