Sunday, November 30, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Flashback Friday...Thanks....Giving
Past Thanks Given
Thanksgiving Turkey(or possibly Christmas ham)
Thanksgiving 2003
Thanksgiving 2007Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Shoulda stayed down on the farm.
Went to Sunday dinner and instead of my usual leaving Monday morning and going straight to work, I left Sunday night in order to be a good girl and keeping my medical resolutions and Dr. appointment on Monday.
Well, I shoulda stayed on the farm.
'Cause after 17 years of driving back and forth from Indy to Lowell, I finally met Officer not so friendly.
He was parked on the opposite side of the road, facing oncoming traffic, with no lights on, just south (I'm sure) of where the speed limit sign changes from 55 to 40 on a deserted back road at 1 in the morning.
No mercy,
no warning.
Just a ticket
and a court date.
Bah humbug.
Directions to here:
I'm thinking about removing the policeman from my flat person collection.
Well, I shoulda stayed on the farm.
'Cause after 17 years of driving back and forth from Indy to Lowell, I finally met Officer not so friendly.
He was parked on the opposite side of the road, facing oncoming traffic, with no lights on, just south (I'm sure) of where the speed limit sign changes from 55 to 40 on a deserted back road at 1 in the morning.
No mercy,
no warning.
Just a ticket
and a court date.
Bah humbug.
Directions to here:
I'm thinking about removing the policeman from my flat person collection.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Flashback Friday...The patient patient
Patient: (n) One who receives medical attention, care, or treatment.
Patient: (adj.) Able to put up with pain, troubles, difficulties, hardship, etc without complaint or ill temper.
Four years ago when I turned 40, I made a New Year's resolution to find and go to the doctor for a long overdue check up and consultation.
Four years later and after two years of complaining about a sore foot and a growing list of symptoms, I finally kept the resolution and found and went to the a doctor.
For whatever reason, it was excruciatingly hard for me to pick up the phone and get this done. I dreaded it. I complained about it. I put it off. And I don't really know why.
I am blessed to have had insurance for the last 2 jobs, totaling almost 19 years and even more blessed to have only used it a total of 2 times.
In all of this, I've often thought about my Mom.
Even though I don't get sick that often, I have a feeling I would be a horrible patient.
She was not.
I remember Louetta telling a story about when they were young, mom made a comment to her about how she was having a hard time finding shoes that felt good.
She later, at 26, I believe, was diagnosed with the arthritis that she would battle the rest of her life.
As a 9 or 10 year old I can remember seeing the look of excruciating pain on her face as she would battle to get up out of a chair. I can remember feeling helpless, but I never remember her complaining. In 1974, or so, she went to the Cleveland Clinic to have a knee replacement, which back then, was a huge operation with an extremely long recovery time.
It meant being away from us and a long road of physical therapy (does anyone remember the homemade sand bag weights she had to lift)? But I think if she were telling this story today, she would still say it was the best thing she ever did for her health. She took a risk (they said it might not help and may even come out worse) and had one knee and then the other replaced. She never had great range of motion in the second one, but the most important thing was...the pain was reduced. She said gone, but as we all know, it was probably just less unbearable.
In my book, that was enough.
Living with that kind of pain should have extempted her, or so I believed, from other types of suffering.
I was wrong.
In 1995, she went to the Doctor in October.
I remember coming home and she was in her room lying down on the heating pad. I laid down on the bed next to her and she told me the doctor said that she had lost 85 percent of her kidney function, but it was a slow process and at that point she should outlive the other 15 percent.
He was wrong.
Within 3 months she was on dialysis 3 times a week.
Doctors, dialysis, nurses, dialysis, hospitals, dialysis, needles, dialysis, infections, dialysis.
Still, a smile. Laughter. Yes, tiredness. Yes, aches and pains. And I'm not forgetting the times it would all be too much and I'd hear her crying in the bathroom. But honestly, how many times did you hear her complain? Your answer is the evidence of her testimony.
Awhile ago, when my foot starting hurting and then I had to stand on it 8 hours a day, I saw how pain can really ruin the quality of life. I felt how on edge it can make you. How even if you didn't want it to, it could make you short with people and irritable. And I thought and said out loud almost everyday: "Honestly, I don't know how she did it."
How did she live with that kind of pain...everyday and stay the person she was?
If there ever was the model of a patient patient..it was my mom, Helen Jean Vandercar.
Patient: (adj.) Able to put up with pain, troubles, difficulties, hardship, etc without complaint or ill temper.
Four years ago when I turned 40, I made a New Year's resolution to find and go to the doctor for a long overdue check up and consultation.
Four years later and after two years of complaining about a sore foot and a growing list of symptoms, I finally kept the resolution and found and went to the a doctor.
For whatever reason, it was excruciatingly hard for me to pick up the phone and get this done. I dreaded it. I complained about it. I put it off. And I don't really know why.
I am blessed to have had insurance for the last 2 jobs, totaling almost 19 years and even more blessed to have only used it a total of 2 times.
In all of this, I've often thought about my Mom.
Even though I don't get sick that often, I have a feeling I would be a horrible patient.
She was not.
I remember Louetta telling a story about when they were young, mom made a comment to her about how she was having a hard time finding shoes that felt good.
She later, at 26, I believe, was diagnosed with the arthritis that she would battle the rest of her life.As a 9 or 10 year old I can remember seeing the look of excruciating pain on her face as she would battle to get up out of a chair. I can remember feeling helpless, but I never remember her complaining. In 1974, or so, she went to the Cleveland Clinic to have a knee replacement, which back then, was a huge operation with an extremely long recovery time.
It meant being away from us and a long road of physical therapy (does anyone remember the homemade sand bag weights she had to lift)? But I think if she were telling this story today, she would still say it was the best thing she ever did for her health. She took a risk (they said it might not help and may even come out worse) and had one knee and then the other replaced. She never had great range of motion in the second one, but the most important thing was...the pain was reduced. She said gone, but as we all know, it was probably just less unbearable.In my book, that was enough.
Living with that kind of pain should have extempted her, or so I believed, from other types of suffering.
I was wrong.
In 1995, she went to the Doctor in October.
I remember coming home and she was in her room lying down on the heating pad. I laid down on the bed next to her and she told me the doctor said that she had lost 85 percent of her kidney function, but it was a slow process and at that point she should outlive the other 15 percent.
He was wrong.
Within 3 months she was on dialysis 3 times a week.
Doctors, dialysis, nurses, dialysis, hospitals, dialysis, needles, dialysis, infections, dialysis.
Still, a smile. Laughter. Yes, tiredness. Yes, aches and pains. And I'm not forgetting the times it would all be too much and I'd hear her crying in the bathroom. But honestly, how many times did you hear her complain? Your answer is the evidence of her testimony.
Awhile ago, when my foot starting hurting and then I had to stand on it 8 hours a day, I saw how pain can really ruin the quality of life. I felt how on edge it can make you. How even if you didn't want it to, it could make you short with people and irritable. And I thought and said out loud almost everyday: "Honestly, I don't know how she did it."
How did she live with that kind of pain...everyday and stay the person she was?
If there ever was the model of a patient patient..it was my mom, Helen Jean Vandercar.Directions to here:
Okay...edit.
I take that back, I heard her bitterly complain on two separate hospital visits.
The complaint?
Being surprised by lemon pudding (she thought it was vanilla)!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Daylight savings...what?
I agree with Tammy's post a few days ago.
The weather and the darkness at what seems to be mid-afternoon.
Ever since the time change, followed by the week of rain and now frost on the windshield and cold temperature, all my good intentions of posting vacation pics and catching up on birthdays and news have been trumped sleepiness and the do it later blahs.
Directions to here:
So, my lunch break is usually at 4 and when I come out of the back room at 5, it's almost dark outside...does that mean that my northern family is in the dark at 4pm? How are you getting anything done?
The weather and the darkness at what seems to be mid-afternoon.
Ever since the time change, followed by the week of rain and now frost on the windshield and cold temperature, all my good intentions of posting vacation pics and catching up on birthdays and news have been trumped sleepiness and the do it later blahs.
Directions to here:
So, my lunch break is usually at 4 and when I come out of the back room at 5, it's almost dark outside...does that mean that my northern family is in the dark at 4pm? How are you getting anything done?
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Doctor's orders:
"I'm sorry that I couldn't find anything wrong with you."
(a quote from my new doctor...spoken with a Russian accent after listening to my scroll like list of symptoms.)
Directions to here:
Hopefully she'll say the same thing after the labs come back and the next three appointments with other doctors are done.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Keeping Resolutions
Gonna cross this New Year's Resolution off my list today.(well, at least the Dr. part)
Directions to here:
Yes, I know it was 2004's resolution.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Flashback Friday...For Freedom
"There was a time when the world asked ordinary men to do extraordinary things."
Band of Brothers
Monday, November 10, 2008
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Saturday, November 08, 2008
Georgia on my mind.
Shel & James,You are on all of our minds and in our prayers.
"...Georgia, Georgia, The whole day through Just an old sweet song Keeps Georgia on my mind I'm saying Georgia Georgia A song of you Comes as sweet and clear As moonlight through the pines..."
Directions to here:
Precious Lord, take their hand.
Friday, November 07, 2008
Directions to here:
Well, the scanner won.
If you want to call it a win, 'cause it's sitting next to the door and then only because I refrained from throwing it out the window.
So I'll save the scanning for next week and use the other subject and pictures already on my computer.
Well, the scanner won.
If you want to call it a win, 'cause it's sitting next to the door and then only because I refrained from throwing it out the window.
So I'll save the scanning for next week and use the other subject and pictures already on my computer.
Turkey Supper:
I honestly don't remember life without it.
Hopefully, neither will this kid!
I don't always make it home for it,
but I'm glad that these people always pull it off.
God bless the saints that have gone before us
and thank you everyone that has stepped up to take their place and carry on the tradition!
but I'm glad that these people always pull it off.
God bless the saints that have gone before us
and thank you everyone that has stepped up to take their place and carry on the tradition!
Flashback Friday...T.B.A.
It's coming...
but I'm currently having a fist fight with my scanner.
Directions to here:
Literally.
If I had a hammer like Dave and the lightbulb story, my fist wouldn't be sore right now.
but I'm currently having a fist fight with my scanner.
Directions to here:
Literally.
If I had a hammer like Dave and the lightbulb story, my fist wouldn't be sore right now.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
I Want...
or
either one will do.Directions to here:
Please Cori, Ed Elser, Ed Mc. please tell me you know what "Steampunk Mod" is and that you know how to make these!
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Unwanted wake up call(s)
Read this on Yahoo news today...
and I'm adding my own "rest of the story."
"Afterward, Obama traveled to Indianapolis for final campaign stop to encourage voters in Indiana to support the Democratic candidate from next door. He helped about two dozen members of United Auto Workers Local 550 in Indianapolis work the phones at their union hall."
...and called and woke up Nancy, the bookseller, FOUR times in, what is, the early morning, according to her schedule.
Directions to here:
I hate politics.
and I'm adding my own "rest of the story."
"Afterward, Obama traveled to Indianapolis for final campaign stop to encourage voters in Indiana to support the Democratic candidate from next door. He helped about two dozen members of United Auto Workers Local 550 in Indianapolis work the phones at their union hall."
...and called and woke up Nancy, the bookseller, FOUR times in, what is, the early morning, according to her schedule.
Directions to here:
I hate politics.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Edit
Okay...
Since Sister Susie has been on a posting roll lately...
Once you go to "the farm"...you'll have to scroll down to the second post to see the Drew-o-Lantern!
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Pumpkin vs. Jack-O-Lantern
A few weeks back, Gramma Susie and Jacinda were cutting up orange construction paper into the shape of pumpkins.
Jacinda informed us that if a pumpkin doesn't have a face then it's called a pumpkin. If it does have a face, it's called a Jack-o-lantern.
Jacinda informed us that if a pumpkin doesn't have a face then it's called a pumpkin. If it does have a face, it's called a Jack-o-lantern.
I guess these two qualify as Jack-o-lanterns.
Or should I say Jacind-o-lantern.
and Gramma Soos-o-lantern.But to see a real treat, or trick, depending on which side of the camera you're on, go the THE FARM. Is this what they mean when they say if you're not home by midnight, you'll turn into a pumpkin?
Directions to here:
So Jacinda, what category does this fall into?
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