The Garage Gets Shakes

While I am recovering and taking it easy Tim is helping George finish up his garage by adding Cedar shakes to the garage.  It takes a lot longer than I thought.  They worked all day yesterday on it and are back at it today.  While they were working on the garage Lisa was kind enough to come and spend some time with me.  Thanks Lisa!  The garage turned out great but with the added shakes it will really look fantastic.  Nice job Tim and George! 

The Recovery Has Begun

I am out of the hospital and back home on the farm.  I was well taken care of during my stay in Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center in Knoxville but now that I am home Tim gets that fun!  So far, he has been great.  It won't be too tough since the next couple of days I am not suppose to do anything.  After that I just have to take care of the incision on my throat and not lift anything heavy.  I am pretty sure I can do that.  The pain is not too bad so that is a plus!  There is one thing that we are waiting to see what happens and that is involving my voice.  My understanding is that when removing the parathyroid a nerve from my voice box had grown around it so when removing it there may have been some damage to the nerve but we will have to wait and see.  Right now I have a voice and the Dr. was very glad to hear me speak.  With time and healing it will get better. I am sure of that!  Thanks again for all the prayers and good thoughts.

Surgery Was A Success

Thank you Dr Kropilak for doing a great job removing one of my parathyroids.  I found out that the one he removed was double the size and it took some work to get it out due to a nerve being wrapped around it.  He was concerned about my voice but I have one, though weak, everything will be good.  I had a good night in the hospital and so far all the labs are coming back good so as long as this morning's lab does I get to go home. I have had good care at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center from all that were involved and I want to thank them all.  I would also like to thank you for the prayers and good thoughts; they worked!  A special thank you to Tim and Lisa for being here at the hospital and to George who took care of Shadow for us. I am on the road to recovery and get to just lay low for the next fews as I recover!

Surgery Day

Today is my day to have surgery on my throat.  I am nervous and a bit scared but I have a good doctor and I know that it will all go well.  How I will feel afterwards is unknown but I will know it soon.  Look for an update sometime tomorrow,  It will be later than expected only because I have no idea how I will feel.  Please say a little prayer and thank you.

Just Another Beautiful Day At The Farm

It was a beautiful Spring day, sunny, cool with some wind but the mountains were clear and the view was amazing.  I couldn't help but take a picture.  Tim cut the grass and did some landscaping, George was busy working on the garage, Lisa was busy cooking for their houseguests, her daughter Kaitlyn brought three friends from Florida for the week end and I was busy creating  door prizes for my sister Pam's SAS.  Just another day at the farm until the late afternoon when I came up from the Crafty Cottage and saw Tim and George with a hammer on a string.  They were trying to figure out how to get a rope around a limb of a tree that George was concerned about with the way the wind was blowing it around.  So they both took some tries to get the hammer on a rope around the tree but it was unsuccessful and they both decided that the limb will be fine.  It was fun way to end a day and since I was there to see it I was able to take a couple of pictures of it too.  It was fun to watch and if they had been successful this whole blog would of been on it. 

The Parathyroid

Yesterday, Lisa and I drove into Knoxville so Lisa could run a couple of errands and I could get myself pre-registered at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center for some surgery I am having Monday, April 4th.  I have a parathyroid issue and needs to be removed. The parathyroid is a gland in the thyroid that secretes a hormone, parathyroid hormone, that regulates calcium levels in a person's body. The parathyroid, all four, sit behind the thyroid which is located in the neck just below the adam's apple and above the voice box.   The only way to remove the bad parathyroid is to cut open the throat and get behind the thyroid.  They have located the bad parathyroid, apparently they move around sometimes, when I had a scan done on my throat back in January and an Ultrasound done in March.  I have a very good surgeon who has been highly recommended and is very good at this kind of procedure.  The surgery could take a little time and I will have to stay in the hospital overnight.  Tim and Lisa will be taking me to the hospital on Monday morning and will be there for the surgery.  I have not been in the hospital since I had Jenny which is also the last time I had surgery.  So, this should be a fun experience...not!  Look for updates through out the week and on Facebook.
After our fun in Knoxville we headed over to Morristown for lunch and do some grocery shopping.  Yesterday, although cloudy, was a nice warm day so we decided to grill and enjoy a nice evening.  Thanks Lisa for a nice day together and thanks to Tim, George and Lisa for a nice evening.

Spring Is Showing Its Colors

Spring has definitely come to the farm.  We have had blooming trees for the past few weeks but now all the trees and bushes are budding or flowering and it is really getting pretty around here.  In the orchard the apricot, apple and peach trees are getting their leaves as they were the first to start blooming.  The pear and almond trees are showing their colors now.  We have several different trees that are beginning to bud and have flowers on them and the Red Buds are purple right now.  Around the area the Bradford pear trees are still blooming and even though they are "evil" trees and cross pollenate to create choking thorns they are still pretty and you can't help but be in awe of the them.  The spring green color of the grass and bushes and the many trees in the area with the orange buds just make a very colorful canvas to look at.
I have some sad news, this will be my last blog... NOT!!!  APRIL FOOLS!  Happy April Fools day!  This is not my favorite day due to the fact that I am usually the one that gets fooled.  So, watch out and be on your toes today, you never know who might come along and pull an April Fool's trick on you!  I have no plans to "fool" any one today but you just never know!  Check back and find out if I was made a fool of!  Happy April Fool's Day!