Deep Breath

   Summer 2022 has been busy. We hit the ground running, before it was even really Summer.
Nickole had American Heritage Girls Camp the first several days of June. She was shown God's favor by being allowed to take part in their Drama program, which had been closed for registration when we were choosing her camp options. (Someone had dropped out after registering.)

   I picked Nickole up from camp, and we headed to Texas to visit my parents and step parents for a few days. My Dad had been having some issues with adjustments in medications for the Parkinson's that he has been stricken with. He was in the hospital for a couple of days. We had a good visit. I had to return home for Nickole's orthodontist visit.
The next Orthodontist visit could see Nickole measured for her retainers, and out of braces once those are made. She's pretty excited about that!

I was back to Dad's on Father's day, to sit with him while my brother Robbie took my Step mom to a Dog Trial.
I'm not sure what the dog was accused of, but they were gone pretty much all day.
Dad's mental acuity has been declining, with hallucinations that we had thought were from the medications. After research, I personally think it is Lewy Body Syndrome, which affects many Parkinson's patients. Dad is more alert and almost normal most mornings, aside from hallucinations he is doing his best to live with. He told me that he's seeing such terrible things, yet no one else is concerned about the things, so he figures they must be in his mind. He doesn't feel at home in his house, and repeatedly says he wants to go home. He will say he has no memory of being in his house before arriving from the hospital. He says he "doesn't recall building the place, though everyone tells him he did." But if you tell him something incorrect, such as "Ralph helped you put in the windows"... he will tell you exactly who DID help put in the windows... and it wasn't Ralph. He gets more agitated and confused as he gets more tired during the day.
I could see a difference in Dad's mental awareness from morning to afternoon. But it was really apparent in the two weeks since I had last visited with him. I made it a point to come back the following weekend... and there is a marked decline even over the 4 days I was gone. (I arrived the 18th, sat with Dad the 19th, and left to take Nickole to her next summer camp on the 21st. I returned to Dad's on the 25th.) He's fallen a number of times in the past week.
Dad had a regularly scheduled cardiologist appointment this week. He Doctor recommended Dad go into a full time care facility. That would just be the end of him, Kathie and Robbie agree. So, for now, it isn't even a consideration. The Cardiologist wants Dad to see his Primary care doctor ASAP, to be put on Hospice Home care. That's where the situation stands now.
He has an appointment with the only Parkinson's specialist in 5 counties... on January 28th. That was the soonest available appointment. (He's on the cancellations list).

Nickole has been to 2 camps already this summer. Kimber is currently visiting us. I took the two of them swimming at the public pool a couple of days ago, and to the Tulsa Zoo yesterday. Today is settle down and clean house/ do laundry day. ZERO plans to go/ do anything.
I bug bombed the house yesterday. Looking through facebook memories... I seem to have to do that about this time of year! The Zoo was a nice place to be for several hours.
While to dogs were shut out all day... Jaffa tore his dew claw. He came in dripping blood all over the house. It got wiped up, but today will be a thorough mopping.

The garden had to be watered this morning. I can't believe how much it grew in the 8 days I was away. I harvested some green beans... and with what I picked day before yesterday, we will have a 'mess' of green beans for supper, with some tiny 'new potatoes' given to us by a neighbor. Meatloaf in the slow cooker... good eats! I counted tomato plants a couple of days ago. We have 38. Not counting Bob's.  He has six? eight?... more.
In a couple of weeks... SUMMER is really going to hit me!

Tommy and Ruby are supposed to come visit this weekend. Looking forward to that!

Maybe not a Hollywood explosion

 Sam has been awaiting a package from a soap company. He ordered a pine tar soap, plus a shampoo and conditioner. He had mentioned several times that it should be here any day! Then, it showed "out for Delivery" on the tracking number.
But, the package didn't arrive.
Monday is our shopping and errand day.
With Daniel here to visit, Sam took a rare "personal day off". Our errands were late in getting started. Tom and I left Nickole here with a minor chores list, while Dan and Sam did yard work. We were barely on the dirt road when Tom realized he'd left something behind that he needed, so we turned around. We were not 1/4 mile from the house... and my phone started chirruping. Messages from Nickole.
"Um... Cowgranny? There was a phone call from the USPS. I didn't answer it."
"um, Cowgranny? The person left a message for Sam Coder that his package exploded"
"Um, Cowgranny... The caller's message wants you to come to the post office and get the package that blew up..."

By the time this message hit, we were already getting out of the car. Tom retrieved his missing item. I called the Post Office. Yes, they "had just called about a package addressed to Samuel Coder. While out for delivery on Saturday, the package had become overheated. It 'exploded'," the clerk said... "so the carrier returned it to the post office, as it was leaking a smelly goo. Could we come and retrieve the package? They thought it may contain essential oils."

Our errand list started again, with getting Sam's package. The Post Office loaned us a plastic tote that the package had been setting in. I put the tote in the trunk, and Tom and I ran errands. The fumes were getting to me within a few miles. It took longer for them to start Mr C's eyes watering.
On arrival back at the house, Sam photographed and opened his leaky package.
He emailed the company, "I got a call from the Post office that my package from your company had 'exploded' en route to delivery. After I picked it up from the Post Office, I was most disappointed to find that instead of the Hollywood style fireball explosion that I had expected to find... the shampoo had simply blown off its cap, resulting in it leaking all over the contents of the box and out of the cardboard."

The soap company responded quickly. They had had a great laugh at Sam's description. They upgraded his order and got a new package shipped the same afternoon.

The post Office tote has been rinsed out... repeatedly. It has quit sudsing up with each rinse... but it still stings my eyes if I am too close to it! I'm letting it air a few more days before I return it.

A lovely night In NE OK

 Daniel is up visiting! This is his and Sam's birthday week, which they almost always have spent together. Last night, they invited some of their friends from the area over. Sam spent Sunday smoking a huge brisket, while Daniel drove up from San Angelo.
If Sam ever decided to change careers, he could sure open a mean barbecue place! He could get his uncle Buck to make the potato salad. We had two kinds of home made ice cream. It was all excellent.
We were up far too late, with Tom and Sam having to go to work today.

Half an hour ago, I decided I should sit me down and at least make an effort at blogging more regularly.
(My Aunt Lennie encouraged me to do so.)  (Hi Auntie!)

I sat down at the computer and turned it on. Usually, the mouse jiggle on the mouse pad will wake it right up. Today, it did not. Oh, DAN is here... he shuts everything completely off so that he can sleep in complete darkness. I turned on the computer. It warmed up.
But the mouse still refused to control it. The keyboard was fine... I could use the directional keys to highlight areas... but no cursor. Being a wireless mouse... I checked to be sure it was on. It was. I replaced the battery. It would come on, then go off. It would not operate the cursor.
I unplugged its USB relay. Tried another USB port on the computer.
Nope. I was getting quite frustrated, and figured I was going to have to order a new mouse.
One last trouble shooting thing to do. Borrow Nickole's wireless mouse. That means her USB relay as well.
She went and got her relay from her laptop, and brought it to me... but couldn't find her mouse.
Because she had left it on my mousepad, in front of my desktop computer! MY mouse was on the tray table next to Tom's chair. One jiggle from the correct mouse... and presto! the cursor worked!

Tonight, the guys have a fun "Guys Night Out" excursion planned. Tom and Bob, Dan and Sam all are going to a minor league baseball game over in Springdale. Nickole and I may go to a pricey little pizza place we have both wanted to try.

A friend of mine posted a news link on Facebook earlier. Yellowstone is CLOSED, effective immediately- due to unprecedented flooding. The news story was accompanied by footage of roads literally being washed away. I don't know how long it will take to repair such terrible damages... Yellowstone is on our big trip agenda for August/ September.

Have a blessed day!

My Blog's not dead!

I hope each of you is having a good day.
I am back from a trip to East Texas. My Dad isn't doing too well, and he knows it. We are all hoping this sudden, rapid mental decline is due to an imbalance of medication. The sudden decline in his acuity started soon after his Physicians Assistant (managing his case after his Parkinson's Doctor moved) changed up some of his medications. Two of his drugs were working at cross purposes. (Not prescribed by the same Doctors). Dad's Physical Therapist mentioned a Parkinson's specialist that several of his other patients see. Dad's  Parkinson's doctor was the only one in the PPO system near them. So, they are in the process of getting a referral to an out of system Parkinson's Specialist. 

Dad is lucid enough. But, he is seeing things the rest of aren't privy to. He doesn't recognize the house... which he mostly built. He told me he has no idea of what the exterior looks like- and the first he recalls of the interior was when he arrived back from a brief hospital stay. Yet during one conversation, he went into detail about the kind of wood he used in trimming the bedroom.
What alarmed me the most during my visit was that he failed to recognize his favorite dog. He tried to keep her from entering her kennel and eating her food, saying it was Kelsey's kennel and Kelsey's food. The dog was, in fact, Kelsey.
I have been reading up on Parkinson's and Lewy Body Dementia (LBD).
Little chance of getting my folks to change their diets, but research says a Keto diet could help. An undiagnosed gluten intolerance can trigger episodes of decline.  Maybe I can try a less intimidating form of help, such as essential oils in a diffuser? I was just reading Dr Axe's article on LBD.

I came home with a long list of things the folks need help with. My brother Robbie is struggling with all that needs to be done. He has two disks in his spine that need repair... and no insurance. So he grits his teeth and does what he can do.

I return to east Texas on the 18th, to sit with Dad on the 19th. Then I will stay over a few days, and do what I can do to help until time to take Nickole to camp with Tommy's church in Midlothian.

After that, I don't have anyplace I have to be until The Big Roadtrip, in late August.
I intend to have a blog just for that trip!
Three women, six kids, and an Ugly Kitty seeing the USA in a van.... while one of my sons bicycles across the continent. It should be an Adventure! (And, good golly Miss Molly! Gas is already up to $5 a gallon here, and over $7 on the west coast... continuing to trend upward, with 10 weeks until we start.)