Getting older hurts some

 April 8, 2025

Well, it's been a long April already.  I have been going to PT for the last 3 weeks.  this would be the 4th week.  I pulled a muscle in my back/hip.  no broken bones, just muscle and tendon. I think.

i was on muscle relaxers for weeks.  then the PT 

I went to one doctor, and he gave me muscle relaxers, and they just did not work.  it was awful.  

Sent an online note to my GP and saw a wonderful doctor in her office who reminded me of two things.  I have scoliosis and i had this problem a year ago and got x-rays.    He tood me seriously and I will be so grateful.   (on a side note, Terry was with me in the office.  i am not sure if that is the reason or not)

He told me I needed to strengthen my core.  gave me muscle relaxers and sent me to PT  

as of today 9/5/25, as long as I do my exercises and keep my weight at 160 or lower I am doing good.

9/25/25  tweaked my back.  and my neck hurts.  hahaha   .... 

 

disappointed in myself

4/3/25:  Lots happening.  Evelyn passed away march 23 at 10:08  ...   I decided to retire in two years ... maybe sooner.  

3/19/25  I know i am better than that.  i am working on my resume'  i hope i can finish it in time.

3/11/25:  things have changed.   CF wrote a letter to the TM.  Letter basically is a reward for the other two.. eh. 

2/25/25  I am better.  on muscle relaxers.. pt starts next week to build my core.   well... i am trying to get a better view.. i need to meditate. haha

foxwoods tomorrow for three days  two nights free.  ha  

had to forego getting my car done.  so mad.  machanic came in double what he told me.  i said no i cannot afford it.  i was so mad, big feelings, came out in water works eh.  picked up the dart today at lunch.  so mad at tp... oh well.  mad at me too  sometimes i think the best and forget they can't reach ... so i need to do something nice for someone.  R&R visit on friday.  :)  

2/12/25

I am better, i think.   fyi:  people are fn rude

 2/11/25

When you know the person above you is worth more and you fight to get them to try to move up.  so you too can move up. and you are side swiped by the energetic bunny in another office.  I am so mad at myself for allowing others to get the better of me.  now i will never go anywhere.  3 years ...   i hope i can finish. 

I see nothing ..

my hip hurts or is it my ego ...  i don't know how this is making feel better.  writing that is.  i am feeling worse.  i have to let it go.  i have no control over this situation.  too many roadblocks 

Why am i allowing this to upset me so much.  I don't know.  probably because i don't feel like i am worthy of anything.  sigh.   I don't do anything right. :(   

tired of this .....  well right now I am.

It's been an hour .. i am feeling better.  i just need to decompress.   I am sad. not sure i will be able to write about it right now. but the overall feeling is sadness, stupidly and overlooked.  

anyway.   hoping for a better afternoon.   (real time tears) eh

here it is another hour gone by.  i am better ... went home for lunch.  

i just need to let go.   figure something out

Health

9/30/24

Terry is doing well.  I have had some stomach issues, constipation, a bit of a flare, I am all messed up in my sleep and my eating habits.   I need to get back onto a good system.   

9/9/2024

My surgery turned out well.  no cancer, i have to have blood tests done on my thyroid every six months.  My scar isn't too big and will blend in.  

Terry's surgery is this Thursday!  he is in a lot of pain and hearing clicking in his hip.  I am hoping he will make to Thursday.

8/13, 2024

I have surgery on my neck on the 23rd.  terry has an appointment for registration on the 22nd for his surgery on September 12th.   .....   

7/17/2024

So, I saw an ENT on May 7th of 2024, the ENT said I needed a CAT scan.  I have an appointment tomorrow 7/18.  I am nervous.  

anyway, Terry's hip has been bad.  he got into see a ortho surgeon, his last surgeon (DR. Lang) was booked.  he was told he defiantly needed hip replacement on his right hip, and they scheduled him for July 5.  since his appointment he has tried to do a lot of stuff around the house.  

one Saturday, in June, I think.  terry and I were washing the front of the house with Windex and rinsing with water.  we have Evron (I think) siding, and you cannot use anything harsh on it.  so, we were going at a good pace and getting to the back deck stairs.   our back deck stairs go to the front of the house and then we have stone/brick/rock stairs going into the back yard.  the stairs going into the back yard are short.   anyway, terry had put a potted plant in-between the two stairs.  They are still there.    So, Terry was rinsing the house while I was washing.   I was done with my part at the stairs and went to the front of the house, Terry was finishing up and was walking backwards to get the hose higher up.  as he walked backwards, he tripped over the plant and fell backwards onto his elbow.  He nicked his elbow on the stone, and it was bleeding.  i yelled for him to stay down and called 9 11, they sent the ambulance and fire came.  I was afraid he has done something to his hip or worse.   the fire guys kept asking him if he hit his head.  he said no several times and then I saw why they were asking him.  he had grabbed his elbow which was bleeding and then he wiped his face with the bloody hand and his face was all bloody. they bandaged up his elbow and suggested he go to his doctor and so on.  

well, his elbow did not heal.  it got infected and he would not go to the doctors to have it checked so when it came time for the surgery the doctor said it would not be wise to move forward.  so they canceled it.  which i am glad they did as the consequences would be awful.  

so, he is going in September to have his hip replaced.  

4/24/26

Well, so much has happened since November.

I had the flu type A back in December. and TP had pneumonia!

No traveling for us.  TP sciatica is keeping him home and on the couch. sigh

Flareups Galor, then a viral rash, then flare, then more.  went to the walk-in and she was shocked at the nodule on my neck.  went to my doctor and sent for an ultrasound, now I have an appointment may 7th.

we shall see

 

11/20/23

I discovered a month or so ago that my grandfather had peripheral arterial disease, and lost his legs to that, not diabetes as I thought.   

I have to let my doctor know.  i have been googled diagnosed. ha... 

but in all seriousness, I will be making some changes to my routines.  with that being said, here I go!  

 

10/27/23

My goodness.  Health is so important as you age.   It is scary to think back and realize things that should have been discussed or told to the doctor.

today i am suffering with hives under my left armpit.  I discovered it was the lidocaine I was using for a very sore biceps    anyway, i did let my dentist know. 

let me explain.   

Last week, well almost two weeks ago now, I suffered with blood in my stool.  

I ended up having a bout of acute colitis.   I had a  cat scan, here are the results: 

 Narrative & Impression

EXAM DESCRIPTION: CT abdomen-pelvis with enhancement   TECHNIQUE: Non-ionic, low-osmolar IV contrast was injected intravenously, and axial helical CT images were obtained from above the diaphragm through the pelvis. Multiplanar reformats were performed at the console and made available for review.   Contrast administered: Intravenous: 75 mL IOHEXOL 350 MG IODINE/ML INTRAVENOUS SOLUTION.   COMPARISON: CT ABD/PEL W CONT, ACC: 5562660 dated 02/07/2012 20:20:00   CT abdomen and pelvis May 21, 2012   INDICATION: Abdominal pain, acute, nonlocalized   FINDINGS: LOWER THORAX: Lung bases are clear.   LIVER: Homogeneous enhancement. Probable steatosis. Patent vasculature.   GALLBLADDER/BILIARY: Gallbladder unremarkable. No intrahepatic or extrahepatic bile duct dilation.   PANCREAS: Normal   SPLEEN: Normal   ADRENAL GLANDS: Stable 11 mm medial limb right adrenal gland nodule. Slight increase in conspicuity of 10 mm left adrenal medial limb nodule since remote prior. Stable 7 mm left adrenal body nodule.   KIDNEYS/URETERS: Normal bilateral renal cortical contours and enhancement. Small bilateral renal cysts. Hyperdensities in the bilateral renal pelvis likely representing early excreted contrast rather than nephroliths.   GI TRACT/PERITONEUM: Marked mural edema with mucosal hyperemia and mesenteric stranding of the colon extending from the proximal transverse colon through the splenic flexure into the proximal descending colon. No evidence of perforation.   PELVIC ORGANS/BLADDER: Bladder unremarkable. Uterus and ovaries absent.   LYMPH NODES: No adenopathy.   VASCULAR: Normal contours of the aorta and IVC.   BONES/SOFT TISSUES: Osseous structures are unremarkable.   IMPRESSION: 1. Long segment severe mural edema within the transverse colon the proximal descending colon consistent with acute colitis. Infectious origin is primary consideration. Distribution atypical for ischemia or inflammation. 2. Other findings as above. the doctor told me to eat the BRAT diet.  Bananas, Rice, Apples and Toast.    I have started to feel better.   I have also had my teath fixed.   I am having one fake tooth and 3 caps done.  that has been a bit stressful. then, while excersiing i hurt my left arm/sholder.  i do have bursitis in the sholders. ;9(   So, I woke up the other day to my left arm hurting when i moved it certain ways.   I used one of those laticain patches and now I have broken out in hives.  sigh.   it never ends. ... So much is happening.  so much.

So much has happened this year

 January 12 2023   Flew out to San Diego CA  to visit with Ben and Jackie and the three kids.

When i got there Wyatt and Jackie had covid.  sigh.   So I had to book myself into a hotel which I did.  I will share the events of that here.

Alumni.  not getting help so I started telling people what to do.  i need to be better about this.  Banquet coming up...  

April 5, 2023 to the 8th   flew to Florida for KRP's Dance competition.  we took american airlines, and I used time owed for work.  KP did so great.  they placed second.   

April 24th ...  getting input on Community Hall of fame for the Alumni 

April 28 scholarship deadline 

May 13 to 20, 2023 Aruba trip.  casino, dinner at Ricardo's.  renewed vows on the beach early in the morning on the 17th... 6 am   and then ran into the water.   18th sunset cruise.  

May 20, 2023~We missed KRP graduation from Merrimack College on Saturday as we were flying out from Aruba. 

Our Flight out was at 3:30 pm .. delayed 30 minutes.   got to JFK   delayed 2 hours.   ....   had to have sarah pick us up ...   

May 26, 27, 28, 29 worked 36 hours matron  (OT)   

June 2 held BMHS graduation indoors.   BCHF held in the HS lobby at 3 pm four people inducted. 

June 10,2023 OTM's baseball game .. he was on third and was driven in for the game winning run! very exciting game.  

June 11, 2023 KRP dance recital 3:30 pm 

June 25 2023 - Owen tried out for Tewksbury's travel baseball team and made it!  Colin is off to play baseball on a 'jr league'  that is what i am calling it till i find out more.   Still have not heard from Ben. sigh.  JP is finding out how hard life can be ..  life lessons.  have not heard from TPjr   

Busy month.  I will expand on these things later on ....

aUGUST 2, 2023

TJ and my birthday passed.  we had a cook out on saturday.  friday night i went to garrisons with barbara.  fun night.  

tuesday terry and i finally painted the deck.

party is on for the 19th.  CB (oldest and youngest) JHW will not be coming.  no worries.  just the four siblings and family.  oh, just TJ  ;0)  

August 14, 2023 monday....

Saturday morning spent with Donna and Karen, for coffee and talking about the next picnic in the park.  I for got to call the recreation department to cancel next week.  dang.   anyway, came home and we wnt to KP college grad party.  ...   sunday TJ came over and replaced our fan in the front bedroom (upstairs)  it has a light on it and looks great.  we went to BJ's to get food for the party and came home, ate and rested.  as i was leaving to go out again, my car got stuck in reverse.  come to find out there is a recall on this and I have to wait until september 5th to get it fixed ....meanwhile tp's jeep is in the shop getting fixed and we won't have it until the same time.  anyway.  I am pretty bummed out.  but we do have RC's car. :)  

Rough couple of months filled with some great things.  ;) 

September 18th, 2023

My car got fixed, with some back and forth with the 'service desk person'.   she called me at 10 am on 9/5, it was to be done at 7 am according to the other one.   anyway, she tells me it will cost me 200 for them to continue, i was not happy.  I asked why?  it is a recall and by law you have to do it free of charge to the customer.  she informed me it is for an all over inspection, i said no, no inspection, just fix the recalls and let me know when you are done.  it was a back and forth and then tp forgot to put the battery screw in the car and i made him bring it up to them.   

the mechanics did great work, the two-desk people are awful.

ps This was at the Woburn dodge place.  

just bought a dishwasher.   ours is 15 years old!!  

2/5/24

Well, yes we had to buy a dishwasher.  terry cut out a piece of the counter so they would put it in.  we put the floor in after the counters so there is a dip, and we were afraid they would not deliver.  we bought it (dishwasher) in October?  2023   anyway, i need to find the paperwork...  (we bought it from dracut appliance.)

2/5/24

So last month, I tried so hard to fix the washing machine.  we bought it in 2019.  it never worked right. ever.   anyway, we got an extended warranty on it.   we bought this from home depot.   

RC's girl is prego.  CN did very well in swim.  still coaching OM's , well assisting SPM , basket ball ..

terry is still hurting with the whole siatica.   i am off the rails with my eating again.  

I need to focus.  mmmm  maybe.   tj is living with sarah and the kids.  CM is having a hard time with being a teen.  got his permit.   WP is playing BB   (baseball)..   

I want to plan a trip. but TP is so focused on bills.  it is nuts.    

9/9/24

Rylee and Rian had a boy.  Kayden James Dombrowski, they kept Rylee's last name rather than taking Callahan.  He is a big boy!  we will go see him after TP's surgery ... we have to get the whooping cough vaccine.   as we did ten years ago for Owen.  ;0)   

WORK ETHICS

 10/25/22

this has been quite a strange few weeks.  

what would you do? 

you work for over 25 years at a job you love.  there have been many changes over the years.  many.

our department added civilian dispatchers in 1999.   the communication center has changed greatly over the years.   we have had some pretty good dispatchers over the years.  and some who found out they were not fit to be 911 dispatchers.   they are all now specially certified.  doesn't mean much with out an ability to have empathy.   eh.

anyway,  we are on my third chief.   I took a promotion from records to accounts payable.  I have had a few bosses and years with out any.   

our union negotiated (i was at the forfront of this) training.   

so here we are at our second training for excel and some of the girls chose not to go .   why?  

quilting

10/6/2025  More: 

This quilt is for Bob A.  I had some uniform shirts from working for him at Ma's Dry cleaning. Some are mine and some are Sarah's.  We left when he sold the business to his seamstress.   

Anyway, the back has several techniques, HST, Squares, simple blocks, the blocks in the center (two rows) are the logo and pocket.   the bottom one is the front of the quilt, just a diamond with HST.

this is ALL made from the shirts, even the binding.   simple quilting done.  I have not given it to Bob yet.  I need to reach out to the girls.  ;)  

10/6/25

BW's kids with their quilts.  firs is BR with the Baltic HST ... this is one of my favorites :)   It is bright and cheerful, strong and unique. Made around 2013?  not sure

next is LR with the Blue Missouri quilt Star Quilt.  This was just a fun Quilt to make. Easy and lovely. Made around 2018? I think 

And finally, Little Archie R,   This is a lap version of the Exploding heart done in blue and green shades.  nothing but love for this little guy!  Finished 9/9/2025

Below is the back of Archie's quilt (exploding heart)  

I do love the backs of these.

9/5/2025

Oh, my goodness, it has been a while.  I need to get a photo of the one I gave to Lincoln Roberts.  

I have one ready for Archie Roberts, just need to bind it.  I also did one for Bob Accomando out of his uniform shirts and one i am working on for Owen and Charlies Granddaddy.

Anyway, I did do some fun pillow covers.  they were easy, i am going to use up a bunch of the t shirts I have ...  (I need pillows hahaha) 

 

6/21/2024

Just a note, I am missing the quilt I made for Rose, Jamie's daughter.  I also have one I made for myself.   I have not finished a couple of them yet.  

9/9/24 update:   I am working on Colin's back of the quilt.   I have added where I am with it below.  

I am working on G3's 3rd daughter's quilt.  i am stuck.  sneak peek below in colins quilt.   

The Bear quilt!  I need to find a photo of it.  :(   

10/27/23

Here is a quilt update.  I am doing just awful in this area. :(  

I did finish the front of Colins quilt.  I may take it to the long Armer.  anyway, this is a 2022 weather quilt.  each day 352 is accounted.  He wants me to put the temperature guide somewhere on this ... hmmm.  update later. 

9/9/24 update:    I am working on Colin's back of the quilt.   I have added where I am with it below. Colin wanted to show a temp chart on the back to show what temp each color is.  My thought was to make it look like pencils with the temperature on the white, maybe using a fabric pen or some other technique I have never done before. ha-ha.  below are mockups of what I am thinking.  

the purple x and o's are G3's daughter Lexi's quilt I have not finished.  

I need to do the back and figure out how to put her name on it.   

I had a baby shower and made this baby quilt. It was a fun one.  they asked for a book rather than a card and I was inspired by the book I got, can you guess? 

Doc Suess :)   ..   they loved it. ;)  

9/28/22

Today hurricane Ian is hitting south Florida.  our friends P&B live near Naples.  my brother in law has a place there also but is not down there yet.  praying for all safety.

anyway, I have been on again and off again stuck on this journey of quilting ..  

I started in 1980 after moving into Newburyport.  JP still has it.   

I also reupholstered my couch and chair.  made curtains for the house.    

I really liked the busy work of hand sewing the quilt  I took an old sheet and sewed patches of old clothing to it.  I was making a sunshine, multi colored.   after i was done, I took an old blanket and another sheet and sandwiched them together and sewed the pieces.    it lasted many years.   in 2020 I took the sandwiched pieces apart and sewed the torn pieces and reworked the quilt putting a new backing on it for Jen.   

When my son Ben was in kindergarten or first grade .. his teacher was pregnant.  I was able to substitute during that period of time and got to substitute for the art teacher. so i had each of the kids draw a picture for the teacher and I took the drawings and transferred them to blocks of fabric and made a baby quilt for her.  I wish i had pictures. :(   So,   

Here is the quilt I made for Maddie. While pregnant with Maddie, her mom would go to Balboa park and look at the lilies in the pond.   This was such a great picture. I decided to try to replicate it.  It has aplique lillies and the pads, the background is half square triangles and the boarder has a french type binding on it.  I used a template to quilt dragonflies on it.  

The inspiration 

this next quilt is one I did with Kaley when she was 8, I think she was around that age.  It is called the pinwheel.  so fun to do.     

So when we started this she wanted me to give it to her dad, but I surprised her with it at christmas.  

It was such a pleasure to make.

2008 or so. 

This one I made for TJ.  Made out of Jeans from the kids, myself and Terry.  

I completed these around 2005 or 2006  ....  #2 Quilt

This is the one I made for Ben 

#3 quilt...    Nothing like a jean quilt.  

Back side of Ben's

Wyatt's quilt:   this was so much fun to make, I made the design myself.  the whale is sewn in not appliqued.  the boarder is a piano style and I love it.  Let's see, I think this one was made in 2014. 

Colin's Quilt, made from left over squares from the Irish chain quilt.  quick and easy.  it is not done like the nine patch, I just took all my leftovers and sewed them.  Made in 2013.   

Irish Chain Quilt for Sarah.  My friend Barbara helped me with this one.  I had Sandy Matthews long arm it.  she is so good.  at the wedding someone spilt wine on it.  it has never seen the light of day since.  they are no longer together.  I have the quilt with me.  I will give it to the baby girl CM when she is older.  2013

Rian's quilt.  He picked out the pattern and the material. He still uses it to this day :)

This was done in 2010.  I will have to check on that.  

Made for Aunt Mary Lou and Uncle Carl.  they had no idea.  when I brought it by the family was there ready to celebrate Carl and Mary Lou's anniversary.   good timing.  

I made this to try out the pattern and loved it.  so, when I finished, I decided to give it to Mary Lou and Carl.  

The pattern was a Missouri quilt pattern. 

Made in 2016 

this one I was hired to make twins a memory quilt.  they wanted the outfits displayed on the quilt.  

It was tough to do since I did not have a plan of action.   It took me a bit to figure out what I wanted to do for this.   I think this was 2014.  it could have been later.  I am not sure, i will have to look at the camera date. 

I made this for Dean 

Baby Quilt I made for my Grand Nephew So, to add to this, the blue flannel is my dad's shirt. he passed May 2015. the right lower corner is my mom's handkerchief (a corner of it) She passed July 2015 and was close to all the grandkids. so this was a special happy quilt to make.

I helped one of Sarah's friends make this one for her neighbor. 

Made this one for Charlotte Rose,  I did add my Dad's and mom's fabric in this also

Made this one for Harlow's baby shower.  Soon after we learned she had a genetic defect.

Harlow passed away at 11 days.  She had a genetic condition which affected her brain stem.

I am not totally sure about all of it. but it was the saddest thing ever. 

Made this one for Hadley.  She is Grant 3's daughter.  

Mia Ann Whiteway quilt :)  so cute

10/7/25:  This one is going to Lexi Whiteway.  I have to mail it in 

This one was made for Jamie.  I love this one so much.  I am going to try to make more!  the different typs of red fabric.  so cool. 

This one I made for Kaley.  I gave it to her at her graduation party from High School

It took me a little over a year to make this.  It is Bonnie Hunters Mystery Quilt and is queen size.

2023 I completed this memory quilt for Jackie's grandmother.  This is in memory of Chuck Pritchard

This quilt starts with a picture in the middle of Chuck.  then you go around the quilt and each block represent a part of his life and history.  the peacock is for his work on the NBC logo, the Navey Seal, and the ship he was on.  the poppies for being a veteran.  The logo of O'Connors True Value store where he worked after retirement and enjoyed it so very much.  the feathers are for his heritage as an American Indian.  the Rose for the many he gave to his wife, the flower of sunshine, because he was, the crow is a symbol of love and always being there when needed.   this took a long time.  i had a plan mapped out, but the peacock I made first was just awful, I found this one and it is a paper pieced block that was very time consuming but came out so beautifully.  I wanted to carry the colors though out each of the blocks.  he was an artist and loved primary colors.  the feathers are also paper pieced with the black feather having flying crows symbolizing his flight to heaven.   the true value block is the actual shirt and the left-over pieces from the tee shirt that had chucks picture on it.  the ship was my first try at the 'cricket' machine and it is ironed on and sewn in, as well as the poppies.  the crow, one of my favorites.  I was at a standstill with the crow design and was telling a friend about the quilt and bouncing ideas off of her.  when i realized I needed to bring the colors in.  so I took the small pieces of fabric I had left over from the feathers and the peacock and used those to make the crow.   There was a bit more to that one with tracing and cutting.   

I restored this one I had made in 1980

This was my first quilt.  #1   

And this one for Mia, Grant 3's second daughter. 

2019

This one for Lincoln, Brittney's second son.  2018

colin took some of my cuts and made his own

This one was for Blake, made in 2018

This one was an impromptu for Wyatt.  hand sewn and tied.  

This one was done for my niece, she, (my niece TC,) collected her daughter's drawings from K-8th grade and had them put onto fabric.  I found some beautiful fabric and put it together.  

Made for Oscar Le Roy, inspired by Oscar's mom, Jackie's grandfather. 

I will have to post the picture of the boat Prichard painted on the computer.

Made for Terry

Made for Bo.  this is Harlow's big brother and my nephew's (TP) son

This is a picture of my very first attempt at quilting in 1981. I finished it in 1987. It has been used by all four of my kids and the dog as they grew up. my oldest ended up with it. i took the back off, (i used a sheet for the back and a very thin wool blanket for the middle) the top is hand sewn on a sheet. my daughter asked me not to add any fabric to the top and just sew down the pieces that are loose, but gave me the okay to change the back. memories. lol

RAISING PIGS

 FROM A RECORDING I TOOK SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

GRANT

GINNY ASKED IF THE BOYS FOUGHT 

GRANT 'OH NO'