Getting Caught Up..

This has been the winter to top all winters.  I can only remember one winter in my lifetime that was worse.  That would have been the winter of 1977-78.

http://www.isws.illinois.edu/pubdoc/RI/ISWSRI-88.pdf

This is a PDF document.  If you have a minute take the time to read the abstract at the beginning of the document.

This has certainly been a winter to match and all set to exceed that winter.  It has been one snow storm after another, followed the next day by way below temperatures and gusty winds.

I have been stuck in my house so much that the tank of gas I bought for my car right after Thanksgiving has not reached the halfway mark yet.  I have experienced cabin fever to almost the manic degree.

So bad that I have been constantly baking something almost every day.  I have gained back most of the weight that I lost during my cancer treatment.



Footprints in the snow made by the paper carrier recently.  I am so ready for Spring.  I want to see a robin so bad that I would even go walking with him to Missouri (my birth state).

Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Where have I been…

Not posting on here, that is obvious.  Thanksgiving has come and gone and it is almost Christmas.  The time has flown by.

In the interim I have survived a tornado which caused much devastation here in the northern part of Pekin.  Two tornadoes actually touched down here on November 17, 2013.  Twenty one tornadoes touched down in Illinois on that date.  The one that caused the most destruction was in Washington IL which is about 20 miles from me. 

I can still stand and look out my living room window and see houses with no roofs.  It was a living nightmare for me and all that happened to me was I had my kitchen window blown out. I am still after almost a month finding shards of glass in the kitchen and living room.  My window is still boarded up inside and out and I am beginning to wonder if It will be that way until Spring.  I pay an enormous rent and I would love to be able to look out my kitchen window again.

Then to make matters worse I picked up a bug at Thanksgiving and it is just now beginning to let go of me.  But I know that I was very fortunate!!  I didn’t lose my home as so many others did.  I thank God for that.

Have a truly blessed Christmas.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Almost November..

Although I don’t mind Halloween I am always glad to see the back of it.  And I hate seeing Halloween decorations in  yards in November just as I don’t like seeing Christmas decorations in January.

It has rained steadily here for the second day in a row now with some impressive 2 – 3 inch totals.  We had a thunderstorm last night.  My daughter lost power from 7PM to 4AM this morning.  Thankfully my power didn’t go out.

Not knowing what to do on such a depressing day my daughter and I went to Costco.  I bought a few Christmas presents and my daughter stocked up on some things.

I have an appointment with the ophthalmologist tomorrow morning which is about 6 months overdue because of the treatment I had for cancer last summer.

I seem to be improving a little bit each day.  I can chew better and I am tasting the food more now.  My right cheek and the right half of my neck is still numb.  I was told by the ENT surgeon that I could expect that for the next 1 – 2 years.  I am living with this.  I am just so thankful to be alive.

Saturday is the Holiday Christmas Craft Show at the hospital.  This will be my 4th Christmas here to go to this.  They always have the most beautiful handmade Christmas decorations there.

I hope you all have a Blessed weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!

Beth

For Jim…

Missing you today on your birthday Jim.  You remain always in my heart.

Love,

Beth

Updating…

I don’t mean to be neglecting this blog as it is very important to me.  I want to take a minute here and get you all caught up on what has been happening to me.

To begin with, I am so very grateful to be alive.  I am in my 6th week of recovery after  surgery and radiation for the cancer.  I am able to chew now and I am weaning myself off the Boost and Ensure.  My tongue is still very painful so it takes me longer to eat.   I am beginning to distinguish some tastes now and that is very encouraging for me.

It is also a chore to take my meds, one at a time, instead of several at once like I was able to before.

I had visits from family last Friday and Saturday.  My son came to see me on Friday in the morning and in the afternoon Jim’s nephew and his wife and granddaughter visited from Wisconsin.

On Saturday my brother and his wife came for a visit.  It was a very nice 2 days.  I was tired but happy after seeing them all.

My sis in WV had hip replacement surgery on the 11th.  She is doing well.  I haven’t seen her for 3 years this month and I really miss her.  Hopefully we can get together when we are both fully recovered.

I will be going every 3 months for a CT scan, lab work and doctor visit for the next 2 years.  Then it will be determined if I am in remission.  I am praying for that.

Be kind to everyone.  Stay safe and be happy!!  Beth