Reflections on 2019

It's been just over a year since retirement, and 2019 has been filled with adjustments, new experiences and unexpected twists and turns.
One of the highlights as well as a challenge was the change in using my time well. I had assumed that when I retired I would have unlimited time to do the things I had always wanted to do: clean and organize the house, travel, write, spend time with family, do some crafts, etc. To my surprise, I found that I didn't necessarily have all the time to do what I wanted immediately, and it is even easier to procrastinate (and get caught up in the television) than when I was on a work schedule.
I learned a couple of things: Make a list of goals to be accomplished during the week, and work on them a little at a time. I've discovered that I don't need to beat myself up if I have a less-than-efficient day (or week, or month). The important thing is to make progress, however slowly it may be.
For example: I thought I could deep clean and organize my house within six months; ha! It's still in the works, but I can see progress. And that's important: enjoy the process and the results.
Another thing I have discovered: balance the time with a variety of activities and projects, both physical and mental. I'm still working on figuring how to do that one...
One of the things that have kept me busy is writing a few blog posts for Familysearch (https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/)  I was also given my grandfather's LDS mission journal from 1912 that cover his first six months as a missionary. I'm in the process of transcribing it; both writing projects have been fascinating! And I'm looking forward to doing more writing and working on family history.

Granddad's Mission Journal, 1912

A.J. Winters, California Mission 1912

David and I have found that we enjoy being with each other, but sometimes we need to do our own thing, so we put together my home office and slowly organized the garage to give us space for our own activities and interests.

Before (embarrassing, but accurate)

After dejunking!

We have also discovered that we enjoy running errands and taking breaks whenever the mood strikes. Sometimes we plan out a "date day" and sometimes we do things on the spur of the moment; it's so nice to be in charge of our schedules...

Date Day_Road to Manti, Utah

Crystal Hot Springs, Ut

One of the best things we did was to invest in a brand-new camper and put it to good use. We delight in being able to come and go as the mood strikes. And road trips have turned out to be a great thing for David emotionally and mentally. We took an inaugural trip to the San Rafael Swell in April, to Idaho and southern Montana in May, fishing trips to Strawberry Reservoir and Moon Lake in June, Idaho again in July, Current Creek in August, and the Grand Canyon and central Arizona in October. We look forward to taking many more such road trips!


New Camper_San Rafael Swell 2019

Some scenes from our travels:

San Rafael Swell Overlook, April 2019

Golden Spike celebration, May 2019

North Fork Salmon River 2019

Bannack, Montana May 2019

Moon Lake, Utah, June 2019

Moon Lake

North Rim, Grand Canyon, October 2019

Current Creek mountains, Utah, August 2019

Strawberry Reservoir, June 2019

Salmon River sunset, July 2019

Current Creek, August 2019

Payette River, Idaho, July 2019

Update on David: He's been holding steady, in spite of health and house issues that popped up this fall. He was admirably patient, calm, and supportive. I still worry about him watching so much television, but I appreciate his efforts and am learning to let him progress at his own pace and in his own way.


David_Moon Lake Utah

Update on the family: The family continues to grow and progress. We delight in and are so proud of each family member. After two years as a single mother, our youngest daughter, Katie, remarried. We are happy to welcome her new husband, Andy, into the family!
Soldier Brian is now Major Brian! We are so proud of him and his hard work!


Katie and Andy

What will 2020 bring? Who knows? But I'm sure there will be new experiences, and twists and turns. I have several projects around the house and with family history to work on, and I'm looking forward to a new year and decade!

Arizona Road Trip, 2019

Health and Wellness

We recently spent a delightful week in Idaho with son Brian and his three oldest children: Libby, 11; Eric, 9; and Henry, 8. We enjoyed watching them jump into new activities with gusto: huckleberry picking, fishing, kayaking, horseback riding, a carriage ride, swimming in a hot spring pool, rafting, and even a rodeo. They loved it all! And they learned that moving out of their comfort zones is a good thing. Said Henry: "It's so much better to actually be doing something rather than just watching it."

Fascinated with the horses!

Huckleberry picking!

Horseback riding!

Rafting on the Salmon River!

So it is with life. We are made to move, to work, to create, to grow, and to accomplish good things. And when we do, rest and relaxation feels so good! I feel better emotionally and physically and mentally when I'm busy, and so does David. I can tell where his mood is by how active he is.

This summer has been difficult to get much done, in part because of the heat (I had no idea it could be so energy-zapping! It's my first summer not working in an air-conditioned office), and also because he has needed to rest and recover. He watches a lot of tv, and it's so easy to get caught up in what's on the screen!

But it's a new season, and I have more energy!

There are some things we do that have been great, including regular exercise. We go to the neighborhood recreation center in the mornings; David works out in a weight room and I go to water aerobics. I've noticed the benefit of the vigorous exercise with increased energy levels, flexibility, and strength. I even lost a few pounds! But I have to work at it. Those  benefits don't come from just watching; they come from actually doing.

Update on David:
This has been the summer of health issues for David.

In February 2019, David had shoulder surgery. He had been hurting for several months, and when he went to the doctor, discovered he had a torn ligament, a rotor cuff tear, and arthritis in his right shoulder. He came through the surgery well, and has, for the most part, been following doctor's orders, but it still hurts on occasion! Hopefully, time will continue to heal his shoulder. Not long after his surgery, he took a misstep and pulled a hamstring in his leg! Fortunately, that one healed without much trouble, except for pain in walking.

Then, on June 27, he was sitting in his chair when he started feeling off. When he tried to get up, his legs were like wet noodles! He had a headache and his words were blurry. That didn't worry me much because that happens quite often. I thought it was a bipolar episode, but when he couldn't walk, we decided he needed to go to the emergency room.

It's a good thing we did! When they saw him stagger into the room, they took charge and stabilized him immediately. After some tests, they said he had had a mild stroke. Because it was still in the early stages, they gave him some serious anti-clotting medicine and transported him to another hospital where they have a neurology center.

Gratefully, the meds did their job, and David recovered without complications. After a day in the hospital with more tests that didn't show any problems, he was released. He has worked diligently at recovering: not overdoing it, lots of naps, taking his meds, and exercising sensibly.

We went to the neurologist to learn more about David's stroke. The doctor confirmed that David had a stroke that affected his motor skills. And surprisingly, that there was scar tissue that indicated a heart attack at some point within the last few years. We're not sure when that happened, we're just glad it wasn't a bad one. And I am so grateful that I was home when his stroke happened.

The doctor was happy with David's progress and told him that the reason he recovered so well is because a) he got the "magic shot" in time, and b) he is physically fit.

My question is when is he having a bipolar episode and when is his heart bothering him? So far, there aren't many answers, and I need to spend time learning more about heart disease.

Update on the Family
We now have two high school graduates this year!

Lara's son, Alex, graduated and is headed to Dixie College in St. George, Utah.

Jon's daughter, Jenna, graduated with honors, along with a new pilot's license! She is going to an aviation school with a plan in place to become a airline pilot.

We are proud of them!

We realized that of our 24 grandchildren, half of them are now teenagers or young adults. Where did the time go?!

Changes!

I retired in October, 2018! After 37 years of working for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints magazines in various assignments, I felt it was time for a new chapter in my life.
I loved my job, working first as a word processor preparing manuscripts for typesetting, upgrading as technology changed, and ending up as a combination of publications assistant and editor and writer for the youth magazine: The New Era. I had amazing, sweet, treasured experiences all along the way.
I also loved the people I associated with: incredibly talented, kind, creative editors, writers, designers, and artists. Because of their support and encouragement I was able to accomplish things I had only vaguely dreamed of when I started working full-time at age 26.
It was truly my dream job!
The months leading up to retirement were difficult! Closing out my assignments, preparing an in-depth list of how to do my assignments, worrying because they hadn't yet hired someone for my position, saying farewell to loved co-workers, and wondering how things would work financially as well as figuring out a completely new routine was emotionally draining.

However, both David and I felt that the time had come for me to be home. His mood over the last two years has been stable, with regular bouts of depression and anxiety. But as he ages, he needs to have me home to encourage him and keep him stable.
David is doing well at keeping to his routine of going to the gym in the mornings for two hours, then coming home, fixing brunch together, and taking Lucy the dog for a walk. Since it's cold outside and his shoulder has been bothering him a great deal, he spends the afternoon and evening watching television.
At three months into this new stage of life, he is benefitting from having me home, and I am enjoying the change of pace. I delight in working around the house (which desperately needs deep-cleaning and dejunking), and having time to enjoy family and friends, as well as doing small acts of service. I also spend some time reading, writing, and playing around with needlework projects. I am giving myself the gift of time to adjust, making sure I have time to myself to do the things I like to do. For example, this Christmas season was a revelation! I loved having the leisure of baking, decorating, visiting, etc. at my own pace instead of rushing to try to fit it all in as one more thing to do.
David and I decided to celebrate this new stage with a road trip that included Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and Nevada. We spent a glorious 15 days traveling and site-seeing at a slow pace. It was exactly what we needed! We had both worried about how David would fare away from home, with the change of pace and new experiences. He loved it! He had at most a few mild anxiety episodes and a few days when he slept while I drove, but he mostly adjusted well. When we came home, he said, "That was fun! When are we doing another road trip, and where should we go?" We have several ideas in mind for the coming year.
I so love this new phase!

Updating Where We Are Now

After a few years hiatus, I thought I would like to update where we are now. I've missed writing, but have been busy with different projects and other issues. It is so easy to get out of the habit of writing!
1. UPDATE on David
Generally speaking, David has been doing better for the last two years. He's had his usual ups and downs, but is doing a good job at keeping stable. He had a few rough months this last winter, and after consulting with his doctor, realized that his lack of sleep is a big part of the problem. The doctor changed up his meds a little, had him take the meds later in the evening, and gave us a referral to a book that deals with sleep issues: "No More Sleepless Nights." Addressing his sleep issues seems to be helping David with his attitude and energy levels.
Last summer David was asked to help in a small congregation in our stake (like a diocese) at an apartment complex for elderly and disabled people. After some hesitation and a great deal of anxiety, he decided that he would like to try it. He loves it! And the experience of working with others who deal with similar issues to his, along with the warmth and love and acceptance he feels there is an important part of his healing. He takes his assignments to help seriously and he is growing spiritually as he prays every day and reads the scriptures several times a week. Serving others makes a huge amount of difference in controlling his disorder.
David's mother passed away around the same time as his new church assignment. Her passing, which means he has no nuclear family members left since his father, brother, and sister all died some years ago, and the closing of her home and all the memories attached to it was painful. We appreciate our oldest son's handling of the estate, and David is adjusting to the new normal reasonably well.
2. UPDATE on the Family
After spending eleven years in Mexico, our daughter Lara and her children moved back to the States last summer. (If you notice, the summer of 2016 was exceptionally busy!)
We were amazed at how smoothly and quickly everything fell into place: airline tickets at a great price, a home for them to stay in, a car, and jobs for Lara and her oldest son.
We are so happy to have them here and to get to know the children, ages 10, 13, 16, and 18. The change has been challenging for them, but they are doing a great job adjusting to having their lives turned upside down.
We also had two deployments with our military guys. Our son-in-law spent time in the Middle East, and Brian is currently doing a short tour of duty in Europe.
3. Other Odds and Ends
Along the way we have been making some much-needed home improvements: we are enjoying the garage, had new concrete done last year, and are working on making our yard better looking. I've been especially excited with the addition of two new fruit trees.
There have been several trips around the area, and we recently bought a new to us Jeep CJ7, along with a new truck and camper. We are looking forward to many coming adventures!

Our new dwarf peach tree in bloom

Our new dwarf Asian pear tree in bloom

early in the cement project

Parathyroids

David was diagnosed with parathyroidism in May. He has been good at having his blood levels checked while he was on lithium (about 8 years). In February his pdoc was worried about the calcium in his blood and took him off lithium. His calcium levels still weren't good, so the dr. had a bunch of tests done, and after the diagnosis came back, he called the surgeon for an appointment. When he called, the receptionist said they were booked to the end of June, but then she looked at his chart and said they would work him in as soon as possible. That was sobering!

This is why blood levels need to be checked regularly when someone is on lithium! Here is a link to a site with more on the subject: http://www.parathyroid.com/ parathyroid-symptoms.htm

Some more links about the parathyroid:
http://www.healthline.com/health/parathyroid-gland-removal#TypesofSurgeries

http://parathyroid.com/causes.htm

He ended up having parathyroid surgery the first week of June, and came through it with flying colors. They were able to do the surgery as out-patient, and he came home the same day. The doctor was pleased with the surgery, and said that one of the four glands was not working at all, which put the other three under stress. Right after the surgery, his calcium levels changed from 100+ down to 30 (which is closer to normal).
We have noticed that his kidneys are functioning better, and his mood and energy levels are also better. Hopefully he will at least stay where he is and improve over time. It's amazing to see the difference that one surgery had on his health.
We also had a new garage built this spring/summer, and we've been doing the finishing work on the inside. While a bit stressful for David (and me, too), it was also good to see him work on it, and that has also helped him mentally and emotionally.

Early part of the construction experience

Almost finished exterior

The interior, complete with the shelves David built

And it's finished!

 

After all the stress involved with events surrounding my father's passing, David's health issues, an office move, and getting the garage built, I realized that I needed a "mental health" day. What to do??? I ended up driving to the mountains and enjoyed the serenity, the view, and the cool(er) mountain air. The peace and quiet helped me restore my spirits.
I ended up going to the canyon where the Mormon pioneers entered the valley. I thought of them and their courage and tried to picture what it must have looked like when they came through the valley for the first time.

View of the Salt Lake Valley from the top of the mountain 

Sign marking the original Mormon pioneer trail

On the trail

 And I loved the wild flowers and the river the pioneers camped by and cooled off in (if I had thought about it, I would have worn more casual clothes that day and waded in it, too).

A day in the mountains put everything back in perspective. And, like the pioneers, I feel like saying, "All is well! All is well!"