Hospital

     My husband, Rocky, was hospitalized on March 17 because of exacerbation of his (COPD) emphysema and fever. They were stabilizing him when somehow he cracked three ribs so now he has a lot of pain and as a result is a little confused. 


     Personally, I am either coming down with a cold or my hayfever is acting up. I didn't go into the hospital today which is problematic since an anesthesiologist was coming to do a Consult to see what he could suggest for pain management. I also had a scoliosis test that I had to re-schedule.


     Once we find out when Rocky can come home, his son and grandaughter will work out a plan for coming here to help us out.

Rocky's Birthday "Party"

     Five years ago Rocky was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer, the kind that cannot be surgically removed. We didn't think he was going to make it and were prepared for the worst. 


     Miraculously, he tolerated and responded well to chemotherapy and radiation treatments. He gave up smoking, although slowly, and went on to have a hernia removed, was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and then had a mild stroke that affected his vision in the only good eye he has. By the summer of 2005, the COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder) was causing him most of his physical problems and over the years, he learned to administer his own breathing treatments, uses supplemental oxygen, and uses a cane.


     So, last year when I realized he probably was going to celebrate his 80th birthday, I really wanted to give him a surprise party. But he asked me not to, and although I considered giving him one anyway, when I thought about his frail physical condition, I decided not to.


     However, 80 years total of life and 5 years of cancer survival plus the other problems he's had, I really wanted to recognize his 80th birthday in some way. That's when I came up with the idea of the birthday card shower through the USPS. As of today, his birthday, he had received 74 cards, about 8 e-mail messages, and numerous phone calls.


     So, today, just the two of us had a party! We had cake:

with candles on it; one big 8 and one 0.

Rocky loves chocolate cake!

     Then there were presents, one from me and one from our handyman, a pair of candlesticks he had hand carved.

     He was especially pleased with the Bose music system I gave him.

We spent the rest of the afternoon opening half of the birthday cards. Most everyone wrote notes with theirs, so I read the notes and recorded the sender. Hopefully, Rocky will be able to carry out his plan to tell a story while I record it with my little Flip camera and then post it on You Tube as a thank-you to everyone who sent a card. 

Here Rocky is with his cards,

We are hoping our grandchildren will be able to get away and come over this weekend.

It's "iffy" since Jessica works in a restaurant and Chris has many obligations around music.  But Rocky and I have most of a cake here, and we can fill the house with music!

     

In Like A Lion, Out Like A Lamb

     This is our "castle", our home in the woods, in late winter. Every day this week, we've had snow on the ground in the mornings but by afternoon it's melted off.
     Do you remember the old saying about March? "In like a lion, out like a lamb"? Since childhood I've hoped that March would begin windy and wild, because that would mean April would begin softly. Since my birthday is only one day into April, then I would have a pleasant day--at least weather-wise.
     That hope has only intensified as an adult since we often get a hard freeze the end of March, first of April, that kills blueberry and azalea blossoms which makes me grit my teeth. It will even set back peony, iris, and daylily growth, not kill it but the plant will have to start over again.
     Now this year confuses me. The first couple days of March haven't been windy, but they have been cold with snow on the ground every morning so far. Does that mean the lamb of April will bring warm temperatures with gusts of wind? 
     Well, I'm sure you remember what Mark Twain said about the weather, "Everyone talks about it but nobody does anything about it." (Sort of like our national economy!)
     Since that's the case, then I'll just keep on hibernatin' until it's time to exchange my wool cap for a head scarf!

Anticipation for Rocky's Birthday

     As of today, Rocky has received somewhere around 50 birthday cards and there's two more days to go. Because of some inquiries I've had, I realized some people might have gotten confused about whether they were being invited to send Rocky a birthday card or come to a party. 


     So when I went to the grocery store yesterday, I ordered a birthday cake just in case someone drops by. There's always coffee brewing in our household!


     I also bought Rocky a special birthday present--a combination Bose radio and cd player. Our great room has cathedral ceilings so I ordered the Bose radio for large spaces, so it should fill the entire house with music. There is so little Rocky can do anymore to entertain himself, but one thing he can do is listening to the PBS radio station. So, I'm hoping he will enjoy this gift.


     I'll let you know in a couple of days!