Are You Okay?

When Chuck and I got to the condo a few weeks ago, I walked straight to the living room, opened that sliding door and just sobbed. My sister in February; my nieces fiance' in 2019 three days before their wedding; my dad just one month later; Chuck's mom last year; the stress at work; covid; Chuck's cancer... it all just poured out. Chuck stood there and rubbed my back for a few minutes.

 

I took a deep breath... it's been an overwhelming few years. I feel bad for always writing about it. At least I feel like I'm always writing about it. But I know I'm not alone. It seems like everyone has had enormous things happen in their personal lives the last few years.

And speaking of that, how are you doing?

What's been happening in your life? Are you okay?

Birthday, Fainting Update, and CPAP

Today is my sister Kathy's birthday. March 21, she would have been 69. I finished making the memorabilia posters last night and I'll have them delivered to my sister Deb's, in San Diego. This way I won't have to try to pack them in a suitcase.

Chuck was in the hospital for 3 days. He had an EEG, EKG, MRI, blood work... but everything has come back normal. I took him to the doctor today to have the staples removed and the doctor says he can't drive or go to work until he gets the results of the heart monitor and sees the neurologist and cardiologist, which will be the middle of April. So for now he's at home resting and doing light work around the house. 

Life is moving on.

Beth brought her CPAP mask up to us about 5 months ago to show us how it was falling apart and she had it all taped together. It was at that time I got on-line to order her a new one. Weeks later we realized it had never come so we called them and they told us it had been too long since we got the original mask and she needed to see the doctor first. It was weeks before we could get an appointment. While we were there she fell asleep in the waiting room and then again in the patient room.

 

She's put on a lot of weight and she isn't sleeping at night. She'll wake us up at 3:00, 4:00 in the morning while she's laughing at the TV or singing to music. Then she sleeps until noon or 1:00 in the afternoon. Well, the new mask finally arrived a couple days ago! Since Chuck used to wear one too he made sure it fit well.

 

 

  

She and I went grocery shopping so she could get some distilled water for the machine and she wore it last night for the first time. I'm hoping it helps her sleep better.

A Quick Post

On Saturday Chuck woke up, went to the bathroom, checked his blood sugar and was making coffee when he suddenly didn't feel well. He sat down in the office chair and quietly said, "Cindy? I feel queasy." 

I stood up and took about 3 steps toward him when... down he went. Completely passed out and fell out of the chair. He didn't brace himself, protect himself, just went down hard.

He cut his head, on what I think was the heater vent deflector. You guys, it was bad. I freaked out, one of the worst wounds I've ever seen in my life. I grabbed a washcloth and put it on his head and just kept calling his name.

Yelling actually. If I yell loud enough he'll hear me and come to, right?!? Crazy, I know. 

He was covered in blood. Sharaya called 911.

After getting 14 staples in his head, all the tests came back normal: CT scan of his brain, blood work, EKG, urine sample... a few hours later the doctor had him sit in a small chair and was talking about discharging him when he said he was feeling dizzy again. A few guys got him back into the bed just in time.

They're keeping him overnight again tonight because every test comes back normal. They have no idea why he passed out so they're going to send him home with a heart monitor tomorrow and see how that goes.

I've thrown the heat deflector away.

Watching The Ocean

Chuck and I got away for a few days this passed week. We planned this in January and I'm so thankful we did. Born and raised in San Diego I love the ocean and certainly didn't appreciate it as much as I should have when I lived there. 

We live on the east side of Puget Sound, a waterway between Seattle and the Olympic Peninsula so we're five minutes from the water. But we're a three hour drive from the ocean.

We went to Ocean Shores and got there around 2:30 Monday afternoon. The weather was cold, rainy and windy. Oooh that wind was cold!

 

This was our view when we arrived. And it was like this for a couple days.

 

We went to the grocery store and bought stuff for breakfasts and dinners but we usually went out for lunch. We played games, read books, walked along the beach, we did whatever we wanted! By Wednesday afternoon the clouds began to part and the view was beautiful! There was so much wildlife there too. One night we drove around the peninsula at dusk and saw 24 deer in about 2 miles!

Little Sandpipers were all over the beach. It's a little hard to see them in the second photo but all those little spots are Sandpipers!

 

I walked along the beach every single day. And every day it was different! Shells and rocks, driftwood and shifting sand. Looking out the window one day, I saw a bald eagle! 

All bundled up and ready to go out!

There were two paths going from the back of the building by the pool, out to the beach.

Looking back, our room was on the top floor. I spent a lot of time out on that balcony!

 

In this picture you can see on the right side, the affect the wind had on the sand compared to the ocean washing up on it.

 

Then on Wednesday afternoon the sun came out!! Oh you guys, it was glorious!!

 

Walking back to the condo, I'm coming to the end of the path and run into this... they really were everywhere!

 

On Thursday, I pulled the chair up to the window and I sat there for three hours. I didn't stress about work. I didn't think about things going on in the world. I just watched the water. I watched the waves crash. I watched the tide come in. I just sat and watched the ocean.

 

And I thought about how blessed I am: I have a loving family; I've had amazing opportunities that many haven't had. This trip being one of them. The Lord has been so good to me and I'm humbled by the grace He pours out to me day after day. 

Have you had an opportunity recently to just 'watch the ocean'?