Walking Day

Hello,

Leroy walked to church this morning. We got there in plenty of time so the pace was good. After church, he decided he was tired and would not stay for Sunday school even though the topic was very interesting to him. He dragged a little on the way home, but just kept moving.

He rested some before we drove to the start of the CROP walk. It was a cool day, but little wind so quite pleasant. Leroy was the “official” photographer as he had brought a camera. Before the walk he was busy taking pictures of all the different groups that were represented. Therefore he started walking at about the end of the group. I barely stayed with him as he set off at a fast pace. We passed others. Finally we visited a little with a couple that we know. It was not long before the two guys were 200 paces ahead of us women. That seemed to be a good set. They waited for us at the turn around place, we started back in a group of four, but it was not long before those two men were marching out of our range.

I really do enjoy being in a place where I know people and enjoy visiting with them. I am so much more comfortable. We were fortunate that the rain did not start to come until we were almost done with the walk and then it was really just a light mist. I passed 10,000 steps before we finished. So Leroy got in a lot of stepping as well.

After we got home we had popcorn and fruit smoothies while we played kings in the corner. It is a nice little card came. Leroy beat me three out of three games. I did not like that very well. Next time we will have to play boggle so I can beat him.

As you must know by now Leroy is feeling quite fine.

Paula

Leroy is home

Hello,

Today, I got to the hospital at about one o’clock. When the nurse saw me going in his room, she asked, “Are you his ride home?”

With my yes, she proceeded to say, “He will be ready on about an hour.”

I was pleased with the timing.

On the way home from the hospital we stopped at the church so Leroy could bring that laptop home. He needs to prepare a sermon for a funeral tomorrow. He had started that sermon, but not done much work on it.

At home, he fussed around with this and that before he announced that he was tired. So he took a nap followed by a snack. His watch battery had stopped. It took both of us, serious persistence, and luck to get it changed and working once more. Neither of us had seen such a complicated watch insides that needed to be removed and set aside just to get the battery out. As you might imagine getting it back together was another trick. It works but the display is a bit askew.

Leroy will have a colonoscopy next week as well as a visit with his primary doctor.

We have talked about all of the things that were lucky about this episode. I was home to help him. The hospital is only about two miles away. He did not break many bones. He was not wearing his glasses. He did not hit anything on the way down, but the floor. He was not hitting cement. We have insurance. The view from Leroy’s eighth floor window was spectacular. He said the sun rise this morning was especially nice. He liked the food. He tolerated well being woken during the night to have blood readings and maybe something else assessed. We are fortunate.

Some negatives are. His glasses hurt on his face/nose. He had to pull off many sticky testing circles that grabbed on to much of his hair as they came off. The hospital staff had him do most it because they knew it would hurt. Where the needle was in his arm had to be done by a staff person. Leroy lived through it.

Paula

Leroy's Condition

Hello,

Last night Leroy did not go to choir because he was tired and he had lots of stomach pain. In the night he got up to go the bathroom. He reported later that while there he felt dizzy and lay on the floor for a while. He then got up and walked down the hall to the bedroom. I heard a loud bang, called, “Leroy”, and he did not answer. I hopped out of bed and called again, asking, “Where are you?”

Leroy muttered, “Here.”

I followed the sound and found him lying on the floor in the hall face down. He then told me, “My nose is bleeding.”

I scurried around getting a hankie and then an entire box of tissues. He sat up and got into a chair while we discussed should he go to the hospital. In the end we decided to have him checked.

At the hospital we were fortunate that they were not busy and took care of him right away. The check in woman asked, “Do you want a wheelchair?”

“No,” said Leroy.

A little later I thought he looked quite tired so I pulled a chair over behind him and he sat. When the check in woman was finished, she announced, “I am getting a wheelchair.” Leroy docilely sat in it.

They did an abdominal scan for the severe pain he had been experiencing as well as a scan of his head. There is inflammation in the abdomen. He also has a broken nose. Then the carotid artery was checked because the broken bones were quite close to it and they wanted to make sure there was no bleeding inside. All was good there.

Wouldn’t you know, he has had no abdominal pain since he has been in the hospital? This happened about 12:30 last night. I stayed until about 4:15 and have returned two times since then taking books, his phone charging cord, his tablet, and great conversation.

He looks and feels quite fine now and we were both hoping that he could come home tonight but he will spend the night.

Paula

Getting Lost

Hello,

With the time and address of the invitation to lunch in hand, it was an easy job to put the info in the GPS. My phone seemed like a possibility, but I have not driven with the phone giving directions. Before leaving the house I also checked on Google maps so it seemed that all of the bases were covered.

All went well until I got into the neighborhood with hills and tangled streets. The names are even confusing with trail, court, or drive attached to several of the same words. At this point my GPS lady informed me that there was no satellite service there. Now you must know that last year it all worked just fine.

I started up one street but it did not feel right, turned around and tried another that said it was a dead end. I did not remember any dead ends last year. I wondered if I were in the wrong area, drove out to a more main street, looked for a place to pull off and try my phone instead. At least I had the address and phone number with me. I have only used my phone for directions once; usually I know where I am. I do not know if I pressed a wrong button, but it would not work.

I tried calling the person I was going to see, but she did not answer. I tried several times. Then I called Leroy, but he did not answer.

Weeping seemed like a good release of tension, but I held it in and wondered about going home. I headed off that direction, but it seemed they (others were there too) would wonder what had happened. I tried calling again, no answer. The GPS still did not work. I called Leroy and he answered. “I do not know where I am,” I wailed, “would you call my friend and tell her I do not know where I am and I am going home. I will wait to hear from you.”

I then tried the phone map once more and it worked immediately. With the phone lady giving me instructions I headed off to my original destination. Perhaps two minutes later the GPS lady was back with me. So between the two of them I was good. Then Leroy called back asking where I was. I told him since those two friendly ladies had just informed me. He then told me where to turn next because he was on the computer using Google maps. I made it to my lunch about fifteen minutes late with two ladies and Leroy telling me where to go. This time no one faded away until I was at the door.

Paula

Leroy’s Phone Solved

Hello,

I still had a spare older IPhone like mine that my friend had given me. The plan was that I would find someone to give it to or give it to the women’s shelter. Well I had been unsuccessful at finding someone to give it to and had not taken the time to get to the shelter. Most of the time, I did not think about it.

This morning we woke up the Utah Hermanson household at 7:00. Who sleeps at that hour? They do. But they did not sound upset when they answered the phone. Leroy wanted to know about using that older phone, if he could just move the sim chip since the people at the phone repair place told him the chip was still good in his burned up phone. Leroy has his phone with Miriam’s service, which is why we were talking to them, because if that would not work we wanted to know what might work. Andy said, “Yes, just move the chip and all should be good.”

Leroy got right to work, learning that all did indeed work, but he did not have his contacts. I called him so he could put in my phone number. Then we called the Utah people again to let them know that all was working. Andy told Leroy he should log in to the apple cloud because all of his contacts were there.

I do not know all that happened, but I heard a lot of grumbling and groaning. Leroy was for some reason unable to get into that account. He finally put that aside.

We worked on repairing one of the blinds in the house. This was a tedious and time eating task, but we got it done. Leroy’s mood did not improve doing this although he was happy to finish the job.

Late afternoon he tried one more time with contacting the cloud and he was able to acquire all of his contacts. He is so relieved and happy. However, we canned a load of small, mostly wormy apples. That did not improve his mood either because it was quite hard to get rid of all the bad and be left with enough good to make a full load, but we did it. Seven jars are done.

Paula

Leroy’s Phone

Hello,

Last night Leroy came home with a little tale of woe. He was charging the phone battery in the car by using an adapter that goes in the cigarette lighter, when he heard a pop, saw and smelled smoke, and realized that his phone was in trouble. When he disconnected it he got no response from his now black screen phone. Also the cord that he had used to make this connection was bent and twisted from this surge that went through it.

He had purchased this refurbished phone in January, bought a new battery in September, and gradually gotten dependant on it for his GPS as well as his calendar.

After he got done mourning the loss of this item he considered the next move. He did learn that one of the local stores was a place to take your IPhones for service. He will do that today.

From their diagnosis he will make his next moves. I did want to call him today and realized I could not do that. How did we manage before the advent of these movable devices that have almost become a body part?

Leroy just came home with the knowledge that the phone is dead. Not surprising but sad none-the-less. Now he must ponder what path to take.

Paula

Hot Wind

Hello,

The hot wind was perfect for drying my quilt as well as a light weight blanket. I aired out the comforter in preparation to putting it on the bed. It was nice to finish those tasks on a non rainy day. Lately rain seems to be in the forecast every day. Not that I am complaining, but it was almost too hot, certainly too hot for the time of year.

I also have now cleaned up all of my house plants and brought them inside. Perhaps I will have Leroy take two of them to his office at church even though he is a bit of a plant neglecter from time to time. I soaked the plants in a bucket with soap and water. I did not go get the brand recommended, but this was supposed to be good for everyone including young children. Seems to me the plants should be able to handle that as well. At least the plant that I soaked two days ago is still alive and I consider that a good sign.

I am so happy because two of the violets are blooming. I had almost despaired that it would ever happen. They are that beautiful purple flower that was on them when they came to my house. I did transplant them from one pot to three. I am hoping the third will also bloom.

Today I got my flu shot with hopes that it protects me from any communicable diseases. Great that the insurance will pay for it, making it a little less painful. I have had the shingles shot but there is a more effect one available now. The pharmacist did tell me that they have some difficulty getting it regularly and he could not say when it would be in the store. I will not fuss about that as I figure I am somewhat protected.

Paula