Mid-May every year is the Dayton (Amateur Radio) Hamvention. I've gone every year since 1997, except last year, and this. Dayton is the granddaddy of all hamfests, including the ARRL's participation. I used to go as a regular ham operator, but for the last umpteen years, I have gone as the forum moderator and organizer for the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN). Since I missed last year for health reasons, I totally planned to be there this year. Even bought a "rollator" to help me with mobility and seating problems. Sadly, it still wasn't to be. When I am at home, I don't challenge myself, physically. It's only when I am out and about that I realize how truly disabled I am....and when I was at my daughter's, I discovered that walking, standing, and breathing were bigger problems than I thought. I probably could have managed the hamvention itself, but the University of Dayton dormitory situation (where we stay) would have been impossible. Thus, I had to decide to stay home. It was the right decision, but ugh!
I did drive over to the east side of Indy on Sunday to meet up with Majors Pat and Carmella (WW9E and KB9YSQ) for a meal on their way home to Michigan after the Hamvention. Patrick is the retired founder of SATERN, a friend of mine for quite awhile, and I have to say that he looked really good! He has put himself on a vegan diet in hopes of ridding himself of various meds that he has to take for cholesterol, blood pressure, kidney disease, etc., and it's working! Over the past couple of months, he has lost well over 30 pounds. His kidneys are now near normal function, and his doctor took him off of one of his BP meds just this week. Good job, Patrick! Keep up the good work! I need to do something as proactive as that, but I'm such a carnivore that I don't think I could follow a vegan diet at all. Not for a single day.
My bro-in-law went in for surgery on Tuesday. It's a guy thing. He's been complaining of abdominal pain for a long time, but no one could find anything wrong...until recently. Apparently his prostate has been "strangling" his bladder, to the degree that the bladder was retaining a lot of urine and was stretched so much that it was pushing on other organs. I'll spare you the gory details. Suffice it to say that the surgery turned out to be a bit more than the surgeons thought it would be, but he is doing fine...in fact was released from the hospital after about 24 hours...with an abdominal drain that he will need for at least a month while they determine if the bladder will go back to normal size and function. Roger has some problems with dementia, so keeping things on an even keel falls to my sister (who didn't get nearly enough of a break when he was in the hospital). Prayers, please!
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I am preparing for Race Weekend company. My former son-in-law and family will be here, as they were last year. The McNary Motel will be open for business to help the race-goers with clean beds and the opportunity to shower...and some food. Which brings me to my next point....
I've probably written about my "angels" before. There is a local young family--a former student, her husband, and their blended family of four kids--who have become dear to me. I have helped them out a time or two, financially, but I have been repaid many times over with labor around my house. Husband James, who is disabled, is a working fool. He has done things around my place that I didn't even ask for, but what a difference they have made! This week, I set aside the usual $20 for mowing, but oh my goodness! James came over with his own gear, blew the maple helicopters off the sidewalk near the house, trimmed the shrubs, weed-eated and hand-trimmed all around the house and fences, mowed the lawn, and cleaned up after himself. He was here for five hours doing all of that. The yard never looked so good! Then he came back the next day with a pressure washer to clean off the front of the house, the gutters, and the driveway in front. And he's not done! He will be back to do my floors tomorrow (something I asked for), and he will do a good job. He always does. I am so blessed!
So, you are probably asking yourself about the "datin'" reference in the title. That's a joke. Datin'...Dayton....get it? It's bad. Sorry!
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