This Perfectly Imperfect Life

Another dreary day! Surgery # 4 was this morning 🙈 You'd think by now I'd be used to this, but the jitters started yesterday! 😬🙏🏻 It was a two-parter: The stent is Out 🎉 and another kidney surgery. I'm actually already back in day-stay recovery. A bit 'three sheets to the wind' as it were 🤤😂 but so far so good. Praying this is the last surgery of this round 🙏🏻 Even though the day-stay staff, OR staff, and my urologist are fantastic, I'm tired...  #spoonie #spoonielife #spoonieproblems #RAwarrior #rheumykidneys #rheumatoidarthritis #livingwithchronicpain #livingwithchronicillness #livingwithchronicfatigue #livingwithrheum #gardenwalk #rosechat #springgarden #myperfectlyimperfectview #thisperfectlyimperfectlife (taken before we left this AM)

Post-op day 4 (kidney surgery # 3): There has been much of this today. Kitty snuggles & reading on the couch. In between naps and tea when I'm not queasy from pain. Because I feel like I've been hit by a train then run over by a truck. But I showered, so as far as I'm concerned? I win. Love to my fellow spoonies! ❤️❤️❤️ #takewhaticanget #smallvictories #spoonie #spoonielife #spoonieproblems #theultimatespoonie #livingwithrheumatoid #livingwithrheum #rawarrior #livingwithchronicillness #livingwithchronicpain #livingwithchronicinjury #rheumykidneys #myperfectlyimperfectview #thisperfectlyimperfectlife 

Feverish, gray morning. Listening from the couch to the neighborhood waking up. Trees dripping dry now that the rain has passed. Commuters racing down our road towards the ferry. Robins and wrens bickering in the bushes under the windows. Comfort in the normalcy distracts and finally lulls me back to sleep. (written yesterday, 3/29/17)

And the library holds just keep rolling in 😊 This was worth going out in the nasty rain for! Of course after having to climb the stairs up to the library because it is housed in a raised structure (we live in a coastal area flood zone) I was whooped, thanks to the mono, so once I got home it was time to snuggle up on the couch for a little rest & rainy day reading 💙  And speaking of rain, did I mention? Finally! It's Bean Boots weather! 💙  How was your Saturday?

Seriously, what are you doing down here? 👀😂 If laughter is the best medicine, Mama kitty certainly aids with my healing by making me LOL when I stretch & do a little yoga ☺️ Have you laughed out loud today?   #sillykitty #furbaby #spoonie #spoonielife #livingwithchronicpain #livingwithrheum #rawarrior #jojosmonodiaries #findjoy #simplepleasuresgreatestjoy #myperfectlyimperfectview #thisperfectlyimperfectlife

Good morning & happy Wednesday! (It is Wednesday, right? With mono brain, and October flying by, it's hard to keep track anymore!) What we have here is a new weeping cherry, to replace the one that died last year, just planted in the front side yard late yesterday. Being in an awful drought, and under water restrictions, it's going to take a lot of luck for it to get what it needs now to survive winter, but I'll do my best to see that it does.* Find joy in your day no matter what! #goodmorning #morninglight #happywednesday #nofilter #weepingcherry #fallplanting #gardenwalk #falllandscape #fall #autumn #october #fingerscrossed #findjoy #jojosmonodiaries #spoonie #theperfectlyimperfecthomestead #myperfectlyimperfectview #thisperfectlyimperfectlife *Given the fact that we are in the middle of a severe drought, though not yet under water restrictions, I personally wouldn't have chosen to plant a new tree (or grass or bushes) right now, but, that's not our call.

Today was a beautiful October day, warm & chilly at the same time, with a hazy, washed out blue sky. I got out with Big this morning for a while to have breakfast, then after taking the scenic route home, I spent the day resting on the couch with my knitting, and texting with friends while sun & breezes streamed through the open windows. After Big finished up some things he needed to do, he joined me. All in all, not a bad Sunday.  #Sundayblessings #jojosmonodiaries #spoonie #findjoy #blessed #gratitude #simplepleasuresgreatestjoy #autumn #fall #october #countryroads #coastalliving #myperfectlyimperfectview #thisperfectlyimperfectlife

Good morning & happy Monday 💛 Stunning sunshine & blue skies with crisp breezes now that Matthew's moved along on out. 🍁 Scarf weather! 🍁  Unfortunately, I think I've caught mom's cold (on top of the mono) since she wasn't very cooperative about letting Big inside yesterday when we dropped off her groceries because she was in her pjs so I had to go inside her place with them instead. (And when you're compromised immune system is practically shut down, you can pick anything up at the drop of a dime). So much for her stepping things up a notch now that I'm the one who isn't well. 😐🙄😠  Anyhoo! I'm off to make another cuppa tea & get myself situated for a while. Find joy in your day no matter what!  #jojosmonodiaries #spoonie #autumn #fall #october #gardenwalk

Rainy autumn day ☔️🎃  I've managed a few chores, spread throughout the entire day, and we ate lunch outside at the harbor before the heavier rain set in 🍁  Now I'm back on the couch because I can't stand being in bed all day long 😐  I'm trying to take this day by day, and not look at the overwhelming bigger picture because I keep thinking of when I had mono 2 years ago & I've just no idea how I'm going to get through it again 😷 The fatigue, on top of my usual health issues, is unreal, especially at my age 😞  #jojosmonodiaries #monosucks #spoonie #spoonielife #livingwithchronicillness #livingwithchronicpain #rawarrior #livingwithrheum #pumpkin #orange #rainyday #autumn #fall #october #myperfectlyimperfectview #thisperfectlyimperfectlife 

Happy Friday all! Apologies for a slack in posts for I've been under the weather as of late, and unfortunately will be for some time to come (more on that soon - trying to gather my thoughts enough for a couple of blog posts to catch everything up to speed)🍁 Front porch sitting today on this perfect October afternoon with my #Fridayreads 🍁 Since mono is putting my plans to see the movie version of #GirlOnTheTrain on hold, I thought I'd finally give the book a whirl 🍁 What's everyone #reading this weekend? 🍁 #jojosmonodiaries #fallreads #octoberreads #autumnreads #bookstagram #bookworm #booknerd #readinglife #frommyshelf #spoonie #myperfectlyimperfectview #thisperfectlyimperfectlife

Belated happy Sunday ☺️  These pretties came home with me from the supermarket this morning 😊 It's been raining, raining, raining (and raining some more) since yesterday afternoon and I thought we just might be done but another flash flood warning came through on my phone and it's already clouding back over so there goes that idea! ☔️🌧💦 The air is so thick and soupy, really awful, even hard to breathe in! 😝 It's also flaring my RA something awful! 😝 I'm in the middle of laundry and straitening up the place (before I crash 😴) after breakfast with Big (Hubbs) & errands for mom (and other such related stresses). Find joy in your day no matter the weather 😘  #happySunday #Sunday #Sundayblessings #zinnias #zinnia #frontporchview #summer #summergarden #summertime #july #julygarden #mygarden #inmygardentoday #apartmentgarden #containergarden #gardenwalk #rainyday #andnowrelax #spoonie #spoonielife #spoonieproblems #livingwithrheum #simplepleasuresgreatestjoy #thispe...

On our mantle. Fine lines:  Catching up with what I couldn't do yesterday, what I need to do today, and mom's birthday today amid her most recent stroke recovery.  A balancing act without balance. Precarious.

Look up! On my walk home from my primary doctor’s office last Tuesday morning, I thought about how gorgeous the spring weather was: Despite the excessive tree pollen, the air and sky were so clear. It was sunny, and the temperature was warm enough to go without layers, but cool enough to go walking without working up a sweat. Perfect weather! Weather like this makes me happy. I looked up at the trees, now past bloom and starting to lead out in shades of red, green, and brown against a deep blue sky and thought about how grateful I am to be alive. Almost immediately I then asked myself how I can be so grateful, why am I so grateful, to be alive, despite everything I've been through, and everything I'm going through? And almost just as quickly I answered my own question(s): Because I made the effort. Because I make the effort. Because I fought for it. Because I fight for it. For years. Every day. I'm amazed I can think this was because there was a time when I'...

Today you are just downright cruel,  letting me wake up without the pain and nausea of this latest round of plague, while bright sunshine crept into the room, and birds chattered away in the bushes outside the windows, refusing to let me press snooze. And then not 5 minutes after I was finished slowly getting dressed for my morning, you let it all hit me at once, everything that comes with rheum, having a stomach virus, allergies, and being a woman. Literally all at once so I had to hold my breath.  I went from thinking about writing and planting up a container on the front porch to grabbing the bathroom vanity with both hands to steady myself so I wouldn't fall onto the unforgiving tiles, thoughts suddenly confused and jumbled, focused on the pain returning to my stomach, overpowering my senses, the words, "Are you (bleeping) kidding me?!" falling out of my mouth in a whisper. I'm not sure how long I stood there like that. Then I made my way back to the b...

Everything within reach... Bone broth (homemade, turkey). Fresh lemon & ginger for hot water & tea. Gatorade with lotsa ice. More bone broth (homemade, chicken). 3 rounds meds, lots of NyQuil and Mucinex. I've been quite MIA around here as of late, haven't I?!  Since the week of February 8th, I've been sick. First with a wicked stomach virus, then with a head and chest cold that just will not go away no matter what I do or take. Hubbs came down with it too and has also been sick for weeks. I've never been so congested, my ears never so clogged! (To the point Hubbs snoring wasn't bothering me at night - haha!) Every time we think we're on the mend, it comes back.  Needless to say, productivity and creativity levels, have been running super low in some areas. I'm trying to fight my way out of that now that it seems we may both be finally, maybe, fingers crossed on the mend. So, since my last post...

My nightstand. On this cozy February snow day, I wanted to share some of my favorite spots around our home.  There is a method to what may seem like organized clutter to some in this photo.  For those who don't know, I am disabled with Rheumatoid Disease (RD) aka Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). There are days like the past few, when I'm unable to spend much time out of bed due to my health. On days like these, I need everything that I need within arms reach. I love this nightstand because the surface area lets me do just that plus keep a few trinkets out as well. (Those are more out of view because of this angle. Apologies!) The night stand also has storage underneath, that's where my laptop & tray table are hiding). Emergency meds are mostly in the basket along with hair ties & book lights, post IV session meds are just outside of it (had an IV yesterday, so I'll need those for about 72 hours). Vitamin E oil which I put on my RD irritated skin every...