Good morning Mary Ann & Larry:  Today is the day that my husband has his Moh's surgery!  He has to be there at 9:00, and will be there most of the day.  Mary Ann - It's the same "assembly line" situation that you had for your surgery.  His spot is on the upper part of his ear, so I can't imagine that they could cut very deep there, because the area is so thin?  They will have sandwiches and coffee available for everyone at lunch time. He has downloaded a Grisham book on the Kindle, so that should keep him occupied most of the day! 

Jan, sounds like a very busy and capable woman.  I wish i could transport her out here for a few days, to organize my "junk".  That's too bad that her parents are having memory problems.  They are fortunate that she is there to watch over them.

I noticed a few days ago that you said Annie, was in Jamaica!  Wow, that would be a great place to visit this time of year.  I'll have to take another look at her Facebook profile, and see if she posted any pictures. 

Marilyne, good luck on your husband's Moh's surgery.  I was not there all day, just from 8 am to noon or so.  We also did not have any lunch provided but the receptionist did have some animal crackers that I could snack on!!!

Jan is very efficient and has almost always worked with older people.  When we first met her she was a social worker and had a degree in that.  After the children were born, she got her RN degree and of late has gone to seminary to become a minister.  She now is associate at her church and I think that is as far as she wants to go at the present time.  She and Terry both are about 58 years old (Terry is the youngest of Norm's three sons). 

Annie's trip to Jamaica was a birthday present from her boy friend, with whom she lives.  He is very well off.  On Facebook she is Cate Tock.  She prefers Cate, but she was Annie for about 10 years and lets a few of us call her Annie.  She knows now, but did not know for a long time, that Anne in her name is for me, although spelled differently.  She had a good time according to Tom and I haven't seen her since she returned.

Today we are going to Butterworth Hospital to have lunch with James, Alicia and Alicia's folks who are here from Milwaukee.  Alicia is still holding those babies and every day counts.  I think Tom said the doctor said the girls are about 2.5 pounds.

We are at 25 degrees, a far cry from the 2 degrees at 8:30 am.

Mary Ann

Larry, I have no idea and to be honest I really don't care.  Tired of white

We're back from the hospital.  Alicia looks good and feels good.  If she can keep her blood pressure steady for a few days, they'll let her go home.  I forget how many weeks they want, but if all goes well, the babies will be born in Holland Hospital which is what James and Alicia really want (close to home).  There were six of us at lunch today and we had a good gabfest. 

Mary Ann

Good afternoon from the Interior, I'm with Joan, tired of all that white and I'm rarely out in it!

MaryAnn, I hope Alicia gets as much rest as possible for her and those babies! Jan sounds like a very type A personality woman, I hope she takes it easy when she can with everything going on around her. My mom was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 1983 and died in 2000. It was hard for us as she changed from a renaissance type woman into a fretful anxious one.

She had been an artist, painting in watercolors and pastels and doing sculpture. She was an assistant librarian at one of the local high school and was allowed to audit classes she became interested in. My dad was having small strokes then and this accelerated into bigger ones for him. The nineties became for me, a time of becoming a caretaker for my daughter and my parents. My daughter died in 1991 and my father in 1995. Everyone basically moved in with me and it was a very stressful time.

Patricia, my father had a series of small strokes from 1962 until 1970 when he died.  In time, his personality changed.  Nothing violent, but he just wasn't the same.  He never had a big stroke, but the small ones took a toll on him.  With Jan's dad, it is too early to know how he'll fare.  He knows he has Alz's and mentions it to people (close friends and family).  Jan's mother may be more like Norm, who knew his short-term memory was bad.  His main cause of death was congestive heart failure, however.

When we got home this afternoon, James was waiting for us and soon after that Terry came to finish the job on the grab bar in the bathroom.  This permanent one is a bit further away than the suction bar but I'll get along OK with it.  I've had more family here the past two days than I've had in a long time.  Everyone has left now, including Tom, it is quiet and I'm tired.  I may or may not nap - and I may not have a choice!

The cat disappears when someone strange (to him) is here and I haven't found his hiding place yet.  He could go downstairs and I'm not going to go down to find him.  Yesterday I think he hid in the computer room and he could hide under my bed.  I call to him and he does not come, but after everyone is gone, he comes to let me know he's still around and he wants some attention.  Like now.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann - My husband spent exactly four hours at the dermatologist surgery, with the Moh's treatment.  There were about eight other people there with him, being called in, and then coming out to the waiting room, etc.  He said that the skin graft was what took the longest time. Now he has a large white bandage the covers his entire right ear!  It sticks out and up, so looks like an elephant ear! ha ha!  He won't be able to wear his hearing aid on that ear for about two weeks, which will be hard for him. I'm hoping the bandage stays in place while he is in bed sleeping?  It looks precarious - like the slightest touch will cause it to slip off. 

I'm glad to hear that Alicia, is doing so well, and that the babies will be born in the hospital that they prefer.  Sounds like you had fun at the lunch, and are getting lots of help today.

Patricia - My father also died of a stroke.  He was 82 - one week before turning 83.  He had not had any strokes before that, that we were aware of.  He did have heart by-pass surgery when he was 77.  Also he had a history his entire life of high BP . . . as do I.   My mother died of ovarian cancer at age 65, so she had been gone a long time when my dad passed.

Marilyne, I hope the doctor anchored your husband's bandage so it doesn't come off.  Mine was on my face and went under my left eye and down toward my mouth.  It was only there overnight, then I put a gauze piece over the surgery.  Under my eye now, the skin is smooth, not like the rest of my face and I have an idea it will remain that way.  It is not noticeable to the eye, but I can feel it.  I hope your husband gets along OK and I see no reason he should not get along OK.

Mary Ann

Hi everyone on the first Sunday in February.  It is cool this morning but going to go up to 60 degrees this afternoon.  We have the chance for a little rain today as well.  I will go to Sunday School and Church this morning but Pat isn't planning on attending.  This evening I will watch the Superbowl.

As I am limited on time this morning I will be very brief for today.

Mary Ann, so sad when folks come down with Alzheimer's or dementia.  Terry's wife will have her hands full in the years to come. Nice to read that Alicia is doing well.  So glad you now have strong grab bars and not something just stuck on. 

Marilyne, glad the surgery went so well and didn't take all day. 

Patricia, your Mother had a long bout with Alzheimers.  My mother also suffered with it or at least dementia.  It is such a sad way to end life.  My Dad was very ill but stayed in his right mind up until the end. I do relate to the stress you experienced with your parents.

My paternal grandmother died at 92 plus a few weeks.  To the very end, her mind was sharp and she liked to listen to the politics on the radio (that was her word for the newscasts). 

Mary Ann

It's a cool, damp Sunday here in Nor Cal.  We've had drizzle for a couple of days, but by Tuesday, are supposed to get the Pineapple Express, or River of Rain, from the direction of Hawaii.  This always brings heavy rain, which we still need plenty of, to help end our drought.

Mary Ann - AJ had no problems sleeping last night with his huge ear bandage. I should have known he wouldn't, being as he is one of the lucky ones, who never has a problem sleeping.  Did you have to take antibiotics after your Mohs surgery?  He has to take them for a week, and then maybe longer depending on how the ear is healing. 

Larry, I've been following your S. Carolina temps all winter, and I'm still surprised that you are always warmer during the day, than we are here in Northern CA.  Although we usually get a warm spell in late January or early Feb, we haven't had one yet this year.

Marilyne, no I did not have to take any antibiotic after my surgery.  The doctor did suggest I take a pain pill if I felt I needed it.  Among the many pills I take are pain pills for my shoulder and to tell the truth, I had absolutely no pain with the surgery.  I might if I pressed on something but otherwise, no pain.  I was pleasantly surprised.

We were at 35 degrees earlier, but we're at 34 degrees now and it is mid-afternoon.  I feel with the longer daylight that our temps will keep going higher, but it is February and temperatures can go up and down like a yo-yo yet.

Mary Ann

Good afternoon from the Interior, we haven't changed any weather wise, but we seem to have left the snowfall in January. I find myself tired more than anything and doing more sleeping than usual. I need to start earlier again as this late starting causes me to keep putting things off.

I just viewed Grand Haven at 5:15pm here. What a great shot of it. Not to dark and just shows on person still walking . Pop in and see it.

Jeanne, I look in on Grand Haven any time I post something.  It is 7:45 pm now, so too late to see anything.  There is ice close to shore and yesterday there was some further out, but if the temps go into the mid-30s, some of the wave action will do away with ice further out.  We have not had exceptionally cold weather for any length of time so far this year so we don't have as much ice on the lake.  I saw two people on the ice yesterday and the way they looked, I was afraid they'd go further out, but they did not.

Mary Ann

Hi everyone on a chilly 40 degree morning but headed up to about 70 this afternoon.  I did make it to Sunday School and Church yesterday and stopped to pick up a sub from Firehouse Subs for my lunch.  Pat had arisen late and had a late breakfast so wasn't hungry and didn't want me to bring her anything.  I did watch the Superbowl game last night and it turned out to be a very good game even though my Atlanta Falcons ended up losing after getting ahead by quite a few points in the first half.  New England really played well in the second half and came back to win in the first overtime game ever played in the 51st playing of the Superbowl.  Now football is over until September.  I hope to get to my Monday noon meeting today and may make a quite trip to the Post Office to mail a package to Pat's sister and then make a brief stop at Aldi's for a few things we need.  However, these last two things may wait until tomorrow depending on my energy level.

Marilyne, California has certainly had a lot of rain and snow during the last few months.  I sure hope the drought has been broken for you all.  I don't recall taking antibiotics either when I had the MOHS procedure done.  We have really not had any winter weather as such with only maybe 4 or 5 nights below freezing and then it would warm up the next day. 

Mary Ann, I don't remember having to take any pain medication with my procedure either and had the same experience when my pacemaker/defibrillator was replaced.

Patricia, all of your cleaning and resettling in your apartment must have worn you down.   

When I got up about 6 am, our temperature was 15 degrees and is now up to near 30 degrees.  Tom said we are to get up into the 40s today and as the sun is shining, that 40 degrees will feel very good.

Larry, it's interesting that both the Super Bowl and PGA Tour went into overtime.  There were four Sudden Death holes played before a young man from Japan won.  It is interesting to me that there are so many Oriental players in these tournaments.  They are from Taiwan, Korea, Japan, China. 

Years ago, Japan sent a group of 18-year-old girls to Big Rapids MI to Ferris University to learn golf.  Since Ferris was originally a pharmacy school, that was a surprise to us.  One of the girls stayed with Tom and Sue and when she met Norm, she took a liking to him.  The golf lasted only a year and the girls went home.  But about five years after that, Hiroko would come to the US and stay with Mr Norm and Dot - every year, mostly in Florida.  Sometimes she did not let them know she was coming but it always worked out OK.  She always brought gifts for both Norm and Dot, non-touristy Japanese things.  I remember she brought a smoking jacket for Norm one year and he had not smoked since he had his by-pass surgery in 1976.  Tom let her know that Norm had died and we haven't heard from her since.  Dot would take her shopping, really drop her off and return home, then Hiroko would call when she was ready to be picked up.  She would and could spend an entire day in Wal-Mart and she always wore high heels when she was here.  She must be close to 50 years now.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann - That's a really nice story about the Japanese girl, and her long time friendship with Norm and Dot. Did she make a career out of playing in golf tournaments? 

The Super Bowl was on here last night, but I didn't watch it until half time.  I wanted to see Lady Gaga.  Her show looked exactly like those of all of the women entertainers who have performed at the Bowl in recent years. Flashy costumes, lots of leg showing, marching and kicking, and per usual . . . I couldn't understand the words to the songs.
It was an okay, but it looked exactly like the half-time shows of Beyonce and Katy Perry.

Then AJ called me back to see the overtime part of the game, so I did watch that, and it was exciting.  I did want Atlanta to win, so I was disappointed.  I feel bad when the same team (in any sport) comes out on top, year after year. I like to see the "glory" and excitement get spread around amongst other teams, in all the many different sports leagues.     

Marilyne, your statement about the same team winning year after year makes me think of all the years the New York Yankees won the American League pennants and I don't recall how many World Series they won, but the slogan was;  Break Up the Yankees.  They didn't, of course, and other teams went on to win, even my Detroit Tigers.  I was a great fan in the 1930s when Hank Greenberg, Charlie Gehringer and others were playing. 

No, Hiroko did not go on to play gold professionally.  I think she had that one year at Ferris and went home after the first year.  She was an interesting person and we felt she was pampered by her family.  She lived with Tom and Sue, who were newly married, and she expected Sue to pick up after her - and things like that.  Sue had a job and no way was she going to cater to Hiroko.  There were some heated discussions at time.

Looking at Grand Haven, there are people on the shore and I think someone has a kite.  There is a lot of ice, but the people are not on it - yet.

Mary Ann

Hi everyone.  It is another clear morning, at least at this time.  We started the day in the mid to hight 50's and may get up to 80 degrees this afternoon.  Our schedule is light today.  I didn't get to the Post Office or Aldi's yesterday so we will try to get that done today.  This is also the day for our city elections.  I wasn't going to vote because I knew none of the candidates pro or con until I found out the man who served as our Sunday School class president for this last two years was running for mayor.  He is a fine man, a retired engineer retired from the military and I think he would make a wonderful mayor.  That will be plenty for today as got up tired, which is becoming the norm, even after a full nights sleep.   

Mary Ann, golf has certainly become an International sport and probably has been for many years but not too many players making it into the PGA or the USGA to play in the big tournaments.  I remember the annual visits of Miroko to Norm and Dot.  Too bad she has not kept contact with Dot.

Marilyne, did you see the very beginning of Lady Gaga's  program with the patriotic medley.  She really have a beautiful voice when it isn't drowned out with the noise that accompanied the rest of her show.  I agree about not understanding the words to the rest of what she sang. 

It's just turning 11:00 am, here, which means all you folks on Eastern time are enjoying mid-afternoon. Today has been a slow starter for me.  I didn't accomplish anything so far this morning, except to answer a couple of emails. 

I had an appointment with a cardiologist today, but they called last night and cancelled because the doctor is sick.  I'm really kind of relieved, as it would be my first visit, and I know it would (will) be the start of all sorts of tests and such.  So just putting it off for a while.  My primary doc is concerned because my pulse rate is extremely low. (Usually between 45 and 52, but sometimes as low as 40.)  So after doing some on-line research, it looks like that means I might be getting a pacemaker??  I don't know, just a guess. 

It is pouring rain here, and extremely windy, but is a warm 60 degrees!  After lunch, I have to go to the grocery store and get something for dinner tonight. I'm thinking about the "help yourself" hot trays at Whole Foods.  Pricey, but no more expensive than going to a restaurant.

Just checking in.  Tis 27 degrees and snowing.

Marilyne, I'd be worried too if I thought I was a candidate for a pacemaker, but Larry Hanna has one and gets along well with it.  I have Atrial Fibrillation and I had read something about that requiring a pacemaker in certain situations.  My trouble is a fast heartbeat.  I still think if my PCP had diagnosed it earlier, I might not even have A-Fib, but he discounted my info because I was using a wrist BP monitor; he did not even investigate the fast heartbeats.  But I think I am getting along OK and I see my cardiologist about every six months.  Good luck whenever you go to this new cardiologist.

Joan, it is 35 degrees and misting/drizzling here. 

Tom and I went to a nice restaurant near here for lunch.  He gave me a gift certificate for this restaurant where we like to eat.  As he said, they are a bit pricey, but the food is good, the wait staff is nice, they used big cloth napkins and heavy eating utensils - as opposed to any kind of paper napkins and lightweight eating utensils.  I had a Reuben and broccoli cole slaw and Tom had a burger and salad.  We used up the gift card and had to pay a bit more for the tip. 

Mary Ann

Good afternoon, raining here, to morrow it will be in the high 50, then Thursday a big snow storm.

Marilyn, my problem is My pulse is racing sometimes, My MIL had a pace maker, and she was 97 when she passed.  My husband also had one. I have A Fib.

MaryAnn, seems like the Orientals are doing well in golf. Half the women players seems to be Oriental.

Larry, the caddies do well also, when they play for the winners. Tigers caddy, made BIG money in the 10 years he caddied.  He was also the god father I think of Tiger's little girl When they turned against each other, that also was big.

Good afternoon here, it has just turned 12:01 and we are at minus seven presently. This time is my second attempt at the day as I was sick yesterday and again this morning. That may have been why I was having such a late start the past few days.

My pulse is slow, normal is 90 over 60, and my main issue is not getting up too suddenly at times. I have passed out momentarily if I jump up after sitting or lying down for a long time. Other than that, only my handicap causes me any issues, but by now that's more of an inconvenience. I have had pulse races twice for some reason in the past year, once lying down and once sitting, so I don't know what that was.  Just an overall, general slowing down but I suppose that's usual for 65.

Farrah has rediscovered her big blue tube, and last night I heard her chasing the ball around its corridors. Sometimes she will take her treats over and drop them in so she can finagle them out again. I started it one day, and soon after, she surprised me by taking over. She doesn't play with her felt mice anymore, and sometimes I think she's bored and I wish I could have a playmate for her. She does purr more lately, but that is because she has decided to enjoy my new pillow and the body rubs and scratches I give her when she's there. She is still changing and adapting. It's just not as noticeable as it was in the beginning.

I like my toilet paper to come out over the top but I guess Kendrick likes it that way too.  Last night I discovered the paper pulled a couple of yard out with bites out of several squares.  I guess I'm going to have to change my ways.  This is only the second time he has done that in a couple of years so I have no complaints.

The fast heartbeat I would have prior to be diagnosed with A Fib at first were quite far between but eventually increased in intensity, then did not slow down at all.  Thinking of my meds. I am not taking anything for my heart itself, but I am taking a blood thinner to help prevent strokes (I was taking aspirin and I have not and had not had a stroke), a diuretic and blood pressure medicine, which I suppose is concern for the heartbeat.  I like to think I am getting along OK.  I am not aware of fast heartbeat now and when I've had my BP taken at the doctor's office, it has been in the 70s.  Before being diagnosed with A Fib, normal was in the 50s and 60s, yet I did not feel any of the symptoms you have, Patricia.

Mary Ann

We are all different, MaryAnn, and I have had this experience all my life of at times almost blacking out. I was told it was because the blood pooled around your lower extremities and when you got up suddenly, that happened. I was told to pay attention and get up slowly. Sometimes, if I don't eat regularly, I will have moments of unsteadiness and one time had an episode at work which resulted in my being sent home for the day. The two times I had the rapid heartbeat were unsettling but brief. Now I wonder if that was an early warning sign as it was with you?

I saw this elsewhere and thought it was another unique experience with cats. "Bringing Back Extinct Tigers with Surrogate House Cats

It’s a sad truth of life that some 20 to 30 species are lost to extinction every single year, but at the University of Georgia, there’s a real-life Jurassic Park â€" for big cats. The scientists there have extracted DNA from rare big cats in an attempt to save them from going extinct. Eventually, this DNA will be used for the artificial insemination of a domestic cat, which will then give birth to a tiger or other big cat. Domestic cats have been chosen for this purpose because scientific knowledge of their reproductive system is much more comprehensive than that of big, wild cats."

http://www.ba-bamail.com/content.aspx?emailid=24551

There were stories of rescue dogs working with the Colorado ski patrol in rescues and with wolves helping veterans to survive in spite of their PTSD. Also a good one about a dog, Blakely, helping to teach young orphaned zoo animals how to learn behaviors before they are released into adult populations. You had to really feel for the dog with four young cheetahs.

We have two additions to our family today.  I don't know their names, but they are twin girls, not identical.  Baby A weighed 4+ pounds and Baby B weighed 3+ pounds.  James and Alicia really have been on a roller coaster ride this last month because they would have her BP stabilized enough to suggest she might go home and the next day her BP would go off the charts and they'd be back to square one.  The babies are in ICU with CPAPs and some oxygen.  We all can breathe easier now. 

Mary Ann

Patricia, the only time I know of that I actually blacked out was at work.  It was summer and I worked in an air conditioned area (large and not an office).  I went upstairs to the restroom and that was not air conditioned.  Nor was the walk up the stairs to the restroom.  As I went in, I felt myself slipping and I sat down on the floor.  I sat there a few minutes, then went about my business and went back down to the a/c-ing and I was fine after that. 

I also did not feel good while in the shower one Christmas Eve, so got out and sat on the floor.  I remember my head going down and I hit my head on the side of the tub.  My doctor told me I had fainted but I wasn't sure; I may have gone to sleep.  I ended up with a huge black and blue spot under my left eye and the spot traveled across my nose to the other side.  I have felt woozy a few times in my life when I got out of bed or out of a chair, but as a rule, I have had no trouble in that area.  My dentist always cautions me when I get out of the chair but I have had no problem getting up on my feet.

My last BP reading was 130/90 which satisfied the doctor.  If he's happy, I'm happy.  I do think the 90 is high but at my age, it may be acceptable.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann - So glad to hear that the twins have arrived, and that they weighed a reasonable weight, and appear to be healthy.  Be sure to keep us posted on how they are doing, and on name selections!