I have to admit to making a commitment to one of my nursing friends that my new year's resolution would be to return to my blog. She has lived far away from me in California and our only means of connecting has been through copies of e-mails from others. She answered me by telling me how much she missed my blog......so here we are......a new year and a new beginning.
It is hard to believe that seven years have passed since Lee became seriously ill shortly before Christmas in 2009. In June 2017, we will hopefully celebrate a victory of his achievement of seven full years with his lung transplant. I am happy to report that his lung has been good to him even though he at times has been somewhat abusive to it by disobeying instructions from the pulmonary team at Duke! I might add, he has also rallied at times against my "bossiness" as he calls it when I remind him of his "Do not do this" list. It is, however, those times when he tends to forget he has a foreign organ that he gets into trouble.
He has finally accepted that he can no longer work in soil after getting a serious lung infection that had to be treated aggressively with steroids and strong antibiotics in 2015. The antibiotics interfered with other drugs which in turn created heart problems such atrial fibrillation moving us into 2016 with his having serious heart problems. March, 2016 required a seven hour ablation with results that lasted through July. He continued to take A F meds that made him extremely weak to the point he could hardly walk. August 2016 required another long ablation after previously having a serious of 4-5 cardioversions. So far the last ablation has left him with a normal sinus rhythm and a progressively stronger heart and body as a result of discontinuing the drug. So far, so good on the heart issue.
Lee's biggest challenge now continues to be the squamous cell carcinomas that evidently love to grow on his scalp, face and neck with occasional scatterings on his arms and hands. This is a direct result of lowered immune system and his exposure to radiation years ago. The medicine that suppresses his immune system cannot be stopped or he will reject the lung, so I guess you could say "damned if you do and damned if you don't". To date we have lost count, but estimate it close to fifty. His scalp has been moved around with grafts so many times that hair is now growing in places we once called bald!
So much for Lee, now to other issues: I guess you could say I am doing very well in spite of some arthritis in my back and a gut that tells me when I am overworked and stressed! Sleep has become evasive and I now belong to that unwanted group of "Insomniacs"! I have tried it all, warm milk and cookies, reading, reading, reading, and even the special teas that are sure to aid. Whenever I am desperate, I do rely on the drug my GP provides, but having fear of dependence, I am extremely selective and precautious. I have also tried a small glass of wine, only to fall asleep quickly and awake two hours later with a headache! Oh well!
I was able to have twenty-some family members for Thanksgiving, and to host four different Christmas gatherings. I did, however, arrange for assistance with food, and clean-up with all our children. It worked well and we honestly had some wonderful holiday time with our families.. Our last visiting group was here for an overnight for New Year's/ Christmas and our last visitors came New Year's day for a light lunch! All in all, we feel grateful for the time we have and also that our family continues to remember to come by.
I have continued to write in small ways during the past two years. I collaborated with my brothers on a book of memories from our older sister, Bonnie. I hope we will be able to do that again sometime. Both my brothers are excellent writers. Jim Herman has published four books, and Dennis Herman has published two. The one we did together was called "Bonnie's Treasures". and all books may be found on Amazon.com under books.
I did publish a small book recently, called "Around the Kitchen Table". It is about my now deceased mother-in-law, Lillie Knight. I have not made it available to the public, and have shared it with the entire Knight family. She was quite the matriarch, and was my best friend for so many years. I have many writings stored in my computer about other interesting people and events. I am hoping to get those together and into a book in 2017.
I do enjoy writing and I do love to tell stories! At this stage of my life I feel an urgency to get everything in my head into a written form!
Hang on Bloggers and Friends..............It may be a wild ride, but I will give it another try!
Hopefully, More Later............................................................Brenda
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