Thanksgiving is here and I along with everyone else am thinking of all the things I am thankful for… I am blessed with a great family that will do anything for me. I am in a happy marriage of 14 years and counting. I live in a good neighborhood that is beautiful year round. I have enough money and food. I also live in a country that is the best in the world.
But then there are the little things other people might leave out….
I am thankful I can breathe everyday without the ventilator, and only use it for naps and bedtime.
I am thankful for the bath I get once a week, in the bath tub. It is an effort to get in and out but I can still do it. My wonderful nurse makes it possible, taking over when my strength gives out.
I am so glad for cell phones, when my Paul goes out I don’t worry so much, and he doesn’t worry about me.
I am thankful for my nurses; each one brings their own unique nursing skills to help me each day.
I am thankful for all the machines that make my life easier: electric wheelchair, ventilator, suction machine, and the oxygen packs that I can take anywhere with me.
I am happy that the new hearing aids are getting better and better and they help me enjoy music again.
There are probably many more little things that I am thankful for, just can’t think of them now.
Oh, yes, I am thankful I am Alive!!!
Beth
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Plant Rescue!
“Well, I guess I am going to kill it,” my nurse Jojo said last week when she was here.
“Kill what?” I said.
“That spider plant that I don’t want anymore,” she said.
I love plants and I had a plant hanger that was empty. It would be a great place for a spider plant. “Aww, don’t kill it, I’ll take it,” I said.
She gave me a funny look. “Are you sure?”
“Yes!”
I found out about that look when she brought the plant in for me. It was huge. You know, a very large flowerpot crowded with pointed spider plant leaves all over the place. Baby spider plants hanging everywhere. It looked kind of sad – the leaves were all brown on the tips.
“OK,” I said, “put it in my craft room and when I get up in my wheelchair I will take a closer look, and see what I can do.” Jojo also brought me a pot of begonias that were still blooming on her outside porch. She knew I love begonias and keep the bulbs from year to year. She says they have lovely yellow flowers. I got up later and looked the plants over. The spider plant I was going to have to take apart and put in smaller pots. The begonia would need to have the bulbs dug up and replanted in a pot outside.
“I know what I am going to be doing tomorrow,” I thought to myself.
The next morning I was digging in the begonia pot getting out the bulbs while I was telling my morning nurse Daisy about how I received the plants. I really didn’t feel like ripping the poor spider plant apart right then, and I said that to her. “Beth,” she said, “if you don’t want it, can I have it?” I grinned. Another plant rescue!! I love it.
I gave the spider plant a makeover, taking my scissors and pruning all the dead stuff off. Then I trimmed the ends of the leaves and shaped them into new points. I took a bunch of spider plant babies for myself and planted them in a new pot and hung it on my plant hanger. Then I gave the big Momma spider plant to Daisy and watched her take it home, so happy.
One nurse found a home for her plant.
One nurse got a big beautiful plant.
I got a bunch of little spider plants to nurture and some begonia bulbs for next spring.
Everyone’s happy!
Beth
“Kill what?” I said.
“That spider plant that I don’t want anymore,” she said.
I love plants and I had a plant hanger that was empty. It would be a great place for a spider plant. “Aww, don’t kill it, I’ll take it,” I said.
She gave me a funny look. “Are you sure?”
“Yes!”
I found out about that look when she brought the plant in for me. It was huge. You know, a very large flowerpot crowded with pointed spider plant leaves all over the place. Baby spider plants hanging everywhere. It looked kind of sad – the leaves were all brown on the tips.
“OK,” I said, “put it in my craft room and when I get up in my wheelchair I will take a closer look, and see what I can do.” Jojo also brought me a pot of begonias that were still blooming on her outside porch. She knew I love begonias and keep the bulbs from year to year. She says they have lovely yellow flowers. I got up later and looked the plants over. The spider plant I was going to have to take apart and put in smaller pots. The begonia would need to have the bulbs dug up and replanted in a pot outside.
“I know what I am going to be doing tomorrow,” I thought to myself.
The next morning I was digging in the begonia pot getting out the bulbs while I was telling my morning nurse Daisy about how I received the plants. I really didn’t feel like ripping the poor spider plant apart right then, and I said that to her. “Beth,” she said, “if you don’t want it, can I have it?” I grinned. Another plant rescue!! I love it.
I gave the spider plant a makeover, taking my scissors and pruning all the dead stuff off. Then I trimmed the ends of the leaves and shaped them into new points. I took a bunch of spider plant babies for myself and planted them in a new pot and hung it on my plant hanger. Then I gave the big Momma spider plant to Daisy and watched her take it home, so happy.
One nurse found a home for her plant.
One nurse got a big beautiful plant.
I got a bunch of little spider plants to nurture and some begonia bulbs for next spring.
Everyone’s happy!
Beth
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Hail today, look fast!
It hailed today, so I got my camera and took a couple shots out my door:
It lasted all of 5 minutes, and then the magic was gone...............
Beth
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Roasting a Turkey Breast
Today I roasted a turkey breast; it came out perfect! It had better have come out perfect, after all the time I spent with it. We were on a first name basis. It takes me more time than the average person to do many things but I seem to have the turkey cooking down pretty good.
You might think I was prepping for surgery when I start. I had my nurse get the turkey breast out of the fridge and put it on my counter, right before she left today at 1 PM. I got out my knives and sharpened them good. I doubled a garbage bag for the turkey wrapper and fat and skin I was going to toss. I am real careful of poultry and wear gloves working with it now. I have to stop and suction my trach a couple of times when I work, and it is so much easier to roll the gloves off, turn on my wheelchair, and go suction in the other room.
I got the roasting pan out and then I can go at it: wrapper off, fat and extra skin off, and into the garbage bag. Then I took my special rub and rub it all over under the skin. Man, did it smell good.
Oh, I forgot, I got out the book I was listening to on cd and put that in. It takes me longer to do things like cooking because I get short of breath and have to stop a lot. The book takes my mind off the waiting-to-recover time and fills up the boredom.
I got the bird in the oven around two. Found my basting bulb, oh darn, I forgot to get the nurse to put it together before she left..... well, maybe Paul can do it for me, I know he could hardly do it last time. Hey, I gave it a little try and it went together. Yea. I went to find Paul and waved it at him… he didn’t seem as thrilled as I was by my superhuman feat of strength! LOL
I have a timer I wear on the front of my shirt that I set to remember to baste the bird. I have to take it with me ‘cause I don't hear so well, and who knows what I will be doing next.
I helped Paul with some of his medical care for the next hour, and then was I tired. By then it was 4 o’clock and when I checked the temperature of the bird, it was perfectly done. I got it out of the oven and that was it for me. I was pooped. I got into bed and let Paul take over.
Paul took the turkey breast and the drippings and put it away in the fridge. I will make something with it tomorrow. The turkey breast came with gravy so that didn’t have to be made. We were having rigatoni and mixed vegetables, so that was set.
Later, at dinner time, I cut up the meat and Paul made the rest. It was a nice dinner and we have lots of turkey leftovers to make for many more dinners this week. And if we get sick of it we can freeze it.
It seems that all I did today was cook, but I feel a great satisfaction, especially when it turns out so good. I won't have to put a lot of time in for dinner for a while.
I like to cook, and I love to eat what I cook!
Beth
You might think I was prepping for surgery when I start. I had my nurse get the turkey breast out of the fridge and put it on my counter, right before she left today at 1 PM. I got out my knives and sharpened them good. I doubled a garbage bag for the turkey wrapper and fat and skin I was going to toss. I am real careful of poultry and wear gloves working with it now. I have to stop and suction my trach a couple of times when I work, and it is so much easier to roll the gloves off, turn on my wheelchair, and go suction in the other room.
I got the roasting pan out and then I can go at it: wrapper off, fat and extra skin off, and into the garbage bag. Then I took my special rub and rub it all over under the skin. Man, did it smell good.
Oh, I forgot, I got out the book I was listening to on cd and put that in. It takes me longer to do things like cooking because I get short of breath and have to stop a lot. The book takes my mind off the waiting-to-recover time and fills up the boredom.
I got the bird in the oven around two. Found my basting bulb, oh darn, I forgot to get the nurse to put it together before she left..... well, maybe Paul can do it for me, I know he could hardly do it last time. Hey, I gave it a little try and it went together. Yea. I went to find Paul and waved it at him… he didn’t seem as thrilled as I was by my superhuman feat of strength! LOL
I have a timer I wear on the front of my shirt that I set to remember to baste the bird. I have to take it with me ‘cause I don't hear so well, and who knows what I will be doing next.
I helped Paul with some of his medical care for the next hour, and then was I tired. By then it was 4 o’clock and when I checked the temperature of the bird, it was perfectly done. I got it out of the oven and that was it for me. I was pooped. I got into bed and let Paul take over.
Paul took the turkey breast and the drippings and put it away in the fridge. I will make something with it tomorrow. The turkey breast came with gravy so that didn’t have to be made. We were having rigatoni and mixed vegetables, so that was set.
Later, at dinner time, I cut up the meat and Paul made the rest. It was a nice dinner and we have lots of turkey leftovers to make for many more dinners this week. And if we get sick of it we can freeze it.
It seems that all I did today was cook, but I feel a great satisfaction, especially when it turns out so good. I won't have to put a lot of time in for dinner for a while.
I like to cook, and I love to eat what I cook!
Beth
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Dancing Leaves
Now what do I say? I keep asking myself. I don’t want to talk only about things that make me different. I just like to talk about the things I see and enjoy.
Like yesterday, as I was eating my oatmeal, I sat at my window looking out at the backyard. There is a big old tree that was shedding its leaves. It was interesting how each leaf would fall differently. Some would drop like a stone. Then others would flutter back and forth slowly taking its time to meet the earth. Then I saw the "dancers" that would spin dizzily like a top, seeming to drill into the grass. It was fun watching.
Yes, I really loved the dancers!
Beth
Like yesterday, as I was eating my oatmeal, I sat at my window looking out at the backyard. There is a big old tree that was shedding its leaves. It was interesting how each leaf would fall differently. Some would drop like a stone. Then others would flutter back and forth slowly taking its time to meet the earth. Then I saw the "dancers" that would spin dizzily like a top, seeming to drill into the grass. It was fun watching.
Yes, I really loved the dancers!
Beth
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Beth's first blog post
Hello, my name is Beth. I live in a little city outside of Buffalo with my husband, Paul.
Paul and I both use wheelchairs, and a good portion of our day involves taking care of our bodies. It wasn't always like this for either of us. So often, people don't realize how difficult it is for us to get through the day. Today I came to visit my sister, Janice, just four miles away. Other people can jump in the car, and go. For me, it took 45 minutes, and I had to call and arrange for the ride yesterday. I have to tell the driver when I have to leave, and I have to leave before the bus stops running. So, as Jan says, I can't just leave in a huff!
I don't want this blog to be a complaint; but I do want people to understand. Sometimes people complain about problems -- but really, they aren't problems, they're just inconveniences.
One day, Paul and I were out walking, rolling along in our wheelchairs.A man had run out of gas, and he asked us where he could find a gas station. He was really disgusted when we told him. "A whole block away!" he said.
"Hey. At least you can walk," I called after him.
You know what? He came back, and shook my hand.
So, I'd like to tell you more in future posts. I have lots to tell. My life is small, but it is lovely.
Beth
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