Weekly Check-In Dec 10-16, 2006

[steve m]

Hi Everyone..Welcome to new community members!..Please feel free to joins us and contribute..Get to know the great folks who visit here

Weather is still fairly mild here in New England, with the exception of yesterday and today

I got out fishing a couple of days this week, but its starting to wind down and I suspect this may be the last week in this season

My brother went for his prostate biopsy yesterday, and I could tell he was afraid, but all went well and he didnt experience any pain so that was a relief for both of us..We got to the appointment 20 minutes late because of construction on I-95, and an abandoned vehicle in the middle lane, so I got on my cell phone and called the Dr's office to tell them we would be a little late, and they gave me 20 minutes to get there which was almost how long it took..Then the 2 nurses were sarcastic about us being late, and I felt like telling them where to go, but instead of getting into an explanation I just decided to let it go and let it be their problem..It takes 20 minutes to get to the Dr's office and we left a half hour prior the appointment time..Figures..when you are early or on time they make you wait sometimes up to an hour..but when youre late, they are on schedule..:confused:

My Newport support group had its X-mas party this morning, and it was good..plenty of food..most of the members showed up..and they had a choir concert of X-mas carols..They had a sing along as well and they had me singing..:confused: ..I cant sing..but I must say it was fun..Not something I would usually do

My boat hasnt left for Cape Cod yet so I still go down there twice a week to check it, and the new owner has been doing some work on it, and the last time I went down there I finally felt like it wasnt mine anymore..It was bittersweet..it was a feeling of letting go, and the feeling of the newness of moving on to the next chapter in my life..Some excitement in that feeling..and some feeling of letting go of the other end of the towel hesitantly..That kind of fishing had been a part of my life since 1978..But the excitement of the adventure of the new kind of fishing is like being a little kid all over again..I guess my inner child wants to come out and play..:D

So that was my week..How was your week?

Steve

[Chicory]

I have been very busy getting ready for Christmas and I expect others have too, since I see no one else has replied yet. I am in good shape- shopping done, cut-out cookies are baked and just need to be decorated, and I even made fruitcake this year. Today I have to go to the post office and mail some packages for nieces and nephews. Tonight is the dress rehearsal for our Christmas concert at church which will be on Sunday. I got up at 5 am to take my Boniva and read the e-mail I didn't have time to read yesterday.

I have had several doctors' appointments in the last few weeks- urologist, neuorolgist, breast surgeon to have cysts aspirated and a repeat mammogram (everything was fine), and next week the voice doctor.

The neurologist was pleased with how well I am walking. I am happy that I can play guitar without any major problems. I am taking Stalevo 3x a day and now I am adding .25 Mirapex in the evening. I am having problems with my voice. When I talk, after a short while my voice gets raspy and quieter. After giving 8 music lessons yesterday it was in bad shape. Also, on Sunday it was in bad shape after singing at church.

My vocal cord was paralyzed after thyroid surgery and then I had another surgery to repair it (an implant was put in). So, the voice problems could be related to that or it could be the Parkinson's. At first I thought maybe the implant had come loose. The neurologist said to go back to the voice doctor and see what she says. Now I notice that my voice gets better when I rest it, which is not the same as it was right after the thyroid surgery, so I think it may be the Parkinson's. I'll find out next week.

On Christmas Eve my daughter and her husband and our granddaughter are coming from Florida. I can't wait to see my granddaughter. She is 21 months old. With Christmas on a Monday, music ministers will be very busy at church. I play guitar (and sing the best I can) Sunday morning, then Sunday 4:15 for Christmas Eve, then Christmas morning. My son sings and plays trumpet (not at the same time) for midnight mass at his church in Maryland, then drives up Christmas morning and we have Polish sausage for brunch when he gets here and I get home from church.

I hope everyone's holiday preparation is going well. My mother used to say that Christmas is for husbands and children- the mothers have to do all the work.

Chicory