Looking Back to November Hair

 Thursday, January 2, 2014

Parts of me feel like I should be blogging oftener, but as I made this blog primarily for me, I just haven't felt like it, so I didn't the end of the year is a bus time with holidays, finishing up yearly office work, the end of school, and special visits with special people. I just didn't feel up to it. I have most of my photos on my old computer where I'm going through and sorting and printing them for a book for Lynette, but I spend most of my time on the laptop.

When I am busy I get too tired and I don't get a lot of things done except sit on the couch and knit. Blogging takes mind energy to sort and upload photos, and it just didn't get done.

ANYWHO!!

Here's a bit from November. I hope to get caught up, but January is a busy month, too. 

November Hair

I was surprised with a limited edition print by Paul Sloan searched for by Lynette and paid for by Jim because I loved it on our Oregon trip. 

Here is a photograph of the print itself...it is a lovely thing, hanging now in my living room over a choice display of books. 

Which I am not thinking it would be a lovely photo to post, but it would mean getting up, finding the camera, taking the photo, downloading it to the computer, uploading it to blogger, so I'm not going to do it. I'm tired. This week I have been to Wisconsin, attended Zane's birthday party, had company, and the boys were here today. 

 

5 comments:

MEJ said...

Thanks for sharing the photos--and I do just really, really love that picture. I'm looking forward to seeing it hang in your house...one of these days!

January 2, 2014 at 5:13 PM

Renee said...

That is a superly duper special picture. You will treasure it always! Love that picture of you! It was a just a special treat to happen to see you the other day at Sapp Brothers!!!!

January 2, 20114 at 10:48 PM

Sharon said...

So enjoyed your post and the picture. A treat for a bookworm like myself!

January 3, 2014 at 9:19 AM

Anita said...

Your sentiments on blogging are my own -  no obligations. 

Hair's looking good!

That is indeed a lovely picture!

You were in WI!!! Now I'm jealous! ;-)

January 4, 2014 at 11:18 AM

Darcie said...

What a precious picture! I can see why you love it!! Blogging does take effort sometimes, huh? I feel that way now and again, and then other times I  feel like it helps me unload all the words in my head. :-) Happy 2014!

January 4, 2014 at 5:19 PM

October Hair

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Here is is again, time for the hair of the month. I decided to comb my bangs down over my forehead so I could see how long they were getting. It really makes my little old lady hair, don't you think?

Too bad I didn't think about wearing something classier than my jammies and robe.

You know, if you remember to keep your chin up when someone takes your picture, the wrinkles on you neck don't look so bad.

3 comments:

Brenda said...

It's getting longer!!! I will have to remember than tip about keeping you head up! A few pounds seem to fill out the liens but my pounds always head south!

October 30, 2013 at 11:30 AM

Darcie said...

Looking good! Smiling at your tip...I will have to remember than one!

October 30, 2013 at 2:50 PM

Anita said...

Hair of the Month is big stuff! My friend is a few months behind you so still has shorter hair - but it's Oh So Exciting to see it growing!!!

(And how's this for a late comment?!) :)

December 16, 2013 at 12:11 PM

September Hair

 Wednesday, September 25, 2013

This is what I look like when I'm not ready for a picture. 

It is also what I look like when I haven't combed my hair. 

It is also what I look like when I go visit a person in a burn center. That was a new experience for me. A new friend of ours was badly burned with hot water when he was working and it now recovering in the hospital. 

I feel the urge to write again. I am enjoying these lovely blue and gold days of fall.

I made a pumpkin pie yesterday. I put yogurt in instead of the milk. Not an acceptable substitute if you like Libby's recipe. I remember now I had other plans for the yogurt. 

Now I need more yogurt. 

Sometimes less is more...

have a good day. 

August Hair

 Friday, August 30, 2013

I've discovered some things about my hair. Maybe these things are true about everybody's hair. I just know that "BC", my hair was very easy to deal with. I just tossed it up into a French roll, and if it got messy or fell down, I could just do it again, wherever I was. I was happy with it. 

NOW...

The stuff is not the same on both sides of my ead. One side is definitely thinner, and it shows. And is slumps. One side curls very nicely and if you look at that side it looks like I have very nicely behaving hair. It isn't so bad to deal with, really, and I can wet it, and mousse it, and fluff it up a bit, and call it good. I do like to make sure the front is waving nicely, the way  I want it, because it will wave the way I do not want, if I don't. The strange thing is that now I see my mother in the mirror, because her hair waves this way. Mine didn't.

On the sinus front, I still deal with mucus issues, and I have a feeling I may be dealing with them for the rest of my life. However, since a year ago, I was just out of the hospital after week's ordeal, it's not so bad. I just went back to read some of those posts, posted by someone else. Someone who was watching me struggle with pain and mucus and mouth sore. Ugh. 

I hurts to think about those day, but it's nice to think about those who were standing by, helping me when I couldn't help myself. 

On the eating front. I ate a hamburger last night. ON A BUN!! Actually, it was only half a bun, and a homemade one, that "tastes" better. I didn't really enjoy the last of the half down, but stuck to it. I need to nutrition. I mean, eating real food is really boring. Usually, it's soup, soup, soup. (I like my soup, I make it myself.) If something isn't pretty wet to begin with, I have to drink to make sure it it. Then, it needs chewed and chewed and chewed. I enjoyed the sensation of eating the burger, but hamburger is rough, and it was hard on the inside of my mouth, which is still pretty tender, since I AM going to eat things at times that hurt it. When I get tired it gets sore, too. 

I'm really not healed up on the inside. I enjoyed (I'm not sure that is really the work I want) looking over the August 2012 posts. The encouragement the struggle, the people, the comments, the remembering it's over--that's the best part. 

P.S. On another front, I am not losing weight anymore, and I may have gained a little and I still don't taste sweet things. 

3 comments:

Monica said...

Shelley: I'm so glad you are a survivor. Happy you have hair in time for convention this year! Wish we'd bump into each other - these miles are just too many between us. Thank you for being an inspiration and a faithful sister through the storm. 

Love, Monica Hertz

August 30, 2013 at 6:27 PM

Bonita Sue said...

Yes, my mind goes back often to "a year ago now", too. What you went through is beyond description, and I'm so glad it's in the past. 

August 30, 2013 at 8:43 PM

Darcie said...

This post was a good reminder for me, that sometimes it's OK to look back...and see just how forward we have come!

September 2, 2013 at 7:19 PM

July Hair

 Saturday, August 3, 2013

A lot of things have been going on in July besides growing hair. 

Time is marching on, normal things are going on. My hair is growing. 

Lynette has been dying to get her hands on my seemingly slow-growing hair and French braid it. 

It is finally long enough to get a braid to stay in while it is soaking wet.

The hair is rather cute, too bad the rest of the head is still the same.

Of course by now I can't remember what I did most of the month of July. That is another thing that helps me feel that life is a lot closer to normal this summer than last. Time is doing more than marching along it is flying.

I do remember what we did the last week. 

My mom has been promising to come and help us freeze corn. My folks came on Thursday. We also had some very special ladies come, too. So, we were full up. The day before everyone came I had all three grandsons for the day while Lorene attended a CNA recertification class or something like that. 

So, we froze the corn on Thursday and I cooked a late supper. Friday was a free day and my folks left.

Saturday, our other friends left, and i spent the rest of the day getting ready for the Kleeb family reunion, which takes place every other year on the fourth Sunday in July.

This year was our turn to plan the reunion, which simply entails finding a place to have it, arranging for drinks, and be there in time to oversee the eating. We rather failed in this, so someone else found the building but we did the rest. We gathered in Broken Bow, 60 of us this more, more than usual. The third generation, the first cousins, is almost gone. There are only two or three left. Some of the family, we don't know anything about or where they are, or any way to contact them. The ones that were there and we enjoyed the visiting. I was dead tired when I got home and after eating out, (no cooking being done by me after that day), I went to bed early.

The surprise of the weekend, was my folks deciding to come back Sunday night and do another day of corn freezing on Monday. (They hadn't gone all the way home, they were at a school reunion.) That was a big day. My mom is a glutton for punishment. We did 21 dozen ears, and got 77 pints fo corn. It took most of the day

Now, I should be able to rest. Not.

Unless you call driving three hours to Omaha restful. I had another doctor visit the next day. The usual kind where they examine me all over my head and neck on the outside, and my nose and sinuses on the inside. I also had an MRI since it ha been a year since the first after surgery one. They just canned my head, so it didn't take very long. I was so tired that I was able to relax.

After that, we ate at Popeye's Chicken. I don't know what it is about chicken places and spice. The chicken was good, but the green beans about burnt my mouth off. KFC's were like that, too. Then, we went to see Tyler Snow who is recovering from a bone marrow transplant. He is looking good, but in the throes of adjusting meds, fatigue and hydration, and eating. None is particularly easy or quick, but as with all life changing events, medical or otherwise, small steps are the only way it's going to happen. And he is going up, not down. 

So, I rested on the way home. I rested so well, I fell asleep and made everyone else find their own dinner. 

 

July Hair

P.S. The scan results were:

No change from the last time, and that's good news.

4 comments:

Darcie said...

I guess you could say that time flying is a very good indicator of normalcy...never thought of that until now. So happy for your MRI results, I suppose just thinking about that is worrisome, but good to know you can put that worry to rest, too. :-)

August 5, 2013 at 3:13 PM

Renee said...

Simply LOVE the picture of you and Jim. Your hair is jus adorable. And, SHE:LLEY...those shoes!! I'm jealous...I love mine but I finally had to ditch them. I just think it's amazing that you can still wear your. The were so comfy. Loved this update. We did corn too...heaps and heaps of it. It will taste so yummy this winter!

August 5, 2013 at 4:15 PM

Anita said..

So now I wonder if there is an 'August Hair' post? :) I'm rather behind again. I'll just have to plow on. Seeing this post, though, makes me wonder how my CA friend is doing. She's been done with the rough chemo for a month and a half for so now, so I reckon her hair is just starting to peek through??? Will have to ask? Glad to see your is coming along so well!

August 24, 2013 t 11:01 AM

Anita said...

ps - Good job, Lynette! I'm not a lot of good at braiding little girls' hair...and this looks like it'd be similar. I hope you sit still like a good kid! ;)

August 24, 2013 at 11:03 AM

Normal Food

Wednesday, July 10. 2013 

I discovered today that I can eat lots of different things. In fact, I am beginning to suspect that I can eat most anything now, as long as it isn't too dry. And even with those, learning the judicious use of water or milk while I chew and swallow will make all the difference.

The nice thing about this is that I can eat other places without worrying about whether there will be food I can eat or not. 

There is still one problem. Certain spices, vinegar and some fruits just burn my mouth. Petter for sure is on the no go list, miracle whip (because of the vinegar), and chili powder are too. I think garlic is another one Sometimes, a very small amount gives me no problem.

I can usually eat most fruits; I eat until they bother me and then I quit.

I made hamburgers for dinner today. I ate mine in a lettuce leaf, with tomato, it worked really well. I would have used mayo but we were out. We had green bean casserole and beets. No problems there. For supper we had ham sandwiches with mayo and fruit salad, and strawberry-rhubarb pie, eaten at some kind friends. I like pie, it is my favorite dessert at the moment. 

I was proud of myself,  going one whole day eating normal food I still like my soup. It is the way I get most of my calories. It takes me a long time to get down even small portions of "normal food." Chewing with saliva helps mash up the food in your mouth more quickly. I chew and sip, and it just takes longer Plus, I get tired of eating after awhile since it gets boring after awhile eating food that doesn't have much taste. 

In order to keep from losing any more weight, I still need to eat lots of soup.

2 comments:

Renee said...

Bring on the soup then...there are lots of kinds of soup and they are all good it seems. 

July 10, 2013 at 10;24 PM

Darcie said...

What an adventure in learning, huh? I LOVE soup to be honest, and never understand why people don't want it in the summer. I could eat it year round.

July 12, 2013 at 8:36 PM

Time to Write

 Thursday, June 13, 2013

I am going to write today. 

I don't have anything else to do. 

Well, I do, but it isn't time to do those things.

I isn't time to make supper, I like to wait until Lynette gets home from work so we can eat with us.

It isn't time to pile all the suitcases in the living room.

We are going to Oregon. My brother lives there, and we are going to fly out to see him. My parents are generously offering us this trip as a celebration of a cancer free summer. Sadly, Jim can't go, or Lorene and boys. Nathan and Lynette are coming with me. 

We are trying to get everything into carry-on bags with one checked bag for a 7-day trip. I am only bringing one pair of shoes, everything matches. I'm only bringing one sweater. I'm wearing the clothes than take up the most room on the plane. The check-in bag will have all the hair, body and face products that my teenagers are taking. I thought about buying them after we get there, but I changed my mind after seeing the array of bottles and sprays. Not only will they cost more than the $25 charged, I would have to leave them there. 

This is the first time I will be away from home for a week since my surgery. I am stepping very far out of my comfort zone, and I'm a little worried. I'm also pushing out of my mind what my peculiar routines and food preferences might do to my and everyone else's enjoyment. 

I'm pushing them out, because really, so what if this is the first time to deal with it away from home. It won't be the only  time, if I am going to go places and do things, I will have to get used to life as I live it, and what better time than the present. I'm not going to starve to death if there isn't food for me to eat. I'm going to buy soup for the "just in case", times at home. I'm going to take Ensure with me, so I ahve something to eat when I'm out. 

The only thing that is really essential to my well-being is my water. Fifteen minutes without it and my mouth is so dry I start coughing, and then I throw up. Not a pretty sight. 

I have a bag to carry my water bottle and an extra. I have a letter from my doctor that says it is medically necessary for me to have it along at all times. I also have a 2oz. spray bottle to keep my mouth moist. 

It really is time for cleaning the dishes out of the sink, and for setting the table, (since that can be done early,) or changing from one purse to another. Or sweeping the floor, Or brining my suitcase out. 

It could also be time for a nap. I could use one, we are leaving at 5 am tomorrow morning, and I bet I don't go to bed early tonight. 

3 comments:

The J's said...

I'm excited for you! So happy two of your kids get to go too! And what better place for you to step out of your "normal' than with you family. Have a wonderful time, will be looking forward to hearing all about it!

June 13, 2013 at 7:15 PM

Renee said...

YaY for trips with family...and especially when they are also to go SEE family! I hope you just have a splendid time. One sweater wouldn't do me...I would have to to take a warm hoodie. I have finally learned after half a century of living that no matter WHERE you are going, and no matter WHAT time of year you are going...take a warm jacket. It can and probably WILL be chilly sometime or other. Maybe I get that from Gramma Marian...you've got her blood in you too...so better pack a jacket :)

Happy Travels.

June 13, 2013 at 7:45 PM

The Millers said...

Sometime has to be the first time :) might as well be with fabulous family!

June 13, 2013 at 7:51 PM