A view into my "NEW" year...

The new year continued with shoulder therapy three times a week and weekly trips back to the chiropractor. My days are spent doing the therapy that has been prescribed at home. I am to continue my knee therapy (from the hospital and in-home therapist) as well as what Diversified prescribed for me, in addition to riding the stationary bike 20 minutes a day as per Dr. Weir. I am up to two 30-minute sessions a day. My shoulder PT includes at least 44 different activities during the day. Some of these are done on the days I actually have therapy, but usually Bev tries to change up my activities when I am there. She also does ultrasound (deep-heat) treatments on me each time to promote the healing of the rotator cuff. My range of motion is almost 100%, but my strength and endurance are poor. Landmark (insurance watchdog) was so kind as to grant me an additional "two" sessions. So Wednesday and Thursday are my final days in therapy. Then they will transition me out to their fitness center where I will receive a month of free use. Problem with that is I am not going to be in MI for the entire month--we"ll be headed back out to CO for a couple weeks just like we did last year when I fell and ruined my good knee which brought about the need for the replacement surgery. Do I sound bitter??? I hate winter!!! Oh--I almost forgot! I have cancelled the second replacement which was supposed to take place on March 17. I do not have the strength and stamina in my right knee and right shoulder to go through another surgery which will stress those exact two areas immensely. I have already been under anesthesia three times in seven months. I also do not have my back issues under control yet. So, I will wait until I feel I need to have the other knee done. I started doing exercises and stretches for the bad knee in 2006, so hopefully this knee will hold off for another year or two before I must get it replaced.

Ray left on January 6 for the white mountains of CO. He calls every morning and evening. He is doing fine and enjoying the lovely snow--which, BTW, I keep insisting he keep out there. I have not had to clear my driveway for 5 days now!!! It remains that wonderful black asphalt color when I arise each morning, just like I like it!!! He does wear himself out, but is not skiing as long each day as he did in the past. He is losing weight again. He lost 15 pounds last year when he went out on a similar trip. He was down to 155 pounds when he returned home. That's one way to lose weight. In the last 4 days, he has had almost 40 inches of snow--and will have another powder day today. He will head home on Friday (which is forecasted to be good driving weather) and arrive here at "toot-toot" time and dinner on Saturday--25 days away from his nest.

On January 4th, I picked up my new Buick Enclave. I cashed in one of my IRAs to buy it--now that I am old enough to do so. I love the crossover--(that's what they call it). I have never had a vehicle that is this nice. I hadn't had it very long--maybe a week, and I scratched it with the garage door opener. I've never had a hatchback before and didn't realize with the larger tires that the two would not clear one another. It's not a museum is what Ray would say.

Since Ray left, I have tried to do things with all the friends I seldom get to see because I am always with Ray. I had to take my Mom to her eye specialist on the 6th. He found that the 4th injection seems to have done the remainder of the job of eliminating the fluids and her eye is no longer bleeding. She will go back in 3-4 months for another exam which we pray will show that the AMD has not become active again.

I had a chance--no therapy--to go to Jaime's on the 8th! That was Saywer's 3rd birthday! We had a nice visit and Jaime treated me to lunch at TGIF.

On the 10th, I took my parents, brothers and spouses, and sister out to Zehnder's for dinner to help me celebrate my 60th birthday. We all commented on how great the meal was. I was so glad to be able to get everyone there--except my husband, of course--for such an important milestone birthday for me. Time is precious and we just never know what tomorrow will bring.

My friend, Linda, took me out on my actual birthday--the 12th, for Chinese. I was so hungry for Chinese, and attempted to get some over the holidays, but the Dragon Palace in Vassar where she lives was closed for the holidays. I drove the Enclave--so she could see it--to Wah Nam's and it was great! She snuck a big helium baloon into the restaurant that says: "Still WILD at 60!" I don't feel wild, but the Hot & Sour soup was wildly hot.

My friend, Trudy, drove up from Howell on the 14th and treated me to Unos. Then we went to see "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" afterwards. I wasn't sure I could sit for that long without having to get up and walk around, but the time passed very quickly and we thoroughly enjoyed the movie. It is a must see.

I picked up Raven early in the afternoon of the 16th and we went to see "Twilight" on the way home. She was reading the 2nd or 3rd book in the series. Saturday we went to see "Hotel for Dogs" in Birch Run and ordered take-out pizza at Unos so we could get home in the bad weather. We were going to go to Chuck E Cheese, but there was not much visibility as we crossed over I-75, so we stopped at Meijers and bought the game Aggravation. We played the game and watched "Journey to the Center of the Earth". Sunday we went to the Fish Fry at St. Paul's and then Jeff and the other two kids came to pick Raven up around 4:30 p.m. I so enjoy my time with my grandkids.

My friend, Jen, and I met around 3 on the 19th for an early dinner at Culvers before heading to the theatre to see "Gran Torino" with Clint Eastwood. We both enjoyed the movie as we both enjoy Eastwood. I can't believe how good he looks!!! I hope I look that good at his age--after all, he was born May 31, 1930.

I took Ray's Mom to do her "BIG" shopping at Walmart on the 20th. Then I took her out to Bob Evans for lunch. As we sat and ate, she said: "Do you know what I am really hungry for?" I asked her what that was, and she told me she was hungry for ice cream. She never buys it for herself, and she did not think they would sell her a dish of ice cream. I hope I made her day by getting her the vanilla ice cream she was craving.

I finally was able to get my hair cut on the 21st. I was looking pretty shaggy. A friend, Doris, picked me up at 9:30 a.m. on the 22nd and we headed to Frankenmuth. I had therapy at 10 and she went to get her allergy shot while I was there. Then off to "Bead Haven" to shop for the beads we needed to work on some projects. No trip to 'Muth would be complete without taking her to try the "pasta pizza" at Tiffany's--she had never had it. We ordered the "tried and true" Tortellini Alfredo. She enjoyed it as much as I had hoped she would. This is the wonderful friend to offered to take care of my every need following my surgery--even though I did not need to call upon her. Snowfest had begun the day before, so 'Muth was hopping!

That evening I had a scare when my "Explosive Gas/Carbon Monoxide Detector" went off. The meter read 59. I opened up the house, turned off the furnace, shut off the propane at the tank, and started the wood stove. I only got about 3 hours of sleep that night and called Hamilton the next morning. Rick arrived just after 1 p.m. and could find only one loose clamp. Since then the meter has read "O". The headaches and nausea and near vomiting I had been experiencing when I was home the four days prior totally cleared up by the end of the day. A little scarry!!!

On Saturday, the 24th, my sister had me over for tacos and "Coyote Ugly". Then she made fresh gingerbread cake and real whipped cream and we went over to Mom & Dad's to enjoy it with them. When we got back to Larna's, she made some caramel corn pops and we watched "Medicine Man". What an wonderful day I had with Sis.

Sunday, the 25th was my day to spend time with my first college roommate, Kathy. We met at 10:30 a.m. at Barnes & Noble and had coffee and pastries over lot & lots of conversation. We followed that up with the mall, where we both were interested in using our coupons at Waldenbooks (Borders). I found what I was looking for as well as the transformer books I wanted to get Chase for Valentine's Day. After spending a bit of time there, we headed to Genji's around 3:30 p.m. for dinner. As our waiter came to our table, he says: "Don't I know you?" When I looked up to see him staring at me, I said, "Well, tell me your last name Brad." (Nametag) He had been a student of mine and I had taught his sister as well. We had a delicious dinner!!! Kath had never been there before and was so glad I had brought it up as an option. We finished at TJ Maxx and headed off to our respective homes in time to be in before dark.

So--as you can clearly see, I have tried to keep myself extremely busy between therapy 3 times a week and all the wonderful outings with my in-state friends while Ray has been gone. My only regret is that I am not rich and could not "jet out" to see those friends in Florida--Peg, Connie, and Mary, Idaho--Linda, and Ohio--Debbie and Carol, and of course--the rest of my kids. But I had all the kids and grandkids here on the 27th of December for the first time in six years. I am so blessed! What more could I ask?

Oh--and I can't forget to mention my snow angel. When the snow comes down fast and furious and accumulates beyond what I am supposed to be clearing--which, BTW, is "no" shoveling, but I do it anyway--my good neighbor comes with his tractor and clears it out. I don't know what I would have done with all the snow we got without his help.

So, to all of you reading this who helped fill my time, I am forever grateful to have a friend like you. My life is fuller for all of you and also those of you I was not able to spend time with. We will have our chances for special moments when the snow no longer falls and camping/fishing/golfing occupy our time together. Know you are all loved!