After a month long struggle I finally got my website problems resolved today. It is great to be able to publish again. Hopefully it will not take me too much longer to get my diaries up to date. I would hate for any of you to miss out on my exhilarating, energy filled, and riotous days and nights.

The weekend was busy and I managed to accomplish everything I had planned. Darling grandson came for a sleep over on Thursday night. My car had been involved in a minor vehicle accident and I took it to a body shop this week to have it fixed. They gave me a 2003 red Explorer as a loaner vehicle to drive until my car was fixed. I picked my grandson up at school on Thursday. As we were walking to the place where I usually park Grandson turned to me and said, “Nana how much further is your car?” I said, “Oh just a few more feet.” I then walked over to the Explorer, opened the front door and said to my grandson, “Why don’t you just jump into this vehicle and we will take it for a drive.” The look on the kid’s face was priceless! He looked at me in utter dismay and said, “Nana have you gone completely crazy?” As I made my way around the vehicle to the driver’s side I told him to hurry up and hop in or he would miss the ride.” He stood rooted to the sidewalk in complete shock. I finally let the poor child off the hook and showed him the keys. Mind you, once he realized I had permission to drive the vehicle he was quite impressed. It is somewhat embarrassing to drive down the street and have your grandson roll down the window every time he sees a friend and shout, “Hey look what my Nana is driving!” I had no idea a red Explorer would have that kind of impact.

We had dinner with friends on Friday evening. The weather was gorgeous and we were able to sit outside on their screened in deck. What a treat to be able to enjoy the outdoors again especially since the mosquitoes haven’t yet materialized.

We had daughter, son-in-law and grandson for dinner on Saturday night. Of course we had to have the traditional Easter basket hunt. Grandson did inform me that he no longer believes in the Easter bunny. Oh well I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. By Saturday night I was absolutely exhausted and wondered how I would make it through another dinner and family gathering on Sunday.

When I woke up on Sunday morning I felt like I had been run over by a truck. This past week I have not managed more than three hours of sleep a night. This lack of sleep does not encourage a feeling of well being. I figured if I wanted to make it through the day I would need a little help from my “friends”. When I realized this past winter that my doctors would just as soon ship me off to the glue factory as help me, I ordered some hydrocortisone 20 mg. from an on-line pharmacy. I have taken six since November which included a two birthday parties, Christmas, New Years and now Easter.

After taking a 10 mg. dose of hydrocortisone around 10:00 AM on Sunday morning I had the energy to make a seven layer salad and prepare two trays of veggies for the dinner later that afternoon. I was able to enjoy the family gathering and had enough energy to video tape the three great grandchildren’s Easter basket hunt at my parents’ house. I did crash around 6:00 PM but at least I had 6 hours of enough energy so that I could have a good time.

When you get shelved by the medical profession you begin to develop your own coping techniques. Family events are much too important to be ruined by ill health. I decided months ago that I would count on my “little friends” to help me make it through these events without looking like death warmed over and dragging my butt around. The doctors may want me shipped to the nearest glue factory but this old mare will not go quietly into that dark night.

The weather is beautiful today. The carpeting on the deck out back is warm when you walk on it in bare feet. If the weather keeps improving like this we will be able to swim in a couple of weeks.