It's another hot day here in south east Kansas, right now it's 104 degrees outside with a heat index of 111 degrees. I am really looking forward to some cooler weather.
Today is Friday the 13th and it started out with a bang. My father-in-law had to go to the ER at 8am this morning. He was having chest pain and has had several heart attacks, a valve replacement, and a pacemaker and defibrillator implanted. We met him and my mother-in-law at our local hospital and after a few hours they transferred him to Topeka Kansas by ambulance to be in the hospital where his Cardiologist is located. It looks like it is his congestive heart failure and they are giving him diuretics to reduce the fluid build up that he is experiencing.
There is really not allot going on here. I did go see two Drs yesterday and had some more blood work done, it's looking more and more like my crohns disease that is causing the elevated white counts that I have had for several months now. I also took my brother-in-law to Alcohol rehab this past Wednesday and he will be there 21-30 days. We are hopeful that he will be able to find some kind of job when he gets out so he can move out of our house and into his own residence.
The kids are all doing well. Cindy is in San Diego, from the USS Abraham Lincolns Facebook page ( USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) Moored, shift colors. Lincoln is pierside in San Diego after a three successful, and busy, weeks at sea ). John has been busy with his ship and Mike is busy in South Korea. That's about all for now. Hope everyone has a great weekend.
My son Mike in South Korea, picture from yesterday
I'm still alive. :) I had my heart cath and my heart is in great shape. It just goes to show that years of avoiding fruits and vegetables and eating meat and junk must be good for heart health. LOL Seriously, I don't eat many fruit and veggies because they make me sick with my crohns. On the down side the heart cath was a pain, not the cath itself ( that was a cakewalk ) The hard part was getting it done at all. My white count was up to 24,000 and I don't have any infection. I was transferred to a hospital room and then two more before they finally decided that I could have the cath after all. The Dr's said that they are going to check me for leukemia. My white count has been high for a while now and it is something to be a little concerned about. Hopefully it's just my Crohns disease. Yesterday I was very sick but today I feel much better. I'm just going to take things one day at a time. :)
The weather is still HOT here with temps in the 90s and heath index's in the 100-115 range. I am getting nervous about the next utility bill..... Oh well, such is life. I'm a happy person and blessed in so many ways I'll just be thankful for all that I have. I got an email from my daughter Cindy, she said " Fun stuff. Went to Chilies w/ my boyfriend and Andrew ( was in A school w/ him and he is on the Nimitz). Had a good time". It's great to hear from my kids. My son Mike called several times from South Korea and he is doing well. Mike has been working hard and is exhausted but is doing ok. I haven't heard from my son John and am anxious to hear from him.
To my daughter Cindy, hope you have a great day and I love you. :) <-- I know Cindy will read this and the other kids won't LOL That's all for now.
Good afternoon. I finally got the lawn mowed and did allot of yard work that needed done. The heat index is 109.3 outside. I get my cardiac cath tomorrow. Hope everyone is staying inside and staying cool.
My son Mike with his police vehicle in South Korea
Cindy with her gun the CIWS
Cindy with her gun the CIWS
Good morning, it's going to be another hot day here in Kansas. It's 10:15am and the heat index is 93.7 °F, it will be in the low 100s by this afternoon. Today I plan on cleaning the house and tomorrow I will mow the lawn. Trying to get things done before I go to the hospital Monday. :) My son Mike called me from South Korea today. Mike is doing well but he is exhausted, Mike is an MP in the Army. My other kids ( Cindy and John ) are in the Navy and both are out at sea right now. John will be back soon but Cindy will be gone for a long while. I love and miss you both. I'll write more this weekend. I know Cindy will read this so a big hi to my daughter on the USS Abraham Lincoln. We're proud of you.
Hi, for my daughter Cindy. I will start using this blog again. :)
Just a short post today. I have been having chest pains for a while now. I had a cardiac stress test several years ago and it was fine. I finally saw a Cardiologist yesterday and he wanted to see what was going on. He ordered an Echocardiogram, & Cardiac Cath for me Monday the 16th. I'm glad this is getting done, I figure that no matter what I will be better off than what I am now. He will either find no problems and that would be great or he will find a problem and fix it and thats great too. I'll type more later or tomorrow. I promise Cindy. Love, Dad
Good morning, things are still slow here in Kansas. The weather is getting warmer with daytime temps in the low 80s and that has been nice. I am concerned about what to do when it gets warmer here. My wife Vicki has MS and the heat can cause her to become very ill. We have some electrical issues that need fixed to get our air-condition working but the expense is too high for us right now.
I bought gas for the grill a few weeks ago and have been cooking outside as much as possible. This past weekend I cooked a whole chicken on the grill for the first time and it turned out great. I split the chicken in half and marinated it in Italian dressing for several hrs before cooking it over indirect heat for 1 1/2 hrs. I just turned one side of the grill on high and put the chicken on the other side. I checked the temp to determine when it was done ( 175 degrees for us ) and then took it off the heat and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving. It was some of the best chicken we have ever had.
The kids are all doing well with John taking some classes for his job, Cindy on leave until tomorrow and Mike working 14hr days in South Korea. That's about all for now.
This is a true story from my childhood. I remember my father taking my brother and me to get the Swine Flu vaccine at a local school that was immunizing people in our community in 1976. My brother who was afraid of shots at the time was very nervous. We waited in line for what seemed like hrs. Once we got up to the door of the school my brother promptly turned around and started running away through he parking lot screaming I'm blind, I'm blind. People in the line behind us thought he got the shot and went blind and they really looked panicked. My father and I had to tell them that he hadn't even got the shot yet. He did end up getting vaccinated and we were just fine. Good advice for the Swine Flu, Get tamaflu as soon as you begin to feel ill. Don't touch any surfaces then touch your eyes or nose. Wash hands frequently and stay away from coughing people.
If you see dead people you’re not alone or that strange after all. According to new research excessive caffeine can cause hallucinations according to the BBC. In this study they found that people who drank more than seven cups of instant coffee were 3 times more likely to hallucinate.
This is good news for all you energy drink addicts who far surpass the caffeine levels of 7 measly cups of instant coffee because now when you hear those voices, talk to people who aren’t really there, and see dead people, you know its just the caffeine. Well, at least most of you.
Image via WikipediaGood morning all, sorry I haven't posted in a while but I have been having bad headaches. I was in the hospital for several days after having a headache for 19 days straight. While in the hospital they were able to get the headache to go away on the last day I was there only to have it return intermittently after I got home. The Dr changed some of my meds and I have an appt to see a Neurologist in January.
My kids Cindy and John are doing well and are both out to sea with their ships, Cindy on the USS Abe Lincoln and John on the USS Doyle. I hear from them frequently through e-mail. :)
Cindy finally got her enlistment bonus this month so she is very happy. I have no idea what she is going to do with all that money. :) I asked Cindy how her birthday was while out to sea and asked what she did for fun and here was her response. Cindy is an FC on the Abe Lincoln.
"For birthdays underway we have every month a birthday party. Its usually held in the chiefs or first class mess for everyone who had a birthday that month. I have explored a little but the ship is huge so I haven't gone very many places. I don't usually have time for much. I work from 0730 to 2200 most days. In my lil bit of free time I check emails, read a book, play my gameboy or ds and watch tv."
John is done Cranking ( working in the ships mess ) now and back to his regular job. John is an OS on the Doyle.
John's ship in the news:
"Navy Ships Depart for Joint Warrior Exercise Story Number: NNS080922-08 Release Date: 9/22/2008 6:18:00 AM
By Lt. j.g. ArloAbrahamson, Commander, Destroyer Squadron 24 Public Affairs
USS DOYLE, At Sea (NNS) -- Ships led by Commander, Destroyer Squadron (COMDESRON) 24 left the U.S. East Coast for Scotland Sept. 19 to participate with allied navies in Joint Warrior, a coalition exercise designed and led by the Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff (JTEPS) in the United Kingdom.
Sailors from USS Mitscher (DDG 57), USS Doyle (FFG 39), USS Klakring (FFG 42), USS Hawes (FFG 53) and USNS Leroy Grumman (T-AO 195) will play a prominent role in the exercise intended to improve interoperability between coalition naval forces and prepare participants for upcoming deployments.
"Joint Warrior will provide our Sailors with an opportunity to engage in a variety of training scenarios that explore real-world challenges on a strategic, operational and tactical level – in a controlled environment," said Capt John Kersh, commander, DESRON 24. "We will focus our efforts on enhancing our ability to operate in a multinational, multi-platform environment."
The exercise supports the Navy's Maritime Strategy, which revolves around partnerships and a global maritime network of many countries' navies with the goal of patrolling the world's seas. The exercise also serves as a deployment certification event for the participating U.S. ships, preparing ready maritime forces for global assignment.
"The relationships we make during Joint Warrior are vital to ensure we are ready to engage in a host of global maritime security operations," said Lt. Cmdr. Gil Ayan, material officer for DESRON 24.
"We become more effective by operating with allied navies and leveraging our individual strengths. This builds trust and mutual cooperation, which will make us a more capable combined force in a real-time operational environment."
Joint Warrior will begin in early October and is expected to last approximately two weeks. It will involve air, sea and ground assets from participating allied and NATO forces.
"This exercise captures the essence of our teaming concept with allies and partners in the execution of the Maritime Strategy," said Kersh. "The bottom line is that five U.S. ships and a host of allied ships will come away from this exercise at the top of their game and ready to support joint maritime operations worldwide. The exercise is a win-win for everyone involved."
Angelique Flowers had the debilitating Crohn's disease since she was 15. When her 31st birthday came, she was told that she only had months to live. She wanted her life to end peacefully on her own terms using euthanasia but was not allowed because it was banned in Australia. She died vomiting the content of her bowels.
I have personally suffered with Crohn's disease for over 15 years now. This is extremely sad and brought tears to my eyes. God Bless Her.
It's been a real pain today. This morning I had to take my wife Vicki to get an MRI of her back and I had to have some blood work done. Vicki has been having back problems and pain for several months after taking a bad fall in the house. If you don't already know it Vicki has MS, and SLE. That was not the part that was a problem today. I would do anything for my wife and I have no complaints about that. The problem is that our solar lights that we had in our front yard for several years were stolen while we were gone this morning. We were only gone for 1 1/2 hrs and the 8 solar lights were here when we left at 9:30am and were gone at 11am when we returned home. My wife has lived in this neighborhood for 20 years and I have been here for 10 years myself and never had anything like this happen. We are certain of the people that took them. We have new neighbors two houses north of us and they seem to be nothing but trouble. I did call the police and made a report when we got home. I also went out and bought locks for our back yard gate, garage and so on. What a pain in the a**. The nice thing about living here is that all the other neighbors that we have on our block are great. We mentioned the theft to our next door neighbors ( I mow their lawn for them whenever I mow mine, no charge ) and they brought a new set of solar light over to us. You can't get better people than that. I will tell you that the people that took our lights will not be happy if I catch them touching my stuff again. :) That's about all for now..
Good morning everyone. I had a busy day yesterday. I took our neighbor Doris to Parsons to have a Myelogram and Cat Scan on her back so her Dr could find out what is causing her pain and then I stopped by Joan's house and did a few things to help her out. I left yesterday at 7am and got home at 7pm. :) I have nothing planned for today except to go to the bank and then pharmacy to get some prescriptions.
Our daughter Cindy tried to call when I was away yesterday but she didn't leave any messages and we didn't notice her calls on called ID until late., I assume that she made to to Everett Washington ok and is getting ready for her ship the USS Abe Lincoln..
Our son John also called using skype while I was out but he left a message and then he called again late last night. John is back from his latest cruse on the USS Doyle and will be back in port for a few weeks before going out again. John said that they passed all their qualifications and he was feeling good. He did tell us about a porpoise that rammed the ship and killed itself. He said that they could see it heading straight for bow of the ship on the radar but there was nothing that they could do. Sadly it died after the encounter with the Doyle. Overall John had a good cruse and is off this weekend. He is going to go out and buy a new cell phone charger while he is off so that he can use his cell phone again.
I hope everyone has a great day. It's going to be sunny and warm here with temps in the 90s. Take care everyone, I will post more later or tomorrow.
Hello everyone. Sorry about the sporadic posting lately, we have been kinda busy the last few weeks here in Kansas. A good friend and neighbor "Joan" had a total knee replacement a few weeks ago and has had a hard time recovering and we have been trying to help her out a little. Another friend and neighbor of ours, "Doris", has been going through a tough time with back problems and we are also helping her a little too. Both of these ladies are more like family to us than friends and neighbors. Vicki and I kinda think of them as surrogate Mom's. Vicki's Mother passed away some time ago and my parents live over a thousand miles away from here. My wife has known them for 20 years and I have known them for 10 years. Today I brought Joan home from the hospital and tomorrow I am taking Doris to the Doctors. As for myself I am still having pain in my left knee and now it is starting to hurt in my right knee. I saw my Dr again today and he gave me more pain medicine and I am going to see an Orthopedic Surgeon on the 28th to talk about surgery on my left knee. :) I have had several surgeries on my knees in the past so I know what to expect and I am not looking forward to more operations but things are not getting better on their own.
Our daughter Cindy in the Navy will travel to Everett Washington tomorrow afternoon. Cindy just graduated from FC CIWS C-School in San Diego July 3rd and will be going to the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Abe Lincoln will be Cindy's first ship. We are excited for her and wish her the best. Cindy, let us know your address as soon as you can and do you have pictures of your graduation that I can post? :)
Our son in the Navy, John is out to sea right now on his ship the USS Doyle. John promised lots of pictures when he gets back which should be in a few days. John is an OS on the Doyle.
I hope everyone out there reading this is doing well and I will post more frequently when things settle down here. Keep checking back for updates.
The crew of the USS Doyle stand at attention during a short presentation ceremony. The Doyle was given the Key to the City and it was Doyle Day in West Palm Beach yesterday.
West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel greets the crew of the USS Doyle yesterday.
Good morning everyone, I hope you all had a Happy 4th of July yesterday. We had a good day overall. I managed to mow the lawn and visit our friend that had knee replacement surgery. Last night I cooked hamburgers and hot-dogs on the grill and then we just relaxed. I am trying to let my knee heal a little more before I do anything strenuous. This past Wednesday I had a cortisone injection in my knee from our local Orthopedic surgeon and I am in more pain now than before the shot. I think the surgeon messed up. I have had over a dozen cortisone injections in my knees over the last 15 years and this is the worst pain that I have ever encountered after an injection. I will see my Doctor next week and see what I can do about this.
Our son John called yesterday from West Palm Beach Florida. His Ship the USS Doyle was docked there for the 4th of July celebration . John was doing well and having a great day. He said that he enjoyed getting off the Ship and eating out with his friends. John said that he will e-mail me pictures when he gets back to his base later this month. West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel greeted the crew of the USS Doyle at the Port of Palm Beach in Riviera Beach yesterday. Mayor Frankel joined teens from the Northwood Youth Empowerment Center for a tour of the ship. The crew of the USS Doyle has been invited to take part in the opening ceremonies of the annual 4th on Flagler celebration. The guys had a good time. John has to work on the Ship today and is off again tomorrow to explore more of West Palm Beach.
That's about all for now, I am going to go sit on my deck and drink my coffee. Hope you have a great weekend.
Good morning everyone. I am just starting on my 4th cup of coffee for the day and am starting to wake up. Yesterday was a bad day for me. This past Sunday night I started to feel bad and went to bed at 10pm after falling asleep in my recliner for several hours. I slept in until 8am Monday morning, that is very unusual for me to slept that long. Yesterday I just felt like crap all day and slept most of the day. I usually sleep about 6hrs a night and that is all I usually need. I feel much better now. I hope it keeps going that way. This morning my wife has a Dr appointment so I have to get ready for that soon. I'm not sure what I will do the rest of the day, it really depends on how I feel.
My wife Vicki talked to our son John yesterday for a few minutes. His ship was underway and he just called to check on me. He was worried because Sunday morning when I was trimming a bush in the back yard I feel off a ladder. The bush was about 12 feet tall and I had to use a step ladder to reach the top. We have had so much rain this month ( 17.17in this month as of yesterday morning ) that the step ladder sank into the ground when I was standing on it and I fell off backwards and fell on our neighbors metal closeline. I have a large bruise and am a little sore for my efforts but I will be fine.:)
I am looking forward to getting a new lawn mower this week with the Walmart git card my son John got me for Fathers day. My current mower sputters and just about stops every 60 seconds or so and it takes me forever to mow the lawn. Last week when I mowed it took me 4hrs to get it done. I love mowing the yard but 4 hrs is way too long.
I saw the Dr today about my knee. He told me to take 2 Lortab every 6hrs as needed for the pain. I am going to the hospital Friday morning to get an MRI done. Aside from that it's been another quiet day here in Kansas. I did get to Walmart to get some medicine for my high cholesterol and Crohn's disease and ended up getting a good price on Eggs. They had Large Eggs for $1.68 a dozen or .56 cents for half a dozen. I bought two half dozen packages. LOL
I haven't heard from Cindy & John, my kids in the Navy today so no news there. Hope everyone has a great afternoon.
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