A Year In Books 2023

Each year I make a blog post to keep track of the books I have read that year. My goal this year is going to be 52 books. I hope I crush it! 

1. Colin By Kirsten Osbourne

2. David's Bride By Kirsten Osbourne

3. Stanley's Bride By Kirsten Osbourne

4. Fiona's Fantasy By Kirsten Osbourne

5. Melody's Miracle By Kirsten Osbourne

6. Mail Order Magnificence By Kirsten Osbourne

7. Cuddling in Clover Creek By Kirsten Osbourne

8. Love and Cherish By Samantha Price

9. Amish Neighbors By Samantha Price

10. Her Amish Quilt By Samantha Price

11. A Home of Their Own By Samantha Price

12. Wanted: Medicine Man By Christine Sterling

13. The Coffin Maker By Christine Sterling

14. Wanted: Grave Digger By Christine Sterling

15. Mail Order Marshall By George McVey

16. Wanted: Horse Breeder By Barbara Goss

17. Wanted: Gunsmith By Lynn Donovan

18. Wanted: Shopkeeper By Sophie Dawson

19. Wanted: Innkeeper By Marianne Spitzer

20. Wanted: Man of Honor By Parker J Cole

21. Wanted: Lawyer By Josephine Blake

22. Wanted: Preacher By Tonya Van Winkle

23. Wanted: Miller By George McVey

24. Wanted: Engineer By George McVey

25. Wanted: A Trusting Heart By Barbara Goss

26. Wanted: Barkeep By Lynn Donovan

27. Wanted: Bookkeeper By Sophie Dawson

28. Wanted: Carpenter By Marianne Spitzer

29. Wanted: Stone Mason  By Parker J Cole

30. Wanted: Zookeeper By Lynn Donovan

31. Wanted: Family By George McVey

32. Wanted: St. Nick By Josephine Blake

33. Wanted: Redemption By Christine Sterling

34. Wanted: Forever Family By Marianne Spitzer

35. Wanted: Developer By Sophie Dawson

36. Wanted: Hired Gun By Ginny Sterling

37. Wanted: Fire Chief By Parker J Cole

38. Duncan By Kirsten Osbourne

39. Wanted: Bounty Hunter By Jo Grafford 

40. Kitty's Deputy By Tonya VanWinkle

41. Snowbound By Christine Sterling

42. Changing Seasons By Christine Sterling

43. The Bounty Hunter's Sister By Jo Grafford

44. A Chance for Love By Samantha Price

45. The First Christmas at Flat River By Christine Sterling

46. His Christmas Bride By Christine Sterling

47. Not His Mail Order Bride By Christine Sterling

48. Mail Order Myth By Kirsten Osbourne

49. Cherishing His Rescued Bride By Christine Sterling

50. Sheltering Her Courageous Heart By Christine Sterling

51. A Sweet Cure for the Grumpy Brother By Christine Sterling

52. Mail Order Mockery By Kirsten Osbourne

53. Loving An Honorable Man By Christine Sterling

54. The Farmer's Bride By Christine Sterling

55. The Stable Master's Bride By Christine Sterling

56. The Drifter's Bride By Christine Sterling

57. The Cowboy's Bride By Christine Sterling

58. Doris's Deceit By Kirsten Osbourne

59. The Marshal's Bride By Christine Sterling

60. The Letter Wife By Christine Sterling

61. A Letter to Georgia By Christine Sterling

62. Wynter's Bride By Christine Sterling

63. The Homecoming By Christine Sterling

64. A Matter of Marriage By Christine Sterling

65. The Barn Raising By Christine Sterling

66. The Wagon Master's Wife By Christine Sterling

67. The Cowboy and Mrs. Claus By Christine Sterling

68. Herd to Love By Christine Sterling

69. Mail Order Match-Up By Kirsten Osbourne

70. Her Secret Past By Christine Sterling

71. Her Secret Baby By Christine Sterling

72. Her Secret Shame By Christine Sterling

73. His Marriage Arrangement By Christine Sterling

74. Her Secret Love By Christine Sterling

75. Gretchen's Dilemma By Christine Sterling

76. Searching in Scranton By Kirsten Osbourne

77. Ava's Longing By Christine Sterling

78. Claiming Her Heart (His Civil War Bride) By Christine Sterling

79. A Match for Victoria By Christine Sterling

80. New York Bride By Christine Sterling

81. Ezra's Forgetful Bride: Matchmaker's Mix Up By Christine Sterling

82. Mail Order Mate By Kirsten Osbourne

83. A Letter to Carolina By Christine Sterling

84. Gwyneth By Christine Sterling

85. Cassidy's Calling By Christine Sterling

86. Carrigan's Calm By Christine Sterling

87. The Blizzard Brides By Christine Sterling

88. A Groom for Claire By Patricia PacJac Carroll

89. Abigail's Arrangement By Kirsten Osbourne

90. A Groom for Celia By Cat Cahill

91. A Groom for Linda By Lynn Donovan

92. A Groom for Carrie By Marie Higgins

93. A Groom for Millie By Christine Sterling

94. A Groom for Altar By Parker J Cole

95. A Groom for Ruby By Laura Ashwood

96. A Groom for Rachel By Marianne Spitzer

97. A Groom for Hollie By Lynn Donovan

98. A Groom for Gracie By Heather Blanton

99. A Groom for Callie By Marlene Bierworth

100. A Groom for Heather By Christine Sterling

101. A Groom for Jenna By Patricia PacJac Carroll

102. A Groom for Becca By Lynn Donovan

103. A Groom for Bailey By Heather Blanton

104. Courting in Colorado By Kirsten Osbourne

105. Mail Order Mirth By Kirsten Osbourne

106. The One-Date Deal By Keira K Barton

107. Mail Order Mirage By Kirsten Osbourne

108. A Groom for Faith By Cat Cahill

109. Vicki's Vows By Kirsten Osbourne

110. A Groom for Vivian By Marlene Bierworth 

111. A Groom for Purity By Parker J Cole

112. Mail Order Muse By Kirsten Osbourne

113. A Groom for Blaze By Marie Higgins

114. A Letter to Adaya By Christine Sterling

115. A Groom for Violet By Laura Ashwood

116. Her Gentle Protector By Christine Sterling

117. Fearghas By Kirsten Osbourne

118. A Groom for Trish By Patricia PacJac Carroll

CGM

 CGM - Continuous Glucose Monitoring... When I was at the doctor last week he recommended we upgrade to CGM to try to get my blood sugars under tighter control. Insurance required prior approval before I could get it so I picked the monitor and sensors up yesterday. Diabetes has me nevering like I never nevered before. Before diabetes, I swore I could never check my own blood sugar. Well, I had to learn. I swore I could never give myself a shot. It was difficult the first few months but now, years later, I do it without trouble most days. So when it came to CGM, it was no different. I had literal nightmares the last few days about sticking myself with the CGM sensor. For those who do not know, the CGM sensor goes on your arm. It stays there for two weeks and you just scan the sensor to check your blood sugar. The sensor continuously keeps track of your blood sugars. If it has a high reading it will tell you to scan it. I am no expert by any means because I just started this journey. I was woke up this morning with a high blood sugar. It was 200. I am not sure how or why it was 200 at SIX AM, but it was. I didn't have anything sugary or carb filled at bedtime last night. By the time I woke up and checked it again, it was 160. Not a great fasting level by any means but I will take it over the 200. I was unaware that these little discs required adhesive patches to keep them on, but that do. I have ordered some and now I am just trying to keep the disc in place until they get here. It is a bit of tape around it but it keeps wanting to try to come up. I just keep pressing it back into place. So here is the start of my journey. It is mildly frustrating. Hopefully, it will help get my levels under control and keep them there. 

September a1c

 My a1c was 8.2.

Eyes

 This has been a hard year...hard summer...hard month...hard week...hard day. I had an MRI done in December of last year. Long story short (or as short as I can make it) that was the start of it all. The MRI showed my shunt was over draining. The neurologist that I was seeing locally wasn't qualified to treat me so she wanted to refer me to another neurologist for this problem. She tried for a while to find someone locally to take my case, but because I was already shunted no one locally would agree to take my case. My neurosurgeon who installed the shunt has since retired.

So in May, I ended up at Vanderbilt Hospital to see another neurologist who then referred me to a neurosurgeon who I saw in June. During this time I had a shunt series, an MRI and an MRV. I also had to see my eye doctor for a specific exam. Everyone was trying to figure out if my shunt was causing problems. The Neurologist and the Neurosurgeon frustrate me with the differing opinions. I will see the Neurologist and he will see or agree there is potentially a problem, but then the neurosurgeon is like "Ah, I've seen worse cases than this." Both are excellent doctors, but it is frustrating at times hearing the differing opinions.

This week was the week of doctors for me. Tuesday, I went back to Vanderbilt for my three month check up. My day started with a CT. We go to the neurologist who shows us the CT and gives us a couple things to look at. He also told us that my pituitary gland is enlarged. He has ordered another MRI that I will have in December when I return to him. I have been having daily headaches so he referred me back to my primary doctor for some med changes. The neurologist is going to be the one treating the headaches but he is wanting to increase some meds I am already on so he wants the primary doctor's approval in doing this. Next, off to the neurosurgeon for my follow-up appt with him. He listened to my concerns and the issues the neurologist brought up as well as the findings from the eye appointment and ruled out shunt issues. "I've seen worse." Frustrating, but I am glad all is ok for now on the shunt front.

Yesterday, I had my last appointment with my local neurologist. The issues I saw her for she decided would be monitored by Vanderbilt so I didn't need her any longer. This was a huge answer to prayer because my visits to her were very stressful.

Today, I had to follow-up with my eye doctor. Unfortunately, that appointment didn't go the way I had prayed it would. The last several times I have seen him, my eye pressure has been elevated. This is the third time it has been tested in the last twelve months and it was elevated a couple times before that. When I went to see him in June he decided that he wanted to see me in three months for further testing. I had several things done to my eyes. His diagnosis is that I am in the early stages of Glaucoma. He put me on an eye drop that I will use in one eye and I'll see him again in a month where they will once again test my eye pressure. If the drops do what they are supposed to then I will start using them in both eyes.

I did okay with this news until I got home. On the way home I spoke with my best friend. I spoke with one of my sisters. I was ok. I took one look at my husband and started sobbing. Then I did something stupid. What is the #1 rule when you are faced with medical issues? DO NOT GOOGLE! Well, I googled!! Stupid, stupid Lisa. I knew better but I did it any way. I have spent my evening grieving and praying. I turned on worship music and prayed. I know that none of this has surprised God. I know that I am in His hands and He has my best interest at heart. I am thankful that we caught it early and praying it doesn't get worse. I would be lying if I didn't admit that I am scared. This disease can make you go blind. The thought of never being able to my husband and kids again, never being able to see my future grandchildren, not being able to read or drive or...or...or... It shakes me to my core. But God... I am doing my best to lean on Him; to cast my cares on Him, because He is ultimately the only one who has any control over my situation. I can, and will, seek meds and treatment, but my future is in His hands alone. So if you have made it this far, thank you for reading my tale of woe. If you are the praying type, I would appreciate your prayers. Thank you.