Birthdays are over and I'm feeling old…

Monday June 29 2026

Monday

Since Liberty is still out, Brooklynn agreed to work her morning shift, so we scheduled a technical support appointment for 7:30 AM. It was a very short call. He said I didn't opt for the extra electro box, so we basically have everything we need!! I rolled up to my exercise cycle. She strapped me in that way, but he got to my right leg; something was missing. It was the strap for the bar that goes around my calf so that my foot rests smoothly in the cradle. So close yet so far again. OK, this is just a small thing, and it's probably in the same drawer as the electrons, so we'll just find it. I also need to look for my gloves. They keep my fingers wrapped around the bar. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to look for them, but I'm pretty sure that's where they are. 

Brooklyn had to go, so I spent the rest of the day hanging out in the yard, on the front porch, in my room, and on the back deck with my pack.

Cruz came in, fed the dogs and me, and then put me to bed. We did some personal care and a nice hot bath, then went back to bed, all nice and relaxed. My blood pressure was high, so I took a lorazepam. It was high in the morning as well, and I forgot that I took lorazepam in the morning, so it really knocked me out.

Tuesday

I barely remember Amy coming in to give me a massage, how embarrassing! Haylee came in, fed the dogs, and brought me some coffee. That's when I started waking up. After another cup of coffee and some breakfast, I started feeling more awake. She got me dressed, put me in my chair, brushed my teeth, washed my face, and I was ready for the day! I was still a little groggy, but I got up in my chair anyway and just kind of lounged around all day hanging out with the pack and taking little naps.

TJ and Brooklyn came over to shovel some of the wood chips out of the dog run. Mya came in, fed the dogs, put me to bed, got me something to eat, did some laundry, organized the bathroom closet, and took off for the evening. TJ, Brooklyn, and I discussed what we were going to do for the Fourth of July. They invited me over to Brooklyn's mom's for a barbecue and to watch fireworks. Her mom lives right across the street from the fairgrounds, so the fireworks should be pretty amazing!

I remember when the realtor was showing us this place, she said From my bedroom window, you have a great view of the fireworks! I love fireworks! I guess I'll find out next year if I really do.

Wednesday

Haylee came in, took care of the dogs, and got me some coffee. After another cup of coffee, she got me some breakfast, dressed, and put me in my chair. Since Haylee was going to be here for a little while, I decided to take Dude out first for our 2-mile cruise. If I take Dude out while nobody is here, Kona goes berserk and tears something up. While I was out on the cruise with Dude, I remembered that Kona hurt her paw, and she's not supposed to go out; she's supposed to be taking it easy, which she did not like at all. Nobody was around, so I took the dogs out front, and we lounged around like we didn't have a care in the world because we didn't! Everybody was happy! When it got too hot outside, we came in and watched some of my new series off campus, and I got so comfortable that I took a nap.

Wednesday

Haylee came in and got me some coffee after she fed the dogs and let them outside. She got me up in my chair and washed my hair. I love to take a nice, long, hot bath at night, but not to wash my hair. If I go to bed with wet hair, I'm cold all night long, so I just tilt my chair back over the bathtub and rewash it.

It seems like it's been a long time since I last had a doctor's appointment. For a while, it seemed like I had one almost every day, and it was getting really annoying, but great to have everything taken care of.

I still don't want to take Kona out because of her paw, so she's getting pretty restless. TJ and Brooklyn came over and took them to the school to run around a little bit on the soft grass; they were both very thankful.

McKenzie had a friend who was giving away two recliners. I had a couple in here before, but they were so huge that there wasn't much room for anything else. Those are now in the living room, and these ones are much smaller and fit in here perfectly. Of course, within the first five minutes, Kona had already decided which one she wanted. I ordered chair covers for them that evening!

Cruz came in with some bad news. We just got her on payroll, and then she found out, but if she's on the books, she will be making too much money and lose insurance for her daughter. We have both waited so long to get her on the books, and now this. I spoke with McKenzie, and there's no getting around it, so I won't be able to keep Cruz on regularly. She said she would work Wednesday and finish the week out on Friday, but then that will be it. Hopefully, she will still come to visit me and hang out. She fed the dogs, put me to bed, fed me, and then we did some personal care and a nice hot bath! I can't wait until I get my spa tub because we have to basically bend me in half to fit in this tub, it's just not long enough! She went home, and I watched my new series, played Nuzzel on Reddit, and drifted off to sleep.

Thursday

Haylee came in, took care of the dogs, got me a cup of coffee, and dressed me and put me up in my chair. I don't know why I got up so early, but luckily I did because the housekeepers came in. They always do my room first, I guess, because it's on the far end of the house. I always want her around to look because of the way it looks when they leave. I remember back in my 20s, I cleaned houses, and I always loved the way it looked when you walked in because all the carpet was vacuumed the same way, and it smelled great!

I put the dogs in the dog jog. I went out front to hang out with my brother and the kids for a while. I always feel guilty leaving my pups here alone while I'm just out in the yard, but it's just like watching two more kids. I watched Kona run a route so she doesn't find a way out. I'd try to keep Dude from eating the strawberries and the blackberries.

I came back in to make a couple of phone calls, and they just kicked back and watched TV for a while. Kona seems to be better, so Naomi is going to take both of them over to Mento Brown Park tomorrow for a nice run. Of course, they came back exhausted but happy!

Mya came in and fed the dogs, put me to bed, and I went around straightening everything up. I love this girl's energy! I'm really going to miss her again when she goes back to college in September, but I'm glad to have her around while I can. She went home, and I got caught up on my blog. I fell asleep watching my series.

Friday

I was supposed to let Haylee know whether I would need her on Friday, and I totally forgot to let her know that I did. Brooklyn came in. I took care of the dogs, got myself some coffee and breakfast, dressed, and was up in my chair. All day, it was heavy on my heart that I wasn't going to see cruise as often anymore. I just kind of stayed to myself all day. McKenzie came in for a little while with some bills and to have a little meeting, and then she left. It looked like the kids were here. Everybody was outside and I really wanted to go out but I'm just not in a very good mood, sometimes when I get like that people could be talking to me and I don't even hear them.

Cruz came in, I took care of the dogs, and then got myself something to eat. We did some personal care, but I didn't take a bath. The whole family was here eating, so I can pretty much guess there won't be any hot water. I'll just take a bath in the morning!

She kind of wanted to leave early because it was her boyfriend's birthday and they were going to party, and she didn't want to stay out too late. Usually around 8 PM, I watch the sunset. I love how low the windows in my room are, so I can see everything. Tonight, not only did I get to see the sunset, but I also got to hear the fireworks at 9 PM. I will never forget driving down the street and seeing a big, huge tent filled from top to bottom with fireworks! I could believe my eyes! In Santa Cruz, it's illegal to buy or possess fireworks; they are strictly prohibited! I don't remember what I did last Fourth of July, but I had just barely moved into my house, so I think my mind was somewhere else. This year I hope to get the full effect, barbecue, fireworks, at something that's not on my diet! I drifted off to sleep with the visions of fireworks dancing around my head!

Saturday

Brooklyn came in, toileted, and fed the dogs. Change of plans again for the Fourth of July. I have a high turnover of caregivers, and I forgot to check the air in my Rojo, and it was flat. Who knows how long I've been riding around with a flat cushion on my chair, and what kind of damage it's going to do to my butt. After Brooklyn fed me, she put me on my side. I was going to go with Brooklyn and her family to her mother's house. The fireworks are going to be right across the street! As the day went on, I had the door to my porch open, and I was getting warmer and warmer, so after a long discussion with myself, I decided I'd better stay home. I started remembering every other time that I went out in this weather, it was supposed to be 85°, and I ended up overheating and sitting in front of the fan for two hours trying to cool down. I usually make myself do it just so that people won't think that I'm a flake or lazy. I finally texted Brooklyn and told her I wasn't going to take a chance, and she said it was really hot! Nowhere can I get into an air-conditioned building if I need to. I was bummed, but I know it was the right decision. At about 8 PM, Brooklyn texted me and said it had cooled down quite a bit and that, if I wanted, she would come and get me dressed and up in my chair so I could watch the fireworks. I understand this may be inconvenient, but I wanted to see them, so I said yes. Before I knew it, she, her son, and her son's girlfriend came to get me up, and the traffic wasn't bad. A lot of Brooklyn's family was there, and it was really nice to meet them. I met some of them, but it was nice to meet some more. The fireworks were amazing! After they were over, Brooklyn drove me home and put me to bed. I was so glad I ended up going! I fell right to sleep. I didn't wake up until the morning.

Sunday

Cruz won't be able to help me anymore, so I need to adjust the schedule and decide whether I need to hire someone else. Liberty's ankle is still swollen and hurting, and she will probably be out for another week or so. I rearranged the schedule, but we always have to end up tweaking it a couple of times to make everybody happy!

 Brooklyn came in and brought our Black Bear Diner breakfast. I had to get an extra order of sausage patties, so maybe Ashlyn can taste them. Tell me the ingredients. After we ate breakfast, she took out the dogs and fed them. She got me dressed and up in my chair, and I took Kona for a 3-mile cruise up and down the street. It started getting really hot, so I hung out with the pack in the front yard and in my room.

Brooklyn came back in and fed the dogs, put me to bed, and fed me. She left to have pizza with her family, and I just relaxed and did whatever I wanted! My favorite kind of evenings! I made a couple of my own puzzles with Nuzzle on Reddit, then fell asleep watching a movie on Amazon Prime.

My birthday week is over and we are now back to our regular schedule…

Monday June 22 2026

Monday

I woke up at 4 AM, and I was freezing! I had my door open practically all day yesterday, and it was 90° outside. I didn't really notice because it was so cold in here. I called my brother three or four times, called my sister-in-law, and then texted my brother twice, but no answer. All that was left was to wait until Haylee, my caregiver, came in at 8:30 AM. I tried to watch TV, play music, or do anything I could to pass the time.

Haylee came in, took care of the dogs, and got me some coffee! Oh, that coffee tastes so good! Stanley sent me a text saying he was sorry; he had just woken up, had put his phone on silent at church, and had forgotten to take it off. I had another cup along with some breakfast casserole and fruit. Liberty came in, and since Haylee was here, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity for her to shadow Liberty and learn personal care. Haylee agreed, so she watched Liberty and picked it up pretty quick!

I am obsessed with this new game I found on Reddit called Nuzzle. To see the picture, you have to put the pieces in the right order. They go from super super easy to almost impossible. I lay back to get some pressure release and took a nap for a little while. I woke up cold, so back out into the sunlight again. I love having that option right outside my bedroom door!

Robert, McKenzie, Nori, and Jude went on a camping trip. They're going to be back on Wednesday.

Cruz came in, fed the dogs, undressed me, and put me in bed. We did some personal care and a nice, relaxing hot bath. My new forever home is turning out to be an amazing place! I wish we could just sell that other house so I won't have to pay the mortgage anymore. She put me back to bed, got me something to eat, brushed my hair, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and then went home for the evening. I was so nice and relaxed, I watched a couple of movies and drifted off to sleep.

Tuesday

Amy came in to give me a nice, relaxing massage. She brought me a strawberry rhubarb pie. I've never had those before, and I'm excited to try them! Haylee got me dressed and up in my chair, and we took the dogs over to  Mento Brown Park. She threw the ball for Kona while Dude and I cruised around the trails with Dude. The weather was beautiful, and we made it home before it got too hot. She went home, and I hung out with my pups in my room. I sit in my room for a little while, and then I get cold, so I go out on the deck and fight Kona for our favorite place in the sun, and they sit there until I get too warm and then come back in. For my birthday, Brooklyn got me a hummingbird feeder. While I was sitting out there, I could hear this drive-by humming sound, and I looked up, and a hummingbird was buzzing around looking for that sweet nectar. I was afraid he was going to come and try to get some nectar out of my ear, and he did get pretty close. It was actually awesome! I can't wait to get my yard out there finished so I can have all kinds of beautiful little birds and insects. When I first moved in, there was nothing around but a bunch of crows. They are very smart, but loud and annoying!

Mya came in, fed and toileted the dogs, put me to bed, got me something to eat, and then organized my closet in the bathroom. This girl loves to organize, and I love that she loves it! I watched a couple of cop shows on YouTube and played Nuzzle on Reddit.

Wednesday

Haylee came in and took care of the dogs and got me some coffee, my favorite part of the morning! I haven't had much of an appetite in the morning these days, but I usually force myself to eat something. She got me dressed, got me up in my chair, and washed my hair! I love taking a bath at night, but not washing my hair, as it makes me too cold throughout the night. Also, I like to wear my hair down when it's warm, so I don't have a permanent ponytail mark if I wash my hair in the morning. I took Kona out for a couple of miles up and down the street. It was supposed to rain, but it turned out to be a really nice day! We came back, and I took Dude out for a couple of miles. He's getting pretty old, and I can hear his back feet scraping on the ground, but I'm glad that he lost all that weight and that he's able and loving to still go out and cruise around.

We came back and hung out in front for a while. I love that the yard is fenced off so I don't have to worry about the dogs or the kids getting out and getting hit.

Cruz came in, took care of the dogs, put me to bed, got me something to eat, and then we did some personal care and a nice, long, hot, relaxing bath. I'm always cold when she puts me back to bed, but it's so nice to snuggle my heating pad and my burrito-head blanket and get warmed up. She went home, and I watched a movie and then fell asleep.

Thursday

Haylee came in and fed the dogs; she got me dressed and up in my chair. I took Kona out for a nice little 3-mile cruise, and they took Dude out for a 2-mile cruise. Brooklyn texted me just as I got to the top of my driveway to see if I wanted to take the dogs to Mento Brown Park to go for a hike. Of course, we were already on our way! Brooklyn was in a really good mood. She quit smoking a couple of weeks ago. She hasn't even wanted to pick one up since, well, she said sometimes after she eats and when she first wakes up in the morning, but she hasn't. I am surprised that it was that easy for her because she smoked like crazy, she even jogged for a little while, and said that her lungs didn't hurt. I was really impressed!! I told her, anytime you want to go for a bike ride or a jog at Mento Park, just come and get the dogs and me, and I will be glad to go with you! She and her family are always doing something, and I love the fact that they include me!

We came back home as she fed the dogs and put me to bed. What an awesome day, and I know that the dogs and I are going to sleep really well tonight! I fell right to sleep!

Friday

Brooklyn came in because Liberty is still not feeling well; her leg is just swollen, and it hurts when she walks on it. She got me dressed up in my chair after she fed the dogs. She went home, and I took Kona out for her to my cruise. Not too far into the cruise, I noticed she was limping, and it got worse in her right front leg, so we came back. McKenzie tried to get a picture, but Kona was not having it. She was able to get a little video, so I sent it to Naomi to see what she thought it was, but she wasn't sure. I told her that a couple of times, Kona jumped into the yucky water, and Naomi said she probably scuffed it on a rock when she jumped in. So Naomi said, just take it easy for a couple of days. Kona is not going to be happy. For the rest of the day, we just hung out in my room, on the front porch, and on the back porch.

Brooklynn came back a little bit later, got me something to eat, fed the dogs, and then put me to bed. I did some puzzles on Reddit until I fell asleep.

Saturday

Brooklynn came in, got me dressed, and got me up in my chair. We were supposed to go to Costco to get some sandwich fixings and snacks for the kite festival in Lake City, but it's supposed to rain a lot all weekend, so we decided to go to OMSI to see the Titanic exhibit. It was so cool! They give you a boarding pass, and you can read and see all about life on the Titanic and the crash. At the end, you scan your boarding pass to see what your name is and if you lived or died on the ship. Luckily, Brooklynn was there, and she likes to read, so she read everything to me. If I try to read it myself, it takes forever, and then I lose everybody. We came back and ordered pizza for everybody and a cheesecake for Brooklynn, which ended up being a strawberry cake. Of course, I ordered way too much, but at least we had enough!

Brooklynn put me to bed, and I fell right asleep!

Sunday

Brooklyn came in but didn't bring breakfast. We decided that, because we ate all that pizza and strawberry cake and there was so much left over, we would just have pizza, which, of course, started the big debate on whether you heat your pizza up in the morning or eat it cold… pizza should never, ever be cold!

My family went to church, and I just hung out with the pups. I invited my friends Jan and Ellen to come over and play cribbage, and then I remembered it was Father's Day, so it was probably the whole family was going to be here to celebrate my brother, so I called to get a rain check. I guess they celebrated Father's Day at church, but it was a nice, quiet afternoon hanging out outside.

Brooklynn came back, fed the dogs, and put myself to bed. We had been talking about getting my exercise bike back up and running. The night before, we were looking around and couldn't find either the electrical box or the lead wires. I have always been so meticulous about putting all of that together because it's very expensive to replace everything. I was devastated! But as it always happens, Brooklyn came in, opened up a drawer behind my door, and there they were, the lead wires. We decided to schedule a call to tech support to find out if I even need two electro boxes. I don't remember having two, but we thought we might as well find out for sure! Since Brooklyn was going to work for Liberty in the morning, we decided to schedule tech support for my exercise cycle at 7:30 AM tomorrow. I played games and watched TV until I fell asleep.

It's my birthday week!

 June 15 2026

Monday was a great day. Over the weekend, Liberty sprained her ankle and probably won't be able to come in the whole week. It seems like every time that girl tries to go do something fun, something ends up sprained or sore. Haylee came in, took care of the dogs, and then got me some nice hot amazing coffee, nectar of the gods…AM! I don't really care about anything for breakfast at this time, just please give me coffee. After a couple of cups of coffee, I know it's time to think about something for breakfast. Luckily, I have this amazing breakfast casserole that I love, along with some fruit and half an avocado. Haley got me dressed and up in my chair. It is such a beautiful day! I am looking forward to cruising up and down the street with my pups. I wish I had enough guts to take them both at once, but if something happens, it's gonna be bad, so I'll wait and practice at the park.

I took Kona for a nice, long cruise, then took Dude for a shorter cruise. It's a little challenging to remember to go so slow with Dude after going so fast with Kona. I can hear Dudes back feet drag a little bit, so I'm kind of concerned. After all, he's about to turn 10 tomorrow!! I remember bringing him home as a three-year-old pup. He had so much energy and was so playful, and he drove Robby nuts, and now three-year-old Kona is driving dude nuts. Coma is a lot meaner than dude was. She bites his ears and his nose whenever Dude gets some attention and is very jealous; she definitely wants all the attention.

I always come home from taking them for a walk almost overheated. After about half an hour in my room, I get cold, so I have to go out on the porch to warm up in the sun. Seriously, I wish my body would make up its mind.

I sat on the porch with the dogs and hung out with my family in the kitchen and on the front porch for a while. I know I say it a lot, but just hearing the kids outside my door makes me feel so happy! Nora seems to be getting more comfortable with me, and that is an amazing feeling! Now Jude comes running down the hallway, saying, "Mimi Mimi," that's what he calls me! And I never really understood it before, but now I get it. Kids are amazing, and they just make my heart happy! Unfortunately, when I was younger, I never really wanted to get married or have kids, thinking about it now, I think it had more to do with me being an alcoholic and wanting nobody to notice me more than kids. My nephew asked me one time if I was ever affectionate, hugged, or picked them up. I had to say no, and I was totally embarrassed! I didn't say that it had anything to do with alcohol, but I assume my whole family knew. I've just never been an affectionate, huggy person; being that close to someone makes me nervous! 

Cruz came in, and we did some personal care and a nice, long, hot bath. It always feels so good to go to bed clean in a clean bed. It's really nice to see Cruz a couple of times a week. She's one of those friends that we don't really keep in touch like every day or every other day, but when we do get together, it's like we've never been apart. Sometimes I feel bad if I haven't talked to her for a long time, and all of a sudden, I don't have caregivers anymore. I can text her, and she will pretty much drop everything and come. If she has her daughter's birthday, Christmas, or anything coming up where she needs extra money, she will call me, and of course, there's always something to do. You know? A real friend! After she left, I deleted my email and got caught up on my blog. If I do that before I even play a game, listen to music, or watch a movie, I don't feel so guilty. Why do I have so much guilt??

Cruz went home, and Ashlyn came in to plan meals for the rest of the week. I always have the same thing in the morning: breakfast casserole, and lunch is basically chicken salad, or celery and peanut butter, always chia pudding, roasted vegetables, spinach, and mushrooms. For dinner, I'm trying more different things because who wants to be predictable? I'm already predictable enough! So this time she made shrimp fajitas and a pork loin roast. She's trying to tweak the lemon blueberry and banana nut bread recipes to make them moister and less dense. I truly believe that if anybody can do it, Ashlyn can

Tuesday

Amy came in and gave me an awesome massage! Since I've been getting up every day, my neck is so sore. I got a harness instead of a chest strap, and I feel so much more secure and like I don't flop around in the chair. Why didn't I think of this before??

Haylee came in again because Liberty wasn't feeling any better. She took care of the dogs, took care of me, and then got me dressed and up in my chair. I took Kona out for a 5-mile cruise and then took Dude out for his 2-mile cruise. We came back and hung out outside in front until it got too warm, and then we hung out in the row so I could play on the computer, a.k.a. take a nap.

Brooklyn came in and fed the hungry hounds. Now we can just leave the door open and let them run in and out as much as they want! Every once in a while, Dude will still stand there and wait for us like he wants out, even though the door is wide open. I wonder if he forgot or if he just wants a personal invitation?

Her husband, TJ, came over to help Robert with the hillside in front of the house. They dug it down so we can flatten it out and put some turf there. I don't know what I would do without these two, but hopefully I will never have to find out! Another description of a perfect friend and somebody fun to hang out with! They went home to jump in the lake.

Brooklyn came back and fed the tire dogs, got me something to eat on my new front porch! And then put me to bed. I played on the computer selfishly until Stanley came in to let the dogs out one more time and pick up their water. Then I watched movies until I fell asleep!

Wednesday

Haylee came in to feed and toilet the dogs. We left the door open while I had a couple of cups of coffee, then breakfast, but I decided to stay in bed. I was gonna get up, but I just talked myself out of it, to be honest. It was nice to have a day to stay in bed. I've gotten older, I could just be like here watching a movie or reading something, and all of a sudden I start myself awake, what just happened?? I used to never be able to take a nap or understand why people had naps, but now I love them so much!

I miss hanging out with the great-nieces and great-nephews, but I could hear them having so much fun!

Cruz came in, and we did some personal care without result and no bath. I wish I could just find a secret that would give me results every time we do personal care. It was nice to hang out with Cruz; she really gets a lot done!

Thursday

Today is my birthday! Liberty still wasn't feeling good enough to come to work, so Haylee came in to pick up her shift. So what do I do on my birthday today? I have an OB/GYN appointment. I guess I wasn't really thinking when I made the appointment for that day. Haylee fed the dogs, and we left the door open so they could come in and out as they wanted. I really love that we can do that! I know that, of course, we couldn't take them both with us, and they will be upset that I'm leaving without them. Dude is my service dog, and I take him with me a lot, but I need to take him with me all the time; that's his job. Kona just needs to find a way to deal with it! I wish you didn't feel so threatened when we lock her in her kennel; otherwise, she tears up something in my room.

I have an OB/GYN appointment, but I've been a little constipated, so I'm kind of nervous. OB/GYN doctors get very close, and I just don't want any mishaps, so I clinched the whole time I was there, and I was so relieved when it was over without incident.

McKenzie's mom and dad came to visit and help. I always know when they come to visit, great things happen! I heard them discussing what they're going to do in the front yard, and it sounds amazing! They are even including my due dog jog cover that was gravel in front of the house. They moved it all to the backyard, put a railroad tie into the ground, and now it looks so awesome! They're going to do another level with dirt, gravel, turf, or all of the above.

On the way out the door, Stanley texted me to say there was a farmers' market right where we were, and we should go check it out, so we did. I ran to Josh from church, for the life of me, I could not remember his name at the time, and I wanted to introduce him to my new caregiver. He was there with his wife, kids, and a booth for Kingwood Church, with what's up games around it for people to play! We got some cherries to bring back home to the crew! On the way out, I ran into two other people from the church. I couldn't remember their name either. I recognize faces but don't remember names.

TJ and Brooklyn went back over and brought their sons, Dominique and Zaden, and their daughter, whom I hear about all the time but could never remember her name. McKenzie ordered Indian food, and it was amazing! It's only the third time that I've had it, and I love it. I always hated the smell of curry, but now it's not so bad, and I wanna try it. I had shrimp, it's something else. So you put rice on your plate, then put the dish on it, and then pick it up with the naan bread and eat it with your fingers.

After dinner, I thanked everybody and decided I'd better go to bed. I've been up a lot, and I just don't wanna overdo it and end up with a pressure sore. After she put me to bed, I was having a really hard time keeping my eyes open. I love that feeling! As soon as she left, I was out, and Stanley had to wake me up when he came in to let the dogs out, take up their water, and put on my CPAP mask. Thank goodness I went right back to sleep and slept through the night!

Friday

Haylee came in, fed the dogs, and then got me some coffee. I ate some breakfast with my 2nd cup of coffee, it was delicious! My normal breakfast is breakfast casserole, half of an avocado, some fruit, and if my blood sugar is low, half a bagel or some low-carb toast. She got me dressed and up in my chair, I took the dogs out for their morning cruise, and got back before the sun started beating down. I spent some time outside with the family, and it turned out to be a really beautiful, relaxing day. I came back here to hang out with the dogs and, of course, play games, listen to music, and watch TV. It's so nice to have a breeze coming through my room, I have a lot of windows in my room but none of them open, isn't that strange? The upside is I don't have a lot of bugs, but the downside is that when I came back to bed, I noticed a big, huge spider on my wall!! Uninvited guests, luckily, TJ is tall, so he took it down and put it outside…it was huge!! Of course, that makes me stare at the ceiling all night long because I know that there's a spider in here plotting to descend on me, what's the spec, snarling teeth and eight eyes.

Nobody was around, so I spent most of the day in my room and out on my porch hanging out with the dogs. It was really hot outside, but luckily, my door is always shaded. If I stay in my room too long, I get too cold because I have the air conditioner set at 68°, so I just go back out, sit in the sun for a while to get my vitamin D, and then, when it gets too hot, I just come back in.

Cruz came in and fed the dogs, put me to bed, and we did some personal care and a bath. I didn't really get a long hot bath this time because someone was using the dishwasher, and I forgot to tell them I needed the hot water for a bath. She put me back to bed and then went home. I always feel bad that she travels so much to come here for just four hours, but she said she doesn't mind doing it. I watched TV I did stuff on the computer until I closed my eyes and went to sleep.

Saturday

I woke up Saturday already feeling really nervous. Today is my birthday party, and I love attending parties for other people, but I just get so nervous when it's for me.

Brooklyn came in, took care of the dogs, and got me dressed and up in my chair. I had 2 cups of coffee, but I didn't eat anything because my brother invited me to a barbecue at their church! I always know the food is going to be amazing because my brother shops and cooks! They had ribs, chicken, and baked beans that my brother makes, and they are so delicious! They also had potato salad, and inside, there was a silent auction. They had so many big, beautiful quilts, I am a sucker for quilts!! They had lots of really cool stuff, but I'm supposed to be saving my money. It was so hard, but I did it! They had a bake sale as well, a lot of delicious donuts, cookies, cupcakes, rolls…everything looks so delicious! Brooklyn said she was going to some yard sales. I LOVE yard sales! Lately, I've been pretty good about going to yard sales and not spending a lot of money, but in the end, when I pay off all my credit cards, I will be in heaven!

We came back, and I hung out in my room for a while while McKenzie, Brooklyn, and her family, aunt Janet, set up for my birthday party. After a while, I forgot all about the party, and I went to go outside, and someone told me not to look, I didn't look. Vicky had the patio so beautifully set up, and everything outside looked awesome! I talked to Vicki for a while, then she had to go because she was having a party of her own. I needed to get ready for that. I love talking to Vicky!

Before I knew it, it was 3:00 PM, and I went to check out the decorations. It was all tie-dye, and it looked so cool! There weren't a lot of people invited, mostly family and caregivers, Cruz and her daughter, Becca and her boyfriend Lucian, and Brooklyn and her family. Robert and McKenzie, David and Melissa, Stanley and Janet, Nathan, and of course all seven nieces and nephews! I love watching the kids play and just having my family, immediate and caregiving family, there was all I needed! I told everybody not to bring gifts, but if they really had to get me some plants and garden stuff for my new back deck! I was babbling a lot because that's what I do when I'm nervous and surrounded by people, I just end up making myself more uncomfortable, and if I had just kept my mouth quiet.

Brooklyn put me to bed, and I was exhausted! One of my friends at the party left me a little 10 of tangerine edible, so I ate one and went right to sleep! It was so relaxing! Usually, my favorite thing to do after my birthday is over is to go online and read all my birthday wishes on Facebook. I was online playing a game and didn't see very many, then I realized I was on Robby's profile. I have a profile for each of my dogs so that whenever I run out of lives in my games, I can switch to another name and play for a while. It makes me feel so good to see all the birthday wishes!

Sunday

Brooklyn came in and brought breakfast from Black Bear Diner. This is the only day when nobody eats until after Brooklyn and me, and it was so delicious! She got me dressed and up in my chair and then left for the day. I realized everyone had gone to church, so I stayed here and hung out with the pups. Most of the day, we hung out on the porch. Jan of Ellen, we're coming over today to play some cribbage. I completely forgot it was Father's Day, and the more I thought about it, the more I wished I had picked another day, so I texted them to ask if we could get a rain check. I didn't know how many from the family would come over, and I thought it would be better if I went and hung out with my brother, but I didn't end up doing that anyway. I texted Brooklyn and told her the cribbage game was canceled, so she came over with TJ. Dominique came over, too. TJ replanted some of the plants from my tractor tire that were getting enough sun, and Dominique shuffled and moved dirt while she put me to bed. They went home, and I had a nice, relaxing evening.

Can we just have a week where nobody's sick…

 Monday June 8 2026

Brooklyn texted to say she was feeling better and asked if it would be OK for her and TJ to come in and do some work for the days they missed. There's always a lot of stuff around here to do, and they could pretty much do anything.

Liberty came in and cared for the dogs. We did some personal care, and then she got me dressed and up in my chair. I had an appointment at Oregon Specialty Group, which includes Cascade Infusion and the infectious disease service. I finished my antibiotics, and the doctor asked how I was feeling. I said I was feeling better, so she's not going to prescribe any further antibiotics. The older you get and the more prescribed antibiotics you have, the more of a chance you have of them stopping working for you, so I avoid them whenever possible! I do have a bladder ostomy test coming up because it's time, and because my bladder is leaking. Last time they put Botox in my bladder, and that helped for almost a year.

We went to pick up my ready glasses, then came home, and I hung out with the pups in my room until Cruz came in. She gave me a nice, long, heart-relaxing bath and washed my hair, what an amazing feeling! Ashlyn came in to do some meal planning, and we picked out another week of delicious food. I hope I have my appetite back, and I can actually eat it! Ashlyn took off to go shopping, and Cruz took off to go home. What a whirlwind day!

Tuesday

Haylee came in, took care of the dogs, and got me some coffee and breakfast. She was going to shadow Liberty, but Liberty wasn't coming in until 8 AM. I am really very impressed with Haylee. I shouldn't be, because I mean, she is related to Ashley, but after only two days of shadowing, she's ready to show up and work on her own. That is pretty darn impressive! 

When Liberty came in, she walked her through the routine, and Haylee just jumped in and started helping. They got me dressed and up in my chair. I already had a class to go to, so she took off, and Haylee and I cleared off all the surfaces in my room that people started piling stuff on. It started looking really nice in here. I've always dreamed of having my room clutter-free and clean. Now, only if I could just get everybody else to put stuff away! Haylee went home, and I blogged, watched a couple of really cute Pixar movies, found a new game on Reddit, played it for a ridiculously long time, and then fell asleep.

Wednesday

Haylee came in, took care of the dogs, and got me some coffee. I haven't had much of an appetite lately, but I haven't slowed down on the coffee. She got me dressed and up in my chair. The weather is starting to get nicer. I can't wait until I can just get dressed, get up in my chair, and not have to wear layers because it's too cold. And now I'll probably start complaining about the heat, but I think if I can get up really early in the morning and get out to take the dogs before it gets hot, I can come back and spend the rest of the day on my computer, and I don't feel guilty at the end of the day.

Ever since I left Valley Medical Center after my spinal cord injury rehab, I have been doing national database studies. I hadn't heard from them in a while, but Michelle started calling me again. I wanted to answer about 200 questions. If I left it here for someone else to help, it wouldn't happen. So I told her we should handle it over the phone, and we did. I think they're trying to get spinal cord injury awareness and health in more cities, and I think it's a great idea. I finally found a spinal cord injury doctor in Portland, but it would be nice to have one even closer. I've had so many problems with spinal cord injury-related specialty problems when I go into the hospital and when I stay there. Of course, you can't expect the nurses to know everything, but I have gotten myself into quite a few problems by not advocating for myself and sticking up for myself. I have learned that it is what I have to do; I never thought I would be able to do it, but I'm doing it. It seems like the older I get, the braver I get.

I took Kona out for 4 miles and Dude out for two. I love being able to take them out for a cruise and just hang around in the front yard and on my back deck. We are all so happy with that deck! It's so peaceful, just kicking back, listening to the waterfall, and watching the fish swim around!

Cruz came in,  toileted, and fed the dogs. I decided to eat dinner on the back porch. By the time dinner rolls around, the back porch is fully shaded, and it feels so good! She put me to bed, and we did some personal care and a nice hot bath! A great way to end a beautiful day!

Thursday

Haylee came in and took care of the dogs; then took care of me. Coffee, breakfast, dressed, and up in my chair. I think I've gotten up almost every day this week, and it feels great! I always feel really sad when I'm not able to get up, and it's nice outside.

My sister-in-law is talking about her and my brother moving back into the old house while it's on the market, renting it out, or moving downstairs into David, Melissa, and the boys' house. I kinda like having everybody around here, but I know my sister-in-law wants her own house and space. And I will admit that it would be nice to have a spare room to put the pine furniture that I bought from Santa Cruz in their room, where they're staying now. I still hope we have some holidays, birthdays, and parties around here still, too.

Brooklyn came in, she toileted and fed the dogs, then we sat down and planned our trip to the coast for the kite festival. I hope it's not going to be too hot, because I hate to ruin everybody's trip by having to come home early from overheating. Robert, McKenzie, Nora, and Jude are going to come along as well! We're going to bring some sandwiches, drinks, and snacks so we don't have to pay the ridiculous prices at the festival. Apparently, I'm responsible like that now! I know it's going to feel great when I get all of my credit cards paid off and get rid of them, and I will be thankful to save more money, but I'm just not used to it!

Friday

Liberty was supposed to come in; it kept getting to 8 AM, then 9 AM. Brooklyn called to see if I wanted to go yard sailing. No, I can't spend any money, but yes, I wanna go and see what I'm missing out on. I texted Liberty back and told her that, since Brooklyn was here, I would just have Brooklyn get me up and go if she didn't mind. We changed our minds and decided to go to the coast to see where we could get a good place for when we go to the kite festival. By the time I got up, it was going to be too late for me to go to the coast and back because Cruz was going to be here at 3:30 PM, and I needed to be here when she got here. They decided to go ahead without me, but take my dogs. I stayed here, hung out with the family, and had a really good time! I love watching the kids play together, and they have some funny moments.

Because traffic is so bad after work between here and Portland, Brooklyn made it in before Cruz, I could've gone and gotten back in plenty of time, but I didn't wanna take a chance. It was really nice to see the dogs just come in the room and pretty much flop down and sleep for the rest of the evening!

Cruz got here, and I ate dinner outside on my new deck, then she put me to bed! This deck out here is in the perfect place because every time I go out, it's more shade than sun, and I love that! They have some gravel out in the front that we're going to take out and put down some turf, so I'm thinking about putting the gravel in the dog jog, so maybe it won't be so muddy when it rains. Also, another tractor-tire garden bed, a couple of bird baths, some critter-friendly plants, and some bird feeders.

I watch TV, play games, and delete unwanted emails until I fall asleep.

Saturday

Brooklyn came in and took care of the dogs, got me some coffee, dressed, and sat down in my chair. It was supposed to get up to 90° today, but I don't think I'm ready for that drastic a change yet! The more I think about this deck in the back, the more I am excited to have it! I don't think there's any time of day when the sun isn't coming through the door into my bedroom, so it keeps the room cooler as well! McKenzie's mom and aunt came over to weed in the front yard. We had a guy taking care of the yard, but it was a lot of work for him since he's the only one. McKenzie's mom is going to start taking care of the garden. I know it's going to look so gorgeous! This house is starting to develop into the beautiful, comfortable home I've always wanted! I have so many plans for this place. ChatGPT has helped me put my ideas and vision together, and it just keeps getting better! I got some hanging baskets, a birdbath, and a birdfeeder, and it already looks amazing! I'm trying to not put too much stuff out there because I have a tendency to do that! I'm bringing another tractor tire from the place we're selling, along with some of the garden statues, to put in my backyard! When we get done!

Brooklyn came back over, put me to bed, and then left for the rest of the day. I kind of like the weekends because I have more time to relax and play games at the end of the day. And that's exactly what I did.

Sunday

Brooklyn came in, toileted, fed the dogs, and then it was time for us to eat our favorite morning takeout from Black Bear Diner! I was so anxious to eat that I forgot coffee, and Brooklyn got me some after we ate.

TJ helped Robert clear the rocks from the walkway so we could lay a nice turf surface for the kids. McKenzie's parents are both here, so knowledgeable and so good with landscaping stuff, there are so many awesome ideas that I never would've even thought of!

It was a little cooler, so I took Kona for her 2-mile cruise, but it ended up being more like 4 miles because it was so nice! Unfortunately, I was afraid that blacktop would be too hot for Dude. I feel so good that they now have the backyard and the front yard to run around where they are fenced in, so we don't have to worry about any mishaps! Eventually, I hope to have my whole property fenced in so they can go wherever they want, as long as they don't bring home any poison ivy or poison oak! Down in the far corner of my property, there is a 1/4 acre lot that I would love to purchase so that my nephew and niece can build their house there. If it doesn't happen, we'll just proceed with our original plan.

Brooklyn came back and put me to bed and got me something to eat, along with the dogs. She took off, leaving me in my nice, cool bedroom. I relaxed for a while and played on the computer until I fell asleep.

A week without caregivers…

 Monday June 1 2026

Liberty texted the dream team crew and me to see if anybody could take over her shift. She twisted her ankle while hiking, so she'll be out for a couple of days. I already lost Ashlyn because she couldn't do the evening shifts due to her husband's scattered work schedule. She agreed to cook for me, and I'm kind of excited. I always ask her what she made for dinner, and it always sounds so delicious! Becky has been out for a week and in the hospital, so basically that just leaves Brooklyn and Cruz. I don't want either of them to burn out, so I'm hoping Becky comes back. I texted her to ask how she was doing, but I didn't hear back.

TJ and Brooklyn came in. We made plans to go to Home Depot to get the stuff we needed from my new planter outside, and, of course, some plants. I'm going to get a couple of curtain rods, hang them above my windows, and have some plants hanging from them. ChatGPT said that my windows are perfect for plants! Everything is starting to come together very nicely! We came back, and they filled up the planter and planted the plants, and it looks awesome! I can already tell I'm going to spend a lot of time out on my new porch, just me and the pups! I could see myself out there with my little charcuterie board, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and some sun tea! DJ and Brooklyn went home, and I played on the computer. McKenzie came in to discuss a couple of things we needed to go over.

Brooklyn came back in, toilet-trained and bedded the dogs, put me to bed, and got me something to eat. We talked about our trip to see the kite festival in Lincoln City, both of our birthdays are in June, and it sounds like so much fun! She went home, and I took a little nap, hoping that when I woke up, I would feel better. I did not. Whenever I don't feel well, I just want to go to sleep and wake up when I feel better, and sometimes it actually works.

Stanley came in and took the dogs out one last time, filled their water, and put on my CPAP mask. I slept through the night. McKenzie texted me and said she heard back from Becky, who said she's still not doing that great and that we should go ahead and replace her.

Tuesday

I had an appointment at Cascade Infusion, but I had to cancel because I didn't have anyone to pick me up. McKenzie came in and fed the dogs, and later Stanley came in with some coffee!

Amy came in to give me a nice, relaxing massage. My arms have been hurting so much, and although they hurt a lot during the massage, they felt much better afterward.

TJ and Brooklyn came in again and fixed up some stuff around the house. Brooklyn put me on my side, and they went home for the day.

Ashlyn came in with her adorable little son! This is her first day of cooking for me, and I'm really excited. We did some meal planning, and she cleaned out the refrigerator and then went shopping.

The guy from Numotion came to pick up my chair so he could take it back to the shop and do the repairs/add-ons. All the buttons were there on my chair for the lights, signals, and stuff, but there was no light pack, so none of it worked. I got a harness that will hopefully keep me from slipping over in my chair. I don't know how my shirt will fit around it, but we will see. I may need to wear the harness over everything, which will be an adjustment. Sam from Numotion brought my chair back, but there was nobody here to put me in it, so he said he was gonna have to come back. It needed to be adjusted to fit me. I don't know why he couldn't just leave it here, but he took it. Maybe it's a liability thing?

When Ashlyn came back, she brought her cousin and said that she was looking for a caregiver position. I'm so excited because I don't have to put in an ad and interview to see how much experience they have and try to guess whether they're going to stay nice or turn mean or lazy after the first week.

The rest of the evening, I just watched TV and played on the computer.

Wednesday

Stanley came in, toilet, fed the dogs, and got me some coffee to hold me over until Brooklyn comes in. Everybody else in the household has been sick; it seems to be my turn now. I haven't had much of an appetite, and I have had diarrhea, since I don't have a caregiver through the night, it's pretty scary because I never know when it's going to happen. I've been taking a lot of Pepto-Bismol, and I'm afraid that that's going to come back and bite me in the *ss.

TJ and Brooklyn came in and hung up a curtain rod and about four or six plants hanging down in front of the window, it looks amazing! I've been wanting to do that for a while because I love plants, but they always seem to die. I asked ChatGPT, and they said these windows in my room would be perfect for plants. I printed out instructions for each plant so we know how to care for them, the right soil, and fertilizer. If they grow and thrive, I will be so excited! They went home, and I just hung out on my side. I played on the computer. Tried to schedule another appointment for Sam to bring my wheelchair back and get fitted, but it's not going to work out today either, so I guess tomorrow.

Brooklyn came back, took care of the dogs, got me something to eat, sent me back up to my computer, and then went home for the evening. My plants look really good so far, and I'm excited! They made it through one whole day!

Thursday

Same thing, McKenzie came in to let the dogs out and feed them. Standing brought me coffee and some little visitors. This has been a busy week for great-nieces and great-nephews, but unfortunately, I haven't been able to get up and hang out with them. They are also adorable and funny; it's never a dull moment!

TJ and Brooklyn came in and stuff around the house, took the week off from work, and it was nice to get some stuff done around here! They are both putting their hands around. TJ took the dogs for a cruise while Brooklyn put me on my side and got me some more coffee and something to eat. I still don't have much of an appetite, but I managed to choke down some breakfast casserole and some fruit. They left, and I'm starting to get pretty bored staying in my bed while it's such a beautiful day outside. I called Sam and told him that my caregiver would be here at 3 PM, and he said he would bring my chair.

Brooklyn came in at 3 PM, and Sam came by shortly after. She lifted me up and put me in my chair, and I was praying the whole time that I didn't have any gas or a blowout while Sam was here, and thank goodness I didn't. Brooklyn put me back to bed. She took my vitals, and my blood pressure was way too high, 199/140, and my blood sugar was really low. I haven't been eating, so beef jerky sounded good, so I had some of that and felt better. Unfortunately, I took the clonidine because I panic at high blood pressure, and of course, later my blood pressure was super low. I hate this game!

Brooklyn fed the dogs and noticed that the box at the bottom of my bed was not lit. We tried plugging it into different outlets, flipping breaker switches, anything we could think of, but my mattress was flat. Of course, this happens on a Thursday evening. I have to jump through some hoops to get a Hill-Rom support person to come out, so that gives me Friday. They're closed for the weekend. I tried to call, but it was already 5 PM, and they were closed, so I set a reminder to call them first thing in the morning. I still wasn't ready to eat, but the beef jerky tasted good, so that was food and salt for me for the rest of the evening. I watch TV and play some games on the computer until I fall asleep. Stanley came in and woke me up to put on my CPAP machine, let the dogs out one more time, and take up their water.

Friday

Liberty was supposed to be here at 7 AM. She was late, and the dogs were getting restless, so Stanley came in, fed them, took them to the toilet, and got me some coffee. When liberty came in, she took the dogs over to Naomi's to get some exercise and playtime with the pack. I love Naomi days because they come back so worn out and tired and sleep the rest of the day! Liberty came back and put me on my side, and we did some personal care. After a couple of hours with no success, she left me on my side and went home. While she was gone, I tried to call Hill-Rom again, and it was my lucky morning because someone answered right away, gave them my information, and said to watch my email. Less than five minutes later, I checked my email, and there it was. I called them back, paid the invoice, and they said to wait for the tech to call. About an hour later, Jay called and said he'd gotten the ticket and was on his way. Jay has come out quite a few times. It's so nice to have somebody that I already know, and he knows my bed and all of its weird little quirks. The first thing he did was check whether the cord had power running to it, and it did, so he plugged it in, and BOOM, it worked! WHAT?!? What just happened? We tried everything, and nothing worked. We chatted for a bit, and then he went home.

Cruz came in, took care of the dogs, and got me something to eat. To me, a nice long hot bath put me back to bed. She folded some laundry, straightened my room, and then went home. I thought I was feeling better, but all of a sudden my stomach ached again, and I was burning up, which usually happens around this time of the evening. I'm freezing. I started watching a little miniseries by V.C. Andrews called Dawn this morning, and it sucked me in right away. I don't really like to watch series because I always seem to get annoyed when people come in to talk or when my caregivers come in to work, and that's not right. I remember a while back watching another miniseries by the same person, only it was called Flowers in the Attic, and I couldn't stop watching that either. Janet came in to talk to me about the other house; we have a couple of options. Stanley and Janet could move back in and rent out the bottom unit while it's on the market, which will give everybody around here a little bit more privacy and space. We could rent out the whole house, either way, I won't have to pay two mortgages anymore, and I am all for that!

Saturday

What a miserable night. I had my fan on all night long because I was burning up. I thought I was through with the stomach thing, but now I'm not so sure.

Brooklyn came in, and I could hear her toileting and feeding the dogs, but my eyes just wouldn't open. I finally opened my eyes, and the first thing she said was, "I don't think I'm gonna be able to stay very long because I'm really sore." She didn't look good. She had a video visit with the nurse, who told her she needed to go to OHSU in Portland for an ultrasound. She called her mom to see if her mom could drive her up, and she left.

I texted Cruz to see if she was still in town or had gone back home. Hopefully, she will get back to me because I'm going to need somebody for the rest of the weekend.

I was waiting to hear some stirring around the house. Stanley was gone, but I was waiting for Robert or McKenzie to get up so I could ask them to take this blanket off of me because I was burning up. I brought up the kitchen camera and saw Nori getting a drink of water. She looked so adorable! It looked like everybody was already dressed up, so I texted McKenzie and asked her to come in and help me. She came in and took off my blanket, and they set off for the day.

Cruz came in, and we did some personal care. I stayed on my side for a while while she and her daughter took the dogs over to the park. It was supposed to rain today, and it did for a bit, but then the sun came out, and it was beautiful. Cruz set me back up and got me something to eat, then she and her daughter left. I watched TV for a while and took a nap; it was a very good nap!

When Cruz came back, she sent me up, took care of the dogs, and got me something to eat. I still don't have much of an appetite, so I had a chicken salad sandwich with avocado, bread, and butter pickles. I found this new bread, it's called Orawheat carb control bread. It's the best one that I've found so far, it's really soft and tastes good!

I listened to some music for a while, and then I heard the doorbell ring. So I knew Robert, McKenzie, and the family came back, so I turned the music down. I listen to music and play games until I fell asleep.

Sunday

Brooklyn is still not feeling very well, so Cruz came in, I fed the dogs and me, and then took off. She needed to go back and take care of her aunt, but I'm thankful she came over here to take care of the dogs and me. I lay around for the rest of the day and tried to figure out something that I could do with myself.

Robert took Nori Jude to church, but McKenzie still wasn't feeling well, so she stayed home to rest.

I don't know if this stomach flu is lingering for a really long time or circling its way back. I thought I was feeling better a couple of times, and then my stomach started aching again. I have been burning up with the fan on me all night, and my window is open. I'm usually really cold, so there must be something wrong. Kona has been lying on the bottom of my bed again like she used to. I had to keep her from crawling on my stomach because it's too much weight on my supra pubic tube, and it started leaking, and she even pulled it out one time. So I couldn't let her get up here for a while, and it broke my heart. It's the only way that we can get on each other's level to cuddle. 

Stanley came home and got me something to eat and some tea. I don't have my appetite back, but my blood sugar is getting pretty low, so I have to make sure I eat something. It's really nice to have Stanley back home. While they are away this weekend, I have been thinking about how much I rely on him for pretty much everything. I don't know what I'm going to do when he moves out permanently, of course, I'm going to miss him like crazy! There's some property for sale kitty corner to my property and I asked him tonight if he would think about buying that and building his own place there, that would be really awesome!

They were also thinking about living in the other place while we keep it on the market. I think they are just eating/wanting their own space, and I don't blame them.

Stanley came back, let the dogs out, filled their water, and we shared some beef jerky before he put my CPAP machine on. I almost fell asleep several times, but I was having some really weird dreams, and I woke myself up with a start a couple of times.

It's starting to heat up…

 Monday May 25 2026

Liberty came in. I took care of the dogs, got myself something to eat, and had breakfast casserole. It was so delicious! It's a nice, healthy breakfast until I add half of a bagel. I love bagels so much, and if you put cream cheese on them, they're better for you. If my blood sugar gets too high, I just stop eating them for a couple of days.

I don't understand this weather in Oregon. We get a couple of really nice days, and then BOOM… It's cold again. And then there's the sideways rain that you can't protect yourself from because it comes at you from all sides and under your umbrella.

Brooklyn came in and put me on my side for the day, another boring day stuck inside when I could be out cruising my pups around the neighborhood.

Well, I'm getting my cookbook together. ChatGPT is helping me with some diabetic-friendly, gas-free recipes, and some of them sound so delicious! A lot of people are cutting carbs and adding protein with cottage cheese. I tried it in my chicken salad, and it was pretty good! Becca made a lemon-blueberry loaf, and it was really good, too. When I see people eating good food and desserts, I get so envious. Now I will have my own desserts. I'm losing my cook again, Becca is moving on with her business, and Ashlyn is going to start cooking for me. She seems to be a good cook. I ask her every evening when she comes in what she had for dinner, and it always sounds really yummy!

It's a good thing I didn't get up, because Ashlyn also called out, deciding that her husband's schedule would keep her from coming in. I really hate to lose her, and hopefully she can find childcare in the future and come back! Brooklyn came in, picked me up, and then left. It's so nice to have somebody that you can always rely on! I always hope she knows how much I appreciate her!

I watch TV and play games for a while until I fall asleep.

Tuesday

Becky called out this morning. She is having some health problems. I hope she feels better soon. She is way too young to have problems. I don't know what to do. I really don't want to lose her either, but I need to get somebody who can get me dressed, and up so my old body doesn't deteriorate…oops, too late. Luckily, Liberty also comes in on Tuesday, so I do have coverage. I had to cancel my cardiology appointment because we missed personal care last night, and I was going to have Liberty do it, but she could only stay for two hours. At least I get to be on my side and give my butt a rest.

I called my friend Cruz, and she said she would come down and help me out for the evening! She is another one who has always been so helpful and a good friend! We have been friends for about three years, I think, and no matter what we do, we always have a great time! We did some personal care and then a nice, hot, relaxing bath. She put me back to bed, and I think I fell asleep before she left. She always texts me, so I know she made it home. I woke up when Stanley came in to put on my CPAP mask, let the dogs out, and put up their water so they don't have to go potty at 2 o'clock in the morning. Thankfully, I fell right back to sleep. When I was younger, I always envied people who could take naps, and now I can, and it's so awesome!

Wednesday

Stanley came, let the dogs out, fed them, and then got me some coffee… he makes the best coffee! Becky didn't come in again today, but Liberty agreed to come in and get me dressed and up in my chair. I can't wait to hit the open road with the pups and cruise the neighborhood to see who's out and about today. Just as we were getting ready to get me up, Chris came in and said they needed access to my room. I definitely don't want to do anything to slow down the process of my new deck, so I decided to just stay in bed and go on my side.

Liberty fixed my computer so I can print out more of the personalized recipes for my diabetes and gas. Food is so wonderful again! This time, Becca made greens and country spare ribs. She also made roasted chicken, roasted vegetables, breakfast casserole, chicken salad, and Chia pudding. Today is Becca's last day of cooking for me, and I'm really gonna miss her!

I got a text from Chris, and it looks like they're going to come today or tomorrow and finish the deck. That is the coolest project in the world, and I can't wait to have my own little private deck outback! Chris finished up the deck platform outside, and it looks awesome! There's going to be a ramp that goes down the back. I'm out of the gate, and this way I won't have to track my wheels through the house. Not to mention, I have such an awesome place to kick back at night and, during the day, hang out, watch Dude and Kona play, and figure out how to decorate my new deck.

Brooklyn came in, set me up at my computer, and I had some greens, ribs, and half of a bagel for dinner. It was so delicious! She wasn't feeling well, and she didn't sound well; she wasn't sure whether it was sinusitis or she was getting sick. I don't know which one would be worse. I'm really tired of staying in bed, especially when it's not even my idea; it's other people not coming into work. It's very frustrating! I know I'm going to get up the next two days because I have doctor's appointments. For the rest of the evening, I deleted my unwanted emails, played games, watched some cop shows, and then played more games before falling asleep while listening to an audiobook.

Thursday

Becky texted me and said she still isn't feeling well enough to come into work, which I figured. Liberty came in, fed and took care of the dogs, got me some coffee, and dressed up in my chair. I have an early appointment. I have no idea why I made an appointment so early, because I usually don't, but I think it was the only appointment I could get for a while, and I wanted to get new glasses as soon as possible.

When we got there, the lady was checking me in and said my appointment wasn't until 8:50 AM, but for some reason, I had it down as 8:00 AM. Well, at least we are here and not late. We went and sat down, expecting to wait about an hour, and after about five minutes, they called me into the room. That's always what I hope for when I'm early, and I was so glad! The doctor said my patient has changed a lot, probably because of the diabetes. I need to really start sticking to my diet because eyesight is something that I really don't want to lose, since the only way I get around is with my power wheelchair.

We came home, and it was so nice outside that I decided to sit outside and have my breakfast and another cup of coffee. We let the dogs run around in the front yard for a while, and then came back to my room so Liberty could put me to bed and go home.

Naomi texted me. Naomi is the lady who exercises, trains, and grooms my dogs. She is awesome and really knows her stuff! Kona has really come a long way since we introduced her to Naomi, and Kona loves learning as much as Naomi loves an obedient dog. I get a lot of compliments on how well Kona obeys, and it makes me feel proud. Chocolate labs tend to be really energetic and easily distracted.

McKenzie and I got together to talk about my budget that she put together for me, and I'm really excited to get started and save money instead of wasting it like I've been doing for the last 30 years. The first thing I did was go to my Amazon cart and delete everything except what I really need. It actually felt really great! I have a bunch of lists, so my arms are so tired from deleting. I'm going to delete a lot of the stuff from my list. I just keep adding stuff.

Tonight I won't have an evening caregiver, so Stanley agreed to take care of the dogs and me.

Cruz texted me, and we talked for a while. She said that she will come in tomorrow night and give me a bath. I am excited for that!

Stanley came in at 9:30 PM, took the dogs out one last time, filled their water, and put on my CPAP machine. The machine really annoys me sometimes. I have to put Vaseline under my nose, or it doesn't seal and leaks all night long. Sometimes it drives me so crazy, I have McKenzie come in and take it off. I feel guilty because I'm supposed to use it for at least 4 hours every night, but most nights I end up using it for 8 to 10 hours. Like my sleep study doctor says, you can't wear it one night and then not wear it at all the next night.

Friday

Stanley came in this morning, took care of the dogs, and then got me some coffee. He was in bed at 6:30 AM. In fact, I was still sleeping when he came in.

Liberty came in and got me some coffee, got me dressed, and got me up in my chair. I have an appointment with my dentist at 9 AM. The last couple of mornings, I've had really early appointments, and I usually don't make them until 10 AM. I figured that since Becky comes in at 6 AM, I can make earlier appointments, get back, and have the rest of the day to play and hang out with the dogs. Unfortunately, Becky hasn't been feeling well, and Liberty was nice enough to fill in for her. Liberty got me dressed and up in my chair, and we made it to the doctor's office just in time. Everybody always remembers me and makes me feel like an old friend. I never liked going to the dentist before, but I don't mind visiting this place. The dental hygienist took X-rays, cleaned my teeth, flossed, polished, and applied fluoride. She said they looked pretty good, which surprises me because I think the last two or three times I was supposed to go, I had to cancel for one reason or another. I always leave, promising myself that I am going to make sure everybody brushes my teeth in the morning and in the evening, and this time I'm really going to stick to it! We came home, and Liberty put me back to bed on my side, and we did some personal care. She put me on my side and went home for the day. Cruz came in, got myself something to eat, gave myself a bath, and while I was taking a bath, I thought about how my house had always been really clean and orderly when I was in Santa Cruz, and I want it to be like that again. I get everybody to keep it clean and put everything back where it goes, but after a while, it starts getting sloppy again. I'm just going to have to keep on top of everybody. I hope they'll figure it out on their own, but it's obvious they're not. Cruz straightened out my bedroom and my bathroom, and then went home. For the rest of the evening, I watched movies and just did a lot of the usual stuff.

Saturday

Brooklyn and TJ came in, Brooklyn tended to the dogs, and TJ tended to the weeds. After the dogs ate, they took the dogs over to Naomi's so they could play and expend some energy. Brooklyn got me some more coffee and something to eat. It was time to go get the dogs, so they went to get the dogs and bring them back. On their way back, they decided to go by the old house and grab my Adirondack chair and loveseat I had on my porch in Santa Cruz. It was such an amazing surprise! Brooklyn asked if I wanted to take the dogs and the kids over to Mento Brown Park and go for a hike; heck yeah, I did! It was supposed to be colder, but it turned out to be a perfect day. We went for a 2-mile hike and then watched Kona swim in the water. We definitely need to do this more often! We came back, and they headed home. I leaned back in my chair, took a little nap, and then watched TV until Brooklyn came back. I ate dinner out on my new deck, and it felt so great! McKenzie, Nori, and Jude came out and sat with us for a little while. She put me back to bed and went home for the evening. I shopped online at Amazon for some stuff to add to my new porch! I love it so much, and I know I will be spending a lot of time out there!

Sunday

Sunday is one of my favorite days, and we order breakfast from the Black Bear Diner. I am obsessed with our spicy sausage, and I can't even try anything else. I ordered two eggs, which used to be poached, but they ended up with too much water, so now I just do them fried. Two sausage patties, an English muffin, and some country-fried potatoes. Because of my diabetes, I only eat half of it and usually either put the other half in the refrigerator and forget it, or have it for breakfast the next day.

TJ has been coming to work with Brooklyn, and I love it! He gets so much done! He vacuumed the couches' front porch, and they would be absolutely gorgeous!  TJ and Brooklyn went back to the old house and got a tractor tire that I was using to grow cherry tomatoes. I just love that idea, and it will be great for a little planter in my backyard. We went to Home Depot to get some potting soil, fertilizer implants for the tractor tire in the backyard. We picked a nice little variety, and I am very happy with them! They filled up the planner and planted the plants, and it turned out even better than I had imagined!

They went home, and I just sat in my room, not feeling very good. I don't know if I was too hot or too cold; my body is so unpredictable because I was sweating, but I was cold. The more I swear, and the cold air hits me, the colder I get. It seems weird, and I don't know why, but the only thing that seems to help is putting a rice bag in the microwave and wrapping it around my neck. When the sweating went down, I went outside and sat in the sun, which felt better!

Brooklyn came back and put me to bed, and we did some personal care. She sat me up, got me something to eat, and fed the dogs. She went home for the evening, and I felt a little bit better, but my stomach is still so distended. While Brooklyn was getting me up this morning, I burped really loudly. I think it was the loudest I've ever burped, but I started to feel better, so I was wondering if I ate something that didn't agree with me.

For the rest of the evening, I played on the computer until I fell asleep.

The weather is getting warmer and warmer…

 Monday May 18 2026

Monday

Monday was a really good day! It's starting to get warmer outside, now this is my kind of weather! The weather has been in the 70s, but it must be a different kind of heat from Santa Cruz, because I tolerated it better there, probably because it was by the ocean. I was looking online at what's going on this summer in Santa Cruz, and it makes me sad that I didn't get out more. I just took it for granted that it would always be there.

Becky came in and took care of the dogs and then got me some coffee, I ate breakfast and then she got me dressed and up in my chair. I hung out in the kitchen for a little bit with my brother and the kids. They are getting to the age where they each have their own little personality, and they are all going to be funny! Some of the stuff that they say is just awesome!

I took Kona out for a cruise and then took Dude. I met a guy down the street on the other side of the block and talked to him for a while; he was outside with his wife. After we talked for a while, he said that he was a cousin of Dolly Parton. I can't even imagine how awesome that would be! I have read so many really sweet people on this block and one that was not so sweet but I guess in life you just encounter people like that? Kill them with kindness, right?!

I came back, took a little nap, then played on the computer until Ashlyn came in. She took care of the animals and then put me in bed and got me something to eat. We did some personal care, I'm trying to drink some hot tea every night, and I really like it! Ashlyn got me something to eat, set me up at my computer, and went home for the evening. An eventful beginning to the week, but I like it!

Tuesday

Good morning! They came in at 6 AM, got me some coffee, took the dogs out and fed them, and cleaned up my room while Amy was here giving me a massage. Until we sell the house, I'll need to reduce Amy's hours to once a week. I hope it goes by fast. I sure have felt a lot better since Amy started coming twice a week.

Liberty came in and got me dressed and up in my chair. I have an appointment with Oregon Infusion and Disease Control to see if I really actually have SARS. I had it before when I had my stage four pressure sore, and I guess you never get over it, as far as the hospitals are concerned. Every time I go into the hospital, the nurses and everybody else still have to gown up before they come into my room. Last time I got tested, I didn't have it, but they still have to take precautions at the hospital.

It came back. I took the dogs for their routine cruise, then came back and just hung out in the front yard for a while. It was so peaceful and beautiful.

Ashley came in, and after she took care of the dogs, I got a nice, long, hot bath, the best feeling in the world!

She put me back to bed, and I played on the computer for a while, losing all track of time. Stanley came in and took the dogs out for their last hurrah before the morning. I was already asleep when Stanley came in, so I skipped my CPAP machine. I know I'm supposed to wear it every night, and the sleep specialist told me that just because I wear it for 10 hours every night doesn't mean I can skip a night or two, and that it won't make up for it when I don't use it.

Wednesday

Becky came in, let the dogs out, and fed them! I have to put their water up at night because Dude we drink a lot of water and then have to go out at 2 AM or 3 AM! They sure remind us if we forget to put it down in the morning.

I took the dogs for a cruise, then hung out with them in the front yard. I just love it out there, and my brother and the kids came out for a while to enjoy the weather!

Chris and his crew came to put the door and a porch on my bedroom. I am so excited about this; it is going to be so awesome to sit out there, and when the dogs need to go potty, we won't have to walk all the way around the house. Especially since they usually don't wait until they get to the dog jog, they end up pooping and peeing on the rocks in front of the house, and the kids put them in their mouths.

Ashley's husband won't get off until really late, so Cruz came in to cover Ashley's shift. It was really nice to see her; we always have a really good time laughing and catching up. We did what we needed to do, and then she headed home. She lives in Portland, which is an hour away, but she said it's not that bad. I watched a movie, deleted my unwanted email, and fell asleep.

Thursday

It was pretty much another typical day, took care of the dogs, got me coffee and something to eat, got dressed up in my chair, beautiful weather, my kind of day! Brooklyn came in again, put me to bed, got the dogs and me something to eat, and then went home!

They finished the door yesterday and I still can't believe it, it looks so awesome! I can picture myself sitting out there with my tea and my charcuterie board and just watching the sunset! The realtor said that from the windows in my room, we would be able to see the fireworks! I love fireworks! It will also be nice to keep the door open, since none of the windows in my room open, and it can get pretty stuffy.

Friday

Becky came in, and we did the regular routine with the dogs and got me dressed and up in my chair. I got a bath last night, but I didn't wash my hair because I didn't wanna go to bed with wet hair, so we washed it this morning. It always feels so awesome to get my hair washed, it just makes me feel so great!

I wanted to get up and get out of the way so the guys could come in and finish up what they needed to do. It turned out that all they needed to do was put cement in the ground for the deck posts and at the end of the ramp. We were gonna put stairs, and then I thought, why don't we just put a ramp so I can have another entrance to and from the house? Because of the ramp, it's going to take up a lot of the dog jog, and I hope they still have enough room to run around and play. Still, if not, we could always make the dog jug bigger. There's about a quarter of an acre of property just below mine, and I'd like to sell the house so we'll have a little more property. I would like my nephew and his family to build their house there. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Everything depends on selling this house; I can't wait to get out from underneath it.

Liberty came in, and we did some personal care, and she sent me up to my computer. I kind of like Fridays because Liberty usually comes in around noon, and we usually finish around 4 PM. It gives me a lot more time to be on the computer and relax from the day. I have caregivers around for 4 to 6 hours in the morning and 4 to 6 hours in the evening, so I just feel like I don't have enough time to myself. I really enjoy it when I have it. The evening still goes by really fast, but at least I feel like I got more done on my computer.

I wrote a cookbook for people with spinal cord injury and gas problems, and the recipes turned out so well that now I'm making a cookbook with even more recipes for myself. My health has been so much better since I've been eating diabetic- and gas-friendly recipes; there are actually some really good dishes you can modify and eat. I just found out that you can get a lot of protein from cottage cheese, and it cuts down on fat. I use almond flour and cottage cheese for a lot of baked stuff that I love, like biscuits, bread, pizza dough, and even bagels!

Saturday

Saturday was a really great day! Brooklyn came in and took care of the dogs, got me something to eat, and then got me dressed and up in my chair. We took the dogs over to Mento Brown Park, and Brooklyn usually plays ball with Kona. In contrast, I take Dude on a cruise around the park. As we cruise around, I see a lake, and I keep thinking, one of these days, I want to bring Kona over there and watch her go in the lake. I know she loves the water, and I've seen a lot of pictures and videos, but I would love to see it in person. I got a baby pool out front but when I put water in there she won't go in it, maybe it's not murky enough?

We came back and cleaned up the garage a little bit more. I feel like we keep getting everything we want put away from the garage, and then we open it up, and there's more stuff. We started collecting stuff for the kids' playroom out there, and they're just going to be so awesome! A couple of my great-nieces and great-nephews have mentioned what a fun place it is, and boy, does that feel great! I love having a place where everybody can come, relax, and have a good time, and I think I have it! I know for sure I had it in Santa Cruz, and my nieces and nephews would come down for vacations and holidays, and it was not only the perfect place, a mile to the beach, Boardwalk, and downtown. A couple of nieces and nephews came down for their honeymoon. It's actually the perfect place!

Brooklyn went home for a little while, and the rest of my family came over, so I texted her and asked her if she could come in a little bit later so I could spend some time with them. I've noticed they've been coming over every Saturday, so I'll need to make arrangements to get to know them again. I have the best family!

Brooklyn came back to put me to bed. She cleaned up my room. It seems like for a while, everybody keeps it clean and wipes down the surfaces, but then everybody slips back into stacking everything everywhere, and I hate that! I always want it to look like the housekeepers just left. I also get to go to bed early on Saturday and Sunday nights so that both Brooklyn and I can have an early shift, go home, and have some time to do what we wanna do. I asked her about coming in later on Saturday so I can spend time with the family, and she said that would be fine.

Sunday

Sunday, I would have to say, is my favorite morning out of the whole week. Brooklyn stops on our way in and grabs us some breakfast from the black bear diner. I have a really good breakfast every morning, but it's nice to have something different and maybe a little bit more naughty. I usually get sausage patties, egg or fried eggs, an English muffin, and really good-tasting home fries. I ate half of it, then saved the other half for the next morning, and it didn't make my blood sugar jump as much as if I had eaten the whole thing. My family goes to church on Sunday, and that's also when I can turn up my music without bothering anyone.