I'm back and here's the latest.

In February, I wrote that I was dealing with a medical diagnosis that came as a surprise to me.  To explain this, I hope you will indulge me, I have to go back to 2019 when I was diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism.  This is a condition I had never heard of.  For those of you who are also in the dark about it, Hyperparathyroidism (that's a mouthful) is a condition that disrupts the blood calcium level in the body.  When calcium levels in the body get too low, many effects can appear such as: muscle/bone pain, fatigue or weakness, dizziness, dental problems, dry hair and/or brittle nails and more.  I have been taking calcium medication and also including a lot of calcium foods in my diet.

In the beginning of February of this year, I went in for my yearly wellness check to the doctor which included (of course) lab tests.  When I went back to the doctor for a followup on the lab tests, she informed me that I had stage3b chronic kidney disease and that the hyperparathyroidism had contributed to it because on top of everything else it does, it also damages the kidneys.  Needless to say, it took me by surprise and I was very scared of the implications.  Unfortunately, I have a tendency to go to worst case scenario on things which only makes things more stressful.  At this stage, it is not fatal nor will I need a kidney transplant or do dialysis but I will have to make changes to my lifestyle.  I had to give up my coffee (which was my drug of choice), I cannot use pain medication with ibuprofen in it and I added to vitamin supplements to my daily medication regimen.  I also have to see my specialist for even more information on this.
 
I am trying through lots of prayer to stay positive about these developments.
 

As for what else is happening, my oldest son and dil live in Northern Nevada and have been inundated with snow.  So much so that he and my dil have been taking turns shoveling snow.  He says it is history making weather for that part of the country.  He also said that it reminds him of home and the weather is why they moved to Nevada in the first place.  I jokingly told him that all the snow he is getting is so he doesn't get homesick for UP winters.  He did not think that was funny.  The one member of the family who really loves the snow in Nevada is my grandpuppy, Buster.  My dil sent me a video of Buster running and jumping in the snow and pushing his nose into the drifts.  Glad someone is enjoying it.  Now they are dealing with rain on top of snow.  My son says the weather here at home is better than where he is and that is saying alot.

Buster

We had our annual St. Patrick's Day snowstorm.  I hope this is the last of the year.  I am really tired of seeing snow, being cold and trapped in the house because of weather.  I am ready to open windows and feel the clean warm breezes, to sit on my deck in the sun and watch the birds at the feeders and the squirrels and chipmunks play tag in the grass.  I want to see leaves on the trees and flowers in the flower beds.


With Spring coming soon, more birds and squirrels have been visiting the feeders. My cat Al loves this and enjoys watching them out of the front picture window.  He also seems to be yelling at them but they are ignoring him as usual.

AL

I have discovered raspberry tea.  I have always been partial to orange and lemon tea.  I was given some raspberry tea as a gift and decided to try it.  I am in love. I enjoy it hot or cold.  Little things like this make me happy.


I am reading the Book of Mark in the Bible during Lent.  I have found it to be a comforting way to meditate first thing in the morning.


I received a new laptop at Christmas and am still trying to get used to it.  It's amazing what I took for granted on my old laptop that I must now think about for the new one.  Of course, I had the old one almost 10 years.  It worked for me and I never considered changing for that reason.  My son had a different idea.