Scored on a washer/dryer set that is less than five years old for $150 for the set (same set that I was two minutes late on the other day; she never showed up to pay for them). Just need to pick them up on Saturday and my wonderful SIL will be assisting in that. I'll be renting an appliance dolly to help.
Not even going to worry about anything else until we're in and settled. Rex and Amy are loaning us a bed so we're good on that count, too.
Now if I could just get the rest of my world to line up like it's supposed to, I'll call it good.
I better call it "good" anyway and get to bed.... Good Night!
ihs
Teresa
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Up one, down one
Eh - it's the story of how things go around here.
Right now, I'm having discussions with several medical suppliers (doctors, pathologists, labs, etc.) who seem to think that even though they came to the hospital to see Ron, they can bill me outside of what insurance pays (because they can) and force me to pay. Right now, I'm dealing with close to $1,000 (maybe more with the newest bill I just received) from providers who've said that we owe on top of what insurance has paid because that's how they do their billing.
Not fun... A couple are threatening collection. I'm not opposed to paying what we owe - I just don't think we owe these. When Ron was a patient at any Wichita hospital, we never, ever, EVER got a bill above and beyond what insurance paid (for any service provided or on behalf of the hospital). He starts going to Newton hospital and all I've done for months is fight charges.
It's getting old... Will sure put a big damper on things to try and work those into the budget. Not happening in January or February at all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ron got a good report from Dr. A. yesterday. His potassium is finally back down to normal and we have avoided a hospital stay. Yay! Score one for him! He's lost well over 30 pounds since mid-December (and closer to 50 from early December when he was in for CHF). Dr. A. was very pleased and doesn't want to see him for three months. The home health nurse will continue to come 3x a week this week and next, then 2x week for a month, and then 1x week for a month. That's the most he's planned and may cut it down from there depending on how Ron does over the course of the next few weeks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Many years ago (I mean 30+), I worked for a company in NKC, MO with my former SIL. The company was relocating and had a contest for who could come up with the best moving slogan and poster. I'm no artist - I really can't draw at all. But, I can see (in my mind) what I want stuff to look like. My SIL could draw so I told her what I wanted and she drew the poster for me. I did the poem (it was cheesy but it was over 30+ ago so I can be forgiven). The theme was how everyone could help with the move.
Imagine a building at the top of the poster and another one at the bottom of the poster, then a winding road going from the first one to the other. Along the road, you have moving trucks, people carrying things, and animated equipment (servers, computers, desks, chairs, etc.) moving themselves to the new location. It loses some in translation, but it was really cute. And, I won. At the time, it was a whopping $5 prize (big bucks in 1979). The poem was something along the lines of "moving day is so much fun, we'll all help one by one. Count the days till moving day and ..." that's all I can remember. It had a calendar attached to it so the pages could be taken off each day.
Anyway, I had a dream a couple of nights ago about that poster, only instead of equipment and people lined up to move from building-to-building, it was people who'd pulled up in front of our 6-plex, they went in the front door, picked up something to load up, and out the slider to move to the new location. LOL - that would be so nice except I don't know that many people and last time I checked, my stuff hadn't grown arms and legs to move itself.
LOL - So if any of you know any way to animate furniture and boxes, let me know. I could use some magic here. hahaha!
ihs
Teresa
Right now, I'm having discussions with several medical suppliers (doctors, pathologists, labs, etc.) who seem to think that even though they came to the hospital to see Ron, they can bill me outside of what insurance pays (because they can) and force me to pay. Right now, I'm dealing with close to $1,000 (maybe more with the newest bill I just received) from providers who've said that we owe on top of what insurance has paid because that's how they do their billing.
Not fun... A couple are threatening collection. I'm not opposed to paying what we owe - I just don't think we owe these. When Ron was a patient at any Wichita hospital, we never, ever, EVER got a bill above and beyond what insurance paid (for any service provided or on behalf of the hospital). He starts going to Newton hospital and all I've done for months is fight charges.
It's getting old... Will sure put a big damper on things to try and work those into the budget. Not happening in January or February at all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ron got a good report from Dr. A. yesterday. His potassium is finally back down to normal and we have avoided a hospital stay. Yay! Score one for him! He's lost well over 30 pounds since mid-December (and closer to 50 from early December when he was in for CHF). Dr. A. was very pleased and doesn't want to see him for three months. The home health nurse will continue to come 3x a week this week and next, then 2x week for a month, and then 1x week for a month. That's the most he's planned and may cut it down from there depending on how Ron does over the course of the next few weeks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Many years ago (I mean 30+), I worked for a company in NKC, MO with my former SIL. The company was relocating and had a contest for who could come up with the best moving slogan and poster. I'm no artist - I really can't draw at all. But, I can see (in my mind) what I want stuff to look like. My SIL could draw so I told her what I wanted and she drew the poster for me. I did the poem (it was cheesy but it was over 30+ ago so I can be forgiven). The theme was how everyone could help with the move.
Imagine a building at the top of the poster and another one at the bottom of the poster, then a winding road going from the first one to the other. Along the road, you have moving trucks, people carrying things, and animated equipment (servers, computers, desks, chairs, etc.) moving themselves to the new location. It loses some in translation, but it was really cute. And, I won. At the time, it was a whopping $5 prize (big bucks in 1979). The poem was something along the lines of "moving day is so much fun, we'll all help one by one. Count the days till moving day and ..." that's all I can remember. It had a calendar attached to it so the pages could be taken off each day.
Anyway, I had a dream a couple of nights ago about that poster, only instead of equipment and people lined up to move from building-to-building, it was people who'd pulled up in front of our 6-plex, they went in the front door, picked up something to load up, and out the slider to move to the new location. LOL - that would be so nice except I don't know that many people and last time I checked, my stuff hadn't grown arms and legs to move itself.
LOL - So if any of you know any way to animate furniture and boxes, let me know. I could use some magic here. hahaha!
ihs
Teresa
Monday, January 23, 2012
Two things...
Ron's had his blood drawn three times last week and then again today. Potassium was still dangerously high on Friday (6.0) and that was after he'd been given two doses of the potassium-reducing resin drug. Today, it was FINALLY back down to normal! He's lost a few more pounds and his blood pressure is looking better. We are pleased and so was his doctor today.
Still haven't found any of the items I need except for a table. Our oldest daughter's mother (Ron's ex-wife) has a table in her basement that we can have. It's got some scratches but will look fine with a table cloth on it. LOL - I just need to get a table cloth! I think I'll check with the Agape Resource Center in Newton and see if I can trade them this Walmart table and 4 chairs (worth about $50) for 4 chairs that are sturdier than the Walmart chairs. Only problem is their hours... I'm not sure they're open the hours that would benefit me but I'll try.
I had my eye on a Kenmore washer and dryer for $150 but I was literally two minutes too late to purchase it. Same for a dining room set (oak pedestal table/6 chairs). Oh well... no biggie.
Next...
I came across a Facebook posting for help in raising items (beanies, bags, hats, etc.) for small cancer patients. You can read about the project here.
I don't sew, crochet, or knit - but I do sell Thirty-One Gifts as an Independent Consultant. I will donate 50% of my profit for every Cinch-Sac ordered (item 3039; note that Paparazzi Dots and Camo will not be available after January 31st, 2012 but there are new patterns coming out February 1, 2012) and for every Thermal Tote (zip-it or cinch-it) ordered (they are currently on sale until January 31). The Web site will change on February 1, 2012 to show the new Spring items. You can order directly from http://www.mythirtyone.com/teresawilliams56 or by sending me an email at teresawilliams56@cox.net.
One of my cousins died from leukemia when she was four years old so I have a personal reason for wanting to donate. I will make this promise for every cinch-sack and thermal tote sold via this post from now until March 1, 2012. Please note in the “specal instructions” or in email to me that you ordered through Project 16.
If you'd like to order something for this project (or if you knit/crochet and want to donate hats - go to the project site), just let me know. I will post how many of the fund-raising items I've sold and the $$ amount of my donation.
Guess that was more than two things. LOL!
ihs
Teresa
Still haven't found any of the items I need except for a table. Our oldest daughter's mother (Ron's ex-wife) has a table in her basement that we can have. It's got some scratches but will look fine with a table cloth on it. LOL - I just need to get a table cloth! I think I'll check with the Agape Resource Center in Newton and see if I can trade them this Walmart table and 4 chairs (worth about $50) for 4 chairs that are sturdier than the Walmart chairs. Only problem is their hours... I'm not sure they're open the hours that would benefit me but I'll try.
I had my eye on a Kenmore washer and dryer for $150 but I was literally two minutes too late to purchase it. Same for a dining room set (oak pedestal table/6 chairs). Oh well... no biggie.
Next...
I came across a Facebook posting for help in raising items (beanies, bags, hats, etc.) for small cancer patients. You can read about the project here.
I don't sew, crochet, or knit - but I do sell Thirty-One Gifts as an Independent Consultant. I will donate 50% of my profit for every Cinch-Sac ordered (item 3039; note that Paparazzi Dots and Camo will not be available after January 31st, 2012 but there are new patterns coming out February 1, 2012) and for every Thermal Tote (zip-it or cinch-it) ordered (they are currently on sale until January 31). The Web site will change on February 1, 2012 to show the new Spring items. You can order directly from http://www.mythirtyone.com/teresawilliams56 or by sending me an email at teresawilliams56@cox.net.
One of my cousins died from leukemia when she was four years old so I have a personal reason for wanting to donate. I will make this promise for every cinch-sack and thermal tote sold via this post from now until March 1, 2012. Please note in the “specal instructions” or in email to me that you ordered through Project 16.
If you'd like to order something for this project (or if you knit/crochet and want to donate hats - go to the project site), just let me know. I will post how many of the fund-raising items I've sold and the $$ amount of my donation.
Guess that was more than two things. LOL!
ihs
Teresa
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Lazy Saturday
Having a bit of a lazy day (so far) today. I have a box of stuff to send my DIL for the kids (winter clothes) and since the USPS is raising rates effective tomorrow, I bet it gets sent via UPS instead. Looks like a trip out to the nearest UPS store is in my future. I'm trying to get some of the boxes of "stuff" taken care of.
I was going to work in our little shed today but it's too darn cold out there. Brrrrr! Maybe later.
Do any of you watch HGTV shows? The one I'm thinking of in particular is My First Home (or something like that). It chronicles the steps couples take trying to purchase their first home. They have a "vision" of how a particular room in their new home will look once they get all moved in. HGTV ends up taking care of that vision and giving the room of their dreams. LOL - I need an HGTV moment. My vision is going into my new rental and finding the missing furniture that I don't have (washer/dryer, table/chairs, etc.) and a bedroom that's fully functional for Ron and I. Not going to happen and I'm well aware of it but... when facing taking care of this daunting task pretty much on my own, it doesn't hurt to have little mini-daydreams.
My son-in-law says to not stress; it will get all taken care of. He says that we can make multiple trips with his pick-up and trailer (he's got a small trailer he built) and if we don't have bad weather, that's great. If we do, then we will have a problem. Renting a covered truck is out of the question right now. I can't expect people to work in bad weather. Kris, Stacey, Rex, Amy, and Keith will be bearing the brunt of the carrying; I'm sure that Lindsay will come with Keith and I know that she'll help but she's a little bitty thing so I don't know how strong she is, either. I'll work as hard as I can but I can't do a lot of heavy lifting.
Poor Ron - he started crying the other night and I felt so sorry for him. He said it just breaks his heart that all of this pressure of the move is on my shoulders and he knows he's not even strong enough to hold Anna. The only thing he'll be able to do is stay out of the way. He said it hurst so bad that I have to be the "man" in all of the household stuff. I don't want to rely too much on Rex and Amy (they do have a life they need to live) and Rex is such a generous person that he says he doesn't mind. Amy doesn't want the rest of the kids to think that just because we're in the same town that Rex is going to be the "do-all" for us, and we don't either. It is hard because Aaron isn't capable due to disabilities, Shaun is in WA and obviously not available, Tim - well, he's just Tim and never puts out effort for anyone, and the others live 45+ miles away. So, when we have an emergency or an immediate need, Rex gets stuck being the son called.
I don't want to put all of that on him, either. Moving to the cheaper place will free up some resources so I can rely on taking my car in for repairs or whatever needs to be done. It's just getting there that's going to be the problem.
I know, I'm just rambling. Sometmes it helps to do that. It gets the stuff out of my mind and helps me start with a clear plan. I have a free table (going to look at it today) we can use and I've got 4 chairs that will work. Ron can't use any of them because they're not sturdy enough for him. There's also a queen bed and frame available to us if I think it will work. Going to look at it, too. I wish I knew the room measurement so I'd know exactly what would fit and what won't. We will probably miss our king bed but I really don't think there's room for it and two nightstands. We need those because we each use ours. Ron HAS to have his for the lamp, his bi-pap, and it's where he keeps his socket socks. For him, it's a mini-dresser. I use mine for the lamp and my nighttime stuff - and the telephone. If I needed to, I would give mine up. I wouldn't like it, but I would live with it.
If the free things work out, I'll be able to buy a washer/dryer sooner and then work on saving money to buy the sofa from Stacey. Her husband wants $400 and we have to pay for it completely before we take it. That's OK - they need the $$ to be able to replace it. It just might be a while. Rex is trying to find us another lift chair for Ron. I know how much they cost new and they're out of the question; I bought the first one used and it lasted a year. I'm afraid of having the same problem. But I know that Ron really needs one. What a Catch-22 situation! This is where my HGTV vision would come in very handy! hahahahaha!
Guess my lazy day needs to come to an end.
You all have a blessed weekend. Thanks for letting me rant. If you've read this far, please join me in welcoming my newest follower, Vicki. We work at the same place and she's one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet. She's let me vent via IM many times and always has an encouraging word for me. Thanks, Vicki.
ihs...
Teresa
I was going to work in our little shed today but it's too darn cold out there. Brrrrr! Maybe later.
Do any of you watch HGTV shows? The one I'm thinking of in particular is My First Home (or something like that). It chronicles the steps couples take trying to purchase their first home. They have a "vision" of how a particular room in their new home will look once they get all moved in. HGTV ends up taking care of that vision and giving the room of their dreams. LOL - I need an HGTV moment. My vision is going into my new rental and finding the missing furniture that I don't have (washer/dryer, table/chairs, etc.) and a bedroom that's fully functional for Ron and I. Not going to happen and I'm well aware of it but... when facing taking care of this daunting task pretty much on my own, it doesn't hurt to have little mini-daydreams.
My son-in-law says to not stress; it will get all taken care of. He says that we can make multiple trips with his pick-up and trailer (he's got a small trailer he built) and if we don't have bad weather, that's great. If we do, then we will have a problem. Renting a covered truck is out of the question right now. I can't expect people to work in bad weather. Kris, Stacey, Rex, Amy, and Keith will be bearing the brunt of the carrying; I'm sure that Lindsay will come with Keith and I know that she'll help but she's a little bitty thing so I don't know how strong she is, either. I'll work as hard as I can but I can't do a lot of heavy lifting.
Poor Ron - he started crying the other night and I felt so sorry for him. He said it just breaks his heart that all of this pressure of the move is on my shoulders and he knows he's not even strong enough to hold Anna. The only thing he'll be able to do is stay out of the way. He said it hurst so bad that I have to be the "man" in all of the household stuff. I don't want to rely too much on Rex and Amy (they do have a life they need to live) and Rex is such a generous person that he says he doesn't mind. Amy doesn't want the rest of the kids to think that just because we're in the same town that Rex is going to be the "do-all" for us, and we don't either. It is hard because Aaron isn't capable due to disabilities, Shaun is in WA and obviously not available, Tim - well, he's just Tim and never puts out effort for anyone, and the others live 45+ miles away. So, when we have an emergency or an immediate need, Rex gets stuck being the son called.
I don't want to put all of that on him, either. Moving to the cheaper place will free up some resources so I can rely on taking my car in for repairs or whatever needs to be done. It's just getting there that's going to be the problem.
I know, I'm just rambling. Sometmes it helps to do that. It gets the stuff out of my mind and helps me start with a clear plan. I have a free table (going to look at it today) we can use and I've got 4 chairs that will work. Ron can't use any of them because they're not sturdy enough for him. There's also a queen bed and frame available to us if I think it will work. Going to look at it, too. I wish I knew the room measurement so I'd know exactly what would fit and what won't. We will probably miss our king bed but I really don't think there's room for it and two nightstands. We need those because we each use ours. Ron HAS to have his for the lamp, his bi-pap, and it's where he keeps his socket socks. For him, it's a mini-dresser. I use mine for the lamp and my nighttime stuff - and the telephone. If I needed to, I would give mine up. I wouldn't like it, but I would live with it.
If the free things work out, I'll be able to buy a washer/dryer sooner and then work on saving money to buy the sofa from Stacey. Her husband wants $400 and we have to pay for it completely before we take it. That's OK - they need the $$ to be able to replace it. It just might be a while. Rex is trying to find us another lift chair for Ron. I know how much they cost new and they're out of the question; I bought the first one used and it lasted a year. I'm afraid of having the same problem. But I know that Ron really needs one. What a Catch-22 situation! This is where my HGTV vision would come in very handy! hahahahaha!
Guess my lazy day needs to come to an end.
You all have a blessed weekend. Thanks for letting me rant. If you've read this far, please join me in welcoming my newest follower, Vicki. We work at the same place and she's one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet. She's let me vent via IM many times and always has an encouraging word for me. Thanks, Vicki.
ihs...
Teresa
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Moving date and such
Moving date is "officially" February 11 because that's when I can get the most help. That's fine with me because it gives me more time to go back in and clean up where we are vacating. And, I don't have to worry about getting "everything" because I can come back. In fact, I'm actually going to get possession as early as February 1 (if I want it, but it's a matter of money) so I'll probably see if I can take possession on the 6th.
I have never moved anywhere this quickly before. I don't have boxes. I don't have any "plans" made up. No lists. No "gotta do this" things written down. I'm flying by the seat of my pants. So new for me. LOL!
Ron's doctor had the nurse draw blood again last night. His BUN is very wacky but the potassium is starting to come down a bit. I got to work from home today because we were expecting to hear from the doctor's office. He's feeling better today than he was yesterday, so that's good. Lots of people are praying for him and we're grateful.
Our friend, Chuck, offered us a queen bed (mattress only) and I think I found a frame with captain's drawers and a headboard with storage (which we need for Ron's bi-pap machine) for $400. She'll hold it until we move and I think I can squeeze out enough money from my paycheck and Ron's retirement check to buy it. If not, then we'll figure something else out. Chuck can bring us the mattress any time and we can put it on the floor. Ron can't get up off the floor, but he could use the twin bed until we can get the rest of the bed.
Next on the list is a washer and dryer. I can live without one, but hauling clothes out in the winter would not be fun. There are plenty of used ones on Craigslist so I'm confident that by March I'll be able to swing a set. After that, we have a small matter of seating. LOL - as in "none" except for Ron's recliner and my recliner. Our oldest daughter has a sofa that we can buy (it was new in August for $800) for $400 and she will let me put it in "lay-away" at her house. So, by the end of April or March, we should have a bed, sofa, and washer/dryer. LOL - I can always hope!
And, how has your week been going???
ihs
Teresa
I have never moved anywhere this quickly before. I don't have boxes. I don't have any "plans" made up. No lists. No "gotta do this" things written down. I'm flying by the seat of my pants. So new for me. LOL!
Ron's doctor had the nurse draw blood again last night. His BUN is very wacky but the potassium is starting to come down a bit. I got to work from home today because we were expecting to hear from the doctor's office. He's feeling better today than he was yesterday, so that's good. Lots of people are praying for him and we're grateful.
Our friend, Chuck, offered us a queen bed (mattress only) and I think I found a frame with captain's drawers and a headboard with storage (which we need for Ron's bi-pap machine) for $400. She'll hold it until we move and I think I can squeeze out enough money from my paycheck and Ron's retirement check to buy it. If not, then we'll figure something else out. Chuck can bring us the mattress any time and we can put it on the floor. Ron can't get up off the floor, but he could use the twin bed until we can get the rest of the bed.
Next on the list is a washer and dryer. I can live without one, but hauling clothes out in the winter would not be fun. There are plenty of used ones on Craigslist so I'm confident that by March I'll be able to swing a set. After that, we have a small matter of seating. LOL - as in "none" except for Ron's recliner and my recliner. Our oldest daughter has a sofa that we can buy (it was new in August for $800) for $400 and she will let me put it in "lay-away" at her house. So, by the end of April or March, we should have a bed, sofa, and washer/dryer. LOL - I can always hope!
And, how has your week been going???
ihs
Teresa
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
It's official...
Looks like moving day is sometime between Feb 1 and Feb 18, 2012. Never thought we'd be moving this soon (it's been 10 months) but so very grateful that we've found something that we can afford, even if Ron has to go into assisted living, or worse. I paid the $450 deposit today (my sister called me up and volunteered to give me a short-term loan - 2 weeks - so I didn't lose this opportunity) and gave our 30-day notice to the Villa. I happened to see Brenda, the sales manager, this afternoon while we were at lunch and she agreed that it was a very good move for us. She said that we aren't the only ones in this predicament with insurance and medical expenses.
I took some pictures with my cell phone and they turned out OK but not the best. I also didn't think of it in time to really plan the pictures. But, here they are. I'll take better pictures next time I'm inside.
Front. The side door goes into a one-car garage.
Back. The white fence divides the two yards.
Kitchen (from the dining room) - on the side of the fridge that you can't see is another set of cabinets, lower and upper, with counter space. You can kind of see where Amy is standing at the end of the kitchen that leads to the mudroom/laundry area. There's a cabinet right by her and then a broom closet.
The living room from the corner of the kitchen and dining room.
This may be the master bedroom; they look a lot alike and are close to the same in size.
The 2nd bedroom
This is coming into the mudroom/laundry from the garage. The door you can see in reflected in the mirror goes into the garage. Directly across from there is the door into the 3/4 bath. The empty space is the washer/dryer area and then the sink is what "should" be in the bathroom but the bathroom is too small to hold a shower + toilet + sink. The cabinet you can barely see is a broom closet and it's next Amy in the Kitchen photo.
Ron and Rex met up with the landlord yesterday and Mr. John said he thought we'd be great tenants. He's going to add rails in the main bathroom to make it easier for Ron. It's already got a raised toilet so that's a good thing.
We're excited.
On the other side - we got a call from Ron's kidney doctor today. His potassium is up (6) and his creatinin is up. The doctor discontinued the new blood pressure medicine and the potassium medicine and changed his Lasix dosage. We could be headed to the hospital in kidney failure. Blood work will be repeated in one week and the nurse will be receiving new orders from the doctor to check Ron's blood pressure standing and sitting. Right now, Ron's barely "voiding" during the day and nothing at night. He's drinking the amount of fluids he's supposed to be and we're watching his foods. He actually is eating very little. He's down to 254 pounds fully dressed, including "leg" and brace. He weighed 295 in the hospital without his leg or brace. That's a lot of fluid to lose in a little over a month.
We're not so excited about that turn of events.
I took some pictures with my cell phone and they turned out OK but not the best. I also didn't think of it in time to really plan the pictures. But, here they are. I'll take better pictures next time I'm inside.
Front. The side door goes into a one-car garage.
Back. The white fence divides the two yards.
The living room from the corner of the kitchen and dining room.
This may be the master bedroom; they look a lot alike and are close to the same in size.
The 2nd bedroom
This is coming into the mudroom/laundry from the garage. The door you can see in reflected in the mirror goes into the garage. Directly across from there is the door into the 3/4 bath. The empty space is the washer/dryer area and then the sink is what "should" be in the bathroom but the bathroom is too small to hold a shower + toilet + sink. The cabinet you can barely see is a broom closet and it's next Amy in the Kitchen photo.
Ron and Rex met up with the landlord yesterday and Mr. John said he thought we'd be great tenants. He's going to add rails in the main bathroom to make it easier for Ron. It's already got a raised toilet so that's a good thing.
We're excited.
On the other side - we got a call from Ron's kidney doctor today. His potassium is up (6) and his creatinin is up. The doctor discontinued the new blood pressure medicine and the potassium medicine and changed his Lasix dosage. We could be headed to the hospital in kidney failure. Blood work will be repeated in one week and the nurse will be receiving new orders from the doctor to check Ron's blood pressure standing and sitting. Right now, Ron's barely "voiding" during the day and nothing at night. He's drinking the amount of fluids he's supposed to be and we're watching his foods. He actually is eating very little. He's down to 254 pounds fully dressed, including "leg" and brace. He weighed 295 in the hospital without his leg or brace. That's a lot of fluid to lose in a little over a month.
We're not so excited about that turn of events.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Ron's dream
Ron had this dream last night and it was so vivid that it woke him about 6:00 AM this morning. It's not often that he remembers his dreams, but this one he did. I wonder if any of you ever have dreams that you analyze and what you think of this one.
Ron said,
I was lying on the bed with plates of food being placed on my (down my chest), and putting money down as well to keep it for them and they’d come back later and get it.
Then, I was going somewhere and ended up in a country or city I didn’t recognize; didn’t know where I was. There were a lot of people walking around; I kept asking where I was and they didn’t answer or they didn’t know. I had money in my wallet but it was odd denominations ($25 bill; $35 bill) that I wanted to change to the local currency; I wanted to call you (Teresa) and tell you where I was. I wanted you to help me figure out how to get home
When I picked up my cell phone and looked at the screen, it showed low battery and SEL. I finally found someone in a building that had a lot of different doors in it. I came to an area that looked like an information center. Went to the counter and asked the man if he could exchange my cash for something that would work there. He asked for my ID and when I showed him my driver's license – punched some information into a machine and it came back with Ron Williams had been killed.
I was startled and said “what?” he said “it says here that Ron Williams has been killed. And then, I woke up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To top that off, today during a television show we were watching, the preacher (a Christian rabbi) talked about dreams. He said to not try to immediately figure out what the dream meant. He said to (instead) write it down and try to figure the meaning later after you've had a chance to think about it.
Ron and I talked about it today and part of what we've come up with is that we've got a lot on our plate and no matter what we do, we've not had the correct amount of money for the task at hand. We know that we're not going to Washington so I know the money has nothing to do with that.
I did come across a cheaper place to live yesterday that we're going to look into. This is on the same street as Amy and Rex (at the other end; they're in the 700 block and this is in the 500 block) and is the smaller half of a two-unit building (a duplex). It has been available before and I asked Rex if he knew what they rented for. He said he'd heard they rented for close to $1,000 per month. That was not a good number so I shelved it. It's available again and I called on it yesterday. It's only $675 per month! $450 deposit and one year lease agreement. It has two bedrooms and 1 3/4 bathrooms (the 3/4 bath is tiny - but it is an extra toilet and shower!). The kitchen is totally awesome and is something out of a magazine (the owner is a cabinet builder so it's truly custom!). The main bathroom is very big and Ron can get in and out of it easier than the tiny bathroom we have now. The main thing we'd lose by leaving the Villa is .... well, I can't really find much that we'd lose. Our current rent is $1630 per month (it goes down to $1330 in May) so we'd save a minimum of $655 per month (counting from May forward; March and April it would be nearly $1,000 savings).
The owner pays water and takes care of all outside work - mowing, snow removal, etc. He put in a water softener and takes care of the salt for it because he wants a certain grade salt. He's a bit particular but also very nice. I think he'd make sure the repairs that might need to happen actually happen.
I was upfront with him and how we got to where we are and said I'd never stiffed anyone in my life. He wants the whole $450 right away; I have $150 and told him I could give him the other in two weeks. He wasn't thrilled but said he'd see. He's got one other person interested and the first person who gives him the money will get the duplex. So... holding my breath to see if I can come up with the $450 first. LOL!
I don't know what the dream had to do with the conversation we had regarding moving, but Ron knows that if something happens to him I have 30 days to move. Not many places around for $675 that are this clean and convenient. He honestly thinks that we need to go ahead and get our assets (such as they are) separated and to look into him moving into the assisted living side of things. I don't think he needs assisted living. I'm not sure what he needs but I don't think that he's at that stage yet.
If we can get this duplex we'd be moving about the time that we would have gone to WA. Amy had said that she had a very strong feeling that I was not supposed to go to WA then. So, what to do, what to do...
Any thoughts?
Ron said,
I was lying on the bed with plates of food being placed on my (down my chest), and putting money down as well to keep it for them and they’d come back later and get it.
Then, I was going somewhere and ended up in a country or city I didn’t recognize; didn’t know where I was. There were a lot of people walking around; I kept asking where I was and they didn’t answer or they didn’t know. I had money in my wallet but it was odd denominations ($25 bill; $35 bill) that I wanted to change to the local currency; I wanted to call you (Teresa) and tell you where I was. I wanted you to help me figure out how to get home
When I picked up my cell phone and looked at the screen, it showed low battery and SEL. I finally found someone in a building that had a lot of different doors in it. I came to an area that looked like an information center. Went to the counter and asked the man if he could exchange my cash for something that would work there. He asked for my ID and when I showed him my driver's license – punched some information into a machine and it came back with Ron Williams had been killed.
I was startled and said “what?” he said “it says here that Ron Williams has been killed. And then, I woke up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To top that off, today during a television show we were watching, the preacher (a Christian rabbi) talked about dreams. He said to not try to immediately figure out what the dream meant. He said to (instead) write it down and try to figure the meaning later after you've had a chance to think about it.
Ron and I talked about it today and part of what we've come up with is that we've got a lot on our plate and no matter what we do, we've not had the correct amount of money for the task at hand. We know that we're not going to Washington so I know the money has nothing to do with that.
I did come across a cheaper place to live yesterday that we're going to look into. This is on the same street as Amy and Rex (at the other end; they're in the 700 block and this is in the 500 block) and is the smaller half of a two-unit building (a duplex). It has been available before and I asked Rex if he knew what they rented for. He said he'd heard they rented for close to $1,000 per month. That was not a good number so I shelved it. It's available again and I called on it yesterday. It's only $675 per month! $450 deposit and one year lease agreement. It has two bedrooms and 1 3/4 bathrooms (the 3/4 bath is tiny - but it is an extra toilet and shower!). The kitchen is totally awesome and is something out of a magazine (the owner is a cabinet builder so it's truly custom!). The main bathroom is very big and Ron can get in and out of it easier than the tiny bathroom we have now. The main thing we'd lose by leaving the Villa is .... well, I can't really find much that we'd lose. Our current rent is $1630 per month (it goes down to $1330 in May) so we'd save a minimum of $655 per month (counting from May forward; March and April it would be nearly $1,000 savings).
The owner pays water and takes care of all outside work - mowing, snow removal, etc. He put in a water softener and takes care of the salt for it because he wants a certain grade salt. He's a bit particular but also very nice. I think he'd make sure the repairs that might need to happen actually happen.
I was upfront with him and how we got to where we are and said I'd never stiffed anyone in my life. He wants the whole $450 right away; I have $150 and told him I could give him the other in two weeks. He wasn't thrilled but said he'd see. He's got one other person interested and the first person who gives him the money will get the duplex. So... holding my breath to see if I can come up with the $450 first. LOL!
I don't know what the dream had to do with the conversation we had regarding moving, but Ron knows that if something happens to him I have 30 days to move. Not many places around for $675 that are this clean and convenient. He honestly thinks that we need to go ahead and get our assets (such as they are) separated and to look into him moving into the assisted living side of things. I don't think he needs assisted living. I'm not sure what he needs but I don't think that he's at that stage yet.
If we can get this duplex we'd be moving about the time that we would have gone to WA. Amy had said that she had a very strong feeling that I was not supposed to go to WA then. So, what to do, what to do...
Any thoughts?
Friday, January 13, 2012
I'm really not wishy-washy...
There are people who, in their well-meaning ways, say things that are actually hurtful. It’s not my nature to get offended as much as just hurt that they think this way (and, for the record – I’m not talking about anyone HERE in my blogosphere world). This is an actual IRL friend of the family. He really does have Ron’s best interests in mind (worried about his overall health and all that) and worried that if anything happened to Ron that I’d be homeless. He knows that I’m not old enough to live at the Villa on my own. He doesn’t believe that me working extra hours at a different job or trying to put together the money for the trip would be in Ron’s best interests (or even my own). He knows that it’s not the thought of the work that is daunting because I’m not a quitter (and he also knows that I’m not looking for a handout; I’m truly looking for a way to pay for it myself and make it something that Ron would enjoy). He thinks that the trip would take too big of a toll on Ron and if I came up with the money to go, I should put it elsewhere.
Maybe he’s right. Maybe he’s not. I don’t guess that I’ll ever really find out because the likelihood of me putting the money together is somewhere between “nil” and “non-existent.” In fact, I emailed Shaun and Jenny today and told them that I believe it is out of the realm of what I’m capable of doing. When Ron went into the hospital again the first part of December, it reinforced to me just how fragile his overall health is. We can “think” that he’s better (and he really is) but taking the risk that he’ll come home as healthy as he left home is very much an issue. The thing that more hurt my feelings more than anything though was the “so what, I want to go to Paris but I can’t” attitude that our friend has. Going to Paris or any other country is so totally out of comparison that I really didn’t even know what to say (besides, money is not something that prevents him from doing anything that he wants to do) . That’s like comparing apples to oranges. Yes, they’re both round, fruit, and good for you but that’s about the end of what can be compared. This trip does not belong in the same category.
I could try to do the Tiger Cruise from San Diego to WA, but I’m not sure there is enough time to plan that (saving money for one airline ticket – coach – is much different than for two – business class) and get the paperwork taken care of. And, who would make sure that Ron was OK?
Taking Ron on a long trip is probably not in his best interests right now, no matter how much we want to pretend that he can handle it. On top of that, if he’s gone “out of town” on a pleasure trip, then Medicare will quit sending the visiting nurse (he comes 3x week) to check on him because he would not be considered a shut-in. Right now, our doctor is having Charles (the nurse) come and feels that is one thing that is helping to keep him well enough and still on the road to recovery – and out of the hospital.
Right now, though… I’m struggling with the whole pity party thing… I know that sacrificing for those we love is a good thing and I’m not mad at anyone that I have to. Just disappointed that the choices in my life have come to this. LOL – I gave him my computer, gave him my tablet, and now I’m canceling a great vacation for him, too. (I’m sure that sounds perfectly terrible of me to say and I don’t mean for it to, but if that’s how it comes across – oh well. That’s life in the fast lane!)
OK - all that said... here's the facts... I don't have to LIKE them, I just learn to LIVE with them. Ron knows that he can't make the trip and he doesn't want to restrict me - BUT, big but here... he also doesn't think that he can make it here on his own without me. He gets lonely when I'm just gone an extended amount of time in the day. If I save my money, I can look forward to taking a long weekend and going to see them after the new baby is born.
I can dream all I want that things would be different but that won't change the facts. This is my life. It's not always fun and I resent the h-e-l-l out of things sometimes. But, I'm honest about it. I'm no angel and I'm no martyr, either. I hate having to give up things. I guess that's because I'm just a measly human with human failings.
Still… ihs
Teresa
Maybe he’s right. Maybe he’s not. I don’t guess that I’ll ever really find out because the likelihood of me putting the money together is somewhere between “nil” and “non-existent.” In fact, I emailed Shaun and Jenny today and told them that I believe it is out of the realm of what I’m capable of doing. When Ron went into the hospital again the first part of December, it reinforced to me just how fragile his overall health is. We can “think” that he’s better (and he really is) but taking the risk that he’ll come home as healthy as he left home is very much an issue. The thing that more hurt my feelings more than anything though was the “so what, I want to go to Paris but I can’t” attitude that our friend has. Going to Paris or any other country is so totally out of comparison that I really didn’t even know what to say (besides, money is not something that prevents him from doing anything that he wants to do) . That’s like comparing apples to oranges. Yes, they’re both round, fruit, and good for you but that’s about the end of what can be compared. This trip does not belong in the same category.
I could try to do the Tiger Cruise from San Diego to WA, but I’m not sure there is enough time to plan that (saving money for one airline ticket – coach – is much different than for two – business class) and get the paperwork taken care of. And, who would make sure that Ron was OK?
Taking Ron on a long trip is probably not in his best interests right now, no matter how much we want to pretend that he can handle it. On top of that, if he’s gone “out of town” on a pleasure trip, then Medicare will quit sending the visiting nurse (he comes 3x week) to check on him because he would not be considered a shut-in. Right now, our doctor is having Charles (the nurse) come and feels that is one thing that is helping to keep him well enough and still on the road to recovery – and out of the hospital.
Right now, though… I’m struggling with the whole pity party thing… I know that sacrificing for those we love is a good thing and I’m not mad at anyone that I have to. Just disappointed that the choices in my life have come to this. LOL – I gave him my computer, gave him my tablet, and now I’m canceling a great vacation for him, too. (I’m sure that sounds perfectly terrible of me to say and I don’t mean for it to, but if that’s how it comes across – oh well. That’s life in the fast lane!)
OK - all that said... here's the facts... I don't have to LIKE them, I just learn to LIVE with them. Ron knows that he can't make the trip and he doesn't want to restrict me - BUT, big but here... he also doesn't think that he can make it here on his own without me. He gets lonely when I'm just gone an extended amount of time in the day. If I save my money, I can look forward to taking a long weekend and going to see them after the new baby is born.
I can dream all I want that things would be different but that won't change the facts. This is my life. It's not always fun and I resent the h-e-l-l out of things sometimes. But, I'm honest about it. I'm no angel and I'm no martyr, either. I hate having to give up things. I guess that's because I'm just a measly human with human failings.
Still… ihs
Teresa
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Today is a wonderful day!
Isaiah is officially Rex's son and has a new name to boot...
Isaiah Nicholas
He picked his middle name for his mom (her middle name is Nicole).
ihs
Teresa
Isaiah Nicholas
He picked his middle name for his mom (her middle name is Nicole).
ihs
Teresa
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Just $1...
Preface and update: What touches my heart may not touch yours. What I choose to contribute to, you may not. I would rather donate to people than to organizations (unless I know that I know that I know the money I donate goes to what it's supposed to go to). I might get scammed every once in a while but if "I" pass on the opportunity to reach out a helping hand, and keep my pittance in my pocket, then where does that leave me? With a buck or two still in my pocket, but no peace over having done what I could. I'm a giver by nature. In the past I've given away my winter coat (more than once), the gloves off my hands (more than once), all of the food in my pantry and my freezer (yeah... more than once), and the last dollar in my wallet. I've been blessed way beyond what those small sacrifices cost. I would rather take the risk that someone might not be exactly truthful than to be the person who could have (and should have) reached out and didn't.
The story you're about to read is true and has been verified. The lady in the story is not asking for help; in fact, she is not the person who is spearheading the effort in place. She is a new independent consultant for Thirty-One Gifts and her story was told in a short video shared with other consultants.
A story was recently shared with me that touched my heart…
A young lady, a single mother of a small child, recently moved back into her childhood home to help her father. He had been going through a rather rough patch, a nasty divorce, and she wanted to be there for him. She is trying to go to school and take care of herself and her daughter – and to provide a better life and education for her daughter. She has looked back on the decisions she has made and realized that she could have made better choices if she’d had better education and choices. She wants to provide that for her daughter.
During the course of all of this, her father found out the house is possibly going into foreclosure. This would make this whole family homeless and many people are touched by her story. Very few of us are in the position to do anything independently and alone, but together we can move mountains.
There are hundreds and hundreds, probably thousands, of people who are being told her story and many of those people are sending her small amounts of cash – as little as $1 – to help her keep a roof over her head and that of her father and daughter.
I don’t have a lot of extra right now, but I do have a $5 bill in my wallet that is going out in today’s mail. If you’re interested in donating any money to her, or just sending her a note of encouragement, let me know and I’ll email you her address. If you’d like to share her story on your blog, just let me know. You can have your followers email me for her address. I don’t want to just put her address out there for just anyone to have so I won’t share her address with people that you (my followers) wouldn’t recommend.
Thanks!
ihs
Teresa
The story you're about to read is true and has been verified. The lady in the story is not asking for help; in fact, she is not the person who is spearheading the effort in place. She is a new independent consultant for Thirty-One Gifts and her story was told in a short video shared with other consultants.
A story was recently shared with me that touched my heart…
A young lady, a single mother of a small child, recently moved back into her childhood home to help her father. He had been going through a rather rough patch, a nasty divorce, and she wanted to be there for him. She is trying to go to school and take care of herself and her daughter – and to provide a better life and education for her daughter. She has looked back on the decisions she has made and realized that she could have made better choices if she’d had better education and choices. She wants to provide that for her daughter.
During the course of all of this, her father found out the house is possibly going into foreclosure. This would make this whole family homeless and many people are touched by her story. Very few of us are in the position to do anything independently and alone, but together we can move mountains.
There are hundreds and hundreds, probably thousands, of people who are being told her story and many of those people are sending her small amounts of cash – as little as $1 – to help her keep a roof over her head and that of her father and daughter.
I don’t have a lot of extra right now, but I do have a $5 bill in my wallet that is going out in today’s mail. If you’re interested in donating any money to her, or just sending her a note of encouragement, let me know and I’ll email you her address. If you’d like to share her story on your blog, just let me know. You can have your followers email me for her address. I don’t want to just put her address out there for just anyone to have so I won’t share her address with people that you (my followers) wouldn’t recommend.
Thanks!
ihs
Teresa
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