Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:49 pm on April 7, 2021 Permalink  

  April Showers 

  April showers bring lots of greens popping up.  The greens don’t hold a match to the tips being pushed off the Maple tree branches.  Those tips are bright red and make a sticky mess when stepped on.  This is the first year in decades we don’t care.  In the past Dennis would have had the Koi pond filled with the Koi doing laps and the Maple tips clogging his filters daily.  Last week JoAnn shared that her adopted Koi from us were getting restless but doing great.

  Dennis and I are doing great as well.  Six weeks out from the stroke and are totally independent within our home.  We did have Home Health Care for two weeks early on and decided we had schedules and plans to cover all bases.  Sometimes our ballfield seems to have more footage between the bases.

  I walked over to visit our neighbor Jan yesterday and we enjoyed sitting in their comfortable lawn chairs.  Jan asked me if I was anxious to do some sewing studio projects.  I commented no, not as yet.  If I had shared with her how weary I can get taking care of the first floor of the house, she may have thought I was kidding her.  There is plenty of time to expand the activities.

  Interestingly, I am on my feet a lot during the day and it is manageable and I am in my comfort zone.  When we have gone to Mankato and there is comparable walking and moving, I feel it and the comfort level is “I’m ready to go home.”  Out of the norm takes more out of me.

  PT tomorrow!  Bring it on.

   
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  Noreen 3:13 pm on April 6, 2021 Permalink  

  Each Day 

  Each day brings new challenges.  This morning I independently swapped out the large Foley catheter for the leg bag.  Nervous during the transaction but slow and steady.  It felt wonderful not to have something either pulling at the side pocket of my shirt or the pocket of my pants by the clip of the Foley.

  By noon Dennis had given the new boards on the potting shed a coat of paint and I had a pile of branches picked up from the yard and stacked next to the burning bin.  There are plenty of branches for several more days of good exercise.

  Today I drove myself to PT.  No stressing out.  I made the 1o minute trip in good stead.  Pulling back into the garage . . . mission completion.

  Good session at PT.  Motion is good in so many aspects of the muscles and shoulders . . . lacking stamina and strength to persevere.  The use of fingers on the keyboard is getting better.  What tuckers out is strength in the forearm, it wants to slide off after a bit.  In holding things in the left hand, the grip of the hand is beginning to have staying power.  Touching the left thumb to the remaining fingers in the left hands, is short by two fingers.  I am thinking of taping them together until they can play nice together.

  A better day today than the heat of yesterday.  Lots of colorful lightning with no rain.

   
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  Noreen 3:15 pm on April 5, 2021 Permalink  

  Home Sweet Home 

  I had a clinic appointment that had been made before I had left the hospital in March.  It was set for nine.  I kept it as I had questions in regard to the Foley catheter.  There had been more than one trip to the ER due to it being plugged up.  When Carrie went with me on Saturday, we got the lowdown on teaching me how to irrigate it myself.  I managed that task on Sunday night and this morning.  FWIW . . . I never make appointments before noon.  Case in point, the time I need this morning to take care of things not planned for.

  Unhooking it, keeping it sterilized, operating an appliance filled with water to flush it is doable.  This morning I wanted the skinny on unhooking the huge Foley and attaching a smaller leg bag for the day and using the larger one during the night when it is sorely needed.  The doctor okayed it, and I came home with the leg bag and printed instructions.  Tomorrow will be the maiden voyage on the task.  No rushing, just taking it slow.

  Why didn’t I do it today you might ask?  We had planned on doing much needed pedicures in Mankato and we had an appointment.  Dennis’ feet took a beating in Korea . . . wet and freezing cold.  This is important even if most men will not sit and let those do what makes for healthy feet and nails.  

  It also allowed us to stock up on alcohol wipes and the 91% bottle of alcohol.  Swapping out catheters is sensitive business to avoid infection.

  The last stop before heading home was a gallon of paint.  Jeremy and Nicholas have the north end of the potting shed tricked out with new lumber.  In time there will be no evidence of the Koi pond.

  We had a wonderful day and I have no doubt, there is another one coming tomorrow.

  I do feel the weariness of a busy day when in times past, I would have come home for hours more of . . . “bring it on!”

   
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  Noreen 3:10 pm on April 4, 2021 Permalink  

  Easter Sunday 2021 

  It is much different than the snow of last year.  For Dennis and I it is a quiet.  I am doing the exercises from PT, complete with the ankle weights.  A good investment of time and energy.

  I see improvements in the left side of my body each day from the stroke.  Who knew I could bend down and pick up off the floor a blueberry with my left thumb and fore finger.  Now the thumb needs to acknowledge the remainder of the fingers on the left hand.  Taking an independent shower is enjoyable and another challenge met.  I can’t wash my hair in the shower, as the left arm says “not going up that far with any power to massage the scalp.”  The hair I get done in the kitchen sink.  The left arm resting on the divider of the sink allows for strength to reach over to get the job done.

  All I am sharing, is that not shooting for the huge accomplishments, I am taking the build up each small win to get me closer to the rest of the story.

  “Because He lives . . . I can face tomorrow.”

   
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  Noreen 4:11 pm on April 3, 2021 Permalink  

  Feels Like Summer 

  The gang from Eden Prairie arrived this forenoon.  We were prepared for an early Easter dinner.  Sometimes an unconventional meal goes over great.

  Dennis had a list for Jeremy and Nicholas on the north end of the potting shed now that the Koi pond is no longer attached to it.  Nicholas is as tall as Jeremy.

  I now have voicemail on my phone.  It seems as if the phone is always close but appointment calls do slip in and the message could save us from a change in the time.

  Megan took down some curtains in the living room, either awaiting the laundry or perhaps swapping out for a change.  Megan is back working at the Mustard Seed Nursery and garden center.  She was happy to leave Hobby Lobby.  Nicholas is working as millwright sanding many boards.  His dad and dad’s friend do plaques for the metro fire station’s retirees.  Way to go grandkids.

  Carrie ended up taking me to the ER.  Foley catheters are wonderful when they work.  A minuscule particulate can plug it up and the pressure is less than comfortable.

  All is well on Stauffer Avenue with Dennis and me.  Thank our heavenly Jesus today and every moment of each day.

   
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  Noreen 12:39 pm on April 2, 2021 Permalink  

  Early Day 

  Dennis needed to be at the Madelia Hospital at 6:15 this morning for the first of his cataract surgeries.  Son-in-law Tom was the driver.  The hospital nurses called several times as I knew Dennis would not have some info that is usual prior to a one-day surgery.  Dennis was home by nine thirty and will have a post-op appointment here at our local eye clinic later this afternoon.

  In between time I wanted to get a pie made as we are having the second wave of helpers coming tomorrow also, aka: early Easter.  

  I had a package of pre-made pie crust.  Dennis wanted a peach pie.  The cans of pie filling guarantee that the filling will run after the first piece is cut.  I mixed up a paste of corn starch and cooked the two cans of filling until the corn starch thickened it.  Dennis was right there to pour it into the crust.  He was there to get it into and out of the oven.  The end result is that the pie is cooling and Dennis is off to his post-op.

  After having washed up the dishes, I am heading to my chair before strapping on 3 lbs of weights to each ankle for the prescribed exercises.  My arms got their workout making sure the pie filling didn’t scorch.

  I can tell you five a.m. alarms are not favored for Stauffer Avenue.  We should sleep good tonight,  Dennis was the first patient this morning.

   
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  Noreen 2:51 pm on April 1, 2021 Permalink  

  Oh My Gosh 

  This afternoon’s PT has me moving slowly.  The stroke has affected my left leg to some degree,  I feel it in the mornings and in the evenings.  Dan is in charge of the legs.  Five pound ankle weights on each leg.  Five exercises that work from the ham string down with the weights worn. On to ten minutes on a stair climber with added resistance.  Right now my legs feel like noodles that have been over-cooked.

  On to Laura that works on the arms and hands.  Some very special little knots the size of acorns that are found in my forearms just before the elbows.  Interestingly, found in both arms.  Hmm, I had attributed the issue in my right hand to arthritis erosion in total.  When she had each of her thumbs on each of my forearms with the little acorn knots having pressure on them . . . flexing my fingers could just about take me off of the chair with pain.  Who knew?  Out came the ultra-sound.  Now both of my arms feel like over-cooked noodles.

  I have homework until next Tuesday.  I will double up the 1.5 lb. weights that we have for each ankle.  As I am fond of saying, “It’s either this or better.”

  Oh my gosh!

   
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  Noreen 3:13 pm on March 31, 2021 Permalink  

  A Sweet Day 

  A birthday any year is a good thing.  Having had the thrill of the hospitality of two hospitals recently, it is “Happy Birthday” to me.  Being in my home with Dennis causes me to celebrate so many small accomplishments on a day-to-day basis.

  Recently I have learned of others having had a stroke and not having a good recovery.  My recovering is in its infancy. Yesterday while I was waiting for Dennis to retrieve me from PT, a friend, Irene came in for her appointment. It gave us a few minutes to visit and catch up.  Irene being a nurse prior to her retirement had a comment about the Foley catheter . . . “have bag will travel.”  She went on to say that the catheter is needed for a duration but is not a sentence to isolation.  Wise comment.

  I am planning on having chicken strips for the main entre’ for supper with cauliflower as a side dish.  I know that some shredded cheese will be welcomed.

  It feels like winter out and I did see flurries earlier.  Last night was the first time I heard the sump pump for the season.  Yup, spring is here and I am thrilled also to be here.

   
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  Noreen 2:27 pm on March 30, 2021 Permalink  

  PT Day 

  I had a busy morning here at home.  A schedule seems to work the best for us, that way Dennis knows he is free to do what he has going on.  Believe me he is busy.

  The Koi are now enjoying Renville County via Mike and Jo’s farm. We had the pond for 25 years, Dennis’s grandson helped dig it out as a five year old.  Ryan just turned 30.  Dennis is busy with removing the pond lining.

  The biggest challenge we have here in the house involves getting me totally dressed.  I kid Dennis in days of old he could hug me and with one hand behind my back the bra would be unfastened.  Sure is a different story putting it on even with two hands.  It has become a laugh fest at times.

  PT was a good session.  Many of the movements can be manipulated, lacking the power of the muscles to follow through is the challenge.  Anything and everything that I do here in our home is a plus to fire up the memory retention of previous times.  I tested the waters when I got home.  Three lonely potatoes on the attic steps now became my target for supper.  They are cooling their heels in salted water, but the time it took me to peel them and the time exposed potatoes turn brown . . . it was neck and neck.

  Using the keyboard is serving the fingers well.  The thumb got its own exercises today as it is stubborn.

  Cool day, but around here, a sweat is broken easily.  Not so much from hard work but angst.

   
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  Noreen 2:52 pm on March 29, 2021 Permalink  

  Tuckered 

  There is a tuckered older one on Stauffer Avenue this afternoon.  Since the first of Feb., the last time we had stocked up on groceries, the pantry in the basement was whimpering. I suggested to Dennis that a son-in-law might like to ride with.  That didn’t go over at all.

  Today, Dennis and I had one of our famous road dates.  I was not asked to leave Sam’s with my additional baggage, so we completed our grocery list.  Dennis on an electrical cart and me right behind him as I pushed a cart for stability.  It felt wonderful to get home.  We were both tuckered.

  I will give an update on the pancakes that were planned for supper last night.  No pancakes were sacrificed to the floor.  We had three pans and each pan had a small offering as I wasn’t sure about the flipping.  It tasted as it was intended . . . a treat.

  Nough for today, my chair is beckoning.  Life is good when embraced just beyond what you think is doable.