moved to the dark ages

Johnina has been moved to a rehabilitation hospital, at least until Thursday, 01JUL10. This 'new' hospital does not have wi-fi or wireless LAN. The nurse said that they don't even have a computer. ("What is this; the dark ages?" Dr. Leonard McCoy Star Trek IV) She won't be able to communicate with any of you for awhile. She apologizes.

Tom

P.S. Johnina says that she is doing fine. Therapy is progressing, and though there is still great pain, with medication, it is bearable.

Not for the faint of heart

I got my bandages changed today and I was amazed and delighted at how nice the surgery incision was healing.  They staple the incision closed.  I'm real glad I was asleep for that part.  They did a regional block for me instead of general anesthesia so that my lungs would not be as effected by the surgery.  They did put me under a 'twilight' sleep.  They told me to open my eyes should I wake up so they would know I wasn't just talking in my sleep.  I did wake up a couple of times and it was absolutely a bizarre experience.  I even woke up once while they where sawing my bones.  Eyes open 'Hello, I'm awake.'   and they quickly got me back to sleep....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz............

I'm alive

Surgery went well.  Thanks for all your kind wishes and prayers.  I am sure there where angels watching over me and my doctors.  Johnina :^D  Still in a lot of pain though. 

New Knees

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days, but I've been trying to get ready to go into the hospital to get my left knee replaced.  They aren't going to have to use any anesthesia on me; I'm going to pass out from exhaustion.  I never realized how many little things and a few big thing need to be done to get ready for this kind of surgery.  Everything from moving furniture so I can get everywhere in the house with my walker to making sure I have clothing that will go over the bandages.  All the while trying to stay healthy and rested.  I did stay healthy but the rested part is in serious question.  Oh well I'll be getting plenty of rest soon as long as the pain level stays low enough.  Sigh !!
Tom, my sweetie will keep you posted on my recovery until I'm able to so keep on coming back even if there are no photos for awhile.

I would also appreciate your thoughts and prayers as I am a firm believer in the power of prayer. Thanks.
This experience has given me a whole new perspective on life and taught me alot about myself and what I am capable of .  I'll go into more detail later but for now I'll leave you with some pictures I took from a different perspective; from the sunroof of my car.

Hot Georgia Night

This afternoon as I was running errands trying to get all the little things that might make things go easier for me after the surgery.  I got more socks, one of the reasons for extra laundry.  As I have been going through my accumulated boxes I have found a treasure trove of old pictures, pictures of the kids but also drawings of mine so I picked up picture hangers.  I figure seeing the pictures will help keep up my spirits.  I got drinks that normally I wouldn't get as treats while I am down and out.  Anyway it was hot even in Wal-mart, but when I got out to the car the temperature gauge for outside the car said 104.  Even though the temperature for Griffin was officially around 95 which is hot enough I am sure that the temperature in the parking lot was indeed 104 with no shade and all that blacktop.  Really much too hot to be out.
Tom called on his way home and told me to grab my camera, because there was a sensational sunset from a sensational spot he wanted to show me.  We missed the dramatic sunset but I now know where to go for sunsets when the clouds are forming dramatic patterns.  Even with missing the sundown it was still hot and it will still be hot tomorrow morning.
I've been trying to take lots of pictures to edit while I recuperate from the knee replacement, but it is so hot I've taken to taking pictures first thing in the morning (good dew shots) or from inside the car with a quick roll down of the window, through the sunroof of the car or the most fun taking photos at night.  I am learning to use the manual settings on my camera and am not using the flash.  I am having great fun learning a new skill and getting some exciting new photos.  I am so glad this was the theme for Written inc this week; it has been most enjoyable.  Below are some photos I took of my garden at night using only available lighting and playing with the camera settings especially shutter speed. Even though I am just learning  I am thrilled with the results so far (giggle-giggle).  I hope you ENJOY, too.

 

"Lean On Me"

I love just trucking down the road (70's saying) with the windows open, the sunroof letting in more sunshine and wind and singing at the top of my lungs.  It could be just about any artist or group any song with words sometimes 'Phantom of the Opera', sometimes 'The Who' sometimes 'Iron Butterfly' sometimes 'Kenny Loggins' sometimes 'Placido Dimingo' sometimes 'Helen Reddy','I Am Woman', I'm sure you get the idea that I have very eclectic taste in music just like so many of my interests.  Sometimes I think it would be better if I was a lot more picky and than I wouldn't accumulate so many things but there are so many things that bring joy into my life that I really think I like having eclectic tastes better even if it does tend to create clutter simply out of shear numbers of things that I enjoy.  Anyway I'm rambling a little back to trucking down the road; One of the best delights of trucking down the road is turning on my station of the day- today was my oldies station- and hearing a long time favorite song- delightful- can get me revved up sometimes- today the song was "LEAN ON ME" by Bill Withers.  When it was first popular I was the one being leaned on.  My good friend Debbie and I would go visit Mama G an elderly member of our church and help her.  It was always delightful to be around her, she was like a grandmother to us.  Neither one of us had a grandmother nearby and she made the most wonderful apple pies.  I also made it a regular practice to sit with families with lots of small children especially those who had duties on the stand.  The mom was the chorister or dad was conducting the meeting.  These were things I delighted in doing.  Now the song has another meaning for me as I am on the receiving end and have been for awhile.  With my knee replacement coming up next week; as long as I am healthy enough; this is going to be doubly true. Although I have often found that both the giver and the receiver benefit.  This song has much wisdom in it for both sides the giving and the receiving and best of all it's still great to belt out in the car as I go truckin' down the road.

Artist: Bill Withers
Title: Lean On Me

Sometimes in our lives
We all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there's
Always tomorrow


Lean on me
When you're not strong
I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
Till I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on


Please, swallow your pride
If I have things
You need to borrow
For no one can fill
Those of your needs
That you won't let show


You just call on me brother
When you need a hand
We all need somebody
To lean on
I just might have a problem
That you'll understand
We all need somebody to lean on


Lean on me
When you're not strong
I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For, it won't be long
Till I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on


You just call on me brother
When you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem
That you'd understand
We all need somebody to lean on


If there is a load
You have to bare
That you can't carry
I'm right up the road
I'll share your load
If you just call me
Call Me
If you need a friend
(Call Me)
Call Me
If you need a friend
(Call Me)
If you ever need a friend
(Call Me)
Call Me
If you need a friend

---

Keep on truckin' ya'll and sing your heart out!!

 

It's not the heat; it's the humidity

Actually it's both!  This is inside my air-conditioned house in HOT, MUGGY Georgia and no this is not my bathroom this is a vent in the main part of the house.

Whew!!!!

The clouds are the stars #5

Tonight is hot and muggy and I hurt so I decided to go ahead a finish up my series on clouds.  The reason I suggested the theme of clouds is because it brings so many happy, contented childhood memories for me.  My best friend and I would lie on the grass or on the neighbors porch and look up at the sky sometimes for hours.  Watching the clouds, finding shapes and then watching those shapes morph into different shapes, laying there feeling the coolness of the grass or the cement against our backs being completely relaxed with nothing better to do.  Oh how much more simple childhood was back when I was young.  No rushing to soccer practice or hours in front of the video games.  My time was spent outside under the clouds, riding my bike, swimming at the local community pool, later at night chasing fireflies under the moon and clouds.  Every year my family went tent camping where scenes like the one above where not unusual.  I'm sure that clouds can bring back many a childhood memory as the simple pleasure of laying in the grass watching for shapes in the clouds used to be a childhood tradition, one which was free and seemed to be practiced by all the kids I knew.

Very unusual

Yesterday was one of those days where I very tired and it was hard to stay awake.  However the day before was even worse.  Every time I sat down I would drift off, but even with that I still edited pictures, wrote my blog, and did all kinds of little things.  Yesterday was better but I gave in and unusual for me spent my awake time just watching TV.  I almost never watch TV without doing something else.  Yesterday I just laid on the couch alternating cold packs and heating pads and just watched.  I watched Burn Notice and Bones reruns even, just something I enjoy but kind of a brain drain.  Nice thing though, was I also had Kenneth Branagh in Hamlet (see above).  It had arrived a few days earlier from Netflix.  Shakespeare is a little hard to watch and keep track of if I am distracted at all and even at that I still have to watch in sections so I can digest what has happened and then go on.  This version is 4 hours long but it is my favorite.  When a movie combines Shakespeare and Kenneth Branagh I just know it is going to be great.  I had forgotten how many great quotes have come from Hamlet.   I thoroughly enjoyed yesterday and did it guilt-free.

The clouds are the stars # 4

I have posted this photo before so some of you long time followers may recognize it.  But under the circumstances I thought I needed reminding to live my life fearlessly and not to get mixed up in a downward spirwl of the dooldrums.  Onward and upwards.  Johnina  :^A

The clouds are the stars #3

What a long hard tiring day.  Spent most of it in doctors offices, first the orthopedist, then the pain doctor and most of the rest of the time talking to doctors offices making appointments.  I really don't like days like this that just serve to remind me of my illnesses.  This one was worst then normal, after I fell the orthopedist waited several weeks before doing a MRI so that just in case the injuries were relatively minor we wouldn't be doing an unnecessary test (good doctor) and maybe they would heal on their  own.  No such luck I had the MRI last week and took it to him to look at today.  He came in and said yes I did tear the cartilage in my knee, however the arthritis in my knee looked worse than he expected. He took x-rays of my knee with me standing up and when he brought them into the room and put them up on the light box he inhaled deeply and said "Oh, my...(sigh)".  I knew I was in trouble than.  He said the only thing to do was a total knee replacement if I wanted any pain relief and wanted to continue walking. So we scheduled surgery and it had to be in a hurry because the insurance company and the hospital are having a contract dispute and after July 1 Spalding Regional may not be on our insurance list and with Obama care I'm in real doubt as to which way this is going to go and so are the doctors.  So probably June 22 is going to be the day. Anyway I did some editing for distraction and fun and a little denial.  All three of the long skinny photos started out the same but where edited differently.  I probably could have done a lot more and had more fun but I'm tired and I didn't even open my computer till after 7 and I am more than ready to go to sleep.  I am glad I did the blog; it did give me a distraction then a time to vent before  I went to sleep.  I hope you all enjoy the cloud pictures for the day.  I hope I'm giving you enough variety for the theme that I suggested for the week so you don't get bored.  if you do just leave it in the comments, promise you won't hurt my feelings.

Johnina

A trip to the zoo with my son

I went to the zoo yesterday with my son and we had a delightful day.  Between the two of us we took almost 500 photos.  I edited three of my favorites.  After I've had a chance to go through and pick out a few more I'll write more about our trip.  I hope you enjoy these.

Johnina  :^D 
By the way the elephant is the color he is because he plays in the red Georgia clay.
It stains everything.

The clouds are the star #2

Bright Sunny Sabbath

 On the way home from church I really wished I had my camera; there were so many bright beautiful clouds.  So as soon as I got home I grabbed my camera and took pictures of the clouds around my house.  The beautiful bright sunny skies just seem to reflect the beautiful spirit that was present at my sabbath meetings today.

I hope you all have a pleasant Sunday

The clouds are the star #1

Here is my post for the theme Into the Clouds on http://writteninc.blogspot.com/  This is one of my favorite cloud pics and even though it is not just of clouds the photo would not be the same without them.  The clouds are the star of this photo.  I saw this as I was driving along and made a quick stop (I really need a Caution: I Stop for Photo OPs bumper sticker) to take this picture.  We have been getting some of the prettiest cloud formations here in this part of Georgia and I have taken a number of them so everyday till next Thursday and a new theme there will a short post with clouds and maybe another post also.

Cheerful Good Morning

Hey I'm feeling much better and as I stepped outside this morning I was greeted by this bright cheerful sunflower that sits in a pot on my porch.

What a nice way to start my day.

Enjoy

Desperately seeking distraction

Distractions

Pain, horrible pain

need to go elsewhere-

to escape- to dream- to discover other places

Safe places- quiet places- beautiful places

peaceful- restful- still.

Or maybe...

exciting places, dramatic places, places of wonder

eye-catching, unique, creative.

Then again maybe...

Thoughtful places- contemplative places- reflective places

meditative, eyes closed, relaxed.

Wherever I find- whatever I find- whoever I find

provides a soothing balm

for the

Pain, horrible pain.
                                                                           © Johnina Young

                                                                                           

Today I am desperately seeking distraction from the pain.  I'm having horrendous after-effects from the IVIG yesterday.  Every muscle and joint in my body H U R T S; even though I took my MS Contin this morning ( I take this everyday for my fibromyalsia and neuorapathy, etc.) and then took lor-tab for the break-through pain, on a scale of 1-10 my pain is still an 8. Could be worse but still hard to tolerate.  I've done some editing but only simple editing and only to the point of where frustration might start as is the case with the above photo.  I really like this photo but I'm really having a hard time with the highlights being too bright, but I included it anyway cuz I like it.

Mostly today I've been checking out the blogs that I love and finding new ones; as reflected in the poem above.  Something I haven't done for a while.  I haven't checked on my favorite blogs because I have been sleeping so much and I don't often write poetry because it is something that has to come from deep inside and just come out somehow.  I don't know how or why; it just does.

 Today I found a blog that I have always enjoyed but have never noticed before how little attention it gets.  I think many more people would enjoy this blog and the other blog Carol does if they only knew about it.  So check it out:

http://caromoom.blogspot.com/

It is a delightful photography site. 

I have quite a few sites listed on the right hand side of my blog.  All those listed I have found personally to be delightful, interesting, thoughtful, insightful, and sometimes distracting in a very good and helpful way.

For those of you who follow my blog and enjoy it and have a blog list that you personally follow on your site; I would appreciate very much being included on that list.   Thanks so much for your support of me and all the kind comments I get.  Thanks even more for sharing your thoughts and lives and the beautiful world we all live in; it has helped get me through many of my ups and downs.  You are all a blessing in my life.
Thanks again,  Love,  Johnina

Is the treatment ...

Every three weeks I go in for my IVIG and I think of the saying "Is the cure worst than the disease ?".  I know for sure that this treatment is so much better than being in the hospital every 2 weeks for 2 weeks which is what was happening before the doctors discovered that my body was not making immunoglubulin like it was supposed to.  So every three weeks I go in get hooked up to an IV for several hours.  I took my computer with me this time and edited some of pictures that I took the day before; after I had an MRI on my knee.  I had no idea how the edit was going to turn out on the picture above when I was doing it, but I was totally delighted with the outcome.

This is the photo I started with.

I turned it on it's side slightly.  Did a mirror image.  Turned it to B&W.  Cropped it.  And finally using an effect called reflections I got the art work at the top of this blog.  (using Corel's Paint Shop Pro X3)  If you look closely you can see the image of the tree branch at the top and the lantern throughout.  This really helped pass the time in a really most pleasant way.  I also did some other more conventional editing of the flowers outside the Imaging clinic where I had my MRI done and some flowers I saw on the roadside.

However the worst part of the IVIG comes later in the day and usually I like to run errand over in Fayetteville or take a photo op and for the most part I am able to do that with no problems.  Today was an exception; I was starving because it took longer than usual as my regular nurse was on vacation, so I stopped and ate.  Diabetics can't wait too long before they eat, and ever since I've been trying to toss it back up.  Not a good thing.  I went to one store to window shop (no money) and had to leave because I was getting so sick.

Came home took something to settle my stomach and laid down and serendipity-wise it was a good thing cuz it stormed, thunder and lightning right over the house, then the lights went out.  I was certainly glad not to be out in it.  I went to sleep and woke up with the typical IVIG all over "Oh, boy does every muscle ache, and gee my head hurts even worse." on top of trying to toss my lunch.  Now you know why I think of "Is the cure..."

Thankfully it only lasts a day or two and I do have a good diversion to help distract me.  This time I have lots of new photos to edit so my days can be as pleasant as possible.  I am so grateful for being lead to this great hobby of photography for the distraction, but mostly for being able to capture and enjoy the beauty that surrounds me.