November was one sucky month!

November was about being in the hospital in the US with Covid and pneumonia. It was about my darling Timmi dying. And it was also about my friend, Cris, and my son and daughter taking care of me in the hospital while I was coughing my lungs out. That last sentence is about love and support. 

My descent is blurry in my memory. After that huge Halloween block party, several of us came down with Covid. My sister-in-law, Lynne, got me into Banner Health. They had to accept me after looking at a chest x-ray. I was there for five days, and they gave me lots of medicines, and took lots of blood. Cris showed up and created a spreadsheet of medicines. You all know I love spreadsheets! When Neal and Deanna arrived, the spreadsheets blossomed. 

During that time, Sissel, Timmi's grandma, texted me that our little friend had died peacefully. It was evening and he was curled up in his bed. His best dog-friend, Lucas, was there, and Sissel and a friend of hers. Timmi lifted his head and looked around, and then went to sleep, surrounded by love.

Sissel and I decided on cremation, splitting his ashes between us. She and her daughter, Silje, found a beautiful urn, which I put into a little shrine when I got home. Spot was our first dog here in Norway. She died at Christmastime 2008. 

Back in the US, they did a bronchoscopy, where they put a tube down into my lung. They sucked out some fluid from the bottom, and voila! I could breath so much better. Breathing is SO underappreciated! Pretty soon, I got to walk around the room without that nasty oxygen-in-your-nose hose following me. "Got to" walk around? I was "told to" walk around. Pretty soon, they were ready to discharge me. Especially, once I started asking questions about what was happening outside my closed room! 

Insurance. In the US, health care is costly. I am glad I have Medicare part A, which pays for in-hospital charges. The prescriptions that I needed at discharge only cost $30! My travel insurance kicked in then. Getting back home with the help of my son, Neal, was tricky. SOS was only going to pay for my ticket, and then I was going to buy Neal's ticket to go with me. When the SOS folks figured out that I needed medical help to make those long flights, they bought two tickets, side-by-side, so Neal could help me. I am so thankful. I needed him, for sure. 

It surprised me how weak I was, and also that Covid brain-fog is real. Neal had arranged all the flights with SOS. We were allowed to check a bag each. Since the first flight was pretty full, they let me check my carry-on bag, as well. I only had to carry my new travel purse, and Neal only our two computer bags. I have only traveled with carry-on for the last few years. Every time we got into a seat, putting our bags under the seat in front of us and being finished with boarding, we locked eyes and smiled. This is the way to travel!

My friend who has a car, Penny, met us at the Bergen airport. Neal and I slept for hours that Sunday afternoon, ate a little, then slept for another 12 hours. Thursday was Neal's flight back west. We were going to do paperwork on Wednesday, but didn't wake up until afternoon! We said goodbye on Thursday morning with lots of hugs. Neal had bought me a "good luck gnome to help you get through".

The gnome is working. I am getting stronger every day. No more 12 to 15 hour sleeps. I get outside and walk every day, and have gone to the gym a few times for gentle workouts. My Norwegian doctor ordered a chest x-ray, and it looks as if my tumor has not gotten any bigger. I choose to say it is smaller!

I have the best family and friends in the world! Thank you for all your help, hugs, prayers, good vibes, and love.