* BAKING, SHOPPING? NO, TRYING TO GET WELL FIRST! *

I wish I could say that since my previous post on December 7th, I've gotten all ready for Christmas....

I was doing really well, too. Not rushing around like a nut, not getting all stressed. I'd started working on my Christmas cards back around Thanksgiving and I knew I'd have them mailed EARLY this year! I still had plenty of time to bake cookies to take to work, and give to friends, and have some for us at home, too.

Then on Sunday, the 11th, I noticed I was getting a sore throat. Uh Oh! That's almost always the beginning of a sinus infection, but at least I get meds and it goes away fairly fast. But NO, not this year! Every day I felt a bit worse...and to shorten this as much as possible...I finally saw my doctor this morning and I have pneumonia!

When I was in my 20's and 30's, I would get either bronchitis or pneumonia almost every single year! But then I hadn't had more than a cold or sinus infection since then...until now. I recognized the symptoms and was 99% sure I had it, but I also did want the doctor to see me and make the correct diagnosis.

So, I got another round of new meds and by this evening was so much better! It's a wonderful feeling to have a bit more energy and actually feel like being part of the family again! Ron has been great, though, taking care of everything.

Now, I just need to rest up and get ALL BETTER, so I can experience a bit of last minute of shopping and baking, etc!

- Until then, I leave you with photos from Christmases past - 

Becky's cookies 2011

Becky's cookies 2011

Becky's cookies 2011

Mmm..Mmm, Can you almost sniff the aroma of fresh baked cookies??

I can't wait to start making them!

found on Pinterest

WHOA - FIVE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS! YIKES!

* CAN I REST A BIT NOW? *

I brought Ron home a couple of hours ago. He'd been in the hospital since the morning of June 1st. I'm so happy to have the love of my life back home with me.

 



Ron and Becky February 1983

 

 

(Yes, he had pneumonia.)

* I'M HANGING IN THERE, AND STAYING STRONG *

Can you believe it is already June 2016?

 

I don't know why, but it seems to be part of human nature that as every month and year goes by, we all say, "I can't believe it is.....fill in the blank...already!"

 

Although I really do enjoy all the little things in life (Mr. Robert Brault!) and savor as much of each day that I can, life just gets in the way sometimes of our "plans." It's kind of like watching or listening to the weather forecast for the upcoming week. Don't bother making your outdoor plans according to those predictions. They usually change.....

 

Case in point: About six weeks ago, neither Ron nor I could have predicted what our lives would be like during these first few days in June. About a month ago, Ron had part of his right lung removed due to a cancerous "nodule." The surgery was successful and there was no chemo or radiation involved. Thank goodness! But during his recovery at home, he wasn't getting much better, and had trouble breathing. But when he went for his follow-up appointments to his lung surgeon and lung doctor (yes, two separate ones) both said things like: It takes time. You're doing all the things you're supposed to, etc.

 

Then, over the weekend of May 14th and 15th, Vern rapidly got sicker and our vet said without a doubt we were making the right decision to say goodbye to our sweet, beloved, senior guy. As most of you know, we'd had Vern just over five years and he would've been 15 years old this August. Although Vern was our third dog, Ron bonded with him much more than he ever did with the first two, and it really hit him hard. For me...I'm grieving about the same as I did for our other two, much-loved fur babies. I have my good days and my bad days.

 

So, a couple more weeks went by, and I kept telling Ron I thought he had pneumonia. I've had it enough times in my life to know the sounds and symptoms. It's not "normal" to wheeze and rattle when you breath! But, did that happen when the doctors listened to him with their stethoscopes? Of course not. One of them looked at me a bit patronizingly at that point, because I had voiced my "knowledge" but he wasn't "hearing" it.

 

....................................................... To Be Continued ...................................................