I feel like I'm whining, and that's definitely not what I want to do. The surgery seems to have cleared up the initial disc problem, but apparently something else has gone awry on my left side. The pain has been pretty much non-stop, with good days and bad days, good nights and bad nights, since my first experience with a urinary tract infection, keeping me from feeling good. Having taken the tapered prednisone prescribed by my doctor, I waited another week to see if the pain would subside, and it didn't, so I called him on Tuesday. I went in for another MRI on Wednesday morning.
I'm not thrilled that I had to undergo another MRI, which is like having 500 x-rays taken, but I DO want to know why I have so much pain in the left side of my back, which radiates throughout my entire left hip area. I'm not claustrophobic, so sliding into that narrow tube didn't bother me; however, laying on that table caused my back to roar with pain. By the time I was slid out of the tube, I had tears in my eyes because the pain was so bad. The nurse had to help me sit up. I now have to wait until next Friday, August 5, for me to see my doctor and get the results of the MRI.
In the meantime, I've tried to increase my walking distance and went about half a mile with my husband last evening, after dark, when it was a mere 90 degrees outside, a considerable drop from the high temperature of 102 that day. At least the sun wasn't beating down on us! When we were heading back to our house, I mentioned to Bob that my back was hurting, but it didn't get any worse, and I slept well until around 6 AM today. Within an hour of rising, however, my back burned and throbbed with pain. Even taking 2 pain pills did not take away the extreme discomfort, although it did take the edge off the pain after about 2 hours. I wonder if walking so far had anything to do with it. There's no way to tell, I guess, unless I do the same thing some other evening.
So I'm trying to manage the pain while I wait for next Friday to be told what the MRI revealed. Whatever it reveals, I pray that it doesn't require surgery.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
An Epidemic
This blog is a far cry from my normal writing and not pleasant to discuss, but I hope you read on. I've been sickened by what I hear in the news almost daily.
There's an epidemic running rampant in this country, and it's horrific beyond description. Fathers are killing the mothers of their children. Yes, killing the very women to whom they made love and with whom they fathered children -- how horrendous is that!? They are also killing their pregnant wives! In the Raleigh/Durham area alone, there are multiple cases involving such crimes, two of which have occurred during the last two weeks. These crimes are beyond my comprehension, and I hope they are beyond yours, too.
The very people that God has commanded to protect their wives are killing them instead. Many times the couple is no longer married or never married in the first place, but had children together, and are going through a bitter custody battle. How can any man raise a hand to women they have bedded? (I can't say "loved" because if they loved that woman, they never would be able to murder her.) The most recent case in my area involves a man and his current wife, by whom he had a child this past spring, murdering his former girlfriend, by whom he had two boys, now ages 1 and 3, dismembering her body, packing it in coolers, and driving it to another state, where it was tossed into a creek. Their attempt to go undiscovered obviously didn't pay off because they are now behind bars and not allowed bail. This horrific crime has stunned this area and has emphasized the fact that men are abdicating their responsibilities to women, their wives, and their children.
The Bible has hundreds of references to the word "father", and the Psalms and Proverbs are filled with words of wisdom as to the responsibility of fathers toward their children. The way men treat women nowadays is a far cry from honoring and cherishing them, and pointing fingers at other nations and the way they treat their women seems to be a bit hypocritical when an epidemic of murdering mothers has gripped this nation. Yes, other nations do treat their women unjustly; that's a known fact. Yet men in this country have turned a harsh hand toward women that have given birth to their children, and something must be done about it. But what?
I heard a statistic recently, and I wish I could remember the exact figures, but it had to do with the number of families that actually had fathers present and active in them. About 30 years ago, 79% of families had a father, but currently only 47% do. Women are being impregnated and left to handle the responsibilities of raising a fatherless child. This is breeding disaster for our nation and for any other country which is in the same boat.
If a country loses its moral compass, anything goes, and we are slipping down a slope that encourages irresponsibility, selfishness, corruption, dishonesty, immorality, deceit, and a belief that anyone can do what they want, when they want. Such a sad state of affairs will not go unnoticed by God. It's time to get back to basics, back to family, and back to faith.
There's an epidemic running rampant in this country, and it's horrific beyond description. Fathers are killing the mothers of their children. Yes, killing the very women to whom they made love and with whom they fathered children -- how horrendous is that!? They are also killing their pregnant wives! In the Raleigh/Durham area alone, there are multiple cases involving such crimes, two of which have occurred during the last two weeks. These crimes are beyond my comprehension, and I hope they are beyond yours, too.
The very people that God has commanded to protect their wives are killing them instead. Many times the couple is no longer married or never married in the first place, but had children together, and are going through a bitter custody battle. How can any man raise a hand to women they have bedded? (I can't say "loved" because if they loved that woman, they never would be able to murder her.) The most recent case in my area involves a man and his current wife, by whom he had a child this past spring, murdering his former girlfriend, by whom he had two boys, now ages 1 and 3, dismembering her body, packing it in coolers, and driving it to another state, where it was tossed into a creek. Their attempt to go undiscovered obviously didn't pay off because they are now behind bars and not allowed bail. This horrific crime has stunned this area and has emphasized the fact that men are abdicating their responsibilities to women, their wives, and their children.
The Bible has hundreds of references to the word "father", and the Psalms and Proverbs are filled with words of wisdom as to the responsibility of fathers toward their children. The way men treat women nowadays is a far cry from honoring and cherishing them, and pointing fingers at other nations and the way they treat their women seems to be a bit hypocritical when an epidemic of murdering mothers has gripped this nation. Yes, other nations do treat their women unjustly; that's a known fact. Yet men in this country have turned a harsh hand toward women that have given birth to their children, and something must be done about it. But what?
I heard a statistic recently, and I wish I could remember the exact figures, but it had to do with the number of families that actually had fathers present and active in them. About 30 years ago, 79% of families had a father, but currently only 47% do. Women are being impregnated and left to handle the responsibilities of raising a fatherless child. This is breeding disaster for our nation and for any other country which is in the same boat.
If a country loses its moral compass, anything goes, and we are slipping down a slope that encourages irresponsibility, selfishness, corruption, dishonesty, immorality, deceit, and a belief that anyone can do what they want, when they want. Such a sad state of affairs will not go unnoticed by God. It's time to get back to basics, back to family, and back to faith.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
How Hot Is It?
For those of you who live in hotter climates (I know there are some), seeing temperatures climb to 103 degrees is nothing, but for those of us in the Carolinas, this is record-breaking heat. The hottest temperature ever recorded in North Carolina is 105, and that occurred back in 1952, if I'm remembering correctly the information passed on by the weather man. So today is the fourth consecutive day that we've seen 100 or better, and all I can say is hot is hot! Once it hits 100 degrees, what does it matter if it climbs to 103 or 105? For me, it doesn't matter at all! It just gets more miserable to be outside! Needless to say, I don't go outside unless I have to, but since I have my daughter's 2 dogs for the weekend, outside I must go several times a day. It feels like I'm opening an oven door when I slide the door open; I'm tempted to place a skillet in the sun, add a little oil, and drop in an egg -- just to see if it will cook! I don't doubt for a minute that it would!
My granddaughter Cami is with me for the weekend while her mother and father take her brother to a camp in Pennsylvania -- in the mountains where it will be a heck of a lot cooler! Cami and I have thought about going to the pool, which we'll probably do tomorrow, but if we go, I'm going to take my beach umbrella so I can have some shade. The thought of sitting in the sun, albeit soaking wet, simply does not appeal to me. There are better ways to spend an afternoon, like in the air-conditioning!
Even the dogs have come to appreciate the cool air inside. Neither one of them wants to be outside for long, and who can blame them. They are black as coal and get too hot to touch if left in the sun long enough. I pity those with black hair in weather like this and thank God that mine is now white!
Rain has been absent from our area even though showers have fallen elsewhere. I've told God that I sure could use a little help in keeping the vegetation in my yard alive -- He does a much better job of watering than I do in a fraction of the time, and it's free!
If you live in the part of the US that is experiencing this excessive heat, stay cool and stay hydrated, and if you have pets, please bring them inside. In the meantime, pray for relief!
My granddaughter Cami is with me for the weekend while her mother and father take her brother to a camp in Pennsylvania -- in the mountains where it will be a heck of a lot cooler! Cami and I have thought about going to the pool, which we'll probably do tomorrow, but if we go, I'm going to take my beach umbrella so I can have some shade. The thought of sitting in the sun, albeit soaking wet, simply does not appeal to me. There are better ways to spend an afternoon, like in the air-conditioning!
Even the dogs have come to appreciate the cool air inside. Neither one of them wants to be outside for long, and who can blame them. They are black as coal and get too hot to touch if left in the sun long enough. I pity those with black hair in weather like this and thank God that mine is now white!
Rain has been absent from our area even though showers have fallen elsewhere. I've told God that I sure could use a little help in keeping the vegetation in my yard alive -- He does a much better job of watering than I do in a fraction of the time, and it's free!
If you live in the part of the US that is experiencing this excessive heat, stay cool and stay hydrated, and if you have pets, please bring them inside. In the meantime, pray for relief!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
2X4 Fun
This has nothing to do with timber or wood -- really! This past Sunday, we gathered at my daughter's house and celebrated the birthdays of Benny, who will be 2 on July 20, and Niland, who is 4 today, July 19. When Bob and I arrived, we were greeted, as usual, by the dogs, and that has to come first or you can't get past them to everyone that really matters. Upon seeing me, Benny raised his arms, indicating that he wanted me to pick him up, but I had to tell him that I had to sit down first, and he was perfectly content once on my lap. We spent the late afternoon playing, swinging, and watching Dori's chickens, five of them, and the boys are simply fascinated by them. I helped Niland pull fresh grass and stuff it through the fence for the chickens, and Benny was soon helping us as best he could.
Dinner was the usual chaotic event, with Julian, who is almost 3 months old, needing to be fed, causing mom and dad to eat in shifts, their usual arrangement. Niland ate all of one bite of his hotdog and a little watermelon before he announced that he was "stuffed"; Benny ate almost all of his hotdog, albeit without the bun, and a heap of watermelon and chips.
For the first time since May 2 when my disc went out, I held Julian while walking to a chair. The little guy is into being entertained and loves to have his arms moved back and forth, up and down, and his fists tapped to his face, which literally makes him laugh, so I had an fabulous time entertaining him on occasion.
Benny went 'missing', and I found him in Cami's room, trying to lock himself in. He's figured out that pushing the buttons on doors makes it so no one else can easily get into the room, and he does this when he has to go poop. So there he was, pushing the door shut with me on the other side preventing him from doing so. I asked him, "Benny, are you going poop?"
"No."
"Are you done?"
"No."
"Do you want me to get mommy?"
"No."
Need I say that 'no' is his favorite word? I called down the hall to Bee, who was in the kitchen, and she came and tended to Benny, who had definitely gone poop.
After dinner, the boys and Cami went swimming in the hottub on the deck. The temperature is turned down for the summer. Niland and Benny have spent a lot of time in the water lately, both at the beach and in a swimming pool while on vacation with Bee's family in Florida, so they are really into swimming right now. They have floaties that hold their arms up, so after getting ready, in they went. Cami is such a little mother, and she watched over those 2 little boys, especially Benny, in such a grownup way. Nate was right at the edge of the tub, but Benny pretty much floated on his stomach by himself and moved around freely, perfectly comfortable in the water. Niland's thing was jumping and going under water, which sent waves crashing over the side and onto Nate's shoes.
Cake and ice cream followed, and then gifts were given to the boys. Julian fell asleep in Bee's arms, and soon it was time to go home. I took Benny and Niland to their minivan and asked Benny if he could climb up into his car seat, and he did. Once seated, I started strapping him in, and he said, "Buckle" as he pointed to it. He's getting so many words now -- can't wait for sentences to follow!
Niland said, "Nana, come buckle me in."
"I don't know if I can make it all the way back there." Niland sits in the back seat (third row), as Benny and Julian sit in the middle seat, and I honestly didn't know if I could get back there. "I'll try though."
I started heaving myself through the side door and toward the back, and Niland offered this as encouragement. "Don't worry, Nana. You can bring your whole self back here."
And I did. I clipped his seatbelt, gave him a final kiss, and slid back out the way I went in. Such an accomplishment.
Sleeping Julian was soon in place, and I'm sure all three boys were sound asleep by the time they arrived home.
Birthdays -- they come like clockwork. The little girl inside me can't believe that I'll be turning 62 in September; it just doesn't seem possible. But then I see all of my wonderful children and grandchildren, and the truth hits me that I'm the oldest generation now. I'm the "old" person.
My prayer is that my body will heal sufficiently so that I can do those things with my grandkids that I did before so they can see -- and remember -- that age is a state of mind, not a number. Even though I may be gray and have elephant skin, I can still be active and fun.
Happy birthday, Niland and Benny!
Dinner was the usual chaotic event, with Julian, who is almost 3 months old, needing to be fed, causing mom and dad to eat in shifts, their usual arrangement. Niland ate all of one bite of his hotdog and a little watermelon before he announced that he was "stuffed"; Benny ate almost all of his hotdog, albeit without the bun, and a heap of watermelon and chips.
For the first time since May 2 when my disc went out, I held Julian while walking to a chair. The little guy is into being entertained and loves to have his arms moved back and forth, up and down, and his fists tapped to his face, which literally makes him laugh, so I had an fabulous time entertaining him on occasion.
Benny went 'missing', and I found him in Cami's room, trying to lock himself in. He's figured out that pushing the buttons on doors makes it so no one else can easily get into the room, and he does this when he has to go poop. So there he was, pushing the door shut with me on the other side preventing him from doing so. I asked him, "Benny, are you going poop?"
"No."
"Are you done?"
"No."
"Do you want me to get mommy?"
"No."
Need I say that 'no' is his favorite word? I called down the hall to Bee, who was in the kitchen, and she came and tended to Benny, who had definitely gone poop.
After dinner, the boys and Cami went swimming in the hottub on the deck. The temperature is turned down for the summer. Niland and Benny have spent a lot of time in the water lately, both at the beach and in a swimming pool while on vacation with Bee's family in Florida, so they are really into swimming right now. They have floaties that hold their arms up, so after getting ready, in they went. Cami is such a little mother, and she watched over those 2 little boys, especially Benny, in such a grownup way. Nate was right at the edge of the tub, but Benny pretty much floated on his stomach by himself and moved around freely, perfectly comfortable in the water. Niland's thing was jumping and going under water, which sent waves crashing over the side and onto Nate's shoes.
Cake and ice cream followed, and then gifts were given to the boys. Julian fell asleep in Bee's arms, and soon it was time to go home. I took Benny and Niland to their minivan and asked Benny if he could climb up into his car seat, and he did. Once seated, I started strapping him in, and he said, "Buckle" as he pointed to it. He's getting so many words now -- can't wait for sentences to follow!
Niland said, "Nana, come buckle me in."
"I don't know if I can make it all the way back there." Niland sits in the back seat (third row), as Benny and Julian sit in the middle seat, and I honestly didn't know if I could get back there. "I'll try though."
I started heaving myself through the side door and toward the back, and Niland offered this as encouragement. "Don't worry, Nana. You can bring your whole self back here."
And I did. I clipped his seatbelt, gave him a final kiss, and slid back out the way I went in. Such an accomplishment.
Sleeping Julian was soon in place, and I'm sure all three boys were sound asleep by the time they arrived home.
Birthdays -- they come like clockwork. The little girl inside me can't believe that I'll be turning 62 in September; it just doesn't seem possible. But then I see all of my wonderful children and grandchildren, and the truth hits me that I'm the oldest generation now. I'm the "old" person.
My prayer is that my body will heal sufficiently so that I can do those things with my grandkids that I did before so they can see -- and remember -- that age is a state of mind, not a number. Even though I may be gray and have elephant skin, I can still be active and fun.
Happy birthday, Niland and Benny!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Bewildered
Some things are easily understood, others aren't. This past week has seen an unexpected increase in back pain for me, but on the left side, not the right, so I'm now back on tapered Prednisone. If I don't do much but sit around, I'm fine, but if I take a walk for 8-10 minutes or actually DO anything that comes close to being called work, then I have pain. This doesn't sit well with me. I'm bewildered as to this turn of events. One thing for certain, I have a lot of empathy for people who suffer from back pain; it is not an easy thing to endure with grace.
Even as I muddle through this recovery, I have to count my blessings. My three sisters, the oldest of which died on April 5 of this year, have all suffered with varying degrees of back problems their entire lives. My deceased sister had it the worst, having multiple -- probably 10 -- surgeries throughout her life and enduring pain that severely impacted her life. My youngest sister has had not only scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and several surgeries, but is also a cancer survivor, the treatment of which caused her to develop neuropathy and which has pretty much confined her to a wheelchair. My other sister has had at least one surgery that I can recall, a disc and fusion, so for me to have reached the ripe old age of 58 before I had any problems whatsoever is a true blessing. I don't recall our father or his parents having back problems, so I guess it comes from our mother's side. We have a very fractured family, so medical history is sparse at best. Anyway, blessings always accompany problems, and I need to focus on the blessings.
We're experiencing a very pleasant change in the weather, cool enough at night to open the windows. The hummingbirds continue to delight me, humming around my head and almost crashing into me as they war over the feeders. This morning I saw an unusual sight -- 2 hummingbirds simultaneously on the same feeder. They drank to their hearts' content, looked quizzically at each other, and then started sparring over the feeder. I could just hear them saying, "Hey, we're not supposed to share -- let's duke it out!"
There's much that goes on in my yard, as noted while I sat quietly early yesterday morning. I saw multiple hummingbirds, American Gold Finches, a bluebird, cardinals, and countless other small songbirds darting back and forth. If I could only be like those birds, singing simply because a new day has dawned and that they are alive to enjoy it.
Even though I'm bewildered by the increased pain in my back, I'm still going to sing because I have breath to do so. Please join me -- we could make quite a chorus!
Even as I muddle through this recovery, I have to count my blessings. My three sisters, the oldest of which died on April 5 of this year, have all suffered with varying degrees of back problems their entire lives. My deceased sister had it the worst, having multiple -- probably 10 -- surgeries throughout her life and enduring pain that severely impacted her life. My youngest sister has had not only scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and several surgeries, but is also a cancer survivor, the treatment of which caused her to develop neuropathy and which has pretty much confined her to a wheelchair. My other sister has had at least one surgery that I can recall, a disc and fusion, so for me to have reached the ripe old age of 58 before I had any problems whatsoever is a true blessing. I don't recall our father or his parents having back problems, so I guess it comes from our mother's side. We have a very fractured family, so medical history is sparse at best. Anyway, blessings always accompany problems, and I need to focus on the blessings.
We're experiencing a very pleasant change in the weather, cool enough at night to open the windows. The hummingbirds continue to delight me, humming around my head and almost crashing into me as they war over the feeders. This morning I saw an unusual sight -- 2 hummingbirds simultaneously on the same feeder. They drank to their hearts' content, looked quizzically at each other, and then started sparring over the feeder. I could just hear them saying, "Hey, we're not supposed to share -- let's duke it out!"
There's much that goes on in my yard, as noted while I sat quietly early yesterday morning. I saw multiple hummingbirds, American Gold Finches, a bluebird, cardinals, and countless other small songbirds darting back and forth. If I could only be like those birds, singing simply because a new day has dawned and that they are alive to enjoy it.
Even though I'm bewildered by the increased pain in my back, I'm still going to sing because I have breath to do so. Please join me -- we could make quite a chorus!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Moving Along to Wellness
Another visit to my orthopaedic surgeon this morning showed that things are mending nicely. I guess I should expect to have pain in my lower back at this time, but I surely do hope it goes away. Nights are the worst. Moving around in bed is so uncomfortable that it wakes me up, and I dare say that I've bothered my husband on most of those nights. Some of my restrictions have been lifted, so I can now twist and bend, but only as much as is comfortable for me. Guess I won't be doing a full aerobic workout for a while!
My husband's daughter, Kristen, is going to bring dinner for us tonight -- and I can't thank her enough. Such simple things as cooking and cleaning tire me easily, so her offering of a meal is such an overwhelming blessing. And a neighbor of mine has cleaned our house twice to help us out, and that's no small feat with 2 large cats with very long fur lounging around on the area rugs. Again, God has provided for our needs during this time, going back to the first week I was home from the hospital when friends from church brought meals over every other night. I don't know what I would have done without all this help.
So I'm now going to concentrate on getting back my strength; I think the urinary tract infection truly sapped me and has slowed the recovery from the surgery. Now that that's behind me, I can do a little cleaning, cooking, and maybe a little gardening, but I'll pace myself and not overdo it. I'm definitely not as young as I used to be!
When Bob and I returned from the beach on Tuesday so he could catch a flight on Wednesday morning, I was blessed with a most wondrous event on my deck. I had returned from the doctor, where I learned that I did have a urinary tract infection, as suspected, and went outside to sit on the deck. We have 3 hummingbird feeders, one of which is suspended from underneath the umbrella around our table. I pulled a chair out from the table and sat on it, and within one minute, 4 hummingbirds were flying around me, all of them chattering their chirping sounds and hovering less than 2 feet from my face! It was as if they were saying, "Hey, where have you been? We sure are glad that you're back! Please put fresh sugar water in our feeder!" So I did just that. When I came back outside with the feeder, I wondered if a hummingbird would come and drink from it if I held it in my hand, so I returned to the chair, rested my elbow on the armrest, and held the feeder still. I was immediately surrounded by several birds, and one little fellow flew down and had a drink! It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life!
Hummingbirds frequent our feeders and do battle over them. They captivate me like no other bird. So small, so full of energy, such fast flyers, and such unique appetites -- the tiniest of birds. They bring delight to the soul and lift spirits simply by their beauty and amazing flying skills.
My husband's daughter, Kristen, is going to bring dinner for us tonight -- and I can't thank her enough. Such simple things as cooking and cleaning tire me easily, so her offering of a meal is such an overwhelming blessing. And a neighbor of mine has cleaned our house twice to help us out, and that's no small feat with 2 large cats with very long fur lounging around on the area rugs. Again, God has provided for our needs during this time, going back to the first week I was home from the hospital when friends from church brought meals over every other night. I don't know what I would have done without all this help.
So I'm now going to concentrate on getting back my strength; I think the urinary tract infection truly sapped me and has slowed the recovery from the surgery. Now that that's behind me, I can do a little cleaning, cooking, and maybe a little gardening, but I'll pace myself and not overdo it. I'm definitely not as young as I used to be!
When Bob and I returned from the beach on Tuesday so he could catch a flight on Wednesday morning, I was blessed with a most wondrous event on my deck. I had returned from the doctor, where I learned that I did have a urinary tract infection, as suspected, and went outside to sit on the deck. We have 3 hummingbird feeders, one of which is suspended from underneath the umbrella around our table. I pulled a chair out from the table and sat on it, and within one minute, 4 hummingbirds were flying around me, all of them chattering their chirping sounds and hovering less than 2 feet from my face! It was as if they were saying, "Hey, where have you been? We sure are glad that you're back! Please put fresh sugar water in our feeder!" So I did just that. When I came back outside with the feeder, I wondered if a hummingbird would come and drink from it if I held it in my hand, so I returned to the chair, rested my elbow on the armrest, and held the feeder still. I was immediately surrounded by several birds, and one little fellow flew down and had a drink! It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life!
Hummingbirds frequent our feeders and do battle over them. They captivate me like no other bird. So small, so full of energy, such fast flyers, and such unique appetites -- the tiniest of birds. They bring delight to the soul and lift spirits simply by their beauty and amazing flying skills.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Beach Memories
Memories -- the stuff of which life is made. Being at the beach with my two children and their families created precious memories that will fill my heart with warmth for the rest of my life. Here are a few of them:
I have to admit that I wasn't all upbeat while there; my back was in a great deal of pain -- and still is -- and I was broken-hearted that I couldn't do what I love to do -- swim in the ocean, ride the waves, and boogey-board. Long walks on the beach were also out; simply walking to the beach, a distance of approximately a quarter mile, wore me out, and then I had to turn around and return to the beach house, so going to the beach was exhausting. Pity isn't admirable, and I wallowed in it a bit. Having been active all of my life, the restrictions with which I'm dealing are very frustrating. As my daughter and I sat on the beach one day, my eyes filled with tears over what I couldn't do, and she reminded me that I'll be able to do it next year, and yes, with God's help, I will.
Pain teaches people a lot of things; first of all, I have great empathy for those who experience pain daily because I've lived with it daily for two and a half months. Pain softens the heart and opens the eyes to things we've never observed before; pain teaches us to take nothing for granted. So I pray for God's grace to get me through this period, for His patience while I'm in it, and for His restoration when I come out of it.
- Benny experiencing the waves of the ocean for the first time;
- Niland sitting on his daddy's shoulders and riding the waves;
- Julian, all of 2 months old, smiling and laughing at me;
- Cami, fearless wave rider, ducking under those that would take her under;
- Luke holding Benny for almost 2 hours as the little fellow finally collapsed with exhaustion;
- Niland sleeping on his tummy in the living room, arms tucked beneath himself, early in the morning;
- My daughter-in-law Bee getting wiped out by a wave while sitting in the surf with Benny, who thought it was the greatest thing ever;
- The grandkids finding sand fleas as the waves pulled back to the ocean;
- The calm beauty of the ocean and the sky;
- The endless roar of the pounding surf;
- The excitement on Dori's and John's faces when each of them found whole, unbroken sand dollars which were already dead;
- Finding my own welk shell the last morning of our stay;
- The wind blowing across my face, spraying salty air and sand on occasion;
- Watching the sea oats etch patterns in the sand as the wind bent and swayed them;
- A kite which looked like a dragon fly suspended in the sky;
- Pelicans flying in formation at rooftop height, effortlessly harnessing the wind as they glided down the coast;
- Benny's face covered with chocolate;
- Niland stating that he needed a more quiet place to sleep than his bedroom;
- Watching the sun rise while sitting on the back deck of the beach house;
- Smelling the fresh clean scent of rain as it finally fell on very dry and thirsty land;
- Having cinnamon buns and coffee for breakfast;
- Playing Dutch Blitz with Cami, Luke and John; Cami is very sharp for a 9-year-old!;
- Enjoying scrumptious seafood at a local eatery;
- Eating hand-made ice cream at the same place we've eaten it before; Cami can never finish her single scoop -- it is SO BIG!
Pain teaches people a lot of things; first of all, I have great empathy for those who experience pain daily because I've lived with it daily for two and a half months. Pain softens the heart and opens the eyes to things we've never observed before; pain teaches us to take nothing for granted. So I pray for God's grace to get me through this period, for His patience while I'm in it, and for His restoration when I come out of it.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Explanation
Bob and I had to return home from Ocean Isle on Tuesday because Bob had to catch a flight to Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday morning to compete in the International Competition of the Barbershop Harmony Society. Thirty choruses from all over the world were converging there for this prestigeous competition; they are the best of the best. Bob's group, The General Assembly Chorus of Raleigh, North Carolina, had won the Dixie District last October, opening the way to the Kansas City competition. We arrived home, and Bob did some of his vending business for about 4 hours. We went out for dinner and then returned home and got him packed for the trip, finally getting to bed a little before midnight.
On the way home, I called my family doctor and was able to schedule an appointment for 2 PM. I've not been feeling well and, as written in a previous post, have been dealing with hip/back pain, which I don't believe is connected to my surgery, and a low-grade fever which comes and goes. I've had only one urinary tract infection years ago, and I believed that was my problem here. The initial test on the urine sample at the doctor's office indicated white blood cells present, confirming my suspicion of a urinary tract infection. I was given an antibiotic, which couldn't be taken with calcium products or vitamins, and I was supposed to avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight while taking it. It's not easy to avoid sun exposure when one is at the beach! But it was good to find out that my aching hips and low-grade fever were not related to my surgery and that taking the antibiotic would clear it up. I felt better within 2 days.
After dropping Bob at the airport Wednesday morning, I headed back to Ocean Isle. Where traffic had been congested and moving 10 miles per hour below the speed limit, I was now able to put the car on cruise control and move along at 70 mph. I-40 seemed vacant; some open stretches carried only 8 cars per mile! I stopped once to use the rest room and stretch my legs. I made the trip in good time and was back at the beach house in early afternoon.
The trip to Durham on Tuesday wasn't too difficult, but my back was still affected. Turning around and doing it all over again on Wednesday simply compounded my discomfort, and my back was aching and burning when I arrived at Ocean Isle. The bed in our room had been an issue with me; it wasn't a bad mattress or anything like that; it just wasn't the one I was used to. I'd brought a foam pad to put over the mattress to give a little extra cushion (I take the foam pad with me every time I travel), but it didn't seem to help much. I had only one good night's sleep while there -- Friday night -- and endured burning, aching back and hips for my entire stay. Ibuprofen helped but didn't take all the pain away.
The waves at the beach were rough due to the ocean breeze until Thursday, when the breezes calmed down, which allowed the ocean to calm also. The waves gently rolled to the shore, and I was finally able to get out past the breakers and ride the gentle swells, which was very enjoyable because the weight was taken off my back. I also went to the pool several times and experienced the same weightlessness, easing the strain on my back. I felt like I turned into an elephant when I came out of the water!
Now that the antibiotic has done its work, I feel much better; I'll be able to take that report to my orthopaedic surgeon on Tuesday. He was confused and concerned about the unexplained back and hip pain when there didn't appear to be any infection at the surgical site. Now that I have an explanation for the pain and low-grade fever, I'm praying that my strength will start to return. The walk from the house to the beach was no more than a quarter of a mile, and it exhausted me. Benny didn't have to hurry to keep up to his nana; his nana had to hurry to keep up with him!
On the way home, I called my family doctor and was able to schedule an appointment for 2 PM. I've not been feeling well and, as written in a previous post, have been dealing with hip/back pain, which I don't believe is connected to my surgery, and a low-grade fever which comes and goes. I've had only one urinary tract infection years ago, and I believed that was my problem here. The initial test on the urine sample at the doctor's office indicated white blood cells present, confirming my suspicion of a urinary tract infection. I was given an antibiotic, which couldn't be taken with calcium products or vitamins, and I was supposed to avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight while taking it. It's not easy to avoid sun exposure when one is at the beach! But it was good to find out that my aching hips and low-grade fever were not related to my surgery and that taking the antibiotic would clear it up. I felt better within 2 days.
After dropping Bob at the airport Wednesday morning, I headed back to Ocean Isle. Where traffic had been congested and moving 10 miles per hour below the speed limit, I was now able to put the car on cruise control and move along at 70 mph. I-40 seemed vacant; some open stretches carried only 8 cars per mile! I stopped once to use the rest room and stretch my legs. I made the trip in good time and was back at the beach house in early afternoon.
The trip to Durham on Tuesday wasn't too difficult, but my back was still affected. Turning around and doing it all over again on Wednesday simply compounded my discomfort, and my back was aching and burning when I arrived at Ocean Isle. The bed in our room had been an issue with me; it wasn't a bad mattress or anything like that; it just wasn't the one I was used to. I'd brought a foam pad to put over the mattress to give a little extra cushion (I take the foam pad with me every time I travel), but it didn't seem to help much. I had only one good night's sleep while there -- Friday night -- and endured burning, aching back and hips for my entire stay. Ibuprofen helped but didn't take all the pain away.
The waves at the beach were rough due to the ocean breeze until Thursday, when the breezes calmed down, which allowed the ocean to calm also. The waves gently rolled to the shore, and I was finally able to get out past the breakers and ride the gentle swells, which was very enjoyable because the weight was taken off my back. I also went to the pool several times and experienced the same weightlessness, easing the strain on my back. I felt like I turned into an elephant when I came out of the water!
Now that the antibiotic has done its work, I feel much better; I'll be able to take that report to my orthopaedic surgeon on Tuesday. He was confused and concerned about the unexplained back and hip pain when there didn't appear to be any infection at the surgical site. Now that I have an explanation for the pain and low-grade fever, I'm praying that my strength will start to return. The walk from the house to the beach was no more than a quarter of a mile, and it exhausted me. Benny didn't have to hurry to keep up to his nana; his nana had to hurry to keep up with him!
R&R?
Rest and relaxation -- we all need it, and I had every intention of getting it last week at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. Bob and I traveled there, as did my daughter, Dori, her husband, John, their kids, Luke and Cami, and my son, Nathan, his wife, Bernette, and their three little boys, Niland, Benny, and Julian. We rented a 4 bedroom/3 bathroom 2-story house about 2 blocks' walking distance from the beach. Fully furnished, we had only to provide sheets and towels.
Ocean Isle Beach is developed with rows and rows of houses and condos, as well as a few hotels. Many of the houses and condos are rented by their owners, allowing thousands of people to enjoy living there for how ever many weeks they want during the summer months. They range in price from $1000 to $8000 per week, and the large houses can sleep up to 24 people. Naturally, the more expensive the house, the more amenities, such as inground pool and hot tub; most are located on the beach and have unobstructed views of the dunes and ocean, as well as fenced yards with boardwalks across the dunes to the beach.
The trip from Durham takes about 3 hours as long as there are no accidents or road construction, but on Saturdays during the summer, the same trip can take up to 5 hours. We left early to avoid the crush of traffic that funnels toward the coast as thousands of people go to their rental houses for the week. Check-out time is 10 AM and check-in time is 4 PM, so there is always a flood of people leaving the coast late morning and a flood of people going to the coast in early afternoon. By leaving mid morning, we were able to avoid the crush of traffic until we got close to Ocean Isle. There is only one bridge over the intercoastal waterway, and that's where the bottleneck occurs. It took Bob and I almost 45 minutes to go the last 2 miles to the island. Once over the bridge, we ate lunch at Sharkey's and then headed to the house on the western end of the island, where we met up with Dori and John.
Our house was one of dozens that are identical, making it necessary to check house numbers to ensure that you've got the right place. The kitchen was fully equipped. We brought food for the week and cooked and ate at the house, eating out occasionally, to keep the cost of the trip lower.
I quickly discovered that being in a house with 5 children ranging in age from 2 months to 12 years is a challenge. It is everything BUT quiet! Little Benny, who will be 2 on July 20, runs on batteries! The child is so inquisitive, so captivated by life, so interested in everything, that he refuses to sleep any more than absolutely necessary! He's afraid he might miss something when he's asleep! He'd never been to the beach yet, and when I took him into the pounding surf at the water's edge, I didn't know if he'd like it or be afraid. He LOVED IT! He laughed as each wave broke and came rushing toward him in a surge of white foaming bubbles, and when the waves pulled back to the sea, he wanted to run with them. His older brother, Niland, also loved the water, and soon all of the adults were taking turns at closely watching Benny and Niland. Luke was also a fabulous help with the little ones.
As the first day at the beach progressed, Niland and Benny were introduced to the joys of making sand castles and searching for shells. The wind was off the ocean, and the sound of the crashing waves was a constant drone. Because of the pounding waves, I got in only to my knees where the waves broke around me and got me wet up to my waist; it was simply too rough for me to attempt to do any more due to my back. No boogey-boarding for this nana this summer! But I immensely enjoyed being there and watching my grandchildren having so much fun.
Even after over 2 hours playing at the beach, Benny did not nap -- God forbid that he should miss something! He finally did sleep for a few minutes late in the day, and the next day he fell asleep while sitting on Luke's lap and slept for almost 2 hours! It was so quiet in the house! We waited hand and foot on Luke while he served as Benny's bed -- we so appreciated his help!
The house was located adjacent to a lagoon, so fishing was right out the back door. Turtles thrived in the lagoon and came when they saw people, hoping for food, which they usually got. Some of the turtles were as large as dinner plates. One morning when I was up early, I saw a water moccasin that was about 3.5 feet long on the edge of the water, but I never saw it again.
Nathan and Bernette stayed until Monday evening, leaving after dinner. Monday was July 4, but local fireworks weren't available, so we watched the national ones on television -- but it's not the same as being there! I have to give a bunch of credit to Nate and Bee for all they have to do with their 3 little boys -- it wore me out just being around them! Niland and Benny are so active, and I can't imagine what it will be like in about 10 months when Julian joins them in their explorations. The house was noisy and chaotic; mealtimes were a challenge, to say the least; getting the kids to bed, especially Benny, was almost impossible. They didn't want to miss anything. I never knew who I'd find sleeping in the living room when I got up.
After Nate and Bee returned home, things quieted down. I guess I'm getting old -- the energy of my young grandsons wears me out. I'll be better prepared next time and understand that rest and relaxation doesn't happen with little ones running madly about -- but that's what makes life fulfilling.
Ocean Isle Beach is developed with rows and rows of houses and condos, as well as a few hotels. Many of the houses and condos are rented by their owners, allowing thousands of people to enjoy living there for how ever many weeks they want during the summer months. They range in price from $1000 to $8000 per week, and the large houses can sleep up to 24 people. Naturally, the more expensive the house, the more amenities, such as inground pool and hot tub; most are located on the beach and have unobstructed views of the dunes and ocean, as well as fenced yards with boardwalks across the dunes to the beach.
The trip from Durham takes about 3 hours as long as there are no accidents or road construction, but on Saturdays during the summer, the same trip can take up to 5 hours. We left early to avoid the crush of traffic that funnels toward the coast as thousands of people go to their rental houses for the week. Check-out time is 10 AM and check-in time is 4 PM, so there is always a flood of people leaving the coast late morning and a flood of people going to the coast in early afternoon. By leaving mid morning, we were able to avoid the crush of traffic until we got close to Ocean Isle. There is only one bridge over the intercoastal waterway, and that's where the bottleneck occurs. It took Bob and I almost 45 minutes to go the last 2 miles to the island. Once over the bridge, we ate lunch at Sharkey's and then headed to the house on the western end of the island, where we met up with Dori and John.
Our house was one of dozens that are identical, making it necessary to check house numbers to ensure that you've got the right place. The kitchen was fully equipped. We brought food for the week and cooked and ate at the house, eating out occasionally, to keep the cost of the trip lower.
I quickly discovered that being in a house with 5 children ranging in age from 2 months to 12 years is a challenge. It is everything BUT quiet! Little Benny, who will be 2 on July 20, runs on batteries! The child is so inquisitive, so captivated by life, so interested in everything, that he refuses to sleep any more than absolutely necessary! He's afraid he might miss something when he's asleep! He'd never been to the beach yet, and when I took him into the pounding surf at the water's edge, I didn't know if he'd like it or be afraid. He LOVED IT! He laughed as each wave broke and came rushing toward him in a surge of white foaming bubbles, and when the waves pulled back to the sea, he wanted to run with them. His older brother, Niland, also loved the water, and soon all of the adults were taking turns at closely watching Benny and Niland. Luke was also a fabulous help with the little ones.
As the first day at the beach progressed, Niland and Benny were introduced to the joys of making sand castles and searching for shells. The wind was off the ocean, and the sound of the crashing waves was a constant drone. Because of the pounding waves, I got in only to my knees where the waves broke around me and got me wet up to my waist; it was simply too rough for me to attempt to do any more due to my back. No boogey-boarding for this nana this summer! But I immensely enjoyed being there and watching my grandchildren having so much fun.
Even after over 2 hours playing at the beach, Benny did not nap -- God forbid that he should miss something! He finally did sleep for a few minutes late in the day, and the next day he fell asleep while sitting on Luke's lap and slept for almost 2 hours! It was so quiet in the house! We waited hand and foot on Luke while he served as Benny's bed -- we so appreciated his help!
The house was located adjacent to a lagoon, so fishing was right out the back door. Turtles thrived in the lagoon and came when they saw people, hoping for food, which they usually got. Some of the turtles were as large as dinner plates. One morning when I was up early, I saw a water moccasin that was about 3.5 feet long on the edge of the water, but I never saw it again.
Nathan and Bernette stayed until Monday evening, leaving after dinner. Monday was July 4, but local fireworks weren't available, so we watched the national ones on television -- but it's not the same as being there! I have to give a bunch of credit to Nate and Bee for all they have to do with their 3 little boys -- it wore me out just being around them! Niland and Benny are so active, and I can't imagine what it will be like in about 10 months when Julian joins them in their explorations. The house was noisy and chaotic; mealtimes were a challenge, to say the least; getting the kids to bed, especially Benny, was almost impossible. They didn't want to miss anything. I never knew who I'd find sleeping in the living room when I got up.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Strong Back Needed!
Yesterday I received a blessing -- my grandson, Luke, who is almost 13, is 5 feet 6.5 inches tall, and weighs 131 pounds, came over to help with some work that needed to be done at our house. With me not being able to do much, all of the work had been put on my husband, and he just couldn't keep up with things and still work full-time. So Luke was delivered at 8:15 in the morning by his dad, and soon Bob had him working hard in the yard. Where we had a small wall built and top soil delivered to fill in the space, making the side yard more level, Luke raked and leveled the dirt and inserted chunks of Zoysia sod into the soil. He had to detach one roll of Zoysia grass from the dirt as it had already rooted, and that was hot, sweaty work. Later, he hosed out and cleaned a small pool that we were draining, planted some monkey grass, hoed weeds in the garden, swept the hardwood floors, and did several other small things that I needed to have done. And he did it all without complaint and with a very good attitude.
It was wonderful to have Luke with me all day; now that he's a young man, I don't get to spend much time one-on-one with him, so it was good to have that time together. Bob was very pleased with the yard when he finally got home and was very impressed that Luke stuck to it and did such a good job. Without Luke's help, I'd still be waiting for Bob to get things done, so both of us are grateful to him for all the work he did.
It's difficult for me to believe that my oldest grandchild, which is Luke, is going to be 13 in October. Time passes so quickly, and we don't really notice that passing until we have children of our own and can see them literally growing before our eyes. Children are an inheritance from the Lord. They are given to us to raise; they are not ours to keep. We must release them when they are grown. And time passes so quickly! Newborn babies look different a month later! And a year after birth, they are walking, causing misery for parents as they get into everything. If only we could stop time and enjoy things for a bit longer -- but we can't. The book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 2, has that well-known poem about time -- to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Pick up your Bible and read the entire poen. And then grasp every moment of time that you have from God above.
It was wonderful to have Luke with me all day; now that he's a young man, I don't get to spend much time one-on-one with him, so it was good to have that time together. Bob was very pleased with the yard when he finally got home and was very impressed that Luke stuck to it and did such a good job. Without Luke's help, I'd still be waiting for Bob to get things done, so both of us are grateful to him for all the work he did.
It's difficult for me to believe that my oldest grandchild, which is Luke, is going to be 13 in October. Time passes so quickly, and we don't really notice that passing until we have children of our own and can see them literally growing before our eyes. Children are an inheritance from the Lord. They are given to us to raise; they are not ours to keep. We must release them when they are grown. And time passes so quickly! Newborn babies look different a month later! And a year after birth, they are walking, causing misery for parents as they get into everything. If only we could stop time and enjoy things for a bit longer -- but we can't. The book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 2, has that well-known poem about time -- to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Pick up your Bible and read the entire poen. And then grasp every moment of time that you have from God above.
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