I'm still here!

Old Town Lansing Trick or Treat (Howl-O-Ween). Elvis went as Count Beagula. 

It's been a busy few weeks.

One of the "fun" things that happened recently is that I got a flu shot. And then the flu a couple days later. I don't blame the shot...anymore. My doctor says it takes about two weeks to take full effect, and several medical professionals in my life agree that I probably had something brewing before the shot. So...I spent four days in respiratory misery...actually a portion of another day, too.

You see, it's hard to tell if I'm really starting to get something these days, because most days I feel run down, especially by the time evening falls.

So, on a Tuesday, I had the shot. I probably shouldn't have, because I was feeling particularly run down that day. And it went downhill from there. By Thursday evening, I knew something was going on. The next day, I had several appointments. First one was to a podiatrist. Since technically, I'm diabetic (but don't need insulin), it's good to have the feet checked once per year. Good news on that, no nerve damage! Yay. But I was really starting to feel bad. After that appointment, I had an occupational therapy session for my thumbs. More on that later. I should have certainly gone home and to bed by then. Did I? No. I kept my appointment at the Ear Institute. I was in misery by that point and nearly fell asleep on the highway. After the appointment, I slept in the car for a little while. I learned a little lesson in that: next time I have to go to an appointment like that, first of all, don't go if I'm sick. Secondly, board Elvis so if I HAVE to wait to come home, I don't have to worry about him. Another thing: I hate hearing tests, and they're even worse when you don't feel well. I just hope I didn't infect everyone. I haven't had any hate mail/calls, so perhaps not.

When I got home that Friday evening, I went to bed, where I mainly stayed through the following Monday night, with the exception of trips to the drug store and to Urgent Care.

When I started feeling better, my cough-variant asthma kicked in, which almost always happens when I have some sort of respiratory aliment (flu or bronchitis or walking pneumonia) this time of year. The bad news is that the coughing usually doesn't totally go away until spring. That may change this year, as my doctor decided to have me use a nebulizer four times per day for the next month. She said that any time I have this happen, this will help. And it does. To a point. Nights (pre-nebulizer time) are usually the worst.

Well, I received some advice to try a supplement that is supposed to work wonders. I'm usually a skeptic about some things..but then I thought...hey, I was a skeptic about acupuncture until I actually used it during my second and most recent bout with Bell's Palsy. 20 sessions, and the nerve paid was GONE FOR GOOD after the first one. Previous to that, I was on pain killers, which were just making me loopy, which drove my dear husband crazy. He really didn't like it when I was on those sorts of meds. Truthfully, I don't like them, either. I continued the other 19 treatments and believe they helped me heal faster from the Bell's episode.

So, now I'm trying something called "Pneumotrophin PMG." My first dose was three pills (chewed to achieve a faster result, as recommended. They said it was nasty-tasting, and they weren't kidding.) at about 5pm tonight. But I have to say that now, at about 7pm, I think I notice that I'm not coughing as much as I normally am by this time of night. I'm supposed to take another dose before bedtime, so we'll see. At this point, I'm ready to try anything, as long as it doesn't kill me. :)

Health-wise, I'm in surprisingly good shape at the moment, aside from the usual and the asthma. However, my immediate concern is my weight. So...that's the next thing I have to work on. I haven't been on the trike since the flu episode, sadly.

Tomorrow, the roofers are coming to re-do the roof. John and I had the roof done almost exactly ten years ago, and it's in HORRIBLE shape. If it weren't for the statute of limitations, I'd be having the previous company pay the LARGE amount I'm having to pay for this more reputable company to start at the beginning again. But at least, my kitchen will be dry when they're done, even if there's a fairly large hole in my pocket.

The goal is to sell that money pit of a house, but in order to even consider doing it, I have to bring things up to code..and the roof is definitely not. These guys will not only replace/fix the roof, they'll replace the gutters. I think it'll be worth it.

I mentioned the therapy on the thumbs. I have osteoarthritis, diagnosed at about age 30. Back then, it was only bothering my hip and knee joints occasionally. Now, it's different. My knees get really bad sometimes (not lately when I'm riding the trike) and my thumbs--particularly the left (fingering) hand thumb--have really really been painful. I think the main problem is that I almost completely stopped playing while John was sick. Not his fault. I just lost the desire to make any music of my own. Very little singing, very little violin-ing. The therapy IS helping, so that's good.

I have reason to get the thumbs in shape: I've been invited to go on a one-week tour of Italy to play violin with the Kellogg Community College chorus (KCC is a community college in Battle Creek, MI). I want to be able to be much healthier when I go, which is late in June.

It's very exciting; I've been to Europe, but never in the southern part. On this trip, I'll visit Rome, Vatican City (including the Sistine Chapel), Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri, and other places along the Amalfi Coast. I think it will help me get through the winter months, which seem much longer here in Michigan.

My alma mater's football team is really doing well; my husband never followed sports before he joined my family, but became quite an MSU Spartan football fan over the recent years. And he would be happy about this year. Last Saturday, MSU's number one defense rolled over the University of Michigan like I'd never seen before. I almost felt sorry for their quarterback, as he didn't seem to be getting any help from his team. Almost felt sorry for the UM team. Almost. But not quite. I do have respect for their coach and think that, given some time and some good recruiting, they'll be back to become a force to be reckoned with again. I hear calls for his firing, but I think they're being unfair. He's a good coach. Our team was better on Saturday. That's all. I can't believe I ever was mad that Nick Saban left MSU. Mark Dantonio is a loyal Spartan, a great coach, and a great guy. Alabama can have Saban, as far as the MSU faithful are concerned. Looks like there's a bowl game in the future. Which one depends on how MSU does with the next three (maybe four, if the three games are won) games.

John's last birthday, wearing the Hicks family uniform. :)

Right now, I'm having a horrible time dealing with the approaching holidays. I used to love Christmas. I'm not so fond of it anymore. It started in Christmas 1999 when my family had their first Christmas without my older brother, Curtis. It intensified with each loss (2002 both my parents passed). John started to understand that more after he lost his parents in 2010. I remember the first Mother's Day that happened after his mother died. He looked at me, and with sad eyes said, "I get it, now." I said, "Unfortunately, the only way you would ever understand how I felt about Mother's Day, Father's Day, Christmas, birthdays, etc was when you went through similar loss." I remember we hugged each other tight that day.

And now I face Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year without the absolute love of my life. I miss him so much...sometimes it becomes a real ache.

Don't misunderstand: I have started to have more good moments than not, these days...but little things can set me off sometimes. I watched some commercial about a dog food today and started sobbing. Things like that. And I don't know if I'll ever get used to the nights without John. Having Elvis helps, but it it just not the same thing. He has been such a loyal boy. Does his best to try to cheer me up; showers me with kisses and cuddles when I don't feel well.

I don't know what I'd do without him. Not only do I need him, but more importantly, I think, he's someone that needs me. And that's a huge thing right now.

That's about all of my rambling for tonight.

Tam