Weather, babies, smellin' good, health, etc.

February 7, 2026

Happily (for me and mannnnny other people in our region!) we're now in a wonderful mild temperature time. At least for the next 10 days. After all the bone-chilling, sub-freezing temperatures of the past few weeks, this is going to be GREAT! We had upper 60s the past couple days, and there are a couple or so (PLEASE let it be true!) of 70s coming down the pike! Then, it will probably dip back to the upper 40s and 50s. Which is to be expected. I can live with that.

John says they are a little less than a month out from learning the baby's gender. And apparently Katelyn has made it clear to him that if the baby turns out to be a boy they will be trying again. That's how people end up with 9 children. 🤣

Apparently John and Katelyn took Aero shopping for cologne ... so he can smell good for his little girlfriend. Remember, this is a seven year old boy (he'll be eight at the beginning of April). I guess not all girls in second grade think all boys have cooties in this day and age. 🤣

Jerry is still happy with the pain medication and how much better he feels. Praise God!  🙌🏻

However, his wound care appointment this past Thursday was not the greatest. The original wound is closed and has been for over two months... it's the blisters that form and break open from the leg being continuously wrapped for so long. The blisters are exceptionally painful for him. But we have to leave it in God's hands. Please pray this ends soon. 🙏🏻 We're now at two years and almost five months of this current episode. 

I had my six-week post-op follow-up appointment on Tuesday. The gyne is amazed with how good everything looks.  She asked if I'd had a follow-up with the urologist who did the second half of the surgery and I told her the scheduling office can't get their you-know-what together enough to call me to schedule it. I even messaged them through the patient portal and it's like the nurses do not understand English. (When I say such and such day and time do not work, that means NO, I can't make it then. I already have a slew of other appointments and things going on and not about to try to rearrange those things to suit them when all of that has been set for a month or so in advance.) Anyway, the gyne said to just schedule with her in another four weeks and she'd let the urologist know how things are going. I said I'm perfectly fine with that. So I return on March 3 for that appointment with her.

The gyne doctor and I discussed how I'm feeling, which is pretty decent considering the type of surgery. I get wiped out easily. I make sure I rest here and there throughout the day. She said because of how long I lived with what it was going on (fifteen years), that I'm prone to it happening again. But everything is working well and the super annoyance of "the problem" is gone. I have limitations to abide by the rest of my life, which I can live with... absolutely NO heavy lifting or pushing or pulling, and some other things I won't mention here. (🤫) John and Aero (who is very strong after being in second grade football through the YMCA last fall) will step up and get the heavy stuff taken care of for me. We might not have a garden this year as John and Katelyn are actively looking for a house to rent with two bathrooms before the baby is born in July. The house they're in is downright awful. Stuff is always breaking down or needs replaced. The landlord/management company has dropped the ball numerous times. I know they're tired of dealing with them. This is a prayer request also.. that they find suitable housing, must have two bathrooms. 🙏🏻

I know I don't say a lot about what's happening with the others of my family here in town... we just don't get to connect as much. Amanda is super busy with the school district work she does. The grandkids are all busy with their lives. I need to make a stop at Amanda's or call her at some point to catch up on what's going on with all of them.

Until next time.....

Always,

Diana 🌻

Age, snow, and other things

January 30, 2026

This will be shorter than usual as it's evening here and I'm worn out from the day.

I turned 69 on January 22. It's just a number. But right now I still feel slow since my surgery. Each day gets a little better. As both doctors said, it takes time to rebuild strength after the type of surgery I had (plus it was four hours instead of three). I'll get there. I have my 6-week post-op appointment next Tuesday.

It snowed here from the 23rd-25th. Our forecast put us in the 12"+ category, but thankfully it was only 6.50". That winter storm sure gobsmacked a lot of the country. We didn't have the ice this time (for once) like other states did. We're still in the deep freeze though. Temps have been hovering anywhere from 0°-10° with sub-zero wind chills, so the snow isn't melting very fast. This is exactly why I planned my surgery this time of year because I don't like winter and I rarely need to get out to do anything. My son has really stepped up during this time and made sure my needs are met.

Amazingly, my car has started during this unbelieveable cold. I guess that's one good thing about my old, worn out vehicle... it still starts even on the coldest days (even if it falls apart in other places, haha). Thank you, Lord!

Jerry had an appointment this past Thursday with a brand new pain medication doctor. He's been without pain coverage since early 2021 when our doctor at that time retired. Life has been miserable for him. The place we go for our regular appointments doesn't do pain meds, so we've been stuck between a rock and that proverbial hard place. This new doctor got him back on his previous pain medication and it's like night and day! When he called me from the nursing home last night he sounded sooooo good! He says his pain is down to a 4 (he usually lives with a 10), so this is amazing! Again.. thank you, Lord!

I'm counting down the days until Spring! As I write this, there are 48 days until then! Woot! I need sunshine so bad! And warmth! And things that grow in the garden!

We're supposed to have upper 40s into the upper 50s next week, so I'm really looking forward to that! I will absorb as much of those temps as I can before the next round of winter comes in, which will surely happen.

Talk atcha later! Blessings to you and yours!

Always,

Diana 🌻

I'm still here!

January 17, 2026

I hope y'all haven't forgotten me! I had to stop posting for a while. Life was throwing things at me/us and I just had to stop.

But I'm here. Much has happened.

I know I told you about Jerry's left kidney stone/infection removal surgery in June (2025). He is STILL doing well. The urologist did a fantastic job on both him and my son, John. Jerry is dealing with his usual spinal pain (spinal stenosis does not stop, it just continues to worsen). We have an appointment for Jerry with a new pain doctor in town on January 28. Hoping she will help him, which I'm sure she will. Two other people in our family are patients of hers and we've heard good things. Jerry has been without pain relief for six years now due to a previous doctor we thought we were going to go to just ripping him off his med without weaning.

John is having some related issues with his left kidney, although all those stones/infection are gone. I haven't received any updates on that, so not sure what's going on. I'll try to remember to ask. Daughter-in-law Katelyn is pregnant! The baby is due about July 20. Aero (John's son from his previous marriage) is going to be eight years old in April. You would not believe how much that boy has grown! He's still in sports. His best sport is football.. he's looking forward to it again next August. Right now, basketball is finishing up.

Daughter-in-law Amanda is still doing her work with the school district (15 years!). James (her fiance) is still right there with her at home (he is unable to work due to what the cancer [4x] he acquired from his military service and subsequent chemo did to him). The grandkids all call him "dad." Kara turned 18 last October.. she's in her senior year. She does virtual school and is way ahead in so many subjects. Madison (age  is still at home with her son, Symere (he is 2½ years old). Her guy left her last fall (he is not worth it). Mad earned her BA from K-State (virtual), and is now working on her other degree (virtual again to stay home with Sy) from our local college to be a legal para-professional. Andrew is 24 and still manager at a fast food restaurant.. several years now (since he was 16!). He and Kaylee have Nilah, who is 4, and they are expecting their second child at the end of May.

Soooo, we will have a fifth grandchild and a third great-grandchild this year!

My car had some major - MAJOR - problems that had to be addressed in the fall. Bad enough that it stranded me clear across town for three+ hours. And then there was another problem.. and another. The whole engine had to be taken apart and fixed. A friend of my son's who does car work (that I didn't know about) did it. Some "donors" knew of my problem and paid for it (thank you!). I could not have paid for all of the things that were fixed. For now, it will work. But it's an old car, and as is expected, is on it's last leg. Once these cars break down, they begin to go fast. It still needs some important stuff done, but it works for now. I pray over that car every time I get in!

I had surgery in mid-December. Long overdue to get it done. I'd been living with a certain female "problem" for 15 years. In 2025, it just became unbearable (NOT painful, just extremely annoying). So I had my son make sure he could be there for me (he's my DPOA) and I finally got it scheduled. What was supposed to be a three hour surgery ended up being four hours as the gyne doctor ran into what she called some "snags." Nothing dire, just unexpected junk. Made my son worry, though. The gyne and the urologist (same one who worked on my hubby and son!) did great work. I'm soooooo glad I finally got this done. I'm doing okay. Yes, just okay right now. Gyne doctor said I have to take the whole 6-8 weeks to fully recuperate. "The littlest things can take the wind out of your sails," she said. Hooo-boy, she was right. She said I could drive at my two-week followup appointment, but I waited more than a week after that. John and DIL Amanda did a lot of things for me during that time. But I'm driving now. I just stretch things out over several days that I need to do and spend a lot of time resting. Yes, in bed. I will get a few things from the store during the week. Maybe do my laundry at my son's a few days later. I don't need a lot done, so I really am resting plenty. I'll get there. I specifically planned the surgery for the beginning of our winter so I wouldn't have to go anywhere or miss anything. Like gardening, haha! I didn't want anything to interfere with gardening!

We've hardly had any winter because the temperatures have been anywhere from the 40s up to the upper 70s for a while. But on Friday the 9th, we received 2.5" of snow overnight. It was gone by midday the next day when it got up into the 40s. The past few days we've had a few minor snow squalls. Nothing much. Last night the Artic temps finally made it down here and we had what was basically a blizzard in the middle of the night (yes, I got up and peeked out the window, haha). It has been extremely cold all day (-1° and lower) and the wind (25-40mph) has been hitting the north side of the apartment building like a freight train for two days. Kansas in the winter. Our winter is basically the beginning of January through the end of February, but half the time it goes into March. This has been a slow year for it to get going. We'll see what the next few weeks bring. I'm just waiting for Spring! Come onnnnn, Spring!

I hope all of you are doing well and I'll try to get caught up on your blogs. Sending you many prayers. I'll be back!

Always,

Diana 🌻