Wednesday, May 23, 2012

On The Road Again.....

Today is hitch-it-up-and-move-it-out day!  Hope to be on the road before noon -- but it does take a bunch of last minute loading when you have critters!

First stop:  Gatesville TX to catch up on gossip and coffee-drinkin' (and lunches)! 
Then on to Iowa the first part of June.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Packin' Up, Tossin' Out, Closin' Up, Loadin' Up

Yee-Haw!  Now that's Texan for YIPPEE!  Had an appointment at cardiology today for follow-up of stent placement and I'm good to go!  "Have a good summer and I'll see you when you get back."  Those were the magic words!  My new Super-Heros are Dr Toth and Dr Szalai of Cardiology Associates of Corpus Christi! 

Now, to finish cleaning up the 5th wheel and packing up the things I will be taking with me -- then loading the travel trailer and I"ll be ready. Fortunately, I have accumulated duplicates of quite a bit of "stuff" and it is permanently in the trailer so I don't have to move it each time.

Hopefully on the road not later than NEXT Thursday!  Can't wait to make it to Gatesville (TX) and get some of Johnnie Williams' coffee...oh, how I miss our visits!

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Life is Good and Gonna Get Better!

Things I learned on Saturday: (1) When it is going to be 90 humid degrees, best to leave the A/C going if you are gone -- otherwise fleas invade your carpet; (2) All the food purchased to follow the pulmonary doc's diet is not applicable to a cardio-diet; (3) A crock pot must be plugged in to work; (4) It is nearly impossible to catch up on 5 days of email and Face book; (5) A cat, even an OLD one, can clear everything off of a desk, table or counter if left alone for any length of time!

Got home from the hospital on Friday – after going in for a procedure on Wednesday, ended up being sent directly to the hospital for placement of stent in coronary artery that was 95% blocked. Not the way I had planned on spending the end of the week! Fortunately, habit and previous experience has trained me to put out the auto-waterer and extra food for the critters. I left the bags of dog and cat food on the floor and open so they could get into them if needed! I’m such a thoughtful critter-mom! AND, put down several pee pads for Li’lBit and a fresh supply of kitty litter for Holly.

When I left Wednesday morning, I had full intentions of being home Wednesday evening, but after the cardiac catheterization, it was decided I needed immediate treatment so at 7AM the next morning I was having the groin poked and prodded again to get the angioplasty and stent placement completed. I think the worse part of that was the 8 hrs flat on my back after the procedure – that just plain sucks!

Thanks to Deryl and Elke, my friends here in Rockport, I had transportation when I needed it and they came by the RV and checked on the critters. Holly, 17 yrs old, had been quite lethargic; loosing weight, not eating, drinking…I was really worried about her. And, Li’lBit is up there in years, too, and being blind….I just hated being away from them.

But…I got ‘sprung’ on Friday; Deryl and Elke carted my lazy rear end back home – after we stopped for lunch at Sirloin Stockade! They even dropped off my RX and picked them up and delivered later that day.

This winter has not been a “good air” winter for me. Breathing had become increasingly more and more painful and more and more labored. I had just about given up going to any of the activities and functions offered…..just took too much air to move. The last couple of months have been a series of medical appointments – pulmonary specialist in Victoria TX, 50 miles north of Rockport, and cardio specialist in Corpus Christi, about 35 miles south. I’ve had just about all they offer – stress test, failed that twice, echocardiograms, sonograms, CAT scans, blood work until I’m not sure there is much left – I definitely cannot complain about the caliber of care offered – Thank you Blue Cross Blue Shield Texas and Medicare!

Now, as soon as I can get past this lack of activity period, no driving, etc etc etc (I do like the no vacuuming part, however!) I’m sure I’ll be rarin’ to go. Gotta get that trailer loaded to head north. 50th class reunion in Maquoketa (Iowa) this summer and you don’t think I’m gonna miss seeing all those old folks I went to school with, do you?