Life with Granny & Gramps

Yesterday we went to Vegas to have lunch with Renee, Sherry, and little Rozlynn.  We met at Renee's home and then headed to Mimis for lunch.  I had the pot roast and it was yummy.  They have a smaller lunch size, and it was just right. Rozlynn ate with us and had bananas.  Renee let her taste some watermelon and as you can see baby Rozlynn loved the taste.  Her eyes are so big and she has the longest eyelashes I have ever seen on a baby.  She is beautiful.  I guess you might say I am a proud G. Grandma. I can't believe how much she changes each time we get to see her.  After lunch we all went to Renee's beauty shop and Renee cut Frank's and my hair.  Frank was happy to get his long locks cut off.  He said he felt like he had lost a pound of hair.  Sherry took care of Rozlynn, and it was fun to play games with the baby and make her smile.  Her smiles made us all smile.  Frank was getting a little sore, after our trip in.  He did all the driving.  First stop was to see Robin for a few minutes, and it was great to see the big hug between daughter and father.  Wish I would have thought to grab the camera and take a picture.  A picture sometimes is better than words.   By the time we got home, Frank was ready to settle down in his comfy chair, as his back was telling him that it was way past time for a rest.  I am so grateful that he is doing as well as he is.  I can't wait for the words that he isn't in pain.  I know at our age we will always have some kind of back pain, but I just hope and pray the bad pain Frank was having is over.  We want to be able to travel again and do something fun.  I told Frank that I don't know where we will go or what we will do, but by August I want to go on some kind of a vacation.   I have been feeling so tired and depressed, a change would be good.  My heart aches from the pain of losing Garen and his family in my life, and that doesn't help the depression.  I have another g.grandson born April 16, and I will never get to see him.  Life can be so hard and cruel.  There have been some events that happened lately that hurt me again, and just when I think I am dealing with it, I am hit again with a roll of emotions.  Maybe in the next life things will be straightened out.  I sure hope so.  So once again, I have to beat down the emotional roller coaster, and tell myself  "you can't let them destroy you."  I still have family that loves me for who I am and for them I am grateful. 

Frank's Follow up Doctor Visit

Yesterday we left at around 11:30 AM and our Chauffeur Bret drove us in to Henderson so Frank could see his doctor.  We went early so we could have a nice lunch at Cafe Rio a cool Mexican restaurant that makes every thing fresh right in front of you.  I had salmon tacos with black beans and rice.  It was yummy.  Then Frank decided we needed to have our dirty truck washed and we sat out on their patio and enjoyed the cool weather of yesterday.  We all commented we had better enjoy it as the hot weather is coming. 

I was a little worried about the timing as it was getting close to Frank's appointment time, but it all worked out perfect and we were at the doctor's office 15 minutes early, only to wait almost two hours before they called Frank back.  Dr. Dan the P.A. came in and went over the surgery with us and then he said they have decided that the screw that broke off in Frank's back must have been defective.  Wow! wouldn't you know Frank would be the lucky one to get a defective screw and have to go through surgery again.  Dr. Dan took out Frank's staples and was a little concerned about the redness left from the tape and also around the staples.  He wanted to put Frank on some kind of a steroid (I think) that would get rid of the redness.  Well, when I got home I discovered he hadn't given us the prescription for the medicine.  So now it will be Monday before we can get it and Frank was supposed to start it last night.  I am hoping that it will go away on it's own by Monday and if not we will call and have Dr. Dan call the prescription in.  If the redness doesn't go away, then Frank has to be seen again next Friday.  Just what we want to do is go in and wait another 2 or more hours to be seen. 

By the time we got out of the doctor office it was the beginning of rush hour so we went to Sherry's condo, got us a little chocolate treat, and rested watching the news and I played with Ozzie, Sherry's cat.  He was excited to have the company and was running all over the condo and all over us playing.  We left about six and headed for home stopping at Sam's Club for some cheap diesel fuel for our truck and then went to a Sonic close by as it was time to eat again.  It was almost 8 PM by the time we got home.  What a long day.  We appreciate Bret driving us in as I know it wasn't the top of his list of fun things to do.  Thanks Bret and Laura too for lending Bret to us on his day off.

I will have to say we are so grateful that Frank is doing so much better this time around.  It is like night and day for him, compared to last time.  We are thinking that maybe in a month or so, we could rent a condo in Park City or maybe a beach condo in San Diego. We do love the ocean.  We so want to get away for a little while during the hottest part of the summer.  The fifth wheel is out of the question.  We haven't been able to do much of anything for over a year. 

Nice Surprise - Our Granddaughter's Visit

We had a pleasant surprise visit Tuesday afternoon.  Our beautiful Granddaughter Robyn stopped by.  Sherry was here and we sat around and had a really good visit.  First of all Robyn went in and had a little chat with Grandpa and he loved that. 

We are so excited for Robyn and Eric as Robyn is expecting there first baby, a boy who they are going to name Braxton Thomas.  She is due the latter part of August. 

I had to take a belly picture.  Robyn is so cute with her little basket ball belly.  She was really sick the first three months, but now is feeling really good.  She retired from her job and enjoys being able to sleep in.  Well, Robyn you had better enjoy that sleeping in. Soon little Braxton will be keeping you up all hours of the night and he will keep you busy.  We can't wait too see him and hold him.  What a bundle of joy he will be for all of his family.

Frank Recovering from Surgery

Frank had back surgery again on May 4th.  As you can see from the picture, he is doing so much better this time around.  The doctor replaced his hardware that had fallen apart and also put some kind of bone filler in where the cadaver bone had been absorbed by Frank's body.  The filler is supposed to help his spine to fuse together and hopefully this time things will heal and most of all the pain he was in will go away.






Last Monday Frank was going stir crazy and told me I was taking him to lunch.  So we headed to The Inside Scoop and who should show up, Sherry and Bret so we had an enjoyable lunch with them.

After we got home from lunch, Frank was tired and it was time to lay down and take it easy for the rest of the day.  I asked him this morning how he was doing and he said, "It is like night and day between the first surgery and this one."  The really bad pain that he was in with the broken hardware is gone, and now he is just having pain from the surgery.

We did have a scare a couple of days after Frank got home from the hospital as he got really sick to his stomach, and I thought to myself, "Here we go again."  I am thinking that when he got so sick the last surgery that it was going to happen all over again.  Bret and our home teacher just happened to come over to see us at the same time, so I asked them to give Frank a blessing.  By dinner time, Frank was ready to eat and his stomach had settled down.  I was so relieved as I am almost positive that when he go sick the last surgery and was heaving his guts out, that is when he broke the screw in his hardware.  I can't prove it, but I know he was in constant pain from then on.  We are looking forward to his healing and maybe being able to travel in our fifth wheel trailer next summer.