Good Results on Echocardiogram, Seeing Some Friends I Haven't Seen in Years, and, Dinner with my Daughter

I have a correction to make in my last blog.  I was talking about the rate of blood going through my heart and I said ejection rate. It is ejection fraction rate. My friend Janet who was a nuclear medicine technologist caught that one. So we met at Mexicali. Since I got there early, I was checking my iPhone and she pounded on the driver side window. That scared me!  So as I was telling her how that upset me as she handed me a gift bag that I threw in the car.  Then I asked if she would take a picture of me wearing this top.  When we got in the restaurant it dawned on me that she had given me a gift. She said "I couldn't believe you did that". I couldn't either!  How odd!  She had gotten me a battery operated jar opener. I have no strength anymore and I must use gadgets to open things. It was a nice and thoughtful gift. 

There is this site called  The Rainforest Site. They were selling blouses as part of their fundraising. I support such a cause, the price was right and I also liked the look.    It has a point in the middle of the front and the back.  The back does not have a design, so a picture of the back blends in with my pants.   It is very comfortable, but not good for 107 degree day.  We headed straight in after doing this.   Here is the pictures Janet took at Mexicali's. 

On the day I had chemo, I forgot about it, sitting casually having my coffee, checking my email, sitting in my pajamas. A text alert began. it was time to leave at 15 minutes before my appointment. I ran around getting what I needed, getting dressed slapping water on my hair to get it to lie down. I usually arrive 15 minutes before my appointment.  I got there 5 minutes after. Though I was anxious, they felt it was okay.   While working out when I would see my oncologist, I brought up about having the echocardiogram two weeks earlier.  The results were good.  The ejection fraction was 65 percent. Any other issues are age related. And, I really do have a normal aortic valve which is tricuspid.  That was all a relief. 

I have a cousin who had heart surgery last year. It turned out he had a bicuspid valve. His siblings went to have their hearts checked out since this could be hereditary. They were okay. 

So at my art class, I showed what I had drawn of a peacock and feathers.  I had the feathers wrong going around the eye in the feathers. The picture of my peacock was off because the head and neck of the peacock were much lighter than the eyes on the feathers.  I worked on both of these factors and the pictures improved.  I also picked out a lizard to draw and a small peacock feather. This is what I have. One more week to work on the lizard. My classmate Linda does very well on her shading.  She has also became interested in drawing eyes. Both of us feel the critiques we get from Carol are so helpful. 

My Peacock

My Lizard

A Peacock Feather.

There are many ways people get to my blog and they all work. I don't think I've written anything offensive, but if your privacy is important, note this. If you go to my blog through this, you have more privacy:

   https://racheljerdin.blogspot.com

All my posts are here.  They come out once a week, on Sundays unless for some reason I'm too sick, in the hospital or having problems with my computer.  At least those have been what has happened already. 

I met with three friends that were a part of a group with our husbands.  I stopped meeting with them after moving and then Paul dying. I just couldn't get together with couples which reminded me of my loss, though they were all special to me.  I couldn't get past my loss and, my cancer and returned than, a stage IV.  Now that it is nine years later, there is enough time and grieving that I am happy to see them.  Three of us stopped coloring out hair, and it looks very good.  We met at Little Italy in town. I had not eaten there, but I really liked it. Food was very tasty. The ambiance was comforting.  So Stephanie, I see in our Red Hat group.  Karen and Becky I haven't seen in at least eight years.  One other woman of this group couldn't make it.  Lana will join us next month.  Anyway, it was really nice to touch base with them and catch up.  It was a lost part of my life. 

My daughter Shelley and I celebrated both of our birthdays late. We had dinner at Mama Roomba. It is a wonderful Caribbean restaurant.  I think it was initially noted to be a Cuban restaurant. It is the same food. Excellent!   I hadn't seen Shelley in about a month. It feels too long to me but I know she has a lot on her own late. Her oldest daughter will have a baby shower this next month. So she is actively involved in doing this.  In addition, she is waiting to hear when the exam for her realty license will be held. 

It was a full week for me.  I continue to make sure I have time to sleep in between these activities, otherwise, I really fade.  So I hope your week was good.  I look forward to seeing you next week.                Rachel

My Birthday - Good Medical Bills and Violence - Bad

It is really unnerving to get bills for medical services that are way beyond what you expect. I got two separate bills, one from a hospital and another from an outpatient radiology program for different services. I have coverage by Kaiser, an HMO so I would have a clearer idea of what I owe.  So I called Kaiser which worked on one and I called the hospital on the other. The woman I spoke with at the hospital said there should have been an allowance for the pharmacy which was $910.41 and is passing it up to a higher level to review. She thought it would be resolved in about a month.  So hopefully this all gets resolved.  The other bill Kaiser dealt with them and I don't owe anything.  That was a good birthday present!

The Erskine Fire was 100% contained on July 11. It burned 48,019 acres. We have had other fired around us, but not as bad as this one.  These fires are very frightening and it is still early in the fire season, so there is still a possibility of it destroying more here. 

I had my birthday this week with several celebrations. What a good week.  I've enjoyed celebrating it multiple days. Well one of my friends sent me this fabulously birthday song. I think it is so good that I thought many of you might want to send it to special people in your life. Here it is!

https://youtu.be/L4kFFMdVjl0

My step-mom Kate came here.  We went out for lunch at Chef's Choice Noodle Bar and then had dessert back at the house. We went to the Bakersfield Art Center where I take art classes and where I have three pictures on the wall. Kate, my step-mom and my teacher Carol know each other from taking art classes in the Los Angeles area way before I met Carol.  So I thought it was nice for them to see each other.  Even though it was warm, it wasn't as hot as it usually gets. Kate is not comfortable driving the distance she did to visit with her eyesight not doing as well as it used to.  I do understand that and I really like going to her home because there is much more to do there.  Kate was telling me about a man in a white pickup offering to paint her car where the scratches were when she was in a parking lot.   Well, I had the same thing happen. It was not a professional job, but I no longer have to look at the scrapes on my car. I had to go to an ATM machine to pay him. Kate did too. We wondered if it was the same man,but we live 125 miles apart. It was such a parallel on experiences that we were both laughing. 

I had my art class in the morning  on the day that Kate came. Another student, Linda was also there. We worked on doing the feathers of a peacock.  I did several pictures at home.  We have another week doing peacocks, so I will try another picture.This is what I came up with finally:

My Peacock would be much better in color!

I finally got together with Cathy, a fellow social worker I worked with.  It had been several months.  We met at Mama Roomba.  Very tasty food. She retired a year ago and does not miss work (neither do I!). Her oldest daughter is marrying later this year.  Her father had died since I last saw her, so she has been through a lot.  We did lots of catch up.  She found out she was pre diabetic. My step-mom also found out as well as me this year. It is hard to believe Kate is because she eats very well. Cathy was given a tip for controlling her blood sugar level.  She said she eats 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and chases it with water. She actually checks her blood sugar level and takes this just before she goes to sleep at night. When she checks her blood sugar in the morning, it is in the normal range. She believed that of all the things she does to control her blood sugar, this is the most effective. I keep thinking we will meet sooner, but each of us has a lot going on which makes seeing each other more often, may not be possible.  Cathy said she was talking to someone where we used to work saying she would meet with me.  This person said, "I thought she was dead."  Cathy assured this person I was still around.  So that is a first of hearing someone thinking I was already dead.

I went to get my hair cut and when I was walking in, this man was washing people's cars and asked if I was interested. I agreed to have mine done. Wow!  It looked great!  I don't think it has been this clean since soon after I bought this car.  I might do this every time I get my hair cut. That way he could get more business and at least every five weeks, my car will look great. 

I met Janet at Sandrini's for dinner on my birthday.  That was a lovely evening. Though we were talking about the terrorist attack in Nice, France. From a very young age, my mother would tell me "All of France is celebrating your birthday. I took this for granted until I was 7 or 8 years old.  Then I asked my mother, "how do they know me?  How come I don't know them?"  Then she explained the holiday Bastille Day falling on my birthday. I feel a connection to the French people because of this. Much later, my husband Paul and I went to Paris. My brother Ben met us there. I have wonderful memories of that time. I feel for the French people with the losses they are now experiencing. They hardly have a chance to recover from one terrorist attack before they are dealing with another. I stand with the French people!   The other thing we discussed was as there are more and more killings, people are becoming more and more desensitized which is not good to us.  It is the norm!  This is becoming a part of life so that people don't become as horrified as they did. But I also think it is a way people cope with this so they aren't falling apart with each incident. Then the following day was an attempted coup in Turkey.  I have been there twice.  I thought the people were very nice and the setting is unbelievable.  Then the food is so fantastic - Especially the vegetables.  Why don't we do it like they do it?!  I want this violence to stop.  I think most people do.  Life is hard enough without having events like these!

My friend Barbara and I went to the Vietnamese restaurant called Saigon. I don't go here very often, but they have very tasty food at a reasonable price. Then we went to see The Secret Life of Pets.  Cute and lots of fun. 

So I had a full week celebrating my birthday several times. Shelley and I will do our birthdays together at the end of the  month. I look forward to that. 

I have several things going on this next week. I hope this last week was good for you and that your next week will go well.   I will see you next Sunday. 

Rachel

Memorial Weekend and Paul's Birthday

Pepper went immediately under my bed when I brought her in after catching her. She made it clear to Daisy and me to keep our distance. We did. What is interesting is that Daisy became more independent while Pepper was gone. First Daisy would wait until Pepper came out before she would come out. For the first 3 or 4 days after Pepper was gone, Daisy did not come out. Then she started coming out and then started coming out earlier and earlier than when Pepper was here.  Then Daisy started posing on the arm of my armchair like Pepper did. So funny. I had no idea that adult cats learn from each other.

Pepper gradually started coming out.  She leapt onto my bed Monday night, but upon meeting Daisy, she hissed at her and headed back under the  bed. The next day I saw her by the litter box.  So since I'm not  in there all day long, I think she was getting out more. At night there has been a cat outside which I think has been trying to contact Pepper. Maybe she did develop a relationship and she now missed this other cat.  Pepper jumped in my lap Tuesday night. She was still keeping her distance from Daisy. Daisy had been crying a lot feeling not accepted by Pepper.  Pepper is coming around because they each will get in their beds which are on my bed.  And Daisy isn't crying like she was.

Pepper sat on my hip when I was in bed

This was my husband Paul's birthday week. I had been thinking of him all week. I didn't get teary which I will give credit to Paxil and I appreciate it. I know that people would say that is not what an antidepressant is for, but really I so overreact to these situations without Paxil.  I'm sad but not devastated now.  He would have been 75 years. So much has happened in the world since he died. I wonder what he would have thought.  A very smart and caring man. I'm a Democrat and he was a Republican. As much we were different parties we felt similar about people. I still miss him, and probably always will.

My box of Hopeful Harvest came. I got broccoli, cabbage, cameo apples, strawberries and a cantaloupe. Recipes include Sautéed Cabbage, Broccoli Tomato Salad and Penne with Garlicky Broccoli. They all sound good!  I'm glad I'm getting this.

I called my step-mom Kate along with several others to let them know the good news  of Pepper being back in case they hadn't read my blog yet. And, while calling Kate,  I asked her what she thought of my pictures and she said "elephants have knees. You have the legs like there are no joints". I didn't notice that, so I watched videos per Kate's suggestion and many pictures. She also felt the back leg of the toad looked off. The problem was that the picture of the toad had the leg cut off, so I was imagining the foot was tucked under to push off.  I can imagine the leg tucked under. So I did work on the elephant.   I put in the knees/elbows and ankle/wrist joints.  I also put in more wrinkles and did more shading. I did not work on the toad.  When I see Carol Tuesday, she will probably have ideas on what to do.

More Detail on Mom and Baby

Memorial Day gathering was nice. Kayla helped me with some housekeeping and some food preparation which we kept simple. I wanted to go to the cemetery, but I was tuckered out. I will go later.  It has been in the 100's, so I think I will have to do this early

 My grandchildren - Heather, Alyssa, Christopher, and
Kevin.  I rarely see Christopher, so this was a treat.

Shelley, my daughter and me

Kevin with his Mom Shelley

Alyssa with Heather trying to feel her
baby.

I met my new neighbor Teddy, short for Theodora. They were doing major cutting in the backyard and wanted to pull the truck up in my driveway because it made it easier to get the cuttings they were doing. She told me that they will take three weeks working on their new home before moving in.  The previous owner, Celeste planted rose bushes and gave them loving care. Teddy and her husband cut them down.  I one time looked over the fence from an old neighbor I used to have to find everything I planted was removed.  You just have to let go and recognize we don't all have the same taste.

I read this fascinating book called The Violet Hour: Great Writers at the End by Katie Roiphe, who had a near death experience herself at age twelve. She had done research and interviewing of family, friends and others who had close contact with one of these five writers at the end of each of their lives. I found it fascinating in that they also struggled with mortality, death and dying as I and I would assume most people have or will, especially when our own lives or the lives of those we are close to are threatened. Since these people were accomplished writers and dealt with feelings, we get to read it from each of their perspectives.  The author of this book is also very accomplished and her style brings it all together quite well.  I did not have all the same reactions as these writers, but people do have different ways of looking at mortality (though we also have much in common) that I found it reassuring that we are all going to go through this. 

I also read a very short one, called Gratitude by Oliver Sacks, MD who shared how his life experiences colored how he dealt with death and dying.  He was an excellent writer, so I knew I would enjoy this one too.  His is a very positive approach.

A wonderful response from an online advice column. This particular question was on dealing with grief.  The initial question was, "My friend died and I don't know what to do."  It is a very touching response!

http://www.thatericalper.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/boatsh.jpg

The Red Hats met at Mama Roomba this week.  I love meeting these women!  They are strong, warm and supportive. Shelley likes this restaurant the best. I agree with her. Such great food and the sauces they put on dishes are delicious at this restaurant!  Yum!  Paul and I used to be a part of a dinner group which Stephanie, her husband John and three other couples were in. I broke away from them because my man husband and they still had theirs.   Well, I'm coming along and I would like to meet them again. Stephanie will see about the women getting together.  I would love that. 

From the closest on the left, doing a U shape  _
Judie, Shelley, Me, Julie (Stephanie's granddaughter), Stephanie
Evelyn, or queen, Pamela (got her in a bad position!) and Jo

My fiend Cheri Sperl had an open house at Dagney's Coffee Company on 20th and Eye Streets at the First Friday for June. We used to worked at Memorial Hospital years ago, she as a Dietitian and me as a Social Worker.  We made contact maybe a year ago at the Bakersfield Art Center.  She is an outstanding artist and her show last night was all cats. She plans to have a future show of all dogs.  What I found so striking is that she got the essence of cat. I'm mesmerized looking at them. I bought all her cards.  I can't afford a painting.  Her paintings will be up for the month of June if you would like to see them. It's a real treat!  Here are just four of them.  I love them!

I slept a lot this week.  I'm glad I had energy to get up today.  I don't think it is the heat, because I keep the temperature in a cool range.  Anyway, I don't mind sleeping.  It is just that I was going to do things around the house that I didn't do.  Still, it was a good week and I think next week will be too!.  I hope your week was good and this next one works for you.  I will see you next Sunday.                           Rachel

I Did Some Amazing Things Then Got Sick!

My friend Vicki's husband Dwain died.   This seemed so fast!  There is nothing that can be said which could lessen the pain.   I know how we all want to make it better, including me.  We reach out, but feel inadequate in giving this support-it's not enough!  I made an Asparagus Quiche and a fruit salad I will  take this afternoon. My way to nurture.... as do a lot of people.  My heart goes out to her!

................................

I got a bug soon before I was ready to publish my blog last Sunday.  I had a fever for a couple of days and my chest was tight. I was so drained, I finally decided to just save this for the following week.  I didn't do so much this week as I allowed myself to heal.

This is a gorgeous picture taken in Big Sur,  a state park along the California Coast in  the Calla Lily Valley done by Yan photography. It was posted on The Rain Forest Site. 

Easter was a pleasant time together.  Shelley made a wonderful meal. Everyone enjoyed themselves. Crystal brought Her daughter Nylah who was handled by just about everyone. Alyssa came later because she was working. She is 15 weeks along. Recently, her sister Hesther did an ultrasound on her. They were unable to tell the sex of her baby but Alyssa went for a 4D ultrasound to determine this.  The results are in. She will have a boy.  Everyone is excited. 

Heather doing an ultrasound on her older sister Alyssa

I met two friends, Annemarie and Lynnette in Cambria, on the coast who were getting their continuing education units (CEU's) in psychology. I'm a social worker and I have gone inactive. I don't think I'll be working again,  but you never know, so I pay an inactive fee in case I change my mind and go to get my CEU's.  So we stayed at  Lynne's sister's home on the coast. How lovely!  It was roomy and comfortable.  Her sister Lori was a kind and a very down to earth person. She stated it well when we were leaving "It feels like we've known each other for years."   Yes, it did feel that way.  And my friend Lynette said, "We meshed."

Lori and Lynette

Annemarie, Me and Lynette

We could see whales from the house. I saw air being forced out of their blowholes, which pushed air, gases, etc. making a great show of what we were seeing, though I missed every time when they leapt out of the water.  So fun!   And, we also drove up the coast and saw mothers and their pups elephant seals molting before heading further north.  I thought they were huge, but the adult males can get up to 3,000 pounds. 

Elephant Seals Molting and Lounging

We went to two nice restaurants- One in town called Robin's. I have been there two other times before. They have vegan and vegetarian choices which were very nice,  the food was all around excellent.  I needed to get out of the restaurant because I was having a hot flash.  Lynette also come out. They had a slanted walkway and when I came down it, I took too sharp of a left turn and fell on the plants. Lynette was helping me get up, but quite a few people saw this and ran up to help. There is no way of handling this gracefully but to accept their help and attempt to walk like I didn't go through this s. 

The following night we are at Moonstone Beach Bar and Grill. We sat on the patio which had a glass guard to block some of the wind.  They had outdoor heaters and lap blankets to keep you cozy if you wanted them. The whales were getting active while we were there and people from inside the restaurant came out to watch them play. The food was excellent. I had salmon which was very moist and tender. 

There is a very nice wine tasting room that actually offers wines from different wineries and also has nice paraphernalia related to wine drinking there. Very nice!  It is called Fermentations. So the wine was not overly expensive and handling and shipping I believe she said runs $14.50 for each shipment plus the cost of three bottles of wine three times a year, or you can come to get them, taste and change them if you prefer a different one.  There is a 20% discount even for anything in the store or online.  So I did join. When I was there in previous times, I ended up buying items in the store and wine. 

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Last Saturday six of us including my daughter Shelley, my friend Janet and my friend Barbara along with Barbara's friends Doris and Cindy went on a tour of the Tejon Ranch Conservancy. It was wonderful and if you ever get a chance to do this,  I recommend it. Beautiful wild flowers, deer, a horned lizard, burrowing ground owls and many other  birds you don't always see including the California Condor, but it was flying too far away to get a good view. 

My daughter Shelley

Me and Barbara

My friend Janet

Our Group - Doris, Cindy, Shelley, Barbara, Janet and Me

Our Tour Guide Scot holding a Horned Lizard

We made a stop for our picnic lunch. We had so much food, we could have fed six more people.  We did give a lot to our tour guide. 

When I got home from this, I was done in and went to bed. It was soon after this that I became quite ill and found out that three others in our van had the same symptoms. I don't know how our tour guide came through all this. One went to urgent care and ended up on antibiotics.  Her doctor thought she was getting pneumonia. My friend Janet and daughter Shelley both sounded like me and were home bound. 

I called my friends Annemarie and Lynette and found they had been sick too.   So  I caught it there and then passed it on!  Sorry guys!  It sure was contagious!  I understand this bug can go from a day to six weeks!  What a bad one! 

I felt fair enough to meet with my Red Hat girls at The Ivy. We were not impressed. Food was too salty, some felt their dishes were too bland and I got the French Onion Soup and I felt it tasted too concentrated. I also got a plate of Tapas, but they didn't have the stuffed figs and it was very mediocre.  Two of our friends had husbands who have been ill. We were all trying to be supports for them. They had been through a lot. My daughter Shelley was still sick and had to miss our dinner. 

I met my friend Jeanne at Mama Roomba. They have excellent food. We ordered several dishes, but it was the vegetable soup that seemed to be what my body was craving.  She works part time as a hospice nurse. She loves the company she works for and the extra money is helping her to make some changes on her home.  Her son and his family moved out having gotten their own home.  I wouldn't really want to share my home with four more people including two children.  I think about going down the hall in my underwear and I think, ummm, no. I'd always be on my guard. 

Billy's and Meagan's sons are very loving to each other.  And her is a  picture of Nylah showing that she is not always happy.

Conner and Kason

Nylah

So, I am recovering.  Not completely up to par but a huge improvement.  I did miss my art class because I was sick, but I drew rocks in the stream.    I tried to show the water going over the rocks, the wicking of the moisture above the water line and the white water when it got to the other side of the rocks. This is it.  I think it needs more value changes.

I am baking my Asparagus Quiche and putting together the fruit salad to take to Vicki.  I hope you are feeling well and I will see you next week.                      Rachel