Jeremy has had his last round of chemo but they are having to keep an eye on him still. He has dr appt. about every other day until his counts come back up. His hair is growing back in and his color is lots better. We have had so much fun being with the family. Susan and Taylanee just put up with my craziness. lol Brooke and Karissa have lots of fun playing together and Jonathon and Christopher have fun on the PSP's.
Granny is sure a little fighter. They called the girls in Thurs. night because they thought this was the end. The pacemaker was what was keeping her heart beating. Now her heart has started up on it's own again. As of right now she'll go home and have hospice come in. This is the beginning of the end but she's just not ready to go yet. She plans to be at her great-grandson's birthday party tomorrow. :-)
It's pretty warm here today.....in the 30's! Sad to say, it does almost seem warm. :-)
We're going to my sisters for dinner tomorrow and that's always fun.
Tues. after I get Brooke off to school, Christopher will drive me to the hospital and drop me off. He'll go to school and when he gets out go to momma's. After Elaine's surgery and she's fine, we'll head back to momma's and hopefully be home before Brooke gets out of school. Elaine's surgery is at 10:00am.
Friday, Lisa, Michelle, Karen, and I are going to a crop and I am so looking forward to it. Karen is a new friend I met a few months ago. I have found someone who is funnier than me. She loves to laugh, she laughs loud like me, she's forgetful, and so much more. We have so much fun. All of us went to Karen's fiance's house last night for dinner and games. It was so much fun. We played spoons. Have you ever heard of that? It's a hoot! We used "Swap" game cards to play it.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
December and what it can bring
Reading the Christmas Story!December was a busy month and so different than what I planned. I was voted in (along with my hubby) to be in charge of the church Christmas Program because of sickness and I have new appreciation for our normal leader! :-) But.....I have to say, our kids did an awesome job and I am very proud of them! We headed to momma's the Sat. before Christmas so we could get the church set up for the play. Elaine had to come get us so because our car wouldn't start and Chris was gone hunting. So, of course, my plan was....... Chris would get home, fix the car, we'd stay a night or two at momma's and be back home to finish all that baking and candy making that I had started in my fridge! WRONG! First of all, we got to momma's and I thought Butterscotch was dead! I know it's sounds dumb but that crazy hamster has won this family over. I checked her and she was in a fetal position, very cold, and not moving that I could see. I knew I had to tell Brooke. Well, I tell her, she starts to cry, and I have this box fixed to put her in so that we could bury her later. I got her out and the silly thing takes a breath. I wrapped her in a towel and called a vet. They said I could try vegetable baby food! So......Here I am running to the store and getting one jar of baby food. I get back to momma's and she had a syringe that I started using to try to get her to eat. Finally, I could see her mouth moving and then her tongue. I would gently press a little at a time. Well, I guess once I wasn't so gentle because green baby food went all on Butterscotch, my top, etc. Scared myself, let me tell ya! Fortunately, it didn't give her a heart attack and she continued to eat a little more and drink some water. I held that thing for probably an hour. Anyone that knows me and my ocd with animals and cleanliness knows I had to be worried. lol After that hour, she was trying to get away and go check things out. I think I'll become a vet! ha! Anyway, when Brooke found out, she took me to the side and told me that she prayed that God would let her live, even if for just a little bit. The faith of a child. Butterscotch is alive and well and fatter than ever today. :-)
Anyway, back at the home front, Chris found out it was the starter and decided to hit it with the hammer to see if he could get it to momma's to work on it. It worked! (He tried to tell me that he decided it would be cheaper and he'd just put a hammer under the seat for me to use when I went anywhere!) He's done starters before but this one was a doozy.
Monday, momma and I were gonna get some shopping done and a few houses down.......her tire was flatter than a flitter. We called Christopher, her ran down, put the donut on, and it was flat. Who knows what it was? Christopher aired it up and it's still up! Go figure. We did get the donut fixed. The seal had broken. Our car didn't get fixed until Tues. night when my brother brought some tools, getting out in the ice storm to do it! God Bless big brothers who come to our rescue! To make this really looonnnnng story shorter, Christopher went home on Wed. and got all our gifts and stuff to bake and headed back to momma's. We had an awesome time and I would not trade one minute of the time I got to spend with momma. We had such a good time together. Drinking hot cocoa, hot tea, baking, wrapping gifts, shopping, and just being together!
Now I think we're getting back to our old routine except I have lots of catching up to do on the house. I hurt my back after we got home and was down for a few days! Leave it to me!
Memorable Moments
When I was younger it seems like there had to be something big going on for it to be a memorable day but as I "age" (lol) I am finding that it doesn't take much for moments to be so special. Tonight is an example....I was fixing supper (we had a breakfast meal for supper) and Brooke wanted to know if she could make the orange juice. She did it all my herself. Then as I was making biscuits she wanted to know if she could help. She cut them all out, helped knead it together, and flattened it to cut the rest out. I so enjoyed that time with Brooke and look forward to more nights of us fixing supper together. I wouldn't trade the times of our family just being home together, playing a game, reading together, listening to Odyssey together, and much more. Those are truly the most memorable moments to me!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Power of Love
Well, I found this article in Woman's Day about a contest they are having wanting you to tell how heart disease has affected a close females life and yours. That got me to thinking about what we went through with momma over 10 years ago. I'll never forget!
Daddy had been paralyzed for about 2 years, Aunt Lucille had just passed away two weeks before, grandma was quickly deteriorating with Alzheimers (some of the siblings were taking turns caring for her in their homes), and momma had been named executor of Aunt Lucille's will. We got a call from daddy in the early morning hours of Oct. 25, 1996. Momma was having a heart attack and the ambulance was on the way. They took her to Hendricks County Hos. They gave her meds to thin her blood and the pains subsided, but she was in bad shape. They didn't want to do anything else because they thought she needed to improve first, I guess. They basically did nothing but have her rest and watch her for the next few days. My sister got the ball rolling and on Oct. 28, momma was transferred to Indiana University Hospital. Thank God! She had another heart attack that night and it was a bad one. They rushed her to emergency surgery immediately. My brother was staying at the hos. and he and my sister were the only one to see her briefly as they were taking her down the hall. (My sister was able to get there after she received the phone call as they were wheeling momma to OR) This was around 8:30pm. We got to the hospital and heard nothing till approx. 1:00am. I must admit that this was one of the worst nights in my whole entire life. I have been blessed with not just an awesome mother, a praying mother, but she's also mine and my sister's best friend. Read Proverbs 31, that's my momma. I was upstairs at a canteen when a dr came out and told daddy that they had lost momma. She had a very diseased heart and the 1% chance that they could bring her back she would most likely be a vegetable. When, Susie, my Godmother, came to tell me I was devastated! I started crying and when they tried to lead me away I dropped to the floor and began to pray for my momma like I had never prayed before. I reminded God of all she had done, the people she had prayed for, how faithful she had been, and then I told Him that He raised Lazurus from the dead and that I knew He could do the same for her. I don't know how long I prayed but I didn't quit till I was done! We went back downstairs and waited some more. At approx. 7:00am they came and told us that they had to use the paddles 3 times in order to bring her back. They had lost her for 7 minutes and she was without oxygen to her vital organs for 14 minutes. Her aorta was brittle like an eggshell and they couldn't close things off there, they had to do the artery by her leg. They replaced her aorta and 3 other arteries but couldn't find enough good veins in her leg to replace all that needed replaced. They now said she had a 20% chance of living and they still couldn't guarentee the quality of life she would have. We waited some more until they let us go back to see her. Daddy and us kids went back and it was like a nightmare. Her hair was neat, so typical of momma, but she was so still and pale, the breathing tube taped to her face, the other tubes and needles. They told us to talk to her. We asked daddy if he wanted to wheel closer to the bed. He dropped his head, tears falling, and then just wilted. A nurse had to take him to another room to take care of him and I panicked. I ran for Susie, our Pastor and my Godmother. I needed her. She came to be with us.
The days seem to run together and I remember when she finally opened her eyes. We were so worried that they wouldn't be clear and focused and knew that could mean brain damage, but I talked to her and told her that Debbie was there and kind of moved. Her eyes searched and when she found Debbie they stopped. We knew then that she hadn't lost memory and such.
Another time she was looking at the clock. I asked her if she wanted daddy and she shook her head and finally I asked if she just wanted time to hurry and pass and she shook her head yes. Still another when we told her we loved her she mouthed "I love you" amidst all the tubes.
One of the scariest times was when they were weaning her off of the breathing machine. The machine would beep when it was time for her to take a breath on her own, the nurse would wake her and explain what it was and that she needed to take a breath. Then the nurse left and it was just momma and I. I would stand there and each time, make sure I woke her and tell her to breathe. I was so scared. I didn't know it but my brother was watching me for some time through the glass. He understood my fears but knew I had to let her do it on her own. He came in and took me outside the door and told me just to watch. Sure enough, the machine beeped, momma opened her eyes, turned and looked at the machine, and then......she took a deep breath. I was so proud of her but one of the hardest things was not being able to stay and make sure she took each breath herself.
Eventually, momma was completely off of the breathing machine and doing well. The surgeon came in ICU to see momma and told her, "You know we lost you!" Momma told him that she had been told. He told her that she was a "miracle lady." Another surgeon who was in the operating room came to see her before she went home, when thanked him for what he had done he told her, "Don't thank me, Thank Him" and pointed upwards.
Tabitha, my niece, and I spent alot of time at momma's helping her and daddy. Now, 15 years later, I look back and I'm amazed at my momma and what God did for her. I took her back to her heart doctor for a check up and he told her that she healed back better than most and if it wasn't for the staples you wouldn't even know that she'd had open heart surgery. When we wanted to know what kind of life expectancy she had, the doctor couldn't tell us. He said she shouldn't even be here now, so he couldn't say. Momma had more than just human doctors that day, she had a Master Physician in that room and He just wasn't done with her. So many people were praying that night and numerous people were there for us and her. She took care of daddy till he passed away in Dec. 2000, she pastored our church for approx. 6 years, took care of a little lady that couldn't stay home alone, and did so much more and is still going! As of May 2010, momma fulfilled 2 of her dreams. In spite of a broken shoulder and surgery, whe went to Israel in March 2010. She finished up her schooling and was able to go thru the ceremony to receive her high school diploma. Should you let the fact that you're 74 yrs old stop you? Not at all! Momma has now finished her first year in college with a scholarship and on the honor roll I might add! As of today, March 5, 2012, momma is in the second semester of her second year of college. She has also gotten 2 small scholarships!!! :-) She has her own dorm room to stay in whenever she wants and the girls love having her. Momma is loved by all and she loves all!
Once when she was in the hospital she heard a little lady calling out and just had to go down the hall, IV trailing behind, to check on her. That is just the kind of person my momma is!
(UPDATED March 5, 2012)
In May 2014, momma received her diploma with a 3.75 GPA! God is not done with her yet. So proud and thankful!
Daddy had been paralyzed for about 2 years, Aunt Lucille had just passed away two weeks before, grandma was quickly deteriorating with Alzheimers (some of the siblings were taking turns caring for her in their homes), and momma had been named executor of Aunt Lucille's will. We got a call from daddy in the early morning hours of Oct. 25, 1996. Momma was having a heart attack and the ambulance was on the way. They took her to Hendricks County Hos. They gave her meds to thin her blood and the pains subsided, but she was in bad shape. They didn't want to do anything else because they thought she needed to improve first, I guess. They basically did nothing but have her rest and watch her for the next few days. My sister got the ball rolling and on Oct. 28, momma was transferred to Indiana University Hospital. Thank God! She had another heart attack that night and it was a bad one. They rushed her to emergency surgery immediately. My brother was staying at the hos. and he and my sister were the only one to see her briefly as they were taking her down the hall. (My sister was able to get there after she received the phone call as they were wheeling momma to OR) This was around 8:30pm. We got to the hospital and heard nothing till approx. 1:00am. I must admit that this was one of the worst nights in my whole entire life. I have been blessed with not just an awesome mother, a praying mother, but she's also mine and my sister's best friend. Read Proverbs 31, that's my momma. I was upstairs at a canteen when a dr came out and told daddy that they had lost momma. She had a very diseased heart and the 1% chance that they could bring her back she would most likely be a vegetable. When, Susie, my Godmother, came to tell me I was devastated! I started crying and when they tried to lead me away I dropped to the floor and began to pray for my momma like I had never prayed before. I reminded God of all she had done, the people she had prayed for, how faithful she had been, and then I told Him that He raised Lazurus from the dead and that I knew He could do the same for her. I don't know how long I prayed but I didn't quit till I was done! We went back downstairs and waited some more. At approx. 7:00am they came and told us that they had to use the paddles 3 times in order to bring her back. They had lost her for 7 minutes and she was without oxygen to her vital organs for 14 minutes. Her aorta was brittle like an eggshell and they couldn't close things off there, they had to do the artery by her leg. They replaced her aorta and 3 other arteries but couldn't find enough good veins in her leg to replace all that needed replaced. They now said she had a 20% chance of living and they still couldn't guarentee the quality of life she would have. We waited some more until they let us go back to see her. Daddy and us kids went back and it was like a nightmare. Her hair was neat, so typical of momma, but she was so still and pale, the breathing tube taped to her face, the other tubes and needles. They told us to talk to her. We asked daddy if he wanted to wheel closer to the bed. He dropped his head, tears falling, and then just wilted. A nurse had to take him to another room to take care of him and I panicked. I ran for Susie, our Pastor and my Godmother. I needed her. She came to be with us.
The days seem to run together and I remember when she finally opened her eyes. We were so worried that they wouldn't be clear and focused and knew that could mean brain damage, but I talked to her and told her that Debbie was there and kind of moved. Her eyes searched and when she found Debbie they stopped. We knew then that she hadn't lost memory and such.
Another time she was looking at the clock. I asked her if she wanted daddy and she shook her head and finally I asked if she just wanted time to hurry and pass and she shook her head yes. Still another when we told her we loved her she mouthed "I love you" amidst all the tubes.
One of the scariest times was when they were weaning her off of the breathing machine. The machine would beep when it was time for her to take a breath on her own, the nurse would wake her and explain what it was and that she needed to take a breath. Then the nurse left and it was just momma and I. I would stand there and each time, make sure I woke her and tell her to breathe. I was so scared. I didn't know it but my brother was watching me for some time through the glass. He understood my fears but knew I had to let her do it on her own. He came in and took me outside the door and told me just to watch. Sure enough, the machine beeped, momma opened her eyes, turned and looked at the machine, and then......she took a deep breath. I was so proud of her but one of the hardest things was not being able to stay and make sure she took each breath herself.
Eventually, momma was completely off of the breathing machine and doing well. The surgeon came in ICU to see momma and told her, "You know we lost you!" Momma told him that she had been told. He told her that she was a "miracle lady." Another surgeon who was in the operating room came to see her before she went home, when thanked him for what he had done he told her, "Don't thank me, Thank Him" and pointed upwards.
Tabitha, my niece, and I spent alot of time at momma's helping her and daddy. Now, 15 years later, I look back and I'm amazed at my momma and what God did for her. I took her back to her heart doctor for a check up and he told her that she healed back better than most and if it wasn't for the staples you wouldn't even know that she'd had open heart surgery. When we wanted to know what kind of life expectancy she had, the doctor couldn't tell us. He said she shouldn't even be here now, so he couldn't say. Momma had more than just human doctors that day, she had a Master Physician in that room and He just wasn't done with her. So many people were praying that night and numerous people were there for us and her. She took care of daddy till he passed away in Dec. 2000, she pastored our church for approx. 6 years, took care of a little lady that couldn't stay home alone, and did so much more and is still going! As of May 2010, momma fulfilled 2 of her dreams. In spite of a broken shoulder and surgery, whe went to Israel in March 2010. She finished up her schooling and was able to go thru the ceremony to receive her high school diploma. Should you let the fact that you're 74 yrs old stop you? Not at all! Momma has now finished her first year in college with a scholarship and on the honor roll I might add! As of today, March 5, 2012, momma is in the second semester of her second year of college. She has also gotten 2 small scholarships!!! :-) She has her own dorm room to stay in whenever she wants and the girls love having her. Momma is loved by all and she loves all!
Once when she was in the hospital she heard a little lady calling out and just had to go down the hall, IV trailing behind, to check on her. That is just the kind of person my momma is!
(UPDATED March 5, 2012)
In May 2014, momma received her diploma with a 3.75 GPA! God is not done with her yet. So proud and thankful!
Update February 17, 2021
Momma is now 84, she will be 85 in March. She has given up cleaning our her gutters and after her being so glad she got her light fixture cleaned (I said, "You probably stood in that rickedy chair and did it, didn't you"" Her reply, "No, I was safe. I stood in the middle of the table!" ) She agreed to letting us do anything that she would need to climb to do. :) I love my spunky momma. Life has had a lot of changes due to Covid but we visit with her while being careful not to risk getting her sick. Thank God she has not had any sicknesses and even her heart dr was pleased at her last visit.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Autumn Days
Well, autumn has always been my favorite time of the year but it has been a rough autumn for me this year. Maybe it's because we've had so much rain this year and the days are so dreary. I don't know but I've already put my fall decorations away and plan to get out Christmas.
Jeremy and Susan went home on Monday and the last I knew things were going well. They are supposed to come back up on Nov. 24th to start the next round of chemo.
We had a teen get together with our church and Salem Park last night and things went really well. We made several flavors of hard candy and made homemade taffy. Alyssa's turned out the best. She wasn't afraid to use plenty of butter on her hands and she pulled like crazy. I may post pics tomorrow. They are still on my camera right now.
We start revival next week with Bro. Hobbs starting on Tues. He is an awesome preacher. He keeps Samantha awake and that's takes someone really interesting. lol
Chris got a 10-point buck yesterday afternoon and we had deer filets for supper tonight.
That's about it for things going on around here...............for now anyway!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
My day and my cakes
We had a great day with Jeremy, Susan and their family. They have some awesome kids! I wonder if they threatened them! ha! No, really! The kids were great and had a great time today. Hopefully, the dr. lets Jeremy go home tomorrow or Tuesday. Brooke is bumming. She wants them to just stay the whole time and not go home in between. lol I had it wrong and he has 2 more times to come up for treatments. Now you know I'm not perfect! lol He IS doing better than expected tho.
We were getting ready to go to a viewing of a dear friend and my dear daughter wanted to go outside. I told her not to get dirty and this is what I found her doing. Balancing on a 2X4 on the wood pile.
I did a few more cakes. The check one was for Marvin F. for being treasurer of Salem Park for 50 years.
The guitar one, of course, was for Christopher's 18th birthday. He helped me make sure I placed each knob and such in the right spot. Can you belive he's 18 already????? The check I finished on Friday and the guitar on Sat. I made A LOT of fondant! He loved his cake so it was well worth it!
This is the cake from my last cake decorating class. It was lots of fun. It's sad to be done but then again, I'm glad to be done with driving into Avon so much! The daisies on this cake are done correctly using gum paste. I used fondant for the daisies on the yellow and white cake and they aren't near as pretty. I'm learning. :-)
By the way, the homemade fondant is awesome and it's really hard not to just eat it like candy!
Why couldn't it taste nasty like the kind you buy???? Oh, well!
Later!
We were getting ready to go to a viewing of a dear friend and my dear daughter wanted to go outside. I told her not to get dirty and this is what I found her doing. Balancing on a 2X4 on the wood pile.
I did a few more cakes. The check one was for Marvin F. for being treasurer of Salem Park for 50 years.
The guitar one, of course, was for Christopher's 18th birthday. He helped me make sure I placed each knob and such in the right spot. Can you belive he's 18 already????? The check I finished on Friday and the guitar on Sat. I made A LOT of fondant! He loved his cake so it was well worth it!
This is the cake from my last cake decorating class. It was lots of fun. It's sad to be done but then again, I'm glad to be done with driving into Avon so much! The daisies on this cake are done correctly using gum paste. I used fondant for the daisies on the yellow and white cake and they aren't near as pretty. I'm learning. :-)
By the way, the homemade fondant is awesome and it's really hard not to just eat it like candy!
Why couldn't it taste nasty like the kind you buy???? Oh, well!
Later!
Short Update
Best news first. Jeremy and Susan have been coming to church while they are here for Jeremy's treatments. He's still doing well. They are coming to momma's for dinner tomorrow. Brooke and Karissa hit it off at Steak and Shake the other night. Girls......lol
I finished my cake decorating classes and have pics of several more cakes but am way too tired to try to put them up tonight. Brooke had a sleepover with Girl Scouts last night and I stayed with them. I should have slept on Brooke little princess blow up matress instead of a blanket on the floor. lol I was in a log cabin and not in a tent so I won't complain! Today I sewed a pair of pants into a skirt for BJ, decorated a bear cake for Daveena, made a roast, PB dessert, painted on some crafts, and made an eclair cake. (After taking a nap from the sleepover) My house is a disaster and I'm hoping to get caught up on Monday. I won't get to do laundry though. After getting my dryer fixed a little over a week ago, now my washer won't spin the water out. It is NOT fun wringing stuff out by hand.
I finished my cake decorating classes and have pics of several more cakes but am way too tired to try to put them up tonight. Brooke had a sleepover with Girl Scouts last night and I stayed with them. I should have slept on Brooke little princess blow up matress instead of a blanket on the floor. lol I was in a log cabin and not in a tent so I won't complain! Today I sewed a pair of pants into a skirt for BJ, decorated a bear cake for Daveena, made a roast, PB dessert, painted on some crafts, and made an eclair cake. (After taking a nap from the sleepover) My house is a disaster and I'm hoping to get caught up on Monday. I won't get to do laundry though. After getting my dryer fixed a little over a week ago, now my washer won't spin the water out. It is NOT fun wringing stuff out by hand.
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