Weekend at the coast

Had a fun weekend at the central coast at my friend Rachael's house. We attended a small concert in a recording studio in Cambria and saw a movie and had dinner with our friend Candace who also lives in the area. Lovely weather!

Not sure what this plant is. It looks kind of like an asparagus plant that has gone to seed. May be called a Horsetail? It was growing en masse under a grove of Eucalyptus trees.

Thoughts about running

another disjointed, possibly rambling post...

My youngest brother will be in California the last weekend of July to run the San Francisco Marathon. He's been running off and on for probably 20 years. I last ran on a concrete gym floor at the local Y about 20 years ago and hurt so bad, I didn't think I would ever walk for exercise again.

Forward about 20 years and several cycles of weight gain/loss, and I discussed briefly with my brother the idea of walking a 5K next spring and he mentioned that with proper training (read slow training) I could possibly run (read this also as slow) a 5K.

Yesterday, I heard a discussion on public radio about barefoot running and the benefits of it and the drawbacks of "shod running." I spent some time this evening reading some websites about barefoot running and running in some shoes called Vibram Five Fingers. Interesting. I think I'll look into this kind of shoe and experiment with running short-really short--distances in my house on the nice smooth wood floor.

One of the differences in barefoot running is the runner doesn't necessarily land on his heel; but he might land on his forefoot or midfoot. I found this particularly interesting as I have looked at runners on the treadmills at the gym and see most of them running and landing on their heels. I've never been able to do this. It feels most awkward for me.

More things for me to think about.

Weight Watchers info for this week: Still have about 17 pounds to goal.

Saturday Night.

It's Saturday night and what a long day! I spent the morning on laundry, then made a trip to Visalia for Costco. Husband needed a refill on some meds. While there, checked out a couple of other stores and so was late to the Costco pharmacy and got there during their lunch. So I roamed the store, grazed the samples and looked at books and clothes. I got home about 4:00; so I wasn't able to do everything I had planned for the day.

I feel like Scarlet O'Hara. I'll do it tomorrow. I need to wash windows, dust under the furniture, and straighten most of the house.

I'm following a website/blog called Flylady--a cleaning system. You'd think I had enough to do without taking on this, but the house needs a system. I miss big parts of what I need to do by not having a system. This one may not be what I need, but it's interesting to look at and think about. Babysteps and starting new small habits one by one. That idea works for me. I'm not sure I can wait until I get out of babysteps!

Tax Time, Training

Finally got my taxes done, printed, uploaded and paid tonight.
Completed a six-hour training on autism this afternoon.
Have most of my life back...

My hand is healing.
I have too much to do at work.
Will be filing paperwork this evening or tomorrow.

On Saturday, I'm hosting a training for our and the districts' interpreters for the deaf.

Can't wait until school is out so I can breathe!

Another Busy Saturday--are there any other kinds?

Had a full day Saturday.

Picked up my mother for a trip to Lindsay for a quilt show. Wow! There were some absolutely beautiful quilts there. They had some Hoffman Challenge Quilts and clothes made from Hoffman fabrics. There were also lots of art quilts and some more traditional styles of quilts.

Some of my personal preferences for quilts and other things I like to have around me were expanded on and clarified for me. I have re-discovered that I like graphic designs with limited number of colors and bold contrast. I also like quilts with bright colors--graphic again, but also those with pictorial themes.

Having difficulty uploading pictures so will try later.

Overeating again and hand healing

What a weekend of overeating this is shaping up to be! I started yesterday by eating everything in sight right before making dinner! Then this morning, I ate a pre-breakfast snack, my regular breakfast, and then an early lunch before heading off to Costco to graze--oops! shop--and finished up the afternoon by having a nice, not-too-large dinner. Gotta see what tomorrow holds.

Stitches out on Monday--I think--is a good thing. I'm tired of sterilizing my palm and re-bandaiding it twice a day. I'm also hoping that the surgeon gives me some ideas on how to re-develop flexibility and strength in my fingers.

Spring Break

It's been a busy, but restful week. Errands on Monday, furniture purchases and lunch out with my mother on Tuesday, nothing special on Wednesday, errands and bills today, and car and veterinarian appointments on Friday. Surgery follow-up on Monday in Bakersfield. My hand looks better today. The purple discoloration is fading and turning kind of yellow. The incision is healing--I think--and not hurting as much. I can move my fingers better; although the middle finger still isn't as flexible as it should be.

my healing hand and his not healing heart

I can type again. My hand only has a waterproof bandaid for the next week.

It's spring break this week. I had planned to paint or to wash windows or to organize stuff in the house. Well, that plan has come to naught. I can wash dishes with rubber gloves; but I am not able to do much that requires me to squeeze my right hand.

Last week at this time: I had a rigid wrapped bandage on my hand and wrist that resembled a cast--only without the plaster. I had a pain block on my hand that kept me from moving my index and smallest fingers easily.

This week: I have just a small bandaid over the incision on my palm. I can move my fingers more, but my middle and ring fingers are still somewhat stiff and, while they can type, they aren't yet good for anything requiring strength.

The husband and I had a brief talk yesterday morning about the surgeon's recommendation for his heart. I wasn't totally aware that when we went to the doctor last week, he wasn't really absorbing what the doctor said; nor did he totally understand what his cardiologist said after the angiogram. I have a feeling that if and when the doctor calls, Husband will politely refuse the procedure. I had thought that he might go for it.

Guess not........

bad hand days

Big bandage on my hand--pain block--useless dominant right hand--short post.

wheelchairs, wheelchair lifts, vacations......

Holey, moley! While it's wonderful that the insurance company will cover the cost of a wheelchair for the male person in my household, it's disappointing that they won't cover the lift for our car. So if you use a wheelchair and need to take it somewhere, I think maybe you need to use public transportation? Or, if we get it together to go on a trip, how do I get him there without spending the vacation money to buy the lift?

Of course, lifts aren't essential, but they sure do promote independence!

Nuts!

On my personal bright side, I have my hand surgery scheduled for this Friday! Yay! With the kind of luck one of my teachers had, I might be able to hold things again without dropping them. I used to be able to hold a wet glass when I washed it without worrying about breaking it. Not now. Along with trigger finger came a weak grip in my dominant hand. Looking forward to Saturday!

This post sounds like I am really old! I don't feel old. I still have several years to what I hope will be an active, fun retirement.

Gotta get everything fixed while I still have good insurance!

cardiac update

He had a consult with a cardiac surgeon who specializes in valve replacements. The surgeon was amazing! He took time while we were there to review the cardiologist's report and to try to look at the CDs we brought with us. He spent a good amount of time explaining the process of the procedure he is recommending for hubby. He recommended cardiac resynchronization therapy which would hopefully coordinate the 2 sides of the heart (I think) and also have a defibrillator component. Not sure if he'll go for it. Last summer, he refused an implanted defibrillator because of the risk of the implantation...

got an itchy trigger finger

I have Trigger Finger. A year and a half ago, I didn't know it had a name. A teacher in my department had mentioned the condition with respect to her husband a couple of years ago. But last spring she had trigger finger corrected by surgery. I'm going in next Friday to have it corrected too.

You ask, 'what is trigger finger?' It is this weird condition where one to three fingers on your hand either "lock" bent or straight. In my case, I am often unable to open my right ring finger without using my other hand. I have difficulty openings jars and bottles. I also seem to be dropping things regularly. I hope that's part of the trigger finger. I also have a decreased grip strength in both hands. The trigger finger is also present in my left hand, but it isn't as annoying as it doesn't happen as often.

In 7 days, it'll all be over but the Vicodin...

hard things to think about...

Last Friday, he had an angiogram that went well; however, the news after was about as bad at it can get. The cardiologist said that my soon-to-be-60-year-old husband's heart is failing much faster than we had expected to hear. He had a quadruple cardiac bypass 10 1/2 years ago and 3 of the bypasses have failed. In addition, his heart has enlarged to the point that his heart valve is unable to close completely. A valve replacement is too risky. He's been given a 50:50 chance that his heart will last for another year.

We have been pretty much stunned and are still absorbing the news. I've told my brothers and mother. We haven't told his mother or brother. I need to let him do that when and if he is ready.

Since it looks like we don't have a lot of time, I'll be looking for things for us to do and/or places to go. We haven't traveled much in the 27 years we've been married. The dogs and a general lack of cash have always kept us from traveling together.

We'll be considering finally using our timeshare, maybe visiting Virginia where he went to high school for a year and spent most of his 20's, and maybe a trip to Hawaii.

The hardest thing for me to do is bring up the subject of travel or going somewhere. If we talk about it, it's real.............

Finding My Voice

I've read many other blogs before starting this one. I find that they usually have a theme or other common idea that runs through from post to post. I'm having a hard time finding a focus. It seems that I don't have a lot to say about stuff. Yikes! My family, friends, and co-workers think I have lots to say!

To catch up:
The rain has stopped for now.
My husband is out of the hospital for now--and hopefully for a long time.
I've lost 41 pounds as of last Monday.

I'm glad to have a long weekend to re-energize, get ready for my trainings and staff meeting next week, and sort out home things.

He's in the hospital again...

My husband has had congestive heart failure for a few years now--pretty well controlled. In early January, he was hospitalized with shortness of breath and HUGE ankles/feet. He spent about 3 nights in the local hospital. He felt a bit better for a couple of weeks and was getting his strength back, but one of his new meds seems to have triggered an allergic reaction. On top of that, he isn't the best at following a low-sodium, low-fat diet. His ankles, feet and calves were very swollen, and he has had trouble breathing so that he has had trouble taking our dog out and walking from one end of the house to the other.

I took him to the hospital during my lunch yesterday. At 7:00, he was still in emergency and was waiting for a bed. I guess the hospital is very full. I haven't heard from him or the hospital yet this morning.

He thinks that an angiogram would have found this problem if the doctor had done it in the last few months. I'm not sure if that would be the case; but arguing about it isn't going to help. I think I'll talk to the school nurses today and ask about it--

At any rate, I think he'll be there for a couple of days or so.

I am reminded of how my father ended his days at age 79 and how his voice sounded and his legs looked. My husband's voice sounds much the same with it being weak and breathy. His feet look the same.

He'll be 60 in just over a month.

Getting Things Done at Work--Or Not

Disorganization. I see it everywhere. I see it in my office because I am not working on my priority activities. I see it in the work of others when they are so focused on one topic and their perspective of that topic and the other office priorities.

I recently read David Allen's amazing book, Getting Things Done. I think he's been in my house, office, and head. His book is the first of many I've read that defines why I have such a hard time getting started and completing tasks. He describes people whose procrastination is based on the fear that they will forget to do things and leave them out so they won't forget. Things pile up until the person can no longer see what is out and needs to be done. He writes that we have only so much memory and new memories crowd out older ones.

The biggest problem I have right now with his concepts is figuring out how to put them into action daily/weekly/monthly/etc. I need to schedule regular time to review my inbox of work needing to be addressed and to get moving on some projects I've been working on.

Actually, another holdup in the process is trying to figure out how to let our director know that I am not getting my regular duties done with the extra work she has taken on on our behalf this year.

Goals for Monday: Tackle the inbox, list what needs to happen next with each item.
Put away the paper on the surfaces of my office--inbox, file, or binder for everything.
Get a new binder for course documents.

Lazy Sunday and Work

Sunday, January 24, 2010--I have my book group here on Tuesday night; so I thought I'd straighten the house and work on my purse organizer project today. Well. I didn't. I took a long time getting myself together this morning and before I knew it, it was time for lunch. I took a long walk--2.2 miles--and then when I got back, I needed to run errands. Then it was 5:00. While I didn't accomplish much, it was a good mental health day...

Ran into a former administrator from our office and chatted with her for awhile at the grocery store. She's very happy in her new job. I'm glad that it's working for her. I sometimes wish there was a place for me there or somewhere else. While I mostly love my job, there is always the uncertainty when the office changes due to retirements and promotions. We have already had a lot of gossip over our superintendent's recently announced retirement. Some people are assumed to be in the running for the position. Some people even asked me if I was considering it!! I would have to be nuts to consider it. I don't the have the inclination, experience, political contacts, etc.

So as I left the grocery store, it was sprinkling again. We are supposed to have rain again for a few days.

Tuesday, the 26th: No rain yesterday and not until mid-day today.

Good cookies and pecans at book group tonight. I tried a new recipe for some shortbread cookies that turned out pretty well.

Old Friend on a Busy Saturday

What a beautiful day today! Driving toward Visalia to make a run to Costco was the most beautiful kind of day we ever have! The air was clear, there were just a few clouds in the sky and I could see the Sierras with a heavy blanket of snow. They looked like they were right behind Visalia; it was so clear. Even here, you could see them clearly. Usually, our air is so murky that you are lucky to see more than a mile away...

Seeing those mountains took me back sooooo many years to the winter I worked weekends in Sequoia National Park. I worked both in the kitchen in the Village Cafeteria (no longer there, I believe) and checking tow tickets at Wolverton Ski Bowl. The snow triggers memories of trying to get to work wearing hard, slick-soled shoes and slipping all the way; of sleeping in the dormitory with the window open because the radiator heat was too hot; and inner-tubing on the snow. It was that activity that terminated my weekends for a few months as I inner-tubed over a cliff, landed on an inch or so of slush and fractured my sacrum (lower back). I think of my old friends, Kathy and Fred and then that triggers thoughts of other people that I worked with that winter and the next two summers. I had a brief Facebook re-connect with Fred recently but was "unfriended" by him in a few weeks. No real idea why; just noticed one day that he wasn't on my friends list...

Returning from Costco, I had coffee with my first friend in life, Judy. I had lost track of Judy in the years after high school and met up with her last summer at Weight Watchers. We've had lunch and coffee a couple of times. She seems to have a good life with a husband who treats her like a queen. I'm so happy for her. She had a number of years of hard times and has really come through them. We had a good visit and talked of work, her kids, her stove troubles, my husband, and lots of other things.

overeating

Well, tortilla chips two times in one week... I will be curtailing my snacking this weekend and probably hitting the gym to kind of make up for it. Tortilla chips are probably my main weakness in eating. I LOVE them. Consequently, I don't often have them in the house. They're right up there with cookies.

MORE rain...

I think it's the 6th day in a row that it has rained here. I'm chilled through. On the bright side, I could see the snow on the Sierras from my driveway this morning. And this afternoon, we had a very bright rainbow behind our office building. It was actually a double rainbow, but the higher one was much fainter.

Saturday, it isn't supposed to rain here, but it will start back up either Sunday or Monday. We need it for the crops in the area. We also need to replenish (re-charge?) our water table. My father told me years ago that when I was a baby, when he would dig a hole to plant a tree or shrub, the water would fill the hole faster than he could dig. That would never happen now.

Rainy Weather

It's raining today and supposed to for several more days. The last time our backyard was this wet, two of our trees started to lean and ended up almost horizontal. We still have them. They could go any time if the ground is sodden since they're top-heavy.

I hope this is an artifact of an El Nino weather system. They often lead to lots of rain. Our area is in a nearly constant drought condition; so this is welcome to most of us. My husband doesn't like when it rains because the days are dreary and he doesn't have much energy on these kinds of days. I look forward to fewer water-related issues with the farmers.

I'm tired of hearing about there not being enough water. Of course, there isn't. Everyone wastes water! I hate to see the city water the medians during a rain storm. I hate to see people wash off their driveways (even though I do once or so a year). I hate to hear people complain about government telling them when and how much to water, etc. Many people wouldn't conserve if there weren't rules about doing it.

Rant, rant, rant...

Working on Saturday and a child's funeral

Saturday was filled with work-related activities. I know, it was Saturday. First, I hosted a group of sign language interpreters for a videoconference at our county office of education. I played so many games, my IPhone battery ran down before it was over. I did get part of my book read for the book group.

Saturday afternoon was down time and laundry time. But at 5:00, I went to the funeral of the beautiful 3-year-old son of our department clerk-typist. I think it may have been the overall saddest funeral I have ever attended. The video prepared by his grandfather was heart-breaking, filled with snapshots and videoclips of the child being himself. He was charming, funny, smart and would never have needed speech therapy. One of the women in the department told me a few weeks ago when we knew he wouldn't live, that she was glad she had seen him at a department event so that she would have a positive picture of him in her memory. Another woman in the department left the reception after the funeral early to go home and be with her children. I imagine that it stirred a primal urge to protect her child.

The picture of me shown here is a large (pun intended) reason for my final decision to go to Weight Watchers. It took almost 5 months before I actually took the plunge, but oh my, I really needed to. Look at those round cheeks and I thought those jeans looked good! My mom signed on a few weeks later after I had been going for awhile.

I try not to berate myself too much for letting weight get the better of me. I have become stronger and now have the better of it!

Weight Loss

I am at about one and a half years in Weight Watchers. I wish I'd lost more weight than I have, but I've lost a lot! As of last Monday, it was 38 pounds! I am embarrassed to admit that I have over 20 to go to make lifetime Weight Watchers. It isn't making lifetime that is so important, but losing all this weight--and of course--not having to pay anymore...

One thing that is going well is that I am "trending down" instead of stagnating. When I look at my overall time on a graph, the line trends down--a good thing.