Mid February Follies

I am thankful to report everyone is doing well! I am so grateful for all the prayers!
Everyone is out of the hospitals, Good reports.
Tom's brother Bob will remain on oxygen, but says it has made a remarkable difference. Even their Mom reports how much better he is, overall, since he is on O2.

Nickole got to start "Lego Robotics Camp" last night. 10 weeks of learning to build and code Lego robots.
She had a good time. There were a dozen or so other kids in her group.
She's also asked if she can "go to a summer camp this year, for at least a week." I think it out to be do-able.
I am not really sure we will get to do a Camp Cowgranny this summer. With Tommy's wedding coming up, we are all focusing our finances on the Peru trip. Of course, if the Grands can all come here, I can sure find stuff to do!


We got our passports requested. Mr C keeps preparing to buy the tickets to Peru, but hasn't quite done so. I have been thinking of all the sundry little things we are going to need. My clothes, for the most part, are rag bag ready. (I look online and see I am in high fashion!). We are going to need suitcases, and a couple of carry-ons. I need want a new camera. (I can't tell you how long I sat here deciding which of those two words to line through!) Tom's got a decent suit (if it fits), but I have nothing to wear to a wedding. I also no longer own any make-up. (Maybe a box of loose foundation powder, years beyond its expiration date!) A trip + wedding is going to require shoes... a couple of pair. Sigh. I really don't like shoe shopping. (Hence my Saucony Jazz sneaker, size 8W, usually in black or blue... ordered online for the past 20+ years!) I am wondering if I can nurse the tablet (Sam's from the AT, 5 years ago, won't plug in to charge) along enough to take it with me, instead of  books. (Hey, we are going on a LONG flight x2, I want NEED to have something to read!)

Tom and I haven't yet ordered our garden seed. It's February, and about time I got the seedlings started! He got the makings for the solid parts of some raised bed gardens. We are going to HAVE to have a fence, last year we paid too much to feed the deer. Every time we sit down with a catalog, we both say, "Oh, we will limit the size, keep it small and manageable!... Oh but we MUST have THIS! and we cannot leave out THAT! THIS is a NEED, THAT is a MUST!" and before we know it, we have twenty-leven "musts" on the list! (Tomatoes, peppers, okra, beans, beets, turnips, squash, salads, corn, herbs...) (Oh, and Nickole wants a pumpkin patch for the giant pumpkin seeds she was given!). (And I have luffa seed!) (and, and, and!)

I hope YOU are having a blessed day! Thanks for reading!

The year of AAAIIII!!!!!! (shriek)

I haven't written much this year. There has been a lot going on.
At the moment, we have a pleasant snowfall on the ground, maybe 0.16 of an inch. You can see we had "snow", but it isn't much to deal with and will be gone an a few hours.

I guess I should start with an update on Tom's Mom, Arlene. She's been doing pretty good, and was supposed to be in the rehab center until at least the 18 of this month. However, the insurance company decided she had been in long enough already, and booted her out on the 1st. She's got a visiting nurse coming (daily?) who has already sent Arlene to the ER once since she's been home.
Arlene was treated and released. She says she's feeling much better, and getting around in her house.

My Mom, Rose, had her liver biopsy on Jan. 29. It says she has a 'fatty liver' and Non Alcoholic cirrhosis. This has led to a treatment protocol that starts with an endoscopy (happening this morning) to check for esophageal cancer, which is associated with the fatty liver. (Unless I am totally missing what the docs said.) Nickole got to go on her first plane trip as we went to Texas for the biopsy.
Between the inclement weather, and all the other YIKES going on, I wasn't able to go back to East Texas for the endoscopy.

Grandgirl # 3.4 was admitted to the hospital in Snanjlo last Saturday night with low oxygen saturation. She's been there all this week, with a possibility of release today. There seems to have been SOMETHING going around, as one of the nurses mentioned the hospital had an influx of juvenile patients all with the same respiratory distress.

Tom's brother, Bob (in Ohio) hasn't been feeling well. Arlene mentioned her concern to me, and said Bob had missed work most of January. She said he'd tried to make doctors appointments, but couldn't get in until March! Tom spoke to Bobby later, and Bob said yes, he'd not been feeling well. He was planning to stop at an urgent care center the next day on his way to work. He didn't make it to work- the Urgent care facility admitted him directly to the hospital, with low oxygen saturation. I spoke to the charge nurse, who said they have not yet been able to bring his oxysat up to an acceptable level. He is on high concentrations of oxygen, and steroids as they run tests to see what is the matter with him.

But wait... there's more! I got a call from Tommy (Stephen, my 5.0).  The call started, "First of all, I am relatively OK..."
(That's not how I like any conversation to start!)
Tommy (Stephen!) had been riding his bicycle to work (0.5 miles from his apartment in Dallas) when some girl hit him with her car.
 She didn't even stop, though he was thrown over the handlebars of his bike, and landed on his face.
Ambulance was summoned, paramedics checked him out. Nothing broken, though his face has a road rash and bloody abrasions. (ALWAYS wear a helmet, folks. It can save your life. This is the second time helmets have saved my boys!)
A witness to the accident followed the fleeing driver, got a good look at the driver, the vehicle, and preserved evidence from the scene that conclusively links the vehicle to the scene.
Tommy declined transport to the hospital, but spent the day with ice on his face to reduce swelling.

Whew. That's three people in three hospitals in two states (neither of the states are the one I am in) this morning.  Two more people that may not be in the hospital, but have needed medical assistance this week.

I say we are under attack. Prayers are appreciated!