Happy Parmenter Family!
Oh yeah! That's what I'm talkin' about!! EJECTION FRACTION - 52%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We just saw the cardiologist and the news was beyond expectations! If you remember, we needed 40% for Cord to take the Life Vest off and 60(+)% to reach normal. So for it to be at 52% in 3 1/2 months is awesome! The treatment is working - the Doc is smart and Cord is an excellent patient. Taking the Life Vest off once and for all was a beautiful thing. In the last weeks, the thing started acting up regularly and it became very stressful. What I mean is it 'bonged' often - saying something was wrong - like 'check the sensors" or whatever but nothing was wrong and it won't stop until you fix it.
It is alarming when the thing goes off - no matter what the reason - and as Cord said, "It's threatening to electrocute me again!"
We finally called the company and they sent out replacement garments and looked it all over. That did the trick and it stopped bugging Cord. By then he could tell that he was getting better and better and didn't need the thing anymore - but our appointment with the cardiologist got postponed and we had to wait. So he wore it diligently while we waited. He started stepping it down at the end, he would wear the vest but not plug in the brain. It is heavy and cumbersome and hangs over a shoulder and gets in his way while he works. So we always knew where the brain was in case something happened and we had to plug him in. WHEW! I'm glad that is over!
He slept with it plugged in every night but near the very end, he would 'take a break' from the Vest and take the entire thing off for a couple hours in the evening. He would lean back in his chair and say, "Ahhhhhh." He did great and it sure paid off. He wears oxygen every night - it is a big part of his treatment and knowing that it is helping is a comforting thing. Plus the 'whoosh' of the machine knocks me right out and I don't hear a thing.
We get to SPOON!!!!!!!!! That is a wonderful thing - spooning should be mandatory! It's so nice to have that simple thing back in our lives.
I am not hating on the Life Vest - it served it's purpose and is a wonderful invention. The staff is outstanding, they helped us many times, including running a battery charger and battery out to Cord when he forgot his on a trip. They also sent a rep to our home when the thing just wouldn't shut up.
But that's behind us now and Cord is happy as pie. I swear - I think he did a jig and said "We're back in business!".
Here's amazing news. While the boys were home over Christmas, we began building our new 50' of greenhouse here on our mountain. The Dream Team was together again and they worked and worked. I cooked and cooked. You won't believe the progress they made. Max was only here from Christmas to New Years but Beau and Wulfgar were here until the 18th! They worked every day on our new greenhouse. We've been salvaging for this thing for years and will pay off the new lumber we need now over time. Which leads me to:
More amazing news. He had a greenhouse consultation here in the area and came home and announced he was breaking ground over the weekend. And he did. He and the homeowners just hit it and got it done and he rented a machine, broke through the 3-4" of frost and excavated the area. They will pour very soon. He is so happy when he is working like this - and this is the one we call "Cord's Greenhouse" - we have plans for sale of this one - and he wanted to get a chance to build it again and streamline it. Not to mention working means paying the bills - old and new. He is a happy man.
He will be building another one here in the Valley in May as well. We are booking classes here and in Denver and we are now booking greenhouse builds for 2016. Cord is back in action - he looks great too.
It's been a team effort to be sure - as you all know.
Christmas with the boys was beautiful - the best ever. We even had hilarious and wild times with my big brother who was here from Alaska. He knows how to laugh and laugh - it was raucous good fun.
I will leave you with pictures to feast your eyes on. (I am still knee deep in tomato goo....seed season is starting!)
Optimistic. Positive. Happy. Love On The Wind.
Penn
We just saw the cardiologist and the news was beyond expectations! If you remember, we needed 40% for Cord to take the Life Vest off and 60(+)% to reach normal. So for it to be at 52% in 3 1/2 months is awesome! The treatment is working - the Doc is smart and Cord is an excellent patient. Taking the Life Vest off once and for all was a beautiful thing. In the last weeks, the thing started acting up regularly and it became very stressful. What I mean is it 'bonged' often - saying something was wrong - like 'check the sensors" or whatever but nothing was wrong and it won't stop until you fix it.
It is alarming when the thing goes off - no matter what the reason - and as Cord said, "It's threatening to electrocute me again!"
We finally called the company and they sent out replacement garments and looked it all over. That did the trick and it stopped bugging Cord. By then he could tell that he was getting better and better and didn't need the thing anymore - but our appointment with the cardiologist got postponed and we had to wait. So he wore it diligently while we waited. He started stepping it down at the end, he would wear the vest but not plug in the brain. It is heavy and cumbersome and hangs over a shoulder and gets in his way while he works. So we always knew where the brain was in case something happened and we had to plug him in. WHEW! I'm glad that is over!
He slept with it plugged in every night but near the very end, he would 'take a break' from the Vest and take the entire thing off for a couple hours in the evening. He would lean back in his chair and say, "Ahhhhhh." He did great and it sure paid off. He wears oxygen every night - it is a big part of his treatment and knowing that it is helping is a comforting thing. Plus the 'whoosh' of the machine knocks me right out and I don't hear a thing.
We get to SPOON!!!!!!!!! That is a wonderful thing - spooning should be mandatory! It's so nice to have that simple thing back in our lives.
I am not hating on the Life Vest - it served it's purpose and is a wonderful invention. The staff is outstanding, they helped us many times, including running a battery charger and battery out to Cord when he forgot his on a trip. They also sent a rep to our home when the thing just wouldn't shut up.
But that's behind us now and Cord is happy as pie. I swear - I think he did a jig and said "We're back in business!".
Here's amazing news. While the boys were home over Christmas, we began building our new 50' of greenhouse here on our mountain. The Dream Team was together again and they worked and worked. I cooked and cooked. You won't believe the progress they made. Max was only here from Christmas to New Years but Beau and Wulfgar were here until the 18th! They worked every day on our new greenhouse. We've been salvaging for this thing for years and will pay off the new lumber we need now over time. Which leads me to:
More amazing news. He had a greenhouse consultation here in the area and came home and announced he was breaking ground over the weekend. And he did. He and the homeowners just hit it and got it done and he rented a machine, broke through the 3-4" of frost and excavated the area. They will pour very soon. He is so happy when he is working like this - and this is the one we call "Cord's Greenhouse" - we have plans for sale of this one - and he wanted to get a chance to build it again and streamline it. Not to mention working means paying the bills - old and new. He is a happy man.
He will be building another one here in the Valley in May as well. We are booking classes here and in Denver and we are now booking greenhouse builds for 2016. Cord is back in action - he looks great too.
It's been a team effort to be sure - as you all know.
Christmas with the boys was beautiful - the best ever. We even had hilarious and wild times with my big brother who was here from Alaska. He knows how to laugh and laugh - it was raucous good fun.
I will leave you with pictures to feast your eyes on. (I am still knee deep in tomato goo....seed season is starting!)
Optimistic. Positive. Happy. Love On The Wind.
Penn
This is the new addition to the old! Seed Room along the back.
 Beauregard |  Cordin |
Wulfgar's first time with the nail gun! He's 13!
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