BEAUTIFUL RAINS CAME & HIP INJECTION FOR PAIN

By OLIVENE GODFREY

Beautiful rains came for two days and a night, refreshing the earth, and bringing our water table up and giving us some relief from our drought here in northwest Georgia. But the fog that accompanied the rains caused traffic problems. Yesterday, son Barry drove us to Dalton to a center for spine and pain medicines. My family doctor had made an appointment for me with the center's doctor for a steroid injection in my right arthritic hip.

People respond differently but the center information says it is impossible to judge the effectiveness until at least a week later. I have had a lot of relief already but have also had a little pain which the center info says is not a cause for alarm. This is due to irritation of the nerve roots by the epidural solution itself.

After we arrived at the center, I had an anxiety attack. I've never been nervous about shots before but was this time.
Barry asked a nurse if he could go in with me when I talked to the doctor as I was very nervous and hard of hearing. His request was granted. So, with Barry's wonderful support, I made it through the morning. I was given a local anesthetic and didn't feel any pain as the doctor gave me the x-ray guided injection in my hip. I did feel some discomfort but not too bad. Afterward, the doctor told me, that I "did good."
When Barry brought me home, I ate a snack and went to bed and rested until time to start supper. I am relieved it is over and look forward to walking normal again.

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Our Christmas cactus is in full bloom and is a delight to behold. I bought the plant about 15 years ago and it has always bloomed around Thanksgiving. So, I guess it should be called a Thanksgiving cactus. We are hoping our huge Incredible Poinsettia will have red leaves this Christmas. The plant had a few scarlet leaves last year. Barry brought our huge Ficus tree inside recently and placed it in front of a window where it gets the morning sunlight. Our large humidifier is nearby and so the tree gets humid air blowing on it. And, the plant's changing environment didn't harm the plant and it hasn't dropped a single leaf since being brought inside.

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My sister, Jeanette, passed along a helpful hint to me last year which save me time and aggravation every time I get dressed now. I had trouble with fastening buttons of my shirts and blouses with my arthritic hands. Jeanette told me to leave the garments fastened and pull the shirt or blouse over my head, and to continue doing this until all of my garments were washed and fastened.

See you next time.

NEW MEDICAL REPORT & ETC....
By OLIVENE GODFREY
The report of my recent x-rays revealed that I have a lot of osteoarthritis in my hips, knees and spine. There was no sign of damage that could have resulted from the falls I had a awhile back. The doctor's nurse talked to me about the severe pain I have been having in my knees and right hip. I will continue taking the arthritis medicine my doctor prescribed for me. But,
I will see a specialist soon about having some injections for my arthritis pain.

Then, I will see my family doctor in a few weeks for a complete blood count and re-check for my anemia. I am still taking iron pills and hope I won't need them much longer. I am hoping and praying all of this will bring about the miracle I wrote about last week.

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Last week, we had an inch of rain which was welcomed by all of us in the serious drought in most of Georgia. But, the weather experts tell us we need a lot more rain to get our water table back to normal.

Son Barry had a dental appointment last week. The dentist told Barrry his last remaining wisdom tooth needed to be removed as soon as possible. So, Barry will have that done the last of this month. He is blessed by still having all of his teeth except for the wisdom teeth that were previously removed and the one left.

The November, 2007, issue of Consumers Report On Health reports that some men who keep their wallet in their back pocket may have low back pain by throwing the spine out of alignment and exerting pressure against the back muscles. Barry and I found this interesting as he can't drive his car or pickup truck with his wallet in his back pocket as he says it is painful.

Quotes: "No matter what you do, there'll always be someone who'll say he always knew you would." Earl Wilson

"I know some people who are so narrow minded I believe they could look through a keyhole with both eyes at once." Jack Key

Have a happy Thanksgiving weekend!

See you next time.

WHAT I NEED IS A MIRACLE!

By OLIVENE GODFREY

The severe pain started in my right hip and shot down my leg.
Last year, a bone scan revealed that I have arthritis in both hips and both knees and my spine. But, the only pain I had was in my knees. The hip pain was in the joint that connects my hip to my leg and made me to limp. Walking is an agonizing experience now. Since son Barry has arthritis in his hip, I knew there are times when he has pain identical to mine. I thought in a few days it would pass. But, the pain stayed with me. I finally saw my doctor last week. After exam and conference with her, she believes it is Osteoarthritis but ordered x rays of my hips, knees and back as some delayed damage may have been done when I fell about a month ago.

The doctor said while we were in her office that I might need "a new hip" which scared Barry and me. That night, Barry and I discussed the possibility that I may need hip replacement surgery. We are hoping I can avoid it. We aren't wealthy people and can't afford to hire someone to stay with me after having major surgery. I am nearly 80 years old and in poor health and major surgery frightens me.

I am still waiting for the new x ray report. And, I thought this morning, what I need is a miracle. I realize there are people more deserving than I am but I am praying that God will take care of me as he has so many times in the past. Please remember me in your prayers. I will keep you posted of any new developments.

See you next time.

PAST THANKSGIVING DAYS REMEMBERED AND PLANS FOR THIS YEAR.
By OLIVENE GODFREY
I think most of us as we grow older realize there are certain things we can no longer do. For instance, I have always enjoyed cooking a traditional"turkey and dressing and all the trimmings" dinner on Thanksgiving day. I started cooking the day before the big dinner and on that day, I got up early and started cooking until time to serve the dinner. My late husband, Ralph. loved the holiday and he would have a roaring fire in our large fireplace and settle down in his recliner in front of his television set to watch the football games. The aroma of good food cooking wafted through the house and it was a nice time.

The year we lived in Treasure Island, Florida,the year son Barry was born, I was nearly nine months pregnant that Thanksgiving and I cooked two small Cornish hens and a few other foods for our dinner that holiday. After Barry came into our lives, we had large dinners and he has always enjoyed them, too. Some years we had guests and those were enjoyable times.

This year has not been a good one for me, health wise. I have been bombarded with ailments almost constantly.. Last week, I started thinking about this year's Thanksgiving dinner, and then Barry suggested that we eat our dinner at a restaurant this year. We did that the year after Ralph died and it wasn't a happy day. Barry wistfully said he missed the left overs. So, since then, with Barry's help, we have had big dinners again.
I have to be realistic though and I know I'm not able to prepare a large meal now. So, we decided to eat out this year. We haven't decided on a restaurant yet, but we will make an effort to enjoy our meal and be grateful for our blessings.

We are having seasonal weather now and some of the nights have been cold. The first of the week, Barry brought the patio plants inside. The Ficus or Weeping Fig tree had grown so huge Barry had a hard time bringing it inside. It is touching the ceiling and Barry says it will release oxygen into the air.

Quotes: "The perfect Christmas gift for a woman," a friend said, "who has everything is a burglar alarm." Hugh Parks

"We are only young once. That is all society can stand."
Bob Bowen

See you next time.