July 17, 2009. Bethesda, Md. Home Again.

We know the drill. After two and a half weeks away in Nova Scotia, we know to go to the grocery store for milk and fruit and attend to the mail. I immediately empty my bags and put everything away, while Ken leaves things sitting around until he needs whatever in his bag. The younger generation does the same thing. Days after a return from a trip, I find cases still not even opened. I wonder what makes the difference? We returned with Ken still with the bad cough but better than when we left here. We are hoping that the warmth of August along with the clean, moist air back in Nova Scotia will clear up his nasty cough. Now the problem is that he has had a cough all his life, but this cough is different and nasty so we hope for the best in August. When Ken was an intern, following major surgery, his surgeon advised him to move to a warm climate, so we moved to Texas and lived there for six years. His health was better in a warm moist climate, but it was a long way from home, so we moved to Washington/Bethesda in 1970 and have lived here ever since. The polluted air is difficult for him but we are at the farm every weekend and of course, we spend time in other remote places where the air is not as dirty. Our yard in Nova Scotia looks a lot better, so I guess he feels better too.

The heart surgery seems to have tampered with his lungs and he actually had an appointment with a pulmonary physician in June, for the first time in 45 years. He has a follow-up appointment next week, so we will see what is to be done or not done. It is my guess that nothing can be done but he will need to keep doing whatever he can do to keep himself going. He certainly lacks the energy of the past and he does not understand his shortness of breath and he is clearly not happy with this terrible cough. Now we are home and he is catching up with the accounts and medical appointments. Our apartment always looks welcoming with the family pictures on the walls and the books at hand. It is always difficult to figure out the future.