7 COVID: WHO IS SAFEGUARDING THE CHILDREN?

*Here I am.  Fighting to regain my good health.  Doing whatever modern medicine dictates must be done, inclusive of quarantining for going on two years as lung cancer, which has left me with one healthy lung, causes me to continue to be extraordinarily cautious of catching anything air born, even so much as the common cold.

And over these past two years, I’ve had lots of time to consider that which makes no sense when a stubborn mindset adopted by millions becomes so closed minded as to place loved ones at risk of dying on respirators in intensive care units, no visitors allowed during final hours for fear of how contagious the Delta variant of this virus proves to be.

Though many decisions that people make are not based in common sense, denying the death threat of Covid, hanging over everyone’s heads when vaccinations have been free, readily available and are now fully approved by the FCC, carries us way beyond frustration when contemplating the fact that millions of parents are acting as if they care nothing for the safety of their children much less for the public welfare. 

Just as laws were enacted against speeding to stop people from willfully hurting, maiming or killing each other in cars, it’s high time for a state of national emergency to mandate masks, especially in schools (as well as  vaccinations when the vaccine is approved for children).  Seriously, if parents do not provide for the safekeeping of their children by masking up, themselves, then our President, whose primary responsibility is national safety, must provide our offspring and their playmates with safe passage during hours spent in school, most especially when unmasked parents prove to be amongst those who are spreading this deadly virus while wrongly ranting that their personal rights are being violated when deeper truth clearly holds fast to the fact that their reprehensible attitudes and behaviors are directly responsible for the up surging nature of Covid’s death toll, again.  In fact, perhaps if a bell rang throughout the land each time Covid claimed another life, unmasked citizens would awaken to the part they play in not masking up.

As ‘enough is enough’ is way past due, it’s time for millions of masked citizens to rise up to declare that the Federal government’s intervention is necessary, being that too many state officials, acting like puppets on strings (remaining as immature as their unmasked constituents), cannot be relied upon to decide the fate of millions who, having masked up, are healthy, today, but may find themselves amongst those unfortunate souls, who will be hospitalized with Covid if nothing is done to create change for the better, across the nation, once and for all.

Seriously—isn’t this ‘near and present danger’, which has continued to kill more Americans than those lost to war, the very reason why need for a Federal Government with a Presidential state of emergency to preempt  Congress and state governments was established in the first place? 👩🏻Annie

6 FIVE MINDS PROVED BETTER THAN TWO

So as you know, last weekend, Will and I were on a mission to be safely inoculated with the booster that will hopefully hold Covid 19 at bay.

Our sons encouraged us to change our Saturday afternoon appointments to first thing in the morning when less people are out and about, and thankfully, upon going online, we actually snagged appt. #1 and 2.

Upon our arrival, we were thankful to see very few people (awaiting the pharmacist at Safeway), all of whom were distancing and masked.  The pharmacist, seeing me masked, goggled, turbaned and in a wheelchair, inoculated us with haste, and thus were we in Safeway (my first excursion in two years time) a total of six minutes before I was wheeled— past the colorful array of flowers—outside, and next thing I knew, we were safely back in our air conditioned car, awaiting any side effects that might require immediate attention before heading for home.

Did I mention that Will had asked our dear friend, Andi, to be with me, outside, so that he could get the pharmasist’s attention before coming out to wheel me inside, past all of the beautiful flowers that led us straight toward receiving the booster …

As to side effects—

The shot itself is a doozy, and discomfort in our arms lasted for 24 hours.  In addition to that, we were both so drowsy as to have spent most of the day dozing off.  However, with no other side effects experienced than that, the next day saw us enjoying a masked BBQ hot dog lunch on our patio with Steven and Ravi (who played with her mermaids in our spa until a jar of sparkling play dough and a magical unicorn mold appeared, enticing Ravi to towel off so as to get busy at our patio table.)

And so while Will and I continue to take every precaution to feel well-protected from Covid, our spirits enjoyed a relaxing Sunday afternoon with beloved family, and what, I ask, could feel better than that?🙋🏻‍♀️🔆🌻🧚‍♀️Annie

5 AUGUST 2021–THANK YOU, SALLY

 In addition to receiving two beautiful bouquets of flowers, this week, I also replied to a dear friend and neighbor’s hand written card, and while penning my response waves of gratitude ran throughout my body being that family and friends, both near and far, have continued to rally my spirit to remain focused on achieving my goal of regaining good health after more than two years … and here is my most recent reply to my friend, Sally, who, from time to time, drops sweet surprises at my front door …

Hi Sally,

I just received your heartfelt card, and ‘with faith, persistence and love’ (along with our deeply caring, highly trained medical community) our family remains determined to enjoy the pot at the end of the rainbow, which is within sight, just beyond the cloudy skies of these past two years.  And with the loving encouragement of friends, like you, the strength of our spirits’ smiles continues to believe that the day will come, when fully healed, I’ll find myself in Newport Beach, watching my grandchildren splashing around in the pool just before I jump in, buoyed with the good health that all of my loved ones have helped me to regain.

Stay well and be safe, dear friend.  My friendship stone, bluebird (and Ravi’s) are nearby on my dressing table, and if we listen attentively, we’ll hear chirping, which translates to:  As happiness and strength of spirit depend upon a heartfelt sense of fortitude then, surely, happiness and strength of spirit, leading toward good health regained, will fill the pot at the end of the rainbow—And ever since this third surgery,  I’ve got that pot in plain sight.🥰

Warm hugs,

🙋🏻‍♀️❤️🔆🌻Annie

LOST AND FOUND—ANOTHER POST-OP UPDATE

 Early August 2021

Though it’s good to note that healing continues to move in a forward direction, my recovery, following the removal of my right lung, progresses two steps forward, one step back, slowing my pace toward reaching my goal of feeling so healthy as to enjoy life with my family and friends. And knowing this healing process to be lengthy, I’m grateful for every day that’s peaceful rather than grueling as Thursday proved to be.

So what do I do when my recovery takes a turn for the worse, because something unknown is happening inside?  First off, I remind myself that whatever is going on within this complex machine, named Annie, is of a temporary nature.  And secondly, I think back to the earliest days of my recovery when I was much too weakened to pen a post on my own, so my sons pitched in and did that for me—Between my family and Mayo’s caring hospital staff, all of my needs are met, and feeling well cared for and deeply loved frees positive energy to focus on healing, every day, from the inside out.

🙋🏻‍♀️🔆🌻Annie 

‘KNOW THYSELF’ WORKS FOR ME, AGAIN

July 26, 2021

Will and I feel as if we just checked into the hospital, and now, here we are on our way home.

As I plan to be fine in the long run, email updates may be paused for awhile.

Thank you, Tony and Ray for my new PJ’s.  I’ve decided to wear them, today, knowing that I’ll want to head straight for my bed as soon as I get home.

Ravi, look closely at the photo below to see all of the cheetahs that I’m wearing, today.😊

If my face is as round as an apple, no worries, because, following surgery,  I’ve absorbed lots of cortisone to fight off any chance of infection.

🙋🏻‍♀️🥰🔆🌻Gramma Annie

I asked my surgeon when my cheeks will stop looking as round as a chipmunk’s.  Her reply:  Please be patient, because cortisone’s after effects may take a while to resolve

And

Knowing myself to be well practiced at patience, my smile embodied a peaceful sense of self confidence as thoughts of partaking in yet another waiting game is something I have become capable of doing sans frustration.

Annie🙋🏻‍♀️🔆🌻

Sent from my iPhone

WONDER MOM FRIDAY AFTERNOON

July 23, 2021

 Hello Family and Friends! 

Looks like it’s that time of year, again, where Wonder Woman kicks Cancer’s butt, and the sequel to last year’s adventure is well underway.  As Barry updated y’all yesterday, Mom’s surgery went very well, and today’s the first official day of her recovery.

So far, Mom has said this  surgery is like night and day compared to last year in Houston.  Her pain is already much more manageable than last year, and the freedom for us (Dad and me) to be here with Mom, today, (Barry, yesterday, and Steven, tomorrow) has been a big lift... to all of our spirits.  And speaking of Mom, she did exactly that by lifting herself out of bed to take her first short walk, just now. The exit doors are still a ways off on the horizon, but first steps were taken toward going home, and we truly believe we’re all officially on the road to complete recovery.

As always, I want to thank everyone for your calls and texts and emails.  Each one of you encourages all of us forward toward getting our superhero home, safe and sound!

Hope you all have a great weekend, and I’ll have an update, again, tomorrow!

David

HEALTH UP DATES POP UP IN DRAFTS

 With so much time to think, over these past two years, opportunity to post my thoughts is offered to me throughout each and every day.

As you receive the same updates that I email to family and friends, much to my surprise, several posts were left in drafts; however, common sense suggests why these specific updates were overlooked, until now—you see, they were not written by me, and those that are mine had been penned while I was hospitalized and heavily medicated, so without further ado, here is the first—

July 22, 2021

Hello everyone,

This is Annie and Will’s eldest son, Barry. 

Mom is out of surgery. The procedure went VERY well. The mass was small. It hasn’t spread to any other organs. The margins are clean. They removed her entire lung.  Mom didn’t need a transfusion. She will be in recovery for a couple hours before being moved to a room at Mayo at which point my father and I will be able to see her (Mayo allows only two people to see her, per day). Mom wanted to make sure all of you knew about her progress, because she’s thankful for everything all of you have meant to her. Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts and positive energies!  They paid off!
- Barry

PURE LOVE SANS GROWING PAINS PROVES NATURALLY EVER LASTING

 Today, I received a text from Steven’s high school sweetheart, Trish.  When Trish was eight and the youngest of five children, her mother died of breast cancer, leaving her Dad feeling so grief stricken and overwhelmed that Trish felt lost in the shuffle as five children were parceled out amongst sorrowful members of her mother’s family.

Upon her father’s hasty marriage to a woman whose patience with children was nil, Trish found herself moving across the country while her teen aged brothers and sister remained on the east coast.  And not until her father’s divorce, during her college years, did Trish’s lonely heart bond, again, with that of a parent’s—other than mine.

Thankfully, over the years, Trish’s Dad often chose to express his gratitude concerning my having taken his daughter under my wing.  During one moment of intimacy, I told Trish that the day would come when her father’s blocked feelings would spill out, and they’d become fast friends.  Your father’s love for you runs deeper than he has been able to show.  How could you know that, asked a trembling young teen?  My self confident reply:  Woman’s intuition has a habit of listening closely, most especially when others are speaking of love to me.  Thus, over these past thirty-five years, has a sweet, motherless girl and a mother of sons continued to fit each other to a tee.

Steven brought Trish home when he was sixteen to her fifteen.  My son said none of his friends would ask Trish out, because she was so beautiful as to be thought out of their league. Steven, always up to meeting  a challenge head on, asked Trish out, and over the next three years, they were inseparable.

The first time Steven brought Trish home from school, I thought my son was introducing me to Alice in Wonderland, so blond and beautiful was this tall, slender young girl.  As Steven attended Emory University in Atlanta and Trish attended The University of Paget Sound in Washington state, they grew apart, and though they broke up, Trish (whose children are teens) and I have nurtured our relationship to this very day.  Along with her husband, son and daughter, Trish’s family has flown from Denver to enjoy time with Will and me, from time to time.

Last year, Trish and her older sister, having had reason to be here, enjoyed several visits with me.  When I made a point of declaring that no tumor would get the best of me, we three laughed, though behind our light hearted attitude of denial a dark sense of reality hovered, overhead, being that both of their parents had succumbed to cancer before either one had come close to experiencing the stage of life, commonly considered ‘old age’.

In addition to having received a beautiful ‘bouquet of love’ sent by Trish, over this past weekend, today, I received the text copied below, which, once again, offered my heart sound reason to hold hers close:

Hi Annie! I was walking my dog today and was hit with a thought that I feel compelled to share with you. I was thinking about our relationship and the importance of it in my life; especially when I was so young; you and Will taught me I was worthy of love at a time when I did not feel or know my own worth. I am not sure I ever knew any of this at that early time in my life….but as I raise my kids and have tough/challenging/emotional conversations and situations; eye ball rolling and defiance; I have hope that, one day, when they are walking their dogs, they will know how truly worthy of love they are and just how loved they have been♥️ thank you for always loving me ♥️I hope you are having a good day!

Trish

In answer to Trish’s soulful insight, here is a summary of my reply:

Dearest Trish,

Your heartfelt musings are profound, and surely, while walking their dogs, your son and daughter will experience a lightbulb moment similar to your own concerning the part you played in mothering them so well that they know themselves to be worthy of love—without feeling need of countless hours in therapy …

🙋🏻‍♀️💖🔆🌻Annie

EVERY GENERATION FIGHTS AN UPRISING OF EVIL WITHIN OUR MIDST

Today, my friend, Barnett, pinned this post to his Facebook page:

Monday morning quarterbacks have come out of the woodwork. There is no doubt that the Biden administration underestimated how quickly the Afghan army would capitulate fleeing from the Taliban notwithstanding their military advantage in men and equipment. That was an intelligence  failure for which the Biden Whitehouse must take responsibility. As a result the evacuation of Americans and Afghan allies has given rise to heartbreaking images of desperation.

But if truth be told that is not the complete story. After 9-11 President Bush ordered the invasion of Afghanistan to achieve two objectives capture Bin Ladin and impede terrorists  from using Afghanistan as a base to attack America. Many thousands of American soldiers  were sent to Afghanistan to achieve these objectives. And they were in fact achieved during the Obama administration . Bin Laden was killed and terrorists were defeated. . At that time VP Joe Biden strongly advocated withdrawal of our troops as he believed we had achieved our goals . He was overruled by President Obama. In stead we’d embarked on a slow effort to reduce the number of American troops while still at war.. Upon President Trump’s election he advocated and ordered a further withdrawal of troops . He entered into an agreement with the Taliban who were engaged in battle against Afghan and American troops to withdraw all American troops by March 31, 2001. The expectation was that the 300,000 Afghan military trained and suppled with the most sophisticated weapons by the United States would take up the fight against the Taliban. That expectation has proven to be wishful thinking . Trump’s agreement with the Taliban including the  release from prison 5000 terrorists and kind words by Trump for Taliban leaders who promised not to Attack American soldiers until the withdrawal. Also included was a potential invitation to visit camp David. Upon Biden’s election he was faced with the Trump agreement with the Taliban to withdraw by March 31 or renege  on Trump’s agreement. He knew that if he did not honor Trump’s agreement the Taliban they would resume their effort to kill American soldiers. More than 2500 American soldiers had died and 60,000 wounded during this 20 year war.  Enough was enough.Consistent with his long standing opinion that we should have withdrawn our troops years ago Biden decide not to risk additional American lives and to honor Trump’s agreement. He extended the withdrawal date until August 31 with an agreement with the Taliban. The evacuation is ongoing . As of today approximately 30,000 Americans and Afghan’s have been evacuated . Thousands more each day. Our involvement in this war has ended. The Afghan government has collapsed . The Afghan army has surrendered. The Taliban has won. It would by futile to continue to engage . To do so would only result in more American lives with no end in sight. Biden was right when he argued against this war while he was Vice President and he is right today.  The human suffering is inevitable and the media optics are awful but in the end Biden did what a President is often called upon to do . Make tough decisions and protect American lives.  He is doing just that.

My comment: Barnett, thank you for leading us on a much needed factual walk back into recent history,  offering those with short memories sound reason to reconsider why we’re all watching heart-wrenching scenes of desperation playing out on our tv screens, every day.  At a glance, world history reminds us of how often mankind’s lust for power destroys lives that pray for a peaceful co-existence amongst all people.  And, once again, that is exactly what we are witnessing, via the internet, as the Taliban’s cold hearted lust for power lunges against masses of peace-loving people, who feel that their only hope is to board one of the planes scheduled to fly to the USA.  And here is what is too sad for words—every generation has need of freedom fighters, challenged to win over whomsoever the current tyrant-want-to-be proves to be.  Yesteryear, whole nations were devastated by Hitler before his heinous crimes against humanity were defeated.  Today we set our sights on the Taliban while the emergence of tomorrow’s lust for power remains to be seen.    

As to Biden, history attests to the fact that being President of The USA suggests that he oversees fires that have burst into flame; however, just as with real firefighters, Biden, who does his best to extinguish every flaring fire or flash flood that leaves destruction in its wake, throughout the world, is not equipped with super powers.  And thus do I surmise that any adult who disagrees with Barnett’s take (and mine) concerning Biden’s role during this horrendous catastrophe is thinking as would a child who still believes that daddy can fix everything that goes wrong.👩🏻Annie

MISSION BOOSTER

Masked and goggled, Will and I are all booster’d up.  Our appts. were at the Safeway pharmacy nearest to our house, and thankfully, no one came anywhere near us.  The few people near the pharmacy were masked.  My closest friend, Andi ‘babysat’ me (in wheelchair) outside in the shade till Will came to get me.

This was my first time in Safeway in two years!

Currently, I’m in bed, feeling comfy, wondering if , when and which side effects may affect the rest of my day.

With hopes that your day offers up both fun and a sense of peacefulness, I’m sending you smiles as today’s mission of ‘boostering’ my way toward regaining good health met with success. 

🙋🏻‍♀️🔆🌻Annie

A PEACEFUL SENSE OF CONTEMPLATIVE CELEBRATION

Today, I’m feeling much better.  Thankfully, whatever was going on inside me, yesterday, has resolved.

I didn’t mention feeling poorly, because the content of yesterday’s post, concerning leadership long gone wrong, had need to claim the spotlight for itself.

Actually, I’d felt so poorly as to have cancelled an MRI at Mayo, which will now take place, next week.

Having no clue what was wrong within me, I’m just relieved that it was short-lived.

This weekend will be quiet in case of experiencing after effects from receiving the Pfizer Covid booster, this coming Saturday.

As always, I thoroughly enjoyed this morning’s Shakespeare class via Zoom.

We just wrapped up a phone appt. with my oncologist in Houston, who is very happy with my post surgical report.

And after a nap, we’ll be ready to Zoom the pre-season Cardinal game with our sons.

Hopefully, we’ll see Steven and Ravi over the weekend.

If all remains well, we’ll begin to make plans to see friends, next week.

At times when my posts are less than stimulating, I hope you’ll bear with me for this reason:  Unless something stirs my mental processes into action, all of my energies direct themselves toward healing, and if I’m to make the most of each peaceful day that comes my way in which my desire to heal takes two steps forward then though my post may not make for titillating reading, I feel reason for celebration, because every day that carries me toward regaining my good health feels like a holiday from serious illness to me.😊

Hoping you’re enjoying a peaceful day of good cheer, as well.

🙋🏻‍♀️🔆🌻Annie

IMMUNOSUPPRESSION AND PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES

Saw my surgeon, yesterday, and she is very happy with my recovery, thus far.  She wants me to have the Covid booster ASAP, because I am immunosuppressed and would need every precautionary measure to hold Covid at bay.

I can’t believe that our governor is offering financial awards to school districts that do NOT mandate masks in school, even though Az has the most children hospitalized with Covid in the nation.  Ducey’s decisions suggest that having terribly ill children in hospital beds with no visits from family is no biggie.

My surgeon says shortages of nurses in hospitals, which is becoming evident across the country, will continue to worsen, as nurses, who resent being overworked and placed in the front lines, do not want to continue to experience exhaustion while endangering their lives caring for Covid patients, who had refused masks and vaccinations.  She said nurses are applying for transfers from hospitals to other areas in the medical field.

I continue to believe that in order to gain control over surges of Covid, Biden is going to have to mandate masks and vaccinations from the top.  Why?  Because elected state officials have been mucking up our nation’s return to good health, over long.

Hoping you’re still masking up and planning to schedule the Covid booster in the near future.  In this way do we take good care of ourselves, our families and our communities in one fell swoop.

Take care and stay safe …

🙋🏻‍♀️🔆🌻Annie

BINGING ON A PERSONAL SENSE OF PEACEFUL CONTENTMENT

If the last two years has taught me anything, here it is:  every evening spent at home, pain free, cuddling up peacefully on the couch with Will offers us both, a natural sense of personal contentment beyond measure.

Of course, finding a new tv series to binge on so as to busy our minds for hours at a time, helps to make quiet evenings at home fly by.

I’ve also learned the importance of consciously shooing complacency (which leads straight toward boredom) away.  Why?  Because a complacent relationship is one that has developed many cracks, which remaining invisible to the naked eye, injures two hearts, and as injured hearts lead toward break ups, mistaking complacency for quiet contentment is really not smart.

🙋🏻‍♀️🔆🌻Annie

FRIENDSHIP LOVE LOYALTY BETRAYAL AND DEFENSIVE RAGE

Well—I certainly enjoyed a solid night’s sleep, last night, being that I was zonked from midnight until 11am!  Though I’m taking much less in the way of pain meds than the amount prescribed after surgery, this sleepiness must be consequential of an accumulation of those meds, over these initial weeks of healing.  (And I surmise that the intensity of the nerve pain, radiating down my right side, tired me out for several days, last week.)

Moving forward—my need to quarantine for a month in the aftermath of this most recent surgery should be lifted at the end of this coming week unless my surgeon expresses concern about surging numbers of Covid being admitted to hospitals, again—indicative of millions of people, having learned nothing from our last siege seeing as they feel free to continue to act in an irresponsible manner as though Covid is no biggie.  And based in their childish blindness, the rest of us pay a high price.

I believe, the ludicrous state of this on-going dilemma is in need of change from the top, suggesting Biden declaring a national emergency in which, rather than shutting down our economy and schools, again, masks and inoculations are mandated since elected state officials have been governing with paper bags over their heads for at least these past five years, and—enough is enough!  Though I know I’m repeating myself, repetition is not redundant when the goal is retention of need for less words, more action.

Though I’ve not yet recouped enough energy to enjoy visits with friends, I am missing heartfelt ‘in person’ interconnection, and that’s a good indication of healing taking place deep within my psyche, because this feeling is new, suggesting that my mind and body are readying themselves to resume heart-to-heart, face to face interaction with those I love after two years of life threatening illness.  And as my recovery is feeling peaceful, again, enough is enough concerning rehashing healing for today.🙂

As to mindful stimulation, the online Shakespeare class that I’ve been enjoying via Zoom, over these last several months, continues to be a Godsend, being that the study of Shakespearean plays and times has truly stimulated my natural appetite to enjoy, digest and discuss fine literature with like minds, who, like me, are participating in our weekly classes from all over the country, led by our instructor, Paul S., whose home base is in Seattle, and whose passion for anything Shakespeare inspires our discussions to compare Elizabethan times with life experienced, today.

As our lively discussions go on for close to two hours, I’m sure it will come as no surprise that I welcome a lengthy nap at the end of each Friday morning class, which is thoroughly enjoyed.

Each series of six classes is described as No Fear Shakespeare, because the text we use offers each play in old English with a modern English translation on the facing page, and as no tests loom overhead and no papers are required, no pressure to excel darkens the lighthearted learning environment that brings together people from all walks of life, who seek to enjoy the social aspects of coming together, once a week, as much as is true of me.

We just completed our six week discussion of King Lear.  And after a break for a couple of weeks, we’ll be eager to delve into Othello in which themes relating to friendship, love, loyalty, betrayal and defensive fury are sure to stimulate literary discussions of a passionate nature.

As we discuss one act per week, very little time is expended between one Friday morning gathering and the next unless a member of the class chooses to offer a five minute presentation of some aspect of the play or Elizabethan times for the rest of the class.

And now that I’ve described my current interest in enjoying The Bard as casually as can be imagined, I’ve stimulated my own mind to read act one of Othello as soon as I’ve posted today’s thoughts sent to each of you, wrapped in my warmest hugs

(Again, if I’m being more repetitive than my awareness chooses to realize, I hope you’ll forgive me, as even intuitive trains of thought tend to get loopy when pain meds are had.)

🙋🏻‍♀️🔆🌻Annie

WE DON’T KNOW WHAT WE DONT KNOW

My Friday morning, two hour Shakespeare class, which I look forward to over a span of six weeks has come to an end.  We always take a break before another Shakespearean masterpiece is offered up by our instructor.

Our six week discussion of King Lear—Wisdom Through Suffering—was exceptionally stimulating, and I enjoy watching the plays on my iPad and reading each act as presented within the book, suggested by our instructor, that simplifies The Bard’s language, making his meaning easily understood.  Next up is Othello, which concerns love, friendship power, trust and defensive rage.

Speaking of power and rage, our despicable governor, who wears a bag over his head, has mandated that our schools cannot mandate masks.  Thank goodness, our schools are mandating masks, anyway, and let’s hope that life-saving mandate lasts!

With state govt. being completely ludicrous concerning Covid, I think the time is ripe for our federal govt. to declare a national emergency, authorizing Biden to mandate masks and inoculations throughout our country.  Seriously, with so many officials, elected to head up our state governments acting like puppets on strings, over these last five years, those of us who understand the dire ramifications of on-going Covid breakouts have got to come to terms that we’ve been talking to wooden heads and running head first into solid brick walls, over long and—enough is enough!  So if block heads are left out of discussions concerning resolving the Covid dilemma, once and for all, better to mandate masks and shots than to save lives by shutting down our economy and schools, again.

As to my personal life, today is a good day, so far.  Steven and Ravi came for dinner on Friday and then both felt unwell on Saturday.  As they were coughing, Covid tests were had, both of which proved negative, and thank goodness for that!.☺️

Less than a week to go before people can come inside our house.  Surgery will have been a month behind me, offering my immune system the time it needs to kick back in.

 Since I’ve come to know what I’d needed to know but didn’t know at an earlier time in my life, I’ve learned to ask questions instead of jumping to conclusions—and by asking questions and listening attentively to another perspective before judging, I’ve absorbed many deeper truths, which is why a greater sense of peace of mind remains mine no matter how confounding the world I live in continues to be.

Hmmm—I feel a nap coming on🔆🙋🏻‍♀️🌻

A GREAT TIME WAS HAD BY ALL

 

In the first video, above, you can clearly see why, during the week leading up to my surgery on July 22nd, my spirit continued to have reason to smile, as all of our sons came together to fill me with so much love that there was not room anywhere inside my mind to doubt whether all would fine. And the fact that Ravi considers her daddy and uncles as three of her favorite playmates suggests that all of my sons continue to enjoy close ties to each other’s ‘inner child’.  And then there’s the fact that about three weeks before my surgery, Barry surprised us by driving from the coast with his family in tow, and we all enjoyed an emotional reunion, being as Covid quarantining had separated us for 20 months, which would never have take mn place by choice. In short, Will agrees when I say:  It’s impossible for us to feel anything but blessed, knowing ourselves to be thoroughly embraced within our family’s circle of love.  And even when we’re at home while our sons and their families are enjoying everything that our zest for life offers, elsewhere, the wonderful photos and videos they send, sometimes daily, remind us that miles cannot separate our heartfelt smiles.  And if a picture is worth 1,000 words, imagine me watching these videos and many more, repeatedly, each one strengthening my spirit’s reason to smile, yet again🙋🏻‍♀️🥰—

HEALTH UPDATE☺️

Hello friends from around the world ☺️

Here is the health update that I just emailed to family and friends, who continue to demonstrate interest in my determination to heal completely and enjoy a full life with everyone I love.

With prescription pain meds available, my recovery is going well with one hitch.  Several times this week, I experienced a terribly painful pinched nerve in my neck, requiring meds to be increased.  Until these episodes appeared out of the blue (each lasting several hours before the knot in my neck loosened), I was taking half the dose of pain meds prescribed by my surgeon, which had surprised everyone, offering all of our spirits a positive boost in momentum as each small step forward saw our spirits smiling and humming just knowing that this third surgery is over and believed to be successful.  

Though all of the above continues to be true, the possibility of my having a degenerative disc in my neck is a bummer.  We’re awaiting Mayo’s call to say that an MRI is scheduled.

Other than that, all is well with our family, and today,  I’m looking forward to working with PT to restrengthen my muscles, which along with the rest of me, have spent nearly two years in bed.

I’m happy to say that the lasting strength of Will’s loving smile continues to boost my spirit.

David, who spent most of these last two years with us, has returned to LA.

Barry’s family has just returned home from an end of summer vacation that included a variety of water sports, which all four of them loved and hope to enjoy, next summer, along with Steven, Celina and Ravi.

Steven’s family is well and will be here for dinner.  We are, once again, enjoying each other with the Arcadia door between us, because Ravi is in school, and in the aftermath of my surgery, my immune system will continue to be suppressed for a couple more weeks.

So that pretty much brings us up to date at our end.  Hopefully, all’s well at your end, too.

Annie 🙋🏻‍♀️🔆🌻

Photos will follow.  Right now, I have to ready myself for PT (physical therapy).

MIAMI AND COVID

So, it’s happening exactly as predicted—“Just north of Miami, covid-19 patients are flooding into the six Broward County hospitals run by Memorial Healthcare System, as Florida is being slammed with the highest rate of coronavirus admissions in the country. Memorial has enough beds. Not so with nurses.”  And so is it written in the Washington Post.  And may I please respectfully remind you of the fact that when the ‘trickle down effect’ hits our children, who are now in school, no visitors are allowed in hospitals in cities where Covid is, once again, spiraling out of control even though common sense dictates that with inoculation and masks in place, we’d tackle this highly contagious virus to the mat, because ‘united’, good health will be ours; ‘divided’, we’ll continue to free this virus to attack young and old, and everyone in between.

Something needs to awaken those people, ASAP, who continue to be susceptible to swallowing lies so that everything possible can be done to save our children from catching Covid from classmates before we see our frightened youngsters being sent to understaffed hospitals where parents can’t visit 

Need I say more concerning urgency?👩🏻😐

RESPONSIBLE ADULTS CANT LET CHILDREN REPEAT LAST YEAR!

Right to Safe Schools for AZ Kids - Letter of Concern

Arizonans have a right to safe schools for Arizona kids. Parents and the community have a right to expect that Arizona district schools and charters will provide students with a safe learning environment and will take reasonable steps to protect students in their care.

Governor Ducey is preventing school officials from implementing any public health mitigation strategies to help protect students while COVID-19 cases are increasing in our communities and variants are becoming more widespread.

Governor Ducey recently signed into law A.R.S. 15-342.05 which prohibits school districts and charters from requiring the use of face coverings by students or staff during school hours and on school property even in the case of a COVID-19 outbreak on campus. The Governor is now attempting to prohibit school districts and charters from requiring unvaccinated students who have been exposed to COVID-19 from temporary quarantine as recommended by the Arizona Department of Health Services, county health departments across the state, and the CDC. These agencies along with public health experts recommend that students who have had known contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case should quarantine. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a statement on July 19, 2021, recommending a layered approach for all schools this year, including a recommendation that everyone over the age of 2 years old wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status. (Links to sources: http://www.azpha.org/wills-blog/2021/7/15/duceys-staff-tells-school-districts-they-cantnbsp-quarantine-unvaccinated-contacts-of-covid-cases-this-fall; http://azpha.wildapricot.org/resources/covid%20release-from-isolation.pdf; https://services.aap.org/en/news-room/news-releases/aap/2021/american-academy-of-pediatrics-updates-recommendations-for-opening-schools-in-fall-2021/ )

*This Letter of Concern was written by a concerned group of parents, professionals, and community members: Jessica Wani, JD, Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD, Cadey Harrel, MD, Christina Bergin, MD, and Trevor Nelson.

It asks ADHS and the Governor to maintain quarantining policies for exposed unvaccinated students and to allow schools to be able to determine the public health strategies that keep their communities safe. This letter, along with signers will be shared with Arizona Health Department Services and Governor Ducey.

To sign on to this letter please fill out the form below and feel free to add whether you are a concerned parent, guardian, grandparent, student, teacher, community member, principal, taxpayer, healthcare professional, etc.

**********************************************************************************************
Dear Governor Ducey & Dr. Christ:

We are concerned parents, grandparents, taxpayers, students, teachers, healthcare professionals, and community members who believe our school districts and charter schools must be able to protect students, many of whom are not yet eligible for vaccination, from the spread of COVID-19 while attending school. The children of Arizona have the right to attend in-person school in a safe learning environment.

The Governor has made it illegal for schools to implement any kind of mitigation to keep children safe, despite public health recommendations. The Arizona Medical Association recently issued a statement on the importance of upholding public health policies in K-12 schools including masking and temporary quarantine policies for unvaccinated students (https://www.azmed.org/news/573753/Arizona-Medical-Associations-Statement-on-Upholding-Public-Health-Policies-in-K-12-Schools.htm). Our school leaders must be able to work with local county health departments to implement community control measures for COVID-19 to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of students in their care.

We implore Arizona Health Department Services (AHDS) to maintain temporary quarantine policies for exposed unvaccinated students in school settings to allow school districts to work with their local county health department in determining appropriate community control measures.

We further implore AHDS and the Governor to allow school officials to follow current CDC guidelines for K-12 schools, which state:

(1) Masks should be worn indoors by all individuals (age 2 and older) who are not fully vaccinated. Consistent and correct mask use by people who are not fully vaccinated is especially important indoors and in crowded settings, when physical distancing cannot be maintained.
(2) CDC recommends schools maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms, combined with indoor mask wearing by people who are not fully vaccinated, to reduce transmission risk. When it is not possible to maintain a physical distance of at least 3 feet, such as when schools cannot fully re-open while maintaining these distances, it is especially important to layer multiple other prevention strategies, such as indoor masking.
(3) Screening, testing, ventilation, handwashing and respiratory etiquette, staying home when sick and getting tested, contact tracing in combination with quarantine and isolation, and cleaning and disinfection are also important layers of prevention to keep schools safe.
(4) Students, teachers, and staff should stay home when they have signs of any infectious illness and be referred to their healthcare provider for testing and care.
Many schools serve children under the age of 12 who are not eligible for vaccination at this time. Therefore, this guidance emphasizes implementing layered prevention strategies (e.g., using multiple prevention strategies together consistently) to protect people who are not fully vaccinated.

At a bare minimum school officials must be able to work with their local county health departments to determine which public health strategies should be employed to keep students safe in their community, including targeted mandatory masking in the case of an outbreak on campus to stop the spread of COVID-19 and the more contagious Delta variant to protect students and the community.

If the Governor and/or state government will not permit schools to follow the expert recommendations of the CDC and healthcare professionals, then we implore education leaders, including the AZ Department of Education, ASBA, AZSA, and other student focused organizations to pursue all remedies to the extent permitted by law, in order to stop the reckless and harmful law (A.R.S. 15-342.05) preventing schools from implementing common sense mitigation strategies.

Schools begin welcoming back students as early as July and we are seeing a daily uptick in COVID-19 cases with the Delta variant becoming more common in our communities. Parents, students, and community members deserve to know Arizona’s children can safely attend school and that school officials can make decisions that best fit their community's needs.

Sincerely,

FIRST DAY FIRST GRADE

Let’s take a break from my recovery so as to reflect over Rep. Governor Ducey, who mistaking himself for The Wizard of Oz, must not have finished reading his life story, because, evidently, he’s failed to see himself fully revealed behind the curtain, where the most powerful man in Arizona is actually a frightened little guy, whose hot air machine has blown smokescreens around deeper truths for so long that those who’ve been blinded by his bald faced, bullying lies have been utterly blown away after one brave soul pulled down the curtain, exposing Ducey’s cold heart to such a shivering chill from we who love our children that this small-minded charlatan, forgetting to cling to the top of his ladder, was last seen clattering down, rung by rung, straight to the ground, where his frozen brain and icy heart shattered into so many pieces that none of The Kings’ Men could put him together, again.  And if you get my drift, and since today was Ravi’s first day in first grade, I hope you’ll please read this piece that I’m sharing, below, in hopes that you, too, will copy, paste and share this letter on your Facebook page regardless of where in The USA your precious little ones live, because adults, throughout the nation, need to unify so that elected leaders know that we, who love our children, will do everything necessary to protect our young from harm now that it’s time to send tomorrow’s leaders, safely, to school.

Here it is, one day into the school year, and my grand daughter brought home a notice of a "school outbreak" due to 2 or more students or staff testing positive for Covid … leaving me to ask—what’s a loving, responsible adult to do when vapid leadership has spent yet another summer devising no plans to enhance good health in our schools? 

The letter mentioned above will be posted, tomorrow, offering the intuitive portion of our minds time to mull over the profound nature of the thoughts penned above, over night.

👩🏻🔆, Tony, Ray and Ravi’s Gramma Annie

NOTHIN’ BUT GOOD NEWS—UH WAIT …

I ‘spoke too soon’.  The nerve pain on one half of my body re-emerged, today.  Before that change for the worse arose, I’d penned this post:

As generally, we choose to hear bad news first (which I’d posted, yesterday, concerning my two day tussle with a pinched nerve that caused me to say UNCLE), I’m relieved to offer up only good news, today—

Though I’m still more than tired and feel easily short of breath, yesterday’s ‘morning routine’ was completed by 10:30 am, which proved a feat as over this past weekend, that routine was spread out over most of the day.🙃

Yesterday, late afternoon, Irwin coached me through the list of simple exercises, left by my physical therapist, and though I chose to accomplish all of them by halving the number of repetitions, I achieved that realistic goal, which, hopefully will be doubled, today, before my PT appointment at noon, on Wednesday.

As to pain meds, I’m down to 5mg every 4hours and am smiling to note that’s half the amount the surgeon expected me to take.  Yesterday, I needed only 150mg throughout the entire day. 

So though after-effects following my difficult weekend are still knocking the stuffings out of my energy source, I am aware of my recovery progressing forward by focusing on small gains toward long range healing, and so, my assessment of how I’m feeling, today, is

A-Okay🙋🏻‍♀️🔆🌻🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️

Sorry to say that soon after penning the post above, the pinched nerve acted up, and we had to up my pain meds before leaving a message at Mayo, though we know my surgeon is on vacation, this week.

The response on my portal was unacceptable being that we were told my surgeon will be informed upon her return—six days from now.  It’s after hours (of course)—even so, I’m calling my internist—this is ridiculous …👩🏻

Where are my three fairies—hopefully, not enjoying happy hour …🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️

As you can surmise, pain experienced, today, is not as excruciating as that of last week, and meds have kicked in; otherwise, I’d not end today’s post with a light hearted quip concerning fairies enjoying cocktails while I’m awaiting a reply from Mayo—oh— the phone is ringing—who is at the other end?  My internist, who, unlike a major institution, has a personal interest in my well being …

👩🏻🔆🧚‍♀️Annie

2 A RECAP, PERHAPS NEEDED MOST BY MY TIRED HEAD

So, though I experienced a set back, beginning on Thursday night, when pain from a pinched nerve, knotted up in my neck, hit from out of the blue and ran up from that knot in my neck to behind my right eye before heading down my right arm all the way toward the outside of my pinkie as well as straight down my right side into the little toe of my right foot.  Three separate  episodes of agony.  One for 3 1/2 hours.  Next day, two episodes, each lasting for 1 1/2 hours.

Saturday and Sunday, pain was relieved, but I was too exhausted to leave my bed or even see Steven and Ravi, separated from us, again, by Arcadia door, being that my immune system, following this last surgery, will continue to be suppressed for about two more weeks, and, at six, Stessa is, once again, enjoying groups of children too young to be vaccinated, so we’ll look forward to being together, outside, once my surgeon suggest thumbs up.

Right now, Will will coach me while I do the set of exercises left by my physical therapist, who comes on Tues. and Thurs.

Last week, my occupational therapist cancelled when his child tested positive for COVID.

David extended his stay with us for one extra day so as to feel reassured that my setback has resolved, and thus did he drive to LA on Sunday, having taken care of us for close to two years.

I’ve more to tell but am so tired as to feel a nap coming on as soon as I remind everyone to continue to take every precaution to hold COVID at bay, knowing that this killer will not be whipped until people, like Rip Van Winkle, awaken from sleeping spells in which lies concerning this deadly illness are still believed by so many millions that countless people seem blind to the fact that political ideology has naught to do with the wisdom of maintaining good health by wearing masks and being vaccinated, suggesting that not until most people see need to separate politics from the study of medicine will masks and vaccinations be the norm.

And having brought my soliloquy to an end, I’m hoping your cup runneth over with good health, regardless of which political ideology is your own—for now …

👩🏻🔆🌻Annie

1 PLEASE STOP PINCHING ME!

 Well, much that I’ve experienced over these last couple of days made up for the ease of my first two weeks of surgical recovery.

I’d never experienced a pinched nerve that releases excruciating pain, literally from head to toe, inclusive of one half of my body as had been true, three days in a row (beginning on and continuing for three hours on Thursday night), and having endured that nerve clutching my right side as though within a ginormous fist so that breathing was an effort and speaking even one word to make my needs known felt nearly impossible, I’m hoping to never experience another episode, having had three—the first episode tying my nervous system into a knot for the longest time, on Thursday night.  Then again, twice, on Friday, each time lasting an hour and a half.

Even today, I’m still far too exhausted to detail what happened, except to say that Will believes these episodes are unrelated to the nerve pain associated with my surgery.  And pardon me for repeating that I sure do hope never to endure the degree of pain that attacked me so shockingly straight out of the blue, over this past weekend.

Will believes that each episode of excruciating pain was unassociated with my surgical area, because the apex of my pain was lodged within a knot-like feeling in my neck, which ran up to and behind my right eye and down my right arm into the outer edge of my pinkie, which is important to note since these symptoms follow the natural diagnosis of a pinched nerve (though in my case, the pain also ran around my chest as if the center of my body was contracted within a tight elastic band.)

I can’t describe the depths of relief experienced each time the knotted pain in my neck released, followed by releasing me from the pain, which had run its relentless course, up and down and all around one side of my body, as supported by long standing evidence concerning pinched nerves found within medical journals, today.

Hopefully, all I’ll experience from now on will be quiet weeks of healing, ahead, being that I’ve engaged The Three Good Fairies to take eight hour shifts, around the clock, thus insuring that no magic spells, cast by The Dark Side, which throw good people off track, will run interference with my need of peaceful repose, during weeks of healing that lie, directly ahead,👩🏻🔆🌻🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️

PS  If some of that which I’ve written is less than coherent, please go easy on me, because today’s post was penned while pain meds were calming nerve endings, suggesting that my lucidity may be a bit off but not enough to drive me to edit today’s post to perfection.

Seriously, if I had to tell Steven that the depths of my exhaustion prohibited me from enjoying time with my son and grand daughter, today, then you can imagine the affect effects, which have thoroughly wiped me out. Whew!  

CAN YOU TELL IF YOU’VE BEEN COCOONING WITH TRUTH SAYERS?

 Will and I were so relieved to receive a text from Steven stating that Ravi’s school district is mandating masks in direct opposition to our Governor’s statement that masks will not be mandated (which would simulate placing our precious, unvaccinated children in Petrie dishes where dangerous viruses are sure to multiply more quickly than we can say, “No breathing, please, till recess sees you congregating out of doors.”

Seriously, how ridiculously selfish is governmental leadership that places nonsensical political policy above the good health of our most vulnerable, trusting citizens, who walk through the entryway of schools, across the nation, never once wondering if those who kiss babies born to strangers care a fig about children who will soon be so ill as to be packed into hospitals just as sardines are packed into tins.

And what of children’s teachers and families as well as hospital staff, whose exhaustion will not be able to keep up with climbing numbers as the second wave of adult Covid patients (who’d refused to be a responsible part of the solution to this on-going pandemic), expect to be cared for along side of those who have taken every precaution by being vaccinated and masked before going back to work next to those who had scoffed at any discussion based in deeper truth concerning community welfare.

Though I can go on and on, I won’t, because my recovery from my most recent life saving surgery requires cocooning myself within a peaceful aura of personal well being, which falls to pieces whenever my mind engages in a political discussion as ridiculous as one that concerns unmasked children bringing home Covid way before report cards inform parents as to how well their precious offspring are absorbing life’s most important lessons—many of which have naught to do with reading, writing and masking—whoops—I meant grasping concepts of math—or on second thought, perhaps grasping concepts concerning masking up takes precedence over addition, subtraction and so forth, at least until today’s educators have asked the next generation to consider why mandating masks while Covid is killing innocent people proves to be much smarter than witnessing adults, who continue to adopt trump’s four year long pretense, suggesting that this deadly virus is no biggie unless your mom or dad or gramma or papa were amongst those whose lives had been snuffed out by politicians who, in hopes of being re-elected, are still spreading lies that millions of voters continue to buy ….

And having stated my frustration as clearly as possible while pain meds are pulsing throughout my brain, tis time to breathe so deeply as to consciously reconstruct the healing nature of my cocoon in which I hope to enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep.once I learn  whether Tony and Ray will head back to school armed with masks along with all of their friends …

👩🏻🔆🌻😷Gramma Annie

INTELLIGENCE DISABLED BY POLITICAL LIES

Evidently my mental energy has increased, being that my mind is balancing on my soapbox without need of my walker for support—

How can we in good conscience send our precious children into any environment in which 50% of those who remain unvaccinated breathe on everyone, unmasked?

Though Biden may be president, I can’t help but ask:  Whose lies have not yet been disempowered from prolonging the pandemic nature of our nation’s poor health?👩🏻😵‍💫

The countdown to school bells ringing, announcing that it’s time for the bright minds of our children to place their trust in educators, who are responsible for keeping their young charges safe from harm for most of each day, is creating a sense of urgency within my intelligence to hope for change for the better concerning mandating masking up before classes commence, next week.  And that’s about as hopeful as my sense of urgency can appeal to sensible governmental leadership, right now.👩🏻😷

PLEASE MASK UP IN SCHOOL

 Please stay well, my friends.

With so many unvaccinated, unmasked people acting like Covid is a thing of the past, new cases are beginning to surge, everywhere, offering each of us sound reason for concern about the health of our precious children, many of whom (inclusive of Ravi) return to their classrooms, next week.

In order to end today’s brief post on an up note, I hope mandates for wearing masks rise, throughout the nation, and that parents, who love their children, will be seen lining up at pharmacies awaiting their turn to protect their little ones by way of accepting two doses of the Covid vaccine, themselves, thus reducing the chance of their contracting this highly contagious virus and bringing it home to young and old.

By the way, have you heard that people in disguise are being vaccinated?  If that doesn’t tell us how messed up millions of think tanks have become ever since leadership was misplaced in trump’s bumbling  hands then what can we do to get our nation’s leadership back on track, at least concerning masks, before school resumes in less than a week?

👩🏻😷