Thankful Thursday | I can walk!
This week, I am thankful:
that my foot is feeling better
Thanks to the prednisone, my foot is starting to approach its normal size. Yay!!! Prednisone is my new bestie.
I know prednisone makes some people feel terrible, and the long-term effects are not good. But for five days following a yellow jacket encounter, it's pretty fabulous.
I know not everyone can handle seeing body stuff, so I'm just gonna put links in here to the photos of my feet after the sting, in case you are like me and are interested in this type of thing! 😉
Here's what it looked like shortly after the sting.
And here's what it looked like about 8 hours later.
that my mood is good on prednisone
I know it makes some people feel angry, but if anything, prednisone has ended up making me feel extra cheerful. Whew.
that I was able to go for a walk yesterday
It was the first day my foot felt small enough to fit into a shoe (thank goodness it's summer and I had gotten by with flip-flops on the very swollen days!)
So, I went for a not-too-challenging walk, mostly on pavement, and my foot was fine.
Yay!
I had lab last night, so it's good my foot had shrunk enough for shoes. Wearing flip-flops to lab is frowned upon. 😉
that my non-walking days were crappy weather anyway
There was rain, lots of humidity, and heat on the days when my foot was too swollen to walk.
So, that made it easier to not mind being a bit couch-bound.
But today we are entering a nice stretch of crisp fall weather and I am SO EXCITED.
Dry, cool fall days are 10/10 for walking, and now my foot is cooperating.
for friends at school
We're in week three now, and I'm starting to get to know more and more people around me in my nursing class.
There are 140 of us, so I know I'm not going to get to know everyone, but still, I am making a little headway.
for the way that age doesn't seem to matter much in college
My friend who sits to my right is 19, my friend to my left is 35, and I'm 45. But it doesn't feel weird at all; we are all just peers, and I like that.
that nursing lectures don't feel unbearably long
Nursing lectures ARE in fact long...like 2-3 hours each.
But the subject matter is interesting to me, the professors are good at making it interactive, and they also are good about letting us take stretch breaks and bathroom breaks.
So, I usually feel a little surprised at how fast the lectures go by!
that I got over my fear of speaking up in class long ago
The first time I had an in-person class, in the fall of 2020, I felt a little bit nervous about answering questions and raising my hand. Almost like a stage fright sort of feeling.
But as my classes went on, I got better and better at that.
And now I think nothing of raising my hand in a classroom of 140 students, in a room so big we have to use our mics to speak so everyone can hear us.
I figure that if I am confused about something, probably 30 other people are confused as well, and they might be grateful that someone else is willing to ask the question.
that I still have my cranial nerve cards
In A&P 1, I'd made some flash cards for the cranial nerves and taped them to my bathroom mirror.
After that class, I taped them to my office bulletin board, and so they came with me when I moved here.
And now here in the third week of nursing school, we are supposed to be reviewing cranial nerves! So my original cards and drawings are coming in handy. 🙂
for an emptier schedule day yesterday
I had nothing scheduled all day until evening lab from 5:00-8:30.
Sooo, that meant I could get a little bit caught up on life!
I listened to lectures on cranial nerves while I cleaned up my kitchen, started laundry, made some yogurt, and swept my floors.
Plus, I did lab homework and also did some reviewing for an upcoming exam (first one is on Tuesday next week!)
This week I'm thankful:
* that we narrowly missed being in a car accident yesterday. It was one where I couldn't believe it ended up OK with no one and no vehicle being damaged. It's a hard intersection (I saw an accident there last Friday) and I'm also thankful that I have until Monday before I have to decide if I'm going to go through it again or take a longer route to avoid it.
* for a kind, supportive community. I feel like we have a lot of great people around us and I'm thankful.
* for great fall weather this week.
* for enough rain to keep my garden growing.
* for a less- scheduled day ahead.
* for the ability to exercise.
* for a good health assessment this week. I have to do it once or twice a year and almost never look forward to it (who wants to start their day learning what their body fat percentage is?) but I've had significant improvement in a number of areas since my last one in March and that's good news.
@Ruth T, I've very glad you were safe. I've been trying to teach my new drivers to pay attention to those roads they travel frequently and pay extra attention to the spots that always have confused drivers (a certain intersection), frequently have deer crossing the road, etc. I frequently take the slightly longer but less-traveled routes.
@Ruth T, I got T-boned in 2001 and have successfully avoided scary left turns ever since. Doesn't matter if I have to go a longer distance or backtrack. Left turns are fine, scary left turns are for other people.
@Ruth T, I am SO glad, too, that neither you nor anyone else was injured!!!!---and not even any vehicle!!! I'm happy for you, also, you're experiencing all the other things on your list!!! 🙂
@Ruth T, very glad to hear you and your vehicle are OK. I live near an awful intersection (aka demolition derby) that I avoid whenever possible.
Man…my kitchen looks like that after a week of work. I’m not the only one!
Thankful…
-for cool weather
-a coffee maker with a “brew layer” function
-my dog who has been sleeping on my weighted blanket at the end of my bed. He thinks I put it there for him to sleep on. I put it there to cover a dirty spot, planning to sleep under it. It’s been a few nights now and I don’t have a weighted blanket on me, but my toes are warm.
@Kaitlin, I heard a vicious rumor that some people's kitchens look like that after a *day* of work. But I'm sure that's just a rumor...
@Kaitlin,
I'm curious - what does a "brew layer" function do for coffee? Just wondering if this is something I need to look for when my current Ninja coffee maker bites the dust.
I am thankful that you have started showing us that your house is messy at times. I tend to ignore all the curated lives online but it is nice to see real life portrayed.
I am thankful I was able to help a friend yesterday. She was procrastinating a bit on packing for her upcoming move. I was ready to carry boxes from her bedroom to her living room so that was a nudge she appreciated. It was a lot of walking up and down stairs but I'm good with that. I think I have a pulled hamstring and doing that didn't bother me at all whereas longer walks sometimes do. I was treated to lunch for my help. Time with friends is always good.
I am thankful for online shopping. We needed a new toner cartridge for our printer and all the local office supplies stores have closed the past few years. I was able to order from Staples without having to drive to one. I try not to shop much, and not online if I can help it, but sometimes it is the way to go.
I am thankful cooler weather has returned. I am also thankful we have had rain after some dry weeks. Our yard was a bit wet and squishy last night after rain Tuesday night.
I am thankful I switched PCPs a few months ago. My former PCP is going the concierge route in December and I have received calls promoting the new service on both my cell and landline, an email, and a physical letter. If I adored him and had chronic conditions I might be interested but I switched to a younger doctor this summer because I was unhappy with my last couple of physicals. I wish my former PCP well.
@K D,
I, too, appreciate seeing real- life messy kitchen pictures from people I admire. It's helpful in the fight against feeling like it's only me that ever gets behind on life.
This week I'm thankful:
*that you posted the kitchen picture. The constant "perfection" online is so toxic to our society.
*that I (we, really, because my kids helped a lot) was able to help a young family at our church yesterday when the mom's blood pressure went dangerously low. We watched their 3 young (sick) children for the evening. Am I looking forward to our family catching the sickness (strep) that their kids probably have? Um, no. But I have been in a bind like that before-- desperate and with no options--and it is no fun at all.
*for coffee. I really enjoy it, but it has also helped me feel full on my weight-loss journey. It is also a reward that is not food. Well, it is drink, but it's not a cookie or another high-calorie treat.
*for baby steps. Weight loss. Organization in the house. Facial recovery. Maturity.
*that my college boy got a grade on a Greek quiz that wasn't perfect. Now he is learning how to study.
*for cooler weather.
*for my 3 September babies. Birthday season is hectic occasionally, but I am so thankful for my kids.
*for my son and father being home safe from their travels.
*for better internet. Unlimited! Faster! This week that meant that I was able to grab a tablet after doing a botany lesson with the younger kids and look up a video about "exploding" seeds to watch right away.
*that I usually have to force myself to stop typing thankfuls. I am glad I am in a time of my life of abundant thankfuls.
@Jody S.,
I was very happy to see Kristen’s kitchen too. She has a way of keeping things real! Thank you, Kristen.
@Jody S. and K.D.,
Thank you for serving as the hands and feet of Jesus, as you (Jody) helped the mother and her children. And you (K.D.) helped a friend to move, no easy task.
@Jody S., I need to add one more thing
*I'm thankful that adult me gets to see bald eagles flying about. When I was a kid, I never saw them at all. Nobody I know did either. I was just outside walking and saw 2 soaring above me. I stopped and watched. The coolest thing is that this isn't the first time I've seen them this year at my house!
@Jody S., when we were younger, DDT wiped out a lot of wildlife. Thank goodness nature bounced back and we see more eagles and other raptors. Because of better fishing practices, I often see whales now offshore. My children don't understand how in my younger years, these were nonexistent.
@Rose, It is wonderful.
@Jody S.,
There is an eagle's nest not far from my house. I've never actually seen these eagles, but a work friend who lives closer to the nest area saw one as she was leaving for work one morning. There's also a live "eagle cam", so you can watch from afar. It's very cool!
Thankfuls . . .
--That my husband was here to take care of a mouse in the kitchen this morning. Animal issues are the #1 thing I hate to deal with on my own when he's traveling or whatever, and this was a particularly cringe-y one. I will not give details. It was gross. So thank goodness for a much less squeamish member of the household!
--For the much cooler and cloudier weather we've had this week. We haven't gotten the rain forecasted for us, but it at least cooled down a lot.
--For my parents, who are still active and traveling in their mid 70s. They're coming this weekend to take my eldest son to a football game at the Air Force Academy (my dad's alma mater) and then coming back the following weekend for the school play. We only get to their house once a year, so it's nice they can come to us more frequently.
--For new windows, yay! They were actually installed a couple of weeks ago, but after a full month of cardboard and trash bags on my kitchen windows following the hail, I am still appreciative of having actual windows.
--For a current 100% health report for the six people in our house. We've had one thing and another--nothing serious--for the past few weeks affecting different members of the family. I'm hopeful we might actually all go to church together this Sunday. We haven't managed that in almost a month.
Prednisone was also very helpful to me when I couldn't shake off a 6 weeks post-covid cough!
What I am grateful for today is:
* I had my gastric sleeve surgery on tuedsay and all went well. I'm now back home resting and trying to get fluids in.
* Supportive family and friends
* Not vomiting!!! I have a lot of nausea but so far that's it
* My little 6 pounds Morkie sleeping on me at the moment (on my legs, nooooot my stomach)
* My recliner! This recliner saved many nights in the past 10 years (for cranky babies that refuse to sleep, during flu with lots of coughing, for back aches, and now for post-surgery). Never without my recliner, ahah!
@isa, Good luck! Everyone I know who had that procedure said it was life changing for the better.
@isa, Yes, yes, yes to the recliner. My husband has had a number of surgeries and always comes home to his recliner. Last year he slept in it for six weeks after shoulder surgery and I slept on the couch to be near him. Also, it's his daily afternoon nap spot when he's in good health.
@Rose, can't wait to see where this will bring me 🙂
Thankful for our bountiful tomato crop. And a recipe from a friend for roasting them. Then I can the sauce and juice. I have 8 quarts of tomato puree and 6 quarts of juice.
Thankful for the turkey carcus that has been sitting in my freezer for a while. Time to take it out and make some broth. Then I will take some of the chopped up leftover turkey that has been in the freezer and make some white bean chili. It is getting to be the season!
Thankful for my cutting machine and the gifts I have been able to make with it. Its an older model and they are coming out with new ones all the time, but as long as this one works, I won't purchase another one.
Thankful my husband got to spend a few days with our daughter's family and his granddaughter. She loved it and he arrived at each destination safely.
Thankful that my husband made contact with his brother to inquire about him and his wife. His wife has Alzheimer's and is not doing well at all. And his brother just said he is lonely because he doesn't leave the house sitting with his wife. So my husband and I will be making points to visit him and his wife more often, not that the wife will notice. It will be good for the brother to have visitors. They are a quick trip away.
@Maureen, I'm so glad you included your last thankful, because so many of us who are or have been caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer's know that lonely, housebound feeling. More friends and relatives need to make time for what you're doing--in John Prine's words, "Say hello in there." (And if you or your DH can make time to sit with your SIL so that your BIL can get out of the house a bit, your BIL will appreciate it, believe me.)
@Maureen,
Please help your brother-in-law! I was a family caregiver for a short while, and I joke that it was the longest 20 years of my life (it was only a few months). My dad didn't have dementia, but he was still a handful. Caregiving is super difficult.
May I suggest that perhaps your husband can take his brother for an outing (a restaurant meal, the barbershop, or somewhere to just chill) while you sit with your sister-in-law? Even an hour out of the house would help. The best support I got during my caregiving weeks was from my dad's pals Earl and Bob. They would "daddy-sit" him and let me go to my house for a much-needed nap. It might not sound like a lot, but it was a tremendous help to me. I could de-stress and relax for an hour or two, and that made a huge difference.
Also if there is an Alzheimer patient and family support group in your area, tell your brother-in-law it's worth looking into. There is one in my city. It meets once a month. The patients spend the morning doing activities -- it reminds me of a children's Vacation Bible School or kindergarten class because they do simple arts-and-crafts, sing, do an exercise activity (something real simple like balloon tosses, etc.), have snacks and a lunch and usually have an entertainer sing or play songs for them. Each patient has a volunteer buddy doing things one-on-one with them. Meanwhile, the family caregiver can run errands, go home and relax or attend a support group meeting elsewhere in the building. Both the patients and their caregivers look forward to a change of scenery, even if it's only a half-day, and when I visited, it was one of the happiest and most joyful places I've ever been to.
@A. Marie,
Amen. AMEN.
I'm so glad you guys will be helping your brother in law. You will make a world of difference for him!
@Fru-gal Lisa, that's a good recommendation about the patient/family support group, if there is one near Maureen's BIL. If not, I've found the online forums at alzconnected.org to be tremendously helpful. In particular, the forum for spouse/partner caregivers has saved my sanity over the past 5 years or so.
@A. Marie, unfortunately, she is now bed ridden. But just the time to go will make my brother in law happy. He does say he misses sitting and chatting with people. Some of the sisters will be going out in the next week or so. And my BIL's wife's sister will be flying in from California for a few days. This family was brought up to be strong independent people, but when one of them needs help, everyone runs.
@Fru-gal Lisa, his son lives nearby and helps when he can. He comes over and mows the law and helps with the doggies. I don't think my brother in law wants to leave her side (which is another thing). We'll see how he does on Sunday when we offer.
@A. Marie, I have mentioned getting support, and he doesn't seem to want to take that step. He did talk about once he gets out of the house again and what he wants to do to my husband when he visited this week. It seems that she took a turn after my husband was there on Monday. Or maybe it was the talk with the hospice nurse that made my BIL realize what is going on. We'll find out more on Sunday.
Thankful for:
1. the clerk who last week inadvertently cured my whining. We were waiting to get a flu shot and I was moaning on about something when the Rite Aide clerk asked a question that launched my husband into a lengthy description of The Last Hurrah Tour and how it was not only because we were getting older but also to celebrate more than four decades of a wonderful marriage. The lady, who was probably in her 60s looked at me and said, "And he is still holding your hand after all those years. And now you are traveling the world...You have the life I wish I had." Well shut my mouth.
2. The person on this blog or the Non-Consumer Advocate blog who recommended taking a large clip when you travel, the kind you use to keep papers together. I did and have used it half a dozen times for things like clamping curtains together to keep the light out, hanging up underwear to dry, hanging up a bathing suit to dry...wish I had learned this trick years ago!
3. people who know how to design wheelchair accessible places. Several times I have had to use my wheelchair, only to find that a restaurant or a hotel had steps, despite calling themselves ADA compliant. It is such a relief to find a place that knows what it takes to make a place really accessible. One hotel had steps so tall that only the Flying Walendas could have made it into the place.
4. That my sister is emailing me pics of Pound Hound, who appears to be thriving. In fact, I am starting to get jealous of how affectionate he is toward her!!
5. The husband, always the husband. I had one particularly bad day, where I could not get up off the toilet by myself (although in fairness, the toilet at this restaurant must have been purchased from a fire sale at an elementary school; I swear it was only five inches from the ground). When we don't know the condition of the bathroom, my husband walks in with me, while I explain to anyone at the sink that I need his help; no one has ever blinked an eye when they see me in a chair or wobbling about with a cane. This time he had to pull me up and, already weakened by feeling physically awful, I started crying in embarrassment that I needed my husband to go to the bathroom. He repeated something he said once before: "I am your husband and I will be here to lift you up until the day I die." For once I managed to keep my mouth shut and not say something like "Well, you could have a stroke or something and not be able to help." He leaned in, kissed me and whispered, "I'll bet your first thought was that I could have a stroke before I die." We both started laughing, and I thought how when I was 17, or even 27, I never knew true love was having someone pull you up off a toilet, make a promise of love, and then laugh with you because they know you so well that they correctly anticipate what you will say.
@Lindsey, Aw, that is wonderful!
Several times this past year I had problems getting up or off the toilet and didn't have anyone. I learned to yank myself up using the bathroom sink.
@Lindsey, that's just beautiful, may you have many more happy years together!
@Lindsey, your whole post slays me, but especially your #5. Long may the two of you wave.
@Lindsey, your love for one another is evident in ever word you write. Have a wonderful, wonderful trip,
Awwwww. I love your number five so much.
@Lindsey, yeah, can't not chime in - awesome #5!!
(And re: Pound Hound - pretty sure he's just extra clingy with your sister because he misses you so much, right?)
@Lindsey, Regarding No.5. Husband and I went to a restaurant the other day and there were no hooks on the inside of the stall doors. I was holding a jacket and something else in one hand and my purse in the other because I wasn't setting it on the floor. How the @#$% does one get up? I finally did it through an incredible feat of gymnastics, but geez Louise...........
@Lindsey, Sounds like you have an angel for a husband. Give him a hug from me. And perhaps you can write your Congressional Representative, etc., and educate them about what needs to be done for wheelchair-bound citizens.
@Lindsey, This was a beautiful picture of love! Thank you!
@Fru-gal Lisa, years ago a college friend who was a physical therapist moved to a small ritual town. One of the projects she took on voluntarily was to compile a booklet for her patients (and others) that detailed which businesses were actually ADA friendly and why. Like she visited every public restroom and entrance in her small community. The booklet was free and helpful. I had totally forgotten about it until this discussion.
@Lindsey, that's beautiful!
@Lindsey, love this as I’m temporarily using a wheelchair and have a lot of fears about getting around places. I will probably need to have some bathroom help so I liked hearing your approach. Trying to be kind as my husband is doing the best he can with me in his super busy quarter at work.
I scoot myself around and made him set up an air fryer on the floor and had him put refrigerator things I need on the lowest level. Freezer is easy peasy for me to reach and the more I can do myself , the better. I have to laugh or I’d cry as I say I’m seeing everything from the dog’s level as I crawl along our first floor.
We always used the cranial nerve pneumonic
Oh oh oh to touch and feel very good veins ah!
and "heaven" at the end for hypoglossal, right?
@Kristen, I think the “ah”
Covers the hypoglosseal. It’s a little bit of cheating, lol
Ohhh, ok! The one I learned said “ah, heaven” at the end.
@Kim from Philadelphia, I apologize again for being that jerkoff, but it's mnemonic. Named after Mnemosyne, the Greek goddess of memory.
Haha, but what if it's a medical pun?
My lab professors keep saying "pneumonic" instead of "mnemonic" and so do some of my classmates. I think it must be a commonly mispronounced word.
Also I noticed a nursing video said "trock-you-lure" instead of "trochlear", which reminded me of how the word "nuclear" is commonly mispronounced.
Kristen--CORRECT THEM. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THEY LEARN. FIRM BUT FAIR
I mean um OK, I will grant that "mnemonic" is not exactly a standard English word.
trock-you-lure would drive me bat-sheeyit-crazy, but then I'm the person who rolled their eyes when their doctor told them at age 23 that their swollen ankles were called "edema." You don't say, huh?
Wait, you wouldn't say the swollen ankles are a case of edema?
I am nottttt about to correct my professors unless it's a case of arguing for a grade. I'll save my trouble-making for when it really matters!
In the center, the vagus nerve, my favorite nerve!
Thankful for:
A bacon, egg and cheese on a roll for breakfast. It's not great for my diet, but I need something hearty to get through today. Long drive to see my mother.
Modern medicine, helping me deal with stress and pain.
Good friends. A very old friend, who caught the bouquet at my wedding 34 years ago, may be coming for Thanksgiving, so I'm excited.
That my wedding day is still a happy, fun memory.
The booming sound of the ocean waves and that I can hear them sitting here.
@Rose, ooh, how I envy you for your last one. . .
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, PARTY AT MY HOUSE! And you're all invited!
I might go swimming this weekend, but at the little kids' beach, since the ocean right now is relentless, with a hurricane not too far offshore.
This week I’m thankful:
- that my sprained ankle is getting better every day. The swelling and bruising are almost gone.
- that we have a living room with a TV on the main floor, so I didn't have to go upstairs to the family room while my ankle is healing. Definitely reinforces my desire to move to a one-story house.
- that DD made it to her destination for her girl's trip safely and without an issues
- for cooler weather. I think we might be done with 90-degree weather!
- for DS who came over to help out around the house when I was having trouble getting around on my sprained ankle
I am thankful your foot is feeling better!
This week:
- I am thankful for the community that I have built, and that some of that community is happy to socially exercise with me :). It makes motivating to exercise a lot easier.
- I am thankful the house project is still moving, and still moving means closer to being done. That I am trying to focus on progress instead of just wanting it to be done with. It ebbs and flows, but today is a good day for it.
- I am thankful that I have worked to curate grace for myself the same way that I give grace for others. I am not quite 100%, but I figure any attempt will multiply as I work on it. There are a lot of things that I do, or that I choose not to do, that are morally neutral.
- That I know the term morally neutral :). There is a fantastic book called "How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing", and it has been really applicable in many parts of my life.
@ElbowGrease,
I looooved that book! Mel Robbins interviewed the author for her podcast (it's in 2 parts on the podcast). Love the term morally neutral.
@Liz B., Mel Robbins is a hoot. I will look for that podcast. Thank you!
@ElbowGrease, thanks for the book recommendation. I'm number 4 on the hold list at my county library.
Hooray for walking on that foot again. And hurray for medications like prednisone! Anytime I get a case of poison ivy I have to use prednisone or the rash will spread like wildfire.
My Thanksgivings:
1. The teenaged son of my daughter's friend came to my daughter's house and helped her reassemble her vinyl privacy fence planks that blew all over her yard in the hurricane. She said he basically took over for her, and just like that, the fence is all back in place.
2. Same daughter is safely returned from Germany where she had a business meeting. Just like when she was in Finland, she was captivated by the scenery in Germany. I'm also thankful that if she has to take these trips, at least she is enjoying the places she visits.
3. I'm thankful that the local farmers from whom I order have been able to recover from the storm and didn't suffer too much in the way of loss. They are back up and selling again.
4. Our cooler, dryer air that was forecast to start today just got pushed back a few days, sadly, but it is still in the forecast, so I'm thankful for that much. I'm also thankful that we are finally approaching the time when the days in the 90's will go away for the rest of the year.
5. My medication manufacturer dropped the ball and didn't order my mail-order pharmacy to send my prescription when they should have. I managed, miraculously, to get actual people on the phone and get it straight in three phone calls yesterday morning. Today I have notice that my medication is in Florida and out for delivery to my house! (A. Marie, it comes from Wegmans in NY).
@JD,
Darn it, she was in Norway, not Finland. She was supposed to go to Finland but the pandemic ended that.
@JD, I'm glad you can give the Wegmans pharmacy sector a good review. I've been using the pharmacy at my local Wegmans ever since DH and I were picking up prescriptions for his parents there, back in the early 2000s.
@JD, Norway is beautiful!
Weird week one...
5 years ago our oldest dog (now gone) we discovered she had cancer, fast forward to last week our oldest pup Ig has cancer.
Thankful for modern technology and gifted caring surgeons.
Thankful I am really good at saving and we can afford the surgery, otherwise the decision would already have been made.
Thankful that he has always been in good health other than having arthritis.
Thankful I have more knowledge than I did with the last one. Hindsight is 20/20.
I am hopeful that I will somehow be guided into making the correct decision for him and his personality.
I am thankful I still get to deal with his bad attitude every day!
Thankful for the rescue that allowed us to adopt him even though they did not do out of state adoptions. They did in this case, he has had a great life.
@Mar, May things go well with your pup.
Kristen, that kitchen! 😀 It reminds me though that my mother once tripped over the door of the dishwasher and broke a finger. She was clearing things away, got distracted, left the dishwasher door open and so on. I often have to remind myself I can't multitask and should finish one thing before starting the next.
I am thankful for cooler weather and less humidity this week.
Also that I was in time for choir practise yesterday even though I had a 90 minute train delay after getting back from work (Groan). Thankful that I had very constructive workshops with our customer. Thankful to find two purring cats at home. Thankful we can afford home maintenance for things we cannot do ourselves.
@JNL, "finish one thing before starting another"? What a novel concept. I may have to try that one day. 😀
@JNL, I, too, left the dishwasher door down once. I fell forward and my hands landed on the floor on the other side of the door, so I was in this awkward upside down V position. My shins were bleeding, the blood was rushing to my head, and I started laughing so hard (from the absurdity or shock, or both) that I may or may not have wet myself. Most of it is still vivid in my memory, except for how I finally got upright.
Thankful that Kristen's foot is better (and that she apparently hasn't had to miss any classes on account of the foot).
Thankful beyond words that a close friend (CF) of my next-door neighbor (NDN) and I **finally** persuaded NDN to sign a NY State health care proxy form while she still can. (You may recall from my previous Thankful Thursdays that NDN is developing some cognitive issues.) CF is now NDN's HCP; I am CF's alternate; and I was able to round up two neighbors on fairly short notice to sign as witnesses. Phew!
Thankful that NDN and I live in what my JASNA BFF calls a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC). On our street, it's nearly always possible to find a couple of neighbors for something like this on short notice.
Finally, thankful that I can use acronyms. Otherwise, this TT would have been a lot longer. 🙂
Yay for progress with your neighbor!!
@A. Marie,
The acronym comment; so funny.
I wish I could import you to my sister's house! Her husband has Parkinson's dementia, and she keeps putting off the paperwork like a POA because she's not used to taking the lead on these things - he always handled their business. I keep working on her and refuse to give up.
@JD, please feel free to add my urging to yours: It is absolutely ESSENTIAL to get the health care proxy/durable power of attorney/will stuff done while the person with dementia can still produce a recognizable signature. I speak from experience: Three weeks after my DH and I got ours done *just* in time, DH could no longer sign his name.
I am so grateful for your kitchen photo @Kristen! Good to know someone else is living real life like I am and that not everyone's reality is an Instagram photo!
1. I did my first weighted sit-ups ever this week. These were also the first sit-ups that I have done in 30 or so years. This was such a good feeling! I am so grateful for a strong body that is functioning so well, getting stronger every day, and allowing me to workout, lift weights and even run.
2. This week has been horribly stressful for a variety of reasons that I cannot share. Suffice to say that I am grateful for the opportunities I have had in life to learn to create healthy boundaries and how to live best through stressful situations. Before I knew these things I would have responded to stress in very unhealthy ways and everything would have spiraled. Now I can recognize triggers, give myself room to feel it and respond in a healthy matter - going for walks, an extra workout, a hot bath.
3. For the fall like temperatures that are coming this weekend. It won't be cold or anything but right now, any temperatures that aren't 90+ degrees are to be celebrated.
4. For successful interviews for my husband that will likely add up to a promotion for him.
5. For a comfortable bed. After long days of work and work outs that tax all of my muscles I am so blessed to be able to snuggle up in a warm, comfortable bed at the end of the day.
I am also thankful Kristen's foot is better and she's out of the fat foot club! I got a bee caught in my sandal in college and had that same problem to a lesser degree.
This week I have had to deal with some extended family stuff and am thankful for my oldest cousin, who is awesome, and my resourceful husband. And I am thankful for Lindsey sharing the story of her Last Hurrah trip, her enduring live story, and what a good boy Pound Hound has been.
Danged autocorrect: that should be Lindsey's enduring love story.
I’ll join the chorus of thanks for better weather. We've very suddenly gone from high 90s (and higher) to low 70s in the daytime, and high 70s to low 50s at night. And thankful we’re finally getting monsoon season – two + months late, but still …
And kinda/sorta thankful I strained/sprained a finger. I could have broken it. (Had to reach for that thankful. It's been a "Well, it could have been worse!" week.)
I’m so glad you are feeling better after so many stings – it’s amazing how they can really zap the energy out of you!
Yesterday was my birthday and I had THE BEST DAY! I went into work because I really do enjoy spending time with my coworkers. I lucked out that we just happened to be having a division outing to a major league baseball game, so I spent a beautiful sunny afternoon with friends, watching a baseball game, eating snacks, and I got paid for it!
I had an amazing dinner at my favorite local Italian restaurant with my husband and son. Then my husband gifted me concert tickets to a band my son and I love, which will be my son’s first concert.
My son has been able to sign up for two before school music ensembles. I really appreciate the music teachers at his school that make these programs available to students who are interested in extra instruction and challenge.
I’m so excited that fall is slowly starting to arrive. The cooler temps and the fall colors here and fall colors are starting to pop up on my daily walks.
On Sunday our family was invited to our local pro football team’s home opener by one of my husband’s clients. We had a great afternoon! My husband works so hard that I appreciate when he gets a day off, and he has some really great clients that I enjoy getting a chance to spend time with socially.
Yay for a good birthday!
Glad you were able to go to class and that it is going so well, Nurse Kristen! Say hello to your buddies for me!
1. Rain, rain, rain, rain and rain!!!!!!!!! After a long, unbearably hot and dry, summer, we have gotten a nice front come through. It is raining! First good rain in months! The high temperature is only supposed to be in the 80s today....compare that with 100+ temps, and you'll know why we're so excited!!!! Oh, and rainwater has nitrogen, just right for fertilizing my new plants. (See #3.)
2. For the Joyce Meyer book (titled "I Dare You!") that I got at the thrift store for 20 cents. Gotta love the library book sales: when they're over, all the leftovers are donated and the local thrift stores don't know what to do with the sudden flood of books. So they sell 'em extra cheap. Bonus: my 20-cent hardback is in like-new condition. The eye doctor wants me to "practice" reading smaller print to get my brain working in conjunction with my (cataract-free) eyes, so I won't have to use reading glasses. My far vision is almost perfect; it's just the 10-point or smaller type I'm having trouble with. And this book has at least 10-point type, possibly smaller. I'm telling myself I'm not being lazy and comfortable on the sofa; I'm practicing my reading! Practice, practice, practice! Who knew doctor's orders could be so pleasurable?
3. Being able to work in the yard yesterday before it rained. It was cool enough so that I could do it; I get sick in the extreme heat. I planted some Asian Jasmine for ground cover around my big oak in the front yard. I only could buy 10 plants but hope to get a lot more. Several neighbors have Asian Jasmine, and it's grown solid in shady portions of their yards. When the plants all fill in, we won't have to mow around the tree and thus the roots will be protected. (I did the other half of the yard, beneath two large oaks, in English ivy; it worked like a charm, but I want to have something different on the other side.)
4. Figured out how to make a car payment to Kia. For whatever unknown reason, they are not sending me paper bills in the mail. I don't like that one bit! I made a payment over the phone and also got a customer service rep to tell me the payoff amount. I just may go to a credit union and get them to pay off Kia National Finance and then make payments to a local institution.
5. Getting to enjoy a movie night, something I almost never do. I'd ordered the DVD of "Jesus Revolution," about how the California "Jesus freaks" in the 1970s started a revival there, from Harvest Ministries and Greg Laurie (one of the people portrayed in the movie). Finally took time to watch it, and it was worth my while. Also glad I'd saved the old TV/VHS/DVD player I'd bought from Salvation Army -- I can view a lot of movies that way. Including some old style video tapes I was given. Unlike streaming or cable, this is all free. (Except for purchase price of my new DVD.)
Its been a difficult week so this will be a good exercise. I am grateful for:
1. My physical therapist and chiropractor for helping me relieve the pain in my body.
2. The argument I had with a friend. This person is toxic and I have been looking for a way to gracefully drop the friendship. While the argument wasn't what I had in mind, it may have done the trick.
3. That a friend kindly forced 2 jars of homemade spiced nectarine jam on me. Nectarines are my favorite.
4. That I am starting to feel a tiny bit happy that fall is coming. Fall is my favorite season but last year's weather was so severe I was dreading the change in leading into the colder months. Winter will come whether I like it or not so I may as well enjoy autumn.
5. That my cat doesn't fight me too hard on taking her medicine. She is on to all my tricks so we've come to an uneasy agreement about just taking it and getting it over with. LOL.
Kristen, I am SO happy your foot is doing SO much better! And it looks as if Chiquita is even trying to help, too! 🙂 Grateful, also, for everything else on your Gratitude List.
Mine is that I have a new job ...and I REALLY like it! Was a SAHM who also Homeschooled until Wasband disappeared last year. And took the only kid we still had left at home (now 15) and turned him against me. And then divorced me. Chemo for nearly 4 years nonstop changed his brain, and he's not the same man I married. He got Cancer from the Camp Lejeune fiasco. Our 25th anniversary was 2 days ago.
So huge changes in my life. But the Lord is helping me adjust...Scripture says He will be my Husband (somewhere in the Old T. 🙂 ) And I see that every day!!!! Sometimes several times a day!!!
---For example---a complete stranger paid for an entire fill-up at the gas station w/o my asking (and I have a van)! Never had that happen before. Praise His Name, Amen?!!!!!
Ohhh, yay for a new job for you! Wonderful.
I am so sorry about the relational troubles in your life. Sending you lots of love.
Oh goodness! I got stung by a yellow jacket on the back of my lower leg earlier this summer, and I had similar swelling to you. I didn’t need medicated, but I was close. Those little guys are angry!
Thankful for this list of good things to inspire me to consider all of the goodness around me.
I haven't been stung by one for decades probably, and boy, I hope it's decades before it happens again!
We added a kitten to our three-cat household about three weeks ago, and she's fitting in great. She's a smart, sassy girl (in a household of three older male cats), so I'm loving the new personality. It's been awhile since we had a kitten, so there are some adjustments, but it's going so well.
The temps are slowly cooling off and moving away from heat and humidity, and fall is in the air. The windows are open this morning and I noticed I'm actually feeling a bit cool. Perfect nighttime temps for sleeping and I'm not stressing out over the heat stressing out the chickens! Chickens do fine in colder temps (even snow, although they're typically not a fan of snow), but heat can cause a lot of problems, and when my hens are hot, I'm stressed.
Speaking of chickens, I'm 99% sure the four younger girls I added early summer are beginning to lay. They're about ready age-wise, and I've gotten a few smaller eggs in the nesting box. (Chickens typically will lay smaller eggs until their bodies get into the swing of laying an egg.) Laying hens are good to have!
My daughter, SIL and granddaughter are coming this weekend so we can all attend a Fairy Festival and we're all dressing up in costumes. So excited to attend, to spend time with my kid, and that we're all game for dressing in costumes. I've been gathering supplies all week like a squirrel preparing for winter!
@Mary, Oh, I love pullet eggs!
Thankful for my handyman cousin extraordinaire who survived a bicycle accident with a horrific road rash. Thankful I'm a wound nurse and can take care of it for him as he won't let his nurse wife touch him, big Navy Seal baby! I baked him an apple pie as reward for letting me work on him.
Thankful for fall weather.
Thankful for framily member tirelessly tutoring and mentoring me on a multitude of things. Always takes my call and talks me thru a multitude of tasks.
Thankful for my puppy, she constantly makes me chuckle. Such antics!
Thankful for this blog, Kirsten and everyone who participates.
Thankful for:
1. Someone is about to stop by and review what sorts of paintings will work in the gift shop of a local retreat center. YEA! A new place to sell (all three of my current places have been struggling due to closures: road, national park, and nearby cafe)
2. Cooler temperatures. . . somewhat, anyway
3. Deer Out, which kept my geraniums safe this summer
4. Having made it 6 weeks without sweets (except for an occasional treat because I don't want to get too deprived)
5. A fabulous summer at the cabin after the super wet winter, which closed the road to the public, made for incredible water flows and a wonderful wildflower season, along with cancelling the usual events which make us too busy at a place that is supposed to be NOT busy.
And, as always, for this blog, which helps me pay attention to frugality and gratitude.
I am so glad the foot is somewhat of a normal size. After a summer of foot-related issues, I totally understand how unbelievably annoying it is to be semi-couch bound.
This week I am thankful for:
1. My therapist (lol). I am having some family and relationship issues right now, so it is really nice that I have a scheduled therapy appointment today with my wonderful therapist that I have been seeing for years.
2. I was able to wear shoes for the whole wedding weekend!!!! Did I regret it on Monday? Yes I did but it was worth it. And a day of ice and elevation pretty much fixed it.
3. My middle class, semi-frugal life. The wedding was thrown by two families with pretty unbelievable wealth and while it was pretty spectacular to be a part of in the short term, I was so happy to come home to my little house in the 'burbs. I honestly think living like that constantly would be a burden.
4. My milk frother. I have been on a cappuccino kick lately and it makes the best foam.
5. Slightly cooler weather. The wedding was outdoors during a heat wave but we are coming home to a stretch of cooler weather, especially at night. Fall is trying and I am here for it.
Thankfulness
1. I am thankful that this is the 3rd day of my migraine, which means it normally is the last day. This one hasn't been horribly bad, which is also nice. Just a constant pain in the head.
2. For being healthy enough to bicycle ride 327.1 miles in 5 days. I'm so proud of myself I could burst.
3. For my step dad, who also was on the bicycle ride with me and is strong enough to lead into the wind on that very windy first day.
4. For my 20+ year old 4 man tent. I had to buy an inflatable sleeping pad, an inflatable pillow, and a backpacking sleeping bag, but that tent is still going strong. This tent has been to the U.P. of Michigan, North Rim of the Grand Canyon, the mountains of North Carolina, and now the DALMAC ride. Also, I once loaned it out to a coworker for their use. I will be sad if I ever have to retire it.
5. That work let me go, even though it was the first week of classes. I knew it was a big ask, but the bike ride was a bucket list item. I am definitely one of those people who figures there is no harm in asking. I am so happy they let me go.
@Angel, I mean let me go as "take vacation" not "hit the road." Only in re-reading it did I realize how that sounded.
Agree with everyone else on the "real" kitchen. Had a friend stop by yesterday who keeps an immaculate large house. Mine is small and is currently almost free of dog confetti, but not the carpet stains or the "scritched" place on the loveseat. I'm sure thoughts went through her mind, but she is a very good friend and would never let those things bother her. And the Prednisone. So glad it is helpful! It helps me. too, but includes insomnia and increased appetite. And A. Marie, so glad for moving forward with your neighbor in her plight.
1) Thankful for last week's vacay w family and esp. my "little" brother. Only lull in our conversations was during rodeo we attended, sleeping at night and for about five min. on the trip home.
2) Safe travels for same.
3) Tour that ended our pollinator steward course this morning. The whole educational experience was good. The tour highlighted the intentional and unintentional conversion from nonnative to native plants and trees and ridding of invasive species to promote pollinator habitat.
4) Thankful for the kennel my beloved Molly stayed in over the weekend. This is the second time she's been there. I go thru sadness for having to leave her, she waltzes right in without so much as a goodbye. And then when I picked her up, she took her time about leaving. I guess it's like having a good baby sitter.
4) I love summer. But I am glad for the cool down. I prefer rodeo weekend with tolerable weather. I've been there in all kinds. This was the best.
Thankful that I'm reading really fun and interesting books--I love the library!
Thankful for the beautiful weather and friends to share a walk with.
Thankful to be where I am.
Coffee
Karen
Thankful that
Maybe they found the leak in my roof--2nd one. We have had trees and branches go down in the past year that have damaged roof shingles. Hopefully now that two are corrected, a 3rd won't pop up. We are ready for whatever weather hits us this coming weekend.
That I am able--I am the youngest in my immediate family. My brother is undergoing chemo; his wife has to go to a nursing care facility as she has dementia; another sister-in-law had a fall last Sunday and ended in the hospital, my husband's sister has dementia and other medical issues; and my husband has COPD. I am well (I think) and I have to stay well.
My youngest grandson had his 5th birthday today. He is a busy, lively and smart boy.
I was able to get his birthday present locally without paying a $10 shipping charge.
All of the new friends and reacquaintances I have made in the last 4 years through work, our club and through our walking group. I am an introvert so it is not always easy for me to just walk up to someone and say hi. I need to be more appreciative of them.
I’m thankful for very good surgeons that can put my broken ankle back together. I tripped off a small deck with my Costco flip flops and broke all three bones in one ankle plus some more and badly sprained the other one. It’s going to be a long slow road and he hopes to have me walking in 4 months. I think I have 12 weeks of no weight on the foot which right now isn’t too hard to do considering the other ankle needs to heal. Hubby is taking me out tomorrow night for dinner and a change of scenery. Trying to stay positive and am so thankful it is fixable. I feel for you Kristen!!!
This week I'm thankful:
-That the days following my second chemo infusion have been easier than those after my first. It reminds me a lot of being postpartum. Life immediately after a first baby is so immensely difficult. You feel terrible, and you just have no clue what to do. I felt overwhelmed and exhausted. But then the second time around you know what to expect, and you've developed some mechanisms and support systems to help. I'm managing my nausea so much better this time, and it is making a world of difference.
-That our commercial building purchase is going smoothly. We had no financial plan to purchase a commercial space this year. But this space came available, and is really just perfect in every way. I'm still finding the whole process very stressful. So my husband and I are dividing and conquering. He is handling communication with the seller and real estate agent, and I am talking to the lawyer, accountant, and bankers. It's a huge relief to me that my husband is doing what I consider the hard part.
-That we were able to attend our neighbor's funeral. She was such a special friend to our family, and we loved her dearly. Her unexpected lose hit us so hard. It was a balm to our souls to be able to attend a celebration of her life and hug her family members.
-That we are $5 away from hitting our health insurance deductible. Really I am thankful to have health insurance when so many folks don't. But I am also very tired of having insurance and still paying $1,000 bills.
-That I have a bag of scarves from my mom and an offer from a friend to shave my head. The chemo hair lose started this morning. I am ready for it emotionally. I am ready to get as many parts of this whole situation over with. Here we go.
Yay for you figuring out how to navigate chemo. Sending you lots of love!
Sharing this in case it helps anyone else.
I make a grateful list most days, and it does help me feel better. I e also notices with a bunch of stressors piled on top of one another that I still can have a lot of times during my day that feel stressful and yucky.
My coach took me through a process of identifying a yucky 4 hour period at work, and sifting through the memories to see what peaceful, joyful, connected, moments I could find. Not surprisingly, I was able to identify multiple points of connection, sharing, belonging and togetherness, even during a tough 4 hours.
I think I’m only looking for the low hanging fruit in my gratitude practice, and I’m going to try using this each day to wring out more appreciation for the good things in my life.
In that spirit— I’m thankful for 5 of my work mates who are absolutely wonderful to work with. They make the hard days more fun.
I’m thankful for the part of my work where I sit with patients and their families and learn what matters to them, share information ( often not good) about their health and plan for the future ( I’m a doctor who works in geriatric medicine).
I’m thankful that I remember sometimes to fill my own tank— I was purposeful about exercise, meditation, reading and did a zentangle this week!
Im so thankful for my adult children. Our weekly zoom call really lifts me up.
Aww, that is such important work that you are doing. God bless you.
There are a couple of gals in my lab group who really want to be geriatric nurses, and I think that's so awesome that they feel such a strong call to that field.
I’m so glad your bee sting swelling is going down. Years ago, I was stung on my hand just a few minutes before going into a classroom to take a test. Because of the rapid swelling and itching that set in, I could hardly concentrate. Thankfully I did fine on the exam and by the time I got home, the area was feeling better. Thankfully for you, Kristen, the meds and ice packs have helped you and haven’t kept you from your classes!
This week I’m greatly grateful for autumn temps and falling leaves.
I’m thankful for the fresh communications between a long- term friend and me. She and I had slacked off a bit but we recently reconnected and it feels like we haven’t missed a beat.
I’m thankful for a wonderful evening walk with my husband last night.
I’m thankful for a family gathering tomorrow to celebrate our grandson’s first birthday ( a few days early but still…).
I’m thankful to be able to dance tonight. We’ve missed a few of our regular sessions lately so tonight is especially appreciated.
Oh, what rotten timing for a sting! There's never a good time, but right before an exam is an especially bad time.
Very very impressed you went back to get your nursing degree. I took some programming classes (over 60 years old) at the community college and so much has changed, but I could do it. Sometimes i needed to ask for help (not easy). I wish you the best and I am certain you will be successful.
Aww, thank you for the encouragement!
This week, I'm thankful:
1)For students like Kristen who ask questions, because you're right, almost surely someone else has the same doubt but is too nervous to raise their hand!
2) For this special blog and community and blog writer who is so real-life that she will post a messy kitchen pic (and many other "normal" life pics that you would almost never see on Insta).
3) For a health practitioner who looks for root causes and is helping me figure some things out.
4) That my husband and I got to go to our first concert since pre-COVID and it was epic. (Love heavy metal, it soothes my soul 🙂
5) For some weather that hints at FALL! I'm so ready.
So glad you enjoyed my messy kitchen. lol Seriously, I am!
I have had to have prednisone multiple times for bee stings and poison ivy. I never had any mood changes. Glad you sting is healing.