Category: Support

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“I Wish I Could See…”

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Sometime in February our daughter called to tell us her eye doctor had diagnosed her with detached retinas in both eyes. She needed surgery. Her left eye was worse than the right eye, and they considered it an emergency. She had no center vision in her left eye.

They made some referrals, and the referral made another referral, so that she ended going to a university hospital several hours from their home. Long story short, they did the surgery on the first eye the first week of March, and the second one two weeks later. They put a “buckle” in both eyes, but fortunately she didn’t need the “bubbles,” which is a very long and arduous recovery. Almost immediately she could see better, but it’s still a very long healing process. Initially she couldn’t lift anything over five pounds. She has been unable to drive since the first surgery, as her vision is so blurry it is akin to not wearing glasses before the surgery (she’s very nearsighted, which is most likely the risk factor causing the detachment). She is also warned not to strain her eyes.

She’s in college, has a family with two elementary aged children, and she still can’t drive.

What does this have to do with my metastatic breast cancer journey? Or traveling in an Airstream as full-timers? It connects to my story because we never know what might pop up along the way that can change the trajectory of our path. It could be a new lesion, or side-effect of the medication. It could be a break-down in something Airstream related. We just have to be willing to be flexible and go with the flow. That doesn’t come easy for a planner, but God’s still working on me!

The patient becomes the caregiver.

We were in Florida when we received the call, and we immediately started thinking about how we could help her. Should we leave immediately and fly up, or take the Airstream, or wait and see? We had plans to go back to Texas visiting capitol buildings along the way, attend some rallies (which were already paid for in non-refundable payments), check on the new house build, and stay in Texas until June or later depending on the progress of our house. How might this change those well-made plans? Sometimes, the cancer patient becomes the caregiver to someone in their family or circle of friends. It’s what we do. It’s called life.

We considered taking the trailer as we didn’t know how long she would need us, but the RV parks in this area have yet to turn on their water, due to freezing temperatures. Her husband decided to take off work until the beginning of April, so that gave us time to attend the rallies and find a place to settle in Texas. We booked flights and headed north to help her out once we got the Airstream settled in at a gated RV park in Montgomery. Tim had a work visit with a church, and it’s not too far from her, so that helped defray some of the costs. We really miss our home!

Aside, we are happy to have made the decision to purchase the Airstream Classic. It has a multiplex system that allows us to turn the A/C or Heat on and off as needed. It doesn’t have an “auto” feature (yet), so we have been checking the internal temperature and turning it on as needed.

Hanging out with Dad before he flies home.

We originally planned on flying back to Houston yesterday, but Elizabeth still doesn’t have new glasses so she can barely see. She needs a ride to the hospital for her follow-up consult now that Anthony is working. Tim has a biopsy scheduled for a spot on his nose that he has put off for way longer than needed, so he went back on the original flight. Getting him there was a bit of drama in itself, as we had a rental car from the airport three hours away and one of us would need a ride. Tim found a local guy who transports to the airport, and they had a nice chat all the way there. I stayed behind for another week and I’ll return the car when I get there. Logistics!

I was fortunate to get the exact same flight schedule at no additional charge. I can change the flight again if necessary, but that would require missing medicine (I didn’t bring enough to go past Monday), and rescheduling appointments at MD Anderson. At this point we are praying Elizabeth will have glasses on Friday so she can get used to them over the weekend and then I can head home the day after Easter. I took her to her local eye doctor who gave her a prescription. She will be able to see 20-20 out of her right eye with new glasses. That’s progress! Her left eye still has a ways to go.

Tomorrow we pack up the kids in the car rental and head to Iowa City for Elizabeth’s follow-up appointment with her surgeon; we hope to get her new glasses there. Iowa City has a same-day eyeglasses store in town that can make her a cheap, temporary pair until her vision settles and she can get a new more permanent prescription. That should be about three to six months from now, but at least she will be able to drive!

I’m sitting in her community college lobby as I type this, feeling a bit reminiscent of my own college days. I’m watching young students come and go while waiting for Elizabeth to attend two of her classes so I can once again be her seeing eye dog and chauffeur for lunch. I went with her to Bible study last week, which she attends on Wednesdays, and one of the students who goes to it just walked by and acknowledged me, asking if I would be there again today, saying that they enjoyed having me. That was a good feeling as I thought I added some depth to the room with some of my comments, but you never know how students will react.

Looking at illustrations in poetry books for children, in our hotel lobby.

I have enjoyed helping with her children’s literature class!

As I have been reading her book chapters and poetry aloud, typing what she dictates, and helping her finish assignments, I sometimes have to turn the screen away so she does’t squint and try to read what’s on the page. While her attitude is positive, she keeps saying, “I wish I could see,” usually with a laugh of frustration.

We never know how much we use our sight until we no longer have it. Don’t take it for granted. Holy Week, leading up to Easter, is a great time to remember to thank God every day for the ability to see, hear, walk, talk, and everything else He has given you for free. Especially remember the sacrifice of His one and only Son. His arms are stretched out for you. Can you see?

À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

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Book Review – Before We Were Yours

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Here I am in chemo again, reading my book. 😉

I love the cover, as the emotion is so evident in the lives of these children. I envision Rill on the left, who felt totally responsible for taking care of her siblings.

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate was selected for our April book club. This one was much better than the last one, but it was still a difficult and sad story to read. The story is based on a real place called the Tennessee Children’s Home Society, whose owner Georgia Tann tricked families into giving their children up for adoption (and even stole babies who were born) so she could traffic them and make money. She made a lot of pretenses about helping the children and taking good care of them, and wealthy celebrities supported her endeavors, but the book reveals the truth about the woman and her place through the eyes of some (fictitious) children who lived through it.

The shanty boat families were intriguing. Families who could not afford proper housing lived on a house boat on the Mississippi River. They kept to themselves, to avoid problems with the law. The main family that was followed in this story loved living on the river, and the children didn’t have any inclination that they were disadvantaged. They fished for food, and rowed into town for other necessities. When their mother was in the hospital giving birth to twins, Rill and her four siblings were taken away and placed in the Tennessee Children’s Home Society; their one piece of comfort was dreaming of the day they would go get to go back to the shanty boat and live with their parents. While this family is fictitious, there are pictures of shanty boat families in the book that I would imagine this family to resemble.

The story doesn’t begin there. It’s another novel that goes back and forth in time (we seem to be reading a lot of those lately). In the present day, Avery Stafford is with her Senator father attending a lady’s 100th birthday celebration at the nursing home where her high society grandmother now lives. A new resident at the home named May Crandall comes up to her and grabs her by the arm, and calls her “Fern.” Although a bit startled, she is intrigued. This event leads her down a path to solve a mystery, especially when she follows May to her room and sees a picture of May and her own grandmother on a table in May’s room. The book really takes off toward the second half, as Avery is learning about her grandmother’s hidden past, while learning about her own heritage in the process.

I shared a personal foster story with my book club, based on one of the questions in the book. There were a set of boys at the orphanage, who reminded me of my foster brother Jerry Meyers. He lived with us for two years from the time starting when he was 11, the same age as my brother Shawn. I was 7. If you were friends of my family back in the late 60s early 70s, you may remember Jerry. The boys in the book’s orphanage were incorrigible, as was Jerry, and older boys were rarely adopted. They felt unloved, and therefore acted unloving toward others. Jerry had been tossed back and forth from one foster home to another so he never learned how to love or trust his family. My mother made it her mission to love Jerry with the unconditional love of Jesus, and he had a radical transformation under her care. After two years his father (who had basically disowned him) decided to take him back. Why not, he was much better now. We saw him once more when he turned 18 and sought out my mother, but then we completely lost touch with him after that. I often wonder what happened to Jerry.

Anyway, the book was very good. It touched on a lot of emotions. It was a hard story to read, but an important piece of history. We discussed human trafficking, and how it still happens today. It’s just harder to put a name or face to the perpetrators in our day. Somehow Georgia Tann got away with this for three decades, but she died from cancer before the investigation could result in a conviction. I wonder how many others are getting away with this today because people are desperate to adopt a child, and they put their faith in an entity that they know little about. Definitely food for thought.

On a lighter note, it has been two years since they started the book club at the Canopy, and thus it was time for a celebration. the Canopy provides a variety of support services to cancer survivors (and warriors), all for free. They also sponsor my Spanish class. Click the link if you or a friend want to know more about how to get involved in the Canopy.

Here is our fearless leader’s synopsis of our time together.

Eight of us gathered to celebrate our second anniversary of the Canopy Book Club.  We all liked the book and thought it was an easy read and some of us would read it again!!!! Especially since the names of the children had changed at the Tennessee Children’s Home Society by the terrible Georgia Tann.  We all couldn’t believe that a Memphis woman could cause so much pain, death and child trafficking and people went along with it for decades.  We discussed how Rill/May and her siblings were so poor on the Arcadia but were so loved by Queenie and Briny and they never forgot it. We discussed how the sisters kept their history to themselves rather than sharing it with their families.  

One woman shared a family secret that she found out through researching her genealogy but kept it to herself.  We talked about adoption and another member shared the journey of both her children who have adopted children and how different the birth mother’s stories were.  This was such a sad and heartbreaking story but we all thought it needed to be told.

We rated the book 8.4.

À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

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Wheel! Of! Fortune!

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If you’ve been following my journey, you will recall when I was first diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer we didn’t know how long I would have to live. We were told anything from nine months to a year, maybe a year and a half. Here I am more than seven years later. My body is stable, and I’m still going strong. Praise the Lord for His boundless mercies, protection and healing! ❤️❤️

When I started feeling better (and it became evident the doctors were wrong on their predictions), we made a commitment to live life to the fullest. You never know how long you’re going to have on La Terre (Earth), no matter what your circumstances, so why wait until retirement to enjoy the one life we have? You will read a lot of stories about our travels, books I’ve read, ministry, and fun times we have experienced because of this decision.

In addition to motorcycling, Airstreaming, driving the Mini Cooper, and playing with the grandchildren, we also watch a lot of television. We watch movies, but our go to in the evening — we like to eat dinner while watching Wheel of Fortune. We even tape all the episodes so we can go back and watch them when we are away. I’m pretty good at the puzzles. Some of my friends have been on the show (jealous!) and I would like to do that one day.

In the hallway of Studio 11, waiting to watch the taping of WOF.

Well, for Christmas, my hilarious husband gave me a very thoughtful and unique gift of attending a taping in Culver City, California. The show itself is free; you just have to sign up! Tim used points for the flight, so we just had to pay for the hotel and our food while we are there. He decided to give me a first class experience all the way, so we flew first class on points and stayed in the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, a Luxury Hotel in the Marriott collection. We had the same server each morning. She was terrific! We gave her a five-star review, and she should get a bonus. We hope so as she was so good.

Breakfast was included and boy was it delicious! Decadent. i wanted to take that little iron teapot home.

We didn’t rent a car at the airport because it cost $70 per night to park it at the hotel. We took Uber or walked everywhere we wanted to go. We did make one exception and rented a car one day to go do some site seeing, and to retrieve my purse 🤦‍♀️😔🙄🥴. (I left it on the plane, and fortunately a United employee found it. They had it ready for me to pick up the next day! PTL!).

Ironically, I didn’t even realize I had left it until we got all the way to the hotel and I was getting out of the Uber. “Where’s my purse?” That’s when I realized I must have left it in the plane. On my seat. We were in a hurry to get off the plane. I laid it down to put my book away, and left it there. It’s a horrible feeling when you lose your purse. On the side of caution I immediately cancelled my debit cards and put a hold on my credit cards, but I never really felt like I was in jeopardy. I believed I would get it back, and I did.

Historic Santa Monica Pier. Yummy freshly made churros!

After driving to the airport to get my purse, we took the rest of that day and drove around the area in our rental. We went to the Historic Santa Monica Pier, drove up to Griffith Observatory (didn’t park as it was too crowded), saw the famous Hollywood sign, took a ride to Airstream of Los Angeles, parked in a $3 mall garage (bought something so we could get our ticket validated and save $12), walked the Hollywood Walk of Fame (looking for Pat and Vanna), walked to the Beverly Hills sign via Rodeo Drive, had dinner at a nice restaurant in the Golden Triangle, and then walked back to our hotel.  That paragraph alone could take up a whole blog! Or two.

We didn’t see Airstream on the Walk of Fame, but Wally Byam needs a star! ⭐️ 🌟 🤩

On to the Wheel!

We discovered too late before we left home that we were supposed to call and confirm our spot 5-7 days in advance. 🤦‍♀️ Originally we were supposed to be there for the taping on Thursday, Jan. 11th, but since we called too late to confirm, the guy transferred us to Friday Jan. 12.  So it ended up being the last thing we did on this trip.

The taping is for Sweetheart’s week, so maybe that was providential ❤️❤️.  The three shows we saw will be aired on Feb. 12, 13, and 14. We were sitting right in the middle of the crowd, if you look closely at the pan from the back at the very beginning of each show (if they do it). 😜 😉 

We were in the studio audience, but my dream is to be on stage as a contestant someday. I told Tim we are getting good practice, as we now know how the stage looks, where the used letter board is, what they do with the contestants between tapings, and what happens when there is a glitch.

We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside the studio, but we got some outside and in the hall during our bathroom break. We also took a few pictures of the other studios, which have names of the movies that were filmed inside there. I’ve included some scenes from our trip in this blog. What a GREAT experience. I recommend doing this if you have a favorite show.

We should have posed like Pat and Vanna (missed opportunity) 🙄🥴😂

I must admit, recovering from the glitch during the taping was pretty cool to watch, and perhaps my favorite moment. They had listed the wrong final tally for one of the couples during the third taping (to be aired on Valentine’s Day). Pat noticed the error as soon as he said it, then said, “let’s just stop so we can get this right.” He wasn’t upset. He just asked them politely.

He waited a couple of minutes, talked to the couple, then walked off the stage while the staff cued up the tape that had been rolling. All the couples stood there waiting. When they were ready for him, he went back on stage, stood between the couple exactly how they were standing before, he was cued and they started the tape rolling. Pat seemlessly started talking when the tape got to the point immediately prior to where they had messed up the first time. I doubt anyone will even notice it, and I was super impressed with how they did that. I guess that’s why they pay him the big bucks! Fun to witness the other side of Sony Pictures!

So memorable, and that was the culmination of our experience in Beverly Hills. 

I won’t give away the puzzles (I probably can’t remember them all anyway 😂😂), but I will say it was fun to watch two out of three couples who went to the bonus round actually win the bonus round. That’s all I’ll say about that.

À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

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Redeeming Love – Book Review

I had a hard time writing this book review. For starters, I recommended this book to my book club, and it was a flop. Or was it?

I saw the movie a while ago and remembered hearing from some friends that the book was very good. Even better than the movie. I had in the back of my mind to read it one day. But I never actually did.

On the day of my chemo I went to give blood. Somehow, my phlebotomist and I got onto the subject of books. (I think I had Lessons in Chemistry with me at the time.) She told me her all-time favorite book, which she picks up and re-reads every year, is Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers. Hmm. That’s interesting. She is a believer, and the story resonates with her.

While I was getting chemo, our book club leader reached out to me and said the lady who was meant to pick our February book wasn’t able to be there. Could I choose one? This book seemed to be in the forefront of my mind for a reason. It’s about love, and February is the month of love, so why not. I asked if it was okay to choose a Christian book; she said no problem! I offered this best seller as a recommendation.

I enjoyed the book. It is a very sad story about a woman forced into the sex industry from the time she was a child. It may seem like fiction, but I was thinking about all the real-life scenarios where this is happening today. It’s easy to just “forget about it,” and move on with our lives. Yet, many women deal with this on a day to day basis.

Along comes Mr. Hosea, who loves her from the moment he sets eyes on her (he doesn’t know Angel is a prostitute). He hears God speaking to him, telling him this is the woman for him. The story progresses from there as his unconditional love drives him to pursue a relationship with her. A godly relationship. His love eventually redeems her from the repugnant life she was living, but not without its many hardships along the way.

One other group member and I rated this book a 9. (She is also a believer, and has worked with teens who were sex trafficked.) The other group members were not as impressed, rating it as low as 4 or 5. I think one member even rated it a 2. Some thought the characters could have been developed more fully. (I agreed. This is why I rated it a 9, but I didn’t think that should knock off 6 or 8 points. ) It seems the connection to the Bible, Scriptural references, and the concept of hearing from God and loving someone in spite of their spiritual ugliness were a bit too much for some of the group members to swallow.

At the end of each meeting, our group leader summarizes our conversation and sends it to us in an email. I thought she captured the discussion well. Here is her summary.

“Ten of us gathered on this wet afternoon to discuss Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.  This book brought a lot of discussion and topics especially sex trafficking.  We all felt bad reading this book and also thought there wasn’t a lot of character development.  For those of us who did not know the biblical story of Hosea, a prophet, who marries Gomer who is a prostitute, would have been beneficial to understand the book.  Sarah/Angel who is Gomer, we all felt opened our eyes to the never ending cycle of prostitution and how she used it like money and the only thing she knew how to do.  Some of us shared personal stories of working in the sex trafficking arena and how hard they become and how hard it is to break the cycle which is so heartbreaking.  We were frustrated with the story at the end and felt it was wrapped up very quickly after all the angst.  For those of you who would like to watch the movie, it is on Prime Video.  Here is the Roger Ebert summary and review: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/redeeming-love-movie-review-2022
We rated the book a 5.05.”

~ Our Group Leader

I came away from the meeting feeling a little defeated, to be honest, since I was the one who recommended the book. I was glad to read a book that didn’t drop “F” bombs, as well as one that told a story of restoration. I naïvely thought other people would like it too, and I thought they would value a greater understanding of sex traffic victims. The books we read before this one ended abruptly, and had a few literary flaws, but the group didn’t drop down their rating as much as they did on this one. That was a surprise to me. There must have been other reasons. Perhaps their distaste was primarily due to the Christian emphasis.

I’m a little skittish about recommending another book. 😳

The link to Roger Ebert’s summary (above) of the movie was beneficial. It is a good review, and it did help me understand why the others in my book club may have rated the book so low. I understood when he said the author may have been “preaching to the choir.” Our group identified their lack of understanding of the story of Hosea and Gomer (I explained it to them). The book definitely resonated more with those of us who have a Christian background. Background definitely impacts how one may view a story. I think Francine Rivers missed the boat here. She could have had a greater impact if she had reached out to a broader audience, explaining in a prologue the story of Hosea and Gomer for those who are unfamiliar with it.

I admit there were a few points that had me confused. The author switches the names of characters throughout the book (gives them multiple names) and this could have been more clearly written. There was one character I thought could have been developed a bit further. However, as I was reading the book I was more focused on the story of redeeming love for someone who leaves, leaves again, and continues to leave the arms of Christ. Just when you think Angel is staying, she leaves again. She goes back to her prior lifestyle. She doesn’t know anything else.

This impacted me as I thought about sex traffic victims. How hard it must be to leave the only lifestyle you have learned. The only thing that earns you a living. The only thing you know how to do. The only thing that brings you “love,” albeit a twisted and ungodly form of love. Building trust would be so difficult after that; believing that someone can love you unconditionally would take a great deal of time and effort. How many men would be as patient and generous as Hosea?

Yet Hosea keeps on loving her, the same way Jesus does with us. Jesus loves us no matter what. Unconditionally! Every time we turn our back on Him, He is there watching for us to return. He wants us to. He desires a relationship with us. And He patiently waits for us to do so. He never gives up on us. And when we finally do come back, He doesn’t chastise us or make us feel bad. He wraps His loving arms around us and says, “Welcome Home.”

But, I may be preaching to the choir.

À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

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Quick Trip Between Treatments

One of our Florida friends has cancer. Not the same kind as me, but his has also metastasized. Many of you know him. We were planning a trip to Florida in December and wanted to spend a few weeks, but when a friend goes home on palliative care, you do what you can to encourage them. NOW.

Tim had some free rental days, so we rented a nice car and drove to Florida. We looked at my oncology schedule, and found about a week when we could go between treatments. We got home late last night.

We might not have recognized him had we run into him on the street. The long beard that matched ZZ Top has been replaced by a clean shaven face, thanks to several rounds of chemo and radiation to the neck and head. I believe this is the first time we have ever seen him without facial hair. His appetite has wained. He is thinner, by about 100 pounds. His voice sounds different. He walks a little slower, but he is not bedridden.

In spite of his many physical changes, we can see he’s still the same person. He loves to play games, and he even sat at the table for several hours while the boys fought battles during Axis and Allies. (I went to dinner with the ladies.) After the game, we all reminisced. We went to church together. Played in a band together. Traveled to other countries and did rock concerts. He was our tour guide because of his impeccable memory regarding historical facts. He told a joke (I was the brunt). We all laughed. It was a great night to see our friends and hopefully provide them with a bit of a distraction from every day concerns, anticipatory grief, doctors’ visits, major life-changing decisions, and so forth.

We’ve been there. We are there. We know what it’s like to be told bad news. I am so fortunate the Lord lead me to MD Anderson and a team of specialists who found treatment to keep my body alive years longer than they expected. Not everyone’s body responds to treatment the way mine has. Not all cancers respond the same way. Sometimes treatment options run out. Many times they do. I’m praying our friends find doctors who are willing to try something else to keep going.

While I was talking to his wife, I was reminded of a song I recently heard by Dolly Parton and four other women. It’s a hope for the future where “pink is just another color.” The fact is, the researchers are closer to a cure than they ever have been. That’s what I’m praying for! If you’d like to watch the music video, here’s the link. Have some tissues handy.

We saw lots of friends on this trip, in spite of the brevity. You know who good friends are when they drop what they are doing to see you while you are in town. I wish we could have seen more! Maybe next time sick friends will be feeling better and we’ll have more time to get around town to see the rest.

I just did bloodwork, and now I’m waiting for my chemo appointment. They will infuse Zometa for my bones today, in addition to the normal Herceptin and Perjeta protocol. My oncologist got the blessing from my bone specialist. We try to plan our trips in the three weeks between visits. Tim and I often sit in a café, sip hot tea or Diet Pepsi, eat lunch together, work on projects (mostly separate ones), and bounce ideas off of each other for our next trip to wherever.

It was a quick trip all the way to Florida and back, and I’m so glad we went. We have decided not to question ourselves when the Holy Spirit leads us in a particular direction. Marker on the dry-erase wall calendar has been erased and replaced multiple times. We have learned to be flexible. Cancer does that to you. The process of going through it teaches you so much about living life to the fullest, being flexible, and spending time with the ones you live.

Now, go give your loved ones a hug. ❤️❤️

À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

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Free Veggies for MBC

At MD Anderson The Woodlands chemo center, following treatment on Thursday Oct. 6th. Every three weeks!

Support goes a long way in the healing process. Companies and individuals love to give us stuff and pray for us. It’s for a good cause! Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is one of the leading causes of death for women, and there is currently no cure for it. The state of Virginia recently offered an incentive for the person who finds a cure. More companies are jumping on the bandwagon to help us until they do. I feel loved and supported by so many of you, as well as some companies with great programs. I recently joined some who offer free stuff for those of us battling this disease.

My latest is sponsored by a national group called “Unite for HER.” Their focus is on wellness from all angles. I believe I posted some pictures of the big box full of goodies they sent me just for joining. It’s legit! I have 6 “squares” in my National Extended Wellness Passport, which can be used in any combination of services including integrative therapies, whole food nutrition, and fitness. They also offer lots of free retreats, consultations, classes and more through their “All Access Pass.” My passport will renew each year in January, with six more squares!

I signed up for my first Farmbox Direct and I got my first box yesterday! It cost me 2 squares for 6 weeks of boxes. They deliver seasonal, farm fresh vegetables directly to my home. Fortunately it fell right between our travel dates, so we won’t miss a delivery. We were so excited to see what they included! Here’s a little video of our reveal.

Veggies Free for Me, Part 1

I was even more thrilled when I discovered what I thought were turnips were actually beets (aka beetroot) 😂😂. Short video explains below, and shows you the full crop. We are so farm ignorant, but I hope to learn more. Maybe I will have my own garden one day.

Name this vegetable 😂😂😂

If you have to live with something like metastatic breast cancer, you might as well enjoy the benefits that come with it. The Lord knows we can use the perks! If you or someone you know has MBC, please comment below and I’ll send you the information on how you can join as well. It’s a great program!

À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

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Medicare Miseries

I don’t talk about our finances very often; that seems to make people uncomfortable. If that describes you, please stop reading and move on to the next blog. Don’t worry, I’m not asking for money. Just reporting on our situation.

I went on disability so I wouldn’t be so stressed trying to work full-time while doing all the treatment, scans, doctor’s visits, etc. I’m pretty sure I blogged about this decision already; if you want to know more, you can go back and look for the whole disability conversation. Or, let me know and I will fill in the details.

Anyway. Here’s how it works. You have to be on disability five months before SSDI will kick in. After that, you must wait another 24 months before you can get on Medicare. I was fortunate enough to have a good job, so my health insurance (COBRA) has been hanging on in the interim. Tim has always been on my insurance, as he has been unable to get group coverage on any of his jobs.

Since leaving my employment, COBRA has gotten quite expensive to the tune of $2,500 per month (yes, you read that right), especially after they extended us past the original COBRA period. It’s a lot better than paying more than $30K per treatment. Yikes! Needless to say, we were looking forward to getting on Medicare. (Now we just have to find insurance for Tim.)

Finally, after waiting 30 months, (Woo hoo??) I got my card in the mail a couple of weeks ago, it’s official. I will be on Medicare starting in July.

For some reason, we thought this would be the “answer” to our insurance dilemmas. It’s all very confusing, however. I have not taken any action as I have been waiting for more information. Then we saw an ad for a Medicare specialist in the Impact, a freebie magazine with updates about our local area. He’s been doing this for a long time, so we scheduled a meeting.

The first thing he helped us understand is that Medicare does cost money. First of all, you have premiums to pay (based on your income). He also said that people typically purchase a supp[lement because even with the government plans there are many costs that are not covered. If you purchase “medigap” supplements, it helps fill in the gap.

Bad new. He said my options were limited until I reach 65. He said I could not get medigap supplements to cover all the additional costs. He seemed knowledgeable, and based on the information he shared, we got a bit discouraged. It looked like we were going to be out a LOT of money to pay for my healthcare costs.

I paused after starting this blog, and prayed. God, please help us discern your will. Help me understand all the ins and outs of Medicare, and help me find someone who can give me some good news.

The next thing I did was reach out to Medicare directly. It’s a government entity, so I was expecting long wait times with little support. As it turned out, my wait time was reasonable and the lady I spoke with spent nearly an hour helping me understand all our options. She didn’t seem to be in a hurry, and she provided me with some other numbers to call as well. As it turns out, we have lots more options than the other guy shared. Yes, I do qualify for Medigap insurance, and there is a number I can call to help me figure out the best plan and insurance company for me.

Here’s the interesting part. Insurance companies are not required to provide Medicare supplements to persons under 65. But some of them choose to do so. Maybe the companies the other guy sells for don’t do it, so that’s why he thought I couldn’t get it. I don’t know. But the Medicare lady gave me a list of possible providers. We just have to make sure my doctors are on all the plans.

Here’s another interesting part. The supplement you choose (for example, Medigap Part G) is the exact same coverage with each insurance company. You might pay $300 with one and over $1,000 with another. But you don’t get anything different from the more expensive company. No wonder people get discouraged! Apparently insurance companies are not limited to charging the same amount as the next guy.

So, it’s time to go shopping.

I’m still trying to matriculate through this Medicare maze, understand what they cover and what they don’t, and how to keep from going bankrupt in the process. I will spend more time on it next week. Some things can’t happen until at least June, so there’s still time to make decisions. But at least now I feel a bit more hopeful than when I first started writing this blog. Thanks to the Lord for answering my prayer.

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I’m boring!

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As I sit in front of my laptop watching the traffic outside of Panera Bread, I’m reminded of a road trip we took a few years ago with our two oldest grand-daughters. We took them to Arkansas to visit their great-mama (Tim’s mom). About half-way there, Alison (about four at the time) said in quite an emphatic voice, “I’m boring!”

Tim and I gave each other that quizzical, “what did she just say?” gaze, then busted into a gut-wrenching laugh as the translation to “I’m bored” settled in beneath the lightbulb. From that moment on, we no longer feel bored. Instead, from time to time we tell each other, “I’m boring.”

I don’t know why I’m particularly boring right now. I had a nice walk, it’s a beautiful day, I chatted with a friend, enjoyed a great salad and read some interesting stories. I have several hobbies, I’m learning a new language, and I’m working on some new books.

I sat in front of my computer and pondered, “what now?”

Perhaps I’m just a bit unmotivated rather than bored. However, this feeling did send me on a journey to read Healthline’s “Causes and Treatments for Boredom,” as well as “8 Reasons Why You Are So Easily Bored,” in Psychology Today. (Hmmm, there was a mention of autism. Perhaps I’m on the spectrum 😳.) And I read WebMD’s “Signs of Boredom.”

I also recalled some information about boredom from my marriage and family training. In the Prepare/Enrich assessment, individuals and couples are assessed on a number of factors. Stress is one of them. Stress is a curvilinear factor. What this means is: too little or too much stress can lead to a lack of production or even dysfunction. Too much stress can lead to anxiety, or depression. Boredom occurs when we have too little stress in our lives. We need just the right amount of stress to keep us moving, feel good, and accomplish our goals.

Now that I’m on a roll, it’s time to look at what the Scriptures have to say on the subject. Interestingly enough, the word “boredom” doesn’t appear in the Bible. If you search for it, you will find multitudes of passages where a woman “bore” a child, and where Jesus “bore our sins on the cross.” I would hardly equate these to boredom! Moving on…

Many Proverbs describe boredom in terms of laziness, and slothfulness. You know the sloth, the cutest (always smiling) creature that can barely move because it is sooooooo tired.

Hmmm. Not sure I like that one. I love the sloth and one day I want to see one in person, but I don’t want to be one. He could probably use a bit more stress in his life. I don’t want to be like the sloth unless my stress level gets too high, and then some sloth advice might come in handy. For example, “don’t hurry, be happy,” “hang in there,” “sometimes doing nothing is time well spent,” and “don’t quit; keep climbing.” But when I am boring, it is probably not the best time to sit and contemplate the sloth’s guidance on life.

Other Scriptures tell us what to do to overcome boredom. Paul directs us to serve the Lord with zeal, and not to be lazy in our service. I’ll tuck that one into my hip pocket for sure. I never want to be a sloth when it comes to serving the Lord. Here’s what Paul says in Romans.

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

Romans 12:11 (ESV)

Be fervent, he says. Merriam Webster defines fervent as 1.very hot, or glowing, like the fervent sun, and 2. exhibiting or marked by great intensity of feeling, or zealous. When’s the last time you were on fire for Christ?

One way to overcome boredom is to do something different. Bump up the stress level just a little bit. Take on a new challenge. Find another purpose for the moment, the day, or this season of life. Look for something that brings back that zeal. Paul says to be fervent in spirit. I asked myself, “How can I change what I’m doing to very hot? Glowing? What can I do to increase the intensity of feeling, and become zealous in serving the Lord?”

Hence, this blog. I decided to do something productive with the feeling of boredom, rather than turn to social media or some other addictive game I might otherwise choose to play. I am here to serve the Lord by serving you, my readers. I hope you can see a glow, even if it is a very small flicker of a candle. At least now I can honestly say, I’m no longer “boring.”

À la prochaine…see you next time!

Do you ever feel bored? Leave a comment below and let us know what you do to overcome it. Your email address is only used to ensure you are a real person. Or to send you a Christmas card at the end of the year. Well, that is if I take the time to send them out. Well, maybe if I am boring at the time.

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Day 6 of our 35th Anniversary Trip

Site seeing around Rapid City, South Dakota. Some people trailer their bikes, then ride around when they get there. Not us. We rode our bikes to South Dakota and then rented a truck 😂😂. It’s not quite the same thing as those trailers. After all, we do ride! But we wanted to see more than we could accomplish in a day on a bike. We went all the places we missed (or didn’t see as completely) when we came here before. 

Stop one … Mount Rushmore.

Last time we came through the Black Hills, we pulled over on the motorcycle and took a picture, but we didn’t go in. This time, we went inside and walked all those steps. 😳 My legs were just beginning to feel normal after that climb at Happy Jack’s Peak, so I felt a bit of a burn on the thighs. However, these steps were not nearly as intense as the Peak. Of interest was how the sculptor chose the four presidents according to birth, growth, development, and preservation. We also remembered seeing Nicholas Cage on these same steps in the movie National Treasure: Book of Secrets. Mount Rushmore is an amazing wonder!

Next…a drive through Custer State Park.

After Mount Rushmore we drove through Custer State Park and the Needles Highway (SD-87). The bison had just walked through some wildflowers, so they had a lot of hitchhikers. (No, those aren’t bees LOL). One of my FaceBook friends said she wants to brush the poor thing. I agree; but, I don’t want to get any closer than my camera lens will take me. They did walk right by the car but generally left us alone. We saw lots of wildlife, in addition to the donkeys 😂, one-lane tunnels and magnificent views. We went to Custer State Park last time, but this time we drove on the extra tiny roads. We ended up on the Needles Highway somewhat by accident, but it was well worth the drive! A local told us about an RV who had to drive in reverse all the way back down that mountain, as the tunnels on SD-87 are too narrow and clearance too low. There’s an example of poor planning! I said to Tim multiple times while spinning around the 10 mph hairpin turns and narrow roads cluttered by traffic, “I’m so glad we are not on the bikes!!” Yikes! We had “plenty” of room, but we did fold in the mirrors on that big truck, just in case. A bit claustrophobic at times. To sum it up…Wow! Go there!

Crazy Horse Memorial was a quick stop for a photo but we didn’t go inside to save time. My great-grandmother was Cherokee, so I am always interested in learning more about Native American history. Maybe you know the story about the negotiation for Mount Rushmore. This was the Indian alternative to the other mountain sculpture. They declined government funding. The sculpture is still under construction. 

Next we took a ride on The 1880 Train.

It’s a steam engine, round trip ride to Hill City from Keystone (a very crowded city, so we were glad we didn’t wait until Saturday to do this one). We saw beautiful sites, more wildlife, and smiled at the joy of children on the train reminding us of our grandkids.

We learned lots of fun facts about the Black Hills from the narrators, but our favorite story revolves around “The letter Q.” If you’ve ever wondered why a train does too long whistles followed by a short whistle and another long whistle at the crossings, it is Morse code for the letter Q. Why? Because this was the signal ships would use when the Queen was on board, signifying she had the right of way. This remains the signal at Railroad crossings today, and of course a train always has the right of way.  Don’t debate it. 😂 😂 It was a refreshing ride in the warm afternoon.

Our last stop was Bear Country USA. We have never seen so many bears in one place!! I especially loved, loved, loved the bear cubs, and learning the different brown and black bear 🐻 subspecies. We also enjoyed watching the Timberwolves playing. This was a fantastic stop with lots of wildlife on the drive through safari. It was well worth the money.  We could not have done that on a motorcycle (not because we wouldn’t, although one might be a bit mental to try it, but because they do not permit it.)

I took many, many pictures! These are only a few. I love ❤️ checking items off my bucket list. I don’t know if I will ever finish the list, but traveling to these great icons and spending time with my honey is such a wonderful treat.

The weather was perfect. Nice and cool, breezy, and sunny. We couldn’t have asked for a better day. 🌞 

Á la prochaine…Until next time!

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Day 2 of our 35th (Riding Free)

Day 2 of our 35th Anniversary HOG Trip: Prague, OK to Manhattan, KS. 

Happy Anniversary to us! Today is the official day. Thirty-five years. May we have at least 35 more.

Great ride through some scenic byways in Kansas. We’ve never been in this part of the state before. Weather was perfect. Cool morning with some heat in the afternoon. Found a perfect picnic spot in Florence for lunch, with cold 99.99% pure spring water running from an old fashioned pump. It was a blessing which brought us much needed relief from the afternoon heat! We soaked our clothes, which were dry within ten minutes of leaving the picnic area. But those were a nice ten minutes!

Today is our actual anniversary (35 years!) so we went for a walk to an open restaurant in Manhattan, Kansas where we are staying tonight.  It’s hard to find things open with this pandemic, but this was a treasured spot indeed.  Locals call this town “The Little Apple”. 😂 Get it? 😂

Bourbon and Baker is a small plate specialist where we had our anniversary dinner. We shared three entrees: St. Louis style ribs, Fried Chicken and Biscuit, Cornbread Slider. And for dessert: Purple Pride (buttermilk cake). It was all so very tasty and delicious!

Total miles Days 1-2 are 750. I forgot to post our miles last night. We rode about 413 yesterday and 337 today. 

I will take this opportunity on our special day to say that while we have our ups and downs, moments, squabbles or frustrations, there is no one I would rather be sharing life with. Weirdos get weirdos, and Timothy — you get me! I can’t believe it’s been 35 years!! To my Riding Buddy, Lover, BFF, Favorite Human, Handsomest Husband, Housekeeper, ChemoBuddy, Snoring (purring) Buddy, Caretaker, Father to my kids, Yoda to our Jedi, and Lifelong Partner in the Ministry, HAPPY 35th!! I love you … more. 🥰😉

Á la prochaine…until next time!

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