Monday, September 2, 2024

Ken, But Wait, There's More: Dolls

  Finally, a post that isn't  all about Ken, although my life is right now. He is home, and  keeping Fuzzy and me very busy. It's  been super hot, so he has been sapped by the heat, as have I. We were under a heat advisory all week, so we went to Emma's house to  hang out  in her air conditioning a couple of days. He has his first real outpatient therapy this week. Temperatures are supposed to drop a bit, so hopefully he will be feeling more up to it. We did some stuff at home, but generally it was just so hot that he was weak, and I didn't want to put a drain on him. Today we did a bit more, as it's a little cooler.

  But, what you're really here for is dolls. I was out shopping for a  blood pressure cuff, etc. this week, and walked through the clearance and toy aisles at Walmart. Normally I don't like to encourage Walmart shopping, but there were a few good clearance things, and some nice dolls.

  As for the dolls, I saw that Walmart now has Naturalistas dolls. I showed you some from Target in a post last year. 


They also had the fashion packs.

I love the nightie.

  They also had a line called Latinistas, which I assume are by the same company. 


They are also very pretty dolls, and worth checking out. Both series of dolls were priced at $12.97 each. They also had the Naturalistas clothing packs.


  I also saw a couple of very articulated Fresh dolls.


 Both were good looking dolls, one being male and the other female. The articulation looked good, and they had nice faces. 

  There was a line called Fresh. Not sure if they're related. The hair on the blonde one is great.


 

  There was also a line of dolls I've never seen called Luv, which stands for Limitless, Unique, Vibrant, and their accompanying fashion packs.. They were interesting looking dolls. I'm not sure if they have any extra some articulation. I liked them though. 






  

There is a Ron in the currant line of Harry Potter dolls! Yay! 




Ron was always my favoutire character, and he gets the short end of the stick. I'm glad to see him making an appearance.

The VIP dolls looked a little cheap and ugly.


But the current line of Disney Descendants are pretty cool


The selection of Mini Brands was great. They had the books, shoes, purses, make sets, and what seemed an endless selection of others. I think at least half of one side of the aisle was Mini Brands. There were so many I'd love to buy, but they are so expensive. And of course, we've had no income for 7 weeks now.
 


 








  

  There were some great Mini Verse sets. Have I mentioned that I love tiny stuff?



  The Harry Potter Mini Verse sets were great too. Some of the stuff was so detailed. I love this stuff!



In the clearance aisle they had Rainbow High shoes and purse singles for only $2.00, and Mini Bratz for only $4.00. I had to go back today. The Rainbow High stuff was all gone, but the Mini Bratz were only $1 each!


  Yeah. Okay. That one display doll fell off while I was looking at them. Honestly. It really fell off on it's own.



 Which is not to say I didn't take it home with me.

   That's it. Ken keeps Fuzz and I busy, so I don't have much time any more. This post took three writing sessions. Sorry there were no photos. If I have to go back, (which I do, to return the blood pressure cuff I got.), maybe I will get some pictures. 

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Ken is Home!

   Ken has come such a long way. His last three days at the rehab hospital his walk totals were 60 feet, 101 feet, and 60 feet, plus stairs. He's been practicing using his arm, had his face, arm, and leg electrified, gotten in and out of the fake car, all in preparation for going home. Friday he rang the bell, signifying he had finished his therapy. We headed home Saturday morning. He'll continue with out patient therapy.











It was VERY hot today, and due to be so hot that the heat advisory will last until Monday. I should have ordered that air conditioner, I guess. But the only rewired spot to plug it in is in the kitchen, and Ken, due to not being able to climb the stairs, is living out of the dining room. Fuzz worked very hard setting the dining room up to be a bedroom, and had the bed waiting when we got home. I had to go out and get the mattress then though, because Fuzz doesn't drive. Luckily, Ken was taken care of at his place of work, where he sat in the air conditioning and was fussed over by his workmates. They even got him a 'Welcome Home Ken' cake, which I let him cheat and have a couple of inches of.


A guy has to have a piece of his own welcome home cake...but not much!

a

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Ken's Doing Great and Staying For Another Week!

   Ken is doing so well that he has been approved for another week at the rehab hospital. More info below the pictures.






He just wants to ho home, and sees it as punishment. What it really means is that he is making such good progress that both the facility and the insurance are bothering to keep him here.  And he is improving so much. He can stand for short periods with only something to hold onto. He is getting more movement in his hand. Today he mamaged to roll himself onto his side. He is working so hard. I'm proud of him. Tomorrow Fuzz and I have a class on helping him. But with another week of therapy, he may not need as much help by then. Thanks for all your continued wishes, thoughts, prayers, etc. Keep it up! The bottom two pictures arefrom today. 

Friday, August 9, 2024

Ken is Doing Well

   Yes, Ken is doing well. He is walking with help from the therapist, but not ready to go with a cane or walker just yet. He has to get the strength up in that left leg. He can lift it and bend and unbend the knee now, so that's a start. His arm is starting to be able to move a little, and he can clench my fingers with his pinky and the two next to it. He's starting to get some movement back in his thumb. His vision is still missing the peripheral in the left eye. He has to learn to compensate. Yesterday we had a visit from a volunteer who had a stroke ten years ago, at age 59. He lost all speech, the use of his right arm and leg, and all vision in one eye. He was at the same rehab place Ken is. He was there for a month, I think, and after that in out patient therapy for a month or so. He got the use of his leg back, with the help of a brace he uses, all his vision, and his speech. He still has some  trouble enunciating, an no use of his right arm, but he is going strong and probably drove himself to the rehab hospital, where he comes once a week to talk to patients and encourage them. He also goes to another rehab hospital once a week. His story was very inspiring. Let's hope Ken can do as well. He's starting out a bit ahead of the other guy, as Ken only lost his peripheral vision in his left eye, and can still speak. Please keep cheering Ken on in your hearts, sending healing thoughts, good wishes, positive vibes, and prayers, He can use it all, and we appreciate it. The positive energy will come his way. I read him all your words of encouragement from the comments, and the blog's Facebook page, where I post regular updates and photos. You can fine the link to the Facebook page in the sidebar. Thanks again.

Monday, August 5, 2024

Ken"s Moving His Leg!

   Just for those who are interested and not following the updates on the blog's Facebook page: Ken is moving his left leg now! He has been able to push with his foot, but he is now bending and unbending hi knee, crossing his legs in bed, and generally moving that leg all over the bed now! He has two more weeks at the rehab hospital, so hopefully he can get much farther before he comes home. Of course, Fuzz and I will be continuing to work with him when he comes home. He can also squeeze my fingers with three fingers. His shoulder has been tremoring too, which they say is possibly a sign that his arm is waking up. Let's hope so! He is still missing peripheral vision in that left eye, but doing well and tested average memory for men his age, and he beat me at Connect Four the last time we played! He's doing so well, but really hates balloon volley ball! Please continue your good wishes, prayers, positive vibes and thoughts. 

Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Ken in rehab

   Just letting everyone know that Ken is in the rehab hospital, and making progress. Please continue your prayers, good wishes, positive thoughts and good vibes on his behalf. It will be tough, but we will get Ken better. Today he had electro--stimulus therapy, or whatever the name is. He stood on his left leg too, and he said it felt good to stand on his own. I have been staying at the hospital, and then the rehab hospital with him, and I have to get back there. Continued updates on the blog's Facebook page, which you'll find a link to on this page somewhere.

  It's safe to say that my days of buying dolls are over. I have too much stuff, and we may have to downsize to a one story house, for Ken. Also, we will now be on Ken's disability income, so dolls are not in the budget. When things get more back to normal, I still have plenty of dolls to show you, and you will be able to buy them too! I am putting the sales page back up, but only the dolls that I can easily locate. The others will go back on eventually, as they are taken out of storage. Please buy something if you are so inclined. Ken hasn't been working for about three weeks, and we haven't been approved for any disability or anything yet.

Friday, July 26, 2024

Update on Ken

  Thanks to everyone for the good wishes for Ken. Please continue all the prayers, good wishes, positive vibes, or whatever else you believe in. He is doing well. He has been moved to a rehabilitation facility and is making progress. He is expected to be there for three weeks. I have been staying in the hospital with him, and I'll be staying at the rehab with him too. So you won't hear from me for a while.