WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE #670

Thank you Joyce.

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1. ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?  On a scale of 1-10 how much of a fan are you? (10 is never miss a game and 1 is I'm just here for the snacks). Who's your team? If you're playing along today, but live outside the US feel free to sub your feelings about futbol for the more American sport of football. 

I am not into football but I do watch sometimes with Mark. I'm maybe a 5. It would the Chicago Bears. 

2. What's something you currently have a game plan for managing? 

If I can, I plan on getting the house clean for Amber and Dylan's arrival on the 30th. All my issues, especially my legs, are making this very hard for me. 

3. Do you like chicken wings? Hot, mild, or some other flavor? What's a must have food for you on a tailgate menu? I know tailgating isn't as big of a thing outside the US of A as it is inside the US of A, but you can also answer the question this way-what's a must have food for you at a sporting event viewing party? 

No I am not a fan of chicken wings. If I had some it would be mild. If we are having someone over it would be potato chips and onion dip and probably some Queso with Rotel and Velvetta cheese and chips. 

4. Teams typically have strict playbooks they follow. What is one unwritten rule or piece of advice in your 'life playbook' you think everyone should know?

I'm not coming up with much. I think we should always appreciate our family and friends and send them birthday cards. 

5. This is the week we remember and mourn all that was lost and changed on September 11, 2001. I always include a spot for bloggers to share anything they'd like to share about 9/11. Share as much or as little as you like. 

That day was terrible. I had taken Mark to the airport early in the morning for a business flight and I got home, turned on the TV, and it was truly devastating and unbelievable. Obviously I had to go back to the airport to bring him home. 

I have a niece who is into so many unbelievable things about everything these days. You name it and our country is trying to kill us with all the chemicals in everything. She also says that 9/11 never happened along with pyramids and dinosaurs. How could she possibly think that? 

6.Insert your own random thought here. 

So an update on the surgery on my arm to remove a small spot of cancer. I had a follow up at urgent care on Sunday and they said it is looking great. The antibiotic is working. I'm thankful for that. 

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We went to Adam and Gabby's on Saturday evening and had a very nice time. James of course is adorable but he didn't want to play any games. Gabby's mom was over and it was nice spending time with her. Adam made a delicious dinner with steak, baked potatoes, green beans and garlic bread. 

Since we are going out to dinner at a steak house on Saturday October 3rd, which is my birthday, when Amber and Dylan are here, we had decided not to make a prime rib on Sunday when Adam and Gabby come here.

Adam is going to make lasagna which will be awesome. He is a great cook. James is coming home with us Saturday night which will be fun for Amber and Dylan. 

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Thought I would add this picture of James. Apparently he is now also into these things called Squishy. So I ordered one for him from Amazon. It's a block of cheese and they are squishy.  

DEBBY

YOU WONT BELIEVE THIS........

I've been going to a dermatologist off and on for a few years for some rough spots on my skin and a few other things. 

This year they have a new thing where they put a lotion on you and you go under a light for 15 minutes to prevent cancer. They do your arms, your chest, your back and your face. It was rather interesting but very time consuming. He always overbooks. You go back for each one, they are not all done on the same day. 

Anyway, what I am going to share with you has nothing to do with these new treatments, I've been to him before for something else. I've had a small spot on the inside of my right arm just below the elbow. He has frozen it in the past but it did eventually change and he tested it for cancer. It did show that it was cancer so he decided to remove it and I agreed with that. 

So I went in and he removed it. I had some several stitches and also staples put in to hold it together. I had to go back in to have the staples removed 10 days later. When the girl took out the stitches she noticed that the area was a little pink which meant it might be infected. She called me and told me that I should have it checked out at urgent care. 

I did that and it was definitely infected. Unbelievable. This should not have happened. I was taking very good care of it. I went to urgent care on Thursday and they gave me a prescription and wanted to see me back in a few days so I'm going back today.

I hope that they think it is better too because they talked about sending me to the hospital. I can't imagine what they would do. 

So again, I would appreciate your prayers.    

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE #668

Thank you Joyce.

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1. How do you feel about the transition from lazy summer days to a busier fall routine? 

It's all the same to me. Actually my summer has been busy with appointments each week. So far in September I just have 2 things scheduled right now. 

2. Your favorite cookie? 

David's Butter Pecan Meltaways from Costco. They only sell them at Christmas. 

3. What's something you've learned from a culture different than your own? 

Eating some different foods like taco's and enchiladas. I grew up with Bohemian food like pork, dumplings and sauerkraut.

4. Food critic, film critic, book critic, art critic...which hat would you most like to wear? Tell us why. 

That's a tough one. Maybe a film critic because I do enjoy watching movies. I grew up watching movies because my dad managed a movie theater back in Chicago. Although I must say that a lot of movies today don't thrill me that much. 

5. What's a small, random thing from your childhood that you still remember clearly? 

I'm going to go with Christmas Eve. We would go to church and when we came home from church Santa had come with our presents. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

We spent Friday night with James at their house while Adam and Gabby went out to dinner with some friends. We had a nice time and got his favorite pizza for dinner. We played some Bunko too! 

One Tuesday Adam sent a text message that he got from James' teacher. All his teachers have loved him and I agree, he is incredibly kind.  I'm so proud of him. 

This week is filled with appointments for me. Praying I get some answers to several of my issues. Sadly my breathing test at the pulmonary doctor Thursday was cancelled until next week. I really needed this done

Hope you all have a great week. Love, Debby

I WANT TO APOLOGIZE

I'm sorry that I haven't been able to stop over and read everyone's blog posts. I am definitely going through a bit of depression with my health issues. Things haven't improved much at all. 

I have at least 10 appointments coming up in the next few weeks and I'm just overwhelmed. One is a procedure at a surgery center for the extreme sciatica I am having in my left leg. On top of that I have had COPD issues. 

I'm also still sad that we had to miss our visit with Amber and Dylan in Montana. 

I will try to do my Wednesday Hodgepodge posts but it's okay if you don't read them. I got on the other day to read posts and I had over 150 blog posts to read. 

Thank you for listening. Your prayers are appreciated. 

Love,

Debby

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE #662

Thank you Joyce.

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1. "Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability." Sam Keen

Do you feel less guilty relaxing in July than you do in January? Elaborate. 

Being retired and having pretty much nice weather here in California throughout the year, I can't say that I do.

2. What's a telltale sign you're upset?

Lately I seem to cry when I'm upset, otherwise it would be slamming our bedroom door.😊

3. July 16th is National AI Day. What are your general thoughts and/or experiences with AI? Have you purposely used it? 

I have not used it at all. I am very concerned about the young children who are growing up with this. 

4. You're invited to a summer pot luck and are asked to bring an appetizer, salad/side, or dessert. Which category do you go for and what are you bringing? 

I usually bring an appetizer to Adam and Gabby's when they have a get together. They always want me to bring onion dip and chips. 

5. It wouldn't be summer without....

Our vegetable garden. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We are picking up James on Thursday evening and he will be spending the night with us. Then we will be going to see Toy Story 5 on Friday. Then Mark will take him to his cousins house so he can have some time playing with them. His aunt will take him home over the weekend. 

Sadly, I have to say that we are not making the trip to Montana to see Amber and Dylan. I'm still not feeling well and each day is a challenge for me. I'm so upset about this but I can't see myself driving in the car for 3 days driving there and then not feeling well hanging with them. 

Sorry I haven't been around much to read blog posts. 

The procedure to help my legs through pain management isn't until mid-August. I am extremely frustrated. I can definitely use your prayers. Thank you. 

UPDATE ON MY HEALTH ISSUES

I LIKE THIS ONE

Unfortunately things have not gotten better. I am truly struggling now and it's a shame that doctors are so busy that you can't get appointments when you need them.  My calendar is so full right now that I really get depressed over it. Then on top of that I had to cancel an appointment because I had a terrible day with my COPD. 

So when I called Pain Management they couldn't see me until July 22nd. Seriously, I was so mad. I actually called my insurance and told them I was in extreme pain and needed to see them sooner. 

Thankfully they did. I was able to go last week. However, the procedure that I need for the sciatica has to be done at their surgical center and can't happen until August 12. I really wanted relief for our trip to Montana in July so we may not be able to visit Amber and Dylan. 

I have issues with pain medication because of my COPD. So yes, I had a terrible reaction to what they gave to me and I am back on steroids again. I asked the women to look at my sheet where I have the medications that I can't take. She said it wasn't on there. Well she was looking for the generic name and totally bypassed the real name. I just trusted her and it was really bad. 

I have about 12 more appointments coming up. Yet my family keeps telling me to be happy that I have appointments but nothing is available to take care of what I am going through now. Pain, each and everyday and it is pretty extreme. 

Not to mention that the pain in my ankle will not go away until I get another referral and see what procedure I think is best for me. Both surgeries are a 5 week recovery. 

Your prayers are appreciated. Thank you for listening. 

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE #655

Thank you Joyce.

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1. Do you like your name? Are you named after someone (grandparent, etc)? If you have children how did you choose their names? 

I've been fine with my name Deborah but I go by Debby. No I am not named after anyone. 

That's an interesting question. I'm not sure how we came up with their names. I corrected this. Amber's middle name is Rae which would be after my dad Ray. Adam's middle name is Mark after my husband Mark. Mark's is Mark Ralph which was his dad's name. So now James is James Adam. 

(This is a correction, I didn't have my thinking cap on when I did this post)

2.  A piece of red velvet cake, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a slice of blueberry pie? You can only have one...which will you choose? If you could pick any red, white, or blue dessert other than those listed here, what would you choose? 

I think I have to go with the blueberry pie but I wouldn't mind some ice cream with it. 

3.  What's a job you'd like to try for just one day?

I think I would like to work in the nursery at a hospital. 

4. Any patriotic decor in your home currently or coming up this summer? 

No, I haven't been decorating much for holidays except Christmas. 

5. It's the end of May, so let's exercise our brains. Sum up your month with an acrostic using the word MAY. We can do it!!  

M - Memorable

A -  Anxiety

Y -  Yummy

 6. Insert your own random thoughts here. 

So Mark is still gone fishing in Canada and won't be home until the 1st of June. 

I saw my ankle doctor last Thursday. He took the stitches out. I told that I am in a lot of pain. He gave me a prescription for steroids, however I didn't want to take them. I use them too often with my COPD. That is why my skin is thin and why the injury to my knee was so bad. 

However I decided to take them and they did help. They especially helped with the sciatica and a little bit with the ankle pain. I was able to give the two front bedrooms a good cleaning. I haven't been able to do much but little by little the house is getting cleaned. 

I see him Friday and we will try the shot in the ankle. If that doesn't help then we have to talk about other surgeries and that's not good.

WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS

I feel like all I do these days is write posts to you guys to pray for me. It is like the never ending story. I want you to know that I appreciate them very much. 

You won't believe what happened yesterday. I was in Mark's office here in the house. He has a rug over the carpet by his desk and it moves from time to time. So I moved his office chair into the hallway and started to pull the rug over and for some reason, I don't really know why, but I went down on my knee. Well I have thin skin because of steroids and I tore the skin on my left knee. 

Of course I went and had to put something on it to stop the bleeding. Nothing really helped. I pulled the skin up as much as I could, I wrapped gauze around it over and over again and then secured it. So after awhile I checked it and it was still bleeding a lot. 

I decided I would have to go to urgent care and make sure that there wasn't more that I should be doing. As it turns out, Mark was on his way home from going shooting and he was able to drive me to urgent care. I was seen pretty quickly and I liked the doctor I saw. I have seen him before.

So he cleaned it really well pouring a special liquid over it. Then he gently pulled the skin back up and secured it with tape all the way around. I believe he put some cream on it also. Anyway he bandaged it really well. The top bandage I will take off daily and put a new one on. The other one should start to come loose in about 10 days. Whether or not the skin will attach and heal is hopeful but not for sure. 

Of course now I have to figure out how I'm going to shower. I just got done using a shower thing you pull up on your leg so I could shower with my ankle bandage that couldn't get wet. So here I am again, only a few days later with the same issue. By the way, that's the leg I am having sciatica in. 

On top of that we go later today to watch James for the weekend. It is for sure now that I will be in the house with the dogs while Adam and James go out and have some fun maybe playing miniature golf or something else. 

Your prayers are appreciated. 

Love you guys,

Debby

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE #653

Thank you Joyce.

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1. What's one piece of advice you would give a recent or soon-to-be graduate?

 I'm not really sure what I would say. Maybe "Don't rush into anything! If you know what you want to do in the future then follow your dream."

2. May 15th marks the birth date of L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. At this point in time are you more in need of brains, courage, heart, or a trip back home? Explain. 

 One of my favorite movies. I think I need courage with all the medical issues I am going through. I would love to see my sister in Florida but don't have any plans to travel. 

Back home would be nice so I could visit my family members who are buried there. That would be a suburb in Chicago. 

3.  "There's no place like home" is an often repeated line from Baum's book. When was the last time you felt the truth of that statement? 

Since I had to stop bowling a few years ago I am home a lot now. Home is great but I want more than that now. Because I've been home so much I find it hard to push myself to go out. I used to run errands each week after bowling. 

4. May is National BBQ Month...do you own a grill? Who does the grilling at your house? What's your favorite thing to throw on the grill? What's the last thing you grilled? 

Yes we have a grill and we use it often. Mark does all the grilling. He grills a lot of the meats we eat like pork chops, chicken and steak. Not that we have steak that often or the pork chops. I try to stay away from red meats. Anyway, we had chicken breasts on Monday night. 

He also makes a great meal of onions and colored peppers which are delicious. He also grills some Italian sausage with that. Those onions and peppers are cooked in a foil tray on the grill. 

5. What's a memory you replay in your head when you need a little joy? 

That's a hard one. I do have wonderful memories when I was young and going to my grandparents summer home in Michigan. We would walk to the little town and shop. 

I also have memories of my dad's cottage in Illinois. This is when our kids were young and growing up. We would often go on the weekends. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We had a lovely evening with Adam, Gabby and James for Mother's Day. We celebrated on Saturday night. Had a lovely dinner in downtown Orange, CA. That's the town they live in. I didn't get any pictures. 

 These are the gifts I received from Mark and the kids.

Here's some good news. We will be babysitting James and the dogs this coming weekend at Adam and Gabby's house. I can't wait. 

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My health issues are still going on. As I type this I am having lung issues today. I was at my doctor last Friday and he removed the bandages from my ankle. I had a spot that he had to squeeze out. He decided not to take the stitches out yet. I go on the 21st. I am still having pain. We will start steroid shots again but I'm not sure he is going to do it that day. 

I am still having issues with the sciatica in my left leg. Waiting for a call back from pain management to get an appointment. I am not a happy camper at this time. Your prayers are always appreciated. 

HEALTH UPDATE

No doubt you are tired of reading about my health. Actually I am very tired of dealing with it. I did have my ankle done on Wednesday at the hospital.  

I had my Ankle Debridement. 

Hopefully it will help for a while so I don't have to have the ankle fusion which is not fun at all. I'm also going to check into an ankle replacement which my doctor doesn't do. 

However he said he got out a lot of debris and that my bones looked good. 

I have to admit that I haven't had any procedures at the hospital in a long time where they put you out. It's kinda cool that you go under and then you wake up later. 

I've been depressed. I want my life back. Still having issues with my lungs also. I should never have gotten on Dupixent. 

I believe I told you about my visit to the hospital a few weeks ago for my left leg. From my knee up to my thigh I have had terrible pain. They found nothing and it seems as though it is sciatica. So I'm still dealing with that too. I've started exercising for it and Lidocaine patches seem to help. 

I see my doctor on the 8th and he will take off the bandage. Right now I am in some pain but that is expected. 

The hardest thing for me with these issues is that I can't do all the housework I need to do. Mark keeps telling me to get a maid but I don't want one. I want to be able to take care of my house by myself.

Thank you for listening. I will share more when I know more. I do appreciate all the prayers you have been giving to me. You guys are awesome. 

Love you guys,

Debby

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE #650

Thank you Joyce.

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1. April 22nd is Earth Day...what's the most 'out of this world' place on earth you've ever visited? Tell us something about it. 

There are some national parks we have visited which were wonderful. However, I think the trip to Paris was my favorite.

2. A favorite quote, verse, or song lyric with the word earth in it? 

I'm going to say Michael Jackson Earth Song. 

3. What's the most trivial thing about which you have a strong opinion?

 I can't think of anything. Maybe dishes in the sink.

4. What's your most commonly used kitchen utensil or tool? What's the last thing you made using that tool?

I'm going to go with our can opener. Probably green beans. However, Mark said a knife. I'm thinking tongs too.

5. Marilyn (Memphis Bridges) gave me a great book of 3000 questions, and I'm going to try to use one in our Hodgepodge every week. Here is today's - 

What is your greatest extravagance? 

I'm drawing blanks today. All I can come up with is our house. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I think I am drawing blanks because I'm not feeling well. I can't believe that my lungs are so bad. 

I'm typing this on Monday and I'm seeing my doctor this afternoon. Hopefully she will give me a steroid shot. I'll try to keep you posted. (I did get the shot and I'm starting to feel better.)

It came up suddenly but I think it might be from going to the ER. It was extremely busy, standing room only. I went because of the pain I talked about last week in my left leg from my knee to my thigh.

I got an x-ray and ultrasound and they saw nothing. I'm still in pain. What they sent me home with doesn't help. I ended up using a few pain pills Mark had which helped but not good if you have COPD. So that could be why my lungs are so bad. 

Yesterday I got a call and it is possible that surgery will be delayed again on the 29th for my ankle because I had the steroid shot. I had to tell them. I just can't win. 

Mark will be going on his yearly fishing trip to Canada and also visit his mom so I can't have it when he is not around. We also want to visit Amber and Dylan in Montana. So it may be awhile before I get anything done to my ankle. 

On top of this I asked the woman who has been working with me. She sets things up for the doctor with the hospital. There are some things she should have told me about when we first started working together. I asked her yesterday if I could possibly get the steroid shot that the doctor did every 3 months all last year and I had one this year too. Today he said no because I have COPD. I never ever had a reaction from those shots. This is so unfair.

I may not be around to read posts. Sorry this is so long. I should have done a separate post. 

I always appreciate your prayers.  

Love,

Debby

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE #649

Thank you Joyce,

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Before I start, you need to know that I went to read blog posts yesterday and deleted them by mistake. Sorry I didn't get around to reading your posts. 

1. Big week in the US of A...do you do your own taxes? What's something you've found 'taxing' lately?

Yes, Mark does them through H&R Block.  

Organizing my ankle surgery has been very taxing. I will write about it in my random thought.

2. When it comes to travel are you a last minute packer or a lay it all out a week in advance type? Do you struggle to pack light? Share a packing tip that has worked for you. 

I try to set things out in advance. Yes, I do struggle to pack light. We mainly pack for our trips to Montana. If I forget something I'm sure I could use something of Amber's. 

3. April is National Grilled Cheese Month. Hmmm...who knew it got its own month? Do you like a grilled cheese sandwich? What ingredient do you add to take yours to the next level? 

I do love a grilled cheese sandwich although I don't make them often. I would maybe add a tomato if we have one. 

4. There's a well known quote that says-

'A ship in the harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are built for." John A. Shedd   

Is constant growth necessary or do you think it's more important to prioritize stability and peace in your life?

 I think growth can be good but I want stability and peace in my life.

5. Let's wrap this up with a fun spring this or that-

• daffodils or tulips - Tulips
• lemonade or iced tea - Lemonade
• gardening or hiking - Neither
• ladybugs or butterflies - Ladybugs are my favorite but I like butterflies too
• floral patterns or polka dots - I'm thinking floral patterns

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I had a pretty long random thought here but as it turns out my ankle procedure was cancelled until the 29th. It was going to happen today. 

However, in the mean time, I'm having an issue with my left leg. I was thinking it was some neuropathy that I experienced last year. The pain has been extreme, bringing me to tears. Medication hasn't helped. 

I went to Urgent Care on Monday and they did not think it was neuropathy and sent me for an x-ray. I just can't win. I don't need anymore issues like this. I am beyond frustrated. 

You guys need to understand that I am not a person looking for attention. I'm not making this stuff up.  

HEALTH UPDATE

If this post showed up today, I had to delete it because I wanted to add something at the end of the page. 

So a lot has been going on. I am truly overwhelmed with things right now. I do have a few appointments set up. I have one set up to get an ankle boot made on April 8th. I doubt it will be fun wearing it but it is supposed to help with the pain. 

I have an appointment set up on April 9th to see the podiatrist. That's to talk over the procedure I will have done at this time which is an arthroscopic debridement to clean out debris. That procedure will be done at the hospital possibly on April 15. Still a lot of things to work out. (I will explain later in this post)

They had me see my primary doctor to get a surgery clearance. That involved an EKG, blood work and a chest x-ray. What a day I had. I was out for six hours. They did the EKG and then I got the paperwork for the other items. 

So I went to the Centerlake Imaging that I always go to for x-rays, MRI, etc. Well guess what? Their x-ray machine was down. So they directed me to one that was about 15 minutes away. 

So I went and the woman behind the desk was having issues with my insurance cards. We have had a crazy year with our new cards and I mean extremely crazy. I won't go into all the details. Anyway, I did get the x-ray done.

Then I headed to a Walgreens where I always go for my blood work. No issues there and my blood work appears to be okay. 

Then I get home and get a call that my colonoscopy was cancelled again. This is the second time. The woman said it wasn't going through insurance. 

So I spent hours on the phone last Friday morning trying to get things figured out. What a hassle that was. Anyway, there was a woman who helped me out and she said to call her back on Monday and things should be fixed by then. 

This year insurance changed our card numbers. They have been the same for years. Then we ended up getting a few other cards that were totally wrong with the primary doctor we see and the medical group was wrong. 

So we had finally gotten that straightened out. Mark made some calls and we got new cards again with the correct information. However, when I called and talked to this woman she said apparently the medical group wasn't changed on their end. 

So at this point I'm not sure if my ankle procedure will be approved for April 15th or not. I have literally been going nuts here. My colonoscopy was supposed to be done because it appeared swollen in an MRI I had on my pelvis area a few months ago. In all honestly, I have no issues that I know of when it comes to my colon. 

So with the appointments and procedure I have schedule for in April now, I'm not sure when we can schedule the colonoscopy. 

In some good news, I had a mammogram done at the end of December last year and when I went for the ankle x-ray a few weeks ago I asked them to check on it. I was supposed to get a letter in the mail. So that was good news, all is well with my breasts. 

I will keep you posted when I can. I am still having some issues here and there with my lungs and it's been very frustrating. Like I've said before, I just want Debby back the way she was. 

I do appreciate all of your prayers. You have all been so wonderful praying for me.

UPDATE: My lungs are terrible today. It started last night. I had to start steroids and antibiotics. 

Love,

Debby

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE #645

Thank you Joyce.

To join in click HERE

1. St. Patrick's Day lands on March 17th. Do you believe in luck? Are there things you do thinking they'll  bring good luck or  things you avoid because they're considered bad luck? 

I guess I believe in luck but more so in faith. No, there is nothing I do thinking it will bring me good luck. I do however pray. Obviously there are risks that I would probably not take. 

2. Forest-lime-sage-mint-olive-emerald...what's your favorite shade of green? 

Sage looks pretty nice to me. 

3. In Ireland the meal on this day is often a hearty beef or lamb stew served with colcannon (mashed potato mixed with cabbage and leeks). In the US corned beef and cabbage is the more typical St. Patty's Day meal. Will you/did you mark the day with one of these dishes? Baked-fried-roasted-mashed...what's your favorite way to eat a potato?

No, we won't mark the day with this meal. However, corned beef and cabbage is okay with me. We eat a lot of baked potatoes, although mashed can be very good too. 

4. What color of the rainbow best represents your personality/mood today? Tell us why. 

Well yellow is my favorite color and they say it represents growth. I could use some positive growth with my health issues. 

5. Which 'lucky' quote resonates with you. Elaborate. 

 'Luck is not something you can mention in the presence of self-made men.' E.B. White 

'Diligence is the mother of good luck." Benjamin Franklin 

'Luck is where opportunity meets preparation.' Seneca 

'Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect.' Ralph Waldo Emerson 

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I kinda like "Luck is where opportunity meets preparation"

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We are expecting some hot weather. We haven't turned on our air conditioners yet. We always wait until the last minute because they are both 18 years old and know that one of these days they won't work. We have been very fortunate so far. 

We saw James on Thursday night but I didn't get any pictures of him. He wanted Red Lobster for dinner. With my ankle I really didn't want to go out so we door dashed it. James loves shrimp. 

Speaking of my ankle I will post something as soon as I have more information about what is happening. 

I hope your week is going well. 

WHAT I KNOW SO FAR

I'm sure you all are getting tired of my health issues. I know I am tired of having them. Here's what I know from what I posted on Wednesday Hodgepodge. 

Saw my lung doctor on Monday the 23rd of February. I have had issues since the Dupixent, which I stopped and then I started to feel better. Then I started going downhill again. I did the 5 day steroids and only felt better the first 2 days. 

I was seeing her because of some blood work which was better than a few months ago. It was for my Immunoglobulin levels. So that was good. Will go again in April for the blood work again. 

I ended up getting a steroid shot which is taking a while to kick in. So along with my other issue which I will share next, it's been hard for me to do much of anything. I am so tired of watching TV and not being able to accomplish my housework.

Also, we are watching James Saturday and part of Sunday. I just want to feel good for that. 

I saw my podiatrist doctor on Tuesday February 24th. I've been getting a steroid shot every few months and so far my last one didn't do anything. My right ankle is in pain when I walk. So I am going for an x-ray next week to see if he can see a lot of debris at the ankle. 

There is one thing we can try before doing an ankle fusion. They go in and clean out the debris and some people have a good experience and others don't. It is a fairly simple procedure and you can walk out of the hospital that day. 

The ankle fusion is pretty serious and you can't bend your ankle anymore. Also, you cannot walk for six weeks following the surgery. So even if the other procedure works for me, it is just a matter of time before having the ankle fusion.

He does not like the ankle replacement surgery so he doesn't do it but could recommend someone to me. So at some point something will be done and I am not looking forward to that. 

I have also appreciated all of your prayers for me that you mention in your comments on my posts. Thank you so much. 

Love,

Debby

P.S. I had something very unusual happen to me on Thursday. I woke up and both of the ankles hurt. It was painful to walk. I couldn't figure out what it was about. I did a lot of research and it has to do with a low potassium level. One of my medications can do that, along with the steroids. So I am doing all the things they recommend for that and praying that by the time you read this that my ankles are doing better. 

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE #638

Thank you Joyce.

To join in click HERE

1. I live in the south so we're pretty much only talking about the weather right now. Give us a weather report from where you live. Does the kind of weather you're having today affect your mood in some way? 

We live in Southern California and our weather has been pretty nice. We have had some rain and cooler temperatures. 

It can get to about 40 at night this time of year and during the day we have been close to 70 degrees. No the weather really doesn't affect my mood unless it rains for several days. 

2.  Avocados, kale, cauliflower and cottage cheese have all had their time to shine. 2026 brings us the year of the cabbage. Is this a vegetable you like? If so, what are some of your favorite dishes that call for cabbage?  

I do like cabbage but haven't had any in a long time. We used to cook it often. We would saute it in a pan and have soy sauce with it. 

3. Was a Cabbage Patch Doll a part of your childhood? Or maybe your children's childhood? What's a toy trend from your childhood you remember wanting for your own? 

No, it was not, but it was part of our daughter Amber's life. 

I would say for me it was probably a Barbie doll, a hula hoop and Silly Putty in the 50's. 

4. Something you've spent a lot of time doing lately?

I posted this on Facebook last week. I finally felt well enough to pack up the couple of hundred ornaments on the tree. So the Christmas tree is finally down. Family room is back in order. 

5. Somehow it's the last week of January...sum up your month in just three sentences. 

NOT MY MONTH (I don't have three sentences)

I've had extreme anxiety. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I won't go into detail about January but I did have some wonderful times with Adam, Gabby and James and also some nice phone calls with Amber daily. She usually calls us when Dylan is sleeping for his night shift at the hospital. 

LOVE, DEBBY

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE #629

Thank you Joyce.

To join in click HERE

1. Let's do our gratitude question first this week...what's the best thing about your home, and have you taken time to enjoy it lately? 

We love our home and we especially love that we have a view lot. There are times when I want to move because it is just to much for me to take care of. However, we refinanced during the pandemic at 3% so it would be hard to leave that. 

No, I don't believe I have taken time to enjoy it because I haven't been feeling well. I am so tired of all the issues I have faced this year. I just want me back. 

2. Do you like squash? Of the varieties listed, which one's your favorite and how do you like it prepared? Is squash of some sort on your Thanksgiving menu?? 

I don't mind squash but I rarely have it. I can't really give an answer on them. We do make spaghetti from time to time but we don't make it from scratch. 

acorn, butternut, delicata, spaghetti, zucchini, crookneck (yellow squash), patty pan

3. Last time you were 'squashed in' somewhere, or felt squashed? 

I'm just feeling squashed now because of my lung issues. I just want my life back. I'm sorry that I mention this all the time. I love you guys. If you didn't read my last post, the Dupixent messed my lungs up. This should never have happened. 

4. Have you ever played squash? What about other 'racquet sports' such as racquetball, tennis, pickleball, badminton, table tennis (ping pong)? Are these sports something you enjoy? 

I can't ever remember playing squash. I know that I did enjoy badminton and ping pong. Amber and Dylan play ping pong all the time in there garage. 

5. Something in today's society or culture that feels like a 'racket' to you? If you don't like that one, tell us about a place you've been recently where there was a lot of 'racket'. 

Most likely I would say Tic Toc. 

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Mark turned 74 yesterday on the 18th.

We are going to be celebrating on Saturday.

Love you so much.❤

DOCTOR ON WEDNESDAY THE 12TH

HEALTH ISSUES

I started to share this on Wednesday Hodgepodge but changed my my mind. I have been having issues with my lungs for several weeks. I have medications at home that I take but nothing was helping. I ended up going to the ER on Saturday the 8th and spent 10 hours there. Nothing they tried worked for me. No change at all.

 

I have done a lot of research recently and I truly believed that it was the Dupixent shot I am taking. My shots started on August 27th at the doctors office, then you take one every other week. Sept 10t, 24th, Oct 8th, 22nd and I did not take the shot on the 5th of November. So that's when I decided to go to the ER. I left the house at 6:30am on Saturday the 8th.

They sent me home with some medications and I was feeling better on Sunday but then on Monday I felt the same way again. They did say that the x-ray of my lungs showed possible pneumonia. However I have done a lot of research since I've been home and the Dupixent can show that effect on some peoples lungs. I didn't have it. 

I had read earlier, a reason for my concern, was that Dupixent can also cause tight lungs and wheezing which is what I have had for the last several weeks. I had my first shot on August 27th, which I memtionthen earlier, the next one was 2 weeks later on October 8th. Had an appointment with my doctor the 13th and I told her I was having chest tightness and wheezing. She didn't seem that concerned. I had my next shot on October 22nd and was feeling even worse. 

I called to see if I could stop my shot but they never called me back. I did however not take the last shot on the 5th.

So since the hospital visit I got in to see the other doctor in the office on Wednesday. He told me to stop the shots. Gave me another steroid shot. (Had one at the hospital) Nothing has changed. I am truly afraid that I will not get back what I had which for me was not great but a whole lot better than what I'm going through now. 

So your prayers are welcomed. If this is the outcome I don't know what I am going to do. 

Love,

Debby

 

WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE #626

Thank you Joyce.

To join in click HERE

1. Are you a risk taker? To what degree? 

No, I don't believe I am a risk taker at all. Maybe I used to be but not anymore. 

2. What's your favorite candy? Would you say you have a sweet tooth? 

Yes, I have a sweet tooth but I truly watch myself when it comes to candy. I do like PB M & M's. I'm also into the new PB Milky Way. Mark always buys me the See's PB dark chocolate hearts. They are delicious. 

3. Somewhere you've been recently that had you feeling 'like a kid in a candy store'? 

Sorry, nothing is coming to mind. I haven't left the house much lately except for doctor's appointments.

4. What do you think is the most effective way to make a positive change in the world? 

Be kind to people. 

5. Do you like surprises? 

That's a tough one to answer. I definitely like being invited over to Adam and Gabby's house. I wouldn't like anyone to surprise me at home because I wouldn't be dressed with make-up on. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

We did see Adam, Gabby and James on Friday night. It was a great evening. Mark and James played some checkers and then after dinner we played some bunko. 

Halloween treat he got in the mail from us. 

**************************************

I've been having trouble keeping up with reading blog posts. I apologize for that. It seems like I have nothing but doctor's appointments, like 2 each week, and a whole lot of depression. 

I miss Amber and Dylan so much. They are going to be traveling to a wedding and will be gone for 10 days. I hope they have a nice trip. 

Personally I am having trouble with my lungs. I'm on my second lung infection and I don't get it at all. What is the point of the Dupixent. My lungs haven't been as good since I started it! 

Thankfully my legs are better. I am no longer having the pain I was having and they both seem back to normal and pretty strong. 

Thank you for listening. Love you guys.