An Update for my bad December. Hopeful for the New Year.

Hello everyone. I have been gone for awhile. Starting with a Dr’s visit before the ice storm, I have not had a great December. I am OK, I think; family is OK for the most part.

On Friday Dec 7th, I was informed I will have to have infusion treatments on a new schedule next year. Instead of lots of treatments during a month out of the year, I will have 1 treatment every 60 days next year. This is to begin in February. This is because my red blood cells are not big enough to move oxygen throughout my body.

Yes, I was affected by the ice storm. I lost power for about 40 hours, just long enough to lose my 100% on my CPAP, and my husband to lose 100% on his Bi-PAP. My home became a refuge for my mother and her dogs. My mother was one of the first ones without power, and 12 days later, one of the last in the major metro area to be restored.

Let me stop here and say, I LOVE MY MOM. I LOVE DOGS.

It has been proven, time and again, some adult children should not live in the same home with their parents. My mother is 78 years old and almost deaf and visually impaired. It is difficult to communicate with her.

I have 3 dogs, my mother has 2 dogs. They don’t like each other much and we had to separate them at least once every day. My husband and I live in a small home, 1200 sq. ft., and 3 adults and 5 dogs is a little much. We don’t have a fence or garage, so sending dogs out was not in the cards.

She is much happier at home with her dogs and her own things. My mother lost 21 trees on her 1/2 acre lot. None of the trees hit her home, which is amazing. She also lost all the food in her fridge and freezer. She lost a few lawn ornaments when the trees fell.

My niece and her family of 5 lost power for 7 days, they lost the food in their refrigerator and freezer and lost their boat when 2 trees landed on it. Being out of season, the boat was not insured, the deductable on their house insurance is more than the boat is worth.

I went to a Christmas party on Christmas Eve. I have a friend that now lives in Texas, her parents live here, They host a party for all her friends to get to see her and visit. I fell at the party. I did not have any “Christmas Cheer”, and I did not trip.

There is not yet an explanation for why I fell. I got a concussion, a goose egg on the side of my head, as well as a bruised shoulder, hip, knee, sprained ankle, and a whiplash injury to my neck. I have 5 witnesses to what happened and one of them went with me to the Dr just so he was aware I was not faking or exaggerating about how violent the fall was. My Dr is scheduling an MRI and an MRA (similar to an MRI but looking at arteries and veins.) We want to know why, a 42 year old female that was standing in the middle of a room hugging a child, fell so violently and was seriously injured.

On December 27th, my nephew’s wife was taken to the hospital for an emergency c-section. The baby was due about March 5th. Kayden was born about 10:45 pm that night and rushed from the hospital in Muskogee OK to a large hospital in Tulsa. He does not oxygenate well and may require heart surgery. He weighed 3 lbs 8 ozs. and was about 8 weeks early when he was born. Kayden’s mom is out of the hospital in Muskogee and they are going back and forth between home, about 60 miles from the hospital, and Tulsa trying to take care of home, the 2 year old, the baby in the hospital, not to mention the fact she had major surgery to have Kayden. My nephew is at his wits end, trying to keep his job (no insurance and no leave), his marriage, and his son.

So, My mother is well, I am facing neuro-testing. We are going to see Kayden this next weekend. I have not been released to drive yet, but should be on Friday. My husband is well and turns 50 this week. He is just thankful to be well and flying under the radar.

Take care all. Life is what you make of it, I will think good thoughts and hope for a great 2008.

Der Azaloune,

I do hope the New Year brings you good news on all fronts and better luck for you and your family.

Good on you for doing your best with your mum and her dogs, and yes, however much you love them does not mean can live with them easily. This time will pass!

regards

Di

Azaloune,
You certainly closed the year out with a bang (no pun intended)! It is now January 1, 2008 and I hope daybreak finds you and your family doing better every day.
Kathy