Milton Light Parade

 Last evening we went out to see the Milton Light Parade. Last year they went right by the house.  This year the route was different but close enough to walk to see. We thought we had it timed right but, ooops, we were halfway down our street when it went by on Route 7. So we backtracked as fast as we could go to catch them on their way back around a neighborhood loop. We went as quickly as could be with me leading the way with my sore leg and a lantern. Then came Nurse Julie with Casey with his flashing light up scarf and hat and sleigh bells. Last was Gene and Molly. Molly had on her orange harness and flashing doggie light. Gene wore his dad’s safety vest (his dad was a crossing guard),a hat with a led light and some flash lights. We were quite the sight!  

We got to our spot. Didn’t have to wait too long. A policeman was stopping traffic te the line of cars to make it back out to Route 7 so we had a good view. I’m adding the video but they were so much more spectacular in person. Casey wants Dad to put light on our van next year so we can be in the parade. 

We’re so happy we got to have this little bit of holiday tradition especially since we didn’t go to the town tree lighting this year.  It was fun!

Enjoy the videos!  

PS  Molly was a super good girl  it’s funny, when we put the harness on her she gets really docile and cooperative which is a good thing when we are out on a walk in the dark in a busy street!

Updates:

 

 Two big updates:

We adopted a female black lab!  She's about 15 months old.  We got her off Craigslist.  I know, I know.  But it worked out.  She's a good girl, for the most part.  Biggest issue is that she's a runner. Twice within the first couple of days we had her she got loose and took off.  Poor Gene almost had a heart attack.  But he got her back.  The best thing about her is that she is not timid with Casey, his medical equipment, nor his chair!  That's always a worry.  She just took it all in stride.  She's also very, very sweet and pretty.  She's much smaller than Jaxon was.  We weighed her here and she was about 53 1/2 pounds.  

The second thing is that our renovation has begun!  The crew came on Tuesday, the 13th with the contractors and they made a plan (for what it's worth).  They started actual demo on Wednesday, the 14th.  So far they haven't touched the upstairs bathroom so we can use that, thankfully.  The kitchen is GONE!  The living room is gone!  Right this minute the entryway floor is still there and they haven't touched the laundry area.  Tonight we have to get the rest of the things out of the entryway as the floor will be worked on tomorrow.  

Oh, the the electrician is here.  I'm not sure what they are doing but I hope progress is being made.  Plumbing and electric are going to be HUGE.  Hopefully they built enough into the contract to cover what needs to be done.  We are already adding to the cost as there some sill rot and some other things that need to be fixed that I don't even understand.

What else.

Casey had a pulmonary and an ENT appointments yesterday.  Pulmonary was fine.  Pretty much a check in and a catch up.  Dr. Cowan will talk to Janet about trying the Astral vent and also maybe the Shiley trach that they just re-designed.  ENT sucked out his ears.  She thought they were a little damp.  MAY eventually try some powder to get the flora to be more normal.  We talked about the supragranuloma (not sure if this is the proper name) that Dr. Lahiri found when he did Casey's bronch a month or so ago.  She thought it would be a good idea to remove it.  It's above his trach so it's not affecting his breathing or trach right now.  But who knows if it will grow more.  And, if for some reason we couldn't get his trach in, the granuloma would block an intubation tube.  So we probably will do it but not not super soon.  It entails the whole nine yards: fasting, IV, sedation, surgery, and recovery.  Ugh. She thought his trach site looked good.  Casey was pretty cooperative overall.  

Some funnies about the trip to UVM.  We had to bring Molly with us as she's still too new and nervous to leave here alone.  So Gene dropped Nurse Staci, Casey and I off and they went on adventures.  Molly got to pee all over Burlington!  She loves riding and was mostly cooperative.  

Dr. Cowan had a resident with her.  First thing he says to the resident. "Korean".  The resident said, "You got me"  :)  He was a good sport and put up with Casey's questionings.  Of course Casey wanted to know his wife's name (not married), children (none), address (Burlington).  Etc.  

New laptop for me!

It came today!  Kinda a late Mother's Day gift to me.  My HP laptop was about 7 years old and stuck on Windows 7.  It wasn't really bad, but I definitely could use an update.  Definitely could use an refresh. Gene found a Lenovo at Costco for about $500.  Set it up, mostly, but some things are weird and it will take a bit for me to figure them out.  

I hope to be able to use our printer easier than it was with my old laptop.  Not sure why it was a pain.  

Used the new laptop for Reading Group today and Karen said we looked a little sharper and she could hear us well.  So that's good.

Cancelled bronch :(

 Long story but I cancelled the bronch for Casey.  When the pre-op people called they told us to be there at 6:30AM!  I thought something had changed.  No one could tell me what the actual time of his procedure was.  Come to find out, there really isn't a time set.  Its first case, second case, etc.  But, when the pulmonary nurse called on Monday morning to check what was up, she said to just ignore what the pre-op people said, sigh.  I wish I had known.  When I tried to find out what was up, on Saturday morning-because no one called me back from pulmonary on Friday, I was sent all over the hospital but no one knew anything.  I don't know why I never thought to ask to have the on call pedi pulmonary doc paged.  We're pretty self sufficient and haven't needed things after hours very often so it didn't even cross my mind.  

Anyway, he is scheduled for Monday the 24th and we're to be there at 7:30 AM.  That's early enough for me!  We're way out of practice in getting ready early.  So crazy to remember that we used to have Casey ready by 7:00 AM certain days of the week his last few years of school.  (some days were later).  

Casey has to get another Covid test done.  The same service will come here.  The nurse I spoke with at pulmonary said they had no problems getting into the van to test him but when they called to set him up, they said NO WAY so they have the service coming again Friday at 10 AM.  

Covid test for Casey--don't worry, he's not sick!

 Casey has a bronchoscopy scheduled for Monday morning. The hospital requires him to get a Covid test beforehand. We were going to get scheduled at the drive through testing at Fanny Allen but when they called to set it up Gene told them that Casey is in a power chair in the van and they said the tester will not go into vehicle. So they set us up with a service that comes to the house.  They are a medical transport business as well as well as offsite Covid testing. 

They scheduled us for 10 but of course they called to push it out to noon. They were here at 12:20.  Casey was nervous and asked some questions to me beforehand. We wheeled him outside.  It was quick and Casey was cooperative. I think it was 10 seconds in the tip of each nostril and that was it.  

Pfizer #2 for me

 So I had my second Pfizer shot on the 11th in the AM/  I gotta say that they were very helpful and efficient at the Double Tree.  Once again I was in and out smoothly and quickly. 

Afterwards, I went to Chris's.  We had some coffee cake and then we decluttered, cleaned and organized one of her bottom cupboards and two utensil drawers.  We consolidated some items, discarded old and broken things, got rid of duplicates and got rid of items she doesn't use anymore and we also threw out some outdated food.  It wasn't bad but you could tell she hadn't done it in a LONG time. I suggested she buy some cereal containers,some pull out bins for her bottom cupboard and some new food storage containers/Tupperware.

Went home, drank, had something to eat and then took a nap. 

I didn't get a head ache at all and my arm didn't hurt as badly as it did last time.  I was tired and my brain was a step or two behind the eight ball but that was the worst that I got for side effects.  Phew. I was the last to vaccinated. In a couple weeks I'll have a good immunity build up, I hope.   

Picking up trash

 Today I choose to remember the man in the vehicle that slowed down, waved, and shouted out, “Thank you!” while I was picking up trash along our road, instead of the man in a vehicle who whizzed by me (not being courteous and moving more toward the inside of his lane—there were no cars coming) and then down the road, threw a lit cigarette out his window. Sigh. 

Our road is looking pretty good. Green Up Day is this Saturday. We don’t officially participate but I always pick up trash along our road once the snow has disappeared. I try to keep up with it through the summer (sometimes it’s way too hot for me, though) and I’ll continue through the fall. 

Shot #1 for me!

 Finally.  I had to wait until 50+ were allowed to sign up.  I thought I had pretty good date-a few weeks out.  Gene initially had a later date but he was determined to get in sooner so he stalked the sites. Tomorrow he gets his shot #2 of Pfizer. 

 Funny story.  He found an appointment at Kinney Drugs in Burlington. Nothing funny about that, right???  Well, he went to his appointment and he went to the wrong Kinneys, hahahaha.  He was able to call and they were fine with him bopping down there. It really wasn't too far.  So he was done.  For side effects, I would say he was kinda 'off' from my perspective.  It was like a fuzzy version of him but he was really fine.  

My shot was at the Double Tree in South Burlington.  It took me a while to figure out which one was the Double Tree as there are several hotels in the vicinity.  I was nervous, anxious, etc. so I left the house early.  Tried to reorder Casey's Evrysdi by phone, but I was waiting too long so I hung up and went in.  They were very organized.  Lots of helpers to guide you along.  I had a nice man to give the shot--not sure if he was a nurse or what but he did good.  It was painless and quick.  I had my shot completed before my actual appointment time!  I waited almost the suggested 15 minutes but was too antsy so I left.  

Headed over to Chris's. She wanted help cleaning her Keurig machine and organizing one of her cabinets. I brought over a big jug of vinegar, one of Casey's little brushes he gets from his trach care kits and a paperclip. I got to work after having a raisin 'cookie' from Klinger's that she had picked up.  Yum.

The Keurig wasn't too bad at all. I got at the part where all the coffee grounds gather, cleaned the tip that punctures the cup, cleaned out the water reservoir, wiped everything down, and did the vinegar thing.  I hope it doesn't taste like vinegar in the morning.

Headed home.  Just want to say that I love my Volvo.  I love it because it was Dad's car, but also because it has a nice feel to it all around.  I have to figure out the heat, ac, and cruise control but I'll get there.  I just need to get out and drive more!

I started feeling sore when I got home.  My arm hurt pretty badly where the injection site is.  I got it in my right arm in solidarity with Casey :)  The worst was my lower back.  I'm not a stranger to lower back pain but this was a little different.  It was an achey pain but somehow different than when my back is usually sore.  I know that doesn't make sense, but I can't explain it.  

I was able to take a nap which was the glorious kind where it's deep and refreshing.

Gene had errands to do so Casey and I were on our own.  I did fine.  Kinda tired and really thirsty!

Book group. Hannah, Karen, Connor, Casey and I were all on together when the verdict was read in the Derek Chauvin case.  Guilty on all three counts!  

Gene brought me home a treat for dinner.  We finished watching the latest Masked Singer.  Somehow Gene tolerates watching this music show but doesn't watch The Voice or American Idol with us.  

Bed time!

Casey is vaccinated!

Casey got his second Pfizer shot on Thursday at 1:20PM.  He was excited and he ended up being cooperative :)  We filled out the paperwork and then shopped while we waited.  Casey saw the Lady Gaga Oreos and told us "Lady Gaga food buy."  So we bought them :)  He also picked out a Champ tee shirt, shampoo (Pantene) and I bought a greeting card I needed.  aThe shot was quick and done by Jeremy the pharmacist.  Casey was hoping he would do it this time.  

Gene had driven us (Casey, Staci and I) so he made us go home right away.  It was cold and rainy anyway so that was okay.  

Put an ice pack on his arm right away.  We got him snuggled in on his table.  We made it in time for Reading Group.  It ended up only being Casey, Connor, Bill and I. Karen was getting her shot so Bill was the guest reader.  We chatted and he read some history of the Red Sox.  We ended up talking about artists.  I found some biographies on several artists that I ordered from Thrift Books for the future. 

Casey complained a little bit about a sore arm but not too much.  Got him to bed early.  We ended up letting him sleep in until 11:15 on Friday!  I think he could have slept more.  He was tired all day and a little needy.  When he woke up on Saturday he was completely normal.  Phew.  

My first shot it tomorrow!  I think Gene's 2nd is Wednesdat,,