It's Over

Hubby passed away yesterday morning. here is his obit.

Died August 12 2007 he was born April some 70 years ago. He was U.S. Marine Corp veteran of World War II and the Korean conflict. Graduated with a MFA, he was a retired educator of 27 years. Volunteer of a State Defense Force with the rank of Colonel. He volunteered for the Red Cross and the Children's Hospital. He was also an ordained Baptist minister who was active in several churches. Services will be held in a National Cemetery. Surviors include his wife of 56 years, two sons and wives, a daugther and husband, one sister, 6 grandchildren, one great grand child.

Hard to sum up his life in just one paragraph.

Waiting with Computers

My living room is strange looking, I am sitting with both of my sons. We all three have our laptops and are doing different things. I am blogging, son one is doing research on his Dads family. Son two is reading blogs and I think blogging now.

Hubby has been in a deep sleep all last night, we all were poping up at different times to check on him. Pat and I changed him this morning and gave him more meds. He has been in a deep sleep sence then.

With number one son here it brings back all the trouble with the SBC and why we don't have the support of a local Baptist Church. All the time and effort hubby and I gave and all the rest of the family. Now when we need there help they are no where to be found. I am sure we are not the only one of the many many Baptist that are so denied the support they need.

I have told my kids never to do this again it is too hard. I know it has been the right thing to do for hubby. But just the being closed in the house and waiting for now 6 weeks has been too much. I could not have done it with Pats help, P and B have been here when they could. I have had there support or it would have been impossible. When my Dad died he was in a hospital and he suffered alot. They wouldn't let him have water it was bad for him and the pain was there you could see it in his face and his voice. With hubby here all you have to do is see the pain and you give him his meds and it stops. We have not allowed him to be in pain at all.

Another Day

P and I were up about 5:00 am with hubby. P had been up about 4:00 am given him meds tried to get him calmed down. She woke me up at 5:00 to help change him and get him up in the bed. He is so heavy that the both of us can't lift him enough to scoot him up in bed. He was so agitated we couldn't get him calmed down. He wanted out of bed, he told me " I know where to go, let me get up." He hadn't said two words yesterday, and he was so clear today. iI had to give him more meds including the cream that is suppose to calm him down. He is sleeping heavily now but is all scruned over in the bed. P has to leave about 11:00. Pat will be here later, I don't know if B is coming or not. I know I can't move him by myself, but I can give him his meds. I had to rub his legs until the meds took effect today to keep him in bed.

I have spent the morning reading blogs just to get out of the situation here. But it is time to face the music again.

Time is Near

Hubby is going down fast it was just Sunday he was playing balloons with Michelle. Monday night we started watching a John Wayne movie at 10:00 pm. He wouldn't let me turn it off to go to bed until it was over at 1:00am. Tuesday he got up and walked into living room to his chair. I couldn't get his morning pills down him or any food. He sat in the chair and slept off and on for a couple of hours. I ask him if he wanted to go to bed and he said yes. I had trouble getting him to stand up. I was holding by both forearms when I finally got him on his feet. He looked at me and said "Do you want to dance?" I had so much trouble getting him to walk into the beddroom. His legs didn't want to hold him up. He has been in bed since that time, but I can't get him to lay down. He is like the jack in the box. You lay him down and in just a few minutes he pops back up. He wants to sit on the side of the bed. This morning he was so close to the edge of the bed we were afraid he was going to fall off. P and I pulled and tried to pick him up. We finally tore the bed up pulling on the sheet to get him back on the bed and up to the head of the bed. The nurse and the aid or both suppose to be here today maybe they can help us get the bed straigthened out.

Hubby is just like he is in a fog. We can't get him to stand up or move when we ask him to he looks at us and recognizes us. His body and his brain are not working together. He doesn't seem to process what we say to him.

Pat is still in Albuquerque, he seems to be getting his leave straigthened out so he can be here for at least the next 10 days or so. P is taking time off work to be here with me Michelle doesn't want to be left out. I'm not so sure it is good for her to be here at this time but she wants to be with mom and grandma.

My shingles started being so painful yesterday and I am having to take more medication. Three a day instead of the two I have been getting away with. I just seem to be in limbo I don't know what to do most of the time. I just do things by rote, make the bed, put dishes in the dishwasher. We finally have hubby in bed and asleep. Maybe I can take a shower.

Hubby of the Night

We never know how Hubby will be in the middle of the night. One night he turned on all the lights in one end of the house at 1:30 AM. He was holding on to the door frame between the his bedroom and the bathroom. He told me he could see from there how to get in the bathroom and the bedroom. He was so lost, we couldn't get him to lay down in bed. He just wanted to sit on the side of the bed.

Another night he was awake about 1:30 AM and all he wanted to do was give me a hug and tell me how much he loved me. He was so clear it was a shame to try and get him to go back to bed.
I seem to be the only one that can get him to bed, I just give him a hug and kiss on the cheek or forehead and tell him good night.

I then lay awake and listen to the clock chime. The clock is a mantle windup clock with Westminister chimes on the quarter hour and the hour it gongs once for every hour. Hubby and I found the clock in a antique shop 10 or 15 years ago. Hubby bought it for me for Valentine's Day. The clock stopped working about 8 years ago, it cost me as much as the clock cost to have it fixed.

P wanted the clock and I gave it to her but her husband couldn't get use to it chiming at night. I ask for it as long as we are in East Texas. It's a very comforting sound to hear it chime at night while I am trying to get hubby to sleep. Hubby seems to have his days and nights mixed up or else he just have to stay awake after he has been asleep so long.

They are trying to make P go back to Alb. to school next week, we are going to try the Union tomorrow. As much work for the Union and APS as I did they have to give him some kind of leave when we need it.

As Time Goes By

The song title is "AS TIME GOES By". You can see posting at 11:00 is not a goo idea either.

Time Goes By

Pat and I are sitting here waiting as "Times Goes By". TV is impossible Pat had me expand the chanels on Dish so we can get all of them. It does give us a lot more to choose from. It's too hot to do anything outside the humidity is horrible. We are eating non stop and watching tv and dvd's. I feel like time and the world is passing us by. I have been spending some time on the phone with friends.

We are having a bad time managing the pain hubby is having. He is always rubbing his tummy saying that it hurts. His tummy is expanding rapidly, we are down to pj bottoms for trousers during the day. He says the pain meds are taking care of the pain at the top of his tummy but not the bottom. His tummy is so large I am really afraid of it popping. Pat thinks the mass is pressing on the scars from previous surgery. We are also afraid it is pressing on the bladder. Visiting nurse says she will keep us supplied with what ever pain meds we need to keep him comfortable. I hate to see him in pain until we can get the meds down him.

Pat and hubby are asleep. I have slept most of day so I am wide awake, I need to try to go to sleep.

Sorry about the last post, it goes to prove that posts at 3:00 AM are not the best. The year was 1953 when Pat was born not 1963.

About Pat I couldn't have done this without him. He has been here day in and day out, leaving his home, family and life behind to be here. He has gone home twice for book signings and to get text books for this coming year. He is going to send lesson plans for the first couple of weeks just in case I need him that long.

We have tried to get a time line and no one is able to give us one. Hubby is one tough marine and is holding on by everything in him. Everyone is amazing at how long it is taking. He is suppose to be sleeping more and more. Only he is awake more and more. It tears me up to see him in so much pain. Oh well I need to try and go to sleep.

A Humid 54 years ago

Yes, it was a very humid July in North Carolina of 1963. The Marine Corp as usual had left one of it female dependant in a pickle. I was that dependant a very pregnant wife with a 18 month old very active son.

Air conditioning was some thing you read about in the paper. TV was just making its way down the East Coast. I remember watching some black and white snow that had some moving figures in the back ground. That was TV and I was unimpressed.

We had purchased a green hassock fan, my feet stayed propped up on it day and night for a little relief.

I awoke in the middle of the night in pain, my very large tummy had shifted from protruding out in the middle to the side. I felt very, very alone even thro I had a toddler in the house. My husband had been send TDY to Washington DC area.

I waited until the men had had to report to work, I called my husbands office. Bob one of the men that worked for him and his wife Betty had been to our house many times playing Yatze. Betty was expecting also but not until after Thanksgiving. Bob came after my toddler, took him to Betty to be taken care of and took me to the base hospital. I had spent too much time on my feet and pulled a muscle allowing my whole stomach to shift to the side. The hospital put me to bed for bed rest. The reason why I was on my feet so much, I had volunteered to help with Vacation Bible School. Not for the love of Bible School but simply because it gave me a two to three hours with my toddler in someone elses care and me with a joyous time with adults. When you are at home alone with a toddler for weeks at a time you jump at the chance to do anything for relief. The Doctor that treated me recognized me from Vacation Bible School Commencement. This Doctor treated me like the best Christian he had ever know because I had done such a foolish thing. I stopped and looked at my reasons for being on my feet and why he thought I had done such a stupid thing. I very selfishly didn't tell him the real reasons.

Fifty four years later a very humid July in East Texas. I find myself very much alone in the middle of a night. This time I have a husband in another bedroom dying of a very large tumor. This tumor is growing day and night the only thing we can do for him is give him pain medication. This time I am really not alone the son I had put in jeopardy 54 years ago by standing on my feet. He is trying to sleep in another bedroom, he finds it hard to sleep at night and is watching TV. This son has left his family and spending time with me and his father while we are waiting on the dying process. Hubby is becoming more confused by the day. I am not sure he is aware of what is happening or why number two son is still here. People are telling us how much together we have every thing and we are so strong to be able to do this. What choice do we have but to do this, we try to think of every thing that has to be done and just do one day at a time. No we are not moaning an crying, I do have my moments of tearing up but we are trusting the Lord to take care of every thing day by day. No we are not waiting for the Lord to make the arrangements we are making them. The Lord just has to be able to get us through each day that comes and trust he know when hubby has had enough and can't take any more. All the grandkids but Steven have been here to say goodbye, we can't find Steven but just hope he sufaces in time. It was good to have all the kid, grandkids and great grands here. Tiring for hubby and me but they all have said goodbye. P and family should have returned late yesterday I am so glad they got to take this vacation as planned. They will be a big help now in sitting with hubby when we need to go out.

Thank heavens for air conditioning the humid is terrible, I am running the air conditioning night and day so I may owe my soul to light company.

Being Baby Sat

I know being a caregiver is like being a babysitter, but having someone with me is like bein baby sat too. Don't get me wrong I appreciate someone else bein in the house with me while hubby is so sick.

Yesterday I did a dumb trick, I had a litttle grease in a little frying pan. I put it on the stove to turn back to liqud. Hubby needed something so I took care of him and by that time the frying pan was smoking. Number one son saw the smoke and picked up the pan just as it broke into flame. It took me a few minutes to remember and find the flour to put it out. We both knew not to put water on the flames. Now number one son thinks its not safe to leave me alone. Number two will be here this afternoon he has moved his flight up a day.

Hubby is taking more and more pain medication. I had to put three patches on him today. The patches are only 25 mg so they aren't very strong. I have to keep giving him pain pills off and on all day.

We took hubby out to lunch yesterday. We took him to Dairy Palace to get his favorite Taco Salad. He ate the meat and cheese off the top and very little lettuce. We made another stop to check on my cell phone as usual no information available from them. Number one son is putting me on his friends and family plan that will save me about $50.00 a month. That will help when every thing shakes out. We also picked up the mail all this is a pouring down rain. We got home being very wet but it all worked out.

Funeral Arrangments in Advance

We are going today to the funeral home to get some questions answered. It seems really strange to be going to the funeral home in advance. It seems to be the only place I can get my questions answered.

I can't find any way of contacting the National Cemetery. I have been told that it is the responsibility of the funeral home to contact them.

P is going with me. I am really glad I am not going to be alone.

Changes becareful of changes they will change the rest of your life.

The lyrics to this old song keep going through my head.

Friday night after a trip to the er and a cat scan. We discovered that hubby has a pancreatic tumor. The tumor is as big as a watermelon. It has effected his liver and his lung. It is too big for an operation and chemo will just make him sick. The result regardless is terminal.

We brought hubby home yesterday and hospice came to enroll us today. Albuquerque son arrived today to stay and help me.

The old Roger Witaker son Changes keeps going through and through my head.

Nasty Blog

I am very unhappy with both of my sons. Last Sunday was Father's Day and neither of them did anything for him. I know he can't hear over the telephone but he can read. He may have ALZ but he is still aware of everything that goes on around him and he can hear. We went to church and he heard a Father's Day Sermon. He knew it was Father's Day, I even gave him a new electric razor for the day and he is using it.

Daughters family was sick so it was very quiet around hear.

Your fathers mind is a lot better than his body these days, I have been concerned for some time and now daughter is concerned too. We are going to try and get him in to see his primary care this week. Daughter wants to talk to the doc.

No Big D,eal

I have had several people tell me lately that I can doing such a great thing by taking care of my hubby while he has Alz. FiftySix years, seven months, and two weeks I have fixed breakfast for both of us, washed both of our clothes, cleaned the house we both live in, washed dishes or loaded dish washer. The only difference is that I now have to fix a pill box once a month for both of us. I have to keep tract of his medications, and doctor appointments. I have to do all the driving. I have to do all the thinking and make all the decisions, whether they are right or wrong.

Why would I make any big changes like putting him in nursing home. The extra things I do, are not that big a deal. I can't see changing my way of life because of the few extra things I do. The biggest deal is not having anyone to share this with. I don't have anyone to talk to but sometimes I should listen to him more. He told me on the way home from Las Vegas that he didn't want to go any where any more. He just want to stay in the little home we have created here in East Texas and rest. This time I think I will listen to hime and we will stay at home. All of the kids will have to come and see us.

Hme Again

We are home again, thank heavens, air travel is very stressful.

We didn't get to leave without a product of the last two stressful weeks of May. A couple of days before Sunday June 2nd I had a little rash across my cheeks. I just put some cream on it and forgot it. Sunday June 2nd I couldn't forget it my right eye was swollen shut. Faithful P got up early and took me to the emergency room at Kaufman. It was no brainer for the doc I had hive possibly from some of my medication. Cure massive dosses of preison. I was finally down to just 1 mg in the morning and 1 at night. Now we are starting over with huge mg's. I just looked like I had spent too much time out in the sun and we went on to Las Vegas. The air travel with Southwest is really the big bus line of Texas. Our flight stopped at El Paseo before our lay over in Phoenix. Our next stop was Las Vegas and our wheel chair was given to someone else and we had to walk to the baggage. Sister-in-law had our luggage and was frantily looking for us by the time we got to the baggage.

Our stay in Las Vegas was comfortable in a nice condo, the only problem was that they never came in to clean up, but we kept it up pretty well. We ate out all the time. We found Maloffs cancino the Palms it was huge. I tried to reach Phil but got tranferred time and time again so I finally gave up. Sister-in-law took us to Gardno's for a Birthday dinner. The time in Las Vegas was suppouse to be a rest. Well it was an enforced rest, we really needed it but was a pushed rest.

I picked up a easy sudoku book at one of our stops in an airport. I have worked steady and hard at learning to do this game. I think I have finally managed to do some of the puzzles, I'm on 65 and still going strong. I am really feeling proud of myself that I have managed to learn how to do the easy puzzles.

Our flight home was suppose to be a stright threw flight but quess what we had to stop at Amarillo before we could fly to Dallas. Our wheel chair met us and we were transfered to a moving cart. The cart could only go part way so we were dumped half way and had to walk the rest of the way to baggage. After we picked up the luggage was walked half of the way home to get the car. We have been trying to rest up since we got home, it's really good to be home. It seems very strange to not have Melissa with us.

Busy Two Weeks

Boy has this been a busy two weeks, I can't believe we have accomplished as much as we have in the last two weeks. P and I sat down and planned three parties two weeks ago. We had to cram a graduation into that time frame. P had two days of doctors appointments and tests, plus working.

Melissa had make up work and lots of home work. They really poured it on the last two weeks. Melissa had all the fun things that finish up senior year. She had prom, senior trip, and the receipe book and a english paper on Elizabeth, some questions she had to answer. Poor gal she really had her nose to the grind stone, while trying to do the senior play dates. Melissa's mom and dad were coming so we ask B and K from Oklahoma to come also. My 75 birthday is coming up shortly. We tried to plan a graduation party for Melissa but she wanted to take it over. She did a beautiful job of making invitation with rubber stamps, unfortunately her written on the invitations was hard to read, we even included a map as to how to find the house. She passed out 20 invitations some at church and some at school.

P made invitations for my 75th birthday tea party. I only gave out 4 invitation besides the family. The managers at the village, a dog walker that I had become friendly with, and our wonderful massage theaptists.

We planned a unbirthday party for M. She is the last one of my family that has the December 3oth birthday. That is a bad time to ask school kids to come to a birthday party. We planned a dressup unbirthday party.

Melissa's mom and dad arrived just in time to see her get dressed and drive off in the Tarus to her graduation program. The program was well documented with lots of photos. Family came home and collaped after the program.

Melissa and I had spent all day Thursday making tea sandwiches for my birthday party. P made the cake and tea. Saturday we went to P for my tea birthday party. It was good time. on P's back patio. The weather coorperated and was so pleasant it was hard to end it. All my kids were there and almost everyone I ask. One of our massage gals had to go the hospital with a family member.

After we left the tea party we rushed home and set up for Melissa's graduation party. We had to move it inside as the weather looked like rain. Re-arranged the living room and setup for about 20 kids. Only one adult one of the massage gals came because Melissa had worked for them some last summer. We had a great time talking and Pat, Melissa's dad and my author son entertained us with a history lesson.

We had M unbirthday party today, cupcakes, punch and lots and lots of candy as door prizes and game prizes. M passed out about 20 invitations and 6 very dressed up little girls arrived in long dress, hats, jewlery, boas, and high heels. They were not too sure how a unbirthday worked but they had numbers on pinwheels the picked out. They went one by one and opened a gift they could pick a new gift or the one that had been opened. Only one little girl was brave enough to take what had been already opened. I think they were all too curious what was in the unopened gifts. The little girls left with several bags of candy as well as a gift. I think the dressup unbirthday party was a hug success.

I told P that the two of us should go into a business planning parties. She said fine as long as some one else did the work. I'm not sure how that would work, I'll have to think on it.

Monday Hubby and I will be flying off to Las Vegas to spend the week with his sister and family. We are planning another birthday party and hubby's sister and have birthdays close together. I am hoping hubby can make the trip OK. I have ordered a wheel chair for him I hope we can make our plan change in Phoenix alright.

Next time I blog I will tell you all about it.

43 years ago

Forty three years ago I spent the day in the hospital. It was also the only day that my third son and fourth child lived and died.

This was a warm and spring day in Albuquerque of course it got hot later on in the day. My mom and dad were there to take care of the other three kiddo's. My mom was the only family member to see Timothy. I was told he had dark hair and was a purfect baby. A inexperienced doctor let me lay in labor while the baby was in distrest. The baby had been without oxgen so long that he was brain dead. When the OB GYN got there they just delivered the baby and didn't try to get it to breath. My mom said she heard him cry, they told everyone that his lungs weren't developed enough to breath. He was only two weeks early so that wasn't true. The OB GYN told me that if I had been going to a OB GYN I would have had a live baby but he wouldn't testify in court to that fact. Unfortunately that inexperienced doctor is still practicing.

Just thought somebody ought to remember Timmy today.

Home

I haven't read today's SS lesson it is entitled The Eternal Home. The writer of these lesson has been very good. I just wish the various teachers in our SS class would teach out of the quarterly instead of trying to push pre-milliumism. They keep talking rapture where there isn't any and today she even got off on intelligent design. Annie called tonight to tell me how sick her hubby is, he has been in the hospitel. He has had several heart attacks, a pace maker installed and a stroke. He doesn't sound good at all. I hurt so for Annie, I wish I could be there to help. I don't know what I could do accept hold her hand but I could at least do that.

I started thinking this morning in SS about home. When Hubby and I were getting ready to retire. B and G were remolding that house in Farmington, they wanted hubby and I to sell our house and move in with them. The house would be big enough for all of us and I would have been fun. It was a tempting idea but we valued our independence too much to go that route. We did spend a lot of time up there and running around with them. I wouldn't trade one minute of it. We had such a great time. As things stand now it would have been disastrous for us. G couldn't and hasn't been able to handle hubby's ALZ. We tried to go on cruise with them after hubby started having problems and G would handle it. I don't blame G some people just can't stand to see someone they spent so much time with go away like he has.

Next Jean and I always talked about living together particularly after John died and I really think we would have done it. But, she was diagnosed with ALZ and P had cancer and we moved to Texas. Jean died a little over a year ago and I can't tell you how much I miss her. Jean didn't have any big major heath problem. We talked so much about not wanting to live with a quality of life. I think she just gave up and didn' t want to live anymore.

Annie and I always teased that we should rent an apartment and get away from everyone and live together. Now her hubby is in a life threating way and mine is going down more every day. We never know where life will take us and we may never know where home is or who is living in that home.

Nice Mother's Day, we went to SS and Church and back to P for lunch. P gave me a great Mother's Day card she had made complete with family pictures. The card was very professional. Pat wished me a Happy Mothers Day after Melissa called her mom to wish her one. They will be here in about 2 weeks. Melissa and I spent the afternoon making her invitations to her graduation party. Annie had received her invitation to my 75 birthday and called to tell me about it. I still have the local invitations to give out.

Rant

The rest of the family can blog ranting so now is my turn.

John Stossel on 20/20 lied on TV when he trashed the public schools in America and I hadn't watched 20/20 sence then.

Why the TV was on 20/20 tonight I don't know but he was trashing
Ethoanol (?). I'm not sure whether it is the answer to our dependence oil but at least they are trying to do something. Stossel had someone from Cato Institute he was interviewing. The guy from Cato was saying that all the money we are paying to buy oil would be used to buy corn so that we could make Ethoanol. The idea was the poor people that are making a fortune from high oil prices would lose money. The public would be paying to buy corn to make Ethoanol wouldn't that be terrible that the greedy guys in the oil pipe line would loose money. I know better than to watch 20/20 again. How do we allow this guy on primetime TV to spout all the propaganda .
Do people really believe all of junk.

Hey we are doing well Melissa seems to have passed all of her classes. She has turned in 3 big projects she has very well and one and barely passing on another. I haven't heard about the big one she spend so much time one. We are going to Home Depot to put in an application tomorrow and then to First Monday. She did really well getting all of her weekend work tonight so she has all weekend to do what she wants. Youth group going to SpiderMan movie Sunday afternoon and she is going.

We are counting down the days until graduation. They practiced today and she finally realized it was going to happen and she got very excited.

Maybe we can all get excited for her.

On my Blog

Well, I finally got on my blog, but I still can't comment on anyone elses blog.

I still have shingles it has been over a month now. I have had so many different prescriptions, but nothing has helped. They have given me lot of pain pills and I keep having to take more and more of it just to keep on my feet. I still have to feed hubby and put dishes in the dish washer. I still have to get Melissa up and off to school in the mornings. The pain in my left side and back is un-describable. It burns and tingles and is always there, if I sit still long enough it goes away but then moments later its back again in full force. I have stopped my life and just stay in a nighty that doesn't touch me I go from bed to couch and back to bed. If I have to go somewhere I just double up on pain pills and tough the pain out.

I am sitting here waiting for Melissa to come home from the Prom. I can't believe she insisted on going to the Prom stage. She turned down a couple of boys asking her, she looked beautiful in her dark blue and silver slinky dress. She spent the day getting ready she had her finger nails and her toe nails done this morning and her hair in a french twist this afternoon. P showed her how to do her makeup yesterday so she was able to do that herself. She put her dress on last night and we went through all of my jewelry trying all of it. My rhinestones with the red stones looked the best. The ear rings were so old( hubby bought that set for me shortly after we were married) they had screw backs. I wired the old earrings to a loop of rhinestones for pierced ears that Melissa had they really look good. P bought Melissa a beautiful corsage of white baby rose buds. Melissa was in such a rush to go that I didn't get any pictures. I am hoping to get some when she gets home. We took a dry run last week to see where this place was for the Prom. It is about 30 miles from here out in the deep country. I feel strange letting her go by herself. The dance is over early so she should be home soon.

This was one of the big things that Melissa wanted to do this year. She wanted to go to another Prom and she wants to graduate from high school. We are closing in on completing these things for her. I am not sure I can help her anymore than this. She still needs so much support to go on and make something of her life. It is not fair for her to be tied down to helping take care of us. If I get some pictures of her in her slinky dress I will post them.

Update

I went to the doctor this afternoon. I had a pain in my side for about three days and Nights. I thought I had a tummy problem. I also developed a rash on my back and side where the pain has been. The doc patiently listened to my theory about my pain. Then when I showed her my rash. She jumped at the answer. I have shingles. Oh, why oh why didn't I get the shot to prevent this when it first came out. Aunt Dena has been suffering with shingles for the last three years. I am hoping we caught this early enough for the medication to work.

Just trying to lower my stress level now so that I can deal with this latest development.

New Info

Well, the book review went well today. They seemed to be very interested in the book. I donated a copy for the church library. They were fighting over who would get to read it first.

One of the ladies had said that money had been donated to the Canton Public Library in her name for a book. She got to choose what book she wanted in the library she was going to ask for P book to be put in the library. I told her she could order it from Amazon.com. She is going to get Canton Public Library to order the book for the library.

She may get a book ordered by amazon yet.

The mission group wants P to talk to them when you are in town. But of course it won't be at one of there regular meetings.

Still Problems

Google won't let me start another blog. So I may not be able to give comments on any of your blogs.

Strange but proud moment this morning. Melissa was in a choir robe sitting in the front row of the choir in church. I do believe she is the first one of my grands that has sung in a church choir.

Many years ago I sat in the front row of a choir with Melissa's mother sitting next to me. I'm not sure how long we sat, side by side in the choir but it was a while. When number two son came home from the singles weekend in Glorieta he told me about the great girl he met there. After some more questions I discovered he was talking about my partner from the choir. To make a long story short. They were married within the year.

The preacher this morning told me he was very pleased that Melissa was singing in the choir. One of the older ladies in the choir also stopped me after church and told me how please she was the Melissa wanted to sing in the choir. All my kids sang in the youth choir and adult choirs. But Melissa as far as I know is the first one of the grands.

Well tomorrow I give a book review of P book. I'm not sure I'm up to it but I am going to try.

I was so glad to see the picture of Cottonwood Mall and the poster about P booksigning. I'm so sorry we won't be there to be a part of the booksigning. Melissa and I were thrilled.

It's time to sign another lease for the house. I don't want to move, I am pleased with the house but it is so scary to sign up for another year. It always makes me so anxious to try and see a whole year down the road. We have been here over 18 months but trying to out quess what will happen even 6 months down the road is scary. I quess I will just have to close my eyes and sign it.

Confused

This changing blogs from blogspot to google has messed everything up. I can't post to anybody elses blog and I can't get into my blog very often. They say my password is wrong but they won't give me another one. I keep e-mailing them and they ignore me. If I am forced to start over again. When I start a new blog it will be under the name anothercaregiver. Can't we find some bloging spot that we can really use?

I'm Blogging

It is difficult to blog when every few days we have a melt down every few days.

The last two weeks have been very difficult. Melissa came home from her last TAS test with the news that a boy she had been talking with died. This shook her up and I'm concerned that she blew her test. She wrote her essay by reviewing a TV show instead of writting from personal experience. So its anybodys quess if they will accept that as a writting assignment or if they will just not accept it. If she doesn't pass this writting test she doesn't graduate. We have been butting heads at every turn.

I remember having a few screaming matches with the kids when they were at home but with Melissa this last weeks its been at least two or three a week. I'm really too old for these melt downs. my emotions won't handle it. I have played my last card by calling her mom and dad and having her talk with them.

Hubby has not been doing too well. He is sleeping almost all day, he is eating very little. He is down to about 170 lbs for someone that use to weight 225 that is a lot. I am hoping this is just temporary.

It is time to sign another lease for the house I am afraid to sign one for a year but I can't move.
I don't have the strength, money or a place to go. I'm very comfortable here but if hubby has to go into a nursing home I can't afford it.

Pray for us that we get through these next two and half months.

Sunday School Class up in Arms

Well, I wasn't the only one that was upset about that SS lesson. The class exploded about the lesson but the teacher wouldn't let us discuss it. He proceeded with what was suppose to be the lesson but it had nothing to do with what was in the lesson book. So I am really confused about this class. One of the ladies that I had made friends with from the retired teachers group is in that class. She was most vocale about not liking the lesson, I made copies of all of your wonderful responses and gave them to her.

The responses I got were wonderful 7 of them right away. I think son P was most understandable. Anyway I am not upset about the lesson or the class any more.

I was invited to the ladies missionary circle that met yesterday, nice group of ladies. They were asking for people to give devotionals. I volunteered I am going to do a review of P book in March. With the review that is on line and having read the book I hope they will want to have a copy.

Well, today is the make or break day for Melissa, today is the last time she can take this TAK test and past the writting portion. If she doesn't pass this test she can't graduate and all this year is in vain. I am a lot more worried than she is, I so want to her get her act together and make something of herself. P and I have really wondered where we missed her pleas for help when she was little. We look back now an see so many of them and we didn't do anything about them. She has another appointment with her counselor tonight. Our routine for the morning is not going well. I am trying to make her aware of the cost of food and drink. I am making her do menus and a shopping list and keep track of how much things cost. She is so wastful with food and drink. She has been doing better this week.

Saturday we played hooky and went to Mesquite to the shopping mall Melissa had not been there yet. Michelle and her other grandma went with us. We had a lovely lunch at Saltgrass.
Michelle didn't feel good all day she ran a fever Sunday and D took her to doc yesterday. She has the flu, I hope the rest of us don't get it. We all had flu shots including Michelle but that doesn't seem to be the strain of flu everyone is coming down with.

P has chemo on Wednesday and I am taking her. I have a doc appointment with a new doc on Thursday. Friday P and I want to go to Dallas to see B and hear him speak at the Mainstream Convocation. Weather is suppose to be about 70 degrees all week, I hope so I'm tried of the cold and wind.

They made me upgrade to google today, I have been trying to avoid it as everybody else has had trouble with people being able to post. I hope somebody posts so I can see if it is going to work.

Theological Question

Well, we did it yesterday we officially became Methodist. The first Sunday School class we sat through has me asking many, many questions. I am in hopes someone out there in blogging land has some answers.

Lesson: Life After Death

Resurrection is not immortality. Immortality is the Greek belief closely tied to the notion that human beings consist of immortal spirits temporarily housed in physical bodies. According to this view after death our phyical bodies decompose and are no more. Our spirits, however, which are undying, are set free to return to heaven. It holds that what is most real about us spirit does not die; rather, at death of our body, our spirit is simply released to resume the existence it had prior to be joined to our body.

The Christian faith rejects completely the notion of immortality. For starters, it teaches that when we die, all our consitutents parts die; not just our body but also our spirit and even our soul. We truly, entirely cease to be. Second and that is what makes belief in resurrection so breathtaking exciting. God's love incarnate in Christ will not allow us to lie silent in the grave. In the end not even the death of all our consitutent parts can not separate us from the love of God. The Christian faith is confident that when we are resurrected, all our constituent parts will be resurrectd: not just our spirit and soul but also our body.

OK that would lead me to belief that when I die every thing ceases to exist and I must lie silent in the grave until the last days when my body is resurrected. What happens to the fact that Jesus said to the thief on the the cross " today you will be with me in paradise". No I don't belief that all my family that is dead is looking down on me and watching every move I make. The bible also states no tears in heaven, some of the things we all do would cause our past love ones to cry.

Hey, this is a heck of a time in my life to be struggling with this issue. Can someone clear this up for me. This idea they are saying is the christian belief sounds more jewish to me. I understood they do not believe in an after life.

Surpriseing Week

This has been the week for flowers. Hubby brought me peach colored roses while I was in the hospital. Can you believe he remembers I like orange or peach colored roses. My friend I made at the Methodist Church brought me a big vase of white lillies and white roses, last Sunday. My door bell rang this afternoon and a fellow resident brought me three orange roses. We have chatted several times outside with the dogs. She said I had been on her mind lately and brought me roses.

I found a green rubber frog at the grocery store today. Remembering how much my Harry use to love his frog I bought it for Sadie. The frog squeaks and Sadie loves it, I thought she would tear it up in the first 10 minutes. She carries it so easy it doesn't even have teeth marks. She does make it squeak all the time. Sadie brings me the frog to throw for her and she runs and brings it back. She is getting lots of exercise and keeps me busy throwing it for her.

First Monday weekend, Melissa and I are going to spend the day tomorrow. I missed the one last month.

We have started using the fire place all the wood is wet so its hard to get it started. Melissa and stored the wood at the bottom of the back stairs. It is quiet a chore to walk it up and down the back stairs to bring the wood in. Hubby is having fun keeping the fire going. The house smells like smoke but until the weather clears up it is pleasant to have a little fire in the living room.

Once again

Well, the last time I blogged I thought I was on the way to a complete recovery.

TV has been warning us about the stomach flu or norwalk virus that was going around. I was trying to be careful, but I quess I got careless and we ate out. Wednesday we tried a new place in Grand Saline and that is the only place I can think of that I could have been exposed. Hubby didn't come down with it. We had different things to eat. I did hear the cook say that 3 people who worked there had called in sick. We should have got up and left.

I started feeling ill about 9: Pm and by 9:30 I couldn't leave the bathroom. I couldn't even walk down the hall to call Melissa. I got as far as the kitchen and kept calling until I got her up. She helped me until about 11:00 and we called P. P made the call to 911 and got an emergency truck they took me to Athens to the hospital. I don't remember much about the ride except I was freezing to death and they wouldn't cover me up. To make a long story short, they kept me over night and all day Friday. I didn't see the doc until late Friday night, he said if I could keep breakfast down on Saturday I could go home. He didn't show up until 2:30 on Saturday. He did allow me to come home. I was very impressed with the hospital everyone was so friendly and helpful. I even liked the doc, he was a older man but seemed very interested in my problems and welfare. I'm still very weak but Melissa and I have managed to get all the linens from my bed washed, dryed and put away. We have Melissa all ready for school tomorrow, she just can't be absent any more.

I really don't know what I would have done without when I was so sick at home. She took good care of her grandpa while I was gone. We just got her drivers license in time. P had to work on Saturday so Melissa and grandpa came and picked me up. Today she went to the drug store and postoffice by herself. She is so please that I let her drive and do my errands.

I'm just going to play it easy all of next week so that I can get my strength back.

The new friend I made at the Methodist church showed up on my doorstep with a beautiful vase of flowers. She had been missing me at church. She stayed and chatted a little while. I haven't been able to go the church since before Christmas. I had really good intension of all of going today but the trip to the hospital stopped that.

I really need my second son to send me some more of his books, I quess that will have to wait until after his book signing. I have several people wanting them.

John the manager of the village we live is found P book that Melissa gave to his wife. He picked it up and would let his wife touch it until he finished it. He ask where it came from, his wife said look at the author. He was suprised that it was my son's he was very impressed and said he was really enjoying it.

Long Day

We finally got Melissa her drivers license today. We have been trying for months, the State of Texas has been having us jump through so many hoops, I was afraid she would never get it. First of all we had to have her SS card, that had been lost some where. We had to go to Tyler and ask for a duplicate. We waited for that too arrive. She had to have 3 kinds of ID. She took her first written test right after Christmas and missed one too many of their trick questions. The license office is only open while she is in school. So this is a big problem, they are threating if she misses school for any reason. She had another dental appointment today so she took the day off and we tried about 10:00 this morning to take the test again and get in the driving test. She too the test this morning and passed it. But, she couldn't take the driving test until 1:45 this afternoon. Her dental appointment was 3:00 in Tyler. We hurried to Athens got our hair washed and cut. Raced back to Canton to meet the 1:45 driving test and rushed off to Tyler to the dentist. We stopped on the way into Tyler for hamburgers and made the dentist with 5 minutes to spare. We had to buy a tooth brush so Melissa could brush before her appointment. They are really, really, unhappy with her about not brushing and not brushing long enough. I'm at my wits end what to try next to get her to do this. Yugo may have to disappear for ever if she doesn't get with the program. It would be a terrible thing to loose all her teeth after her mom and dad had them straightened. She has another appointment with her DR. tomorrow I may have to get her and the counsler involved.

Hey, my back was lots better today, it didn't start hurting until about 2:30 this afternoon and boy was it hurting when I got home about 5:30. The cold pack and then the heat packs really help. I am going to take another muscle relaxant when I go to bed tonight and mahybe it will be better tomorrow. My doc in Kaufman said I should let them do the shots but I don't want to if I can help it. I am going to try the chiropractor tomorrow and see what he says, he really has helped me more than anyone else.

P is still playing nurse maid to her 7 baby goats. She had 9 baby goats but they have lost two of them. One of the little ones was rejected by its mom and P has been feeding it by hand. So the little one thinks P is her mom. They call this little one floppesy because one of its ears flopps over all the time. It is so cute but a real pain to take care of. P took one of them to school for M class to see this afternoon. I don't know how that came out.

Well, you can see we are busy, busy, hubby had to shift for himself today as Melissa and I were gone all day. This school year is really flying by, but I suppose Melissa thinks it will never be over. I have to write her a check for her annual tomorrow, how did they get so expensive.

Hey I'm back

It has been a long time but I think I am among the living again. I came down with some kind of bug just a couple of days before Christmas. Melissa and I didn't get our baking done but we had plenty to eat. We had 11 for dinner on Christmas, Bruce got here just in time for dinner it was so great to see him. He didn't get to stay for long enough. I really didn't get to enjoy every one at Christmas like I wanted to because I was so sick.

I am still dealing with a bad back, how can you do that much damage to your back by coughing. I've had a x-ray and a MRI and I have seen 4 doctors, a massage therapist and have another appointment with a new doctor tommorrow. Tommorrow is a pain management doc they are talking about streching again or else shots neither sounds good. The pain is getting more managable. I have finally stopped taking the pain pills, yesterday was rough but today is better. Everyone that was here has come down with this bug, some of them so soon afterwards that they didn't get it from me. I feel so bad that I gave this horrible bug to so many people. But, everyone in Texas seems to have had it or is coming down with it.

One of the best things at Christmas was the time I got to spend with Eddie, I didn't know how much I had missed him. He has always seemed more like mine instead of a grand. Eddie is at such a crossroads of his life and needs as much support and guidance as he can get. All we can do at a distance is pray for him and his decisions.

Melissa has decided she likes East Texas and wants to live here, she likes taking care of grandparents. We still haven't got a drivers license, they never seem to be open when she is not in school. Her grades have been great. P and I were wondering what Eddie and Steven's high school would have been like if they had gone to school here. I don't know what hubby and I would have done, while I have been sick, if she wasn't here.

NCL keeps sending me E-mails and flyers about cruises with the ice storm here in East Texas it is looking better everyday. Not sure our finances could stretch so far to include another cruise so soon.

I've had plenty of time to read while I have been laid up with the effects of this bug. Pat brought his newly published book down. He has left me some copies and it is such a temptation to just give these away. Hubby is still reading on it, he reads awhile and trys one of his westerns and then goes back to Pats. I finished it and was very pleased with the plot and the conclusion. It is more difficult to read than most of what I am reading it is written at a higher level. The amount of educational information is a little overwhelming. The latin names are a trial, but I just say this is Sam, or Pete of Joe and go on with the story. Hubby, Jean and I read some of the drafts of this book many years ago while taking one of our trips in the old motor home. Jean would be so please to finally see this story in print. Melissa read the book and wanted to give it to Altameta so we gave it to her. I haven't talked to her to see if she has read it. Melissa took it to school and showed it off, some people wanted her to give it to them.

NEW YORK HOTEL

Back to our hotel in New York, you have already read the saga of our flight back from New York. But, what I haven't told you is that my letter to the ATA airline resulted in a return letter giving hubby and I two free round trip tickets anywhere they fly in USA. I'm not ready for another adventure just yet. We are anxiously waiting for second son and family to get on the road to Texas. They are waiting for his books to be delivered so they can bring them.

TORTOLA

Our last port, we walked off the ship again and this time we only found tents with local people displaying their crafts and products. We had to pay cash for these things and quess what I was running our of cash. I did manage to buy Melissa a basket to be used as a sewing basket. I bought Michelle a t-shirt. It was too far to walk into town and too hot to try to find other transportation.

Tortola was described as a pirates den and remained the haunt of the infamous pirates. The English planters were more interested in piracy and smuggling than agriculture. In the 1700s experienced planters and hardworking Quakers displaced them and made the island prosper with sugar, cotton, indigo and rum.

Ou

DOMINICA

Dominica is halfway between Puerto Rico and Trinidad & Tobago in the group of islands known as the Lesser Antilles. It is often known as the nature island of the caribbean. This is another sugar plantation island.

Grenada

Grenada

We sister-in-law, her hubby and I walked off the ship to the shopping mall at the end of the pier. It was very, very hot. I found a very lovely pair of leather sandals got a good price. I tried to buy a diet coke, I gave the clerk a twenty dollar bill for a 4.00 diet coke. He tried to give me the local money Eastern caribbean dollar or Bee Wee, I knew I could never get rid of that and I wasn't about to pay 20.00 for a diet coke. I bought more nutmeg for the people in Texas. I braved the heat out side and found a table full of shells. I found one large shell and two smaller ones for only 7.00. I bought a lovely T-shirt for me with a bright red flower on the front.

We spent the rest of the time in port in the lounge on top watching the unfolding drama on shore. It is very interesting how many passengers push the limit past the deadline to be on board and then come wandering on the the ship at the last minute. I could never do that I would be afraid they would leave me.

Grenada was sighted by Christopher Columbus on his third voyage in 1498, french settled the island. This is another Bristish island.

Barbados

Sunbury Plantaton House is over 300 years old, and creates a vivid impresion of life on a Sugar estate in the 18th and 19th centuries. We had tea in the garden, cream cheese sandwiches along with tuna fish sandwiches, pound cake, shortbread and tea. One of the first settlers on the island Matthew Chapman, an Irisman build Sunbury House.

I quess I should be glad I got both pictures on the blog the first one is myself, hubby and Jim having tea in the garden.

Barbados is another British island, a very beautiful island. They have oil wells on the island which are working by the way. Most of the oil wells in Texas are not working. They have to send their oil to Trindad to be refined and then import it. They pay $7.50 a gallon for gas. Traffic was so heavy we were stuck in a traffic jam in down town Bridgetown on the way back to the ship, everyone was drives in Barbados. We drove through a part of town that never closes down, houses of the evening, bars and dance halls never close.

Houses were very small and seem to have several generations living in them. It takes them several generations to finish paying for a house. If a man takes out a mortgage it may be paid off by his grandson. Payments seem to be about $7.00 to $10.00 a month, very hard for us to understand.

FORT ANTIGUA

Antigua

My sailing mates on this cruise!

This is the first of our British ports. We walked off the ship to a shopping area at the end of a very long pier. We sat at a little out door refresfment stand, as you can see we were drinking diet coke at $2.00 piece. While we were seated there someone started smoking mariwana (sp) you can't mistake that smell. D and I visited several shops one of them had name brand clothes Levi, Liz Clairborne and etc. The prices were out of this world. I quess the prices reflect the fact the conversion ration is $2.70 EC equals 1 US dollar. This was a very old wooden two story store. It smelled and reminded me of dry goods stores of my childhood in Pueblo. When we started back to the ship a little shower came up. D and I sat under a porch and waited until it stopped raining. It was all over with in about 10 minutes. Hubby and J walked back in the rain.

Island was developed with sugar cane as primary crop, using slaves as labor. Slavery was abolished in 1834. The way the name of the island is pronounced was in debate. British mispronounced it as "Antee-ga", most of us say "Antee-wa".

St. Thomas

caregiver2: First Port

Our Cruise Ship
caregiver2: First Port

First Port

St Thomas was our first port. The only American port we touched on this cruise. Sugar Cane plantations settled this island in the early 1600's.

We took a van tour at this port. We had to walk about 3 blocks to get to the van, which was open and very warm. The van was driving on the left side of the road. Why this is an American port, but they drive on the left like the English. I was sitting on the last row and next to the traffic. It was very scary to see all the traffic coming at you from that side of the road. We did miss the school bus that appeared out of nowhere. The gift shop was the nicest one we were in for the whole cruise. Beautiful island, they had a hurricane that caused a lot of damage, most of the damage had been repaired. Van driver couldn't thank President Clinton enough for the help in rebuilding after the hurricane. Van driver pointed out the side of the island that Oprah, Tigger Woods and President Clinton stay at when they visit the island.

We found the lounge at the front of the ship. This is a lounge with lots of windows and comfy chairs. When the ship pulls up to the dock this gives you a great view of the port. Also, when we are at sea it is like looking out of the windshield as you drive over the waves. We spent a lot of time in the comfy chairs and watching port live and the waves.

Sorry, I tried forever to post some of my pictures, but I can't master it. We will have Thanksgiving tomorrow at P. P had to work today. I will try to get D to help me post some of my pictures.

Safely in the Hotel in NYC

We are safely in the hotel in NYC waiting in the lobby for D and J.

November 10, 2006 the 36 hour day from NYC to Dallas.

The day started well a early breakfast at the hotel about 6:30 AM. We caught the ever elusive shuttle to the airport. Porter took our luggage and wisked it away to check out. I over tipped him just for the shear joy of not having to handle that luggage. Checked in with the airline had a our boarding passes in hand and on our way to the gate. Everything was fine, we boarded the plane and were taxing out to take off 12 to 15 planes ahead of us so it took some time. About 2/3 of the way into the line we were ask to go back to the terminal. Something was leaking from the engine. We were ask to leave the plane and have a seat in the gate area. Hubby went to the restroom and I was left with both carryons. He took a very long time to return, I was very alarmed but couldn't leave the carryons or loose our seat in the gate area. He finally returned and said he had been lost. I then left him the luggage and went to the rest room and to buy us some lunch it was 11:30 AM. When I returned people were streaming passed me going somewhere. When I ask the gate personnel what was going on we were directed. "Go get your luggage and go to the ticket counter."

We went down to the baggage area, our luggage was off to one side with about 3 other pieces. People standing around no other luggage in sight the carrousel was not runing. We paid $3.00 for a cart and loaded our luggage on the cart found the elevator and went back to the ATA ticket counter. The line this time was all the way around the baggage x-ray area. Most of the people in line did not have their luggage. We stood in line awhile, a ATA woman personnel said no we were to go to a area opposited from where we were waiting for a ticket agent. She said if we had boarding passes and we could board our plane it was ready to go. A male ATA personnel helped us put our luggage through the x-ray again. When we arrived at the designated area to show our boarding passes, we were turned away. We were told once again to go get our luggage and go back to the ATA ticketing area. Went back to luggage area no luggage in baggage area, carrousel was not running people standing all over the place. I left hubby in the baggage area to retrive luggage, told him to stay there I would meet him at the carrousel when I had a flight for us to leave NYC. I was standing in the ATA ticketing line with an empty cart I had managed to catch. The ATA male person who had helped me load the luggage back into the x-ray machine ask me why I was in line with an empty cart. I explained hubby was down stairs waiting with the luggage while I was trying to get another flight out of NYC to Chicago. I explained to him that hubby had ALZ and he had already been lost once today. He was wonderful he went down to baggage area gathered up hubby and luggage and brought it up to me. We stood in line 2 hours when I was next in line to speak to ticket agent. The woman ATA agent who kept sending people on wild goose chases told us to put our baggage through the X-ray and go to the gate we were re-boarding the same plane. I refused because I was next in line to speak to the ticket agent and she had caused me so much trouble. We got into a shouting match and I stayed put. The ticket agent had a friend that was trying to get him to issue him a new ticket for his friend. I told him to wait his turn. Another ticket agent rushed up and tried to use his computer for someone ese. I told her to wait her turn and told the agent it was my turn I had been waiting for 4 hours. He then processed our tickets the second time and told us to put our luggage through the x-ray for the 3 rd time. We had to go through security again and they took our lunch away from us. This was now 2:30PM hubby has diabetes and had not had any thing to eat since 6:30 AM. I had purchased our lunch in the gate area but they still took it away from us. I had to purchase food again as we rushed to the gate to board our flight once again. Our flight was suppose to leave at 10:00 AM we left at 3:45PM. We either stood or ran up and down the terminal for 5 hours.

I appreciate the fact that the plane was not allowed to leave with a leaking engine. The perferable plan would have allowed us to sit in the boarding area where we had food, water and a restroom without our luggage to haul around until the plane was repaired and ready to leave.

When we arrived in Chicago in a thunderstorm. We sat in the boarding area with ATA gate personnel that kept us informed as to the status of our flight and waited for the thunderstorm to pass. The ATA personnel were so professional and helpful that the 3 hour wait was not that painful.

We arrived at DFW at midnight, we located our car and drove home, arriving at 2:00 AM not 24 hours from the time we left but it felt like 36 hours.

When I related this experience at the ALZ support group meeting yesterday, they thought I was brave to even attempt an airline flight or a cruise with ALZ hubby. I don't know maybe I am stupid to attempt such things but the cruise was great. Now that I have this horrible experience out of my system maybe I can tell about the pleasant part of the trip.

Gee Whiz Back on Dry Land

Arrived home at 2:00 am Saturday Novemer 11, 2006.

For those of you who are curious, I am going to posting a serial travelog. Newspapers and Magazines use too publish serial novels, well mine is going to be the Last Vacation. But, I am going to start at the ending with the title the airline from HELL!!!!!

The September twice monthly telephone call from Aunt D and J a cruise was choosen. We were going Norwegian again, we had been pleased with the last three cruises with them. Our itinerary was New York City to board the cruise, two days at sea and the first stop was St. Thomas. Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Dominica, Tortola and two more days at sea before we arrived again at New York City. The trip was great, weather was beautiful, spending time with family was wonderful. Hubby had a great time in spite of his failing memory.

I am going to be writting a letter to the airline about our return from New York City to Dallas on ATA Airline. I am posting this first to get the anger out of my system so that I can recall with you the pleasant cruise we experienced.

Cheap mama and grandma I went on line with Southwest knowing full well I couldn't book a flight from Love to New York City. The Wright amendment was cancelled about 10 days after I booked the flight. I toyed with the idea of cancelling my reservations with ATA Airlines ( I had never heard of them before, I'm such a frequent flyer). I was assured they partner with Southwest and that they were OK. I got a great deal senior discount and funfare too. OK so I can put up with no pillow or blanky or food or coke they only serve pepsi, but the price was right.

We set the alarm for 4:00 AM to get up and get out of here for the two hour drive to DFW. A friend had assured me even in the dark (with yellow glasses on so I could see) I could manage I-20 to 360 a right hand turn and the signs would lead me into DFW and the long term parking. First two thirds of the trip no problem, the last third (with white knuckle driving) we found the long term parking. Dumb me I should have unloaded the luggage at the shelter building and then found and parking place. I located a handicapped only 3 rows from the shelter and hubby and I tried to juggle two LARGE suitcases, two small suitcases, one medium bag (to carry hubby's full massage and heating pad) a tote bag apiece and a fanny pack apiece. Now the tote bags with medications (we have a small drug store in pill perscription bottles) reading material, umbrella, sugar tester, hand wipes, makeup, toothbrushes and etc. Fanny packs, money, picture ID's, credit cards, and passports. I had no illusions about the two of us being able to handle that amount of luggage. Airports do have carts for rent that tranport crazy amounts of luggage. I know that is an obscene amount of luggage but when you look at 14 days of underwear it requires a lot of luggage. Don't despair it is necessary for you to know how much luggage we had and why, also, you need to know how up tight I was about trying to move this mountain of luggage. Hubby just looks at the luggage as if it would move itself, he will help if I tell him (at least three times what handle to pickup and where to take it).

We arrived at the terminal 30 minutes early plus our two hours required time before flight. We had boarding passes in hand thanks to online registering. Our luggage was wisked away and I breathed a sight of relief, with my fingers crossed that it would arrive with us in New York City after we changed planes in Chicago.

One more challenge to get hubby through the security beeper. Hubby had been up sense 3:00 AM and dressed (he was so ready to go). I had carefully showed him what he was to wear and laid it out for him but you have to know. Hubby wants to wear as much military stuff as possible so people well stop and talk to him. I can't seem to loose the stupid cap they call a pisscutter. Hubby had on what I had laid out for him and also some loud red, white and blue supenders, a red, white and blue flag tie and his faithful pisscutter. I had bought him a new tan yachting cap to wear but of course, he would have done of that it was in the caryon. He did put his sweater over his shirt and supenders and then put on his jacket. Do you see what is coming? You know you have to pull your shoes off that made him angry, he started pelling off jacket, shoes, fanny pack, carryon, cane, watch and the alarm still went off. I tried to explain to the screeners that he was hard of hearding and had ALZ, he has a hearing aid and a penile implant. They kept pushing me away, they had caught a terriorist. Hubby was sent over to the side they kept running a wand over him and it kept going off. We found a stupid pedimeter (we haven't used those in 2 years) a pen in the pocket of his T-shirt, and the alarm still kept going off. They took his belt off and the alarm still went off. They finally pulled up his sweater to take it off and discovered the metal clips on his supenders. This terrible terrorist then had to have his bag inspected because we had his blood sugar meter in his carryon bag. It took us 20 minutes to get him dressed again and gather up our fanny packs and carryon bags.

The flight to Chicago and New York City were just the usual took many people in too small a space (with nothing to drink but pepsi).

Arriving in New York City we found our luggage (all of it) rented a cart and proceeded to ground transportation, shuttles. We found every shuttle but the one for the Holiday Inn Crown Plaza. Cold, wind blowing like crazy, trying to push that heavy cart around to find our shuttle. Hotel had assured me that a shuttle would meet us. I called the hotel where is the shuttle. " Oh, we don't go to the arrival lane anymore they are too croweded just go up stairs to the departure and the shuttle is there." "why wasn't I informed of this before I rented a cart and pushed it to the arrival lane?" Gee, I don't know why but if you want our shuttle you have to go up stairs." " I have 6 pieces of luggage, a husband with a cane, and I don't do stairs well. Do I have to carry all this luggage upstairs?" "Yes, if you want to use our shuttle, but it has left already on it way to the hotel." Needless to say we stood in line for 10 minutes in that cold wind to get a taxi. While standing in line a guy wanted to rent us a limo to go to the hotel only 55.00 a bargain to get to the hotel. Now you have heard about New York City Taxi drivers well we had some dozies but this guy was wonderful. He took us right down town NYC and when we had been driving about 10 minutes I said they told me the hotel was across the freeway from the airport. " You wanted to go the the Crown Plaza Inn didn't you? That's in Manhattan." I repeated "Holiday Inn, Crown Plaza Laguardia" "Oh that is out by the airport, there are two Crown Plaza's" He turned around and took some short cuts through some neighborhoods that I wouldn't have wanted to stop in. He appolized and said he's take care of the meter and only charge us $10.00 for the trip, the meter already read over $20.00. He was curious where we were from and ask a lot of questions about NM. He wants to take his son to Santa Fe. He was asking about Navajo Indians and I couldn't understand him the way he was pronouncing Navajo. He wanted to know If he could see them, I told him to visit Cochiti and Taos. My complaint to the manage of the hotel did not do any good they have so much business they don't care if they cause anyone any problems getting to there hotel.

Hello from the high seas

Last full day of cruising on the sea. We interupted lunch to stop the ship and assist in retreiving 3 men from a sinking sail boat. We were in heavy seas and their sail boat was sinking. We were the closest vessel to them we had to stop and stand my until the coast guard arrived. The ship had to stop and turn sideways. The waves were up to the top of the windows on the 6th floor. We were having lunch and I took a couple of pictures of the hugh waves. I hope they come out.

I was trying to get boarding passes and southwest won't let me.

Post home when we get home Friday.

Cruise

I need a vacation to recoup from getting ready for this cruise. I can't believe how much work it has been to get ready for this cruise and getting everything packed.

Everything is packed, manicure and pedicure yesterday. Haircut today.

I am anxious about getting to the airport and shuttle too the airport, and getting the shuttle to the hotel. I don't know why I am so anxious I've done all of this several times before and survived it.

Just have to get M packed up and moved to P, oh, yes Sadie has to go too.

Wll post more when we get back.

Good news

The check engine light came on in the car, I tried putting premium gas in to see if it would go out, it didn't. So I took it to a local auto repair, they said I needed a new ignition control motor. They ordered one for Monday, so I took the car back on Monday. They repaired my car in about an hour and a half. How great is that someone that did what they said they would and in such a great length of time.

Today I had 5 telephone calls with bluecross and blueshield in Alb. I send duplicate claims one for hubby for his insurance and one for myself for my insurance. Hubbys came back fine for 112.00 mine came back for $35.00. I spoke with three different people and got a half dozen reason. None of the reasons make any sense. Now the supervisor is taking it higher and will call me back. If it isn't resolved by friday I may have to take drastic action. New Mexico Retiree Health Care Authority, the Insurance Commissioner of new Mexico and maybe even prepaid legal. I am sick of them messing me around.

Hurrah!! I finally got my E-doc from NCL for the cruise. The last time I tried to get them about 5 days ago they told me to wait until closer to the sailing time. When I called complaining today they told me I had waited too long to request them. Nothing has gone right today. So now you see why I started my blog with good news something has been right this week.

M has taken two TAK tests this week she was feeling pretty good about the english on Tuesday. She had to write an essay on someone that made a difference in her life. She chose three a former boy friend, a school friend and her dead cat. She took the math test today and came home saying it was easy. She has two more tests one is science that one may be a problem. I am so pleased she is doing so well. She really inhaled the apples that her mom sent from NM. She did let me know today that she is just visiting and she will go back to NM for college or other schooling. I agreed with her that we just expected to stay for the school year.
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Will you please tell me who has 14 pair of panties and 14 bras. I don't want to have to do laundry while we are gone. I'm going to have to go shopping. I couldn't come up with only 9 of each. It is taking a lot of planing and organizing to get everything ready for this cruise. I only have one more week to get everything together and pack. I've never had to pack for two weeks before. When we were gone for a long time before we had the trailer and it was easier. I have to remember that for two whole weeks I won't be a short order cook.

Cruise here we come

Aunt D called Saturday she had found a 11 day cruise to the eastern carribean. The both of us spent all day Saturday on the telephone setting up the cruise, airfare, and hotels. I have new respect for travel agents. The hotel in our port city had a gal on the phone with mush in her mouth and I never could understand her. I had to wait until the next day to book the last day at the hotel. Low and behold the price of the same hotel room jumped 75.00 a day from reservations for Oct to Nov and from Sat to Mon. Because we booked the cruise through Travelcity the people at Norwegian won't talk to us. The airfare was done online with Southwest and was a breeze once I figured out there web site. I have my finger crossed that everything is finally worked out.

I spent all day Monday changing appointments not only are they mine and hubbbys. Now I have grandaughter M to change appointments for too. I am still trying to get her bus stop changed. M wil be staying with P while we are gone. I will be so much more at ease that she is with family and not alone. While P and D are gone on there cruise we will have Michelle. M and Michelle are going to have to get along for longer peroid to time.

We had Michelle all day Saturday, I planed a picnic and day at the park. It was so hot and no place to sit we managed two hours. Good thing as Aunt D was keeping he cell phone hot with plans for the cruise. When we got home M and Michelle had to entertain themselves while I spent the rest of the day on the telephone. M practiced driving somemore on Sunday. We have to drive 23 miles away to buy diet coke with lime..

Haven't posted about Sadie in sometime, this morning the weather radio woke me up letting me know Waco had a torrnado watch. I went in to be sure M was up and moving. While I was in M room my alarm when off. Before I could get in to turn it off Sadie raced in and jumped up on the bed and table and nosed the alarm and then looked behind it to try to find out where that noise was coming from. Maybe I can teacher her how to turn it off.

Went to my ALZ support group yesterday, only my second time and already I am feeling so close to these other two ladies and a man. The leaders hubby is in a nursing home sence the last meeting. Mans wife is in nursing home. Only one other lady an I are still taking care at home. Boy have I ever needed this group. I wish I had found it a year ago.

I have been going to a Sunday night study group at the Methodist Church. There whole approach as intellectual. The paster is young, young and says he is also a disinfranchised baptist. I took hubby to the Methodist Church Sunday morning and he did real well. We may try going some more. Pastors wife is ordained and helps with the service as well as communion. They were afraid it would upset us, I thought it was great. Pastors wife about to pop with her third child. LOVELY PEOPLE.

Week for Doctors

I gave up and called my primary care doc for sleeping pills. She sent me the Lunesta perscription they are over 1.00 per pill on my perscription plan. What on earth are they without a perscription plan. First couple of them worked pretty good. I skipped one night and went back and it didn't work so well last night.

M went back to dentist last week for finale cleaning we are going to have to have her teeth cleaned every four months for awhile. She has a small place to be filled we will do that the end of this month.

I decided I could put off seeing a chiropractor any longer. I went Tuesday to one that had been highly recomended to me. He was nice but all the talk, xrays, and xams but no treatment. I still have my headache, I go back to see him today.

Took M to Athens to doc spent two hours in her office. M seems to like her very much. I was impressed. She seems to have diagnosed M to a T. I am still trying to understand what this is and how do we deal with it. I quess it is one of those things you don't fix. You learn how to compensate for it and how to deal with it. I am reading on a website about this www.aspergersyndome.org.

M is going to be in a talent show tomorrow night. P has been working with her and I have been having her practice here at home. Keep your fingers crossed that it goes well. She has to do this as a spoof I know the kids will laugh I hope it doesn't hurt her feelings. P bought her a cowboy hat, P gave her, her old boots, with her demin skirt she should look cute. We would like to video tape it but can't find a camcord and I am not about to buy one. M seems to think the money pit doesn't have a bottom. Everybody is taking a camera so we can get lots of pictures.

P had a good report at her doc appointment her CA125 went down 10 points and the physical exam is the same. So they are still giving her doxil, she won't lose her hair for now. We never know how the chemo will effect her some times you hardly know she had any. The next time she has all kinds of weird systoms. P computer is still down and they have fixed the computer at work so she can't blog.

Height of Stupidity

I posted a long post before dinner and now I come back and find it went to never, never land. I'll try again.

TV is reporting that a 28 year art teacher has been fired for taking her 5th grade class to the Dallas Art Musem. The principal suggested that she take a field trip to the Musem and she did. Some parents complained that their students saw some naked statues. I'm not sure where the Texas AFT is the teacher had to hired her own attorney. Reminds me of the trouble hubby got into showing a TV program that stated with the outline of a person with lines running through it. You know you see it at the beginning of some of science program on educational TV. One of his students when home and said he was showing pictures of naked men. That principal was smart enough to take it for what it was and kid looking to get out of school. This school board was running scared that someone was going to be offended. I quess the statue of "DAVID" wouldn't pass mustard either.

I am so proud of Bill Clinton he finally took the present administration on for there uneccessary war and what it has done to America. Killing off all our young men and torturing people to make it acceptable to the American people. I am so sick of this stupid group of people running our nation and torturing people. I can't believe these people are calling themselves Christians.

Start of new week

We are starting new week, this one has lots of things to do, I hope we are up to the activities. We go for weeks without anything to do and everything comes in one week.

The ALZ group I have located is meeting this afternoon. I am going to try and go to that. Tomorrow is a luncheon with the retiree's of education.

We had rain yesterday afternoon and off and on all night. Sadie is unhappy about having to go out in the rain or on the wet deck.

We went to catholic church to a fund raising dinner with D mother, they had a cute rat terrier puppy they were trying to give away. Michelle was really taken with him she would have taken him home in a minute. D would have killed us. P came over last night to help M with her performance for the talent show. They didn't have the music or equipment over here so they went to P's. So... I don't know what is planned but I am trusting P to help her get something good going on for the show.

I got a new hearing aide for hubby, it has ear phones and a little box to project the sound loud enough for him to hear. It seems to be helping so I hope he will enjoy the luncheon tomorrow.

I have been trying to sort pictures I sorted for hours last night and haven't sorted half of the pictres. I don't know what I am going to do with them when I finish. I think I am going to try to seperate them and give some to each of the kids. I would shutter at the kids trying to go through them after we are gone. They wouldn't have any idea who some of the people are or why we have pictures of them. I should have a lifetime of work if I made scrape books out of some of them. I may only do the ones that are of their ancestors.

Exicted for my son that is getting his first book published. I know what everybody is getting for Christmas presents. I remember well when he started writting the book. He ask hubby, myself and a close friend Jean to read the script and make comments. We took turns reading and we read everywhere including in the motorhome in Fort Sumner where they were working on the motorhome. I hope some of our suggestions were of a help to him. I haven't read that script in sometime so I'm not sure how that one came out. I have read the one he has in a blog but not lately. Now he has started a new one that I am trying to read. I always wanted to write but have never had to courage to try. I did manage to do a pretty of good job writting for the ASCA newsletter but that is about all I every did.

Hey I have my computer back

I got my computer yesterday. I had called Frys (you know I was desperate to call them) they had a power cord for my computer. I went to where I left my computer 3 weeks ago and they had ordered a cord for me. They said they had received the cord on Friday but hadn't bothered to call me. I didn't have to drive to Dallas, but we had a rain shower and I couldn't use the computer.

I tried to blog some but i couldn't get son greek shadows blog to take a comment.

Hubby is doing lots better the biggest problem was the heat. We have had visiting nurses for the last couple of weeks. The doc in Kaufman thought he could use some physical therapy but that didn't work out. So the social worker did get some info for me. The visiting nurse just comes and takes his blook pressure and keeps up with his blood sugar. This will go on for another 6 weeks but I did get connected with a alz support group in Gun Barrel City. I will try them out next week.

Had trouble getting M up and out to school yesterday. But she was up and ready to go on her own today. Her school is having a talent show and the kids are encouraging her to sign up. P has volunteered to help her get a song ready. I hope she decides to do it. Hey pappa bear we went shopping with P on Sunday and some money would be appreciated. You can't take a teenager shopping and not spend money. A new t-shirt and a new top was the damage. I did buy a camisol at wally world the other day. Now she can wear any of her tops to school.

Steven has a dental problem so I get to take him to Tyler today to the dentist.

Hey I'm here

I'm on my grandaughters computer, a bad, bad puppy dog chewed my power cord into. The battery ran down and I couldn't use my computer. I made the mistake of taking it to a local shop and of course they had to order the cord. We are still waiting for the cord to arrive. They have had my computer for 9 days I'm desperate.

Grandaughter living with us has a bad cold, she tried to go to school yesterday but I had to go get her. She is still home today. I've told her that she has to go tomorrow. Three days for a cold is enough.

P has gone to Dallas for chemo today, so I have to pick up Michelle from school. Hubby is doing better but of course the heat wave is done for the time being. I hope we are through with the 100 degree weather. I have turned the AC off for the last few nights.

Painting

I'm trying to paint this footlocker. I maybe having trouble because of the sponge brush I am using. I can't seem to keep the brush marks out. I may be trying to get things too smooth. I am trying to lay a smooth base so that I can tole some on the trunk. I haven't toled in a lot of years and I maybe biting off more than I can chew to try it again but I have to try.

Hubby is not feeling too well, his side is hurting again. They have x-rayed that area several times an he just has a twist in his intestines. He wants me to take him to the doctor again. I have just been giving him tynole and hoping for it to pass. He is sleeping most of the day every day, he is not to steady on his feet. I don't know if it is from sleeping so much or his equal liberal is off. He is losing weight, I haven't been too concerned as he has more or less been on weight watchers with me. He doesn't seem to be reading all of any book any more he reads off and on on two or three a day.

P has a cat scan again tomorrow, we are hoping for a good report this time. Her blood tests have been good but the last cat scan showed something the doc is not sure what.

Both grandaughters are in school. The highschooler seems to be doing good. She was offered a intership at our better italian restaurant. She was there last saturday and survived. She goes back next friday and saturday the pay is not good but maybe the tips will make up. She needs sometime more to do than hang around here and watch TV.

Once Again

Oh, no once again I am shopping for school supplies while wading through baskets, adults, kids and total madness. At my age why am I doing this again, M really needs this chance. She has two different calulators on her supply list, also welding gloves, leather toed shoes and a 30 yard measuring tape. She is so exited about school, today was the first day, she seems to be fitting in realy well and making friends. Teachers seem to be friendly to her, so maybe they will keep her interested.

The bus comes about 7:30 in the morning and she gets home about 4:30 in the afternoon. We are practicing driving every time we get. She has driven on a two lane county highway twice. She has driven on a 4 lane state highway about 20 miles. She has driven from the drug store to the postoffice. She drove from Walmart to Burger King parked and backed out and drove us home. I don't know if they will make her paralel park but she does everything else pretty well. TV was saying that a teenager needs 30 hour of driving before you turn them loose. I'm not sure how many hours we have in. I made her pratice driving around the curving edges of first monday parking lot a couple of times to get use to controling the car.

I hope I have my finale dentist appointment tomorrow, it has been a rough two months. I just hope the bridge is more durable than the temporary has been, it keeps fallin apart. M goes back the end of September.

Counting down

We are counting down until school starts. We braved the stores at the outletmall for the tax free weekend. We bought panties and bras so that we don't have to wash every other day. We went to Ci ci's for pizza after shopping, that isn't going to help my diet. We had a good rainstorm on Sunday evening. The lights were out about an hour and half. M and I played Trivia by candle light, the game must be old, old we bought it at a yard sale and the questions seem to be about the 70's. We aren't doing too well but it was fun. We may have to try it again one of these days. M is having some down time before school starts next week. I' m desperate for someone to cut my hair so that I can take care of it. I would even have it done every week if I could find someone that was interested. I can't believe a place that you have to have lived here 20 years to get anything done. We soon will be here 2 years and we are still having problems. Oh, well maybe we will learn more and be more accepted with a teenager in the house.

School registration

Boy what a difference having a teen-age grandaughter in the house makes. On the days we don't have Michelle, she goes to work. She is learning to be a receptionist, I hope it is working. We met with the counselor at the school on Tuesday and got a somewhat schedule, but of course we have decieded on a change already. She only needs two half years of english, of course they are the second semester. She needs one elective for all year. She has to take the Texas test to get a high school diploma. So she is taking a math class to be sure she passes that and I quess she should take the science class to get ready for that test as well. Because she is riding the bus she has to fill up 8 hours a day. So she is taking sewing they call it apparel. She is taking nutrion that must be cooking she needs both of the sewing and cooking. She is taking landscaping of all things. I quess she can landscape around our modular it doesn't have anything except the few things in pots and tubs I have added. Hubby keeps adding grass seed and watering but the only thing we get is weeds. But at least that is green from all the water hubby is adding Hubby waters morning and night it is something for him to do.

Grandaughter went to dentist to have her teeth cleaned and she has gum problems. We are going to try Melalueca for 6 weeks to see if that helps before we do the gum scrap. Monday dentist, Tuesday School for schdule, Wednesday to work P kidnapped her and took her to splash kingdom for the afternoon. Boy were they pooped when they got home. I spent Wednesday sorting out all the yarn that was in hubbys footlocker. I quess I have my mothers, my sisters, P and my yarn. I tried puttng it in a big bag that you can suck the air out of but of course it didn't hold. I put it on the shelf in the closet, I hate to throw it away but I don't know what to do with it would daughter-in-law like it for her plastic canvas? I want to paint the trunk and see if I am steady enough to tole it. We saw one at fist Monday that was really cute and expensive. We have had that stupid trunk hanging around for 56 years and hubby had it in the marines 6 years before that, does that make it a antique. I want to use it as a quilt trunk at the foot of my bed.

Question how do I go to school with a teenager in highschool and see that she gets registered correctly? She is not a 6 year old going into first grade. I have to let her be responsible. We finally got a bed frame for her bed. We now have a bed frame, metal springs, plywood and mattress. I am hoping it will be a god bed for her. P made a headboard for her kingsize bed and she has some plywood left over we may try one for M. We still need a mirror for her room I hope that is the last thing. We still need comforter and drapes does it ever end?

We have been practice driving that is driving me crazy, she is doing pretty good. Just needs lots of practice. Tomorrow she works again and this weekend is first Monday so we will go to that some. Lots of laundry and housework for the weekend. Michelle will be with us some saturday and all day sunday. D has a booth at first Monday this weekend hope it works out for him. P has chemo on Tuesday, Sara is setting up a date at the local teen hangout with her and a friend that goes to the highschool M is going too. We hope to have M a friend at the school before she goes the first day. Two grandaughters in the house are keeping me busy.