Merry Christmas!

It is a cloudy day in South Carolina, but not so cold.  Hope you are warm.  It is wonderful to be with family, especially with our kids and our granddaughter.  By Saturday we will all be together and I am looking forward to that.  We have gifts under the tree, and the smell of turkey roasting.  It doesn't matter what we get, it is just wonderful to be together.  Hope that you are having a wonderful time as well.

Make Believe

Lets play make believe

I'll be a tiger, growly and mean
You can be a snake, long and lean

I'll be a giraffe, big and tall
You can be a mouse, thin and small

I'll be an ostrich, swift and shy
You can be a fox, clever and sly

This game of make believe is fun!

Try One!

Old Poetry

No news is good news on the head shots!  If there were tumors in my brain they would have immediately contacted us.  I've got my hearing aid and love it.  I can hear again!

Meanwhile, I am going through my old school stuff.  I found some poems and stories that I wrote when I was 10 or so. That was the beginning of my poet career which survived through High School.  Unfortunately in college I studied all the masters and realized I was not so good.  ; {

These are my earliest!  (10 yo )



AUTUMN LEAVES

Autumn leaves are falling, falling,

Red green and brown.

Pittering, Pattering, chittering, chattering on the soft ground.

You rake them up in a big, big pile

Bout two fee high

Then play in them for a long, long while

And listen to them sigh

I love Autumn leaves.

Kathy

Almost done with tests.

So what is left?  I had an MRI Friday night so they could rule out tumors and such.  Once that comes through I will be done with medical tests, I hope. Then the  mental test, which I call pure torture, comes back to haunt me again.   Lots of pictures, math problems, comparisons  and questions to see how your memory and brain are functioning.  I have to take it again because the first test was done by a government official, and they do not share their records with anyone! Period!

Once I get that over (the first was about 3 hours and I was exhausted)  I think I will be free!

If there are no tumors, I will be diagnosed with early onset alzheimer's.  Wouldn't it be cool if there was a miracle that made everything go away!  At least we are getting down to the answer.

Thanks for your prayers.

These past months have been full of doctor appointments, and playing with my granddaughter - Rosie.  Rosie keeps my spirits up while I wait for and undergo several tests.  I already mentioned the test that the government uses to determine if I was disabled.  That came back positive.

Next I started with a full physical and flu shots and blood tests to see about my overall health.  The usual stuff.  I had a hearing test, which led to getting a hearing aid.  That was the best thing ever!  I was diagnosed over 20 years ago with Meniers disease.  Nothing they can do for it.  Gradually you lose the hearing in one ear.  Mine was my left.

It is genetic and my Grandmother had it.  I was told that it comes down only from the maternal grandmother. Once they rule out all other possibilities and do a nerve test you know you have it.

Now, years later, my hearing in the left ear has been declining steadily.  I finally came to the point where I could no longer hear out of the left ear at all.

So what happened next?  My husband called all four brothers and pleaded his cause.  "Could you donate to a hearing aid for your sister?  I am getting hoarse yelling at her. ; )  

All fou brtothers put into the kitty.  This is no a small thing.  Hearing aids are usually in the thousands dollar range.  Mine was over $1,500.

I have it for almost 2 weeks and go in tomorrow to have it fine tuned.  So far so good!  I love it and everyone else is so happy they can use their normal voices.

Thanks guys!!!!!

 

What to do now

In late August I went for my official assessment. Jeff, after filling out a major stack of forms, took me to see a specialist to determine disability vs ability. This guy does nothing but test and evaluates brains ....and after 2+ hours I was so exhausted that I slept the rest of the day. Remember your SATs.....this was that on steroids.

A few weeks later...voila. ...I am officially disabled. I wish I wasn't. I  kept hoping they would find me ok.

Just to let you know....I am still me....with a very bad memory.  Feel free....PLEASE....to share memories with me.  I would love to hear from you....my friends.

At this point...short term memory is rotten. Old memories are pretty good. Don't ask me for directions or the date.  I couldn't remember a list of paired words...even though he told me over and over.

Where does this take me?

Straight to my computer and the Family History Center to find family members hitherto unknown.

; )

KC here we come

Well July is here and almost gone. Besides seeing the best fireworks I have ever seen!...yep...Summerville SC knows how to put on a show!

I have finished a crocheted afghan for my daughter. ..who I will see in a week in KC. Yep we are headed back to my home for a visit. We are planning to take my daughter-in-law to all the sites since this is her first time to KC. We plan to see the Arabia Steamboat museum...the best museum in town. Probably Nelson Art Gallery since she loves modern art. Not sure what else...suggestions?

My health update - have to be evaluated in a few weeks. I am feeling well...but  the short term memory is worsening quickly.

 Its embarassing when I get the "ryk" look.  Which response is best?  -"yes I am clueless"....or
"No... I'm trying to annoy every one I meet."

jk