And That's All that's New!

 

This was just another week in my life. 

 

On Monday, I ran some errands.  I had to pick up plastic rolls of table cloth and napkins for our church's Golden Anniversary.  When I dropped them off at church, I had a brief interview with the paper for the article they were doing on the event.  You can read about it here:  Shepherding the Flock for 50 Years.  I have a small blip in there.

 

 I am really enjoying my Tuesday morning Bible Study with the ladies!  In the afternoon, I had an appointment with our local gastroenterologist.  He wants me off of the pain pills and we are going to try a medication that blocks the neurotransmitters.  I'm not quite sure how it works, but if it helps, hey!

 

Wednesday was a busy day for my husband and me.  I decided that before my cousin visits, I am going to get this house fairly cleaned.  I cleaned the bedroom GOOD and removed the five layers of protective dust.  My husband put on his knee pads and refinished all our vinyl  flooring in the kitchen, dining room, and halls.

 

Thursday morning I volunteered at the senior center.  It wasn't as busy as it has been lately.  Okay with me!  In the afternoon I met my brother Stan and his wife at his urologist appointment.  I wanted to know what exactly is wrong with him.  He has lost so much weight; he is skin and bones.  He had no appetite, can't sleep, and was also experiencing urological symptoms.  Apparently, his last bout with cancer and radiation damaged his bladder and created a lot of scar tissue too.  The bladder has shrunk and cannot be stretched as the tissue has hardened from the radiation.  He has to get up all the time to void and had little to pass.  My brother also wasn't drinking enough liquids as the doctor had advised him to.    The physician explained it like this:  A car needs oil to run properly.  Water is our oil.  If my brother would drink more liquids (anything decaffeinated), he would not be so constipated, would have more energy, a better appetite, and when he goes to pee, he will have something to pee!  After the first day of drinking more fluids, Stan said at least when he went to the bathroom, he had something to go.  The doctor said this will take weeks and also prescribed him a different medication for it.

1980 - Stan walked me down the aisle.

 

2015 - Cousin Shirley, Stan, myself, and sister, Connie.

 

On Friday we went to one of our last remaining aunt's funeral. When we left home it was sunny and comfortable outside, but when we got to the country, it had dropped about ten degrees and was so windy. (Auntie Em, Auntie Em!)   My aunt had one daughter and one son, both married, both without children.  It was a small funeral, and other than my cousin's son who is in his 40's, I was the baby of the bunch! 

The country church is over 100 years old and is small but oh so ornate and beautiful!  I took a couple of pictures for ideas for our church.

  We stopped where my mom is buried for a brief time.  It was still quite windy.  We then went to the  funeral luncheon at a nearby supper club.  It was nice visiting with our cousins, but a heck of a way to have a family reunion!

Today, Saturday, I have to go to church to help set up for anniversary dinner.  It is also Apple Fest in Two Rivers.  I would like to go briefly, but we'll see.  I wanted Jim to go with me, but he has a hard route this weekend at work.

....and that's all that's new!
 

No Place to Rest!

 

 

I'm sorry I haven't posted lately.  Last weekend I went on retreat with my bff.

It was a three hour drive (but of course, we stopped for lunch).  As usual, I woke up way too early that day and also didn't get a nap because of the drive.  My friend had a very bad cough (on top of her cancer), and was trying to rest.  She was chilled, so I thought I will let her rest.  I went to check us in at registration, and they gave me my own room, so we both would get some rest.  Some friends I had made last year helped move my stuff down the hall. 

 

That night I did not get a good night's sleep.  I didn't know if it was my interstitial cystitis or what, but I got up at least five times to go to the bathroom which is down the hall.  Not a good start!  Again, I woke up way too early.  We are eating breakfast by 8am and getting on with the day's activities which include Bible Study, worship, crafts, etc.  The study was about visual faith, and Bible journaling....how even when we highlight our Bible, we are making it visual.  We might make notes in the margins, date it, or get more elaborate and draw a picture of what the verse means to us.

 

Psalm 121

Add caption

 Well, I did these quite a while ago.  I was busy with our church scrapbook, and didn't realize that I don't have to be elaborate to do my Bible journaling!

 

Anyway, I regress.  I was having a very emotional, weepy time of it.  I really think I was overtired, but it was also the retreat center itself. I kept thinking of times when my friend and I were both more vibrant and energetic, without all our medical problems.  Different people reached out to her, and different people reached out to me.  We really weren't there for each other, but that's okay.  Sometimes you have to let other people into your life. 

 

We had a craft that was just totally frustrating for me and I never finished it.  Next, I went horseback riding.

 



Nervous.

It was not a good experience.  The horse kept taking me up against the trees, and when we got back, I had difficulty dismounting.   The horse decided it had enough of me!  (No one was hurt in the process, although I still have a bruise.

Then, I bumped my head on the top bunk.  Rough day.  Weepy.  We did a study on The Lord's Prayer with stations for different parts of it.  I tried to do most of it, but finished it in my room.  I just needed solitude.  I know it's hard to believe, but sometimes I need alone time!  I finished the study, got ready for bed, played on my Kindle, read and had a GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP!

Sunday morning I felt like my old self again! 

 

Newer friends

 

Old friends.

We drove home in the rain, but God was good and kept me safe.  It even quit raining before I got to the busy part of the freeway!

**************

Always good to be home.  The bladder issue got worse and for now I am on antibiotics.  The abdominal pain is at times, just awful.  I will find out on Monday if I need further treatment for IC and on Tuesday will see another gastroenterologist for my abdominal pain.