Babies and that Maternal Feeling

As many may know, Philip and I have no children.  It, apparently, wasn’t in God’s plan for us.  I spent a good portion of my thirties upset by this revelation; avoiding kids, cringing at the prospect of the invite to a baby shower, getting angry at commercials that depicted families doing family things, hearing that Christmas is for children (n...a...h…I love Christmas even without having kids), telling myself that kids were annoying and who needed them?  Laura Bush had an interesting quote in her book Spoken from the Heart:

“The English language lacks the words to mourn an absence. For the loss of a parent, grandparent, spouse, child or friend, we have all manner of words and phrases, some helpful some not. Still we are conditioned to say something, even if it is only “I’m sorry for your loss.” But for an absence, for someone who was never there at all, we are wordless to capture that particular emptiness. For those who deeply want children and are denied them, those missing babies hover like silent ephemeral shadows over their lives. Who can describe the feel of a tiny hand that is never held?” 

By my mid-forties I came around to accept that this is the way it’s going to be.  I still stayed clear of children but the occasional baby shower grew to be less of a chore, discussing a co-worker's pregnancy didn’t sting as much, but I knew I’d never offer myself to babysit. 

Flash forward to last week.  I was having a garage sale and my neighbor Jamie came over with Norah, her four month old daughter.  Looking back now, I’m amazed at how I initiated Jamie into relinquishing Norah to me.  I deliberately reached for her.  I didn’t even think about it. I just did it.  I know, not a huge deal for most women but for me, it was the first time I have done this since my twenties and I didn’t even realize what I had done until later.  

This weekend has been a particularly rainy one.  Oklahoma really needs it.  This morning I let Becca out and when she came back it, she was drenched.  I had to dry her off with a towel. She was very good about it; even laying down on her back so I could wipe each of her paws.  After I was satisfied with it, I was playing with her and the towel and talking to her like a baby.

“Aw…my little girl is all wet. Poor little girlie. You smell like a wet dog. I know that’s because you are a wet doggy.”


I know…how pathetic is that?  And then I did something I was worried I’d never do again. I clutched her to my bosom.  I had been worried that I wouldn’t feel that maternal need since my bosom had been amputated. But the need was still there.  And that felt good.

A Word about Dating...

No, don't be shocked. It's not the demise of my marriage to Philip.  That will NEVER happen.  But I have a few friends who have tried to get back into the dating scene and they have told me stories.  It just boggles my mind: why is it so hard to find "the one?" 

Take my friend, Tom; he's been divorced for a couple years. He's a nice guy; tall (okay, not that tall…5’11”), dark and handsome in a chiseled kind of way; mid-50s; employed (not a millionaire but doing okay).  He's gone out on dates with woman he's met through various dating services.  The woman on the sites all seem to agree that "they don't want to play games!"  The thing is; they do!!!  It's kind of perplexing. 

Remember that book I reviewed, It Could be Worse, You Could be Me by Ariel Leve?  The one essay was about being direct with where you stand.  I realize it might be hard to hurt someone but if you're not feeling it; say so and let's move on.  Tom has told me stories about how a woman he just met, seemed genuinely interested.  She actually told him she'd like to see him again.  Tom was pretty excited about it but Tom's emails were answered in vague short sentences.

 "Can’t meet on Thursday.”

“Maybe next week." 

Then next week comes and she's busy again.  Then the emails just go unanswered.  What's up with that?  Give the guy a break.  Tom has been forced to evaluate every encounter. Even his profile on the dating site is subject to self-inflected scrutiny. 

Then there is my friend, Amy. She’s a nice lady, early 50s, grown kids, professional with a degree.  For some reason the men she meets feel that sleeping with her is a given.  They paw at her all evening, expecting something will happen.  Amy is no prude by any means, but she’s not going to sleep with a man she barely knows. Well, unless he’s famous and good looking like Glen Frey or Bon Jovi, then maybe…okay probably.  But, why do these guys act that way? I suppose she could put on her profile, “If you’re looking for sex, don’t bother contacting me.”  But if she did that, she’d get no one to respond to her profile and in her early stages of disrepair, she can’t handle that.

I just don’t get why it’s so hard to make connections? Why do people make it so hard?   No games need to be played. It should just fall into place.  Maybe I’ve been spoiled all these years by a seamless relationship with Philip.  There’s no working at it for us; it just happens.  I just wish the same for Tom and Amy.  Eventually it will, I just know it, but in the meantime all you single people: don't make it so hard!

Serious thought I need to say...so here it is...

I posted this pic on Facebook because it rings so true to me.  It makes no sense to give anyone power over you. I get that.  And after having gone through cancer and beating it, one has but no choice to really look at their life and make some changes.  Everyone says to not let the little things get you down...to gloss over it and basically pretend it doesn't exist; it doesn't hurt.  I have approached people with a discussion on this and I sense their frustration.  In my case, I'm like a dog with a bone....I want to analyze it and I try but I get this "In the whole scheme of things, is it really that important. Just let it go!"  Well maybe the person I'm fretting over needs to live in my head a little bit longer rent free; maybe I'm not ready to evict them.  I'm kind of tired of having to feel guilty for wanting to wallow in my despair a little longer.   Yeah, I know it's of no good for me.  I know I should put my energies elsewhere...somewhere more productive but in many cases I just can't...not yet.  Certain things have happened with my socially and I can say I'm making pretty good strides to get past them.  But just because I slip, doesn't mean I'm not moving on..it's just at a different pace than my good-intention friends would like. Just so there's no dispute on this..I love all of my friends; appreciate them so much!!!! So don't stop being you but understand, letting go is not my strong suit (I know, duh!) :)  All is good.

Overdue Update

I know this update is overdue...sorry.  

I finished my first week of radiation treatment.  There really isn't much to report.  I go in everyday at 3:20, take off my shirt, lay face up, the two girls who are the techs line me up and then I'm conveyer-ed back a few feet under this machine that scans around me.  It takes about 5 minutes. Then I put my shirt on, say good bye and I'm on my way.  Lather, rinse, repeat...

I haven't experience any of the redness I'm going to see. It will appear, probably next week.  I have a prescription lotion I have to put on three times a day.  I'm fatigued a lot but that's still from the chemo and the drugs I'm taking.  It may or may not get better before it gets worse.  I do stuff and then I lay down.  It's all good.

Funny story:  I was checking out at Dr Toma’s office (my oncologist) and I told the lady, Beverly, about the benefits of having a mastectomy.  I lifted by shirt and said, “I can flash you and it’s not indecent exposure!”  She laughed, a lot and said, “no, but it might be considered disturbing behavior.”  Aw man, she got me!  I guess I never saw it from the standpoint of the flashee.  And to think of all those poor people I've exposed myself to. (just kidding...Beverly was actually the first...seriously.)

I'm still have the neuropathy despite the Neurotin but that may be how it is.  A small price to pay for being cancer-free. 

So it's all good.  Stay tuned for another exciting post. :D

Book Review

I've been wanting to write this for some time now so I'm making myself do it right now.  

I'm reading this book called, It Could Be Worst, You Could Be Me by Ariel Leve.  It's essays on how she sees the world.  Most are funny because they are correct. We have a lot in common in many ways.  

One essay is called, I Know You Don't Like Me. Yeah, Leve is pretty direct.  I'm sure she figures life is short, let's get to the point. In this essay she thinks people should just be forthright with their feelings.

She writes, "Think of all the time it would save.  No more lying to get out of a relationship. No more trying to figure out what you may have done to make someone distant or wondering if you're being paranoid.  They wouldn't have to offer a reason.  'I don't like you' is all I need. Knowing where they stand would be enough." I agree with all of this except I'd want a reason.  It doesn't have to be a big reason. But something.  When I was in third grade I was somehow connected to Andrew, a kid in my class.  We'd hold hands as we walked to the lunch room each day. He told me he didn't want to do it anymore because he wanted to be with Christina, another girl in our class.  His reasoning was, she wore a training bra.  Not the best reason but still at least he had a reason, and that made a difference.  One of my biggest pet-peeves is when people make up their mind about me without my input. They can't possibility get it right.  Well, they often do when their thinking is positive but if it is negative, it is no doubt based on misinformation.

One of my favorite essays in the book is about Facebook.  She writes that she joined Facebook under pressure from her friend Sophie.  "'I'm so excited!'" Sophie wrote on her wall. "'Finally!' You'd think I'd gotten engaged."

Leve says Facebook for her, "opens up a whole new world of paranoia.  I always knew I had the potential to alienate people in real life but now I can drive away thousands of people in cyberspace too?"  She writes about her friend Emily who she had been trying to get in contact with. Emily hadn't gotten back to her so Leve assumed she was just busy but then Emily left a status message on her wall saying, "'Emily has just spent eight hours doing nothing and is incredibly bored.'"  Now what?  I'd be hurt too!  I'm as paranoid as Leve.  When I ask someone to be my friend and they don't "friend" me I'm thinking, "what's up with this? She's friends with so and so, what's wrong with me?  Who am I, chopped liver?"  I often end up leaving a message saying "friend me for crying out loud; I'm getting a complex." Usually that does it; we become friends and I'm so happy. :)

She sees FB as a tool to replace email. "Now even texting and phone calls have become a chore.  I'll get through to Madonna before I'll get through to Lisa."  

Facebook does open up an opportunity to find out about the mundane of our friends.  Leve writes, "'Liza is folding laundry.'  I felt so included. God only knows what else I've been missing." I find out a lot about people from their status.

Another essay is about Recycling.  I found this essay especially enlightening.  I had never thought of this..that being childless is a benefit to the environment.  Now I feel better about not having kids.  Leve writes, "Putting fewer people on earth does far more to prevent global warming than buying organic blueberries." She makes a point, so much that I really feel better.  I'm not making trips to soccer games or carting my kids from place to place. I'm not buying non-biodegradable toys, electronic devices or containers. I should get a rebate from the government for my conscientious decision.  Thanks Ariel, I feel so much more superior!

I think I write a lot like Leve but I hold back a lot so I don't offend.  Like the day after my surgery, two ladies from the American Cancer Society came to my room to talk to me about some of the benefits of having cancer; the counseling, literature on the disease and other things that are available to me.  They gave me a cute Teddy Bear too.  I think if Leve got this she'd be thinking about all the germs clinging to this stuffed animal.  She'd be happy for the gesture but disgusted by the contamination collecting on it.  Bringing it to a hospital has to be the worse place.  It crossed my mind but I wouldn't be able to put it in words on my blog...I'd just be thankful for the gesture. :) 


At first I wasn't as impressed with the book but as I got to reading more and more and understanding Leve's personality I loved it.  I highly recommend this book!

 

God Bless America!

One month Boob-free

Okay, sing this song to the tune of Born Free (the Andy Williams version, not Kid Rock's)...

Boob-free....as free as the wind blows

as free as my bra blows

without mam-mar-ies

Okay, that's all I wrote of it.  Catchy, huh?
I am doing physical therapy to help with the range of motion in my right arm.  It's not straightening out completely.  PT should stand for Physical Torture!
I met with my radiation oncologist, Dr Young, on Friday and here's the scoop there.  I had a CAT Scan and they gave me three tattoos.  No, not a heart or an angel; just a little dot.  But I have to say, each one hurt. I mean not to the point of doubling over in pain but enough to make me cringe. If this is what it's like to get a tattoo...a picture of something permanently etched in my skin, forget it.  I'll pass.  Anyway, I have to go back on Friday (9/16) for some kind of check and then on Monday (9/19) I will start the treatment.  I will go every weekday afternoon for six and a half weeks.  The entire process takes about 15 minutes.  So the travel time is longer than the actual treatment time.  I will experience more fatigue and my chest area will have some kind of reaction to the radiation...like a sun burn.  They will give me a prescription for some special lotion.  I'm not allowed to wear deodorant under my right arm so I'm only going to stink on one side of my body.
So that's my report.  Good day!

The Upside to a mastectomy (pt 2)

No one will know when you're cold!!!!!

Thanks to all my Frates Friends

Last night I had dinner at the Elephant Bar with 9 of my former co-workers from C. L. Frates.  They presented me with this amazing basket of pink stuff.  Regina Marshall and Deborah Jordan put it all together...the dinner and the gift.  It was so wonderful to see everyone and so surprising to get this awesome basket. It had all kinds of pink stuff in it, even a squeaking toy for Becca. There was a pink bag, pink pen, pink notepad, this nice Friendship plaque...some books, a stuffed rabbit, a B&N gift card, some cold hard cash and more.  Regina and Deborah took up a collection at Frates and with many who, like me, no longer work there.  It is awesome.  

I'd also like to thank April Bloodsworth for her card and B&N gift card.  I have never even met April but she and I had talked on the phone and emailed each other when I worked at HPI.  She is working in the job I held when I worked at Frates.  I'm so blown away by her generosity and concern for me.  Thank you so much April. 

I am so dang blessed to have so many caring people in my life.  I'm blown away.  

The Friendship plaque says:

When all seems hopeless

Trust in God and seek His favor

Find the courage to fight

Ignite the enthusiasm deep within you

Give 100% every day

Hold on to those who love you

Think positive

Endure the fear & doubt

Remember you are not alone...

We are in your corner

Together We Will Win,

Together We Will Fight!

I'm just blown away!

 

Hoodie Weather....not soon enough...thanks Chris

I got mail yesterday and it was another package from another amazing caring supporter.  I'm so blessed.  This wonderful hoodie came to me from Chris Ralph...another rockin' sweet former classmate. Hence the logo - Lake Shore (yay Eagles!). Thank you so much Chris!  I can't wait until hoodie weather, which should come around Oklahoma some time in October.  The hoodie fits me just right.  (I'm glad it's too small for Phil, cause he might try to steal it.)  

The Upside to having a mastectomy

If you flash someone and he turns out to be a cop he can't give you a ticket for indecent exposure!  Bahahahahahaha.......

Oncology Office visit Report

I saw Dr Toma this morning. Here is what I found out.

• I am down 27 lbs from when this all started. Dr T wants me to gain at least 12 lbs back. I wasn't overweight to start with but I don't want to gain more than 15 lbs.
• Dr T says that Dr Henric did a great job with my surgery. She was very pleased with it.
• Dr T wants me to increase my prescription to hopefully fix my neuropathy since that is still an issue. Hopefully it will but she says it's not out of the question that this never gets back to normal. I may always have problems with it. Let's just hope not; let's hope the additional medication helps.
• Dr T wants me to walk 10 minutes a day for now. She told me that studies have shown that woman who have had breast cancer who walk 30 minutes a day are less likely to have a re-occurrence. This is definitely food for thought.
• I thought that I'd be getting a scan of some sort to see if I'm cancer free. Dr T says she will not be doing a PET scan or an MRI. PET scans are used to see if cancer has spread; not to see if cancer is detected. I didn't know this. She says I am as cancer-free as anyone is. My radiation and an anti-cancer pill (I'll be taking for 5 years) should ensure a cancer-free status.
• Did you know that if breast cancer spreads to your lungs or liver or another major organ you can not be cured? I didn't realize this. I am so fortunate that my cancer did not spread. If it had, the best Dr T could do was give me time. That's so majorly scary.

So, all in all, I am very lucky! I will see the radiologist on September 9th. I'll have more info about that then. Stay tuned.

Stop my Body I want to get out

As I posted on Facebook today, I got my drains out yesterday. Aw man I was so happy. Before going to the surgeon I was in the shower crying my eyes out asking for God to please let the drains come out. I think I wanted this more than the surgery to be over. It was so uncomfortable. Well, the Dear Lord listened and the drains came out. It was so simple. Dr H just snipped at the stitch and took them out. I had my eyes closed so I have no idea what was actually happened. Many had told me it was going to hurt but fortunately for me: no pain. None. Hallelujah!

Now here comes the really weird part. After Flora took me home, she and I were visiting in my living room. All was well until my legs started twitching...more like I just couldn't keep them still. I told Flo about it that I had to get up and walk around. We made our way into the kitchen and still my legs just wanted to run a marath0n or something. Flo sensed that I needed to rest so she left. As the afternoon went on it got worse and worse. Even my arms wouldn't stay still. I couldn't read or write or even Facebook because I couldn't stay still. So I took a relaxing bill that was prescribed to me to help with the anxiety of getting cancer. It didn't help much. I would lay down but it was ridiculous; I was like a live fish on the beach, trying to flop my way back to water. I know this sounds crazy but it was happening. I decided to try to take a walk but the relaxing pill was making me dizzy so I came back and tried to lay down again. Fish flopping resumed.

In my confused state I remembered that my Percoset said I could take 2 pills at a time. I got this confused with my relaxing pill and I took another. By the time Phil came home I was a mess. I was still flopping around but as I walked I was running into stuff. I had so little control. Jo came over and it looked like I was having what she thought was "restless body syndrome." We're not even sure this exists. I barely remember much of it. It was like I was drunk. I even called Dr Toma's office but had to leave a message. I kind of remember doing that but I have no idea what I said on the message. Vicki from her office called back but talked to Phil because I was in and out of sleep. Jo left, deeply concerned. Finally I did sleep. I didn't have any dinner. I woke up a couple times during the night but went back to bed. This morning I got up and moved to sofa and slept a little more. It was so weird. Now I'm afraid to eat sugar or caffeine.

Nothing to spoil my freedom from those lousy drains, for sure. If anyone can relate to anything I just said, please let me know. Cause I'm baffled.

But better times ahead! :)

Still not used to this boob-less status

If you watch Direct TV you get a lot of channels to pick from. I'm still learning where the ones I like are so I end up scrolling through the guide. Did you know that there is a Bra infomerical on one channel or another every other hour? Seriously. I catch myself getting involved in it...There's the Aaagh Bra and the Genie Bra and this morning The View had a segment on where they got ladies in the audience to do a bra challenge. Several ladies volunteered to show their bra-covered hooters in exchange for a free bra from Playtex. And there I was watching it, saying "oh, that's pretty." Not one of them was wearing a mastectomy bra. Why is that? We're an audience. I suppose I could buy these bras and get creative. (That's all for now....more soon.)

Cookies and other good things

OMG, I'm eating the best cookies ever! And my taster is really liking them. That's the amazing part. Yeah, it's not love yet but it's getting there. These great cookies came in the mail today from Carolina Cookies and were sent to me by Jan Moore and Chris Yawney, two co-workers from my days at Jaeckle Fleischmann. Here's a picture of the cute box they came in and also that of Becca who is waiting patiently for me to give her one. (I didn't) But isn't she adorable?

Okay, now for the report from Dr Hemric....I have to keep the drains in. This sucks but I can take a shower. He wants me to keep the bandage off so air can get into it. It feels very naked without the bandage. I have removed the compression bandage which he said I don't need since the drains are in still. He gave me the physical prescription for Percoset but I wasn't able to get in filled since Phil had to get back to work but he'll pick it up on his way home. Also, regarding the lymph nodes he removed, he took out 8 of them, one had cancer cells. It would be better if none did, but one out of 8 is still good.

I still can't drive. I can start to exercise my arms but I think just using them is exercise. I had to make Phil carry my bag because it was just too heavy. He was really good about that even though it didn't match his shoes. But I can carry some things. Yesterday I folded clothes out of the dryer. That was kind of an exercise. I didn't lift the basket when I was done though, I know my limits.

Dr Hemric promised the drains will come out next week. Yeah! So we're on the right track! Stay tuned.

One week boob free

I need to write. So I have this new keyboard that lets me write fairly fast on my IPad and I really haven't used it. I need to record important things like...

Today I took a crap. It's been over a week so I really believe this is a good thing. Surgery really screws you up. So does morphine and Percoset because they hinder the flow of number two on the intestinal dial. Yeah, so glad I just shared this.

I really want these drains out. (Pictured pinned to the edge of my shirt in the mirror.) I so hope Dr Hemric takes them out tomorrow. I'm down to my last two Percoset. I can't have Dr Hemric's office call in the prescription because it's a controlled substance. I have to physically go to his office; get a written prescription and physically bring it to CVS for it to be filled. In this day and age of electronic everything, I'm surprised by this stone-aged way of doing it. I suppose the extra work of getting it is supposed to discourage me from getting addicted. I have no other choice but wait until tomorrow.

I have an idea for a story to write but I'm not sure if I can really make it into a story. It's about a woman who turns her back on her friend who has breast cancer. It's purely fiction because friends don't do that. Friends are with you every step of the way. Friends don't block you on Facebook either. I can understand not wanting to be someones friend on Facebook but to actually block you; to add her name to the list of people you don't want to know anything about even though you share other friends..well, it just doesn't seem like a friendly thing to do even in fiction. It seems hurtful and mean, especially if the person is going through a dreadful disease. I will have to think of something more ...something to make the story more plausible. Maybe I should include all the friends I have on FB who have really been there for me. I owe Facebook a lot. Who would have thought that?

Time of my soap. Later gator.

Facebook Response:

· Brian J. Walker Wow. I've been away, and had no idea all of that was going on. Good luck with your recovery!

· Maggie McGill Wallum Those drains are a pain. And, they are gross, but they will be gone soon. And, you'll have more drugs!! Win Win. :)

· Arlene Yeates Cooper You have a gift for writing -
Be it fact or fiction, we will read it !

· Sheri Graves I only wish I could write as half as good as you. I have so much in my head I wish I could write down but when I try the words escape me. Good luck tomorrow. I sure hope those drains come out for you. Honestly Eva, I wonder the same thing about medications... Jordan has been on the same meds since he was 5 years old and I still have to go to the dr every 30 days to get a hand written prescription, take it to the pharmacy and pick it up, all within a 24 hr period. Talk about inconvenient!! lol GOOD LUCK !!!

· Eva Mahoney Boobs are so over-rated Eva. Just look at all those tall flat chested girls...what do they call them... Oh, yeah, supermodels. :)

· Gemma Zotara The person who blocked you on FB you DO NOT need...they are not your Friend. You have so many Friends who love you, care about you, pray for you, support you and will be with you through your recovery, your ups and downs. Do not focus on on what you no longer have but what you have today and will have in the future. Love you!♥

· Eva Dinkuhn Mahoney Gem...I know this. I just can't believe someone could be so cold-hearted.

Quote of the day

"Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure that you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes." --William Gibson

Not that this applies lately.

Making Progress - I'm a survivor!

I was worried about the compression; did I have enough or could I loosen it a bit so I wasn't so uncomfortable? I wasn't sure. Last night, my neighbor Jamie who is a nurse, came over and took a look at my wrapping and said I could loosen it a bit. She made me feel so much better; just knowing I was doing it right. She said, based on the lack of spotting on the bandage (not the compression one) that it looked good. She also said that if my fluids are getting less than I might be able to get rid of these darn drains. I think most of my pain is coming from the drains..where they are inserted in my body.

I am sure that the worse is over. As I suspected, as well as all my friends, I'm going to be a breast cancer survivor! I knew this all along but now I can really wrap my fuzzy brain around it.

I see my surgeon on Thursday. I would imagine he'd have the results of my lymph nodes...if there was any cancer in them. I had the BRCA testing done and it was negative. This is very good news. It's all good news.

Facebook Response: · Mary Jo Borzelleri Miller Praise the Lord, Eva!

• Sheri Graves You ARE a survivor! You are an inspiration to women every where. You are MY HERO! =D
• Maggie McGill Wallum You ARE kickin' some cancer ASS!
• Suzanne Leone Hummel Very Inspired...I wish I was half the woman you are ♥
• Arlene Yeates Cooper Love seeing you say those words- you are more than a Survivor !
• JoAnn DeFilippo Zoda Eva...so glad you are doing better! You certainly are an inspiration!
• Holly Hecker I love the way Maggie put it, Eva - you sure are kickin' some cancer ass!! You go, girl! (And feel better and better every day.)
• Gemma Zotara Just read your blog...so happy to hear the good news...you truly are amazing and we all knew you would beat it, and now you can believe it too! So very happy for you!♥:)
• Janice Moore It was great talking to you yesterday - you sound just like your old self! Your are truly a "survivor" in every way and things will just keep getting better from now on!

Best card

I got a card from Mary Jo that has such a wonderful verse on it I want to share it here. It is written by Catherine Slater.

We want to believe
the world is understandable.
That life is fair,
That things make sense.
We want to believe
that if we're careful enough,
work hard enough,
try hard enough,
we and those we love
will be safe from anything bad.

It's one of the biggest questions
human wrestle with -
why things sometimes aren't fair.
But even though we don't always have
a neat answer to why things happen,
we do have each other...
and we have our faith.

Just a simple kind of faith
that somehow, someday,
suffering will end,
good will be rewarded,
love will endure,
pain will be forgotten,
light will scatter darkness,
and our spirits will go on.

My Brother's visit

Aw, I'm sad to know that Jim is leaving tomorrow. It's been so great having him here this week. He's been a super help for me and for Philip.

Besides being there for us while I went through surgery and recovery, he's also a real handy guy to have around the house. While he was here, we had a couple nasty storms come through. On the morning of my surgery, we had no power as we got ready to go to the hospital. The straight line winds knocked down a couple panels in our fence. Jim was able to temporarily fix it until we are able to get it more permanently replaced. On Monday, Jim and I went to Home Depot and got a ceiling fan/light for the kitchen. Jim started the project at 11:30 and had it up and running around 2pm. It's very nice. It doesn't wobble at all. He did such a great job.

Jim's always in a great mood. Even when it's 100 degrees outside. He went to Home Depot and got two misters to cool us off while I BBQed Chivetta Chicken on Sunday. They worked out great, spraying out a cool fine mist. I don't have to ever worry about entertaining Jim while he's visiting. He's so self-sufficient. He's either on the computer, on the phone, out back misting or going for a walk. He walks a lot...even when it's over 100 degrees out.
He's a great brother! Always has been!