Another Birthday

Yes, I am a year older as I write this. Yesterday was the big day! Today I am still celebrating. I think I deserve an extended Birthday. After all many (including doctors) weren't sure I would live to see another birthday. Well, they didn't know me nor My God. Together we (me and God) showed them!!!!!

Bear with me as I share with you my Birthday celebrations.

The first mention of my birthday came Friday. (My actual birthday was Sunday.) Friday morning a knock on my apartment door and there was a director standing with a gorgeous floral arrangement. Pictures of it are posted on my Facebook pages. (I haven't been here long enough to figure how to post photos on this blog. That will come when I have more time to learn and experiment.) It looked like a huge frozen strawberry daiquiri with starlight daisies, pink roses and purple orchids in the 'bowl'. They were from my daughters, their husbands, and my four grandchildren. Susan had them delivered Friday because floral deliveries are not usually made on Sundays and she knew that I would be at dialysis on Saturday.

Saturday morning one of my dining partners gave me a lovely card and a package of pens. (Not sure of the significance of the gift, but it's the thought....) Later that day a card from my sister arrived in the mail. She cheated!!!! We had agreed years ago to stop 'celebrating' birthdays with anything more than a card. But she decided that this was such a special birthday for me (because I had lived to have it) that she had to send a gift. And she knew just what to send .... a gift card to Steinmart. Thank you, Debbie. I love you!

Sunday my name was posted on the elevator as the Birthday Resident of the Day. I received birthday cards and wishes all day. The 'congregation' sang "Happy Birthday" to me during church service. Then came lunch. When I approached my chair, I saw a Fiesta Crown on it. For those of you who are not familiar with Mexican traditions, I'll describe it. It's a halo shaped headpiece of brightly colored crepe paper flowers and long streamers of the same colors hanging down the back. I was to wear it all day indicating that I was the 'Birthday Girl.' Also, my table was littered with confetti.

As we were eating one of the directors and the kitchen staff came out into the dining hall and announced that it was my birthday. They led everyone in singing "Happy Birthday" again. They brought me a colorful gift bag. It contained a book, a journal, a pen, a little bucket filled with Hershey chocolates and a card signed by many of the residents. Then, Jermaine, the best chef in Texas, came out carrying a piece of cake with a lit candle on it. I was to make a wish, blow out the flame, then eat the special cake. It was a tiramisu cake. Yummy!!!

I had already made plans with my family to have my birthday dinner Monday night, so I went to the dining hall for dinner and my birthday celebration continued. There on my table was the largest Aloe Vera plant I have ever seen in a beautiful glass container decorated with a beautiful seashell. The dining room manager had her husband dig it up out of her yard for me. I told her that she didn't have to give me the biggest one in her yard. She said, "Oh, I didn't. That is one of my babies." (Well, it looked BIG to me. But I forgot that everything is bigger in Texas!!!)

I have to add here that I continued to receive birthday greetings on Facebook and via email all day. It was so much fun hearing from my former students, former parents of students, former co-workers, high school friends, college friends, sorority sisters, friends of my daughters, relatives, and maybe even a former mailman. Oops!

One of my former tablemates who is now living in the Skilled Nursing Center next door had her daughter wheel (she's in a wheelchair) her over to bring me a vase of fresh flowers. How sweet! Ruth and I have always had a special bond. I just wish she could improve as much as I have, but Parkinson's is a terrible illness which robs people of so much. Ruth refuses to let it rob her of her dignity. She is so strong.

Today (Monday) brought more birthday celebration. Katie stopped by for a sweet visit. She brought me an absolutely beautiful bouquet of yellow roses, daisies, and sunflowers. We walked down to the lobby for some fresh lemonade and back to my apartment to continue our chat until Joann, Haley, and Hayden arrived. They came to pick me up to go to their house to 'chill' until dinnertime.

It was fun, to 'hang' with the Brewzoo and to have a nice visit with Joe, my former husband. He had brought the boys back from 'Camp Paw Paw.' We watched a slide show of photos taken while they visited in Tennessee. They had so many experiences ranging from dressing in Civil War uniforms at Shiloh to catching dozens of fish at Reelfoot Lake.

Haley baked and decorated a Birthday Cake for me. She is quite the little cook. She loves to cook and is quite an artist. So you can imagine that it was the best birthday cake ever!!!!

We then packed into two vehicles and met Susan, Chris, Katie, and Denny at Chili's for my family birthday dinner. The centerpiece was the cake Haley had baked earlier in the day. I had the sirloin which was very good!

OK, I've told you just about everything about my birthday. I think. I'm sure that I have forgotten something. But at this age, it's excusable. After all I am a whole year older and what a year it has been. The best part is that I have made it!!! Thank you, Jesus!

Progress

So much is happening in my life that I don't know where to start.

Each day seems to bring another blessing.

My lab reports continue to be good. I have to admit that the most recent report (Thursday) indicated that I need to eat just a little more protein. The dialysis nutritionist told me to tell my family to take me to a steak dinner. True!

She also told me that it would be OK to have an occasional glass of wine. (Hic!)

My Physical Therapist informed me that I have met all my goals and am going to be discharged from Physical Therapy next Wednesday. I can still go to the gym and work out on a daily basis (when I'm not in dialysis) and I plan to do so. I'm so use to exercising now and actually enjoy it.

Today was the hottest day of the year. The temps got up to 102F. So what was I doing at 10:00 AM? I was doing PT and my therapist had me walk up the high incline across the parking lot from our building. I had done it once before with her, but that was with my 4-wheel walker. Today I had to do it with a single footed cane. Well, friends, I did it, heat and all!!!!

My therapist also said that I could begin walking short distances in the building without a cane. Yep, I'm now walking totally unassisted. Praise God. One year ago, I could barely sit up in a bed. It was a small miracle for me to wiggle my toes.

Your prayers, my family's constant support, and God's love brought on this miracle recovery. There was no way I was going to quit or give up, y'all wouldn't let me!!! Thanks, Everyone!!!

I got a new haircut today. I feel so youthful looking (except for the fact that my hair is white as new fallen snow.) Photos of it are on my Facebook status.

This morning I received a martini delivered to my door. Well, not exactly. It was a flower arrangement in a huge martini shaped vase. My family had sent it as an early Birthday gift. Pictures of it are also on my Facebook status. The arrangement was comprised of pink roses, pink and rose daisies, and purple orchids. It is absolutely beautiful.

Katie and I had another lunch 'date' Wednesday. We went to the Magnolia Grill. It is a typical college hang-out not too far from the UT campus. Great food, good prices, and fun atmosphere.

I got two surprise phone calls today, one from my nephew, Michael. I love talking to him. He reminds me so much of his dad. Mike is a 'hot shot' with Charles Schwab in Indianapolis and a father of three sons. I am so proud of the man he has become.

The other call was from my dear friend, Becky. She has a daughter here in Austin and visits me when she is in town staying with Amy and Howard. But today she took some time away from a church trip to Nashville to call me. She, like so many of my retired friends, seems to be busier now than she was as a principal. I admire all the work she does out of the goodness of her heart. Becky is a sweet gentle woman and a dear, dear friend.

Well, that's about all the news for now and the hour is getting late. I have to settle down and get ready for another dialysis day tomorrow.

Sweet dreams, Everyone, and May God Be With You this weekend.

AUGUST IS HERE!!!

By the sounds of the weather reports, August has entered as expected ... HOT!

That isn't going to slow me down. I have much to do and can't let a little thing like heat stop me.

I am trying to copy all the posts to my CaringBridge website so I can relate to them when I get my book in full gear. This is a website that my granddaughter, Katie, started when I first became ill last summer. Susan, Joann, Katie, and Chris all entered posts almost daily. It was at a time that I couldn't do much communicating and apparently from the posts I've read, I wasn't at my best in communication. Go figure! I was once known as quite the talker (still am by some), quite the writer, quite the speaker. But a couple of 'little things' (MRSA and Meningitis) have tried to stop my communication skills. Sorry fellows, you didn't stop me, you just slowed me down. But I've found my bootstraps and am pulling myself up, slowly but surely.

I am constantly amazed as I read the posts my family have made. It is truly a sad story and has brought me to near tears as I read what all they have gone through in supporting me as I recovered. I am so grateful that they have kept this and a handwritten journal (which I've yet to read). I had no idea how bad my illness really was. I remember some of the pain and frustration, but not nearly all of it. Thank You, Jesus.

Fortunately, I no longer have pain except occasionally in dialysis treatment. However, I do still get frustrated by my limitations. But now the frustrations give me reason to try harder to overcome my limitations. Above all, I have learned patience and humility. Now that's hard for a Type A personality, believe me.

Enough said for this entry. Let's all try to enjoy August. It may be a warm month, but come January, we'll be missing it.

Blessings to all who read this.