Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:52 am on January 15, 2014 Permalink  

  Challenges on Stauffer #2 

  Day five and all is well.   An extra concern from the surgery is the fact that since my hysterectomy in 1991 and complications thereafter my bladder is now augmented – a portion of my small intestine was used for urine collection and I need to manually use a catheter to empty several times a day.  Being right handed and having a new right shoulder created an additional challenge.

  The surgeon knew that learning to self cath with the left hand would not prove successful as the brain is in charge of muscle memory and after more than 20 years Plan B would be needed – a Foley catheter inserted and remaining  in for at least a week and perhaps more for urine collection.

  Dennis and I arrived home from the Mankao Hospital the day after the shoulder surgery in time for a light noon lunch.  By five that afternoon we were checking into the St. James ER of our hospital – the catheter was blocked and needed to be irrigated as the pressure of bags and bags of saline coursing  through the body was demanding attention.

  Being under anesthetics during surgery and having a lot of drugs in my system had altered the rhythm of that bodily function. The staff at our hospital was great and with working through the possibilities that this would happen often we came home with additional supplies and an open door policy if needed.  The bladder augmentation using a portion of the small intestine containing the mucus found in that original tissue would always continue to slough off the mucus as if it were still in charge of fecal waste.  During my usual day to day living the small amount expelled each time I cathed caused no problems.  Surgery alters much and this challenge is being dealt with and kept in perspective. Having a successful recovery with a mobile shoulder is the target – the rest is just a bump in the road.

  In the real world it would be a God send to fall asleep and awake after surgery with attention being needed only on the surgical site and progress with therapy.  Being prepared for what presents itself is keeping an open mind.  We are amazing creations of our Lord and Savior and I do honor that God has given me the ability to be a steward of this body for continued service to Him.——my hunt and pecking on the keyboard needs a huge break.

   
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  Noreen 11:04 pm on January 13, 2014 Permalink  

  Challenges on Stauffer Avenue #1 

  

  Right Shoulder Will Now Match the Left Shoulder

  There won’t be a lot of text with this post as the fingers on the left hand do not like to do double duty.

  January 10th of 2014 my right shoulder was replaced with the reverse shoulder procedure.  The right shoulder was done in on the last days of October 2013.  Of course, with so many insurance changes for the 2014 year, surgical dates were at a “hurry up and wait.”  I went in on the 10th and came home the next day on the 11th.  Percocet really helps.

  The left shoulder was replaced in April of 2013, so the awareness of everything was still fresh in my mind and Dennis’.

  I’ll stay in touch and in the mean time I have a window cracked bringing in some of this great fresh air.

   
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  Noreen 11:50 pm on January 12, 2014 Permalink  

  Enjoying the Break in the Temps 

  There is nothing as enjoyable than wearing a lighter jacket in January.  This morning when I awoke I could hear the drip, dripping of snow that was melting off the roof.  There is a lot going on here on Stauffer Avenue and it’s time to close for now and take care of what is needed.

   
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  Noreen 5:26 pm on January 10, 2014 Permalink  

  This is an exciting weekend  Catch ya all… 

  This is an exciting weekend.  Catch ya all later.

   
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  Noreen 1:24 am on January 10, 2014 Permalink  

  My Wonderful Ole Cowboy 

  Last night Dennis had closed up the house for the night and then had a few fleeting thoughts of the ‘Dennis persuasion’ type. He ask me if I remembered that from our beginning we had within us half good and half evil.  Then he went on to tell me that, that which prevails in each of us depends on which of those two we feed.  Yup, that’s my deep thinker cowboy.  Ya gotta love a guy like that.

   
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  Noreen 2:32 am on January 9, 2014 Permalink  

  How Dare I? 

  

  For now – This cap goes where Dennis goes during winter months.

  As I was getting some laundry sorted this morning I snafued  Dennis’ Legend Seed Corn cap for a good washing.  Oh yes, it is the one with fuzzy ear flaps.  It was not given up voluntarily.  I am not sure how this winter cap was acquired in days of old – like fifteen years go.  Dennis and his brother Roger were each given one and you would have thought they were from a limited edition collection from Cabelias or Scheels.   This yearly event had the cap surrender to the Shout Triple-Action Stain Remover and then was immersed into the sudsy laundry water.  The important part of washing Dennis’ caps is to retain the integrity of the cap’s bill.  There is nothing like a coffee ground container to help shape and dry the precious cargo.  It sits on the counter as a sub had to be used for the day.  From the outside it still looks to be in pretty good shape.  The test will be if the bill and interfacing choose to remain attached.  It may become a beanie with ear flaps.

  I do not know what will happen when Dennis realizes that this winter may very well be the last that the cap can endure.  Hmm – I may have to check out ebay and see if there could be a replacement for future cold weather seasons.  If taps can be heard coming from Stauffer Avenue you will all know that everything possible had been done and a living directive was enforced by me and Dennis is in mourning.

   
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  Noreen 4:19 am on January 8, 2014 Permalink  

  It's Back 

  Of course it’s above zero and the mind freeze is over and the real world can again be seen.  For me today it was dust bunnies.  I did have the television on and as I was changing out the Swiffer and there was a blurb about a new site in the Minneapolis area called Color Me Mine.  There were just a few key words that made me stop to see what the buzz was all about.  Oh my gosh.  It’s back from the days of old.  Today it was marketed as Color Me Mine Pottery.  In my day it was a ceramics class.

  In the 1960s ceramics classes were the hot item.  Someone would have a kiln in their basement and offer classes for anyone that wanted to come and clean greenware (soft plaster images that had been poured in various molds).  I had taken the kids with me several times to a gal in Hutchinson, Minnesota, as I was working on some items to be used as gifts. After the seam marks from the molds had been cleaned from the greenware, they were painted and then fired in the kiln for a hard finish.

  After we moved from the farm and lived right outside of Buffalo Lake, we connected with Mrs. Schrup that also had a setup in her basement.  It was no small endeavor as the kilns required an electrical service far in excess of what a home would normally require.  The paints, brushes, and cleaning tools were all supplied to you when you came and picked out your greenware.  The variety of items in molds to create the greenware must have been quite the expense, and the price quoted to you was a price that had to cover all of the above mentioned tools, all the way to the finished, fired item.

  I know that today Kevin still has a bust of Lincoln and one of Washington that he did with Mrs. Schrup.  Carrie came with several times and may well have a bank. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if it still had coins in it from that time?

  For the longest of time I had not noted anything similar to the ceramics class, but today I couldn’t help but take note of this metro business in one of the malls.  Home-based crafts are indeed in the past as today there would have to be liability insurance, viable access, air quality inspections and on and on.  Gone are the days when people could just get together in an extra room of the basement for the sake of fun and sharing and for someone to make some pocket money as an extra income.

   
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  Noreen 4:14 am on January 7, 2014 Permalink  

  Fleeting Thoughts: 

  No matter when I would visit my grandmother Laura in her home she would always be busy.  I can still hear her say “What shall I do?  I cannot waste a day that has been given to me.”  All through her ninety plus years the words ‘shall’ and ‘shant’ were very prevalent in her vocabulary.

   
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  Noreen 6:24 am on January 6, 2014 Permalink  

  The Winter View 

  

  Quilted Cardinals and Chickadees

  The view out the east window allows for watching Cardinals, Chickadees, Blue Jays, sparrows and what I call cow birds.  The view as I look towards the west wall of our home allows for Cardinals and Chickadees.  I should have expanded my pattern choices to have art totally imitate nature.

  Today it never did get above zero outside and the heated water dish was visited many times by the birds but they did have to wait their turn as the cats have first dibs.

  Dennis’s Meow Mix for the neighborhood cats is frequented just as often by the birds.  They swoop in and snatch a piece and fly up into the lilac bushes.  Water and food — it’s there for all that need it.

   
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  Noreen 3:51 am on January 5, 2014 Permalink  

  Awe – It’s Over 

  As the last of the Christmas decorations were returned to the walk up attic it was bitter sweet.  It’s over.  It’s done.  It will take a while before sipping hot coffee or hot coco in my favorite chair in the living room will be as satisfying.  For me there is just this magical trance that takes over the home with the lit Christmas tree: peace on earth, good will toward men.  So that is the bitter side of the day.  The sweet part is that the 2014 year may bring – and I am sure will bring – many wonderful surprises and changes that will affect Stauffer Avenue.  I am totally open for it.  Bring it on.  Life does not happen by looking in the rear view mirror.  I have my windshield washed and polished and keeping the lights on bright as to not miss a single thing.