I REALLY MISS MY GARDEN. I know it's only mid-April, but last year at this time I was full speed getting plants and seeds planted. This year I've been going back and forth to Nebraska to help my Father-In-Law, who's having health issues. I've told him ever since Nel passed away in 2009 that if he ever needed anything, just call, and one day in February he did. He was having back problems and went in for scans and things to try to figure out what's wrong. He went through some physical therapy that seems to solved the back issues for now, but they also found an Aortic Aneurysm. The first time I started going up there, I stayed the night in OKC, started out the next day in a snow storm, only to get a call saying the surgeon cancelled his appointment due to the storm and it wasn't rescheduled for another two weeks. So I turned around and went home. Made it back two weeks later, had appts with Cardiologist and Surgeon to get details of the surgery. Cardiologist is out of Omaha, and he said we needed to do a stress test before scheduling the surgery to make sure he's well enough. Couldn't do physical stress test, due to risk of aneurysm rupturing, so doing a chemical one. We went to Omaha a couple days later, but his blood pressure was way too high. Had another Dr. appt and they put him on a couple more BP medications and said to keep track of BP for a couple of weeks. So I came back home until he called to say they finally rescheduled the stress test for April 1. Another trip there and two tries at the stress test in Omaha, and we finally got the OK to schedule surgery. SOOO, I'm headed there again later this week. Todd and I will stay with my parents in Milford while FIL's in the hospital in Lincoln, since Milford is lots closer than Falls City. There are two ways to put the stent in for the aneurysm: one cutting open his stomach, the other (and much less evasive) is through two small incisions in the groin area. Either way, he'll stay in the hospital two or three nights. We're hoping they can do it the less evasive way. If so, recovery will be much quicker and I'll have a good chance of getting home sooner. If not, who knows how long I will have to be up there. I told him I'd stay as long as he needed me. Luckily, I can just bring all the paperwork and computer for Todd's business and run everything from there. We did change banks, since we were banking with a "Hometown" bank, I had to mail deposits and that didn't work very well. So we switched to a national bank that has locations in Nebraska (Lincoln), which will work a lot better. If I stay for a while after surgery, I can do deposits there. The company that he's leased to is about 30 miles from Falls City, so I just go pick up his checks.
So that's why I haven't planted my garden yet - I don't know when I'll be around to tend to it. I did start a bunch of tomato seeds, the ones I received from the company who asked me to do testimonials for their plants I had in the garden last year. They are growing very well and will soon be big enough to be planted. (I was really excited because one variety was seedless.) When I'm gone, I put them on the floor in front of the sliding glass doors and make a "Tent" so they at least get a little light. Sam's good about coming over while I'm gone and watering my plants, etc. We also have lots of neighbors who keep an eye on the house. She's also going to keep Brute for me while I go on this trip - since I'll be at the hospital and running everywhere, I think it will be best this time. I'll miss him something TERRIBLE!!!!! I hope he gets along well with her dog and two cats!
Anyway, keep checking back. Once I know I won't need to make too many more trips north, I'm going to at least plant some things in the garden that don't take too long to grow. I really miss fresh tomatoes and green beans, along with home grown lettuce. Cross your fingers that everything goes well with FIL!!!!
