END OF THE YEAR POST

 

Main Street in Buckley, Washington

 

 

This is a few lines to let you know I am still around.  I have been having a hard time putting pictures on my blog since I changed to Windows 8.  Diane came to Seattle so she could spend some time with her grandchildren.  Diane came over this afternoon to Sequim and will be spending the weekend with David and me.  She helped me get the pictures figured out. 

 

  

David had to go to Alaska for some meetings the first part of December.  The day before he left we drove to Buckley.  We went through Bonney Lake and Enumclaw too.  In Buckley we went to the Museum.  The building the Museum is in was the Church building that we used to go to when we lived in Buckley.  The Museum has so many interesting displays.  We had a nice visit with the volunteers and even the Mayor of Buckley stopped by.

 

We had a very nice Thanksgiving.  Steven and Janet and their children spent Thanksgiving week here, which was very nice.  We had a great Thanksgiving dinner.

 

Marge and Harry invited us to Christmas dinner at their retirement center.  It was so nice to visit with them.  The dinner was very nice.

LIVING THROUGH MODERN MEDICINE

A picture of the Sunset here in Sequim

I just put the picture on because I liked it.  The reason for my blog is to let everyone know what is going on with me.

I know that I had written earlier about my bout with Bronchitis back in the middle of August.  I have been to the doctor three times.  I had a breathing test which was abnormal.  I have been on two kinds of inhalers and have been using a Nebulizer.  When I went on Flovent I was doing much better but I still was short of breath just doing the simplest tasks. It has been nearly three months since I have not been winded to some degree.  Some days were worse than others depending on what I did.

Finally Wednesday I was able to see the Pulmonary Specialist.  He put me on Symbicort.  Symbicort is for Asthma, Chronic Bronchitis and COPD.  This is a miracle drug.  Yesterday I woke up and was not winded at all.  Going up the stairs and going for a short walk and doing a few other things and I was breathing just fine.  I was so used to being winded that all day I kept expecting to get short of breath, but I didn't.

Today I went to the store and carried a couple of heavy bags downstairs, did laundry, baked cookies.  I cleaned my Microwave.  A couple of weeks ago I would have been lucky to do just one of those things.

I have a follow-up appointment with the Specialist in May.  I am supposed to call if I have any problems before then.

The Specialist says I have Asthma and I could have a bad spell if something triggers it such as a bad cold or Bronchitis or something I might be allergic to. I am sure I have had Asthma for sometime without realizing it.

I just cannot say enough about Symbicort.  Symbicort has given me back my energy.  It is indeed a miracle drug.  The downside is that it is very expensive.  One inhaler lasts one month and costs $319.00.  Thanks to my dear Clayton who was a longshoreman for over 25 years, I have wonderful insurance.  I only pay $1.00.  I wonder how many people could benefit by it and not be able to get it because of the cost.

OLD PICTURE

Christopher, Katie and Anna

I put this sweet picture on because I was testing out my blog on my computer downstairs.  I have been having trouble getting pictures on my blog and have had to go upstairs to my laptop to put pictures on. Everything seems to be working now. This picture is from August 2012.  It reminds me of how much I love Summer. David is sitting in the chair. You can see his arm.

HALLOWEEN COSTUMES

Donna and Leif in their Halloween Costumes.  In the Center is one of our Sister Missionaries.

Our Sister Missionary wanted to be Belle from "The Beauty and the Beast" so much for her costume.  She had the material and the pattern so Donna agreed to make it for her for the Ward Halloween party Tonight.  Monday Donna sewed on it until about 10 pm.  She couldn't stay up any later because she had to be at school Tuesday morning.  She got everything done but the hem so I did the hem on Tuesday.  Donna and Leif's costumes are the ones they bought when we went to Silverdale last weekend. Leif colored his hair and his mustache black. He looked so different, I was shocked when I first saw it. 
        Donna and Leif wore their costumes to their dancing class Halloween party last night and they will wear them to the Ward Halloween party tonight.

        I just love this picture.

Another Birthday

I blew out the six candles (for the last number of my age). I had a hard enough time doing that as I am still dealing with my Asthma.  I will be seeing the specialist on November 6th.

Birthday cake from Donna and Leif

Donna and Leif gave me this nice end table to go between my two recliners.

The Missionary Sisters from our Church gave me this "Heart Attack" for my 86th birthday.  Each heart had a loving message from them.

I felt like Friday and Saturday both were my birthday.  Donna and Leif took me to Tacoma on Friday.  We stopped at Fred Meyer and that is where Donna and Leif bought my end table. They bought costumes for the Halloween party their square dancing is having.  Then we went to the Tacoma Mall and looked at formals for Donna for her Cruise.  She finally found a nice one at the Bridal shop outside the mall.  We were gone all day and I was so glad I could go.  I have to use the Nebulizer three times a day so I took it with me.  It is the new compact type.  It has a car charger and it's own carrying case. It is very light weight.  It weighs a lot less than my purse. I did really well being gone all day.  I am so glad I can still get out.  I have always loved car rides. We had dinner at Olive Garden. It was really a nice day.

OCTOBER HAPPENINGS

This material is for the border of the Oriental Quilt Donna and I are going to make for my bed.  I bought enough of this material so that I can make a valance for the bedroom window.

Donna and I went to the Sunbonnet Sue Quilting Club this morning.  The have a meeting every week but we can't always go.  Today they were having a drawing.  I won two patterns, a fat quarter and some thread.

I bought material to make an Oriental quilt for my bed.  I do the buying and Donna gets to do most of the work.  This is going to be the center panel.  We took the material to the quilting club this morning and got lots of compliments and some good suggestions.

These are some of the materials that are going to go with the panel.

Donna and I went to the Stash Dash that 6 quilt shops were having.  We were gone all day last Saturday.  I am still dealing with this Asthma or whatever it is.  I am on Flovent right now and it is helping.  I have an appointment with the Pulmonary Lung specialist but can't get in until November 6th. I really held up very well on our quilting trip.  It was a beautiful day last Saturday.  It was so warm we did not need coats.

COUNTED CROSS STITCH

My Deer friends came for lunch  Aren't they cute?

Picture of how my Counted Cross will look like

Oriental Cross Stitch
I have been so happy to have this to work on for the last couple of weeks.  I some how managed to get Bronchitis and Pneumonia in my right lung.  I was pretty sick for a few days but I am doing better now.  The doctor gave me antibiotics and some pills to open up my Bronchial tubes.  The medicine is a Steroid and it made me very shakey. I only had to take that for a week.  I have an inhaler for when I need it.  Also I have to use a Nebulizer 4 times a day.  I am going to have to check with the doctor and see how much longer I need to use it.  I have quite a bit of the medicine for it.  I am breathing so much better now.  I had actually been sick for awhile before I went to the doctor.  I didn't realize I was sick.  Donna had noticed me wheezing but I just thought I was getting tired walking up the hill with Marge.  Then on the 24th of August, which was a Saturday, Donna and two ladies from the Church and I went to Silverdale for the day.  We had a great time.  We went clothes shopping and also went to a Quilt store and Joann Fabrics.  I got some really nice fabric to make a real oriental looking quilt. My picture will probably be finished before the quilt is.  Anyway, I had taken my walker and I spent so much time sitting on it that Donna suspected I wasn't feeling well.  Sunday I had to go to Church because I was going to be the only one in the Library.  I was light headed and wheezing but I went anyway.  I stayed for Sacrament and went back to the Library for a few minutes but had to go home.  Donna took me to the doctor the next day and that's when I found out I had Pneumonia.

I will be so happy when I get back to doing things.  I have just been to weak to do much.  I have very little patience for being sick.  I am glad I got back to doing my Counted Cross Stitch.  It puts me in my own world and makes the time pass more quickly.