THIS Is The Coldest It Has Ever Been in Bloomington-Normal

Presently the sun is shining but it is -19 below zero!!! Since yesterday, Tuesday, ISU is closed thru tomorrow, Thursday. Most school districts are closed.  No garbage pick up, etc. 

Most of This Is In Post From November 5th, 2018

Thru the last couple of years I’ve had a few aches and pains but nothing to keep me from living my life and at my age, I am grateful.

The left leg pain came on like gangbusters after the Marine Band concert at Braden where 3500 people enjoyed this amazing group of musicians all trained at either Curtis, Julliard or Eastman.  On our way to get the car, I couldn’t continue to walk because the pain was so awful in my left leg and thus Ed propped me against a building and came to fetch me which was not very far.  We went to the ER the next day because it was a Saturday, but nothing they did helped except the doctor on call suggested a CAT scan which was a great idea, because it showed some problems with my spine.

Then the goblins came!  At exactly 1:10 the early morn after Halloween I went to the bathroom, and could not make it back to bed.  On the floor, I said to Ed “call 911 and I want to die.”  This second time to ER I had a feeling I would be admitted to hospital, Bromenn, so I had my dopp kit ready to go and Ed grabbed my beloved polartec robe.

Oompa took this.  I am reviewing the directions from Dr. Nardone's office.

Great nurses!  Intravenous wonderful!  Maestro John Koch (Civic Chorale) came to visit as did Char Fesler and my beloved Zumba Gold instructor!  However, Ed and I had to miss the Civic Chorale 50^th!!!! Laurie was there with 12 year old Roslyn, and Ed was in the audience as well.  The concert and reception were spectacular. 

Dr. Ji Lishot my spine with steroids!  He’s well known around Central Illinois as “the best”.  His training includes Mt. Sinai in NYC.  This Chinese physician, an anesthesiologist, is all business.  He simply appeared in my hospital room one evening -- I had no idea who he was.  Said he’d see me the next day at 6 pm but was able to arrive early so the steroids entered my spine at 4:30. When he arrived at Bromenn he said to staff “where is my patient?” Thus the gurney arrived at my room and we rushed to his space at Bromenn.  The next day he came to see how I was, an elegant man bubbling with personality, and said it may take a few days for the steroids to kick in.  My back does not hurt, it’s the sciatic nerve in my left leg but this all relates to the condition of the spine. 

Dr. Emile Nardone also has incredible training to include being a faculty member at the University of Naples in Italy, is a neurosurgeon who just operated on Julie Prandi, visited me.  OMG, that Italian accent.  Click on the link and scroll down a tad to view a brief video of Dr. Nardone.  He wanted to see me in his office Nov 12^th.  At that appointment he said no more prescribed pain meds, but if the pain returns, call. 

Well, the pain did return and I know Dr. Nordone knew it would. Tramadol now doing a great job (I’m a druggie!)  with surgery scheduled for this Thursday. 

As an aside, but interesting ---- Amazing new MRI machine at Bromenn lets one choose the kind of music they would like to hear along with what kind of scenery they want to watch, ie. fish, flowers, dogs, clouds etc.,  AND HOT AIR BALLOONS!  I honestly did not want the MRI to end because there I was listening to gorgeous classical music while watching hundreds of hot air balloons grace the sky.  The balloons had to be the Sid Cutter field in Albuquerque where the Nationals are and where I visited in 1983.  I missed our balloon (owned with several others) so much from upstate NY, that Ed surprised me with tickets to Albuquerque where I would meet his sister and brother in law, both deceased, and a good friend of ours.  

The MRI shows pinched nerves in my leg.  As Dr. Nardone’s nurse said, the steroids are good but for many they are merely a band aid. Altho, my friend Ruthie Gnagey (The Rev. Dr. Ruth) had Dr. Ji Li do steroids for her several years back and has been fine.   

Sorry for bouncing around as I describe this! The pain in my leg occurred because of some disc degeneration in my lower spine, the lumbar region. The spinal surgery will not be extensive, and only one night in the hospital is necessary, St. Joes this time. 

Everyone coming for the holidays, Neal and Carla with Gabi age 4 and Eliza a little over a  year, and Laurie and Tim with 14 yr old Signy, 12 yr old Roslyn and 10 yr old Liesl. 

Laurie flies in tomorrow afternoon.  Neal was here last week end, and the week before Laurie returned for her second visit! 

So my team of physicians include a Chinaman, an Italian, and my primary care physician is Dr. Anu Kantiminni, from India.  I mentioned to Dr. Kantimnini should I need a neurosurgeon, we preferred Dr. Nardone. 

Enough!  Probably more than you ever wanted to know!

Laurie's Photos from Civic Chorale Gala Saturday, November 3rd.

 Laurie did a great job taking photos of the Gala.  Here they are:

Pain! 911 to ER

And then admitted to Bromenn. I copied this from an email I sent to my friend Karen Khusro.

This thing came on like gangbusters with incredible pain to the point where we called 911 on Halloween of all times!  The goblins came!  This was second time to ER, but this time I had a feeling I would be admitted to hospital so had my dop kit ready to go and took my beloved polertec robe with me. 

Great nurses!  Introvenus wonderful!  Masestro John Koch came to visit as did Char Fesler and my beloved Zuma Gold instructor, Lucy Croft.

Pain management Dr. Li shot me with steroids!  He’s well known around Central Illinois as “the best” -- Maybe Qazi knows of him.  He is  this small Chinese physician, a trained anesthesiologist, who is all business!  He simply appeared in my hospital room one evening -- I had no idea who he was.  Said he’d see me the next day at 6 pm but was able to arrive early so the steroids entered my body at 4:30.  When he arrived at BroMenn he said to staff “where is my patient?” Thus the gurney arrived at my room and we rushed to his space at Bromenn.  Then the next day he came to visit to see how I was -- His sense of humor came thru and thus not only is he an elegant physician, but a charming man.  Said it may take a few days for steroids to kick in.  I will see him at his office in  2 weeks.

And Dr. Nardone, a neurosurgeon who just operated on Julie Prandi, visited me.  Karen, he is from Italy -- looks and speaks with an Italian accent! There is a chance I will need his services.  He wants to see me in his office Nov 12^th.  Again, he is noteworthy. 

Was discharged yesterday with a strong med to tide me over should I need it.  And I did.  Plus I applied a fentanyl patch last night which Laurie insisted I do.  Laurie and her middle daughter, Roslyn flew in Friday -- they had plans to attend Gala.

Civic Chorale Gala -- HUGE Pantagraph article

What an amazing job Loren Svboda of the Pantagraph did! 
https://www.pantagraph.com/entertainment/music/in-harmony-isu-civic-chorale-celebrating-years-on-stage/article_c3910610-bc9e-5e3a-8652-2981bad3d01a.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share

Lollipop Crab Coming Down

Ed takes such good care of our trees, we do not know why the 4 year old lollipop crab became diseased.  

Memories!!

 

In 1983 my precious husband presented me with a ticket to attend the 150th anniversary of the Hot Air Balloon in Albuquerque, NM where I would meet Gretchen, Dodie and Bob.  This T-shirt I still treasure.  Having moved from Albany, NY where we were part owners of The Unsinkable Molly Brown, he knew how much I would miss flying balloons. 

Hummer Still Here

We both saw a hummer on the upper feeder at two different times and then fly up into the Hawthornes.  We told them it is okay for them to head south.  Going down to 39℉ tonight. 

A Hummer First: Witnessing Their Last Night Here

Oompa and I were sitting out on the patio around 6 pm on this lovely warm Tuesday evening, admiring the garden when we saw 2 medium sized hummers on the brilliant, red pineapple sage and then also at the feeders.  This evening it is supposed to get quite chilly along with rain.  Thus, we think they will be gone by tomorrow.  We told how much we love having them here and to have a safe return to the warmer climate.  How in their world do they know how to get to where they need to go?  Same with the Monarchs ! 

My Friend, Harriet Bart, Artist

Harriet Bart, my long-time friend has a display of her art at the Weisman Museum in Minneapolis.

 Harriet Bart: Abracadabra and Other Forms of Protection

(SOOOOO interesting.)