Wednesday, May 20, 2015

ON THE ROAD TO IRELAND






Time has just flown since we returned.  The first week always does with all the food shopping, cleaning, getting organized, etc.  I have had my dentist 6 month cleaning this week so that is behind me.
Harv went the next day so he is done also. 

My daughter has done a tremendous amount of work for this trip.  She just found out last night that my Father's family moved from their little town to Belfast and has the address of his house.  It turns out that it is only about 2-3 blocks from our hotel.  I couldn't believe it. We will definitely go by there.  Apparently it is for sale and I suggested to Harv he might want to buy it.  I better not get any ideas.

We leave Monday 25 and return Monday June 1 so it will be a quick visit.

Will take lots of pics and show when we return.  Hugs Freda

ps - I am feeling back to my old self.  Thank goodness.


Monday, May 11, 2015

HOME AGAIN WED.

It has been almost 5 months since I last posted and what a 5 months it has been.  First we flew home for Christmas to be with Sue when she had her surgery.  We were able to spend Christmas with the 2 families and our 6 grandkids.  The Mon. after Christmas Sue had her surgery and I was so glad we decided to go up.  She had a very bad surgery - much more intensive and invasive  then her colon surgeon had anticipated. As he said, you never know what you are going to find until you get in there.  He found a massive tumor which had invaded her colon and bowel and it all had to be removed.  The one good thing is there was no cancer.  She was in a lot of pain that they could not control well and both Jon and I took turns being with her until the weekend after when she went home on the Sunday.

The horrible thing was Jon's Father Phil had a massive heart attack on the Fri. morning (the day after New Years) just as I arrived at the hospital they had called Jon and he left immediately.  His Father passed away before he got there.  Phil was cremated and Ann had a Memorial Service for him the following Mon.  Sue could not attend because she could not get around.  She did put together a wonderful family eulogy that a good friend of the family read.  We were all there and there were more people then I have ever seen at a funeral.  They invited all back to dinner at a nearby restaurant who could make it and I believe there were around 120 there plus all the ones who did not stay for that.  In the midst of this there was a raging snow storm and I wondered if we were all going to make it back to our homes.   It is usually about an hour drive from  St. Charles to our house.  Took us about 2 hrs. going 20 miles per h r.

  We stayed in Chicago a couple of weeks then back to Florida.  Sue had to go in for reconstructive surgery 6 weeks after and we did not go up for that.  She has healed well and we are so thankful.
Jon had a business dinner in Hawaii and they decided to take all 3 boys (school breaks all co-operated) and they had a great time.

I continued to have some health problems with my shoulders, neck and a persistent migraine type headache that played hell with me off and on for months that meds could not take away.. Some days I could hardly move my head. We took x-rays and finally an MRI and found that  I have 3 degenerative disks in my neck at C3 to C6.  They sent me to a pain management Dr. and he has started a series of epidural cervical shots.  I have had 2 - 2 weeks apart and my 3rd. is tomorrow morning.  This is why we are still in Florida.  They have really helped and I am feeling like my old self for the first time since last year.  Until then I did not feel like blogging, talking on the phone, etc.
I am also on muscle relaxants  3 times a day.  Will see what happens when I go off them.

I did continue working on my hexagons when I could and finally finished last week.  They were such fun to work with I hated to see them end.  I actually made more then I needed for a wall hanging and I will have to find something to do with them.  I have one idea that may work.  If I can remember how to post pics I will do so.









It was such fun working with colors like orange, lime green, hot pick, etc.  Have no idea where this will hang but someday maybe one of the grands would like it for an apt.

Thank you for being my friends and inquiring about my health as some of you had wondered where I was.  Well FredaB is back and I am also on Facebook.