Blessed they are in spirit

Thomas and Lois are adatpting to yet new challenges. Thomas has started physical therapy for his shoulder. According to the docotors and therapists, he had really let his arm become weak. His right shoulder was the point of injury and that is he favored arm (right-handed). In the months -- nearly a year, he has avoided using his should when he could. This was somewhat helpful to limiting pain, but the reprocussion was a great strength loss. Instead of being 10 percent stronger on his favored arm, he has 50 percent of the strength of his left arm. That's bad.

They remarked that it seems likely that he would never regain a balance of strength between the arms and shoulders, but Thomas might get 80 percent of his strength. He was only minorly disappointed. I would have been more peeved. Anyway, after a few more sessions, they will have taught him all they can for his home-therapy. He is tenatively content with what has been stated.

Continuing with his role in the Engineers Club (KLUB), he has found speakers and entertainers for them. This year, he got a school group to sing. Some year previous he got a group in to perform, which was quite enjoyed by the engineers.

Lois has, interestingly had days absent of doctors' appointments. On other days, she's done marathon appointments. By the end of the day, Thomas and Lois return, wiped out completely ... drive, wait, prod, poke, blood draw, then repeat. The continual observation of Lois' coumadin levels reveals that she's doing okay with that. Her injection pens are her sour point. One pen is glitchy and the other is maybe okay. The "dial a level" insulin pen is quite a novel idea. She has two different insulins, each used at different times. After some experience with them as they were new, she cleverly opted to use the nighttime insulin earlier, as it sometimes keeps her awake.

Yesterday marked a great day, in that Thomas and Lois returned to the YMCA after a near 12 month absence. Thomas worked on his shoulder and Lois worked on walking machines. Her knees were aching and criping, but she is better today. I hope, by February, that they return to normal life sans hospital. They cannot escape checks, therapies and appointments, but skipping out on hospital is better.

Thomas golfed this morning, then ate with friends. He was happy to leave and swing. "Hit away father, hit away."

amendment to Thanksgiving

Thomas and Lois took Angel out for a walk. The three liked it. When they got back, I saw a neat, "nifty" sight ... Angel wandering around and Thomas and Lois sitting in the sun, basking ... enjoying being out, in the sun, together.+ Though there were plenty of desserts, I doubt that much will be left on Monday, since Jenny goes back on Sunday as does Jim. Each, I think, having three more weeks of school. Jim loves snacking on desserts and generally makes meals of them. According to Diane -- he's a grazer, eating all day on little here and there.

The folks had a great deal of food and Diane sent home pounds of food. After two days of cold turkey sandwiches, there isn't a dent in the bag sent home with the folks.

I am thankful for these two other, unmentioned things: though the year is waning, the folks' love is not. I am thankful that I still have more time ... not quite sunset, not quite twilight, not the night yet. Miles and years separate family and people, but love -- love binds us.

God, thanks for us; Jesus, thanks for the after.

+ literally separated by commas

Festival

There were rows and rows and rows of trees. It's an anuual event in Fort Wayne and this year, there were fewer entries. Last year we missed this festival of trees. There were many contendors, but I voted for not a single one. Had I voted, the "Peace" tree would have been my favorite.

Thomas, Lois, Diane, Jennifer, and Jessica went downtown on a glorious and warm day. Marcus, photographer, was with them. They viewed the 40 some trees in the historic Embassy Theater with wonderful architecture. After the long walk -- good for Lois, we visited a coffee shop. Aspen Coffee is slightly cheaper than Starbucks. Lois had a difficult time of it as the machines were very loud making drinks. There was a group of eight after us, we lucked out with timing.

Our next adventure -- downtown Santa on sleigh light display. Also, there is a man who has the largest display in the county. It is a wonder to see. Snow adds to the magic of the display, so, we should wait.

Lois and Thomas are doing okay, tired and needing rest more than usual, but with the holiday coming, that is natural. To everyone -- Happy belated Thanksgiving and an early Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving

So, here's the family about and around, after eating lots of food for Thanksgiving.

We played Imagine If... and later Tripoly. Since the folks had not seen Cars, they watched that. I had seen it and saw bits here and there.

I chatted a bit with Jim while he was drawing deer on his drawing pad. He had drawn a scene before, but was adapting this one to have the father watching the fawn.

In all, we had a good time, ate lots and the girls, Jessica & Jennifer loved that Lois brought over a gallon of homemade orange sauce -- consumed nearly like soup.

Lost in translation

Lois got a call from the nurse practitioner today about her potassium levels. The plan days ago was that she skip only one day, then resume half pill doses thereafter. Lois didn't quite do this and with the puking, keeping the potassium down would have been unlikely. They are doing another blood draw tomorrow. Thomas is creeping up on better health and got word that his shoulder would probably heal up with physical therapy.

For Thomas, there was good news. Now, if we could get Lois healthy, that would be something!

parental health teeter-totter

When one is healthy, the other is not. The health fairy gets a lump of coal this year, for sure!

Thomas had an appointment today and found that his glucose was on average in a three-month study, so that's good. He was low on sodium because of a medication increase, so the doc put him on non-diuretic diovan to hopefully address this issue.

Lois spent 16 hours in bed -- ill, pukey, nausiated, groggy -- all around yucky. She perked up a bit in the evening, but not wholly. Thanksgiving next week might be interesting or disappointing. We are to pick up Betty who has spent Thanksgiving with the family for a few years now. She's an older woman -- friend of family, who has done bible study with Lois. The more I know of her -- the more she bugs me, so I try not to know too much.

Anyway, the family (Beth and family, Debbie and family, Diane and family) are plugging along with situations here and there and troubles not always of their making.

Sometime, Marcus will rampage the town out of frustration with job hunting. He has had two invites to spend money to get jobs. He hasn't comitted to anything.

phone found

I was starting up the vehicle to get it warm, looking also for a belt extender. I found, to my surprise, a cell phone. My niece has lost or misplaced her repeatedly, so I guessed it was hers. I then thought, that it might have been one of her friend's. I called -- busy, called again, busy. I got the house finally and she warmly greeted me, almost tearing because the phone wasn't stolen, as she thought might have happened.

After dinner, I drove over to drop off the phone and she hugged me several times to thank me. She was reuinted with her phone. She was then again directed to continue with her chores. Cinderella went back to chores, but was happy to have the phone.

brief stop

This falcon stopped by here looking for birds to eat. Strangely, they all left.

second sight

Lois went to the eye doctor and after much deliberation, he has scheduled a December appointment. Since it was so late, it is very likely that the situation isn't that disastrous. Let us hope that's so.

Since Thomas and Lois are still quite ill, they have missed any and all appointments of a personal nature. They did get to say farewell to a good neighbor and family who have moved to an adjacent town, New Haven. It is not to be confused with New York.

So, end of the week, sickness and tiredness prevails, but health might be on the horizon.

Medical histories

Thomas went to his oncologist today after having had tests and scans. According to the findings, he has no changed in PSA levels. So, it appears his cancer is in remission. He was not without some downer news. According to tests, he had a higher than average glucaose level and his sodium was too low. A light thoractic scan revealed, a likely old, bone curvature and mild degeneration.

As he has had sinus issues and sickness symptoms. The doctors reported these but made no suggestions regarding them. So, coughing, hacking, but feeling better, Thomas got great news.

Lois is still overly sleepy but recently found a minor problem.

She went in on Tuesday to get blood drawn. Later, the office called requesting another test. They "didn't like" her first one. She has been taking a schload of pills and supplements. Potassium was one of these and supposedly, she has too much now. That is a good thing. Her glucose is improving, her knees are growing stronger, and now her potassium is better.

Truly, this week has been a reversal of fortunes, for the better.

Going "Blech, cough ... hack, blech" in the night!

Thomas and Lois are still battling colds, though different ones. Thomas refuses to go to doctor -- God forbid they find the sinus infection and give him medicine for it ... that would be terrible. I don't know why.

Lois had a good deal of walking today, to Coumadin clinic, now at 2.0, which is about where they want it, Walgreens, Scotts Grocery (lots of walking), then later in the afternoon -- Freygang's to let out their dog, Angel. Angel was very happy to have compnay.

At one point in time, Lois and Angel were sitting on the playground equipment, shoulder to shoulder like two school buddies.

Lois is still potentially pukey and Thomas is still fighting both the cold and doing anything about it. He has taken 90 some pills for almost naught. This includes OTR cold medicines. To calculate cough drops I would need my computer. In all, he sounds worse.

Lois is in better spirits, but I think she felt good for the first time in such a long while, she might have overdone it.

---
In a somewhat related story, a restaurant had about 50 patrons complain of stomach issues. The Health Department is investigating now. It is notable because a restaurant in the same plaza this summer had a hepatitis A scare from an employee who handled food, who had Hep A. For those not in the know, Hep A isn't nearly as serious as Hep B or C. Hep C, of course, generally is found in those with AIDS.

None of us have eaten there in a while, so no worries.

Sickness

Lois, while faring better than Thomas ended her bout of wellness with getting sick again this evening. Thomas has continued to look, sound and feel rotten. Despite Marcus' calls to reconsider, they each have vowed to do the shot next time around, though their illnesses are directly attributable to the shot.

Father, has slipped into a second illness due to his weakness from the shot and several-day illness.

E E E

So the screen showed on her glucose meter. She called the company. They were happy to ship her a new one via mail, but that would leave her without a meter for readings, which determine how much insulin you get. They thought, then cut all the wasted time, stating that they would have one at Walgreens within minutes for her ... free of charge. She didn't have any paperwork to do, just show up and say her name.

That is a good company policy.

She felt well enough that she drove herself.

Wait and See

Lois had an early eye appointment. Since Thomas was ill, Marcus drove Lois to, yep, you guessed it ... hospital.

The wait was very long between sessions. On the lighter side, all the personnel there were extremely friendly, courteous and kind. After the 3 some hour session with tests to determine degree and accuracy of diagnosis:
macular degeneration, background diabetic retinopathy, macular pucker (verified by two separate doctors in different buildings). The tests were fairly quick and simple. The Opthomologist's office is to call a week from now with results.

Since I was with Lois, I was allowed to sit with her. We got to see "required" info-videos on the procedures for the situation including one test they used today, fluorescein angiography, which involved injecting redish dye. Thankfully they found a vein in Lois' arm that was fairly easy, they shot the dye and they took pictures.

The office used 35 mm cameras on the end of a huge-scope machine. According to the nurse, the dgital cameras presently don't have the resolution that the doctors want and the digital unit that could be bought costs $20,000. This then leaves the staff there to develop the film on site, what a drag -- in a dark room in the office.

Anyway, the results will be in around a week and Lois will know then.

Today began with another trip to hospital

Thankfully, it was only to see an optomotrist (or similar) as Lois had an appointment with him for a retinal situation.  She was nervouc, but I thought it was unwarranted.  The office was at a wing of hospital, which is why we where at hospital.  The morning, cool -- not quite cold, with beautiful sun.  Let us hope that it is like the news that she will get; cool, bright, beautiful.

Ill

Capital One commercials have a phrase, "What's in your wallet?" Thomas and Lois have the great experience of, "What's in your stomach?"

Lois finally puked after 30 hours of dry heaves. Thomas had a fit of feeling better followed by conplete energy drain. Needless to say, illness has a profound hold on the folks and isn't letting go anytime soon.

BLAH!

Marcus is still reading job postings and finding other jobsearch engines and posting and applying (repeat).