kayc Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 Not having slept last night at all, I think I'll be due for a nap later this afternoon too! I'm so glad you got your 1st edition done...you do such a beautiful job of writing, you are very gifted at putting into words what the rest of us only wish we could...I am articulate, but you have the added knowledge and education...and goals. I feel so fortunate to know such wonderful people here! Speaking of losing weight, I'm down 30 lbs...at first I thought I needed to lose 50, but now that I'm down 30, I'm thinking I may have 30 more to go, I'll know the closer I get to goal. It's been relatively easy, believe it or not. I just need to remember to keep focused on doing the right thing instead of looking for a number, so as not to get discouraged when plateaus hit...and when they do, to increase the exercise...trusting the program works, I know that it does! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shalady Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 Wow Kay, that is a lot of weight you lost. You must be very happy. I lost weight when I was taking care of Bob and more after he passed away. Sorry you didn't sleep well. Its never a good day without enough sleep. Thank goodness you can nap. Harry, I agree with Kay. I can't wait to read your book. How wonderful it must feel to be able to put thoughts on paper like that. You truly are gifted. We are very lucky you share with us here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queeniemary Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 Congratulations Harry on getting the first edition of the podcast done, Kay is right you do have such a great way with words. Kay, I am so proud of you! Wish I could say I was down 30 pounds!! I just do not seem to be doing well in that department! I am beginning to think that dieting is not the way to go for me. The doctor suggested that I do a high fiber diet...lots of vegys and fruits, whole grains, etc. As a way of life, not to lose weight necessarly, but better for my colon. Got the Mayo Clinic Diet book, which is basically the same thing...stressing fiber from vegys, fruits, etc. Reading it now, and seeing if I can commit to it. You do have to give up wine the first two weeks on this plan, and it is a little more restricted that the life plan. I am working on motivation.... My positive today, after the 15 minute de-clutter exercise, I am going to do some work in my closet, I have probably 25 sweatshirts, with names of different plays we have done on them. I am going to pick out two or three that I really like, and see if my daughter wants any, and then donate the rest. They are warm, and someone should be using them instead of them hanging in my closet. Also have a heavy coat that is too small for me or my daughter, when I say heavy, I mean it probably weighs a ton! Also sending that to the shelter. Hard for me to give away clothes for some reason, so I am having to really steel myself to doing it. Mentioning naps...I find myself taking a short one nearly afternoon. I am sitting down reading, and then suddenly I am waking up, feeling crazy. I am sleeping fairly well (for me) at night, so not sure why my body is needing this little nap in the day. Could not have to do with my age, right??? Reports from my niece about my sister Lois, is that she is seeming a little better in that she is more alert, and talking again a little more. I think this is going to continue being an up and down sort of thing, but we will take any improvement we can get, even if only for a little while. All have a good, productive Saturday...that is my plan for today. Daughter is cleaning bathroom, and I am doing the kitchen, the de-cluttering, and the sweatshirts. Then.....of course there will be reading! QMary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayc Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 I am not planning on much today, too tired, slept about 45 min. all night. Ugh! Nope, QMary, it surely isn't age! What I am eating sounds similar...lots of veggies and fruits, low carbs, whole grains, but I also have to have low on meat because of other dietary restrictions (I have gout). Of course, no alcohol because of Diabetes and my liver. No white flour or sugar. It's basically just eating healthy and sensible portions. If I'm truly hungry I can have more vegetables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAP Posted January 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 Dear friends, About a month after Jane died, a falcon landed on the back porch when I was on the phone with Jane's best friend from high school. The bird stayed for the two hours we were on the phone, then flew off not long after we finished. I've seen a falcon maybe twice since. Until yesterday afternoon. I was standing at the kitchen sink to get a drink of water when one flew into the small tree behind the garden. I watched it wrestle with the branches on the tree, trying to hold its balance in the strong winds. It seemed to have settled in and a couple of small birds saw it sitting there and gave the yard a wide berth as a result. I went back to what I was doing for a bit and it was gone when I came back. It was sitting on the ground when I got up this morning. I watched it again for a few minutes. It flew off again. I always think of Jane when I see a falcon. Perhaps it is a holdover from Shogun--but she always stuck me more as a falcon than a cardinal. I continued working on reorganizing the kitchen today. I went through the mugs in one of the cabinets, packing up about half of them for the inevitable yard sale or donation. I am through all the upper cabinets at this point, and just have one small lower cabinet to do. I should have spent the day replacing the faucet ninth kitchen, but I am just not up for that project yet. I went to the cemetery today, as I do every Saturday. My mind has felt a bit scattered the last two days--especially today. The kitchen project was mostly to blame. But there are other things bothering me this week. The NET cancer support groups I participate in have had an awful week--we've lost five patients this week already, and have two more who are failing. Most of the time, I know I am making a difference, but today it just does not feel that way. And there are political things making me crazy as well. It was brutally cold on the hilltop, but at least there was no wind. I have to take the Christmas decorations down there next weekend. Right now, they are frozen into the ground so hard I wonder if I will be able to move them. I came home and had an early dinner--or late lunch, depending on your perspective. A friend got word that they have scheduled her liver ablation for early February. It will buy her more time with her husband and her twins. That is the best news anyone can get: more time. Peace, Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayc Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 Harry, how wonderful that you got the visits from the Falcon! These types of things are so special. And the good news from your friend. Yes,more time...how any of us can relate to that. If you can't get your outdoor decorations down, they will wait. I don't know how cold it is back there, but it's been record warm temperatures this winter here, the only snow we've had was at Christmastime. Highly unusual! We need snow in the mountains, not necessarily this low, but certainly up in the passes. Last summer we had record hot temperatures for here. My everyone seems to be industrious, cleaning things out...I go on spurts. I have gotten rid of a lot of knick knacks and sundry items to be used for Bingo prizes at the senior site, but need to dig deeper and get rid of more. I have closets of clothes to go through, ugh. Am waiting until I'm closer to goal weight and will sort through it all then. We do reach that point where we want to simplify as we get older, we wonder how/why we got all this stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shalady Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 My positive today will be to follow the inspiration and clean out a closet. I have been going through some of my husbands things, the ones I think someone could really be using such as clothes. There are places I can't go yet, but I have some I can do. So that will be my plan for the day. Harry, I too am glad the falcon keeps returning. I know it is hard when you suffer those losses. I am sorry. It just makes me think even more of all the good you are doing. Peace and comfort to you. Shalady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queeniemary Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 Harry, I believe that the Falcon must be a signal from Jane, how great!! And good news about your friend. So sorry for the losses that are bringing you down. I am loving that many are doing a little de-cluttering on here. It is actually good for the soul. I took 4 big black garbage bags full of good clothes, sweatshirts, pants, other types of shirts, sweaters, shoes to the local shelter yesterday. Wanted them out of the house as soon as possible, before I could rethink anything. I also did some work on the plastic tubs and lids in the cabinet, I am a little behind, I should have already done under the sink and the pots and pans, but got distracted with that silly colonoscopy. May try to do a little today, although today will be mostly resting, tummy still a little sore, and then going out to eat with friends tonight. My friend Joe has a team member from California coming in today, a widow, and he invited me to go to dinner with them later this evening in Branson. Should be a nice night. Kay, I am making my plans, as I am having company later in the week, my brother and SIL, I want to wait to get started until after they leave. My friend Tom is going to Belize for 10 days, so that should be a good time for me to make a determined start without any distractions of get togethers, etc QMary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAP Posted January 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 Dear friends, I woke up this morning with my head on Jane's pillow. Then the radio came on and they were interviewing Rep. John Lewis, who was close to Martin Luther King in the 1960s. He talked about the power of love--which I woke up thinking about this morning. I wrote a long piece about unconditional love today. I thought about posting it here but decided it is too political to be appropriate in this place. It doesn't fit on walkingwithjane.org either, so I posted it to my FB pages and to my other, more political, blog, The Franklins Children. It brings together a lot of the things that have paced around my brain in recent days about what I am doing and how I got here. I've had a difficult few days dealing with the outside world and what is going on globally and nationally. Part of me would like not to care about anything, but it is not in me to do that. The writing went slowly, which is not normal for me. Part of it was looking backward so far to try to understand how I got here. I've written before about how important MLK was to me as a kid growing up. But I haven't written about how things began coalescing from 1969-1971 into something important--at least for me. I don't often get cynical, but I was certainly there last night--so much so that one of my students called me on it. He's pretty cynical himself--that happens to people who spent time in combat in Afghanistan. So if he thought I'd lost it, I must have been pretty far down the rabbit hole. I have a couple of chores to finish before the Patriots game tonight. Not sure how much of that I'll be able to watch if they try to put me through another game like last week's. Green Bay was winning the last I heard. If the Patriots lose tonight, I'll be done for the season, as I am boycotting the rest of the NFL because of the league's response to several abuse cases earlier in the year. Peace, Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayc Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 My positive is I slept last night. The night before I only slept 45 min. I woke up to the sound of a huge crash...I thought the garage finally came down, but it turns out the wood that the two young boys stacked came down, so I spent 75 min. restacking it before I went to church. Apparently we had a lot of wind last night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAP Posted January 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 Dear friends, I've brought in the supplies I will need for the next two weeks. I have my--I hope--final oral surgery tomorrow morning. I've been here before. I have food, drink and books. What more does anyone need? Well, yes, now you mention it... The sparrows don't seem to be around the feeders this afternoon. But there are a dozen nuthatches and a squirrel. And the Patriots won last night. Peace, Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shalady Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 Sounds like you are ready. I hope all goes well for you tomorrow. Let us know how you are doing. New England should be having a little "weather" by the end of the week so are all ready for that too. Shalady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queeniemary Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Always prepared, Harry, always prepared. Good luck on the oral surgery today, hope everything goes well, and healing commences very quickly. Can survive almost anything with a good book. QMary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAP Posted January 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Dear friends, The surgery went well--other than the pounding to get the implant in place. The doctor says I have very strong bones. I now know how a piece of wood feels when you hammer in a nail. I'm on 20 minutes of ice, ten minutes of rest until about 7 p.m. The good news is there is no dressing this time, so my diet is marginally expanded--I can have bread, but still no tomato sauce, juice, or anything acidic.. And nothing but cool and soft today. The novocaine has worn off. There is about the same level of discomfort as in the previous surgeries--a dull ache once the cold wears off between icings. I don't think I'll need the codeine on this one, either. And I have a mild headache the Motrin should take care of. I'm not supposed to do any heavy liting the next two days. The good news is there is no heavy lifting to be done at the moment. There goes the timer. Time to get the ice back on. Peace, Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feralfae Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 Dear Harry, Congratulations on making it through and being at the "ice stage." Having a couple of days to not lift things will be leave plenty of time and energy for the healing. I imagine Anne will be reading of your adventure as she gets closer to her own. And I hope the headache is gone by now. *<twinkles>* fae Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayc Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 Harry, I'm so glad you have this behind you and I hope you don't come back as a piece of wood in your next life! I have had about everything done to my teeth but implants, but had my fair share of hammering, prodding, and pulling on them, ugh! I know how it feels afterwards when they feel so worn out and tired...and I hope you can rest the next few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shalady Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 Harry, hope you are feeling better today. I too am glad it is behind you now and you can take time to heal. Hope you are reading a good book by the fire. Peace and comfort to you. Shalady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAP Posted January 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 Dear friends, I spent yesterday with my feet up, reading. In terms of pain, nothing serious to report. I know it's there if I think about it, but most of the time, I don't think about it so it isn't there , if that makes sense. My FIL is getting his new hospital-style bed delivered to his apartment this afternoon. My SIL and I took down his old bed this morning. I visited with them for a bit. He is in more pain than I'd like, but it is hard to say whether it is the arthritis or the cancer causing it since the weather here has been raw and damp for most of the week. Certainly, my joints are not happy. I'm still not 100 percent--mostly just tired. Yesterday, I had the hiccups every time I moved. I wonder if that was related to the surgery. I'm taking it easy again today--something I will have to pay for eventually, since I have several projects falling behind that are on a deadline. Maybe tomorrow will be better. Peace, Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayc Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 Harry, You need to give yourself time to just rest and heal, this is a big deal, allow yourself to let everything go for now...I hope you are relaxing, watching t.v., reading, not being productive at all! Anne is home recuperating as well and I think she will be doing nothing but resting right now...as she should. Don't make any of us come after you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAP Posted January 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 Dear friends, I won't push myself any harder than is healthy. I just know that, unfortunately, once I get back to full strength, I am going to be up to my eyeballs--as I generally am. I have a presentation a week from tomorrow I have to prepare for, but I will likely wait until after the weekend before I really start ramping up for that. I've cancelled a trip to Boston early next week for something else I was really looking forward to. But I do have to make choices periodically. And my audio podcast is also sliding away for the week. I'd like to get there, but if it happens, it happens--if not, worse things have happened. Peace, Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enna Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 I'm so glad you are on the healing side of your implant, Harry. Please try to stay in the present and know that the things you want to do will get done. I really like your podcasts and look forward to the next one. Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wifflesnook Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Dear Harry, me too. Keep them up and keep healing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shalady Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Harry, I am glad you are on the mend. I know you must want to get to all of the tasks ahead but just let yourself heal. You will do a much better job when you are refreshed and not in pain. So put a log on the fire, get your book and put your feet up. I hope your FIL is enjoying his new bed. It must be a big help and make it easier for him. I hope you have a pleasant day. Peace and comfort to you. Oh, by the way, what is your podcast everyone refers to? Shalady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queeniemary Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Happy you are healing Harry. I can tell, however, you are champing at the bit, ready to get back to work! You are so wonderfully goal oriented. Some of you may remember about a year and a half ago, maybe longer, I mentioned something about a Theatre Company board member that was making me not want to be involved in the business end of the Theatre Company any longer. This was a person that I had one time considered a friend, and I was pretty upset. It took some time, but he finally showed his true colors to everyone, and is no longer associated with us. Sadly he was Treasurer, as well as a board member, before he resigned around Christmas, and he has left us with a big mess to fix...bills not paid, long time associations with publishing house damaged as a result. Numerous other things that I won't bore you with....at the meeting last night I was elected to an office again. An office I had held before, secretary, and am excited to be getting back into the business part of the theatre group. We have 4 new board members, all of them tried and true friends of the theatre. I am happy woman today. QMary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyT Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 I am so happy for you, QMary! Clearly your participation in your Theatre Company is a lifeline for you, and now you're back where you belong ~ as a member of the board! Yay! Your patience has been rewarded ♥ Here is a link to Harry's initial podcast: Walking with Jane NET Cancer News Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now