(Links to Part 1 and Part 2 of this three-part series.)
During my blogging break, Hubby and I were blessed to spend quality time with our two granddaughters who were visiting from Wisconsin. They were the distraction we needed to release some of our tension and anxiety as we awaited Hubby’s surgery scheduling date.
Hubby’s Medical Condition
More than seven years ago, Hubby was diagnosed with, Trigeminal Neuralgia, a very serious chronic pain condition. Despite different health care interventions and prescribed medications, his pain levels elevated to the point where they were no longer tolerable.
Hubby felt his only remaining option was the Microvascular Decompression Procedure, “an invasive brain surgery offered to patients who are in reasonably good health and are not to advanced in age.”
Hospitalization and Surgery
Hubby had the surgery on Monday, May 18.
Pre-Operative
My stress level lessened during the surgery once I made the choice to wait outside on one of the hospital terraces, rather than the dark and poorly lit surgery waiting area. I even took a few photos:
Nature’s beauty brought peace and harmony into my space; and, thankfully my cousin, who was visiting from Mississippi, was at my side to support me.
Cousin, Sharon
The afternoon Florida heat forced us to look for another tranquil space, preferably one with air conditioning. We found just that in the Walt Disney Room leading to the children’s wing of the hospital.
For years, I have used distraction as a self-management tool to control my chronic pain condition. And, it was a blessing to have this skill-set in my tool chest as I went through Hubby’s first-time hospitalization and surgery.
The surgery was successful and four days later, Hubby was discharged from the hospital
Last Meal Before Discharge
Expressing Gratitude and Thankfulness
Hubby’s recovery is going well and he is scheduled for his first physical therapy session next week; and,
I am Thankful to all those who sent uplifting messages and prayers during this trying time in my life.
I amgrateful, beyond words, for the healing hands of the neurosurgeon who performed Hubby’s surgery.
I am thankful and grateful to God for answering my prayers to relieve Hubby of his excruciating and debilitating pain.
My interest to search out female African-American authors has been a long-time, though neglected wish, to know more about their contributions to and role in the literary world. Writers Quote Wednesday 2015 has helped me to fulfill this wish and for this I am grateful.
Nella Larsen.
Larsen, a fiction novelist, is the first African-American female author to win a Guggenheim Fellowship.
In her short-lived career, she published:
Two BooksPassingQuicksand; and
Four StoriesFreedomQuicksand
The Wrong Man
Sanctuary
Charles Larson, edited Larsen’s literary works; and, published the book, “The Complete Fiction of Nella Larsen”;which, I am currently reading.
Her life story is a sad one — emotional abandonment by parents, controversial divorce, and accusations of plagiarism. The plagiarism allegations, in 1930, related to her last story, “Sanctuary”. Following this, she gave up writing and returned to her career as a nurse.
According to Black History Now,
“Her value to American literature is continually growing. Today, many critics consider her to be the greatest novelist of the Harlem Renaissance, and her work continues to be read nationally and internationally.”
Born on April 13, 1891, in Chicago, Illinois, Larsen died alone on March 30, 1964 in her New York Apartment.
A Blogging Break in April and May freed up time for me to spend quality time with visiting family members.
Last week, in Part 1 of this three-part series, I shared a few of the fun and memorable experiences with our two granddaughters who visited us for seven days over their spring break.
Several weeks after leaving our eldest granddaughter, Lady C returned. She re-arranged her schedule after learning that Hubby was on the wait list for surgery when an available slot became available on the neurosurgeon’s schedule.
Rather than sitting around and waiting for the hospital to call with an admission date, Hubby encouraged us to use this time to do some fun things together. He reminded me that, as the post-surgery caregiver, I would be housebound for weeks following his discharge from the hospital.
So in Part 2 of this series, I share some of the special moments spent with my eldest granddaughter, Lady C.
Pottery Painting
One of the things Lady C wanted to do was pick up the pottery pieces we painted during her last visit. We had left them at the pottery gallery to go through the last firing process.
Both of us felt the pottery pieces looked beautiful after the firing.
Cupcake’s Painted and Pottery Fired CatLady C’s Painted and Pottery Fired VaseSeasonedSistahs2s Painted and Pottery Fired Vase
Pecan Resin Xmas Figurine Painting
Inspired by how well the pottery pieces turned out, we wanted to do more painting.
I telephoned my son and asked him to dig out a couple of the unpainted Xmas holiday pecan resin figurines stored in the basement of our home in Wisconsin. I had purchased them in North Carolina at a flea market more than twenty years ago. He sent seven figurines and these are the two that Lady C and I decided to paint.
SeasonedSistah2 – Pecan Resin Santa Claus Painting ProjectLady C – Pecan Resin Xmas Tree Painting Project
We had fun painting on the lanai — the soft breezes, birds singing, rustling of trees and sharing memories of past times together. Especially, the two-year period that I lived in North Carolina and provided child care for her while my eldest daughter completed her medical residency and fellowship training.
Lady C, even as a 3-years-old, loved to watch me paint. She would tell me what colors to use and whether it was pretty or not. When she felt I had painted long enough, she would say, “No more ‘bellishments” rather than embellishments.
Lady C and Her Painting Project
This was Lady C’s first-ever attempt and my first attempt, after a 20+ year absent, at painting pecan resin figurines. It will take us some time to finish our projects, but the goal is to have them on display when our family gathers in Florida for Christmas. Of course, I will share photos on this blog during the holidays.
Mustard and Turnip Greens
It has been a long tradition in our family to have mustard and turnip greens on the dinner table for special occasions; and, definitely every Christmas and Thanksgiving.
I picked, washed and cooked them until Xmas 2013 when the two daughters asked me to show them how.
My Two Daughters Washing and Preparing Mustard and Turnip Greens Xmas 2013
On the day Lady C and I went to the Farmers Market, we came across a vendor selling locally grown mustard and turnip greens. And, she said, “I want you to show me how to cook greens, NanNan.” We purchased enough for both Sunday’s dinner and to freeze for future meals.
Beautiful and memorable times are possible when we do the simplest things in the presence of our loved ones. I connected and bonded with Lady C on an even higher level as she went through this new learning experience.
Lady C Preparing Mustard and Turnip Greens to Cook
For more than two years, I have gone to this amazing Jamaican barber to cut my hair. During most visits, I am entertained as I watch an awe a stylist in the shop who specializes in natural hair. I am always amazed by the unique, complex and diverse art she creates on the heads of her clients.
I asked Lady C, who sports dreadlocks, if she wanted me to schedule her an appointment with the natural hair stylist.
She said, “Yes,” and off to the Jamaican hair shop we went. While my haircut took 20-30 minutes, Lady C’s dreadlocks were under the care of this amazing natural hair stylist lasted for more than three hours.
Lady C’s – Dreadlocks Hair Styling Day
Mother’s Day – Harry P. Leu Botanical Gardens
I received the gift of spending Mothers Day with the eldest child of my eldest child in one of my favorite places, The Leu Botanical Gardens.
This is the grandchild who shares my name and birthdate.
This is the grandchild, who despite our almost fifty year age difference, I am able to connect and relate to on many levels — mindfulness, yoga, nutrition, meditations, inner peace, self-love, etc.
With encouragement and tips from Lady C, I, confidently, shot photo after photo with my Nikon 5200 digital camera of towering trees, blooming flowers, green foliage, and tropical plants.
Using my Canon point and shoot camera, Lady C took these photos.
Photo by Lady CPhoto by Lady CPhoto by Lady CLady C’s Photo
(Next Week – Part 3: Hubby’s Surgery and Cousin’s Visit)
Other than a few photo challenges and several Writers’ Quote Wednesday 2015 posts, I was on a Blogging Break during April and May. Sometimes, stepping away from that which we enjoy opens our space up to receive even greater joy and happiness.
This is exactly what happened with me during April and May when gifted with the opportunity to spend quality time with my visiting granddaughters as well as a cousin that I had not seen for more than eight years.
I needed a series of three posts to record most of what happened during this blogging break.
Part 1: Granddaughters Visit
Lady C, 23-years-old, and Cupcake, 6-years-old, visited us during their spring break, in April. It was a busy week filled with planned and unplanned activities.
We started off with a day at WaltDisney’s Magic Kingdom where Hubby and I both agreed that walking around in this huge theme park was not an option. We rented scooters.
Hubby
Even with scooters it was difficult to keep up with the granddaughters as we moved from attraction to attraction maneuvering our way through huge crowds.
SeasonedSistah2 – Waiting in Line to Get on Tea Cup Ride
Lady C has visited Magic Kingdom, almost yearly, since she was 3-years-old. This was only the fourth visit for Cupcake; and, she still gets over stimulated when she enters Disney’s world of fantasy.
CupcakeCupcake and Lady C
Our second outing was to the Wet N’ Wild Water Park. Walking or scooting through the water park observing our precious granddaughters climb up to high towers and plunge down into a body of water, was more stress than Hubby and I could handle. We chose to relax in a rented Cabana.
Hubby Relaxing
As the Florida heat rose, we sought relief and closed off the cabana to the hot sun rays but left the back panels open for a nice breeze. It made for a serene and relaxing day.
Throughout the day, the granddaughters returned to the cabana to raid the small refrigerator we had filled up with our own special snacks and drinks.
Lady C and Cupcake
After a full-day at the water park, we were all exhausted. The next day was a relaxation day at home with a quick trip to the nail shop for a mani/pedi.
Lady C
Cupcake, always the creative one, chose to have every nail and toe painted a different color; and, Lady C went for a very subtle apple green color.
The granddaughters and I, on our last outing spent a quiet Sunday afternoon painting at a local pottery gallery.
Lady C and I painted vases.
Lady C
There were an unbelievable number of pottery pieces and it took Cupcake a while to decide. But, she finally picked one of her favorite pets — a cat — like the one at her Grandma Cebby’s house.
Cupcake
Here’s a look at our masterpieces.
Lady C’s Two Color Vase; SeasonedSistah2s Single Color Vase; and, Cupcake’s Cat
I am grateful that this blog opened my space up to record my life experiences. For, if my memory fades and/or when I leave this world there is a record of those things that brought both happiness and sadness into my space.
Finally, our children and grandchildren live thousands of miles away; and, I am especially blessed in their presence.
I painted this Santa Claus pecan resin figurine more than twenty years ago. During the Xmas holiday seasons, my eldest daughter displays the figurines that I painted those many years ago. And, every year, she carefully packs them away.
In fact, I took this photo when I stayed in her home this past Thanksgiving.
Several days ago, I was showing photos of my Santa paintings to a friend. And, for the first time I noticed the missing head on the little girl.
I checked with my daughter who did not realize it had broken. She said,
“Things that we cherish break, but I choose to keep the broken as a cherished memory.”
SeasonedSistah 