TGIF

Hi Vickie,

I'd love to support the school fundraiser buying a tote bag, if they have one I could use.  Could you send me the link.  I'll send you my email address, in case you don't have it.

Love ya

Good Morning Trish!

Tthat will be good for the grandkids to see their grandfather...especially if it doesn't happen often. Some of the best memories in my life are of my grandparents! Thoughtful, too, of you to fly low during their visit!

I have thought about substitute teaching, but school has changed so much it seems. Jasmyn complains about how disruptive some kids are in her classes so little teaching is getting done b/c of the constant need for teachers to break from teaching to reprimanding bad behavior. But I know that is where your heart is so you will be good at it!

As most of you read on FB yesterday Jim had to go to the hospital Wednesday evening due to having trouble breathing. I did not want to go into detail on FB, but it was one of the most awful things I have ever witnessed. I thought he was having a heart attack or stroke right in front of Jazz and me, and was going to drop dead! He literally could not catch his breath, and was doing a wheeze that sounded like the death wheeze! Jazz was getting hysterical holding on to him during this as I was calling 911. Thankfully SHE had the presence of mind or fear of God and ran next door to get our next door neighbor who is a nurse. When Holly...our neighbor came over... she was able to get us calmed down to a certain extent, but said he definitely needed to go to hospital. So he went when the ambulance came.

He continued to have the wheezing until he got checked into the ER, but then it subsided. But his blood pressure never rose to a normal range until yesterday morning...it hovered around 70/40. Anyhow, after all the testing it was discovered he has emphesema (spelling),and something is very wrong w/his kidneys. He already got diagnosed two weeks ago w/chronic kidney disease stage 3...but his numbers from 2 weeks ago jumped up well over 100 points since then. The doctor insisted he be admitted for further testing, but he refused. He said he will make the necessary appointments out-patient...which he did w/a lung doctor (while he continued to smoke all day with the stop smoking patch on...can you spell S-T-U-P-I-D..)...the kidney doctor has not called back w/a date yet so we are on that today.

Jazz's mom came directly to the hospital & thankfully stayed w/us all night...Jazz had gone over to the neighbors. My middle daughter came up from the beach after we got home. We basically never got to bed until 10 last nite, and you know how cranky I am about sleeping. I thank God he is okay for now, but I sure as hell don't want to watch him gasping for air again. He quit smoking in the house when I got my cancer, but continues to smoke regular cigarettes and the vapor ones outside plus wear the patch. You can't tell him anything...he will say he gave up alcohol and drugs, gambling, etc. so he will continue to smoke. Yup, on his way to COPD...stubborn man!

So I plan to play catch up today...tons of wash and cleaning up. Didn't even do dishes last night after dinner I was so tired.

Gotta say though it was so uplifting to get my few moments on FB and read all the love & support from my girls here! Even 'Nurse Ratchett!' ...lol!

So I'll sign off saying I love you all and hope everyone has a safe & sane weekend!

Love you, Kathy!  Praying!

Hello Kathy my little ray of SUNSHINE!!!

I was going to collect the posse and head out to find you. I am glad you are here today. You know we all love you and are ALWAYS here for you!!! Including that nasty Nurse Ratchett...LOL!!! Judy....you know I am kidding...you are wonderful...but...that nurse side is no one to mess with!!

Seriously...I have been worried about you, Jim and Jazz. That had to have been some horrible moments for all of you. I am so sorry you had to go through that...all of you!! Thank goodness for Holly!! She at least could help to calm things down a bit. I am so glad he went by ambulance. He may have not made it otherwise. I can't believe Jim wouldn't let them admit him. I understand why because he is a smoker and you can't smoke in hospitals. I am so sorry. I am sure you are just overcome by all of this. PLEASE call or text me anytime day or night. I am always here for our OFF family!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!! HUGS!! I am sending many prayers up for all of you too!!!! GOD BLESS.

I know you have plenty to do so I will go for now!

Loads of love and bushels of hugs....connie d 

So sorry you are going through this, Kathy. Really, some men, you just can't get them to listen. I can't believe the times men say they can quit anytime but then they don't try. I'm not saying it's easy ... hey, I have my own addictions and problems with food ... but so many will make excuses for not trying. My sister, the PE teacher, coach and fitness nut who lost all her weight on Weigh****chers years ago and kept it all, was a smoker for years. If I so much had a couple of Hershey's kisses, she told me how many calories I was consuming with that tsk-tsk look. I told her smoking was bad for her ... she said if she quit smoking, she'd just gain weight. Well, she finally did quit because my niece wouldn't let her boys stay with my sister because of her smoking. Big enough carrot, so to speak. Did she gain weight? No ... she's so active ... she's running around all day in the gym, coaching etc.

Hi Kathy,

What a nightmare you went through.  I can't imagine what the three of you were thinking.  When my kids were little, my sister, sis-in-law, mom and mom-in-law all smoked.  I tried to make them go outside, but it was hopeless.  Eventually, my sister quit with hypnosis, she also eventually got sober.  But, she weighs at least 350 pounds.  Mom had a heart attack, and eventually weaned herself off them.  Mom-in-law and sis-in-law used the patch to quit.  Of my three kids, only one smokes, Sean.  He quit once, but is back to it.  He's also an addict, who takes Suboxone coz he's been in rehab for heroin three times in 12 years.  I've heard that nicotine is harder to kick than heroin.  He uses the e-cigarettes when with family, but since he and his live-in girl smoke in their house, I have trouble breathing in there, even if they don't smoke while I'm there.  I'm praying for all of you.

Oh, and as for hubby refusing to be admitted, I would not have driven him home, and would have made sure you took his wallet and keys before leaving.  Damn, men sure can be asses.

Love ya.

Kathy - I'm so sorry to hear about Jim's problem.  Why are men so stubborn?  Smoking with a patch!!?!  But he will continue to do what he wants to do!  My Jim was the same - no matter how mad you get, or how much you beg and plead, it's his decision.  That doesn't make it any easier though, I know.  You and Jazz and Jim are in my prayers.

Mary

Butch and I were married for 34 years, and for 24 of those years, I begged him to stop smoking.  Not every day, but often.  It would always make him so mad.  Anytime I brought it up, we had a fight.  Anyway, I understand about stubborn men.  You can't make them do a damn thing.  They have to make up their own minds.

In the end, even though he finally did quit smoking in 2005, it was too late.  He got bladder cancer (a direct result of smoking, although it's not well known), then prostate cancer (smoking? who knows?) and finally lung cancer.  I HATE CIGARETTES WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING!!!

I will pray that Jim can find the will and desire to quit, and I pray that it will not be too late for him to recover his health.  You are in such a difficult position, sweet Kathy.  I'll pray for you, too.

Hello again Kathy...I agree with Vickie and with Mary.

These stubborn men....they never want to listen. They always end up losing the battle in the long run. They die way to young and for what? DAMN STUPID CIGARETTES!!! I don't know if they think it won't happen to them or what. This is a horrible painful death. I watched my dad die from it..prostrate, lung and heart.

I will keep praying for Jim that he will quit smoking. 

I LOVE YOU KATHY.....HUGS....PRAYERS....connie d