Reflective thoughts and poems

A Little Miracle -

A few days ago,
I experienced an ear infection.
I have had these before.
What made this different
was that the pain wrapped around
to the back of my head.
These sharp, stabbing pains appeared
unexpectedly and randomly.
I do not know if the pains
were related to the ear or not.
I did my usual home remedy
(cotton ball dipped in warm olive oil
and placed in ear), drank tea, and rested.
I also took Tylenol for pain.
Last night,
I awoke in the middle of the night
from the neck pain,
I was not feeling good at all.
Tossing and turning
Trying to find a spot that did not
pain my head.
I was tempted to go to urgent care or ER.
But I did not. Instead, I prayed and prayed
for the pain to go away.
I decided to give it to God to see it through.
This morning when I awoke,
the pain had essentially disappeared.
I no longer have ear pain or neck/head pain.
I think a little miracle had just occurred.

P.A. April 19, 2024
 

palides2021 said:
Here is my latest creation. It is a poem converted into a music video on Youtube.


Golden Idol

The glowing sunset greets my eyes
Orange, burning fire does not die
This life enchants me, day and night
Where projects cascade left and right

Within my dreams, they fuel my sleep
Though they dance circles that run deep
And gather hopes like small rewards
To pin upon life’s open doors.

Though now I face the sunset years
Do I throw away all my cares,
And walk along the sun-kissed sand
Watching waves splash upon the land?

These waves sound the call of nature
They beckon, they tease with laughter
Pounding my resistance, no less,
Embracing me like a caress.

I turn back once more to the past
Hoping that my dreams will outlast
The glowing sunset that greets me.

As the waves bury my ego at sea,
I turn my back on the past and go with the flow
Eager to greet the new Me.

P.A. Jan 6, 2024

PS The poem was written several years ago. I recently adjusted the ending, adding a couple more lines.
Click to expand...
Oh yes, I do like this, what a clever girl you are. 😊
 

My latest creation, a garden made of watercolor and acrylic paints. The photo image is never as crisp as the original image.
Nevertheless, it is finished.

Can You Imagine?

Can you imagine
strolling down this path,
smelling the scent of roses?

Can you imagine
sitting for awhile
hearing the cheerful birds chirping

Can you imagine
feeling this natural beauty
lift your spirits and your soul?

P.A. April 21, 2024



GardenMixedMediaApostolides2024.JPG
 
palides2021 said:
My latest creation, a garden made of watercolor and acrylic paints. The photo image is never as crisp as the original image.
Nevertheless, it is finished.

Can You Imagine?

Can you imagine
strolling down this path,
smelling the scent of roses?

Can you imagine
sitting for awhile
hearing the cheerful birds chirping

Can you imagine
feeling this natural beauty
lift your spirits and your soul?

P.A. April 21, 2024



View attachment 341877
Click to expand...

The painting makes me think of the shire and hobbits because of the circular entry way. A pleasant association.
 
I recently got a TDS meter to test my water. Note, I have a house filter that filters the incoming water from the water company, so the tap water has already passed through one filter. The lower the TDS reading, the better, I think. Although they say water underneath 300 is good. I think that is too high!

The results are in for the TDS measurements:
Tap water = 111
Apec RO water = 17
Dasani water = 20
Spring water = 294

Now I understand why I don't do well whenever I drink spring water. My stomach always feels unsettled. Who knows what solids (organic and inorganic) are in that water!

I have ordered a new RO system by Waterdrop. What I did not anticipate was that I would have to add an outlet underneath my sink in order to use it. So I've had to call the electrician to come add an outlet. Then will have the water people install the new system. What I like about the new system is that it is tankless and compact. Its cartridges are easy to install and it has little lights that tell you when to change the cartridges. The Apec system I've had for many years and it was a pain to replace the cartridges.
 
I had to cancel my trip to see family because of my cold/flu. Bummer. I am currently on antibiotics, so while I sit here alone, I decided to share with you the other two hymns for Holy Friday (I already shared the first hymn earlier). Each hymn is called a "stasis" and consists of several stanzas each. There are a total of 3 stasis sung Holy Friday. I am including them all, in the order they are sung. The transcript of the words can be found on the Youtube page:

Stasis 1

Stasis 2

Stasis 3
 
The latest update -
The sunroom got started end of May. It has reached the stage where all the outside work has been done (vinyl siding, gutters, etc.). Now, the focus is on the inside. Windows are in place. I have placed a photo of it in the three season sunroom thread.
I am pleased with the results. Today, I ordered the ceiling fan. It comes with an LED light that never needs to be replaced.

Meanwhile, our A/C went caput in this heat. So for the first time in a long time, I slept with just the ceiling fan on. Mind you, this is during a summer evening. It wasn't that bad, actually. I slept quite well. It reminded me of my youth. Growing up, we didn't have A/C. Today, they came and fixed the A/C and I am feeling happy right now. Yes, I have gotten used to A/C!

In the next couple of days, I will be going for cataract surgery. Feeling a little nervous, but so many people have told me that it's a cinch. So I am expecting the same and that's what gives me peace. I have to do the next eye two weeks later.

Still teaching classes and this week is finals week. I am working hard to grade as many papers as I can before the cataract surgery. I am looking forward to July/August time off. I start classes again at the end of August, though.

Have a great day everyone!
 
palides2021 said:
The latest update -
The sunroom got started end of May. It has reached the stage where all the outside work has been done (vinyl siding, gutters, etc.). Now, the focus is on the inside. Windows are in place. I have placed a photo of it in the three season sunroom thread.
I am pleased with the results. Today, I ordered the ceiling fan. It comes with an LED light that never needs to be replaced.

Meanwhile, our A/C went caput in this heat. So for the first time in a long time, I slept with just the ceiling fan on. Mind you, this is during a summer evening. It wasn't that bad, actually. I slept quite well. It reminded me of my youth. Growing up, we didn't have A/C. Today, they came and fixed the A/C and I am feeling happy right now. Yes, I have gotten used to A/C!

In the next couple of days, I will be going for cataract surgery. Feeling a little nervous, but so many people have told me that it's a cinch. So I am expecting the same and that's what gives me peace. I have to do the next eye two weeks later.

Still teaching classes and this week is finals week. I am working hard to grade as many papers as I can before the cataract surgery. I am looking forward to July/August time off. I start classes again at the end of August, though.

Have a great day everyone!I
Click to expand...

Is retirement in sight on the horizon yet? Are these painting classes you’re teaching or writing. If writing I think there are devices to read out what is written . I have a librarian friend who needs such things but complains that doing everything that way is much slower and places demands on attention of a different nature.

I envy you getting set for cataract surgery. Can’t wait to have mine done. It is so irritating that I must use liquid tears through out the day. I’m sure the surgery is routine enough but you’ll need time to bounce back. Please don’t push yourself too hard.
 
palides2021 said:
The latest update -
The sunroom got started end of May. It has reached the stage where all the outside work has been done (vinyl siding, gutters, etc.). Now, the focus is on the inside. Windows are in place. I have placed a photo of it in the three season sunroom thread.
I am pleased with the results. Today, I ordered the ceiling fan. It comes with an LED light that never needs to be replaced.

Meanwhile, our A/C went caput in this heat. So for the first time in a long time, I slept with just the ceiling fan on. Mind you, this is during a summer evening. It wasn't that bad, actually. I slept quite well. It reminded me of my youth. Growing up, we didn't have A/C. Today, they came and fixed the A/C and I am feeling happy right now. Yes, I have gotten used to A/C!

In the next couple of days, I will be going for cataract surgery. Feeling a little nervous, but so many people have told me that it's a cinch. So I am expecting the same and that's what gives me peace. I have to do the next eye two weeks later.

Still teaching classes and this week is finals week. I am working hard to grade as many papers as I can before the cataract surgery. I am looking forward to July/August time off. I start classes again at the end of August, though.

Have a great day everyone!
Click to expand...
How awful about losing your A/C, even for one night. I don't know how I grew up without it! Good to hear you're getting your eyes done.

I'm eager to see your sunroom, but cannot find the thread. Please show me?

Don't work too hard! 🌹
 
MarkD said:
Is retirement in sight on the horizon yet? Are these painting classes you’re teaching or writing. If writing I think there are devices to read out what is written . I have a librarian friend who needs such things but complains that doing everything that way is much slower and places demands on attention of a different nature.

I envy you getting set for cataract surgery. Can’t wait to have mine done. It is so irritating that I must use liquid tears through out the day. I’m sure the surgery is routine enough but you’ll need time to bounce back. Please don’t push yourself too hard.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your response, @MarkD ! When I became a stay-at-home mother, even though I was homeschooling and doing housework, I felt as if I were retired. Now that my son is gone, keeping busy helps me cope. I take painting classes at the senior center to get me out of the house, but I teach online English classes online from home. So I basically work at home, but I have to grade their papers (mark their errors) and right now I have 30 students. In the fall, I'm slated to have 60.

For the cataract surgery, I've been mulling it over for three years. I feel it is time. I read somewhere that if I wait too long, it is harder to remove later or there are more complications (if I remember right!).
 
RadishRose said:
How awful about losing your A/C, even for one night. I don't know how I grew up without it! Good to hear you're getting your eyes done.

I'm eager to see your sunroom, but cannot find the thread. Please show me?

Don't work too hard! 🌹
Click to expand...
Thank you for your kind words, @RadishRose! It means a lot to me coming on here and reading all your comments! I saw your comment on the sunroom thread, too, so I will not post the thread here. Have a wonderful evening!
 
palides2021 said:
Thanks for your response, @MarkD ! When I became a stay-at-home mother, even though I was homeschooling and doing housework, I felt as if I were retired. Now that my son is gone, keeping busy helps me cope. I take painting classes at the senior center to get me out of the house, but I teach online English classes online from home. So I basically work at home, but I have to grade their papers (mark their errors) and right now I have 30 students. In the fall, I'm slated to have 60.

For the cataract surgery, I've been mulling it over for three years. I feel it is time. I read somewhere that if I wait too long, it is harder to remove later or there are more complications (if I remember right!).
Click to expand...

I look forward to hearing your good news after the surgery. Best of luck!
 
That Guy just said, I'm going to shove my arm up your arss.
He thinks he got the power to push pass all my beer gas.
Sure, he thinks that I don't do well with the numbers.
I got odds on putting my pain down his vocal undoers.
 
I did the cataract surgery for my right eye three days ago! They used laser, which is accurate and helps astigmatism. Lots of preparation beforehand, like a presurgery checkup with my doctor, filling out papers, paying ahead, and starting antibiotic solution 4x a day the day before. I will be continuing that for several weeks.

The day of the surgery, my neighbor took me, God bless her soul. I had to take dilating drops an hour before surgery, and then twenty minutes later followed by another one twenty minutes later. It saves times in dilating the eyes. They also gave me several drops of steroid, beta iodine, and other drops (I don't remember).

I lay on the stretcher as they put EKG leads on me, tested my blood pressure and oxygen, and also gave me a little white paper blouse to wear over my tee-shirt. They also gave me something to cover my head (like the kind you wear in the shower) and oxygen through the tubing. This was the real thing. I decided to go with IV sedation after my neighbor told me that it knocks me out quicker than oral sedation and I wake up quicker. So I opted for that. It was a good choice.

The surgery was quick. When I woke up, they were giving me a cup of water. It was just minutes ago, it felt. The first 24 hours, I just rested and didn't do much.

I followed up with the doctor the day after surgery and he said it looked good. Some edema, but that's expected. When I look into the mirror, I see a ring of red around the pupil. It looks bloodshot. They said it's caused by the suction of the laser, lol, and will go away.

The good thing is I can see much clearer in that eye already. I picked up on it the first night when I could see my way around the dark room where before it was hazy. Now I am noticing specks and dust that I did not notice before! Been doing some dusting, haha.

Meanwhile, I have to be careful not to bend too low and that is difficult. I keep catching myself when putting on shoes, or dressing. I am feeling blessed.
 
palides2021 said:
I did the cataract surgery for my right eye three days ago! They used laser, which is accurate and helps astigmatism. Lots of preparation beforehand, like a presurgery checkup with my doctor, filling out papers, paying ahead, and starting antibiotic solution 4x a day the day before. I will be continuing that for several weeks.

The day of the surgery, my neighbor took me, God bless her soul. I had to take dilating drops an hour before surgery, and then twenty minutes later followed by another one twenty minutes later. It saves times in dilating the eyes. They also gave me several drops of steroid, beta iodine, and other drops (I don't remember).

I lay on the stretcher as they put EKG leads on me, tested my blood pressure and oxygen, and also gave me a little white paper blouse to wear over my tee-shirt. They also gave me something to cover my head (like the kind you wear in the shower) and oxygen through the tubing. This was the real thing. I decided to go with IV sedation after my neighbor told me that it knocks me out quicker than oral sedation and I wake up quicker. So I opted for that. It was a good choice.

The surgery was quick. When I woke up, they were giving me a cup of water. It was just minutes ago, it felt. The first 24 hours, I just rested and didn't do much.

I followed up with the doctor the day after surgery and he said it looked good. Some edema, but that's expected. When I look into the mirror, I see a ring of red around the pupil. It looks bloodshot. They said it's caused by the suction of the laser, lol, and will go away.

The good thing is I can see much clearer in that eye already. I picked up on it the first night when I could see my way around the dark room where before it was hazy. Now I am noticing specks and dust that I did not notice before! Been doing some dusting, haha.

Meanwhile, I have to be careful not to bend too low and that is difficult. I keep catching myself when putting on shoes, or dressing. I am feeling blessed.
Click to expand...
I'm so happy this was successful for you, Patti. I also appreciate the details you gave in case I will need this procedure someday.

Heal quickly and keep your head up. 🌹
 
Last edited:
palides2021 said:
I did the cataract surgery for my right eye three days ago! They used laser, which is accurate and helps astigmatism. Lots of preparation beforehand, like a presurgery checkup with my doctor, filling out papers, paying ahead, and starting antibiotic solution 4x a day the day before. I will be continuing that for several weeks.

The day of the surgery, my neighbor took me, God bless her soul. I had to take dilating drops an hour before surgery, and then twenty minutes later followed by another one twenty minutes later. It saves times in dilating the eyes. They also gave me several drops of steroid, beta iodine, and other drops (I don't remember).

I lay on the stretcher as they put EKG leads on me, tested my blood pressure and oxygen, and also gave me a little white paper blouse to wear over my tee-shirt. They also gave me something to cover my head (like the kind you wear in the shower) and oxygen through the tubing. This was the real thing. I decided to go with IV sedation after my neighbor told me that it knocks me out quicker than oral sedation and I wake up quicker. So I opted for that. It was a good choice.

The surgery was quick. When I woke up, they were giving me a cup of water. It was just minutes ago, it felt. The first 24 hours, I just rested and didn't do much.

I followed up with the doctor the day after surgery and he said it looked good. Some edema, but that's expected. When I look into the mirror, I see a ring of red around the pupil. It looks bloodshot. They said it's caused by the suction of the laser, lol, and will go away.

The good thing is I can see much clearer in that eye already. I picked up on it the first night when I could see my way around the dark room where before it was hazy. Now I am noticing specks and dust that I did not notice before! Been doing some dusting, haha.

Meanwhile, I have to be careful not to bend too low and that is difficult. I keep catching myself when putting on shoes, or dressing. I am feeling blessed.
Click to expand...

That is such good news. Very happy for you. Can't wait to do the same!
 
I am glad to hear that it was a success. Thank you for such a good description of the procedure. It always sounded like such a mystery to me.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top