Categories
2010s Music Writing

Soundwave Festival 2013

4 March 2013

By Trenna, with an intro from Greg

Introduction

I had always planned on including this story from Trenna’s iPad. As I read it I can tell that she has done a bit of a download of her brain to get it down in print whilst still fresh in her memory.

I feel sure that she hoped to come back to it in future and elaborate on some of the comments. She either never got around to it, … Read the rest ... “Soundwave Festival 2013”

Categories
2000s 2010s Snippets and Vignettes

BABY ZARA HEIRLOOM BLANKET

By Greg, plus Trenna’s iPad document

2007

This story has it’s origin in 2007, or maybe earlier.

In the 2000s Trenna became part of a group of women from around the area – mainly in our street – who had formed a craft group. Trenna hadn’t been much of a craft person, but she was keen to be part of the community.

She had met most of the women before, but because of the group she developed a friendship with … Read the rest ... “BABY ZARA HEIRLOOM BLANKET”

Categories
2010s Coping iPad Knowledge Marfan Medical Medical Records Visually Impaired

Blepharitis & Conjunctivitis

Medical Notes From Trenna’s iPad

Here is a page Trenna made about two eye problems she encountered.

Everyone is welcome to read the post, but it doesn’t contain any funny or poignant stories. I’m just trying to pass on some information Trenna accumulated in case it is of use to anyone else.

Maybe in the future it has historical benefit as well. Who knows!

In case you are wondering, according to the Mayo Clinic (who Trenna trusted for this sort Read the rest ... “Blepharitis & Conjunctivitis”

Categories
2010s Collected Wisdom iPad Knowledge Snippets and Vignettes

The Art of Conversation

Wisdom From Trenna’s iPad

This is an item I noticed on Trenna’s iPad and thought I’d share. I knew it was there, and Trenna would remind me of it from time to time.

She was extremely supportive of my career and encouraged me in it. As a result I was involved in a number of professional organisations, and held some senior positions.

She was also supportive of me going to conferences and professional development sessions. Even when it meant I … Read the rest ... “The Art of Conversation”

Categories
2010s Coping iPad Knowledge Marfan Medical

To Feel Able

Weekday Routine 2016 and 2017

Intro by Greg, and then Trenna

Among the documents on Trenna’s iPad there are two called “Weekly Routine”. One is labelled “2016” and the other “2017”.

It is actually not quite as pernickety as it seems.

In this post I will reproduce both of them. In them Trenna goes into immense detail abut times she intends doing things and what looks like a very strict routine.

It is actually not quite as pernickety as it … Read the rest ... “To Feel Able”

Categories
2010s Collected Wisdom Coping iPad Knowledge Snippets and Vignettes

The Key to Happiness and Fulfilment

Intro by Greg, Wisdom by Trenna

Here is another pearl from Trenna’s iPad. It looks like she started it on 27 April 2016 (at 10:31 am) but then didn’t edit it again until 31 May 2017. (How nerdy is that detail I’ve given you?!)

PLEASE NOTE: It is a 3 page document from the iPad, if your browser is only showing one page you may need to click on the link or the Download button.

As I write this I … Read the rest ... “The Key to Happiness and Fulfilment”

Categories
End of Life Heart and Lung Failure Marfan Medical Mourning Snippets and Vignettes Visually Impaired Writing

I am Stuck

A Screen shot from Trenna's iPad
A screen shot from Trenna’s iPad

[Note from Greg: I don’t think for one moment that when Trenna prepared this piece on her iPad that she just added a nice picture to the top. I think the fact that she is standing on an island (Staten), with the rest of the world behind her (New York City) is entirely deliberate and relevant.]

Categories
2010s Coping iPad Knowledge Marfan Medical Music Visually Impaired Writing

Moshing With Black Sabbath!

By Greg and Trenna

Reliving the Experience

Looking through Trenna’s iPad I came across the document she wrote to review/record the Black Sabbath concert we went to along with a friend, Adrian. It was the first time I had read this piece since 2016.

It immediately brought back memories of a really fab night. I also found some of the turns of phase pretty entertaining.

I will put her writing below, in the main body of this post but also … Read the rest ... “Moshing With Black Sabbath!”

Categories
1970s Kitchen Tapes Music Recipes

The Fourth Kitchen Tape

Recorded 13 April 2018

Before we Start

[GM: As the title suggests, this was the fourth of 24 recordings done at our kitchen bench in Kensington, Western Australia. As part of the preparation for putting it on this website, in February 2022, I asked our friend Helen to read through this transcript and the one from 7 June 2018. Below you will find some of Helen’s comments interspersed. My thanks to Helen for doing that.]


GM: OK, so it’s the … Read the rest ... “The Fourth Kitchen Tape”

Categories
2010s Coping Health and Medicine iPad Knowledge Marfan Medical Snippets and Vignettes

First Aid & Home Remedies

By Greg then Trenna

Introduction

This post comes from another document on Trenna’s well organised (of course) iPad.

All I’ve done is cut and paste the original document into the main body of this post. I’ve also inserted a PDF of the original document as it appears on the iPad.

I hope you find it either useful or interesting – or both.

Greg


FIRST AID & HOME REMEDIES

MUSCLE or JOINT PAIN/ INFLAMMATION

Consider Heat or Ice.

Heat helps Read the rest ... “First Aid & Home Remedies”

Categories
2010s Coping Heart and Lung Failure Marfan Medical

“SCOLIOSIS BODY MIGRAINES” 

Introduction by Greg and then Trenna’s words, with only a little editing

The inverted commas in the title were in the original document. A “Body Migraine” is a Trennaism. In this case the term she used to describe this set of symptoms.

Introduction

This is another post that I am including mainly for the benefit of those with musculoskeletal issues. That of course incudes those, like Trenna, with Marfan Syndrome.

Trenna’s words below were on her iPad. It looks like … Read the rest ... ““SCOLIOSIS BODY MIGRAINES” ”

Categories
1990s Menus Recipes

Menu Diary No. 7

September 1992

For an introduction to what these Menu Diary posts are about, please click here.

Tuesday 25 August. Trenna made moussaka again, which I’m sure I enjoyed – it would have taken her ages.

Thursday 27 August, chilli spaghetti is a really easy and fast meal. As it was a Thursday we probably did the grocery shopping first (the only night supermarkets were open late) and then I would have cooked it after we got home. … Read the rest ... “Menu Diary No. 7”

Categories
2010s Household Tips Snippets and Vignettes Visually Impaired

A Rug for Jack and Jade

by Trenna and Greg

To fully understand this post you are going to need to access the iPad document I have embedded above.

You won’t need to know much about crocheting, and you don’t need to read the whole document, provided you scan through the lot.

So what am I talking about?

Well. Some time, probably in September 2014 Trenna and I received the wonderful news that one of our 9 nieces was pregnant – congratulations again Jade.

Trenna decided … Read the rest ... “A Rug for Jack and Jade”

Categories
Heart and Lung Failure Marfan Medical Medical Records

Medical Records – Cardiology No. 1

And Cardioversion

PLEASE READ THIS FIRST – THIS POST IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE

The following historical information is for interest only. It should in no way be thought of as medical advice applicable to any other individual. Medical science has moved on, and no two people have the exact same medical circumstances. I hope you find the information interesting, To see the “Introduction” to this series of posts, please click here.

Common abbreviations used by Trenna in this series:
AF … Read the rest ... “Medical Records – Cardiology No. 1”

Categories
Coping Heart and Lung Failure Marfan Medical Medical Records Visually Impaired

Introduction to The Medical Records

Introduction by Greg, all the records are Trenna’s work unless specified

I’ve tossed around in my head what to do with Trenna’s extensive medical records.

They mainly comprise the detailed notes she would make at the end of almost all consultations with medical professionals. At first she hand wrote them on A5 pieces of paper (actually hand written on the back of bits of paper that otherwise would have ended in the recycling bin).

Later she recorded them on her … Read the rest ... “Introduction to The Medical Records”

Categories
1990s Menus Recipes

The Menu Diaries No. 3

May 1992

For an introduction to what these Menu Diary posts are about, please click here.

Monday 4 May. Steak with green pepper sauce, herbed spud, beans, carrots. Tren describes it as gluggy but yummy. She is referring to the green pepper sauce. I haven’t had it for years. It was made with peppercorns that came in a small green can, and evaporated milk was the other main ingredient. It was delicious, but hard not to make gluggy. We … Read the rest ... “The Menu Diaries No. 3”

Categories
Carer Coping Heart and Lung Failure Marfan Medical Snippets and Vignettes Visually Impaired

Things That Worked for Trenna -Part 2

Strategies and tips used by someone with a degenerative condition and chronic illness

By Greg

Things Trenna and I Tried, That Worked

in no particular order

This is the second part of this list. For the first part please click here.

I’m already working on part 3 as things we have done in the past pop randomly into my scone.

Coloured Lever Arch Files (although there are electronic filing alternatives now)

As you will find out by going through this … Read the rest ... “Things That Worked for Trenna -Part 2”

Categories
Carer Collected Wisdom Coping Marfan Medical Travel

Marfan and Other Chronic Conditions – Things That Worked for Trenna

by Greg

A Need to Cope with Life

This is a list of some of the strategies Trenna adopted to try to cope with life and her many medical issues. She didn’t have a specific list of these items. This is just the things I remember us trying.

I’m expecting (hoping?) that this post might be helpful to people living with chronic disease, and their carers. But of course everyone’s situation is different.

For most of her life she was … Read the rest ... “Marfan and Other Chronic Conditions – Things That Worked for Trenna”

Categories
Craig House GFS Grief Love and Marriage Marfan Medical

“Please allow me to introduce myself…”


About This Site and About Trenna Mahney

By Greg Mahney

A quick note before you start. If you have read the “About” page of this website you can ignore this particular post as the contents is the same as on that page. If that’s you, just scroll down.

About Trenna

You will learn a lot about Trenna as you go through the material on this website. However, if you aren’t already familiar with Trenna here is a quick primer to … Read the rest ... ““Please allow me to introduce myself…””

Categories
2010s Coping Love and Marriage Marfan Medical Travel Visually Impaired

The Wellington Earthquake

By Greg

Business Class Travel – It’s Not For Everyone

In November 2016 my then employer, Advocare Inc, gave me the opportunity to go to a mediation conference in Wellington, New Zealand.

Travel was becoming increasingly difficult for Trenna. Her eyesight was very bad and her pain management was not going well. We knew that the long flight from Perth in Western Australia to Auckland and then down to Wellington would take its toll.

On the other hand it really … Read the rest ... “The Wellington Earthquake”