Challenges & Changes

First the change ~ NO we are not moving!!! Now that I have that out of the way. On to our news: Ron has been hired by the Pasco County School District, Pasco County, Florida as a Custodian for Sun Lake High School. His tentative start date is September 5, 2023. You are probably asking why the job change? You thought Ron enjoyed working at Amazon ~ well yes and no. This is the third time Ron has worked at Amazon. The first two times were great and he really liked the work and the people he worked with ~ this time not so much.

This time at Amazon has not been ideal. There have been issues with co-workers and supervisors saying one thing and doing another. Expecting certain work behavior from Ron but not so much from others. It just made for an uncomfortable working environment. We began praying for another job for Ron. Brandon & Danalyn suggested becoming a Bus Driver for the school district but Ron had some concerns but while looking at the Pasco County School District job board he decided to put his application in for a custodial position. Four applications, two job interviews and he was offered a position at Sun Lake High School. The hours will be Monday to Friday, 2 pm to 10:30pm. He gets 12 personal paid days off per year + only works when kids are in school ~ we are excited about that as that means he will be off when the grandsons are off!!

We are so thankful for how the Lord provided the job Ron at Amazon as it has allowed us to be near Brandon and his family and to begin to put down some roots here in Florida. As well, we have been able to get connected with doctors to meet our many health needs.

On to the Challenges ~ I have been dealing with some health issues: pain in my legs. The pain can be sharp and makes me wish I could drop to the ground (but that would mean I would have to figure out how to get back up)! There is no warning. I can be washing dishes and the pain is so intense. I can be walking along and be fine and the next thing walking is just painful. The doctor thinks it’s a pulled hamstring due to the four falls I have had since January of this year. January 18, 2023 I fell walking up this muddy driveway to do a home visit to evaluate a request for Big Creek Missions.

On March 9, 2023 I tripped over Ron while he was working on changing the tire on our trailer. I tripped over the board in front of Ron’s legs, stepping on his leg and landing on the ground. As I wrote when this happened, the worst part was that absolutely NO ONE stopped while we both laid on the ground for over 10 minutes. What we are thankful for is that no one hit us with a car or truck that day!

About a month after arriving here at Lake Bambi Mobile Home/RV Park I was walking behind the trailer to open the back window and tripped over the pile of bricks that Ron & Alex are standing in front of. More than anything I was embarrassed because I had to call the next door neighbor to help me get up off the pile of bricks!

With the final fall the middle of July while we were house sitting and I tripped over the dog (that never moved!) falling onto the cedar hope chest, hitting my chest and arm. I did have a colorful bruise for a couple of weeks.

And all those falls, the doctor is saying caused a pulled hamstring…we just don’t think so. The doctor has given me two kinds of muscle relaxants which have not helped my leg but has allowed me to get some much needed sleep! She recommended PT and to do the exercises using the bands to stretch and to continue to swim. Which I continue to do those things but nothing has changed with my leg. So each day I do what I can with swimming and doing the band exercises. Not sure how to proceed. I do have a follow up doctor’s appointment the end of November ~ guess we will see then what is going on.

Besides the leg pain I started having eye infections in my left eye socket. Trying to find an ophthalmologist and an ocularist has added to my challenges…our insurance is great for low co-pays but so very limited on where we can get services! After a month of making numerous phone calls, finding out I had to get a prescription to see the ocularist (again WHY? ~ who would go to an Ocularist unless they absolutely needed an artificial eye??) So back to step one, find an ophthalmologist who is connected to an ocularist…found one in Tampa but it took six weeks to get in to see him! Got the appointment for Dr. Perich and was able to make the appointment to see the Ocularist, Randal Minor for the day after Dr. Perich’s appointment…yes my eye socket is totally infected. The antibiotic that I would normally use would cost us over $150…UGH So we went with the salve ~ which has caused its own problems. The current artificial eye I have has a big lip on the top and it is very difficult for Ron or I to get it out. I have left a message for the ophthalmologist to see about getting antibiotic drops…never heard from him on Friday so I will call again on Monday…UGH!

Off to the Ocularist we went on Thursday…nice guy, he and his wife remind me of Jerry & Christi Erickson and Todd Cranmore ~ my ocularists from the Seattle area. And YES I need a new artificial eye – this one is disintegrating from the back towards the front. Randal Minor polished it and shined it up as well as he could. And explained the cost of a new eye $4500 to $5000 including travel expenses. It’s a 3 day process over a period of 30 to 60 days. The bill must be paid in full with $1500 due the first appointment, $1500 the second appointment and the balance the day it is completed. Really the price isn’t that bad ~ the bad part is that Medicare may or may not pay towards it. And if they decide to pay, they will pay $1000 after everything is said and done! Needless to say, hearing this news sent me down the slippery slope and the old tapes played at full volume!!!

Getting angry at my dad again for lying in court about us being able to be in the barn where I hurt my eye which was the reason we lost the lawsuit that would have provided for all my medical care related to my eye. Being angry at my mom for always turning to food when we got bad news ~ I just wanted a chocolate ice cream with all the goodies!!! Being angry that once again, someone sitting in a room somewhere is going to decide if my getting a new artificial eye is medically necessary or as I have been told year and year “an artificial eye is just cosmetic ~ you can wear an eye patch. WHAT??? And trying to figure out where will we get $5000 – you can’t get it from the turnip patch!! Ron is working hard to provide for us, I have applied for multiple jobs with no leads and all I want to do is yell “F*** it!! Why do we continue to try? We just get slammed every time we go around a corner!!”

And then I hear this voice say “Just Trust Me!” And then I have to remind myself

and

And I spend time talking to Poppa God. Crying and wondering out loud why does crap keep happening? How are we ever supposed to get caught up? And the old tapes are off and running!!! And run like crazy they do…until I make myself sick from eating a chocolate ice cream and go sleep for three hours. Then I come out to the living room and talk with

this sweet man, right here! Who reminds me so many times there is no need to worry, God has always provided for us and He won’t stop now. We may not know how or where the $5000 that is needed for me to get a new eye made BUT we can pray for the funds, for the wisdom to know what we need to be doing and how to do things but most importantly

So yes there are changes on the horizon and some challenges that we need to figure out but for today I am at peace knowing and believing that through it all God will take care of me/us and meet our needs

~ no matter what!