2026 Project 365 – Week Forty-one

10/12/26 EDIT!! I saw my surgeon this morning & I do NOT need another surgery! Woo hoo! However, you can continue to read my tale of woe below.

We got some hard news this week, but also some good things happened. Let’s dive right in.
Sunday, October 4^th
This was actually Monday morning, but since it was the wee hours, I’m counting it as Sunday. I could NOT fall asleep! I was wide awake, so I decided I might as well log into work and get some things done.

Monday, October 5^th                    

Dr. M was able to get some sheep photos today. We might live out in the country, but it’s surprisingly difficult to find a traffic-free moment to stop in the road!
 

Meanwhile, I made “chocolate milk” out of some Necco wafers. It was pretty good!

 Tuesday, October 6^th       
I roamed around the yard a bit & gazed with resignation at the remnants of the bee balm. I had hoped to get it chopped down before my surgery. However, it makes an excellent Halloween decoration!
 

Wednesday, October 7^th                      
From the socials: Things did not go as planned with today’s post-op appointment. Something isn’t right with the new shoulder apparatus & my surgeon will have to go back in to determine what went wrong & what will be required to fix it. My new surgery is next Thursday the 15th. At which point the clock starts all over again. Prayers for & apologies to Dr. M & my coworkers! At least I got my stitches out & consolation French toast!
 

Later, because he knows I love them, Dr. M sent me a photo of a soybean field.
 

Thursday, October 8^th           
I had to laugh at my attempt to pull my hair “back” – I can only do it to one side. I told everyone I had was wearing my hair as a fascinator. Ha!

I asked my dad to come get me for a play date! I wandered around his yard, worked the puzzle, played on my phone, & visited. It was lovely!
 

Friday, October 9^th       
My cousin picked me up to hang out at the salon while our other friend got her hair done. We had a lovely time (apologies to the other customer because we were kind of rowdy). Kim pulled my hair back for me (& I still haven’t taken it down – yay!).
 

Saturday, October 10^th       
I made myself such a huge bowl of cereal that I had to switch to a pasta bowl!
 

I got this photo from my cousin’s daughter – tummy time with that ridiculous starfish I made. I love that she knows how much it means to see my creations out in the wild.

And I posted this on the socials asking if I was a monster. Truly, I am very random with how I eat a Kit Kat.
 

I have an appointment with my surgeon tomorrow to discuss the new surgery (my appointment on Wednesday was with his PA – she’s the one who saw something that didn’t look right). I have this fantasy that he’ll look at it in person & say that I don’t have to have another surgery (even though the x-ray was pretty clear, AND the PA could see and feel that the “ball” wasn’t in the right place). Whatever happens, you’ll surely hear all about it next week!

2026 Project 365 – Week Forty

This week there is still a major obsession with my hair (and frankly, when is there not), gifts, some happy news, and actually not a ton of recovery discussion. You just never know what might happen around here (well, except for hair).
Sunday, September 27^th
I ate some of the potato soup that Dr. M’s Aunt Sharon brought us. Later Dr. M took me to Dad & Sue’s to hang out & my Aunt Lila pulled my hair back for me (woo hoo!). I was feeling very thankful!

Monday, September 28^th                    
I went on a walkabout & got a little happy with the clippers so I brought some flower in for us to enjoy.
 

Tuesday, September 29^th       
I went on another walkabout (without the clippers!) & took pictures of our three Encore Azaleas that are blooming right now. I love how different they are. So pretty!
 

Wednesday, September 30^th                      
After 24 hours of labor, our baby was born! Well, my cousin’s grandson. Which makes me some sort of Removal Cousin, but I’ve said that he can call me Grant (for great-aunt).
 

Meanwhile, Dr. M spent some time sitting with his Pop & his elderly cat.
 

I was VERY amused with myself posting this “recovery progress” video. Listen to the end. Ha!
 

Thursday, October 1^st          
My cousin came by to visit and brought flowers & the best ice cream in all the land (Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food, lest you forget). She also helped me dry & style my hair, and showed the birth video (babies look like little aliens when they’re born). We had a nice visit! Later I got a card from someone in my church. She had painted it herself!
 

Friday, October 2^nd      
Otis to Brady ratio – our baby is such a little bean! It’s going to be a while before he’ll be trying to play with that octopus!
 

Dr. M caught some soybean harvesting in action. We were expecting a huge amount of rain this weekend, so they were racing against the clock (turns out we just got SOME rain, not the buckets they’d predicted).
 

And I tried to pull my hair up myself. Um.
 

Saturday, October 3^rd       
I put out a plea to my family to get me out of the house, & boy did they respond! My brother & his wife picked me up & took me to dad & Sue’s, then they went to Jason’s Deli & got their loaded potato bar with salad (yum!). I got my puzzle fix, caught up on all the news, and then Dad & Sue brought me home. I put on real clothes!
 

My pain has still not been what I expected it would be even though my last dose of Oxycodone was at 4:30 a.m. on Thursday morning. However, sleeping has been hit or miss because I HATE to sleep on my back. I think it’s more like dozing. I’ve thought about taking Tylenol PM, but would the hangover be worth it? I get my stitches out on Wednesday, but I still have another 2 ½ weeks of wearing the sling. All of this to say, I have entered the cranky portion of my recovery. May God have mercy on Dr. M’s soul. How have you been? I mean, I’m pretty sure we’re all just generally cranky because of current events anyway.

2026 Project 365 – Week Thirty-nine

You will be much relieved to know that my surgery is OVER & after this post I shall stop talking about it & instead I will talk incessantly about my recovery.
Sunday, September 20^th
Some snaps of last week’s baby shower. I got rid of the terrifying starfish – whew!

Monday, September 21^st                    
I had to parallel park & I thought I did such a good job that I took a photo. And then I couldn’t open the car door. It took me way too long to realize that it wasn’t my car. And THEN I saw that my actual parking job was just ok compared to Not-My-Car. It wasn’t my finest moment.
 

Tuesday, September 22^nd       

I decided to try on all my gear (arm sling & very intimidating ice pack situation).
 

Wednesday, September 23^rd                      
My coworkers gave me a goodie bag, including all the snacks in all the land. And one of them gave me these very soft pajamas that I’ve basically worn every day since. Happy sigh.
 

Thursday, September 24^th         
Surgery Day! Dr. M was such a trouper (he ended up having to drive 127 miles that day!!). The surgeon said that my shoulder was awful but that it should be much more functional once it heals. And here is my day in four photos. 1. I caught myself mid-yawn this morning. We had to be at the surgery center at 6:00 a.m. 2. Dad & Sue babysat me & my new shoulder while Dr. M had dad duty. I napped off & on & felt like a zombie. 3. Then Sue fed us excellent spaghetti for dinner & we came home whereupon I ate some of the M&Ms my coworkers gave me & 4. I perked up considerably!  
 

Friday, September 25^th      
I’m so proud of Dr. M! Here is what he posted on the socials: I’ve owned this belt for a long time. It has held my pants up through the good, the bad, the ugly, and yes, the tragic. Four years ago I considered replacing it, not because it was worn out, but because it was getting too small for my belly. I used the second hole from the end mostly, but sometimes the first. Never had I ever used the last. I weighed the same on May 15, 2023, as I had the previous September. That was the day I started Jardiance. Today I’m using the fifth hole and considering drilling a sixth. It is a fine piece of leather, after all.
 

Saturday, September 26^th      
Dr. M has been feeding me very well. He’s the best!
 

How’s your shoulder Dana? It’s ok, but let’s talk about my hair.
 

It’s 6:14 on Sunday morning & I’ve been awake since 4:30. I’m not in very much pain, which makes me suspicious. Today is shower day & I’m supposed to start some small exercises. Then Dr. M is taking me to dad & Sue’s for awhile – I’m planning on snoozing in “my” recliner at their house. But first I think I might do some snoozing in my recliner at MY house!

2026 Project 365 – Week Thirty-eight

Remember how last week I said that we had another social gathering at church? Well, we had another one today – a baby shower. Let’s see, I had banana pudding & cake last week, then this Friday I had cake at work (coworker birthday), and yesterday I had cake (birthday celebration for my dad), and today I had, you guessed it, cake, at the shower. I think I need a break from celebrations!
Sunday, September 13^th
A tender moment between mother and daughter (and grandson-to-be).

Dr. M has started documenting my favorite House-on-the-Hill and its soybean fields.
 

Monday, September 14^th                   
Just walking out to my car on a lovely day.
 

Tuesday, September 15^th      
Dr. M took his dad’s truck to be inspected & was turned away because NO ONE THERE KNEW HOW TO DRIVE A STICK SHIFT (they have to drive the vehicle into the bay for inspections). What kind of car people were working at that place? For heaven’s sake. 

 

I saw this lovely out in the middle of my dad’s yard & had to take a photo.
 

Wednesday, September 16^th                     
I’m clearly not the boss of my hair.
 

Thursday, September 17^th         
I took photos of things that made me smile – sheep top frames & penguin slipper socks.
 

Friday, September 18^th      
No photo.
 
Saturday, September 19^th      
Dr. M had a leftover biscuit from Bojangles & I decided to make myself a breakfast sandwich. I was so proud of how well I folded my egg to fit on the biscuit!
 

We had a big gathering of family at a local restaurant to celebrate my dad’s birthday. All of dad's sisters were there, and both of my nephews & their better halves drove in from out of town. It was a good time!
 

My shoulder replacement surgery is on Thursday. I was supposed to spend this weekend doing chores that I won’t be able to do for a month, but I did not. Instead of vacuuming I went outside & whacked things down. I don’t know why. I mean, if I was feeling violent, it seems like the vacuuming would do. So if you come to my house just ignore the floors (well, and also the dust & cobwebs because I care very little about those things). What’s your housekeeping philosophy? (This question is not for Mr. Clean The Floor Behind the Toilet Reed.)