Holding Plan For Medical Appointments

Wait and See is becoming the new normal for life around here .  At least , for now .  The hospital where I am scheduled for my follow-up appointment has published this directive ,  "If there is still no power on Sunday night, hospital officials advise that some outpatient services planned for Monday may have to be postponed. Patients do not need to call in as they will be contacted by staff if their appointments need to be switched to another date."  So, I guess it is more Wait and See !

Last evening the Generator was delivered about 7:30 PM .  That is one huge box !  The dimensions of the generator are 27.7 in. X 28.7 X 26 in.  I am not sure where it will be located until the conversation with the electrician on Wednesday .

And, look who has been spending some time with me outdoors . She loves to be with me and it has been a lot of fun . Besides, she stays close by me .

This is kind of cute !  She looks at her catio as if she is asking why is she on the outside instead of being inside .

Well , I think the power will be shut off soon .  Hopefully, back on Sunday night after the wind storms have passed in the area of great concern .  PG&E has mentioned another outage during the coming week .

Until next time !  Patience!!!

Mary

Power On - - - Power Off - - - And Repeat

The citizenry of the California Red Flag territory are NOT a happy bunch of people !

A THIRD Power Outage is projected for this weekend extending into Monday due to anticipated high winds in California north-west of where I live .  The many , many , many fires throughout California are truly a disastrous reality !  This is not fun for anyone and unfortunately this seems to be a new normal for this time of year with all the the unresolved issues surrounding these disasters .

This afternoon , my generator is scheduled for delivery and an electrician is scheduled to come out next Wednesday to assess and provide an estimate for installing a Transfer Switch and everything necessary for me to have limited access to power for refrigeration of food and whatever other priorities I have with the new six electrical circuits provided with the generator .

I am very concerned about my appointment with the Oncologist that is scheduled for Monday afternoon .  It is a thirty minute drive south-east of here .  I sure hope I can go and get the final report .  I don't know if they will have power or if I will have power .

One of my neighbors has a new generator and has been using it in a very limited capacity prior to full installation .

It is difficult to explain how disruptive and stressful all of this is for me when I am so much better off then thousands of people throughout the state .  Until you have been totally cut off from any type of communication with your world it is a reality you never want to experience ! The constant unknown of when , how long and being alone compounds the entire situation .

Throughout all of this, be assured that I have not lost sight of how fortunate and blessed I am to have the life I have !

The Very Best Wishes To Everyone .

Mary

Gardeners Can Get Sooooo Excited

And , this gardener is really excited about seeing buds on her Moon Flower vine !

Never have I planted Moon Flower seeds in the past .  I think I planted these seeds in August and I have been attentively watching for signs of buds following the growth of healthy long vines that seemed to be reaching for the sky on the Moon Flowers .

 

And, now I get to "wait and see" what is to come next .

Yes, just one fig from the fig tree this year , as I had expected following the severe pruning I did last year.  But , I don't understand why there was just one , not two , three or four , but just ONE!  What kind of a message was I suppose to get from that ?

It was my plan to have a smaller tree because it was  growing to a size that was too large for the area where I planted it and casting to much shade in the White Garden.  And, look what I have now !  IT IS HUGE .  It may be that it received more water this year when I faithfully hand watered my gardens .

I think the phase  "The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry" is very fitting for this situation.

The Fig Tree leaves are starting to turn yellow and are beginning to fall along with the leaves from lots of the other trees .  And, may I say the "dreaded pine needles" that have come down with the recent California fall winds are blanketing the flower beds, driveway and patio .  I have already started RAKING LEAVES and have a few barrels ready to go to the Yard Waste facility . I guess the time I have spent watering the garden in the warmer weather will now be spent raking leaves !  And, that will be fine because I love being outdoors BUT I am feeling very tired .

I have got to get my energy level back up .  After the current medical issues are resolved I am seriously considering to start the use of CBD Cannabidiol Hemp oil .  Maybe it would help with the chronic back pain also .  I have been reading a lot of opinions on the blogs of personal experiences in the use of it .  Lots and lots of information is now available . And, I guess I will also discuss it with my doctor . Their attitude seems to be "try it and see if it helps".  I'll let you know how this rolls out ! And, do any of you have any thoughts you would like to share with me on this subject .  I would appreciate hearing .  My email is everydaydelight09@gmail.com .

Until Next Time .

Mary

A Difficult And Hopeful Week

The week has been filled with getting up early , driving more miles than usual , visiting several medical facilities, undergoing  medical procedures new to me, and discussing my medical situation with numerous health care professionals .  And, I am very tired .

These procedures have been completed to determine the cause of splenomegaly (enlarged spleen) .

* CT Scan of Abdomen/Pelvis
* Xray Small Bowel Series with Barium Follow-through
* Ultrasound of Liver
* Ultrasound of Abdomen
*  PET Scan Skull to Thigh
* Many , many Laboratory Tests

So far , following the appointment with the oncologist , my world looks pretty good !  He reviewed with me the results of the voluminous numbers of the lab tests and the ultrasounds .  The PET scan had not been completed yet .  However ,  he was very optimist about the lack of any significant findings indicating any form of cancer !  For the sake of all inclusive diagnostics the PET scan was completed and the ColoGuard will be mailed back for interpretation .

Note of significance - - - the first test (CT Scan of abdomen) showed  "multiple small hydrodense foci" of the spleen .  None of the following tests have demonstrated any foci .

My next and hopefully my last appointment with the oncologist is scheduled for October 28 .

On Monday when I entered the third floor of the Cancer Pavilion I noticed this lovely Art Sculpture of White Origami Cranes !  It was so Stunning and Peaceful .  It was placed beside the door leading to the exam rooms .  I do not remember seeing it two weeks prior when I was there .  I think it is new and there wasn't any plaque indicating title, date and/or artist .

White Origami Crane Art Sculpture

I am blessed to have received excellent care at the new Cancer Pavilion .

My symptoms have subsided other than my lack of appetite . And, my weight is at 121 pounds .  If I receive a clean bill of health perhaps I will "go out to eat" more . And , I don't think it will take long to add a few pounds .  What fun that can be ?

Sending Good Thoughts to All Of You .

Mary

Something Close To Normal

(photo taken this morning)

I can't really express how happy I am to have the return of power at my home .  It came back on Thursday early evening .  Following the fall of darkness my little world in the mountains was VERY DARK, DARK , DARK !!  By the time I no longer could see through the darkness I had some flashlights at hand and had started my Aladdin Kerosene Lamp that I purchased soon after moving here 25 years ago . Living in the mountains has a different list of desired provisions . Especially with a history of a Huge Wildfire in this area the year prior to me buying this house . My little town was evacuated but no homes/property were lost due to fire. But, it was a huge event with hundreds of homes lost here in the mountains .

This is a photo of my lamp taken in 2011 during a snow storm.  It provided enough light so that I could read or knit .

Being without power was terrible (but it was only one day) however, not knowing when it may return was the most difficult for me .  And , being alone . We were being told that it could be up to a week !  Also , it was very hard for me to get information . No television, no email, no phone and when the power returned PG&E (Pacific Gas and Electric) website crashed !  Needless to say , there is a feeling of unrest in the area . I believe this may just be the beginning of power interruptions in the future .  More information on Where , When and Why if you google California Wildfires .

 After hours of research and personal evaluation I have decided to purchase a generator for my home .

Probably by the end of the week it will be installed and functional if I can get an electrician .  After doing my research I set it aside and then my thoughts went to if you are going to do it - act fast !
Supply and demand could become an issue and soon from what I am hearing .  It has been ordered along with needed add-ons for installation . I look at it as an investment with house value and certainly an Ease Of Living for me especially with my unknown medical situation .

Speaking of Medical ,  I have three appointments this week . Monday - Oncologist , Tuesday - Primary Care , Thursday - PET Scan (rescheduled because of power outage at hospital on October 10) .  I expect to hear results of lab work and ultrasounds.  Onward and Forward for a definitive diagnosis .

It is so nice to have a feeling of calm this morning and I look forward to an uneventful weekend .  Need to get groceries in , go to the dump and post office to pick up mail .  It's a lovely sunny day in the seventies .

Be Well and Safe .

Mary

Quick Status On Many Topics

It seems like there are so many UNUSUAL events happening for me at this time . First of all I did not expect to be able to post a blog because Northern California is having Emergency-Prevention power blackout because of predicted high winds and low humidity primarily north west from where I live .  And, those issues  have great significance regarding  WILD FIRE PREVENTION . Over 30 counties in our state could be impacted . This power outage in my area was reported to start at midnight on October 8 . I was somewhat surprised that I still had power this morning .  Then, 12 noon was suppose to be the shut-off time . It is now 2:30 and the power is still on !  Not sure when or if it will be turned off . Instead of telling you more about this  utility inconvenience just google California power blackout . The background story is quite lengthy .  And, certainly could be very political !

On Monday I went for the prescribed Ultrasound tests .  No, they did not see a fetus (😏-sorry -bad humor) but it may show some abnormal stuff .  My natural curiosity doesn't stop at the medical office door .  Along with being a retired nurse I can be quite nosy when I can see the monitor while they are running a test . Of course, I honor the technicians professionalism and don't ask questions !  However, my inexperienced eye could definitely see some areas that she measured for size  parameters .  Appointment for results is Monday .

Tomorrow is the day I was scheduled for the PET Scan . It will be rescheduled because the hospital has a power outage !!!

I have gas in my car and cash in my wallet as recommended .  Power outage could be as long as one week ! Or, maybe the outage will be cancelled for this area .  Anything is possible !

With all of THIS going on , I am blessed in my ability to accept what IS and find joy in each day . 

More info depending on power capability and computer.

Happy Day to One And All.

Mary

What A Wonderful Day In The Neighborhood

It is perfect for some outdoor gardening and outdoor maintenance.  I think there is a time during life when you start working on a task and find yourself easily distracted and then realize you have abandoned your original task .  That is what happened to me today.  I have found myself in the middle of a rather large project of cleaning out the entire Garden Shed !  Of course it needs it . Long over due .  It is amazing how much you can get into a little shed !

It was in 2006 (where does the time go) that I had this little 6 foot by 9 foot shed built on a concrete foundation.  It never was intended to be a modern day "She Shed" !!  My life was just to busy and dealing with my physical limitations from back troubles I needed it for "my garden stuff".  And let me tell you, it is not a very pretty site with everything I have pulled out of there sitting in front of it .  Not so sure this is something I can finish today .  But the weather is great and the weekend is forecast to be lovely .

The garden is definitely looking like a "Fall Garden" and I love the beautiful oranges and reds that are showering the garden environment .

And, the colorful Gerbera Daisies and Nasturtiums are continuing to delight .

And, this is for dinner tonight .  I prepared a knock-off recipe of Wendy's restaurant CHILI . It is very good .

Hope your weekend is moving along nicely .

Mary