Loss

I lost a friend to cancer today. I probably should have capitalized the letter c, but it already has too much power, so I think not.

She wasn't that much older than me, maybe five years. She was a coworker of mine at the care center for the past seven years, so I am feeling the loss.

She thought she had pneumonia a year ago, and when she went in to get checked out, they found some blood clots in her lung. That's bad enough, but when they put her on blood thinners, she started to bleed and then came the diagnosis of uterine cancer.

She had confidence in her doctor, and started chemo. She was out of work for awhile, but she eventually returned, seeming to be pretty much her usual self. The second round of chemo didn't go as smoothly. I remember her saying that this round was kicking her butt. It caused her lungs to keep filling up with fluid, and it was difficult for her to breath. Eventually they stopped those particular drugs and started her on what they had her take the first time around. She never seemed to recover enough strength after this, though, and the difficult breathing continued.

Last week she made the decision to stop chemo and go on Hospice. I'm so glad I got to see her one last time, to talk with her and give her a hug. She went into the hospital a couple days before Thanksgiving and though she didn't make it home, I hear friends and family were there for her, and she felt their love.

I will miss her corny comments. I will miss listening to her personal commentary as she read the newspaper to our clients. I think she was a Democrat because she seemed to feel strongly about siding with the underdog, and with folks in the world who struggled and didn't have much. She made a mean pistachio pudding dessert. And lemon bars. And she could talk tough. And cry. I will think of her every time we do the Senior Club Twist.

Rest in peace, Vickey. I'm relieved that you're not suffering anymore.

Thanksgiving 2015

Old friends came to spend Thanksgiving with us this year!

Patty and her husband, Richard, arrived with their own special dishes to share, a barley/apricot casserole and some Cranberry Jezebel (Patty's dad's favorite side).

Mom brought her famous apple and pumpkin pies, and Mark brought a port wine cheese ball with crackers for us to nibble on in front of the fire.

Bruce had finished decorating the tree out front with lights yesterday, and then it snowed this morning. Just a light dusting over the grass, but my favorite kind of snow.  :-)

Of course we ate way too much, and it was wonderful to have family and old friends together again.

Wishing you all a blessed Thanksgiving.

Sweetie Jess

Jessie's not feeling well this week.

It came on kind of suddenly Saturday night. When I went downstairs to let her out before bed, she tried to stand up and her back legs didn't work. She ended up going potty on the porch floor, and when she got finally back into the living room, she pretty much collapsed. Bruce was up north, but decided to drive back to be with us. I wondered if she'd had a stroke. Poor thing!

We decided to watch and try to keep her comfortable. We brought her bed down to the living room and waited until she was settled before going to bed ourselves. By morning, she was still pretty wobbly, but she drank some water and went outside to go potty. Maybe she ate a bit, but it's been a challenge since then to get anything in her. Today I scrambled her an egg. She did eat that with some kibble and peas, which was so good to see. Or, maybe it was because Jake came home from college to visit. She loves it when her people are home.

I think maybe she's a little better?  Maybe a little perkier, maybe a little less wobbly. Still doesn't hear, but I know she feels our love when we pet her.

She's an old lady dog now, and life is more of a struggle for her in general. I guess when she stops doing some of the things she loves best, we might know more of what direction she is going. In the meantime, I guess we watch that she's comfortable and love her as much as we can.

Wordless Wednesday

Busy, Busy

Time has been passing quickly lately. Not sure if that's a good thing or not, but it is what it is.

I've been enjoying our mild Autumn weather and I wouldn't be the least bit disappointed if we didn't get snow for another month. Bruce has pretty much finished with the leaves, and I only have a few random pots to empty out onto the compost pile out back.

I've pulled out my looms and have started knitting again. I added some Boho beanies to my Etsy shop and I might decide to keep a few in my car to hand out during the winter months if I see a homeless person on the street as I make my drive into work. Maybe I'll add a couple granola bars. I don't know if this sort of thing would be welcomed or not, but I'd like to give it a try.

Thanksgiving is coming up and I'd better start putting some thought to that, too. Of course Katie won't be home, but hopefully Jake and Nick will be. And we'll probably need to pick Mom and Dad up this year as driving long distances have become more difficult for them. Dad continues chemo for his lymphoma, but he hasn't had too much leg pain recently, so that's encouraging. Onward.

And then there's Christmas, but I'll worry about that later.

Stretch

We've decided that we're both at a time in our lives where we are stretching ourselves to learn new things, Bruce trying his hand at writing, and me trying to learn the ropes of running an Etsy shop. It's been sometimes energizing, sometimes exhausting, sometimes humbling ... but we also agree, it's probably a very good thing. Money might not be exactly flowing in at the moment, but it certainly is an adventure. And, maybe we even understand each other a little bit better because of it all. It's a new chapter in our lives!

Wordless Wednesday