Infusion Day

This month's infusion day was extra complicated.  

First, the shipment of plasma was delayed due to the ice storm. (But it arrived.)

Then, I was in town ALL DAY the day before my infusion.  I am to be hydrated, but I hesitated to drink much water while I was in meetings and on the road and taxiing children. 

On top of all that, our housecleaner, who had not been able to come for 5 1/2 weeks, was finally able to come ... during my infusion, which meant that I needed all surfaces clear before I was hooked up to the IV. (And after 5 1/2 weeks of no accountability that comes from having her come, there were lots of covered surfaces...)

Lastly, Jim left to load hogs for market before the children went to school.  I enjoy it when he's able to take them to school on Infusion Day.  And, morning routines didn't go as well without him here to back me up. 

But ... I set the alarm for 5, got up and started drinking water and clearing surfaces.  I brought down my IV pole and bag of supplies.  BK got the Sharps container out from its way-up-high place before school. 

All the surfaces were clear (the couch was a laundry couch and the last few items were thrown into a bag), and I had eaten a boiled egg and string cheese, and prepared a bowl of fresh fruit to eat mid-infusion.  

Just before taking the children to school, I took my pre-medication (tylenol & benadryl). We listened to Psalms 25 & 26 in the van.  (LM enjoyed it more when I told her the Getty girls' mommy was the one reading it.) I turned the dishwasher on, filled my water bottle, and made a cup of tea. And my nurse arrived promptly at 8. 

Jim was in and out. The housecleaner was here from 10-12.45.  I had several phone calls.  I had to answer the routine questions about my current health for the nurse's charting.  She took my vitals every 15, and then 30 minutes.  She kept changing bottles on the IV pole (my prescription just increased, so I have a third bottle now). I laid down on the couch, and my nurse covered me with two blankets.  I turned the Abiding Radio app on the stereo speakers.  I was in and out of sleep.  And at 1 PM, my nurse left, and I was left with a tight band of coban around my hand, and hopefully enough immunity-giving medication in my body to keep me infection free for the next month.  

I thawed a chicken patty and a serving of sweet potato, and microwaved some frozen broccoli, ate lunch, and then it was almost time to pick up the children from school. 

We stopped by the library and picked out some DVDs because I just wanted to sleep.  But first, we gathered everything we need to take out the door with us on Saturday morning (for swim lessons, basketball game, & a birthday party), and everything they need to get dressed on Sunday morning, and BK did his Awana homework. 

Zzzzzzzz. 

Next month, during Infusion Day, I have a video visit with my Chicago rheumatologist. My nurse is curious and will enjoy that.  I have been blessed with an amazing home nurse. If I could stay awake, we could chat for 5 hours straight about fascinating topics. :) 

January ~ whee!

January is flying by. I told myself that I would review 2023 & look ahead to 2024 once the children were back in school.  Ha! :) 

But Christmas vacation wiped me out, and I spent a lot of time in bed recovering.  Then we had a holiday + a snow day (for dangerously low windchills) last week and two snow days (for ice) this week.  Jim & I took a day trip to Chicago last week to see my doctor.  And we have lots of appointments this month.  

I still haven't completely put away Christmas (I keep finding a few random items here and there) or unpacked the paperwork from our TN trip. 

But there have been some wins!  I'm sleeping well! We survived all the long days indoors when children couldn't go outside to work off energy! We survived two remote learning days! On the traditional snow day, I made a choice board for each child and that went over really well! I'm keeping up with the dishes! Today's temps are in the 30s - balmy! I have friends who pray for me and with me! I read a book! Both children are enjoying Upward (basketball for BK & cheer for LM).  LM is in weekly swim lessons! Our small group is a blessing! 

And there are some things that are just extra pleasures, unnecessary for life, but enjoyable.  A new shipment of loose-leaf tea. A fun mug purchased as a just-in-case Christmas gift, that I didn't end up needing, so am using for myself. The Kindle Jim gave me over 10 years ago that provides reading-on-the-go.  Calming music (tho' some would argue that that is indeed necessary for life). ;)  Lunch out with Jim at a nice restaurant in the 1st floor of the hospital.  

What wins have you experienced this month?

 

The Cold Winter

My sister reminded me that January 21, 1985 had a record low of -21*F in our hometown. 

That was a Monday.  Our parents had left quite suddenly the Saturday afternoon two days prior, to start driving north for our Grandma's funeral.  

Not knowing how long they would be gone, they did not want us to miss school.  We were in the capable hands of a 75-year-old family friend, who often stayed with us when our parents were out-of-town. 

By the time we woke up Sunday morning, we were snowed in. At some point the oil for the furnace congealed in the underground pipe that brought it from the tank (on the other side of the yard/pasture fence) to the furnace in the cellar.  I'm not sure why we didn't use the wood stove. (Perhaps because my dad & I did not finish our chore of cutting wood that Saturday afternoon, before we got the phone call that Grandma had died.) 

At any rate we were COLD!  And there was no school ... for days and days ... I don't think we went back to school until our parents returned 1.5 weeks later!

I remember our family friend sitting in the middle of the kitchen with the electric oven on (thank goodness we didn't lose power!) & door open and her feet resting on a chair in front of the oven door, trying to keep warm. 

I remember her son and our pastor each bringing a Kerosun heater to help us stay warm.  

It's the coldest (outdoors) I ever experienced until I moved to the Midwest.  It made for memories, that's for sure.  I don't know how we filled our days, or how our 75-year-old friend had energy to take care of us or groceries to feed us! But we all survived!

Some day maybe I'll reminisce about the winter of '77 and being out of school for a month ... or the ice storms of '93 at Virginia Tech.  What winter storm memories do you have?

Aunt #5

My mom is the middle of five girls.   When I was growing up, the fifth girl lived in New York State.  We only saw their family every other year or so.  

When we would show up, my aunt would greet us with sheer joy and a wide smile and have something for us, maybe a coloring book and crayons, just something to let us know she had thought of us and prepared for us.  She always served water at meals, "nature's medicine," she told us.

Until I was 10, there were four children in their family and four children in our family.  So, she would send their oldest's school picture to my oldest sister, and so on down the line.  When they had a school fundraiser, she would buy four ornaments and send them to us.  I had a whole collection of Hallmark holiday pins, thanks to my aunt!

Their family was also around the table(s) when we spent Thanksgiving in Florida in my college years, and after they moved to Florida, I visited them two or three times.  She always treated me as if I were the most special person in the world. But I think that's how everyone felt around her.  

When I spent a week with Jin's family in Florida when we were engaged, we stopped for supper.  My aunt pulled out all the stops.  She chose table linens, serving dishes, recipes, and a centerpiece that came from or reflected memories of my mom's family, saying, "When you go to J's parents' house, you will hear stories of J's father's family. Tonight you will learn of J's mother's family."  

My aunt was a woman of prayer and faith, full of the joy of the Lord.  I want to be like her when I grow up. 

Aunt #4

My mom is the middle of five girls.  During my childhood, the fourth girl lived in Florida, and was a missionary with the Bible Club Movement.  Every two years, she and her ministry co-worker would drive north on a deputation trip and spend a night or two in our home.  Each Christmas she would send my sisters and me a small gift.  I always received a bell, another sister always received a miniature lamp, and so on. She thought we each needed a collection, and so she started us on one.

She loved Jesus, she loved children, she loved people, and she loved to laugh.  

When I was in junior high, we drove to Florida one summer, and visited her.  When I was in high school, she married and eventually moved to New York State.  

I didn't see her that often, but she frequently sent cards telling how much they loved us and prayed for us. I saw her in Tennessee at my great-uncle's funeral in 1994, at the time of my parents' accident in 1997, at a rare family reunion in the early 2000s, and on a roadtrip to NYS in 2004.  

I saw her in Florida at the sisters' reunion in 2016 and at my aunt's funeral in 2018.

She saw Jesus face-to-face in 2021 after succumbing to Covid.  I am sure she was thrilled and hasn't stopped smiling.  She spent her life preparing to meet Him and helping others to prepare to meet Him and rejoicing in the Gospel message.  I want to do the same. 

Aunt #2

My mom is the middle of five girls.  Throughout my childhood, the second aunt lived the closest geographically to us (about a 6-hour drive away).  

Once our two families met partway and attended an outdoor drama.  Then there were the times that Grandma would spend a month with each family during the winter, so we would drive partway (or all the way) to pick up or drop off Grandma.  I remember a trip that was delayed due to snow, and I remember meeting halfway at the (infamous to us) Bean Pot Restaurant. 

One December when I was in elementary school, our parents attended the state Farm Bureau convention in Nashville, and we four girls spent 3 or 4 days with our aunt and uncle who lived an hour north.  We visited our uncle's office, we went to the mall (I remember buying thank you cards in the Hallmark store), we went to the movie theater and watched "Song of the South" with our uncle.  And I'm sure we did plenty of other fun activities.

During high school I remember receiving greeting cards in the mail frequently from this aunt. A few weeks before my senior year of high school, my younger sister and I spent a week with our aunt and uncle.  I remember endless verses of "Just as I Am" at their church on Sunday, and visiting Mammoth Cave, as well as Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park.  I think we went to the movie theater with our uncle, also. 

After our aunt and uncle moved to Florida, our family drove to FL for Thanksgiving twice.  After that, I visited several times over the years ... once I flew in from Japan for my friends' wedding, once some cousins and I met there for a weekend together, when my aunt was in her halo I spent a week helping her (she had lots of jobs for me because she was downsizing), when we were engaged, we stopped by on our way back from the beach with Jim's family and Jim was introduced to her family, etc. (Read: she put on a beautiful Saturday brunch in her formal dining room. She was quite the entertainer!)

When we were in FL for BK's birth, we ate dinner one evening with her in her retirement village, we stopped by to introduce BK to her, BK and I crashed her birthday party at a restaurant, and infant BK and I spent one or two Sunday afternoons with her after Jim had flown home, leaving me in FL waiting on paperwork.  

Jim and I stopped by for a few hours in October 2016 when we were on our way to a wedding, and the four sisters were having a reunion.  Our family stopped by for a few hours in 2018 after another aunt's funeral, and had root beer floats with the three sisters.  The past few winters we have stopped by to visit for an hour or so on our FL vacation.  

I'm grateful I could fly to her burial a few months ago.  The order of service had her fingers all over it, from the liturgy to the Scripture readings and hymns.  She was an excellent Bible teacher & lived by faith.  I want to live by faith until the end also. 

Oh, the places you will go! ~ 2023 Version

 Places where I spent one (or more) nights in 2023:

 

Smyrna, TN ~ Holiday Inn Express

Tampa, FL ~ old-fashioned motel

on the Caribbean

Orlando, FL

along I-75 ~ Holiday Inn Express

* Chicago

* Williams Bay, WI

Aurora, IL

* Kingsport, TN

Georgetown, KY

and home

(italics - stayed there more than one night)  
(* stayed there on more than one occasion) 

   
2023 travel ...

We drove (2200+ miles) to Florida & back in February.  Cruised with 4 extended family members, enjoyed two restful nights in Orlando, had supper with friends & brunch with cousins, the children swam every day (except the travel days), and I read two books! 

Spring break included a 3-day trip to Chicago.  Children's Museum, Willis Tower, Museum of Science & Industry, Gino's Pizza, Planetarium, staying in an AirBNB in a high-rise in the Loop, enjoying city life for a few days. 

Memorial Day weekend found us in Wisconsin taking in the parade, the beach, my coffee shop, some golf, and a few favorite parks & restaurants. 

Early June Jim & I had an overnight getaway to my doctor in Chicago. :) 

Late-June we had a 3-night family getaway to Wisconsin, with a solid 6 hours at the beach, but otherwise mostly a lot of time together at the house.

Mid-July we spent a whole week in Wisconsin.  Staying for that many days was exponentially restful.  We hiked, swam, swam, and swam some more, did the zoo, and did a waterpark!

Early August we attended a niece's wedding in the suburbs.  While technically we could have driven home afterward, we were all thankful to walk into our hotel room at 11 PM and go straight to sleep. :) Plus, it afforded us the opportunity to worship at College Church the next day. 

The last week before school started found us in Tennessee, and breaking up the trip home via a stop at our favorite Holiday Inn Express. :)

Labor Day weekend was extra special as we said goodbye to Wisconsin for another year, sharing the one-bedroom house with several relatives.

The next week, Jim and I made an overnight date out of my doctor's appointment in Chicago. We know how to have a good time!

Early November I literally took a flying trip to Tennessee for my aunt's funeral & burial.  I was gone from home about 58 hours.

Our post-Christmas trip to Tennessee was essentially a New Year's trip! 

And that wraps up our 2023 travels.  Here's to even more exploring in 2024! 

Where did you go in 2023?  Anywhere new? Any place we should put on our list?


Oh, the places you will go! ~ 2009 version
Oh, the places you will go! ~ 2010 version 
Oh, the places you will go! ~ 2011 version 
Oh, the places you will go! ~ 2012 version
Oh, the places you will go! ~ 2013 version  
Oh, the places you will go! ~ 2014 version 
Oh, the places you will go! ~ 2015 version 
Oh, the places you will go! ~ 2016 version
Oh, the places you will go! ~ 2017 version
Oh, the places you will go! ~ 2018 version   

Oh, the places you will go! ~ 2019 version  

Oh, the places you will go! ~ 2020 version

Oh, the places you will go! ~ 2021 version

Oh, the places you will go! ~ 2022 version

Aunt #1

My mom is the middle of five girls.  I do not remember her oldest sister, who went to heaven when I was 3 years old.  

I remember things I have been told... all her sisters spoke of her with great respect and gratitude and joy.  She was a natural teacher, and a student.  She eagerly taught her sisters about books and whippoorwill sounds and cultured things. She instilled in them a desire to learn and experience new things. 

She was a school (& later college) librarian, and after marriage moved to a small village in a remote area.  She went to the post office so frequently to mail letters to her sisters and children's stories she had written for her nieces and nephews, that the postmaster asked if she had been married previously & had family elsewhere.  What a great communicator and long-distance aunt!

Her life on earth ended sooner than anyone wanted, but she left a legacy in each of her sisters, in her daughters, and no doubt in the lives of many friends and students.  

One anecdotal story I heard my mom tell is from my aunt's single days, praying at prayer meeting at the small church my grandfather pastored in a region filled with vineyards.  My aunt would pray (in the vein of the imprecatory psalms) for the Lord to destroy the wineries.  I want to come boldly before the throne like that.  

Christmas Vacation, Days 9 - 15

Thursday, December 28

At 9 AM Central time we pulled out of our driveway. At 9:15 PM Eastern time we pulled in my mom's driveway. Good travel day. Lots of Ranger Bill episodes on podcast. Lots of vegetable sticks for snacking. Lunch at Subway. Supper at our favorite Kroger… Fried chicken for Jim, lunchables for the children, chicken salad and gluten-free crackers for me.

Friday… Leisurely morning. Ran an errand. BK set up the train. Chick-fil-A for lunch. Children's museum. Connect4 with Ana. Finished wrapping gifts.

Saturday… Subway for lunch. Jim took the children to the indoor pool for 4 hours!! Mom and I compared notes on books we're reading (Ryken's Thanksgiving book & Malcolm Guite's Advent poems) and looked at pictures. Deli tray (& more of our veggie sticks) for supper. Gift exchange with part of the family.

After a rough night Friday night, I slept better Saturday than I had in months. I even earned a green star on my Fitbit 😊

Sunday…

Walked into my childhood church to see Tom, a retired pastor from a supporting church. His wife is now in heaven but was one of my mother's dear friends. A paper she mailed me in Japan still hangs on our refrigerator door. Tom and his wife attended our wedding, she was in a wheelchair. But that was one of two things she said she wanted to do that summer. They sent us really nice books when both of our children were born and introduced me to a new publisher from which I have subsequently ordered books and recommended to our church library.

To my delight, Tom was preaching that day. He preached from revelation 12, and I believe it was one of the best sermons I've ever heard in my life. I left with a renewed sense of the spiritual battle in which we are living and engaged. As well as a renewed sense of God's Gracious, loving, protective hand in our lives.

After worship, we had sandwiches and vegetable sticks for lunch, followed by ice cream to celebrate the children's birthdays. Then we exchanged the rest of the Christmas gifts and the children opened birthday gifts.

After lunch I searched for and found the felt poinsettia napkin rings which I had remembered a few weeks ago and had asked my cousins about. One of my aunts had given them to my mother when I was a child. I'm looking forward to using them next Christmas. After supper, mom had BK take down Christmas decorations.

Monday…

Happy New Year!!

1:40 in the morning found Jim and me searching for a humidifier to help LM sleep better. 😢

Ran some errands. Hung Mom's Christmas gift (of the 4 states where she has lived), as well as some Valentine's decor, and bought a bookcase. Picked up Freddy's for lunch. Jim and BK spent the afternoon assembling the bookcase. CFA for supper. :)

Tuesday…

At the bank at 7:32 6th person in line. But finished my rather detailed job by 7:46. Picked up Starbucks breakfast and went on to my next little job. Home to pack the van. Took forever! We said goodbye to Mom and were on the road by 1:35. Stopped for Subway for lunch, and gas just before we ran out (!). CFA in Lexington KY. Arrived Holiday Inn Express just past Cincinnati at 8 PM and paid $10 extra for a room with a sofa, so each child had their own sleeping quarters (instead of each parent sharing a bed with one child).

Wednesday…

Got another green star on my Fitbit for my sleep score Tuesday night! Breakfast. And then LM and and I walked across the road to Starbucks while Jim took BK to the swimming pool. Caffeine ✅! Another day of gorgeous weather for traveling. Clear and calm, although cold. Sit-down lunch at Cracker Barrel. Stopped by the farm store and then picked up our mail from the post office before arriving home at 3:45 Central time. T.I.R.E.D.

New start ... new list?

I originally posted this years ago, and before Christmas.  But it's applicable for the season of making new year resolutions as well. 

Have you ever kept a 1000 Gifts list or a gratitude list? I have found it to be life-changing!

Happy New Year! Happy Listing!

***************************

 

It is the beginning of the list season: lists of menus, lists of hand-made projects, lists of addresses, lists of baking goodies ... lists of gifts.

I too begin... but only, currently, one list: A List of a Thousand Things, beginning with #1. I am daily jotting down items on my Thousand Gifts List, working, one-by-one, up to a thousand gifts. Not of gifts I want. But of gifts I have.

So begins an article that caught my attention in November 2006, and which propelled me onto this journey of keeping a gratitude list.

This List of a Thousand Things just might be the only item you need to put on your Christmas gift list this year!

Are you looking for meaningful Christmas gift ideas which won't break your budget? How about a pretty notebook or journal (from the dollar store or handmade by you) with a note giving the recipient the idea of keeping a gratitude journal? It may very well be the best gift your friends and family receive this year!

(Consider printing the following pages and giving them with the notebook: The Thousand Gifts and/or Gratitude Community. Or consider personalizing your gift by adding some hand-written quotes about thankfulness or Scripture verses on this theme.)

As Ann writes at A Holy Experience,

But consider yourself warned: counting gifts is addictive and becomes the happiest of habits that becomes away of living praise!

[B]egin to feel more joy, less stress, better health, more connected in your relationships, and more delight in your everyday life. Praise is what we are made for!

In November 2006, I began writing 1000 gifts in a special journal. My friends could tell that something had changed. And when I reached 1000 and ... stopped (gasp!), my friends could also tell. Thus I began again, in August 2008, because I knew my heart needed the discipline of growing in thankfulness.

Volume two began with humble beginnings, as I mustered thankfulness for the very basic essentials of life, but one becomes thankful by being thankful, and as time has gone on, my eyes have been opened to more and more gifts given to me by the Giver of all good gifts.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

You can read Volume two, numbers 1-99, of my my 1000 Gifts entries here.

You can read Ann, the originator's list here (with beautiful photos).