My Butterfly Catcher...and getting ready for Ken

This was taken at the vet's office a few months back. Puma is just hangin' out on Lara's back. She waited about 10 min. like this, just so that the doctor and staff could see it. They couldn't stop laughing.So we are cleaning up getting ready for Ken. His kidneys seem to have stabilized, at least for the time being, and his anemia is ever so slowly stabilizing with the once a week shots, and when they first put him on the appetite stimulant he wanted to eat everything, and participated more in therapy. But, since about the last week or so, he hasn't been eating well. He's hydrated well for the moment, and so the Dr. upped his appetite stimulant. This has increased his energy and puffed out his face a tiny bit, but he has dropped a bit of weight- that's why the increase in the appetite stimulant.

But, I think that he needs to come home. I think that he's had enough of all this up and down. He'll either do better at home, or relax and all is in God's hands. It will no doubt be too much to handle, but that is the least that we can do for him to make him comfortable. We are thinking that he may sleep a lot. There is a lot of noise in the hospital...and so much activity. The young man on the other side of the room has a lot of nice friend's laughing which is good and nice, but Ken needs it more quiet.After a few days , if he keeps plugging away, yet it becomes too much to handle, then he will go into a skilled nursing facility, or some such place.

But, I have to do what I have to do, because no one else is in my shoes. I know that I would want to get the hell out of the hospital, and get home.

Today is quite beautiful outside. We have had an unexpected snow that is just breath taking. But, I understand that the roads are a bit precarious, so we are fine just tinkering away in the home, cleaning, organizing,etc..

Also, I may be moving info about Ken to another site. If you, family and friends, don't see anything, just write me for the link. Many of you already have my email, but an email is listed under my blog profile---so just click view profile, and you will see the link to my email.

Kiska keeps leading me to the basement...and more on Ken

Before picture...
After... (Just click to enlarge)...
Isn't this little one below ugly??hahaha...looks like she's wearing a Dr. Denton. She is painted over fabric, and her face is just awful, and her head is pointy- ah, well, it is good to laugh at one's creations...
Mini folkart paintings...


...sorry for the glare.




Alex's repurposed old and new jwelry, a couple of pieces...the gold button on the left, when alone as a button, is not so pretty I think, but I like the way she puts it together. (Sorry, not the greatest shot).
...this is better...
Some bags, (mostly from prints of original artwork)...


Some cards, (mostly from prints of original artwork)...



Futsy little sketches from some years back, that I made into tiny cards...I didn't like them when I 'scribbled', but I like them on these tiny scallopped cards.
Alex made this into a card, from my print.
Alex made these adorable ceramic squares that were magnetized.
A work in progress mini podium. It will have sturdy crepe paper fringe sewn edging. The base is an old piece that Ken cut for me.
The tight rope walker...
A Bilibin print that I will put onto this old transportaion ledger. I love Ivan Bilibin. Look him up. He illustrated so many Russian fairy tale books from the beginning of the 20th century. His work is phenomenal.
Vintage flower pics awaiting there journals. Simple in between the not so simple. Just pretties.
Nicholas is yet missing his school books. Painted over fabric.
So they started to give hubby an appetite stimulant. It's about time! Megase. He even wants to eat the blanket! He's piling in the calories, and building up energy. They said that he was participating more...as he had slacked off since the other hospital w/the severe anemia. He is not at the transfusion point, and his hematocrit and hemoglobin keep inching up, which is good.

His sister Debbie came to town with her wonderful son, Steven, and they took over for the weekend, giving me a break from the driving and letting me putz. I need so much putz-ing, that's for sure. But, of course I miss him every day and will be seeing him again today.....

After applying for disability benefits for Ken, I received a phone call that I would get paid for observing the students for 3 days. ??? It seems that HR forgot to tell me that I was chosen for the long term French/Spanish sub. position for which I had applied in OCt/NOv. I thought that it wasn't meant to be.. Of course this is needed, and will get my foot more in the door. I pray that the kids are good, that I can leave my day behind when I leave the school, and that the salary is better than expected.

OK- So for the last 1 1/2 to 2 years, Kiska, the head kitty around here, keeps asking me to go into the basement with him all the time. For example, this a.m. he asked to go downstairs, and so I called Serge to call him down. But, No, he wants me, always me. So for all this time, every time that he asks me to go downstairs, I feel as if he is leading me to work in the studio area, to get it up and running. Sound crazy? haha.

He was heaven sent, this 'little' kitty, when 6, count 'em, six doctors told me to forget about cats while my oldest tested positive for severe kitty cat allergies. Get a dog, I was told, even from cat loving doctors. Well, Kiska came to us in a snow storm with a severe laceration to his left paw down to the muscle, the size of a large lemon. We brought him to the vet, and searched for his family, but found noone. He ended up with us, and we were ecstatic about it. Alex is fine with himand other kitties. Just a few sniffles, if she is away from them, for about a day.

He goes to the one who is hurting or crying, even overnite visitors, and is truly an angel sent from above. So, I so very strongly feel, that he is pushing me to work down there . We don't even know about our home situation at this point, but are trusting in the man upstairs to steer us in the right direction, as we have always been steered. And even though this is not the time to be talking about scrounging around to put up walls, or using our home depot gift cards to purchase sheetrock, etc, I still get the strongest feeling that that is what I am supposed to do- even if it is in baby steps.

Mind you, I am just barely keeping things clean at this point, so, no, I will not drop everything to work in the basement. But, we all need vegge time, putz time, to clear the mind, to rejuvenate our spirit. For some it is gardening, for others, it is bike riding, and for us gals, it is being creative in some fashion, organizing, and cleaning, planning.

A girl's gotta' dream, right??? I am thankful that I am letting my mind think about other things just a little bit. But, mostly I just wake up crying or thinking of things to be thankful for, because the momentum can just get a bit overwhelming at times. All in God's time.

Have a great day.

xo Lydia

Ok- so we gals were in the kitchen painting, creating etc...

PS-

Alex just spoke to Ken and he said that he was feeling much better. Maybe it's all my phone calls and questions finally getting action....the job of my life.

A Bird's Nest Scale, and a shot of Epogen....

OK- up, down, wah, wah, wah....He lost more weight. Even with a sitter at the other hospital he lost weight. For us he eats plenty and is interested in food, but for others, well, they don't keep at him like we do. Problem is, we cannot be there 24/7.

They weighed him in a scale that picked him up as if he were in a bird's nest, a quilted bird's nest. His hematocrit and hemoglobin were getting better slowly, but then the hematocrit went down again a little, and so they finally ordered him the Epogen, which helps to build the red blood cells. It takes a while, and is given once a week.

He wants to do better, to eat and drink more, and they assist him, but he says that it isn't enough. He talks in 'maybes', and 'I don't knows' a lot. He's not quite sure about things because he can't always find the exact words that he wants to use to describe what he is thinking, and so it comes out with these fuzzy 'maybe' and 'don't know' words.

Good things. I finally spoke to a Dr. who is not a weekend resident(as his doctor is out for the week), and things are getting done. And the nursing coordinator is great, and is very conscientious. She ALWAYS gets things done. Halleluyah!

I pray that he gets strong- enough to come home. His cognizance is way better every day. He saw The Mummy was to be playing on one channel. We usually keep things like Disney, cartoons, or simple , light movies, if he wants to watch TV. So when he mentioned that he noticed it was coming on, we turned it on for him. That, is progression. We are fine with the baby steps. He told me that he is not ready to 'leave us'. He was quite adamant about this. I said 'great'! Now if we can just fatten him up a good 20+ lbs. , he'll be strong enough to have more therapy, that can bring him home to us.

Now this is what I call snow!!!

I had to show these. Look how gorgeous it is. This is my brother, his beautiful wife, and their adorable youngest- who was born on my b-day almost 3 yrs. ago..

I love snow.


This is what I call natural beauty. What kind of snow do you like?

The Stroke Whisperer

So hubby had to be taken off blood thinners for a short time, because of bleeding issues. He was again a bit dehydrated, and this made it worse for him and his kidneys. He got back into his therapy after this lapse, but is anemic now, and this must be rectified, or he may end up in the hospital across the street(which is connected by a bridge). This we do not want, so prayers are surely needed that what they will try to get his iron levels back on track will work.

Any complications get him further down the line for the possibility of coming home, which is what he wants. The less medicines that he is on, the more goal oriented that he is.Paperwork, work, family life, etc. is upon us, and travel is constant.

I am thankful for so many things. I am thankful for the good friends that God has placed in my life, Ken's life, and our children's lives. This work is difficult, and we pray that God's will be done.

Thank you for all your support, emails, kind words and phone calls. If I cannot get back to you, understand that it is probably some imminent medical matter, or logistics taking place, and now is a time for priorities. But, your continued support and prayers are so very important to us, and I thank you for them.

xo Lydia

ps- Many of you know that I was raised bi-lingually, and dabble in a couple of languages- well, ok, more than a couple. I can now add the Stroke language to my list. It is amazing to start to figure out things that seem non-sensical, to actually mean some very important things. Ken will find replacement words, when he cannot think of the 'proper' word. When you just replace maybe 1 word or concept, everything makes all the sense in the world. It is just that because of different mental states due to the physical body, fatigue, medicines, and the constant filing going on in the brain, it just may come out a little disjointed at times.

I am amazed at his intellect, at the same time that I want to take this all away from him. I am sorry that he is going through this, but it is all in God's hands now. Have Mercy on us Lord.

Goodnite.

What's around my bathroom...and Ken update

My Dad's vintage Mennen(sp?) powder tin(tiny traveling size),vintage Scottie w/fun pen, old animal tin, metal Puss-n-Boots.
Some things around/in my bathroom....(click to enlarge, but please excuse any dust...hahaha)....enamel polka dot pitcher, vintage lustre ware creamer(hard to see),...

I love this mirror. It is wrapped in an embroidered , cushioned fabric, and I keep my pins in it. I just LOVE this!

Vintage , tiny metal bead, cats playing badminton game, old planter...
Vintage cowgirl chalkware, antique baby booties.....
Old Russian tin circus toy, my Dad's toy-his old hand carved lion(he also had other hand carved animals), our wedding picture...
Old hand made jointed squirrel, old Russian perfume containers...

A shelf above the toilet... better picture of old Russian perfume containers, vintage paper mache kitty head, sheet spray, and Scottie picture frame, which is still missing my & my sister's Halloween picture from trick-or-treating while little.
Planter- this vintage baby was sold at one of one last shows...out w/the old, in with the new...
Jackie Over(artist) cat, old abacus...old mint powder puff box...this set is on a shelf above my tub...Vintage chicks picture in cute little frame.

...the howling dog, seems to always land in our bathroom, no matter which house... hand painted folkart piece...

Ken needed to be hydrated again, and had to be removed from the low dosage blood thinner he was on,...things are getting better, and they are not putting him on all the meds. right away... good to see what causes a few things, by taking things slowly. He was petting the air. One of the meds. still causes some visions for him. He told me that he was petting his cats. Then he told me that he missed his cats.He was possessive using "my cats"....and the kitties miss him too.

Goodnite:)