A vase or two of flowers

 A stretch this week...seeing Sepia Saturday musicians near a fireplace, and a vase of flowers upon the mantle.

Sharing with Sepia Saturday

 and Floral Friday Fotos

Written Words

 

Brooker Creek Preserve

Must post this again...and hope you enjoy your next blueberries!

Sharing with Tom's Signs2

From times gone by of my life.

 

Our activity director, Brenda, at the  St. Augustine FL nursing home before it was renovated. The residents could sit on the porch and look over the Inland Waterway, sometimes seeing boats go by, and many birds.

I worked as a counselor with Lutheran Social Services, visiting nursing homes in St. Augustine, Orange Park and Jacksonville FL.  Another counselor, Anna stands behind some residents.

This photo shows one of my favorite clients, Ruth, in the red. She was a retired original member of the NY Radio City Rockets. you just never knew who you'd meet in FL nursing homes!

My youngest son and I lived on the corner of US Highway A1A. We sat by it waiting for the Olympic torch to go by one year (before 2001). Sorry, don't have a photo of the parade and the runner.

The Atlantic Ocean hits the beach gently where often you can drive directly on it. That day the sand was too soft unless you had 4 wheel drive. These beach access drives were further south than where we lived.

We had the downstairs apartment in this blue house. The parking lot didn't exist when we lived there, just a grassy lot with sand spurs. The Sunset Grille was across A1A  kitty-corner from us. It attracted the loud crowd often, including motorcyclists from all over for Bike Week each year.

The end of our street was the Atlantic Ocean, down a sea wall with some steps. The Hampton Inn was built off to the right of this photo while we lived there.

My little Toyota parked at High Falls State Park in Georgia, where I would stop to refresh as I drove from FL to visit my Atlanta/Norcross family.

 High Falls, GA. I've always loved waterfalls.

 Here I visited my son, Russ and wife when they lived in  Norcross GA, where all three of their daughters were born.

Sharing with Tom's Tuesday Treasures 

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Update on health *carried over from yesterday.

Cardio people called to say my MRI taken Friday (rather stressful) says my heart is normal.

Whew!

Pulmonologist called and said cut the steroids in half, and stop taking the antibiotic. And schedule a chest X-ray. 

Sigh…I did have a lot of coughing yesterday, so who knows what’s happening. The Dr. said she heard wheezing still in my chest. But I’m not feverish nor have colorful sputum (I know, you really wanted to know that!)

And friends are stepping up to drive me places when/where I need to go.

Just the facts.

 Just a short catch-up. If you're not into medical details of an elder, just skip this post. I think I've given just the facts, with perhaps a bit of my feelings. But not the details of the medical terms!

My MRI cardiac stress test was last Friday. I had had to reschedule from the last time scheduled, because I couldn't even drive to the hospital from anxious nausea.

My anxiety was definitely better going into the MRI, but about 3/4 way through I had lots of trouble breathing, so they pulled me out and kept saying my oxygen level looked ok. But I kept saying, I can't breathe! I really felt lots of coughing. But no clearing. Finally I said, I think it's an asthma attack, and the nurse went to my purse and got my inhaler. 

Ah ha. That did it, and I could finish the test. Of course they had already given me the antidote to the stressing meds...but they did finish another 5 minutes of MRI.

The Patient Portal shows just a few things, but I still haven't talked with the cardiologist, so I don't quite understand them. Apparently nothing worth a call that day from him.

But I had already scheduled the pulmonologist visit later in the afternoon, because I was always feeling short of breath. Just bending over or walking around the apartment made me panting. They did a walking test to see my oxygen level, and decided I could start having oxygen both portable and while sleeping. A big thing, but if it helps, I'll be glad of it.

They're also putting me back on the same antibiotic again, since I was wheezing away when just sitting still. With steroids this time. Whee!

So they also want me to use the "thera-vest" which shakes my torso to loosen up the mucus. I admit to having not used it much in the last few months. And to start back on a med that I'd tried doing without. Of course that may well have contributed to the shortness of breath - duh. So add another inhaler and the 15-20 min on the vest thing, and start using oxygen. I haven't even started the new drug for bronchiectasis...and will wait another week of taking antibiotic, just to make sure any side effects are just from it.

I'm not thrilled about more stuff to have to treat the condition my condition is in.

These are the exact words I said to my friend in an email that evening. I noticed that as tired as I was, it was really difficult to sleep. Though the nurse assured me the medicine which made my heart think it was exercising strenuously had been gone from my system, I think this old body was still somewhat stimulated. I also had very little appetite.  I'm slightly befuddled and discombobulated...just very out-of-sorts!

And the good news is my attitude changed. I had survived the ordeal. And I was just going to keep on keeping on no matter what medicine told me was needed. But I woke up Saturday morning (after at least 2 hours of wakefulness in early hours) and told myself I loved myself! What a good feeling!

So I'll share some pretty photos now...not of myself!

Heavy frost on the roof of the building downhill from me, and a few blossoms on the trees barely visible in morning sun Friday morning.

Same view Sunday shows the Bradford pear has bloomed.

Waiting for MacD's where I stopped for lunch Friday.

Mission Hospital. The windows on the second floor on far left are right outside the MRI and other radiology labs.  

I took these shots while leaving.

I had spoken of my difficulty finding parking and walking to the entrance originally when the scheduling happened. That was a main source anxiety. It wasn't until my confirmation phone call the day before that they told me there was a valet service, and it was "gratis." And once inside the hospital I checked in right at that door and they wheeled me around in a wheelchair to get to the next place to go. If only they had told me these details the first time, the anxiety would have been much lower!

To me, every hour of the light and dark is a miracle, every cubic inch of space is a miracle…

WALT WHITMAN

Internet sourced critters

 

I could make a list of the things that make me feel this way these days!

I'm so glad I have friends who give hugs!!

By Maureen Kiloram

A funny baby bird thing in clay (my art)

Saturday's Critters

Going somewhere

 

You recently saw some of the efforts of my son, Russ, in packing my pottery for a move that may happen in a few months.

Friends came over to winnow through dishes, serving items, baking things, clothing, linens etc. this week. The thrift store will have lots of old stuff coming its way soon. Of course I'll still have all I need for daily living, as well as furniture, about half of which won't be going with me.

In order to go somewhere with a drier climate and less triggers for my coughs from Bronchiectasis, I plan to move out to the southwest corner of Colorado this summer, when an apartment comes available. It's also closer to my youngest son's home. 

My plans depend on so many things that are out of my control.

Unknown photographer of Blue Ridge Parkway view.

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So I'm hoping to be going somewhere, but much can happen between now and then.

But having my heart stress test Friday this week, as well as talking with my pulmonologist, has given me some changes in my breathing needs. We shall see how this affects my plans. The best laid plans of mice and men....and Barbara too!

Sharing with Sepia Saturday this week!