Status

     For some reason the entire update in the last posting disappeared when I hit the "Post" button. I'd bet that there was another extraneous keystroke in there, but I won't admit it. I will reconstruct.
     I've been waiting for all the lab orders, interpretations, diagnoses and pontifications to be finished before putting together this post, but it has been too long since the last post. I had an incident whereby my resting, automatic breathing rate and depth were not adequate to provide the necessary oxygen. I was forced to consciously breathe deeper. The "urgent Care" doctor, who was excellent, took X-Rays and found fluid in my chest cavity. He prescribed Prednisone, an antibiotic, an inhaler and a diuretic that caused me to lose ten pounds in a week. And, he sent me to a pulmonologist. They, in turn, created six lab orders: a pulmonary function test (PFT), a dye assisted CAT scan, an ultrasound search for blood clots in the legs, blood tests, a stress test and an echocardiogram. The last two are not yet scheduled, and I have not yet actually seen the pulmonologist. So far they have not found a smoking gun. That's no surprise, because I have never smoked.😊 
     So, I'm back to normal or as normal as the neuropathy will let me be. Last night I got down on the floor and lit the pilot light in our gas fireplace. I got back up using a kitchen chair. So I still have the minimum required mobility. My maximum walking range is probably a slow, waddling hundred yards. Driving is not a problem because I can do that sitting down. Entering and exiting the Corvette is less than graceful, however. Fortunately, Durelle is a lot healthier than I am.
     We have been looking at retirement home facilities with graduated levels of care. We did some significant downsizing when we moved here in 2004, but we still have an abundance of "stuff" that is an impediment to our making the transition. Durelle recognizes the inevitability, but adding some housekeeping assistance here for a while may allow us to delay the big change. Change is hard, and it is harder for the "nestbuilder" than it is for me. 
     I really hated to turn this into a medical blog after ten years of pictures and travels. I knew, however, that there were many caring folks who wanted to know how we were.

     Thanks for caring,

     Frank

Pam Anderson visits Charleston

     Now that I've got your attention, it wasn't that Pam Anderson. Durelle's father and Pam's father were brothers, so, it's "cousin Pam". Pam and Jay Anderson live in California and recently made a tour of the right coast to visit family and friends. You'll note from the previous blog that we took them to Husk. The next day they played tourist in our new home town. Jay is a fine photographer so I wanted to highlight his Charleston pictures here.
     One of the first places they visited was the famous "Angel Oak". This a four hundred + year old example of a "Live Oak" that is a Charleston landmark usually seen dripping with Spanish Moss. 

     From there they wandered downtown to Riley Park for a couple of great shots of the pineapple fountain.

     
Jay also had a well-timed shot of a departing cruise ship in front of the USS Yorktown.

The downtown icons did well in Jay's camera, too:

     He even captured a bit of wildlife. 

     It was certainly a wonderful visit, and we'd love to have them again,