August 2015

I had promised to write more and keep everyone up to date.  Well, I obviously didn't manage that and I do apologize.  Since my last posting, I did manage to get to Branson, Missouri for another wonderful retreat organized by Cecilia's Samplers.  My brother and his wife came down to Dad-sit while I was away.  Dad is doing remarkably well considering everything he went through in January.  As for myself, well..... I strained my right rotator cuff 3 months ago.  Since then I've been going for physiotherapy 3 times a week and are you ready for this I wasn't allowed to cross stitch! Trust me, I really haven't been in shape to do any stitching, I have been on anti-inflammatory medication as well as pain killers. To give you an example, I sneezed the other night...not a quiet little sneeze but a big full body sneeze, the type of sneeze where every single muscle in your body clenches before releasing!  I was in so much pain that an hour later I had to take something for the pain.  So in a nutshell between all the running around I do for Dad and this shoulder problem, I really haven't done anything.  So until the next time, I thank you for allowing me to be a part of your day.  Hugs, Louise

Rare Disease Day - February 28, 2015

Did you know that February 28 was rare disease day?  Well don't worry a lot of us didn't know either, in other words you weren't alone. Unfortunately there are a lot of rare diseases in this world.  My niece was interviewed by 2 local TV stations here in Ottawa to discuss the problems that she and Jaxon face every day.  I found out through these interviews that not only does Jaxon have a rare disease but his disease is considered ultra rare!  I will try to put a link to these 2 interviews on the side bar as well as here
http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video?playlistId=1.2253630 and https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=284945878295767&pnref=story  hopefully if you click on them you will be able to see the videos.
Hugs to all. Louise

I'm Back!!

Hi there, I bet you thought I was gone for ever....well, I have been busy taking care of my Dad.  He was hospitalized for a month (the majority of January) and once he was back home, my siblings and I made sure that someone was there for him 24/7 for the first 2 weeks.  Then my siblings left and it's now back to just me.  As a result of the problems that occurred for Dad to be hospitalized, he has now lost his drivers license so guess who gets to drive him to all his appointments.  And there were a lot of follow ups with all the specialists as well as his regular doctor and dentist and hearing aid specialist.  So please excuse me for not posting but I have been busy, honest I have.  As for stitching, I haven't been doing a lot of that lately, did a bit in the hospital while Dad was sleeping and a bit while he was at the dentist.  So I will be able to finish that one and have a picture to show you.  And today I started the Tribal Teapot, something totally new and its going to be just for me!!  I think I have maybe 50 stitches in it, so you will have to wait for the pictures.  lol.  Next week, I am off to Branson, Missouri to attend a stitching retreat organized by Cecilia's Samplers.  My brother and his wife are coming to Dad-sit while I am gone.  I can't wait...  So until the next time, thank you for your patience with me and for reading my blog, remember that you are loved.  Louise

To 2015 - hopefully a better year

Hi everyone, here we are in 2015, did you do anything exciting to help bring in the new year? I really had good intentions of posting more often in December but life as usual gets in the way.  For a good portion of November and December, I was busy taking Dad to his doctors appointments, taking him for bloodwork, etc and to make a long story short, he was finally admitted to the hospital on Dec 22.  He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure (CHF).  He was having trouble with his legs, he kept retaining fluid to the point where he was about 16-18 pounds over his normal body weight.  The doctors kept increasing his diuretic but he still kept gaining weight.  For those of you with elderly parents, please, please, please get involved with them when they go to see their doctors.  I never knew that my father also suffered from chronic kidney failure, if I had known that I would have done things a bit differently. The day he was admitted to the hospital, they did an ultrasound of his legs and found a blood clot, how long had this been there, we're not sure but the point I want to make to all of you is to get involved.  I was astonished at the answers that my Dad gave to the emergency room doctor, the admitting doctor and the cardiologist!  He kept saying No, I don't think so and I kept answering the questions with the necessary information that the doctors needed....so all this time that he went into the doctors office by himself, how many times did he say No when he really should have said Yes, maybe he would have been admitted to the hospital earlier.  We will never know but please, please, please for your new years resolution please get involved, you never know, I thought my Dad was still sharp but I should have realized when he started complaining that the easy crosswords were getting too difficult for him.  Thank you for taking the time to read my blog, I do plan on being better at posting in 2015 than I was in 2014.  And to end off on some good news, the total raised for the FOP for 2014 was $1000.  Yahoo.  Hugs and kisses, Louise