On the road again...

 I feel like I could keep that song playing on repeat as it is often true of my status. I've been travelling north and south between Ohio and Louisiana, with a trip to South Carolina thrown in. I've been travelling east and west between Lafayette and Covington as well as Hammond and Covington in Louisiana, with a trip to Houston thrown in as well. I have more travel to come...Cincinnati, Ohio this month, Cleveland, Ohio and Richmond, Virginia next month. I am grateful for the support of our many friends and the blessings they have bestowed on us, even before we asked. I am weary of the challenges of moving, the packing and unpacking, the purging and then needing to ask for or purchase something we got rid of only to realize we need it again. I haven't even begun to handle all the address changes and updates that need to happen, including car title, plates, insurance, etc. It seems like it's a never-ending process. Hoping this time, we stay where we are for a lot longer. 

Transformation time

 It seems that many things have been keeping me away from this space. I guess it's actually more appropriate to say that I have been allowing things to keep me away. Caring for aging parents has been the focus of the last few years. I am hoping now to shift that focus back to myself and my husband. 

We are currently in a place that needs massive removal of stuff. As my parents moved out of their house into a senior living community, we took on some of their items that we weren't certain if they would eventually need. We also have a friend consolidating in preparation of selling her home. She had some really nice pieces, especially in her kitchen, that came to us. Now we need to donate and dispose of all our not so nice pieces to make room. Plus, I have accumulated plenty of things over the three years here that are no longer useful or necessary. All that being said, decluttering is not an easy task. I'm mean that's pretty obvious from the myriad number of websites and suggestions that come up if you google it. For the record, my favorites are The Minimalists and (12) Joshua Becker - YouTube if you're looking for places to start.

The most helpful thing that has happened recently is a deadline. We have a twin bed in our place that needs to go to my parents' place, and the queen bed there is coming to us. It was ours to begin with, so it's just coming back home. The problem is while it was gone and a smaller bed took its place, we filled the empty space...and then some. That switching of beds is to happen at the end of the month when we have some strong help in town to visit, so now I have a deadline. Wish me luck. 

Life Changes and then some

 Hello friends,

It's been quite a while since I've been on here to write. The main writings on this blog for a long while were to try and keep myself sane while my husband went through dialysis and the a kidney transplant. As an update to that, he is doing well.  We been over five years now and he hasn't had a single rejection episode. Since then, we moved slightly north and east, South Carolina actually, to assist my parents as best we can. The day we signed the lease on our new place, the lockdowns began. As probably most of you experienced as well, we have just been doing our best to stay healthy and be of service while we all navigate this grief filled time. My hope and prayer is that as we continue to find our way forward we continue to find ways to be kind and supportive to each other. I don't know anyone who hasn't had a rough couple of years. May the next few to come be blessed. May we all find new ways to be resilient. 

What a difference a Year makes...

It's been almost a year since my last post. Seems hard to believe that much time has gone by. Since then we have officially lived four different places because we were displaced by our neighbor having a fire. I'm still working on the books but as life continues to happen, things have gotten in the way. Aside from being displaced, I had another foot surgery. My husband had another foot surgery. We both did several months of physical therapy. And now were contemplating another move. Maybe, in the new year, I'll actually get back to my creative pursuits.

Life's twists and turns

My updates have been few and far between recently. I hope to get more consistent now that I have a semblance of an office again. The day I had foot surgery, October 5th, we also got the news that we got an apartment. I'm grateful to have our own place again, but moving is enough of a chore when everyone is healthy. Trying to do it with a recent transplant patient and a person on crutches doesn't allow for it to happen very quickly. Factor in to that, more rain, an infection (me, not the transplant patient), and then the holiday season. Well, I'm certain you have guessed how slow it has gone, and we're still not finished.
On a positive note, the transplant patient, James, is doing really well. He has even begun working on some craft projects again, something he hasn't done in more than two years. He's already made a small leather coin pouch for himself and is working on a new fleece pullover. The other patient, the one one typing this, who had foot surgery and an infection, is doing relatively well also. The foot has healed up and I had my first visit to physical therapy yesterday. It went smoother and less painful than I had thought it would. I still have a ways to go, but the pain is so much better than it was before surgery. It's hard to explain how grateful I am not to be taking daily pain medicine just to be able to walk around.
Our holidays will be quiet this year. We're staying home, no trip north to visit family. Traveling during flu and cold season with a new transplant recipient isn't a good idea. As much as we would love to spend time with our families, it isn't worth the risk. Our current plan is to celebrate Christmas with the family sometime this coming spring. In the meantime, we have good friends who have opened their homes to us for small celebrations across the next few weeks. We're looking forward to quiet yet healthy visits and several great meals.
I hope that no matter what holidays you celebrate or who you are lucky enough to celebrate them with that they are blessed and joyful. And that the New Year arrives with hope and peace.
Blessings.

Post Surgery Weariness

James had his surgery on July 20th. After one week, he was released from the hospital. Since then it has been a slow but relatively steady road of recovery, though there have been several days of two steps forward one step back. All in all he is making steady progress and the kidney from his brother is functioning well. I on the other hand have been on a steady decline it seems.
I think the best way to phrase it is weary. It isn't anything monstrous or catching, it is just a steady tiredness that leaves me feeling like I still have too much to do but no energy to accomplish it. I realized today that I've basically been holding my breath, metaphorically, for the last few months. Now I'm teaching myself to breath again. To take full breaths and do a bit of activity to get going again.
Getting back to this blog is part of that. I'm not sure how often I'll be here but I want to check in regularly. I'm also getting back to my books. I have a young critic with a red pen waiting for the final changes I am making so he can be a grammar hound. I'm excited to get his feedback so I need to get my changes finished so he can get started.
Till then, blessings.

SIXTY

If we have been pleased with life, we should not be displeased with death, since it comes from the hand of the same master. Michelangelo

I have been thinking about this lately. Having several family members with major medical problems, it tends to cross my mind. I’m really grateful to have a few friends who are professionals in dealing and talking about this. They have helped me to face it head on, not hide from it or be afraid of it. It helps me to think of death in terms of my own death. I know it’s coming eventually. None of us get out of here alive. For me, I see death as the next transition. I have been pleased with life. It’s been amazing. Even the crappy days have been full of life. How could I possibly be displeased with the next step. I miss some who have already gone on without me. I hope there may be those who will miss me when it’s my time to go. But more than that, I hope I taught them to enjoy being here, to enjoy life. It was so worth it.