WOW it's wednesday-what's new?
It's busy and my boss just gave me a card for National Assistant day...was so busy didn't even realize it...go figure. She is taking me to an expensive restaurant on the 29th to celebrate. We are just too busy with National Volunteer Week.
Served yesterday with Ministry with Community feeding the homeless. I love volunteering my time there and giving out hugs and talking to people. Our work team also gets credit for Team Building and can put that on their Gallup survey...it's all about goals of some kind isn't it?? LOL
Going to Bill's funeral today. Will be seeing a lot of people who haven't seen me since I lost weight. I get plenty of compliments, but sigh...I'm the same person, but apparently look way different and I'm working on head issues.
MIL was taken to the other hospital in town by her daughters. She has pneumonia and is very confused. Actually mom is "checking out" and her family doesn't know how to deal with her wanting to die. She misses dad, has seen her sisters and just doesn't care anymore. Mom has been honest with me and I listen. I told her it's okay to let go, at age 88 she has served her Lord well on earth and if she is tired it's her choice. Her choice not to have tests, because at her age and health issues why? Sure the hospitals would gladly do testing, she has insurance. Let mom have that voice to speak for herself. I'm on the daughter's/son crap list because of how I believe and approach Palliative Care measures (comfort measure's only).
Sigh...I told you death for me comes in 3's didn't I????
Hugs and prayer's to all in need. I love this support forum the best.- Debbie
Debbie,
My mom lived 15 years after my dad died. She missed him so much for she loved life too. Until she fell and broke her hip she was out there living it. She grew a new crop of friends about 20 years younger than her during her last 10 years. When she was no longer driving at (94!) she had them come to her house for her creating writing club. She still loved to garden and was part of a senior citizen's band entertaining the "old" folks. She was 94 at the time! When she realized that she wouldn't ever again be in her own home without someone living with her she decided it was her time to go. She finished up her projects one being to start a preschool reading program at a local Boys and Girls Club in honor of her firstborn who died of tetanus when he was three. We assured her that she had done a great job with us and that we would be fine. If she was ready it was ok to let go. She went to sleep about 24 hours before she passed with no pain meds and just quietly left us her dignity intact. Oh how I miss her. . .
I don't know if you like country music or not but there's a fairly new song about leaving life that I love. Wish it had been written before Mom died. I would have had it sung at her memorial service. I'm sure if you Google it or Myspace it you can find it to listen to. It's by Allison Kraus and Robert Plant. I believe it's called THE LONG JOURNEY. It expresses in words so well what we all feel as we watch someone take their final journey. . . I'll be thinking about you today. When I lose someone I renew my vow to live this life I've been given to the best of my ability. My obesity chained me down for many years; no longer.
Karen C
Karen, I love that song. I know mom is at peace and I'm glad she was able to talk with me.
What ever she decides to do I say let her do it and with grace and dignity.
Mom is actively dying...she really has no life or passion inside her now. She has seen her sisters. She isn't hungry and she is not drinking water like she use to. I'm at peace and so is my darling MIL.
I told her thank you for the son she had that I married. She smiled.
My grandmother, who died at the age of 97 and outlived 6 of her 7 children, had a spirit that I hope I've inherited from her. She was never truly "old" until the very end of her life.
You (and so many others) have wonderful memories of your mother - and you are such a sweet, supportive woman. I'm glad that I've come to know some of you even to the extent that one can on the Internet.
Hopefully, now that I am off on my vacation for the next two months, I will have the time to reconnect with this wonderful forum.
Margaret
Edited to add: I, too, renew my vow after someone close to me dies - to live fully every moment of my life in the present . I think that it's a wonderful testament to the life of the one we lose.
SW: 240
CW: 173.8
GW: 150
The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.
Mohandas Gandhi
Good morning, Ya'll.
It's Wednesday! I had my after chemo folow-up with one of my oncologists. I will be getting a CAT or CT scan (can't remember which) every three months. I will see Dr. A, my local oncologist every 6 months, and Dr. Z, my ECU surgical oncologist, also every 6 months. But staggered so I see one of them every 3 months. That is for 2 years. Was that clear as mud? Anyway, I have to watch for pain in my abdoman and unexplained rapid weight loss. If that happens, see one of them ASAP.
My DH has been in an 'eating out' mood this week. We've been out to lunch every day. He keeps finding things we have to go out for around 11 AM, then says 'since we're out, we may as well stop for lunch somewhere'.
Our daughter called yesterday and her husband was gonna give up his annual getaway to his favorite weight training thingy, because he thought I was too sick to go watch the kids. I said NO NO, tell him to go. Our daughter will be home, but with her work schedule it is impossible for her to get both kids to different schools, and different sports practices and games. They are 15 and 13 so there isn't really any 'babysitting' involved. Our daughter is the sole wage earner, her husband is a house husband.
I better go. My DH just came in to say we better go to WM and get that new movie that's out "Crazy Horse". So I'm sure lunch is on the agenda.
Have a fantabulous day.
Grammylew in Jax
So glad the job is working for you. Debbie, sorry about the losses of loved ones.
I was on vacation last week. Newport, RI was fun. The first day we went on a tour of the Institute of Yacht Restoration. It was about the restoration of the building they were in and about the boats/yachts the students build/restore. Then on a tour of Fort Adams. From there we went to dinner at Castle Hill, a gorgeous Victorian inn and restaurant overlooking the ocean. Monday the wives went to Newport Winery for a tour, lunch and tasting. Tuesday we went on a tour of the RoseCliff mansion then to lunch at Atlantic Beach Club. Weds. was a brunch at the hotel and everyone got a gift basket.
We left on Weds. and went home to do laundry, switch cars (hubby had to take the car provided by the town to his conference in Newport) and sleep in our own bed for a night. Thursday we left early to drive up to Saranac Lake, NY to visit our son, dil and grandkids. The grandkids are so cute. Our seven month old is such a happy baby. She smiles all the time. We went to Howard Johnson's twice while there and the boys had never heard it called HoJo's. So when we went to breakfast there on Sunday before leaving to come home, they kept saying HoJo's like it was their new favorite word.
We are downsizing our space at work so when I got back on Monday morning I had an email saying the timetable had moved up for getting our files out. We were supposed to have to the end of the month to clean out all the files. Instead it had to be done by today. Between Monday and Tuesday I filled 63 archive boxes. I've gone to bed early each night.
I hope was well while I was gone. I have to catch up on all the posts.
Bev
I've added the picture taken on Sunday of my Grands at HoJo's. Here is a link in case the picture doesn't show up.
