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April Update

  It's been awhile since I've posted.  Justin's situation is hard to write about, but I know there are people who want to know what's going on with Justin, my son.  In truth, he is getting sicker and weaker.  For awhile,he made great progress, talking, eating, and getting back into his power wheelchair.   Then he started getting weaker.  His left lung became covered with secretions, and he needed surgery to scrape things out. Then a CT scan revealed more new spine fractures (total of 7).  After that, he just hasn't been able to get over the hump.  This week, Justin decided to discontinue the weaning from the ventilator.  He is on full breath support and can no longer use the voice valve to talk without dangerous oxygen drops.  Pain medication has been significantly increased to help him deal with the pain. It's a tough thing for a 23-year-old to confront one's mortality.  We will continue this journey with Justin to the end to the best of our abilities.  We
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October Snow

The weather has definitely turned cold here in south-central Wisconsin.  With lows in the 20's, highs in the low 30's, and light snow today, it feels more like winter than fall.  

Not much going on this week, so it will be a quick update.  The truck has continued to start each day, although my confidence has kept me closer to home for the time being.  

I spent Saturday afternoon and evening at my son Justin's apartment, watching a movie and a football game.  I also brought requested Culver's.

My outdoor pickleball season is close to the end or has ended.  I might get another day or two in if temperatures approach 50 again.  It's been a great summer, and I comfortably play at the 4.0 level now.  That's good enough for me.

With the weather turning cold, I winterized the Scamp and put it away for the winter.  My attention will now turn to firewood processing and stacking for next year.  This year's stacks are ready to go, and Callie has assumed the position by the stove.

 

We will stay close to home for the rest of the year.  There is a large extended family gathering planned at our house Thanksgiving week.  Allie is headed for Puerto Vallarta that week, but will be home for Christmas.

Some of  this winter's plans are up in the air, but they will include an extended stay at Doreen's place in Bisbee for late winter/early spring.

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MFH said…
John,

Michelle gave me *The Tribe of Tiger* by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas. Ostensibly about cats, three-quarters of it is about her time in Africa with her parents and later, in the 80s, when she returned to help a friend with her elephant research. Her dad started Raytheon in the '20s and her mom, Lorna Marshall, is creditrd with an amazing ethnographic study of a tribe of Bushman. (Details to come on blog). Based on Julia's photo of the lion, I thought she might enjoy it.

I've heard tree-falling is an art. From reading your blog and the ongoing references to wood-chopping, I can imagine you're pretty good at it. I was intrigued by the dream as I could feel the ground as I hit. Though hard, it wasn't like falling on pavement. And what was even more odd, was waking to discover I was alive. Minds!!! Silly things for the most part, aren't they?

Mike
November 10, 2023 at 5:09 PM
John said…
I passed along the Tribe of Tiger suggestion to Julia.

Tree-falling is a combination of science and art. It can be very dangerous due to certain unknowns about what's going on inside the tree, such as rot, disease, etc. I know a couple of guys who were seriously injured when things didn't go as expected. But when everything goes right according to the plan, that moment when a big tree starts to fall in the right direction and that comes crashing down is just an incredible rush.

Dreams are interesting to me. Maybe someday we will learn their purpose--or not.
November 11, 2023 at 7:48 PM
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