WE'RE HIGH TECH AT OUR HOUSE NOW

By Olivene Godfrey

I've told you about having a personal response system for emergencies installed in our house recently. Part of this system is a "smart telephone" with large numbers and magnified sound for the hearing impaired, like me. I am able to make personal calls on this phone without having a difficult time understanding the people I call or those that call me. This isn't a cordless one. So, son Barry ordered me a cordless phone from Amazon which also has large numbers and magnified sound for the hearing impaired. I'll be able to carry this phone around the house.

Since we live in a long ranch style house, it's impossible to communicate with each other if we are at opposite ends of the house. During the years we've lived in our house, we've often spoken of needing an intercom system. Last year, Barry was working in the garage on a Saturday and I fainted in the bathroom and fell onto the floor. When I became rational, I realized I couldn't get up off the floor. Frantically, I screamed for Barry but he couldn't hear me. After awhile I nearly became hysterical. Then, Barry came to tell me he was going to town and discovered me on the floor. Fortunately, I had no injuries and again we spoke of the need for an intercom. And this week it became a reality when Barry installed an intercom system in our home.
And it's reassuring to be High Tech now.

I have an appointment with my family doctor later this week to have another x-ray and re-check. I have no idea why as I had a chest x-ray and check up about a month ago and the do tor said I didn't have cancer which was a relief. Barry said it may have something to do with my COPD as it had been stable for several years but was acting up a little at the time I had the last x-ray. I confess I am worried, and a little scared, about it and I would appreciate your prayers once again.

See you next time.

MEDICAL REPORT

By OLIVENE GODFREY

When son Barry and I arrived at the blood specialist's office the first of this week, the nurse took us almost immediately and she took my blood pressure and temp and did a blood count. Shortly the doctor came in our room and he had my file in his hand and he looked puzzled as he gave us the news. He couldn't find anything wrong with the many blood tests he had done. And the blood the nurse had taken showed that my anemia was better than it had been the previous week. He seemed stunned. Then Barry reminded him that I was still taking iron pills and he also mentioned that the really bad cold I had when my family doctor had done blood-work and checked on my COPD may have affected the tests. That was probably how I was when the doctor took an x-ray recently. The blood doctor told me to continue taking the iron pills and to come back in a month and if all was well, he would dismiss me. Then, few days later my family doctor's nurse called and said the doctor wanted to re-check me and make another x-ray whenever I could make an appointment.

On the way home, Barry and I discussed all of this and I told him a lot of people had been praying for me. And Barry agreed with me that prayers can bring about miracles. We think now it is the COPD that is causing my fatigue. I don't know if that can be helped.

The rep from the alert system came out to the house and installed the new system with the smart telephone with large numbers and I can hear the callers now. I feel better for the instant help in an emergency I have now. I am wearing the pendant all the time and can even be worn in the shower. I have been afraid to take a shower unless Barry is at home.

Thanks for your prayers. They may have indeed brought us a miracle.

See you next time.

BARRY'S SUGAR-FREE DIET & MY PORCUPINE HAIR

By OLIVENE GODFREY

I will see the blood doctor regarding my anemia and results of blood tests tomorrow and hopefully he will give me a diagnosis and start treatments. I feel tired all the time and hope I will regain my strength with treatments. I will keep you posted.

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Son Barry has been on a sugar-free diet about a week. He inherited a sweet tooth from me and went cold turkey, cutting sweets from his diet. I also was forced to give up most sweets when I was diagnosed with Diabetes Type 2 a few years ago.
Before the diagnosis, I would load up on "sweet goodies" from Ingle's great bakery. I also loved Classic Coke since I was a child and they were definitely tabu on my diet. I switched to Diet Coke and now like it fine. Barry had always loved the taste of Sprite but now drinks Sprite zero. After I started my diet, I lost 18 pounds in about two weeks.

Barry who has a lot of self-control made up his mind to give up sweets when he started gaining a few pounds. He still looks good but he says he is "out of shape" now and needs to start exercising again. He works long hours and has to walk a lot and he felt he was getting enough exercise. While he was still lifting weights, he would load up with sugary baked goods and eat every morsel after I had "sampled" some of the sweets.
The sweets tempted me so I benefit, too, by Barry giving them up. We both have been eating a few sugar free cookies.
My blood sugar readings didn't go up when I sampled the goodies but it was a matter of time, I think. Another reason Barry didn't want to become obese was the fear of having Diabetes like me. He also read on the Internet that snacks, not meals, are causing the big increase in calorie intake in our nation.
About my porcupine haircut. The hairdresser that we had used for years moved back to her hometown and we started getting haircuts at the mall. Some of the haircuts were very good but some not so good. For instance, when we went to the mall recently, I told the stylist that I wanted a real short haircut.
I knew I had doctor appointments and treatments coming up and didn't want to bother with my hair. The stylist was a sweet young woman but she nearly scalp-ed me. When I looked at my reflection in the mirror I nearly cried. My hair was spiked like a porcupine's protecting spines. I've seen young women and men with spiked hair. But,picture this-- an 81 year old woman with mostly gray spiked hair. I have tamed part of my hair but the back is still impossible. Fortunately, my hair grows fast. I am looking for a new hair salon. Barry suggested I wear one of my many caps when I go out in public.

See you next time.

OCTOBER'S AIR, SUN NOSTALGIC
By OLIVENE GODFREY
October is my favorite month of the year. With its bright blue sky and Indian Summer, I find this month a time of enchantment. And poets have long praised October's delights. Many people look forward to spring. And I also enjoy the re-birth of nature, the freshness of springtime. Still, all summer I find myself thinking of October.

Usually in northwest Georgia, the weather is still warm in the daytime with cool nights, and there's a fresh autumn tang in the air and that incredibly blue sky. Farmers bring in the fall crops and apples are harvested. Bliss Carman wrote:"There is something in October sets the gypsy blood astir: We must rise and follow her. When from every hill of flame--She calls each vagabond by name." For some people autumn is rather sad. Perhaps this is because we often equate autumn with old age--often referring to the "autumn years" of a person's life.

For me, autumn is a nostalgic time. I linger over old memories or other autumns. And I meditate and wonder if age is bringing me any wisdom. When we're young we don't like to think of growing old. And it isn't something we suddenly become. It happens automatically without any effort. When we look into a mirror we receive a distorted image because we seem to want to cling to our childhood faces. While we don't like to think of growing old nobody wants to die young. So, sooner or later, we have to face the fact that we really do want to grow older.

If we stop to think about it, it's rather frightening to think about--but right-now, today, tomorrow, or next week, we're determining what kind of elderly person we'll be. Sone young and middle-aged people are sweet and kind. Others are cranky and mean and unkind. And, as we grow older we either become kinder, or meaner. Something to work for--an old age as bright and lovely as October.

QUOTE: O suns and skies and clouds of June..And flowers of June together..Ye cannot rival for one hour..October's bright blue weather." Helen Hunt Jackson.

See you next time.

I DON'T HAVE CANCER!!

By OLIVENE GODFREY

I will give you the highlights of my visit to the blood doctor who is also a cancer doctor and of my visit to my eye doctor last week.

I was worried sick about my anemia and didn't sleep for several nights before my visit to the blood doctor's office. Last Tuesday morning, Barry drove us to the blood doctor's office just off Interstate 75 exit. It only took us about 35 minutes which is about as long as it takes us to drive to the eye doctor in Dalton. With Barry's help I filled out forms and a few minutes later the nurse came for us. She took my vital statistics and then the friendly and very compassionate doctor came in our room . After his exam and study of my past blood tests at my family doctor's office, he assured me that I don't have cancer which was like a mountain rolled off of me and of Barry, too.
He thinks my problem is anemia of inflammation and chronic disease which is thoroughly covered on the Internet. The doctor said he is like a blood detective and his nurse drew a lot of blood to be analyzed. I return to see him in about eight days to review his findings and hopefully, a diagnoses and decide on the treatments I need.

We went on the scenic, historical State Highway 225 South which is deep in what was once Cherokee Indian country and then we traveled about a mile on the I 75 and turned off at the exit.

We got out of the doctor's office about noon and were starving so Barry stopped at an Arby's and we both ate large roast beef sandwiches and curly fries. And a combination of the trauma of the doctor visit and too much roast beef kept me awake all that night. I am just beginning to calm down. Being over the cancer scare does help make me feel better.

I saw the eye doctor last week and after an exam and a test, his diagnosis was, Dry Eye Syndrome. And the doctor told me to use over the counter eye drops with tears often. He assured me that my eyes are still very healthy.

This morning I started the proceedings with the personal alert system Barry and I had considered for a couple of weeks.The company will send out reps next week to do paper work and check out the house. I should feel better with a button I can push for any emergencies and hopefully it will let me continue living at home.

Thanks to all who prayed for me last week.

See you next time.