Scheidgirl___OREGON

This has been such a sad day

2008-09-06T00:19:03Z

Just received a phone call from my daughter telling me that a dear friend of our has suffered a brain bleed and they will be pulling the plug on her as I type. She and her 2 younger sisters were children with my children. I had them in elementary music classes along with my girls. They were a second family. They came from a broken home and we included them in a lot of our family activities. The oldest(the young lady in question) and the youngest went on to become first-Inhalation therapists and then R.N.'s and then both earned their Masters in Nursing. The younger one went on to become a teacher of nurses and my special friend was a home-health care specialist. I had some health issues in the mid 90's and she came and stayed with me until I was well. She was like another daughter. She leaves 2 children and a grandaughter, 2 sisters, a brother and my broken hearted family..We will miss her. She is in her late 50's. Such a gifted nurse and human being...

Home from the wars

2008-06-23T07:08:12Z

Got home from Portland OHSU and consultations with the powers that be and all is a go for July 16. They assure me that the procedure is one of the safest surgeries and not complicated at all UNLESS they can't find the particular gland that is causing the trouble-It can be anywhere in the neck area-they know where it is supposed to be, but not always in that spot..Any way, today I have felt better, did laundry, and spent time in kitchen-first for me in a week. Good thing I have frozen dinner from left-overs. I usually cook enough for 6 people and then freeze individual entrees and veggies in the plastic containers that have 2 compartments. We buy frozen dinners sometimes and call it our 'cardboard food', i.e. I will say I don't feel like cooking tonight-lets do cardboard food..That includes dinners that I have prepared my self and frozen..More than you wanted to know!! Daughter called today and her DH has been diagnosed with diabetes-BS was 400!! He has been not well for some time, but couldn't get an appointment with his Dr. for 2 weeks.. I swear-she should have taken him to the emergency room..

Those were the days, my friend

2008-06-03T14:18:29Z

It is funny, today I have been thinking of some of the things that have taken place in my life and that I did not appreciate at the time. I think back on all the energy that I had as a younger woman. My routine for 13 years when my children were in school was get up at 7-get the children to private school by 9, (where I also taught music for 5 years)get to my job after teaching by 11 AM-get home at 5:30, help kids with homework and music lessons, get them into bed and then prepare lessons for next day. Then I would relax, go to my ham radio and spend time talking all across the country until about 2-3 in the AM and then to bed. Dh was working swing shift at that time. Later, after DH got his law degree, and went into politics, becoming the DA of our county for 14 years, it was the constant public life thing, a never ending rat race, but really fulfilling for him. The children gone, I still maintained my own career during those years. I worked for a farming conglomorate(sp?) for many years as a staff accountant and administrative assistant to the CFO and only retired after DH was diagnosed with the beginnings of Alzheimers. The years between 1987 and 1995 were hard, but had their own reward. I regret that I took good health for granted during those years. DH was 12 years older and I now know some of the trials he endured, never complaining, as I have now reached the age he was then. I had a good life and I didn't really appreciate it as much as I should have at the time. Time in a bottle, I guess..I have been fortunate to again find such a lovely man. After DH passed, got in touch with some of my old classmate thru my Alum assn from high school and ran on to my old boyfriend from my senior year(via computer) and the rest is history. With both spouses gone, we married in 2001.

Anyway, forgive the ramblings of this old broad, as I await my fate at the hands of kids the age of my grandchildren...lol..that Dr. is how old??? Oh, my!!!!

Well, here we go again-hurry and wait..

2008-05-17T18:52:23Z

My local surgeon finally called day before yesterday and told me that he had Fed-Xed my records to the Dr. in Portland, but that I must understand they do not do things in a hurry and he only operates on Wed. and Thur each week, sooooo! I assume that my one drawn pint of blood will expire before they get around to me(the Portland people are supposed to call me and set everything up). I just keep telling my self that it will happen, but the problem is I am getting weaker and more incapcitated as the days roll by. This is so hard for a person that has always been active, traveling, gardening, shopping, collecting, etc., etc....This is a real pitty party today. It is sort of scary. I will be 80 my next b-day and I am well aware that no one lives forever. My father lived to be 87 and I am so like him and his family. His mother lived into her late 80's. So with this surgery, I was hoping for a couple of good years yet. The unfortunate thing is that I have procrastinated about getting certain things in order and getting rid of collections that my kids probably won't want, but are a fair amount of monitary value. I do have instructions with my individual trust papers, etc. for the disposal of certain things that belonged to me before my re-marriage 7 years ago, but now I simply don't have the stregnth to do some of the things that I have put off. Ah well, I am sure things could be worse. When I think of people that have faced and are facing worse things (our Labrat and Cal-gal & Woda from the BY comes to mind) than what is wrong with me, I am ashamed of my whinney attitude..It is good to come here and get it out of my system and just put these old feet ahead, one day at a time..I want to thank all of you for your indulgence of this old broad and her complaints. I really want to also thank you for the many e-mails and PM's that I have gottten. You have helped me many a day, whether you are aware of it or not!!! Until futher notice, I am still Toni!!

My Surgeon just called and

2008-05-08T02:19:12Z

They want to send me to the University Hospital in Portland. They feel that since I can't donate any more blood, it is too risky to proceed here in Medford. Our local blood bank cannot properly process any blood that (worst case scenairo) I might have to have in case of a bleed during the surgery. I did bleed out in '97 and barely survived. Even tho the blood was washed 3 times(don't ask me how) and treated, I still had a severe reaction and suffered cardiac arrest. The Dr said the one pint I have donated would not be enough and they don't want to risk it. He offered to make all the arrangements with the Dr. up there and the hospital and do all of the follow up so that it will just entail probably one trip to Portland. So as of now, I guess that is what will happen. Daughter will have to cancel her trip up here for the time being. Grrrrr!!! Toni

Medical Update

2008-05-06T05:18:41Z

Went for the second blood draw today, in prep for my up coming surgery. Didn't happen. Nurse said that my red blood count had not recouped from the first draw 2 weeks ago. Have been having some bad days recently and last nite and this afternoon were really bad. Ended up in ER-seems that I was very dehydrated-they pushed an IV and I got to feeling better. How I was ever dehydrated, I can't even imagine, as yesterday, in prep for the blood draw, I drowned my self with water and tea(at their insistance). Anyway, I am home tonite and we will see how things go for the next few days...Toni

The Saga Continues

2008-04-30T00:19:56Z

Well, the third time ought to be a charm!!They have rescheduled my surgery for May 21 and I have had my first blood draw for this round!! Am still feeling weak after 8 days have gone by. I am seriously thinking of canceling the next draw. The surgeon has told me that in 11 or so years doing this type(parathyroid) of surgery, he has never had to do a transfusion. For those not familiar with my problem, I cannot be transfused with any blood but my own. So consequently, I have to donate my own. They want 2 pints, but I think they are only going to get one at this point. I am hoping after the surgery, I will regain some of my energy and be able to do what a normal 80 year old gal can do. lol...Right now, I am good for a couple of hrs in the a.m. and then, pretty much off my feet for the rest of the day-some days better than others, needless to say. I have a condition called hypercalcemia, too much serum calcium in my blood, due to 1 or more parathyroid glandsthat don't work. The malfunctioning glands draw calcium from my bones, so that I have osteoparoses(sp). The high calcium also saps energy and can make you feel really miserable. I have had treatments to lower the level, but now I have become allergic to that medication, so it is no longer an option-surgery is the only answer..

Anyway, I don't think spring is ever coming to Southern Oregon. We are having rain storms again today, with patchy sunshine. I guess the rain is good for my newly planted seeds in the garden..I hope...

THE ONGOING SAGA!!!

2008-03-22T04:32:07Z

Just decided to do this. Took me a while to figure out. I am still off the surgery list until I call and tell them I am over my infection(head cold). However, the calcium is so high that we are risking another Aridia infusion Monday morning. I had a slight reaction the last time, so I am not looking forward to it. I have to go the the hospital Infusion Center(where they do chemo for cancer) and they will hook me up to the drug, which takes 4 hr. I always feel so sorry for the other people in there. My infusion is a temporary help-nothing like having cancer..I am getting weaker just in the last several months. I would like to get this over with and hopefully feel better.

My daughter-in-law visited last week and was so thrilled that I gave her several compacts from my collection. I had no idea she was interested in them. She brought a friend with her and I gave her a couple also. They seemed really interest. They kept going from cabinet to cabinet and asking all kinds of things about them. Maybe they will become collectors..lol..

We are going up to a little historic hotel in the little town of Prospect about 25 miles up the road from Shady Cove. Their dinner house id closed during the winter, but have special meals during holidays like Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, Easter, Mothers Day and then they open for the summer. We usually go up 3 or 4 times during the summer on weekends. Their good is sooo good and reasonable. Anyway, thats it for this evening...Toni