And Now We Wait

   After more testing it has been decided that I need to have a hysterectomy.  To be honest, I was hoping, given the issues that I have been having, that this would be the solution.  I am so thankful to my doctors who both agree that needs to be done and we are all hoping it will help with also help alleviate some other problems that I have been having.
  So now we wait for the health insurance company to approve the surgery.  The wonderful people at the doctor's office are trying to expedite things from their end.  Hopefully we will get the go ahead to get this done by next week.  I just want this over and done with.  I am tired of going through all the painful tests for the second time and am glad that this will be the end of them.
  I'm trying to prepare by making meals ahead of time and freezing them for later.  I'm also trying to get all the gifts and birthday cards ready for birthdays in October.  In addition to this, I'm stocking up on staple items that we will need for the next month as much as possible.  I do not want to run out of things we need and blow the budget.  My wonderful family and friends are all pitching in to help me when I am home recovering.  
  Even though I am still a bit sore from the tests, I a bit more at peace knowing that we are taking care of things and that it will cause less worry for me in the future.

Bradley Spent the Night. :)

Bradley spent the night with us last week and we had a wonderful time!  It was nice to have some one on one time with him.  Next time it is Isaiah's turn.  Our grandkids mean the world to Jeff and I. :)

More Testing

This growing older thing is not for the faint of heart.  I'm having some more female issues that one should not be having once they are in menopause, so back to the doctor I went.  This morning found me having more testing done and I am hoping that I can get an appointment this week with my other doctor that I was referred to and have seen in the past also by the end of this week.  My GP is really pushing for a hysterectomy and I am all for it at this point.  I really wish we could have just done it 2 years ago when this issue also came up then.  The stress and worry this is causing needs to be gone.  My GP is also hoping this will take care of some other problems that I have been dealing with for years and that it will make me feel much better all around.  Here's to hoping!

It's a Boy! Introducing Rufus

   Our home felt so lonely without a feline fur baby to love after we lost our Daisy.  Tuesday found me in a deep funk and my wonderful husband said "Let's go and get you a kitty".  We went to the Humane Society with the intention of getting a kitten.  We played with one and looked at all the other kittens.  They were so cute!  I also looked at the adult cats and my heart just went out to this guy. 

   Rufus is a special needs kitty and has had a rough go of it.  He was picked up as a stray and then adopted out to a family who sadly had to return him when they found out one of their children was deathly allergic to cats.  Rufus came back to the shelter with "hot spots" and it was determined that he was allergic to plastic.  Poor guy had to have a series of steroid shots to get that cleared up and was also put on a special diet.  He was also found to have a slight heart murmur.  All of this made it harder for him to find his forever home.

   I could relate to Rufus.  I played with him and fell in love with this curious, long and lanky boy.  We filled out the paperwork and returned the next day to bring him home after he got his final steroid shot and vet check.  Before we even made it out of town he had chewed his way out of the cardboard kitty carrier and  spent the rest of the ride cuddled up on my lap.

   Caesar and Rufus are slowly adjusting to one another with Rufus being the more aggressive one.  Rufus had been exploring his new digs and was treated to a new kitty house and perch built by the wonder hubby.  He has surprised us with how cuddly he can be at night.  As soon as we go to bed, he is right there with us, snuggled up as close as he can get.  During the day though, he is like a toddler, off and exploring but still staying close, making sure he knows where we are at all times. ;)  We are really loving having him as part of our family.

We'll Miss You Daisy

   Our Daisy sadly crossed Rainbow Bridge on Sunday.  :'(  She got really sick and stopped eating.  Nothing we tried would entice her.  Her little body started shutting down and we knew it was her time to go.  I held her and cuddled her, told her how much I loved her and what a good girl she was and then it was time to say my final goodbye.  It was heartbreaking and even though I had been preparing myself for this moment, it did not make it any easier.  Even now, thinking about her brings me to tears.  She was the last of our kitties and went way too soon after we lost out old girl Gemma.
   We are now a house without a kitty.  In the last 32 years, the longest we have ever been without one in our home was 3 days and that was when we moved to Klamath Falls, OR and had to rehome our cat Brandon.  Two days after we arrived there, we went to the animal shelter and adopted Nellie, who would be a part of our family for years to come.
    It has now been 2 long nights and days without our Daisy and I still think I hear her or see her out of the corner of my eye.  Before I head to bed I find myself looking for her so I can scoop her up and put her on our bed so we can cuddle for a bit before falling asleep.  I still reach for her in the middle of the night trying to calm myself back to sleep while petting her very soft and long fur.  I look for her in the morning because she would always find me as soon as I was up and follow me around the house waiting for her morning lovies.  
   It feels so strange not to have a feline fur baby in our lives.  I'm sure in time we will adopt another one, but it is just not  time yet.  We will know when it is right...but for now, we will just hold tight to the memories of our Daisy.

Gooky Eyes, Plugged Sinuses and Coughs, and Waylaid Plans

  There seems to be a very yucky virus going around and of course I caught it.  I'm sure I got it from my grandsons who picked it up at the daycare where their momma works part time.  I thought I was getting better and then I pushed myself just a bit too far, wore myself out and BAM!  Yep, it came back at me hard. You would think I would learn after having had this same thing several times in the past.
  I hate being sick when there is so much to do.  My poor garden has been neglected and some of the beans will not have to become seeds for next year's garden.  That in itself is not a bad thing really since I was planning on letting some of them do that anyway.  A few of the squash ended up getting HUGE so they have been shredded and made into bread.  I dehydrated some of the tomatoes and will make that into tomato powder.  I still have 2 big bags of beans that I need to process and a big box of plums that I was going to make into jam but am now thinking they may just get dehydrated too.
  I had other plans for this week too.  Today is my husband's birthday and I had planned to surprise him with a really nice early dinner tonight before he heads out to his bowling league. We did have a big family birthday party on Sunday (where I pushed myself) and he got his presents and cards, but I still wanted to do something special for him on his actual birthday.  I did manage to make him some Red Velvet Brownies today but that was about all I could manage.  When in doubt, make the man something chocolate and he is a happy camper. :)
   I'm praying I can kick this thing soon.  Between the smoke filled skies we had for a few weeks that caused my asthma to flair up and being under some horrible stress lately that sent me into a tailspin emotionally and physically, this has been a rather tough 4 weeks or so.