It's been quite a while since we have posted on this blog.
Since the last post, we decided (after much discussion with Walkir about what would be best) not to live on the road, so that Walkir could stay at the school to which he's been going for the past three years. Instead, we will live in Springfield and travel weekends.
There will be times when Walkir will not be able to travel with us and will have to stay with friends while we're on the road for the weekends. Other times, Tony will have to go out herself (when she's doing a whole run, and we can't leave Walkir with friends for weeks at a time). Therefore, we are making some sacrifices, but it will all be worth it.
In separate posts, we will update our travels and experiences.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Happy Father's Day
On Father's Day, Mark received the best Father's Day present possible -- A RV.
We were able to trade the Explorer for the RV. It is a much later model than others for the price, and it runs beautifully.
We are elated with the purchase, and now we can put things directly into the RV that we will be taking with us.
We were able to trade the Explorer for the RV. It is a much later model than others for the price, and it runs beautifully.
We are elated with the purchase, and now we can put things directly into the RV that we will be taking with us.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Packing, Loading, Packing, Sorting, Packing, Looking, Packing...
Did I mention we have been doing a lot of packing lately?
Tony is slowly returning to normal (whatever that means for Tony). We have been searching for the RV we may spend the next several months getting to know very well. The search has been slow, but we have some very nice possibilities. First, however, we must sell our SUV in order to have the money for the RV. We had a young couple look at the Explorer yesterday. They were very interested, but they have to sell their car to have the money to buy our car so that we have the money to buy the RV. They thought they had a buyer yesterday, but called me last night and said he had backed out, so they are back to the drawing board. Therefore, so are we.
Meanwhile, we have been packing and loading a PODS (Portable On Demand Storage) which was delivered yesterday. Tony has overexerted herself the last two days, even though she has had a lot of help and a lot of mothers telling her to take it easy (those of you who know Tony, know that is no easy task -- keeping her from overdoing it). Consequently, a big part of the packing has been finished and tomorrow we will tackle loading the PODS. Tony intends to have me run a fan out to the PODS where she can supervise the loading process.
We're a little anxious to get the RV so we will have a better idea of what we're going to be able to take with us.
As this blog was conceived to document our adventures on the road while performing in Renaissance Festivals, I want to share where our next performance will be. We will be performing at the White Hart Renaissance Faire in Hartsville, MO. The festival runs the final weekend of June through the first two weekends of July. Tony and Mark will be there the first weekend: Tony as Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury (Besse of Hardwick) and Mark as Lord John Hamilton. We will not be present the second weekend due to family considerations, then will return with Wallace playing young William Shakespeare and Tony Playing Mary, Queen of Scots (Mark gets the easy part of playing the same character). Among the highlights of the final weekend should be the scene on the final day of faire when we will enact what would have happened if Mary, Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth had actually met.
Tony is slowly returning to normal (whatever that means for Tony). We have been searching for the RV we may spend the next several months getting to know very well. The search has been slow, but we have some very nice possibilities. First, however, we must sell our SUV in order to have the money for the RV. We had a young couple look at the Explorer yesterday. They were very interested, but they have to sell their car to have the money to buy our car so that we have the money to buy the RV. They thought they had a buyer yesterday, but called me last night and said he had backed out, so they are back to the drawing board. Therefore, so are we.
Meanwhile, we have been packing and loading a PODS (Portable On Demand Storage) which was delivered yesterday. Tony has overexerted herself the last two days, even though she has had a lot of help and a lot of mothers telling her to take it easy (those of you who know Tony, know that is no easy task -- keeping her from overdoing it). Consequently, a big part of the packing has been finished and tomorrow we will tackle loading the PODS. Tony intends to have me run a fan out to the PODS where she can supervise the loading process.
We're a little anxious to get the RV so we will have a better idea of what we're going to be able to take with us.
As this blog was conceived to document our adventures on the road while performing in Renaissance Festivals, I want to share where our next performance will be. We will be performing at the White Hart Renaissance Faire in Hartsville, MO. The festival runs the final weekend of June through the first two weekends of July. Tony and Mark will be there the first weekend: Tony as Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury (Besse of Hardwick) and Mark as Lord John Hamilton. We will not be present the second weekend due to family considerations, then will return with Wallace playing young William Shakespeare and Tony Playing Mary, Queen of Scots (Mark gets the easy part of playing the same character). Among the highlights of the final weekend should be the scene on the final day of faire when we will enact what would have happened if Mary, Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth had actually met.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Getting Back to Normal...Sorta
Tony has been home for three days now, and life is beginning to get back to some sort of normalcy. I was able to go to carving club tonight thanks to our friend, Sarina, who was happy to "babysit" (as Tony put it) Tony for a couple of hours while I went to carve. We also had a wonderful time visiting Sarina and her husband, David for a while when I went to their house to pick Tony up.
We have had a wonderful few days, with so many friends coming through for us -- from all the people who have donated through the site our friend Tony Mast set up, to Zia coming the day Tony got home from the hospital to sit with Tony while I went to do some errands, to Alysa baking a birthday cake for Tony and she, Sarina, Catherine and Pi visiting and bringing it to our house and visiting with us for a good while. We have had many offers for help from many friends. We had a friend offer to hop on a plane and stay with us (which would have meant she would have missed the vacation with her family to celebrate her mother and father's milestone anniversary), to those who have offered to let us stay in their home a couple of months, to those who have offered to help us finish the sewing we need to do in final preparations for our home faire, to people offering to bring me food while I was in the ER with Tony, to those who have dropped off food and sent money so we could purchase fresh fruits and vegetables (Tony's sister, Jude). I am almost afraid to list these things for fear I missed sharing something someone has done for us -- if I did, I plead mercy on the grounds that I've been a little preoccupied.
It is times like this that you understand what kind of an impact you have made on the world around you. I'm so proud of my wife for the impact she has made on so many people throughout her life.
We have had a wonderful few days, with so many friends coming through for us -- from all the people who have donated through the site our friend Tony Mast set up, to Zia coming the day Tony got home from the hospital to sit with Tony while I went to do some errands, to Alysa baking a birthday cake for Tony and she, Sarina, Catherine and Pi visiting and bringing it to our house and visiting with us for a good while. We have had many offers for help from many friends. We had a friend offer to hop on a plane and stay with us (which would have meant she would have missed the vacation with her family to celebrate her mother and father's milestone anniversary), to those who have offered to let us stay in their home a couple of months, to those who have offered to help us finish the sewing we need to do in final preparations for our home faire, to people offering to bring me food while I was in the ER with Tony, to those who have dropped off food and sent money so we could purchase fresh fruits and vegetables (Tony's sister, Jude). I am almost afraid to list these things for fear I missed sharing something someone has done for us -- if I did, I plead mercy on the grounds that I've been a little preoccupied.
It is times like this that you understand what kind of an impact you have made on the world around you. I'm so proud of my wife for the impact she has made on so many people throughout her life.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Home
Tony came home yesterday afternoon.
She is weak and tired. Her blood pressure isn't consistent, but she's happy to be home, and we will see a doctor tomorrow.
Tony was given some exercises by the occupational therapist to strengthen her hand, by the speech therapist to strengthen the muscles in her face. The physical therapist told me to just keep her walking. For now, it's all she can do to get from the bed to the bathroom and back.
I purchased a blood pressure monitor yesterday, and I'm regularly checking her blood pressure (and mine) so we can stay on top of the doctors who are supposed to be caring for her.
She is weak and tired. Her blood pressure isn't consistent, but she's happy to be home, and we will see a doctor tomorrow.
Tony was given some exercises by the occupational therapist to strengthen her hand, by the speech therapist to strengthen the muscles in her face. The physical therapist told me to just keep her walking. For now, it's all she can do to get from the bed to the bathroom and back.
I purchased a blood pressure monitor yesterday, and I'm regularly checking her blood pressure (and mine) so we can stay on top of the doctors who are supposed to be caring for her.
Monday, June 8, 2009
She's Going Home
The doctor is releasing Tony today. We are concerned that her blood pressure isn't consistent, but the doctor said that is a long-term issue. He said he could keep her in the hospital to monitor her blood pressure and try to get it regulated, but that would cost us a lot of money. Therefore, when we get her home, I'm going to go immediately to the store and purchase a blood-pressure monitor, and check her every few hours and note her blood pressure until we can see a primary care doctor with that data.
The nutritionist was in and has given me some good information on a heart-healthy diet and a low sodium diet.
We are now waiting to see the social worker to try to get some assistance on the medical bills, then the wait for her discharge.
The nutritionist was in and has given me some good information on a heart-healthy diet and a low sodium diet.
We are now waiting to see the social worker to try to get some assistance on the medical bills, then the wait for her discharge.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Great News
I got in right before the doctor this morning. He said Tony's CT Angiogram was negative for any more clots. Therefore, he doesn't think she should have another stroke anytime soon. She will be on a regimen of low-dose aspirin when she goes home.
I asked the doctor what was the likely cause. He said this is what they call a cryptic attack -- meaning they don't know for sure what could cause this. He does think a probable cause is the high blood pressure which hasn't been under control since she had a grade 3 concussion in 2007 (ironically, she had never had high blood pressure prior to that injury). They are trying a new blood pressure medication. What we are going to do on our part is exercise and eat right. This was a huge wake up call for both of us. The doctor told her to start with walking until she builds up strength. Once she does that, we will look into getting her into water aerobics and tennis -- two forms of exercise she loves.
Speaking of walking, Tony was able to walk around the whole unit today (yesterday she only walked to just outside her room). She was also able to take a shower and wash her own hair. She is very excited about this, because she is becoming more and more self-sufficient.
I asked the doctor what was the likely cause. He said this is what they call a cryptic attack -- meaning they don't know for sure what could cause this. He does think a probable cause is the high blood pressure which hasn't been under control since she had a grade 3 concussion in 2007 (ironically, she had never had high blood pressure prior to that injury). They are trying a new blood pressure medication. What we are going to do on our part is exercise and eat right. This was a huge wake up call for both of us. The doctor told her to start with walking until she builds up strength. Once she does that, we will look into getting her into water aerobics and tennis -- two forms of exercise she loves.
Speaking of walking, Tony was able to walk around the whole unit today (yesterday she only walked to just outside her room). She was also able to take a shower and wash her own hair. She is very excited about this, because she is becoming more and more self-sufficient.
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