Wellness

[LooPY]

Hi GM and cookie! I'm so glad to see you!! I've been thinking of you both so often. GM--I'm so happy and relieved that you're doing so well and that you had a lovely birthday, and wish that you enjoy your new charcoal grey satchel in the best of health! But cookie, my heart aches for you with the disturbing news about your mom--my fondest wish is that she be restored to good health! I'm sending healing thoughts your way with lots of love. Please keep us updated, and know that we're thinking of you. I'm sorry I've not checked in, in awhile. This has been the summer to end all summers, with bad news at every turn. I'm usually the cheery Pollyanna, but so much at one time really took the starch out of me. But as always, I just pinch my cheeks and bite my lips, and I'm good as new! Here's hoping the change of seasons brings an upturn for all our families--fingers crossed!

Not needing any more drama, I'm happy to report that the most exciting thing that happened last week were the rolling pluots (those odd looking plum/apricots) the lady in front of me on line had carelessly bagged without tying. As they tried to escape down the conveyer belt, I gathered them up, bagged them and gave them to her. We all (including the cashier) had a good laugh over it, she thanked me and after finishing up my shopping, I drove home to unpack my groceries. Imagine my surprise when I found an errant pluot at the bottom of my paper bag (for which I was charged, mind you--$1.08!) Back I went to the market and plopped the wayward fruit on the customer discourtesy counter (did I mention everyone there is crabby?!) telling them it didn't belong to me, but the lady in front of me in line. She eyed me suspiciously. "Just one??" I explained the whole thing, and without a word, chuckle or smile, she pushed one dollar and eight cents across the counter to me. Ah, the joys of shopping at my local market! Helps put things in perspective! Haha!

Take care both of you and be well--you are so dear to me--lots of love and hugs x0x0x0x0x

[Gracies Mom]

Hi Loopy & Cookie!!

Loopy--your post gave me the laugh I needed regarding the rolling pluots!! What a riot--and the fact that you ended up with one in your bag and took it back to the store--priceless!!

Cookie--Please post--been praying for your Mom---how is she?

Been having a rough week here---Gracie suddenly got very sick with pancreatitis, of all things! We are super careful about the prescription food we feed her--she gets no table scraps or anything fatty--the vet is stumped as to how this happened. She had us up all night on Tuesday with terrible vomiting & diarrhea--Joe stayed home and we rushed her to the vet the next morning. Off the top of his head, the vet surmised it was pancreatitis, but had to x-ray her abdomen to make sure it wasn't a tumor (I nearly passed out when he said that!)---thank goodness her x-rays were clear--but her blood work showed the inflamed pancreas.

Gracie was admitted to the animal hospital for two nights--she was on IV hydration, antibiotics, anti-nausea meds. When the vet tried to give her a teaspoon of food on Friday, she refused it---he would not discharge her unless she ate and kept it down, so I suggested I come over with boiled chicken--which he agreed to. Gracie ate it and kept it down--so we were able to take her home Friday evening. Her diet now consists of plain boiled chicken--and her antibiotics. She can have white rice, but since she has not gone to the bathroom yet, I don't want to constipate her more--will hold off on that for now. If she does not go by Wednesday, the vet wants to see her again.

Right now she is not a happy puppy---I think the antibiotics are upsetting her tummy and making her feel lousy--besides being constipated---and only being allowed boiled chicken. She is very restless--can't stop pacing around the house and back yard--don't know if it is pain making her do that--or the meds--or what. It's disconcerting not knowing what's going on--and if she is healing. Pancreatitis can be life threatening! My vet told me that he's seeing it in dogs more and more and he cannot say why.

Gracie's hospitalization cost a small fortune ($1400), with, I'm sure, more vet visits to come. As you can imagine, Joe and I are extremely upset--we are praying she pulls through this and it doesn't become a chronic condition. Both of us have had nervous stomachs for days now.

On top of that, I see my radiation oncologist tomorrow for an exam--I'm worried about that, too. Would appreciate a few prayers for both me AND Gracie!!!!

Love & God Bless,

GM

[Gracies Mom]

Hello Loopy & Cookie!!!!

How are you both???? Please post!!

Had my surgeon appointment yesterday. Been having a lot of pain (pelvic) and was scared out of my wits for a week--turns out it's adhesions from my surgery---they took three years to the day to bother me! Nothing to do for them but take Motrin and wait it out. The surgeon told me I do not need anymore scans or blood tests right now--and I have "graduated" to seeing him every four months instead of every three--WOOHOO!!!! My exam went well--no sign of cancer!!!!!

Gracie is doing fine---she is still eating chicken & rice--with a few dog kibbles---have to be careful her pancreatitis doesn't relapse. She lost weight, but is right where the vet wants her to be.

Let me know how you two are doing--Cookie--how is your Mom? She has been in my prayers!

God Bless,

GraciesMom

[cookiegal]

Hi Ladies!!! I'm so so so sorry for not posting sooner. I've just been so busy and tired! Plus, my phone, which is what I use to get online, has not been working right for weeks!!! It's soooooo incredibly aggravating!!!! It even froze again tonight when I was typing this--so I'm going to keep this short so that I can get it sent! GM, so glad to hear everything is well on your end!!!!! YAY that you have graduated to 4 months betw dr visits!!!!!!!!' Thank you so much for the prayers for my mom!!!!! She's hanging in--doing better than I thought!!!! She had the typical symptoms--nausea, extreme fatigue and lost all her hair. The dr told her he's going her the strongest chemo possible to beat this!!! Her chemo is 5 hours/day!! Plus she's doing radiation. She'll start brain radiation in December. But she's very optimistic, which is great!!!!!' I was just down again this past weekend to see her!! :-). Well, I'm going to sign off before I lose this message again!!!! I'm really starting to hate iPhones!!! Lol. It's all the farm updates messing everything up!!! Anyway, you all take care!!!!!! Hugs to both of you!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gracies Mom]

**Hi Cookie!!!** Great hearing from you--I'm so glad you posted!! Been wondering how your Mom is doing and have been keeping her in my prayers!! I'm happy that your Mom has an optimistic outlook and is managing to deal with her treatments--I hope that continues--and that she is able to beat her disease. Please keep us updated when you can!How are the rest of your family doing? Getting ready for the holidays?

Loopy--are you out there?? What have you been up to??

I've been working on & off--mostly off--which is fine--that way I get to spend more time with Gracie. She is doing well, thank goodness--still on chicken & rice with her dog kibbles.We bought a new artificial Christmas tree, which arrived yesterday--Joe puts it up the day after Thanksgiving--can't wait to see how it looks--we also want to put those big fat Christmas lights on it--very retro!

Joe set his retirement date--May 22, 2015--YAY!!!! Don't know where I stand with my job--if I will continue, or retire right along with him--we'll see as time goes on. We are planning on staying in our house for the next couple of years--fix it up--then try to sell it. Hoping to end up in a state down south somewhere--where the living expenses are less than where we are now. Right now we are taking life one day at a time.

BIG hugs to you two-----post when you can!!

God Bless,

GM

[LooPY]

Hi GM and cookie! I'm so glad to see you both! I'm sorry I've been AWOL again/still--we were away for awhile on vacation, then my computer was on the fritz! Grrr! GM--I'm happy to read that Gracie is doing better, and that you got a good bill of health! Woohoo is right!! And good for Joe for setting his retirement to begin an exciting new chapter! A lot of retirees are settling in Hilton Head Island SC, where we often visit. It's beautiful there, the weather is more moderate, it's a laid back lifestyle, but has more 'sizzle' than some other places, I think! cookie--I feel your pain with your phone issues! This confounded, infernal machine! Hmm--I'd better shhh and talk nice to it, and not press my luck! Haha! I've been thinking of your mom so much! Chemo and radiation is a lot to handle, but I'm so glad she's tolerating her treatments so well--I'm sending healing thoughts her way! I'm glad you got to visit her--I know seeing you is the best medicine! I hope you're able to rest when you can, so as not to tire yourself out too much--though I know it's hard to do--my daughter faces the same challenge!

My hubby had scheduled an appointment for the furnace guy from the fuel oil company to come for his yearly inspection last Monday, with a window from 12 noon to 4 pm. He said he could change it, but that's when they wanted to do it. It was a drag, as it was my birthday, but I figured, oh well--I have nothing else planned anyway, so why not. I was on the phone at about noon and the doorbell rang. I figured I'd have to tell my friend the furnace guy was here, and then get off the phone. I went to the front door and opened it and there stood--my little grandson!! (Too short to be the furnace guy!) My daughter said, "We're here to take you out for lunch for your birthday!" So I said, "But I have to wait here for the furnace guy!" She laughed and said, "We're the furnace guys! The whole thing was a ruse!" She and her dad had cooked up the whole thing, and I'm so gullible that even after they were already here, I still thought I had to wait for the furnace guy! Haha! Later, we all had dinner out too, followed by the homemade cupcakes they had made together ("from scratch" my grandson told me!) that they brought, and then they stayed overnight (they live several states away!) It was a grand day after all!

Lots of love and hugs! (((((((((())))))))))

[Gracies Mom]

**Hi Loopy!!**

So glad you posted!!!! One thing has changed since I last wrote--I quit my job!!!! I could not stand it one more minute--Joe & I discussed what I should do--he was so worried that my cancer would come back because I'm so unhappy and stressed all the time, he gave me his blessing to RETIRE!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!! There are financial concerns tied to my decision, but we are hoping that we can cut back and overcome them. Once Joe retires in May, we will both be starting another chapter in our lives--I can't wait!! Meantime, I'm happy that I will not have to venture out in the winter weather--I can stay in and cook decent dinners for Joe--hang with Gracie all I want--finally read a book--and start de-cluttering our house. I will be very busy! I will NOT miss working one tiny bit!!!!!!

We are not sure when or where we will retire to--right now we have to stay put. There are 23 houses for sale around us and none are selling--which means we will take the time to fix up our place and take it day by day--who knows where the wind will take us!

Loved your story about how you spent your birthday with your grandson and daughter--what a wonderful ruse your family cooked up!! Your hubby is one special fella! How nice they stayed overnight--and how special those cupcakes must've tasted! Happy Birthday,Loopy!! Glad you enjoyed your very special day!!!

A shout-out to you, Cookie!! Hope all is going well with your Mom--she is in my prayers everyday. Please post when you can!!

Any Thanksgiving plans ladies?

We will be at home--we invited a friend who would otherwise be alone for the holiday--he lost his brother to cancer this past May and is now alone--I couldn't have that! I'm planning on making the traditional turkey with all of the trimmings. I also promised our friend I would make my gooey lasagna that everyone loves--he is staying with us for five days, so I have to come up with recipes I think he would like. He never married and doesn't cook--thought it would be nice if I treated him to a few days of my home cooking. He will help Joe put up our Christmas tree and decorate the outside of our house--it should be a fun time.

Hope the both of you and your families have a Happy Thanksgiving--enjoy and be safe!!

Love & God Bless,

GM

[Gracies Mom]

Happy Holidays Loopy & Cookie!!!

It's been awhile and I haven't heard from you gals----what's cooking???

Cookie---How is your Mom?? I'm concerned that you haven't posted.

Loopy--What's happening?? Getting ready for the holidays?

How was everyone's Thanksgiving?

Finished Christmas shopping? All set for the big day?

Tomorrow will be one month since I retired--that went fast! Been keeping busy, so far--and not missing my job one tiny bit!! Can't wait for Joe to retire (in May) so we can hang out together all the time--like when we were teenagers! I guess life does become one big circle.

Would enjoy hearing from you two ladies……post when you can!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Love & God Bless,

GM

[LooPY]

Hi GM!! I've been thinking and thinking of you, and cookie, too! It's been very busy and going to be very hectic for the next few days, but I promise I will be ho ho ho--ing across the miles to you before Christmas, as soon as the coast is clear here, to wish you the merriest Christmas and happiest, healthiest New Year! Gotta dash now! x0x0x0x0x0x

[LooPY]

Hi GM! Whew! What a wild ride! We went to Boston for a long weekend to spend the holidays with our daughter and her family, then yesterday our other daughter came from Maryland with her brood to spend some time with us before her in-laws visit her for Christmas. (So many commitments, so little time!) It's been really fun being with everyone! Gosh, Thanksgiving seems so long ago now--isn't that funny? We went to Maryland and my daughter and her husband cooked up quite a feast; the Boston contingent came for the long weekend, and a good time was had by all! How wonderful that you provided such a nice time for your friend--I remember that he'd lost his brother, and I know he appreciated your kindness, and the tasty vittles, too!!

Congratulations on your retirement GM!! Isn't it just the best??!! And amazing that we can find so many things to do in the absence of work outside the home? There aren't enough hours in the day! People say, 'Oh aren't you bored? You must be!" Nope, not at all--not even one little bit! And we found that now that the kids are all older and out on their own we hang out together and have lots of fun, just like you said! I'd imagine both retiring is very liberating! (I'm hoping my hubby will too, sometime soon. Aaaaany day now!)

I'm so happy that Gracie has improved and is doing much better now! I wish you all, and cookie and the family a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year, filled with lots of fun, love and wonderful surprises! We'll be spending it at the diner with our favorite waitress, tasting and toasting Christmas together! Can't wait to hear all the holiday news!

Lots of love and hugs! x0x0x0x0x