Optimistic For Helpful Information

I have an appointment with a Hematologist/Oncologist tomorrow morning as recommended by two doctors to review my recent diagnostic records with a focus on determining a diagnosis of my current symptoms and enlarged spleen .  It is over a year since this process started and I want to be optimistic about gaining more information .  If a treatment plan is not indicated because of no diagnosis I plan to go on doing the best I can in all aspects of my life .  Can't sit around thinking about it .  I've got lots of things to do and I am a young 80 .  Sure, I continue to have physical issues that aren't easy to deal with and the aging process can probably explain most .  I think there are very few people who at a certain age can say they don't have ANY issues .  It is just the way it is .

When I was gathering some of my medical records I observed something I will mention to the doctor.  When the last lab report was reviewed by the doctor he said that the numbers were close to normal range . After I was able to see the report I noted that there are six components that are outside the normal perimeters with some higher and some lower in range. Not by much but none the less as I recall most ALL of my lab work in the past has been within normal range other than cholesterol and occasionally in the past, slight anemia .  On rare occasions if I was being treated for a specific condition the lab work may have had some deviation .

Unfortunately, it seems that these days the doctors don't have access to past medical reports in order to do comparisons or observe change in patterns which is important while determining a diagnosis . 

Hopefully, tomorrows appointment will be worthwhile !

We are having a beautiful bright sunny morning and everything outdoors is freshly watered by a brief thunderstorm that we had in the middle of the night .  Our next few days are forecast to be on the cooler side , like in the low 70's .

I just went out to take a couple photos of the house .  The way the house is situated on the land makes it difficult to photograph .  And, the house is kind of tucked into a lot of trees .

This side of the house is the most visible .  The door is for the garage.

 

We are really liking how it all turned out with the chosen colors .  With the many surrounding trees the colors seem to be just the right intensity . Lots of compliments from neighbors .  They continue to call it "The Happy House".

The entrance to the house has always been rather non-impressive . This is where the patio is. I enjoy decorating the patio with interesting  items to give a little personality . There are no windows on these two sides of the house other than the large bathroom window that you can see in the photo .  I had the window installed when I had the bathroom updated and that was about 10 years ago.  Oh, let me show a photo of the inside !  I really love the bathroom !!!

This is the bedroom side of the house with a lot of trees .

And, this shows how the front entrance of the house is not very visible from the front street .  If I was to design a house for this location it would be very very different .  However, I feel so grateful to be able to live here !!!

Happy Weekend !

Mary

The Kitchen

An enjoyable blogger mentioned that she would like to see my home.  And, that is lovely .  But  - - - - my home/house is no way "put together" like my garden .  However, most of my life my home has been my sanctuary and a truly enjoyable ongoing work in progress .  Most of my fairly long life I have lived alone but even on a smallish budget I was always doing something in my home to improve it, even when I was a renter for many long years .  My home was really a passion and really still is.  However, I have had some pretty rough years in the fairly recent past which has meant that the inside of my house is far from what I like .  Once you lose control of your routine of maintenance it can be very difficult to recover especially as we get older and especially if we are on our own.  My garden has become my joy and in many ways - my therapy .

But, my kitchen (it's a small one) is presentable .

It is not only presentable but it is my Work-Of-Art that I thoroughly enjoyed making about ten years ago.  That was a time when I was doing a lot of work like interior painting along with major kitchen  and bathrooms updating of my little 1970's home that I bought in 1993 . Very hard work but so worth it . This is a photo of the  kitchen when I moved here.   I did not have a garbage disposal or a dishwasher and there was very little cupboard space.

The mosaic backsplash is made with broken dishes that I was able to buy at Marshalls.  They had several boxes with broken dishes at almost "give away price" .  I never planned on having a purple kitchen - - - but I do now!

Additional cupboards and open shelving was added at a right angle to the existing kitchen counter.  You can see a little of it at the right edge of the photo.  That gave room for a dishwasher, little cookbook niche and next to dishwasher is a pullout towel rack.

And, this is the opposite side of the galley kitchen.  The stove is now a black one.  The little cupboard to the right of the stove is a pull out spice rack . I installed  pull out shelves in the cupboard next to the stove.  And, they are so great and so helpful .  It was fun finding ways to incorporate the little added conveniences.

That certainly was a lot of painting. All of the inside of the cabinets are painted lavender .  I have done a lot of the work myself in this little house.  Small budget means - learn how to do it if you want to have it.  Last year or before I had to replace the garbage disposal and

This is what I posted then - - -
About six weeks ago, the dishwasher that has never given me a second of trouble started to leave the dishes unclean and I started to think, oh NOT that too. After some research I learned that the garbage disposal may be the issue associated with the plumbing network under the sink and interfering with the performance of the dishwasher.  Soooooo, after some more research I decided that I would (Yes, ME) install the garbage disposal myself! The new one is the same brand and model, so I thought that should make the job a little easier. Well, I am proud to say that I now have a nice functioning garbage disposal - and - dishwasher. Boy oh boy, I must be more tenacious than I realized. That was one of the hardest (they are heavy) and complicated (under the sink) repairs/installations that I have ever done. I will spare you the details.

 and I repaired my electric stove part 1 and electric stove part 2 .

Dealing with major back issues from a career in Nursing means all my activity is predicated on my physical ability and as the years go by, also my fatigue level .  I would tease about spending more time cleaning my paint brushes than putting paint on the walls because I have to pace myself based on my back pain .  I just move about like a little tortoise !  You have heard the story of Aesop's fable,  The Tortoise and The Hare , haven't you ?

I am hoping to get the inside of the house painted again (by a professional painter this time)  and do some redecorating.  That should push me to do a major clean out one way or another.  I miss having a house I can entertain in !

Well, this post certainly took me down memory lane .  My entire life has been one of hard work and I guess I'll go out that way - - - but, no time soon !

Wishing you Happy Days.

Mary