The Rest…My Story

As I already stated a lot has happened and a lot hasn’t happened…..sounds like the whole world at the moment, doesn’t it? After my brother’s passing, I flew out to the San Francisco Bay Area to take care of his arrangements. Sadness and grief hit me from head to toe and my brain could hardly function. It had all been such a surprise and in my way of thinking…so wrong. On the third day there I fell late in the evening and broke my hip, was operated on the next day and then informed I needed heart surgery immediately. They operated again the next day on my heart. I don’t remember much about the first month because my grief was so great. The day I was moved from the hospital over to the rehab center I tested positive for covid and was put in quarantine…..I didn’t care….at least no one would bother me. Never came down with covid, but my son who had accompanied me to California wasn’t so lucky. As soon as he was well he came back to Arkansas.

After two months I was ready for the airplane flight back home so my son flew out again to see to my safe journey home. I learned a lot of things in rehab….the food was terrible…..the therapists were the greatest! As you get older keep your feet a foot apart as you walk, heal to toe. Pick up your feet and don’t shuffle…. surest way to fall is feet together and shuffling…and last, to sit down, feel the back of your knees on the chair…then hold onto the chair as you sit down.

I also learned that my brother saved my life…all my doctors told me that….that if he hadn’t died, I would have because my heart was not functioning correctly. Now we’re getting down to the point of my story. For years I’ve known something was wrong with me…couldn’t walk up hill, up stairs, down hill, more than 60 feet before feeling faint, etc. This had been going on for at least 15 years. I have no idea how many times I told various doctors but was reminded I wasn’t a young chick anymore. Really? So my advice to you: if you feel down deep that something is not right, don’t give up until you get answers and relief. Go to more than one specialist if you aren’t getting help.

The ironic thing is, my brother died of a heart attack caused by the same thing that was wrong with me. I stay awake at night wondering why he didn’t get help either, but I’ve been told that he had so many other medical conditions that they probably couldn’t have helped him. So I have to just accept that he saved my life……Joy

And as to the things that haven’t happened…..no magazine was published for May or June because I was such a mess….no coordination between spirit, brain, hands, body & computer……my sincere apologies.