MARCH/APRIL WALKER NEWSLETTER

Hello!

After my sad tale last time of being rushed to the ER and strokes right after the New Year, I wanted to let you know that I am still breathing on this end. A friend and my sweet Auntie Mae (my mother's younger sister and last sibling left) though have passed away since. They are dearly missed.

Outside my bedroom window, there is a riot of color that spring can only do. The crocus, daffodils, and forsythias at my house had barely begun to fade when the cherry, pear, crabapple, and redbud trees & bushes began blooming their pinks, whites, and purple. As if not to be undone, the violets, wisteria, azaleas, lilacs, and dogwoods are adding more shades of color and perfuming the air. It makes one want to sing, kick up their heels, and dance for joy. Each day, I look out my bedroom windows hating to be kept inside.

The beginning of February, I had a zoom call with the orthopedist specialist and finally after nine months found out what was going on inside my hip. As soon as he saw my x-rays, the specialist immediately knew what was wrong- so much for all the specialists and surgeons at Vanderbilt. He pulled up my x-rays and MRI's showing where I have severe deterioration in my hip bone, at my spine that pinches the nerves causing the excruciating pain. The doctor said that for me surgery was the last thing he wanted to do as with my RA and hemophilia it makes things a lot more difficult to fix. He was impressed that I was doing as good as I was and advised me to continue to strengthen my hip muscles in order to stay up on my feet.

After more than a month, I had slowly gotten to where I could walk on my own and was able to begin watering my plants and washing dishes again. What bliss! The horrible pain was under control; I was exercising and feeling like myself. Over a week ago, Mon morning, I had for the first time walked out my short driveway to check the mail. I was only taking a pain med at night and was free of icepacks.

The next day, Tues, I had my first physical therapy session and things quickly went from bad to worse. I wanted to focus on getting my upper body strength back. I told the physical therapist what set my hip pain off, but she kept insisting on me doing different exercises with my legs and feet to evaluate what I could and could not do. Before she left, I had to take Tylenol and get icepacks. I knew then I was in trouble.

The next four days and nights (where I was only able to get four hours of restless sleep) was a haze of pain trying to exist in my recliner, popping pain pills, living with icepacks, and shuffling around on my walker from the bed to the recliner and bathroom. I totally crashed, so now once more, like so many times before these past months, I am slowly fighting to get back up on my feet. Needless to say, we canceled physical therapy- the girl was planning on coming back that Thurs.

My laid-back son, Dwight, hit the roof. From having multiple internal bleeds over the years, he knows how sensitive it is when nerves are involved and how slow the process is when they get inflamed. Just lifting my hands/arms up hurts my hip when it is bad, so all exercises were immediately stopped. Thankfully, my pain is back under control now as I work to be able to put weight back on my left side again. As soon as my hip feels sore, I have to slow back down and rest. Dwight is keeping an eagle eye on me and hovering to make sure I don’t overdo it as I battle through the depression of having to be waited on hand and foot, and seeing my plans of being able, by now, to be walking around outside go up in smoke. Instead, I have to focus on my blessings and what I can do.

When I was up and around, Dwight was able to get back to working on his pocketknives. He also got the brainstorm (Are we related or what?) of turning the smallest back room in our house into a place where he could create his knives. It would save his ankles, which he is having more trouble with, walking back and forth down to his shop and he could work on his knives year- round as his shop has no heat, so he’s not able to work down there on cold winter days. So, my previous sew/ironing room has been emptied out and Dwight made it where he can work on the machines sitting down (at the shop, he had to stand up) and built a low worktable. Now Dwight can sit in an office chair and move back and forth from his machines to his table.

The past months since Dawn and Randy returned back to the Philippines, in November, has been very dry. They have had to carry all their water in and do their laundry by hand at a neighboring well as their well went dry. They have finally had a couple good rains but not enough yet to fill up their well. This adds to their workload each day in the hot humid climate. Dawn also had another bout with pneumonia as well but thankfully is doing much better and has gained her strength back. Their church and children services at their house and up on the mountain is continuing to grow. The Lord is helping them make new friends as they take people to the hospital and through Dawn’s medical help each week. They are finishing up their third year of missionary work in the Philippines. We are hoping they can come back this summer.

I am truly grateful for all the prayer support over the past ten months since I injured my hip, and my life suddenly changed overnight. I have much to be thankful for this Easter season.  If we can get dressed, comb our hair, and walk, we are blessed. Walking out on the front porch and breathing in the warm spring air is an extra bonus. No matter what situation we may find ourselves in, we can still rejoice in the hope and resurrection of our Lord. As all of nature puts on a breathtaking display for Easter here in the TN Mountains, we too once again celebrate a risen and alive Savior. What a blessed hope.  He is not here.  He is Risen!!!

Have a blessed Easter season.

Until next time~

Dorcas 

2025 JANUARY & FEBRUARY WALKER NEWSLETTER

Hello!

Warning: This will be a lengthy newsletter as my New Year

 really arrived with an unexpected bang.

I've told you about all the pain I've had for eight months now with my left hip trying to keep my pain level down, walking with two canes, and living in the recliner.

Annette, Curtis, and little Ellie came over the New Year for our family Christmas. On the night of January 2nd, when I went to bed and rolled over on my right side a sharp pain hit me in my hip & spine.  I spent the night in the recliner with icepacks. By morning, my hip & spine were still hurting, and I had a headache, so figured my blood pressure was up. Dwight called a nurse, she came, checked my BP which was 110/90, and immediately called for an ambulance. Just being jolted over the rough gravel in our driveway getting to the ambulance, on the stretcher, raised my pain level even more. You know your BP is high when they take it twice in the same arm, switch to the other arm, and then take your BP manually. By then I was having a horrible headache.  I knew things were bad as the siren was going and we were racing around the curves fast. Then I heard the guy beside me holler to the one driving that I was stroking and to call for a helicopter. They couldn't get a helicopter so rushed me to the local ER.  The staff rolled me on my left side, even though I kept telling them my left hip & spine hurt to get x-rays, ruling out that I didn't have a broken hip, and the joint was still in place, leaving me in terrible agony.

I was transported to Vanderbilt that afternoon. When the ambulance arrived at the ER, we had to go through security. The guard ripped off the blanket covering me, leaving my chest exposed from where they put cardio strips, waving a wand over the entire stretcher. That was my first time having a strip search.  I don't know it they thought we were trying to smuggle guns into the hospital or what. When he yanked the basin out of my arms, even the EMT protested. As soon as I was wheeled inside, I was surrounded by staff digging in my stomach and poking me everywhere. A young girl, who said she was the neuro specialist, began examining me too. After shining a light in both eyes and asking questions, she took a mallet and began hitting my right side. I told her not to touch my left side. Didn't she go and hit my left ankle? I started crying asking her to stop but she kept hitting it saying, "It isn't your hip, so it doesn't hurt." Then didn't the crazy girl begin hitting my left knee with the mallet! My pain immediately spiked, and I started screaming in pain. I heard them say, "Let's leave her to rest a bit." and they all walked out of the side room, with the monitor screeching loudly without any call button to push for help.  My head was killing me, and I began throwing up again. Several people walked by, looked in, and kept going- even though I called for help. Finally, a colored maintenance guy appeared, looked at me, and ran for a nurse. A nurse came running, yelled for a doctor saying, “She’s stroking and giving the room number” as she began pushing, running my stretcher down the hallway. The left side of my face had dropped again, and my left side was weak. I finally got through that Annette was there. After the ambulance took me, Annette packed some stuff for me and stopped by the local ER to see me telling me that she’d meet me at the Vanderbilt ER, on their way back home to Madison. Annette stayed with me through the long rough night as I was NPO and kept throwing up- even with the meds they gave me for nausea- so was dehydrated as due to my high blood pressure they wouldn’t give me IV fluids. Early

Sat morning they wheeled me down the hall for a C-scan, but I was so nauseous that they couldn’t do the scan. A young girl popped in the ER room and said she needed to do an echocardiogram and wanted me to lie on my left side or back, which I couldn’t tolerate because of my pain. She left and someone else came and took me back to do the C-Scan again. This time I kept my eyes shut as they ran my stretcher down the hallway. I was flat on my back in the machine so was hurting when it finally got over. There was a group that looked like college kids doing the scan. I could hear them talking and laughing over the mike sounding like they were having a party as I waved and hollered trying to get their attention that the scan was finished. They finally all came rushing back to me and I was whizzed back to the ER room again. I was at last allowed to have something to drink. A nurse brought me some packs of plain crackers as I told them I could feel my sugar dropping.  The crackers were quite stale- who knows how old. My mouth was so dry; I choked trying to eat the cracker. So, I dipped the cracker into my ginger ale until it was soggy but when I’d bit it and tried to chew it, it was like chewing cardboard. Knowing I had to get something in me before I passed out, I dipped and chewed up several packs of those stale crackers.

A little latter, a friendly woman about my age came into the room and said she would do the echocardiogram. I told her that I couldn’t lie on my back or left side because of the pain in my hip & spine.  She said, “Don’t you worry, dear, I can do it however you are.”  She then proceeded to set everything up with the equipment, muttering to herself as she moved stuff around saying, “Now where did I put that?” When the regular gram was over and she had to do it again with dye, she apologized for the taste saying she didn’t know why they couldn’t have something better tasting like bubblegum or something. We were laughing and talking having a lovely time together. All too soon it was all done. She put all her equipment back and wheeled the cart around the side to the bottom of my stretcher when she remembered that she had left some trash on the counter. She turned back to get the trash leaving her cart. For some reason my floor in the ER room was slanted. Every time someone would unlock the wheels of my stretcher to take me somewhere and turn around to get something, the stretcher would roll across the room sideways, and I’d find myself lying partway underneath the computer the nurses used.  As soon as the staff person would turn back and see me, they would pull the stretcher out and apologize. So, lo and behold, didn’t the electrocardiogram cart begin rolling across the room heading right towards the doorway while she, with her back turned to it, was throwing the trash away. I started laughing. When the lady turned, she looked around and asked, “Where on earth did my cart go too?” Thankfully, the cart had stopped sideways at the door. I told her it was like the gingerbread man running away.

My breakfast tray had arrived earlier. I was so hungry but agreed to do the electrocardiogram first. So, at last I could eat.  I was starving! I sat up and eagerly picked up a fork to eat the scrambled eggs.  I had only taken three bites when I started throwing up again. I was so disappointed.

I had been told halfway in the night that an MRI was scheduled where I’d be put under. I thought, great, I could finally get an MRI done instead of waiting until April. When the new shift nurse came in to talk to me about the MRI, I found out that for the MRI would only be sedated but I’d still be wake. I panicked as I’m very claustrophobic- even the fifteen minute open scan that morning had me stressed out until it was over.  I knew I could never go through being put inside a machine awake. I started crying. By then Dwight had arrived. He had taken care of the animals, packed up, and started out for Nashville the night before and was partway when he remembered that he had forgotten to get his factor.  So, he turned back and called Annette, who told him to wait until the morning to come as she was staying with me so he could get a good night’s rest as Dwight was so stressed and worn out.  Annette had texted Dawn, and they all wanted me, since I was already at Vanderbilt to go ahead and do the MRI.  Dwight tried to calm me down too. The nurse came back and told me she had checked to see what sedation they were planning on using as her mother was the same way hating MRI’s having bad arthritis and being claustrophobic. She told me that the sedation scheduled was the best, I’d not even know what was happening, and as soon as I said to “stop” if I couldn’t take anymore, they would immediately stop.  If I refused, I’d end up being discharged. She told me that I really needed to have the MRI of my brain to check for bleeding before I left.  When I found out it would only take ten minutes, I agreed feeling dumb that I had put up such a fuss thinking it would be my hip and take a least an hour. The nurse called ahead to tell them to be sure and give the sedation to me as soon as I got back there. The sweet nurse also checked and worked it out where I could also get the hip MRI done as well that afternoon. The last thing I remember was being raced down the hallway and getting to the room only to wake up back in the ER room again with everything done.

I was transferred to another room- still part of the ER- after the second MRI. It was so good to get out of the main noisy ER section. The neurologist specialist and team came by and then the spinal surgeon to let me know that everything was clear and ruled out. For supper, I ate a dry roll and sipped on ginger ale as Dwight tried to a spoonful of mashed potatoes into me. He slept on a chair that night beside my bed.

Sunday morning, we were wakened really early by someone coming to draw blood. Dwight tried to get me to eat and drink something every little bit throughout the day as I was so weak. I’d get dizzy if I tried to sit up or lay down too quickly.  That night sitting up, talking and laughing with my pain under control, the monitor suddenly went off. The nurse raced in, checked me, and raced out to call a doctor.  My blood pressure had spiked at 127/100 for no reason. She injected me with something and said if it didn’t come down within fifteen minutes, she’d call the dr again. Thankfully, it came down but the dr ordered another brain MRI and then a spinal MRI was added too. I didn’t get back to the room until midnight quite stressed out as they had changed the sedation, and I wasn’t completely under.

We had dozed off for only a couple of hrs when the neurologist and then the surgeon came by to tell us that everything was clear again on the MRI’s. Another hour and a girl came to get blood. About six am, after being interrupted all night, the door opened, the bright lights were turned on, and four people appeared in my room telling me that they were taking me for x-rays! Thankfully, my face was back to normal, and I was able to go to the bathroom using a walker. Since all the tests came back OK- none of the specialists could figure out what was causing my intense pain- I was discharged. I had to have two pillows and sedated to make the trip back home.

Tues, the home health came to set me up. I had lost seven pounds from being so dehydrated. Early Wed morning, I woke up, needed to use the bathroom, didn’t realize my sugar had dropped, and using my walker fell in-between the toilet and tub. I had to crawl on my stomach to the bedroom where Dwight could hear me calling. It gave him quite the scare. The nurse came later that day to check my BP. Thurs morning, Dwight called the nurse again as my nose had started bleeding the night before, I was having severe bouts of diarrhea, and was so nauseous I could hardly keep anything down. Here I was having a bad reaction to the antibiotic I had been put on for a UTI. Nothing like going from bad to worse! 

All of Jan, I was propped up in bed with pillows too weak to go up and down the couple of steps to the recliner. The first week, Dwight had to help me just get from the bed to the bathroom with the walker. I have slowly gained my strength and weight back and am now able to go to the bathroom by myself.  The home health nurse comes once a week. My hip flares up easier than before- I’m sure from all the trauma of tests done and doctors poking around on me.

Dwight hauled the recliner up to my bedroom, so I can sit in it which is easiest on my hip & spine, which has helped. The most frustrating thing about going through all those tests is that I’m still trying to find an answer to what is causing the horrible hip pain. My rheumatologist at Vanderbilt read all the MRI’s and said that my pain has to be coming from the deteriorated part of my hip that joins the spine as it is markedly worse than before. He referred me to an orthopedist with whom I’ve made an appointment.

Whew! I shall close this lengthy epistle.

Dorcas 

2024 CHRISTMAS WALKER NEWSLETTER

 

Hello!

This is the time of year when one looks back on the past year as we face another New Year ahead. I don't know how this year went for you, but for me, halfway through, I had a complete U-turn. I began last New Year full of energy with lots of projects that I planned to complete. I re-organized and painted my sewing room closet, got my China hutch sanded & painted, planted all the garden plots that were beginning to produce veggies, cut out & was sewing on four mini quilts, and attacked my pantry. I removed all my canned goods & jams from two walls, filling up the floors of the back bedroom & dining room. I had painted the pantry ceiling & walls and finished the second coat of paint on all the shelves (tops and bottoms) from ceiling to floor the first week of July. I was buzzing right along when my left hip began hurting.

Years ago, when my Lyme disease came out of remission and I was down taking antibiotics for 8 months, it caused a lot of side effects. I've lived with chronic pain since then. My right hip's arthritis had gotten worse where every winter I'd have to hobble around with a cane for a couple of weeks. That was my bad hip. Now my left hip was causing intense pain.

Dwight and I figured, I had caused an internal bleed from painting the lower pantry shelves. Halfway down holding onto a shelf, in a squatting position, I'd fall backwards on the hard floor making sure I landed on my "good" left hip to paint the lower shelves. After a month of staying in the recliner with icepacks to numb my hip, using two canes, so I could get to the bathroom and bed and popping pain pills, my left hip kept flaring back up every time I'd try to walk around and do something.  Going to my local doctor- I landed in the ER due to my blood pressure shooting up into stroke range because of agonizing pain- a scan didn't show any internal bleeding. Dwight drove me to Cookeville, an hour away, for x-rays (that didn't show any breaks or fractures in my left hip) causing intense pain, despite taking stronger meds, putting me back in the recliner for a week trying to get my pain level under control. Two more trips were made to Cookeville to try and get an MRI done to find out what was going on deep inside my hip (that didn't get done because of a mix-up in the orders) also put me back at square one again, struggling with horrible pain.

Then our state had a medical security breach so, I had to go back through my rheumatologist at Vanderbilt (three hours away) and also the Hemophilia clinic- if any surgery is required. Since traveling and lying down gives me a lot of pain, and the MRI will take at least 2 hrs, I have to be put under. Vanderbilt only does anesthesia MRI’s one day a week.  The next available appointment is not until April 23^rd. After a frustrating, pain-filled six months, I still don’t know what is going on deep down inside my hip.  If the Lord doesn’t heal me, I am looking at several more months before anything can get done. It has been a huge learning curve going from being very active to having to live in the recliner day and often nights- as sitting and lying down is painful. I am thankful for all the faithful prayer support of my family, the little piano student girls, and many friends.

Meanwhile, dear Dwight has also had his life turned around suddenly having to help me, cooking, cleaning, washing, paying bills, shopping, and keeping the household running all by himself. This cuts Dwight out of making pocketknives, which he is so talented doing. Thankfully, these past six month, Dwight hasn’t had any major internal bleeds. I am so blessed to have my caring son living with me.

Dawn and her family had to fly back to the states in Oct suddenly as Randy & William’s visas were not renewed due to the heightened tension of the Chinese presence in the Philippines Islands. During their time back here, they got rested up and were able to get much needed business matters taken care of along with their visas. Living in a foreign country is often hard on one’s health between the different weather, food, and living conditions. Dawn calls any strange illness that they can’t pinpoint throughout the year as the “Philippine illness”. Before they came back, Katie was in the hospital for a week with pneumonia. Since they have returned, William had a second bout with dengue fever from misquotes, and Dawn was just released from the hospital after a five-day stay battling pneumonia. So, they need continual prayers.

From our house to yours, we wish you a

MERRY CHIRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Dorcas

2024 THANKSGIVING WALKER NEWSLETTER

 

Hello!

I thought I had sent out a letter for Aug/Sept but can't find it anywhere on my computer.  Things have been a bit blurry for me since I injured my left hip the beginning of July as long days, weeks, and months have passed confined mainly to the recliner with icepacks to numb my hip so I can walk slowly with two canes to the bathroom and bed popping pain meds day and night. Even though I made two trips down to Cookeville for x-rays and an MRI that didn't happen- each trip putting me in agonizing pain for a week after- five months later I still am waiting to find out what exactly is going on in my hip. I've had to go back through Vanderbilt, and at this point my appointment for an MRI is not until the middle of April. It has been a big exercise in patience having to sit still instead of not to be able to be up and around like normal.

I've only seen glimpses of the outdoors summer and now autumn through a window. Not able to be outside with the animals, in the garden, puttering around my flower beds, gathering seeds to save, or watching the birds at the feeders has left a big hole in my life. It's like losing one's identity.

On the plus side, I've learned to do all kinds of things in the recliner that I never would have thought of before. As Dwight has quickly found out, when I'm not in pain, I need to keep my hands busy or else I end up trying to do too much (feeling guilty that everything has fallen in Dwight's lap) and flare up my hip. So, I've chopped up all kinds of veggies (just give me a cutting board and I'm good to go), re-potted the indoor plants Dwight brought inside ahead of the first frost (such fun actually getting my fingers in the dirt again even if it was inside), make my homemade rolls, and fold the laundry. I'm now in the process of painting a picture of Case on canvas when he was little- as I've done for all the other grandkids. once they turn sixteen-. for Christmas and have been busy crocheting a hooded shawl for Ellie like I made for Dawn at about the same age. It has been a big learning curve but at least it keeps my brain cells busy.

I am slowly trying to build my strength back up under Dwight's strict supervision, to see how much I can actually do with my hip as this obviously isn't going to be a quick fix anytime soon. Nothing like having to go blindly by trial and error. Needless to say, Dwight gets very frustrated when I overdo it, end up in horrible pain having to restart all over again. My Dutch stubbornness keeps me from totally giving up, but Dwight is definitely a match for me, so we've had several rounds of disagreements before we see eye to eye of how much I should do.

Through it all, my two fat cats have stayed close by; snoozing on my lap in the daytime or snuggling their fat bodies close at night when I can lay down- sometimes for only a couple of hours in bed. Their warmth has gotten me through more than one bad day and night.

I very thankful for Dwight who has valiantly taken over the household chores, paying bills, and going grocery shopping in order to keep everything going that takes away so much of his time working on pocketknives. He definitely will get an extra star in his crown for putting up with me; fussing over me when I am hurting, making phone calls to dr offices, and driving me to appointments while keeping my spirits up when I hit rock bottom due to the frustration of endless delays trying to get an MRI.

Due to the tightening of immigration- because of the tense situation in the Philippines from Chinese warships trying to take over- Dawn, Randy, William, and Katie had to make an unexpected trip back home in order to renew Randy and Williams visas. While here for a month, they were able to get a lot of business accomplished that needed to get done. We also got to see them again as well, which was such a blessing. They now are back in the Philippines for a couple of months, hoping to be able to get their visas extended for longer. Please pray for the situation in the Philippines. Every week they can see from their island American, Austria, and Japanese warship doing war maneuvers. More American troops have been stationed on their island, and it has become more difficult to get any calls or texts through.

Meanwhile I am grateful for all the prayers.  I’ve received encouraging cards in the mail, different ones have brought food in, and each week there are phone calls checking on us. I have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving season.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day on your end!

Until next time~

Dorcas

 

JUNE/JULY WALKER NEWSLETTER

 

Hello!

Just to let you know that I am still breathing on my end and hope you are on yours.

We are definitely having the hot and humid heat waves of summer- what I call the Philippine weather. If a week goes by without some rain (thankfully, we are still getting some rain showers) I have to water the garden tomatoes & peppers, my roses, all the transplanted flowers, and the redbud trees Dwight helped to plant along the driveway in May. The roses have been so beautiful this summer. Now the Rose of Sharon's, tall phlox, the lilies ranging from soft yellow- mixed with burgundy to dark burgundy to orange all along the outside of my picket fence, daisies, lavender, and mints are all blooming and giving color everywhere.

The raspberries have been covered in berries and have kept me busy picking them as they ripen along with the cherries, green beans and peppers. I've also been harvesting ripened tomatoes. What bliss! There is nothing like the taste of a picked warm tomato and fresh garden stuff.

With it too hot to work outside, except first thing in the early morning hours, I focused on the inside. Dwight sanded my China hutch so I could paint it a medium blue (it was stained dark cherry) to help lighten up that corner of my dining room. You know how I dearly love color. Even though the paint was an expensive brand- I can't believe the price of things now-a-days, the paint was thin like water and hard to work with even with a sponge roller as it was so runny. I complained to Dwight, who took over, telling me that I was making a horrible mess and that the paint was the way it was supposed to be. Now I've been painting walls and stuff around the house for years.  All I've got to say, is that when one coat of paint won't completely cover something and has to take two coats, it's not very good pain from my point of view. So much for modern advancement. Now that the China hutch is painted, it looks lovely.

Towards the end of May, after finishing planting all my sunflower, marigold, and pumpkin seeds, I ended up with a right-hand bleed for the first time- most likely from overworking it. Of course, my left-hand thumb joint flared up too. So, there I was trading ice packs back and forth between both hands. Dwight had to end up braiding my hair again as well. That Sun, with ice packs, I was only able to play the piano with one finger on each hand. I felt like I had regressed to the level of my young piano students.  It was quite humbling as normally I play chords and do runs.

Once my hands got back to normal, I began another inside project, this time the pantry. I moved all my canned stuff- that now is covering the back bedroom floor and half of my dining room floor. I want to get the shelves painted before the canning season hits big time. I got the ceiling painted and the wall between the shelves. Last week, I first kiltzed, and then painting all the shelves along the wall.  They are one foot apart so there isn't much space between when you paint underneath. I had to crouch, paint up-side-down, kneel, and lay on my back and side. It was slow going.  I was so happy when I finally got the first complete coat on. Now I need to caulk and give it another coat.

Wouldn't you know it, if my left hip didn't decide to act up? I've had problems with arthritis in my right hip, but my left one has always been OK. I guess all the stress put on it painting those selves caused it to bleed internally. As if to sympathized, my left hand has swollen up too, so I'm unable to use a cane to help me walk. I'm back to living with ice packs day and night, extra pain meds, and spending most of the day in the recliner. Needless to say, my painting project has come to a halt.  It's quite frustrating but I have to behave myself until my hip gets better. I wasn't able to make to church Sun.

I had also begun a couple mini-quilt projects to put on the back of my living room chairs, couch, and recliner for the summer. It is an ideal way to try out new quilt patterns.

Annette and Curtis, with little Ellie, had a safe trip back home from the Philippines.  They were quite happy to get back to air conditioning. It was a special time with Annette getting to spend her first Mother’s Day with Dawn. They also brought Katie along back with them for her to go to a youth camp. Katie was here for about a month. Dawn flew over for a week to fly back with Katie. They all came up for a visit before Dawn and Katie had to leave. It was so nice to have them all here again.  Dawn and Katie had a safe flight back. Thank the Lord; they have been getting rain again in the Philippines, so their well is slowly filling back up where they don’t have to carry as much water each day.  They had a very dry six months.

Dwight got slowed down on his pocketknife making when he got an elbow bleed. It is finally about back to normal after a month. It takes time and patience for a bleed to stop and the joint to heal, and then not to overdo it and get it bleeding again.  Dwight has never advertised his pocketknives- it’s all by word of mouth and from his FB page. He has orders for over three years and with some waiting to get on his waiting list. At first it was stressing Dwight out trying to push himself into going faster as everything is handmade. He now does it as he can.  All his pocketknives are a work of art. I am quite proud of my artsy talented boy.

I need to hush up and get this out in the mail. Already the 4^th of July is over.  For all that is wrong with our country, I’m still very thankful to live in a free land.

Until next time~

Dorcas

APRIL/MAY WALKER NEWSLETTER

Hello!

The hummingbirds are back, and everything is green once again here in the TN Mountains. The irises, mock orange bushes, lilacs, wisteria, and roses are blooming as the spring flowers fade away. I planted green beans in the garden and put in tomato and pepper plants while the lettuce is ready to be picked. The peas haven't done this year as well- I think due to all the rain we've gotten. I cleared out in front of the picket fence and transplanted starts of bushes that had wandered through the fence and transplanted other flowers needing thinned out.

Remember me telling you about the huge birches that got cut down along the driveway?  Well, my front yard looked like a tornado had passed by. Despite trees lying everywhere flowers still came up and bloomed between and around them. One day sitting on the porch pondering the situation, knowing that it would be a long time until I saw my lawn again (as each time Dwight cut up some branches with, he ended up down with an elbow bleed) the Lord showed me how even in the storms of life we can find blessings around us. Then lo and behold a miracle happened. One evening after giving one of my girls a piano lesson, her mother asked if her husband, who works cutting trees and has a big chain saw, could come and help cut up some wood. The next night, she, her husband, and some other family member came and began sawing logs and stacking wood. I made a huge pot of spaghetti and two apple pies that we ate after it got dark. Between Fri evening and then half a day Sat, when they came back with more of their family, all the trees were cut up and stacked neatly in my woodshed!!! Sat afternoon, I sat on my front porch in a daze looking at my lawn now totally cleared of branches and trees.

Of course, life isn't always smooth sailing. The next week, despite me checking and trying to keep an eye on the bees, didn't a bunch of them swarm on me again that I was wanting to start another hive with.  Thankfully, there still were lots of bees left. To my surprise, when I checked the hive the next week, I found a couple more queen cells, so transferred them plus some capped frames filled with bees into the other hive. I shall get a second hive going yet.

I made it through the colonoscopy, which turned out to be a nightmare as my sugar went wacky, I threw up, and ended up quite dehydrated by the time Dwight took me to Cookeville to get it done. I ended having to have a whole bag of IV fluid- which had the nurses quite concerned- before getting the procedure done. My hematologist had ordered meds to help with any bleeding. Thankfully, they didn’t have to do any cutting. When discharged and told I could wait for five years before having another colonoscopy, I informed them that it was my one and only. Hopefully, my iron is behaving and coming down where it should be. This past week, the rheumatologist called and wants me to come back in three months and have some more x-rays done on my spine and hip to determine exactly what is going on. He suggested taking shots for my joints that flare up, but I only plan on doing that as a last-ditch measure. As long as I can keep the pain down, move, I shall get by.

I was feeling quite good with myself, until watering my tomatoes one evening on the hill my feet slipped out from under me and I fell. I landed on my left hand, which I already have problems with flaring up, causing it to bleed internally. So, I was back to living with icepacks again. I ended up playing the piano with only one finger with my left hand while keeping an icepack handy for a couple of Sundays- quite the experience I assure you. Dwight was down for over a month with his elbow, so we kept trading icepacks back and forth. Such a crazy time!

Annette, Curtis, and five-month-old Ellie are over in the Philippines right now with Dawn and the family, so Randy could finally meet his granddaughter as they won’t be coming back for another year. I told Annette that she takes too much after this grandmother whizzing around the world with a baby. Thankfully, she has a lot of past strong women in her genes. It is quite the experience for them as it is quite hot and dry in the Philippines right now. I will feel relieved when they are back on American soil. They are planning on bringing Katie back with them.

Towards the end of March, I agreed to give thirteen-year-old girl piano lessons which makes four girl’s total. I’m making that my limit as it keeps my brain cells busy. I do enjoy seeing these girls learn to play songs and see the pride on their mother/grandmother’s faces. Meanwhile, I have been keeping in touch with Katie and how she is doing with the piano lessons I sent her over in the Philippines. I plan to see Katie while she is here and have her play the piano for me to see how she is progressing. We never know what life brings, but one thing for sure is that I don’t have to worry about getting bored.

Take care on your end until next time~

Dorcas

 

 

 

MARCH WALKER NEWSLETTER

Hello!

Easter is coming early this year.  Personally, I wish they would just put Easter on one Sun in April (like Thanksgiving and Christmas) when it's warmer and more flowers are blooming, but since I wasn't consulted about the matter, we will have to celebrate it when the powers-that-be decide. No matter when it is designated on the calendar, Easter is my favorite holiday.

He is Risen; He is Risen Indeed!!!

Meanwhile, the month of March is acting like spring with temperatures warm and sunny one day and then cold and rainy the next. The earth is coming alive once more. First tiny crocus and snowdrops appear out of the barren earth then the hardy daffodils bloom flaunting bright colors of pale to bright yellow- even in freezing temperatures and snow- lining my picket fence, driveway, and the paths in my woods. I love my two-toned daffodils and even have some miniature daffodils that are totally adorable. My cherry, button, primrose bushes, and pear trees are in full bloom all pink and white while the peach tree buds are ready to open any day. Tiny new green leaves are appearing on my rosebushes along with the tulips and iris growing taller each day. Migrating birds are showing up at my feeders to my delight. I finally saw my first robin and Eastern Bluebirds at the bluebird boxes to hopefully stay and build nests. When I checked my goldfish pond, I was excited to see froggy eggs floating in the water. Even the bees in the hive are buzzing around. I've been hanging wash out on the clothesline and opening my windows on warmer days to feel the spring air. What bliss!

I finally got my sewing room closet painted and organized.

My granddaughter, Annette, her husband, and baby Ellie came up for a couple of days. What fun getting to cuddle the little Miss that is growing like a weed.  While here, the guys cut down the huge remaining birch trees along the driveway that I had planted years ago as 2-ft twigs. Now they were over 60 ft tall and dropping large dead branches.  The electric company cut the one side of the driveway that was at the electric wire. It was quite the job landing the trees just right. Due to the rain, Curtis wasn't able to cut up as many of the trees as planned until they had to leave, but he was able to clear the one side so Dwight can get his truck through. Meanwhile, the front of my property looks like a tornado came through with large trees lying everywhere. Annette and Curtis want to come back to do more, but it will probably be later as big news: they are planning on flying over to the Philippines towards the last of April for two weeks to be with Dawn and Randy.  Randy has yet to see his granddaughter and William his niece, so it will be a special time for them getting to meet and spend time with tiny Ellie.

The Philippines are in a very dry spell right now that began in January.  Their well went dry so they are toting water and having to do the wash by hand. Everything is brown and quite dusty. The other morning when I was having my devotions, I thought about what Dawn said how they can see rain clouds coming towards them every week over the ocean, but the clouds always go around them.  It reminded me years ago when Dana came home all excited because of answered prayer. The construction crew was working on a roof that was all torn off on a hot sunny day when a sudden rainstorm appeared heading right towards them. Dana stood up and prayed, “Lord you know how in the Bible Joshua prayed and the sun stood still. I don’t need the sun to stand still, but please let the rain go around us so we can finish the roof.”  The guys laughed, shaking their heads at the “crazy preacher”. Lo and behold if the rain didn’t part and go on either side while they finished the roof in the dry. So, I told the Lord that if He could do it then, He still could do it now, and asked that He’d send some rain around the world to my daughter.  When I talked to Dawn again, it had rained all day that Sunday!

Since the last newsletter, I have been to the rheumatologist at Vanderbilt, another doctor to schedule my colonoscopy in April, and this past week I was at the imaging center to get a complete abdominal ultrasound and mammogram to rule out any cancer and pinpoint what is causing my iron level to be so high. Thankfully, my RA level is still down, and the mammogram was normal. I told Dwight by the time I get done poked and prodded and tested from head to foot, I should be good for at least another forty years or more. Such a crazy time!

Every chance I get, I have been outside transplanting small bushes and planting bulbs- you know me, putting the last of the leaves on the garden plots before planting, and clearing out some other  garden areas. I am so thankful to be feeling like myself and am trying to behave.

Our pastor retired so, now instead of playing the organ, I have to play the piano.  It’s been years since I’ve had to play the piano for church. It certainly has been keeping my brain cells busy. I did have a senior moment the other Sunday when I was playing the offertory, and my mind went totally blank as I was playing by ear. I hit a chord, it was the wrong one, still blank, so thought I’d just hit the main chord and run up for a “quick” ending. Thankfully, when I hit the main chord, it was the right one and I was able to finish the song. Such is life on the piano bench!

Have a Blessed Easter Season~

Dorcas