Why I'll Be Wearing Red

CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE:

    Also called: CAD, atherosclerotic heart disease

   Damage or disease in the heart's major blood vessels.

The usual cause is the buildup of plaque. This causes coronary arteries to narrow, limiting blood flow to the heart.

Coronary artery disease can range from no symptoms, to chest pain, to a heart attack.

Treatments include lifestyle changes, medications, angioplasty, and surgery.  

Do you see what I highlighted in red up above?  This is why it is so hard to detect.  A little over a year ago I was diagnosed with CAD - Coronary Artery Disease  purely by God's grace.  I had no chest pains, no rapid heart beats. A little short of breath but that was not uncommon for me.  NO SYMNPTOMS

Gary and I had the opportunity to get a hear/lung scan at a super great rate.  This is not something that our insurance would pay and very expensive.  So when the opportunity presented we took advantage.  September 2021 we went and had our scans.  Thus it began.  

Within a matter of days I was talking to doctors who told me I had to see my primary care provider ASAP.  My calcium count was extremely high. Words like 'widow maker', 'heart attack', and 'open heart surgery' were used.  I then had many doctor appointments, many tests, and two heart caths. During each visit I kept hearing those words repeated over and over. I ended up having one stent placed in the main artery which was 75% blocked. I have two more arteries that are 50 % blocked. 

Some of you have never been through a heart catheter.  You are awake for the procedure.  They need you awake.  I was strapped down to the table and I could see the monitor the doctor was using as he threaded the catheter from my right wrist to my heart.  I remember saying 'My chest is starting to hurt.'  The doctor asked me what the pain level was.  I said '8".  Next thing I know I'm waking up in a recovery room with the doctor looking at me saying, 'You don't look very good.  Are you having trouble breathing?"

After an overnight stay in the hospital I was sent home. It has been thirteen months since I had the stent placed. During that time I have gone through 5 months of cardio rehab, 3 times a week. I was given multiple handouts.  I changed to a low sodium, heart-healthy diet.  I went through numerous medication changes from my cardiologist.  I have had an episode where I passed out which resulted in even more testing and more medication changes.  

My cardiologist now feels like we have a handle on things. I know what to do if I start to feel 'off'.  This is what will cause me to pass out.  I know to watch my diet.  I have pretty much given up on chips, french fries, salt (even going so far as to limit the good things like bacon, ham, sausage). I eat more chicken and fish. 

So don't think that just because you have no symptoms you are good to go.  If something feels off - see your doctor; more tired than usual, shortness of breath, chest pain. 

Parent - Child - Friend

I haven't posted for a while but  here's one for you.  

The other night I'm sound asleep in bed - 12:30 am my phone rings.  I grab the phone and can see it's my daughhter calling.  I don't have my glasses on and my eyes don't focus well when I first wake up plus I had been sound asleep so I swiped the wrong way and instead of answering it went to voicemail.  

Of course I immediately call her back to hear  'You voicemailed me!"  We got that straightened out.  

Now I have 5 kids and I don't get the middle of the night phone calls like I used to. Guess that's what happens as they get older. When the phone does ring in the middle of the night I can be pretty sure which daughter is calling me and that it's most likely not an emergency.  I was right. 

My daughter was with my oldest brother and they had had a few drinks and basically I was called on a dare. My brother told her that I wouldn't answer a  phone call in the middle of the night and her response was 'My Mom will always take my call." (please note if I accidentally voicemail you I will call back immediately).  '

Well, we had a nice little chat - almost an hour  - said our goodbyes and hung up.  Please note - I did call her back the next afternoon and woke her up from her nap.  Seemed only fitting.  

During the course of our calls, yes both of them, my daughter made mention of the fact that she was glad that we were 'friends'.  Well, her call got thoughts running in my head and as usually happens those thoughts developed into a poem which I thought I would share with you.  

And for all those new mommas, struggling mommas, and just plain worn-out mommas, hang in there - your friendship days are coming.

 

Snuggles and cuddles, unlimited feelings

Enjoy your babies, the time is fleeting.

Next up is the laughter and giggles,

And what causes those unstoppable wiggles?

Elementary school they still need you

They are experiencing all things new.

You’re not sure that you or they will survive

The rebellious teenage years when they arrive.

Becoming an adult and finding their way

So many lessons learned along the way.

Now an adult your babies have grown

Each one now has their own home.

You’re still just a phone call away

Whenever they are having a bad day.

Middle of the night and want to chat?

They know you are okay with that.

 

More than your child they are now your friend.

 

Written by: K. Marrs

                       02/20/2022

Eyes of a Child

I recently spent the day with my great-granddaughter.  Life is so fun with kids!  I do appreciate that I had my kids and grandkkids young as I don't have near the energy now that I did for them.  LOL

It's wonderful to see life though a child's eyes.  So here is what a day with Amelia can be like.

A mylar balloon becomes a floating anchor.  You are the 'matey' and can help her pull it down. This is repeated several times as it just keeps floating away. This same mylar balloon is also a great punching bag and offers lots of giggles.

The pillows on the loveseat can be rearranged and with the help of a blanket it becomes a great hide-away house.  Those same pillows if arranged on the floor will become a 'jump pit'.  This is especially fun when Grampa comes home and throws you in the jump pit.

Macaroni and cheese is a fun thing to eat if you get bored.

Everyone needs family.  Even a dead worm.  Also, please note that if worms spend to much time in the sun they die.  Even biiiggg worms.

Trash men going by picking up the garbage are fun to watch.  Their truck is awesome!

All birds in the world are your friends.

If  you go into the kitchen in your socks it's like ice skating and is lots of fun.

Climbing on top of Grandma's head is fun - but can also be a little bit scary because it is so high.

If given a choice of which plate you want to eat off of, always choose one with snowmen because snowmen are fun.

Having A Brother

I grew up the only girl with three brothers.  I was next to youngest.  What did that mean?

It means I know how to fight.  I mean really fight - none of the sissy-fighting.  I know that if you put your leg behind someone else's leg and yank you can take them down.  Good move to know.

It means that sometimes you get punched in the stomach if your brother doesn't want you to use something.  That's especially painful if you have just come home from the hospital after having your appendix out.

It means you play football, baseball, basketball - 2 on 2.  You don't cry when playing with brothers they'll just make fun of you.  So you learn to suck it up and play on.

It means you know how to hunt and fish.  You can skin a rabbit and scale and fillet fish. And while fishing with a pole is nice - nothing beats hand fishing.

It means you learn how to burp really good -- and how to make the arm-pit farts. 

It means someone you can depend on.  When you are in Junior High and High School and there's one annoying guy bugging you.  You know your older brother will take care of it.

It means that you are included when they round up the guys to head to the movie or drive-in.


It means that if  you want something most likely your brother will make sure you get it.  Like a sweater/skirt set with matching knee socks for Christmas.

It also means that when you are adults you still have someone to talk to that understands you.

It means that they will call you to ask you to order them something online when they want it.

It means that when you have knee surgery and you live over a thousand miles away, your brother will call you every single day to see if you need anything.  Then he'll say, 'I don't let myself have a drink until I talk to you and know that you are ok.'

It means that they still look out for you - always.

It means that one brother will fly from Arizona to Tulsa to drive with you to Pennsylvania when your brother dies. Just because he wants to make sure you are ok.

Having a brother is pretty nice.

Working Remotely

Working remotely!  Can I say I LOVE IT!!! 

Now, I'm not so much liking the reason why of course.  But I am so thankful that I do have that option and do not have to go into my work thus exposing myself to the possibility of contracting the virus or bringing it home.

Am I still working?  Yes I am.  And I feel like I'm accomplishing quite a bit.  I'm able to assist students through e-mails and voicmails.  I am not receiving calls but I am available to my on-campus co-workers if they need me to follow-up with a student who might be needing extensive assistance. 

We actually have three workspaces set up at home as Gary is also working remotely.  I have the breakast room, Gary has the dining room and we have Lily's bedroom in case privacy is needed.  Not necessarily  privacy but maybe quieter space.  Such as if we both happen to have Zoom meetings at the same time or both need to use our phones.  One of us goes to Lily's room which can be set up with a small desk as needed. 

You can see from my first picture that I have a pretty great view.  I've picked a few roses that have bloomed from my garden and brought inside. I also have a picture of my favorite partrooper there.  Did you see the engraving on my tray?  Enjoying Life  -  that's what I'm doing.  Enjoing this time I have at home.  I watch walkers in the neighborhood.  We have provided chalk should anyone wish to leave a picture or message on our driveway.  It's always fun to see someone sitting in the driveway drawing a picture. Not to mention, I now think I know which neighbor it is that has the big dog who uses my yard for a restroom but doesn't pick up after it.  I can tell that my across the street neighbor must be bored as it appears he has been mowing his yard twice a week. 

I know that this is a temporary thing but if I could I would work from home forever!  If they could just forward my phones.  Yes, I know phones can be forwarded but a call center is a little bit different. 

So for now I will continue Enjoying Life. 

Clothespins On A Line

Who grew up hanging their clothes on the clothesline? 

I did -- it was my job to do the laundry at the house.  And like everyone else we had a clothespin bag. 

A year or so ago my cousin gave me a little baggie of clothes pins. You might think - how weird.  Our Granny hang her clothes out on the line and had a clothespin bag with clothespins.  Now Granny has been gone a very long time but her clothespin bag and clothespins were still around.  The clothespins were divided up among the cousins for a remembrance. 

So I have had this plastic baggie of clothespin trying to decide how I wanted to display them.  I knew I wanted to write some kind of poem but nothing was coming together.  That's the way it is sometimes with poems.  I kinda know what I want to say but it just doesn't work like I want. 

Well, yesterday I saw a clothespin shadowbox with a hymn behind it.  I thought, well that's cool I'm going to save it.  Then I thought of Granny's clothespins and I thought a shadowbox would be a cool idea but I need something with it.  So I penned this little poem:

These clothespins on the line

Bring Granny to my mind.

Gone but not forgotten

I wander back in time.

Memories that make me smile

For just a little while.

Just a memory of my Granny

Clothespins on the line

Written by:  K. Marrs 03/11/2020

I will be putting together a shadowbox to hang with a cord of some kind with Granny's clothespins hanging on it and this poem below.  

Unexpected Memories

I stepped off the elevator at work the other day and it hit me. 

The smell of cherry pipe tobacco.

This is a very distinctive smell and one I hadn't smelled for over 30 years. 

My dad was a pipe smoker and he liked cherry pipe tobacco.  So there it was - a memory of my dad from nowhere.  Unexpected.  But it lead to another unexpected memory of my brother who passed away just a few weeks ago.

My dad had several pipes and always had pipe tobacco around.  Always.    Sometimes it was a small pouch but he also had a humidor that he kept pipe tobacco in.  One year for Christmas one of us kids got him some cherry pipe tobacco for that humidor. 

Fast forward to July after that Christmas.  We kids were home while Mom and Dad were at work.  Wayne convinced me that we needed to try chewing tobacco. 

Don't you know that there was still some of that cherry pipe tobacco in Dad's humidor?  And of course Wayne thought that was what we should try chewing. 

OH MY WORD!!!  That stuff was so nasty!!!  It was the one and only time I ever tried chewing tobacco. Wayne of course chewed his longer than I did but neither of us really chewed it for very long.

Those unexpected memories come from nowhere sometimes.

They can hurt.

But at the same time - it brings a smile and gratitude that I have those memories.