In the spirit of doing better this year...

I figured I would write in my blog today. Skye is napping still, Eric ran off to help Brie with a flat, Aurora is at bowling, and the boys are... Not sure exactly what the boys are doing. One is in the shower, another was going to be with friends, and the third? Playing video games perhaps?

I saw the eye surgeon yesterday again. Last week he thought it was a dry cornea and scar tissue causing the blurriest in my right eye, but after assigning me eye drops three times a day minimum and using a laser on the scar tissue (looked like tin foil in the microwave inside my eye!), a week later and there is no improvement. Further tests were run, the cornea moisture is back where it's supposed to be, but the vision was actually worse! Turns out I did now register an astigmatism in the right eye, something that hadn't been present the last two appointments. I did say I haven't seen much change in my vision since that last appointment after the second surgery, and I have to go back again in three weeks. If the astigmatism still is present, then he would like to do LASIK on me to fix that, and he said it is included in my lens package, because his goal is to be sure I am seeing the best that is possible for me. I am game, as long as there won't be further charges, because we have already spent so much. I see better now than I ever have but there are still things I don't see clearly; I can live with it, but would prefer clarity, especially on the computer. So we will see how this plays out.

Skye has been entertaining us with her "Monster Life" game here on my iPad. She knows how to bring it up, and has figured out how to make purchases on it using the currencies in-game (I have turned off her ability to make in game purchases with real money, however, because I know she would if she were able, not understanding "why" it's not ok). Today she helped myself to the iPad while it was charging, telling Aurora "play my monsters" and proceeding to demonstrate how smart she really is in going through all the elements in game and laughing as she took care of the various monsters and tasks. She truly is a little smarty pants.

Having finished Reimond's sweater, I am really craving starting something new, but I am not sure what, because I am also still trying to finish up some projects that are in various states of completion. I realized the other day that I am really missing sock knitting, and would like to do more of them, because they are quick and satisfying, but looking today at Skye I realized she could really use a sweater because it is so blasted cold downstairs. Something she could keep here and put on as needed. So I have been browsing patterns.

I know the cold has been terrible up north, and now in the east, but to hear people here tell it, you would think we lived in the article circle! It makes me laugh to hear the complaints, because while yes, it is colder than we have had for a long while, I have definitely lived in colder temps in MN, and this is "nothing" compared to that. We did have snow yesterday and it was pretty, but it's already melted away in the sunshine today. I miss the cleanness of the snow over because the browns get so tiresome.

Eric is on his way home, so I suppose I should finish up. Happy Wednesday all!

Wednesday....

I knew I should have gone to the bowling alley with Eric tonight. It's gonna be a bad tv night, and I don't feel like doing much of anything (I am actually staying home because my cough is still leading to occasional puking episodes, which are not fun when in public).  I am better, honestly, but still have pain in my upper left quadrant when I cough and even when I take deep breaths.  Am still using the inhalor and taking my cough meds, but finished the steroids yesterday. Perhaps this is too much information, so I will change the subject...

My poor spouse had to work a 16 hour day yesterday, coming home at 11 this morning after starting at 6 last night due to sick calls at work.  He has today off, although some of it had to be devoted to sleep, and now he is bowling tonight.  He fortunately didn't work any overtime while his parents were in town, and we had a lovely weekend visit.  It was peaceful and relaxing, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I gave them the quilt I made for them and they liked it, so I was content. They gave us a gift certificate to the winery, so we are pleased too--love to escape there when we get the opportunity.

I see the eye surgeon tomorrow for a follow up. I am curious to know where my vision is at now that things have had a chance to meld and settle.  I know there is still blurriness at certain distances, and I know the astigmatism is still there slightly in the right eye, but we will know more tomorrow, and I look forward to it. Eric will be going with me, and maybe we can escape and have a date of some sort after the appointment.

Skye will be here this weekend when her mom has drill, and we have been enjoying her visits. She has discovered a game on my iPad that she likes, Monster Life, and likes to feed and pet her monsters. Between visits I find myself playing the game just to keep them "healthy". It's a cross between a tamagachi, pokemon, farmville, and that old dog game on facebook: you raise an egg to a monster, train it, battle with it, and care for it; you collect coins and other forms of currency to build up your ranch and get new monsters, and it's a time sink.  Oh well, for the time being, it's also fun for the two year old, and fun for me too. There is some level of thinking involved to win the battles, so it isn't completely pointless, but I promise I won't be spending real money on gaining tokens any time soon...

The kids are all doing ok, and other than the lingering coughs that everyone seem to have, they are healthy. Brie returns to school on Monday; Aurora is in her "J" term and going to bowling practice; Reimond is taking semester finals and so far doing quite well; and Dan is working. Patrick has been helping a friend's family take care of their dog (as a dog walker--the dad has a broken ankle), but otherwise is in the job hunting stage still.  We are keeping our fingers crossed.

Just looked at the time, and I need to make something for dinner...  And dishes need doing, so I guess that wraps up my update.  Hopefully this year I will post a bit more often, but I make no promises...

New year, with beginnings and endings.

This has been a different year end for me. I came down with pneumonia the week before Christmas, and went north on lots of medications. I spent a wonderful, albeit low key week with family (of which I include the few lunch dates I had with dear girlfriends), the family gathering at mom's on Christmas Eve, and my mom's birthday celebration at olive garden on the 29th. The drives there and back were easy, made in 10 hours each way, and Reimond did a wonderful job helping me with the driving, so I didn't do it all on my own.

I feel very blessed that I was able to meet up with one of my "kids" from the past and meet her beautiful little boy, and it was so nice to see how life has gone for her. She is an amazing woman and mother, and I am so proud of her. Hopefully this was just the first of many visits over the coming years.

I was saddened to learn that my best friend for the last 38 or so years lost her mother unexpectedly while I was in Mn and I was unaware of that tragedy until after I got home. The funeral is going to be on Saturday and I won't be able to be up there for it, although my heart will be with her. Ann is an only child now (her younger brother died of leukemia when he was a boy) and I was the "little sister" throughout out junior and senior high school years. My heart is full of memories of all the time spent at her parents house and while I grieve her passing, I take comfort knowing she is with her husband and son, and that Ann honored her mom's wishes of no heroic measures, despite how hard a decision that is to honor. I also heard on Facebook that someone I knew fairly well in my younger years lost her mother unexpectedly on the first, and it makes me so grateful I had Christmas week with my mom, and that my in-laws will be here this weekend. One never knows when things will change, and we have to treasure the opportunities we have!

I saw the doctor today again and while the pneumonia is now gone, it was apparently move severe than I had known at the time, a fast moving infiltrate that was possibly the result of a "lung injury" although I have no clue what would have caused it. Anyhow, my bronchial tubes are hyper reactive right now, and I have been put on steroids, cough medicine pills (to ease both the coughing and the pain), and regular use of the inhaler until things ease. I just want the coughing to go away because I am so tired of the stress on my body, of my muscles aching and the puking. I am so ready to feel better and have my life and energy back.

The kids are all doing fine and we had a really nice family Christmas on New Year's Eve. We may have Skye here this weekend as it sounds like it may be a drill weekend for Brie and that will be fun. Now that she isn't living here, I appreciate the times we have her so much more. She makes me laugh and she gives me such joy watching her grow and learn and change.

I haven't made many New Years resolutions, but rather intend to continue as I have begun: tracking my points and trying to eat healthy, staying active, keeping up on projects and chores, and focusing on my relationships. I chose to end a longstanding friendship just before Christmas, and while it hurts to not have this person in my life any more, it was necessary. The friendship was becoming toxic and it hurt so badly to be always told what a terrible friend I was, how selfish and self entered I apparently am, and how inconsiderate I am. I tried so hard to be positive, supportive, and encouraging, but often felt helpless in the face of all that was going on in this persons life, especially when nothing I suggested or offered was good enough. Needless to say there is a hole now in my heart, and while I keep this person in my prayers and want only the best for the future, I honestly have to say I don't miss the guilt trips or the derision I often has to deal with over the past 5 years, about the same length of time I have been involved with Eric. I will treasure my memories of the good times, and let go of the painful ones, and perhaps, in time, things can change again for the better.

I am going to try to eat something light before I take my last dose of prednisone. I am having a similar problem taking it that Reimond has--it upsets my stomach and doesn't want to stay put... Blech! Then, I am hoping for an early night tonight.