Sept. 25, 2019 and it is very nice.

We have had a few good days.  We got to Lafayette La. on Sunday afternoon and got all set up at the KOA campground in Scott, La
Monday we went by the Habitat Office to check out the room where we would be teaching.
Had a wonderful dinner with Cara & Jerry Gerdes and their two little boys....
Tuesday and Wednesday teaching habitat safety  class and had a great class.

Tomorrow we get to leave and head to Bainbridge, Georgia for my 57th High School Reunion.   Looking forward to see everyone.

It has been a HELL of a year 2019

The last time that I wrote on this Blog was in January.    There have been many things taking place since.

I went to see Dr. Young and he agreed to do another back surgery on my L3 that was pressing on a nerve.  I went for pre op testing and everything went south.

The next thing I know I am in AFIB and my ejection fraction is 35 so I am told I am in Heart  Failure.
When we meet with Dr. Goldberg, my cardiologist he suggest doing medication and a cardioversion which is shocking the heart. This lasted about lasted about 3 day and back into AFIB.Next step is to an ablation which is actually burning and sending the signals in another direction.   About 2 weeks after that I find myself being taken my the rescue squad to the hospital.   The scar tissue had not fully healed and I had an infection around the heart sack,
After two of the heart doctors conferred they deceided to do another cardioverison (shock), which at this time is still keeping me in rythm.

Now we move on to the next issue.  My left knee.   Had seen a knee surgeon recommended by Dr, Goldberg, Megan Swanson, which by the way I didn't like her manner to start with but kept going back to get the surgery scheduled for Oct 7th.   Did everything of the post op direction.  Was to see her on Sept 10 and she called on Sept 9 to tell me she would NOT do the surgery.
She thinks it is a back problem not knee
Now my Dr. Young tried to tell her my back was fine as they had just done an MRI on the Friday before she called and NO way was she changing her mind.
There was another knee surgeon sitting at the table with them at lunch and heard all this mess and he said I will see her.
I know several people he has operated on and been very happy with the outcone.    So we will see him on Oct. 8th.

We didn't get to do any habitat builds as planned but did get to go to North Fort Myers, Fl. for the 30th anniversary of the RV Care a vanners.The first part of that trip was great though as Kate one of our granddaughters was in a play, the Sound of Music.   She has asked us to come but we told her the doctor would not let me travel so we surprised her and showed up.   She was happy and the play was great. She played the oldest daughter, Liesl and we had no idea she could sign like that.   It was a good time.  

Most of our summer has been spent in Virginia but now we are teaching some Habitat Safety Classes in SC, NC and LA.  Nexy we go to Ga. for my 57 high school reunion and then back to Virginia for knee issues to be done with.

We did get to enjoy a little garden, spending time with Bry and family and getting know Miss Charlie a little better.   She has finally warned up to me but thinks Larry is great and says Papa the minute she sees him. We also have our house leased for 3 years to a wonderful couple and hope they stay longer.  We built and apartment in the original shop building.

A couple of weekend camping trips with ODC our club.

2017 and 2018

It is time for me to get back into blogging and when I can't remember things at least I can go look them up.

Jan 2017 thru December was a very  stress related for both of us.

After finishing up our HFH commitments we decided that we had to make a decision about my back and leg pain.
Long story short I had back surgery on July 24, 2017 which turned out to be the best thing I ever did.
Dr. Jacob Young in Charlottesville Va. got me out of my pain.
We went to Georgia in September for another high school reunion and then back to see Bill & Deb Dorris. Bill had fallen out of a tree stand and had an awful back injury.

From there we went to NC to teach a safety class and then home.   Went to Indy first weekNovember
for a few days and then came back for Thanksgiving with the family.  Lance, Madie's friend cooked for us.

First week of December found us in Americus again for   another round of safety training, down to Bainbridge for Ann and Maston's Christmas party and then back to Virginia for Christmas.   Taylor and Anthony announced on Christmas day that they are pregnant.

After my final checkup with Dr. Young in January we left for the trip South and HFH Builds.
Taught safety in Winston Salem NC, got to see Cathy Bullard Buck and her husband.

On to Layafette La for a 2 week build, then to Americus.

It was the year to get all the affiliates with HFH trained in safety so it was a busy time a I* am contacting affiliates informing them of classes.   I love what I am doing.

IN May we went to Indy for a kindergarten graduation for Sophia.

The most exciting thing was the birth of our first great grandchild, Annalise Charlotte (Charlie) Martin on July 26th. Got to hold her when she was less than 2 hours old.  

Spent most of the summer in Virginia, camping with our ODC group, had lots of company.
Judy and Jeff Rothwell,  Kim and Mike McNabb, Judy Switalski, and finally Don & Beth Hickman.

Went t Indy for Thanksgiving and got to see Noah play high school basketball.
Back to Americus the first of December for a week.
Home for Christmas and New Years and now I am having BACK issues again and not sure when we are leaving to go South.

We are scheduled to arrive in Americus, Ga by February 4th and be there until end of March, then for the 30th CAV reunion in Ft. Meyers, Fl and then home.

All this is subject to change after I see Dr. Young on this Friday after an MRI Thursday.