5 DEGREES

Oh.. it's cold. 5 degrees. I have not slept well this night.. and am now having a little trouble waking up. I have to wake up.. today I work in the office again. Gotta find me a cup of coffee. Don't want to be late- too many depending on my presence.
I'm not much of a morning person. I am more like a night owl. I think that helped for all the many years I worked night shift at the hospital.
Gotta get dressed now.. I have some chores to accomplish before I leave today. Have a super day, bloggers. Even if it's 5 degrees, the sun will shine and we'll get up to near 32. Oh, happy day.

MONOTONY

I'm ready for some color.. I'm a 'color person'. I like red, green, yellow, blue, purple, orange, and all the colors in between! This white snow is monotonous. It's blah blah blah..
As I said in a previous post, Wendell took me to work today. He said there was about 2" of snow extra we'd gotten through the night.. yeah, right. There was at least 4" of new stuff.. I know, because it went over my ankles when I walked out to the car. Bad enough our driveway had new snow, but not one plow had been through, and there was at least 4" on our road- and all the back roads. Schools were cancelled. I wanted to cancel. But Wendell was driving and went on.. Rt 8 was one lane both ways. Nasty nasty nasty! Very icy and slippy (you know we are from WPa when we say that). Streets in town were wet, no snow.. clear.. perfect.. like night and day. And............. when Wendell picked me up tonite, all the main drags were dry.. yes, I said DRY. No snow at all and not even wet. Now, how did that happen? Our back roads, of course, had been plowed, but continue to be miserable.
No matter.. I had a good day today anyway. And tomorrow will be also. I'm planning on it. Feeling good about it. So there.

ANOTHER YEAR GONE BY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
ANNSLEY
JUST A LITTLE LATE,
BUT WHO'S COUNTING?
I LOVE YOU ANYWAY

SNOW

It's time to leave for the office.. Pray for us.. Wendell has cleaned off the car and is warming it up. He says we already have 2 inches on the ground of the new stuff.. and it's still snowing

RATS! MORE SNOW

I sure hope this white fluff goes away soon. It's really getting annoying. More coming today.. 1-3 here, but just bearly south of us, 2-5".. YUK I haven't taken a look yet.. it's 13 degrees. I'll be looking for that groundhog.
Come on, spring !!! I know you are out there waiting to move in. Yesterday we had about an inch of snow. Now we need the slightly warmer temperatures to melt off what is remaining.
I'll be gainfully employed today at the office as general help. It's an enjoyable job. Wendell will be dropping me off and going to his appointment with his PCP at the same time. It's all good. I don't have to drive on the nasty roads.. (yes, I'm sure they are).
331 days to go.. but I won't get into that again.

• Wendell's sister Joy is now home. No pathology reports yet. She will be on home O2.
  
• Wendell's GI doc was pleased to call him with pathology reports (biopsy of his small bowel)- which, of course we were aware were negative. He cancelled his appointment for Monday.
• We also cancelled the surgical consult for Thursday- hooray !

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO
JOY BLOEMERS
MARCH 6
MANY MANY MORE
&
GET WELL SOON !!

IN LIKE A LION

IN LIKE A LION......... OUT LIKE A LAMB

The saying goes.. and so we are experiencing the lion at the moment. It's cold.. 8 degrees and flurries of snow are blowing hard all over. It's March 6 now, and it has come with a lion like temperament. That's okay.. it'll go out like a lamb with spring on it's tail.
Say, are you aware that this weekend is daylight saving time again? March 11 is the date we 'spring' forward. We will fall back earlier too.. November 4 for standard time.

Don't forget to set your clocks ahead this weekend.

UH-OH

The weather service just issued a warning of up to 3" of snow.. one inch could drop in an hour this afternoon.. roads may be a mess.. Pray, people.. pray for safety today.
Did I mention I will not have to deal with this when I retire? Just 333 more days.. AMEN

UPDATES

Just a couple updates..

• Wendell's sister Joy is now back in a regular room, out of ICU. The biopsy reports should be in today or tomorrow, and then they will know how to plan for treatment. Her birthday is tomorrow and she hopes to be home for that.
• Wendell just got home from seeing the orthopedic surgeon. The news is good.. no, the news is fantastic! He doesn't have to go back till his left knee causes him distress. He's good to go.. walking and getting around so much better. They will hold off the replacement of the knee/hip until it causes a problem..
  

Such very good news to report.. my heart is so glad ! How very great our God is !

333 DAYS

I feel like this is me.. working , and yet, moving into my retirement.. sort of a picture of where I am in my life.
Almost there.. 333 days to go.. One part of me is workforce, one part of me longs to retire and relax and enjoy the remainder of the days I am allotted. 333 days till the picture changes and the left side is gone...well, sort of.
This weekend was a reminder of why I want to be retired. Slammed every night, no help available.. do your best with what you have and don't grumble. The full moon hit us hard.. last night it stopped abruptly for a few hours and there was nothing left to do at work. We had filled all but one bed, and that patient would have to be male and have MRSA to occupy it.. So, in spite of the fact that we were full, the ER had patients to place- and my unit was where they were to be. At 11pm we started playing 'musical beds' again.. 3 patients got transferred out to another unit to make room for 3 new admissions + one who came as a direct admission from another hospital up north. 4 admissions at 11pm. This is really aggravating to me. If I were a patient, I would have refused to be moved at that hour and would encourage others to refuse also.
In the midst of this, I am instructed to NOT use the intercom after 9:30pm to reach any staff, and if the nurse doesn't have her phone on her, or has it turned off, I'm sunk. I have to go room to room- all 23 of them and the conference room, locker room, etc to find that person who likely has gone off the department on a break, leaving my desk and my work for 5 minutes to do so.
When I come back to my desk, I usually find that someone needed the chart I was working on, and has removed it and gone elsewhere. So I will pick up another chart and open it only to have the phone ring again and have to go on another wild goose chase. It becomes so frustrating and tiring before the night is done and I can go home.
This happens every night. I really need to retire.. did I mention just 333 days to go?
We now have a wonderful program where I work.. it celebrates 'Random acts of kindness'. There are awards for these RAKs.. but I'm wondering if that is necessary. I thought about it a lot and decided that I am paid to do what I do.. the last awards were given for someone showing a family where their loved one was moved.
Now, I do this nightly.. seriously.. at least 20 times I point folks in the direction of a family member- I don't expect to be praised or awarded for this- it's my job. And it's the job of every person who works there- so why are we giving these 'prizes' to just certain people who do their jobs? It's an enigma to me.
I don't remember what #2 prize was for, but something similar.. doing one's job. We push 'quality care' at my place of employment, and that is just a part of the quality of care we give. I suppose next we'll see an award for the escorts wheeling someone to their car at discharge. ... it's their job.
If I seem disgruntled, I'm not.. I simply fail to see the necessity to award staff for something mundane.. everything we do is an act of kindness.. how about something 'above and beyond the call of duty'?
Can anyone explain why we have this program? Is it really necessary? Perhaps I need to retire.. did I mention I have just 333 days to go?

It's 28 degrees...snow is on the ground, but not SERIOUS snow..just enough to remind me that winter is not completely gone.. but is going. It's to be cold most of the week..in the 20s. I didn't think the roads were bad last night on the way home.. they were dry for the most part.. but when I got to the back roads, I realized the wind had drifted the snow deeply in some areas- and the backroads were all covered. No anti-skid materials on them, never saw a plow or salt truck.. but they got worse as I got closer to home. That's one of the things I look forward to when I retire.. no more driving at night on slick roads or roads nearly drifted shut with snow. Maybe I'll get a new perspective on winter.. who knows? But I am looking forward to retiring- did I mention that before? Just 333 days.
On to the day!!! I am gainfully employed again- and pray things will have calmed down.

BELATED ANNIVERSARY..

TO JEREMY AND CHRISTY
A BELATED WISH
FOR YOUR ANNIVERSARY..
March 1
MANY MORE TO YOU

ps.. loved your blog posts

OH, DEAR..ANOTHER LATE BIRTHDAY

It seems I've missed another birthday.. so very sorry.
No excuses for it..
just blanketed in work
and didn't look at the birthday calendar.

SO...... !!

I HOPE YOUR BIRTHDAY
WAS A FANTASTIC ONE
CALLUM..
SOME DAY WE SHALL GET TO MEET.
Callum is my 3rd cousin once removed from England.
We've never met, but the good wishes for a wonderful day are definitely in order.

FULL MOON

There is a big ol' full moon out there tonite. I woke up a few minutes ago and thought the alarm clock said 6am and decided to get up and have a cup of left over coffee.. and blog. So here I sit talking about what I thought was last evening, but when I glanced at the computer clock, it was either wrong or I was up at 12:30am.. Silly me..
it's just midnight. I suppose I'll be going back to bed soon..
It's 38 degrees right now and won't get a whole lot more, in fact, the high is to be 34 today and there is a chance of the fluffy white stuff. There are 2 emergency warnings that keep flashing at me- one has to do with high winds today.. ah, yes! March brings wind and that means soon we shall get the kites out to fly. Love it!!!the other is the observation that ice on the Allegheny River is on the move and should be as far as the Ohio River this weekend. It had jammed at Parker as usual, and now is moving. It's a sight to see if you ever get the chance.

Word from cousin Jeff is good. Uncle Bob is doing well after his amputation; he's at a nursing home till he can get home again. They are providing him physical therapy there, and he'll get his dialysis in Apollo.
He'll soon be ready to have his prosthesis made for his leg, and then he'll be a few steps from home- pardon the pun.
Keep him in prayer please- he's in the midst of struggles most of us will never know. He needs physical strength and courage to keep going. Uncle Bob is a fighter and has a really good outlook himself.
Remember Aunt MaryJane too. The word is good here too. She is healing, but home is not where she will be going for a while. She has a way to go yet. One step at a time..
Of course, I ask you to remember Wendell yet.. he's in a remission at the moment and doing pretty well. I spoke with his doctor last night and he feels we shall just wait to see what happens. All reports have been very good.
HIDA scan shows that his gall bladder is functioning very well, though it has sludge. His endoscopy was very encouraging with the GI doctor's report of "clean all the way". The biopsy was negative also for the gluten enteropathy. So, we shall just wait and see what happens and what the GI doctor has to say March 12 when he goes to see him.
Remember Nicki too as she makes her flights across the country for her treatments. Pray they will be the correct treatments and that she would be completely healed. Pray for her safety when she flies.
I have already mentioned Joy. Please keep her uplifted with prayer. Pray for the doctors and care givers for her, that they will know what she needs and that what treatments they decide will be the right ones. Pray for her husband Jim too. This has to be a very difficult time for him.
Wendy is coming up to her due date. She's 36 weeks now. Pray for a normal quick delivery when it is time, and for a healthy Elijah. Pray for strength for Wendy to complete these last difficult weeks of pregnancy. Elijah is a big boy and she is feeling uncomfortable much of the time.
Pray for our leaders locally and world-wide. Pray for opened hearts and minds, that they would turn to the Lord for instruction and salvation.
Thank the Lord for all He does for you and me.. and always keep in mind that no matter what is happening around you, He is still in control of it all.

BEFORE I GO TO BED

Hello bloggers.. I have a prayer request for you. Wendell's sister has been in the hospital for about 2 weeks now with anemia from blood loss. They have done some testing and found bladder tumors which appear malignant, but the biopsies won't be back for a couple days. Please put her on your prayer lists and pass the word along if you would.
Thanks

OVER TIRED

Being overly tired is really not a good idea. I have experienced it this week while I've been trying to work every day. It didn't take long to be exhausted. I set my clock for 5am and Wendell woke me up at 8. I was due at the office at 8am. I had slept for 11 hours prior to that, getting up once during that time to run to the BR, and then back to bed to sleep again. I was so tired when I got up, I couldn't think straight, but had to quickly get my head together. I called into the office to say I'd be late and faxed my worksheet to them. Then I called my assistant to go in earlier than anticipated while I got my shower, dressed, and pulled myself together. I didn't get to do much with the patients, but instead caught up with the scheduling and was on the phone with insurance companies, pharmacies, and patients all day. My weariness grew all day-red tape does that to you. I am thankful for Kathy. I don't know what I would have done without her.
I got home and did nothing the rest of the evening. I just wanted to sit quietly and not think any more. I had a cup of coffee, called one more insurance company for information, and then ate my salad I had brought home from lunch. It was then that I realized I had not had breakfast, nor lunch.. nothing all day. No wonder I was so tired. I put chicken in the salad and was satisfied.
A few more phone calls came in, and I finally plugged in the cell phone and went to bed. It's not quite 8am, but I decided to take today off totally and just be home today. I'll nap when I need to, and won't have the pressures of work on my shoulders.
It is 39 degrees here right now. It's to be in the mid 40s today. That is a sign of spring. Another sign of spring is the melting snow. Where we had 4-5 inches in the yard yesterday, it is now fast melting and there is ugly brown everywhere you look speckled with white patches where the snow was deeper. The driveway is mucky and mud abounds. But the wind is blowing as it does in March, and soon the mud will be gone and signs of the green of new leaves and grass will be seen. I'll be watching for the crocus to bloom.
Wendell is planning to go to the park today to talk to his boss about retirement and related things. He really is feeling rather sad about leaving there, but also a certain amount of happiness about it too. Life changes.. and we have to adjust to those changes. I'm still trying to make the change from workforce to retirement. It will happen in time.
Jane's computer is down. It's a power source problem. I have been there....... done that....... repaired it myself.
and I think we can help her repair her's.
If you'd like to see the latest 4D sonar pictures of Elijah, go to Wendy's blog. These pictures are so incredible and though not as clear as the first ones, still look like actual photos. Wendy is now at 36 weeks and likely won't make it to full term at 40 weeks. Wendell and I are planning a week with them starting April 1st. I can hardly wait.
Okay...... on with the day.... May God bless you with all good things today.

LAST DAY OF FEBRUARY

Good bye February.. !!! Here's your hat, what's your hurry? Wheeee!!! Glad to see you go.
It will remain to be seen, but today is to be nearly 40 degrees, and tomorrow 52!!!!
Hello SPRING !!!! We could still have snow, but as far as I am concerned, winter is over.

I'm gainfully employed for the next 2 weeks.. no days off. I must be out of my mind. I'm already feeling exhausted after only 2 evenings at the hospital.. It was so very very busy.
So for the next 3 days I'll be at the office, and then back to the hospital for the weekend.

More later.. I have to call Joy to see how she is doing yet. That will be tonite some time.
Have a super day.. Gotta get moving..

PHOTOS

If I had to chose "the picture of the evening", it would be this one.
I was going to post the goofy ones of Keith, but Mandy took pity and
deleted them from the camera.. there were only about 6 of them.. but then, as things happened, we got this one absolutely precious one.
































































This one would take 2nd place for "best picture of the evening"..
David and his Uncle John.










I was trying to get David to pose for me, and he did. My batteries were running low and the flash was slow- so when he heard the camera click, he jumped up to see his picture .. "I SEE !! I SEE !!"..










Annabelle was so serious all evening. I think there was just so much noise that she was a little taken back. Wendell says when he took her to the bedroom to change her diaper, she smiled and cooed at him and seemed more relaxed.

ICE & ICE CREAM

Yesterday we had an ice storm come through here. Paul reported really nearly nothing, Jane said she had glistening trees and bushes and maybe on her car's windshield.. but as you would go farther south and westward, the ice got worse.. John came home yesterday morning and reported horrendous roads from Cranberry to our house, and Wendell had to go out and chip the ice off the cars parked outside. It wasn't as bad as last time, but certainly not good. Apparently New Kensington got more than we did, and we cancelled our trip to church and Annabelle's baptism will be on hold a couple of weeks.
As the day progressed, the ice disappeared with warming temperatures.. it got up to 40.. we tossed some anti-skid material on the walkway to combat the ice there, and the family gathered here for cake and ice cream in honor of our grandson Paul's birthday.



The menu was pretty fantastic with barbecued pork sandwiches and roast beef with mashed potatoes and then a huge tossed salad. We had fresh fruit salad too.. It was delicious.

CHILLY DAY

12 degrees right now. We may make it to 30 later today. Tomorrow, despite the ice storm that is predicted, we should get up to the 40s.. Ah.. yes.. !!! Spring is coming.. how I long for spring.
It's cozy here in the bedroom- but I've had the little space heater going much of the night. It's temperature controlled- I set the temperature and it goes off and on keeping it constant.

• Tomorrow baby Annabelle will be baptised. Many of the family will be in church to witness this event. How I thank the Father for this little soul who is ingrafted into His family. I am reminded of how very blessed I am. We have 8+ grandchildren at this moment- I never dreamed years ago that I could love so many little ones all at the same time. Each one is unique and has a place in my heart.

• Wendy is 35 weeks pregnant. Pray for a safe delivery for her and baby Elijah. She feels that she will deliver as much as 2 weeks early with this one. He's a big boy. In the mean time, pray for her physical comfort if you would; she carries a heavy load that makes her back sore and she has trouble sleeping or being comfortable in any position.

• Cory is also having myalgia/arthralgia problems.. keep him in prayer also.

• Wendell seems to be on the normal side again as far as his GI system goes. We never know when the relapses will occur, but know that they will. Pray that the doctors will find the reason for his problem and be able to cure it if God wills.
• We haven't called Joy to find out any news about her hospitalization. Will be doing that later today and will report back. Just pray the doctors find the source of her bleeding and can correct it.
• Keith's Uncle Ken just had bypass surgery (coronary bypass).. doing well, but keep him in your thoughts and pray for his healing
• Keith's stepfather is back home again and apparently doing well after his accident with a saw that took off part (?) of his little finger. Pray for healing without complication

That's it for the moment..

PSALM 5

Do you sense God working in history today?"

O God, declare [my enemies] guilty. Let them be caught in their own traps.Drive them away because of their many sins, for they rebel against you."Psalm 5:10 NLT

A refuge to rejoice
Things didn't look good for Martin Luther when he was summoned to Augsburg in late October 1518. He was being charged with heresy.
Up to this point Frederick the Wise, elector of Saxony, had protected Luther from the church authorities, but now the prince was under pressure to withdraw his protection.
It seemed only a matter of time before he would.
In Augsburg, Luther was asked, "If the elector of Saxony abandons you, where will you find shelter?"
The Reformer responded, "Under the shelter of heaven."
In the last part of Psalm 5, we find that David, like Luther, trusted in the Lord to rescue him from his enemies.
Did the psalmist escape from the trap? We don't know, but the psalm closes with "joyful praises," because David knew that he was now surrounded by God's protection.
Like Martin Luther, he found refuge under the shelter of heaven.

Under his wings, O what precious enjoyment!
There will I hide till life's trials are o'er.
Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me;
Resting in Jesus I'm safe evermore.

WILLIAM O. CUSHING

adapted from The One Year® Book of Psalms by William J. Petersen and Randy Petersen,, Tyndale House Publishers (1999), entry for January 8