on our way

Tracy is here, whirling around boxes in my apartment, packing up more than I intended, but I am happy to let her do it.  I had a nap on the bed.  She cleaned out the refrigerator too.

Bill and Alice were here.  We always have such a fun visit.

By this time tomorrow, I will probably be in Colorado, picking out my favorite napping spot in Tracy's house.

Tuesday

Just relaxing at home, under the care of nurse Kasey.  She fixed herself cereal when she got here this morning, then brought me my water bottle so I would have it by the bed.  Later, she settled in with the iPad, and I laid down on the couch for a nap.  After about an hour, she said "Grandma, I need you to wake up a minute and have a drink of water.  Then she checked to make sure I had taken my pills, and keeps fussing at me about eating something.  She's a great caretaker.

I now have an appointment for September 4 with  Dr. Hardenburgh at the Shaw Cancer Center in Co.  They called me this afternoon and set up the appointment.  She said it will take about a week to do the CT SIM to map the radiology and to complete the treatment plan. 

Tracy has plans to come get me this weekend.  I am so ready to get this show on the road!

I went to the apartment office this morning to pay them my rent and told them I would be gone about a month, maybe more.  Barrie and KC will watch the apartment and take care of the cat.

This is ridiculous.  Every time I try to log onto Google, this is what I get.  It's got to be a joke, but haven't been able to find any information about it on the Internet.

Friday

Just returned from the third visit to Jackson this week.  After discussion with the doctor and Barrie, we have voted for Tracy!

Yes, I am going to the Shaw Cancer Center in Edward, Colorado for radiation treatment.  It's very close to where Paul and Tracy live.  Tracy will come get me. I hope it won't be long until I can get in.

And Barrie is stuck with the cat! 

Yes, I still have a sense of humor.  The doctor asked me this morning how I was ever able to teach kindergarten for thirty years.  I told him I drank a lot.

Thursday

To all my friends and family, you probably think I am ignoring you, and you're right, I am!  I really do appreciate the calls from all of you and offers to help.  I will do doubt be calling on some of you.

Tomorrow is my third appointment in one week in Jackson at the hospital.  I am hoping all the testing is done - all the needles, tubes, beeping machines, nurses with cold hands, clothes with no back, cold feet, etc.  Well, you know.

I have an appointment tomorrow to discuss it all with the doctor and decide what kind of treatment, how often, etc.  At least that's what I hope happens.Then maybe my life can settle into some kind of order. 

 

Boy, could I have fun with all this if I could reach it!  Yes, I was bored.

Friday

Well, my feet have touched the ground for a day or two anyway.  I have ben sent to the Oncology Center at the Jackson Hopital for more tests, more scans and talking.  Yes, Lung Cancer.  I finally have the need for one of those appointment/Calendars.  I will have a biopsy done Friday, then back to the oncology department at the hospital on Monday or Tuesday.

I tried to contact relatives and friends earlier this week so you won't be taken off guard when someone else writes it on a wall.  Please share this with everyone you might think knows me.  I know it can be embarrassing to someone if they make a remark that might seem rude because they didn't know.

This is where I live!!

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I'm so lucky Barrie has such a terrific boss.  Susie will do everything she can to make sure Barrie is available to drive me to Jackson.

 

And Tracy wants me to come to Colorado and stay with them.  One of the best Cancer Centers in the country is located very close to where she works.  I haven't even had a treatment yet, and don't know what kind of treatments I will have or how often.  But it's nice to have options, and kids who care about you.

 

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New cat in the apartments!  When Barrie and KC left to go home, a man was walking a cat on a long leash down the hall.  Of course Kasey immediately got acquainted.  He's a young cat, very pretty, and very loving.  Kasey was smitten.  Should have taken a picture and enlarged it to show to my cat!



Tuesday

 

Happy things first.  Here is the "toothless wonder".  She lost two teeth in one day. 

Barrie bought four tons of hay, and borrowed  her father and his trailer to go get it.  Kasey learned to use a hay hook, and was dragging 70 lb. bales up to the trailer.  She thinks she is "Superwoman."

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I called the clinic over a week ago for an appointment, and couldn't get in until a week later.  When Barrie came Monday morning, I was on the couch.  She took Kasey to work with her, then called an hour later and told me she had my appointment changed to 2:00 that afternoon.  I think she told them something to the effect that they treated their dogs better than the clinic treated their patients.

 

So - I had X-rays done on my back on Monday. It showed I had a compression fraction.  New pain pills, and went home. Later that afternoon, Dr. Freunpreis  called and wanted me to come in at 9:00 this morning for a CT.  (New pills worked much better, and I felt better.)  So KC and I went up at 9:00, and no one up there knew why I was there.  They drew some blood, I finally got a CT, and we were home three hours later. 

 

I am in the vortex!



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Unless something changes, I should be able to make it to art group tomorrow.  I have really missed my artist friends.

Saturday

Still haven't figure out how to send email, mostly because I haven't spent any time experimenting with it.  I did find that I can use CenturyTel's email program to send mail.  It works.

 

I watched this new DVD yesterday on painting watercolor portraits.  I was disappointed.  She didn't get to the finishing stages of her demonstration, so it didn't look much like what is on the cover of the case. 

My back doesn't want me to do any art work now, anyway.

Barrie's truck is now all dressed up with its new "cow catcher".  She and her dad put it on yesterday.  Looks like it should do its job!  Look out, moose!  Don't step out in front of this truck!

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Just read in the news that Charles Manson (80 years old now) is going to be married to a 25 year old girl he met through correspondence.  She has moved to the town where he is in prison, and he has completed the paper work.  She has carved a swastika in her forehead to match his.  Oops, I think I just threw up a little bit in my mouth there.



Thursday

 

Dotty is getting some extra love and attention after her terrible experience a couple days ago.  Barrie picked up Kasey from here and they started out to the dog lot.  Dotty and three other dogs were tethered on the back of Barrie's flatbed.  Dotty, for some reason, bailed off the back and was drug until she slipped her collar.  Only her back feet could reach the ground, and the pads are kind of worn off and pretty sore.  She was walking on eggs when she came in here. She also has a skid mark on her chin from when she got free of the collar and hit the ground. 

Barrie took her with her to work so Susie could check her out, and Susie says she will be fine.  I wonder if she learned anything?

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Started a new pencil drawing today of an antelope buck.  Yes, I know I have several other drawings started, but I'm in the mood to work on this one.

 

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Kasey has been giving my TV a workout when she is here.  I never know what's on, but she found the PBS Children's Network and has been watching it.  It is really quite good.  I've learned a lot of things from it too!

 

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If any of you are wondering why I don't reply to your emails, it is because I can't.  I can get email, but I can't send it.  I get the message that some settings need to be configured.  I have to contact CenturyTel, I guess, then figure out how to get to the place where I can change settings.



Wednesday

I didn't go to art group today.  Decided to stay home and nurse my back.  I wouldn't be much fun, and I refuse to impose myself on others in my "un-fun" state.

Kasey has discovered that my apartment has a back door.  So she has moved a few things and is having a good time running through my apartment, out the door, down the hall, and back in the other door.

I just cleaned the litter box and had the door propped open to help air the area out.  That's how she noticed it.

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My grand daughter has disappeared.  There is nothing left but this big cardboard box on the couch with sounds of "The Jungle Book" coming out of it.  I have been tempted to get rid of the box several times, but I guess it is still entertaining.

 

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I crammed my laundry into the cart yesterday, and didn't fold it until today. I should have left it  in the dryer a while longer.  I am going to look like a bag lady walking around in my wrinkled clothes. 

 

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I am suddenly not able to send email.  I am receiving mail, but can't send it.  I need to get ambitious and figure out the problem.  Seems strange that it has worked for years with those settings, but all of a sudden it doesn't.  Good old CenturyTel!





Tueseday

Damned back!  Barrie picked up the refill prescription for the pain pills, and I've decided not to take them.  I think I have bad side effects from them.  I have quit drinking coffee and beer both.  But I can't get enough of cold water.  I don't eat, but I can tip over on my couch and sleep at a moment's notice.  But am not sleeping well at night.  I feel nauseous too. 

I called the Clinic and can't get an appointment until next Tuesday.  Guess it is going to be a long week.

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Kung Foo Panda is playing on the iPad, and KC is curled up on the couch watching it, and wriggling her loose tooth.  She doesn't want me to take a picture of her.

 

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The news on the internet is full of news about "selfies".  I even saw a selfie of Sandra Bullock in her bathtub.   Really, is that the most news-worthy thing they can write about?

 

The University of Syracuse has been rated the top "party school", and it is no surprise that BYU was rated the "most sober."

 

And that is the news of the day.

Sunday

Both Tracy and my sister-in-law Alice called this weekend.  So I guess we're all caught up on news.

Bill and Alice are packing up their motor home to go to the State Fair.  It's hard to believe it's that time already.

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The humming birds are really going through the sugar water.  Seems like I have to fill it every two or three days.  It was empty this morning, and it looked like they were hanging around it and glaring at me through the window.  I got it filled, and I guess they are happy now.

 

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I checked on EBay for printers like the one I am going to sell.  The only one they had listed was $220 (used) and they said the print head needed to be replaced.  Seems like mine should be worth quite a bit.  Now if I can just find someone with an interest in wide format photo printing.

 

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 Annette, the gardener here, has torn out the narrow flower bed along the south side of what I think is the kitchen.  She has replaced it with gravel, and three wonderful birdhouses.  She said she wants to put some planters in there.

 

The Snow-On-The-Mountain looks wonderful on the other side of that narrow space.





Saturday

I think I've slept for two days straight.  This couch sleeps just as well as the bed! I don't know if it's the prescription pain pill that is doing this to me or something else.  I can't stay awake along enough to worry about it.

I've quit drinking both coffee and beer, and I probably should worry about that.  I can't seem to get enough cold water.  I'm going to buy something I've never used before - a water bottle.  I want to find one I can get ice in.

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I remembered to go the "word therapy" group yesterday.  Not sure what we talked about - not much.  Ruth asked if we thought we should continue meeting, and I said "yes".  I didn't really mean it, but I just opened my mouth and the word came out.

 

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I think I'll print some more cards today.  The new ink cartridges for the printer came yesterday. I also have some new yarn to make a scarf.  I have two watercolors and three drawings in progress, And of course, about 500 books to read.  So why am I wasting time sleeping?

 

 

 

I saw an article online about baby showers, and several photos of cookies and cakes served as refreshments.  This is one of the least repulsive.