The Blog Must Go On

 

I wasn't sure I would feel like blogging today, in spite of my promise to blog every day this month. I had a lung biopsy this morning and didn't know what to expect.

They were going to insert a needle into my lung, for goodness sake! Would it hurt, would they hit the right spot without involving any blood vessels? Would my lung collapse, causing them to pump it up like a flat tire with a chest tube (shudder) and keeping me overnight?

All my worrying was for naught, thank goodness! I was under conscious sedation and was given pain meds anytime I got uncomfortable. The biopsy itself wasn't too bad; the hard part was having to keep my arms over my head and not move a muscle during the entire procedure, which seemed to last forever. My shoulders were killing me!

The doctor used CT scans as a guide for the needle insertion, so he would roll me into the scanner, insert the needle a bit, then scan again and insert some more, and so on until the procedure was done. The final step was to snip a sample of the walnut-sized mass in my lung and send it to the lab for testing. I heard a sharp snap but didn't feel a thing.

Once it was over and my poor, aching arms were lowered to my side I was sent off to the recovery room where I waited and dozed for about an hour. I had been fasting for about fifteen hours, but I didn't feel like eating. A cup of ice water was very welcome, however.

I had a chest x-ray to ensure that my lung hadn't deflated, and my son brought me home. (We may have stopped at McDonald's on the way and I may have scarfed a Quarter Pounder and some fries.)

My doctor should have the results of the biopsy by the end of the week. I can only hope that they give me as little cause for worry!

Until next time,

Top Reasons Why I Live in Arizona

Location, location, location. It's a relatively short drive to the attractions of neighboring states - the Pacific Ocean, Disneyland, Las Vegas, etc. as well as Mexico. Within the state we have our own natural wonder in the Grand Canyon. Mountains and desert are bosom buddies here. We can always go where it's cooler or warmer.

Mother Nature. There are no earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis or other freaks of nature here. We do have (sometimes deadly) dust storms, however, but I've only been in one once.

Temperatures. Aside from the oven-on-clean-mode summer heat, our temperatures are quite moderate. I've had my patio door open all day every day for a month and haven't turned on heat or AC. Can't wait to see my bill!

Rainfall. No one is in danger of getting webbed feet due to excessive rain. We don't get drizzly day after drizzly day, but we do get some awesome thunderstorms.

Plenty to do. There's always a festival or a rodeo or a concert or a play or opera or ballet, as well as nearly every outdoor activity you can think of, including snow- and waterskiing.

Places to go. There are so many things to see here, whether its the Challenger Space Museum or the dusty streets of Tombstone. The red rock country of Sedona, the smooth blue expanse of the Colorado River, the quaint hillside town of Jerome, the depths of the Copper Queen mine in Bisbee. You'll never run out of day trips here. If you're a fan of the Old West, Arizona is paradise.

Plant life. Arizona boast two gardening seasons, and roses bloom nearly all year long. We are one of the few places where you'll find the mighty saguaro (suh war oh) cactus and few jillion other cacti as well. Bougainvillea, Mexican bird of paradise, and lantana thrive in the Valley of the Sun. Tall pines, junipers and cedars grace the higher elevations.

Family. I have a special perk for living in Arizona. My sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren are here. Not just here, mind you, but within easy walking distance (youngest son and three youngest grandchildren) or a short drive (east for oldest grandchildren and widowed daughter-in-law, and south for oldest son, daughter-in-law and grandpuppies.)

If you've never visited Arizona, you should try it some time. There's a lot to like here. (Might not want to come in July, though).

Till next time,

The high cost of procrastination

The view from my "new" apartment. If you look closely, you can see my mountain view! One of the perks of living here is that my son Toby lives about a block west of that bend you see just up the street.

 

With a very red face I admit that I haven't blogged for more than a year. My last post told you that I had moved in with my son James and lovely daughter-in-law Aubrie - and their five dogs. I had my own room and a room upstairs for my office/library. Living with them was great, but I really missed having my own place "with my things about me." And my knees didn't like going upstairs every time I wanted something to read, which was all the time! So, at the end of July I moved into my own apartment. It's only one bedroom, one bath, but it's all mine.

 

Which brings me to the topic of this post - procrastination. I am the queen of that particular realm and I'm sure you'll find my picture next to the word in any dictionary.

 

My favorite saying is, "I'm going to." And somehow my brain translates "going to" into "done" and forgets all about it. I was going to continue blogging after I moved. I was going to start blogging when I moved again three months ago. There are so many things I'm going to do - eventually.

 

I can't begin to tell you how much that nasty little habit has cost me over the years, in rebates not mailed in on time, bills paid late, phone calls and letters unanswered, events not attended, weight not lost, exercise not done, etc. etc. A wealth of money and opportunities missed. I really need Nike's "Just Do It" slogan tattooed on my forehead.

A little boot in the booty from BlogHer finally has me at the computer again. I signed up for their National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo), which asks participating bloggers to post daily during the month of November. They even offer prompts should I fail to come up with a topic on my own. I was going to start yesterday, Nov. 1, but here I am with my first entry on Nov. 2. Typical!

But I vow, if I do nothing else that I'm "going to," I will blog every day this month! You should too. The deadline for signing up (and winning prizes) is Nov. 5, so hop on over to BlogHer now! Don't procrastinate!

 

 

 

Warm Welcome

I am slowly but surely recovering from the process of moving from one end of Phoenix to the other. The move - from a two-bedroom home to two rooms in my son's home - required a lot of decisions about what could come with me and what had to be given away, either to family or the Salvation Army. I probably brought too much with me, but I'll know more as I get settled in.

My commute to visit/babysit grandchildren has tripled, but the trip isn't too bad. Good thing I like to drive!

My son and daughter-in-law (and their five dogs!) welcomed me with open arms, always a plus. I'm getting acquainted with my new neighborhood and I plan to go on a photo safari soon.

The beautiful sunset shown above greeted me on the night I moved in. I took it as a sign that all will be well. So far, so good.

Until next time,

Bubble Wrap and Boxes and Tape, Oh My!

My son James is making a huge batch of gruel for me, which is all I'll be allowed when I move in with him and his lovely wife Aubrie. I will be limited to one bowl per day and will not be allowed more, even if I say, "Please, sir" like Oliver Twist. You see, I will become part of their household by the end of this month. I think he's kidding about the gruel.

I'm actually doing something smart, which is an extremely rare occurrence. No matter how much I enjoy living on my own, I simply can't afford to live on my Social Security income and my present health concerns, while not major, don't make looking for a supplemental job a good idea.

So when James and Aubrie lovingly invited me to live with them and their dogs, I hemmed and hawed and finally accepted. There was no mention of gruel at that time.

They have a lovely, two-story house on the opposite end of Phoenix from my present home. My bedroom will be on the ground floor, but it is tiny, so I have also been given a large office/sewing room on the second floor. I love the area, and I'm looking forward to decorating my new digs.

This will probably be (unless I win the lottery) my last move. Of course, I said that when I  moved into this place a little over a year ago. And the place before that.

I have listed my home for sale and am busy packing. I've moved so many times that I'm quite expert, but that doesn't mean I like it. Because I'll have much less space for my stuff, I am purging like crazy and trying to be practical, which is not one of my best attributes. I think the Salvation Army will be pleased.

One thing that kept me from leaping at the offer is the distance from my grandkids. I babysit three of them two or three days a week and have the other two spend the night, go to movies, etc. fairly often. But I think the increase in my gas costs will be more than offset by the expenses I will no longer have.

It seems like a win-win at the moment. I'll be with people I love and who love me, and I'll still have plenty of my things about me. I'll let you know how it goes and how much weight I lose on my gruel-only diet. Now back to packing before I take a break to watch The Golden Globes.

Till next time,

I Won!

Just before Christmas, I was notified that I was one of the winners of a LoveFeast Coffee Cake giveaway hosted by Pizzazzerie!

I chose (wisely, it turns out) the Triple Berry version. They also offered their Signature version, along with Pumpkin or Chocolate Chip. I'm sure they all would have been delicious, but I doubt they could top this berry-loaded treat, which featured raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.

Colorful and delicious, this coffee cake would be a great family brunch addition. Or pop it in the freezer and warm up a slice to go with your morning coffee or tea. Go to LoveFeast to try it for yourself!

Till next time,

Welcome, 2012!

Currier & Ives print courtesy of The Stock Solution

Every new year seems to sneak up on me, and 2012 is no exception. I saw the old year out with a snore rather than a bang, which may have something to do with it. My granddaughter spent the previous night with me and I stayed up till 1:00 a.m.(!), but two nights in a row was more than this old bod could take.

But 2012 arrived before I had even made my New Year's Resolutions, so I had to scramble to come up with these:

1. Be more appreciative of what I have
2. Take better care of myself
3. Find a cure for procrastination, the bane of my existence
4. Reorganize my priorities
5. Love more, laugh more, live more, blog more

I think that just about covers it. It all boils down to wanting to be a better person when I go to bed each night than I was when I woke up that morning.

I wish you all a healthy and happy new year!

Till next time,