Sundance Dad

My Dad, Dave Bullock, loved music. As Paul and I watched the 1969 movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" last night and the soundtrack played, I thought of him. Dad had that album because he loved Burt Bacharach. He played it on his Hi Fi system. "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" is a BJ Thomas song that even made it on the radio. I can just picture dad bopping around on the rug in our family room to the tune.

Regarding the movie. Though I enjoyed watching Newman and Redford, I found it somewhat slow moving. Is it because today's movies are different than older ones? I'm not sure. I need to watch some more classics. I did enjoy the music.

Dad was in charge of music at our house - before Susi became interested. He had an children's folk album by a group called the Limeliters. They were great. In a fit of nostalgia, I purchased their CD during one of my Music Buying Club frenzies in the 80's. Still loved it - and remembered many of the song words...though I hadn't heard them for nearly 40 years.
Limeliters Through Children's Eyes
(Amy and Jud will probably be tortured in the same way by music from Sharon, Lois and Bram's Elephant Show Music).

Dad wasn't Catholic - so Mom would take Susi, Cindy and me to church with our hats on (or doilies). It was pre-Vatican 2 don't you know). We'd come home to find Dad dancing with Betsy - her feet on top of his size 11 narrows. That looked like much more fun than church.

He loved Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. And he had another album with jungle noises on it. Dad had the single, Hello Mother, Hello Father. "Take me back, I hate Grenada!" He liked my Elton John music too - I can picture him jiving around to "Honky Cat", listening on my headphones. Groovy guy.

I bet you didn't know that my father was a musician. He had bongo drums. He kept them in the closet under the stairs. I can't say I ever heard him bop on those babies though. After a trip to Mexico he also came back with a bumpy wooden fish and stick. I call it a zither. The man lingerie salesman suppressing his inner Chick Corea!

Watching the movie last night made me miss my daddy.

Dad and Mom dancing - Christmas - 1979?

Fright Week!

Oh...you thought I meant Halloween? I suppose. I was really talking about reading the Graves' Disease Facebook Page. My God...one could go mad reading all the information online about illness. My sister Cindo is right. She said Boldie's doc told her as much. Don't read about this stuff - it will drive your crazy. So why do I?

It's frightening. I've noted before on this blog that I graduated from the Evelyn Woodhead Speed Reading course (no...not really) and can therefore buzz through various topics and attached comments chop chop. In no time I've perused articles about the various diets and discovered that if one follows them, one may eat sea salt on spinach. Yum!

Seriously...in a book I ordered online, one chapter described a diet that ruled out fruit, beef, seafood, some veggies and greens. And of course sweets. Organic eggs could be introduced slowly. I began wondering if it might be easier to print the list of stuff one could eat....

I will change my diet. From all my reading, it seems like people with autoimmune disorders like Graves' disease often benefit from doing just that. I just need to figure out just what that should be! I've seen everything from Gluten Free to Paleo to the one described above where you really can't eat. More study is in order but I've identified a few things I can start already.

I'm supposed to cut out coffee. EEEK as Jane Buck would say. It's not like I'm a huge coffee swizzler, but I do enjoy a cuppa with creamer. Dairy? Soy? Iodine is supposed to be BAD. I've put the sea salt on the table - better than iodized. I need to hydrate more - tough for me. I am going to try to journal (shock! I am going to write. Don't worry - I am not going to Blog my Graves' Journal). At least not for now...perhaps it will prove fascinating.

So...back to Halloween. When I was a kid it was really fun! At our school we would walk home at lunch (like we did every other day) and return in our Halloween Costumes. Then we would parade through all the classrooms in Washington Elementary and the measly small gym where some of our parents were awaiting, beaming as we pranced by. I think I liked that day even more than pretend Christmas celebrations at school.

I only remember a couple of my costumes. One - was one of the only two things I know of my mother sewing. A black cat costume with a stuffed tail that dragged behind and a little hood with ears. She also sewed a clown costume but I don't remember ever wearing that. In the upper grades, I partnered with Chris and Paula to be Tom, Huck and Becky (I was Tom) and another year Paula and I wore my Dad's Korea army uniforms and boots. No guns.

On Halloween night in Atlantic, we'd fill paper grocery sacks with candy - going house to house in several neighborhoods. Returning home, I'd dump my stash on the floor and answer the door when a few stragglers came to our house Trick or Treating. The whole neighborhood was full of kids traipsing around in costumes - few as original as the ones people come up with today. Many were store bought costumes with cheapo masks. It was fun and all that sugar probably set off my Graves' disease today. LOL

My pal Robbie Dob phone me today - and pumped me up. Just what I needed - a former AHS cheerleader giving me a chance to talk about my recent downs and a pep talk! I'm so lucky to have so many great friends and family members who are there to help me get through this shoulder thing and to be there for me as I deal with Graves' Disease. Amy, Jud and Kara sent flowers to my work yesterday - there on my desk as I returned from physical therapy. Nice! Texts and Emails and visits with Susi, Cindy, Bets, Jane, Susan and seeing Deb and Mona - it all helps.

Indian Summer

It was the perfect Indian Summer weekend - on the last weekend of October! Bravo Mother Nature! Pablo was hunting Saturday a.m., so I thought I would attend the last Farmer's Market of 2014.

I hadn't been there five minutes before my tailgating pal Kari Ehrecke hailed me. She was there with some biker chicks - they were going to ride bikes at Neil Smith Nature Area after checking out the Market. It was a beautiful sunny day - already about 60+ degrees at about 9:15 a.m.

I walked another block and heard my name again. This time it was Kristina McFee Carroll, standing on the corner where the Bail Bonds office used to be - I miss the Monopoly sign! Krissy was on the phone talking her mom Bobbie in from her parking spot. Yay - I was joining a McFee girl get-together! Kimmy joined us a bit later. It was fun catching up with my friends. I purchased some Dutch letters and headed home about 11 a.m.

Saturday afternoon I had a chance to catch up with another long-time friend, Jane Buck. She's been laid up with a blood clot in her leg. We had a grand time trading stories and sharing memories - that gal has a steel trap of a memory. Plus we swapped medical histories. It hasn't been pretty for either of us lately. But we're determined to get better!

Not our prettiest picture...but we're still here

Paul and I had a quiet night Saturday. He enjoyed watching the baseball game. I got a kick out of a pic Jud and Kara sent - they were ready for a Halloween Party they were going to - as a Double Stuff Oreo.

There was a later pic of Jud in his Oreo watching the Giants game. That made me laugh out loud. That's my boy!

Sunday Paul headed to South Dakota to hunt pheasants with his college pals Mike and Tom. He's known them longer than he's known me! My Aunt Marty will be happy if he gets one or two - and gives them to her! She likes to cook them up.

Sunday broke as another beautiful day. Paul and I started it at the Waveland. Best Game In Town.

 He left just before noon and so did I - heading to Madison County to meet my BFF Deb for a get-together for her birthday. It's been to long since I saw that girl! We lunched and then took a walk at Pammel Park SW of Winterset, talking non-stop. As with all good friends, we took up like we'd never been apart. I'd run over to Cheesecake Factory (they're our neighbors) and picked up a couple slices - Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough for her and Tiramasu for me. We ate that before we each headed home. It was a great afternoon! Except Paul was gone when I came home. Good thing Odie was here.


It was so quiet I called Amy and Mary Faber. I'm about talked out. Time for bed!

What a Circus

The Ringling Brothers Circus was in Des Moines last week. I saw pictures of my grandparent pals on Facebook with their grandkids - smiling and enjoying themselves. It made me think back on my experience with circuses. (real ones - not my life)

When I was a youngster, the Atlantic Girl Scouts took me to see the Shrine Circus in Des Moines - the Big City! We had to hold onto a rope on our way into Vets Auditorium. I believe my friend Robbie Dob was also there in her little Brownie dress. Sure there were elephants and flying acrobats. My most exciting moment? Purchasing a little plastic "zip" gun. You pulled the trigger and it looked sparky at the barrel and went zing, zing, zing! I loved it.

When I was about 10, our family went to Florida a couple summers to visit my mom's parents who had retired to Dunedin, Florida from Cedar Rapids. Mom took us to see the Ringling Brothers Circus Museum in Sarasota. I don't remember much about it except it was big and interesting. I probably had a sloppy snow cone and cotton candy too.

Doesn't Paul look dapper with a sweater around his shoulders?

Then next circus I attended was years later. The Carson and Barnes Circus was making the rounds in Iowa. Dad ran right out and got tickets for our fam - but not for him. So we drove to Atlantic and attended the circus. The tents were pitched at the airport. Amazingly, it was good - not rinkydink as I was expecting. Amy and Jud enjoyed it too.

How about clown cars? I don't really like/appreciate clowns. They're creepy. When the kids were young there was a nun in Creston that would dress up as a clown. Nice try Sister JoAnn. Your heart was in the right place but...creepy. Clowns at circuses are creepy x10 or more...

May in the next couple decades I'll make it to another circus.

Non Goiter Graves

Les
 

The good news...what I have is curable with treatment. And I don't have a goiter. Or any kind of growth according to Dr. Doelle, the doc I saw Monday at the University of Iowa Specialty Clinic. He reminded me a little bit of Les Nessman, the nerdy guy on the retro sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. But he inspired much more confidence.



Dr. Doelle

I liked Dr. Doelle. He spent quite a bit of time with Paul and me, answering all our questions. I'm afraid I got a bit emotional - it's been a long few months a feeling kinda crappy ya'll. Describing my symptoms made me sad. Dr. Doelle listened carefully. I could see his wheels spinning as he considered just what the hell might be wrong with me. He wanted to get another blood test before making his final diagnosis. But it was looking like Graves' disease.

That's a scary word - disease. So when Dr. Doelle called me today after I got home from work to confirm the diagnosis, he was sure to reassure me by saying, "this is curable with treatment." First with a prescription - Methimazole. Long term I'll likely need to decide the best way to kill my thyroid - with radioactive pill or with surgery. Then I'll replace my thyroid with meds.

I'm looking forward to feeling better! I'm sharing this so that if any of my relatives or others have symptoms...they will not waste many months feeling crazy and lost as I did. Dr. Doelle said this is hereditary in the sense that it was probably in my body...and then something set it off. Like many things - they don't know why. My symptoms are:

• frequent bowel movements - which had been coming on for a while. But it's gotten ridiculous. I had even tried to Google that...but came up with nothing. I didn't try to get medical help until I got painful cramps to go with them.
• pounding heart - mine has been masked since I take the Beta Blocker Atenolol for migraine prevention. I can hear it in my ears. It now still beats funky sometimes.
• poor heart tolerance - I thought that was just menopause
• swelling legs - that has been infrequent, but scary when it happened
• anxiety - I was sure I had bowel cancer, and spent many hours worrying about that. I've always been a fretter, but not to that extent
• sleep problesm - not sure about that. I slept pretty well until this should froze...
• Muscle cramps - is that what caused my abdominal problems? I've had feet cramps that are very painful.
• There are other Graves' symptoms that I've not had, thank goodness 

After my appointment in Iowa City, Paul and I walked around Kinnick Stadium. They grow corn there by the stadium. It's actually right by the hospital. I remember attending a few games there - some long ago, when I was actually a Hawkeye fan!

Here I am making a C for Cyclone - just in case you didn't know...





Taking the kid to college - a decade later

I've not been sleeping well - which has led to some interesting dreams. Sporadic sleep does that to me. Saturday morning I had a doozy! The subconscious mind is very cool.

It's been ten years since we sent our first born off to college. That's a traumatic thing for mommies, no? Not as much for me as for others it seemed. I knew Amy was ready to move past high school and was excited to take her on college visits. We went to Drake and Creighton, followed by my fave Iowa State University. Since Amy was interested in art/design, that school made the most sense - but we tried not to pressure her into that decision. She realized it was the best choice and that was that. Yay!

Not in my dream. I had dialed the up the wayback machine. It was 10 years ago and we were moving Amy into the SWCC dormitory. SWCC stands for Southwestern Community College - the very fine school in Creston. Perhaps it was the money thing...she was a very good student and it would have been very sensible for her to go there. #$0tuitionlaundryathome

In the dream, our friend, SWCC college president Barb Crittenden, was helping move Amy into the nice new dorm. The school didn't really have one of those back then (though they have a couple now). Barb was viewing the less than pristine conditions in the dorm room with a jaded eye. You go Barb! Krissy McFee was helping too - since she was also moving in there. Maybe they got a package deal.

It was a pleasant dream and I was sorry to awaken from it. I like to have random wacky dreams that  include my loved ones. It's like a little visit. When I did wake up I thought about Amy's choice to attend ISU instead of SWCC. Despite the added cost, it was a good decision for her (and later, her brother Jud who refused to even look anywhere else).

Amy with Greg, Jenna and Rachelle - college Halloween

Sure it was difficult leaving the cocoon of friendly Creston, where everyone knew their names. When Amy went to ISU, she had a random roommate, a girl from DSM. She didn't have much in common with her, but she made friends with others on her floor and is still bestest buds with them today. We get to see Jenna and Rachelle each time Amy returns to DSM. Amy sees another roomie, Allie, in Denver.

Love these guys!

Jud chose a friend from Creston to room with, but Steve moved into a fraternity house at the semester - so Jud was forced to meet other friends. I worried he would spent his time playing video games by himself, but he really came out of his shy shell and made lots of friends. We saw most of them a couple weeks ago at a football game - hugs all around. What a nice bunch! He met GF Kara there too.

Amy on vaca with the girls this summer

For our children, the ISU college experience - moving away from home, meeting new people,  learning a new way of life and not flunking out was priceless. Even if it did cost more than SWCC. I know it's not that way for everyone. It sure worked for Amy and Jud.

At roomie Pat's wedding with Logan and Pete (and Kara of course)

Just like Paul and me, our kids met lifelong friends at school. People they share their problems and dreams with. Living in the dorms (and not in an apartment with people from your hometown) is scary. Yep, you can get a stinker of a roommate. But later in life this can help you deal with a stinker of a workmate. And you can change roommates - they're not permanent!

I don't claim that this type of college experience is for everyone. But it worked for our family. And we've got the benefit of great friends from it. Dream on!

Throwback picks - from our college years.

Me in the back - visor, between the 2 Janes, Vic in front. Saw Cindy Nutt - front middle recently

Paul will be pheasant hunting with Tom (on right) soon. We still near from Brad (on left)

Punctured plans

We've been looking forward to visiting Jud and Kara in St. Louis for months. With their busy schedule - and ours, this weekend was it! The weekend for our mini-vaca in St. L.

Until karma had another idea.

If you're a regular reader or have seen me lately you know I've been struggling with health issues. I've been whining about it for a while. Fing frozen shoulder and recently diagnosed hyperthyroid with not-fun symptoms. Physical Therapy is proceeding for the shoulder. I'm happy to report that my shoulder scored a whopping 178 degrees Thursday. That's not temperature - it's more like angles. 180 is what a normal shoulder bends to if you're laying on a table. It takes lots of gyrating, faces, and noises for me to do it. My PT, Christine shakes it out after I stretch it up. I need to keep it stretchy!

The pain continues to be a problem. A constant these days. So I had the idea that I'd try something new. Acupuncture. I made an appointment Thursday night at a nearby clinic which will remain nameless. I received a pamphlet on the process and the doc - also a chiropractor explained what she'd be doing. She treated me differently than if she would have been treating me specifically for frozen shoulder. She was impressed with my range of motion. 178 mofo.

Poster in the acupuncture room my butt doesn't quite look like that

I selected ocean noises for my experience - waves crashing on the shore. I took off my shoes and socks. Very slim needles were inserted into:
the bottoms of each foot
2 in each ear
my forehead
the top of my head

Did it hurt when they went in? A little, not much. Of course I would have taken a pic of myself with a needle in my head, but I had them in my feet and couldn't get to my phone...damn! The doc left me in a dimly lit room with the ocean noises. I fell asleep! She came back in after about 15 minutes to twist the needles and left for another 10 or so. I felt a little "chi" or warmth from the insertion of the needles.

The doc said I should sleep well that night. I made an appointment for next week.

Early Friday morning I awoke (not unusual with the shoulder thing) with the beginnings of a migraine headache. I usually take my medicine and they go away. Not this one! I had flu-like symptoms to go with it - causing me to cancel my PT appointment and later to miss an important work meeting. I didn't have a fever - but had all the other stuff. Ick.

I still thought I might perk up so we could go to Jud's - but as the morning passed I realized that wasn't happening. I was bedridden with my little pal Odie laying by my side. The strange thing - as sick as I was - my shoulder didn't feel too bad...but my headache wouldn't totally go away.

We thought about going to Jud's today (Saturday) for an overnight trip, but he wasn't wild about us driving that far for one day. And even last evening I wasn't feeling the best. I texted him to say we'd probably better not come - right away he called. He was so understanding. I still feel so bad about not being able to go.  I'd heard so many good things about St. L. We have such a good time with J & K. I cried when I hung up - feeling like I let him down. I know - it's not logical, but that's what Moms are like, right?

My college roomie Vicki's daughter Kelli visited Denver recently - they pretended Vic and I were with them. Wish we were!

When we do go, I plan to be in much better health (shoulder pain be gone) so I can enjoy it much more. After the flu symptoms subsided, of course the shoulder started to hurt again. But it is slowly getting better. Did acupuncture cause my illness? I do not know. But I'm not going to risk it by getting it again.

Kara and Jud - they do so many fun activities!
 

Despite my whiny presently miserable condition, I still feel very blessed. Amy called Friday afternoon to see how I was. What a sweetie. Paul came home and took care of me - he even made me a milk shake. And then Jud (I'm sure Kara too) was so understanding about the messed up plans. Odie looks at me with those loving brown eyes and gives me a lick every once in a while. What a great fam. Won't it be fun to all be together in Vail this Christmas!

My honey has been patient with his patient...

The Witch is In

Oh - Mama needs this sign...seen at PetCo when Odie got her nails done

Another week bites the dust! It was a busy one. Tuesday we had a retreat for work at Neil Smith Wildlife Retreat. It's a prairie. It was rainy so we didn't venture out to see the buffalo.



Yay - we get to sort seeds!

We did several team-building exercises, including sorting prairie seeds which was kinda cool. No it wasn't hemp Don McKim...

Capture the tennis ball - blindfolded. Then walk around.
 

Wednesday we headed to a meeting at the Fish Hatchery at Lake Rathbun. It was a gorgeous day! And a good meeting with the Iowa Waste Exchange representatives.

Here DMR grows Catfish and Walleye for Iowa's lakes 

aquarium

 

It was a cool trip.

I did 178 today at Physical Therapy - 180 is perfect arm movement. It didn't come without pain...I continue to struggle with that evil stuff. Paul and I are off to St. Louis to see Jud and Kara this weekend. Looking forward to it. I'll report next week!

Momma for 29 years

I was pregnant once before Amy was born. We lost the baby in 1984 - I was just a few months along. So I was understandably very nervous in early 1985 when I became pregnant again. We decided to go to an Obstetrician in Mason City instead of a general practice doc in Osage where we lived. R. Bruce Dunker was a veteran in working with young mommies nervous about losing their babies.

When I heard that heartbeat the first time, I was so relieved. And every time after that! Paul and I went to VEISHEA at ISU that year - meeting college friends. I must have eaten something iffy - and ended up with food poisoning. I puked all night and was so afraid I did something to the baby. Monday morning I trotted into the doc's office to make sure that babe's heart was strong - and it was. Tears!

Oh people. It was a LONG pregnancy. People went from saying - "you're so small" in May...to "you're huge" in September. Even Dr. Dunker said I'd have the baby in September, though I was due October 7th.

In July, Paul and I took a "last childless trip" to Minnesota. We'd looked at pamphlets for resorts - and chose a romantic cabana...which turned out to be a regular 'ol hotel room with a loud air conditioner. I wore a maternity swim suit borrowed from my pal Sally. Paul played golf and I drove the cart.

My due date came and went. I was huge. I weighed more than my husband. My hips were so sore I couldn't walk, so I couldn't work. Dr. Dunker scheduled me to have labor induced at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital on October 9th. Paul and I called everyone we knew and told them. We got up early and made the 45 minute drive to MC and tried to check in. Nix! The hospital was too full - no room in the inn. *#@*.

It was a long weekend at the Goldsmith house. Dr. Dunker wasn't on call again until Monday the 14th. That was the day. I packed 10 of my fave music cassettes to listen to during my calm birthing experience in the suite we'd be using. Wrong. Baseball playoffs were on - St. Louis vs. the Dodgers. Ozzie did a flip and the Cards won. Dr. Dunker was pleased. I didn't get to hear Pure Prairie League. Wah.

Another couple was in the birthing suite first. She was a screamer. I checked in early in the a.m. They kept cranking the Pitocin - the juice that causes contractions. But that baby's head was BIG. So just like a big pickle, forceps were used and soon red-haired Amy Elizabeth Goldsmith emerged. It was around 7 p.m. She was perfect! All 9 pounds 7 ounces of her. The nurses whisked her away to clear her up. Soon she was on my chest and we were calling our parents.

I was a mommy! They wheeled me into my room that night and I don't think I slept a wink. I was filled with emotions and adrenalin. And I felt like a truck hit me. 9 lb. 7 oz.

Twenty nine years later she's still perfect! Loving our baby girl.

Wired and ready for action

That's not an old cell phone on my hip. It's a TENS unit, supplying electrical impulses to my shoulder/arm - confusing the insistent painful areas. They've been screaming "pay attention to me!" Now they have competition. Hooha! I hope I don't drop the thing in the toilet. I received it Friday at the Physical Therapist's office. I've been electrocuting myself all weekend.

I survived week 1 post shoulder manipulation. I don't want this blog to be a pity party. But it kinda is. If you don't want to read this Debbie Downer post, click the X at the top right NOW. The blog IS about my life - which has been somewhat sucky lately - I've had a few rough months. Finally, however, I've been diagnosed! And I have an appointment with a specialist at the University of Iowa Hospital in a couple weeks. The crap I've gone through - colon problems, swollen legs, pounding heart, anxiety and now the worst - frozen shoulder - all the result of a wacky thyroid.

I'm so glad there is finally a diagnosis. My husband (Saint Pablo) is too. And I'm glad I have a machine to help with pain. Things are looking up! I am talking about my problems for all my relatives and others who might have these symptoms. Hyperthyroid can cause many things. Be on the lookout!

Fire station - from a former Mercury car dealership. Looks old but all state of the art

The roof of the CR Library is green - growing plants absorb rainwater

I spent the first part of the week at a conference in See the Rabbits - AKA Cedar Rapids. My mother grew up there and we'd go see my grandparents and cousins there when I was little. I always wondered where the rabbits were! CR went through a terrible flood in 2008 and is just now re-emerging from that event. I went on a walking tour of the new LEED certified (that means very environmentally friendly) central fire station and library (where my sis-in-law Mary Goldsmith works). Very cool places - they are doing it right there.

The conference was excellent - I was able to talk with a number of industry people and stakeholders. Our consultant few in Wednesday a.m. to do a session on goal setting and metrics with me. We had over 25 people attending and we used new technology that involved voting with cell phones. It went well. I was beat when I got back to DSM - a lot of face time!

Saturday was game day baby! I attended wearing my new apparatus. It helps me go longer between pain pills. The day was one of the most perfect tailgating days that we've had for a long time. Abby Conover was there with doggy Grover. She was our first babysitter, arriving with a "safe sitter" certification and folder. Tailgating was a good time - McKims, Kevin and Kari, Laura and her mom Ann. It was a nice crowd.

Dwight, Abby, Marilyn, Phil

Nearby our tailgate, the band played Happy Birthday for this group

check out our little cutie patootie photo bomber

Cyclones win! It sure is fun to get a W. Of course it wasn't easy - it never is with our team. But I love hanging with these people on a beautiful day.

On to next week. Things are looking up.

Dr. Wilcox and his black leather bag

I've had some health issues this summer and fall. One night, as I couldn't sleep due to this darn shoulder, I thought about health care. How does it stack up today vs. health care back in the day. I'm not one of those people who constantly reminisces about the "good old days" selectively weeding out the bad stuff. Because face it...there always was some... and there always will be! But here's what I know.

In small town Iowa our docs knew us from birth. And they cared. If you had a good doctor, like I believe ours was, you were in good hands. I remember Dr. Wilcox coming to our house and examining me in our formal living room. He took my temperature and gave me a shot in the butt - probably penicillin. He had a wonderful leather doctor's bag - similar to Mary Poppin's bag. I bet that thing held a little bit of everything! But back then...flu shots hurt like HELL. My sister still refuses to get them - traumatized from our childhood. (see, bad stuff)

Atlantic was blessed with good doctors. In fact even today as I visited my surgeon's office at DMOS, there was a picture on the wall of Matt Weresh - another orthopedic surgeon in that practice (not a shoulder guy). His dad John Weresh was an A-town doc. And for a Creston connection, I believe John's parents are buried at Calvary - the Catholic Cemetery in Creston. Another doc at DMOS - Devon Goetz, son of Larry, former Creston doctor.

Of course Dwain Wilcox's daughter Tressa went back to Atlantic to practice medicine herself. She treated Dad. It says a great deal about the profession and the parent that those children wished to follow in their footsteps...What does it say that neither Amy nor Jud have chosen to follow Paul and me into public service. haha. I don't blame them - it's not what it once was.

Our children were brought up with family doctors too - no house calls though. Sometimes for emergencies I would get Dr. Gandhi - who had an Indian accent. That was rough over the phone when one had a child with ear infection! Marty Meindl - was a pediatrician in Creston when we first moved to town. Mark Young practiced there and was our family doctor. He delivered Jud. Mark was the husband of someone I knew in college - small world!

The best thing about small town healthcare? The nurses. They would get to know you - and you them! Barb from Dr. Hoyt's office became a friend. I miss her!

Especially now. I call nurses who don't know me and don't seem to care as much as those who did. With the new medical software - which I think will be a good thing eventually - I dislike how the nurse spends her time facing a computer screen away from me. It's so impersonal! I think they'll eventually correct this with better computers - iPads? Besides taking my blood pressure, they hardly look at me. Ick.

Now I'm awaiting a specialists office to deem me worthy of a phone call. Really? Hmm think I'll shop around. Sigh. I miss Dr. Wilcox.

Rusty with our ducky friends

Last weekend at the ISU vs. Baylor football game, our friends Joan and Greg Weis came by our tailgate prior to the game. Twice! The second time they had son Ben and his girlfriend Laura in tow. By then Ben's classmate, our little baby boy Judson was at our tailgate along with about 15 of his buddies and his gf Kara.

We hadn't seen Greg and Joan in, well forever! It was so fun to catch up. Back in Creston all those years ago, we didn't know them until Jud and Ben began playing all fashions of sports together. Baseball, football, basketball and soccer. Ben was the quiet but deadly type. A linebacker with an attitude!

When we first met the Weises, Greg was in veterinarian school. He was a non-traditional student - someone who went to school in his late 30's. Wife Joan, a nurse, held down the family fort with their fam of 3 boys during the week. He was home from Ames on weekends.

We often carpooled to sports games the boys played in along with Lucy Hyde and Jim. So it was in the back seat of our Jeep and in the bleachers where we got to know Joan. After Greg graduated (woohoo!) and started a vet practice in the Creston area we got to know him better too. Great people. Odie loves Joan - and moans in delight when she see her. Odie a good judge of character you know.

At the football game last Saturday, Paul pressed Joan for a dinner date we've been talking about since we moved away from Creston - nearly two years ago. We'd been planning to meet with Weises and another couple, Ginny and Wayne Lents, at the Rusty Duck (oops - I just typed Dick by mistake...funny) in Dexter. It's partway between DSM and Creston and is always packed due to good food.

Joan put the date together and we were on! Pablo and I arrived about in Dexter at 6:45 p.m. and Ginny and Wayne walked in shortly after. We've known the Lents fam even longer than Weises because their boys Kevin and Jason attended St. Malachy with our children. Jason is Jud's classmate and he too played sports - sticking with football and soccer all the way through high school. Ginny is a Chicago girl who married a SW Iowa farmer. The stories she tells of adjusting to farm life are hilarious. What  a trooper!

Joan and Greg arrived late due to...you guessed it. A vet call. We had a lovely time catching up on what is new. They're all grandparents and are enjoying that to the hilt!  NOT. It was really enjoyable to hang out with these fab couples. Paul got caught up on farmer talk with Wayne. He truly misses that stuff. Before leaving we talked about a repeat performance. We can't let these friendships go...

BTW - Saturday a.m., on the first day Paul was in the timber for the 2014 bow season he took a doe. So we'll have deer summer sausage and jerky made in Bedford, IA. By that hottie Zeb! Zeb's Smokehouse. 

Shoulder update. Physical Therapy was rough - it was measurement day - making sure I don't slip back from full extension of the arm.
Maybe I like it at 168 degrees. Did they ever think of that?
#painsucks

Post Op

I'm singing "YMCA" with actions and forming all the letters! No...not really. But I'm close...thanks to an injection and a couple cranks that according to the doc went pop, pop, pop. I've still got my pain meds - but feel I'm now on the way back up from Adhesive Capsulitis, aka frozen shoulder.

We arrived in the rain at DMOS (Des Moines Orthopaedic Surgeons) bright and early this morning. My driver, Pablo, dropped me at the door. After check in I got to put on that pretty gown. It's tough to tie that thing with a bad wing...the docs checked on me and the surgeon even signed my shoulder - to make sure he popped the right one. I find it amazing in the pre-op area how many people bring the whole damn fam. #crazyprecutparty

My first trip to the Physical Therapist was a mere 5 hours after I was unconscious in surgery. I'm working with Christine - the same PT who has helped me the past couple weeks. The session was painful, I won't lie. But I try to go with the pain. I think of all those war veterans and other injured people who put in the work to make strides back toward life as they knew it. I also have homework assignments. Odie thinks it's playtime anytime I get down on the floor. Stretch Odie! Woof!

Glad that day is over with. Wish me luck at all my future PT sessions - starting tomorrow.