Good morning!āØToday marks the start of Crystal Lakeās 4th of July celebration.
Thereās a festival here every weekend this time of year, and this one kicks off today. Like most local fests, itās pricey, hot, crowded, loudā¦and carries that unmistakable summer funk. Must be the porta-potties, since there arenāt any petting zoo animals for the kids to torment.
Itās also a sentimental day for Cindy and me. Twenty years ago, we got engaged at this very festival.
Good morning.
Yesterday was a mixed bag. This whole idea of staying distracted from ALSā¦ well, some days it works better than others.
Thereās plenty on the horizon to lift my spiritsāthe July 4th holiday is almost here, and weāre heading to Fence Lake later this month. Just the thought of being up there, surrounded by water, trees, and family, is a bright spot. And weāve got lots of visits lined up with friends and familyāsomething to genuinely look forward to.
Good morning to you allā¦ wherever you are on this first day of July.
Yesterday turned out to be a good day. Iām finally starting to feel like Iāve turned the corner from last weekās surgery. The pain is now just a dull ache, and I tolerated my feedings during the dayāBIG WIN!
I actually had a food craving in the morning, so I started the day just like I used toā¦.
Good morning, everybody!
Hard to believe itās only been a week since my āeasy peasyā feeding tube procedure. If youāve followed the blog, the last week, you know it was not so easy. And not so peasy.
I went in last Monday feeling confidentā¦Dr. Ujiki was my surgeon, and he came highly recommended. One of the nurses even ranked him higher than Dr. Bilimoria (whom Iāve basically placed just below God on the talent-and-personality chart).
Good morning, blog readersā¦
Iām slowly returning to normal, health-wise. But now I find myself a bit hesitant to do another tube feeding. Somewhere along the way, my mind linked those feedings to the weeklong constipation saga. Itās probably all the nausea I felt after each one. So thatās my next hill to climbā¦rebuilding some trust in the tube.
That said, there is one clear win with this feeding tube (which, by the way, needs a name).
Good morning, world!
Weāre five days out from my feeding tube surgery, and letās just sayā¦itās been a hell of a rideāand Iām not convinced itās over. Lucky me.
Nicole flew in early yesterday morning. I stayed home while Cindy ran airport duty, mostly because I didnāt want to stray too far from the bathroom. Iāve been loading up on over-the-counter remedies to relieve a stubborn case of constipation. So far, no luck.
Good morning!
Yesterday, I was reminded of a story from my teen years.
Back in the early ā60s and ā70s, weād head up north to Camp Jorn, a YMCA camp in Manitowish Waters. We started going as a family, all crammed into a tiny cabin with bunk beds. I think my parents had a separate room for some privacyāthough how much privacy you get with eight kids in tow is up for debate.
Good morning, everyone!
Another day of rest and recovery. I canāt say yesterday felt much better than Tuesday, but Cindy told me I looked and acted better. Now I just need to pass that memo along to my bodyābecause it clearly didnāt get the message.
I spent most of the day in bed, trying to get up occasionally to help my body adjust and nudge things back toward normal. Still no success on the toilet front since before surgery on Monday.
Good morning!
Iām happy to be home from the hospitalābut honestly, I wish I felt a little better. Iām surprised by how much the incision still hurts. Dr. Ujiki, my GI surgeon, told me to expect pain similar to getting my ears pierced. Iāve never had that done, but if this is what it feels likeā¦ Iām definitely checking it off the list. Ears pierced? No needāIāll just hang jewelry off my belly.
Yesterdayās surgery went very wellāno complications, just the usual healing ahead.
That said, thereās quite a bit of pain, and I didnāt sleep a wink last night. Hospitals donāt exactly specialize in rest. The good news? I should be heading home later today.
Iāll fill in the details tomorrow when Iām more rested and clear-headed. For now, just a heartfelt thank you for all the well wishes and support. It truly means the world.
Iām looking forward to recovering in my own spaceāsomewhere I wonāt be woken up every few hours for vitals, check-ins, and mystery beeping.
Good morning, and welcome to a new week.
Today marks a milestoneāand like so many milestones on this ALS journey, it carries a double edge.
This afternoon, Iām having the feeding tube installed. I havenāt stepped on the scale yet today, but Iām guessing Iām down to 158 pounds. Iām hopeful this step helps me reverse the steady slide in weight and daily energy. Thatās the plan, anyway: fuel the body, reclaim some strength, and keep going.
Good morning, all!āØItās another steamy one.
Yesterday morning, I joined Cindy and Bear for a walk. The temperatures were pleasant, and there was a nice, comfortable breeze blowingājust enough to make it feel good to be outside.
As we turned the corner, we saw the contractors already hard at work at 7 a.m., backfilling the new sidewalk. When we got closer, we spotted a bobcat straddling the sidewalk, spreading soil with no clear way for me to sneak past.
Good morning!
Itās going to be a hot one this weekend. Good thing Iāve got a solid stack of books to keep me companyābecause Iāll be staying inside for most, if not all, of it.
Thank you to everyone whoās sent reading material for my ALS journey. Books are the perfect escape. Once Iām absorbed in a story, I can forget about ALS for a while, and that kind of distraction is gold.
Good morning, everyone!
Today marks the first day of summer! Itās always exciting to hit the summer solsticeālong days, warm nights, and that unmistakable summer energy in the air. Of course, then I remember that it also means the sun starts its slow march to the southern hemisphere. The days will start getting shorter from here on out. Yeah, yeah, I know the sun isnāt actually movingābut it still feels like the beginning of the long slide toward winter.
Good morning, yāall. Letās make it the best day possible.
Yesterday was the big GI appointment at Evanston Hospital to discuss surgery for a feeding tube. We left the house at noon, and let me just sayāthese appointments near the lake are an all-day affair. Round trip? Seven hours! For context, I couldāve driven to Minocqua in five, had two hours of cocktails, stared across the lake, and found inner peaceāall in less time.
Good morning, friends, family, and curious visitors.
Today is my GI appointment. If things go according to my plan, weāll be having a preliminary conversation about getting a feeding tube installed later this month or in early July. It feels urgent. I weighed myself yesterdayādown to 160 pounds. Thatās nearly a 14% drop from a year ago. Itās time to stop the slide.
Our neighbors behind us, Gene and Sarah, are friends from our Senior Care Volunteer Network (SCVN) days.
Good morning! Todayās a special day.
Cocoās two and moving fast, When she sees Grandy, she zooms right past. She puts on frowns with a dramatic shrug, But melts us all with a smile and a hug. š
Happy Birthday, Coco! šš„³šš
The last couple of days, Iāve mostly been reading and staying off my legs. Iām not sure how much these legs have leftātheyāre starting to feel more clumsy and unpredictable around the house.
Happy birthday, Miss Sally! (Mom, Grammy)
Good morningānew week, new opportunities. Find yours and make the most of them!
Yesterday was ALS Day at Wrigley Field, a game I had considered attending. In the end, I passedādidnāt want to deal with traffic and crowds. But as it turns outā¦I regretted not going. It was a gorgeous day, it was Fatherās Day, the Cubs won, and I had family there. I hadnāt even considered that I mightāve been invited onto the field for the first time.
Good morning. Happy Saturday.
First things first: I finished Certain Prey yesterday and jumped right into Easy Prey. So, to whoever is sending me these books, could you maybe include a gift receipt next time? Or at least a clue? Help a guy out, please!
Yesterday, we met Cindy and Barbās cousin Lisaāon the Ring side of the family (maternal)āfor a nice end-of-the-workweek lunch. She was in town for a business meeting in Barrington, and the timing was perfect for a little family get-together.
