New Year's Eve 2011

We went to an early dinner at Olive Garden tonight. No big party as in years past. Last year we went to the New Year's party at the Embassy Suites hotel in Rogers. Year before that we went on a cruise out of Galveston. This is the first "quiet" year since we've been married. No champagne. But I did stop by Harp's grocery yesterday and picked up some petit fours and mini cheesecakes, and a bottle of gingerale. Gotta have SOMETHING bubbly for the new year! Actually, I had a bellini with dinner; it has some asti in it, although not much. I can't drink alcohol anymore; it makes me dreadfully sick. I guess since my kidney doesn't work well any more, the alcohol doesn't get filtered out of my system, so it stays and stays. At Christmas I had a glass of champagne at the quilter's dinner, and felt really sick the next day. Won't do that again. Hope the bellini doesn't affect me that way.



Ramiro's goal for the new year is to lose 20 lbs. I told him my goal for 2012 is just to survive. I'm not on dialysis yet, and of course I wish that my kidney would keep on working so I didn't need dialysis, but I also recognize that if my kidney works let's say for 3 or 4 more years, then finally quits, I may not be in the best position to get a transplant then. Right now I'm told I'm a good candidate because I'm otherwise in good health, and I'm "young," but 3 or 4 years down the road my health may be compromised by the poorly functioning kidney, to say nothing of the fact that I'll be 3 or 4 years older, and not considered the best choice to get a prime kidney. So in a way, it's best to get a transplant sooner rather than later.

May God watch over us this coming year; we will face many challenges and we will need every resource of strength that we can muster. I pray for Ramiro to remain well and healthy. As I've said before, he is the only thing between me and the total darkness that would surround me without him. I cannot imagine trying to face this coming year without him. Not only is taking complete care of me and the house and the cars and the pets, but he's just so solid and well centered. He's what keeps me centered at this time. Otherwise I'd go into a deep funk, I'm sure.