Lots of events have occurred since my last post. In fact, I have lots to tell you today. The first event I want to report is a wonderful, exciting, lovely trip to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, TN with Wayne, Jacque and Sara. We left on Election Day (I will not wax political so that is all I will say about election) which was November 6th and our first stop was about a half-mile from my house - Mimi's Cafe- for breakfast. Then we were settled in Wayne's comfortable car, buckled in safe and sound, and headed for I-40. When we got to the place where you leave the interstate to go through some small towns, Wayne took the road that took us through Townsend, Maryville and some others so that we could enjoy the beautiful color of the leaves and see some pleasant sights of "small town America". We arrived at our beautiful Christmas Place Inn. The sight that met our eyes was as before on our recent trip there - Christmas Everywhere. The hotel lobby, the corridors, the elevator, everywhere you looked was a wreath, ribbons, Christmas trees lavishly decorated and music playing in the background. Sara and I shared a room that was equally decorated and we began to feel the "spirit of Christmas". After getting settled and resting a bit, we met in the lobby and went to Gatlinburg for a delicious dinner at the Peddler and to see the decorations in Gatlinburg. The city of Pigeon Forge was beautifully decorated for Christmas and we were wondering how they managed to take down the Halloween and put of the new decorations so quickly. A parade was held in Pigeon Forge but we didn't see that. We elected to go have dinner. After that wonderful meal we came back to Pigeon Forge to see the most amazing Christmas Show - Smokey Mountain Opry Christmas Show - with lots of color, costumes, amazing dancers and singers doing songs and scenes of Christmas and ending with a live Nativity Scene, complete with wise men riding in on camels and shepherds bringing their real sheep and even a donkey standing to one side of the Holy Family. When an angel flew out over the audience it just took your breath away. What a wonderful start to the Christmas Season. The next morning found us having a most lavish breakfast at the hotel. A complimentary breakfast that was complete with omelet station and everything else that you would see at any nice restaurant. We filled our stomachs and then went to Gatlinburg where we boarded the Air Tram that took us up to the top of the mountain to the ski lodge. Riding up the mountain and looking down at the tops of the trees which were gold, red and burgundy colored was just breath taking. We had refreshments at the ski lodge and then rode back down. Sara and I elected to go back to our beautiful room and rest until time to go to the Dixie Stampede for for that Christmas Spectacular. And that is what it was - spectacular. After a good night's rest in that wonderful hotel bed we packed up, left (reluctantly) and went to the Apple Barn for breakfast and drove home. What a good time I had on the trip. I will always be beholden to Jacque and Wayne for taking me, for Wayne patiently waiting while I shopped in the Christmas Store, and for all of the wonderful ways that they helped me. I was glad to get home to see Houston and I do think he was glad to see me after spending three days with Corinne.
On Saturday, after one day of rest from the trip, I went to Florence, AL for Cannon's sixth birthday party and to see Leslie and Russell's new home. That is only about two and a half hour drive from my house and, again, Wayne took the side roads to allow us to see some colorful trees and some scenery rather than a boring interstate ride. We arrived a the Pigg Home just as the party was starting and enjoyed watching all of the children. Kim, Patrick, Mikka, Joesea and John Patrick came and the children loved the games and jumping on the inflatable table that they had rented for the occasion. When the party was over and all of the guests except family and a few friends had left, Leslie served barbecue and all of the trimmings for our dinner and gave a guided tour of the house which is out of this world and defies description. Corinne and I shared a bedroom and I turned in early due to exhaustion. We came back after brunch on Sunday.
For many months I have suffered with shortness of breath - extreme shortness of breath. I went to the heart doctor and he, after performing an echo cardiogram, told me I needed to see a pulmonary doctor. I wen to Dr. Southwell and after many breathing tests he diagnosed me with severe, stage 3 C.O.P.D. I am now on full oxygen day and night. I have a long tube that will allow me to walk all over the house and I have a canister that rolls to take when I go out. I am going to get a canister of oxygen that fits into a small pocket book holder and I will feel much better about going out when I get that. Right now I don't want to go anywhere and roll oxygen around with me. I'm sure that pride is why I am having trouble there. However, it is the holiday season and my calendar is full of parties and events so unless I get a grip and accept this condition I will surely miss a lot of wonderful things. This is a life changing situation and I am having a very hard time accepting all of it. I know that I am not the first person that has to live on oxygen nor will I be the last. I will pray for strength to accept all of this. I will be thankful on Thanksgiving Day and all other days that my condition was C,O.P.D and not cancer. I will be thankful that there is something that can be done to make breathing easier and make me more comfortable. I will give thanks to God that He directed me to a doctor that made a diagnosis and then followed it up with treatment. All things considered I really am a blessed woman. All of my girls have just jumped in and are making this transition so much easier. One or the other calls, brings food, checks on me, drives me where I need to go, and best of all shows me in every way possible how much they love me. I never feel alone because I know that, not only my children and my friends love me and want the best for me, I know that my God loves me and wants the best for me. It is something that I am sure of now more than ever. I can say real loud and with conviction that God is good - all the time.
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