happy may day--more pix

EASTER LAMB ROAST,

How do you spell tasty: YUM!

JUST PRACTICING MY BLOGS AND SENDING MORE PICTURES...

LOVE MOM,ETC

mom's easter friends

hi

Happy Easter everyone. jeff is once again trying to drum into me how to run this blasted thing. I have "learnt" how to download the pictures from my camera. YEAH! but all of these blogs v posts & toggles for different "apps",what ever the heck that is? I don't know if I'll ever catch on to all of it. jeff sez I will. I'm doing pretty well. saw the dr. today and my anckles are looking a little better. if they keep it up it's good news I'm not as dilligent as I should be with my exercises but am back on a tharapy schedual at the clinic.no changes with jeff or dad.all for now. love you all mom/g'ma/wina

p.s.had a good easter dinner just dad jeff lindsey & me.

here we go again.

Well, 2 days to go till surgery time. Today is my last work day. If there's anyone out there that doesn't know. I'm going to have another surgery to repair my pace maker. This will be the 2ND one. I'm in a fight to get the hospital to cover my 3500.00 annual out of pocket expenses. If they don' t do it then this will probably come down to a legal fight. I'll be out from work for 3 to 4 weeks. depending if my store director is willing to let me be on light duty.

Getting mom a laptop sounds like a very good idea. I wish that I could help out. but, sigh. I can't . The days of Wine and Roses. has passed. I'll give you all an update after I get out of surgery.

Computer???

OK, Mom wants a laptop. She feels it would really help her, because it is hard for her to maneuver into and out of the den to use the desktop. So! Any $$$ help would be great. We want a large screen and a webcam, not sure of the gigs and bites, We want to get the done by say two weeks. It's a suprise, so hush. (I know this is a family forum) But it is a suprise - dont tell Mom OR Dad. OK. Any ideas or input, sent to email jeffreitter@yahoo.com and carolyn_reitter@yahoo.com

2011/01/12, Wednesday

It's Wednesday, Louisa is here and will fly out Thursday to Seattle to be with family for Pat's funeral. She is doing well and having a time with a new part of life. ;o)
(Great/Grand) Mom is still working on recovery and has started back walking now that the Docs have been able to get the swelling down. She wore a portable pump that drew fluids out of the ulcer that had formed on the right ankle. The doc had to do a cleaning up of the ulcer to get the fluids draining better. She had an MRI and the doc gave her an ok that the bone had not been compramised. Today she has a apptmt at 3pm and will get the results of a circulation test. So for today, as of this moment she is doing well and better then she had been.
Iditarod is coming up, first Saturday in March, on the 5th. Dad is getting things ready for the Tudor crossing portion of the ceremonial I-did-a-ride, complete with Iditarod Ham & Beans. YUM! Let us know if you are planning to be in Anchorage for Fur Ronde and or Iditarod.
Christmas '10 was a little toned down at the Reitter's Abode, but with all the family in town that was really what the Holidays are about. Christmas Eve Dinner was Roast Beef and all the trimming at Judy and Gaylord's. And Mom broke from the mold and had a Christmas Day brunch with breakfast casseroles and sausage and pastries. She wants to do that next year again.
New Year's Eve was a BLAST this year. Anchorage passed and ordinance to allow personal use of fireworks - first time in 40yrs. It was incredible! I took Mom over to the neighbors where we set off our own display and then went upstairs and enjoyed a wonderful Fondue party until Mom said she was tired and I brought her home and 2am. Happy New Year!!!
OK, Louisa wants to get moving, so this is all for now.
Oh, the Great Alaskan Beer & Barleywine Festival is this Friday and Saturday. A group from work and some friends of Mom & Dad's are going. Should be fun.
until next time. Jeffr

New Email in the New Year

Not that I wanted it, but just to let you all know my email had to change, I'm now at - tonichelle@acsalaska.net

-Toni
http://www.photographybyantonia.com

Grandpa Bowen

I just got and update on my grandfather from my Aunt, he is not doing well and they do not expect him to live much longer. He has been taken of all med except pain meds (per his request) and he has not been eating now for a few days. Please pray for my family as i beleive this is going to be a rough holiday season.

Moving Day!

Finally decided on a moving day. I'll be driving down - caravanning with dad - on Saturday with all of my stuff...

Mom's own Blog Account

Hi all,
Mom has her own account and can do her own blogs now...
Thank you Toni (administrator) and Bobby for persuing and getting me online.
Love ya,
Mom, Gramma
Will write more tomorrow...

2010 11 28 Mom's Blog

Well, Thanksgiving is over and the turkey carcus is reduced to stock.
Had 20 invited for dinner but ended up with only 15, I was glad and so were Dad and Jeff. Jeff did nearly all the cooking and Dad did the floors.Lindsey came over at 7am and worked with Jeff all day. Then when Karen got here at 2pm she jumped in and helped. All in All the day ANDFOOD turned out great Now if the family mainly Jeff Bob and Toni can teach me how to play with this machine we will all be happy. Next will be down with the fall decorations and up with the Christmas.Louisa will be in next week for some training,will be fun to have her here.
love you all, til later

red bluff trip

We made it to Red Bluff and back safe. The weather about had us stopped. Had to make a judgment call at the last min and hope my info was right and we got abit lucky. Wheather closed in and there was snow over the mountains going to Calif. We got there between the storms. sunday it was very bad and sunday we had a break in the wheather again. Monday it closed in again. Coming back there was about 10 in. of snow in the mount shasta area. But over the the pass was only about 2 in and melting fast. We had a great time.

PS

I plan on giving some pics of our trip to Toni so she can post them on here. Oh wait Toni you can pull them off my Facebook. :P

Life in Tok

Well I have not posted in ages mainly because I forgot how to sign in and make a post. Anyways in August the kids and I went to see my dad, it was a great visit and I know the kids had a wonderful time. We picked alot of black berrys and took the kids to a family fun place. The kids and us went to the Rogue River and they played in the creek by my dads house every day( even my dad got in on the fun, there are pictures on facebook). Every day we where there I watched my dad get better and better. It was nice to watch him heal and get stronger, God placed his hand on my dad that day in the store ( but i bet that 2X4 hurt) and I thank him every day for not taking my dad from me. On a sad note our long time family cat died the day before I got there however she was very old and I am sure she is kitty heaven. Kathy and my dad let us help them pick out a new cat which meant alot to me ( thank you). We are looking forward to spending more time with my dad and Kathy in the near future.
When we got back fall had set in and it was time to go hunting. This year we came up empty handed however Caribou season is still open and we hope to get a couple ( Trinity can now get her own tag sense she passed her henters ed course).
We are now getting ready for the holidays. I am going to do the black friday shopping again, this year in Fairbanks with a girl friend then off to Achorage for the Chrismas holiday. My mom is flying in so we will spend Chrismas with the grandparents and my mom will come back to Tok with us for a bit.
Trinity is playing hockey again, this year she is going to be goalie and Demitri has decided he wants to play ( talking about an expensive sport). Work is going well for however there has been some changes they are moving me out of my current posstion to become a CSR ( customer service rep) although this is not a move I would have wanted a year ago I think I am ready for this move now. My company is trying to train me in this field so in about five years when the current CSR manager retires I will move to her postion. If I stay in my old position the chances of me climbing the latter is slim so this is going to be a good move for me in the long run. At this time Jim is still work which is great usualy he is layed off by the end of October.
Well I think I have wrote a book of my life for the last few months so I should probably get going, I love every one so much and I will talk to you guys later.

bored

Well, I'm sitting at home for another day wishing I were working. Oh well. Won't be much longer. I have the go ahead for work starting the 26 Nov. WooHoooo. There was a possiblity that I'd be out till the end of Dec. I would realy hate that. The doctor wanted me to have a 25 lb lift limit on the left side. Work wouldn't let me back with any kind of restrictions at all. I promssed the doctor that I would keep it under 25 lb and he gave me the release for work. Summer wasn' t to bad because i could keep busy outside. But then that might have been the undoing on my 1st surgury from doing to much.
We are trying again for financing for the spring to replace the house we are in with a new manufactured home.
We are going down to Red Bluff this weekend to Kathy's sons house for a visit. Taking advantage of my time off. Once back to work that kind of oportunity will be rare. Thanks giving will be the usualy, just kathy, her mother and myself. Christmas will more likely be the same.
All for now
Bob

Just a little update

I'm currently at teh Walt Disney World Resort getting ready to jump in the shower, though am watching First Baptist Orlando on TV as it's Sunday.

Anyway just wanted to pop in and inform the fam and anyone else who reads that I will be moving back to the Kenai Peninsula when I get home from my trip with Erin. It's a triplex and I have it leased for just under a year. It's on the Kenai River, in Soldotna just up from Centennial Park. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time.

I will update later, but I am up and at 'em for another day in the parks. You can read our blog updates from this trip here - http://originaldorktwins.blogspot.com

I"m home

WooooHoooooo
I'm home. Had a shower and I'm' soo comfortable. Stopped by the store and told them everything including that I can't do anything, basically, with the left arm for 2 weeks. and 2 more weeks after that no more than 5 pounds on the left arm. Also was told that no heavy work at that time and slowly over 3 months build into it. After 3 months I'll be good to go for what ever i can handle. I really liked the surgeon. He ended up replacing the leads to the pacemaker.
I feel really good. Mild pain from the surgery. energy and such is great. It will be very hard to stay down for 2 weeks and very light work on the left side for another 2 weeks.
I love you all

all done

Made it through the surgery with flying colors. I haven't seen the doctor, will probly be in the morning. But I should be able to go home tomarrow. Pace maker is working and I'm feeling great. I'll post more tomarrow.
Bob

I saw the surgeon about 1PM and he says that he's trying for 8am surgery. I had an appointment with him anyway at 9am. so he's going to try to squeeze me in between 8 -9. depends if there's nothing else more pressing going on when he gets into the office Monday morning. I really hope it works. otherwise it will be another day wait. Having a really hard time getting rest. I have a room mate that is very vocal and between him and the hospital staff my normal day time sleep pattern isn't happening. I'll ask for a sleepy pill for tonight so I get rest before surgery in the morning. hopefully.
Kathy, her mother and a good friend that drove up from Grants Pass, Stopped in and visited for about 3 hours today. That was very nice. Our friend Steve will take my car back home so we don't have to worry about it being here for a couple weeks.

Well all for now.
bob

Hi everyone:

Well I'm in the hospital again, sigh. But this time it's not nearly as serious as last time. Three days ago the did a test on my pace maker and found out that one of the leads in my heart has moved and Friday the did a chest ex ray just to confirm what the puter teck. found. They also set up and appointment with the surgeon for 9 am Monday and I was told that I'd probably have surgery some time next week. Friday night was abit stressful at work and i noticed allot of weird stuff happening with my heart. missed beats( PVC's) extra beats. that I've never had before. Weakness short of breath. but I got through the night and closed the store just fine.
I woke up up the next morning feeling a muscle spasm on my right side that I've never had before. It wasn't often but as the day went on it got more common and stronger. I also noticed the my heart was acting up more. I went to work anyway. shortly after i got there and the more active I got I was really getting uncomfortable. And finally after 2 hrs I told the day manager before he went home that I felt that i should go home. I called Kathy and she talked me into going to the hospital in medford sense it would be only a short drive.
They checked me out and confirmed that my heart was beating any where from 42 - 80 beats per min. One male nurse said it's like a ping pong ball bouncing around in there. They called in a Teck for my pace maker. Took another Chest ex ray. Found out that Both leads had pulled out of position and one has actually pulled clear out of the heart. The muscle spasm i was feeling was the lead shocking chest muscle instead of heart. They turned of the pace maker.
The surgeons assistant showed up and told me what was happening. said that surgery is moved up to Sunday or Monday. and i was told that I could go home and rest. The chances of a V fib life threatening situation was remote. or I Could stay in the hospital and wait till the surgery. I knew that Kathy would be extremly worried if I were at home and admitted to me that she would rather me stay here where i was safe. I feel better about it also.
After the surgery I 'll be able to go home the next day. 2 weeks off work and another light duty. So here I sit. I found a computer that patients and family can use. It's 4:20 Am . Couldn't sleep. I'm used to night working anyway. Don't normally get into bed till about 2 or 3. But I try ed to sleep but only slept for about an hour and just lay ed there. Was very happy to find this puter. Nothing else to do so I'll be keeping you all very well informed as to whats happening to me

All for now.
love you all

my summer

Hi everyone:
Sorry about not updating the blog from my end.
My recovery had gone very well. I went back to work on Aug. 29th. Actually a month early from what the surgeon had recommended. Although I didn't know about that until I had been back to work for 2 weeks when I received the hospital records from my visit there. I even got back into night closing management about Sept 25th. and at that time full time whereas before that i was working on reduced hours.
So going back. I ended up back in the hospital about the 15th of July. Seems that the medication that I was put on was to much for my needs and body. I passed out at home and when I woke up I drove myself to the hospital. My kiddinies were shutting down and blood work was all messed up. Spent 2 days there and sense then things have been going very well and every week I feel stronger. Although the last few weeks it not as nearly as noticeable as it was.
All the doctors and nursing staff are amazed at my surviving it. And more important that I have no permanent damage. Brain damage from that kind of thing is almost 100% for that kind of thing. Including being nearly brain dead.
July was very hard for me. I had allot of very down days where i thought I was never going to recover and i only had a matter of days or months left. But as time went on and went into August. I started feeling better and more positive.
Louisa and the kids came down the 2nd week of Aug for 10 days. We had an absolutely wonderful time. And by the time they left My attitude about my future was complete positive .
That visit was the greatest thing that could have happened for me at the perfect time.
Thank you soo much my daughter.
We even have been out dancing, and went to the medford Jazz festival. We had a great time at both.
I had my heart checked out by a sonogram. like they do for pregnant mothers. And the teck that did it gave me a pre evaluation that I'm recovering and she saw better than 15 - 20 % heart efficiency. her guess was 25 - 35 % Great news. My cardiologist appointment is tomorrow. Thur. and i'll get the official news.
Through all this, my wife and best Friend has been wonderful. I couldn't ask for more from her.
Well all for now
love you all and miss you
Bob and Kathy