Inconceivable!

No, this is not a post about The Princess Bride, but we do have the new book written by Westley, a.k.a. Cary Elwes here and D. has started to read it.  Maybe a review will be in another post.

When I visit my parents my mom asks what food I'd like to have in the house and she makes great meals.  I try to return the favor and keep a list of foods to buy before they arrive.  I have company this weekend and asked about food.

nuts, coconut cream, pepper, olives, pickles, and eggs (not shown)

I went shopping and found not just any pickles,

but my childhood pickles!  

Unbelievable!  I never need to go to Ohio again (except maybe to see my parents).

Because I'm worth it!

While picking up some other things I decided to splurge.  Why should I continue to be annoyed by lousy ice cube trays?  Happiness for less than $5!

old - imagine that you can see the cracks

new - no cracks and the water stays in the tray

The Return

six o'clock this morning

This morning I rode my bike to the pool and swam 2350 yards, surpassing my goal of 1000 yards.  The water felt great, but my stroke felt off.  Breathing was the hardest part, harder than flip turns.  The dizziness did force me to focus on the black line instead of looking around at my teammates.  It also encouraged me to sometimes breathe every fifth stroke instead of every third.  I didn't throw up and it did feel better by the end.  Maybe if I have been out for a month then in a month I'll feel back to normal?

Yesterday I started a couch-to-5K program, which I have used when recovering from an injury and when preparing R. for her phys. ed. test.  The very first minute of running was awkward, but after that it felt great.  The amazing thing was that I felt very clear-headed afterward, maybe the best I had felt in ages.  Here's hoping it lasts!

Foothill Boulevard

Life goes on along Route 66, which is Foothill Boulevard in Claremont.

The dentist office is still being built.

The bank building is for sale, but I am not sure what is happening to the bank.

Two years ago some incredibly ugly signs were added in front of the
Old School House were put up, which I wrote about here.  They were removed this week.

The Burger King about a mile from house closed.
We never ate there.

The Goodwill that is close to the Burger King is closed because of a fire,
but they are still taking donations.

The biggest change is in the urban forest.
Many trees are being removed and replaced with climate appropriate trees.

Some trees take too much water and cause damage to the sidewalks
and also drop enormous limbs.  I'll miss the shade!

Getting closer

You may remember what the Millikan Building looked like in the summer of '13.

 I wrote about the demolition and a lot has happened since then!

I was especially pleased to see the atom above the doorway.

Q.  Do you think they moved it from the old building?

  

A.  Yes!  It was cleaned and looks fabulous!

Big Step

I can ride a bike!  All the things I couldn't do last time I can do now.  I can take my hand off the handlebar and signal.  I can turn my head and look at traffic without being overcome by a wave of dizziness.  Freedom!  Joy!

Therapeutic gardening

I am tired of the doing the Cawthorne head exercises and am looking for new ways to teach my body to adjust to changes in the vestibular nerve system.  One suggestion was to change from sitting to standing and turning around in between.  That was an effective way to make me dizzy.  Another suggestion was to look around a lot while walking, which I also tried.  It felt like good practice for riding a bike.  Any movement that involves stooping, stretching, and aiming, like bowling and basketball, would be good.

 I decided weeding would be a good activity.

Most of the weeds were the type in the middle, but there was a little variety.

Just as the rain is good for the weeds, it is also good for the garden.

I don't know if that was enough stooping and stretching, but it was good to be outside, the yard looks better, and I was happy to chat with some neighbors.

Another Flag Post

Another flag that caught my eye was in the movie Hoosiers, which takes place in 1951-52.  The rules now state that the stars are in the upper left of the flag regardless of whether it is displayed horizontally or vertically.  Were they different over sixty years ago?

the gym in the small town

the gym hosting the semi-finals

the gym hosting the finals

 But now if you search for images of the gym you come up with the flag looking like this.

I looked at the Internet Movie Database(IMDb) trivia and blooper page for the movie to see if it was mentioned, but found nothing.  I did find another site that mentions the reversed flag.

Something different

I spent what felt like ages and ages at this pool.  Sometimes to pass time I would count the stars on the flag and try to imagine new patterns if Guam, Puerto Rico, or D.C. became states.

I have been doing more walking than usual and pass our neighbors' house, which has a flag flying.  It drives me nuts!

Doesn't this patten make you uncomfortable?  

Here is the official pattern.

Survival

No broken bones!  I didn't even fall!  But it will be a while before I add cycling to my modes of transportation.  I had an energetic walk in the morning, I rode A.'s bike down the block and back (mine was hard to access) and all was fine.  When D. came home for lunch I suggested a little ride, about a total of eleven blocks.  While I can balance and go forward, glancing over my shoulder or signaling while balancing was a challenge.  No rush.

Whew!

Being elected to a committee is not always an honor if it meets monthly at 6:30 a.m., but I like being volunteering with students, other parents, teachers, and administrators.  I decided I was healthy enough to attend and got a ride with a friend.  My vision was bothering me a bit, but I was still glad I had gone since we got to try out the iPads, which the students will use for the common core testing.  (Aargh - testing!  A great topic for a post since it is still in the news, like today's NY Times article about the current administration's support.  Not nearly as fun as listening to Education Secretary Arne Duncan on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me.)

I wanted to walk home, which is only 0.7 miles away.  No problem!  No problem until I tried to run to make the light and realized that was a bad idea.  I waited.  It didn't make me dizzy, but I felt like things were shaking around too much.

I had breakfast, did my exercises (getting easier, even tossing the beanbag under one leg), and started the laundry.  I decided I was energetic enough to visit three grocery stores (and still did not find everything I wanted) and Target, although I cut my list short.  I often hear the cashiers at Trader Joe's ask if someone wants help to the car and today I asked for help.  Good idea.

I got everything home and used the wagon to get things from the garage to the house (30 steps) and to get the laundry from the house to the line.  Another good idea.  After putting things away and hanging up the laundry I decided I was done!  Whew.

Not really since I had to take down the laundry and attend a meeting at 6pm, but those were small things, especially with the kids home and able to bring in the laundry.

It is hard to find a balance between sitting and doing nothing and doing too much.  I figure the way to find the middle ground may involve overshooting sometimes.  I'll try a different schedule tomorrow.

Not much

It is hard to find blogging material when one is at home most of the day.  I could tell you about watching Hoosiers, which was so-so, reading Keith Knight's book (The Complete K Chronicles), or cleaning the mail bowl (no surprises).  I am doing my exercises and taking my medications.  Not so interesting.

Two new things have happened.  I drove both yesterday and today and it was fine.  I haven't tried the freeway yet, but I think I could.  I wouldn't go in the fastest lanes but I could go with the flow and change lanes.

July 2014

I was able to go for a longer walk and today I spent 30+ minutes on the stationary bike.  I am not supposed to do any lifting or anything strenuous so I just gently pedaled as if cycling along the South Hill Rec Way in Ithaca, minus the beauty.

I still have fuzzy times and my eyes are still adapting to the different drops, but there is hope!

Getting Well

It takes a village to raise a child, but it seems that a village also helps to heal an adult.

I am not sure where to start!  I received cards before I went to the hospital.  After my return I received drawings, cards, and mail from all over.  The day A. got back he had friends lined up to host and entertain him while rested.  I have received plants and flowers, edible bouquets, homemade bread, and a box of pears.  People are still bringing meals!  All the love and all the hugs, real and virtual, are working!  Thanks for the support as I travel this recovery journey!

p.s.  How could I have forgotten the special delivery of 'medicine' from my neighbors? - six pints of Dr. Bob's ice cream!  And a bag of movies, a basket of magazines and books, including the perfectly distracting Calvin and Hobbes.

Post-op appointment

 I had my staples removed today and they didn't let me keep even one for my baby book.  

It didn't hurt at all.

It doesn't look quite like a shark bite. 

I had been quite excited that even though I had lost my hearing I did have my facial nerve preserved.  On Sunday my lip started to feel funny.  I blew lopsided bubbles and using a spoon made me feel like I was drooling.

Then I woke up at about four this morning and it felt like my eyelid was swollen and I couldn't quite close it.  I didn't panic because I knew I was seeing the doctor today.  They weren't impressed since I still had significant movement and the face was not completely frozen.  They put me on some steroids (and recommended something for an upset stomach, which is a common side effect) and some drops for my eyes (every hour for the liquid kind and a sort of lotion for overnight).  Whew!  They said it should get better in a couple weeks and if not then it will most likely be back to normal within a year.  Whew again!

I was also assigned a series of exercises called Crawthorne Head Exercises.  They will make me dizzy initially, but the goal is to improve my balance.  I especially like the one about throwing a ball from hand to hand under one knee.  I wonder if I could have done that pre-op!

Exercises are to be repeated twice a day increasing to 30 minutes. 

Eye Exercises: Looking up, then down, at first slowly, then quickly 20 times. Focus on one finger at arm's length, moving finger one foot closer and back again 20 times.
Head Exercises: Bend head forward then backward with the eyes open - slowly, later quickly, 20 times. Turn head from one side to the other side - slowly, then quickly 20 times. As dizziness decreases, these exercises should be done with the eyes closed.
Sitting: While sitting, shrug shoulders 20 times. Turn shoulders to the right, then to the left 20 times. Bend forward and pick up an object from the ground and sit up 20 times.
Standing: Change from sitting to standing and back again 20 times with they eyes open. Repeat with the eyes closed. Throw a small ball from hand to hand above eye level. Throw a ball from hand to hand under one knee.
Moving About: Walk across the room with the eyes open, then closed 10 times. Walk up and down a slope with eyes open. Any game involving stooping or turning is good.

The good news today was the pathology report came back clean, meaning the tumor was not malignant!

Progress

I just got back from a walk around the block and I didn't hold anybody's arm!!  We needed a change of scenery and chose the block across the street, which was a challenge for me.  In the old days I would walk along and as I approached the intersection I would scan for traffic and keep walking.  Now I can walk and I can turn my head, but I can't do both simultaneously.  I need to stop at the corner, look for traffic, and then cross.  Not a problem, just an adjustment.

Another big step was my first outing beyond the neighborhood.  It was good to see the friendly people at Trader Joe's and get stickers.  It did bring up the awkward situation of being asked how things were going.  I decided just to say they were okay and leave it at that.  Things are okay.

Now I need to sit a bit and relax.  The outings were not physically challenging, but they took concentration, which is tiring.

A New Year

I put on my calendar to watch Queen Margrethe II of Denmark give her annual address to the nation (always at kl. 18 New Year's eve), but I forgot to look at my calendar until she said Gud bevare Danmark.  I did get to see the outside of the castle, the Danish guard, and even listened to the commentators evaluate the speech.  That was enough since I understand only 10% of what I hear.

Another tradition that was put off this year was an It's Midnight Somewhere party.  When the kids were younger we would celebrate at 3 p.m., which is midnight in parts of Europe and Africa.  We would make and buy food from other countries and play some international games.  Over the years it may have turned into eating European cheese and playing regular games, but even that was too much this year.  At least I managed to hang up the sign.

Eating Hoppin' John may be an old tradition but it was a first for us.  People have been bringing meals but another friend brought this by (without the ham hock - thanks!).

I thought I might make it to my parents-in-law's place to watch the parade, but I didn't feel up for it.  I was so happy to be able to live stream it and turned it on just in time to see the Kaiser Permanente float.  I hope that is an omen for good health this year!

Best wishes for 2015 to all!