Marking Time

Finally. A bright, sunny day. The weather in HPNC has been so dreary of late that I was beginning to feel a tad depressed. And you know me...I'm NEVER depressed. Too much to do...too many places to go...too many people to see...too many books to read...too many sweaters to knit...too many roses to smell...too many veggies to harvest...too much new stuff to learn. No time to yield to depressing thoughts. Mind you, if I'd had any desire to give way to The Black Dog (as a great-uncle used to call it), the past few weeks might have offered an opportunity. But, just like Annie sang "The sun'll come out...tomorrow...!" And it has...today!

A bit of a recap is probably in order:

I told you about my wrist surgery (DeQuervain's release) in my last post, so I guess an update is overdue. Recovery progressed right on schedule, and here I am 8 weeks later, feeling fine and glad I had it done. Once the stitches were out, healing truly seemed to speed up...and now I rarely remember that I even had surgery a couple of months ago. The scar-tissued skin covering the 1"-long incision is still a bit tender ("perfectly normal and to be expected, as those nerves were severed and must regenerate" quoth the surgeon), so my Mickey Mouse watch continues to be absent from duty and I continue to roll up the sleeve on my left arm a bit to keep anything from touching that spot. I try to remember not to drape my purse or a shopping bag over that wrist. The real test? Knitting again. Tried a little bit after my Dr. gave the go-ahead at my appointment last week; will add a little more time each week until I'm back in the groove. Best news? Dr. W says that once this repair is done and I'm completely recovered, I should NEVER have this problem again. (At least not in the same hand...;-)

In my last couple of posts, I mentioned that Mr. T was getting ready for knee replacement surgery. He checked in on October 7, had a partial knee replacement, stayed overnight at Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, was up and walking down the hall with a walker, and came home the next afternoon. Wowzers! And he hasn't looked back. Here's a picture taken just after he got in his room from recovery...along with a "picture" of his new knee. Remarkable!

Long-time readers of our Christmas newsletter (also called The Adsit Adventure) may recall that he had a total knee replacement (TKR) of his right knee in 2005, when we lived in Missouri. So he was somewhat prepared for this one. Only...not exactly. Things have certainly changed in 10 years! For one thing, his relationship with this surgeon was completely different...and much more rewarding this time around. Dr. P called Mr. T at home, after hours, not once but twice in the same evening...just to make sure T understood the procedure and was comfortable with what was going to happen. And "what was going to happen" was completely different, as the surgery was "done" by a robot! Read more about the Mako surgery here: http://www.makosurgical.com/makoplasty/knee. (There's even a link to a YouTube video. Oh, and his scar? Much longer than illustrated. Every bit as long as the one for the TKR.)

Because T had his surgery in a teaching hospital (NC Baptist is associated with Wake Forest University's Bowman Grey School of Medicine) and he was given a nerve block as the main method of anesthesia, he had agreed to participate in research being done on adding additional pain-blocking meds. It was a blind study, so we had no way of knowing what amount, if any, of which "extra med" he received. Well, we didn't know until nearly 40+ hours after the surgery when the feeling FINALLY began to return to his shin/calf. Pretty much a certainty he received the mondo dose of the max concoction. 

Sounds great, right? One tiny problem: T had to be checked for "pain response" by sticking him with a sharp object (think: safety pin!) every two hours. So, every couple of hours throughout the night, like clockwork, "Justin" (the unlucky assistant who drew the short straw) would appear at T's bedside to stick him with a sharp point and ask "can you feel that?" Yep...long night for all involved. By 4:00 a.m. I was ready to suggest that T just tell J that he could feel it, so we could all get a few precious hours of sleep before breakfast. (Who am I kidding? I had to get up anyway to dash home and feed the dogs, as I'd done the evening before. I had just enough time for a quick shower, a cup of instant, and another mad dash to get back in T's room when the Dr. came on his early morning rounds. Made it with a whole couple of minutes to spare!)

We were home less than 24 hours before heading back to W-S for T's first physical therapy session. These folks waste no time, do they? And, that about sums up our last few weeks: "Heading to W-S for physical therapy session." They must be working because T ditched the walker after 2 days. He does use a walking stick for his two-mile walks in/around our neighborhood, but more for stability than anything. He can climb the one flight of stairs to his office, although he's doing that much less often than I'd feared. He continues to progress on schedule as confirmed when he was seen by the physician assistant a couple of times, getting his staples removed on 11/9. Since he still needs meds to manage the pain, especially after PT, he can't drive yet, so that keeps him on the DL for now. Fingers crossed for the OK to return to work (and driving!) at his next PA appointment 11/19. We shall see...

When we had a few warm, sunny days at the tail end of October, I decided to get back in the garden...it had been too long! I was thrilled with the late harvest I found!

...flowers, too!

Since I love to get a third season out of our soil, I decided to plant some lettuce, spinach, turnip greens, and collards in the raised beds. First, of course, I had to clean the jungle-like growth from a couple of the boxes...the result of having been unable to garden for such a good part of mid-to-late summer, going into fall. It all seemed to go well, until...

The following morning I realized I must have aggravated my left foot and caused a flare of the sesamoiditis. Great, just great. Nothing to do but wait it out. So, for the next 10 days I rested, elevated, and iced my aching foot...and indulged in the pain meds the Dr. had prescribed when I had the stress fracture in the sesamoid bone earlier this year...which he had warned often leads to chronic sesamoiditis.  (Read more about sesamoid stress fracture becoming chronic here: http://www.foothealthfacts.org/footankleinfo/Sesamoid_Injuries.htm)

Only, I couldn't "indulge myself" on T's PT days, now could I...one of us had to drive, for pity's sake. 

Weren't we a pair? Both of us, kicked back in our matching red recliners, T with an ice pack on his left knee...me with an ice pack on my left foot. And neither of us with a wineglass in hand because of pain medication! I even ordered us walking canes from the medical equipment store...but I drew the line at matching canes! (Mine has butterflies on it...;-)

And that about sums up the last couple of months for us: surgery, recovery, and rehab. Rinse and repeat!

We have tried to use our time together wisely, viewing this as a window into retirement, albeit a much less active one than we envision. Let me just say that many cups of coffee have been consumed! I checked several books on retirement out of the library and even succeeded in getting T to open one: "How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free," by Ernie J. Zelinski. 

We've had numerous "what if..." discussions about: possible dates "to pull the retirement trigger" (we have narrowed it down to 4 possible dates that occur from late 2016 through late 2017); healthcare coverage after we no longer have employer-provided options (since "caring for our health" is a current theme!); and reviewing the 401k balance, allocation, and investments (since the recent market volatility has had everyone on edge). We went to the HP Senior Center to preview a Tai Chi class and had the same initial reaction: liked Tai Chi...felt out-of-pocket at the Sr Ctr. "That's where Nana went!" (Never mind that we are now both in our 60's and certainly qualify to attend. Ahem.)

While we know this pre-retirement respite is just a taste of the real thing, we do agree on something: we are looking forward to the opportunity to enjoy "the real thing!" The question now is, I wonder if we can return to our previous programming without feeling a ounce of regret that we will have to "unretire" for possibly as long as two more years? 

Or will we begin to feel like we are marking time? Again, we shall see...

I Went to a Garden Party

I've almost let September expire without a post, didn't I? Panic ye not! Let's catch up, shall we? You might want to get a chilled beverage...this one will be a long one!

To say this month has been a roller coaster ride is an understatement. Started on a high note...plummeted into a valley...rolled up to another mountain top. Whew! What an adventure it has been!

September 5 — 12: We were off to see M-I-C-K-E-Y  M-O-U-S-E and all his friends at Walt Disney World in Orlando, to celebrate Mr. T's very special, milestone birthday. Click here to hear! 

It was fabulous from start to finish. Missy M is our resident expert in all things WDW, dating back to her time spent in the Disney College Intern Program (2002-3), when she worked in Epcot. She diligently planned our 2015 time together, getting us in the right place at the right time...and even allowing for a couple of rest days along the way. We booked in at the Lake Buena Vista Hilton (using HiltonHonors points...;-), which is comparable to being "on property" since they have bus service to/from the Disney Transportation Center...making getting around so much easier than having to use our car for every trip. And because Mr. T is a Diamond HHonors member, one of the perks was full breakfast every day...whacking our food budget by a third. Pass those eggs, please!

We started our Disney Adventure* on the evening of our arrival, with Birthday Celebration and Fireworks-viewing at the California Grill, atop the Contemporary Hotel. Here are some photos of that special occasion.

Our first park was Animal Kingdom...a great place to start.

We then took one of our Rest Days, with M and me heading to the Spa at the Grand Floridian followed by a bit of shopping and lunch at the Polynesian Resort. Mr. T chose a book and a sojourn to the pool.

Next up: Magic Kingdom! 

"Be our guest...be our guest...

'Try the gray stuff, it's delicious;

Don't believe us...ask the dishes!'"

And then Hollywood Studios...

And finally, Epcot...

We needed a Rest Day after all of that...to get us ready to make the long drive back up I-75.

September 13 — 20: After an overnight in GA, we headed back home so I could have DeQuervain's Release surgery on my left wrist...and carve out a few days of recovery time. I think I mentioned in my previous post that I needed to schedule an appointment with my orthopedic doc to get another cortisone shot for yet another flair of the DeQuervain's tendinitis (which has been described in previous posts). Tried to do that. He just shook his head; said "no can do." Only option left for relief of the pain was surgery. Oh well, can't say he hadn't warned me...it's just that this wasn't exactly the best timing, you know?

This low point in the month was not nearly as rough as I'd feared, since my surgery went very well...and I had zero problems with either the IV or the anesthesia (unlike my last day surgery for cataract removal...which caused me to anticipate another negative experience). Other than dealing with the healing of the surgery site itself and a big, old wrapped bandage, I would say this event was a piece of cake. The only real hiccup was that, due to swelling in my hand and fingers, they had to cut my wedding ring off at the hospital...a sad but necessary precaution. My ring will be fixed, and meanwhile I'm wearing my Great Aunt Eloise's delicate wedding ring, which Mr. T placed on my finger with a precautionary "with this ring..." 

September 21 — 26: Chauffeured to Atlanta by Mr. T, where I hopped a plane to Omaha to attend the biggest garden party for MGs, held biennially: the 2015 International Master Gardener Conference in Council Bluffs, IA. The pups were safe with Missy M for the week, so T could head back East to D. C. while I had a first-rate time...in spite of the bandaged and recovering wrist.

I think I have mentioned, either in this blog or on Facebook, I submitted two proposals for presentations for this Conference last year, and both were selected. I delivered the first one on Wednesday afternoon: QR Codes and Demo Gardens: A Match Made in Heaven; and the second one on Thursday morning: Creating a Leadership Pipeline for Local Volunteer Groups. 

I'm thrilled to report that both were well-attended; both were well-received; and both exceeded my own expectations for good experiences. As a matter of fact, the entire week exceeded my expectations. A highlight for me personally occurred on the last day, when the two Korean representatives (whose session I was attending...and who had attended both of my sessions) agreed to a picture with me...and then asked if they could snap one on their own camera!

 "If you had it all to do over again, would you?" You better believe it! (And I may get to do just that at the 2017 IMGC, to which I've been invited to submit a proposal...or two...;-)

— a last flower photo from Omaha

So that brings me to this final week in September...leading into the first week of October. Where am I now? Well, I'm catching my breathe at Missy M's. Since she has a birthday later on this week, Mr. T is planning his work-travel schedule to put him as close to the Georgia line as possible on Friday...so he can join the celebration. Oh yes, we intend to celebrate. And there will be presents...and, of course, cake!

We'll need plenty of happy thoughts to carry over into the second week of October, when Mr. T is scheduled for knee replacement. He's done his pre-op visits with the surgeon (X-rays), with the hospital (CT scan, as well as anesthesia), and with the physical therapist (to plan his post-operative visits). He's watched a video or two...or more...so he has a good idea of what will happen. Now, it's just waiting...until October 7. Wait...wait...wait. 

Ah well, while we wait, we can eat cake!

==========

*I created a Shutterfly Album of our 2015 Disney Adventure. I do hope you can access it here:  

Link: Click here to view this photo book larger

Dog Days of Summer Indeed

Time for a bit of catching up. I've been absent from my blog, but not entirely checked out. Truth-be-told, I've been in GA for the better part of the past month, so let me take a few paragraphs to recap.

The short version is that I've been dog-sitting for Missy M, who has been "on the road again," or rather "in the air again," all for work. 

Ella Rae and Dixie on the sofa

Abbie in the chair...

Winston and Abbie share the sofa...most unusual...

Dixie and ER...back on the sofa...

The long version is that I took advantage of my extended time here to catch up with friends, to do a little work (coaching), and to start down a new path regarding my bout with Bell's Palsy.

It all began with a phone call. I think I told you in an earlier post that I had stumbled upon an "old friend" offering a "new way" of dealing with the residual effects of BP. Yes, I once received excellent treatment for benign positional vertigo in the form of vestibular rehabilitation training at the Atlanta Ear Clinic; so you can imagine I was thrilled to learn that the same therapist also offered facial muscle paralysis retraining (which is my last, best hope of overcoming the synkinesis and facial muscle spasms I have). Hallelujah! I couldn't dial the number fast enough to get an appointment! 

Of course, I should have known their first appointment would be months away, rather than days or weeks. Sigh. Oh well, the months have passed since June, August has arrived, and (being a bit over eager) I showed up 30 minutes early for my first appointment (of three currently scheduled). 

Again, I should have known. It isn't going to be quite as easy as I'd blithely anticipated. Double sigh. The first appointment with Dr. C revolved around taking my history (of my Bell's Palsy battles) and getting some baseline data. And therein lay the land mine. 

She began by using a device called an ELECTROMYOGRAPH (or EMG), which is described as "a system of using surface electrodes placed over (facial) muscles" to "detect and amplify the electrical potentials of the muscles", transmitting the information "to a computer where the messages are converted into graphs." The EMG not only takes the baseline data, it will also be used in the facial muscle retraining exercises. For the first test, she placed the electrodes on either side of my mouth in order to be able to compare the readings for the left (affected) side of my face with the right (unaffected) side. So far, so good.

When she fired up the computer program, however, she apparently began getting a high reading, indicating a good deal of "electrical activity," even though I hadn't done any of the test yet. Hmmm. She asked if I had a cell phone in my pocket? No, it was in my purse across the room. Was I having a facial spasm at the time? No! I would have felt it...right?!?

Hmmmm...

So we started the testing. She had me pucker my lips and hold the pucker for an extended amount of time, then she showed me the resulting reading and graph. Left side showed up "weaker" than the right, as expected. We did the pucker exercise three times before moving to the next one: smiling.

To start this one, she said "smile real big, showing lots of teeth. Hold it, hold it, hold it! Release!" Same results. Left weaker response than right. Again: smile real big...

Only...

Almost immediately into the second smile, the facial muscle below my left jawline and down my neck locked into a terrifically painful spasm. Oh. My. Heavens. I was crying, it hurt so much. I guess the EMG had been picking up this anticipated spasm as increased "activity."

Dr. C removed the electrodes, saying "I think we got what we needed." She also said she was sorry I was in such pain, but that it really was fortunate that she had been able to record the spasm. I probably looked a tad skeptical about the "fortunate" part. Ahem.

And then came the question that took my mind off my current pain. "Has anyone talked to you about using Botox?" Not really, although I have read about it in some of the research on facial muscle paralysis. I've also read about the side effects (facial muscle paralysis). Why would one use something to "cure" a problem that can "cause" the very same problem? Seems counterintuitive to me. Oh, and did I mention it is delivered via NEEDLES?

Well, until my facial muscles can "relax" enough (which is what the Botox would do), I won't get much (if any) benefit from the retraining exercises. Bummer. 

So now I have a decision to make. To Botox or not to Botox? That is the question. Thinking, thinking, thinking. Researching, researching, researching. And, since I'm already scheduled for a regular visit to my GP, I'll get his opinion before I proceed. 

Meanwhile, I'm doing the facial exercises that Dr. C gave me to practice at home. Gently. Slowly. Deliberately. I almost always set off a spasm if I get too enthusiastic with the motions...especially the BIG SMILE, SHOW TEETH one.  And we shall see at my next appointment with her whether I've loosened up the tension in my jaw. We shall see...

We welcomed Mr. T back here yesterday, after keeping his Outlander between the lines for a couple of weeks. He stopped in HPNC over last weekend, doing a little yardening and making sure all is well while we are gone. He met a friend from his pre-high school days this morning, catching up and washing away several years. He is getting his dental work done before we exit GA, in compliance with his new orthopedic surgeon's directive. Yes, T is now scheduled for knee replacement surgery next month...more on this in my next post. Glad he will finally be getting relief from this ongoing issue...and also glad he will have no more bad knees to fix!

And in reporting other health news: I continue to wear my splint to deal with another flare of the DeQuervain's tendinitis (left wrist...need to schedule another cortisone shot, I suppose...NEEDLE!), and I've recovered from a recent "back attack." Limiting my gardening activities by not being in HPNC will probably be the best med for both of those...although maybe not the best for the garden itself.

Lest you think I've completely shut down with "gardening," please know that I have kept busy with:

— Creating and refining a couple of PowerPoint presentations for my two sessions at the International Master Gardener Conference, scheduled for September 22-25 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Now, that should be an Adventure for this Adsit, for certain!

— Writing...including an article that appeared in the local paper. Check it out here: 

From Our Gardens: What is a Master Gardener? - Home - News-Record.com

Keeps one's fingers in the pie, so to speak. Ah well...

I do believe I hear the dogs barking in the backyard. Of course, with 4 in residence, one (or more) is ALWAYS barking in the backyard. Better get back to my intended purpose here...minding the dogs in these final days of Summer.

Dog days, indeed.

What a Difference a Week Makes

Let's begin with the good news of the past week, shall we? I had a great birthday! We celebrated at Austin's, our fave High Point restaurant, with an excellent dinner and a toast to another good year. And then, the song having been sung, we fired up the three candles ("past, present, and future") on my cake. Ooh...we all know how much I love cake!

I mentioned this on Facebook, but I'm still amazed at how closely the rose on my card from Mr. T (shown above) resembles the beautiful bloom on one of our new roses called Hynotized! (shown below)...which became part of my birthday bouquet. 

In other good news, as of the start of this week, I have retired my cane 'cause my foot feels better. Make that much better. Apparently, the foot doc knew what he was talking about (2-3 weeks)...imagine that. Anyway, I'm up-and-at-'em once again, although the observant might notice a slight limp. I have faith that will be gone in another week or so.

And now for the not-so-good-news. We had planned to take a little trip to Gatlinburg last weekend. However, on Friday morning, just as we were getting ready to take the pups to the Glamour Slammer, Mr. T noticed that Abbie was exhibiting some strange behaviors. She was quite agitated, wandering the house in a dazed state, and vomiting a mucusy-bile. Then she began pawing and scratching at her face and neck. Finally, she stumbled around and kind of fell over, like she was stunned.

I called the vet, but while I was talking on the phone describing the situation, Abs appeared to be settling down. She was breathing normally, drinking water, and she had stopped the frantic pawing activity. The vet suggested we monitor Abs for the time being, and if things changed to bring her in. 

So we "monitored her" for several hours. We followed the vet's advice to try to get her to eat, limiting her intake to plain rice (which Mr. T fixed...because he's gotten pretty good at making rice...;-) and some shredded chicken (we were lucky to have a leftover rotisserie chicken on hand). And, all the while we kept pondering "what was wrong with Abbie?" 

Well. Mr. T may have figured it out when he observed some wasps on the deck. We think she may have snapped at one (or more), like she does when the buzzing bees bother her in the garden, and she may have been stung by one (or more)...possibly even in her mouth. Looking back on her behavior, she was exhibiting signs of an allergic reaction. And doing some research on that makes me think we should take her straight to the vet should this ever happen again. Live and learn. 

Meanwhile, we had to make a decision about our trip. Should we go or should we cancel? Since we had a 5+ hour trip ahead that would mean being away for two nights, we chose to cancel and stick close to home. The mountains will still be there in a few months.

So we spent a quiet weekend at home, enjoying the simple pleasures: harvesting garden goodies like watermelons and sweet corn, playing with our Pound Puppies (who were both better by the next day), and just catching up with each other. It was nice.

Now, it's time to get caught up with all the other things I've had on hold. Since we have more tomatoes and cucumbers than we know what to do with, I am in full-on pickling mode: salsa, green tomato relish, zucchini relish, and sweet pickles. We enjoyed our first sweet corn over the weekend, as well as cutting into our first ripe Sugar Baby watermelons (check out the pics above). Oh my goodness...makes the hard work of gardening worth it!

I hope to get everything under control this week, since it looks like I'll be in GA more than NC in the next few weeks. A week ago, I was struggling to imagine ever walking normally again, much less getting things nailed down so I could start traveling. Wow! What a difference a week makes.

Indeed.

I Am Not Amused

Uncle! I give!! Enough already!!! This isn't funny anymore...if it ever WAS a laughing matter. Title says it all.  Not. Amused.

First, some background, which I have mentioned in this space before: I used to shake my head and chuckle at Nana/Momma/Edith, who could come down with some of the most obscure health problems in the Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR). There for a while, it seemed she was playing "Stump the Doc." And Daddy was no piker either; I mean, really...aplastic anemia? Good grief.

So, I guess as I age, you could say the chances I would start repeating my family history are high.  Oh, not repeating the diagnoses, mind you. Just repeating the "odd and bizarre" part of the family legacy. 

Well, here I go again. Actually, I'm not going anywhere...

In my last post (which was ostensibly written about my odd and bizarre diagnosis of Bell's Palsy and its legacy, synkinesis), I may have mentioned learning what sesamoid bones are...and that I had a "chronic" stress fracture of one in my left foot. Not entirely sure how or when it happened, but I'm blaming gardening: at least the practice I had (past tense, please note) of using a kneeler while working on my raised beds and hyper-flexing my toes (which were encased in fairly stiff garden clogs, mind you) when I sat back on my heels...in order to relieve the pressure on my aching back. I probably aggravated whatever I did gardening when we went to a Braves Game to celebrate Father's Day...and walked a "nice stretch of the legs" from the parking lot to our seats in the stands on the third base side. Oh my aching ball-of-the-foot!

Trip to the foot doc (same one who treated Momma for Morton's neuroma...had to look that one up at the time...:-), X-rays, diagnosis, and directions to RI_E...which is the usual RICE, without the compression. "Self-correcting in 4-6 weeks," says he. "If the rest, ice, and elevation don't resolve the pain in two weeks, come back for a steroid injection." Right. And knowing how much I despise needles, you can imagine how fast I wanted to run from the building, right?  Hampered by the aching ball-of-my-foot pain, I limped away as quickly as I could...putting distance between me and the doc.  That was on a Wednesday. 

After being a sloth for a whole weekend, I realized that not only was my ball-of-foot pain still there, I now had top-of-foot pain...but higher up than the toe area. Ball-of-foot pain = "bruised-like, pressure-pain." Top-of-foot pain = "sharp, stinging, sensitive-to-the-least-touch pain." As in, I was having difficulty tolerating the ice pack touching my foot. Simply put, it hurt. I was reluctant to leave the confines of my recliner because walking was becoming difficult...even the crab-like forward progress I was employing to get from the recliner to the bathroom...my only real destination for days...even after I broke down and started using a cane. And, in addition to the daily dose of Celebrex I already take for arthritis and back problems, I was now consuming way too much Tylenol and aspirin for the foot pain (I can't take Advil or Motrin, unfortunately). Back to the doctor on Monday.

And he says, "well you have another problem unrelated to the first." Say what?  It seems I had somehow managed to develop a ganglion cyst...same foot, different place.  (Ganglion cyst of the foot...explained here. ) And this time, I wasn't getting out without having close encounters with his needles. Plural.  

Sigh.  Double sigh. Triple sigh, even. Actually, I "sighed" 11 times, for pity's sake. Which, I suppose is better than CRYING 11 times. But not by much. It took 9 shots of Novocain to deaden the nerves and tendon where the cyst was located before he finally aspirated the thing and gave me the steroid injection. Three sets of three, none of which seemed to do the trick. Sigh...again.

Picture taken after the second set of three shots. OW!

Funny story: so, I'm on the exam table, which was arranged quite comfortably to allow me to lean back while my feet were propped up for the procedure. And then I remember my "focal point" training from childbirth classes, way back in the day: select a stationary object to focus your attention upon in order to calm your breathing, decrease anxiety, and help get you through "temporary" pain like a contraction. Looking out the window next to the exam table, I spot a perfect object to focus my attention while he gives me the first series of three "deadening" shots. Eyes locked on my focal point...breathe in, breath out, breathe in, breathe out. OWWWWWWW...stop! Focus...breath in, breath out, breathe in, breathe out. OWWWWWWW...stop! Focus...breath in, breath out, breathe in, breathe out. OWWWWWWW...stop! 

And then, I had to laugh. I realized that the object I'd selected for my focal point was the bright, red STOP sign at the end of the parking lot. Subliminal message. Stop...indeed!

I survived. And I have been a halfway decent patient since. Ok, so I'm restless, but I've done very little requiring me to walk or stand for long periods. And I seem to be making progress, slowly but surely. Of course, I tend to focus on the "slowly" part and ignore the "surely" part. Still, I think I might make it to the finish line in a couple of weeks...limping much less visibly. 

Mr. T gets a gold star for going above and beyond, plain and simple. Plus two or three medals for bravery and valor.  He has shouldered everything...and put up with me, the least patient patient on the planet. Bravo! He's doing his own work while putting the "in sickness and in health" vow to a test. He's stepped in to the role of Chief Gardener, as you can read about here. Oh, and he's gotten pretty good at all manner of cooking chores. Just ask him how to cook rice!

Himself in the kitchen? Now, that is amusing.

Bell's Palsy Update: Day 1,095

Let's start this post on a positive note, courtesy of the folks at Blue Mountain cards (http://www.bluemountain.com):

Happy? Good. Remember that feeling. 'Cause it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Sigh.

Three years ago today, I experienced the worst day of my life.* After a few frightening hours, I was diagnosed with a neurological condition known as Bell's Palsy, which in my case affected the left side of my face. If you are just joining me on my adventure...or have forgotten how it all played out...you can revisit my original post on the subject and read forward, starting here: http://adsit2.blogspot.com/2012/06/there-good-news-and-bad-news.html. Go ahead...I'll wait.

Fast forward to 2014. At the two-year anniversary, I wrote about my realization of how I had moved from "recovering from Bell's Palsy" to "living with the residual effects of Bell's Palsy" in this post, written one year ago today. I specifically mentioned my "new normal" in this one:  http://adsit2.blogspot.com/2014/06/bell-palsy-update-day-730.html. Yeah.

Well, here it is, June 25, 2015. So, how do I like Normal, now that it's no longer new? Truthfully, not much more than I did then. Because of the lingering effects of synkinesis (explained very well here:  http://www.facialparalysisinstitute.com/8/synkinesis.html), I still have to take Neurontin (generic name: gabapentin) daily to manage the unpredictable and painful muscle spasms in my left jaw, although I still cannot take the dosage level recommended by my doctor. He first said 1200 mg/day...which practically made me catatonic; down to 600 mg, which was still too high; down to 300...and finally down to 150, which still makes me drowsy but which allows me to function better. Thank goodness, because I don't think I can cut the pills down any further! 

My speech patterns remain the same as this time last year, with stress or excitement causing me to stutter over certain sounds (b, p, f, m, and s) and struggle with certain words (specifically the word "specifically"...;-). I also still involuntarily wink my left eye when eating, drinking, or sipping through a straw, or when I try to smile really big. Nothing has changed there. 

The other things that haven't changed are (1) how often I hear "oh don't worry about it. No one can tell." And (2) how much I still want to respond "but I can tell." And (3) how very fortunate I know I am because some people with Bell's suffer much more lasting nerve damage for many more years, and/or much greater visual evidence of synkinesis.

So, pretty much same song, third verse. At least on the Bell's Palsy front.

[Digressing a bit. Otherwise, healthwise, I'm currently sitting here in my lounge chair with my left foot on an ice-pad. Why you ask? Because I have sustained another repetitive motion-type injury, and I'm following doctor's orders to "ice, elevate, and limit use."

What now? Well, after looking at the X-rays of my foot, Dr. W said "non-displaced acute sesamoid stress fracture of the great toe." Never heard of it? Me either. Treatment: restricted activities (limit walking and standing with weight on left foot, no stairs, no climbing ladders...as if!), elevate when possible, ice several times daily, anti inflammatories, wear thick-cushioned shoes, no barefootin' it even from the bathroom to the bed(!), and STOP HYPER-FLEXING MY FOOT WHEN KNEELING & TENDING TO MY RAISED BEDS (the probable cause of the problem). Here's a link to more info if you are curious: http://www.footeducation.com/foot-and-ankle-conditions/sesamoid-stress-fractures/

I'm really beginning to wonder whether a friend of mine is right-on-the-money when she asked "is there a little black rain cloud hanging over your head?" Either that, or whether I'm right in thinking "who knew gardening was such a dangerous sport?"! Geez-Louise! At this rate, I'm going to work my way through the Physicians Desk Reference in record time.]

Ok, back on topic. I figure I can continue to sing this same Bell's Palsy song, updating my posts year after year...or I can try something different. If you know anything about me, you can probably guess which one I have chosen.

I am pleased to post that, in writing this update, I did follow some of those links, just to test them. Lo and behold, I discovered that Dr. Steenerson's Atlanta Ear Clinic...where I received fabulous treatment years ago when dealing with the acute phase of benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (BPPV), also offers neuromuscular facial paralysis retraining for Bell's and synkinesis patients. Read more here: http://www.atlantaearclinic.com/facial.htm.

How fast do you think I made THAT call? Hooray! I have my first three appointments on the books, starting in August.

My fervent hope is that, this time next year, when I write my Bell's Palsy Update — Day 1,461, I will finally be able to put that period at the end of this chapter in my life.

Until then, would someone please pass me my ice-pack?

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* So, how can I think that the day I was diagnosed with Bell's Palsy was worse than the days that my parents died? Probably because both of my parents had suffered prior to their deaths (Daddy from aplastic anemia, and then being in a vegetative state for seven weeks; Momma from lung cancer for several months), the day that each died was a blessed release from their pain. The day I was diagnosed with BP was the day the world shifted for me...without my permission. 

All This...and Heaven Above

"I'm just an old hound dog
Roaming around, oh Lord
I've got all this and Heaven above

Oh, Atlanta
I hear you calling
I'm coming back to you one fine day
No need to worry
There ain't no hurry cause I'm
On my way back to Georgia

On my way back to Georgia..."

— Lyrics by Alison Krauss

We are on the road again, for the second weekend in a row. And since our destinations involved Nashville and Atlanta, I thought the song lyrics above...written by one of my favorite "country" artists (she is just so talented: singer, songwriter, and performer!) about one of my favorite places...was apropos.

Last weekend, Mr. T and I made it to a very special picnic with a very special group of people: my Lunn cousins. It was held at a fabulous park in Goodlettsville, organized by my oldest first cousin and his wife, who not only coordinated everything and everyone...but also grilled the hamburgers they provided...on one of the hottest days of the year, so far! Three generations from near and far were in attendance, and we were delighted to see the duo who drove the distance from AZ. Someone said "that's a long way to come just for lunch!" But you know what? I wouldn't have missed this chance to see these folks for all the tea in China...or all the meclizine in my medicine cabinet. Yeah...I had to overcome a vertigo episode to get there, but dizzy or not, I was determined to be a part of this happy get together. And Mr. T, who had driven 8 hours to get home from NJ on Friday, got right back behind the wheel to drive us the 8 hours to get to middle Tennessee on Saturday. Go, Mr. T!

Here are some photos of the family picnic (forgive the first few, as the lighting in the pavilion was not the best):

Thomas Adsit; Julie and Jack Lunn

Foreground: Terry Lunn

Roy and Ann McGuire

Walt Lawson; Kenneth Fly; Steve Clark; Kevin Lawson; Helen Fly Clark; and Ann Brown McGuire (back)

Thomas and Patricia Lunn Adsit

The First Cousins, from oldest to youngest: Kenneth, Wayne, Cliffordene, Terry, Ann, Helen, Walt, Patricia, and Jack

The "Outlaws:" Granville, Madge Ann, Steve, Roy, Irene, Thomas, and Julie

The Seconds and Thirds

Julie and Jack Lunn

Patricia, Terry, and Jack (Sidney Lunn's children)

And even though the picnic lasted just a few hours, we got to spend time with Bro and SIL J & J...spending the night with them...and Bro T, who met us for breakfast on Sunday. We also got to meet two extended family members (Bro T's stepson who drove him to TN and SIL J's aunt who joined us at Cracker Barrel). Oh, and Mr. T and I had an "interstate 40 reunion" with a couple of my Stewart cousins on our way to the Lunn picnic! So, all-in-all, it was a very social family weekend.

Then, it was back on the road this past Friday (with the Pound Pups this time) to get to ATL in time for a Braves vs. Mets game that Missy M had arranged as her Father's Day gift to Mr. T. We made it to our seats in time to sing the National anthem...which is an accomplishment, take my word. With somewhat low expectations for a good outcome (have you heard what they did to our roster this year?!), we endured many scoreless innings for the Bravos. Then, as the 8th inning rolled around, we went ahead 2-1, and the crowd went wild! It was a great finish, capped off with the Friday Night Fireworks...ooh, aah! Loved it!

Missy M made a fabulous salad (fresh baby greens, strawberries, walnuts, feta cheese, and cherry tomatoes from her garden...with a vinaigrette dressing...yum!), while Mr. T grilled fresh corn on the cob and thick strip steaks last night, and today I made blueberry pancakes for our breakfast...with blueberries from our garden. At least we ate well before we had to get back in the car!

And we have enjoyed being together. As a family. As it should be.

Oh yeah. I've got all this...and Heaven above. Sing it, Alison!

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Remember, check out the latest post over on our gardening blog, Gardening with Giants. Click here to go there!