Today’s visit with Dr. T, who is a former violin student of mine, was good. He let Nannie talk, checked her limbs—reflexes, strength, mobility and flexibility, and scheduled a new MRI. The last MRI is almost a year old, which is obsolete in neurological years. He is specifically looking for all the troublemakers in her spine, although the pain indicates that her spinal cord is not involved. The pain in her leg and also in her spine indicates that the problem is below the area of the spinal cord. Dr. T did not subscribed 100% to the idea that the L2 nerve is the sole culprit in producing pain. Rather, he wants the new MRI to look at all the evidence.
Dr. T’s position is that her spine is old and worn out. Not a very nice thing to say, but something that happens to most of us, because the alternative is, well, not being alive, if you know what I mean. So he used a model and explained vertebrae, discs, the cord and nerves, fluids, etc. He had studied her previous MRI’s and x-rays and was thoroughly informed through her records and visits with Dr. Will and Dr. M, who administered the injections that gave her some temporary relief. I was impressed. He was kind and respectful and totally changed the subject when she began to complain about two previous doctors, one of them a neurosurgeon. When she persisted he politely shut her queries off by saying that it was not in his job description to know another doctor’s reasons for his decisions. He made no offer of surgery, but on the contrary, suggested that depending on his discoveries in studying the MRI, an implanted nerve stimulator could be a good option. Dr. M would do a procedure that would allow her to "test drive" it. Dr. T would do the surgery to implant.
The MRI is scheduled at 7 a.m. Thursday. The follow-up visit with Dr. T is Election Day. The MRI is exactly where Nannie wanted to go and does not interfere with her shampoo and set appointment. YES!
We are told in God's Word that tomorrow holds enough trouble of its own and that we should not worry about tomorrow. Matthew, Chapter 6: 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Tomorrow is an important appointment for Nannie. She will see a neurosurgeon concerning her spine, which is causing her great pain. Several years ago she received a diagnosis of degenerative disc disease, untreated scoliosis, stenosis caused by arthritis and osteoporosis--all resulting in nerve compression. Last week she was walking through a store and felt a slight snap and felt almost debilitating pain immediately. Her prescription pain medication and a massage today helped her through the resulting week of pain.
Our prayer is that this new doctor will see some minimally invasive procedure as the answer to the nerve compression. She is still a very alert and relatively active 87 year old woman who drives, runs her own errands, and helps many people in need, as the pain allows.
Some of my friends had a precious Mom who died a couple of years ago from pneumonia. The pneumonia was a secondary problem beginning with spinal stenosis, arthritis and degenerative disc disease. Fractures appeared in her spine, resulting in horrible pain and nerve compression, and she was finally unable to move freely, spending her last years in a nursing home reading books. Sometimes just reaching for a book would cause a fracture. The pneumonia was a blessing.
But, tomorrow, having enough trouble of its own, also has victory of its own. It is that victory I am seeking for Nannie.
Since this is a quiet weekend, no rehearsals or mandatory attendance at functions related to work today, Muffin, who brought me gorgeous pink and coral roses Thursday night, took me to dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant and to a movie. (We expertly ran two errands in between those events, but it was still a date.) The dinner was yummy. He had shrimp and pasta. I had the Sicilian grilled chicken salad. I love the exquisitely fresh greens, tomatoes, Mozzarella cheese, and herbs, not to mention the homemade dressing.
The real treat of the evening is this movie. See it!
Muffin’s cute Mom, Nana, is loving this election. She has already voted by mail, so she will not need to set foot into a parking lot at early voting or on election day. That way, she can watch CNN and FOX and keep track of every red and blue duly elected official in the city, state, and nation. Mail-in voting also preserves her hip replacements and allows her to stay home in her comfy shoes. Nana would not be caught in public in her comfy shoes, oh no. We almost had to have a very undemocratic election to get her to wear the comfy shoes in the first place. It all went down when she had the second hip replaced and was attempting to leave the hospital and move to the rehab unit with her dress shoes on her feet. I realized we needed to act fast, went to the local athletic store and purchased some slip-on New Balance 801’s and some Skechers. At first she balked, in her polite way, and tried to manipulate us into allowing the slick soled heels, but even the rehab PT’s complimented the new shoes. Then all her friends loved them.Then Nannie started to wear them.
I had never thought about it much, but our mothers’ generation had never, ever worn shoes without backs. All their sandals had backstraps. No mules or clogs, flip flops, or rarely a house shoe without a heel or heel strap had ever touched their feet. They insisted those shoes would be impossible to retain on their feet. Last time I was at her house, Nana wore only the 801’s. Now she declares all others “too much trouble”.
Nana is a major piece of entertainment.Her three brothers and two sisters agreed. Papaw, may he rest in peace, always thought the same.Her dear mother, Grandmother L, had gone to glory when I met Muffin, but Gradpa L always said as he watched her walk away from him, “She could get there faster if she didn’t wiggle so much from side to side.” Her spectacular walk is somewhat reflected in little Roo.
But far and away, Nana’s great hidden talent is---drum rolllllllllll please!—turkey calling. This was a huge family secret for years.Then during one snowy Thanksgiving by the fire in her home of 50 years, when our daughters were very young, she decided to entertain them by demonstrating her very authentic turkey call. Did I mention that the vocalization is VERY authentic?Can you also picture this petite, and very pretty, very tidy, very proper and protocol prioritizing (OK, enough alliteration already) 70something grandmother flapping her lips with her index finger and mimicking a turkey in the wild? It was enough to make the dog-of-the-day, Buffy, sing along in high octave barks and howls!
Now, picture this.A few years later she did her turkey demo at a local market because the prize was a fresh turkey, just a few days before Thanksgiving. If there is anything Nana values more than her dignity, it’s a great bargain. That free turkey was too good to let go, so right there in the market, she sacrificed her dignity---and WON! Since then our daughters and Nana’s friends have not ceased to give her turkeys in many forms—salt & pepper shakers, stuffed, wind socks, ceramics, you name it. If you think this is a fowl collection you just don’t know our loveable Nana.
Pioneer Woman likes this time of year and so do I.In her location the mosquitoes and gnats are gone and the grass is brown. Here the grass is greener than it was in July and the flying critters are thick and scary. But I do love the cool mornings and using less air conditioning, the resurgence of summer flowers like begonias, petunias, pentas, and geraniums; the emergence of chrysanthemums, pansies, and ornamental cabbage.
This season always reminds me of the years when my children were growing up at home, planning to attend the next home football game at the high school of the year (Our family got caught in two re-districting years while our four daughters were in public schools. We changed school districts four times but only changed locations once.) There were slumber parties, floral mums with charms and ribbons, big sis/little sis weekends, cheerleading events, bus trips, and lots of French toast and donuts for breakfast on those special weekends.
In 1996 Muffin went to work out of town, living in an apartment during the week and returning home to us on weekends. Eventually he was able to work 40 hours in 4 days and return on Thursday evening, allowing us three full days together.It put a new perspective on weekends.We curtailed our weekend activities outside the family, stayed home more, stopped going out with friends, allowed our youngest daughter to have friends over almost every Friday or Saturday.After the girls moved away from home our weekends changed to a time of rest and accomplishing what is necessary.Some weekends are so full of necessities that rest seems like a distant dream.Last weekend was one of those—full of rehearsals, concerts, and chores.
For the next two months, however, there are few responsibilities on the calendar, and those do not require full days.So, we’re looking at R&R.I mean, serious fun!Going to concerts for fun, not work!Picking pumpkins. Reading books. Watching movies.Christmas Shopping. Taking the Rowdy Girls to Sea World.In only one month, no more political debates, calls, or mailings! I love this time of year.
Drove by this just in time to experience a musket blast, which made me think I had run over something really big while driving the car. It produced quite a cloud of powder over the intersection too!
Stayed awake until after 4 a.m. after performing this. We had some wonderful moments and some scary things happened with the ensemble, too. I had dreams that I was trying to pick up broken beads--tiny ones that had rolled all over my tile floor and were sticking to the grout grooves. Then I woke up and dreamed I had to retrieve cereal that had spilled all over the same floor. Then I went back to sleep and dreamed that the Rowdy Girls were in our care and were climbing the kitchen sink and coming over the cabinet and counter top head first and I was trying in vain to stop them. And they were giggling.
On Wednesday I took Nannie for this and she can see! After she was settled at home I went to Bible study, where we are studying this
which can be purchased here. It's an awesome study--really meddles with your attitudes.
After the concert we went here with friends and I had the raspberry soda--delicious! The conversation was also fabulous, except I talked too much, which is what I do after the adrenaline rush of concerts.
And, tonight I made this. Smitten Kitchen is one of my favorite cooking blogs. And this coffee cake is absolutely a delicious memory of the years when Muffin and I lived in CA and went to Apple Hill every October, driving the loop and sampling the products, then returning to our home in the valley with fresh cider and dumplings.
