Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:29 pm on October 26, 2021 Permalink  

  Road Trip Day 

  I was 60 miles north of my home by 9:00 this morning, entering the city limits of Bird Island.  As I pulled up to the curb of Creatives Stitches, Kelly, my licensed master technician for Berninas, met me at my car to carry in the machine to begin the much needed servicing.  The servicing was long overdue.  There was an upgrade in functions as well as firmware that was due. 

  I spent the time visiting with Amanda as the shop has been transformed since the last time I had visited.  Amanda spent a week in Utah for training and finding the ins and the outs of being an official Kimberbell dealer.  Kimberbell is a line of products for sewing, crafting and machine embroidery.  The store is well stocked.  Their display of Bernina sewing machines mirrors that of other Bernina shops as well as the home office in Switzerland.  Amanda will be traveling to Chicago in the near future for Bernina training of the new models coming out.  It takes a lot of time and dedication to serve their customers well, and they do.  Kelly does clean and repair other brands as best he can.  As other brands like Bernina, selling parts only to licensed dealers of specific brands.  

  My lunch date was cancelled and I motored on my way south towards home . . . next stop Fairfax.  It was great stopping in at Kersten’s business as well as Kevin’s.  Kevin had ordered a spinner for me.  A spinner is a knob that attaches to the steering wheel for better mobility in handling the steering wheel.  Kevin was right in the placement of the spinner on the steering wheel . . . lower left hand portion.  My left hand, from the stroke, has been affected in the strength and confidence when using the steering wheel in turning.  Dennis attached it to the steering wheel when I got home, only after I had played it through my mind as to where it would best serve.  Sweet attachment.

  Dennis surprised me when I got home.  The snowblower was idling in the drive.  Dennis is on top of preparing for winter.  The water hoses have been put on the reel and the reel is stored . . . out of the way.  Dennis, with the left foot in a non-mobile boot, is slowly but surely moving with many breaks in between and staying on meds before he feels discomfort in his foot.  When Dennis sits down on those breaks . . . the foot is elevated.

  One of those breaks came after he had lifted the sewing machine out of the car and set it on the concrete.  The next jaunt came when the machine made it to the back door of the house.  So it went.  When the machine got to the top of the basement steps, Dennis was behind me for moral support and we backed it down one step at a time.  The machine is back on its table, not to be plugged in until another day.

  No one needs to warn us on safety.  We work well together . . . safely thinking out each step of the way on projects.  We have each other’s back with loving care, respect and thankfulness.  Life on Stauffer . . . nothing like it!

   
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  Noreen 2:04 pm on October 25, 2021 Permalink  

  Recovery 

  Dennis is on the mend.  He hopped into his little red pickup and went to pick up Dwayne for coffee. Dennis’ daughter texted me that they had stopped at Casey’s, where she works, for coffee as McDonalds’s is doing a huge remolding. Denise commented that Dennis was the person to be with in Casey’s . . . lots of questions and well wishers.  It did his constitution good.  This afternoon, Lyle is visiting Dennis in the patio porch.  We are in “recovery 101.”

  I have an oven meal ready for supper.  I can manage the ingredients to make them more desirable than what would come out of a fry pan, and healthier.  Dennis is beginning to appreciate the flavor of red and green peppers in a dish.  Of course onions included is a no brainer.

  Tomorrow I head to Bird Island to the Bernina shop.  Amanda and Kelly do such a great job with customer service.  The day has expanded.  My nephew Larry’s wife, Jennifer, had asked me if I would consider making a Christmas stocking for their new grandson, Leo Conrad.  Jennifer’s mom passed away last year.  Larry’s mom, my sister Elvera, passed away five years ago.  I have filled in as best I can.  Jennifer has shopped for the fabric and I will have one previously sewn one to model the new one after.  As my sewing machine is being serviced, Jennifer and I will meet for noon lunch at Athman’s.  Bird Island is a small community and Athman’s is the meet and greet place.

  It gets better!  On the way home from Bird Island, I will be stopping in at Kevin’s Garage in Fairfax to see my favorite son . . . Kevin.  A stop at Casey’s in Fairfax to see daughter-in-law Kersten is a given.  This will be an astounding culmination to my big day out of Dodge. 

  It will be wonderful to have the sewing machine tricked out for the winter’s use.  During this last week I have been doing the tidy thing to as much as imaginable.  Touch it once and it was on the save pile.  Touch it twice and it was on the maybe pile.  The third time much of what I have touched over and over and over through the decades hit the recycling bin.  The recycling bin was picked up on Friday and I feel so light.  I did save the best of what I can manage.  Not having the sewing machine to work with for the last week served me well.  The sewing machine would have continued to put out a product, less the thread cutter working.  The week off served my right wrist well.  I continue to work hard to save the mobility that I have in my body by making wiser choices.  There are only so many repairs that are feasible.

  Slow and steady is not in my DNA.  This I need to learn on my own.

   
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  Noreen 1:49 pm on October 24, 2021 Permalink  

  Raw Day 

  It really feels raw out today.  Humidity is high, with no sunshine.

  It must be dry enough out in the fields as there are tractors pulling in flare boxes heaped with shell corn going by our home heading to the elevator.  There are more weeks left before the fall work is deemed done.

  Dennis is hoping that his fall work still has time.  He was so sure after we had several mornings of a hard freeze that the leaves would all but float off of the trees leaving blankets of them.  That has not happened.  This morning, friend Bruce, was having coffee with Dennis in the patio porch.  Bruce is on board to give our acre one last mowing after more leaves have given up.  Sounded like a great plan.  I have an idea that it will be some time before Dennis’ foot could take the vibration that a rider mower would give off.  Nerve endings that have gone through surgery do not take much.  I am speaking from experience when I had my knees replaced.  Dennis is best in the observation tower, aka:  the patio door windows watching.

  The last of the house washing is not going to happen.  Dennis had been on top of it the first part of September.  That will do until next spring.  Next week I plan on doing some window washing by tipping in one window at a time.  All windows may not get done, but those that have the west sunset shining in will be first on the docket.  

  Dennis is up and moving with intervals of rocking chair time and the foot up on a foot stool.  I looked out the bathroom window at one time today and he was vacuuming bugs off of the patio porch windows.  Even in this chilly weather the bugs are active.  When Dennis comes in from outside, he does a turn around so I can check for stowaways.  Dennis’ level of comfort from foot surgery is taking Tylenol every four to five hours and he shows up for his meds without reminders.  I realize how uncomfortable he may be in between time.  I also know each day will get better.

  Tomorrow starts the last full week of October.  Challenges of various types doesn’t slow down time.  Each day brings memories and there is no chance of experiencing a rewind.  Take the day and embrace what it brings forth.

   
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  Noreen 10:47 am on October 23, 2021 Permalink  

  A Saturday at Home 

  Oh my gosh it feels so good to be at home on this sunny Saturday day.  Our challenge started last Saturday.  Dennis has been under medical supervision for this last week: the culmination was yesterday, Friday, the removal of one toe.  Blood clots can go south as well as north in the body.

  One day surgeries are amazing.  Dennis will check in with the surgeon in seven days.  The stitches may stay in longer than that.  Time will tell.  Today is staying ahead of the discomfort with 500 mg Tylenol.

  Last night, he said his bed never felt so good, ruts and all. It was 8:45 this morning before he awoke.  Best rest ever!  This morning with a bit of help, Dennis is in his teak rocking chair, with his foot up, in the patio porch surveying his kingdom.  Dennis has a boot on his left foot and is to walk on the heel as much as possible . . . therein is the four footed cane that he is using.  Dennis’ son finagled a route with his over-the-road deliveries to have a drop from Arizona to Mankato.  He doesn’t need to be at Walmart in Austin until Monday morning.  They are catching up with each other in the patio porch.  Sweet. 

  My phone is on the charger.  With restrictions, I was the only person to be with or see Dennis during the week.  Keeping his four kids informed and trying to answer questions when there were no answers, my phone all but melted.  Today . . . Dennis has his own phone to field all calls.  Thanks be!

  On a “Me” note, I have been doing several walks this morning.  There is only so much the butt can take from sitting in formed plastic chairs over the course of time.  Though the halls in the Mankato hospital are each a mile long, there is that plastic chair waiting at the end of the walk. I also have several tennis balls handy to sit on.  They do help.  I am excited to take my sewing machine to Bird Island next Tuesday for a checkup.  I just had Dennis’ son carry it up from the studio into the back of the car.  By Tuesday, I will feel very comfortable with Dennis being home alone.  Dennis does have a daughter, complete with a son-in-law, living here in town.  It would be a good time to share the love.

  I am heading to the kitchen.  We are having spaghetti for supper.  I haven’t cooked all week and it will be interesting to see if the pilot light is still lit. 

  As I said, today is a sunny cold Saturday, there are two happy older ones on Stauffer Avenue.  Thanks be to God for taking care that we may remain here for a very long time.

   
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  Noreen 4:02 pm on October 22, 2021 Permalink  

  We Are Home 

  We have the ole cowboy home, minus one toe, after seven days of him being picked out and up at the St. James hospital at 10:30 this morning and going into surgery at the Mankato hospital at 1:30.

  All is well and home is just so dang sweet.  Oral antibiotics and some pain med . . . we are good to go.

  More tomorrow as this day has seemed to go on forever.  Yup . . . homebodies out of their element . . , get tuckered out easily.

   
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  Noreen 3:27 pm on October 21, 2021 Permalink  

  It is Told 

  It is told we had two inches of rain yesterday.  A vacation for harvesting farmers for a short time,  The rain and winds from the north have kept it cool today.  The sunshine could fool anyone into thinking it was warmer.

  Today is Thursday and today is the first day since Friday, I have stayed home for the entire day.  I did call Dennis at room 108 this morning.  As luck were, our family doctor was in seeing Dennis.  Dennis will have surgery tomorrow.  It is four this afternoon and we still do not have a time for checking into the Mankato hospital tomorrow.  I remember from surgery times in the past, schedules are not set until late in the previous day.  My only hope is that it’s not scheduled before daylight . . . but we have no choices in the matter.

  Tomorrow is recycling day.  Our bin is at the curb and I added more to it today.  What I did run into was a copy of a PDF dated Monday, September 21, 2009, from the Eagle Extra newspaper.  It was the quote of the day by Victor Hugo, 1802-1885:  “Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace.  God is awake.”  Very profound and still good advice today.

  It was seven last night before all three patio porch kitties were home for the night.  It was raining, but their coats were dry.  They have dry hiding spots under large leaf Hosta while keeping an eye on the patio porch door to be let in.  They didn’t get let out this morning until after ten.  These four footed spoiled kitties don’t run me like they run Dennis.

  My prayer is that Dennis and I both will be tucked in safe and sound in our home by Friday night.  We have been told there will be antibiotic meds that will still be taken by Dennis for recovery.  Time will tell.

  —–Just got the phone call of the day . . . Dennis’ surgical time is 1:30 p.m. on Friday.  Sweet.

   
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  Noreen 2:39 pm on October 20, 2021 Permalink  

  The Waiting Game 

  It isn’t even “Hurry up and wait.”  It is just plain “wait.”  Today at two in the afternoon, Dennis had had nothing to eat since supper the night before.  There was an off chance Fairmont would have an opening in surgery for me to take Dennis over to have his toe removed.  Not!

  I had one cup of coffee in me when I headed to the hospital for the doctor’s rounds this early morning..  There is no set time.  I didn’t want to take a chance.  I had breakfast back home at noon.  Who doesn’t like cold coffee.  Bless be microwaves.

  I went back to the hospital this mid afternoon and finally ordered some food for him and then helped him with a shower.  IV ports couldn’t get wet.  Tomorrow I pick him up at nine a.m. and we head to Fairmont.  Is it a consult?  Have they looked at all the records, photos and test results on the Mayo portal for a Thursday solution?  Regardless the outcome in Fairmont, he will return to room 108 here in the hospital as more IV antibiotics will be needed.  Oh dear.

  We did get a driving rain this late forenoon.  Much needed.

  I have been taking out clean clothes to Dennis and now I am doing laundry to get the hospital stink taken care of.

  My plan is to finish laundry and call it a day.  Nothing to do but wait until the planets align.

  . . . Just got a phone call from Dennis.  No Fairmont trip tomorrow.  Friday we head to Mankato and have the toe removed.  What happens after that . . . it’s wait and see.

   

   
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  Noreen 2:15 pm on October 19, 2021 Permalink  

  A Tuesday 

  A Tuesday and Stauffer Avenue is not quite the same without Dennis.  Our third night of changes of pace for him and me. 

  This morning I wanted to be at the hospital for doctor rounds.  Our family doctor was onboard and saw Dennis for the first time since this had transpired.  There was no ifs ands and maybes.  By rounds on Wednesday morning he would have answers in regard to the toe.  Dennis and I are counting on him.

  I drove into the driveway coming home from the hospital and daughter Carrie followed me right in coming from Eden Prairie.  What a treat.  Carrie had not been here for some time and believe me it was time to do some catching up.  It was not the longest of visits as they had parent-teacher conferences at five.  

  We had noticed the refrigerator settings were on the high side.  I asked and I was shown how to adjust both the refrigerator and the freezer . . . dah!  It was as simple as when Kevin showed me how to set the clock in the car.  Over thinking does an older one in.

  After a sandwich for lunch Carrie offered if there was anything outside that we would need help with.  Here we are with a very bare looking patio.  The umbrella and stand are in the potting shed as is the wooden electrical spool we use as a patio table.  Sweet.  Two chairs remain for us to enjoy the last days of patio sitting.

  As Carrie was planning on heading out on the open highway, I called Dennis and he agreed to come out of the hospital proper to the outside bench so he could greet Carrie before she left for home.  I stayed and sat with Dennis for awhile outside.  It was pleasant sitting in the dabbled sunlight . . . no boxelder bugs.  In time Dennis was called inside as it was time for new antibiotic bags to be hung.  

  I have a confession.  I brought Dennis his cigarettes.  Waiting day in and day out for . . . some kind of answer,  I would have been crawling the walls by now.  I most likely would have tried stowing away in the laundry cart and hitching a ride home.  He has been a smoker for decades and if the cigarettes can bring him some type of calm, I am all for it.  He deserves that.

  I will be at the hospital bright and early in the morning with a prayer and hope that our doctor will have some positive direction for this sweet ole cowboy.

   
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  Noreen 3:09 pm on October 18, 2021 Permalink  

  The Rest of the Story 

  It’s been an unusual time on Stauffer Avenue.  We have been getting extremely cozy with the working of our local hospital’s ER that then led to the hospital. 

  Dennis woke up Saturday morning and one of his toes was not happy . . . it was black.  Had he dropped something on it . . . no.  Had he stubbed his toe . . . no.  Dennis’ feet are always cold so he is totally geared up with heavy socks and good shoes.

  I knew we would not be spending anymore time than necessary before heading down the street to the south to our local hospital’s ER.  Yup, the cupcakes needed to finish baking while Dennis got his little red pickup out of the garage.

  There is a no hurry when being checked in.  Protocol mandates a lot of computer entries and just as many questions.  Dennis’ blood pressure was normal.  His temperature was normal . . . his toe was still black.  Everyone doing their due diligence looked at the toe and also had a question or two.  Even the gal that had the job of doing the blood draws for the lab took a peek.

  Could it be a blood clot that headed south rather than the usual route which is to the brain?  Could it be blood poisoning?  Will the pooled blood be absorbed into Dennis’ system as bruises are?  Has the bone been infected to the point that the toe was dying?  Will gangrene set in?  With everyone thinking out loud, I caught Dennis’ eyes glazing over.  It was a lot of “what-if.”

  The next thing was to scramble to find any empty hospital bed.  Mankato and Fairmont had no available beds.  It was questionable if St James hospital would have an open bed by day’s end.  We waited in the ER with Dennis on a gurney watching an IV poll and the bags it held do the drip, drip putting it’s goodies into Dennis.  It was wonderful news to find out Dennis would be staying in our local hospital.  I do not know, and did not ask if the beds were physically occupied or if the shortage of staff was the issue.

  Every six hours there are two antibiotics that are prescribed around the clock.  We were both surprised that Dennis will be staying in room 108 until Thursday.  I will be springing him on Thursday to make a 10:15 appointment in Mankato to see a podiatrist.  By that time the cultures will have matured and hopefully a solution and an answer will make itself known.  I forgot to ask if Dennis would return to room 108 or if he would be coming home.

  Life can throw curves that are least expected.  A thankful heart that health care is right down the street and that no one wants to settle until the rest of the story reveals itself.

   
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  Noreen 3:36 pm on October 17, 2021 Permalink  

  Filling Out the Weekend 

  This is a first for some time, but I am filling out the weekend on the quiet note.  Most likely I will resume my busy body posting tomorrow.  It was significant that my daughter’s birthday was today.