A Brand New Month

Things have markedly changed here at the lake with the warmer temperatures and everything in full bloom. A young Amish couple helped me put in the docks last week, and it always looks like summer when the pontoon is tied to the dock. Ron and I went out once on the lake. It is quite an effort with 33 steps down to the water. Even the 3 steps inside the house require a lot of effort. Now that the dock is in at Matt's cottage, I can park the pontoon over there and drive down to the water when we go on a ride. Much easier for Ron. we are looking forward to spending time with our kids'families over the summer. Their schedules tend to get more complicated as the grandchildren have more commitments to their activities. Andrew, Lisa, Abby, and Lily are traveling from Germany for several days; they have one more year overseas. (Thank heaven his 9 month deployment to Iraq is over.)
As I think back to last summer, Ron's decline has definitely slowed, with treatments once a month compared to every other week last summer. My nurse duties remain the same with meds and caring for his central line. (Neostar)
He will have belly Lovenox shots for about two more weeks for the extensive DVT which was found last November.
The oral surgery issue is still not resolved--insurance should bear responsibility for it because it is a medical complication, but there are a few hoops to jump through to schedule it.
Since last summer, Ron's diet has been affected because of his teeth breaking at the gum line. He has less stamina, but he is very careful to avoid a fall. His weight stays constant, about 30 pounds less than before the transplant. He reads less--no books or magazines any more but does read the sports schedule in the newspaper to schedule his TV sporting events.
Thanks for continuing to think of us and sending prayers and positive thoughts our way.
Love, Ron & Jan

You gotta love Spring!

The "moonrise" over Gilead Lake has been spectacular! You can't really capture it in a picture; as the moon gets higher, it shimmers across the lake. (an attempted picture in the previous post

) Most of the flowering bushes and trees are in full bloom. The flowering picture is just around the curve on Gilead Shores Drive.
Next week we go to U of M for two days for Ron's treatments. Treatments are a month apart now; his bone marrow/stem cell transplant was nearly 4 years ago.

Oh, happy May!!

It is delightful to see the arrival of spring! We plan to spend about 20 days each month at the lake During the warm months and 10 in BG. I have yard-worked myself until muscle sore, but it is such a good feeling. It is HUGE to only have AA appointments one week of each month rather than every other week with only 10-12 days in between those overnight stays. Now we travel from BG to AA daily. It is much easier not to have to pack clothes and all medical supplies.
Ron continues to be about the same. We have short term issues to work through occasionally, but no biggies. It has almost been a year since his last hospitalization when he fell, broke ribs, had parainfluenza 3, and pneumonia. Cognitively, he stays about the same; his issues would not appear to be progressive.
As I type, I am sitting in my favorite place by the lakeside windows. The redbud is blooming, numerous yellow and house finches are eating, an oriole is trying out my suet and hummingbird feeder. The grape jelly is out for the oriole but couldn't yet locate the feeder for it, so I put some in a low bowl. We have two pair of wrens making home in the birdhouses. I love hearing the wrens and Orioles sing.
Things are good with "our kids". Andy is home to Germany from Iraq, so that is a significant mental burden lifted. I have enclosed some recent pictures.