Monthly Archives: December 2023

It’s a Brand New Year – 2023 to 2024

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What are you going to do with it?

That’s 365 days. It’s a lot of time to do something you haven’t done before.

To try something new. Something you’ve always wanted to do. Something you’ve thought about but just haven’t had the opportunity – or the confidence – to try. 

You’re not happy with where you are, what you’re doing? What’s keeping you from changing it? Fear of failure? Or fear of succeeding? Lack of motivation? Lack of self-confidence? Or just not knowing what to do or where to go next?

You’ve heard me say many times I don’t make New Years resolutions. Resolutions are broken usually within the first couple of weeks of the new year. Everyone can resolve to do something, but resolving and actually doing are two different things.

To be successful in this new year you’ve been given takes planning, determination, focus, willpower, and something one of my favorite high school teachers called stick-to-it-ive-ness. Keeping at it no matter what.

It’s always easier to give up when it gets difficult rather than to keep pushing through to your goal. It’s easier to say “I can’t” rather than “I can.”

That’s not saying you have to keep doing the same thing over and over if what you’re doing just isn’t working. Take a hard look at what you’re trying to accomplish and try to figure out how to do it differently to produce the desired results. Ask others to give their input and don’t be afraid to listen to what they have to say. Many times a fresh pair of eyes can see things you can’t, and suddenly you figure out a new plan that will change your outcome.

What’s your first and most important thing that you need to re-do?

Are you trying for a new job, but nothing seems to be working? Is it because you’re not presenting your qualifications properly? Or maybe you’re trying for a job that’s just not right for your skills and interests? Or maybe you’re trying for a job instead of a position that excites you; a position that enables you to use your past experiences in a new way, maybe in a new field.

Try writing out a job description of your ideal position, using your qualifications and experience as a base for what you’d enjoy doing. And don’t give that position a name, because it limits your creativity and boxes you in to a particular job. Again. Then make your plan to look for a position that incorporates those skills. Who says you have to stay in the same line of work you’ve always been in?  Your unique set of skills may open you up to an entire new career.

Maybe you want to start your own business. Be your own boss. While that’s not as easy as it sounds, if you want to do it, what’s holding you back? Try it. Put together your business plan. And if it doesn’t work right at first, instead of getting discouraged and giving up, take a hard look at what your business is. Are you selling a product, and if so, is it a product lots of people will want, and can you sell enough of that product to make it a full time endeavor? Maybe, although it’s a product you’re excited about, maybe you’re one of the few who are excited about that product. So what could you change about it to make it more desirable to others? Or what could you add to your product line to generate business?

If you’re offering a service, is it service that lots of people need? Who are you trying to reach? How are you trying to reach them? Look closely at how you’re marketing the service. Are you reaching your target audience?  If not, what can you do differently so those people will know you’re out there, ready to help them?

And if your business plan isn’t working, maybe you need to redo that plan so it’ll work.

Or maybe you’re looking for a new relationship. Maybe you’re stuck in a relationship that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. You don’t want to give up, but you also aren’t happy. So are you going to settle for what you’ve got or decide to go for someone who’s more suited to you, whose interests are the same as yours, and who enjoys spending quality time with you? Rather than being afraid you’ll not have anyone at all, look for someone who’s more suited to you. Which is worse – settling for what you think you have, or deciding there’s more to life than what you currently have, and doing what’s necessary to change it? Being alone with yourself is usually better than being alone in an unhappy relationship.

Maybe you want to improve your health, exercise more, eat healthier. That’s a great goal, but you still need a plan, and you need to stick to it. You’re the only one who can make that plan work. And remember that’s going to be a lifetime commitment. Not just for this coming year. And believe it or not, this will be the hardest of the four ideas I’ve just presented to be accomplished. 

These are just a few things you can look at changing for the new year. Notice I still didn’t say the word “resolution”. Because resolutions don’t work. Plans can work. But change only works when you make a plan and stick to it. 

And remember all plans have to be flexible. Because something is always going to come up and try to derail your plan, no matter how well thought out it is. And that’s called life. Life happens to all of us. And we have to continually be prepared to change our plans to fit in with what life brings us.

Sound like an impossible situation? Not at all. All our plans and goals are important to us. It’s what makes us who we are. And just because our first set of plans don’t work, it doesn’t mean we’ve failed. It means we’re learning. And growing.

Happy New Year to everyone!

We Wish You A Merry Christmas 2023

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We realize many of you are having a very difficult time today. Christmas can be a very rough day if you’re hurting. And there have been a lot of people who have joined the ranks of the hurting this year.

But let us take the time to share the gifts we’d like to present you with today…gifts from our hearts. Gifts that cannot always be purchased with money; because they’re priceless.

For the woman who’s spending yet another Christmas without someone to love, someone to love her, accept the gift of hope, that that someone you’ve been praying for, and hoping for, will enter your life in the new year, and you will finally find the love you’ve been dreaming of for so long.

For those of you who have been waiting for a reconciliation with your children, or other family members, accept the gift of renewal, that things and circumstances will be made whole again, the past forgotten. May you receive a knock on the door of your heart allowing that reconciliation to take place, and your joy be restored.

For the man struggling with addictions, receive the gift of self-control and strength, that once and for all those addictions will be put behind you and your new life will begin even today as that gift is opened.

For those of you struggling with the first Christmas following death of a loved one, receive the gift of cherished memories that will live forever in the scrapbook of your heart, and the knowledge that the love you had for each other will never die, and that they are waiting for you in heaven.

For the family who’s lost, or about to lose, their home, accept the gift of a new place to live that will be the perfect home, cozy and peaceful, with enough room for everyone.

For the couple who desperately want a child of their own, may you receive the gift of the child you’ve wanted so badly, a child that was meant just for you. Because Christmas is about the birth of a long-awaited child.

For the family struggling to make ends meet on a daily basis, may you receive a gift of financial blessing, a new job, or a salary increase, that will ease your worries and allow you to provide comfortably for your family.

For those who are facing a serious illness… may you receive the gift of healing and the knowledge that the word of the Lord is always true and faithful.

For those who are living in lands torn apart by war and strife, by fear of bombs and hostages, by the fear of what disaster may happen next, while we cannot give them the gift of peace they so deserve, may every one of them be remembered in our thoughts and our hearts, and may they soon find the gift of peace and reunions with loved ones.

Christmas is a time of hope. A time of renewal of faith and a renewal of the promises we were given over two thousand years ago in a manger in Bethlehem.

On this Christmas Day, be blessed. And may the light of His love shine forth over you as never before.

Merry Christmas to all!!!

A Message from Santa Claus – 2023

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You know, it’s not easy being me. It truly isn’t. Like a lot of you out there, I’ve always got too much to do, and not enough time to do it.

You see, there are a lot of children out there in this world. And it’s my job to make them happy on Christmas Day. That is, if they believe, and if their parents cooperate. More about that later.

Throughout so many decades past, I’ve delighted the kids who believe in me with gifts under their Christmas tree every Christmas morning. Sometimes they’re beautifully wrapped, and sometimes they’re not. Their parents tell me what they want, you know.

All year long I’m working behind the scenes at the North Pole, putting together lists for each child that believes in me, and collecting all the toys that each kid wants. The elves very seldom make them anymore; they’re just too complicated. Instead they go to the stores, the factories, and the warehouses to fill the orders.

That’s not an easy task either. Plus, we have to have huge warehouses to store them, with each child having his or her own compartment for their gifts. Can’t have them confused, you know; that would really upset the kids!

Even working hard all year to make just that one night special doesn’t mean we don’t get rushed. Right now things have really heated up, and we’ve been working almost 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We’ll sleep on Christmas Day, after everything is delivered, because it’s CHRISTMAS EVE!

The reindeer have been getting ready, too, exercising to make sure they’re in great shape to pull that sleigh. It’s not easy, you know, because with all those toys, and me, well, it’s quite heavy to start out with. But they’re ready, and eager to begin!

Now I’m asked a lot of times about how in the world all those toys for all the world’s children, can possibly fit in one sleigh. It’s big, but not that big, you know. It’s really quite easy, but unfortunately I can’t tell you. You see, Santa has to have a few secrets that no one knows about, and that’s one of them. Most of the elves know; they have to, because they pack up the sleigh. But every year we have a few new ones, and until I can totally trust them with such a huge secret, they do other jobs rather than packing my sleigh.

I’m also asked a lot about how the reindeer are actually able to fly through the sky, let alone pull a heavy sleigh behind them. That’s one of those secrets I keep to myself as well. I will say this, they are very special reindeer, specially trained, and very trustworthy. And they really enjoy what they do!

I’m also asked a lot how I can be in so many places at the same time. At the malls, department stores, in Christmas parades…in all honesty, I’m really not. Not personally anyway. But each and every one of those Santas carry a little piece of me with them. A piece of my heart, and a piece of my love for each and every one of the children who believe in me. And all of those pieces come back to me and settle into my heart as the children tell Santa their secrets and their Christmas wishes. But please don’t tell the kids. That’s between us.

Some of the children are really concerned that I can’t get in their house to deliver their toys because they don’t have a fireplace for me to come down. Actually that’s one of the easier problems to solve. Because Santa has a very special key, made just for me, that will unlock any door. But only on Christmas Eve; no other time of year. And it only works in Santa’s hand, so if it were to ever get lost, no one else could use it.

Those cookies and milk are certainly appreciated, too. I have a hard job that night, and although it’s a lot of fun, it certainly works up the appetite! And my favorites are butter cookies with sprinkles, chocolate chip, and some of those fluffy meringue cookies with chocolate chips. And a bit of eggnog here and there would be good in the place of milk. You know, just varying the selection a bit. Just don’t leave a slice of fruitcake! The reindeer don’t even like that!

And those letters the children send me? Yes, I read them. Fortunately I’m a speed reader, so it’s not as hard as you might think. And I’m probably the world’s best multitasker, because I not only read them as I’m doing other things, I dictate my responses as well, and the elves handle the rest.

The Naughty or Nice List? Yes, I do have those. Unfortunately. But just so you’ll know, in order to not get at least one gift from ol’ Santa, you have to be really, really naughty. You see, I love kids so much, I never want any of them to go without gifts from me at Christmas time. I always try to find something they’ve done right enough to be able to qualify for a gift!!

And I’m happy to report that this year, every child on my list is getting at least one gift! How about that? Not one child stayed on the naughty list!

And by the way…that Elf on the Shelf? He’s NOT one of mine. Not at all. I don’t know where he came from or why he’s trying to horn in on my territory, but he really needs to stop. Santa doesn’t participate in that one, and he’s certainly never reported back to me! I think he’s around just to cause a bit of disruption and to irritate me!

Which leads me to my comment concerning parents cooperating with me. This is a tough one. And it really hurts my feelings.

You see, there are parents out there who refuse to tell their kids about me. Or they tell them I don’t exist. That I’m just made up, and that every kid who believes in me, is just totally wrong and should be set straight as soon as possible. There are even adults out there who aren’t parents who spread those same words and thoughts around without even thinking about it. Without even stopping to think what they’re doing…what they’re destroying.

And those children don’t get the pleasure of Santa delivering gifts on Christmas Eve because I’m not welcome in their homes. And I don’t go where I’m not welcome.

Just because you don’t see the real me doesn’t mean I don’t exist. I’ve been around for a long time, doing the things I do for a long time, and making millions of children happy every year. The smiles on their faces and their screams of surprise and delight make it worthwhile. And as I said, their parents do help, because I couldn’t possibly do it all on my own. They are an important part of the magic of Santa Claus at Christmas time.

Those who say Santa isn’t real don’t understand the reality of Santa. They don’t understand I live in the hearts and imagination of children, who pass on the mystery and the wonder of Santa to their own children. And that causes me to continue to live on and on.

Others say I keep kids from focusing on the real meaning of Christmas, so they won’t let their children believe about me. Rubbish!! Let me say this. Over half of the homes I deliver toys to have a nativity scene in their homes, or ornaments on their tree depicting that first Christmas. Obviously they know the real story of Christmas. And they still let me in.

As I said in the beginning, it’s not easy being me. It’s a lot of work, and a lot of late nights. But the happiness I bring every Christmas Eve, the smiles I see on so many faces on Christmas morning (yes, I do see them, you know – just don’t asked me to explain how) make it all worthwhile.

You still don’t believe I’m real? All I can say to that is, I’m really sorry. Because you’re missing out on so very much….

And now….back to work! Christmas Eve is here! And I’m putting the finishing touches on the sleigh! It’s almost take-off time!

Santa to the Rescue

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Who would’ve thought Santa would be the one to hopefully solve the mystery of some of Ben’s medical issues he’s been having since getting home from the hospital almost three weeks ago. 

Along with his problems with his blood sugar out of control, he had begun losing weight. Without trying to. And without eating less than normal. Within three weeks he’d lost 23 lbs. His clothes were getting extremely loose on him, and he was losing muscle mass as well. He was tired more than usual and had at least one episode per day of a low blood sugar attack. 

And try as he might, he was unable to get an appointment with his primary physician for another 3 weeks. By then, if things kept on like they were going, he’d be in real trouble. And we didn’t know what to do.

Finally, our daughter suggested maybe Santa could help him. (Our daughter is 35 years old with three children of her own.) She told him she’d already talked to him about her dad, and Santa had told her he thought he could help out, and that he wanted to see him the next morning. 

What did we have to lose? 

She told us where Santa would be, so the next morning we headed over to see him. There were a lot of other people there as well, and we were going to have a wait. Normally Ben wouldn’t agree to wait several hours for something, but after all, it was the Christmas season, and Santa had been very insistent to our daughter that he needed to see her dad.

So we put his name on the waiting list, and sat down to wait. There were other people waiting as well, and we struck up conversations with several of them while we waited.

Hard to imagine at our age, five days before Christmas, we found ourselves waiting to see Santa. And hoping he’d be able to get us what we needed for Christmas. Our daughter even texted us to let us know Santa knew he was there and would see us as soon as he could. After all, Santa is a busy man this time of year, and there are lots of people he needs to take care of.  

So we continued to wait. And after three hours it was our turn. We were led into a private room to wait for him, and this time the man himself came in shortly thereafter, apologizing for the wait, and had my husband tell him exactly what had been going on. Santa listened intently, asking questions where necessary, and after he’d heard the story, told us he thought he knew what he needed to do to get him on the right track.

“Let me run a few tests so I can confirm a couple of things, and I believe we can get things under control.” That sounded good to us. We certainly needed some Christmas magic to help us out. 

Twenty minutes or so later he was back with good news. The test results were as he’d suspected, and it should be simple matter of adjusting some of his medications that seemed to be causing the weight loss. “Try this for a week,” he said, “and then come back next week and let’s see how things are going.” AFTER Christmas? Wow, we were a bit surprised that he’d still be around after Christmas, but we promised to be there.

We left feeling like things were finally starting to get resolved, and none too soon. Christmas is a time of surprises, and a time when the unexpected can certainly happen. And we believe it did.

In this case, Santa is a very good and caring physician whose name is actually Dr. Santa who works at an urgent care facility near our home. Our daughter had met him there several months ago and discovered he and Mrs. Santa lived near them. She’d remembered him and decided it anyone could help her did, it would be him!

And we are believing we’re finally getting some answers to some very worrisome questions, and that Santa gave us an early Christmas gift, probably like he did many times each day he works.

He may not live at the North Pole, or have a white beard, and he wears a white coat instead of a red suit, but he’s one Santa we are very glad to have met! And we believe he gave us just what we wanted – and needed – for Christmas.

Christmas is Different This Year

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We worked so hard to get our trees up and decorated before Thanksgiving, as is our tradition each year. My husband even decorated the foyer ledge early with all the new Santa Clauses so it would be ready for the grandchildren. 

I made a list of all the things we wanted to do during December, and the invitations we were going to extend to friends for dinners and such.

We even did our traditional gingerbread house the day after Thanksgiving so the grandkids could get in the spirit early. Not that they needed any help, because they were already excited.

We even bought tickets for the whole family to go to Christmastown at Busch Gardens, which was going to be our special family trip.

Yes, it was going to certainly be a Christmas to remember.

And how true that was.

But not in the way we planned by far.

Because three days after Thanksgiving we rushed my husband to the hospital by ambulance because he was having severe difficulty breathing. And that was a scary night.

RSV had struck, and he spent five days in the hospital on oxygen, antibiotics, and steroids, trying to get him well and trying to get the fluid out of his lungs and around his heart. (You can read more about this in Matters of the Heart Part 34).

Christmas plans and shopping were put on immediate hold until we were able to get him well enough to come home. Our Christmastown tickets were rescheduled. And all our other plans were quickly put on hold.

That was a long week but we got him home on Friday afternoon. But he was far from feeling good, and spent the next week trying to get his strength back so he could do some of the things we’d planned and go back to work.

I started shopping for the grandkids on line because it was so much easier and I didn’t have to leave him by himself. In fact, most of the gifts have been purchased like that. 

The tickets to Christmastown were used by the kids and a friend of theirs. We enjoyed seeing their pictures.

Cookies were made with help from our daughter and the grandkids, but as circumstances changed, my husband wasn’t able to enjoy them as usual, because the huge amounts of steroids he was given at the hospital have now caused him to develop diabetes, which we’re still trying to get under control.

Parties? Dinners for friends? Christmas concerts? Shopping trips together? Not this year. We were able to attend our grandson’s first birthday party, but he didn’t get to play much with the kids because he’d felt bad that morning and we almost had to cancel.

I’ve wrapped all of the gifts myself so far, something he usually helps with. Hopefully he’ll be able to do some this week.

His planned shopping trip with our daughter and the grands didn’t happen yesterday, because his blood sugar was off again. She did it all for him with the assistance of FaceTime on their phones.

This week is day by day. We’d planned on taking short trips to nearby places since we’re both on vacation this week. We’ll see how that goes. So far it hasn’t. 

But Santa will still come to our house as well as theirs. There will still be Christmas, and it’ll still be on December 25. But our traditions and activities have changed drastically this year. 

We’ve learned though, that what’s important is our health, our families, and the support of those we love. We’ve learned plans are made to be changed, and to accept those changes and make the best of them.

Christmas is still Christmas, and this year we really need to focus on the reason for the season and be thankful for the blessings we’ve had in and through this journey. It’s not over yet, because we still have more doctor visits ahead, but we’ll make it through.

Christmas is different this year, but the reason for the season is the same, and so is the excitement in the eyes of our grandchildren and their friends.

Merry Christmas to all!

Matters of the Heart-and Lungs, Part 34

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Yes, I thought I needed to change the title a bit, since RSV is mostly a lung problem, even though it affected Ben’s heart somewhat as well.

Actually I could’ve added other areas being affected as well.

After being released from the hospital after the bout with RSV, and as happy as we were to have him home, it still didn’t mean he was well. It just meant he didn’t need to be in the hospital anymore. There’s a difference.

Although in his mind he was able to go back to work on Monday, his body was nowhere near ready. He was still exhausted, and just not feeling at all like himself. So he made the decision to take the week off to get his strength back.

Which was a good decision.

And because of the insulin shots they had to give him in the hospital because of the steroids he was being given, we also decided to get a glucose monitor for him due to his still being on the steroids making his blood sugar shoot up way in excess of 400, which is certainly not good.

But we had quite a bit of trouble getting the machine to operate properly. Neither of us had ever used one, and the directions were really difficult to understand. The help line actually was a huge help, but he still had trouble getting enough blood to register on the strip. And he was still not starting to feel much better.

Monday he also found himself having “brain fog” which we were told was common with RSV. He couldn’t concentrate, or remember things I’d told him, which was really starting to scare us both. Fortunately it only lasted a day.

We saw his pulmonologist on Tuesday and he prescribed a rescue inhaler for him, which was fortunate. But the doctor was pleased overall about how he was coming along so far, and reminded Ben it takes awhile to get over this virus. That’s for sure!

But Ben still wasn’t able to figure out the glucose monitor until Thursday. And he was still exhausted every day by the afternoon and still coughing quite a bit, even with heavy duty cough syrup.

Finally on Thursday he was able to get the glucose monitor to work. Only to get a blood sugar reading of 435. Not good. He tried again and got 421. Definitely not good. He called his doctor and the after-hours nurse told him to go to the hospital.

Here we go again.

The ER was busy of course. They took vitals, bloodwork, and then we waited. And worried. When we were finally called back to a room, his blood sugar was still high, so the doctor ordered fluids to try to get it down, explaining the steroids in combination with water pills for the fluid around the heart drove the sugar up, but the fluids should help get it down. Well, that would be better than another insulin shot!

And after five hours in the ER we were finally sent home, after the fluids lowered the blood sugar to a safer level.

Friday he was feeling a bit better and found out his doctor had called in a new prescription for blood sugar medication. Things were looking up.

Until the pharmacy called Saturday to tell us the Rx was written for 2.5 mg and the medication only comes in 5 and 10 mg, and the doctor’s office wasn’t open until Monday. We got that problem solved by cutting the pills in half.

Then we found out the inhaler he uses, which of course had only enough puffs left for two days, was out of stock in every pharmacy in the area because the manufacturer was limiting quantities. And his insurance wasn’t allowing our pharmacy to fill it as a generic until the doctor rewrote the prescription. Mind you, this is for the man who just got out of the hospital with lung issues!

Good thing he has the rescue inhaler!

So today will be a test. And hopefully he’ll pass and be well on his way to recovery.

More to come when his pacemaker needs to be replaced, which hopefully will be several months down the road.

Until then, we’re believing he’s going to stay well for a long time!

Each Tree Has a Story, Part 12

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After the foyer tree, we really didn’t expect to need/get another one.

But remember what I was saying about our shopping experience the day we saw that ombré tree that’s now in our foyer?

Well…here’s the story. This year it seems like Santa Claus is everywhere. And not just in his typical red suit and big old toy bag.

This year Santa was arrayed in any number of different outfits. I immediately found one dressed in a flamingo tropical shirt with shorts and flip flops, a straw hat, sunglasses, and of course holding a margarita in one hand and a sandy looking Christmas wreath in the other. Perfect for our flamingo themed Florida room. So in the cart he went. 

Then I saw a beautiful Santa in a pink velvet suit with matching toy bag. He’d be a perfect addition to our living room decor and our pink and white angel tree. We had to have him as well. 

The whole Christmas department at Home Goods was filled with Santa Clauses! I kept looking at them all, sort of like I used to do when I was a little girl looking at all the dolls in the toy store at Christmas.

And then Ben told me he had an idea. Which actually involved buying several more Santa Clauses. We found one in a beautiful royal blue and silver cape. One was in a teal colored suit with beachy accessories. And we already had three at home from last year.

And then there were two of them that could either sit or stand, so they joined the other Santa’s in the cart. I wasn’t sure what he had planned but I knew one thing.  Santa Claus was definitely coming to our house! Several of them, in fact!

He finally told me sort of what his idea was when we got to the car. And I was very much in favor of it! In fact it was one of his best ideas yet, but don’t tell him I said that.

And then, a few days later back in one of my other favorite decorating stores, we found another Santa that had our names written all over it. A Santa Claus in a red suit with a gold vest carrying a wine bottle and grapes with a sign saying “I love cooking with wine…and sometimes I put it in the food”. And it just so happened I needed a new decoration for the buffet in our dining room…and he looks great there!

So what do all the Santa Clauses have to do with another Christmas tree? It’s really quite simple. Ben designed a beautiful display on our foyer ledge, incorporating all of the Santa Clauses we bought. Two of them are resting on each side of the display, and the others are standing either in the snow or riding in the two white sleighs we added.

And you see, with all those Santa Clauses on the ledge, they just HAD to have their own Christmas tree!

So we used that as the centerpiece for the design. One with snow on it, of course!

What do you think? Did he do a good job?

Each Tree Has a Story, Part 11

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Last year I kept saying I wanted to get a tree that I could hang nothing but our collection of family photo ornaments on. I just didn’t know what kind or where I’d put it. My husband thought I was crazy, of course.

But then this year as we were walking through Home Goods after making some Christmas purchases we really didn’t need, that were actually HIS idea (although I didn’t argue), we saw a beautiful slim shiny beige and peach ombré tree that was absolutely stunning! We didn’t know where we’d put it though, so we reluctantly left it behind as we left the store with our purchases.

Of course the whole way driving over to our next destination we were both thinking about that tree and wondering where we could put it. And as luck would have it, both of us came up with an idea about the same time that was just about the same. That almost never happens!

He said we’d go get it the next day, and of course I reminded him they only had two in the store, and if we didn’t get it now we might miss out!

So he reluctantly drove back to the store and we ended up with our new ombré tree! That was supposed to be decorated with all of our Christmas photo ornaments. We immediately put it in the foyer where we both had thought it would fit. And it did. It was perfect!

Unfortunately after looking at it, we realized the photo ornaments would be too heavy for it. So scratch that idea! But it looked so perfect by the staircase next to the table holding a bunch of family photos, we couldn’t return it.

So the next day I began the search for the perfect ornaments and actually found them at Home Goods’ sister store Home Sense that had just opened a couple of weeks ago not far from our house. The tree is beautiful and actually is the highlight of our entrance way. The picture just doesn’t do it justice!

The problem is, we still need something for the photo ornaments, but right now they’re still spread out between three other trees. I guess we’ll worry about that again next year. 

We didn’t really think we would end up with any more trees this year, but….

Remember my saying we’d bought a lot of items at the store we really didn’t need but we got them anyway? Well, it seems like those purchases turned out to require another tree.

More to follow on “Each Tree Has a Story Part 12”, to be published on December 7, 2023.

Matters of the Heart, Part 33

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As I said previously, I’m sure you’ve all seen the ads about RSV. And a lot of us ignored it, even though we’re in the age category that RSV can really be dangerous. We’d talked about getting the vaccine, but hadn’t gotten around to it. We had time. Until we didn’t. 

But when he started having severe breathing problems to the point of him having to be transported to the hospital, we knew it was serious.

By the time medical help arrived to transport him, his lips were turning blue and so were his fingers. Fortunately we’re very close to the hospital and got there quickly, although to me it didn’t seem like it. He was put on oxygen and started slowly to get some of his color back but still having breathing problems.

The bottom line is, evidently the RSV triggered his asthma and other breathing issues. There was fluid in his lungs and around his heart most likely aggravated by the RSV as well. He was put on IV antibiotics, and steroids, given a breathing treatment and admitted to the hospital. 

The first two nights he slept maybe a total of four hours, between being constantly monitored by the nurses, taking his vital signs every 4 hours, and giving him breathing treatments as well as IV antibiotics, along with blood draws several times a day. The first day he said they took 16 vials. Now I find that hard to believe, but as sick as he was… There wasn’t much chance for him to sleep. Plus his almost constant coughing didn’t help, nor did the fluid in his lungs and around his heart.

He was continually on oxygen up until the next to last day he was in the hospital. 

They had to give him several insulin shots because the amount of steroids he was on to help calm down his lungs raised his sugar level too high.  

I’d like to share the post he made on his Facebook the first day he was in the hospital.  It really says it all:

“This respiratory infection is fairly new [actually it’s been around a long time but this new strain is different] and highly contagious, too. Deborah and I discussed several weeks ago that based on our age and my complicated health issues we needed to get our vaccination shots.

Well, you guessed it. I was exposed and diagnosed with RSV. I was taken to Sentara Princess Anne Hospital immediately via ambulance and admitted last Sunday, and here I remain trying to clear up this Infection for the past 5 days, and facing more time here till I’m well enough to go home. 

We had no idea that this RSV infection can trigger other existing health issues such as my current lung problems, and particularly certain heart problems. I’m in good hands with all the specialty doctors with all the testing and procedures to clear out this RSV Infection.

Please keep us in your prayers and thank you for all my family and friends for visiting.  Now go get your vaccination so you don’t wind up being hospitalized too.  Love you guys & Merry Christmas!”

After that posting, he had to have restricted visiting hours in the afternoon in order to take a nap to give him more rest. He wasn’t able to walk the halls to try and get his strength back because of the contagion risk, so all the exercise he could get was walking around his room, which wore him out. 

Finally after four days we were told if he could maintain an oxygen level of 90 or above without having continuous oxygen, and if he could walk for 6 minutes without having any,  he could be sent home on Friday.

Fortunately he did make it home Friday afternoon. Although the walking combined with the ten minute drive back home exhausted him, and he immediately fell asleep on the sofa.

He’s trying to rest as much as possible while at the same time trying to get his strength back. It’s a slow process and even just taking a shower wore him out. Going out for a quick fast food lunch (at his request) resulted in his having to take a 3 hour nap when we got back home.

It’s obviously going to take several days, or more, for him to be able to even think about going back to work.

Please, as I’ve said before, whether you have underlying health issues or not, if you’re over 60, get your RSV vaccination, and if you start having any breathing issues get help immediately. Trying to be “brave” and saying you’re ok isn’t the right thing to do in this case. This stuff is nothing to fool around with. And for him, it’s also aggravated his heart issues.

Hopefully with rest and the medication he was sent home with we can soon resume our normal Christmas activities, although they may be a somewhat toned down version this year. We’ll just have to see.

At least he’s out of the hospital and on the road to recovery from this stuff!