I guess I am one to sit on the fence about this. As far as celebrating... I never do anything. I might feel differently if my health had not gone downhill so badly, I lost my husband and everything we shared (love and things we had to share and do) and now I feel like I just exist and pay one bill after another after another with no family. My bladder infection is here to stay, got diagnosed with superficial bladder cancer in February 2018 so I have to get checked for that every 5 or 6 months, he having been forced to have this suprapubic catheter from the nurse who hurt me and so many other things happening to me that trying to stay alive is a real chore. My husband and I used to go places, he loved photography so was always taking pictures which I loved and all the other things we did together which was endless including traveling around Arizona. My live-in caregiver does not want to do that and I just can't find anyone to enjoy doing something together let alone trusting a person with driving me and my husband bought us a brand-new van only a couple months before his unexpected passing. He got all the bells and whistles (even an MP3 player because we used to love listening to audio books when traveling), GPS that was hooked up to our computer and to the van for traveling, and being like me that he bought out of pocket . That was 2011. I hired someone to drive across country to live with my sister and brother-in-law in PA only to find me an inconvenience 3 years later and needed to find somewhere to live and since I could not find anywhere to live nearby them I chose to move back where everything is accessible so I had to pay for this van to be driven back Cross-country. And having to transport in a ground ambulance since I can't fly. No one helped pay for all of that which was $13,000.
I have just been a paycheck for anything and everything. Thankfully I found a live-in caregiver because my family actually planned on putting me in a nursing home that was near them and cited twice! But the cost of her around the clock and room and board along with all my needs that my insurance does not cover has been draining. Still have my seizures that began after my husband's passing. I thought by moving back here I could go to all the parks and all the accessible places everywhere but I didn't expect everything to be medical, medical, medical starting just 2 weeks after I got here and requiring surgery. Been in the hospital several times whereby before moving here the last time I was in the hospital was 1995. It will be 40 years this October if I make it. I hope to but that is because of my newly adopted dog who I have invested in by rescuing, loving, paying for, etc. etc. etc. She is a doll but a handful I did not expect. The latest thing is she refuses to have her nails done in each and every time no matter what we try with professionals and trying to get her used to it... she has had to be sedated and that has cost $$$. She is a AKC certified and super intelligent but she is only 2 1/2 and full of energy. Right now, in the southern United States it is hotter than Hades. I wish I could be more active with her indoors because she loves to fetch her toys or anything thrown but my live-in caregiver has her plate full being the only one to take care of the three of us. Thank goodness she is a dog person but she can only do so much. Anyway, my German Shepherd is the reason I get up every day. This is her 3rd home and I'm not giving up on her! I have hired a trainer at the end of last year and still have a couple more sessions left with him. I didn't expect my rent to go up astronomically so they will do that every year to everyone and I can't afford it to go any higher. I have been looking for a rental home for over two years with nothing showing up. And moving is hell when you don't have hardly anyone to help you. On Sat, Jul 13, 2019 at 2:57 PM Nichole Rohling <zoocr...@windstream.net> wrote: > So sorry I didn’t respond sooner! I have 21 years in June. Congratulations > on 53 years and Happy Anniversary. What a feat to live 53 years post injury > and I pray you are posting again next year for 54! > > > > Nicki > > > > *From:* glenn henry [mailto:gah17...@gmail.com] > *Sent:* Wednesday, July 10, 2019 3:30 PM > *To:* quad-list@eskimo.com > *Subject:* [QUAD-L] anniversary > > > > > > I wasn't going to post, but I guess I will. At this time 53 years ago I > was in surgery. I think I made it, at least on your now. The last year has > been very rough, but we keep plugging on. > > > > Why be able to post 54, we will see. > > > > Glenn Henry/ Pennsylvania > -- “Petting, scratching, and cuddling a dog could be as soothing to the mind and heart as deep meditation and almost as good for the soul as prayer.” ― Dean Koontz
