Author: a gdovin girl

Okay, part 1 of door 1 is complete.  This photo shows the color way more blue than the actual color.  Really leans more towards a medium teal color (think Tiffany’s little blue box).  Already brightened up the living room.  Hubs is picking up new Venetian hand rubbed hinges and door locks/handles.  Already taped off for new white glossy trim! Don’t change that channel…

We are residing in a tiny little condo on the East side of Tucson, and have no plans of leaving for quite awhile. This condo is the cutest condo I have seen. The bones are really good. There are a lot of unique features both inside and outside. However, the condo was built in 1983 – so there is a lot of outdated design features that I am planning on upgrading. For my first project – the interior doors.

First up – the front door!

This is a solid wood door – nice and heavy and textured – but it is just flat and plain. That is what I plan to change. All of the trim throughout is a cream color, which for me, makes the trim feel dirty. As each door is re-finished, the trim will be painted glossy white to brighten the house in general.

Grandpa says he awoke some time later with perhaps, a bad dream. He was softly sobbing and was comforted in the arms of Grandpa while patting Grandpa’s back as Grandpa patted his. Back to his bed and off to sleep until a bit after 6 a.m.

Mommy soon came to gather the little guy and his belongings.  A very successful first sleepover!

I spent morning hours of each day this week in the garage, combing through bins and boxes and sorting keepsakes from yard sale treasures.  My back feels every single book I picked up and every single bin I filled.  Glad that is done.  Bonus:  I got reacquainted with some old friends … Hello my little pink mixer!

                                                                            
Time in Colorado, Arizona, & Virginia!

                       GOT MILK?

Celebrated Bob’s 59th birthday with email wishes from friends and family, phone call from Jeffry and Mom Anne, and a surprise phone call from his cousin Teri Lynn.  He enjoyed them all!  Oklahoma City is hot and muggy.  The hotel ice machines are broken – thank goodness for little gas stations with crushed ice!  Kind of an early evening which was nice so Bob could get started on his daily dialysis at the right time instead of starting at 11 o’clock at night.  On to Albuquerque NM tomorrow.

Passing through St Louis Missouri, I spotted a distinguished old gentleman of a boarded up building and immediately my mind was envisioning the re-emergence of this office and warehouse building into a grand loft apartment building.  Makes me sick to see such beauty covered with boards and left to the elements and the taggers.  There should be a law. 

I thought the arch to St Louis actually DID something – like maybe introduced a bridge entrance or something grand.  It just sits there.  A big old arch of steel.  It’s pretty, but I mean it just sits there!

Now we end our day’s journey in Afton, Oklahoma (Grand Lake on Monkey Island).  I checked.  No monkeys.  But a beautiful resort and staying in a small condo is way nicer than a hotel.  Thanks, Chris Mundle!  Even had a washer and dryer and we did a bit of laundry, ate dinner and then zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

 Louisville today is best known as the location of the Kentucky Derby, the first of three annual thoroughbred horse races making up the Triple Crown.

Always a treat to see our first Granddaughter, but especially meaningful that Tristan (19 next month!!) drove 3 hours and 40 minutes, to be exact, to visit us before we head back to Arizona. She is such a beautiful and thoughtful young lady.Grandma does like to spoil, so I simply had to take her to Charming Charlies where we found the perfect headwear and accessory! I have been buying her outfits since she bounced into our lives at the age of 2, so why change now? I think I get that from my Grandma Tabor who bought me an outfit every time she came to Grand Junction, or we visited her in Denver. It’s in the genes!Gramps and I miss her and love her very much. She recently passed her state boards as a CNA and is working on getting into a university to become an RN. She can do it.Until next time, my Tristan Lee Sassy Marie! XOXO

Blessings come in all shapes and sizes and with some complications.  I guess that is why they are generally spoken of as mixed Blessings!  When we moved to Virginia almost two years ago, we had no idea of some of the challenges that were coming our way.  Nor did we ever expect the miracle that was offered. 

We knew that Bob would need a kidney transplant sometime in the future – maybe 5-10 years down the road.  Needless to say, that future came quickly and at full force when a year ago Bob was in full end stage renal failure and was put on daily dialysis and disability.  Through the surgeries for the dialysis implant (2 of them) and trips to the ER (one resulting in an 8 day stay for peritonitis), Bob has remained in good spirits and hopeful for a transplant while I, true to my nature, have whined about the unfairness of it all and wah wah wah.

We have been able to spend some time with the gentle grandson, Mateo and the ever entertaining Marluce, and Ricky and Katia.  Not to say that Mateo is not also entertaining! (Mateo was reading the label on a spray cleaner he noticed in our bathroom.  He relayed to his parents and us that what a good idea that was since the bottle said kills flu germs and thought that would be a good idea to spray on people so they wouldn’t get sick!)  We had holidays with Megan and Kyle and birthday parties and just plain fun, and even TWO visits from the Tucson Mundles!  We went to a horse show and wandered up and down streets in Leesburg and Alexandria and Georgetown snapping photos of doors.  I love doors.

I fell in love with Georgetown the first time Ricky and Katia took me there.  We stepped out of the car to walk the sidewalks and I marveled as the buildings turned from 4 story down to 1 story and a modern Pottery Barn to quaint little mom and pop shops with our final destination – Ben & Jerry’s!  Quaint is fun, but no sense in suffering.

Anyway, I digress.  The hubs and I had a Sunday afternoon date in Georgetown.  Spending around 3 hours walking around the town photographing doors (me) and architecture, people and plants with an additional hour for a lunch break at Uno’s. 

I have been quite remiss on journals on my blog and updating events.  Well, that’s about to change as I catch up January through May!

(introducing himself to one of Grandpa’s dialysis nurses)
I’m Mateo and this is Marluce.  I’m the big one.

(meeting 2 year old Jordan)
Whoa.  We’re going to have to take it easy with this one.  He’s just a little guy.

(getting ready to feed an apple to Zeba, the pony)
Uh, here Grandma.  You do it.  No sense in having him think both of our fingers are little carrots.

Oh – and one Ricky-ism:
Ricky:  They have alpacas?
Katia just stares at him.
Me:  That’s a GOAT!

note:  Ricky was mostly an indoor type of child.

 

I am sitting on the marble steps on the mezzanine of the Jefferson Memorial. Breezes and sunshine spills over me as I relax and write and listen to the tourists and the children enjoying their day. There are several out of place plastic yellow warning signs on various marble steps warning of slippery conditions. I can only imagine just how slippery the marble steps could get in rain and snow. Marble. Huge beautiful slabs of gray and white marble. Stunning.  Except for the yellow plastic signs.

I have the best seat in the house, settling down on the steps with a gigantic pillar as a backrest. I am looking over the Potomac River watching the ripples following one another, perfectly choreographed ballet by Mother Nature herself. Hundreds of buildings of all shapes and heights are muted in the background of massive trees. Trees as far as the eye can see. Reminds me of Colorado, but no mountains. No mountains here to guide me north or south of east or west. I don’t understand how people can get their bearings without mountains. No. Not like Colorado with the Grand Mesa marking the East and the majestic lady Mount Garfield marking the North.

Walking around the memorial I pass a mixed clump of trees, deciduous and coniferous, highlighted with ivy creeping up the trunks and trailing up a small hill of carefully manicured soil. And just for a moment, I can see Mom with her fishing pole in one hand and coffee in the other while Dad pokes at the campfire causing the flames to rise and the little foil wrapped packets of God only knows what, to sizzle and pop loudly. For that moment I am back on the Grand Mesa and so many years younger. I catch myself smiling.

I am jostled back to the present by a child’s pleas to go and visit the White House. The pleading child seems to think that the White House door will open and the Obama girls will reach out to the pleading child and with a sweet hello, they are off to play Go Fish and build towers of Lego’s. My thoughts give way to the disappointment that lies ahead of the young tourist, as the reluctant dad responds with a sigh, “well, let’s go then”.

We had planned a few years back to have a 40th Anniversary party and Tristan was going to make a cake and I was getting 4 diamond stacking bands – one for each decade, and Bob would finally get his new diamond and black onyx ring. Circumstances changed and as those dreams were put on hold for another time. We decided to quietly celebrate with a trip into DC (only about a 30 minute drive) and I could sight see and write, and Bob could ride his bicycle and take photos. He does take great photos. The hours passed a little too quickly. We walked. We shot photos. We ran into a Nikon lady (she called Bob a Canon man, so I am guessing there is some competition between owners of Canon and Nikon. She took a few shots of us near the pansy’s and under the magnolia tree.

It was a beautiful day of sunshine and blossoms, shared memories and rekindled love. And maybe that is what forty years is all about. Maybe it isn’t the big party and the cake and the new rings. Maybe it is holding hands under the magnolia tree, and knowing you are destined to be together for the next forty years.

Thanks to Kerri for sharing this.

that Bob and I moved back to Grand Junction and bought my childhood home.  Added a 2 car garage (it would be the only one in the neighborhood for sure) and remodeled everything, leaving enough as a reminder of the original home it was.  When I awoke, I was still “day dreaming” about what color I would paint the house and in my mind, I added shutters and left the big living room and kitchen windows intact.  It was a fun dream.  Maybe someday …

Always nice to have some eye candy around – in color or black and white – stunning beauties.

It is my belief that Jeffry showed Maxwell how to tear the paper and then attempted a guilt free look when the deed actually happened.  Jeffry’s perseverance in mastering  the camera’s intricate timer, finally paid off.

Left late afternoon to explore a bit more.  Ended up in Georgetown – quaint, busy, little town which is actually kind of a part of DC.  Picked up a cupcake from the famous Food Network Channel Georgetown Cupcakes.  Yummy.  Walked down a few blocks to Clyde’s.  A wonderful feel of the “boy’s club” with rich looking woods and discreet seating areas and statues.  Casual elegance is how I would classify the atmosphere.  Towards the end of our dining experience, a small group of young adults came in singing Christmas carols.  Perfect ending to a beautiful date night.

Bob had surgery on Thursday to implant the access device which will allow him to perform his own peritoneal dialysis during his sleep at home. Dialysis should begin before the end of the year. With it, should come a bit of re-energizing, as the toxins are filtered out of his body. He will remain on disability until the end of the year, at least. Dialysis will most likely be a nightly routine until a kidney is available. As a sobering reminder that everyone with a driver’s license should sign up to be a donor. You never know just who you could be helping.

I have never been one to face my own mortality, and have expressed to friends and family, that it is not death that I fear, but the absence of knowing everything that is going on AND being able to voice my opinions on such. Alas, I have been informed by well educated Catholics and Mormons and Methodists and Lutherans and Baptists and more, that will not be the case. I am hoping that perhaps by the time I do face my time to leave this earth, He may grant me special dispensation to stay involved. I am fairly certain He will. And, yes. I am shamelessly kissing up to God. But, even with my fears, I am also excited at the prospect of being a donor when my time comes. If my heart that is overflowing with love for those grand babies and family and friends, can beat in another and love even more babies, that is exciting to me.

We made the move to Virginia with certain expectations. Some of those were realized, and unfortunately, some were not. This whole dialysis situation was never on the list, and has kind of thrown us for a loop (as my mother would have said). But, we are looking at the brighter side of home treatments that do not interfere with any activities. Bob will be able to work and bike and travel and anything else he chooses to do, with the exception of swimsuit modeling due to the abdominal access. Someone will come to our home, no matter where we live, every month and check our supplies and machine, deliver more supplies, rotate the stock, and we do not have to lift a finger. Arrangements will be made for our travel to have supplies shipped to wherever we are staying and a machine delivered for short term use.

All in all, it is a blessing. And that is the way we are looking at it. We have travel plans and fun things we want to do around and in DC. We have only just scratched the surface.

On a side note, Jeffry is bicycling in the Tour de Tucson this year for the American Diabetes Association. Please go to his site make a donation if you are able. Every dollar helps. We are honored that Jeffry has taken up this worthy cause on behalf of his dad and others. He’s a good egg, that kid!

It really is a whole new world. And we are ready.

Jeffry dances silly in the background to entertain Max while I work on the storage in Tucson.

As some of you already know, the hubs is preparing to begin dialysis while he awaits a donor kidney. He has been going to weekly doctor visits and having heart tests (so far so good) and sonograms of the kidneys (not so good) and blood tests, etc. He has some more tests to undergo before the first challenge. (Challenge is the word I shall use instead of “procedures that almost make me poo my pants” and it is not even being performed on me! But when you have been together for over 40 years, when he hurts, I hurt.) A cardiologist and a nephrologist and the primary care physician must all sign off before we take any steps further. That should all be done next week. Bob has already met with the Dialysis Nurse who will train us both in home peritoneal dialysis.

We were required to attend a class yesterday at the Inova Fairfax Hospital and meet with just 2 members of the transplant team. There are many more to meet one on one, but that comes a bit later. The class lasted two hours and walked us a thorough list of step 1, 2, 3 etc. The information was amazing and overwhelming at the same time. There were probably 15 or so other patients some with spouses. You think that you need a kidney and the doctors and nurses just handle everything and in 4-8 years, voila! A new pink healthy kidney! Not so fast, Sir!

Bob will be required to maintain a certain BMI, weekly doctor visits, make calls to the hospital at various times, lots of paperwork (that part don’t bother me so much! I LOVE paperwork.) And then there are options for live donors and for domino surgeries. Such as:

Mr 1 needs an A or B or AB kidney. Hubs needs an O kidney. I have an AB kidney and Mrs 1 also has an AB kidney but the cross match is not compatible for her Mr 1. Mrs. 2 has an O kidney and her Mr 2 needs an AB kidney and his cross match IS compatible to Mrs 1. So, they can perform a domino surgery with up to 8 patients and

Mr 1 gets a kidney from me.
Bob gets a kidney from Mrs 2
Mr 2 gets a kidney from Mrs 1

How cool is that? That, of course, depends on whether or not I qualify. That is a whole other list of check marks and doctor visits.

One of the transplant team members took each photo id of the patients and their insurance cards and started a file. Each patient had their photo taken to go into the file. As we complete paperwork and medical testing we submit papers and they call and tell us the next step and there will be some type of 6 hour meetings with different members of the transplant teams one on one instead of class format. They pretty much get to know Bob inside and out and the entire procedure is fairly impressive, I have to say.

Anyway, this is just the beginning. I have a four page form to complete and a 2 page form to complete. After I submit that, then Bob has another heart testing next week and not sure what else, and then we submit all of that information and we wait for the team to call us for the next set of meetings. It is a little scary and quite amazing. But for now, I am taking deep breaths and one day at a time.