Wow,
2 months have gone by very fast! It’s
August already. As I went outside with
the dog this morning, the air felt different, probably just my mind thinking
‘August’.
Suddenly
I remembered the feelings of going back to school. The cool, crisp mornings walking to school
with your new clothes and books. I have
one very distinct memory of going to school and that is when we moved to Linden
and I entered grade 8. Ugh, how terrible
to go to a new school in this grade!
The house mom and dad bought wasn’t ready for us yet and so we were
offered a house just a few miles out of town to live in until then. The fall sun was so bright in the mornings as
it streamed into the living room, which was furnished and strange to me, and
cast an orange glow on everything. As
mom prepared breakfast and our lunches, I’d sit in the kitchen booth (I thought it was
so cool) and wished I could stay home and play on the big yard and be with
mom. It looked like it would be a
beautiful day. Anyways, no such luck, my
sister and I drove to school every day, down a gravel road then onto a
secondary road that took us into town. I
had been to my new school only once to be enrolled and it seemed so large that
I was unsure where my class was. For
those of you who know Linden school or any small town school, there was one
hallway with maybe one turn left or right.
My sister and I drove to school every day and every day the sun shone in
our eyes. Seems like there were never
any cloudy days. It’s strange what our minds
do with memories.
So
a little off track, but hey, that’s a bit about me you didn’t know.
So
here’s what’s happening in news regarding Greg’s
kidney transplant. He is done taking
Prednisone as of the end of June. He may
have to go back on it if he develops any of the old symptoms. I was a little terrified to hear this. All the memories crept back to those days
when he could hardly move because of the muscle pain and vomiting, etc. So far he’s been good except for the
continued tiredness throughout the day.
I can’t take him to the mall anymore, it just tires him out too
much. He’s quite sad about that, NOT!
He
still has supper ready for me each day and he’s a very good cook. I hate the weekends because then it’s my turn
to cook and well, let’s say, I’m getting the better part of that deal.
So,
this is the 2nd testing for Greg where he’s fallen below the 15%
kidney function. One more testing and
he’ll be ready for his transplant. He
actually received the official call that he was now on ‘the list’ for a
transplant but has a donor. The next
month I have to continue to be careful what I eat and make sure to walk each
day. Hopefully when I do my blood pressure
test this time, they will be happy with the results. I CANNOT halt this transplant – not now.
Here's a little glimpse into Greg's hospital room back in October 2014. I've never posted photos till now. This is a first. There might be more to come one day, when I do a post just on his hospital stay.
My
mom is now living without dad. That’s the reality. But whether she knows this or not, we know
for sure she does not. Dad finds it
difficult still to start and end each day without her at his side in the
Lodge. When my sister told dad the news
that mom was being placed ‘tomorrow’, he said, “it feels like the preacher just
gave the funeral message”. I get
that. You still have your loved one here
on earth but they aren’t with you by your side everyday, like it used to be. Mom doesn’t remember us visiting her or how
long we visited. She sometimes waits for
dad before eating but I’m not sure she really knows she’s doing that either.
Mom’s
first placement was in Innisfail and we drove to see her about every other
day. Three weeks later we received the
call that she could move into the Linden Nursing Home! She would now be closer for dad to visit her
anytime he wanted. We were very lucky.
My
work schedule has changed and each week if different. This each I have 3 days off, work 1 day, then
have the weekend off. I just finished
working the August long weekend. I feel
sorry for Greg as he’s off weekends but has to entertain himself. Then when I’m off and home the house is busy
and loud as I house clean and do errands.
It’s not so bad when a Nascar race is on or hockey, but hockey is
done. I just hope things improve soon at
work and I can get some hours back and be on a regular work week. For those of you who say, ‘it’s no big deal’,
it actually is for those of us who are older and have grown used to a Monday to
Friday lifestyle. This too shall pass.
We
haven’t done as much camping this summer as we anticipated, just because of my
schedule. But we did get in a few great
weekends.
Saw this guy.
He crossed the road in front of us and he was
about 10 miles from our campsite.
My repainting projects have taken such a turn, for the worse, I have to admit. I really miss painting a good project. With everything going on around us right now, it’s definitely taken a back seat. But today is still early and after I finish the house work, maybe I’ll pick a piece and tackle it. Wait, I thought about painting the main bath (still hospital green) and continue that color down the hallway (still hospital green). That would take care of ALMOST all the green except for the basement hallway and bath. Whew! I can’t believe how much the past owners loved green. This too shall pass.
So even though this post seems short, to me, I’ve got to continue on and get other things done today.
Till next time,
Bonny
