After some rather hairy storms last night, the sun is out and life is a lot brighter. PUN intended. Last night, as the storms were brewing and back building over Gage county, my husband was driving right into/through it. I finally made myself shut off the tv at 12:30 (midnight) to go to bed. All I could hear was them saying it's building again and there's another semi on its side at "x" location. It was too much. Suffice it to say, he is alive and well.
Some friends in Kearney had some pretty bad damage to their house and other property. Still waiting for them to get power so they can email the scads of photos they took of the aftermath. Thankfully, they weren't physically hurt. The clean up will take a while. As long as they are alive, that is what really matters and I thank God for that.
I hope you all survived the storms without damage to your bodies, crops, homes, etc. Trees can be replaced. People can't.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
I'm really trying...
But it seems no matter what I do, I keep getting the blahs. Where did the sun go? Isn't it MAY?!? It looks like December out there!!! Well, that is, if you don't take the actual temp and humidity into consideration. I thought it was "April showers bring May flowers". It seems as though we need to modify that to "May showers bring June flowers". Ugh. I suppose if that's the case, there's only a few more days of May left.... so bring on the June flowers!!
You know what's going to happen..... the sun's going to come out and it's going to automatically go up to 100ยบ with 99% humidity!!!! LOL!
With all this rain, Uncle Dave's corn will be not knee high, but head high by the 4th of July!!!
You know what's going to happen..... the sun's going to come out and it's going to automatically go up to 100ยบ with 99% humidity!!!! LOL!
With all this rain, Uncle Dave's corn will be not knee high, but head high by the 4th of July!!!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
The BEST decision of my life
I took the kids to see Grandma on Monday. She was VERY aware, called each child by name several times, talked to the older two about school and to Jenna about whatever they decided to talk about moment to moment. We all know how the mind of a four year old goes from topic to topic at the drop of a dime. She stayed in pace with her the entire time. It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my life. I really mean that. I wish I had a picture of the look on her face when we walked in the room. She was so excited.
Zachary had a little bit of a hard time with her not being at her house. He was not only confused, but mad. When we walked in to the building, he was asking several questions as to why we were at "this place". And to get to her room, one has to walk through a lobby where several elders are sitting in wheel chairs watching one television. He was NOT impressed with that scene. He spent a lot of the time that he wasn't talking to Grandma looking around her room with a slight disgust on his face. When we left, as we walked through the lobby, one of the nurses stopped us to ask how she seemed to us that afternoon. As I talked to her, she noticed Zack's unhappiness and asked him how he was doing. He told her he doesn't get it, why isn't she at HER house? She got down on her knees to his level and had an excellent talk with not only him, but the girls too. She told them that they all love her VERY much and that they want to make sure she doesn't get hurt again, so they moved her to "this house" so that they can go in and check on her and take care of her and keep her safe. She also told him that they give her lots of love and hugs every day that he can't be there to do it. Thank God for her. When she was done talking to him, he left with a smile and a wave to all of the wheelchair bound residents watching tv.
I can honestly tell you I was nervous taking the kids to see her. I was worried about all of the "what ifs" with her mind. God works in mysterious ways. He knew she wanted to see those babies and He made her alert the entire afternoon so that it was possible. We will be going back. That I can promise. My kids need to see her as much as she needs to see them.
Zachary had a little bit of a hard time with her not being at her house. He was not only confused, but mad. When we walked in to the building, he was asking several questions as to why we were at "this place". And to get to her room, one has to walk through a lobby where several elders are sitting in wheel chairs watching one television. He was NOT impressed with that scene. He spent a lot of the time that he wasn't talking to Grandma looking around her room with a slight disgust on his face. When we left, as we walked through the lobby, one of the nurses stopped us to ask how she seemed to us that afternoon. As I talked to her, she noticed Zack's unhappiness and asked him how he was doing. He told her he doesn't get it, why isn't she at HER house? She got down on her knees to his level and had an excellent talk with not only him, but the girls too. She told them that they all love her VERY much and that they want to make sure she doesn't get hurt again, so they moved her to "this house" so that they can go in and check on her and take care of her and keep her safe. She also told him that they give her lots of love and hugs every day that he can't be there to do it. Thank God for her. When she was done talking to him, he left with a smile and a wave to all of the wheelchair bound residents watching tv.
I can honestly tell you I was nervous taking the kids to see her. I was worried about all of the "what ifs" with her mind. God works in mysterious ways. He knew she wanted to see those babies and He made her alert the entire afternoon so that it was possible. We will be going back. That I can promise. My kids need to see her as much as she needs to see them.
Friday, May 16, 2008
New ?? for God
I don't know if you all read my last post. But I do know you all read the one about questions to God. I have a new one (remember how we said it was always changing??).....
I would love to sit down and have a little chat with Him about why some people die so easily (i.e. in their sleep) and why some have to endure such horrible things. I know that some of it is our own doing, say smoking, but then there are things like Alzheimer's. And it isn't just people. It's animals too. Our dog Jake had to be put down three days before Christmas last year because his body was so bad. His mind? Still that of a puppy. But his body was showing every one of the 13 years he had been with us. My Grandma? Well, one is 82 and has a sharp mind. The other? 72 and can't even talk anymore and has cancer ravaging her body. Why is that? Why can't we all just go how we "plan"; in our sleep?
I am not saying that I am mad at God. Please don't misunderstand what I am saying here. I am just saying that I am terribly confused by what I see these days. The differences between two women who once were so full of life and fun. One still is (for the most part), and the other, just waiting for God to call her home.
How much longer does she have to suffer? How much longer does she have to wait? How much more will we all have to see before the final goodbye?
This is just so hard.
I would love to sit down and have a little chat with Him about why some people die so easily (i.e. in their sleep) and why some have to endure such horrible things. I know that some of it is our own doing, say smoking, but then there are things like Alzheimer's. And it isn't just people. It's animals too. Our dog Jake had to be put down three days before Christmas last year because his body was so bad. His mind? Still that of a puppy. But his body was showing every one of the 13 years he had been with us. My Grandma? Well, one is 82 and has a sharp mind. The other? 72 and can't even talk anymore and has cancer ravaging her body. Why is that? Why can't we all just go how we "plan"; in our sleep?
I am not saying that I am mad at God. Please don't misunderstand what I am saying here. I am just saying that I am terribly confused by what I see these days. The differences between two women who once were so full of life and fun. One still is (for the most part), and the other, just waiting for God to call her home.
How much longer does she have to suffer? How much longer does she have to wait? How much more will we all have to see before the final goodbye?
This is just so hard.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Another update
From DD Tuesday night after she and I were up to see Grandma
Just came from Mom and she is doing MUCH better!! She's awake, alert, up in a chair, eating, pink cheeks and feeling great. They removed the catheter and everything is fine. She will go back to Perkins sometime tomorrow.
There are still moments of confusion, but this was a good day!
Denise
Tonight:
Mom was dismissed back to Perkins today. She is going to have a lot of family here over the next 9 days.
So if emails are not coming in, everything is fine, I am just playing hostess. I'll try to do the regular Sunday
email. Please don't stop praying for her. Every day is a challenge for her.
Denise
Then, after an email from one of Grandma's friends that she had been up to see Grandma and she did nothing but give blank stares:
Thank you Donna for being such a good friend. I'm afraid what you saw today is what it's going to be from now on. She was exactly like that yesterday and this evening when I was with her. The only reaction I got was when
our son Dustin called my cell phone and said he just landed at the airport. She smiled real big. I held the phone
to her ear and he told her hi. She did say hi back, but he was in the parking garage by then and the reception kept breaking up. She then just drifted back to sleep. Have a good trip.
Denise
Sorry I don't have anything good to report. Will keep you posted.
Just came from Mom and she is doing MUCH better!! She's awake, alert, up in a chair, eating, pink cheeks and feeling great. They removed the catheter and everything is fine. She will go back to Perkins sometime tomorrow.
There are still moments of confusion, but this was a good day!
Denise
Tonight:
Mom was dismissed back to Perkins today. She is going to have a lot of family here over the next 9 days.
So if emails are not coming in, everything is fine, I am just playing hostess. I'll try to do the regular Sunday
email. Please don't stop praying for her. Every day is a challenge for her.
Denise
Then, after an email from one of Grandma's friends that she had been up to see Grandma and she did nothing but give blank stares:
Thank you Donna for being such a good friend. I'm afraid what you saw today is what it's going to be from now on. She was exactly like that yesterday and this evening when I was with her. The only reaction I got was when
our son Dustin called my cell phone and said he just landed at the airport. She smiled real big. I held the phone
to her ear and he told her hi. She did say hi back, but he was in the parking garage by then and the reception kept breaking up. She then just drifted back to sleep. Have a good trip.
Denise
Sorry I don't have anything good to report. Will keep you posted.
Monday, May 12, 2008
"Happy" Mother's Day
Update #1 from Aunt Denise:
Hi and Happy Mother's Day!
Mom developed a urinary tract infection this week. It caused a little confusion one evening, and when I reported this incident to her Hospice team, they went to her the next day to assess her. They spent a lot of time with Mom and then reported back to me. I got a lot of answers (including the UTI). I think this team is going to be invaluable to me as this goes on. They act very quickly when I have a concern and are extremely supportive to me. She's doing much better.
Stephanie, Bryan & Jennifer, and I spent most of the afternoon with her. It was a gorgeous day so we took her for a ride. It was painful while she was being loaded and unloaded, but once she got in, she loved it. I had her out for an hour. (Jan - you have walls up at your construction sight!!!). We left her very tired, but in good spirits. This was a good day.
Denise
Update #2 (Same day.... or night rather):
It's 11:15 pm. I just got home from admitting Mom thru the ER. She fell at Perkins, was badly confused. When I got there, they had already called the ambulance as her condition had deteriated. She had a huge goose egg and was rambling, and thrashing about, and trembling. A CT did NOT show a brain bleed at this time. But she does have a concussion and another CT tomorrow may show something else. They have her heavily sedated and will be doing neurological testing every 4 hrs so they sent me home. Said I wouldn't be able to get any rest in the room w/ them in all the time. Her urinary tract infection is still there. She will be getting fluids and everything thru her IV so that will help. We had such a good day with her. She deserves better than this. I'll keep you posted.
DD
Hi and Happy Mother's Day!
Mom developed a urinary tract infection this week. It caused a little confusion one evening, and when I reported this incident to her Hospice team, they went to her the next day to assess her. They spent a lot of time with Mom and then reported back to me. I got a lot of answers (including the UTI). I think this team is going to be invaluable to me as this goes on. They act very quickly when I have a concern and are extremely supportive to me. She's doing much better.
Stephanie, Bryan & Jennifer, and I spent most of the afternoon with her. It was a gorgeous day so we took her for a ride. It was painful while she was being loaded and unloaded, but once she got in, she loved it. I had her out for an hour. (Jan - you have walls up at your construction sight!!!). We left her very tired, but in good spirits. This was a good day.
Denise
Update #2 (Same day.... or night rather):
It's 11:15 pm. I just got home from admitting Mom thru the ER. She fell at Perkins, was badly confused. When I got there, they had already called the ambulance as her condition had deteriated. She had a huge goose egg and was rambling, and thrashing about, and trembling. A CT did NOT show a brain bleed at this time. But she does have a concussion and another CT tomorrow may show something else. They have her heavily sedated and will be doing neurological testing every 4 hrs so they sent me home. Said I wouldn't be able to get any rest in the room w/ them in all the time. Her urinary tract infection is still there. She will be getting fluids and everything thru her IV so that will help. We had such a good day with her. She deserves better than this. I'll keep you posted.
DD
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Sleep
According to Aunt DD, Grandma is getting quieter and sleeping more and more by the day. Dad said Grandpa did this about a month before passing. That's about all I can say.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
It's done
We finally got Grandma's house completely cleaned out and surrendered our keys. It was very bittersweet. Stopped and finally saw Grandma Shafer's house. I really like it. When I told her so, she said I could have it. Hmmmm. She is so funny. We got to talking about Grandpa and the silly things he used to say when he was watching Y&R. Not real sure how we got on that topic, but it was fun to laugh remembering him. Which lead us to our next topic, Grandma Wells. Gma S said how hard it is to see her now and how we need to be able to have memories like we had just discussed about Gpa when we start to get down about Gma W. How true. Can you imagine what it must feel like to watch someone 11 years your junior going through these things?
My visit to follow with Gma W wasn't all that easy. It wasn't terrible, don't get me wrong. When she was lucid she for some reason picked ME (out of Mom, Dad, and I) to be ornery to. And oooooh she was full of it in those moments. She quite literally had Dad and I laughing to the point of tears a couple of times. She reminds us so much of her dad when she does some of the things she does. It's awesome. Then there were the hard things. Like when she would say she still hasn't seen Jan and Elaine (her two sisters that were here two weeks ago) and that they were supposed to be there yesterday. And she has a catheter. Hard things to see. Very hard.
When we left, as I was walking to the van, I remembered I had opened her curtains when I got there and was parked right outside her window, so I stopped and waved and she returned it with a blown kiss. Oh how I love her.
My visit to follow with Gma W wasn't all that easy. It wasn't terrible, don't get me wrong. When she was lucid she for some reason picked ME (out of Mom, Dad, and I) to be ornery to. And oooooh she was full of it in those moments. She quite literally had Dad and I laughing to the point of tears a couple of times. She reminds us so much of her dad when she does some of the things she does. It's awesome. Then there were the hard things. Like when she would say she still hasn't seen Jan and Elaine (her two sisters that were here two weeks ago) and that they were supposed to be there yesterday. And she has a catheter. Hard things to see. Very hard.
When we left, as I was walking to the van, I remembered I had opened her curtains when I got there and was parked right outside her window, so I stopped and waved and she returned it with a blown kiss. Oh how I love her.
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