On a lighter note...

At 2:00 pm yesterday, I called Respitory again and asked why we had not received the info we needed to get the CPap. I informed them that Dave, the owner of Homecare Medical, was ready to go; he just needed some info from them to finish it up. The receptionist? nurse? told me to tell Dave to call them, so I did. Neither of us thought this would go anywhere, but Dave called and talked to the Doctor, who verbally gave him the info he needed. 

I thought Butch had the best night ever! But he tells me he didn't sleep all night! When he had the hospital sleep test, he also didn't think he slept the first half...but he did. So I think it was the same here. His brain was active while his body was sleeping. I was up a number of times through the night and saw no indication he was awake. And I asked him how many times I got up, and he had no idea. He was in some kind of sleep, even if he didn't recognize it! Hopefully, it will be more recognizable tonight.

Things are looking up!

Update...

 I know I am late in getting an update out. Our annual Z cousin reunion was this past Saturday. This year's crowd was small, with perhaps 15 people in attendance. Despite that, it was a pleasant one because it was laid back and the perfect time to have a conversation with everyone. Not just a "Good to see ya" visit, but conversations with substance. 

My friend Mickey, who is battling cancer and is in her final fight, dropped by Saturday afternoon, too.  Her daughter, Dena, came to see her from Minnesota and brought a wheelchair van. She picked her up at the nursing home, took her for a tour of Jefferson, and stopped by our place. Dena brought some brawn with her to get her Mom into her house, a request Mickey has had for a long time. Dena said she was ready to return to the nursing home by mid-afternoon. It was good to see her, and I am happy for her that she was able to have her wish.

Two of our boys and their wives came for the reunion and the weekend. We always have a super time when they are here. Butch passed on real golf when they went, but we played the golf card game. And of course, we played pool. Butch did not feel well all weekend and we have come to the conclusion that it may have been a 'bug' instead of his many other issues when I started having the same feelings he was experiencing: No appetite, upset stomach, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and dry heaves. Fortunately, I did not have the dry heaves part.  And my bout, if it was one, was much shorter than his.

CPAP or no CPAP. So today is the day Butch is supposed to get his CPAP. At least that is what we were told. On Saturday, my cousin Howard came to the reunion and brought his spare CPAP with him. It got us through the weekend. We are well aware that it is a no-no to use someone else's CPAP; however, it was not one he was currently using. So if there does happen to be another snafu, we will use it until he does indeed have his own.

That brings you up to date. We hope to have some definitive answers soon.

It gets worse...

 The doctor is still on vacation, and we have to wait until Monday for him to review the sleep study test and approve it for a CPAP despite being labeled as 'EMERGENCY" and heart failure. A lawsuit may be in a few people's future.

I listen to him all night, every night. He sounds as though he is climbing up a very steep hill, and then there is a period of time where he is silent with no apparent breathing at all. He is sleeping in a recliner to keep his head elevated. Oddly enough, his Blood Ox readings are well within normal. Yesterday, at about 5 AM, we went to ER because he was afraid to go to sleep, and he checked out okay. The doctor in charge tried to call the sleep apnea facility in Ames to see if he could get things moving, but he is the third doctor who has tried and failed. They did say he was first on the list for Monday. So this being Saturday morning, we now have two more nights to get through before he can get a CPAP. I am fully aware there may be other issues, but my thought and prayer is that the CPap will have a positive impact on his recovery. They cannot put any more pressure on his system until the sleep apnea issue is resolved.

So enough for now. I will pass along 'news' as I come upon it.

Bump in the road

 Butch had his sleep study in the hospital and it went well. It was a Split Study, meaning the first half was without a CPap and the second half with it. The results were alarming, encouraging, and alarming in that order. His results were listed on his MyChart, and two words stuck out: severe and heart failure. It was decided that he definitely needed a CPap. BUT and it is a big but, the guy who would read the results is on vacation! And nothing can be done about getting him a CPap until he sees the results and posts it. So no relief for us on knowing he can safely sleep through the night until he returns and resumes his job.

I decided I should see if there was any way around this obstacle. It seemed to me there should be a way, especially since it had emergency status. So I finally reached the doctor who ordered the sleep test, and I am waiting to hear back from him. The fact that the doctor on vacation surely should have backup to cover situations like this, but doesn't, strikes me as a lawsuit waiting to happen.

The new-to-Butch heart doctor was a bit stern and asked why we waited so long to see him and I lobbed it right back at him that I had tried to get an appointment before we left Texas, but was unable to do so, and when we did get back to Iowa it wasn't any easier. End of discussion. 

To be continued...

Things are looking up

 Butch's appointment with his cardiologist took place this afternoon and we are greatly encouraged. His throat scope has been cancelled because he cannot be taken off his blood thinners for 6 months, and that would have been required for that procedure. That one was making me nervous for that very reason.

He will be getting a new med tomorrow that should take care of the high heart rate, the sleep study tonight, and a better outlook should improve everything.

And to top it off, I went to the pharmacy to get refills, and thanks to the staff at McFarland clinic who gave me a card, I was able to get an 80% reduction in my most expensive med. Down from $247 to $59.50! Oh, Happy Day!!

Finally!

 Butch recieved word yesterday that he will be getting his sleep study done tonight in Ames Iowa. It was a perfect birthday gift. It feels like we have been waiting for ages. We have two doctor visits today, too, and fortunately, they are local visits. My cardiologist comes to Jefferson a couple of times a month, and after today, he will also be Butch's cardiologist. There are numerous reasons a person can spontaneously lose weight, and we are investigating all of them. Last week, Dr. Merchant, an oncologist, said it may be something simple, and we won't know until we check.

So, as many of you know, dancing with Doctors can be time-consuming, and we're hoping for a quickstep. Maybe by July 1st, we can say we will sit the next one out.

Leo and Keri put together a small birthday celebration for Butch's 84th birthday. Jason and Laura played cards with us all afternoon, then we all went to Casa de Oro for supper. It was a happy time, lots of fun conversation.

The Birthday Boy

Clearly!

And the beat goes on...we hope

 Little changes at our house, and that is mostly okay with us. That feels like it leaves little to write about. I generally come up with something. I can always groan on about the medical world. Butch had a preliminary sleep apnea test and he won. He has sleep apnea. That means he needs to have a more thorough test to find out how bad it is. I hear they have a number system. I predict it is a high number. To find this out, someone from the hospital is supposed to contact us and tell us when he needs to go for a sleepover at the hospital. We found this out last week, and so far, we haven't been informed. 

He was supposed to go today for a throat scope, but due to a lack of a message from that particular office, it isn't happening. The insurance company nixed that one, but no one informed us. They assumed Butch was "techy" and would see the message through his MYCHART. He didn't.

Tomorrow he has an appointment with a doctor about his unexplained weight loss. He was down to 155 pounds. He started at 180 about a year ago. There is a shred of good news. Today, he stepped on the scale and it was up two pounds.

He has an appointment with the heart doctor here the day after his 84th birthday. He will be seeing the same heart doctor I have on June 10th. I think they will get along. I just hope he has something positive to share with us.

So all of the above has been on our mind. We still seem to get things done. Butch is playing golf with Jason when the weather allows.  We both are still playing pool most days at 4:00pm. Trivia night is Thursdays and game night is Saturdays and both activities are fun. Our "pool hall" is getting used precisely as we hoped it would, a gathering place.

Both of us always have a book going.  I've just finished this one, and I would highly recommend it. I loved it!

An emotional, rousing novel inspired by the incredible true story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of Depression-era America.

“Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes…”Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave.

Rain, Rain go away

 I am sure the farmers like it, the ones who have their crops in. It has been cool and rainy the past two weeks and I get a bit crabby when my walks are hindered.

Oh well. There are always indoor activities we can do.

We are getting into a pattern of doctor appointments. Hopefully, we can wrap those up soon. It does seem one appointment turns into many. We have no answers yet on Butch and sleep apnea or reasons for weight loss. Maybe this week will help.

Leo, Keri, Butch, and I went north to visit with Marlene and Bernard last Friday. They are both in their 90s and doing well in most aspects. Butch has been so lucky. There were 6 Brooker siblings, and only one has passed. I went searching for a picture of Marlene and Bernard and ran across this one of Butch and Marlene taken in 2016 at Pepe's on the river in South Texas. Good grief, that was 9 years ago!

I went on a photo search and ran across this one of Bernard, also in 2016, taken at their place in South Texas. Bernard is holding a homemade cribbage board. Sadly, I do not remember the story behind it. Obviously, it was made in the days when you made something instead of buying it. 

We would get together with Marlene and Bernard often when they were still coming down for the winter. Their park was about 25 miles from the one we stayed in.

Ancestry

 I know there are a lot of people into it, and I have not been one of them. Not deeply at any rate. However, I have recently been much more informed about my father's side of the spectrum over the last year. My father was adopted at 3 months of age due to the death of his mother. His father gave him to Sam and Anna Brock, which was not at all uncommon in those days. As a result, we "Brock" grandchildren knew very little of our Vanhorn, my father's birth name, side of the family. 

My birth grandfather was Walter Vanhorn, and Walter was a twin. Wesley was his twin's name. The twins had a brother, William, as well.

A few years ago Butch and I did the Ancestry.com thing, more to find out what part of Europe we came from more than anything else. I was put in touch with some of Walter's and Wesley's families as a result of being in the large pool of ancestors.

I recently found out I have 1st cousins in Greene County. They have been here most of my life, if not all, and I was unaware. 

Ancestry.com sends out a "hint" every little bit to entice you to become a member. My interest is not that strong, so I pass. I do, however, look at what they will show me for free. This is a photo of what I received yesterday. 

From this bit of info, I found out that my great-grandparents on my dad's side had a large gap between their ages. He was 28 years older than Luvica! She lived to the ripe old age of 107, and he died at 89. If I had known of her existence, I could have visited her had the circumstances been right. My father's biological sister, Ione Beason Shafer, lived to 104, so longevity might have been a factor.

Hey, it is raining outside, and I am all caught up on many things, so you get the leftovers of my mind on days like this one.

Day and Light

 Every photographer worth their salt knows it is all about the light. My "job" each morning is to unlock the doors in the morning; All six of them...that's another story.

When I opened the door on the east side of the breezeway, I stopped in my tracks and got my camera, my best camera! Now, this may not be a big deal to many people, but it is to me.

Here are the results:

This is actually the shot that sent me for my camera. (Chives)

These are the 3rd or maybe 4th generation of cacti my son, Gary, gave me for Mother's Day in 2004. We bring them in for the winter, and our house sitters give them a drink every month or so. It is awesome how they have evolved from the tiny little cactus they were to begin with.

Tricks of the Trade

 When I am stumped about what to share with you, I have a couple of tricks I rely on. One is pictures, always an easy way out. Another is recipes. But first, a rhubarb story. When Butch and I moved to this lot in Jefferson Iowa there was a heritage rhubarb patch, but it was in the wrong location. So we moved it and it has thrived, mostly. Rhubarb does not grow in the South. You might find it in northern Missouri, but it is rare to see it in southern Missouri. It is still abundant in Iowa, but that may not always be true as our winters get warmer each year. It would also help if people would help them thrive and recognize them for the treasures they truly are.

Last summer was a dry one and the patch suffered for it. It also went to seed abundantly. It did not look healthy, so I googled it to find out what to do about all those seeds. The advice was to cut them off immediately because it will suck all the goody out of the rhubarb if you do nothing. OMG!  That was very good advice. It sure is thriving this season, as you can see.

And I ran across this recipe, I might decide to try today.

Crustless Rhubarb Pie

Ingredients

3 cups rhubarb, diced

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. fine sea salt

4 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup 2% or whole milk

A small amount of softened butter to grease the pie pan

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and prepare the bottom and sides of a 9" pie plate with the softened butter. 

Clean and dice rhubarb and put it into the prepared pie plate. 

Mix the remaining ingredients in a blender until well blended. Pour over the rhubarb in the pie plate. 

Bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees F. The center will be just slightly soft when it's done and will firm up as it cools on the countertop. 

Cool completely. Serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

The Lever on 8-oh!

When the 80th birthday rolls around, it feels like there is a silent switch in the system. Things change. The outlook on life, future, and past takes a different tone. Don't get me wrong, it isn't a bad thing. It is a reality that isn't fully structured. Your peers are leaving this good earth, and that is a little hard to ignore. And the ones who are still near and dear sometimes are not able to join you in the same activities they did in their younger years. We are all headed in the same direction, and there is no getting around that, but after 80, it looks a lot closer. Not something you give much thought to till you are there.

When I sat down at my computer with the idea of a blog entry, I wrote "Writer's Block". And the story above is what happened when I let the writer in me take over. I know there are those who do not want to even think about it. If that is you, then you probably are not going to get this far.

There are two things I hope I never lose: JOY and a sense of humor.

Time Flies more than Crawls

 BY THE WAY! Made this for supper last night. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out every bit as good as I remembered it!

When I get a 2-mile walk in, do some yard work, play an hour's worth of pool, fix meals, buy groceries, think of and prepare meals, something gets left out. And that something tends to be computer-related, such as getting ready for Iowa trivia, reading bits and pieces of the "wonderful" happenings of our torn and battered US of A, handling text messages and emails, etc.

Today, after returning from the 2-mile walk, I got lots done. I have a guy who loves to clean windows. Shocking, I know! Not only does he clean them, he does it for a very reasonable price. We all know the people who get ready for the cleaning lady. Hey, I was one of those! It forces a person to take care of the clutter you know the cleaning person would not know what to do with or where to put it. Same story with the windows, I do the sills and leave the heavy stuff for him. Today I did my sills! So I will give him a call and move onto the next project.

I feel like I am getting more-than-normal but necessary things done this season. I am assuming it has to do with not having any major projects in the works. I am anxious to get to the point where I am looking for something to do. I do not feel like it is very far away. I have set the date for Iowa trivia, Thursday, May 15th @ 6:30 pm. Everyone is welcome.

 I have set the date for the Zimmerle Cousin Reunion on June 14th. Everyone is welcome to that too, but better to let me know you are coming on that one.

Keri and I were talking about spaghetti recipes and I sent her one of mine that has inspired me to make it soon. Here it is:

Recent Photos

 I am enjoying my view as I sit at my computer. I am not as quick as I used to be. I still enjoy the challenge of getting a good shot.

                             Out on a Limb 1

 Out on a Limb 2

                           

                         Grosbeak 1

Get this show on the road...

 Whatever day I choose for a Zimmerle Cousins Reunion is not going to work for someone, so I picked a day...and it is Saturday, June 14th! Yeah! Food will be provided, and at this point, we do not know what it might be.

We will be getting together just like when we were babies and the magnificent 7, Mae, Ray, Phil, Herold, Vivian, Jack, and Fern, gathered at Grandma Z's humble abode for Sunday dinner.  Oh, the stories that could be told!

You will not want to miss it if it is as much fun as last year.

Please let me know if you can attend.

Settled in

 We have been home for over a week and are settled in. There are a few things we need to get done, mostly outdoor things. We have had some nice days, but they seem random to me. It will all get done in good time.

This week's theme is "Doctor Appointments." There were three, and the last one is tomorrow.  They are mostly getting the medical stuff that happened in Texas in the records for Iowa, so everyone is on the same page.

I haven't started Pool Hall Trivia yet, but I plan to do so later this month. Butch and I are playing pool nearly every day at 4:00. Drop in for a visit. We can easily make it a billiards/happy hour combo.

Laura, our daughter-in-law, had knee replacement surgery yesterday, and anyone who has had that knows it is a tough row to hoe for a couple of weeks and no darn fun for longer than that. We hope it is smooth sailing and she can get back to her regular routine as soon as possible.

I want to set a date for the Zimmerle Cousins reunion, and I am leaning towards Saturday, June 7th. That was my sister Myrla's birthday, and close to the same date as last year. If I receive no opposition within the next week, we will make it official!

Iowa Homecoming

 We are tucked into our Summer home with Winter temperatures (low 40s). The trip was smooth except for an uptick in road construction. It seems they were fixing things everywhere we wanted to go!

In getting caught up on my computer, I came across this cartoon, and it was appropriate after our long drive home!

We are very happy with our T-Mobile internet connection. It served us well for our 6 months in Texas, and when I turned it on here, it found a tower immediately and hooked up with a strong connection. We also have a strong connection in the pool hall, all this with not one booster! I could have hooked up along the way if I had wanted to take the time, but I didn't.

It will take us a while to settle in, as it always does in both directions. More so as the years add up.

4 days before takeoff

 We are slowly working toward the big day when we get in the car and head North. Sunday and Monday will be the most active days for getting ready. We do have a head start. This morning I did a heavy cleaning of the bathroom. We currently have designated areas for things that are going in the car. We have done it enough in the past to have a routine of sorts. It doesn't pay to get too serious too soon.  Digging through things after packing only creates more chaos.

We are both doing okay healthwise. We have been tracking our blood pressure and recording it. Both of us are in the healthy range. We have been walking about a mile for the past couple of days. Just that has been helpful in many ways, both mental and physical. I miss Renie and our 2-mile walks, but hope to pick it back up with Keri when we get settled in Iowa.

I had no idea that low magnesium could be so important. After the IV in ER and taking a supplement each evening, many things have straightened out for me, some of which have been a bother for years. I am now only getting up once or twice through the night. Asleep two hours followed by awake two hours isn't happening so far. I am liking this new way of sleeping.

Last night we went with Bill and Sandi to the Eldorado for supper. It had been a while since we had done that, and it was really good! Butch and I shared Chicken Fajita ala Plancha and we brought home enough for supper tonight. Bill had Chicken-fried steak and raved about it. Sandi had Liver and Onions and declared it delicious as well. We always follow up with a stop at the Dairy Queen for mini blizzards, making it an all-around good time!

Miscellaneous Photos

 "Bootsie" is a cat belonging to Paul and Sally Kelleher. Bootsie is a fat cat weighing in at 18 lbs. 

She is a special friend of Butch's.

Butch and I used to go to a place above the Canada Store called "Garcias". It is now under new management, and didn't compare, so we no longer go there. But we have been to Arturo's with Marlene and Bernard years ago, and it was their favorite place to eat when in Progresso. Butch had a hankering for Panchos so we decided to try them at Arturo's. It will be our place to go in the future because their Panchos were the very best!

We have both had trouble lately with a lack of appetite and feeling full after a few bites. As you can see, we managed to eat most of the plate and they were delicious!

More flood pics.