MAY, EYE do see Better

We remain in Texas while awaiting Ron's second cataract surgery on June 11.

Ron, Cynthia, Jon and photo of flowers

17 May:  DAR meeting in Chappell Hill at 10:00 AM.

16 May:  MEDICAL.  Ron walked this morning while Cynthia went to an appointment with Dr Sharpless; afterwards, she luxuriated with a manicure and pedicure.  She was busy: picked up the dry cleaning, bought more bananas to make oatmeal cookies, filled a RX at Lakeside Pharmacy, and managed to fill the car with gas at the very inconvenient Chevron gas station where she survived crossing three lanes of traffic to exit to the north.  Home now, but, Shhh! Ron is napping.  Ron aged 50 years once he looked into the mirror with improved eyesight and saw all his wrinkles and age lines for the first time.

15 May:  MEDICAL  At 8 AM, Dr. Beim removed the packaging, and Ron was amazed at how well he can now read fine print.  That noxious double vision is entirely gone from the left eye.  As we drove back to the Comfort Inn, the amazement grew as he now reads road signs, street signs, billboards and names of businesses along the road, none of which were previously decipherable.  We ate breakfast, packed our gear, and Cynthia insisted on driving back to the condo despite Ron's offer to leave the driving to me.  Compounding his amazement, he can now read the computer screen without first enlarging the print 20x.  He is literally flabbergasted and overawed.  It is nothing short of an absolute miracle.  (Cynthia is encouraging Ron to rest!)  We walked to the fitness center, and Cynthia did her upper body workout for week #12/17.  

Ron dressed in pre-op finery

14 May:  MEDICAL.  We drove from the Comfort Inn to the Bellville hospital, arriving at 8:30 AM.  Checking in at a smaller hospital is so much more pleasant than the huge hospitals in Houston.  The surgery was perfect.  We had lunch at the Gathery (click here) in Bellville with Samantha L. and her son Cross, followed by a short walk to HEB for an ice cream celebration, three pints of Blue Bell. 🎉

13 May:  MEDICAL.  We are exercised, oatmealed, walked, and showered before we drove to Brenham, TX to stay at the Comfort Inn for two nights.  Ron's cataract surgery #1 is at 9 AM tomorrow morning.  Cynthia began her fitness workout week #12 of 17.  Ron decided that a stop at Blue Bell Creamery, the ice cream capital of the world, was a fitting birthday gift.  We sampled seven different flavors.  Blueberry was Ron's favorite; butter pecan was Cynthia's.  5.14 miles

Carb loading pre-op

12 May:  Hurray, hurray for the 12th of May, our 14th wedding anniversary, and Ron’s 78th birthday!  (He can't even count that high any longer.)  We celebrated with champagne!  (Spellcheck tried three times to change the spelling to campaign.)  Ron started straightening his messes so that he won't have to bend over while his eyes are healing.  One goal was to get a few of the heavier boxes stashed into the storage locker.  The other goal is to get several postcards and checks written and mailed.  6.47 miles

Ron, Cynthia, Jon and photo of flowers

11 May, Sunday, Mother’s Day:  We enjoyed a great sermon by the interim pastor at worship.  Jon liked the new pastor, and we enjoyed lunch with Jon at Oscar's afterwards.  We got home from church and napped for a bit in the afternoon.  Ron is trying to get recycling reorganized in the spare bedroom so that he can move heavier boxes into the storage locker before his surgeries.

Cynthia & flowers from her children

10 May:  Mobile windshield repair arrived by nine-fifteen to repair a chip in the car’s windshield.  Son Jon arrived soon after with a beautiful bouquet of flowers from all of Cynthia’s children.  Cynthia is one happy girlie.  Ron worked on the appendices.  Two walks.  Cynthia added  a daily plank one minute long.  She finished her 11th week of strength training at the fitness center; her goal is 17 consecutive weeks of strength training workouts.  7.46 miles 

9 May: MEDICAL RX Our AM walk was completed by 11:30 AM and we were off to Lakeside Pharmacy, Walgreen’s, Storage Unit, Dr Sharpless, the Dry Cleaners, and Oscar’s for salmon and vegetables for lunch.  Ron noticed a little chip in the windshield; a mobile repairman will arrive about nine in the AM to repair it.  7 miles.

8 May:  The packing process begins six weeks ahead of departure because Ron has to move heavy boxes back into the storage unit before next Tuesday when we go to Brenham for surgery on Wednesday.  We will overnight Tues and Wednesday, returning Thursday.  We successfully completed two walks, closed all of the rings on the Apple Watch.  7.13 miles, plus 11th week fitness workout #2.  yaay!  We will rattle our tambourines, play the drum loudly, and sing a new song.

7 May:  MEDICAL.  As retirees, we object to arising at 5:15am, but today we had to drive to Brenham for Ron’s ophthalmologist appointment.  Poor Cynthia has to drive since she refuses to ride on the motorcycle with Ron because he cannot read road signs.  Everything is all set for the first surgery on May 14th, two days after his 78th birthday.  Wish us luck.   James Lea must be set aside until next week.  We must move the heaviest boxes to the storage unit. 4.55 miles. 

6 May:  A rainy day is forecast, but we walked to the lake, sat on the bench, smooched, and returned home without a sprinkle.  After Ron ate breakfast, we drove back to the fitness center for Cynthia’s workout week #11 of 17.  Yaaaay!  4.8 miles.  We shopped at WallyWorld and made it home before getting wet.  Heavy rain started about five PM.  Ron finished compiling Volume II although bit of editing remains.  Cynthia’s excitement builds for possible publication date for James Lea by our departure date of July first.

Baby Becks baptised by Grandmother

5 May:  Happy Cinco de Mayo!  The past few weeks have been exhausting with many trips to doctors, hospitals, baptism, and extensive driving.  Tonight, we will sleep early.  We are tired!  We did walk to the lake and back early before the rain started around 3 PM.  We attempted a second walk late, but the rain resumed, so we walked on all the floors and stairs of the condo building.  5.0 miles.  Great granddaughter Becks baptism was a week ago. 

4 May, Sunday: Worship was followed by lunch at The Oscar’s!  Pastor Mark gave a great sermon about the disciples being told to go tend the sheep.  Ron worked on his Mac; Cynthia emailed folks, and then they both rested.  The temperature has cooled slightly; it is time to walk. 4.76 miles

3 May:  We slept late! 6.18 miles plus ending week #10/17 workout at the fitness center.  The day is Glorious!  Yaaay! Ron worked on James Lea. CFB has a happy ❤️

2 May:  MEDICAL.  Another early to rise AM to meet Jon at 7:45 to take us to the Methodist Hospital in the Woodlands for Cynthia’s endoscopy.  Roxanne will pick us up at noon.  All is well indeed!  Cynthia’s endoscopy showed her stomach lining had a recent inflammation.  EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD.  Of course, we didn't walk.  Now, we will sleep. 

1 May:  Connie and Chris stopped to say good bye as they head home to Iowa after wintering in Texas.  We are up, ready to hike, and Ron sees completion of James Lea, Vol. 1-3, in the very near future, God willing!  The appendices are Vol. II, and the DNA study is Vol. III.  We walked in the AM.  But when we attemmped to walk out the breakwater in the PM, threatening dark clouds and lightninginspired us to boogie back to our condo.  5.32 miles.  Hopefully, it will rain enough to wash the bike.