Ranky received some requests concerning the status of his and his wife's health. This is a detailed explanation of our health or physcial status. Both are complicated and w/o a permanent cure. So, it is "One day at a time, sweet Jesus, one day at a time." Details are as follows:
SweetCakes believed she would die last June. I knew she was very sick and if something did not change, that could become reality. I knew that, but I refuse to project my thought life into a time of misery that hasn't happened. Tomorrow never comes, Yesterday is gone, God has given us this day to live to the fullest extent possible for His Glory.
I do understand the mechanics of her heart and it is amazing to watch her daily. She has improved tremendously and has a pretty structured routine. Her heart will not improve physically. She is doing all she can do to help herself.
She has an ejection fraction measured from the left ventricle of 20. Normal is 55-60+. This is a measure of the oxygenated blood pumped out of the left ventricle. A normal ejection fraction leaves blood in the left ventricle to be pumped out on the next contraction. She has a leaking mitral valve. In this case meaning, the valve doesn't close properly and allows some of the blood pumped out to back flow into the heart or lungs? She will always have congestive heart failure(CHF), but we will keep doing “what works” and live life to the fullest extent possible.
What I know concerning SweetCakes's heart and “What I see” amazes me. I do PTL, because certainly He has intervened in our behalf. She has had to give up the WMU Director job and make other adjustments. CHF is a reminder, planet earth is not our home,but heaven. We want to stay here as long as the Lord has Purpose for us and we will. SweetCakes is doing beyond my expectations. SweetCakes has an inner strength, a personal drive, and will that continues to amazes me. She will continue to battle her health challenges as long as she remains on planet earth. Often, hospitalizations require medical doctors unfamiliar with her medical history, it is somewhat amazing to over hear their conversations. Some comments, such as, “She's still here”. We smile and are yet grateful and we do not take anything for granted.
Realistically, I know her heart condition is very serious, life altering, and a life threatening situation. We are always within a couple of days of an ER visit and hospitalization. But, I'm looking backwards to 5-6 hospitalizations this year with the month of June a very defeating month, and July to the present has stability and structure w/o hospitalization.The streak ended 20090928, SweetCakes had to be hospitalized. We believe she had a viral infection. While in the hospital, she experienced what seemed to be a heart attack. The heart doctor did not call it a heart attack. The bottom line is she now has a small blockage in her heart. The plan is to treat the blockage with medication. Betty was hospitalized again 20091014-20091020. An arteriogram was performed. The outcome was no blockages, but the arteries on the bottom of her heart were too small. This condition would create the same type symptoms as blocked arteries.The small arteries are congenital (from birth to present). Care-givers attempt to increase volume flow? .
Ranky, my problems are the same. Management of the chronic pain is better being retired,. Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) and Peripheral neuropathy in my feet will not get better. My best bet is exercise, rest, and keep moving to maintain my present state. RLS, is in itself a painful condition that disables a number of people. I've said for years, I have the “Can't be still disease” and cannot live in a upright (vertical) world. “ So, I move and lie down horizontal quite a bit. While I did not have the correct medical terms, medical science did eventually prove the descriptions of my conditions to be correct. Over the years, I have had to make adjustments in my life as SweetCakes has.
My limitations has not limited the God of my life. My limitations has helped me to see other doors open and are to be entered. God always has His work for us to do, if we wish. I do complain some, but truly am grateful for the opportunities He has given me. I know as long as I can pray and have a good mind, then that is a job God is always looking for people to fill.
We have days that are very bad and are hard to recover from emotionally,spiritually, and physically. But, when we can ride the waves, we ride those waves gladly and with a grateful heart.
“I'm the busiest man in the world w/o a job.” - Ranky The reason is I have not learned the art of short emails or short conversations and I am slow (methodical,thorough, & just plain slow). I do keep conversations short, when speaking to people who need the short conversation, hopefully.
My family has rallied to us, when needed. God has been faithful and continues to meet our needs.
“Have as much fun as possible, and then endure the rest.” - Ranky
“Always be yourself, every one else is already taken.” - Oscar Wilde
“Don't look back, something may be gaining on you.” - Satchel Paige
“Everyday is a gift from God” - Many
Rank & the Bonanza Gold Treasure (not this time)
"One Person's Junk is another Person's Treasure" Maybe/Maybe Not?
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“There is no hair growing on this story." - Gerald Mann
(Meaning the events are true and the character is Ranky)
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Another day and another walk. I was on my street in the subdivision. Not very far into my walk on my street, another pile of junk on the side of the road. Does this pile of junk contain the "Bonanza Gold". I doubted anything worthy in this pile of junk. Half empty coke bottles, strings of cord, and plastic cord.
I begin to dig into the pile of junk. I fished out a hammer, well worn, but a worthy hammer. I fished out another hammer, I had not seen a hammer shaped like this one. Interesting, worn but a worthy hammer. I kept fishing. As the time past quickly, I had four well worn hammers, but worthy as "Bonanza Gold".
Did I tell you about the Latinos putting a roof on the house where the trash pile was stacked? The silence was deafening, the hammering on the roof had stopped.
I looked up the Latinos were all looking at me with their arms crossed , just standing and gazing steadfastly at me.
The thought occurred to me. These could be the Latinos hammers and they do not know trash on the road is game for anyone and the trash truck. I explained to them the rules concerning why I could dig though the trash and take the hammers. No response from the Latinos. I asked, "Do these hammers belong to any of you?" A voice from one of the Latinos said,"Those are my hammers".
I thought what would happen if I just ran up the street with the hammers. Well, I did think of the possibilities. I came to the conclusion the best response was to drop the hammers back into the trash one by one until all four hammers were in the trash.
I did drop the hammers one by one into the trash with all Latino eyes upon me. I turned and commenced to continue my walk up the street. I noticed the hammering on the roof had begun once again.
"One Person's Junk is another Person's Treasure." No, not this time. No, "Bonanza Gold".
Ranky & the Bonanza Gold Treasure
"One Person's Junk is another Person's Treasure" Maybe/Maybe Not?
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“There is no hair growing on this story." - Gerald Mann
(Meaning the events are true and Ranky was the character.)
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On my daily walk, I noticed a garage sale at a certain house, on this day; I was not even curious. I kept walking. The next day, I noticed several boxes of trash on the side of the road for trash pickup at this certain house.
On this day, I was curious. A treasure is called the "Bonanza Gold" by me. On the surface, just another pile of junk, but curiosity moved me to begin digging into the junk pile with my hands. Sometimes, one has to work hard for the "Bonanza Gold".
Deep within the junk pile, I found several unused candles. The candles were similar to those my wife bought and used. There were just too many candles for me to carry back in my hands. Lo and Behold, there was an empty box in the junk pile. Just right, "I like it when the lack of planning comes together." - Ranky
So, I loaded all the unused candles into the empty box. Was this the "Bonanza Gold". Only time would tell. The determining factor would be SweetCakes, my wife. When I arrived home after my walk, with hopefully, the "Bonanza Gold", I asked SweetCakes to inspect my find of unused candles.
This was the test: Is this the "Bonanza Gold" or just some more junk brought home? I would soon know by the rise of SweetCakes eyebrows, if her eyebrows went up her forehead, then it's junk.
My anticipation was rising as I awaited SweetCakes's reaction. Did I bring home the "Bonanza Gold" or just junk. I let go of a deep sigh. SweetCakes' eyes lit up and she begin to smile as a mule eating saw briars. My friends, I had brought home the "Bonanza Gold". If SweetCakes is happy, then I'm happy, and every one else is happy.
Yes, this time "One person's junk became another's treasure."
Ranky & The Thermos Bottle
“There is some hair growing on this story." - Gerald Mann
(Meaning some embellishment to the entire joke.)
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Ranky was in a hardware store just wandering around and window shopping. Something caught his eye. Ranky does ask a lot of questions, so he is going to ask about this something. He asked, "The clerk concerning the something, what is it?" The clerk replied, "A thermos bottle." Ranky wanted to know more. "A thermos bottle, What does it do?" The clerk replied, "The thermos bottle keeps the things you place inside it hot or cold."
Now, Ranky had to have one of those, so Ranky bought the thermos bottle.
Ranky was so excited about the thermos bottle which would keep things hot and cold. He could not wait to show his new thermos bottle at work.
Ranky wanted his boss to know, first of all. Ranky asked, "Do you know what I have, I bought it new?" His boss said, "You have a thermos bottle." That hurt Ranky's feelings some, because Ranky thought he just might be the first kid on the block with a thermos bottle.
Ranky just kept hammering his boss concerning his new thermos bottle. Finally, his boss asked Ranky,"What do you have in your thermos bottle?" Ranky said,"My thermos bottle keeps hot things hot and cold things cold." My thermos bottle is out of this world. I have two popsicles and a cup of hot coffee in my thermos bottle.
Ranky & the Little Old Church Lady
“There is some hair growing on this story." - Gerald Mann
(Meaning some embellishment to create a proper end of story, but the preceding events prior to the end of the story are true and the character is Ranky.)
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My feet and legs dance when I'm not medicated, sometimes the medication does nothing. The condition is Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS).
Today at church, I asked The lady with whom I sat, Could I pull my sandals off, I have peripheral neuropathy and I cannot stand anything touching my feet. You know how kind, these old church ladies are, nothing bothers them. She said sure, just go ahead and be comfortable.
Later into the service as I begin to earth quaking (Legs and feet dancing), I said, I can't be still. I will move somewhere else.You know how nice old church ladies are, she said," You are just fine where you are, that doesn't bother me."
Earth quaking is a name my oldest grandson gave, when I began to shake the table one day. We were on Sand Mtn at a Xmas function, He said in a deep gruff voice, where is the earthquake? My son pointed to me. He said, OK, deep voice. Laughed because he knew it was me or his mom, she has fibro and does the earth quaking sometimes, also.
Back to the nice old church lady, it was beginning to be rough seas for her, the shaking was so bad. I said, "I will move to an empty bench, this is too much for you to bear."
She opened her mouth, to assure me all was well, you know how nice old church ladies are. But the earth quaking caused her false teeth to fall on the floor. She picked the teeth up, wiped them off with tisssue, put the teeth back in her mouth, I don't think she grinned or winked at me, and then she moved.
I can never figure out these nice old church ladies, but I do love them for lying to make you feel good and God does, too. God doesn't like lying, but I'm betting they get a pass on this one, maybe a reward, also.
I love going to church, seems there is always something exciting happening around me. I do wonder about that.
Did I tell about the time probably less than 6 months ago? I was teaching the Abundant Life Sunday School class.
Somehow, the discussion headed toward the Trinity of God, which I believe. I told them, if I had a God that I could explain, I would be as smart as He was. I don't need a god like that, I need help. And I will NOT attempt to explain the Trinity in this class. Instantly, the power went out. Everyone laughed, and a small low voice in the class, it was guy, who may have been afraid, said; you ought to explain the Trinity. I gave it my best shot, but the power stayed off until the morning worship service was almost over.
I got home and then ate and happened to find some chess pie, it's mostly sugar as you know. Sugar SPINS ME UP and sets my tongue free. Sometimes, it's fun for those present. Some of the ladies at work used to feed me sweet cakes and chocolate stuff, after they learned they could get a low-budget comedian for the price of a few desserts.
Ranky's Unusal Golf Driving Range Experience
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“There is no hair growing on this story." - Gerald Mann
(Meaning the events are true and Ranky was the character.)
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Typically, hitting a bucket of golf balls is fun and non eventful. Ranky took the next to last hitting slot on the driving range. Ranky was hitting the golf balls well . I have to wonder "what am I doing wrong?"
A 25-30 year old black guy, who looked the part of a golfer, took the last hitting slot on the driving range next to me. I watched him out of the corner of my eye. He actually missed the first few golf balls he attempted to hit. He had a nice set of clubs and shoes, I knew he was a golfer, but today was not his day. Maybe, it was not my day, either.
The black guy was improving, he was actually making contact with the golf ball. But, the balls were rolling slowly on the ground in front of me. He was getting better and better.
The golf balls were gaining more and more speed, but were slithering across the ground with 2-4 feet in front of me. I was becoming concerned for my safety.
How can someone hit a golf ball straight from their side verses down range in front of them? He kept hitting and talking to himself and the balls kept coming at a higher velocity and with the same flight path in front of me. How do I handle this, I don't want to die on the driving range and I don't want to quit?
I stepped back, laughing asked him, am I in danger here, do I need to be concerned with my personal safety? He laughed and said, " I hope not, I really don't know what's happened to my swing."
My concentration is gone, I can't hit golf balls when thinking I could be hit by a flying missile at any time. I said, " I will step back and watch you hit your golf balls." I did this. I suggested to him to step 6-8 inches laterally closer to the ball and then see "What happens."
He took my suggestion and his golf balls started flying straight down the middle. Sometimes, it helps to know some golf tips. Knowing golf tips, may just save your life on the driving range. Ranky thinks the golf tips may have saved his life or kept him from serious injury that day.
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