Good Evening.  September has come and gone too quickly.  Hopefully October will be a month with pleasant fall temperatures and no sign of snow.  Winter comes too quickly and often lasts too long.  Fall happens to be my favourite time of year.  We will be celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving with our family on Monday, October 11th.

My dad would be celebrating his 101th birthday on October 10th.  Thanksgiving weekend was always extra special because that was the weekend we also celebrated his birthday.  I miss him.

My cardiologist asked me to do another month of blood pressure checks and EKG’s.  Since both my blood pressure machine and my EKG device are bluetooth enabled it is very simple to just email them to my cardiologist.  My blood pressure is causing some worry.  It can go from a high reading of 169/110 at night to a low reading of 70/40 during the day time.  At times my EKG device records a normal reading and at other times it records atrial fibrillation.  Hopefully my cardiologist can get to the cause of this problem and find a solution.

This past Friday my husband and I attended the memorial service for my cousin Barbra Kroeker.  Barbra died on November 23, 2020, after losing her fight with COVID 19. She was only 69. It was a lovely service with her three adult children sharing memories of their mom. Our sincere condolences go out to Jerry and the family. “Love never leaves us; it lives forever in our memories and in our hearts”.  The seriousness of COVID19 sure hits home when someone in one’s family contracts the virus.  I cringe every time someone adds a negative post to my Facebook page about wearing masks or getting the vaccinations.  Even though I ended up going to hospital by ambulance after my second COVID 19 vaccination I am thankful it was available and that I got both shots. Sadly due to people who are not vaccinated and who refuse to wear masks the daily numbers of new infections in Manitoba are on the rise.  According to our doctors most of the patients who are diagnosed at this time are those that have refused to be vaccinated.

Congratulations to my incredibly gifted and talented daughter Natasha on the launch of her streaming TV channel on Roku.  I have been enjoying the content.  You can also watch it on YouTube.  Look for Subgenres and check out Ms Mumford’s Marvelous Mummy Unwrapping 2021 athttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe906r60sRM.

The battle with Lichen Sclerosis and Lichen Planus continues.  I now have two large lesions on the inside of my mouth which are becoming uncomfortable.  The nurse practioner I have been seeing at my family doctor’s clinic promised to refer me to an otolaryngologist in July.  When I spoke with her today, she again promised to get right on it and get me a referral ASAP.  I am getting worried since the lesions are getting bigger and spreading to the roof of my mouth.  During our telephone appointment today I asked her if the brown marks left by the Lichen Planus on my arms and legs would eventually disappear.  Apparently it can take months for that to happen.  I noticed a small lesion on my cheek the other day and I hope it does not get any bigger or spread to other areas of my face.  I have been prescribed prescription corticosteroid cream.  According to the Mayo Clinic the signs and symptoms of lichen planus vary depending on the areas affected. Typical signs and symptoms are:

• Purplish, flat bumps, most often on the inner forearm, wrist or ankle, and sometimes the genitals
• Itching
• Blisters that break to form scabs or crusts
• Lacy white patches in the mouth or on the lips or tongue
• Painful sores in the mouth or vagina
• Hair loss
• Change in scalp color
• Nail damage or loss

If anyone reading this blog had children or grandchildren enrolled in the Veseli Ukrainian Dance Ensemble pictures are now available at https://www.facebook.com/groups/916933582369514.

It is time to say good night. May you all have a wonderful week free of stress or worry.  Take time to enjoy the autumn colours.  My cousin sent me this gorgeous picture today featuring the autumn colours in Jay Cooke State Park, Minnesota.

Photo by Ann