Thursday, April 29, 2010

Death Warmed Over and Awards

Survived 4 days with the girls and 6 days with the MILs dogs and now, of all times, I'm sick.  I've never suffered with seasonal allergies and if this is what it's like... I feel sorry for anyone that does.

The dogs got picked up Tuesday morning and I was looking forward to being able to get some rest, without one of them up my butt. (the dogs, not the girls)  We had a terrific weekend, even if they don't keep the same hours I do.  Went to the playground next door, on Saturday.  The weather was beautiful and the dogs didn't bite anyone, including the boy that insisted on petting them, even after I told him they weren't too friendly.  Reminded me of the many times I've heard a parent say... "My kid won't eat that"... then they do and totally make a liar out of you!  I'm sure the kid on the playground thought I was a liar.  I kinda felt like choking the dogs, for not biting him.

Hubby worked nights, from Friday evening until Tuesday morning.  On Monday morning, he started complaining his throat was sore and feeling swollen and irritated.  Having had an exposure to noxious chemicals at work, I thought it was just the aftereffects.  Within a few hours, my throat was irritated and driving me crazy.  I can't tell you how much illness I've been exposed to over the past year, without getting sick.  Not sure if the changing winds blew something in, or what, but I have coughed so much, my ribs are killing me.  I feel like I've been drug through a knothole, backwards!  Every time I cough, I was trying to hold my ribs, to keep them from breaking.  Ended up binding them, so I didn't have to keep trying to hold them.  Don't laugh, it has helped.

Guess I should be thankful this didn't come on while the kids were here.  I'll be even more thankful when I feel better and can play catch up on the rest I didn't get, while dog and kidsitting.

Since my last post, I received two awards.  Same award, from two different people.  Both are fantastic!


Momma Fargo, the fantastically funny female cop, that refers to herself as the popo.  If you don't already know her, stop in and introduce yourself.  If you go and get yourself arrested... DO NOT IMPLICATE ME!  Whatever you did, I wasn't involved.  Perhaps she will give you a ride in her new cruiser, if you ask nicely... or break the law.  Do not mess up the seats, please. 

Veteran Kindergarten Teacher will tell you amazing stories of her experience with kids and teaching for a whopping 34 years.  Just be sure you don't start talking about snakes, or you might send her into orbit. And no, you may not borrow her terrarium for the summer, so don't ask.

Please, if you haven't met these two ladies, stop in and say hello.

Since I'm feeling like death warmed over, I'm doing good to finally thank these two wonderful blog buddies.  I'm not going to be passing these on, at least not yet.  Maybe later, when I'm feeling better and have a better grasp of this new WHITE beast of a laptop, with NO MOUSE!  Right now I'll just settle for getting out a post, period.

To the new followers that I haven't located, thanks for following.  Stop in and leave a comment, so I can find you.  To the new visitors that left comments, thank you for stopping in.  Comments on any posts are wonderful and I would especially like to thank everyone that commented on the post about my Mom.  I'm sure she smiled at each one.     

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Someone Special

Please bear with me on this post, as I struggle to tell you few things about someone very special.   

Born in the mountains of Western North Carolina, on December 21st, 1921, she didn't have an idyllic childhood.  Dragged back and forth, from her home to her grandparents, when the domestic battles were raging.  She was the sensitive one, unsure of herself.  Her younger brother, the fairer of hair and skin, was the apple of his mothers' eye.



Walking home from school one day, she was eight, he was six, when he bounced ahead, eager to show his report card to his mother, who was confined to bed, deathly ill.  That's when it happened.  A logging truck struck and killed him... right in front of her.  Her only sibling, gone.

From her bed, the mother has a "premonition" and stumbles out the door, running toward her son, somewhere in the distance.  She passes out before the confirmation has a chance to reach her.  The mother knows.  After her brothers' death, it was suggested her mother be institutionalized.  The son appeared to his mother and said, "Momma, I'm alright, I'm happy."  The mother recovered, but the little girl was very traumatized.  She refused to go back to the same school.  Couldn't bear to walk the same route that held the unbearable memories of her tragic loss.

She lost her grandfather, cut in half by a train. 

She had a nervous breakdown.

She survived Scarlet fever and a ruptured appendix, when medical care was much less advanced.

An early beau, flew his plane over her home, dropped out a few belongings, before crashing and killing himself.

Then came the lifeline... she went to work at the Paper Mill, where she also experienced her first indoor toilet.  Work helped her find purpose in her life.

She got married and relocated, to work for the Paper Mill in Texas.  After arriving and getting the required physical and chest x-ray, which led to more testing, she was diagnosed with Hodgkins disease.  She was given 6 weeks to live.  She underwent treatment and survived.

She was told she would never be able to have children.  It took seven years before she had her first and another 5 plus, before she had her second.

In 1972, after enduring a series of falls and being treated for an inner ear infection, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a small grapefruit, between her left and right lobe.  She took a 6 month medical leave to undergo surgery, not knowing what to expect after.  Would she speak, walk, be able to see, have any memories, or even partial memories?  The odds were against her being without some type of disability, due to the massive size.  She endured 10+ hours of surgery, where she had holes drilled in her skull and was cut from ear to ear across the top of her head, for a section of skull to be removed to access the tumor.  She did a brief stint with physical therapy while still in the hospital, was released and back to work a month later, stark bald, refusing to wear a wig because she said it was itchy and uncomfortable.

She retired after 40 years working for the Paper Mill, only to begin her golden years with more health issues.  Several years of medication for what they diagnosed as Parkinson's disease, was later diagnosed as Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. 

She lost her ability to read, which she loved with a passion.  Later, she lost the ability to walk without help.  This very modest woman had to depend on someone to help her go to the bathroom.  Eventually, even a trip to the bathroom was out of the question and she was reduced to wearing diapers.  She could no longer eat without choking, she could barely speak and was hard to understand.  She couldn't scratch an itch or move on her own.  Body contorted, one leg and one arm drawn up, fingernails digging into her palms. 

She had a permanent feeding tube inserted in her stomach for nutrition, without anesthesia. 

When she left the hospital the last time, she came to live with me, as her husband was dying of cancer.  Never, to my knowledge, did my Mother ever say "why me?"  She had a terrific sense of humor and could even muster a demonic sounding laugh during what I would have considered "major" indignities. 

She was brave beyond belief. 

She passed away on April 18th, 1997. 

Mom, I love you and miss you!


 

Friday, April 9, 2010

April 9, 1982

Twenty eight years!  Seems impossible.  Time certainly has a way of slipping by, whether we like it, or not. 

I have a very hard time dealing with the fact I have no children at home.  My happiest times were when my children were young and I was attempting to be supermom.  Granted, it was hard... but, oh how I miss it.

My beautiful, amazing, strong, loving, forgiving, wonderful daughter, turns 28 years old today.  She's my fourth child and only girl.  How I thank God for her!

She listens when the words are hard for me and struggles through my tears with patience, compassion and understanding.

She has provided me with two of my wonderful granddaughters, "Twink" & "Tink" and allows me the opportunity to share my love.

She has a much greater ability to forgive, than I do.  (she obviously inherited that from her Daddy)

She has a strength about her that I do not possess.  (must get that from Daddy, too)

She refuses to let the bad times keep her down... and she's had some bad times and her share of heartache.

Baby Girl, and yes, I can still call you my baby girl, because no matter how old you get, you will always be my baby... I Love You and wish you a very Happy Birthday!

Since my photo app and MP Navigator still aren't available, I'll have to post a couple of pictures I swiped off my MySpace.  Wish I was able to put some other ones on here, but I'm afraid they will have to wait.




"HAPPY BIRTHDAY EBBIE, I LOVE YOU!"

Sunday, April 4, 2010

A Twofer!

Did I mention being a little behind? Recently, Bendigo @ Bendigo's Rage, passed on a Beautiful Blogger Award.  Today, I received one from Patrick Tillett.  Both of these gentlemen are wonderful writers and nice as all getout.  If you don't know them, you simply must go find out for yourself.  Nothing I can say would do them justice, trust me.  Thank you both!




Here are the award rules:
1. Thank the person who gave you this award (that would be me, include a link).
2. Share 5 things about yourself.
3. Pass the award along to 5 bloggers (more or less) who you have recently discovered and you think are fantastic! Include links to their blogs.
4. Contact the bloggers you've picked and let them know about the award. 

*(I'm bending the rules here by not contacting the ones I've picked.  If they follow, they can be pleasantly surprised, or even not so pleasantly surprised, depending on their mood) (plus, I'm exhausted, hungry, need to catch up on your posts this is hard work)
6. Copy this Award onto your blog (linking it to me) 

*(Feel free to bend the rules as you see fit, I usually do)

Once again, I will struggle to tell you five things about myself.  I'm afraid I don't do this at all well, because frankly, I don't see myself as the least bit interesting. 

1.  When I was a young girl... so long ago,
     I was a competitive roller skater.
2.  During my rink rat days, I had fabulous
     legs.
3.  When my children were young, I
     I coached roller skating and my
     children were quite good.  I'm proud
     to have been a part of their skating
     careers.  Most of their younger lives
     took place at the rink.
4.  I left coaching when my body and brain
     could no longer keep up.
     Unfortunately, this also ended my kids
     skating and I often wonder just how far
     they could have gone.
5.  I don't have great legs anymore.

Passing this award will be hard.  Everyone deserves to be noticed and appreciated for their efforts.  I have a really hard time choosing, since I enjoy all the blogs I follow.  Each are different and unique.

Please allow me to introduce you to a personal friend.  She has been blogging much longer than me, and is just starting back after battling breast cancer.  She has deleted her past posts, so you can start over with her, on her journey back.  She is a wonderful writer, please help me encourage her to get back in the game.  You can find her @ The Right Wing Extremist Housewife.

Also, some new ones I'm getting acquainted with:
Dr. Soosie
Bossy Betty
Andrea
Ally



If you don't already know them, drop in and say hello.


Thank you, again, Bendigo and Patrick!

Friday, April 2, 2010

A Little Behind

No, I don't have one! (a little behind)  What I have had is a rough couple of days.  Started Tuesday evening, anticipating having to wake up to the alarm clock Wednesday morning.  Just knowing this made it nigh on impossible to get to sleep.  When I'm able to sleep, I hate being startled awake with some horrifically annoying, blaring noise.  A jarring reminder that I'm still alive, since my heart is racing, trying to jump out of my chest.  Somehow, this doesn't make for a great start.

Hubs is always up at the butt crack on his days off, just to make me look bad morning person that he is.  He's usually playing with the mistress music, on the computer, whistling, or some other such nonsense.  The coffee is usually made, thank goodness!

Grabbed some coffee Wednesday morning, headed straight to the bathroom in an effort to paint my face, so as not scare the life out of people on the outside world.  It never works, but I had to settle for doing the best I could, with what little I have.  Made it for the appointment to have our taxes done. (no, we don't do it ourselves, it's too darn complicated and we don't want to be held responsible if we screw it up)  We survived and were out of there before noon.  Went to the diner to grab some breakfast, which never happens that early in the day.  Stopped by an antique shop so Hubs could feed the mistress to browse and I could skulk around, feeling contrite.

Having survived the early day and feeling rather pleased, we headed home and I planned to catch up on blogs and emails and generally laze around.  No such luck.  Barely made it in the door, when my Daughter calls crying, in a major panic.  I can hear "Tink" in the background, wailing in a sound that can't be described.  Poor baby had already been to the doctor earlier that day, running a high fever, congested, coughing and had an ear infection.  She had fallen asleep after the ordeal and woke up screaming with shoulder/neck pain.  Don't even remember driving over there, it's a total blur.  Luckily it's only about 5 miles.  Fortunately, Hubs was able to pick "Twink" (her sister) up at school and bring her on home, and in all the hubbub she wasn't forgotten.

That child was SO sick!  Felt like I was having a flashback to my younger days, as a mother with young kids, struggling when the inevitable sickness happened.  Dreading the nighttime, when the fevers always seem to rise.  Wishing the medications would work their magic quickly and ease the suffering... theirs and mine.

What a difference a day makes!  "Tink" is nothing like yesterday, thank you Lord.  No fever, no pain.  Still snotty and coughing, but on the mend.  Mommy and Granny survived, too.

Managed to get on here some, in between the chaos and having to share the computer, still.  That white laptop is sounding sweeter and sweeter, in spite of the color.  During the time away, I've managed to get more than a little behind.  I'm still trying to catch up.  I will, eventually.  Don't know how you BIG BLOGS manage.  Crap, I'm small and already there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day, to read, comment and post.  Don't think I'll ever be able to post every day.  Think I prefer you deciding the topic and all I have to do is read and comment.  Heck, that's a full time job!

Thanks to the new followers!  Still haven't located a couple of you, since you didn't leave comments.

Bendigo, I haven't forgotten you, either.  I'm going as fast as this tired old woman can go.

Jenny, as soon as I get the birdies and my photo application going, I'll post.

Now, I'm off to read and comment to each of you, for as long as I can keep my eyes open.  Thanks everyone!