A month ago today Lisa had brain surgery; so much has happened in this short amount of time. I am very thankful to report that not one fear I imagined before surgery occurred. Thank you all for your prayers and support. Your thoughtfulness has made all the difference in our situation.
This isn't a vacation. We stay very close to home. Time is needed for emotional and physical healing. We are all blessed with a good sense of humor. It has made all the difference in the atmosphere of their home. We laugh a lot...daily. Laughter is one of the best medicines. Thankfully the three of us are readers. Many books have been read this month. None of us care much for television but we all enjoy watching back to back episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" during dinner. I love that show!
In the above photo, Lisa opened a box of "Sunshine" from Melodi and Lacey. Watching her ramble through the box was hilarious. Lisa was laughing and squealing like a little girl at Christmas. Melodi and Lacey your box of "sunshine" is still talked about...and Foxy thinks you sent the yellow blanket to her. She is delighted.
Speaking of Foxy, their four legged human, and Mooch their cat ... my new best friend, are a road show forever in the making.
Foxy
Mooch
I love Foxy. However, I adore Mooch. I can not have a cat at home anymore since Sabella has joined our clan. Sabella is a large German Shepherd and kills any animal the size of a cat or anything smaller. It is just her nature for some unknown reason. Several years ago Sabella was dropped at our home,( probably because she ate their cat!) She was about 6 months old and I instantly fell in love with her. Someone else dropped a mother cat and kittens off close to the same time; none of them lived. I am enjoying my time with Mooch. She is old, fat and it doesn't take much to make her happy. I totally understand.
The sunrises, sunsets and thunderstorms are amazing. I have about a hundred photos of mirror images of the sky's image in the canal.
a view from the backyard
When I was in Missouri I walked outside each morning checking on the hummingbirds, my flowers and the yard in general. When I wake up here, I grab my camera and a cup of coffee and head to the back yard to check on the alligators in the canal.
This has been a month to remember...for many, many reasons. Emotions have been all over the place. I am very thankful for Mother Nature's soothing touch. She can calm a restless soul and scare the crap out of you...almost within seconds of each emotion...
and they call this 'normal' in southwestern Florida.
I am enjoying my stay in Naples. It is an unusual beautiful tropical place to live. I wish the circumstances for me being here were different. However, I am glad to report that Lisa is making a remarkable recovery. She still has headaches, at times, and gets very tired but all in all she is a walking miracle to me. We are anxious for the oncologist appointment in Tampa.
I have been here for a little over a month and I have yet to meet anyone born in Naples. I know they are here...just don't know where they are. However, New York is strongly represented and they are everywhere.
I was at an upscale market the other day talking to a lady who worked there. We were laughing about something when she remarked on my southern drawl. I laughed and said, "Well, I am from Missouri." She looked at me and said, "No that is not it." For some reason I felt obliged to explain; I was born and raised in Kentucky but Missouri has been my home for the past 34 years.
That pleased her. She nodded and stated "I knew you weren't from Missouri". I asked her how she could tell and she said and I quote, "'It's Missoura not Missouri". My face became flushed as I explained to her that "we" call it Missouri. She shook her head no and I asked her where on earth she was born. She said New York. I was a tad bit shocked. I asked her if she had ever been to Missouri. The answer was "No". Why would anyone from New York correct how I say Missouri ...if they did not live in Missouri or had never been there???
Lisa nudged me and said, "Mama it is time to go." So we left. I was beginning to get 'warm' under my tank top. Lisa started laughing, as we walked out the door and toward the restaurant where we planned to eat lunch.
"Congratulations, Mama you have met part of the 'entitled' who live in Naples." Lisa said smiling. All I could think of to say was "Well, bless her heart!" Then we laughed because we both know what 'bless your heart' can mean if you are a Southerner.
Today was a big day at the Lewis home in Florida. Lisa returned to work at Physicians Regional Center. She will work half a day until her stamina increases. For our family this is almost unbelievable. Lisa had brain surgery July 22 of this year. Her operation was on Tuesday, lasting a little over five hours. She was released to go home on Friday. Her recovery has been amazing...simply amazing. If I had not witnessed all of this with my own eyes, I think I would have trouble believing this story.
I often get frustrated with modern technology and all the trappings that accommodate and at times aggravate my daily life. I usually long for a simpler time. A slower pace with less intrusion from gadgets and gizmo's. And then I am faced with the fact that Lisa's life was saved by technology I will never understand. I stand amazed, humbled and forever grateful to a God who instills dreams, wisdom, what ifs and knowledge into each generation to create and do the impossible.
Fifty years ago, Lisa's operation would not have been possible. The technology used to save her life had not been invented. In fact neither her doctor or his surgical team were born fifty years ago. The medical facility where the operation occurred, had not been built. And Lisa's future mother and father were fifteen and sixteen years old!
Lisa still has several battles to fight. We are more confident now than we were on July 21, 2014, the night before the operation. I believe Lisa will continue to improve and receive good results...God's got this...
I love to drive by myself. I will go anywhere, anytime as long as I am alone. Add other people to the equation and I get nervous. Add my grown daughter, who has just had brain surgery, throw in several left lane U turns and I become slightly insane...add a rain storm, Saturday traffic in down town Naples and there isn't enough Xanax in the WORLD to calm my crazy ass down!!
This was the exact situation we found ourselves in this weekend. Lisa needed a hair cut since her surgery had left her hair chopped up and badly in need of a good style. Her appointment was at 1:30, we left in plenty of time to allow for the rain and the traffic.
We hadn't driven five miles when one of those left hand U-Turners came racing toward my side of the car and into my lane. I was yelling and clenching the steering wheel with a death grip. Lisa screamed," Mama what the Hell is wrong with you??" I slowed down and asked her how she felt about "getting in a car seat and riding the rest of the way wrapped in bubble wrap... in the back seat???? " Let's just say she declined the offer but did suggest that I get in the trunk and let her drive!!! Not a chance, she is restricted on driving for now. End of Round 1.
We made it to the stylist with time to spare. I did scare her two more times but considering where we were...that wasn't bad. After the hair cut we found ourselves back on the interstate and in rare form. However, the sun was shining making our trip home faster and saner...by far. Lisa asked what on earth I was thinking about to make me so nervous? So I told her.
It is hard to put these feelings into words...however I tried. When someone I love has had a traumatic, emotional event in his or her life...like brain surgery for Lisa or heart failure for Tommy, I get protective. I get scared and I want to keep my family safe at all costs. I do not want to take chances with their lives, nor do I want other people to take chances with their lives.
Drivers rarely, if ever, think about things like this. I didn't either until our lives changed. As a rule, we are all too busy with our own lives to worry or care about the drivers in other cars. However, I am carrying very special cargo. Lisa can not be in a wreck!! Sooo to all you drivers who are Hell bent on driving like idiots, I have this bit of information for all of you. I can NOT afford to worry about your deadline, your party or your date. Leave earlier, drive like someone's life depends on it and do not scare me and I will not scare Lisa. Round 2... hmmmmm
There are drunks on the road, dope heads, and idiots who should have never gotten their drivers license because they lack common sense. And while I am at it, let's not leave out the people who feel "entitled" and the rules do not apply to them. Naples is full of "entitled" people. So I drive a little slower, brake for idiots, and try to get my loved ones home in one piece. I don't think that is asking too much. Round 3...we arrived home safely...I won.
Yesterday for me was just this side of crazy. I had one panic attack, one episode of my hands holding the steering wheel with a death grip so hard the jaws of life would have been called to get me out of the car, if the Xanax hadn't kicked in. All of this was followed later that night by the mother of all lightening storms! Hello August, you do know how to make an entrance!
Last night a loud, sizzling lightening bolt the size of Texas, struck our home taking out our air conditioner for awhile. This occurred as Foxy and I walked into the lanai and ran for the back door. We had been on Foxy's nightly walk, around 9 p.m., while she did her business, I took photos of the impending storm. One storm had already passed and another was on the way. I had forgotten Southern Florida is the lightening capital of the world, so I was fiddling around trying to capture some of the great lightening scenes playing out in the sky. A gigantic white light struck the air conditioner, the sound was deafening. I nearly swallowed my tongue!! Foxy and I were running over each other trying to get in the back door. We made it but both of us wanted to jump in Lisa's lap. Note to self...' Lightning capitol of the world is a fact I will not forget again...ever!! Nor will I try and sit in Lisa's lap'...just kidding:)
Since we live about six miles from the ocean, we hear thunder off and on all day as storms pass the coast and hit other areas. We can hear thunder from fifty miles away. It may be possible to do the same thing back home...I don't know... it seems different here...louder and more constant. I love it...usually. This was the conclusion of chaos for the day. However...
My panic attack occurred before 9 a.m. It was intensely hot, deadly still, causing sweat to bead up on people's bodies running in rivets of salty water down their backs and faces, after five minutes outside. Everyone was waiting for the storms to find us; hoping the storm would cool the atmosphere down to bearable.
Lisa and Lisle's neighbors do not speak English. However, they are very good people, neighbors, providing the best protection service in the neighbor hood. They have an enormous Rottweiler.
The entire neighbor hood calls him Blitz, we have no clue what his Spanish name is but Blitz works for them. Me??? I am never speaking to the dog AGAIN...I do not care if his is name is 'Vicky, Raoul or Demon' and he wears a gold crown... we are done...finished...ca put!! He scares the crap our of me!!
Lisle was helping the neighbors with the roofing job. They were trying to finish before the next storm hit. The oppressive heat was about to make Lisle sick. I remembered I had two 'special' towels that are supposed to make the body temperature lower. Heavy on the word 'supposed'. They do help that is for sure. I ran out the back door with the towels and yelled for Lisle. Out comes Blitz... the biggest dog I have ever seen, from out of nowhere, straight to the fence and barking his ass off at me. I am spellbound.
I was leaning on the fence when he charged, reared up and looked me in the eye. Barking, slobbering and mad as hell. I don't know what I did because I was scared beyond words. He would have had no trouble jumping the fence and truthfully I think it crossed his mind. The lady of the house, all five feet of her, came running out talking Spanish to 'Blitz' and trying to save my scared yazoo! I tried to hand her the towels and 'Blitz' lunged again. Finally, I threw the towels over the fence and ran for the house. I have never, ever once in my life been afraid of a dog. Not once, but I was yesterday...and I still am today and will be tomorrow.
As the afternoon progressed, my panic attack had subsided, life as I know it returned to 'normal'. Lisa and I went for her first ride to pick up some medicine she needed. She misses driving. I know the feeling. It is still too early for her to drive. It felt good to get out of the house for a little while. The whole time I was driving, I was mentally frantic. I was so worried about the fact that I was driving my daughter, who has just had brain surgery, on an interstate where there were so many idiots driving 80 miles an hour...going to Walmart!! Heaven forbid they get there late.
I was wishing she had sat in the back seat in case we had a car wreck and the air bags had to be inflated. Years ago I was in a head on collision when the air bags hit my face I thought my nose had been broken. It saved my life and for that I am thankful however, Lisa has 30 staples at her scalp...imagine how that would have felt?? Even though Lisa is 43, I still worry about her, especially now. We did have a good time together. We made it home safely. I had worried for nothing...I can live with that.
Today is Sunday and I am ready for a mellow day. I see no eminent problems in the future. However, sooner or later I will have to get out of bed and then it is on once again:)
