Tuesday, November 29, 2011

HEY - HEY - The gang's all here

SHILOH'n SHASTA HERE!
This iza pik of us that mom took when it wuz warm an'sunny out - NOT like tuday - it iz sunny BUTT NOT warm at all!

WELL, our daze r not like they were YET BUTT they iz gittin'there.  Mom iz able tu c better BUTT it iz still gittin'all better - she sez it takez sum time - so may-b we need tu git her one of thoze time-tellin'thingz she haz on the wall.


One of mom'z nik-namez she gave us a while ago wuz Snugglebuddiez - well we (the Beaglebratz)
haf d-sided that she makez a purty good Snugglebuddy tu so we r gonna give her that nik-name tu.


Ok - this post iz kinda short (we herd mom say it iz short like us - she better watch it or we iz gonna stop bein'her Snugglebuddiez) - mom haz an errand tu du later tuday an'she turnz off the 'puter when she leavez (we really du NEED tu git our own - one of thoze kind that we can take with us).  We hope we kin git bak here REEL fast.
Shasta'n Shiloh

Sunday, November 27, 2011

REBIRTH ???????????

I have been wanting to get bak here soooooooooooo bad but it seemed like there was always something that stoped me and now my 'puter is making a whirring sound AGAIN so today may be a little shorter than I want AND now the sound has stopped so who knows what is going on.  And now I just heard the 10 minute warning bell on the clothes dryer so will be interrupted for that - at least the Beaglebratz have already been out a couple of times so at least they will let me alone for a bit.  Have a pot of meaty turkey bones simmering away on the stove - smells so yummy in here.

Yes, the surgery did go off without a hitch and in fact the whole process of getting there and bak went better than what my sis and I both expected - the week before I had received some pre-op and check-in paper work from the surgery center telling me to be there anytime between 1 and 3pm but then the day before surgery they call and tell me to be there by 1:20pm - yes, that is between 1 and 3 but just turned out to be earlier than what we planned.  But actually, we were in their parking lot by 1pm - and I was checked in shortly after.  It was probably because of the Thanksgiving holiday and people not wanting their cataract or LASIK surgery so close to the holiday, it was less than 10 minutes later that I was called bak to the pre-op area. Ok so figure I went into surgery probably about 2pm - by the time I got through surgery and post-op recovery and discharge instructions then my sis and I got a bite to eat on the way home - I was in my kitchen before 5pm - considering last time we had to wait over 2 hours BEFORE I even had surgery, we were quite happy with the day.  Even tho my eye was patched shut and since I am blind in my other meaning I was totally blind I still was able to stay home that nite - and yes, the dogs were extremely happy I was there.  Luckily the next morning I was allowed to remove that patch so I was able to see a bit before my sis and I had to head bak to Overland Park, Kansas for my first follow-up visit - my next one will be this Wednesday, 11/30.


Ok - yes, I am seeing better BUT it is not completely healed yet plus there are sutures to be removed.  I was really glad when I was able to read for myself the post-op instructions that also said that my vision will be blurry for a bit and the vision will fluctuate for awhile (but I also know from previous experiences that those fluctuations will eventually become further apart.)  Also the variety of eyedrops plus the ointment I have to use mess up my vision a bit too but that will also get less and less too.


Yes, on Thanksgiving this year, I had something very special to be thankful for as I will for some time - who knows, maybe with all the "omens" of my divine intervention (see the post before) and the good luck on surgery day plus getting bak to church when we did, maybe they will all bring extra good luck then add alot of prayers and this cornea transplant will remain a good one for several years to come - unlike the last one.


Right now. I need to stop for now.  I hope the next post you see will be from the Beaglebratz - I know they are quite anxious to get bak on here but they understand too that mom has to take things a little slow for a few days and they want to be as helpful to me as they can (so why did they get loose yesterday when they had the opportunity to sneek out the door but I will let them talk about that more IF they want to).
In the meantime, I know this is late but
hope everyone had a wonderful and


SHILOH'N SHASTA
MOM KIM

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Divine Intervention ?????????????????

No, not the surgery - that is two days away yet and there have been NO NEW PROBLEMS so hopefully everything will go off without a hitch.  But something else happened yesterday that still gives me that warm fuzzy feeling and leaves me and my heart smiling - besides Shiloh'n Shasta.  AND it makes me wonder just who (as in God) had a hand in it.  And it did happen in a church too!

Since my vision first messed up in early August of this year, I have let in get in the way of many things, including stopping me from attending church and even tho my sis knows more people there than I do, she didn't want to go without me - she did make plans to go a couple times but something always got in the way.  As a result we missed out on something else we do every year at this time - filling a couple of shoeboxes with little toys and toiletries for Samaritan's Purse which is a Christian charity benefitting those in dire need all over the world.  So when I saw on tv that another local church was still accepting shoeboxes from the public, we went out shopping this past Friday night to get the things we needed to fill a couple of shoeboxes then on Saturday - yesterday - we delivered them to the church that was still taking them and THAT is where the divine intervention took place.  The woman who took our boxes looked at me and asked,  Kim Brooks?  Are you Kim Brooks - I'm Martha ____.
I have to admit, it took me a few seconds - I thought Martha from our dog therapy group (remember, my vision didn't allow me to see clearly) but then I remembered the last names didn't match along with the picture I did see of her along with the voice.  Then I did remember, Martha was the girl I had shared a room with at the hospital where I had my brain tumor surgery about 35 years ago
(when most of my vision problems began).  And we later worked together at that same hospital but even that had to be at least 30 years ago.  Martha had seen me at my worst after my brain tumor surgery and even came to visit me after she had been discharged from the hospital - she was still able to play her flute even tho many of her fingers had to be amputated due to a blood disease - while she played Christmas carols in the activity room of the hospital, I sang along.  Now for a little more - a few years ago I got copies of that brain tumor surgery that was 35 years ago - I could remember that the surgery happened around this time of year, in November of 1976 but I had forgotten the exact date; turns out that the surgery years ago was the same date, November 22 which is the same date as my upcoming cornea transplant. Then I was thinking about getting re-acquainted with Martha, shortly before my eye surgery kinda like when we became good friends before my surgery in 1976.  By the way, that brain tumor - not cancer but what is called an Acoustic Neuroma.  Anyway, some may think this was all just a coincidence BUT you just never know - and for the record, I DON'T think it was just a coincidence.


Ok - this has gotten kinda long.  Sorry it has been so long since my last post - I didn't realize that.  I am not sure if I will have time to post again before my surgery - I am hoping to but have a few things to do before it and we will leave here around noon on Tuesday, 11/22 to get down to Overland Park, KS.


Sidenote - probably will miss sending Christmas cards and I really did not like not being able to take part in the pet gift exchange this year - Shiloh'n Shasta had such fun last year at Petsmart choosing the gifts to send out - hopefully next year and I do hope we can at least send Christmas emails.  Actually, it has really gotten cold since yesterday and I don't know if I could get them to go out long enuf to get to Petsmart since all they want to do now is go out long enuf to get their business done then come bak in ASAP! The revolving door I was a few days ago has become less and less since they are now more content to stay in more - I really have to put some muscle in to getting them off their chair to go out before bed.  Speaking of doing that as I yawn again for the upteenth time - best get it done before I have to carry them out.
In case I don't have time to post again before, hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving.  Wish all good health - 2 and 4 leggers.
 Shasta'n Shiloh
& Kim

Monday, November 7, 2011

MOM ON MONDAY - FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS TOO

The reason I mention Facebook is because I have not been on there since this latest vision problem started and our blog shows up there too - I hope.

I was kinda hoping and praying that it wouldn't come to this but there will be another cornea transplant.     The really good news is that I won't be waiting long - November 22 - yep, the same week of Thanksgiving.  How's that for having something to be thankful for.  Not sure yet how long the recovery will take this time.  Last year it took a month because the specialist added a layer of stem cells which altho it promotes healing it also slows down recovery.  I don't know yet if he will do that this time - I hope to find out later today. If I don't have that done this time(which I kinda doubt) then the recovery is only a few days.  I would REALLY like to be able to get bak to work and the life I had before this latest fiasco BEFORE Christmas.

Oh, until then there is a slight change in my prayer focus.    The 
ONLY way the cornea transplant will take place on Nov. 22 is IF there are NO NEW PROBLEMS WITH MY VISION such as some kind of new infection.   Of course I still pray that there will be some kind of miracle and I will wake up some morning before the 22nd and my vision will be as good as it was BEFORE this latest mess-up with my  vision bak in August.

Anyway that is my latest news.  The Beaglebratz are doing well - they have had their breakfast of kibble topped with a few bites of Granny Smith apple - remember, no peeling - and a bite of my banana and then went outside for a bit.  Now they are bak in and snoozing away here in the livingroom - yep, there are TWO Beagles  snoozing there.

Uh-oh, one of my fav daytime shows is on - Rachel Ray and today she has Guy Fieti (Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives) on - I love Rachel's method of measuring cause anyone can do it regardless of vision.  And I get some great ideas - at least this time when my vision messed up it still allows me to do a little cooking on the stove and I love to "experiment",  Maybe I will share a recipe that has become one of my favs - it involves a Tex-Mex dip I found and some hamburger with a couple of cans of beans - still have some in the freezer - umm umm really good.  

Bak sometime
Kim, Shiloh'n Shasta