31 December 2011

Quietly slipping into the new year

The world is slipping into a new year, boisterously for some, and sedately for others. Being still in too much pain, I will slip into 2012 quietly, but in the company of the three people who mean more to me than life. They have helped me in so many ways since the onset of these recent pains.

They have cooked up some very delicious food for us all! After the Chicken Bubble-Up on Christmas day, Oliver made Chili, and it has been aging since. David then made a batch of Zuppa Toscana (just like the Olive Garden soup of the same name). David's is even better than the OG soup. Hands down, better.

I guess none of them was in a picture-taking frame of mind to document their cooking efforts. Maybe I can still get one of them to snap a few.

Tonight, it being New Year's Eve, the guys will be making our traditional New Year's Eve snack called Northern Stars, a sour cream, mayo, swiss cheese and seasonings mixture to spread on thin slices of baguette, topping some with minced green and red bell pepper, and then broiled until the tops are melted and golden. Oh, they are so good.

Well, I feel like I have reached the end of endurance for the time being.

I hope 2012 will be a better year for all of us who share this little planet. Wishing one and all Peace, Health, Safety, and Love in the new year,

Eileen

27 December 2011

Emergency Patience

It has seemed an extra long week since this pain started last Tuesday. But that is the way it works when you are ill. The minutes and then the days crawl by.

I have been a load of cantankerousness and neediness. Were I alone, I would be in one of those heaps on the floor and I don't have one of those "I've fallen and I can't get up" buttons. My neck is slightly more movable, but the pain in my shoulders is still much the same, the left one slightly improved so that I can at least use my arm and hand within a limited range. And my right wrist is halfway on its way to Hellinahandbasket.

Yesterday afternoon I was doing pretty poorly even for my usual sad state. I tried calling our doctor back at home, but he and his staff were all still enjoying Monday as part of the holiday weekend. So, after more cajoling from my guys, I finally agreed to go to the Emergency Room at the hospital here where we are visiting. All three of my finely-bearded men came with me for the sheer joy of it (emphasis mine). There should have been one of these signs posted on the door as you hobble in..


As it turned out, they waited with me in the ER for 5 hours. Well, it was the day after Christmas and all, so the wait was understandable. At least that's the good light I wish to put it in.

At the 4 and one half hour mark I was given three injections, one in the arm and one each on my buttcheeks. And the last half hour was spent back in the waiting room so they could make sure I didn't exhibit and signs of being dead or otherwise greatly incapacitated from said injections. Two prescriptions To Go and Wes signed my release form, which probably contains a bunch of "Don't call us and we won't call you" legal stuff.

A stop at Walgreens for the two bottles of pills and to drop me off at home, get me settled, and off the three of them went for a well-deserved relaxing supper at Red Robin, and they even brought me home my favourite 'Banzai Burger' (I actually ate 1/4 of it). I tell you that I don't deserve their patience, but I'll be damned if I'm not grateful in every hurting cell of my body.

I know I take so much for granted during the times when I just live life with the normal aches and pains of a life of a certain age and prior infirmities and their lingering consequences. But rather than continually refreshing old pains and difficulties in our daily consciousness, perhaps it is better to sort of take the good days or months or years for granted a bit.. stopping to remember once in a while that you've been worse. But in the better times, I think it is best to get on with it, to get on with living in the moments and making the most of your days and nights with family and friends and storing up tons of good memories for the not-quite-so-good days to come. Because when this sign pops up in your life again..


..it's best to realise that life ahead is going to change drastically again and you'd better be prepared for a new direction for a while.

So the lesson I should commit to memory is "Enjoy the better times when you have them, live life the best that you can when you can, and when a sign pops into view that you'll be heading in a different direction, be ready for whatever the road brings your way."

That, and remember to thank the people who love you and are kind and patient with you even when you are a grumpy old mother. (Thank you, guys.)



And, oh I am so looking forward to picking up a crochet hook again soon, because I really enjoyed making this houndstooth-like scarf two weeks ago (pattern here: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2245155/free_crochet_pattern_bumpy_scarf.html?cat=24 ).



I have several afghans in need of finishing or weaving in ends, and there are always so many new things to make! Such are the ways of Crochet Love. ;)


25 December 2011

For better and for less than that


Christmas day, Sunday, 25 December 2011. It is a quiet morning.

New morning, new blog.

I am typing with the eraser of a pencil this morning, one key at a time, Caps Lock on, then Caps Lock off as I go. I started having neck pain on this past Tuesday afternoon, which got worse on Wednesday, and on Thursday it moved down to include my shoulders as well. I have never had this kind of shoulder pain before. So inflammed and I can barely move my right shoulder, and the left is much worse and useless right now.

I finished up with the laundry on Tuesday morning before all this pain started. I wanted to get the laundry done early so it would be a quick job to pack for friday's drive to spend the whole holidays week with our two sons. When whatever is causing all this pain hit my shoulders, too, I became almost useless. That did not make me a happy camper.

Friday morning, husband Wes, was able to work from home and packed stuff up as he could. I may have been a little, um, grumpy and emotional during all that. Frustrated with my incapacity to do what I should be doing. But Wes dealt with my occassional loud outbursts and bouts of crying, and we got through. He loaded up the car, which isn't a picnic as we live in an upstairs apartment. And I'm usually our long distance driver, but he drove the 200+ miles.

So here we are at the house the two brothers share. This pic is from Chritmas day 2010 when we were here and they got a dusting of snow. This year it is sunny with no snow.



By the way, I know I should have called the doctor about this pain business, but Iam not one to run to the doctor everytime something happens, and I really expected this to resolve itself after a couple of days. Ha! More fool me. I am unable to lie down now without incurring more pain, so have been sitting and sleeping (fitfully) on their desk chairs. They even bought me a memory foam pillow on one of their shopping trips at WalMart (yes, soul-stealing WalMart) yesterday so my butt would have it a little easier. Anyway...

My three men, ages 58, 33, and 26, have been been so very patient with me and helping me a thousand ways. Here we all are last Christmas. Wes, Oliver, Eileen and David. They can make me laugh like nobody else can. They are the best.


So today the men will cook the meal I would have, Chicken Bubble-Up, with rice and green beans (not the casserole kind) on the side. I will cheer them on from the side.

I'm enjoying our moments together in spite of the pain, and am looking forward to a week of family time. Game playing and movie watching and other fun and often strange things. :)

Peace to the whole human race and to all the creatures with whom we share this beautiful small planet.