December Birthdays

• Erik--Fri, Dec. 4--13
• Joshua--Fri, Dec. 11--29
• Paul--Sun, Dec. 20--26
  

• The Xmas cookie baking thing at Mitch's has been canceled.
• I am waiting on the results of my BRCA1 and BRCA2 tests. The Genetic Counselor (sounds so nice, huh?) told me that they could find out which lab had done Gina's tests and use those results (thanks to Jim's speedy co-operation with release forms) to determine which test to do for me. Apparently, it's pretty rare for siblings to not have the same mutation. The whole battery of tests is what costs ca. $3,000. Just the one test should be $450 and my insurance should cover it since Gina was positive. (Thanks again to Gina and Jim for having that test done and footing that huge bill.) I'll have those results in a couple of weeks. If I am negative, I'll just have the laparascopy done to remove the cyst and stay in the UK ovarian cancer screening program. If I am positive, I will most likely have my ovaries and fallopian tubes removed and do some sort of hormone therapy program. I'd also have to supplement my yearly mammogram with MRIs. I'd no longer be in the UK program (no ovaries to screen-ha!). She said you can still get peritoneal cancer after your ovaries are removed but that it's very rare and that there's no way to detect it, so if you do get it, it will have progressed so far by the time you know that you have it, they wouldn't be able to save you. My next screening at UK is mid-November and my next oncologist appointment is end of November.
• My lawyer says that the judge won't decide till February whether my case will even go to trial, so if it doesn't, I'll have to vacate the house asap in February and pay back-rent for the last 10 months. If it does go to trial, that will happen around April.
• Pat's been on Jury Duty the past week and this week. I think Gus and August have done a great job not freaking out! I think Pat's been enjoying herself--she actually got to finish a book she's been reading!
• Paul is moving to Louisville at the end of November and will start at Sullivan's Culinary School in January.
• Devin is moving to Louisville in mid-January and will start working for Pat and Gus full-time.
  

November Birthdays and News

Natalie--Thurs, Nov. 26--15

--Kaela had her first fall from a horse last month but she got right back on and kept going--what a trouper! She fell again about a week later but she doesn't seem to be afraid.
--Jenny and Kevin had a rockin' Halloween Party!
Jenny and Kevin

Amy and Jason

Kaela, Tyler, Andrew, Jaylen, and Lillian

--Here's the Adams, oops, I mean Salyer Family all dressed up for Trick or Trunking, I believe:


--Caitlin, Natalie and Cyndi were on the news! Here's the link to the written piece and a lovely photograph: http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story/Last-Day-For-Rainman-Mansion-Estate-Sale/t9mTlK-5lk65Dwx763fX8g.cspx
--Joe and Janelle have bought a house and are getting their wedding planned.
--Tyler lost his first tooth Saturday--on Halloween of all days! The Tooth Fairy left him $5! (Apparently the going rate for first teeth nowadays.) Now he thinks he'll get $10 for the next one :D
--Jill walked in the ADA Diabetes Walk last month.
--Here's a cute picture of the Wheatley Family getting their pumpkin:












--More Halloween pictures: You go, girl! (Josh, actually.)

Jaden and Mya.

Here is an update on my cyst (I think I'm going to start calling this the Klein Medical Chronicles):

• I have a cyst on my right ovary that is about the size of a golf ball and is filled with fluid.
• The disturbing parts about this cyst is that it is steadily getting larger and it has papillations, which are fern-like growth out of it (rather than having a smooth surface). Well, and also that it causes me a fair amount of discomfort!
  
• I have been to see a GYN-Oncologist and he's recommending that I have genetic testing done. Gina had this done and was tested positive for having a mutated breast cancer gene (for more information click here). If I have this mutation (which men can also have, btw), then I would be predisposed to have breast and/or ovarian cancer, so they could do certain procedures, such as removing my ovaries to better protect me from getting cancer. If I don't have the mutation, then they will just deal with this cyst--probably doing laparoscopy (more info) to remove it.
• My next ultrasound at UK is on Nov. 19 and I've also been able to schedule genetic testing to be done the same day. My next appt with the GYN-Oncologist is at the end of November, so I'll let you know what's up after that.

I would like to request that all of my siblings let me know what medical issues they have--high blood pressure or whatever--and I will disseminate the info--to each individual w/o using names to indicate who has what if you'd like. When I took Mary to the doctor, they always wanted to know what diseases her siblings and parents had. Studies have shown that what your siblings have is often more important than what your parents have because you share more genes with your siblings. They asked me about my siblings at the oncologist's office and I felt like such a dummy. This is so important! Please let me know about this!

Also, please start keeping a medical journal. Get a notebook and record the names and dosages of your medications and when you start and stop them, any allergies you have, the dates of any operations or procedures, and the names and contact info for emergency contacts as well as all your doctors. If you are having any symptoms, write them in this notebook. When you go to the doctor, write up a list of issues (in this notebook) that you want to discuss with him. Take the notebook to the with you to the doctor and record your blood pressure, weight and temperature. Take notes on your visit and any test results. Later on when/if someone has to take care of you, this will all be invaluable information.

I just got this email from Jackie Beisler Ridsdale and thought you all would like to know about it:

Dear Bridget, Sorry we missed the Beisler get-together this year. There was a calamity in our lives involving our eldest son, Pres, who was in a motorcycle accident & lost his right leg. As if that wasn't enough he later fell & badly broke his load bearing left leg @ both the fibula & tibia bones. He is @ home w/hank & me & we are just thankful that he is alive! Sorry again to miss out on all the Beislers. Love to you & all the family, Jac

I went with Mom and Dad to a Parkinson's doctor this morning since he hadn't been to a Parkinson's specialist for a couple of years. Just to check on his meds, esp. since he's so sleepy all the time. Unfortunately, they screwed up the referral and said he was a new patient, so they assigned him to a different doctor, who then had to go through all his history again, so it was like a new visit instead of a follow-up. He didn't seem to happy about that and seemed to want Dad to see the other doctor next time. Good try, huh?

Anyway, this doctor said that he wants to increase his Levodopa (for his Parkinson's) to 4 pills a day instead of 3. I can't remember that he gave a specific reason. To see if he shakes less? He said the L-dopa doesn't usually make patients sleepy, but if someone has Parkinson's then it will make them "wobbly," by which he means that sort of fidgetyness that you may observe in Michael J. Fox.

He did several tests and said that Dad had Parkinson's-like symptoms

• stiffness
• shaking of hands (although Dad had Essential Tremors, which is a quicker sort of shaking, prior to this--I think Fred, Mitch and Gus have experienced this after drinking a lot of caffeine)
• slowness of movement

He said Dad displayed memory loss since his last visit, but that this was probably due to age and that his CT scan (when??) showed reduced vascular activity due probably to age and high blood pressure (I think that was it). He also said that Dad's "Unique Personality" didn't seem to stem from the meds, so he wasn't sure if he could do anything about it. He mentioned giving Dad a stimulant for his sleepiness, such as low-grade Ritalin, but he really didn't want to go there. Instead, he gave Dad a prescription for something to help him sleep at night. The problem with this is that Dad will then stand up next to the bed and pee b/c he can't make it to the potty. Or else he'll pee in the bed, which is also a major annoyance... He needs to stop drinking Coke Zero before he goes to bed b/c this is 1) a liquid and 2) has caffeine in it.

The doctor also gave Dad a prescription for something to help with his constipation. The NP wanted Mom to give Dad MiraLAX every day, but she says Dad just lets it sit there and doesn't drink it.

The follow-up appointment is in April. Nice long time to wait and see if things get any better, huh?

BTW, Dad told the doctor that it wasn't certain that Aunt Dorothy had Parkinson's! That was news to me. Mom also thought that the complications from Parkinson's were what she eventually died from.

• Nik and Simone worked like Turks cleaning Mom and Dad's house. It fairly sparkled!
• I just wanted to let you all know, in case you didn't already, that not only did Aunt Dorothy (Dad's sister) have breast cancer but Aunt Gert (Grandma's twin sister) had a mastectomy (Mom's doesn't think she actually had cancer) and Grandpa Klein's mother died (around age 50) of breast cancer.
• Here's a picture from our cousins Suzanne and Ken out in Washington:
• Apparently Fritz's chihuahua died Sunday morning. If you can drop him a line, Fritz is pretty upset.

October Birthdays and Anniversaries

Birthday

• Samuel--Thurs, Oct. 1--6

Anniversary

• Jason & Amy--Sat, Oct. 10, 1998--11
  

Oops!

• I forgot to mention that Fred and Dena also got engaged!
  

• Dad went for his blood check-up last week....
• Ursula and Dean have been having a hard time with little work coming their way, but Ursula has just started a new job. She says it is in communications and marketing, mostly writing and editing, and that it included the quarterly alumni newsletter. She studied journalism, so that's right up her alley.
• Janelle and Joe have set a date for their wedding: July 24, 2010. (That's 2 days after Mom's b-day, btw.)
  
• Pat and Gus were finally able to buy the rest of the building that houses their business. Pat's cousin, who owned it, didn't want to sell it but didn't want to repair anything, either. So now they are relieved to not have to build another building--but they've got a ton of repair-work ahead of them!
• Jim and Annie have become engaged. They will also get married next summer, but I don't think they've set a date yet. They will also be moving after the school year is over. I think they've already found a house about 2 miles from Jim's parents.
• Nikki has been seeing some changes at work due to cuts in funding. I think they may have her working part-time in another lab.
  
• Mom and Dad have named their puppy Sophie.
  
• I missed Lee's birthday last month--sorry!
• I think the reunion went really well yesterday! There were altogether 37 adults and 18 children there.
• Jo Ann's car was ruined by that flash flood that we had in August, so she had to get a new one--well, new to her ;-)
• Mom's storm windows, made by Gus and Pat's company, have now been put in. (Fred painted, I washed, Mitch screwed and August advised.) Gus had to buy extra firewood last winter because the windows didn't get replaced before the cold weather :-)
  
• A guy from AT&T went to Mom and Dad's house and decided they needed a new modem, so Dad should be able to surf to his heart's content now. BTW, since the computer's upstairs, Dad can get Mom to look at emails. Mom won't admit it, but she really enjoys the jokes.
• I have a pre-trial date for the house lawsuit at the end of October. Apparently, this is the last attempt to settle before going to court.
• Jill is signing up to start the Ovarian Cancer Screening program at UK. I had to fax them a copy of Gina's death certificate (since Jill's under 35), so if any of you nieces want to participate, Jill would be interested in getting a group together--UK will gladly accommodate a g roup when scheduling appointments. If you want to start getting the screenings, make sure they know about the fax. I'm not sure if it would be in Jill's or my file.

This reminder from Kevin:

I just wanted to remind everyone that today is the anniversary of Ed’s death. Sometime today, please take a moment to remember Ed’s life and what that meant to you. Luvya, Kev

On a completely different note, Skudder found a puppy stuck half-way in and out of Mom and Dad's yard a few days ago. She's absolutely adorable--honey/brown with a black muzzle. Mom thinks she's about 5 weeks old. At first Mom wanted to find a new home for her (she was filthy and covered with fleas, so there was no question of trying to return her to her previous owner), but now she seems to want to keep the puppy--it's so good for Dad, Mom says ;-) Skudder hates it! Mom's thinking about the name Boo but Dad seems to like Maisy.

September Birthdays

• Lillian--Fri, Sept. 11--2
• Suzanne Arndt Morris--Mon, Sept. 14
• Kim--Wed, Sept. 16--51
• Lee--Sat, Sept. 26--31
  

Two corrections:

• Andrew is in Kindergarten
• Tyler is in Kindergarten

Also, I forgot to mention that Nikki is going to work the beekeepers' table at her State Fair next week. If you didn't know it, she keeps bees in her backyard--not for honey but to help the waning bee population, which is a real agricultural problem, at least in the U.S.

Kids in School Update :-) Please, please correct me if I'm wrong or miss someone!

• Samuel--Kindergarten
• Kaela--3rd grade
• Andrew--Kindergarten
• Tyler--Kindergarten
  
• Caitlin--sophomore in college
• Natalie--freshman in high school
• Alec--sophomore in high school
• Erik--7th grade

I was struck by insanity while house-sitting for Mitch and Kim and signed up for 13 categories at the State Fair, but I got 7 ribbons out of it! Dad thinks I'll have gotten it out of my system now--ha, ha! I couldn't have done it w/o Mom and Jo Ann helping me carry things in. Like a typical Klein, I barely got things in under the wire both days! I sewed the last button on the sweater at 4:30 and they quit taking entries at 5:00!

• 1st place--petit fours
• 2nd place--semi-professional decorated cake with a horse theme
• 3rd place--Aunt Mary's sugar cookies
• 3rd place--buttermilk biscuits
• 3rd place--Aran sweater
• 4th place--white cake made with yogurt with caramel frosting
• 4th place--formal dress

Jason's beautiful drawing of Fritz and Robin's horse was displayed oddly enough right above a self-portrait by Terri Hans (Bill Hans' wife).

John Thomas' cheesecake won a blue ribbon this year--I think he enters it every year!

Dad got a new computer and I put it upstairs--much to his chagrin. There were some problems but it's all straightened out and they now have internet access. Now if only we can get Mom on there--she's having trouble with the mouse. I told she just needs practice. I think Dad might be thinking about giving the computer to one of the kids who might need it. We'd have to make sure it was, ahem, clean first. Of course, he has always sworn that it doesn't work... I was joking with Mitch that he ought to raffle it off to help pay for the new one!

Here's a note from Amy about Kaela's latest check-up:

The appointment did not go good. She weighs 39 pounds and is 3 ft 10 inches tall. She is back down to the 1% for her age. She is the average weight of a 5 year old and the average height of a 6 year old (she is 8). They took another x-ray to see what her bone age is and she is 2 years behind. She did grow during the winter months last year, so we are going to see if she does the same this year. We go back in February - if she does not make up any lost ground she will have to start growth hormones. She will never be a big girl, look at me and Jason, we are both short.

• The allergy specialist that Mom went to did a few tests and found that she's quite allergic to dust mites, which he said was interesting considering her age. Apparently, the older you get, the less allergic you become. He told her to quit taking her current allergy medicine since it wasn't helping and told her to take Prednisone for a few days and Prilosec indefinitely. She's supposed to call him back Friday to let him know how she's doing. He said he wants her to come in once a week for allergy shots. He also mentioned that one of the blood pressure medications she taking (Lexapro, I think) has been known to cause coughing after two years, so they're going to see about taking her off of it.
• Dad's doctor is sending him back to the neurologist (I think that's right) that he's seen before (been a while) about his Parkinson's. His medicine may be making him sleep all day. Also, they want to check out the pain in his legs and to try to pressure him to take physical therapy, which he thinks is useless. Mom has told me how crazy he is about his nurse practitioner and I can understand. She's quite a buxom lady! Aside from that, she knows exactly how to handle Dad!
• I had my Ovarian Cancer Screening today and they said my cyst has gotten larger, so I'm gong to see what a gynecologist recommends, as it could be endometriosis.
• Amy's been suffering from pleurisy.
• I think Jill and Jeremy's air conditioner is out--that's go to be nasty with this humidity!
• Janelle and Joe bought their wedding rings and, as she says, had their boring 8-hour marriage class :-)
• Tentatively Mom, Dad (ha, ha), Jo, April, Lee, kids, August, Gus, Pat and I are all planning on going to the fair on Sunday. Anybody else going to be there?? I entered 13 things (yes, I know, I went overboard), so I'm bound and determined to get another ribbon. I couldn't have done it w/o Mom and Jo's help!
• Also, aka the fair: Robin entered that gorgeous drawing that Jason did of their horse--which they'd have to be crazy not to give a ribbon to!

• Mom went to see Dr Kapur, a GI specialist, for a follow-up to her endoscopy. The procedure didn't show any abnormalities in the esophagus or stomach and she tested negative for H. Pylori. The doc agreed with us that her acid reflux may be from allergies, so he scheduled her to see an allergy specialist on Friday.
• My CA125 test (for ovarian cancer) came back negative--yeah! I am having another ultrasound done on Aug. 19 and am very curious to see what they say about this cyst on my right ovary b/c it's rather uncomfortable. I really would like to urge all of you women in the family to get involved in this study at UK. Just call 1-800-766-8279. Check out their website at http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Sauna/1913/.
• Jaden was bitten by a mosquito and must have been allergic b/c his face swelled up rather badly.
• Mom and Dad's basement flooded in Dad's computer room. It really stinks down there and I'm wondering if the carpet doesn't need to come up. Fred went out and got Mom a dehumidifier and hooked it up so it's draining through a tube, so Mom doesn't have to empty it. The computer really needs to be moved upstairs b/c one of these days Dad's going to fall down those stairs to the basement, but Dad refuses to have the computer moved. He wants a laptop and Mom promised him that when a certain CD comes due, she'll let him have the money to get a laptop.
  

August Birthdays & Anniversaries

Birthdays

• Jim--Tues, Aug. 11--49
• Sarah--Sat, Aug. 15--2
• Kevin--Thurs, Aug. 20--57
• Simone--Tues, Aug. 25--39
• Fred--Wed, Aug. 26--49
• Jo Ann--Wed, Aug. 26--54
• Bridget--Sat, Aug. 29--42
• Amy--Sat, Aug. 29--31

Anniversaries

• Fritz & Robin--Mon, Aug 3, 1974--35
  
• Phil & Serena--Fri, Aug. 21, 1947--62
• Chris & Cyndi--Mon, Aug. 24, 1985--24

Dad

• Mom said Dad fell again and got another wound on his forehead. This was also in the bedroom b/c he was coming in when the light was out. Apparently, he grabbed the door b/c she said he pulled the hinges out! Dad said he'd tripped on the rug, but Mom took the rug up, so I don't know why he fell this second time.

• The doctor said his wounds weren't very deep. She was concerned b/c Dad has lost 8 lb in the last month. His next appointment is in a month, so she said to keep an eye on his weight then. She also talked to him about going for physical therapy for his Parkinson's but he is not open to the idea. He thinks they just throw a ball around. It's also difficult for Mom b/c she has to take him downtown where they specialize in PT for Parkinson's patients.

My Law Suit Update

• Please do not share this information with anyone outside of the immediate family!
  
• Anna's deposition was taken today, so my lawyer grilled her (very nicely) for 1 1/2 hours. Luckily they agreed to not have Mike present.
  
• Anna contradicted herself quit a bit, and I think she got frustrated when my lawyer seemed to be asking the same question again, for clarification.
• Interestingly enough, Anna said she had never seen the deed to the house which supposedly had her signature on it. She said it didn't look like her signature and she didn't remember signing it.
• My lawyer was pleased that she agreed that I had taken wonderful care of Mary and done everything for her.
• Anna agreed that Mary thought of me as a daughter.
• Anna said that she had known that Mary was leaving her the house in her will of 2002 and had not known anything about the will of 2005 and that in her opinion, Mary was not of sound mind enough to change her will in 2005, that I had coerced her and that in her opinion the will was invalid. She said that both I and Mom knew that Mary was not of sound mind in 2005. That will be very interesting if they have to prove that in court!
• My lawyer said that he'd be in contact with me in about 2 months, unless Anna's lawyer asks to deposition me before then. He said that he felt better about the case after Anna's deposition but that a lawsuit is always a crap-shoot. He told me to consider whether I'd be willing to give the matter over to a mediator and settle out of court so as to maintain some control instead of completely being at the mercy of the jury's decision and to consider how much I'd be willing to pay Anna to drop her claim on the house. Personally, I'm not inclined to settle. Perhaps I'm just being stubborn, but I'd rather not give Anna the satisfaction of my appearing to say that she was right. I never asked Mary for her house or her money or tried to influence her in any way to leave anything to me, I didn't bring a lawyer in to have her make a new will, and Mary knew exactly what she was doing when she made her last will. I was not even in the house when she signed it.
  

I'm just writing to let you all know that Dad fell in the bedroom around 11:30 PM tonight and but his head in two places. Mom called 911 and they sent an ambulance, but the EMTs said they didn't think he'd need stitches. He had bled profusely but the bleeding had stopped. They wrapped his head up in gauze. Mom said she's going to take him in tomorrow to the doctor who checks his blood every week.

July Birthdays & Anniversaries

Birthdays

• Gus--Wed, July 1--58
• Jeremy--Mon, July 6--31
• Sam (Roberts)--Wed, July 15--??
• Hannah--Fri, July 17--3
• Serena--Wed, July 22--81
• August--Tues, July 28--34
  
• Cyndi--Wed, July 29--48

Anniversaries

• Gina and Jim--July 21, 1990
• Gus and Pat--July 28, 1973--37
  

Pictures from Barbara's 80th Birthday Party

Barbara (one of Uncle Vince's children, grew up with Mom)

Sonja (one of B's daughter), Paula (one of B's sister), Serena

Serena and Carrie (one of B's sisters)

Serena and Barbara

Larry (Cousin Vince's son), Serena, Gus

Irene (Oh, no! Ask Mom! I just know she was married to a Link) and Serena

• Mom's endoscopy went well. The doctor said everything looked really good. He took some biopsies from her stomach and is testing for H-Pylori, which Nikki has. She's supposed to go back to see this doctor soon.
• Mom had an MRA done a few days ago. Dr. Rivera ordered this because of several people in the family having vascular dementia. Apparently there is a problem with one of her arteries and she is being sent to an neurosurgeon to see if there is a medication she can take. I think the artery is enlarged and pressing on something... sorry but I wasn't there when the doctor called and I was tired when Mom told me about it. If anyone gets a better idea of what's going on, please comment below!
• Jan is planning on bringing Alec and Erik to Louisville around July 4.
  

• Dad had his final visit at the Wound Care Center--his toes are healing up fine. Since Dad complains of a pain in his right leg that is "the worst pain you can imagine," the doctor recommended that he get an arteriogram to see where the main blockage is and whether anything could be done, but Dad didn't want to do it.
  
• Mom took another Alzheimer's test during her visit to Dr. Rivera and did just fine. So I guess it's just the stress of living with Dad (including lack of sleep) that's causing her to be so forgetful.
  
• Mom's gastroscopy is scheduled for June 9. She's still having a lot of problems with acid reflux and coughing. Dr. Rivera said that she needs to add No Milk/Dairy Products to her list of Things She Can't Have--along with Salt and Beer. I've requested some books from the library about Acid Reducing Diets (ie, cutting out acid-causing foods). I think she's taking Protonix once a day pretty regularly. She's lost 10 lb since February from not being able to eat.
• Paul's surgery for his hernia is scheduled for June 9. Jo says it will be out-patient and he will be awake during the procedure! Oh, my!
• Caitlin says she's going to start studying Social Work in the fall.
• Cyndi is taking Natalie to NYC for her graduation present, and she is, like, totally psyched! They will be joined by Caitlin, Sue (Cyndi's sister) and Sue's kids and then they're going on to Philadelphia and Cedar Point. I had never heard of Cedar Point, so I was fascinated to read the following:

Cedar Point is an amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie. It currently holds the world record for most roller coasters, one of which, Top Thrill Dragster, is the world's second tallest and second fastest roller coaster, reaching speeds of 120 mph (190 km/h) and a height of 420 feet (130 m). Cedar Point is also the only amusement park with four roller coasters that are taller than 200 feet (61 m). As of 2008^[update], Cedar Point has more rides (75) than any other amusement park.

It also has a mile-long white sand beach, an outdoor water park (Soak City), an indoor waterpark and hotel (Castaway Bay), two marinas, several hotels, and Challenge Park, which features attractions such as go-karts and miniature golf. Known as "America's Roller Coast", Cedar Point has been voted "Best Amusement Park in the World" by "Amusement Today" for the past eleven years.

It sounds like they are going to have a vacation to remember!

• I haven't heard much about the law suit--just that Anna is supposed to go into my lawyer's office for a deposition on June 12. I'll keep everyone posted.
• Barbara Bard's family threw her a surprise 80th birthday party on Sun., May 31. Mom, Gus, Fritz, Robin and I were in attendance. There were probably about 50-60 people there. Barbara, Gloria and Paula are Uncle Vince (one of Mom's brothers) and Aunt Carrie's daughters. B and G were Mom's best friends growing up, along with Sonny (sp?), who was one of Uncle George's daughters. Gloria, btw, has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, which is very disturbing for Mom, as you can imagine.
• Larry Beisler was also at the party--he's Uncle Vince's son. Or his grandson? I get these things confused... Anyway, he's the one who hosted the Beisler get-togethers that Fritz organized. There were two ca. 7 and 8 years ago. Larry's home is over in Indiana. He's interested in hosting another one--we're all thinking early September might be good. Just a heads up.
• Simone's strawberry patch is doing great! It's 10' by 10' and she got 2 gallons on one day recently. She rents three little garden plots and they're part of a larger garden community. This is a really popular thing in Germany, btw, and people have little "houses" in these gardens--with all the emenities (ie, coffee maker, fridge for beer and bed for naps). They call them "Kleingartenvereine," which means "Little Garden Clubs."
  

June Birthdays

• Daniel--Mon, June 7--27
• Jill--Tues, June 9--30
• Devin--Fri, June 12--29
• Alec--Wed, June 24--15
• Jason--Fri, June 26--33
• McKinzie--Sun, June 28--8?
  

• Dad got the results from the Dopplar Study they did on his legs--he has some circulation problems below the knees, but there shouldn't be any major issues from it. The doctor did talk to him about smoking and how the nicotine in his cigars (Dad seemed to think only cigarettes have nicotine) cuts down the oxygen that his body receives and makes the situation for his legs even worse. He also told Dad that surgeons make a lot of money on people like him (who smoke).
• Gus, Pat, JoAnn, Mom and I went to the Biergarten at the German-American Club last Saturday night and everybody had a good time. I think the highlight of the evening was watching Jo and Mom do the chicken dance!
• Mom finally got her bridge put in and is so happy to be able to chew better--well, if she could eat anything. Her acid reflux and coughing is still bothering her quite a bit. Her endoscopy is scheduled for June 9.
• I'm going to be house/dog-sitting for Mitch and Kim the third week of June. Their whole family is headed to Florida.
  

• Dad is having a Doppler Study done on his legs tomorrow to see how his circulation is doing. This is so they can better assess the sores on his toes, which Mom says are much better.
  
• Paul has a inguinal hernia and is going to have an operation on May 28. His address is 122 W 9th St, Apt 1, Cinti, OH, 45202 if you want to send him a card. I think Fritz had one of these, so it's something that all of us (esp. males in the family) could have a tendency to have.
• Bettie Schaefer (Tom & Dot's oldest child) called to let me know that Mike is in the hospital. He was taking their Golden Retriever out for a walk and the dog somehow got behind him and made him lose his balance. Mike broke the femur (thigh bone) in his right leg and his ankle on both sides on his left leg, so he'll be in a wheel chair for 2-3 months. Bettie's not in the best of health and I know she's very worried about what's going to happen. Mike's about 73 years old. Their address is 6501 Echo Trail, Louisville, KY 40299-5103 if you want to send a card. He'll be at University Hospital for the next few days till he goes to Rehab.
• Mom and I went over to Fred's on Saturday for dinner and a movie. Mom made meatloaf and we watched "Stardust." We're thinking we'll do spaghetti and meatballs next time. Let me know if you're interested and/or have a suggestion--Mom prefers comedies :-)
• Gus had his 40th DeSales High School Class Reunion this past weekend!
• Natalie is graduating from high school next week--same day as Paul's surgery.
• For all of you who missed the Clue Train (although I think I'm riding it alone this time), Caitlin is no longer in the nursing program. I think she switched her major to Undecidedness :-)
• Amy said on FB that Kaela did excellently in the horse show. We want pics, ya'll!
• Mitch survived a trip to Las Vegas with Shawn, Josh, and Sam.
  
  

• The toes on Dad's right foot are red and slightly swollen. There's a small sore on the 2nd toe (next to the big one) and there was puss coming out of his big toe (sorry for the details!). He's got an appointment with the Wound Care Center on Monday and I'm putting Manuka Honey (like Medihoney) on the first two toes. Mom thinks his diabetes is back. I'll keep you all posted.
  

• Mom and I went to "Muffins with Mom" at Samuel, Hannah and Sarah's day care this morning since April couldn't be there. Samuel was all smiles! We got a booklet with all the kids' favorite recipes in it. S's was for brownies. He said that April took out the mix and mixed it up, then put it in the oven at 60 degrees for 99 minutes and then they ate them ;-) He told me that he and Grandma (what he calles Mom) grew carrots together. That was after Mary's funeral when he came up to her and asked if they couldn't go grow some food.
  

• I went to the GI doctor with Mom today for a consultation about getting an endoscopy. He said that since the lungs and esophagus are so closely related, things that irritate one will affect the other. 1/3 of the people who took medicine for acid reflux had fewer asthma problems, for example. She has an endoscopy scheduled for June 9, and I'll be accompanying her then, too. He said for her to do three things: 1) tell Dad that he cannot smoke around her as it is a major irritant, 2) take her allergy medicine twice a day, 3) take a Prilosec or Protonix once a day. He also explained to her that if she takes medicine and starts to feel better that it's a good thing and doesn't mean she should stop taking the medicine but to keep on with it! :-) He explained to her that most medicine doesn't cure anything but instead simply helps to improve your quality of life.
• Kevin, Jo, Devin, Daniel, Paul and I were over at Mom and Dad's for breakfast Derby Day. Kev adjusted the dryer exhaust hose and replaced the drain hoses that Simone had put on the gutter drains with longer hoses to help get the water further away from the house, which Mom says has helped to keep the water from coming in the basement. Oh, Kevin and Paul cleaned out the gutters a bit, too. I guess that means Mom will make sure the sheet is on the bed next time you spend the night, Kevin!
  
• Daniel mentioned having a day when we all meet at Mom and Dad's to work on the house. Someone said that was done once, but I must have been in Germany cause I don't remember. Would anyone be interested in doing this? Any suggestions for a day?
• Gus has planted about 20 tomatoes with plans for at least 20 more. He took Mom and me to Thieneman's, which is like a conservatory or botanical garden with all of its different plants. I got 8 different heriloom tomatoes, which I'm going to plant in Mom's garden.
• Jim is coming to Louisville with the boys this weekend. There will be a get-together at April and Lee's on Saturday, May 9 at 5:30. Gus and Pat will take care of the meat. Please let April know if you're coming and what you're bringing. Her number is 241-1411 and you'll probably have to leave a message :-)
  
• Devin and Jo walked the Flying Pig Mini-Marathon on Sunday and were very pleased with their time. It was a hilly 4+ hour walk in the rain!
• Mom and I had our yearly Mint Julep, which Mom swore didn't affect her--till she found she couldn't hardly walk a straight line across the yard to return the soccer ball to the kids next door! Her TV didn't go out once during the race--yeah!
• My lawyer had filed suit again Anna for the house. I'll keep you posted about any developments.
• Mitch's company was sold to a French company, so he's rather anxious about what's going to happen with his job.
  
• I think April is working on an MA in Spanish--but I may be wrong!
  
• Chris is working as the custodian at a local church. I didn't realize until Mary's funeral that some people didn't know this. Here's an excerpt from an email from Caitlin in December: "I know it doesn't sound that great, but he loves it, which is what is important, you know? His last job, which was working at a place called Plasma Care , which is like a Hoxworth kind of place was very stressful, and the hours were tough, and he just wasn't happy, plus the job was all the way downtown, so he was spending a lot of time and money on the bus. This job is in walking distance of his apartment, and our house. He is really happy, so I am happy for him."

May Birthdays and News Update

Birthdays

• Caitlin--Sat, May 2--19
• April--Mon, May 4--31
• Pat--Fri, May 8--56
• Shawn--Fri, May 29--30

News

• Jenny has now joined Facebook! She says she's taking 4 classes--chemistry, anatomy, physiology, and economics. She's also working 30+ hours at the Walgreens pharmacy with Janelle.
• Nikki has nodes on her vocal cords is supposed to not talk for a while--ha, ha!
• Mom has been going with me (Bridget) to Gus and Pat's shop to help out occasionally. Dad is very jealous, of course. He admitted to the nurse the other day that he had quit taking his medicine because all Mom's kids were coming around and he complained that she's spending so much time with me! Argh! So she's now feeding his pills to him with a spoon--and so far he's taking them.
• Samuel made his first sale at G&P's shop--a bit of rope for $2!
  

April Birthdays and Anniversaries

I already had these entered, so I might as well send them out, eh?

Birthdays

• Mitch--Mon, Apr. 20--52
• Tiffany--Thurs, Apr. 23--25
• Tyler--Fri, Apr. 24--4
• Fritz--Tues, Apr. 28--55

Anniversaries

• Ed & Jan--Wed, Apr. 29, 1996
  

• I forgot to mention that Mom cancelled her appt with the, oh, can't think of the word! She was supposed to have an endoscopy done because of her heartburn, but she says she doesn't have any heartburn anymore. I think she is taking a new prescription for something but I can't remember the name for it. Sorry for all the half-infos!
  

• Jo went to Las Vegas the weekend before last for a conference and really enjoyed it, but I think she was actually glad to get back to KY weather.
• Fred and Mitch worked on Mom's fence this past weekend. I went over and decorated a cake for her, which tickled her. You really never know what's going to make your mother happy!
• Mom told me that Gus went to a restaurant equipment auction this past week. I guess it's in our blood...
• I'm taking Mary to get an MRI on Saturday. She's had a sore on one of her toes for about four months (due to my soaking it in water, unfortunately, which I should have known better than to do). They want to see if there's an infection in the bone, which means the sore really doesn't have any chance of healing. If there is, then they will recommend removing her toe, which is apparently a pretty common procedure. She says she will NOT have her toe removed. She might have no choice if the infection spreads and they have to remove part of her leg. Then I won't be able to take care of her.
• I never mentioned that Janelle's birthday part went really well--except that she wasn't surprised. Apparently, they never can surprise her. She's just too darn clever, darn it!
• Amy said that Kaela did well at the horse show on Sunday.
• Dad is bummed that his computer has finally been fixed and so he can't complain that he needs a new one anymore.
• Mom's hips are hurting her a lot. I think it has something to do with the shoes she wears (ie, not the good ones that I talked her into buying because they're white and she might get them dirty).
• Fred put a lovely add on http://louisville.kijiji.com/. Check it out! Just search for "Fred Klein." (This site looks like a maybe nicer version of Craigslist.)
  

Nikki and Simone-- so far away

This in from Nikki:

Nikki: still gainfully employed at the University of Maryland and Glut Food Co-op. A friend commented on people web-searching themselves. Because of my scientific work, lo, there I am! Who knew! Yet the bees keep calling me (particularly if I lift the hive cover on these chilly mornings). Involvement with BUMBA, our local beekeeping group, seems to ramp up more every year. I teach the behavioral session for our beekeeping course, established our group with Maryland Day at the University of Maryland, gave a native bee lecture for BUMBA and again at Behnke's Nursery in Beltsville, MD, and anticipate more events this spring. Since Beau Ami, my old man-dog died last fall, I have not been rollerblading much. Hope to turn that around this spring. Simone and Ave Talbott treated me to a day (all 3 of us) at SpaWorld in Virginia- which was awesome and exhausting. Nothing like cooking yourself at 188 F for 15 min. at a time. Seems every weekend is whiffed away by work and obligations. Simone and I are planning a couple of weekend treks this summer, wrapped around holidays in order to save her limited vacation time. Because of the latter situation, we don't know when we may be able to visit family in Louisville. I hope, hope that it will be before next X-mas.

Simone: It's been a rewarding 1st year working at John Hopkin's Hospital. She manages a group of social workers in the pediatric intensive care & emergency room and has specific duties in ped.neurology. I think she'll be brushing up on her Spanish as they are offering classes on medical terminology in Spanish. She's put in her 1st rows of veggies in her garden plots. The 'neck squash' were such a success last year I'm sure she'll try them again. As co-manager of that space, she has some new ideas for the coming season- but Not about having bees. Wish she didn't live an hour away. She'd make an excellent rollerblading buddy. A local Baltimore reservoir lake has new path paving which she says makes it an excellent skate site. She is very involved with her church, St Ignatius. Their small gallery is where she had her 1st show of photos last fall. The local zydeco dance group, Somebody Scream Productions, is back in action with a new venue near Catonsville, MD. Their 1st dance was on my birthday! We both assist in making these events happen by volunteering. Speaking of dancing, I don't think Simone has continued with belly dancing. Too much going on at night, particularly since she has some evenings when she sees therapy patients.

Enough? There's more, but I must sign off. Nikki

PS

PS--Dad is obsessed with buying a new computer. He sent his original Dell back and thinks they sent him back an old, messed up one with obscene photos on it. They probably just sent his original one back to him! Anyway, a friend of August's is now checking it out to see what's wrong with it. Can't wait to hear what he finds!

Also, Dad immediately wanted to get a new car because the jeep had been hit. If I heard Mom correctly, he had a man drive a new car over to the house for them to look at!!!

• The last I heard, Jan is moving back to Louisville. She had problems getting insurance out in Phoenix. I'm not sure when that will be, but she'll be here mid-March since her mom's 80th birthday is March 21.
• As Mom was driving downtown to her dentist appointment yesterday, a guy ran a red light and hit the front of the jeep and then drove off. She was ok but she said the front of the the car looked pretty bad.
• Devin's hanging in there in Pittsburgh. Apparently, everyone's hours were cut but they've promised her more soon. Luckily, she was able to keep her insurance.
• Cyndi seemed to be doing well after her surgery when she was here for Gina's Tea Party. Natalie is totally into a retro phase--60's, I think. She played it very cool sitting outside on the car, reading a book, while the boys in the neighborhood suddenly all flocked over to this corner to skateboard!
  

March Birthdays & Anniversaries

Birthdays

• Aunt Anna--Tues, Mar. 3--97
• Janelle--Wed, Mar. 11--25
• Jan--Thurs, Mar. 12--60
• Aunt Angie--Wed, Mar. 18, 1917 -- May 2, 2008
• Chris--Thurs, Mar. 19--51
• Nikki--Fri, Mar. 20--59
• Jaylen--Thurs, Mar. 26--2
  

Anniversaries

• Mitch and Kim--Tues, Mar. 10--31
  

Gleaned from Facebook

• At their last doctor's visit, they found that Kaela had gained 3 pounds and grew about an inch. Hopefully they will only have one more trip to the endocrinologist and they will be done.
• Jenny is working at Walgreens with Janelle and is planning on going into the pharmacy field.
• Caitlin is now single.
• Jill and Jeremy tested their house and found they have high levels of radon.
  
• Jill will be attending Sullivan's Pharmacy School starting this summer.
  

Gina's Memorial Video

Here is the memorial video that Fred made for Gina.


Regina Sarah Herzog n. Klein from seventhsonvideo on Vimeo.

I just thought I'd post a picture of the roses in front of Gina's stone.

Fred put a video together and is going to try to put it on his website. I'll let you know about that. I also scanned more pictures and put them on the Flickr site as well as my MySpace page.

February Birthdays

• Kaela -- Sun, Feb. 8 -- 7
• Gina -- Sun, Feb. 15, 1965 --Feb. 13, 2007
• Max -- Thurs, Feb 26 -- 25
  

Gina

• I've put up a slideshow with some music on my MySpace page. You can see it at: myspace.com/brikl9
• I've got a playlist of songs I remember from growing up with Gina. If you want to listen to them, the link is: http://www.imeem.com/people/HjHxt5E/playlist/B7E7zq-J/gina_music_playlist/ If you would like this music, I can make an mp3 disc for you. There were just a few songs that I couldn't get.
• The link to my blog about Gina is: http://rememberinggina.blogspot.com/
• If you've thought of any memories about Gina that you want to share, you can still send them to me or Simone. We hope to one day get that Memory Book done for Alec and Erik! A lot of people have a problem remembering a specific event. You can just write a paragraph about little snippets--it doesn't have to be a particular event. Looking at the pictures might also help. I know this is hard for a lot of people, but I'll continue to badger because it's good for you! Now, doesn't that sound like Gina?!
  

• Mom went to an orthopedic surgeon today. He said that she chipped her hip bone and she's lucky to be in the 5% category of people who don't need surgery for this. He wants her to continue using her walker, take it easy and see him again in 3 weeks.
• Mary's toe seems to be getting worse and the possibility of it having to be removed is looming larger--that is, if her circulation is good enough.
• After a visit to Hancock Fabrics with Mom, August is going to attempt to teach his Boy Scout Troop to sew their own patches on--rots of ruck!
• Fred's friend Norbert has an 8-month-old male kitten that's been neutered and needs a home!
  

Mom's doctor visit

• Mom has a fracture from her fall and will be going to see an orthopedic surgeon.
• Dr Rivera is going to put Mom on Reclast for her osteoporosis. This is an IV treatment done once a year at a hospital. She will need to take calcium and vitamin D. We'll have to work on that!
• Dr R couldn't see anything other than arthritis with Mom's shoulder hurting when she wakes up.
  
• She got some prescriptions changed to less expensive meds and a new prescription for the fungus on her toe along with a chiding to use it every day!
• Mom's going to start taking a baby aspirin every day for her heart.
• We need to make sure that Mom follows up with the doctor who did her colonoscopy several years ago. The nurse called about a month ago and said that the doctor wanted Mom to have another one done and that she'd call back, but she never did. That's the story I'm getting from Mom.
  

• We all seem to have survived the Ice Storm of '09 alright. I think all of Fritz and Robin's kids were w/o power, although F & R had it. August and April were w/o. Fred was out for a day. Mary, Jo and I were out and so Jo stayed w/ her sister Marie and Mary and I stayed w/ Mom and Dad. We even stayed a couple of days longer than necessary. I think Mom wishes we'd lose electricity more often! She complained the whole time about my baking, but I managed to lose a few pounds. Hm. Maybe I ought to go stay with her more often!
• Mom's going to the doctor today (I'm going along). She still has the pain in her hip (on the inside of her leg) and that pain in the morning in her shoulder that wakes her up (and then disappears as she gets up and moves around).
• I'm planning a Tea Party in memory of Gina for Feb. 15--her birthday--at 2 PM. We'll just drink tea/coffee, eat, talk about Gina (if you come or want to send anything to be read, try to think of any stories or particular associations--e.g., tea, toast and peanut butter). We'll light the two candles that Jim brought from their church's annual memorial service and I'll order roses which we'll take and place on her grave. If you want me to put a rose there for you, let me know! Also, let me know if you're coming so I can order enough roses for everyone. Maybe we can even get a little slide show together.
• This text is from Nikki and the video is from Simone. I think they go to New York every year for this Chinese New Year parade. They eat a special meal which is called Dim Sum--correct me if I'm wrong!

this is kinda choppy and confusing if you've never participated. simone used her crappy little digital, so i was surprised anything worked.
when the lion comes into the dining area, having ravaged the lettuce outside, it's looking to be fed (red envelopes with $$). folks love to scare the crap outta their kiddos by holding them up so the dragon can take the envelope from them. since it opens its mouth to snatch the envelope and is dancing, bobbing, waggling its ears and blinking its lit eyes (if it's a glamorous lion like the one our guys use) i'm surprised the kids are not scared to bits. but the parents start this ritual when they're tiny things, so maybe they 'feel' what to expect and that it's ok.
early there is a flash of yellow fringiness, hard to see. it's lower lip is edged with Long bright yellow fur which one particular dancer (holding the head) would try to flip around as the lion opened and closed it's huge mouth.the movement near the end, when the lion is sorta darting toward your left (looking at the screen) was quite a hectic scene. there was a mob of youngsters all wanting their bribe, for good luck in the new year', to be accepted. so they were all pressing forward waving their envelopes. meanwhile the drummers across the room, kept the drumming going should there be an open space so the lion could cavort with dancing. hope this helps in understanding. it's quite the sensory overload. must have dim sum after to recover one's strength!!

• This was an email from Kevin on Jan. 22. Most of you probably saw it already.

Just to let folks know, Cindi had a couple of operations today to remove cancerous growths from her nose and a place under her left eye. She first had to have the skin areas removed in the morning and then, in the afternoon, she had to have a plastic surgeon repair the areas. To do the repair under her eye, she had to have a skin graft taken from behind her ear. She was pretty apprehensive about the whole thing, as you might expect, and had been putting off the surgery. But, she finally got this part done. However, now she has a couple other places on her torso and one on an arm that have to be done, although not with plastic surgery.

I cannot tell you right now what everything looks like because she had a big dressing covering her left eye, which is holding the skin graft in place. The patch also covered her nose. She will have the dressing on until at least next Wednesday when she sees the doc again.

She is under the capable care of Nurse Cait, who when finding that mom could not drive because her eye was covered, was mapping out all of the things that she now HAS to drive to—to take care of mom of course. When I left Cindi this evening, she was pretty whacked and tired. I think she might like to hear from folks after tomorrow. She needs a little boosting. This operation was really scary to her because of the problems her mom has had. That’s all I got for now. Kev

• I'm planning a tea party for Gina (like I had last year) on February 15, which is Gina's birthday. It's nothing big--just cake and tea/coffee, reminisce about Gina, and visit her grave and put some roses on it. Please let me know if you're coming, so I can order a rose for you. I'm thinking around 2 PM.
• I'm pretty sure Daniel got a job at Bootsy's in Cincinnati. Their website is http://www.jeffruby.com/bootsy.html. It's a Spanish restaurant, I believe. Or do they say Latino?
• Fritz and Robin's clan had a big get-together meal with Janelle's fiance's family. Just a reminder: Janelle's wedding is scheduled for sometime in 2010.
• Simone unwilling joined Facebook ;-)
• Alec made the golf team at school. Go, Alec!
  
• In case you haven't figured this out, "Sweet Niece" is my (Bridget's) Blogger moniker.
• Mom needs someone to help her get to the dentist on Wednesday morning (Jan. 28) if anyone's available. She's had to cancel her last few appointments due to her fall making her so immobile. I went over the other night and did her dishes. I hope I can get over and sweep her floor and maybe do some laundry or something. If anyone can help her out, I'm sure she'd appreciate it, but she won't ask for help and will protest the whole time.
• The movie night at Fred's didn't happen--we couldn't decide on a really good movie ;-) and Mom wasn't really into going out yet, so we've put it off till next weekend. If anyone wants to come (meatloaf tutorial by Serena and apple crisp for dessert), please feel free! Just let Fred know. He projects the movie onto a wall and it's like a little theater.

• Mom's still quite sore from her fall. She's using a walker around the house.
• Mary's toe is not doing so well. The sore seems to be getting bigger--lack of oxygen. We'll just have to keep taking care of it and hope it doesn't spread up her leg, as far as I understand.
• Fred and I are planning a movie night coming up soon--with a meatloaf tutorial by Mom. Apple Crisp for dessert. I'm thinking about "What the Bleep Down the Rabbit Hole" but we're open to suggestions. If you're interested in coming (maybe this weekend) let me or Fred know.
  
• Mary's party was quite nice. She sang along and then looked quite taken aback when we all sang her name! I think she thought it was Samuel's birthday b/c he was standing next to her to help blow out the candles. Here are some pictures of the cake--and, yes, it was at least that pink!
• Got any news? Let me know! Pat told me a funny story about Samuel. I can't remember all the details but Samuel now thinks that Gus is one of Santa's reindeer pooper scoopers!
  

• I'm planning to have a cake and some bubbly for Mary for her 98th birthday next Sunday, Jan. 18, and we'll plan on cutting it around 2 or 3 PM, if anyone would like to come--here at Mary's house.
• Spalding's Massage Therapy Dept., where JoAnn teaches, offers free student massages to anyone who's interested. Call 449-7861 to schedule an appointment: Mon & Wed at 2 PM or Fri 9-11 AM. The massages are free, but they accept donations to the students' fund to pay for testing fees.
• Unfortunately, Daniel didn't get the job at The Cincinnatian, so keep sending him your good vibes!

• Mom fell yesterday. She scraped her arm up. I think she just lost her balance. It was outside on the concrete--ouch! I suggested exercises and calcium, but I think she just wanted sympathy, really.
• Daniel is looking for a job and may have found one at The Cincinnatian. Yeah!
• Dad's birthday is tomorrow. No one called him last year, I think it was, so if you think about it... can't say he'd appreciate it, but, well, you know what I mean.
• If Mary's better (she's got a bad cough), I'd like to go to the Gasthaus for her birthday. If anybody's interested in going, let me know!
  

Hi

I've been wanting to put together a family newsletter, but I haven't been able to get started, so I thought I'd try a blog, since I'm better able to do that :-) I know you all probably think I have more time than I know what to do with, which may be true, but I also think our family's just getting so big, that it'd be nice to try to keep us connected better. I looked at another website (www.myfamily.com), but Blogger just seemed easier to deal with.

I think I emailed out an invitation to you all to become "authors" so I'm not the only one who posts things. Please feel free! That would be great! I've set it up so that if you got a copy of this, you will get a copy every time I post something. If you don't want that, then let me know. If you have any ideas or suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

January Birthdays

Robin -- Sat, Jan 10 -- 52
Jenny -- Sat, Jan 10 -- 34
Phil -- Sun, Jan 11 --82
Andrew -- Mon, Jan 12 -- 5
Aunt Mary -- Sun, Jan 18 -- 98
Eddie -- Sun, Jan 18
Aunt Rita -- Fri, Jan 23