Hello!! Old Timer Checking In!!

Hey Everyone,

I wanted to get on and see how everyone's doing.

I know I haven't been on since Christmas, but with

the dial up I have it gets frustrating!!

We have had a lot going on here.

Last week Dennis and I were both so sick!

That crap that seems like everyone has had a round

of. We were not throwing up but had it bad in the

sinuses and sore throats. We got better and then the

big storm hit us!!! We had 4 inches of sleet and then it started freezing rain and it got bad!!!

We were without electric for 15 hours!!

I know others were without for longer but man you

don’t realize how much we take for granted until we

don’t have it. Took me back to my childhood,

I grew up without indoor plumbing, had an outhouse

and had to carry water in to the house with a bucket.

Didn’t know any different back then but now we are spoiled.

I made that sound like I’m really old didn’t I?

Well I’m not, I turned 55 on January 24th.

And on January 30th Dennis and I celebrated 37 years of

marital bliss, he is my soul mate.

Let’s see if I can catch you up on what’s happening in my

life.

A lot of you know I have 4 ruptured discs in my lumbar spine and was going to have 2 to 3 Pain management epidurals.

Well I had 2, I was put to sleep for each one.

I had pain relief for maybe 2 1/2 to 3 days, and then it came

back with a bang. So the doc said he wouldn’t do anymore

because the benefit was not there for me.

So I will be having surgery, when I get unscared enough

to go see the surgeon!!!! In the meantime I stay on my

heating pad and take pain meds.

The one “NOT” benefit from the steroids they used in the epidurals is I gained 10 pounds from them!!!!

I have managed to lose 4# but it’s so hard anymore for

me to lose because I need to be doing some kind of

exercise and it’s hard with my back being in the shape it’s in. I had stalled out at 179# which is a weight loss of 121# but I wanted to lose another 25# but it’s not happening for me. And I also have to watch myself because I have noticed that I am starting to be a grazer. Eat a little all the time and you will not lose!!! I still have that extra 6 #

add that to the 25# I wanted to lose and it still puts my BMI

in the slightly overweight category!!

I thought I would feel better about myself if I could get my belly flap removed. I went to see a plastic surgeon in St. Louis a few weeks back, that excepted Medicare.

She examined me and took pictures (which were by the way very humiliating) and then told me that I would have to sign a agreement that I would pay for the surgery if Medicare denied me! I said won’t we know if Medicare will pay for it before we do the surgery?

The doctor said that Medicare doesn’t pre-approve for

procedures! So I said well I can’t do that so I got depressed

about it!

Well that covers everything except our Christian activities.

I don’t think I informed you of Dennis getting the opportunity to be interim pastor at a church about 10 minutes from home, which is a big change for us because

every church he’s pastored was no less than 25 miles from home! And naturally I am teaching adult Sunday School.

It seems every one assumes that a preacher’s wife should be a piano player and a Sunday School teacher!

Well I can’t play the piano but I can play guitar and sing specials and teach Sunday School with the help and by the grace of God!!

I hope I haven’t bored you with my “Book”!

Just wanted to catch up, I have been reading the posts to try and get caught up on everyone, but there are so many newbies!

Jan I didn’t hardly recognize you!! You look good I don’t see where you would need a face lift!

I pray everyone is safe and warm this cold night and that you can find at least one thing to be grateful for, and to thank our Heavenly Father and Lord for it!

God Bless You All

Brenda