Busy Productive Week and Mom’s Health Update

Sunday, March 15

It’s been a good day today. A church day. We had a nice Sunday School class today as most of our crowd was there. Many have had surgeries, procedures, and a lot going on. Then we got Mom’s groceries and got Wendy’s. George and I got chili. Mom wanted the taco salad.

Mom had been able to go through her closet some in the past week (amazing) and get a stack of pants that were too big for her. She put the capris all in a spot for me to see if I could wear them. I could wear half of them. The rest she said just send to Good Will.

Now I have to find room for them, lol. I’ve not finalized my summer wardrobe organization yet. I’ve had to move some things from my closet to be able to get things ready for spring/summer. So I moved some blankets to the linen closet way up top.

I have had a productive day so far – even with church and getting Mom’s stuff. First of all I Ella, (Mom’s grandchild). If you have read my blog from ions ago, I referred to her as Sweet E I think as her blog name. Sweet E will be married in May! She is about to graduate from college. Now Mom and I have to focus on our dresses to wear to the wedding. So we’ll have to get out and go – but we’ll likely wait until April. I’m thinking I may have to take Mom to Dillard’s in Green Hills but we’ll have to use a wheel chair. I don’t think I can pick out a dress for her. The local Belk’s and Penny’s have so little to choose from. We’ll have to think this through.

Much to my surprise, I also spent the afternoon selling some stock. Not something I normally do. But I had a small account from years ago that grew over time from my 20’s. It came to about $1600, (kinda small but big if you need it, lol) so I just sold it and it gives us some extra $ to cover some extra expenses we have this month. I was also afraid to have a little account out there that Katy would not necessarily know about or know what to do with if something happened to both of us. It might not ever even be known about. It was pretty easy to get on line and sell it. George said I should put it in my YouTube account but I told him to put it toward our finances and ease them a bit.

We have bad storms supposed to come through around 10:00 p.m. The winds have been whipping. It even scared Dexter. Storms are no where near yet but these winds have been gusting to 45 or so and feel like they are going to press in the windows or even the walls.

I also ordered 7 more pairs of capris for Mom. They were on sale too – on line at Belk’s. So she got a lot as they were under $20 each. I hope they fit.

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT HERE. Not really, but kinda. I quit Farmville 2. I had been upset with myself as to how long I let myself sit there with the game. But much like anything else in my life, if I enjoy something, I really get into it and dive deep. And the deeper you dive the longer it takes. I was back to trying to do events, and the mariners order, and the order for Eddie that he takes back on the plane, and also Nick’s order at the other side of the farm. And all my farm hands are just involved. I joined the boat races and all that. I do want to log in to day and gather my prize from the boat race in case I ever decide to go back into it.

But so that I did not let myself dive back in – I sold most of my valuable things. I left enough for a basic play, but I was so happy to make all my team mates happy on the co-op with some cool things I’d been hiding in my inventory.

I told them bye, that I had to be away for a while and get some things done. And I hoped they would leave me in the coop but if they had to delete me I’d understand. I will be able to read more and watch my shows again and watch shows with George again, instead of him watching a show (or reading) while I did Farmville 2. It was an absolute time suck and for no reason other than to steal me away from real life for a while and clear my brain. It also helps my brain stay active. So not total a waste but it was becoming a problem to me – not so much to anyone else, but just me having to ignore so much I wanted to get done. So like today, we came home and I have done laundry, washed up some dishes, opened our Amazon order, dusted 3 rooms, and closed out those shares, and ordered wedding gifts, and shower gifts, and picked out my meal I will cook later in the week and jotted down ingredients and a lot of that would not have been done if I’d been sitting there for 2-3 hours playing the game. So I feel good about the decision. I also starting this week’s vlog and made a film shot on another future vlog as well. So yay me, back to being productive.

I also got our pedi/mani appts made for later in the week. OK over and out for today.

Friday, March 20

Well obviously I’ve been bad about posting this week. It’s taken everything (every moment) to get things done this week. Two whole days have been spent with Mom – 3 days if you include Sunday when we get her groceries and take her lunch. She had her heart doc appointment yesterday and we have mani-pedis today – at least that is a fun outing. We always eat out when we go somewhere. She has always liked that and yesterday we got ice cream. But Monday thru Wednesday, even though I gave up Farmville 2 this week, I struggled to get everything done.

By “everything done” I mean the video editing this week, and the video filming and requirements this week for the next video, and my housework, World Bible School, personal devo, etc. We all say it but I truly don’t understand how the days move so quickly. I’ve also had to give up the Magi Packing for now til things calm down a bit. I really don’t think they will be calming down any time soon.

So Mom’s heart doctor told her that her valve was no longer effective. I think that was from her Echocardiogram. He said she would need another one and they had a procedure to put one in alongside the other one and it was not an open heart surgery procedure but they go in at your arm or leg and just add the other one in. He said it was like a stint. But she would have to be put to sleep. In the past she has said she is through with doing procedures, but yesterday she seemed interested in hearing more about it and he said that it would help her to add 3-4 more years of feeling better to her life. Otherwise the current valve is not being efficient and she is in heart failure so that it why she has not felt good.

So they referred us to a heart specialist for this procedure. And that doc will be calling her to set an appointment. I’m sure she will refer them to me and I’ll have to call and set the appointment. I have their info but they said if they have not called in a 2 week period to call them. If they call Mom she will send them to spam mail if she doesn’t recognize the call, lol.

So we’ll see what the doc says and see if she wants to do the procedure. I think she really has no choice b/c the alternative will be miserable and would include some suffering along with that as the fluid builds in her body. So keep her in your prayers. We have a bit of a journey ahead.

I personally would go ahead and accept assisted living if I were her b/c even with the procedure, and especially b/c of the procedure, she is going to need someone to help with her care 24/7 and not just 3 times a week. I can’t be there to feed her and give her meds 3 times a day. If not, it will be a lonely and agonizing process and honestly it already is. But she is very stubborn and won’t seek the help she so desperately needs. But for now, it’s her choice as she can still bathe, get to the bathroom and fix a light meal, and manage to somehow take her meds – so I’ve not forced the issue. But I will say that meals and meds are becoming questionable and of enough concern that personally, I’d like to see her go to assisted living, sell the house and use that money to pay for it so she can have some peace, some rest, and be taken care of.

Ok I need to go today and be on the move as there’s a lot going on. I’m cooking tonight and have errands after I drop Mom off. I need to get going and get ready. Tomorrow I’ll post the next video.

Oh, I forgot to say, I have 75 new subscribers this past week from the Morning Routine video. It did really well. After six days it got 3,300 views and ranking #1 out of the last 10 videos which is what you want to see. Avg duration of watch time is down b/c often new viewers are not invested yet and don’t watch most of the video like the returning subscriber base does. All very interesting. So blessed to have some new subscribers.

Over and Out.