The Calm After the Storm

Things are getting back to normal here in The Woodlands but there are 10,000 families south of Houston who are in need of living quarters. Clearing and disposing of the debris is a monumental task. Some still don't have power and it has been almost two weeks.

We went to church last Saturday, only the second time in five weeks ... and we never miss. However, the Sunday in Orlando I needed to stay with Ted after his ER visit, the next week we were caught in the Beaumont evacuation. We went to Mass one week and then Ike came and there was no church. When we went last Saturday I felt like the little girl in the book "Are You There God, It's Me Margaret." Except it was me, Donna.

We went to Chili's with Terry, Carol, Jody and Dave Saturday night. Terry & Carol were leaving early in the morning on a 3-week trip so we didn't stay out late. I tried to shop Sunday but the shopping center had no power. You could shop in Target in the dark and pay cash if you wanted.

The beginning of the week was spent trying to determine why Terry & Carol's old house had no water. After conversations with Conroe Water, Conroe Repair, Windsor Lake Sprinklers and a plumber, it was determined they needed a new part in an outside meter. That will come next week and Ted will meet them over there to get that fixed. I also had to get a lot of tests set up for Ted.

Ted had his spine x-ray on Tuesday, his nerve test on Wednesday and we saw Dr. Shedden this morning. He said there is nothing wrong with Ted's spine. The "5th nerve"

The smaller part of the fourth joins with the fifth to form the lumbosacral trunk, which assists in the formation of the sacral plexus

was irritated and that caused the pain and weakness. Since Ted is doing well and down to only taking Tylenol he felt that six weeks of physical therapy three times a week will be enough treatment for now. We were greatly relieved. He did say this could occur again but we pray that it won't. At least there's no surgery in his future and probably no golfing either.

The nerve doctor wanted an x-ray of Ted's shin where he had walked into a picnic table bench the day before his trouble started. It is still numb and they wanted to be sure it didn't have a hair line fracture. No one can say if this incident started the chain of events. So we had to see Dr. Chang for an x-ray prescription. While we were there he did Ted's blood work for his PSA. There was no fracture, just a contusion and his PSA was .8! Hooray, one more thing out of the way.

Our friends Rick and Brenda arrived back from their summer sojourn and we met up with them at Timber Ridge Campground, owned by the same couple that own Rayford. It's a few miles from where we store our RV. We helped them get set up, went to lunch and stayed until early evening before heading home. It's great to have them back in town.

Next week we see Dr. Ertan downtown as a follow-up to the endoscopy done at the end of July. I assume he will discuss the need for surveillance with endoscopies on a regular basis for Ted. We're hoping for once a year. Of course we'll do whatever he says needs to be done.

Happy Autumn to all! Smile it will make people wonder what you're up to.