whatta nice day! keeping all things normal, we celebrated with our big meal at 12noon. i was fearful that dad would get too tired if we did this later in the day-- would go to sleep very early then rise in time for the mall's opening at 4am. thankfully the plan worked and other than enjoying everyone's company at noontime, dad's schedule has stayed right where it supposed to be.
gotta hand it to the folks at bob evans-- they put out quite a nice spread! following the instructions was a piece of cake that took me away from here only 2 hours. everything was delicious and thanks to hubby's planning, plenty of leftovers for both houses.
my boys and hubby's daughter each went to their respective "other" parents houses after our meal-- and we heard from oldest daughter visiting with boyfriends family in valpo... making the day complete for me.
there are times i wish i had a tape recorder on me to capture some of dad's moments... tonight he had an interesting one about the barn. mom played along so well-- gold star for her!! when dad was satisfied i understood what he wanted to get across, mom said his face and shoulders relaxed so he could immediately go about his way. i was busy making him turkey sandwiches and simply replied as i normally would so i missed seeing what mom did.
when dad left the room, i asked mom if she wrote all the instructions down for me cuz i sorta missed what i was supposed to do.... she burst out laughing and we've been chuckling about this ever since. those moments of dad's are so precious to me.... as sad as they are, they simply make my day when we get thru them.
god bless.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
day before thanksgiving
it was a gorgeous morning.... 60 degrees and sunny! i cleaned out the barn, played with the cats... yet still waiting on the vet to come check out freddie's hoof (one of mom/dad/s sheep). ran some errands, got thru mom's PT and made a "meez" (check it out down the right side of the blog-- hilarious!! it does capture me.
dad's having an ok day-- eating well. mom's having an ok day, too.
looking forward to being with the kiddos and mom/dad tomorrow... we've decided it will be a turkey lunch feast. youngest daughter goes with her mom to visit with that side of the family-- the boys will most likely visit with their dad a bit-- oldest daughter already in valpo with boyfriends family. with hubby and i both working all day today, and me working later than he, hubby decided we'd take the easy way out and have bob evans prepare our gratefuling meal. although it causes me to twitch a bit, i'm truly grateful for his decision-- very thoughtful and sweet. i will, however, be making the chocolate chip/pumpkin cake tonight if it kills me. that's one tradition that won't be messed with!!
god bless, everyone. be safe. have fun!
dad's having an ok day-- eating well. mom's having an ok day, too.
looking forward to being with the kiddos and mom/dad tomorrow... we've decided it will be a turkey lunch feast. youngest daughter goes with her mom to visit with that side of the family-- the boys will most likely visit with their dad a bit-- oldest daughter already in valpo with boyfriends family. with hubby and i both working all day today, and me working later than he, hubby decided we'd take the easy way out and have bob evans prepare our gratefuling meal. although it causes me to twitch a bit, i'm truly grateful for his decision-- very thoughtful and sweet. i will, however, be making the chocolate chip/pumpkin cake tonight if it kills me. that's one tradition that won't be messed with!!
god bless, everyone. be safe. have fun!
Monday, November 19, 2007
monday, november 19, 2007
last friday i heard from mom's doctor. the mass they reviewed from her 2nd MRI still is undetermined. he went on to as to say he didn't feel it was a tumor or cancer... that it might be an old trauma or perhaps multiple sclerosis. with that said, yet one more MRI-- one specifically for the brain, has been ordered for this friday.
doing my best to phrase things properly with mom, it still hit her pretty hard. as expected, the first reaction were words similiar to wanting to be off this planet. those words were pretty prevelent before last august-- we heard them almost everyday. since her surgery and all the good therapy that went along with it, those words haven't been heard-- at all, until now. it's very understandable and i predicted this so knew what was coming.... divertion was met and within an hour, mom was herself again.
brother got mom set up with a new (old, but new for her!) laptop so we both now have full access to our stuff during the day when the urge strikes. having saved one last positive for when the timing of it was right, i showed her where the internet radio was and she's basking gloriously in her piano scapes.
dad is tired again today. he was up most of the day yesterday so this could be just a day of recovery from that. he still wants to go to rotary, so i'm letting him rest until the last possible moment.
i took him to the VA for his labs last friday-- we go in for his 6 month check up this friday-- unless i can reschedule-- which i'm trying to do as last time i checked it was impossible for me to be two places at one time. with the holiday upon us, help will be more readily available but brother would like me to schedule dad's exam for next week when he's here if possible. hey- no problemo... i'm on it!
landscaping equipment is arriving at my house so banjo is hanging here with us today. i swear animals are too smart for their own good-- how they tend to those in need is simply a gift from heaven. one i'm so happy to be a part of-- even if it is just by watching.
doing my best to phrase things properly with mom, it still hit her pretty hard. as expected, the first reaction were words similiar to wanting to be off this planet. those words were pretty prevelent before last august-- we heard them almost everyday. since her surgery and all the good therapy that went along with it, those words haven't been heard-- at all, until now. it's very understandable and i predicted this so knew what was coming.... divertion was met and within an hour, mom was herself again.
brother got mom set up with a new (old, but new for her!) laptop so we both now have full access to our stuff during the day when the urge strikes. having saved one last positive for when the timing of it was right, i showed her where the internet radio was and she's basking gloriously in her piano scapes.
dad is tired again today. he was up most of the day yesterday so this could be just a day of recovery from that. he still wants to go to rotary, so i'm letting him rest until the last possible moment.
i took him to the VA for his labs last friday-- we go in for his 6 month check up this friday-- unless i can reschedule-- which i'm trying to do as last time i checked it was impossible for me to be two places at one time. with the holiday upon us, help will be more readily available but brother would like me to schedule dad's exam for next week when he's here if possible. hey- no problemo... i'm on it!
landscaping equipment is arriving at my house so banjo is hanging here with us today. i swear animals are too smart for their own good-- how they tend to those in need is simply a gift from heaven. one i'm so happy to be a part of-- even if it is just by watching.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
sunday, november 18, 2007
yesterday marked the one year anniversary of dad's accident-- and of the weekend spent at the hospital watching the michigan game.... and.... finding out dad had been taking aricept for the better part of 10 years.
this particular sunday, one year ago, the decision was made that i would stay home and be dad's caregiver... he would give up his car, his business, his basic freedom of life... each in due time of course, but that was indeed the outcome.
as i reflect on this past year-- there were days i felt like a hopeless failure, days where complete sadness overcame me, days i didn't know would end. it's funny that i can remember those days... in full detail... because over the past 365 days, those specific days can be counted on both hands. the rest of the time was filled with humor, contentment, honor, and a full heart. i'll bet there are many out there who, if they counted, would need more than two hands to count their really difficult, bad days.
yup-- i'm blessed. WE'RE blessed.
a thought hit me yesterday that when this whole adventure ends, i'll have to sit in front of potential employers and explain the void in my career. -- explain it!! the world out there doesn't embrace efforts like this-- they're too busy needing more, wanting more, getting more. lives surrounding careers these days are all emcompassing... you give it all to your employer-- family comes in down the line.
nuh uh!! not this chic. i see the eyes and know what's behind them... i hear the wonder in the voice... in one instant i know. just as i've seen and heard this past year-- there are those whom i've needed to remove from my life. those who believe i'm doing the right thing (because it's the politically correct thing for them to say to me), but what am i doing for me. seriously.... do i have to tell them this is for me?! if i do, then there's the answer as to why things have changed.
this past year has been a huge opportunity for my personal growth, my spiritual growth, learning who i am. ok, i can't go out with friends... can't go anywhere without planning. this is small beans. really small beans. god has put each member of my family on a path and it's a path i see very clearly. no- i can't see the future.... but this short-term past and this present-- my current. it all makes sense. this is what i wish for everyone. will this epiphany be somewhat of an anniversary for you, too? i wish you enough.
this particular sunday, one year ago, the decision was made that i would stay home and be dad's caregiver... he would give up his car, his business, his basic freedom of life... each in due time of course, but that was indeed the outcome.
as i reflect on this past year-- there were days i felt like a hopeless failure, days where complete sadness overcame me, days i didn't know would end. it's funny that i can remember those days... in full detail... because over the past 365 days, those specific days can be counted on both hands. the rest of the time was filled with humor, contentment, honor, and a full heart. i'll bet there are many out there who, if they counted, would need more than two hands to count their really difficult, bad days.
yup-- i'm blessed. WE'RE blessed.
a thought hit me yesterday that when this whole adventure ends, i'll have to sit in front of potential employers and explain the void in my career. -- explain it!! the world out there doesn't embrace efforts like this-- they're too busy needing more, wanting more, getting more. lives surrounding careers these days are all emcompassing... you give it all to your employer-- family comes in down the line.
nuh uh!! not this chic. i see the eyes and know what's behind them... i hear the wonder in the voice... in one instant i know. just as i've seen and heard this past year-- there are those whom i've needed to remove from my life. those who believe i'm doing the right thing (because it's the politically correct thing for them to say to me), but what am i doing for me. seriously.... do i have to tell them this is for me?! if i do, then there's the answer as to why things have changed.
this past year has been a huge opportunity for my personal growth, my spiritual growth, learning who i am. ok, i can't go out with friends... can't go anywhere without planning. this is small beans. really small beans. god has put each member of my family on a path and it's a path i see very clearly. no- i can't see the future.... but this short-term past and this present-- my current. it all makes sense. this is what i wish for everyone. will this epiphany be somewhat of an anniversary for you, too? i wish you enough.
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