Reflections on 2023

Reflections on 2023

2023. It was a year of plans that seemed to never really take shape. My husband's medical emergency in April actually began in March. Not realizing how miserable and tired he felt wasn't just the due to the winter blahs was an eye opener when he was admitted to the hospital on Easter Sunday with a heart condition. It's just him and me here at home, so we are thankful for the people who've come into our lives over the past year as well as those we've  reconnected with ... from the cardiac team that watched over my husband, the surgeons, nurses and specialists from all the different departments to our visiting nurses and physical therapists, we both felt listened to, monitored and supported until the time came to leave us to do the necessary recovery work on our own. And we've done it!

Eating healthy is more important than ever now. We both enjoy cooking and trying new dishes. 

Sauteed mixed greens from a local organic farmer became a staple last summer to use in soups, omelettes and other dishes. 

Home-baked bread with a steak burger, greens, low-fat swiss, salsa and pepper strips was an occasional treat.

Certain activites are challenging enough in our 70's without complications and limitations due to our health. So ... that exhaustive goals list I prepared last New Year's Day got tabled. Hospitalization, surgery, physical therapy and dietary changes filled our minds and our time. Daily roundtrip drives into the heart of the city of Buffalo for several weeks was exhausting along with the phone calls and worry. You know what I'm talking about if you've had a loved one in the hospital. We are grateful for all the support we received in person and online from friends, family and special neighbors. Living in a rural setting ... a small village over an hour away from our doctors and hospitals can be challenging, frustrating and tiring, but living where people watch over us and care about us is a real gift. Help was truly just a text message away. And, of course, some of the strangest things happened while I was here alone. Wet feet from a leak under the sink, scary noises in the basement, uninvited and unwelcome critters trying to take up residence with me. It only added to what I needed to manage ... and without burdening my very ill husband with the details. All I can say, is when push came to shove, I did it! I got brave, looked around the house AND called our angel of a next door neighbor when I needed help. I'd have been lost without him. And on both occasions when my husband was discharged from the hospital, he assisted with the long journey from the driveway into the house. Helping a big tall man who was now as weak as a kitten was more than I could handle, but our neighbor did it with grace and skill. We can never thank him enough. ♥️ Cupcakes, brownies and fresh-baked bread are a drop in the bucket for what we owe him, but I make an occasional delivery next door. He just shrugs when we thank him and says he feels it is just what a person does to help their neighbor. I hope that you'll have an angel watching over you if you ever need one. He truly is a gift from God.

After a successful appointment with the cardiac team, we enjoyed a healthy meal together at a popular steakhouse in Buffalo.

I've spent the entire morning of this first day of the new year reflecting on last year and dreaming about what is hopefully ahead for this year. My list is long and I already know some of it will get moved down on the priority list, but the annual ritual of writing it is helpful to me. Later on this afternoon my husband and I will sit down together with a glass of wine and a snack and compare notes. We will forge a new (and revised) path toward our goals both as individuals and as a couple.

In my next post, I plan to write about some of our dreams 💭 and goals 🏆for the year 🗓 ahead.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. You can click on any of the photos to enlarge them if you want a closer look. 👁👁 As always, your questions and comments are welcome here on my blog or on my Facebook post. Kindly add your name, initials or something that will identify you to me when you post comments on my blog. Blogger doesn't always recognize my friends and calls everyone "anonymous"! I love to read your comments and after I've read and approved them, they'll appear on my blog.


It is my sincere wish that you and those you love are happy and healthy. And until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Emmy