Kiwi and Poobah at the Mother's Day cookout...

I’m released! Whhoohoo- sweet freedom! I’m even allowed to drive and fly an airplane (well, until I get my pilot’s license I’m allowed to fly “in” a plane). The doctor has released me to go back to works (half days) starting next week!

He also said the head ache episodes were normal and the result of the blood pressure event that used to inflate my head like a balloon. Now the the bones are knitting together and the inside of the skull lining has repaired itself the fluid that used to leak out now stays inside and causes pressure…. so it’s a good thing! Whew- that’s good news because they were freaking me out!

Here’s a picture and a video from the cookout at Greg and Susan’s (Susan and Greg’s?). This video is of Kira being a monkey-Kira1

Sarah and the kids are coming this weekend so we get to have another fun time family thingy this weekend! I’ll keep you posted.

I’m sorry. I’m sorry Bobbi, for blaming you (or your ghost) for making my unhappy in our home- it’s all me. I’m trying to clean up my ast, honey. I’m sorry for all I put you through.

I want a new house, big enough for all my kids to come live with me! I love those kids so much! All the kids- Kim and Ethan and Kira, and Maddy and Ben and Adam and Sammy and Lemur and Ian and ALL Y’all!

Next week I start back with the Scout troop. I think Scouting is my mission in life, that and clean water (yeah Rotary!).

I had a GREAT checkup yesterday- my doctor said she doesn’t believe I was ever diagnosed diabetic! My A1C was 4.9 (normal is around 6 or less). My cholesterol is 103! My BP was 120/75 and my resting pulse is 55. Those are GREAT numbers! When I checked in the lady in the records department asked fr my ID- she said I don’t look like Hugh because Hugh is FAT! Not now baby, I weighed in at 201.

I can’t believe a month ago I was lying in the ICU wondering and hoping I’d get out! Bobbi is my angel- how could I have even wondered?

In two days I get to see the neurosurgeon! Set me free Dr. Lytle! Tonight I went and saw THE BLUE ZONESin Asheville- how to live to be 100. It was very good. Slow down, eat till you’re 80% full, eat veggies nuts and fruit… hey- I’m already doing that!

Wow, what a weekend! Yesterday we had a belated Mothers Day cookout and Greg and Susan’s for Susan, Kim and Donna (Bobbi’s mom). It was very nice. Kim brought “the grands” and we had a wonderful time.

I have most of my garden in thanks to Uncle Roy, Jordan and Cori. The lack of rain is messing me up a little. I need to install sprinklers! I’ve had a bumper crop of strawberries, and even gotten some lettuce left over from last year as well as the asparagus. The tomatoes are well on their way, as are the cucumbers. Sweet potatoes, peanut beans, peppers (sweet, jalapeno and Anaheim), eggplant, zucchini. Come and get it!

I feel pretty good. Those weird headaches that freaked me out  (did I admit to being “concerned”?) seem to be decreasing in frequency(maybe because I’m being more cautious). I’m so impatient to get back to work! I know, I know- take it easy. I am. I go see my doctor today. It’s a week of doctor visits this week! I see my doctor today at the Cherokee Hospital, then the audiologist again tomorrow, a physical therapist on Wednesday (for an assessment) then the neurosurgeon on Thursday. Hooray! Maybe I’ll be released to drive and/or go back to work full or part-time. Anyway, since I have three doctor’s appointments in Asheville I’ll be spending the week there at Cori’s house. It’s easier on her that way since she’s driving me around.

I am truly blessed, and I know it. Still, I think it’s only human to play the “Why me?” game….. It may be futile, but I play it anyway. Why couldn’t Bobbi’s have been benign? All those I love who are now gone- why me? Well, it’s only a short-term reprieve. The same fate awaits us all.

Sorry for the delay between posts…. it’s been a full week. Last Saturday Uncle Roy brough me his tiller and helped me get the garden started. Since then I guess I’ve gotten half of it in. I’m not supposed to run the tiller by myself, so Jordan (brother Dave’s step son) comes over and helps me out. He’s pretty good help too.

Well, the hearing aides are “interesting”. It’ll take a little while to get used to wearing them I suppose. I do hear better with them in.  I went into the office for a few hours on Monday to pack up my desk. Our new building was almost done. Then yesterday I went in for three hours trying to fix a problem (I failed). I got a little tired, and when I get tired or stand suddenly I get weirdness- my head swells and I get a very odd headache- my head pounds with each heartbeat, and when that happens my hearing goes away (as each pulse happens) like someones is turning the volume up and down in time to my pulse. Very odd. I don’t like it much so i try not to overdo things. It was nice to get to the office.

To tell you the truth, I thought I was doing so well I’d be back to work by now. Until the headaches started last week I’d have bet money on it. Ah well, I see the surgeon on Thursday, we’ll see what he says. They did say it would take the full two months and that people who get over-confident (is that me???) have trouble…. Okay, okay- I’m trying to behave.

On Sunday Kim brought the grands over- What Joy!!! They helped me pick strawberries. I have a couple of big bed of strawberries in the garden and they are delicious! On Sunday we all go to Bobbi’s mom’s for a belated Mother’s Day celebration. 

Mostly, these days, I’m busy trying to reorganize my house. Of course, that im[lies it used to be organized. I’ve had 15 months to make it a mess- cleaning it is harder, and so is developing new habits. The bedroom remodel went well, and now for the rest of the house. I’ve made many trips to Goodwill, and I’m sure there are more to follow. Anybody need any computer parts?

I’ll keep you posted.

I had a hearing test today because of the ringing in my ears. They say I have classic “older guy who used to fly airplanes and shoot guns without hearing protection” hearing loss and I need hearing aides which MAY help alleviate the ringing in my ears. They will fit me next week. The hearing aides go behind the ears and there are little tubes that go inside the ear canal. Cool- three weeks ago I had a robot in my brain and now I get bionic ears. The hearing loss I have makes it harder for me to hear higher pitched noises, especially women’s voices. See- I wasn’t ignoring you!!!!

It’s hoped that, since tinitis is basically the brain trying to compensate for a loss of hearing by filling in with the ringing sound, that the hearing aides will in fact fill in the actuall lost higher frequency sounds and the tinitis may lessen…. “may” being the opperative word. I’ll know next Thursday. I’ll keep you posted.

I remember lying in my hospital room thinking……. I actually felt pretty lucky to be able to string thoughts together, and something occurred to me that y’all probably already knew. I was thinking about friends and family. I was thinking about when I was younger and complained about one particular aunt to my mother. She said “we dislike in others what we see in ourselves”. That hit me. We dislike in other what we dislike in ourselves is closer, right? So the opposite is then maybe true- we like in others what we like or would like to see in ourselves. Perhaps we choose friends to guide us to being our true highest self. I think family is the friends God gives us to start our lives and the journey to being our true self, and friends are the Family God rewards us with on our journey. My family is the thing about myself I really like, especially the family Bobbi gave me. I sued to think her love for me was the nicest thing she ever did for me, but now (as awesome as her love is) I think it’s this incredible family we share. She used to say something like that about Kim- Kim was the greatest gift she could give me. I sit here as humble as I’ve ever felt in my life. Thanks you, Bobbi. That was awfully nice of you.

I keep getting these blessings. I’d better earn them. It’s time to fire up the cub pack! I’ll keep you posted.

Each day I get better and better. I’m still in Asheville, but I’m being well cared for. I’ll be home in Cherokee by Thursday afternoon. I hope to get my garden started this weekend! I’m trying to “be good” but I sure miss going to work. I miss my team.

I hope y’all are well. I am so relieved to be feeling so good. I miss everyone! Sorry it’s a thin update. I’ll keep you posted.

Hey everyone, we’re home safely.  It was wonderful to be with family even if we regret the circumstances. Still, it’s time to rejoice for the blessing of those who have gone on.  Thank you God for Bobbi. Death is not the opposite of life, but the opposite of birth, and energy can not be created or destroyed, just transformed.

Grandma again- Happy Mother's Day Bobbi!

 I love you Bobbi.

I am doing very well. I’m pain free and have been for several days now. My head doesn’t swell when I lie down now- like my body is learning how to control itself again. I am so grateful for my good fortune!  I’m reading several books by Deepak Chopra right now, and it’s helping me. I’m looking for his book on dealing with grief-  The Deeper Wound.

It’s good to be home. I’ll keep you posted.

Greetings from Charlotte. The drive down was easy- Cori did it, so I had it easy.

I feel great, I’ve been pain free for several days! That means I haven’t needed Percocet or had those funky side-effects. I am sleeping better too, thanks goodness. I am so lucky, and lucky to know it.

That’s all for now. We need to go meet the family for dinner. I’ll keep you posted.

Well, I had to do something about the surgical scar, so we went to the “Scout Hut” to buy a new straw scout hat Stetson made. Stetson seems to have stopped making them (sort of a straw Indiana Jones fedora)

Hide that scar!!!

so no luck there, but the local western store had the “civilian” model. I love the hat! Now I imagine people still stare, but because they like the hat.

I guess I’m getting antsy. I am looking forward to being realeased to drive in a few weeks. I’m not used to being cargo, but grateful I know people willing to haul freight  ;-)    One nice thing is I can watch Doctor Oz all the time now!

The head is better. It still swells up when I lie down. Imagine the bump on a pear- that’s what my head does around the hole in my skull. I don’t like it much but it doesn’t hurt so I don’t mean to complain. I do know how lucky I am. Y’all go get a checkup, okay?  This really was a lucky tumor- it’s NOT cancer, it was caught early, and if it had grown it could have killed me just as dead as cancer could have. I am truly very grateful.

I’ll keep you posted.