Things are changing

This last week or so has been good as well as hard. The good first is to say that Dale continues to improve a little every day and that makes me happy. He doesn't seem to see it needs to be reminded every day. His swallow continues to improve. The appetite stimulant has not kicked in yet and he never feels hungry so it is sometimes difficult to get him to eat. He is now in the dining room everyday for lunch and dinner. He refuses to go to breakfast which is little different from life before the stroke. So for now he gets a bye on this one. I wish I had my camera with me the day he drank a small glass of Pepsi! The look on his face was blissful. He still needs to eat with supervision and is not eating a lot but we will take even the small steps.

One afternoon last week Dale turned to me in the early afternoon and said that he was experiencing double vision when he looked across the hall. This lasted two days and the facility Dr. ordered an MRI. I went with him on Tuesday and we got the results on Thursday. He has had another stroke. I found out yesterday that when the Dr saw him last week he also changed his medication which is why the Dr believes the stroke ran it's course in a little less than two days. I have read a lot about strokes in the last two months so I am not surprised. I am disappointed for him however. Of course I want this to be over and be able to bring him home. Unrealistic, but it is what I want.

Now I am jumping the gun a little but I found this sweet image and decided to begin the celebration a little early. On May 7, 1961 Dale and I were married in the chapel at Moffett Field Naval Air Station in Mountain View CA. Fifty years is worth a celebration don't you think? I am going to share some wedding pictures soon. You are not a captive audience, so quickly close your eyes when you visit over the next few weeks and then barely open one so that you can skip my old pictures. It was the sixties after all and so the clothing and hair styles may offend. However, the cute sailor is still mine. I'm not kidding.

Sometimes it is a Really good day

Yes, it is indeed snowing here. I know I rarely speak of anything these days except the man in my life but to be honest that is almost all I think about. Sure, I am careful to leave no one out. I am now callimg my friends occasionally, my sister more often and check in with my children every day. I feed the cat, often feed the son, attend birthday parties for grandchildren and am more aware of those around me everyday.
I am not yet quilting, but have hope that part of my life will be reinstated sometime soon. The energetic fellows above, singing their hearts out are there because today was one of the good days. You all ask everytime you see me if dale is doing better. I have been reluctant to give details because I see tiny improvements and sometimes think I am seeing what I wish to see, not the truth.
However, today was an honestly good day. Last week his physical therapist ordered a splint for his left foot and leg. It came today and he had a final fitting and fine tuning. He wore it in therapy and he stood and walked all across the room using a hemi cane with the therapist holding only onto the gate belt. He also walked later between parallel bars from one end to the other! We are so proud of him. The therapist told me later that he asked her to let him do this by himself. Danny was there to see it and he is spreading the word. I know the path is a long one, but today spells hope.

Happy New year

I wish a wonderful beginning to the new year to all of you. Just want to take a moment to dwell on a question all of my quilting friends are now asking. The answer is that I have not appliqued or quilted since November 11th. I think perhaps I would have gone back to it sooner rather than later, but as so often happens to me, I am in between whole projects or as it is this time, in between blocks. I often wake up the day of my TAS meeting and realize I finished the current block and have no plan or design for the next. Such is now the case. However a couple of days ago I finally realized I was missing something that has always kept me grounded. Something creative to help me keep my self together. I searched out a counted cross stitch project I have worked on from time to time for a few years. Yes, I admit it, I have UFO,s. There, I said it and while I am not proud of it, I have began working on it again. This time to finish I hope for the birthday this month of a dear family member. She reads these, so no more clues. I will share a photo when it is finished.

Margaret has complimented me on my collection of ephemera and lovely post cards. I could say thank you and move on but I have a very strong conscience and so i will give up my source here for everyone to see. In addition, I will call upon my daughter to add a button for this source to my blog so everyone can enjoy my favorite resource. graphicsfairy.com You are going to love this.