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Asha,

So glad you had a good trip. I was thinking about you. Next time if you come into southcentral Alaska in June, it would likely be very warm. Alaska is an extreme place. Take care Asha. -Karen

Sue - yes the North Slope is the Alaskan oilfield. It is called the North Slope because it is the North Slope of the Brooks Range (Mountain Range). I fly an hour and a half in a 737 to get to Prudhoe Bay. I stay at a camp for fourteen days and then fly home fourteen days later. While at Prudhoe Bay we work twelve hour days (sometimes more), every day for fourteen days. I live in a camp that is very comfortable. I have a room and share a bathroom with another woman. I don't have a permanent room because the company I work for is building their own camp, and when that is finished we will move over there and I will have a permanent assigned room so that I can leave all my things there and don't have to lug my clothes and personal items back and forth. I am working in a temporary office until the new camp is built and it is in the parking lot of the main camp. It is a little trailer that is very dirty and has no bathroom facilities. I make about a 300 foot trek across the parking lot several times a day to use the restroom and get food in the main camp. The weather changes constantly up there. The wind almost always blows. The day I left, it was blowing about 30 MPH and the visibility was next to nothing. It was 3 degrees below zero, very cold and hard to get across the parking lot to my office. I am the only girl on my shift for this company, working with about 30 men. The camp has a ratio of about 10% (or less) woman, the rest men. I LOVE the job, it is a lot of computer work, problem solving, and I like the fact I can focus on my job for two weeks and then come home and relax. While at work, our food it all cooked for us, our rooms are cleaned, and all I have to worry about is my laundry. They have great exercise equipment at the camp I need to check out. I used to work up here 17 years ago before Elias was born - but at a different camp. Some people that I knew up here 17 years ago, are still here. Hope that helps with a description of the North Slope.

Ross and Family,

Diane's strength, persistance, and positive attitude was an inspiration. I am filled with sorrow and will miss her on the site. Healing thoughts.

Karen

Phyllis,

I totally forgot about the dog! You're right. Thank goodness we tried to teach this one not to run through the door without permission, and I can easily back her up with one word. The previous two dogs we had both would attempt dominance by running by fast, really close to us - can't imagine having a dog like that around now with Rob being so unstable.

We live in a community where one rarely locks their doors and we always leave our keys in the car (otherwise we would lose them) - So the door lock isn't a problem unless we leave overnight.... thank goodness.

Karen

Asha, isn't it wonderful that your mouth comes in handy to hold things when you only have one strong hand I see Rob all the time use his teeth as tools (am sure the dentist hates that). Karen

Hi Sue,

I can relate to your description about Ray's health and his behavior moderate and deficiencies under control. Sometimes that is the best there is, huh?

As we are getting into the Spring/Summer season you must be going into the Fall/Winter?

Karen

Hi Sue - I can't even fathom where this rehab will take us, and push the fear that he will not regain what he lost from my mind today...... It is one day at a time, watching and willing his thumb to move, remembering how long it took to start moving last time. We will never be able to pull this off without a lot of help from his awesome therapists.... and am greatful for our insurance that does not cap therapy at a specific # and continues to allow it based on medical necessity. We do have things to be thankful for. Yes we have to pace ourselves, but if I stop and look back for too long, I may sink. We can do it again, and I gotta keep movin' forward. Thanks for you thoughts. -Karen

Asha,

That means the artery that goes to his brain, on the left side is totally blocked. Today I hope to get the news from the vascular surgeon on what if anything that they will do about this. Yes, we are fortunate that this didn't knock him down as bad as the last time, and it took the same side out as last, which is good. The new deficit that he is showing is inappropriate emotional response - as he is laughing at things that one normally wouldn't laugh at. Rob said he could get medicine for that, and my response was, why? This is kind of fun. We'll know more today about his test results.

Bring your warm clothes (polar fleece) and good quality rain gear on your cruise - sorry to say but we've had a cold spring. It's still in the 40's and 50's. But, it will likely be a beautiful trip.

Karen

Hi Sue,

No words of wisdom to share - just sending you a BIG HUG!

Karen

Sue, you do an amazing job caring for Ray. It is a frustrating cycle with strokes and aging. For the first few years the survivor heals, and gets better, and then when aging sets in, we begin to lose ground, both the survivor and caregiver. Stay well Sue. -Karen

Bill,

I wonder sometimes if insurance companies create process, that are cumbersome barriers, in a hope the applicant or potential beneficiary will not be able to complete the process, and therfore fall from their system and one less person that they have to pay.

Hang in there!

-Karen

l_k - I too loved your story. Sounds like your dad has a great sense of humor.

-Karen

Hi Bob,

I think I already saw you mention how exercise helps minimize your pain. My husband saw the same results and as soon as he was able to move his shoulder enough to exercise it regularly, he quit having so much pain with in.

Glad to have another blogger in the community!

-Karen

I'm usually in bed before Rob, and when he gets in I always have to warm up his right leg and foot. It's almost a ritual for us. It makes me feel bad for him because his leg is so cold - and I can imagine how much it hurts.

I like to tell Rob that others have this same problem..... so he feels a bit better about it.

Stay warm!

-Karen

Are Your Social Security Benefits Taxable?

IRS TAX TIP 2006-30

How much, if any, of your Social Security benefits are taxable depends on your total income and marital status. Generally, if Social Security benefits were your only income, your benefits are not taxable and you probably do not need to file a federal income tax return

If you received income from other sources, your benefits will not be taxed unless your modified adjusted gross income is more than the base amount for your filing status. Your taxable benefits and modified adjusted gross income are figured in a worksheet in the Form 1040A or Form 1040 Instruction Booklet.

Before you go to the instruction book, do the following quick computation to determine whether some of your benefits may be taxable:

Mary,

My husband had a left side stroke, and minimal speech loss. He is left handed. We were told that only 3% by our Therapist(s) and Dr that of the population who is left handed truely has the speech in the right side of their brain.

-Karen

Sue,

All I can say is WOW! Sounds like a terrific and healing event.

-Karen

Love you blog entry Mary!

-Karen

Hi Sue - I think Mel posted this expression - that I quickly copied when I ran across it and now and have on my computer:

Your life will always be, to a large extent, what you make it.

Your life is yours, you own it and what you make it, is purely up to you.

Others may support you in your aspirations, but, in the end, it's your creation. You are your one and only boss, and with that awareness comes a special responsibility.

Once you accept this responsibility and stop waiting around for others to make you happy, you will become unstoppable. Your life will change, all because of you.

So, turn on the green light and GO!

copyright -Meditations for women. All rights reserved.

Oh Phyllis - I hope you don't mind but I think your story was really funny!

I'm still laughing.

-Karen

Anne,

I think it may be a man-thing - their wanting to know what you are doing. It sometimes appears to me that Rob will be judging whether my time is being used at his acceptable level. Being on the computer likely doesn't.

Looks like there are lots of changes in your life.

Take Care -

Karen

Oh Sue - I'm sending you a big hug!

You know, your posts always give my brain a jolt, because your going in to summer down there, and sometimes it just doesn't compute for me. I was reading, thinking, something is wrong with having tender new plant shoots in December...... then I get it, and it makes me smile.

-Karen

I love Fall too. The smell of the berries, the colors of all the trees and vegetation. There is a lot to do in the Fall.

-Karen

Sherry,

My husband realized no matter how hard he worked his affected side, it never gets sore. He also found out, that what happens, is, it just quits working when it has had enough. A bit frustrating.

Karen

Kristen,

A few years ago I asked my doctor about medication for PMS and she prescribed prozac. I take it every day, and it is amazing. My PMS was debilitating, I would get so easily angry. The medication just takes the edge off, and it has definitely changed our lives for the better.

-Karen