I'm Home, and The Kids' Visit

Hi,

I flew in late last night and ended up not going to church this morning. I'm grateful we're able to stream the service because that's what I did instead. It's been a busy couple of weeks. The Lord answered my prayers about perseverance, and not getting sick. You know how there are some seasons where you go and go and go, and eventually you end up not feeling well and before you know it you're exhausted and sick? I prayed against that before it all began and I can say today, I'm rested and I feel good.

The day before our family arrived from Pennsylvania, Beth had an appointment down in Seattle. It was a gloomy day, and I'm glad Chuck took the day off to drive us. The last time I was so stressed about having to navigate downtown streets, and about the appointment itself. But because Chuck drove, it was much less stressful. Beth got changed, and then she and I waited for the technician to call us back.

Beth was able to do a seated mammo and did much better this time. The images were much clearer. I took this pic from the internet to show you a little of what it was like for her.

Unfortunately they are concerned about an area and really want to do a biopsy, but they know Beth wouldn't be able to handle it due to her body shape and her cognitive ability. So for now they will continue to monitor her with more frequent screenings. If the area of concern changes at all, we'll have to revisit the idea of a biopsy.

Then Diana, Peter and the kids arrived! They explored everything! Adelaide is at that age where everything is met with one word, "Why?" 😊 And Oliver is crawling and learning to pull himself up on things. 

One day we all went down to the waterfront, and stopped for some ice cream.

We tried to keep the kids busy, that's for sure!

It was so good to have them here! We love you guys and are already looking forward to the next time we get to see you!

A Little of This and That - and Updates

A couple of weekends ago Chuck and Sharaya drove from Seattle down to Santa Clara, CA to join in the Super bowl festivities. The day before the game they went to the Fan Experience at a convention center with all things Super bowl related: food, activities, displays. They enjoyed that but said it was very crowded. 

The next day, even though they didn't have tickets to the actual game they found an Irish pub that was flying the 12's flag and spent the day there. 

They got there before it opened and there were enough people waiting outside that the owner let them all in early. By the time the game started that afternoon they said it was so loud you couldn't even hear the TVs, and the place was packed and people were crazy... and they had the BEST time! They were so glad they went! (I didn't go because I wouldn't be able to handle that much noise for that many hours.)

Diana and Oliver were dressed in their green to represent the Seahawks! 

And this was me watching from home without my hubby. I think it's the first big game we haven't seen together. But I was wearing my fuzzy socks, and had some hot tea and fun snacks. And we won! So I had fun!

Let's see, what else? Oh, Chuck bought a new car recently. New-to-us but still, new! It's a 2022 Hundai Tucson and he really likes it. I say 'his' car (we each have a car) but it's actually our family/retirement car. He wanted to get something newer that would last us through our golden years. We'll pay it off before he retires and we expect this will be the last car we ever buy.  

It's a little strange to be planning for the last years of your life. I'm still close with friends from high school and we were texting this morning about retirement and Medicare and mentioning how it's crazy that we're at that age now. Life really goes by so fast.

We had a few days of sunshine so for lunch one day I walked around our parking lot at work. And saw these little daffodils, they made me smile! It's a little early for them here but we've had some nice weather this winter. The plants are so confused.

Well, I think that's about all from here. Oh wait, updates! 

• Beth's foot is completely healed from where she stepped on the nail.
• It looks like hair is growing in the area where she had the cortisone shot for the alopecia so we made another appointment for next month.
• I was able to cancel the biopsy and schedule a third mammo. I asked if we could do it in Bellevue (about 20-30 minutes east of us) because I was told they have a machine where you can take pics while seated. And she curiously said, "Well, we have one of those machines here too." I don't know why the lady in Seattle didn't tell me that! But we now have a new appointment scheduled for Seattle.
• Chuck is going to physical therapy a couple times a week and his back is doing much better.

Okay now I think I've covered everything. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Thankful It Wasn't More Serious

It's been quite a weekend/week. Nothing major, just non-stop. After work yesterday I came home and got Beth because she had a doctor's appointment. After that we stopped at the grocery store, and got home a little after 5:00. 

Fixed dinner, (we had sliders) then I went out to the computer to look something up on google maps when my sister texted, 'Can you talk'? Sure. We talked, we laughed, we made plans, we hung up an hour later. 

As I was putting my phone into my pocket, I got a text from Chuck letting me know he was heading home. So I went into the kitchen and began making his sliders. After he got home, I went in and took my shower.

For a few days now it's been just one thing after another, nothing major, nothing hard just... constant. :) 

Okay, on to my story. On Thursday Beth and I were at work. She cleans our preschool classes and I learned later that she had just taken a cart full of trash out to the dumpster.

This was taken last year

I was headed to another part of the building when I passed a window that looks down to the second floor.

She was sitting alone at that little table, looking out the doors. When I knocked on the window, she looked up at me And. Was. Sobbing. I kind of hesitated, not sure which direction to go to get down there and by the time I did there were a few people with her.

When she had put everything in the dumpster and then came back into the lobby with the cart, she somehow stepped on a screw, about an inch long. Thankfully she was wearing her crocks that day and the thick sole took most of the screw. It did go into her foot just a little bit though and it hurt!

We were having our clothing bank that day and we provide small shopping carts for the clients to take their things to their cars. Some people are homeless and they bring their own carts, I heard staff members were in and out with carts, that screw could have come from anywhere!

The people who were with her had gotten a first aid kit and handed me disinfecting wipes, antibiotic ointment and a band aid. It wasn't really bleeding but you could see where it went into her foot. By now she was calm and feeling better so she put the cart away and met me at my desk. She got her backpack, I logged off my computer and we headed to the walk-in clinic. 

The doctor looked at her foot and by then it looked like it had started healing. It wasn't bleeding, and the wound was closed. She had a tetanus shot back in 2023 so didn't need another one. She was glad about that! He told me some things to watch for in the next day or two just in case, and said she could take some over-the-counter pain meds if needed. She took some once but hasn't needed any more. Every time I look at it, it looks better and better. 

I asked her today if her foot was hurting and she said, "Not very much." 

So I said, "So it is hurting a little?" 

"No." 

"When you say 'not very much' it means it's hurting a little. Is it hurting?"

"Nope." 

"Okay, well that's good!"

But I'm still checking it every day. :)

We're thanking the Lord it wasn't more serious!

Biopsies

Last Tuesday we took Beth to the dermatologist for two biopsies on her scalp. She's been on a topical medication for the scarring alopecia but it's gotten worse.

I made the appointment more than two months ago but we told Beth about it the day before. We didn't know how she would take it and didn't want her nervous for days leading up to it.

Chuck had two punch biopsies when he was going through treatment for melanoma so he explained to her exactly what would happen, and took the day off to come with us.

The morning of the appointment I believe the Holy Spirit told me to call them about a chair. When Chuck had his done he was just sitting on the table in the exam room. Beth does not like those because they're so high off the ground and there's nothing to support her and nothing to hang onto. 

So I called and asked if there was any way they could do the procedure while she sat in a chair. They put me on hold, then came back and said they absolutely could do that, and it wouldn't be a problem. I was so relieved!

When we walked into the room, there was - like a dentist chair in the middle of the room! 

It was perfect for her! They even put her feet up to really make her comfortable! They gave her the numbing medication, then got right to work. Did two biopsies and were done in less than 10 minutes. 

One thing I've learned to do when Beth is at the doctor is to watch her hands. If she's gripping the arm rest or her hands are in a fist, I know she's in pain or is really scared.

Doing the actual biopsy

Putting in the stitches

She was so chill. Even the doctor said, "You didn't even flinch! You're the first one today who didn't flinch!"

I'll add a picture of her scalp but I'll leave it small. Although the spots are pretty tiny. You can always click on it if you'd like.

So now we wait for the results. There's no cure, it will just tell us the best treatment to keep it from spreading anymore and to make sure there's nothing else going on with her scalp. 

Our Days Have Been Full

 Good evening friends,

I'm writing this on Monday night, although when I was getting on the laptop almost 30 minutes ago, I uploaded some photos, then noticed the desktop was cluttered with documents and so I started organizing those... and now my sister is calling from San Diego. 

Okay, so now it's Tuesday afternoon. Chuck is at a doctor's appointment and Beth is down in her place watching TV. We've been so busy lately. All good things, but just really full days.

Chuck and I took a drive over the weekend, headed east over the 520 floating bridge and into Bellevue, Redmond and Issaquah. It was nice to get away for a few, just us. Mount Rainier was out in all her glory, so close it felt like you could reach out and touch it.

This is a picture of one of the bridges (Seattle has two floating bridges) that I took a few years ago flying into SEA Airport. The bridge is on pontoons that float in the somewhat shallow water.

Mount Rainier from the bridge

We've been video chatting with Diana and the kids. Adelaide was helping her make chocolate chip cookies.

Beth had a doctor's appointment and needed to get some lab work done so they could check her thyroid.

And Christmas. I am so ready to decorate for Christmas! The other night I fixed some hot chocolate with whipped cream and watched a Christmas movie. I don't know, it just felt right!

Chuck should be home soon from his appointment so I need to get ready to go to our storage unit. We're putting away my greeting card/market displays and bringing back Christmas decorations! We usually wait until after Thanksgiving but for some reason this year, I want to decorate now. Do you usually wait for a certain day to decorate?

Enjoy the rest of your week! 

A Girls Day Out

 Hi everyone,

Beth and I had a girls day out last week. A little work and a little fun. 

She had another doctor's appointment on Friday. I always have her read the signs to find out which hallway we're to go down. I don't know about you but it's easy for us to get lost in the maze of hallways and rooms. The test went well, it was just routine.

We're still waiting for the results.

Then it was off to DSW for some shoe shopping! Woohoo! She likes Saucony tennis shoes so it's easy to shop. She knows exactly what she wants and knows to look for the name as she goes down the aisle. I got some Bob's, they're a knock-off of Toms. I loved the colors as soon as I saw them. I'm really liking the blues and creams lately.

Beth just got home from karaoke and art so I ran down to see if I could take a picture of her shoes. I thought she would take them off but instead she spun her chair, and planted her feet. 😄 I think she's done 'peopling' for today.

After DSW we went to Chick-Fil-A for a late lunch/early dinner. We recently learned they're opening one right around the corner from our house! That could be dangerous!

Then it was home for rest and relaxation. We don't do it all the time but when we do, we love to shop!

When you shop, do you get in and get out? Or are you one to browse? Or do you shop on-line?

Have a great rest of your week!

Scan Results

We got the results and we're thankful there's no tumor or mass of any kind. But they still don't know why her stomach is so hard.

We need to go in for another blood draw because the doctor wants to test her thyroid again.

The scan did show Beth has Steatotic liver disease meaning she has excess fat in her liver. The doctor checked her enzymes and so far her liver looks fine. She recommended Beth continue to eat a healthy diet and exercise when possible.

Chuck takes a gummy vitamin supplement and we started giving some to Beth. He gets three bottles at a time with 90 in  each and noticed they were going through them awfully fast. So last week he hid them. While we were both gone one day Beth went on the hunt and found them and took a bunch downstairs. She went through an entire bottle in a week! We think she's eating them like candy.  

Chuck and I buy small cheese snacks  - little rectangles of cheese to take in our lunches. Beth stopped buying cheese for herself because she's not supposed to eat it anymore but when I was in her room recently I saw 6 cheese wrappers on her floor. She takes our cheese and eats it anyway and just takes lactaid every time. Now I wonder how much the lactaid is affecting her.

So I've decided Beth won't be going to the grocery store anymore. I will do her shopping for her. When I asked her for her list last week she texted me:

'Oreo Double Stuf Gluten free'

'Fruit Snacks 22' (Meaning a box of 22 packages)

'Ice Cream / Cake'

'Lemonda Drink' (Lemonade)

She sent this to me on Friday night. I was still recovering from our Thanksgiving outreach and was spending the day in my recliner. She had come upstairs and went down the hallway. I could hear her mumbling, then she deliberately stomped past me and went back downstairs. Then she sent me this:

'i did sent my shopping list ready why you are not going to the store to get it' 'ice cream and fruit snack of gummy bears and lemonade and sausage too'

So I went down and talked with her. That's when I told her she won't be grocery shopping anymore. The list I had made of all the food she CAN eat was on the floor so I put it back on her bulletin board. I hope we can get this figured out so she CAN go grocery shopping again some day!

Doctors now realize that many people with Ds don't have the leptin hormone that tells them when they're full. And there's now a medication they can take that helps with that. I plan to talk to her doctor about that when we see her later this month.  

Thanksgiving and CT Scan

Our thanksgiving outreach was wonderful and even made our local news. You can see it here: Thanksgiving Dinner

We served more than 1200 guests and 500 volunteers. This was our 30th year and some of us were talking about how much it's changed over the years. When we started it we got a lot of first responders, and even doctors who work at our local hospital would come by on their lunch break. A lot of people who had to work and couldn't go home would come by to eat. Now, it's mainly immigrants, people who are new to the area or even to the country. Many don't speak English. We also had a lot from the deaf community. We have a small deaf ministry and they invited a lot of their friends. It was a blessing to serve so many.

All ready for the guests to arrive

Beth had her CT scan on Wednesday. We watched a few videos on what to expect and I wasn't sure who was more nervous, me or her! It's hard to describe the feeling you get when you're nervous for something that's happening to your child. I actually felt the knot in my stomach - and I wasn't even having the procedure! They got her on the table and I was able to hold her hand while they got her situated in the machine. Then the doctor and I left the room while they did the scans.

When they put the dye contrast in her arm she had to keep it raised while they did the next set of scans. The entire procedure took about 25 minutes.

After we helped her sit back up she took a deep breath and just sat there for a minute. Then she said she was ready to go, she stood up and we left. That was it. She did really good, she always does.

How was your Thanksgiving? (We're having our family Thanksgiving on Sunday.) 

Do you get nervous when someone you love is having a procedure?

Girls Day Out

 Beth had a doctor's appointment last Friday. Just a follow up to go over the results of her lab work. Everything's normal. She's not in perimenopause but I'm thankful her cycle is regulated now. We don't know how it happened, we're not doing anything different, medication is the same, but my guess is... answered prayer. 

 

 She does retain water in her legs so the doctor suggested we get her an automann or something so she can raise her legs when she's sitting. So when we left the doctor we headed to a furniture store. She liked almost every chair she sat in. Here she's taking pictures of some of her favorites.

 

 Trying to find the controls...

 

 We haven't bought anything yet. She needs to save up a little more money first, plus we want to check a few other stores.

 

From there we headed to the mall. We were a little early for the movie so we stopped at the food court for a snack. Pizza bites at our favorite place!

 

While we were eating she held her hands up by her shoulders, then pointed down toward her lap and said, "This good for me. Getting out." We talked about how important it is to get good exercise every day. Even though she goes out four days a week, plus does chores around the house she spends too much time watching TV. It's become that way for all three of us. When Chuck and I sit down at the end of the day, we pull out our phones and spend a few hours just scrolling or playing games. It's so hard to stop!

 

Well, after we ate we walked across a small section of the parking lot to the theater.

 

 She's been wanting to see this since it came out ~

 

It was good. Our take-away was that it's okay to feel a little anxiety sometimes, or to be scared or sad. But we need to talk to someone about it, share with our family or friends and not let the emotions consume us. Galatians 6:2 - Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

 

I like that it opens the door for conversations about what we all seem to be going through lately. I was recently listening to Priscilla Shirer and she mentioned how we didn't just go through a medical pandemic. We're also going through a political pandemic. And a social pandemic. I agree.

 

I don't know where I'd be without the Lord. Knowing that He is in complete control brings me peace of mind. 

 

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a wonderful day!