IN Carmel

 Advent calendars...there are markers that visually tell how many days till Christmas.   My version...  I received and started taking nutritional drinks 5 days ago.  There is a drink for noon and a drink for supper left in the box..  The box will be empty tonight.  So the marker is not a Christmas Day marker but a surgery morning marker.  Tomorrow is the day with an hospital arrival at   6 am..   But now for yesterday.  The energy spirt was back on again.   The kitchen floor is beautiful, if a floor is ever beautiful having been  washed and then waxed..  I did some pitching out, straightening up, looking over and scrubbing down.  It was a very good day.  Snow and God took  care of policing  the  outside Thank be to God for  covering a dead looking yard with many flower bed waiting for the miracle of spring, seen from the living room window.    That was so app...

 Another short night with an early morning wake up.  It would seem to be a habit for at least the month of January.  February could be different.  Medical phone calls have disappeared.  Other things have appeared.  Long time friend Rosie of at least 40 years stopped by with little heart cookies and a wonderful visit on the patio with masks on hearing about granddaughter Anna among other things.  There are always lots of  things to talk about with a friend of 40 years.  The florist arrive with a beautiful vase of yellow roses and more.  The card said These are your Pre surgery flowers to brighten things up this weekend. The word flowers could have said distractions!   Those were from another North Church friend along with her son and his family.  From time to time my mind slips to a foggy place of wondering but events like these bring light.  Noah was here for his Friday visit and a great game of 3/13 happened, this ti...

 Thursday...I planned to have a planning day.  The plan was that I was in control of the plan.  And for the most part that happened.  I planned to make a short quick trip to the grocery to fill in the holes and cracks for Doug next week.  As an emergency item  in that plan...another box of poptarts.  Some people buy toilet paper...I buy poptarts, so it would seem.   Thinking about the coming week, my plan was to take a good book to the hospital.  Maybe if folks there saw me reading, they would say...go home.  So what to borrow from the library...Mary Oliver...of course.  That was an easy decision coming from my memory library.  Words turned into poetry.  I could read one or ten poems at a time.  So...off to the library with my Iphone.  The library is closed for covid reasons.  Reserve on line...go to the parking lot...text the library and the books are delivered to your car. Books delivered to the car p...

 What one remembers can really be remarkable, the merry-go-round, elementary teachers, I can name everyone of mine and when I do their faces are with me.  Some other memories...Sunday school teachers, summer bible school, going with my mother peddling eggs and vegetables  to many families. The chocolate store we stopped at before going back home.  There was always the Sun. evening church along with Thursday night prayer meetings.  I hated those last two things but attended anyways.  It wasn't a choice.  Memory is a very unique gift to have.  It's the long term kind.  Yesterday a song came from my memory library out of the blue.  I had not thought of it for a very, very long time...perhaps 60 years.  I heard the words and could sing the tune.  God will take care of you. Another surprise.  The door opened in my memory library.  There it was and is for now.  Blessed again with a gift.  Now for yesterday.  ...

 The something was impressive and huge.  Impressive because of all the precautions and positive suggestions that I learned about big long surgeries.  Once again 9 am took me to Methodist.  Blood pressures, blood draws, EKG's, Echo Cardiogram scan listening to a soppy valve.  Then a tiny suitcase full of nutritional drinks...3 a day to give a big body boost, germ killing soap to use in the shower the night before and the morning of and a nose ointment to protect from Mersa, breathing exercises to help the body during surgery and later and a bed with clean sheets to sleep on the night before. .  It would seem that the bases are covered.  I was around very smart people who were backed up by smart people.  So many questions needed answers from me and I had so many questions that needed answers from them. I was delighted to lay on a bed with lights low during the ECHO.  Questions were minimal.  The heart beats were washtub in sound and after ...

 As I was saying or not saying...It appears now that this week will be stuffed full of IU Methodist Hospital phone calls and visits.   Feb. 1 will have an interesting identification label not to be forgotten  as surgery day.  Today, there were two phone calls with questions galore.   Then it's a trip early tomorrow morning to Methodist Hospital for  more questions to ask and answer and a preview of what is to come on surgery day.  Well, that's my guess.  There may be more surprises. Other things that happened on Monday...Hummm there was another spirt of energy early in the day before all the news.  Last time it was cooking.  The latest spirt was getting rid of many, many small pieces of fabric that friends have given me over the years since I retired from teaching.  The words kept coming...why keep this if I'll never use it in 10 years.    It's one of those so that's again...give so that someone else can use it....

 I'm wide awake, shower over, breakfast over, crossword puzzle over, MSNBC Way to Early over, Blogs read and over...It looks like I'm really over the beginning part of the day and Ready FOR the rest of Monday.  I'm expecting no new news today but I really don't have a promise of that not happening.  So I'll stay in the moment focused on recognizing gifts that will arrive.  Some gifts include watching birds at the feeder while I'm in the kitchen...And perhaps a squirrel in the bird food basket. Gift???   I'm looking forward to what ice might come making everything sparkle when the sun comes out this afternoon. Retired folks have that option.  I need to make a phone call to Dr. Miller's office canceling Tues. appointment because I met with him last Tues.  And I'm going to spend some time thinking about some of my church responsibilities writing information for others to use while I'm out of the loop so to speak.  I'm giving that my best smartly...

 Knowledge with prayer   so that   healing,  leading to new life may be restored in due time..  Thinking about the sermon this morning given by our preacher of the morning at North United Methodist Church Indianapolis.  It's worth listening to more than once.  So well crafted, with meaning for the listener.  Not to many old or new health information items to share on the blog today.  The airplane is preparing to land.  I will not let it run out of gas.  It will land.  Spent time at church yesterday with Bread and Bowl and a fine small group of workers.  Dr. James Horton...a coworker answered a few more mundane questions.  My evaluation of my questions.  Kids came by in the afternoon with the phone case.  Red in color of course.   Ann also stopped by yesterday with a wall or easel piece of art.  Grand daughter Jill scribe on canvas  Life is not waiting for the storm to pass ...

 It's quiet in the house.  It's early morning and for the whole day, gifts are in motion.  How can I gift others and what gifts will arrive?  Awareness is the word for the day.   Many years ago I accompanied confirmation groups at North on their annual spring trip to Atlanta.  The trip was mission and fun  filled with many quality experiences throughout the Atlanta area.  Nancy Baxter was our church leader and at the end of the day, sharing where we saw God in that day was an expected question for all to answer. It was a very good learning experience for the group.   Today brings a Bread and Bowl soup kitchen work morning.  Working to prepare carry out meals and talking to those who come for food will include gift giving both ways as we give and as we receive.  I look forward to these mornings.  I will pray for awareness.   Yesterday was a very quiet day with one exception or two.  3/13 card game was lots of...

 Maybe it's better not to think.  Would be so much easier.  But today I'm thinking...there is nothing on the calendar.  Do ya think that will stay that way?  I think we are due one of those days now and then.   Yesterday was a good day.  Blood draw was target morning for the nurses.  It took 4 of those jabs in 4 different places until the blood started flowing.  They were rather up set.  I wasn't a bit. Try, try again.  Just interesting to see how veins are good about helping and how they are not good about helping.  I guess they were in a bad mood.  But that blood draw once again is on it's way.   In the  afternoon Kat held a long lesson on  my smart red friend the phone.  I don't think she likes it left  on the counter for days, ignored. She would take the work think out of that sentence. It's a sure thing for her.   But... I am determined not to make it the center piece of my...

 Sometimes planning ahead works and sometimes it's just a crap shot.  We often think of that last word, even if it is a bit offensive when planning ahead for meals that might be needed for North's Bread and Bowl noon lunches.  How many folks will be coming, how many meals will we need.  That is something  very hard to have a plan that succeeds.  Yesterday...the plan was to make chocolate chip cookies.  That plan worked. Grandson Noah is here tomorrow.  But then the IU phone calls started coming.  Woo...those folks use our phone number a whole lot.  So the plan for the blood which was drawn for the Genomics testing just needed a new plan.  It appears that the tubes taken about a week ago were somehow contaminated so the new plan now takes me downtown to the Simon C Center this morning.  The plan is to share a little more blood.  And the labs plan is to look for any bits of cancer that could be hiding in the blood.  I t...

Have you ever been in a plane circling the airport unable to land because something on the ground was not permitting a safe landing?  Someone is waiting at the gate for your arrival.  Way to many planes are in line and your plane needs to be at the front.  It's a bit frustration...It's time for you to get off that plane and for some very good reasons you can't.  One being the plane is still in the air.   The medical information line seems to be long but long for a reason.  So...Yesterday we took another lap on this trip.  It was a very good lap.  Dr. Miller, the neuro surgeon was the pilot.  I saw scan pictures, heard about the surgery with unadulterated clear terms.  He gave answers to all my questions of which there were more that I had imagined at the time. I've thought of more since.  Some of the answers could have disturbing outcomes but better to know then have those answers clouded with foggy answers.  But be assure...

Yesterday didn't turn out the way I thought it would. There were surprises. Early, early in the morning,  I felt like lots of mothers ready to deliver their babies in those last few days of a pregnancy.  There was a huge spirt of energy with anticipation added.  So...by 6 a.m the pot containing more than 12 cups of Friendship Soup was bubbling away on the stove.  Next...I searched  through the crockpot cookbook and found a chicken dish.  I grew up with chickens in my life.   The PHONE rang...Dr. Miller...neuro surgeon calling.  My appointment moved from next Tues. to THIS TUESDAY. I must prepare for another surprise.   So..off to the grocery store for oranges for the chicken and POP TARTS and COFFEE to last Doug for weeks and weeks. It would seem years of 1st and 2nd grade teaching taught me one thing.  BE PREPARED.  But be prepared for surprises.  And yesterday they came.  Cooking was a great distractor....

 This week appears to be the medical wait week.  So the work to be done is to build patience.  That will be a huge job to work at.  So..it could be a planning week.  Plan to get everything necessary in place.  But...send me the name of anyone who knows everything necessary.  I don't think that person exists.  So I'll do my best knowing that the necessaries I don't know about will be filled in when the need comes along.  I hope to make a phone call to Doug's surgeon for some answers. Tomorrow I hope to buy a smart phone.  Wed. there is a previously scheduled Mammogram, Thurs Doug has his monthly B 12 shot and Fri???? So it's a little of this and a little of that.  I might post daily and then again if I don't...Not to worry.   Pray for the nation.  

 It's 6 am and I have already received blessings more than enough for the day.  For a few weeks now the night seems to end around 3 am.  I long have thought this might be a blessing giving me time when all is quiet to process in the silence what is to come.  So this morning, that was the case once again.  A dear friend encouraged me to write down questions that might have answers giving those questions to my troupe of Doctors.  So I wrote  There were more questions than I realized at the time.  Then I turned to Jesus Calling for January 15th.  The words were that Peace may transcend understanding.  If one thinks to long at the myriad of problems, one will sink under the burdens.  There was more to read.    Then it was on to 5:30 and the BYU Mormon Temple Choir.  The music included...Study War No More.  I was reminded of the war going on in my body.  Then it was Peace Like a River in my Soul.  The words ...

 A day of rest for the mind.  A day for other things.  And today...one other thing will  be Covid  Vaccines.   A day for thankful prayers for science and for people who work in that healing field.  I remember so well the small pox scare and receiving that arm scratch in school now almost 75 years ago.  Long term memory seems to be pretty strong.  Then it was the polio scare and the Salk Vaccine. .  And this afternoon it will be another mile stone for Doug and I to file in our, this time short term memory banks.   Yes, a day for THANKSGIVING.  We're wearing shirts with short sleeves ready to bare an arm for another healing gift from science.  And offering  prayers of thanksgiving for God given scientist minds who walk along beside us always looking for solutions. Yes,  A Thanksgiving day.  It arrived early this year.  The coming week should be pretty quiet.  Time for the Genomics Lab scien...

 Yes...another new doctor yesterday.  The beat goes on as it needs to.  I met Dr. Schneider yesterday, once again at Simon's house better known as the Simon Cancer Center.  Dr. Schneider explained the process of Genomic's testing.  It's a relatively new process that a very limited number of hospitals are able to do.  The word  is that the tumor could benefit from this procedure.  Blood was drawn and the biopsy will be sent on to Ashion to determine what medication will target the tumor.  I need a bullseye on this one.  I think...but I'm not absolutely sure that the company is located in Phoenix Az.  So...Patty...they could be near by.  Another group of folks to pray for, finding answers that will define a specific treatment.  A huge word of thanksgiving to be living so near to helping doctors.   It is really evident that Dr. Schneider is very excited about the field of medicine he is in, looking for what I w...

 Writing early in the morning seems to help clear my mind for the day...So I guess it's dump time.   Yesterday morning I talked about waiting for the scan results not knowing when that would happen.  Well, wait no more.  Around 10 my ENT Surgeon Dr. Moore called.  I didn't hear the phone ring but heard Doug talking to who?...Didn't have a clue.  It was Dr. Moore with the grand and glorious word...the cancer was only in one place.  That was the overwhelm for the day.  The conversation continued with what other things I needed to know about the surgery.  Having that first conversation in his office on the 4th, the huge jolt of information,. and then hearing it again showed me once again that this Dr. knows how to talk to patients.  Once again...the surgery will be long.  Getting rid of the bad and then supporting the good will be in his "deck of cards".  We play a lot of cards at our house.     The hospitaliza...

 It was a day filled with many things.  Of course breakfast.  One of these days I'll say more about that.  Then an early trip to the grocery store for a few things.  Eggs.  Doug always unloads the groceries from the car and helps to put them away.  I think it's a great time to see what's available for eating on his part!  OOPS.  take care of that hiatal hernia, kido.   Then a visit from my sister Mary K.  How many of can say our sister lives near.  Not many...but I'm thinking of Rosie.  Then it was off to the Simon house again.  Cancer Center for short.  But I was very, very early...Early is on time.  The trip there always takes me past the church.  Remembering how the church stood beside with Doug's long ago illness of 49 years ago, I made the turn into 39th street and into the parking lot,  thinking I'll spend time in the car since the church is locked.  But...of course I didn't do that...

 First...Breakfast is over, crossword finished and I'm ready for the day.  Yesterday a zoom call with Doug's surgeon gave us information.  The decision is to get all the pre opt work finished asap and then we'll plug in the date for surgery that will work for both of us.  Great doctor who gave us options to choose.  So Monday is checked off.   Second...I want to say when the blog was started  the goal was to let you all know what we know.  You are my family and the blog records the number of folks who check in from time to time.  The numbers are gratifying.  Some days it's reunion size.  Families share and your visits provide a whole lot of sharing time.  Thank you with a hug added.   Third...A breath to relax with...Sarah D. a choir friend and oncology nurse is walking along side.   E-mails are traveling back and forth.  She will have answers when we have questions.  This afternoon is the PTC...

 Face washed, teeth brushed, breakfast eaten and cups of coffee consumed.  It's 6:45...I'm ready for the day.  Now it's time to think about the events we know will be coming our way today. The surprises will be there as well.  We will have a zoom call with Doug's surgeon, our hope being that filling in the blanks in the calendar will include a surgery date for his Hiatal Hernia.  So...we'll see.  Hope to check that off. Yesterday was lemon meringue pie day.  Seems I bought a bag of lemons for last weekend's company.  Just didn't need another pie after apple and cherry.  Yesterday,  two lemon meringues happened.  One whole pie went to my neighbor to the west Kathy and Bill and another huge piece went to my neighbor to the south, Judy.  Yesterday after listening to the senior minister from the National Cathedral on a TV news station say...do something for a neighbor today.  Help to heal the divisions.  Shovel their driv...

 A choir friend posted this on Facebook.   No amount of regret changes the past No amount of anxiety changes the future Any amount of gratitude changes the present...AnnVoskamp I will commit that to memory.   Today is church day.  I will visit more than one site.  May not see my church friends but I'll be with church.  Since I am an early to rise person having that position since almost birth, I tune in to the Morman Tab. Choir at 5:30 am.  What a gift that calms the mind when it might just be on the crazy track.  I miss more than ever choirs singing.  So the MTC is really appreciated.  Love those devotional moments.  Sun. afternoon on EWTN usually has some musical works but not today.  It will be missed.   This is the first day of the week that will help provide health information for both Doug and I.  Doug's appointment for surgery coming on Monday and then Tues and Thurs tests that will expose what's...

 A new day...time to make it a good day.  Noah spent time with us...Had a rip roaring game of 3/13  and Noah won.  A wonderful way to spend some talk time with a grandson.  I made two more black masks with Eric in mind.  Never have to many masks.  They tend to get stinky!!!  Wash, wash for sure.   Part of the plan for today is a morning at church with our Bread and Bowl program, providing a take out meal for community folks or just anyone who comes to the west lobby.  It takes about 6 people to get the meal together starting with pans of hot food coming from Second Helpings.  We add a vegetable which the church buys and then bread and desert donations from Krogers.  There is really very little cooking for us.  Just warming things up and then filling the carry out bags. It's lots of little jobs to get the big job ready.  We can have as many as 30 folks drop by between 11 and 12 o'clock.   The working cre...

 The first thing you all need to hear is that I just registered Doug and I to get our C. shots on January 16th at 1:20 and 1:40 PM!!!!!   My heart is beating outside my body.  Well, not quite.  But...almost. It's on the calendar with a red and green mark in that date box.  Red is for me...Green is for Doug.  Got to stay organized.   I was so worried that the site would crash.  NOT to worry...done.  That was wasted emotions.  I did forget to print my information.  Doug has his appointment printed.  I am good for the whole day or maybe more.  So...yesterday I met Brenda K and brought all of my Bread and Bowl responsibilities up to date.  Brenda will carry on for a while. The binder had stuff 15 years old in it. All junk.   All pitched and it's a new day in the binder.  Great to talk to the Thursday crew.  That was all the outside the house stuff.   TV news continues to fill the da...

I'm thinking about the events of yesterday.  Such a big question with no clear answer.  And when will that answer come?  There seems to be a cancer that  must be exercised from the country. Violence is an option that never leads to a  working solution.  And there are those who have not learned other ways to bring about change. The country is in a place that feels most uncomfortable.  But with uncomfortable feelings must come solutions.  It will be a long road to healing.  It is time for clear thinking, prayer and a resolve to press toward a goal bringing a solution and  healing for all Today, I'm off to church to talk with Brenda Kallin sharing information about ordering food for Bread and Bowl, the church soup kitchen.  Brenda is such a good worker and I know after a good review, she will do well with this job.  We continue on with this mission in a carry out food option serving about 30 folks who  come to the west e...

 Just a bit of news...all good for sure.  Met with Dr. Meyers...my eye doctor and I have 20 20 vision with the comment..."You have great vision, girl".  The photo indicated  there is no diabetic damage.  Woo...now that's a winner for the day.  Georgia is keeping me entertained.  We'll see where that goes in a few days so it would seem.  Maybe some mask making today.  More than 3000 sewn at this point.  I sent about 20 to Michigan with the kids thinking that Penny, Kimmy's mother might pass them out some somewhere, perhaps her church or biker friends..  They are not protecting anyone when they are hanging in my sewing room at this point.  

 Well it would seem that I've forgotten to write for a couple of days.  Yesterday, Monday the 4th was an interesting day.  I met another doctor.  Dr. Michael Moore.  Goes by Mike Moore.  He's an ENT and I thought that was to be an introduction to my new ENT since my old ENT retired.  Well not quite.  M M is also a surgeon.  That part didn't register so well when reading a bit about him on his web site. .  And the 50 minute plus discussion...mostly his talk was about surgery and Mr. Bump or Lump what ever you decide that's hanging around behind my ear..  It was a very heavy morning of information coming my way.  So much to absorb.  So...surgery could be a possibility having heard that word now from two doctors.  Woo...if that is the case...it would be a very long complicated  piece of work according to MM. There are so many important parts near and around the bump.  Enough said.  Next week on the 12th...

Here's to 2020

 Sunday morning January 3rd.  Epiphany Sunday.  Already have heard the Morman Tab. as I do almost every Sun morning at 5:30 am.  The house is quiet now with the JB fam still asleep in the livingroom.   It's been a wonderful few days with the JB family and Eric family.  Lots of card playing 3/13.  Lots of projects done!  LOTS.  Lamp rewired.  A NEW Toilet in the upstairs bathroom with a Penny/Bill seat!  Some of you will understand that remark.  Sink unstopped, shelf glass ware washed, bird feeder emptied of bad seed and new seed filled.  Always something done to remember the weekend.  And of course gifts given and received.  Lots of food eaten and still to be eaten.  They are back on the road at noon today. Tomorrow starts at 8 am with a visit to a new ENT doctor, Dr. Moore at the Swartz Cancer Center.  .  Dr. McSoley retired.  What a soft gentle spirit I will miss.  So...this health...

 Hello everybody.  I'm back.  So once again Kimmy has fixed me up with a way to talk to well, almost everyone.  Thank you so much Kimmy.  It's what I call having a miracle worker.  Woo, woo.  What a girl.   Stuff will be coming right along for sure.  Seems that 2021 will be interesting.   A Xmas present...a toilet...so really now the old one is sitting on the front walk and when it quits raining...spray paint with 2020 is coming...down that toilet.  Wooo that says a whole lot.  Wasn't such a good year for many, many folks...So...time to go...well, that may be in more way than one!