Friday, April 27, 2018

Once again, a huge thank you to the next door neighbor for putting in a rail camera and hooking it up to YouTube. We had Amtrak train #11 detour through the Tehachapi Pass this afternoon and I was able to capture it on my camera, standing on our deck, and once it went by, I went to the Tehachapi Live Train Cam West Cable site and took a screen shot of it as it passed by the Rail Cam.

 I had promised fresh baked Banana Bread to MB’s mother, who is also a moderator on the rail cam site, so I made Banana Bread this afternoon and took it over. His parents were there and I realized that I couldn’t remember her name. I think my memory is failing a lot more than I think it is. I think old age has found me…

My sewing skills are still sharp, even if my memory isn’t. I finished 10 table runners for the Tehachapi Depot Railroad Museum’s Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, which will be held on May 15th.

Five are black & white with sunflowers and five are red & white with sunflowers. I made the leaves from fabric. No decision has been made yet, but I’d like to see them given away as prizes. We shall see.

About two months ago I came down with what I believed was that horrendous flu that everyone was getting. I was left with a nagging cough and congestion in my throat. I was forever clearing my throat and it just never got any better. So off to the dr. I went. She did a pulmonary breathing test and decided I needed to see a Pulmonary Specialist. So off it went to Bakersfield yesterday. And, in a Deja Vu moment, reminiscent of when I was diagnosed with Asthma, I was told I had Stage 2 Emphysema.

Back in the late 80’s, I worked for a utility company. My boss and a coworker smoked (I had quit long before now) and I eventually developed a severe allergy to second hand tobacco smoke. Every time I was exposed to tobacco smoke, I came down with a respiratory infection. I went out on sick leave when the infection turned into bronchitis and laryngitis. Eventually, I had to see a Pulmonary Specialist because I just couldn’t shake the cough. When the Pulmonologist first came into the exam room, he greeted me with, “What brings you in?” I told him I had a cough that wouldn’t go away. He replied with, “Well, some people with Asthma cough and some people wheeze. You cough.” I replied, “Who said anything about Asthma?” To which the dr. said, “Didn’t your doctor tell you that you had Asthma?” Noooo, they didn’t.

Fast forward to today — when I last saw my current dr., all I heard her say was that she thought I had “…the beginnings of Emphysema.” The Pulmonary Dr. clarified that to be Stage 2 Emphysema. There are four stages to the disease. He asked if I ever smoked tobacco. I said, yes, years ago–I smoked less than a pack a day off and on for about 5 years. I quit in 1973–45 years ago. But I’ve had allergies for years that caused recurrent respiratory infections which almost always evolved into Bronchitis and Laryngitis. The Asthma and Chronic Bronchitis have now evolved into Emphysema. I’m on a different inhaler now, and although I don’t care for it (contrary to the prescribing information I CAN taste the medication when I inhale it, and it doesn’t taste good!) But, that said, I think it may be working better than my two previous inhalers.

That’s all the news that is the news for now. Be safe, be well, and please be happy. Be sure to tell those you love that you love them. Know that you are loved in turn … take good care of yourself — you are important to so many people — not just the ones who know you now, but those who have yet to come into your life. Blessings to you…