I just looked at my blog list and realized I hadn't posted in a while. So here I am. I have been having a year full of hard health issues to begin with. Not just with my own health, but also taking care of my older brother's first-ever cancer diagnosis and treatment. We started with his diagnosis and surgery on April 13...it was a seven-hour surgery and a ten-day stay at the James Cancer Hospital on Ohio State Campus in Columbus, Ohio. It required cutting off half of his tongue, a trach tube, a feeding tube, and also 33 lymph nodes. They took a skin graft along with parts of artery/veins/and nerves. To recreate the tongue, and one from his leg to cover the arm.
He started his Radiation treatment in June. Then I came in the week of Juneteenth. I went to the ER sick from both ends and was in for four days with a severe UTI, and they took some teeth out as well (as they were infected). I asked if I went septic, as I was on IV antibiotics. They told me that I wasn't, but I think I was. I went home and worked three days that week...but then the next weekend, right back into the ER again. There for a week and a day. They then sent me to a skilled nursing facility for a few weeks. For rebuilding my strength and getting my diabetes under control.
I have been home since the end of July and under home health. I also went to the ER with another UTI but was not kept at the hospital at that time; I caught it very quickly. I did have a Primary Care physician appointment, and the last time I was there was in January 2025. She told me that I had been to the ER over 20 times in that time frame. I knew it had been a lot, but not that many!
So I'm gearing towards heading back to work as soon as I get clearance and restrictions set into place.
The other part of the title of this blog, "...and Grief," applies to the sheer amount of deaths (celebrity and important people) that 2026 has produced...Well, I think this year is telling 2016 to "...hold its beer!"
Many hit very hard. On my mother's birthday (in heaven) alone, there were two. Dolly Parton and Tim Curry.
Those two were so hard to take. Dolly's philanthropy and heart of gold were almost too much for her body to contain. Tim Curry was delightful in all of his roles. I could watch him perform forever! Dolly's songwriting was incredible. There were many.
There have been so many this year. We just lost Walter Koenig a few days ago. Now Patrick. Both from Star Trek, and Walter, who played Bester on Babylon 5. My sadness is very deep. Of course, we lost many good folks in 2016, but it seems to be much worse this year. I can hardly believe it's been 10 years since we lost David Bowie, Prince, Muhammad Ali, Anton Yelchin (who I shared birth dates with), Jerry Doyle, Gloria DeHaven, Kenny Baker, Gene Wilder, Leonard Cohen, Carrie Fisher and her mother, actress Debbie Reynolds, Alan Rickman, George Michael, and Harper Lee.
I think that this year is one I will be glad to say goodbye to and see you never! And hope that 2027 is better!
