On The Right Track

Words cannot express our thanks to all our friends and all our as of yet not met blogging friends who have sent well wishes and prayers for Michael. 

We woke this morning after a restless night and got ourselves in gear—we needed to move the big ole motorhome before the parking lot filled all around us with the cars and trucks of the hospital worker bees.  About 6am we were rolling and headed to Cabela’s again, parked, drank coffee, surfed the internet, showered and then headed off for Michael’s next doctor’s appointment, a new internist.

The good news is that Michael really, really liked this internist—Michael is quite anti-doctor—it was great to see that he liked this guy.  And Dr. Swift is pretty much on track with the urologist—the swelling and pain in his wrists was caused by the huge bladder infection.  The infection brought on a condition called calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate deposition disease—are you impressed yet??  Lay terms—pseudo gout.  Michael has two new prescriptions to take (poor guy, for someone who never takes pills, he has taken more pills the last two months than in his entire lifetime!  Blood was drawn and EKG done in preparation for the surgery later this month.  So, we feel much more positive today—we are on the right track—we will see what next week brings.

We arrived home about 2pm, I made a homemade pizza and we got to work.  Michael dumped the tanks, refilled the fresh water tank and washed the yuk off the Jeep from where he ran over an all ready dead raccoon on the way home, YUK!  I cleaned the motorhome and house and brought a few things inside which we will need tonight for tomorrow we are off to Livingston so I can participate in my quilt guild’s quilt show.  I am in charge of concessions and we decided to take the motorhome over as it is a three day show and an almost 60 mile one way trip from home.  Michael and Emmi are going with me.  We can’t ever say life is boring around here can we??

And speaking of not being boring—Mike and Emmi had quite the scare a few minutes ago—they were walking along our trail, heard a huge noise and not three feet in front of Michael a bear went up a tree.  Emmi took off—she wasn’t sticking around to get eaten by a bear!  Michael hollered at Emmi to come back but she wasn’t having any part of that bear.  Michael started walking backward away from the bear, the bear came down the tree and took off—finally Emmi came back, too.  YIKES!

Congratulations to our special Arkansas friends, Bradley, Kerri and Harley—they welcomed new baby girl Tucker into their lives today—Mom and Tucker are doing well.  Notice Kerri has her makeup on??—the woman just had major surgery (C-Section) and she has her makeup on—my kind of woman!

Not What We Wanted To Hear

During Michael’s procedure today, the urologist discovered he has a bladder tumor—he was confident the tumor was a form of cancer he called a “nuisance cancer”—he removes the cancer in an outpatient procedure then the patient has the “nuisance” of coming back for a checkup procedure every three months for a while.  We have some more tests next week, then the removal procedure on October 25.

We went to dinner tonight at the BrewHouse in downtown Billings—Michael had a great burger and I had a tomato/basil pizza.  I tried to talk him into going to Costco and getting one of those chocolate cakes and we could both just eat the whole thing but couldn’t convince him!  He has more willpower than me!

Emmi and I took a long, long walk around the neighborhood after dinner admiring all the old houses.   

That’s our news today on my dear sweet Michael’s birthday.  Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, please keep them coming.

Cabela’s Then Downtown

Cloudy skies this morning, a switch from our recent sunny weather but still warm.  We took a walk then began getting the motorhome ready for departure.  Michael finished wiring the Jeep lighting and was successful.  I loaded some food items and a few clean clothes and we were off. 

The hospital security office at St. Vincent’s had told me that it was best to try and enter the parking lot where RV’s were allowed after 5pm—it would be less crowded and we would stand a better chance of scoring a parking space next to one of the electric hookups.  So, we drove to Cabela’s where they have excellent RV parking, unhooked the Jeep and went to get my hair cut along with a couple other errands.  About 6pm we drove downtown to find the hospital parking lot mostly empty—allowing us to park with ease right next to the electric meter.  After parking we took Emmi for a nice long walk around the neighborhood.  I cooked up the spaghetti sauce I had made at home and we enjoyed a delicious supper. 

I had a comment last night from “mhiemer”—she was commenting on Ivan Doig’s book, Bucking the Sun, about the building of the Fort Peck Dam which we recently visited.  It made me want to re-read the book which I probably read when I first married Michael 16 years ago.  Went downstairs and found my copy and was quickly hooked—thanks “mhiemer.”

Tomorrow we see the first doctor at 1:45pm—may things go well for Michael. 

Here we are in the parking lot at the hospital.  That pole in the center of the photo has a big huge night light on top—sure wish there was an on/off switch for that light—it shines right down through our bathroom skylight!

Craigslist Works

When we discovered yesterday that the Jeep would not fit in the enclosed trailer we took photos and listed the trailer for sale on Craigslist.  This afternoon it went down the driveway behind someone else’s truck!  Craigslist works!!  And it is free!!

Michael figured out the Jeep lighting problem with a little help from the Trailer Life forums just as I knew he would.  He has spent the day getting lights installed and wired.

I did some laundry again and cooked—we leave for Billings tomorrow for a couple days—taking the motorhome and I wanted some stuff such as spaghetti sauce and pizza crusts all ready cooked.  Michael is seeing two different doctors and we are hoping at least one of them can figure out what is really wrong with him.  He is so much better than a month ago but just not complete yet. 

We went into town to get the title for the trailer notarized for the new owner and ran a few errands.  Remember those inexpensive jeans I found on the internet the other day—well they didn’t fit—it was that pet peeve of mine—the label says one size but my body says it ain’t so!  So back to Denim Express all three pair went today—should have known better than to try and buy pants without trying them on!  GRRRR

Bathed the Emmi girl this afternoon and now we are both sitting and relaxing, finally!

Last summer I planted two clematis and here is my first blossom! 

A fall scene with one fat horse getting a drink!

Sunday Dinner

It was another beautiful day here in Montana, temps near 80 degrees and blue, blue sky.  It was so nice and warm we had dinner on the deck this evening with friends Jeane & Steve, and Jill, Terry & Kerri.  Around this same time last year was when we were stranded on the side of the freeway waiting for the tow truck in a blowing snowstorm.  In early October, 2009 we got 2 feet of snow and it was 5 degrees below zero, quite a difference this year!

Michael worked on the Jeep again today trying to get the lighting hookup ready but is having problems—he will get it figured out I am sure.  We discovered today that the Jeep will not fit in our enclosed trailer—not even with grease down the sides.  The width wasn’t the problem, the roll bar will not clear the door frame. 

I quilted some and spent the rest of the day cooking and doing laundry getting ready for our stay in Billings this week. 

It was a great evening with great friends on a beautiful Montana Sunday.

Window and Motorhome Washing

OK, I’m done washing windows!  Finished up the ones on the shady side of the house this morning and then helped Michael clean off all the bugs we accumulated on the front of the motorhome.  There were millions of suicidal, huge bugs plastered all over the windshield and plexiglass shield that covers the entire front of the motorhome. 

I made a new dish for lunch and Michael liked it!  Black beans with onion, garlic, and peppers seasoned with cumin and crushed red pepper flakes served over rice.  It was really good, a keeper recipe.

My quilting client who lives in Arkansas, Marti, sent me a wonderful quilting book, Bed and Breakfast Quilts, with a check for the last quilt I quilted for her inside—you gotta love those kind of clients!  The book not only has great patterns, it also has recipes!

I loaded Marti’s Thimbleberry Safe Haven quilt onto the frame today and quilted a little.  That is one huge quilt Marti!

Michael got the hitch finished for the Jeep and then puttered around rearranging the bins in the motorhome the rest of the day.  At Costco the other day we purchased a new propane grill—it has a very large cooking surface and two burners—he had to find a place to put it!

Late this afternoon I decided to mow the grass one more time—that is it, no more grass mowing for the season.

Another gorgeous Indian summer day in Montana.

Window Washing and A Party

There are a lot of September birthdays in our family--mine, Katie’s, her new husband Michael’s and then my Michael’s is just after the first of October.  Lonn and LoraLee decided to host a combination party—Laci is home before she heads to Italy for two years and a birthday party.  We had a great evening and outstanding food—Lonn grilled filet mignon steaks and they were so good!  For dessert we had one of Michael’s favorites—Costco chocolate cake—YUM.  We all waddled home, stuffed!  This is a photo of Laci showing her great grandfather one of her awards she has received in the USAF lately.  She and Nat have a special relationship—she lived with Nat during the school year her junior and senior years of high school.  Thursday she went into town and took Nat to lunch in uniform so he could see her all dressed up—a complete stranger couple across the aisle from them picked up their lunch tab—how cool is that!!

LoraLee finally has her cast off from her injury in June and subsequent surgery in July.  She can bear a small amount of weight now but the rest of the time has to use her crutches or little scooter cart.  LoraLee looked and sounded better last night than she has since the accident happened in June!

It has been a while since my poor house got any attention—yesterday was the day, I even washed windows a task I hate!  Have a few more to wash today and the house looks so much better.  Michael worked on getting a hitch installed on the new Jeep—I promise to post a photo of the Jeep tonight!