We're celebrating our anniversary today but we started yesterday with a trip to Moline, IL. We went to see the John Deere museum but they don't have one in the true sense of the word. They have a beautiful Pavilion downtown by the river (Mississippi). They have it set up with several of their farm equipment pieces. They also have them rigged up with stairs so you can climb into the cab and play farmer. Ron enjoyed that part, obviously. Then next door to the store where he purchased two John Deere baseball caps.
Since we ate breakfast in Morris on our way out we skipped the restaurant and headed out to Corporate International. Beautiful 1400 acre campus with a part show casing more machines. They had some construction/earthmoving equipment for climbing including a 6 wheel road grader
By three o'clock we'd seen it all and were pooped. Our plans to spend the night changed to sleeping in our own bed.
Today has started out with breakfast at a local restaurant. The rest of the day is up for grabs but I'm sure it will be a nice one.
Friday, September 27, 2013
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Last Cataract
Yesterday (Monday) went well at Amsurg, they even got my name right 90 % of the time. Surgery went off and we were out the door heading for home in less than two hours. Not bad for a 8:30 AM start.
I was complaining to the surgeon on Friday when I was in for a checkup on the other eye, that 8:30 am was to early. He shared his schedule with me. He starts every surgery day with the right eye at 7 am. If surgery is at 7 am, the patient has to be there by 6 am. When he finished with all the right eyes he switches to the left eye. So 8:30 am didn't sound quite so bad.
Now that both eyes are far sighted I'm having to learn new tricks. This old dog is having a wee bit of problem with not being able to see close things like books and newspapers. I spend most mornings reading the "Trib" and eating a bowl of cereal and most lunches reading a book and eating lunch.
This morning my dear husband read the "Trib" to be. Not all of it but some of the articles I was most interested in. He finally remembered he had a magnifying glass and brought that so I could read the rest myself. Still a real inconvenience but I could read.
At my checkup this afternoon the doctor suggested a pair of cheap reading glasses till I qualify for prescription ones. They have an optical shop in their office so I picked up a pair of readers for $5. It's taking some getting used to switching them on and off. I'll have to do that for another 4 weeks before I can even order prescription lenses and then wait till they're done. You don't have to be an Einstein to figure that time schedule conflicts with our return to Tucson. We'll have to weigh our possibilities and decide on what fits us. We have four weeks to do that so we will do it carefully.
In the mean time our friend, Larry, had his 74th birthday on Monday AND a colonoscopy. Wasn't that a fantastic birthday present his dear wife, Gerry, made for him? They tell me everything went just fine and he's done for another 5 years. We'll see them in Tucson sometime in November.
I was complaining to the surgeon on Friday when I was in for a checkup on the other eye, that 8:30 am was to early. He shared his schedule with me. He starts every surgery day with the right eye at 7 am. If surgery is at 7 am, the patient has to be there by 6 am. When he finished with all the right eyes he switches to the left eye. So 8:30 am didn't sound quite so bad.
Now that both eyes are far sighted I'm having to learn new tricks. This old dog is having a wee bit of problem with not being able to see close things like books and newspapers. I spend most mornings reading the "Trib" and eating a bowl of cereal and most lunches reading a book and eating lunch.
This morning my dear husband read the "Trib" to be. Not all of it but some of the articles I was most interested in. He finally remembered he had a magnifying glass and brought that so I could read the rest myself. Still a real inconvenience but I could read.
At my checkup this afternoon the doctor suggested a pair of cheap reading glasses till I qualify for prescription ones. They have an optical shop in their office so I picked up a pair of readers for $5. It's taking some getting used to switching them on and off. I'll have to do that for another 4 weeks before I can even order prescription lenses and then wait till they're done. You don't have to be an Einstein to figure that time schedule conflicts with our return to Tucson. We'll have to weigh our possibilities and decide on what fits us. We have four weeks to do that so we will do it carefully.
In the mean time our friend, Larry, had his 74th birthday on Monday AND a colonoscopy. Wasn't that a fantastic birthday present his dear wife, Gerry, made for him? They tell me everything went just fine and he's done for another 5 years. We'll see them in Tucson sometime in November.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Cataract Go Away
Well, I did it. The first time my doctor suggested it. It just seemed like something I should go ahead and do and get it over with. "They" tell me the ophthalmologist prefer to remove them early in their formation. It's easier. Monday morning at 10:15 am hubby and I were setting in the Amsurg waiting room. All the preliminary questions, eye drops, a visit from the anesthesiologist took about an hour. Then they wheeled me into the operating room, put oxygen in my nose and something over me with an opening for my left eye to "see" out. I laid there for 15 minutes or so seeing nothing but light and absense of light (dark). They took the cover off and all the tape holding my head down and eye open. Put on a pair of "fitover" glasses. Wheeled me back to where I was. Helped me into a chair and brought me a glass of ice cold water. I sat there for a few minutes and then they walked me down a few feet to another chair with a foot rest and a table to put my water on. Went and got hubby and closed the curtain. Thought that was nice of them but really, what were we going to do? I got dressed and they sent hubby to get the car and I walked out and into the car. No pain, no blood and no discomfort of any kind. Two hours from entry to exit of the building. The glasses are kind of dorky looking but not as bad as hubby's VC glasses he was wearing when I met him. BTW he was also wearing plaid polyester pants.
Today's return visit to the doctor's office went well. My vision is better than he had expected. So for the first time in probably 60 years, I'm not wearing glasses. The left eye has taken over my sight so the problem with the right eye isn't bothering me. That eye will be taken care of in a couple weeks. In the mean time I'm enjoying fantastic vision out of my left eye. I'm seeing things I swear I've never seen before.
Today's return visit to the doctor's office went well. My vision is better than he had expected. So for the first time in probably 60 years, I'm not wearing glasses. The left eye has taken over my sight so the problem with the right eye isn't bothering me. That eye will be taken care of in a couple weeks. In the mean time I'm enjoying fantastic vision out of my left eye. I'm seeing things I swear I've never seen before.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
It's Sandwich Fair Time Again
It's the week after Labor Day so it's time to pack up the cold beer, ice water and pop and head to the De Kalb County Fair in Sandwich, IL. Thursday is the traditional day we go, it's Senior Citizen Day and admittance is half price. Well, almost half price. It's been $8 dollars for adults in the past and $4 dollars for seniors on senior day. They raised the prices this year to $9 dollars for adults and $5 dollars for seniors. Oh well, it's only money.
We parked by the rides section so we didn't make it to any of the live stock pens nor did we see the horse racing but we did do some walking and looking and a little buying. I bought a bottle of Watkins Vanilla. Remembered I was almost out the last batch of oatmeal raisin cookies I made.
In one of the commercial buildings we came upon a Pampered Chef person so I got a couple things for the kitchen in AZ and here in IL. Ron found the John Deere display. Believe me it wasn't hard to find. Bought a camouflage John Deere hat like the one that disappeared in the Perkins Restaurant in Iowa.
We did make a stop at Fay's BBQ and who did we run into but Orion Samuelson. He was standing next to me but all I had to do was hear him say "one pork chop" and I knew who it was. We enjoyed our pork chop and all the usual trimmings but thought they were a little overdone this year. I swore I will try the chicken next year.
Bought our chances on the steer the Lions was raffling off and headed for the car. That's where the ice cold water and beer come into play. Been a tradition for over 35 years, a can/bottle of ice cold beer and then drive home. Believe me with all the food we had the beer just wet our whistles.
Now it's get some things in order and relax for a while. Going to have cataract surgery on Monday.
One of the more interesting happenings at the fair turned out to be the reaction of people to my husband, Ron. He was wearing a Viet Nam Veterans baseball cap and people kept stopping him and shaking his hand and thanking him for serving. Even the people at the VFW and American Legion booths. My only commet is "It's about time".
We parked by the rides section so we didn't make it to any of the live stock pens nor did we see the horse racing but we did do some walking and looking and a little buying. I bought a bottle of Watkins Vanilla. Remembered I was almost out the last batch of oatmeal raisin cookies I made.
In one of the commercial buildings we came upon a Pampered Chef person so I got a couple things for the kitchen in AZ and here in IL. Ron found the John Deere display. Believe me it wasn't hard to find. Bought a camouflage John Deere hat like the one that disappeared in the Perkins Restaurant in Iowa.
We did make a stop at Fay's BBQ and who did we run into but Orion Samuelson. He was standing next to me but all I had to do was hear him say "one pork chop" and I knew who it was. We enjoyed our pork chop and all the usual trimmings but thought they were a little overdone this year. I swore I will try the chicken next year.
Bought our chances on the steer the Lions was raffling off and headed for the car. That's where the ice cold water and beer come into play. Been a tradition for over 35 years, a can/bottle of ice cold beer and then drive home. Believe me with all the food we had the beer just wet our whistles.
Now it's get some things in order and relax for a while. Going to have cataract surgery on Monday.
One of the more interesting happenings at the fair turned out to be the reaction of people to my husband, Ron. He was wearing a Viet Nam Veterans baseball cap and people kept stopping him and shaking his hand and thanking him for serving. Even the people at the VFW and American Legion booths. My only commet is "It's about time".
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