Celebration Time

 April 22- 23, 2021

Now don't get overly excited after reading the title: Celebration Time.  Sometimes it's the little things that get us excited though....like a pedi!

But wait...Dad ground my toenails on 4 paws; 2 back feet and 2 front feet.  Is that a double pedi?  A double celebration?  Whatever you want to call it, I feel GOOD!!  

Dad is feeling good and celebrating as well.  You'll notice in the pic above that he has a button down (or is that button up) shirt.  He has been living in that style shirt for 8 days, but today he is back in his favorite, comfortable T's and happily playing patio ball with me.

Last night at 6:15pm I heard a strange sounding alarm ringing.  It didn't sound like Dad's phone.  It didn't even sound like Momma's phone.  Momma and Dad looked at each other with a puzzled look and then.......the source of the sound was located.  The wound pump that has been Dad's companion and sidekick for 8 days now finally ran out of battery.  CELEBRATE!!

Well, actually, the celebration didn't begin until all that shoulder covering, sticky tape was removed.  No more hose that would catch on objects numerous times a day.  And no more skin pull from being taped.  Free at last!!  Now he just has a neat looking line with stitches that will be removed later this week.  Yep, another celebration coming up in a few days.  

Momma even got to celebrate.  The summer adventure has been finalized.  June, July and August on the road this summer which will end in Daytona in September at a campout with our Good Sam friends. 

We just might get lucky while in the 1000 Islands area on the St. Lawrence River if the Canadian border opens back up in July.  Dad will be making a day trip over the border to pick up some of the Multi Grain Bread Flour that he loves but is not sold in the lower 48.  They don't even ship it, although I'm sure it would be a hefty price if they did as flour is quite dense and weighty.  

Maybe some of our friends will want to hook up with us along the way.  Especially at one of our favorite places, Shipshewana, Indiana or Berlin, Ohio.  Don't fret, I'll have my ball and frisbee with me so any friends can toss them for me.

So tell me, don't you think Friday was a day for celebrations?

I'm Chloe

 

All is well

 April 15, 2021

It ‘s a good thing I’m not afraid of the dark.  I was left home without a single light burning.  I’m sure they figured they would be returning home long before dark but everyone at the hospital must have enjoyed their company because they kept them there until after 9 pm……so it was VERY dark when I heard the garage door rising upon their return.

 

All went well according to the doctor.  He even gave Dad/attached to his incision a ‘wound pump’.  Now Dad has a device a tad bigger than his cell phone (thicker) attached to a hose that is attached to a pad that is covering his latest incision.  Dad says he can’t wait until the battery dies in 7 to 10 days (that’s when it will get removed) so he can take it apart and see how it works. 

 

It was mostly a day of waiting.  The actual surgery was a little over an hour which took place at 5:30 pm, even though he reported to the hospital at 2.    Dad was sure getting hungry by the time they got home, but it was much too late to enjoy much more than some of Momma’s homemade bread toasted and slathered with butter. 

 

Thanks for all the prayers.  Now it is healing time and he’ll be better than new!!

Chloe's update on Dad

 April 15, 2021

This has been a busy week so far for Dad, but this afternoon he will be taking a mandatory nap.  Sleep induced by anethesia while Dr. Manseau addresses the 'infection' in Dad's shoulder.

To bring you up to date:  August 2020 Dad had shoulder replacement surgery; January 2021 he developed a build up of fluid causing a lump that was drained in the Doctor's office with a LONG needle;  March 2021 the 'lump' returned.

That set in  motion a slew of tests:  bone scan, gallium scan and aspiration of the lump which took a week to complete as some tests were before the weekend and some after the weekend.  As I'm sure you have all experienced, it takes time to get results back...more waiting.  So now the lump has taken on a new appearance.

We all breathed a sigh of relief when all the test results came back negative for septic in shoulder hardware and bones.  The game plan is to lance the area, remove any old stitches and possible scar tissue and 'clean' the area.  

So Dad is on a fasting diet today as he doesn't report to the hospital until this afternoon.  

Keep him in your prayers that all goes as planned including a speedy recovery.  

It's all a matter of perspective

 April 12, 2021

Go ahead, ask me how my weekend was.  Then ask Momma and Dad how their weekend was.

The weekend began on Thursday.  Everyone loaded  into the Ram which had been hitched up to the 5er 

and we were off,  heading north.  It wasn't a long pull as we were stopping on the east side of Ocala about 5 miles out on Hwy 40 at Wilderness RV Resort.  

We had a smooth start and it appeared that we were one of the first of our Golden Triangle Camping Group to arrive, but it wasn't long before the rest of the gang appeared and settled in for the weekend.

We were parked on a pull thru narrow cement pad with just enough room for our rig and truck that we carefully centered on our site. You certainly didn't want to be close to the road on either end.  You would definitely be inviting trouble as the park interior roads are quite narrow and you could easily get clipped.  

The good thing was the nice patch of grass between the sites.  It felt great on my belly as we sat under our awning and chatted with our friends that morning.  I even talked them into tossing my jug for me a bit even though I was tied up.  I really couldn't RUN after it, but I could pounce on it and bring it back for another go.  

Yes, it was looking like it was going to be a fun filled weekend...and then....I was put inside for the afternoon while the two-legged gathered for some social time sharing snacks and tales inside the screened pavillion.  I was glad to see Momma and Dad returning to the rig so I could enjoy some 'me' time with them while they grabbed some dinner, but that didn't last nearly long enough as they headed off again for card games and/or the fire ring. This campground even provided the wood to burn in their nice firepit.  Boy, where did the day go.....it was time for sweet dreams of dog treats from Aunt Carol and outdoor playtime.  

Friday morning I had a nice long walk with Momma and Dad as we explored the streets lined with seasonal and full time campers.  Most of the sites are owner owned with a few for sale.  I was trying my best to do some investigating but Momma said that I had to stay on the road and off of other people's property.  Now what fun is that?  

By late morning, the card games were in full swing again along with social time followed by an afternoon where everyone gathered under the shade tree for a game of bean bag baseball.  Who would have thought grown ups could make so much noise and have so many laughs over tossing bean bags at a board with holes in it?  I heard Dad was on a role with 4 home runs in row.  It was no surprise that he was on the winning team.  He had some great teammates who made some good plays.  

Momma and Dad finally returned to the rig and I was ready to play but....they ran off to a wine and cheese party to celebrate Horn's ownership of a new travel trailer with a roomy floorplan and loads of storage.  The trip to Georgia convinced Phyllis and Dale they needed a tad more closet storage space with a bedroom that would allow them some floorspace...and that is what they gained in their 34 footer.  I wasn't invited to take the tour...something about cats on board.  Well, for your information, I like cats.  But it wasn't meant to be.  

I was disappointed when the two-legged headed off once again for dinner at MoJo's.  I was left to have dinner on my own.  THEY got to enjoy all sorts of enticing dinners

while I was stuck with that same old, everyday dog food.  

The day was finished off with more games and the fire ring for the adults while I, once again, was left to make my own fun or nap.  I don't complain....much.  But when Saturday's schedule was as full as Friday's with breakfast, meeting, games, pot luck dinner 

and some game called Nickel Nickel,

Momma and Dad cleaned out all the nickels that Jim and Michele had.  I think they were on a winning streak weekend.  I wonder how many dog treats all those nickels will buy?

I was getting pretty bored and 

Later that evening Dad thought for sure I was trying to end it all by sniffing Momma's shoe. He thought for sure the smell would do me in and he'd have to perform CPR.  Momma didn't think that was at all funny.  

So as you read, Momma and Dad had a fun packed weekend that they shared with some awesome friends while I, on the other hand, had to be on duty, guarding the rig the majority of the weekend.  

But I wasn't worried as I just knew Sunday I would be home and romping in my yard.  WRONG.  The rain took care of those playful plans.  It turned out to be a rather quiet weekend for me, in contrast to the eventful weekend Momma and Dad had.  I really don't mind though.  

I'm Chloe

happy wherever I am.....