We arrived in the St. Louis area on May 12, 2022. I canNOT believe that it is already July of 2023. Where has the last year gone?!?
If you read my previous post, you know that we moved in with my 93 year old dad, who doesn’t need much caretaking. He has a big house, and the finished basement is “our home.” After going through A LOT of my parents’ stuff, we finally got settled in and feel right at home.
In 2013 my mom was diagnosed with dementia. She was doing ok until she got West Nile disease and had a severe reaction. She survived it, but she was never the same. After battling this devastating disease valiantly for six years, mom passed in August, 2019. My dad has lived independently since then.
Dad has done really good adjusting to having full time “roommates.” Jack and I have also adjusted quite well. All in all, things have gone as smoothly as possible. Dad’s daily routine involves going to McDonalds for breakfast, walking at the church walking track, reading his newspaper, watching TV, and reading books. He loves to play a card game called Three Thirteen. We try to play at least one game every day. He also enjoys watching our two Shih tzus, Ricky and Lucy, chase each other around the house and play. Sometimes one of them will even nap on dad’s lap as he snoozes a little, too.
We haven’t visited any more of the states we haven’t been to yet. As a result, I don’t have much to blog about. Hopefully we can visit one or two of those states soon. I will post about that when it happens.
Oh, yeah! I had right knee replacement surgery March 9th this year (something to blog about! 🤣). I had put it off for many years so we could travel. By the time the surgery date arrived, I could barely walk. I know this will sound weird, but the surgery pain was almost a welcome relief from the CONSTANT pain of bone on bone. I have done really well, but that’s because I’ve followed doctors orders and worked REALLY hard in physical therapy. Everything looked good at my three month checkup, so I’ll see the doctor again at six months and at the one year mark. Then I will be officially released.
I just have to include a couple of pictures of Ricky and Lucy. The one with them resting on Jack’s back is a very frequent occurrence at our house!
I have missed traveling, and I’ve missed blogging. I don’t really have anything to blog about now except doctors’ appointments and what I’ve cooked for supper. 🤣 I’m sure you don’t want to hear about that!
I’m not sure how to close this post. I guess I’ll just say …
So, for now … UNTIL we’re “On the Road again!
Betty
