~ Thankful ...

.... that I made it through a recent storm in my life.

Having been pretty dang healthy all of my life I rarely thought of anything

major (health wise) happening to me.
But lo and behold.....
on the evening of November 4th at around 7 p.m.
I experienced a TIA.

A TIA is a Transient Ischemic Attack. 
It happens when blood flow to part of the brain is either blocked or reduced,

often by a blood clot.
After a short time, blood flows again and the symptoms go away

unlike a stroke where the blood flow stays blocked and the brain

has permanent damage. 

But a TIA is a definite warning.
It means that I am likely to have a stroke in the future.
I read that after a TIA up to 10 out of 100 will have a stroke within 2 days.
17 out of 100 will have a stroke within 90 days.
I feel like I am walking on pins and needles.
I feel like I'm in a blurred world.

My right arm felt like it had been chopped off. 
It lay limp by my side.
At the same time it felt as if someone shined

a spotlight in my face.
I was in a panic.

I was in the hospital from Friday night to Monday night.
Went through all kinds of tests.
CT Scan.....clear
Carotid Arteries......clear

Echo cardiogram......clear

Echo Transesophageal Procedure.....clear
MRI.....showed that an embolic event took place

 

Blood pressure at one point in the hospital reached 187/110

So, I'm on a new cholesterol medication and a bp medication.

I've always watched my diet but I am being really cautious now.

 

I had to wear a monitor for 2 weeks.

Possible Atrial Fibrillation could have played a part in having the TIA.

Results won't come in for a few more weeks.

Funny thing is....I'm turning 65 in December.
So, is this what happens when you turn 65?
You start to fall apart?

I gotta laugh at myself about that!

 Anyway, I'm hoping that it's nothing but blue skies from this point.

 

The only remnants of the TIA is some minor weakness in my right hand/arm occasionally.

And of course the thought of having another TIA or a stroke

is constantly on my mind.
So now, when I wake up in the morning, the first things on my mind are:
1.  Tom isn't here
2.  I had a TIA

I have to change that.
I'm so very thankful that I did not have a full blown stroke.

It was a wake-up call.
A tap on the shoulder.
A slap upside the head.

I think I'm on the right track.

 

I think someone special was watching over me.

 

~ Trick or Treat ....

.... raise your hand if you remember the excitement of shouting those 3 little words?

Yes, Halloween!
That special night.
Fright night.
Candy night.

Rushing through supper so you could get out early and stay out late.

Sometimes you were lucky and didn't need to wear your winter coats

underneath your costume.
Running through the neighborhoods
and collecting pillowcases full of sweets.

Good times!

I love the colors of Halloween.
Orange.

Black.

Browns.
I love the decorations of Halloween.
Ghosts.
Goblins.
Skeletons.
Pumpkins.

I wish you could smell this pumpkin tart.
It smells delicious!

 

Tom bought me this trio of ghosts one year.

I treasure it.
It makes me smile.

 

And those little ghosts are sticking out their tongues!

 

While growing up I noticed that my mother loved "the unknown".

She enjoyed books about dream interpretation.
She enjoyed fortune telling.
In fact, these cards belonged to her.

 

True story.....

When I was about 16

I went to a fortune teller at the beach.

She told me that I would marry at a reasonably young age.
She told me how many children I would have.

She said my true love would have dark hair

and dark eyes.

She said we would fall in love, break up for a short time

but would get back together and marry.

At the time I believed to be in "love" with a neighborhood boy.
He had blondish hair and blue eyes.
"What the heck does she know!" I squawked. 
 Less than two years later
Tom walked into my life.
He had dark hair and dark eyes.

We fell in love....broke up for 3 months

but realized we were meant to be.

We married when he just turned 20 and I turned 19.

**sigh**

 

Mom also loved the Ouija Board.
To my older sisters horror, Mom came home with "the board" one day.
My sisters were afraid to touch it.
My younger brother and I were eager to put it to use.
Mom would watch, all the time claiming "it's not real"

but the look on her face made it quite clear that she wasn't sure.
My brother and I quickly realized that we controlled the board.

Needless to say, we used this "power" to our advantage.
Mom didn't want to take any chances.

 

And with that

I wish you all a Happy Halloween!

Oh, before I go....

Mr. Bones wanted to say "hello"
He's been rattling around the house for weeks

just waiting for me to ask him to pose.

 

Trick Or Treat

Smell My Feet

Give Me Something Good To Eat

 



~ Roots .....

 

 

Root (noun)

1. the part of a plant that attaches it to the ground

or

2.  the basic cause, source or origin of something

 

Root (verb)

1.  to establish deeply & firmly

 

For the last two years I've felt uprooted.

No sense of belonging anywhere or to anyone.

With Tom's death came upheaval.

My whole world was uprooted.

My life changed forever.

Tom was my home....my sanctuary....my safety.

So his death has caused me to feel homeless in a sense.

 

Some of you know that I moved back to New Hampshire. 

Back to the city where I was born and raised.

I was hoping to immediately be able to just plant myself here.

It's not happening.

I do not feel established deeply and firmly.

I still feel homeless without Tom.

 

Every day is a struggle (still).

But like this bulb I am pushing my way through the struggles

with the help of family and friends.

 

 

Some days are better than others.

Other days are better than some.

But there's not one single day that I don't think about him.

Or talk to him.

Or wish he were here to plant our roots down together.

 

 

I thought long and hard about blogging again.

I think it will help me.

Similar to this growing bulb.......

reaching out and up......

I need to find myself again and grow.

 

So, I'm back.

My camera keeps me focused (no pun intended).

In fact, when I pick up my camera I can almost hear Tom

cheering me on.

 

I'm also finally getting my craft room in order

so I'll be back to crafting

and hopefully be having some giveaways.

Yes, it's been a long, hard and lonely two years.

And I'm sure it will continue to be.

And I will never get over the loss of Tom.

But he would want me to get my feet planted firmly on the ground,

reach out and grow.

 

And I don't want to disappoint him.

 

Tom, I love you.