A Small Memory

Don't be confused... I am not referring to an inconsequential or unimportant memory - merely a small one! 

What do I mean?  Well, this term came to me just as I flashed back to an image of a chain link storage room.  At first I didn't even know what it was I was thinking of;  but as I began to explore this memory in my mind, I realized that I was actually envisioning the storage room in the basement at my grandparents' apartment in Edwardsville.  It was a small apartment house (only 4 units in the building) and I was very young, but the memory became so clear.

Upon further reflection, I recall their apartment right down to the green couch and the linoleum on the kitchen floor.  I would spend countless hours there with my grandma & (step)grandpa (hereto referred to as "Grandpa") - and for whatever reason, this storage unit popped into my head from nowhere. 

I have many memories of spending time with them and I cherish them all... even the silly little things.  I remember sitting at the lake with a fishing pole in my hand while Grandpa sipped from his can of Falstaff Beer, teaching me the fine art of putting a worm on a hook.  I remember when I was 8; Grandma would give me $1 and send me walking to Farm Fresh to buy her cigarettes and letting me keep the change.  Yes, that's right 8 YEARS OLD - & I COULD BUY CIGARETTES --- AND HAVE CHANGE LEFT OVER!!!  I often wonder what they would think about things if they were alive today.

 My grandma was widowed before I was born, and she met the man I learned to love and call "Grandpa" when I was a toddler.  He was so special to me though I only knew him for a short time... he died when I was in second grade.  In just a few short years, he created memories with me that I now know will last a lifetime!

My grandparents have both been gone for more than 3 (or in his case almost 4) decades and I have a granddaughter of my own now.  I hope someday she looks back at the everyday moments we spend together and realize that those are the special memories that she can carry with her forever. 

It's memories like this that put things back into perspective for me when I feel like I need to "spoil" her with material things... in the end it's the love that is remembered - and cherished.

So, what I am trying to say is that it doesn't take a lot of money or talent to create a special memory, but time together with those you love...  In the end, the small memories actually become big ones!

Getting a Grip!

Hi everyone! 

I was asked a few months ago to consider writing about a topic that has been of great concern to me, but put it off because, well, it just isn't always easy to talk about the "deep" issues.

Some of you closest to me realize that 2011 was an extremely difficult year for me on many levels...

It began actually at the close of 2010 with the news that I would have to give up a job I thoroughly enjoyed due to some medical problems.  This news was hard for me to take, even though I knew it had to be.  I had fallen from a ladder in mid-July of that year (actually just one week before the Celebration Company reunion that I had planned).  I found it very tough to stand for more than a few minutes at a time, but with only having been at my new job for a week or two, I felt the need to keep this to myself as much as possible.

At least twice a week I would visit my chiropractor for adjustments, acupuncture and whatever course of treatment they could think of to try on me.  After four very painful months, working 3 to 5 seven hour shifts on my feet, my wonderful husband happened to be home one evening as I arrived from work and attempted to get down the steps to our bedroom to get off my feet.  By this point, I often had to sit at the top step and slide down step by step.   It was about this same time that the chiropractor had ordered MRI's and discovered that it was possibly not a situation they could easily resolve; so Andy insisted that I see my physician.  One look at my MRI's and he referred me to a surgeon.

With just one week to go before hosting both families for a large Thanksgiving Feast for 30+ people, I was told that only surgery would get me back up and going again... so we got out the calendar & scheduled my lower back surgery.

After in-depth tests, they discovered that nothing was holding the two lowest discs and a 2-level fusion was necessary.

During this waiting period, some household issues arose that made for a not so pleasant couple of months (as if the wait itself wasn't stressful enough) and I was relieved by the time January 31st got here.

I have to say that the first 3 days in the hospital were sheer torture.  I was unable to walk at all without a nurse holding onto a safety harness - giving me total support.  After the first 2 days, I was able to sit up in a chair in my room and eventually was able to walk to my hospital room door and back -- what a sense of accomplishment.  If you've ever struggled with having to rely on anyone this much, you know that by the end of it all dignity is lost.  After 4 days at Missouri Baptist Hospital I was taken to a flight of stairs (with several people holding tight & that good ole faithful safety harness) and instructed to walk up and down those stairs before they would release me to go home.  At that point, I can honestly say I had never wanted anything so badly in my life - and with the help of Andy, a physical therapist, & a nurse - I DID IT!

With my back brace & bone growth stimulator strapped to my waist, I was soon dressed and in the car on my way home.  I really felt relieved to be going home, but that was the beginning of the toughest course of hurdles I have ever seen.

Several concessions were made around our home to enable me to function with a mediocre sense of self-reliance.  For the first week, my daughter in law & granddaughter stayed with us to help with the tasks at hand.  I couldn't even roll over in bed by myself and it was frustrating at best!  The pain has so intolerable, but the surgeon had instructed me to walk every 20 minutes.  That's where Riley - my granddaughter (she was only 2 at the time) came into play.  I had a timer set to go off in 20 minute intervals and when the timer went off she would bring my walker to my and insist that I walk around the livingroom for a lap or two.  She was quite the slave-driver, but that is what I needed most.  Truth is, she was so cute about it that I couldn't have said no and my family knew that.

Several church members had organized a group to bring meals to me several times a week for the first few weeks and that was such a blessing. 

After 3 months, x-rays were taken and there was enough evidence of new bone growth that I was released from wearing the bone growth stimulator, and eventually the back brace was downgraded to an "as needed" status.  *Side-note - the cashiers at Shop N Save & Walmart hated to see me come to their lane(s) because this bone growth stimulator would, on several occasions, all but shut down their computers/registers.

It has now been 11 1/2 months since I first started this recovery process.  I would like to say that I am pain-free, but I have resigned myself to the fact that it may never be that way.  The doctors have told me that whatever I have after a year is what I can expect to regain, and with the exception of numbness in portions of my legs, and difficulty in "socking" and "shoeing' my left foot, I feel a whole lot better.



I am so very grateful to those who took time out of their busy lives to help me get through this difficult process.

Outside of that, I did also find it necessary to undergo one other surgical procedure a few months ago which has been more of an emotional struggle than a physical one, but I am getting a grip on it.  I find that I am still not comfortable talking much about this, so will leave it with just a vague mention...  I am forever grateful again to the patient family members who do their best to make things flow as smoothly as possible for me on a daily basis.  I know that Andy has had to put up with a lot (even going back to my car accident in 2002 & the neck surgery...)  I am looking forward to a non-invasive year in 2012! 

Things are looking up at this point - and I don't care what the doctors say, I will get better still!

Watch out world - here I come!!!!

People's Choice Awards

 

  Do you have a favorite for this year's People's Choice Award?

TUNE IN TO CBS ON JANUARY 11, 2012 9/8 P.M.

Go to the following link and vote for your favorite.

http://www.vocalpoint.com/PCA

and choose from the following:

 

TV COMEDY ACTOR:

• Alec Baldwin
•  Read what Wikipedia says about him

• Chris Colfer
• Read what Wikipedia says about him

• Cory Monteith
• Read what Wikipedia says about him

• Jim Parsons
• Read what Wikipedia says about him

• Neil Patrick Harris
• Read what Wikipedia says about him

TV DRAMA ACTRESS:

• Blake Lively
• Read what Wikipedia says about her

• Ellen Pompeo
• Read what Wikipedia says about her

• Emily Deschanel
•  Read what Wikipedia says about her

•  Eva Longoria
• Read what Wikipedia says about her

• Nina Dobrev
• Read what Wikipedia says about her

TV COMPETITION SHOW:

• American Idol
• America's Got Talent
• Dancing With The Stars
• So You Think You Can Dance
• The Voice

MOVIE ACTOR:

• Daniel Radcliffe
• Read what Wikipedia says about him

• Hugh Jackman
•  Read what Wikipedia has to say about him

• Johnny Depp
• Read what Wikipedia says about him

• Robert Pattinson
•  Read what Wikipedia says about him

• Ryan Reynolds
•  Read what Wikipedia says about him

MOVIE ACTRESS:

• Anne Hathaway
• Read what Wikipedia has to say about her

•  Emma Stone

• Read what Wikipedia has to say about her

•  Jennifer Anniston

• Read what Wikipedia has to say about her

•  Julia Roberts

•  Read what Wikipedia has to say about her

• Reese Witherspoon 
•  Read what Wikipedia has to say about her
  

MOVIE:

• Bridesmaids
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II
• The Help
• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon

A Trip to Remember!

It was the winter of 1982 and the world was indeed a winter wonderland.

Living 10 miles away from town had it's advantages, but also some disadvantages.  On this particular day, well you can take your pick as to whether the glass was half empty or half full that day!  I like to think that any day that you can carry in your memory so vividly for 30 years now is probably a half full kind of day!

With a somewhat bare refrigerator and cupboards to match, things were looking bleak at the Heepke house.  Dad had finished his morning milking and was obviously not going to get much done around the farm; a family trip to the grocery store was inevitable.

Cars were parked safely in driveways, and even the 4wd vehicles were feeling intimidated by this winter storm.  That didn't stop us though - we had something most people only thought about in their dreams, a one tractor open sleigh!  I have such fond memories of this sleigh - still to this day haven't seen another one like it!  I tend to believe that Santa left it behind one year when he upgraded to a more modern version, but who knows.  It was a very solid, sturdy wooden sleigh with ample seating for us all.  Looking back, I'm not sure how "street-legal" this mode of transportation would be with today's standards.

Dad hooked the sleigh up to the back of his biggest tractor, several of us piled in - and we were rolling (or maybe I should say "gliding"!  There was a grocery store several miles away (all back roads leading to a back entrance); so we were off to restock...

We arrived at WoodRiver Kroger store with little effort and, though I don't really remember, I'm sure the wait at the checkout was non-existent.  We piled back into the sleigh with paper bags filled with enough food to get us through to spring thaw -- and away we went.

Now you know how they say that most accidents happen close to home?  Well, this day would prove to be evident of that theory.  The roads leading from the store to our home were narrow and full of rolling hills, some very steep, but we made it up & down as if those roads were plowed clean as we traveled in our tractor-driven sleigh!

Alas, our house was in sight!  We would round one final corner and within moments, we would be home sweet home...  If only!  So we ATTEMPTED to round that final corner when Dad (at least I guess that's what happened) over-estimated the turn and the tractor took to the ditch.

Now remember, it was a big - and very powerful tractor so the ditch really didn't slow him down.  Wow, I wish it had... but then again I most likely wouldn't be telling a story about a stuck tractor, would I?

As it would, the sleigh followed closely behind but without quite as much resilience - and on it's side it went!  We tumbled out onto an 18 inch frozen mattress - me at the bottom of a heap of people -- and yes, groceries.  I vaguely remember eggs and bananas being involved.  We scraped up what we could and walked home with our goods.

Dad still recalls finding a dozen eggs and a loaf of bread that was revealed the following spring when the last of the snow was gone.

New Day! New Year!

As with most, when I awake on New Years Day there is a sense of "re-birth" almost.  The trials & tribulations on the now previous year are swiftly floating away - and hope & revitalization for a bright and prosperous year set it.

In many ways, it is just another day!  If you went to bed on December 31st with dirty dishes in the sink, you can bet they will still be there on January 1st... have a bad cold on New Years Eve?  You will probably still have it on New Years Day.  Yet we still tend to place unrealistic demands on ourselves for the new year!

At any rate, we all do it; and if you can make a resolution that lasts throughout the year, Congratulations!  While I have set goals over the years - and succeeded with many, that has never been the case with one that began on New Years Day!  I won't say that it can't be done, but you need to have conviction to stick to the plan and DO IT!

I think one of the most popular resolutions is losing weight.  Weight Watchers (as well as most other weight loss organizations) and health club memberships spike during the first weeks of each new year; but I have seen first hand that each following week it is like the thinning of the herd (no pun intended, I assure you.)  By the first of March, a large percentage of attendees are the same as those who were attending in September & October...

I am shooting for something a little easier to obtain this year... I plan on spending the year getting reorganized in many ways since I have had to get accustomed to living with the aftermath of physical limitations imposed upon me in 2011.

Don't misunderstand, I am not knocking those of you who can put your mind to something when New Years Day arrives - and fulfill your wishes; but it never seems to work that way for me.  I like to think that I am just too worn out from all the festivities to focus for a week or so as the new year begins. 

I spend a lot of time in the months of November & December in the kitchen and elsewhere; working to accomplish other holiday driven projects.  In fact, I do so much cooking & baking in December that I would have to throw out literally hundreds of dollars worth of food in order to make a weight loss resolution stick.  Generally, I begin to come out of my holiday cocoon around the end of February or beginning of March; and decide to make my resolutions at that point.

So whatever you decide - whether it be to make a resolution or not, I wish you all only the best of success in your endeavors on this wonderful first day of 2012!

Happy New Year Readers!

Summing it up!

Today (as with New Years Eve every year) is a day of reflection.  What did 2011 mean for me?

It meant a year of strong will and endurance in my life.  I struggled with the most difficult recovery... major back surgery.  When 2010 concluded with adding a massive amount of salt to an already tedious wound, I found myself awaiting what I knew would be a tough situation. 

After suffering with major back spasms periodically following an automobile accident 8 years prior, a fall from the top of a 2-step ladder (actually a back flip would be more accurate) would lead me indirectly to a back surgeon - and soon thereafter to the operating room.  Since I had been through a difficult surgery just a few years before when they fused discs together and put a metal plate in my neck, I thought I had an idea of what I could expect.  I couldn't have been more wrong.

I will spare you the inane details and tell you that 2011 threw up many hurdles - and I am still standing (maybe AGAIN standing would be more like it since that wasn't really happening much when the year began!)

I have had a lot of time (& very little else) on my hands this year and have re-evaluated many aspects of my life with the final conclusion that, while 2011 was the toughest year of my life thus far, I have ammunition now to attack life in 2012!

I know that this new year has much potential - and while I know it probably won't always be easy, it has a lot more promise than what 2011 did for me!

Best of Luck to all of you in 2012 - and Happy New Year!!

A Few Household Tips

As we approach the final days of 2011, I thought I would take a moment to share a few household tips that you may or may not know...

Did you know that:

• If you want to soften crunchy cookies, you can store them in an airtight container with a slice of bread.
• hair spray will often remove permanent marker from a variety of surfaces, but beware of the finish - test first on unexposed area.
• When storing your summer clothes, you can throw a dryer sheet into the box to keep your fabrics smelling fresher.
• While we are on the subject of dryer sheets, they make great dusting clothes for computer monitors, television screens, & many other surfaces that attract static electricity.
• After putting on nylons, rub a dryer sheet over your legs to reduce static cling.
• When planting your garden, remember that tomato plants (as well as other acidic plants) love coffee grounds.
• If you wear acrylic nails and you get a crack in the nail, place a very small piece of styrofoam on the crack and apply a small amount of clear nail polish over the styrofoam - this will seal the crack until you can get it repaired properly.
• Vinegar & water removes salt stains from shoes & boots.
• If you like to make your own pizzas from scratch, a large floured ziploc bag works well for rolling & storing your pizza dough until ready to use - just place desired amount of dough into floured bag, seal & roll with rolling pin.  I stick mine directly into the freezer until ready to use.
• Mosquito repellent ideas: Vicks VapoRub is a great mosquito repellent as well as Bounce dryer sheets, 1 vitamin B-1 tablet taken daily, or clear "real" vanilla (not the imitation - it contains alcohol).  Also, if you plant Marigolds in your yard, they repel bugs/insects.  Steer clear of bananas when you are spending time outdoors - mosquitoes love banana oil.  Avon Skin So Soft mixed with alcohol has been reported as a great insect repellent as well.
• If your Tupperware or other plastic storage containers have developed a white film or odor, make a paste of baking soda & water & use a toothbrush to scrub away film & odor.
• Place a shallow dish of baking soda behind the toilet to absorb bathroom odors.
• Keep your car smelling great on those hot summer days by placing several of your favorite coffee beans in a paper bag & place under your car seat.  When you return to your car after a long workday, it will smell wonderful.
• Candles will last a lot longer if you put them in the freezer for at least 3 hours prior to burning.
• Never store fudge in the refrigerator.  It can be stored in  the freezer (in an airtight container for several weeks, but never in the refrigerator.)
  

I HOPE YOU FIND THESE TIPS HELPFUL.  CHECK BACK PERIODICALLY FOR MORE HOUSEHOLD TIPS!