Saturday Greetings

Kathy, thank you, honey, for the beautiful story you shared of your mom's passing.  Yes, that is exactly what I wish for my husband.  I want him to pass in our home, surrounded by his family, knowing that he is loved and that we will all be okay here after he is gone.  Your story was so very touching.  Thank you.

Hello Kathy...okay...now you have me crying. That is how it was with my mother and my niece. They seemed to rally around and were talking and animated. The hospice staff kept saying this was their final day (days). It was hard to believe but it sure was!! 

That is exactly what I want for Butch and Vickie. Butch needs to know everyone will be okay. Then he will let go. He always wanted to be sure Vickie and the kids were well take care of. 

I do believe people know when they are about to pass. They can't tell anyone as only GOD can make that decision. They just slip away peacefully. You are right...we will all be together again. 

I am glad you lucked out at garage sales this morning!!! That is about the only reason I miss my car. I love garage sales!! 

Loads of love and lots of hugs to you....connie d

What a beautiful and comforting story about your mom's passing.  Thank you so much for sharing.  Words cannot express how much it touched me.

Cindy P.

That was a beautiful story about your Mom's passing, it has me in tears too. There are many similarities to my own mothers passing, but that's a story for another time.  Thank you so much for sharing it with Vickie, and with all of us.  

Im so glad you have the endoscopy behind you!  Rest up today, the effects were with me for a few days too :-)

Have you decided on which surgery you are going to have or are you waiting for your results to help you decide? 

Thanks, Christine!

Will look forward to hearing about your mom's passing...

I thought I had mentioned this along the way...but maybe on one of the other boards. I am going for the sleeve & I've been told severe GERD & other stomach issues can be a rule out.

We'll see!

Hi Kathy,

Your story about your mother's passage was a very sweet story.  I'm afraid my family has not such stories of knowing we would lose someone ahead of time.  When my Daddy died, I was traveling from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania the same day.  My daughter, then age one, and I were going to visit Grandma and Grandpa.  I spoke with Daddy in the morning to let him know we would be there in time for supper.  He was in the kitchen preparing his delicious roast beef when he just collapsed, and was gone.  With both my brothers I was called to the ER to find out they were gone.  Don't know Daddy's cause of death, but my brothers died from pulmonary emboli.  My sister and I survived our's.  We have a genetic clotting disorder which Mom has, but no clue about Daddy, because when he died medical research knew nothing about it.  Plus, Mom wouldn't let them to an autopsy.

In one way, my family has the peace of not having to watch them suffer, as we have seen with Vickie and Butch.  But, we all regret that we never really got to say good-bye.  After losing Neil, at the age of 40, I never hesitate to tell my family I love them.  

Hugs.

Hello sweet sistas!

I am back.  I took a nice long nap after the oxygen guy left.  I needed it.  I'm still hacking and coughing and feel generally pretty lousy--mentally, physically, emotionally.  But the nap helped.  So do all the kind words and thoughts and prayers offered by you all.  

Butch and I still haven't had "the talk" yet.  We're both just a little shell-shocked, I think.  And he needs time to internalize everything and decide what he wants to do.  I know what I would do, but this has to be his decision.  I want him to be at peace with himself.  He needs time in order to do that.

Lord, it is raining cats and dogs here today.  Like Jeannie said, just coming down in sheets.  So much flooding going on in Texas right now.  We certainly came out of the 4 year drought with a bang!

Carrie drove down yesterday, so she is here for the holiday weekend, but I haven't seen much of her.  Last night was Benny's little graduation from pre-school to kindergarten.  Carrie took Mom so she could go.  I would have loved to have gone, but I would have disrupted the whole affair with all my coughing and sound-like-a-goose-honking blowing my nose!  And I was just too tired, anyway.

Carrie is over at Christie's house, babysitting the boys for her today.  So I still haven't seen her much more than hello/good-bye.  

I should be working on boxes, but instead I'm going to curl up with my new gardening book and dream about planting my new flower beds.

Trish, good luck with the bake sale.  Cupcakes sound yummy today!  Carla, be careful traveling tomorrow.  Dodge those storms, girlfriend!  Christine, aren't you glad for all the things you can do now that you couldn't do before WLS?  Even if some of it is not so glamorous jobs like demolition, at least you can DO it!  Ants?  Ugh.  That couldn't have been much fun.  Eileen, you have certainly handled yourself with grace and dignity and courage!  I've been wanting to post how proud I am of you and the way you refused to knuckle under to your (very justifiable) fears and he-who-shall-remain-nameless.  Thank God he's moved away!!!  I am so looking forward to the next chapter in your life as you and Gary pick out a new place to live.  I'm happy for you.  Judy, honey, I know you are struggling with health issues right now.  Jennifer, you are struggling also.  Y'all are in my prayers daily.  Kathy, I'm so glad you joined our group.  I enjoy reading your posts.  There are others I wanted to mention, but CRS is kicking in now.  But I read all the posts and think of you each with great love and affection.   

Love you all!

Connie -- you are so right -- we're all very lucky we found each other!!    The love and support here is exceptional and unconditional.  We can cry on each other's shoulders, or rant and rave with no fears.  We can speak words here that go unspoken elsewhere.

I am so happy Vickie and Butch will now have Hospice coming.  I had it after my Mom came to live with me, and then got sick.  It's a wonderful service.  They bring peace to their patients and their families.  They were a God-send.  My mother was pain free and comfortable -- all my brothers and my aunt came up from NY for visits.  They were able to come because Mom was at home, not going back and forth to doctors and becoming weak and exhausted and in horrible pain.

Today's "Fun" .......... We were going off to a yard sale this afternoon.  Jim and Taylor went outside to wait for me....and Jim will usually start the car.  Well they went out and a minute later I followed them out, locking the door behind me.  They are standing outside the car .... usually Jim gets Taylor strapped into her car seat.  I looked at him and said "Don't even tell me you don't have the keys.  He didn't - he left them on the hook by the door, and I didn't even look because he a.l.w.a.y.s. goes out firs and starts the car.  Luckily, we leave one front window unlocked, so Taylor was drafted!  Jim opened the window and we picked up Taylor and slid her feet-first inside.  She hesitated for a second or two--but then went for it.  Got her in and she unlocked the door for us.  Otherwise, Jim would have had to break the frame on the back door. Of course, I should get a few extra keys made and hide one outside by the shed -- because neither Jim nor I could have gotten in thru the window.  So Taylor will get a "special treat" for saving the situation (like she doesn't get enough treats already!).

Prayers and good wishes for all.