Surviving winter...california style

Dear Friends and Family,

Nan is resting in her chair waiting for me to finish this blog so we can head to bed. She has had an interesting day with ups and downs. We rolled out this morning around 8, it was so cold that I headed back to bed a couple times before finally finding my robe, slippers and heading downstairs. I found a cold house, the furnace had failed to maintain 68. Instead it was 63 so the first priority was to build a fire. This process was simplified because coals from last night were still glowing. Always helps to have a warm stove to start with. Then I found a hot drink, my chair, the computer and went to work. I knew I needed to head to Tracy for a construction inspection for a just started new home and go by and see Mimi who is battling throat cancer and needed some help. She is a fellow appraiser who was trained by the same wonderful people who trained Nan and me, the Vogels. Just as I was ready to leave Di and Steve Souza called. They are friends who we trained in the appraisal business several years ago and who have since retired and moved to Boulder City. They were visiting in the area and it was great to visit with them for a few minutes and share war stories. They are precious people who we wish we could spend more time with. They brought us some nice Christmas gifts. So I left for Tracy later than I planned.

Julie, wound care nurse, came this morning to change the tummy dressing and drain bag. There is very little leaking evident this evening. Only a trickle in the collection bag, good news. Unfortunately the strength that Nan felt last night diminished and she felt quite a lot of pain today. She had her heart set on beginning to wrap presents and is going to get to it soon. She was forced to stay fairly low today due to the increased pain and suffering.

When I finished in Tracy I headed to Brentwood to pick up my meds, shoot a new photo of the rear of a home in very poor condition and find a Christmas tree. Nan called to tell me she was not able to get a renewal on her pain patches faxed to the pharmacy because it required a triplicate form. While she was prepared for me to just pick up the form on tuesday I was not so I called the oncologist on her cell phone and drove to Concord, picked up the prescription, drove back to Brentwood to turn it in to Longs Drugs, then headed out to locate a Christmas tree. We have discovered that at this point the prices are very reasonable on nice trees. But place after place I searched and found no trees. Finally I found one at Home Depot by Lonetree Way, Christmas traffic was terrible and road rage seemed more evident than Christmas spirit. Then back to Longs and then to the little house for a photo, the painters were not completed with their work the first time and finally home. The tree worked its magic on the car, it smelled so good all the way home.

At home I found Nan and Keanna playing, Nikki upstairs in the christmas room wrapping and everyone needing some warmth. I got a fire going and then relaxed for a minute with Nan and Keanna. She was busy creating a story line with her hospital play set. All too soon Nikki had to go and they left. Then we opened the gifts from Di and Steve, cute little mugs filled with all the fixings for great hot chocolate in one and apple cider in the other. What fun we had as we figured out how to create the drinks. I headed to the garage to locate Christmas wrapping boxes which are now spread all over the floor and Nan spent time creating a beautiful bow for the top of the Christmas tree we already have standing in the living room. She kept at it until it was just right, she wished she had paid closer attention when they were showing how to tie a bow on Rachael Ray but she was pretty sleepy with meds on that day in the hospital.

The fire did its best and now the room is 73 and very sleepy and comfortable. We continue to look foward to seeing Dana on Christmas day, her friend Bonnie can't locate a flight now so we will see her in the spring. Having Dana come to visit is sort of like Santa Claus, she is so jolly, positive and makes good things happen. Truly we can't wait.

Tomorrow morning I get to take Miss Keanna to Sabbath School and I hear she has a very nice red dress to wear. Should be great fun.

In retrospect this has been a rather long week. We started last sunday night as we drove to SF, then monday all day at the hospital with a successful procedure, then the long ride home tuesday morning, then back to a different hospital on thursday for the day, late dinner last night. Busy and rewarding. Our lives are challenging and with many blessings along the way. We thank God for a safe time on the roads in rain, fog, for safe times in the hospitals, for a warm bed, good meds, TPN, for getting to see Keanna swim and play, for enough work to keep us busy and for the ability to sleep at night. Especially we thank those who have had time to call and just talk, Nan is always touched by the kindness of the calls.

Please pray that God will continue to guide in our lives and in the recovery of Nan.

love

seasons greetings, Jesus is alive and well and cares for each of us personally.

tim and nan