Merry Christmas, Everybody!!! and Happy New Year, Too!!!

December 2007

This is my Christmas letter for this year 2007. I hope it finds you and your family in good health.

As the year comes to an end, I guess I can't complain about too much. I look pretty good (a personal opinion) and don't feel too bad, if I get my rest and keep finding things to keep my mind active.

Otherwise, my year wasn't all that great. I had periods of time where I ached all over and made frequent trips to the chiropractor, and also to the doctor who continued to maintain watch on my diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure, and general well-being; and to my dentist who provided me with a plate which included five new teeth. So right now you might say I am like an old car with a brand new set of tires.

I don't try to travel great distances anymore, though. I can still drive without any problem, but I just think it's better if I'm not on the road since I do get tired and somewhat dizzy quite often. I keep busy at home, always finding something to do, some of which is probably very much unnecessary, but it keeps me thinking. I've been working on blogspots in recent months. I don't do much blogging, but it's fun being creative, and I do believe it serves a very good purpose.

I enjoy playing on the organ, but I realize that, too, has limits. I'll never improve that much before my time here on earth is done. I have recorded many of my songs on disk so that I can now sit back and listen to them and then say, "Hey, that isn't too bad. I did that!!" It's a relaxing pastime and fits into the category of a wellness activity.

Crafts--well, I don't do much of that anymore. I've been piecing together another Flower Garden quilt. It's going to be about 100" x 100" when done. I enjoy working on it when nothing else fills my time. Maybe I'll finish it this winter -- or next winter. I don't work on stitchery at all because my eyesight is not as good as it used to be--the eyes become sore. I wear trifocles.

As for the rest of the family. I know they all have their problems, too, with aging and health, but they all live in their own homes and take it a day at a time, as we all must do.

Weather--can't complain too much about that either, at least here in our part of South Dakota. The farmers had good crops this year. Right now we're getting some snow, which we don't like, but then we also like snow at this time of year. So we're never satisfied.

Wishing you a blessed Christmas season, and may 2008 be your best, bringing peace and happiness to all!

Love, from Glenn

Favorites Of Mine

Favorites? Wow, that is not easy to say. Some are lasting; others may change at the blink of an eye or until another favorite comes along. I will list a few, but I don't think there is a clear-cut winner. Here are my initial choices. Some of my answers perhaps were more applicable during my younger years before there were restrictions on my health.

1. Bible verse - John 3:16 "For God so loved the world...."; Ecclesiastes 3:1-15, 22 "A time for everything..."
2. Colors - Red/white/blue; Navy blue; black; burgundy
3. Crafts - Quilting; Hardanger stitchery; cross-stitching
4. Desserts - Ice cream; homemade pies; puddings as rice, chocolate, and tapioca
5. Hobbies - My crafts; playing on the Grand Royale organ; genealogy; computer preparing blogspots, websites, statistical data;
6. Meal - Turkey, candied yams, mashed potatoes, cranberries, pumpkin pie; pot roast, mashed potatoes, carrots; chicken; but also casseroles such as goulash
7. Singer, female -
8. Singer, male - Jim Reeves; Willie Nelson; Neil Diamond; John Denver
9. Smells - Fresh baked bread; freshly mown grass or alfalfa; air after a light rain settles the dust;
10. Song, Christmas sacred - O Holy Night; Silent Night
11. Song, Christmas other - Pretty Paper; Silver Bells
12. Song, country/western - For The Good Times; If Tomorrow Never Comes
13. Song, other - O Danny Boy; The Rose
14. Song, patriotic - God Bless America; America the Beautiful
15. Song, sacred - How Great Thou Art; O Jesus, I Have Promised; Children of the Heavenly Father; Day by Day; I Look Not Back;
16. Sounds - Singing of birds; running water in a pool or rain falling on a tin roof; a faraway train whistle at nighttime
17. Vacation spot - Nashville; Branson; my own backyard.

Health and Medicine

16 October 2007: Here we are in the kitchen. In this drawer I keep my medications. I take most of them with my breakfast in the morning, but I take one Metformin pill at supper time, and some others about 9:00 in the evening. I've been on most of these pills for a long time, and I think they help me out. But I do have things that trouble me -- dizziness, tired, and more. I am growing older, so maybe some of those things should be expected. But since I do get dizzy and tired, I don't like to do as much driving or travelling as I once did. I have to (should) watch what I eat, as that too can send my blood sugar levels soaring and cause unwanted symptoms.


4 June 2012:  Wow, how time does fly.  I wrote my last post about 5 years ago.  I am now 80+ years old and am still having many of the same symptoms.  What I have been diagnosed with, and am taking medications for, are the following:  Diabetes Type II, Pulmonary Fibrosis, and irritable bowel syndrome (and maybe more).


The prescription pills I am taking are:


Metformin (2 in the morning; 1 in the evening)
Lipitor
Sertraline (generic for Zoloft)
Plavix (1 per day)
Atorvastatin 20mg tablet (1 per day)


Non-prescription pills include:


Multi-vitamin
Glucosomine
Garlic
Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc


13 June 2012:  I was having trouble with my breathing, so I called 911 and was taken to the ER at the VA Hospital. They did all types of testing and prescribed some medications which I hope will help me out.

Gardening

Pending. For use as Gardening

Music

Can you believe, here we are, already in the month of October. September has always been my favorite month. It has one of my favorite songs -- "Happy Birthday"!!! I'm kidding, of course, because that is not my favorite, and I certainly don't enjoy growing older, but this past month I reached the ripe old age of 76. Just a kid, some say, but I've got a lot of things I want to do before I leave this earth for that "Mansion Over The Hilltop." But I like to claim the whole month of September as "my very own" and celebrate every day. In this area of my blog site we'll be talking about music. I love music -- have always loved music -- but some days I just don't feel like singing or playing the organ anymore. I need music in my life, each and every day, so I hope to recover this joy again soon. (10/4/2007)