YAY and Double YAY

 

The surgeon said I do not need surgery. The 1997 horrible surgery that my doctor thought had loosened is not the problem. He said he thinks a colonoscopy will fix the problem, the problems I am having are called fecal smearing. (poopy diapers)

and he believes it is caused by chronic constipation, which might also be the cause of my IBS symptoms, and he believes that will eliminate the problem, and he also said since I have never had one, their might be a polyp blocking the colon.

He said you don't have to have anything done, it is your choice, if you want to keep being miserable. It's not going to kill you if we do nothing.

Wow! 

The pain is from poop pants and can be treated with Baby Butt Desitin.

All donations of Desitin appreciated, its 8 dollars for 2 oz, which was used in one week and at Amazon  4 oz for 9 dollars.😁😁😁😁

For those of you thinking WHY has she never had a colonoscopy, its because I can't hold the poop and there is a lot of pooping going on before having one and I don't want to have to clean up the mess.

They will call me with a time for the colonoscopy and a endoscopy because my gerd has been acting up with meds, and he can do both at same time

Thank you for your

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 

What your prayers did. My fears of the surgery were overshadowed by

Fear of Traffic, the office is next to the hospital, both are in

DOWNTOWN, my dread of going there is a 10 on the Fear Scale.

They are on the 5 lane highway to the BEACHES. 

See that photo up above? that is what I had to get out onto when leaving the Doctor office. there is a reason I mention this.

Your prayers opens the roads from the time I left home, I backed out of my driveway at rush hour and there was not a car coming. I drove all the way there and all the way home with very limited traffic. It was thought the road had been wiped clean of cars.

The road in that photo, when I pulled out of doc office, on to the one way 5 lanes, there were cars headed east to that light and not a car in sight in all 5 lanes. I pulled out, drove 4 blocks to the light and when I stopped all the lane behind me had filled up. I drove like that the whole way home.

I can tell you what the prayers did not do, they did not stop my BP from being way high because I suffer white coat syndrome with male doctors, and this was 2 of them, Doc and Intern. It may have worked because I did not have a stroke from having them do the exam

Thank you to all who lifted me up for help from above and Thank you Lord for the safe trip and good news..

Successful Surgery

 

Carcinama removed from face, melanoma from back, on the day before thanksgiving.

 he has had zero pain and is doing great.

The Good News is they gave us all the left over bandages/tapes/sponges.

The roll to the right is the cool tape, cut to fit and it covers all in one big bandage on his back.

 She advised he would look like someone took a poke at his face. It looks painful, but he has zero pain and no meds taken.

 He slept all night, I did not. Having pains in my joints since I had the Covid Booster. All my joints, I can barely get up off the sofa without pain. There is not a joint on finger, toes, spine, back, shoulder that is not hurting. Its been 4 weeks now and is worse. Also, body aches in muscles. Bob is the same with the joints/muscles

I wish I had not taken it.

Read all about it HERE. Yes, I read it after the fact.

Scar Face is his new name! for now, she said it will not leave a scar. 

Stop in the name of love

thanks for stopping by. Nothing much to report. This is a photo practice shot of taking a selfie by holding the handout and waving it. Hold left arm out as far as I can, wave hand.

Just remember to remove the hand before it counts down from Three.

 

Bob and I both went for 6-month body scan at the dermatologist. We had his finger prick, known as INR to test his coumadin in blood, at 8:30, and Bob at 9:25, Me at 9:50 and we were there a while.

I am fine, 3 frozen thingys

he had TWELVE frozen things, a biopsy on face that looks like carcinoma and the back might be another Melanoma. She removed two places about the size of a pencil eraser, if you can remember back that for when we used pencils.

Waiting for results. He has had 3 melanomas; this will be 4. 

Beaus lab work results came in an amazing PERFECT. Vet's words, not mine. Will post the text from vet on Beaus blog, to keep a record.

Hubby Update

 Appointment Wed for post op tests at hospital was LONG. 

 11:20 AM to 2:50PM  LONG! 

We eat at noon sharp and were told we would eat lunch during class.

Covid Variant Happened

Can you say starving? 

The nurses all looked like bottom right.

I went in the door like a cowboy, NOPE! said the little old volunteer lady, you MUST Wear This!

Hospital is shut down, No Visitors Allowed but Caregivers were allowed in the class because of NEED to Know

When Kelly said wait here and asked Bob to come with her, I said if you don't let me go, he can't answer your questions.

You know history of surgeies and doctors names and drugs, etc

She sighed and said I am no supossed to, but five minutes in she said I am glad you came and you are so organized. I had it all written down because I can't remember it either.

During EKG, X-ray, Blood drawn, our fantastic nurse, by name of Kelly said Bob's Pulse Rate was 38, She checked it 3 times in an hour, did another EKG which averaged 60 but kept hopping from 38 to 60 up and down

to 60 up and down

The nurse said check it a few times tomorrow and if it stays low, call the cardiologist, it was 34 and 39, called and spoke to front desk, she wrote down all details and said she would give it to the doctor.

Five minutes later he called, and said cut his BP meds in half, that should fix it. 

Bob had a hissy fit but will say only that.

He is afraid and so am I that 3 weeks of tests will all be a moot point if Fred the Hurricane comes our way, his Pulse is to low and dreaded Variant is HERE.

Nurse said they are the only hospital that is still open to non emergency surgery, the other 3 are closed down.

She said all ER in our county and our 3 sister counties, which is TampaBay area are full and spilling into the hallways.

I got very little sleep last night. Bob slept all night.

I catastrophized myself into a headache.

the three already mentioned started me spinning 

and here we are

Small suit case, find and sanitize

Sanitize house on Sunday, per instructions

Wash clothes and sheets on Sunday per navigator guy.

That Welcome Aboard up top is a booklet with 25 pages of

Rules We Must Follow to keep away infection and how to not do stupid stuff causing the thing to pop out of whatever.

he did the scared straight thing and everyone in the room was terrified except of course Bob because he only heard a tiny bit of what was said. Thus

Thus the reason they allowed me the caregiver in the hospital

I touched on every rule and how to make him follow it

and the started to fret over the last thing he told us.

When we go in for surgery, I will be allowed to go with him to pre operative room while they get him set up.

I must leave and never return until I get a text telling me to be at the top of the Ramp at the Front Lobby, NOT the one we went in, and the group of nurses and therapist will bring him to the car and teach him how to get in and out and explain to me the caregiver how to give care! He said twice IF THE TEXT says 11 it means 11.

I added that to the list of frets. Like how about if the train catches me, What if I can find the ramp, if I go to early where will I wait until the CORRECT TIME! If I am late, will they keep him?

 Because of the low pulse, I did the stroke, brain dead, no oxygen because it is no pumping hard enough, there is more....

I have been awake since 1 AM

Breaking NEWS a new guy in town.

 

Bob's Eyes are completely healed, he is back in the pool at home and at the YMCA, we can now go at 5:30 which is what we have done for many years. 

The lady who came to get us in the car, the PA and the Surgeon were all SHOCKED. Surgeon said she has never had a patient that the surgery she did was completely healed in 10 days.

She gave him massage instructions for the scar on the cancer site, and said come back in one month for me to see if you did it every night. If you don't, you will need and injection in the site. 

Drat! one more trip! it is oldhat now, don't love it but don't get upset about it.

That Said There is a NEW GUY in our home!

Meet the new Honey of a Hurricane Central AC 

HE IS

He is a Blowing Cooling BEAST! We have never had one this good and also our first digital thermostat! 

The old rusty not so beasty but Ugly is gone. Bob had said, he is lying, the old one can be repaired.

Well NOW! he did have the courage to say I WAS WRONG!

Rarely heard words from HE WHO KNOWS ALL!

Thankful Thursday- Office with a view

I am thankful the  lobby of the eye surgeon, has a beautiful view.  While playing on my phone, i could glance out and see the fishtail palm that I appear to be under. Can you find me?

I was thankful the surgery cost of nothing, that it went well, that they let me come inside and did not make me stay in the baking car.

And thankful for the smartphone that kept me entertained the whole time. I tried to read on my kindle but could not concentrate... 

The street out front, first shot I got a car, second one almost got a car, the last one NO car...

not bad for cell phone through glass windows... It looks pretty out there, but the feels like was 110.

The Surgery Part 2

ME waiting for 1 hour 10 minutes that felt like 10 hours.

I have taken Bob to 5 offices since the virus thing started. Yowsa!

I had a beautiful view, and it was nice they let me wait in the lobby, BUT, it was really hot. 97 outside and the ceilings was about 12 feet tall, the back where Bob was was icy cold.

You may notice I had on a different mask from yesterday, NOT that it matters but i have 23 masks, I only bought a pack of 7, the rest were gifts. Sorry my brain is rattled and I don't know what i Meant to say.

OK, brain has rebooted, back to the update

Above top left is the eye at 5 pm when we got home from the 2nd surgery. the sad face is at wakeup today, 4 AM and a close up of the incision in the GOOD eye. she took what she needed from the exact same spot as the other eye, he was awake through all this. Just numbing shots in the corner of his eyes.

You can see it is puffy.

The Big Problem Now!!!

She gave us a LIST of DO NOT DO THESE THINGS and a short list of DO these things.

First she said make 3 small baggies of frozen peas, put the tiny ice packs on the good eye, for 48 hours. Keep one on for 20 minutes wait 20 and repeat. HE DID IT 3 times when I used MY LOUD voice!

Do not lie flat for 72 hours

Do not bend over, do not lift anything heavy, do not do ANYTHING that makes you sweat!

We LIVE IN FLORDIA~ Sweat Country

Stay inside AC! if you sweat it wets the bandage. do not get the bandage even damp until Tuesday when we remove it.

DO sleep with head propped up for 72 hours! use a recliner!

Do NOT lay flat!

We have no recliner! I made a bed prop and a sofa prop

He said I can't sleep like that. ARRRHH

PAUSING HERE TO ANSWER PHONE

While creating this, phone rang at 9 am, 2nd day.

Doctor Chapman calling, she asked about how the good eye looks? ask a lot of questions, gave me new instructions and her cell phone and said call me any time if he has a problem.

I said I forgot to tell you he started antibiotics 2 days ago. His annual blood labs said he has UTI and primary called it in.

She said that if great, I was thinking of putting him on them. Perfect she said.

new orders

Stop Tylenol, use the pea ice bags, take Benadryl 1 every 5 hours, to help with swelling, itching and to help him get through the aggravation of the big bandage. He was shocked to hear me talking to her.

This may sound easy peasy, but Bob has a routine for each day and he can do NONE of it until next Tuesday.

3:30 am swim laps in our pool

coffee and TV news and breakfast

6:30 walk Dog

Watch more news

9 am pole brush our pool, get in pool and use skim net while swimming and walking

10 am MORE NEWS and Motor Trend shows

12 lunch

12:30 swim in pool

More TV

3 pm feed dog, swim in pool

each day between these things he does the lawn, or pulls weeds or yanks vines off fences.

This is making him crazy and it has not been 24 hours yet.

HE IS FINE just miserable

I am fine, Just on "guard duty" and miserable for HIM

Big thinks his daddy has lost his mind. 

The Surgery UPDATE

10 AM, July 31, 2020. The Office Lobby.... No photos of the 55 minutes to drive 19 miles to get to the office. Picture Me, the driver with 2 hands clutched on wheel, 87 million cars, looking for an office we have never been to...

The MadSnapper, madly documenting the surgery. They let me go in with him. What a relief.

The hubby, after the surgery, I am sparing you the bloody picture I took.. Bob laid like this from 10:15 until noon.

My chair was next to the bed and I had nothing to do. I got to watch the surgery, and the good news is she only had to cut TWICE. It could have been much more. We checked out at 12 and drove the nasty 20 miles back home, the Big Dog went balistic! 

 had lunch, fed the dog, and left for the 55 minute trip to the Ocular surgeon. 45 minutes, I knew the way... both offices are in the same area about 2 miles apart.

Bob said over and over, I hope I don't have to wear this bandage very long. 

The second surgery started at 2:50 ended at 4 pm. They let me wait in the lobby. YES there will be photos. Bob said tell them I don't understand English and you have to go with me. 

NOPE. I had to wait.

I am glad I did not know before hand what they were doing. The 70 minutes was long, i was hot, stressed from 3 trips of traffic, 

PLUS my bra was killing me. I DID SUFFER TO YOU KNOW

The nurse came to get me to tell me what HE CAN NOT DO!

He looked like this.

I took this when we got home, not in the office. Just so you know.

They had to do a skin graft and put meat from the other eye to fill the hole.

She explained if they did not do the transplant his eye lid would not close because the tumour took the hinge part, my word not hers, away from the right eye.

He had a horrible night. but is fine, but wait there is much more...

He MUST wear that patch until we take the long drive Tuesday morning for her to remove it.

I sent text to a few family/friends that started with this sentence.

Please gather bail money, I may need you to come get me OUT....

BUT WAIT THERE IS MUCH MORE to be continued

PS: as I sit here creating this post, i want to know why Blogger decided during this stressful time to once again CHANGE things around

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful we have insurance that will pay for Bob's eye surgery, thankful for dedicated Doctors.

and

I am thankful for all of you because you care when I tell you that Today is the day for Bob's surgery to remove the tumor from his eye socket.

We will be at first surgery at 10 am today, 2nd surgery to repair eyelid at 3:00.

The photo above is our bougainvillea in the front yard, and the house across the street.

NO we do not have a lake in our yard and it did not rain.

I took the photo to Lunapic..I am thankful for all the free software I play in and for computer skills and INTERNET ACESS. 

See you later with an update

Visit to the Ocular Surgeon

Today one week ago, we drove 14 miles, which took 40 minutes of traffic and lights to get to the Surgeon office for a consult on when Bob's tumor will be removed from his eye socket/lid.

It was 97 in the shade, and I was thankful on Thursday that there was ONE shady spot, and we got it. We waited looking at the view of the dreaded mask and the beautiful view, for 35 minutes.

We then waited in the consulting room for another 1/2 hour. I was in the corner behind Bob and he has no idea I took this. I think he might have been praying for patience in the 2nd shot.

I know I was.

We are thankful the surgery will be 3 weeks from today, July 30th. It requires a visit at 10 am to MOHS surgeon to remove the tumor, then at 3 pm same day the 40 minute DRIVE in heat and traffic to get the Ocular surgeon to repair the eye lid.

Ginny and Phil, a blog friend had this same thing, so we know it is common to have 2 surgeries at different times.

He may have to wear a patch from1 to 5 days, depending on how much she has to do..

I am praying they will let me wait in the office somewhere while he has the lid repair.

Ultra ULTA sound

Wed we had an appointment for an Ultrasound on Bob's left carotid, Annual visit, No Big Deal. 

Been there, done that 9 times over the 3 years since his stroke and surgery in Sept 2017.

I fretted all week, thinking they would not let me go in with him, and watch # 10 ultrasound. I trust no one in the medical profession.

 

Surprise # 1, the office was empty, they let me sit with him and fill out the forms.

Surprise #2, when the tech called us back, it was NOT the one that did the past 9.

Surprise #3 She gave me permission to tag along and peer over her shoulder.

The tech was Tiny, VERY young, Heavy Accent and soft spoken. Bob could hear nothing she said. I could tell because she was asking him questions, he nodded his head and said Uh Huh.

I said to her, he can't hear a word you are saying, she laughed and said That is the story of my life, EVERY Day...I answered her questions, she said to him, turn you head towards me. He did nothing.

She turned his head towards her.

I piped up and said, are you doing both sides? he only gets it on the left side. 

She said Yes, held the wand on his neck. Stopped, got up walked to laptop leaned in and read for a minute and said, No, it is only the left side. OH MY WORD! 

What if I was not there? would she do both? would the insurance NOT pay? 

The test over, she said to Bob, you can sit up now, and handed him a kleenex and said clean it off, sit up and wait there.

 HE HEARD NOTHING. I knew this because he laid there cleaning his throat. Did not sit up.

I said LOUDLY you can sit up. He sat up, stood up and started to leave the room. She said NO NO, sit back down, I quickly used my Big boy dog training skills.

Big sits if we point at him and stays when I hold palm out.

I waved my hand at Bob to get his attention, Pointed at him, and held out the Stay command.

He did it without a word.  He sat, and stayed. I was hysterical, she had no idea, she was typing and not looking at him. When she finally stopped pecking around on the screen that did not look or sound like the other 9, and I sat wondering is she did the right test.

She stood up and said you can leave now. He just sat there.

I kid you not, I pointed and did the come hand signal and he did.

On the way to the car we got to laughing hysterically about him obeying the dog commands. I saw a few older people looking at us like what are they laughing about.

As we drove home, he said did that machine sound funny to you? Did the screen look okay? It did not make the same noises.

He was right. I do hope he got the correct test....... she typed with 1 finger, and it took twice as long. I wanted to say give me the wand,I can do this...

Thankful Thursday a day late

I am late posting today.. Yesterday was Bob's Melanoma surgery. I will try to document our day in short sentences. I tend to Bloviate. har har

First and Best First

The man who doesn't like doctors, Loved the surgeron, 

Loved the Nurse and the Nurse Anesthetist.
Loved the fact we were in and out and home in 2 hrs 15 minutes.
Loved the threatened Anesthesia, turned to twilight and local.
Loved that is was glue not stitches
Loved that he has had zero pain.
We are waiting until 2 pm to remove bandage.
I am so thankful that it went so well, unlike the last surgery which was quite the nightmare.
Manatee Surgical Clinic is a well run clinic and was the best surgical experience we have ever had.
He is scheduled for this coming Tuesday for dermatologist to remove 2 squamous carcinoma in her office. no big deal.
All is well... thanks for all your caring comments and emails.
I get so much support from my E-Friends.
My Valentine is well.
I talked to my son in TN today, today is his 55th birthday. Happy Valentine to David and Happy Anniversary to David and his wife Deanna.
and to all of YOU

Warrior Two - My Husband

I married my Dad Bob, Warrior # Two,  on Feb 8 , 1985.

 My Dad and my Husband share all the warrior traits. They also shared Short Tempered and LOUD Bull-headed as in Stubborn to the Bone Always Right which means never wrong. Do it my Way!

The Good news/Bad news is...….. I share MOST of the same traits they do.. Which means a FUN 75 years with 2 warriors and a Warrior Princess.

this is part two of Warriors in my life, continued from prior post HERE

At the age of 18, I fled from the home of my Warrior Dad, wanting nothing but to be out from under his reign over me. HA HA on me.... I will skip that part of the story OF THE  middle years and get on with this story.
At age 40, I married Bob.

From the day we married, Bob became my protector. If he was home, I slept well, if not I did not sleep well. Because I knew he would protect me until death.

He was just like my dad. I was his and don't you touch me. Once on the beach at Daytona, I saw a man in the distance and stopped walking. I said I don't want to walk that way, the man looks like my wife beating ex-husband.. He turned into my dad, and said Don't you worry, I want to see him, I will kick his ass all over this beach...    See what I mean? same thing my dad said to the man by the road.

The year I had a really horrible surgery, I had to come home with a catheter for a week. Warrior Bob brought me home and went to work the next day. At 10 am I dialed his work place and his Boss Henry answered.  I started crying and said Henry can Bob come home? he said he will be right there.

Bob showed up 10 minutes later and rushed in the house. What's Wrong? What's wrong? I said nothing I just want you here... He took off his uniform, climbed on the bed and laid down. I instantly fell asleep and slept for hours. Did not even know when he got up to watch TV in the other room...

Just being in the house, I felt SAFE

PROTECTORS! Both my Dad and My Husband. God knew I was a fearful person and put them in my life and I only just realized it this week....it took me 75 years to figure it out.

They Both...

picked splinters and thorns from my feet while I yelled OUCH! and no, I did not stop going barefoot. I had them to Handle The Results.

They both have bandaged cuts and rubbed stinky stuff on aching back. 

Opened jars and unjammed stuck drawers

Lifted heavy things I could not lift

Protected Me Always when my fears came to call.

PS..... the first 18 years, Daddy was the Flashlight Man when I needed to potty in the dark. Daddy, I would call and he would shine the flashlight and wait until I said OK, turn it off.

Bob provided nightlights in every room, no need for a flashlight.

He also will go in the back yard with me if I want to get in the pool in the dark. Dark makes me crazy.

They both came when the car would not start, or the tires went flat..

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THEY BOTH BUTTED HEADS WITH ME MANY TIMES AND STILL LOVED ME.  I AM MY DAD AND I AM MY HUBBY, THANK YOU LORD.

Update on Bob's Melanoma

Stitches are out, Bob can swim today. Yay!

Not so Yay! the 4 inch of skin had zero clear margins. 

Another Yay! it is Melanoma In Situ which means, skin only
stage zero. Has not spread anywhere. Is not anywhere but thin skin. None showing any where but very thin top of skin.

Our 3 options.
1. enlarge the 4 inch even bigger (more surgery, and still might not be clear) she suggested a no on this one
2. go to MOHS and see how far it extends
3. watch it once a year to see if it comes back.

We will talk with the Dermatologist that sent us to the surgeon on the 25th, and see what he has to say, but are 99 % sure we will do the watch and wait... Surgeon agreed that at age 83 this is a good choice. zero is very low risk, 5 to 10 years if nothing done.

Update on Bob's Surgery

Order of photos in collage, left to right

Out Patient Lobby 5:45 AM

My view 6 to 8 AM

The circle Dr drew

4 inch incision she made

10 AM Bob's Happy Face, nurse is taking out IV and sending home. Home by 10:30

Supplies I purchased

Make Do Supplies from drawer

First bandage at 2 pm

Bed time bandage

He went to OR at 8 AM, back to Post Op at 10, surgery was about 40 minutes. Doctor said in OR she decided to take as much as she could since I had told her He said he was not coming back again. Thus the large gash. The thing is 72 hours later, it is healed together.

Instructions were keep bandage on for 48 hours (beautiful bandage with see through tape) that allowed me to see if it bled. IT BLED, the bandage was soaked.

I wanted to see the blood if it bled again, the tape I purchased was not clear,

 I made do with clear window made from packing tape.

Bedtime it was soaked again, I did better on that one. 

HE IS FINE, still looks Grumpy though, can't swim get in pool until June 10th  

which causes Me PAIN..

My consolation price is not one but TWO pair of beautiful yellow Socks, 

1 pair from the surgery that was not and one from the surgery that WAS.

Why are they different colors, Now I will have to MATCH them when I wash them. HE says I can HAVE them..

Any one interested? 

The surgery that almost WAS

SHORT answer to why Bob still has his melanoma. We waited 6 hours, we left, we are waiting to reschedule or cancel… If you don’t want to read a book about it, you may escape the blog NOW… thanks for caring.

I am a ‘talker’ thus I ‘talk’ too much when writing. You have been warned.

Bob’s Melanoma outpatient surgery was scheduled at  9, surgery at 11.  Pre-op IV and vitals completed by 9:30. We wait…………….. 6 patients sent to sit in waiting room, there is No room to hook up more victims, patients until some of us move on to surgery holding unit.

Word is our surgeon is Stuck In Cath Lab… (????? I don’t know either) I am stuck in pre-op with a white haired BEAR that last had food at 5 pm the night before which is 19 hours plus no coffee and never wanted to be there in the first place.

3 hours after IV, At noon, they roll Bob and 3 others to a backup holding room. We can tell this because the room is full of equipment that has been pushed in the corner right in front of the back hurting gurney the bear is on. Nurse says one more hour.

12:20 Surgeon appears in fake holding room. “I am stuck in the cath lab” at least another hour. (How did she get out occurs to me) and THEN she says Let me mark the site to be ready when I get out. Bob sits Up, she says where is the site? I point to lower shoulder thinking she is verifying so she doesn’t cut out the wrong thing. She says is it this scar or that scar, he has many. I say I think it is this. Supposed to 3 cm wide and deep as you can go. She says.. I spoke to a melanoma specialist and he says don’t take the whole scar, only take the margin around the biopsy site. Are you sure this is it? Well I think so.

She draws a small purple circle and LEAVES to become stuck in the cath lab, which I know she has been in since 8, because she answered her cell while standing there drawing the circle and snapped I HAVE been in the hospital since EIGHT…. (we can assume the 3 people waiting for her behind us are calling the office to complain) 

Bob and I start to yammer because he is threatening to pull IV and leave, which he has been known to do in past years. 2002 in fact. The nurse covering lunches says are you OK? NO! I am not ok and fill her ear with the above story.

She walks away comes back with her phone and sits down to entertain us with photos of her dogs and bunnys and children, because she heard me fretting over Big home alone. She was keeping us occupied because she called the Direct of Nursing and she appeared and the nurse left.

By this time is is 2:20 Bob with no food.coffee now at 22 hours. The gist of her story was she had spoken to Doctor IN CathLAB and it will be at LEAST another hour and if it gets to late it will have to be rescheduled. She said your option is to leave now and reschedule or wait another couple of hours and still maybe reschedule.

I say we will leave now on top of Bob’s voice saying it at the same time. I said what if I cancel it. We are not sure we want to do this and I tell her the story. She says you can discuss that with her. I said what about what you did here yesterday and today, the insurance will not pay if we leave. She said they will if you reschedule I say I don’t want him going under anesthesia with the breathing tube down his throat for that tiny incision that could be done in an office. She says give me five minute, makes a call and says they will not charge us. RIGHT I am thinking.

We choose to leave and reschedule or cancel and find another way. We want the surgery to be done with a local, not anesthesia since it is half the size of what was done with local at another time and Doctor.

That is where we are now… he still has the Melanoma and I still have the HEADACHE of dealing with insurance, doctors and BOB. We have not heard from the Surgeon Office, she may still be Stuck In The Cath Lab..

UPDATE! the Surgeon called me at 8:45 and started the conversation with an apology and assured me there would be no anesthesia, but local and that she knew where it is and also had a lengthy talk with a Melanoma specialist. the incision will be narrow but deep and must be done as out patient in case of bleeding or something out of the ordinary that could not be handled in a chair... I am satisfied and she said they would schedule us for first on next Thursday.

and next week will be day before blood work and same old same old AGAIN with the white headed bear.

Bob's surgery

We did not get the surgery, long story, still has to have it removed, were there for over 6 hours and came home with out it. Decisions to make. details later. we are fine, other than AGGRAVATED TO THE MAX...

Today In Our Lives...

Today I am not at TOPS, because Today Bob is having a Melanoma Cancer removed from the top left shoulder/neck, scheduled for 9 am.
 In June of 2017, he had Melanoma  removed and it has recurred in the same spot. This time requires a General Surgeon, and out patient surgery at the hospital because it will be very deep and wide... We are praying she can get clear margins to prevent more test and surgery and that it has not spread into his body.



Bob has spent every single day the sun shines out in it since 1970. He moved from Pennsylvania fleeing cold and rain and dreary days.  His skin is like leather. He says it was worth it, he is 82 years old and has enjoyed every day of his life outside.
I say this to say, if you are outside for hours, wear SPF, he did not, ever! Neither did I. I don't need it now because the sun makes me so hot I can't stay in it.

All my hundreds of photos show him just like this. He spends his day in and out of our pool, every single day and at the beach if he can.

This is the lotion the Dermatologist gave us to get his leather like skin soft enough to see the skin cancers. it worked wonders in 3 days.

Thankful Thursday..Suvivors

Today is Thankful Thursday
I am thankful for our home of 28 years and I am thankful that Bob is a Survivor and that we all 3 survived his heath issues and a few other crazy things last year that involved our truck held hostage by a broken spring on the garage door.

The year 2017 started when our water heater died and had to be replaced at a cost of $897

As I played with the mono setting on my camera, my two Men just walked around me and into the photo

Then Bob's health went berserk.

 June 9th melanoma cancer removal 

June 19th stroke

June 25th 4 hour cardiovascular surgery 

Sept 10th Hurricane Irma 

Oct Bob's Cataracts removed
He is now back to 100% from all of it.
I am thankful to have Bob and Jake to walk into my photography efforts.
Let the PHUN begin...
We made it to Feb 11, before the OUT OF POCKET started.
$490.00 for a POOL Filter, we ordered it from Amazon and it came yesterday.
VERY Thankful Bob can install it... 

I am thankful that Jake has watched Bob cook breakfast for 13 years and that Bob has cooked his own breakfast for 20 years.

Can a blind man cut hair?

Santa Bob came out of the pool for a month and had the cataract removed from his right eye. He did this to keep This from happening. 

we were leaving the surgery when I spotted their mobile eye clinic bus.

Some of you know he cuts my hair and has for 32 years now. We forgot to cut it BEFORE the surgery. Less than 48 hours after the surgery I was complaining bitterly about my long hair itching and adding 10 pounds to my weight and 10 years to my looks.

Santa Bob says to Sandra Claus, get the scissors and I will cut it now. I said are you sure you will not cut my ear off? I don't want a blind man cutting my hair. Yada Yada Blah Blah Blah

GET the SCISSORS he said gently.

He did it and I still have both ears PLUS I weigh less, I look younger..

Santa Bob plays with scissors for the SHEAR fun of it... and to stop my YAPPING!