Dancing With Dad...

*** artwork by Sue Whittick at Artist's Progress***

I awoke today with the most wonderful memory...me as a barefoot little girl, standing on Dad's feet and dancing... He would make the music himself by humming or singing to me.  He made me feel so safe and loved...  I have a huge smile on my face and will wear it for the rest of the day...

I called the nursing home and was able to reach Dad.  I caught him just after breakfast and before his shower...he sounded good.  I greeted him with my signature,

"Hello my Papa-doots!!"  And he responded...

"Ahhhhhhh, my Donna Dee..."

I am over flowing with joy each time he remembers who I am without me telling him...especially since it is usually over the phone.

My husband and I will travel back to California for Thanksgiving and we both look forward to spending some time with him....

The last time Dad and I danced together was at my nephew's wedding...

Dad boogied with Mom...

He swooned the Bride..

And he rocked out with me...

I love you Papa doots!!

New Beginnings...

Today I received my blood test results on my cholesterol.  I have genetically high cholesterol and have finally found a good primary care doctor who will listen to me and work with me so I don't have to take medication.  My cholesterol and triglycerides zoomed up past the 300 mark, so we decided to put me back on the medication, only this time, a lower dose.  It is working.  I also take triple strength fish oil,  1000mg  twice a day with EPA @ 540mg twice a day and DHA @ 170mg twice a day.

My numbers improved: cholesterol from 267 to 198, triglycerides from 307 to 220, LDL from 149 to 101, HDL from 57 to 53 and my ratio from 4.68 to 3.74.  Imagine how good my numbers would be if I lost weight???  My doctor told me once I lose my weight, there is a good possibility I can go back off the medication.  That is my goal!!!

My husband is bionic.  He is borderline diabetic. He has the same good doctor I have, working with him on his diet so he does not have to take medication.  He has dropped another point on his glucose, lost 5 pounds and his cholesterol is 142! The rest of his numbers are better than mine and he is eight years older than I!
I found the 5 pounds he lost.  I am heavier now than when I was pregnant with my first child, when I gained 80 pounds!!!

We are going to start working out at the gym in our community center.  I HATE GYMS...and I HATE WORKING OUT.  I would much rather dance.  So we are going to compromise.  If I go to the gym with my hubby, he will go dancing with me.  Wish me luck.... I get totally grossed out by other people's sweat on the machines...even if they disinfect it after use, like they are suppose to.  It still G-R-O-S-S-E-S me out!!!

I was informed this month my current health plan (Pacificare) will no longer have a contract with Nevada in 2011.  I have to choose another health plan.  The only health plan where I can keep my current primary care physician, is an HMO called Health Plan of Nevada.  Everyone says how terrible it is.  I called today and the people who work the phones and answer questions for the coverage, could not have been nicer or more helpful.  The premiums are a good $20 per month cheaper and the co-pays are $5 less for seeing my primary care doctor and for prescriptions.  It is $10 less to see a specialist.

The big problem is, I will have to find a new GYN, dermatologist, and eye doctor.  I am still researching and seeking advice from a woman we know who helps my husband with his Humana Gold Plus Medicare supplement plan.  He has awesome coverage!!  I have to decide before end of December.

My husband was approved and has received two unemployment checks.  We are meeting with our financial advisor again to finish getting our financial ducks in a row...hoping it will be enough to live on without having to get a job right away... We are having several conversations on planning on what we will do with our time, so we are not sitting in front of the TV or the computer all the time...

The one thing we have agreed on is, we do not want to get into a routine or have any kind of a schedule....except we might start eating our biggest meal of the day at mid day.  I always wanted us to do this but never could when he worked, because he got home so late.

I accompanied my husband to his doctor appointment today.  When we told him my husband finally retired, he was as happy as we were!!  He told us he was envious.  He asked what our plans were and then went into a litany of fun things for us to do.  "Whatever you do, don't sit home on the couch!" he told my husband...

He summed it up perfectly by telling us, it is our new beginning...

Doing My Civil Duty...

I had Jury Duty today.  I was scheduled at noon.  I sat and read for a couple of hours and then struck up a conversation with two other women for the remainder of the day.  We were released at 4:30pm.  I have served my civil duty for the next two more years...

During the wait, my youngest daughter sent me a pic of my youngest grandson via my phone.  ADORABLE!!  She had just dried him off from a bath. It shows his face with the hoodie towel over his head...I will post it once I figure how to load it from my phone to my computer...

I'm so pooped....don't even know if I can stay awake for Dancing With The Stars...

Thank You....

Thank you Dad for being a Marine. 
Thank you for fighting so bravely for our country.
Thank you for surviving Tarawa. 
Thank you for the courage it had to take to live with such hellish memories.

Thank you for all the men and women I did not know who fought along side you, or on different soil for the same cause of Freedom. 
Thank you to all the women and men who gave their lives so we can live the way we live. 
Thank you to my Grandmother who was an Army nurse. 
Thank you to my Grandfather, who was a Marine pilot. 
Thank you to my brother who served with the 82nd Airborne and fought in Granada. 
Thank you to our family friend who is a Marine pilot who taught many, many pilots to fly safe and strong.  God Bless you all.  God Bless America.

~dkb~

Care Conferences and Saying Goodbyes...

Mom attended Dad's Care Conference this morning.  She did not call me because she felt I needed some relaxng time.  Dad weighs 157 lbs. and Mom kidded us all by saying, they may have to cut down his ice cream!!  Just kiddin'.... Dad would NOT put up with that!

Dad has been visited or cared for by all his doctors except the hearing aid doc, who will visit him Nov. 15th.  On Oct. 23rd, Dad's Lexapro was cut from 10 mg to 5 mg, otherwise no changes.  All his reports were good and Mom thanked everyone for his wonderful care.

Mom spoke with the Administrator, telling him how much we appreciated the attention Dad receives, especially his afternoon birthday party.  He told Mom how much the staff loves him, and he appreciated the kind words.  Mom wrote a thank you note to the Activities Director who arranged Dad's party and the entertainment.

The former Director of Nursing left and is working in Pasadena for a non profit place.  The new D.O.N. will start after Thanksgiving.  One of the nurses, who is very nice, is filling in.  

Our week in California comes to an end tomorrow.  We will leave my daughter's home around 9am and head back to Nevada.  Tonight at dinner, my oldest daughter's 6 year old son told us how much he would miss us after we leave...

We will miss you too sweetheart... we will miss all of you....

Happy 90th Birthday Dad!

Where do I begin?  It was an absolutely GLORIOUS day from the clear, blue sky with fluffy clouds, to the happy, serendipitous flow of the day.  We used to describe Dad's moods with the weather and today was no exception.  He was free, happy, jovial and full of love.

Mom and I left the house by 7:30 am to attend her iMoms group meeting and luncheon.  Mom volunteers through her church to help mentor and support young Mothers.  The main speaker's topic was "FACING OUR GIANTS". A young Mother gave a speech before the main speaker, entitled "Chasing Away Our Foxes".

Mom and I were the only family members not working, so she and I went to the nursing home for their celebration of Dad's birthday.  The social director had hired a singer who sang Broadway tunes to everyone, but Dad was the guest of honor, sitting up front with her.  Dad LOVED her singing and her performance.  He enjoyed it so much he was inspired to sing along (and loudly) with her.  When he did not know the words, he simply sang, "I love yoooooouuuu, I love yoooooouuuuuu..."  At the end of her program, she sang It Had To Be You to him and presented him with a red rose.

Dad told the singer how much he loved her, 

which generated a huge smile on her face.

Dad  broke into song, he was so happy.

The nursing home provided a huge birthday cake with those number candles, a '9' and an '0' on top.  Dad had to blow each one separately, mainly because they were far apart.  Normally, he is pretty impressive blowing out candles.  One of Dad's buddies came over afterward and gave him a big hug and told him how much he loved him.  It was so touching, I had to quickly grab the moment on my camera.

Dad's friend giving him a big birthday hug.

We wheeled Dad back to his room afterward so he could take a nice nap.  We wanted him to have the best opportunity to be at his best for the part with the family later at 6pm.

Mom and I stopped by Baskin Robbins to pick up Dad's ice cream birthday cake to take home and put in the freezer.  We took the opportunity to rest a wee bit before meeting up with my husband, who had been visiting his daughter.  

We all gathered at one of the activity rooms at the nursing home.  They had brought Dad's birthday banner and his balloons in to decorate the room.  When we all gathered we presented him with his cards and presents and sang to him around his cake.

My daughter had purchased one of those Hallmark Christmas books where everyone can record their voice while reading.  She had asked if I could possibly get her Grandpa to record his voice for her son, Dad's great grandson.  Dad did a great job, reading with tremendous inflection in his voice... definitely a treasure to be cherished...

Me helping Dad recording the first page of

The Night Before Christmas

We all sat around visiting and sharing, laughing and enjoying Dad's milestone birthday.  Our brother from Ohio called and Dad was thrilled to hear his voice!  Dad's friend from the earlier party wandered in on our party, and the staff tried to redirect him to leave... We didn't have the heart to make him leave and invited him to stay and enjoy some cake.

He and Dad were quite the comedy team and entertained all of us with their innocent, friendly banter, which was accentuated comically with both of them being hard of hearing!

Dad was growing tired after was suppose to be an hour party and ended up being two!  One of the nurses came in a took our group picture.  We took his cards and pictures and decorated the wall by his bed and got him all cozy in his new pajamas.  After forming a single line to kiss him good night, we all caravanned back to my brother and sister in law's home for a spaghetti dinner.  We spend the next three hours visiting and sharing funny family stories and catching up.

What a GREAT celebration and fun night!!

The First Of Our Two November Trips To California...

My husband and I were on The Road To Love, by 11:30 am this morning.  We had originally planned to meet with one of my high school girlfriends for lunch.  I called her on the road and rescheduled,  making it a dinner.  The drive went well.  My husband and I listened to Talk Radio most of the way and had some interesting conversation.

We arrived at my Mom's house in Covina, Ca by 4 pm. Mom gave us the tour of the house showing us the improvements she has implemented.  So good to see the ol' homestead spruced up!  We unloaded the car and then invited Mom to come to dinner with us.

My friend had arrived early, so we joined her and all of us had a wonderful dinner and conversation at Marie Calenders.  My husband had never met her before, so he was such a good sport listening to all the talk about fellow high school buddies.  Mom knew a lot of the people we discussed, so my wonderful husband was a real trooper and as always, an excellent listener.

We said our good byes and rushed home to watch Survivor.  Mom does not have a DVR and we all are big fans of the show.

Tomorrow we meet my daughter Jodee and baby Jacob for lunch and then finish all the last minute details for Dad's 90th birthday party on the 5th.  My husband and I are staying at Mom's until Saturday, then we will drive out to my oldest daughter, Holly's house.  We will stay with her until the 10th, then we will drive back home.

We will drive back out a second time for Thanksgiving...