life is very scary/exciting

We had a medical emergency last evening. Al usually goes to bed before me,but last night at 8pm I said I was very tired and would go to bed at the same time he did. We went to bed, he turned out the television...and...then the incident happened. I thought his breathing was very shallow. He threw off the covers and was perspiring profusely. I asked him if he was ok and he mumbled "yes." Still breathing funny, I though. I asked again and got no response. I got up, turned on the light and realized that he was "out of it." I called 911 and even the fire department/ambulance was there in about 10 minutes, it was a very scary time. The emts were very professional and agreed with me that he was having a hypoglycimic (blood sugar too low) attack. His blood sugar was so low that it didn't even register on their meters.
The emts loaded him up in the ambulance and I followed them to the hospital. I'm very glad that Summit is only a couple of miles away. The er was ready for him and they started ivs and took vitals. His blood at that point was only 43. (Lord only knows how much it was at the start of this event.)
After tests...heart, lungs, etc. and glucose ivs, crackers with peanut butter, and three hours later, I was given the go-ahead to take him home. It was very scary.
The er doctor asked how long he'd been a diabetic and if this had ever happened before. I said 25 years and maybe 3 times over the years. When was the last time? about 2 weeks ago. Hmmm....
He slept in this am. I told him if he going to go walking this morning he better wake me up as he wasn't going to go alone. This is the first time in years he hasn't gone for a walk. I'm insisting that he rest today.
It was a strange evening....and very scary.
I told the emts what Karen said about blood levels....better to be a whole day high than a half hour low. This makes me nervous. I'm going to be on the alert for signs.
The trouble with signs is that there weren't any. He can usually tell when his blood is low. This time, if I hadn't been in the bed next to him and came in a few hours later as I usually do, who knows that would have happened. Yikes!!!!!
Today he's recouperating, although he says he is fine and he looks as he usually does. I'll be on the alert for post-traumatic actions. Post-traumatic for me. He doesn't remember a thing till he woke up in the er.
That's how it goes....till next time.

pets and more pets

When discussing pets with a friend recently, I commented that although we don't have a pet now, in our past we have had many pets. Well, I should say that I had many pets. When I was a little girl, we had dogs and cats. The first dog that I remembered was called Mitzi. She was a mutt. I don't know how we got her, but it seemed to me we had her till I was in the second or third grade. After Mitzi went to dog heaven, we had dogs that were Cocker Spaniels. Well, actually, only one was a pure bred Cocker, but the other was a mixed bred that looked like a Cocker. Both of these two dogs were black and it seems as if I've mixed up their personalities, combining them into one dog.
These two dogs lived a long time. The mix was still with us when Al and I were dating. Mickie would meet him at his car when he came to call, barking a lot. He'd greet him and walk him to his car when he left. Al swears that he was the only one the dog ever barked at, but as I recall, Cockers are barkers and I'm sure he barked at everyone. This was before leash laws and all the dogs in the neighborhood ran free. Mickie was no exception. We could go to the door and call him and we'd spot him at least a mile away in New Derry (across the fields). This little black spot would hear us and pretty soon we'd see that spot getting bigger and bigger as he crossed over the fields and over the creek and up the hill to our back yard. I don't recall how either one of these dogs met their fate.
Our family dog was named "John Wayne Steinmetz" nicknamed Duke..How original was that. We got him when Karen was about five. Duke's mother was a Cockapoo..a mutt herself...but named Valentine. Valentine loved the big dog down the street and every time she was in heat, she'd go visit him and come back pregnant. She had about three litters before her owners figured out how she was getting pregnant and decided to get her neutered. Duke was the runt of one of her litters and he was a sweet dog. We never trained him very well, Both Duke and the family could have stood some training. Duke died when Karen was in high school and we were all sad. As I was the one who bought the dog food, I was reminded of Duke every time I was in the grocery store. I couldn't go down the pet food aisle for several years after Duke was gone.
Now I could write a book about the cats we had...many, many cats. We lived near open fields and little mice would often make their way into the house. Cats of many colors and stripes were part of my growning up years. When I was an adult, but not married yet, we had a scruffy tom cat who would prowl the neighborhood and come in beat up from his encounters with other cats. That cat was just called Cat, but after one too many times in the ring, my dad renamed him Casius Clay, later called Ali, because of his fighting abilities.
I'll have to save the stories about cats in our married years for another time, as it appears it is time for lunch...the stomach is growling....If interested, just ask.
I'd have a cat in a minute, but the man I live with says, "No, thanks." You can't win them all, can you? Till next time.

Golf News!

This a.m. I was working in the yard sweating up a storm...it was about 89 at 7 o'clock. My better half had gone to his mid-week golf game at Two Rivers. I finished my chore and went to recycle some cardboard and plastic. After I came in and took a shower, I happened to see the message light on the phone. It was Al Steinmetz telling me that he had shot a hole in one. Boy, is he happy. When he got home I celebrated with him. He said he knew it was going to be a good day when he pared the first hole. Naturally, with this HIO, he was the winner of his foursome. I think I'll take his golf ball and scorecard and get them framed appropriately. He is certainly a proud golfer today. He has only been golfing (off and on) for 50plus years. I told him he was now ready for the Senior tour.

Speaking of golf...Tiger Woods lost last weekend. Beaten by a no-name from Korea. I say....it will keep him humble. This is the first year since he turned pro that he hasn't won a major. I always root for the other guy. In my opinion, it isn't good for a game to have one person or team dominate. Woods will win again...for sure, but last weekend wasn't the time.

I'm going to go paint...maybe I'll paint a golfing picture. Ha. Ha.

Till next time.

Goodbys and Hellos

We just arrived home from Jennifer's funeral. I knew for the past month that things didn't look good, but I don't think John (blessed John) realized it until the last couple of days. He will miss her a lot and there is a big hole in the family. I'm the last of my birth family...realizing this has hit me hard. I don't know why Jennifer left so early, but we do know that whatever and whoever meets us after this life welcomed her with open arms. Time means nothing in the hereafter but it will be long for us without her.

As to the hellos....new school year. Bill and Carla's family is growing up. Only one in elementary school now. I told Karen when her baby was born that she should enjoy Isabel because next year she'd be in college. Ask any parent of adult children and they will tell you how fast their kids grew and flew.

I did spend last Friday and Saturday evening with some classmates of 1959. Can't believe that I graduated 50 years ago. The weekend was interesting. I must say, at the risk of sounding vain, that I looked much better than many of my classmates. The guys looked awful. Even though some of the women hadn't gained much weight (my sin) they had dyed hair (there were only three of us brave enough to let it go white...we looked good) they had terrible wrinkles (I think they were smokers) and sagging skin. I came away thinking time had been kind to me. I was told by many classmates that "I hadn't changed a bit." which we all know is a lie, but I liked hearing it anyway.

People don't change much, personality wise. One gal who got on my nerves 50 years ago is still a pain....when asked if she had children she said she and her husband were happily married for 45 years because they had NO children. I told her that I was also happily married for 45 years but I had three children who are a blessing. Who is richer in this situation? Rhetorical question. Then there was the gal bragging about her two exhusbands and her money. Turn back the clock and she is the same girl she was in high school.

But...on the plus side...to see Barbara Fatora...her cousin David Fatora....Barbara Lawrence...Carol Baron...and many others was very pleasant. I'didn't know if I wanted to go to this reunion, but was afraid that "after the fact" I'd be sorry I missed it. I am glad I went...I may not ever make another, but I know the people who put these things together do lots of work. I only had to show up. It was fun.

Till next time.