Thanksgiving, Friends and Family

 I am improving movement of my right hand. I'm working now on strengthening exercises.  My fingers are very week and an exercise tool I bought at a music store. It is for fingering maybe for a brass instrument. It requires pressing down on buttons. It is an effort for me because I'm so week. 

I had a MUGA scan on Wednesday. The Herceptin I take has the potential for causing heart damage so I get this  test every six months. I expect it will be okay. 

I went to my friend Janet's home who has seemed to get hit with a lot of things requiring immediate attention. She had to get a break job and found out she has termites. Now she lives in a condo which is joined with a couple of other condos. I would think the association would cover this since it could damage and perhaps destroy all three units. I understand they will cover outside damage and she is to cover inside damage. I think that is shortsighted on the association's part since it eventually effects the whole association. 

So we both talked about our up coming Thanksgiving celebrations. Both of us have family issues but we were going to enjoy the time with those we wanted to be with. 

So my granddaughter Kayla agreed to come over and help me on Thanksgiving Day. Her brother Devin, and my grandson came over with both helping with the preparation of food. As usual, we made too much, but I love leftovers as does Shelley. Part of the problem is that my grandkids have other families to celebrate with besides me. Six of them left but came back after dinner at these other homes. I made two new dishes that turned out delicious and I'm adding them for other celebrations. The turkey turned out dry which is highly unusual at my home. Kayla kept insisting it was time to take the turkey out and she was right.  The problem is that I was cooking it in an electric roaster and felt if I lifted the cover, it would throw the timing off because of the change in temperature.  We watched a football game, watched a movie and the kids played a game. Really, a lovely Thanksgiving.  I really enjoyed Kayla this time. She is usually so reserved showing emotion, but on this day she gave me a kiss and hug. I really do love these kids!

The following morning, my daughter Shelley came over and we cleaned it all up. I had given her all my Christmas decorations earlier and they picked up the tree that day.   I'll do Thanksgiving and she will do Christmas.  Kevin came with his dad. He had his nose in a book that he was obviously enjoying. I would like all my kids and grandkids to get into reading. I think they would find it so good for the soul.   

I met Janet at Mexicali's for our weekly margarita and a snack. She also gave me some of her stuffing for the turkey. So delicious and very different than mine!

I took the train to Hanford to see my friend Annemarie.  Renee who is a Recreational Therapist joined us.  I used to work with her.  It was very nice seeing her again.  Annemarie had two of her pictures she did showing at the Kings Art Center. It was a great showing of local art with appetizers, wine and lemonade. There was a young cat  going around and Annemarie took it to a center in the mall to get it adopted. It was tame, friendly and very cute. I think she'll get a home. The following day we went back to Kings Art Center again to see The Young Masters 2014. Fabulous show!  There are also very talented kids out there!  Here are Annemarie's pictures up in the gallery.

Emu by Annemarie Stokes

Ancient Eyes by Annemarie Stokes

The train was running very late. It was 50 minutes late.   They were saying it was traffic congestion, but the people on the train said there were a couple of adults giving underage children alcohol and trying to get a party started on the train.  They got in a battle with the staff of Amtrak and were removed in Fresno.  It is strange not to see an engine at the front of the train.  I’m sure there was one, probably at the back, but it was weird!

Here are two pictures of Conner with his Daddy (my grandson Billy and his mommy (my granddaughter-in-law Meagan). It is so clear how loved he is, also by extended family. 

Here is a blog called IT's OKAY TO DIE.  It is worth reading.

http://www.oktodie.com/blog/we-signed-4-dnr-orders-this-month-and-youre-telling-me-you-did-cpr-on-her-by-monica-williams-murphy-md/

I was asked to write up something for HOW (Helping One Woman). I get this honor in January and I am very thankful and pleased. This is the write up I provided them:  

In December of 1999 I found a lump in my left breast while visiting my daughter and her family in Texas. As soon as my husband Paul and I returned home, I called my doctor to inform him. He referred me for tests. I could tell after the mammogram that they were worried and another test was ordered. The doctor called the next day said I had to see a surgeon the next day for a biopsy. I thought I could handle this myself so I went alone. Probably not a good idea. I had a biopsy of the tumor in my left breast but the needle missed the tumor and I was asked to do it again. They still couldn't get a good sample. I didn't want to go through this again and asked if they would just remove it. I was a social worker who worked in hospice, home health and the senior advantage assessment clinic for Kaiser. I had lots of nurse friends who advised me throughout this. They suggested I have a sentinel node biopsy where they inject dye into the tumor to see where it goes. Mine went into my chest and as the surgeon said "we don't crack chests to get the lymph nodes there". So the tumor was removed. Then I was told the cancer was beyond the tumor ( it was a stage II) and I had a modified radical mastectomy at an outpatient clinic (very bad idea) the following week. I was stunned and found I withdrew from others initially. When I started chemotherapy a month later, I couldn't imagine I could feel worse than I did. I had no energy, foods tasted off, anything with a smell was offensive to me. Then I cried all the time and had no idea what I wanted. My husband comforted me as best he could.

About two or three years later I started working at Corcoran State Prison in Mental Health as a Case Manager. We moved to Visalia from Bakersfield so I wouldn't drive so far. I found the staff I worked with incredibly supportive. About four years later my husband became very ill and it turned out to be lung cancer. During this time I felt a lump growing on my neck. Paul's needs were priority then and I couldn't deal with my problems. We knew four months later that Paul was dying. He said he wanted to go back to Bakersfield to be closer to the kids. Five days after returning to Bakersfield and having hospice care for not even twenty four hours Paul died. I had a doctor appointment that day but delayed it one day with all that was going on.
I was a basket case with losing Paul. A girlfriend went with me to see a doctor in Bakersfield. He put rushes on tests and a biopsy because he felt it was not good. I returned to see him a week later with my girlfriend and he said my Cancer had metastasized and was now a stage IV. He said any treatment would be comfort measures only. I had radiation two different cycles to shrink the tumor in my neck. I was told I had the maximum amount of radiation I could have.
Since then, I have had two surgeries removing walnut sized lymph nodes above my right breast and now have a gentle sort of chemo every three weeks for the rest of my life. If it was short term, I'd do other chemos, but not for ever.
How do I cope? I have wonderful family and friends. I have been so fortunate working at Corcoran State Prison and also Substance Abuse Treatment Facility (SATF) Such wonderful people - warm and supportive and if I cried, they didn't panic.
I needed to stop working two years ago due to health issues and officially retired a year ago August.
I take art classes, visit friends and family, go to my Red Hat group, travel when I can and now I have a blog. This last bout with cancer was not supposed to happen, but you can't go by that. Life continually throws you curves and you just have to go with it. So my blog is about how I'm living until I die. I find interesting things I hope will interest people and direct them to it. So if you are interested, go to
racheljerdin.blogspot.com 

This video was made by Michael and Kevin Schmitt for Kevin's school project.  Michael is my son-in-law and Kevin is my grandson. So Kevin had an assignment after studying the Greek gods to come up with his own god. He came up with Dunamis which has the closest meaning of gravity in Greek. Shelley, his mom was also in it and so was Devin, his cousin.   A family effort. Good job!

https://www.facebook.com/shelley.jerdinschmitt/posts/10204846045169472

Thanks for reading this week.  I hope you have a good week and I will see you next Sunday.          Rachel

Helping One Woman

I feel much better. I'm so much less congested.  

At Occupational Therapy,  I did much better this week in moving my hand and fingers.  I was also able to schedule the sessions that were approved which will take me into January. Linda tested me and I am coming along, but when I pressed down with my left fingers (my dominant hand and injured) and could press 22 pounds. However, with my right hand, I could only press two pounds. So I really have to work on strength in addition to my flexibility.

I went to Helping One Woman in Visalia. The woman being honored was an LVN working at one of the prisons. She shared her experience and received a standing ovation. I felt she described what was helpful for her so well. I was selected to be honored at the next meeting in January.  I am very thankful and want to share what I have learned going through this experience and how I am coping with this. I hope I can share what this has all meant to me. I can assure you that I have grown a lot and believe that even though it has been traumatic it has also made me a better person.

This is Sara Becerra and her husband at the Helping One Woman dinner.  She is an
LVN at a prison and is currently battling cancer.  She spoke well and I identified with what she brought up,

Sara Becerra with her family

                                                        

Lydia, Susan, Martha, Me and Gracie at Helping One Woman.  They are my friends

I spent the night at Martha's home and then we saw the downtown of Woodlake. What a cute little town!  They have a mayor who has been applying for grants to be used to make their downtown area an enjoyable place to go. I believe he has excelled in his goal. 

Martha and I went to Susan's home in Exeter. Like Martha and her husband, Susan and her husband have done a great amount of work to make their homes homey and the grounds very special. Sue prepared a wonderful breakfast casserole with all the side dishes and finishing it off with a homemade cheesecake,  I feel so fortunate to have such great friends. 

My granddaughter-in-law Meagan asked if I would have the Reveal Party at my home. I agreed to this. Meagan and Billy were informed  of the gender of the new baby, male and shared the name they had selected for him Kason RoydelI.  I never heard about such an event but It was nice to involve family and friends.  It was a success. Meagan and Billy did not know if they were having a boy or girl. Her mom and a girlfriend are the  only ones who knew. No presents.  There were sandwiches, iced tea and lemonade. There were also blue and pink iced cupcakes, rice crispy treats, and candy in pink and blue. There were thirty adults here and a lot of kids. I'd say it was fun and was a success. 

Meagan and her mother Dainette setting up for the Reveal

There needed up to be 30 adults and I have no idea how many children, a lot!

So I went to the second and final session on Bounty of Pastels at the Art for Healing center. I worked further on the charcoal drawing and did a picture using water soluble graphite and pastels. 

Day Lilie lin Charcoal Revised

Containers drawn in Soluble Graphite

Vase in Soluble Graphite, Grapes in Pastels

These three are from a coloring book called Color Me Calm for Meditation and Relaxation.  Though it does help for this, I'm also doing it to work on coloring within the lines and to just experiment with various colors, what works with what.

Here is Conner , my great grandson in the car coming back from Texas in a very good mood. 

https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.sherran/posts/10204481732914765:0

Here are a couple of pictures of Conner. 

Connor Orion Lane

Grandma Dainette and Conner on the way to Texas

My friend Barbara and I will have a late lunch at Bill Lee's, a popular Chinese restaurant. Then we will see Mockingjay. Both of us have read the series and have seen the previous movies. 

My granddaughter Cassadie met her boyfriend Bogart in Prague. They will make a trip to Paris. They are a wonderful couple. Both are graduating from college this year.  Cassadie is at the University of Oregon and Bogart is at the Claremont Colleges in California.  They are both doing very well. This relationship started in early high school. I'm so impressed that they put their education front and center. I know they will both do well. 

Bogart Avila and Cassadie Jerdin

So Thanksgiving is at my home. I know Shelley will be here. I don't know for sure who is coming, but I make the same amount (a lot), and if it isn't eaten, it becomes wonderful leftovers for those of us here for the event. 

I have made my patio pleasant and have an outdoor heater which really helps. Of course we will be more mostly indoors, but this expands the area where people can be comfortable. 

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I always enjoy this holiday.   See you next Sunday.    Rachel

Back to some art, Cute Conner

I did go to Occupational Therapy since it was the last scheduled session and I missed last week because I was really sick.  Well, I still wasn't well.  I was coughing and my eyes were continually watering. I told them and suggested they use alcohol wipes on things I touched. My session was very short and when I got home, I crawled in bed. I did receive the approval to have six more weeks of Occupational Therapy, two times a week.

I also went in for an infusion of Herceptin on Friday.  I had nothing scheduled after and was able to go home and take a nap.

I finished Gone Girl and found it very depressing. I really don't want to be reminded how hateful people can be to each other and how a victim could go along with it.  Though this was an extreme, people do this. Creepy!

I did see my friend Janet on Thursday. I started to gain some energy on Tuesday.  I’m still clearing out my sinuses and hacking, but it is moving, I’m on the mend.  This has been a long time!

I did go to an art session at Art for Healing lead by Norma Neil.  She had a vase of Day Lilies.  First we did a picture just using charcoal, then we used the pastels and tried it again.  That dark area in the charcoal was my attempt to do the cellophane wrapping.  I have another class with her on Thursday.  I'm to bring fruit to draw, but I get to take it home to eat.

Day Lilys in Charcoal

Day Lilies in Pastel

So my television, computer and phone are working and it hasn’t gone down again.  It had also affected my alarm system and more had to be done to keep it up and running.  Very tiresome when you think you have done what you could to protect yourself and find out you were not protected.

Wonderful short video on difference between empathy and sympathy. Those of us really hurting can relate to this.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152078668023908

Here is an article on Six Steps to Rise Above Your Fear of Dying. It has been through doing this that I have been doing well.   I would say that this is what I did intuitively.

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/6125288

Meagan, my grandson Billy's wife and her mother Dainette drove Conner to Texas to meet the other side of the family.  All reports are that it went very well.  Billy flew back to join them, so they all got to be together.  I'm very happy for them.

Meagan and her mom Dainette

Johnny Ray and his grandson Conner

Conner with his daddy Billy.  Brrrr!

That's all for this week.  I'm tired and I'm going to do nothing right now.  See you next Sunday.        Rachel

The Unforgiveable Sin

So I made an unforgivable sin last week by stating we were at Oregon State University when we were at the University of Oregon.  Not only did Jeff and Stephanie,  Cassadie's parents, but my friend Evelyn Elliott who went to Oregon State University point this out to me. They are major rivals.  So Cassadie is at the University of Oregon and that is where we went. 

The other problem I had with that blog is my pictures didn't come through.  So here they are.

Meghan and Cassadie on Halloween in front of her sorority

The Oregon Ducks vs Stanford.  45 to 16- yeah!

Cassadie and Meghan in the Pioneer Cemetery on  Campus

Meghan is Miley Cyrus and Cassadie is a beautiful alien. 

Meghan is taking acting classes at The Groundlings. She gets wonderful reports from teachers. 

Cassadie is majoring in Journalism. She is also getting good feedback from her teachers. She graduates this year. 

So I told you i had a stye.  By the time of my Red Hat dinner, it had gone way down so I felt I could do this.  We met at Mama Tosca an upscale Italian restaurant in town.  We got to use the private room which was pleasant, except that when the door opened a very cool breeze came through.  I know I didn't care for that.  I love escargot, so I ordered that and I ordered the chicken piccata.  I felt the escargot's primary taste was lemon.  I did't notice the garlic.  I love garlic so this was a disappointment.  The chicken piccata had a small pasta side with marinara sauce on it and steamed vegetables.  The chicken piccata didn't have enough sauce and the pasta and steamed veggies were blah.  So next time I go there, I will not order these.  As always, I absolutely love meeting these gals. They have become an important part of my life. And we do talk about taboo subjects. 

The day after this, I had a sore throat and I felt a cold coming on.  I feel feverish and decide I really had to stay home.  I had no energy to do anything and pretty much laid in bed or watched tv.

The thing that happened this week is that my Uverse went down for a third time.  This affects other things too, but I will discuss that next week.  So I tried to call the first technician and a girl answered the phone and said I had the wrong number.  The disability number was not for disability.  It was a number for work on a cell phone.  So I just called ATT again and they walked me though disconnecting the modem and removing the battery which got it all going.  I had another issue so they sent a technician again.  Though it is working, there are still problems.  And Saturday it stopped again.  This time I just did what I was told to do over the phone and it worked again.  But, I don't think I should have to do this so often.  Why is this happening?  I'll be talking to them this next week and we will see.  I'm disappointed in Uverse.  The technicians seem okay but if the system doesn't work right,  this is not okay to me.  I am considering changing provider, but it would be a real hassle, so I'd rather work it out.

I didn't go to my art classes this week.  I didn't want them to get what I had.  But, it was disappointing to miss because there was a drawing class after the water color class on drawing a sunflower.  The assignment that I mentioned last time was to take a drawing we did and make a watercolor painting of it.  So the only bit I have done was laying contact paper where I don't want color yet and a dim outline.

This is the original photo I took, 2 years after Paul's death while in Costa Rica with a friend then, Barbara Rodriguez. 

So with advice from my art teacher, Carol Bradshaw, I moved things slightly. And, I imagine Paul sitting there but Paul's children think that a Corona should be visible. Paul had a slightly balding area at the crown of his head. I think I should put that in. 

That is contact paper for the umbrella. I need to line it with masking fluid and use the fluid to draw the chairs and table. I also need to do contact for the ball. 

I didn't go to Occupyipnal Therapy because of not feeling well. I should do better this next week. 

That's it for the week. I'll see you next Sunday.       Rachel

University of Oregon and the Oregon vs Stanford Game

 

I had Occupational Therapy (OT)  on Monday.  I am coming along.  I saw Dr. Wong soon after this and he had asked me to hold up my arms as if I was pushing against a wall. My right wrist bends about half as much as my left (thank goodness I'm left handed). He ordered six more weeks, two times a week of OT.  I'm glad because I know I'll improve more.  I had another OT visit after that and told Linda about the order for the OT. She said "we need Kaiser to approve it".  I think they will. 

Art class was interesting. We did a snow man in a dark sky with lots of stars (spattered paint) using contact paper to cover the snowman and masking liquid to cover the edge so the paint couldn't seep under.  Then she asked us to pick one of our nature drawings to do in watercolor.

I picked the drawing I did of the photograph I took of a beach in Costa Rica. I modified the drawing some and I imagine my husband Paul on the chaise. Family says I need to put a Corona on the table (ha!) and I need to make his hair a little thin in the back. I do image Paul sitting there, though he died a couple of years before I did this trip. 

So now I'll do this picture in watercolor. What I've done so far is to use Contact paper for the umbrella. Carol Bradshaw wants me to use a masking pen for the chairs and table. Also need contact paper for the ball. 

Meghan turned 19 the day before we left

This is Cassadie and Meghan in the cemetery on campus Halloween night. 

This is the girls in costume that evening Meghan as Miley Cyrus and Cassadie as an alien (a beautiful one!)

This is just before we walked to the stadium.   Me, Jeff, Meghan, Cassadie and Stephanie 

Conner looking great and happy!

And a very short video of Conner:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10202697543951051

Great trip to Oregon State University with Jeff, Stephanie and Meghan to see Cassadie, her sorority, the campus and the Ducks vs. Stanford game. It rained much of the way up and spent the first night with Pat, Stephanie's mom in Sacramento. About eight hours driving from there. Stephanie found a small house to rent for two nights. Love it!  Had German food first night.  No rain in Eugene!  We had breakfast at Glenwood, a popular place here, then went to a Duck store.  I already bought what Duck items I wanted to wear over the Internet.  No umbrellas in the stadium. There was only a 30% chance of rain, but it did rain some and we all left raincoats and ponchos in the car. Oregon beat Stanford 45 to 16. Sold out seats, over 58,000 people there who went nuts. Stanford won the last three, so this was payback. 

Cassadie came back to the house we rented so it was a family thing.  

I developed a cold sore just before going on this trip and then my right eye was irritating me by game day, I had developed a stye.  I figure if I avoid touching it, I'll have less problems with it. Overcast and a little cool, but I was comfortable because of what I wore. 

Today Sunday , we will drive back to Sacramento which is about eight hours of driving. So I will end here and see you all next Sunday.  Thanks for reading.     Rachel