Fabgrandpa | FabGrandma

Pre-Op For Cataract Surgery

March 3, 2010 By Fab Grandma 9 Comments

Flags In Front Of The VA Medical Center In Birmingham

See those flags up there? they are blowing so hard in the wind they look like they are upside down! And it was cold!

We spent the whole day today at the VA Hospital in Birmingham getting pre-op stuff done for FabGrandpa’s cataract surgery. We have been working towards getting this surgery done since November 1 of last year. The appointment with the specialist was two Saturdays ago. They told us to call a week after the exam to find out when the surgery would be scheduled. When I called, they said they didn’t have any time to schedule until the end of April. I was not happy with that, because we have to leave here by April 12 to go back to work in Arizona.

The lady was nice enough but still told me she couldn’t do any better than April 30. I told her to put him on a waiting list in case someone cancelled. Luckily, she called me back in less than 10 minutes and said they had a slot to do the surgery on March 12. That means his post op 30 day check up will be on April 9, and we can get back to work on time!

Today, we had another consultation with the opthalomogist at the eye clinic, who took measurements for a new acrylic lens implant they are going to put in during the surgery. The doctor also answered all our questions about important things like how they handle pain management, how long the surgery will take, and how long FabGrandpa will have to abstain from playing “Left For Dead” after surgery.

Then, we went back over to the main VA Medical Center, where they drew blood and did an EKG. We also visited the anesthesiologist and the people in the Eligibility. The last stop was at the pharmacy to pick up three prescriptions eye drops. All this took about four hours, but it was well worth the time spent as we have no other health insurance. So, next Friday, March 12th, is the big day.

Filed Under: Alabama, Fabgrandpa, Life on the road Tagged With: Fabgrandpa, Life on the road

Let Me Tell You About My Week

January 30, 2010 By Fab Grandma 9 Comments

Monday turned out to be the only slow day we had. On Tuesday, we had to drive over to Marion, about twenty five miles away, to take those little sample cards the doctor always wants you to take home, and, um, fingerpaint. You know the ones. For the stool samples. They didn’t give me a mailer envelope to send them back and when I called and asked what to do with them, they told me I had to bring them over there. It was a nice enough drive:

OK, so it wasn’t. It rained on us there and back. But the scenery was like this all the way. This is the Correta Scott King Memorial Highway. Marion is the county seat of Perry County, where she was born.

On Wednesday, the UPS guy showed up with a big box of goodies from Mixes From The Heartland. Since I write reviews for my own FabGrandma Reviews and for MomGadget, I often get things in the mail to try and review. But this was a big box! I couldn’t believe that she sent me all this stuff! I’ll be writing reviews of some of these next week.

Back in November I had entered a gluten free recipe contest. That contest was sponsored by Glutino, and the grand prize was a years supply of their gluten free pretzels. I happen to LOVE those pretzels. I eat them for a snack in the afternoons when I am working. I also use them crushed up as a topping for casseroles. I entered my famous squash casserole recipe, and I won that grand prize. When they say you win a years supply, that means they give you 52 bags of them. They are shipping them to me 12 bags at a time, one every twelve weeks for a year. So, on Thursday night, my new boyfriend, the UPS guy, showed up again, with the first box of pretzels:

FabGrandpa was not as happy as I was. He was asking me where the heck I was going to put all those pretzels. I told him not to worry about it, because I would find a place. I could put them under the bed you know. I also plan to send a couple bags to my daughter, Becca and a couple to my friend’s granddaughter who was just diagnosed with celiac a couple of months ago. I am quite sure I can eat them all up by the time the next case arrives.

On Friday morning, we had to drive up to Tuscaloosa for FabGrandpa’s eye exam. He has a cataract and needs surgery for it. After they looked him over, they told him he has to go to a specialist in Birmingham, so we are waiting for them to call us with the appointment date. Look at those peepers!

Friday night my boyfriend showed up again. This time, he had three huge boxes for me. I had been talking to a company about doing some reviews of their products, and I thought they would send me a couple of things, you know, like maybe a box of cookies or a can of soup or something. Well, they sent me a whole CASE of every item they make that is gluten free. And now FabGrandpa is about to poop a brick, because there is nowhere to keep all that stuff in our little travel trailer.

See those three humongous boxes? they were all full. It is a very good thing that there is a maintenance shop behind our camp host spot here. Ha, ha, ha, I was laughing, and feeling very blessed that I received all that stuff, and he? Well, let’s just say he wasn’t. I think he’s jealous of the boyfriend, he he he. So, I will be doing some reviews of those products too, next week at both FabGrandma Reviews and at MomGadget, and I’ll be having some give aways to kick off my new website. I guess I finished that just in time!

Filed Under: Fabgrandpa, Reviews Tagged With: Gluten Free, Life on the road, Reviews, snacks

Survivor!

January 9, 2010 By Fab Grandma 8 Comments

On January 10, 2001, my sweet husband, FabGrandpa, was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. It was the worst day of our lives. We were stunned! We cried, we spent hours just looking at each other, holding on to each other, crying, trying to talk about the unspeakable. That is a day neither one of will ever forget. It was just the beginning. Today, I am so proud to say, “My husband is a 9 year survivor of cancer!” Let us all rejoice!

Oral cancer is something I had never heard of until that day. But look at this:

“More than 34,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year. It will cause over 8,000 deaths, killing roughly 1 person per hour, 24 hours per day. Of those 34,000 newly diagnosed individuals, only half will be alive in 5 years. This is a number which has not significantly improved in decades. The death rate for oral cancer is higher than that of cancers which we hear about routinely such as cervical cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, laryngeal cancer, cancer of the testes, endocrine system cancers such as thyroid, or skin cancer (malignant melanoma). If you expand the definition of oral cancers to include cancer of the larynx, for which the risk factors are the same, the numbers of diagnosed cases grow to 41,000 individuals, and 12,500 deaths per year in the US alone. Worldwide the problem is much greater, with over 400,000 new cases being found each year.

The death rate associated with this cancer is particularly high not because it is hard to discover or diagnose, but due to the cancer being routinely discovered late in its development. Often it is only discovered when the cancer has metastasized to another location, most likely the lymph nodes of the neck. Prognosis at this stage of discovery is significantly worse than when it is caught in a localized intra oral area. Besides the metastasis, at these later stages, the primary tumor has had time to invade deep into local structures. Oral cancer is particularly dangerous because in its early stages it may not be noticed by the patient, as it can frequently prosper without producing pain or symptoms they might readily recognize, and because it has a high risk of producing second, primary tumors. This means that patients who survive a first encounter with the disease, have up to a 20 times higher risk of developing a second cancer. This heightened risk factor can last for 5 to 10 years after the first occurrence. There are several types of oral cancers, but around 90% are squamous cell carcinomas.” (from the website of the Oral Cancer Foundation)

FabGrandpa’s cancer was found early, because it was on his tongue and visible. He had gone to the dentist for a checkup. His dentist told him he needed to go to an oral surgeon without delay. The next day, he was in the oral surgeon’s office having a biopsy done. A week later we got the devasting news. He was lucky that they found it so early, one factor that I am sure has contributed to his 9 year survival.

The exam for oral cancer is simple and painless. It can be done by a dentist, oral surgeon, ear-nose-throat doctor, or a general practitioner. All you have to do is ask your doctor to do it next time you go.

“Besides a visual examination of all the tissues in your mouth, your doctor will feel the floor of your mouth and portions of the back of your throat with his fingers, in the search for abnormalities. A thorough oral screening also includes indirect examination of the nasopharynx and larynx, and involves manually feeling the neck for swollen lymph nodes, and other abnormalities such as hardened masses. Your doctor will also check the mouth for white patches, red patches, ulcerations, lumps, loose teeth, and review your dental x-rays for abnormalities. Be sure to tell the doctor if you have been a tobacco user in any form. Tobacco use is implicated in more than 75% of all oral cancers. After the physical examination of your mouth, if your doctor finds any areas that are suspicious, he may recommend a biopsy. This is simply taking a small portion of the suspicious tissue for examination under a microscope.

You should always contact your doctor or dentist immediately if you notice the following symptoms in yourself or a loved one:

A sore or lesion in the mouth that does not heal within two weeks.
A lump or thickening in the cheek.
A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, tonsil, or lining of the mouth.
A sore throat or a feeling that something is caught in the throat.
Difficulty chewing or swallowing.
Difficulty moving the jaw or tongue.
Numbness of the tongue or other area of the mouth.
Swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly or become uncomfortable.”

Want to help us celebrate FabGrandpa’s 9 years of survival? Make a $9 donation to the Oral Cancer Foundation today! But even if you don’t make a donation, make yourself a reminder to get an oral cancer screening the next time you see your doctor or dentist. It could save your life.

Filed Under: Fabgrandpa

A Trip To My Hometown

December 20, 2009 By Fab Grandma 5 Comments

We haven’t been “home” in about 18 months, so we were overdue to visit there. Last weekend, we loaded up the truck with computers, suitcase, and sandwiches, and hit the road for the 200 mile trip.

Our first stop was at the mall, because Fabgrandpa needed a new winter jacket. He melted his old one in a commercial dryer when we were volunteering at Unicoi State Park back in 2007. He didn’t need one last winter because we were in a pretty warm place, but, as we have discovered, Alabama is COLD! Oh, and let’s just say that planning a quick trip to the mall two weeks before Christmas is BIG mistake.

After we got out of the mall, we drove over to Becky’s hair salon to get prettied up. She is the best “hair-doer” I have ever known. We always get our hair done by her when we come to town. (Of course, she IS my daughter, and NO I am not biased in my opinion. he he he). FabGrandpa went first.

Then it was my turn. Becky cut off about two inches, trimmed my bangs, and then styled my hair. I always feel like a pampered princess when I go there.

Here we are, all dolled up, and FabGrandpa in his new mall jacket.

This is something I DON’T miss on a daily basis: lots of traffic. It was raining, too. And don’t think that all this is from Christmas shopping–no, it is like this all the time in Douglasville.

Remember last year when I lost that diamond? When Becky came to visit us at the Grand Canyon, she took my rings home with her, and had them repaired, complete with a new diamond. The jeweler cleaned and shined them up, so that they look better than ever! She gave them to me when we were at the shop, and I cried like a baby. She is too good to me!

From the beauty shop, we drove over to visit my mother. That’s her Christmas tree there, and if you look, on the shelves behind the tree is a huge collection of Santas. We had a nice visit, then left to meet Becky and her true love for dinner.

That’s the happy bride to be with her guy, Rafe. He is a very nice guy. We’ll be proud to call him our son-in-law. The wedding won’t be until February, 2011. That’s still quite a ways off, but hey, I still haven’t bought my mother of the bride dress. I’m still looking.

We finally made to the motel, a Holiday Inn Express. The room was very nice for the money. It even had a big screen TV. But FabGrandpa spent most of his time in the room playing Left 4 Dead. He said there wasn’t much on TV to watch, anyway.

The next morning, I got up and went back to my Mom’s for breakfast. My sister came over, too, still in her pajamas. We spent a couple of hours talking girl talk while FabGrandpa slept in at the motel.

After having breakfast with them, I went to Cracker Barrell to meet my daughter, Emily and niece, Nikki for another breakfast. I had not ever met Nikki before, well, except for when she was a tiny baby. My sister “found” her on Myspace a couple of years ago. I have not been in town when she was since then, so we arranged to meet last weekend. It was nice to meet her. She is a gorgeous girl, and smart too, just like my daughters. She spent 6 years in the Air Force and is now in school to be a medical technician. I didn’t get a picture, though, I was so busy talking I just forgot!

After the second breakfast (yeah, no wonder I am so fat! But, honestly, I only ate a little bit at both of them), Emily and I went fabric shopping. I spent a LOT of money, but I had specific projects in mind, and still didn’t get everything I needed. Yes, yet another fabric trip is in the planning.

Emily and I decided we did not want to do any other shopping after the fabric store, so we went to her house and just hung out. My grandson, Spencer, thanked me again for his quilt. He is so cute, don’t you think?

I made this bag for Emily and gave it to her while I was at her house. She loved it!

It is big enough for her teacher self to tote books and papers and pencils and stuff. I made a matching zippered pouch to go with, which of course I have no picture of.

There’s Spencer again, trying to figure out how to take my picture.

And Emily’s Christmas tree, in her living room with her new floors. I love it! She has redone the entire house since I was there the last time. I

We left Emily’s house and met up with FabGrandpa and Becky at Longhorn Steakhouse, one of our favorite places to eat. I had a salad, no croutons, no dressing, a ribeye medium rare, and a baked sweet potato. No gluten anywhere, and it was delish! There’s FabGrandpa with Emily.

And me with Becky

And me with my dinner date, Spencer. Spencer’s Dad was there too, but he does not want me to show his face, so I won’t. We had such a busy weekend, but it was fun, and we’ll do it again, soon.

Filed Under: Fabgrandpa, Family, Grandsons, Life on the road

A Simple Pleasure!

December 14, 2009 By Fab Grandma 4 Comments

We left the trailer behind this weekend to go visit the family in our hometown. It was a 200 mile drive, mostly through the countryside in Alabama. Back in the days when I still ate a gluten filled diet, when we traveled I would make a picnic lunch so we could eat in the truck. Egg sandwiches, with potato chips, and maybe some fruit. But since we stopped eating gluten, we haven’t had that simple pleasure. But guess what? since I have all that Udi’s bread in the freezer, I surprised FabGrandpa with egg sandwiches:

Now that might not look like such a treat to anyone else, but to us, it was wonderful! It just seems like such an intimate thing, for me to make a sandwich for my sweetheart on a trip out of town.

Filed Under: Fabgrandpa, Gluten Free

FabGrandpa Installs A Shelf

November 29, 2009 By Fab Grandma 8 Comments

My “place” in our trailer is at the dinette. And the seat has become my office desk. It is where I have had a stack of “stuff” for about six years. You know, the stuff that would normally be on your desk if you had a house: bills and other important papers that need attending to; notebooks; maps; pens and markers; books and magazines I’m reading at the moment. I get so annoyed by having that stack of stuff there that I went out and bought myself an organizer shelf.

This morning, FabGrandpa (who is feeling much better, thank you to all those who have asked) installed it on the wall. It was a perfect fit for the space I had. There are three shelves and a small drawer.

I couldn’t put it as high up on the wall as I would have liked because the window trim wouldn’t allow for the drawer to be opened, otherwise, I am really happy with this small modification to my space!

Just look how much better it looks! There is room for my camera and the USB cable for it in the drawer. I bought a little photo album for 97 cents to keep my ever growing collection of business cards in, too!