Confessions of a Grandma

Prayers and positive energy of any nature are still needed from friends and family, including those from the world of web.  It has been nothing short of a terrifying roller coaster ride.  Mike has gone through respiratory failure, septic shock, kidney blockage, and colitis over the past few days.  I think they have it under control and, bam! something else happens.  One day at a time.

We had to call 911 yesterday.  Mike became disoriented and could not catch his breath, then started shivering uncontrollably.  While it looked like he was stable around 10 at night, he took a turn for the worse during the night.  His blood pressure dropped and he once again could not breath on his own. Positive thoughts and prayers, please.

Mike was discharged from the hospital yesterday and was very glad to get home.  He is getting a long, good night's sleep.  He was impressed with the care taken, but no matter how pleasant they try to make it, a hospital stay is still a stay in the hospital.  Sleep is always interrupted for some necessary monitoring, not to mention the needs of other patients. He is walking about and sat outside on the deck last night for a time.  I think his feet still hold him back more than the heart surgery. The heat has broken, but it is not the bright sunny day we were promised...at least not yet. I met my son for supper on Monday night and had a very pleasant time and a really good salad supper.  We treated ourselves to creme brûlée for dessert and it was delicious. On Sunday, Mike called me in the morning and told me not to visit that day.  He was still in the ICU--only because they did not have a regular bed available until that evening--and Saturday night h...

Mike continues to do amazingly well.  He is up and moving about.  He did say, "I probably don't really feel as good as I feel--they give me some good pain meds." He was waiting for his supper last night--a fruit cup and an Italian lemon ice--with his usual anticipation.  I was facing him when I saw his droopy eyes light up and he said, "Wow, now that's some waitress!"  I turned and there was the nutritionist delivering his meal in person.  She was the vision of a young Gina Lollabridgida .   Yep, same old Mike!

Mike's surgery lasted five hours.  His aorta was repaired but the aortic valve was beyond repair so the surgeon replaced that with a new part fashioned from bovine tissue. He went from surgery into intensive care where he was kept under sedation for the afternoon.  Towards evening, they started cutting back on sedatives and as of 9:30 our time, he was responsive. Fortunately, I have not had a whole lot of experience with visiting intensive care patients, but I have to say I was really surprised at how strong he looked considering the invasive nature of the surgery preformed.  This will be a rough night for him as they adjust for medications for pain and do the ICU monitoring.  It does look like he will be in a regular room sometime tomorrow.  So my outlook is remaining positive.  He will have a wicked scar, though. It has been a long day.

Mike and I relaxed all day yesterday and went out to get sushi for our supper.  It was a good way to go on a hot, steamy night.  We treated ourselves to some wine as well. It was up at 4:30 a.m. to get ready to arrive at the hospital for 6.  I am not much of a morning person, but it would have been kind of rude to call a cab for Mike. It was 76 degrees already when we left the house. I got to stay with him until they finished in pre-op.  It did not take so long and he is in surgery now.  The pre-op nurse happened to be a friend of my sister's growing up.  She also had some vicarious fame a while back because her husband is Capt. Phillips of the pirate capture story. So now I am in waiting mode.  I thank every one out there for all the prayers and positive energy sent our way.

I was very happy to notice these bright colors at the JCPenney store when I was there last. It seems as though it is always easy to find pastels and muted colors but not always brighter hues.  I snatched up some tee shirts and a flower patterned skirt. I am a "spring" but bright, clear colors of spring.  Have you ever had your colors done? ********* Scam alert!  We have gotten a few of these robocalls .  They say that there is no free lunch and we keep that in mind.

Last Monday while driving home from the hospital, I took the interstate, I89. Local people are pretty much aware that the eastbound lane is down to one lane going down French Hill as a large washout is being repaired.  Then there are the signs informing out-of-the-area folks (Flatlanders, as we like to call them) that the right hand lane is closed ahead. So I noticed that a full half-mile before the anticipated lane closing, all the VT cars are single file in the left hand lane.  We have toodled up and down the eastern seaboard states many, many times and honestly never saw anything like that happen before. I had to water my tomatoes yesterday for the first time since I planted.  It is supposed to be hot and humid for the beginning of the week.  So far the weather people have got it right.  But at least we are getting some welcome sunshine. I have heard the thing about women not sweating, merely glowing.  I am glowing so much lately that I am afraid ...

I did a program for the library's summer reading program--metallic embossing. There was a huge crowd.  I think the lousy weather has lots of parents scrambling for activities for the kids.  It was fun, but I was tired afterwards. I have some cute photos of the busy crafters.  I won't post them because I do not have parental permission.  There was glitter involved for those who so chose so try to imagine. It looks like the roads around town have been put back together.  It is all patchwork style.  We hope that the pattern of sudden heavy storms has finally moved on. Farmers are taking a beating.  This is a picture of a huge mud hole in the middle of a corn field.  I have been struggling through the pants fitting class I signed up for on line.  I am pretty close to having a pattern altered.  I have a muslin practice that fits--and two others that do not even come close.  I think that on line is not the ideal venue for so...

Mike and I spent Monday in the bowels of Fletcher-Allen Health Care so that Mike could have the catherization process to assess his heart and arteries prior to surgery. He has an aortic aneurysm right at the aortic valve which means that he will be having the artery reconstructed and the valve repaired.  There is a possibility that he will need to have the valve replaced with an artificial if his is too damaged.  Surgery is scheduled for Friday,  July 19. It is a big operation--with a fairly long recovery period.  However, we feel fortunate that the aneurysm was discovered before it got to bursting stage.  Mike had no symptoms. There was, of course, a great deal of waiting involved in Monday's procedure.  The cardio unit was a very busy place, but we were impressed with the friendliness and cheerfulness of the staff.  We met the surgeon and his PA and nurse.  Mike was very comfortable with all three.  They did all the preliminary work-u...

It is time for me to re-read the War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles  by Steven Pressfield. He is an author I would not ordinarily choose to read.  His books are about military stuff and wars.  He is an ex-marine after all.  According to his bio, he was made an honorary citizen of Sparta--for what that may say about him. But I have read the War of Art , and it is time for me to read it again.  From the introduction: There's a secret that real writers know that wannabe writers don't, and the secret is this:  It's not the writing part that's hard.  What's hard is sitting down to write. That is really no secret.  It is not that I have not been doing things.  I have, but I still have a nagging feeling of being stuck, of spinning wheels.  Spinning wheels is an apt image.  It is my mind that is spinning, and that means that I am not fully present with what I may be doing. It affects everythin...

The fireworks started pretty early in this part of the world.  As has happened on a regular basis lately, the mid afternoon sky turned very dark.  Huge thunderheads amassed themselves off to the north and then there was the ear splitting BOOM! We ran around closing windows, and just in time too.  The sky opened up and for a while it rained so hard I thought we were in Florida. The streams are gushing, taking driveways and large parts of roads, flooding the river banks and heading toward the lake.  Our road crew is once again engaged in the Sisyphean task of hauling gravel and rock to shore up ever increasing erosion of the town highways and byways. And then the sun came out.  The water is still rushing off the mountains, but people who want to see the fireworks might be able to if they can get out of their own yards and find a open road. I hope that you were able to enjoy the day.

You are on the internet, so you know about antioxidants and the "super foods" that contain them. It is known that antioxidants shield cells from damage by free radicals via some complicated chemical action.    We are led to believe that antioxidants' cell level action by extension protect us against cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's disease. It is a buzz word on food packages (being currently over taken by "gluten free") Or maybe that is a lot of hype . I am distressed to have food label buzzwords brought into doubt.  Oh, well,   antioxidants are slowly but surely being replaced by gluten free . Anyway, the antioxidant foods are generally high in fiber and low in bad fat and cholesterol.  That can't be a bad thing.  And if you eat them, you are getting some good vitamins. And I don't care so much about scientific studies.  When I drink this smoothie, I can actually feel the antioxidants forming an army to protect me at that cellula...

The other day when I was driving through the town of Brandon VT, I noticed all kinds of antique cars parked around the green and up and down the business lane.  I stopped to snap a few pictures. There was a club ride taking place and I guess that Brandon was a good place to stop for lunch. On Sunday morning, I went to the Vermont Quilt Festival (billed as the oldest --37 years--and largest in New England) at the Vermont State Fairgrounds in Essex Junction, VT.  There were sign all over the place warning, "NO TOUCHING THE QUILTS."  Talk about torture.   Photography was allowed, but of course I did not remember to bring my camera and my phone is a stupid one and the battery was dead anyway. There were programs, lectures, demonstrations, vendors, and quilts.  So many quilts, both old and new.  I did find a section that had quilts that looked as though they might be on a par with mine.  Then I noticed that I was in the "Kids W...