A Different Kind of Tuneup

First - congratulations Melinda on getting Elizabeth Kay here safely. We enjoyed looking at her pictures and are glad that's over for you.

We have had all kinds of excitement - more than we need - during the last week. Last Thursday Grandpa didn't get a chance to finish his supper so ate very little and it wasn't enough to balance the insulin he took, so in the night he was unconscious. I woke up to go to the bathroom and soon realized that I could not rouse him. I was trying to move him because he was mostly on my side of the bed. I called 911 and the wonderful EMT's came and took care of it for us. The next day he was very tired but was doing okay. Then Saturday night when he was taking his night meds, he aspirated some milk. He spent most of the night trying to clear his lungs and had a lot of trouble breathing. So on Sunday we went to sacrament meeting and then I took him to the ER. It was the congestive heart failure again. His blood pressure was very high as well so they kept him. They put him on oxygen, give him lasix to take off the water, and bring his blood pressure down. That's his kind of tuneup now. I thought I might bring him home this morning but they weren't ready to let him go - maybe tomorrow. He is in good spirits and looks and sounds very good. If any of you care to call him tonight or in the morning his number is (208) 706-0440.

Has anyone seen my glasses?

Yesterday I had a cataract removed from my right eye. It was quick, painless, and seems to be successful. I have some drops to put in my right eye for awhile now- 3 different drops, 4 times a day. I still need the cheap drugstore stuff to read with but I drove to the post op checkup this afternoon without glasses. I just had to use sunglasses because I am still a bit sensitive to light. I was able to read the line on the eye chart that was the 20/20 line. Saturday we get Muffin back again, hopefully pregnant. We have missed her.

Five Favorite Things

How does one hold it down to five? These are not necessarily in any particular order - just as they come to mind

1. Singing in a really good choir. I will miss almost anything else to make it to choir practice and/or the performance to sing with a really good choir.

2. Chocolate - Every time I try to go without it I find myself munching on other stuff trying to make up for it, so I have learned to go for the real thing first time around.

3. A good book - reading on a rainy day with some hot chocolate and a good book is wonderful.

4. Working in the Temple. I really dread the day that they retire me. It is fulfilling in so many ways and there are so many wonderful people to work with.

5. My husband and children. The older one gets the more precious they become. I include grandchildren and great grandchildren along with my children.

Another hospital stay and all is well

Yesterday was a long one but one that we hope will turn out well. I took Grandpa to the hospital about 9:00 a.m. He had his surgical procedure at 11:a.m. and everything went well. They usually send guys home the same day with his procedure, but because he does not heal well and his heart was in question, they kept him overnight and I can pick him up about noon today. Grandpa's heart doctor said he should have a spinal instead of a general anesthetic but when they checked the clotting factors in his blood just before surgery, they said his blood was too thin and there was a risk of bleeding into the spine, so he went ahead with the general. His heart did well. A representative of Medtronic, the maker of his defibrillator, was there to stop it from working during the surgery and start it again afterwards. Jim came to the hospital and sat with me. I really appreciated that because even when you are not thinking someone may die, it is nice not to be alone. We had lunch together in the cafeteria and Jim stayed until daddy was up in his room and settled. I hung around the rest of the day. Grandpa enjoyed a phone call from Karen and a visit from Kenneth, wife and family. I came home around 9:00 p.m. which made a long day but I was so happy Grandpa was in good spirits and doing well. It is kind of quiet here at home right now because Muffin is hanging out at the breeding kennel - don't know yet how that is going but hope it takes because I would like to have her spayed and get it over with.

You Thought You Knew All the Ways to Use Duct Tape

The other day Grandpa ripped one of the famous L-shaped tears that are so hard to mend. He wanted me to patch it and I said "No" because it was a real old pair of pants and not worth the trouble. So he turned it inside out and taped it with duct tape! He really didn't want to bend for this picture but he was a good sport.

I had a good day at the Temple today but when I got home grandpa had not had a good day with Muffin. She did not want to mind him and he had to chase her around outside, etc. He said if anyone had asked for a dog today he would have given her away.

We went to dinner last night for Grandpa's birthday. Jim, Kenneth and Aaron were there with their respective families. We had a good time and enjoyed the food. That's 3 meals out in 4 days

so I guess tonight we won't be going to the Mexican place here in town. Thank you all for your expressions of Happy Birthday .

Missed you all at dinner

We had a great Sunday. Lots of singing. Our ward holds choir practice at our house after Sacrament meeting and then I went to the stake choir practice later in the afternoon. I love to sing in the stake choir. We are rehearsing for our stake conference on March 16th. We have a visitor from Salt Lake and are having two different sessions because we don't all fit anymore. So the choir gets to sing at both of them. Last night we went to dinner at the Golden Corral in Nampa to help celebrate Allen's birthday. All four of our sons were there - really missed the daughters - and grandkids were there too. It was wonderful to see them all and visit. Now we are going out to dinner for grandpa's birthday - going on Tuesday night but I am not sure where we will be eating. I have to let them know tomorrow. The one sure thing is that I will have shot our entertainment budget for the month - all in the first week. But it is worth it to be with family.