My Brain Surgery is Soon

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) appeared on my face three years ago, affecting the nerve that comes from just above my ear and branches in to 3 nerves onto the left side of my face.  An attack feels like an open electric cord is touching my face.  I never know when it is going to strike or how long it may go on.  The pain is so intense that it is called "The Suicide Disease."

An MRI was sent to UVA (University of Virginia) and reviewed by a panel who then sent it on to specialists.  The MRI shows that a nerve and a blood vessel are crossing and rubbing against each other.  In order to correct this,  I will be having brain surgery on Wednesday, September 28, 2016.   

Yes, you read correctly.........brain surgery!!!!!  Am I scared?  You'd better believe I am!  They will drill a one-inch hole through my skull behind my ear.  Then, using micro probes, they will go in and insert a piece of Teflon between the blood vessel and the nerve to stop the rubbing.  They will then put a titanium plate over the hole.

Does this indicate to you how bad the pain from the TN is?  Letting someone drill a hole in my skull!!!

The result?  I will get out from under these ever threatening pain attacks.  AND I will be able to stop the 3 prescriptions (with their numerous side effects) used to avoid and treat attacks.

I would appreciate your prayers as I go through this Microvascular Decompression Surgery in trying to escape this Trigeminal Neuralgia pain.  Pray for the surgery process to go well, for speedy recovery, and that this will end my TN pain.

The County Fair with Levi

It's been awhile since I've posted anything on my blog.  That's because I've been busy "living." 

My 26-year-old nephew, Levi, had invited me to the Rockingham County Fair.  I declined during the afternoon for no other reason than that I had an attack of laziness.  Maribeth, my sister-in-law, laid on the guilt by texting,  "You turned down a date with my boy?  Bad girl!"  I replied that I hoped he would give me a rain check.  He texted,  "Rain check will not be granted."  Even though I knew he was kidding, I decided to get moving and I'm glad I did!

A first for Levi was a tractor pull.  Although we didn't really understand how this modern version works, we enjoyed watching it for a while.

Levi decided that Aunt Mary should go on a ride.  I was finally talked into the ferris wheel.  That seemed pretty tame until he moved to my side for that ever-famous selfie!  That look in my eyes would be called FEAR!

Fear on the Ferris Wheel!

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's obvious that I am easy to persuade.....  After the ferris wheel, Levi decided that I simply MUST go on one more ride because he had tickets left.  I looked around, frantically trying to choose the tamest one.

More Fear.  I checked to be sure the emergency squad was nearby.

Yes, it was scary but I was slightly reassured when we got on the second row and these metal seat belts/bars were locked in by the operator.  After the initial drop, it was bearable.  As we got off, I was relieved to know that Levi was out of tickets.  I also knew why he wanted to do the rides BEFORE we ate!!!

One big reason Levi wanted to go to the fair was for funnel cake.  I had told him that I only wanted a taste of his but I was glad I got one of my own! It was one of those:   "Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we may diet!" evenings.

A Sinful Supper

I'm glad I fought the lazy feeling and went to the fair.  Levi, thank you for challenging your aunt and thanks for a delightful evening!

Fun But Not Frivolous

Partying and playing seem to be what I notice as I view many of my blog posts.  But that is only the tip of the iceberg of what these events are really about.

The people of Savanna Club Community give to and support a variety of different charities

For example, our Women's Club has over 300 members and we donate thousands of dollars.  We especially like to support local charities, including anything from cancer, to Boys and Girls Club,  to the local food bank, to Toys for Tots (and a program like it), to shelters for battered women, to the blind, to veterans, and many, many  more.

This giving makes our "fun" have a purpose that is worthwhile.  When people work together they can make great accomplishments.  

Lovely Luau

When it was announced that our next Women's Club activity was going to be a luau, I inwardly groaned because at my age, a swim suit isn't my favorite garment to wear.  But this luau was different. The theater (there are over 300 members in the Women's Club) was beautifully decorated, the food was great and the activities and entertainment were top-notch.  

The appetizer table featured a tree made of pineapples and other fruit.
(Wish I had taken a photo of the fruit appetizers added to the table.)

The monkeys were made of various fruits and were especially clever.

Once again Wendy MacArthur and Judy Pagenkop's creative skills brought joy to everyone.

I had the fun job of giving out the leis and our dancer greeted and took tickets.

 The room was beautifully decorated and made even better 

with the rich, cheerful colors of the mumus.

I had a tropical dress so wore it instead of a mumu.

They had a mumu parade and awarded prizes.  
Marcia Tarantino and Signe Lincioni won for most creative.

The Women's Club president, Linda Houlihan, ran the meeting.  

Most all of our events are fundraisers for local charities.

Our professional dancer added yet another thread of authenticity.  She danced the hulu and other types of dances.

One great advantage of decorating and planning for a group of ladies is that every detail is noticed, admired, and appreciated.  Men - not so much....!

All in all, it was a perfectly lovely luau! Aloha!

I shall try my skills to see if I can post this 34 second video.  It takes a little time to download and stopped a time or two but finally continued.

 

Advent Bible Study

I wanted to share with you this wonderful Bible study we did before Christmas called, "Awaiting the Already" by Magrey R. deVega. 

 

The introduction had an illustration that was helpful for me:
The author went on a wild and wet roller coaster ride with his daughters.  He didn't want to get his camera wet so bought a throw-away camera.  

When he got home, he had to search to find a place to get the pictures developed.  He waited impatiently and when they were finally ready, he enjoyed being able to re-live the fun of the ride through the pictures.

So it is that we can study the birth of Christ every year and re-experience this joy.
**Matthew wants us to slow down to confront this hurting world, looking for Jesus, who is already here. 
**Mark wants us to trust God - slow down, turn around, and prepare the way for Jesus. 
**Luke would want us to sing of the power of this good news.
** John would want us to see the light in the midst of our darkness and become a gift for others.

I thank Rita for opening her home on Monday evenings, for being our leader, and for including me in this special group. 

Rita Cole, Her daughter: Rita Etherington, Carol Shnayer, Pat Necklen, MaryMay Angelil, Rich Necklen, Jeanette Owens, Alan Etherington.  Unable to be with us that last night:  Doug Owens, Sarah and Len Green, Donna and Stephan Lambert, Rich Lambert, Elaine Draus

It is always a blessing to share and learn with others who are striving to live our lives in a Christian way.

Our Circle Celebrity

The UMW (United Methodist Women) in a church is divided into small groups called Circles.  We meet monthly to study, fellowship, and serve.  My Circle in Florida has about 15 members..... or shall I saw it used to have 15 members.  Our group has welcomed a new member and her name is Honey.  She is our Circle Celebrity!

Let's go back to the beginning. Gail, Honey, and her husband, Art, sat near me in church.  Gail always had her little service dog with her.  Naturally, people were abuzz wondering why she had the dog but no one would ask.  I had chatted with Gail several times.

After a few weeks, I gently and quietly (but boldly) said,  "If I may ask, why do you have Honey?"  Gail responded enthusiastically and that opened the door to a new friendship and a lot of fascinating information.  A simplified version is that Gail has very severe asthma attacks.  Honey can sense when one is coming on before Gail has a clue.  She lets Gail know so she can grab her inhaler.  

I invited Gail to our Circle.  She said she thought people would feel uncomfortable with her bringing Honey.  Our leader discussed it with the group ahead of time and, as I thought, there was no problem. 

It worked out that Gail's first meeting was our Christmas Potluck luncheon at a member's home. Gail introduced herself and Honey and held everyone's full attention.  She told us all about how they discovered that Honey could do this and the red tape she and her doctor went through to get her certified.

We learned that a Service Dog is working and should not be petted, although Gail is very patient with people who don't know that and want to pet her.  When in public, Honey wears the Service Dog vest and ID tags.  There have been a few incidents in restaurants that were cleared up because Gail always carries her paperwork. 
The one time Honey's attire varies is Sunday mornings and we are always eager to see what "Sunday dress" she will be wearing that day.  

 Art, Gail, and Honey Whitmarsh 

Honey's Easter dress

One of our Circle members proudly informed the Women's Executive Board that we are the first Circle to have a dog as a member..... our very own Circle Celebrity! 

p.s.  Honey has never made a peep in church in the two years I've known her.  But I saw her "non-working" side when I went to Gail's house.  She is barking and chasing the cat like any normal, frisky little dog!   

Honey is a poodle but Gail doesn't have her groomed with the traditional cut.

Fall Fun in 2015

Fall here at Savanna Club is always busy and includes fun fellowship with friends.

Hoedown
Local residents put on this show and I am always amazed and proud to think that these singers and dancers are my neighbors!  People in the audience are encouraged to wear Western attire and you know how I enjoy dressing up!

Halloween

I am on the Social Committee so went early to finish decorating.  My friends, Sue Bruschetti and Joan De Planche.

Here are a few of my favorite costumes this year.

Wonder how this Minion got the yellow to stay on his beard?

Pizza, anyone?

I wasn't sure if the grapes and Gangstas were together or just standing together.

The Nerdy Physics Professor

"The Kiss" group had some scary make-up that stayed on all evening.

My gypsy wig and scarf were from Glen's Fair Price store in Virginia.

Cotton Candy and Popcorn.  THE most creative costumes I've ever seen! 

(The gals used 65 yards of tulle for their dresses and used hula hoops to hold their skirts out.)  They also have very cooperative husbands!

Christmas Golf Cart Parade
I've always enjoyed seeing the decorated golf carts.  This year we had only about 45 entries because of impending rain (it waited until the afternoon).  The sheriff led the parade as they went throughout the streets of Savanna Club.  I tend to see the "gray" in many things but as a judge, I had to make decisions!

Decking the Halls
The Social Committee decorates the clubhouses and grounds around Savanna Club.   .

 Wendy MacArthur and Judy Pagenkop have found their calling!  (You just saw them as Cotton Candy.)  They worked all year, hitting yard sales, thrift shops, and sales so as to get the most for the social committee's budget.

It took a whole crew almost a whole day to put up all their beautiful creations.

What a privilege it is to live in a community that is so active.

Monumental Memory Book

One of the most monumental tasks I've ever taken on was compiling a book for my 50th Class Reunion.  Classmates were asked to share what has happened in their lives since we graduated from Turner Ashby High School in Dayton, Virginia in 1965.

Some aspects were a bit beyond my computer skills so I met with the man in Savanna Club (my 55+ community in Florida) who runs our computer lab.  He showed me how to accomplish what I was after and encouraged me.
 
Next was getting people to send in their 300 word biography and a recent photo.  It was not an easy task to summarize 50 years in 300 words!  There were 150 class members with 30 deceased.  After nagging, nudging, and begging from me and others, we ended up with 76 contributions! 

This wasn't accomplished alone!  There were many people who helped me greatly and their help was invaluable. 

 

 I have shared the book with friends and relatives.  They have read every word, even if they didn't know the people.  I continue to be fascinated with what happened in people's lives AND in the variety of entertaining writing styles!!

 

 The evening of the reunion, Sue Shull-Miller, Mildred Funkhouser-Lynn and I checked people in, gave them their nametags, and gave them their book.

 

The high school photo and recent photo were included with each write-up. 

(If you want to read mine, click on it for an enlargement.)

 

Sometimes in life, we cannot help but be pleased with the result of hard work and effort.  This Memory Book is one of my most challenging projects ever.  I was delighted at how well it was received and appreciated.  Naturally, that made it all the more satisfying and worthwhile.

50 years!! How could that be??!!!

My "save the day" invitation arrived in the mail and I was shocked to realize it really was 50 years since we graduated!  How could that be??!!!
 
The Reunion Committee put in many hours of work behind the scenes and it paid off.  The day of the reunion, we met for breakfast and then had an evening event.
 
Things were different - it seemed we all came together as one.... the cliques were issues of the past, which made our time together all the more enjoyable.

5oth Reunion of the Class of 1965
Turner Ashby H.S. Dayton, Virginia

October 10, 2015 

(Click on photo for a larger view.)

 What a great day and evening!  Here's to 50 years and many more!

Social Life in Virginia 2015

It is always a joy to share my home in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with friends from out of town.  I sometimes find it very lonely and isolated but as I look back over the summer, I realize I had several guests and local friends this summer.
 

Jane Pinson, Diane Dickerson, MaryMay Angelil

Jane lives next door in Florida and is from Harpers Ferry.  Diane is her long-time nursing friend and has become my friend, too.

 

I call this group the "TA Girls."  Mildred Funkhouser-Lynn has kept this group of 1965 Turner Ashby graduates alive for many years.  They meet 4 times a year - sometimes there are 5 gals and sometimes 18  -  whoever shows up is welcome.  This summer we had dinner at the CrossKeys Vinyards.

 

My dear friend in Florida is Norma Pennie.  This is the second summer she has come for a visit!  It's always fun to show a city girl the country way of life.

 

My new local friend is Judith Stroop who lives in Singers Glen.  Sometimes you just "click" with someone and Judith is one of those people!

 

Marty Stover-Barlow, Linda Steele-Suter, and I got together and had lunch several times.  I enjoyed their company!

 

Marty Barlow volunteered to help me drive to Florida and it was a special time for us to get to know each other better.  We went on one of the local boat rides and enjoyed getting out see the local flora and fauna.

 

The time with my brother, Phil, sister-in-law, Maribeth, and nephew, Levi, and my various cousins were always fun.  I also enjoyed time spent with my friends from church.  I can't believe I didn't take any pictures of them.  Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the moment that I forget to get out my camera - but that's a "good thing"!

 

My summer wasn't quite so lonely this year, thanks to the company of family and friends.  It is challenging to "re-invent" myself as I learn to live alone.  Friends make such a difference in this process.

The Skunk Scored

I was coming down the hill, almost to my driveway, when my headlights caught something, which I saw out of the corner of my eye.   It was a  skunk!!! 

I knew I didn't hit him because there was no "klunk of a skunk."  By the time I reached the top of my driveway, I knew that, even though I didn't hit him, I had made him MAD!  Oh, what a smell!!!

 

I left the car outside for the night but that didn't help much.  I drove to and from Charlottesville (60 miles one way) mostly in the rain the next morning.....  Do you think it helped?  Not much!

Someone stopped by the next day to visit and, with watering eyes, suggested I leave the car outside in the sun.  After the whole afternoon in the hot sun with the doors and windows open, there was a slight improvement.

 

I would definitely say it was one point for the skunk!  He scored, for sure!

Cruising in the Country

My winter cruising is on my golf cart in Florida but my summer cruising is quite different.

My 4-wheeler is far faster than a golf cart.  I invested a few shekels last summer to get the motor serviced and to replace a few pieces of the bumpers.  Having the seat recovered made it seem like a new machine to me. I mostly just go from my house to my brother's, which is on the "next hill."

This is me and my friend, Norma (from Florida) cruising' the country the fast way.

The young couple who bought the family farm have become friends.  I grew up in the Shenandoah Valley where there are many Mennonites but never knew anyone well enough to ask about their beliefs and way of life.  Amanda and Jason are very open and have answered many questions for us.

I've seen horse and buggies my whole life but had never had a ride in one.  Amanda invited Norma, Maribeth (my sister-in-law), and me to go with her to Rocky Cedars, a store out in the country that has a little bit of everything.  It would take about 15 minutes by car to get there and it took us an hour and 15 minutes by buggy. 

It was a very calm and pleasant ride.  (Norma, being the city girl that she is, was upset about the fact that Bob the horse was sweating.)  What a thrill to finally experience a unique way to cruise.  Thank you Amanda! 

So, there are fast and slow ways to cruise in the country and both are cool. 

Heebie-jeebies with Lyme's Disease!

I've heard of a guy being a "chick magnet" but I must be a "tick magnet."  The way I dress to garden is downright comical (and UGLY).

I wear jeans tucked into tall socks and tick spray where they meet, long-sleeved shirts buttoned to the neck, gardening gloves to my elbow with tick spray where they meet, a sweat band with a big  sunhat and spray on the hair between the hat and my collar, AND a wide  neck bandanna sprayed with tick spray.  Doesn't it sound like that should protect me from ticks? 

I still sit down to weed and it is still necessary to tether my tools to my apron because I keep losing them.

My photographer (Maribeth, my sis-in-law) thought the back view was amusing, too.  It rained so weeding is easier and muddier (is that a word?).

 

Today I came in and took my usual shower with major scrubbing all over, especially my scalp. 

 

Much to my shock and horror, about an hour later, a tick crawled down my neck.  I scratched my head like crazy and two more of those nasty creatures appeared.  They're tiny and don't die easily.  I smashed them but with great difficulty and washed them down the sink with boiling water.  

I am pretty sure they were not deer ticks. They were small and did not have the red on their bodies.

My 13 days in the hospital in 2010 with Lyme's Disease is not something I wish to repeat! 
http://angeliladventures.blogspot.com/2010/10/bullseyes-everywhere.html
http://angeliladventures.blogspot.com/2010/10/home-sweet-bed-o-mine.html

Since the 3 ticks showed their ugly little selves, I've got the heebie-jeebies, itching and feeling like more ticks are going to show up.  Do you think it's my sweet blood?