Thursday is Infusion Day, only two pokes this week. We went out for late lunch after the appointment. That way we don't have to cook supper! We both had eggs.
We both had an afternoon nap. My Doctor put me on an antibiotic because he said that 23 days with a cough was too much and I needed help getting over it.
Far Guy is making progress, he even read two books! He is getting stronger everyday. Knock on wood.
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The Sandhill Cranes are the oldest living bird species, in fact they have been around for two million years.
Perhaps that is why the sculptor named his sculpture "Thread to the past."
If you have heard them flying overhead they make a prehistoric sound. Here is a link to hear their calls.
Far Guy had a pretty good day. He is improving a bit everyday.
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Last Fall I spent some time in the Red Bridge Park taking photos of the sculptures.
This one is called "Thread to the Past"
This was my favorite sculpture that day, I thought is was very well done. It too can be purchased for $4,000.
The Sandhill Cranes have probably started there way up North already. They could be in for a surprise because our weather has turned cold.
Far Guy had a good day yesterday but after supper he was real tired.
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There is always one in a crowd.
No one is pushing up daisies yet.
Recovery is still slow but headed in the right direction.
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I finally caught up with the Thank you cards from my Mother's funeral. I ran out of the normal cards that the funeral home supplied us with (250 cards), so I watercolored some of my own. After my siblings and I met to do the original cards from the visitation and funeral, each of us has been in charge of sending out thank you cards to cards we each receive in the mail
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We had book club a few weeks ago. We read Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.
Although is is a young adult book, I enjoyed it very much, I give it a 8 possibly a 9 out of 10 stars. It was an easy read. All the gals in the bookclub enjoyed it.
I am going to send this over to my baby brothers house as he has some readers coming up that would enjoy this novel.
Far Guy and I had a quiet Saturday, recovery is slow. He is still improving a bit each day.
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Sadly we will miss the parade and all the doings this weekend.
Far Guy is hanging in there, he is spending more time upright and walking around which makes him very tired.
Happy St Urho's Day to you all. I heard that a news station out of Fargo was doing a story on Menahga Minnesota this weekend.
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Far Guy had his infusion and shortly after that his doctor's appointment. His lungs still sound junky, he is suppose to keep on keeping on with what he has been doing since he came out of the hospital. Two appointments in one day tired him out. The Doctor said " Influenza A is really hitting people hard this year ...even young healthy people are taking a long time to recover. It may take weeks or maybe even a month or two to get back to normal."
This was a puzzle Jen and I worked on back in February sometime. Lots of pastel colors and it was a nothing is exactly the same from the picture on the puzzle box. However they did include a special envelope with the correct picture that we never looked at...nice of them.
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Far Guy is getting a tad impatient with himself. He is taking his meds, eating well, drinking fluids and resting. Things are just not moving fast enough for him.
I have to remind him that he is elderly now...that went over like a lead balloon.
He has two appointments today...one for his Infusion and then a Doctors appointment for the follow up after his hospitalization. I hope they both go well.
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Far Guy is much better than he was. However I have witnessed respiratory distress many times with him, he can be fine one minute and struggling the next. He says he is weak as a newborn kitten. I remind him that he is stronger than he was a few days ago.
I am finally getting some rest, I do not listen to his breathing constantly...I am not waking up every time he coughs or takes a deep breath.
So there is progress just a tad slow.
Flowers last summer.
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Our Great - Granddaughter Cee Cee was 4 on Sunday. She had a trampoline park party with Aunts and Uncles present. Afterwards they had pizza and cake.
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Far Guy spends a fair amount of time napping, he was sleep deprived in the hospital. I join him every other nap or so. I am hoping that he turns the corner soon....and gets on the upward swing.
I am making a few cards...watercolor...quiet things to do while Far Guy is napping. Of course I do have just a few crochet projects.
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Flowers last summer
Far Guy thinks he should be doing better than he is. He had a number of naps yesterday, he got very little sleep in the hospital.
When I was out running some errands I stopped by a Mexican place that we eat at ...so I ordered supper and Noah picked it up for us and joined us for supper. Andy and Jen were invited out for supper elsewhere.
Yes it is slow going but at least it is going!
My baby brothers bride grew Non Stop Begonias last summer.
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Far Guy is home and yes he had his weekly infusion right after he was released from the hospital. It is good to have him home. He needs time to recover, it has been two weeks of sickness for him and he will not feel better in a day or three...possibly weeks.
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We hope that Far Guy gets out of the hospital today and gets his infusion. It is the goal for the day. Then our goal is to keep him away from germy and perfume soaked people and out of the hospital.
One of his goals is to work on his car come Spring and get to a few car shows during the summer.
We both need time away from hospitals and time to rest and recoup from funerals and flu and feel somewhat normal again.
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Far Guy is feeling and looking so much better. I will keep my fingers and toes crossed that he has turned the corner and will be able to come home in a few days. The Doctors have made arrangements for him to have his weekly infusion as soon as he is released from the hospital.
Thank you for your prayers !
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Well now the diagnosis is sepsis and pneumonia. They are bombarding him with broad spectrum antibiotics and steroids. He is breathing okay as long as he doesn't move. Once he moves from the chair to the hospital bed his oxygen saturation level drops. He has a long way to go to get better.
Your prayers are appreciated.
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Far Guy had a fairly good weekend; he rested, ate good food, took all his meds and breathing treatments. We thought he had turned the corner and was getting better.
Monday morning he struggled to breathe.
The ambulance got him to the hospital, he was put on the bi-pap machine which forces air into your lungs. He got two IV's, steroids, antibiotics and the usual blood work with many pokes (8) for one sample, x rays and a cat scan.
Pneumonia is the diagnosis and he is in the hospital. People were stacked up like cordwood in the ER hallways on gurneys when he finally got a room. I am not so sure about the Doctors there...I was not convinced that he should have been released last week when he was. They don't seem to understand about Alpha One either and the need for the infusions every week that protect his lungs from damage. (If you are on Medicare you cannot receive the Infusion when you are in the hospital.) So he missed last weeks infusion...and his Dr could not assure us that he would be out for the one this Thursday either.
Far Guy was breathing easier last night when I left.
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My Mother requested that a quilt be used under her urn. My sister and I thought about all the quilts that Mom had made...how do you pick one special one? I thought I knew which one or two were the most special. Mom carried around the embroidery on many travels she worked on the squares in the car and in the evenings. Turns out she lost track of the number of squares she made and she had too many...so she had to make two quilts. They were used on her bed and my Dad's bed at the apartment...before that they were used at their home. She was so excited when the quilts were completed!
The bluebird quilt. It became the inspiration for preparations to purchase a urn and flowers. My sister and I picked out two urns...both were very pretty. One would look lovely with the quilt. I am not sure who made the final call...one of us. My sister was in charge of the flowers, she made awesome choices.
I think that Mom would have liked it.
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My Mother was a maker of quilts. I took nine of my quilts to the church, but I still had a few in use at home.
The quilt on the right is made from my fathers shirts, she made four of them one for each of us. She was finishing the bindings on the last two when she took a turn for the worse...my cousin Wilma took them home and finished the bindings for Mom.
Far Guy is a tad bit better today, I am still exhausted.
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I picked up Far Guy at the hospital yesterday when they finally released him mid afternoon. He is weak and will have to slowly build his stamina up again. It all takes time. Recovering from Influenza A and Pneumonia doesn't happen overnight. I think they may have released him a bit early...but Jen and I have four eyes on him. He is very discouraged...patience is not one of his endearing qualities.
One day at a time. If that doesn't work try an hour or if you have to minute by minute.
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Far Guy gets to come home Friday...at least that is what his Dr is hoping for.
I have been resting and sleeping mostly...I did some laundry yesterday and washed the sheets.
Jen made chicken and homemade noodles and took some over to Maddie and her family, I had some also they are delicious and there are left overs that we can feed Far Guy too. Nothing better than chicken and homemade noodles when you are sick.
Little Elvis is my constant companion. I think I might be on my way to recovery...knock on wood. ( I have enough pills to take)
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Now I have the freaking Influenza A. A message to my Doctor and I am now on Tamiflu. I am resting mostly sleeping, Little Elvis keeps me company. I saw a Dr on Monday afternoon for a UTI...he had to run a culture...48 hours later yes it is a UTI. ( I told him it was...but you have to jump through the hoops. )
When it rains it pours.
Far Guy is a bit better today, I text him as his voice gives out when talking. Jen visits him. He won't bust out of there until Friday or Saturday most likely. They keep trying to give him that nebulizer that made him so ill....I sent in the script label and his regular med to be verified by the pharmacists there.
Apparently the flu is on a rampage in this area, Granddaughter Maddie came down with it this morning.
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Far Guy got sick on Monday evening, he started to cough, he had a miserable night. In the early morning after his breathing treatments, I sent a text to Jen and Andy that we needed to go to the ER. They were both home because school was cancelled on account of the blizzard. Andy had to move some snow so we could get the car as close to the house as possible. It was snowing and the wind was blowing. We made it to the hospital just fine, there were huge snow drifts outside the emergency entrance...I got out and waded through the drifts dodging a bobcat removing snow to get a wheel chair, one of the ambulance bays was open and a Paramedic hollered "what do you need" I hollered back " a wheelchair" and made a pushing motion...he said drive in the bay....so we did and got Far Guy inside.
Far Guy has Influenza A and possible pneumonia...his blood work is all off. The are doing blood cultures. Anyway he got steroids, tamiflu and doxicycline and some IV antibiotics, and some nebulizer treatments. They gave him a different neb than he is used to that made his lungs spasm. It was touch and go there for a bit until we got a respiratory therapist to get him back on the right track again. Far Guy said" They are trying to kill me, just dump me out in the snowbank."
He finally got a hospital room 7 plus hours after we arrived. I visited him until 9PM last night and he was doing much better.
One day at a time, he will be in the hospital a few days.
He had his Flu shot back in October, the Doctor said with lungs as bad as his any virus can tip him over the edge and require a hospital stay.
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We are back up North safe and sound before the big storm that is supposed to blanket us with a good amount of snow.
Saturday was the Celebration of Life for my Mother. The Pastor was a Sunday School student of my Mothers a very long time ago. There were 306 people at the church service. The luncheon went off without a hitch. There were plenty of leftovers. The inurnment took place later in the afternoon.
Sunday my siblings and I read cards out loud and wrote thank you notes.
It was a busy weekend, now we need to rest up a bit.
Jen took two awesome photos.
The florist was working overtime delivering all the flowers, my Mom would have loved it. Bouquets were sent home with relatives that were close to Mom. The big sprays were taken to the Nursing Home, there they divide up flowers putting them in bud vases for all the residents...Mom would have liked that too.
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I bought some yarn...imagine that.
Might be a baby blanket someday. I have just a few someday projects.
Jen asked me one day if I had projects in mind for all of my yarn, like did I have a list?
Not so much.
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One of my nieces was very pregnant when my Mom took a turn for the worse. I thought perhaps we would have a birth and a death in the same day. The baby waited to be born five days after her Great Grandmother died. The baby is happy and healthy and beautiful according to her grandmother (my sister).
Do you remember anything before you were born? Me neither. Somehow I believe there is a connection someplace between those who are to be born and those who have died. Do their souls speak to each other? I wonder.
As we were sitting at my Mom's bedside, my other baby brother brought up the idea that souls speak to each other...and perhaps our Mom's soul had a lot to say to our souls and those people who would visit her.
I found it very interesting that Baxter stood on the chair next to Mom's bed and whined/talked to her. Lolli my sisters puppy spent a number of hours just laying next to Mom quietly.
Today is my Mother's celebration of life/funeral.
I will let you all know how it went when I get back. I have scheduled a few blogs to automatically post since I will be real busy.
We had 160 plus people at the visitation last night. There were people in all areas of the church. One of mothers surviving brothers was able to attend, he has bone marrow cancer, so he didn’t stay real long, but enough time to give him closure. Mom’s other brother lives in Nebraska and his wife is very ill with the flu. He called my siblings and I a few days ago to relay his condolences.
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Today we have visitation at the church back home. We are displaying quilts that my Mother made on the back of the pews. I have just a few to pack up and take. We have lots of helpers, so the project should move right along.
Here in Minnesota visitation can either be the evening before the funeral/celebration of life or an hour before the service. We decided to have both for my Mother as she was very active in many Volunteer organizations, she has many relatives, my Father has many relatives, my Mom was a very social person and knew a lot of people. My Dad was a stay at home read a book and putter in the garden kind of guy, and Mom was just the opposite...think social butterfly. So we are expecting lots of people at the visitation today. People who work on the weekend can come in the evening.
A visitation is where you pay your respects to the family, look at the video and the picture boards. No food is served. You can come and go quickly sign the guest book say hello and leave or you can spend some time sharing memories.
Later today after Far Guy's infusion we leave to go back to our home in the woods to prepare for my Mother's celebration of life.
This is a very small photo that was folded and damaged. I was lucky to find it in the bottom of a photo box. There are very few photos of my Grandparents with their children in the 1930's. Grandma is holding Vivian or "Skippy" as she would be known, and Grandpa, down in front is my Mom, Marion and Alfred. I can date the photo as it is summer time. My Aunt Skippy was born in November of 1933 so this photo must be taken in 1934. My Mom would have been 4 years old soon to be 5, Aunt Marion 3 years old and Uncle Alfred 6 years old. My Grandmother would have been 23 and my grandfather 31 years old. My Mother was the remnant in this photo with the first four children born to my grandparents.
My Mother is survived by two much younger brothers...Aldon and Kenny.
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Some great art is being created here. Jen and Andy have a outlet for whatever they make at a local shop.
I help with painting, it is something I enjoy.
These are two projects that went out the door earlier this week.
I sell crochet scrubbies there and small crochet purses. Keeping busy keeps me out of trouble.
Someday maybe I will go over to the shop and take some photos...I will have to ask permission first.
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This book was a quick read and very entertaining. I give it an eight out of a ten. It is not the usual type of book I read, but it is this months book club read at the local library in East Grand Forks.
I am working on the Video for my Mother's funeral at the end of the week. I am waiting on a few photos and then maybe I can call it done. I have a limit of about 100 photos.
Had lunch yesterday with Far Guy and my other baby brother and she who sees robins first...they were on their way back from Western North Dakota.
Today I will work on the photo boards for the funeral, I picked up possibly the last batch of photos at Walmart yesterday.
I did some laundry and finished a book.
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We had belated Valentines here one evening as the Great Grandchildren needed a babysitter or two when their parents went out to a company party.
I had Valentines gifts for them that I bought a few weeks ago. Gotta love the dollar store that is now a dollar twenty five.
Ree was having a bit of stranger danger. Her Mom calls her Peach.
Cee Cee
Big smiles from Cee Cee and Hey Mikey.
They had a fun night, Cee Cee ate all her brothers valentine candy and put hers in the fridge for the next time she visits. They played video games and had snacks.
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Sadie had an interesting reaction to Far Guy's birthday balloon. She ripped the ball out of her mouth with her paw and started to growl. Then she decided it might be fun to play with.
She ran around with it for a bit...we should have taken the weight off of it.
Eventually she popped it and the fun was done...Jen quickly gathered the remnants.
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One of my Mothers last food requests was for sauerkraut. She always used them as a topping for mashed potatoes when we were growing up.
The kitchen staff rounded some up for her and my baby brother went and bought some. I am not sure who took the cans of kraut home, SOMEHOW an opened jar of kraut ended up in a bag at my house when we did the final clean out of Mom's room. (She told me that it would take us kids a month just to clean out her room.) In a few hours it was completed...clothing and some stuff went to Goodwill. My sister took one of Mom's flannel shirts and Mom's sewing machine, I took Mom's jewelry case and my sister and I will go through it someday. My brothers took the puzzle table and a lamp. Baby brother ended up with a porch full of fabric totes...good thing I do not sew. My sister asked me if I wanted Mom's sewing machine...I said " Nope I do not want to dust it!"
Some strange smell was coming from upstairs back at home...drawn like a moth to a flame...I had to find the source. I am certain my brothers had something to do with the kraut coming to my house.
I ended up with three huge totes of photographs, greeting cards and scrapbooking supplies from Mom's garage. I opened one of the totes after I hunted down the sauerkraut to find Mom's Confirmation Certificate...an item that was requested by the Pastor. How lucky was that!!
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Mom sometime before 1950.
Today is Far Guy's birthday! He made it another year! Happy Birthday my love!
Nothing like a few sloppy kisses from his favorite dog!
We are safely Up North again until next week when we go back for my Mother's funeral. Thank you for all the kind comments during my absence, Thank you Jen for filling in for me!
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Yesterday, I traveled "home" and helped out where I could. Everyone is exhausted, so I tried to stay out of the way. The Four met at the Church, had lunch, cleaned out the room, and started to clean out the garage. One more garage trip should do it, but they have the unit for a little longer. Grandma still had lots of stuff, and as an avid material hoarder collector there are more than "just a few totes" of fabric to go through. However, they did manage to locate the blue bird quilt which has a special purpose for the funeral, and Grandpa's "missing" quilt of valor -- bottom of a tote of "finished" products way in the back corner of the garage. No wonder no one could find it when they looked the last time.
No one really wants to claim Grandma's things. Fractured conversations..."This should go to your mom" and "how did I end up with this!" I am just the messenger.
Then the Four split up, some to the funeral home to pick out an urn, flowers, groceries, and finally home. Now to arrange travel for some, meals, picture boards, and what I hope for everyone is a bit of self care. Take a nap, read a book, watch a ball game, and pet your horse.
I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone."
Gone where?
Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"
And that is dying...
Grandma passed away in late evening Feb. 11th 2024
... we are still waiting. The waiting is harder on us than it is for Grandma. Dying and birth happens on their own time. There might be all kinds of theories: someone hasn't said goodbye and so she's waiting, she wants to be alone, or perhaps she is simply not ready.
I traveled with my father, and son, Noah, and naughter, Maddie to sit with Grandma and hold her hand. I'd like to think the voices in the room bring her comfort, and if nothing else the company of visitors bring help carry the burden of grief.
Naughter? Yes, that is a new word --born when Paige decided I was a Maunt. I am a Mom/Aunt; therefore they are my Niece/Daughters. It takes a village.
No one grieves in the same way. What is right for some may not be what is right for others. What I do know is we are all waiting the time to be marked; for there to be a "before" and "after," but until then we sit in the company of others, we encourage Grandma to "go" we tell her "it's okay" and "we will be okay, that we all love her. We encourage her to go with the messenger who comes for her, and we all know it will be Grandpa.
"When Dad comes, you go with him" -- The Four.
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Two days without a blog was too much for me too! Your words of encouragement are kind, and the community my mom has built with this blog is a blessing to all of us.
Hi Mom! I hacked into your computer to blog for you because I know your readers will miss you. I miss you too because now I have to take care of Dad... I mean Farguy. Relax... I throw M&M's at him every so often... I waited in the car while his infusion took forever, and I didn't even make him eat cereal for supper. Okay, okay, that isn't want I really wanted to say...
You are doing important work that of a daughter and being by your moms side as she take the last breaths of her earthly journey. I don't like to dwell on how that must feel; the unbearable weight of sadness. Yet on the other hand, how glad Grandpa must be to see her again! In our faith we know we will see each other again, and we know in heaven there is no more pain, and no more tears.
So let's pray:
"Keep watch dear Lord with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake." Amen.
I will be spending time away from the blog. Hospice is managing my Mom’s pain, my siblings take turns staying with Mom.
Blooming trees in my parents yard in town before they moved to assisted living. My parents were always so happy to see this pair of trees blooming in their yard
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Hospice Nurses and Aides are marvelous people. They are taking good care of my Mom as she transitions from this life to the next.
We had frosty foggy roads on our trip back to see my Mom. We were there for two visits with her. She is still in pain but the pain is better than it was last week. Mom sleeps much of the time and is very unsteady. Mom was 94 on her last birthday, she has had a long life.
One day at a time.
We stayed overnight at our own home, enjoyed the whirlpool and visits with my brothers and their wives.
There is little to no snow in our yard. We dropped off our taxes at the accountant. Yeah for crossing something off our winter list!
Sadie and Little Elvis were very happy to see us return.
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Saturday was a catch all day, I had a Hobby Lobby list, taxes to get together so they are ready to go to the accountant and being the chief cook and a painters assistant rounded out the day. I made a Gluten Free Apple Pancake that you put in the oven.
Sunday we plan to go visit my Mom in the Nursing Home. She is struggling with back pain.
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Last week I showed you this photo.
Now the little colorful squares are pushed together and glued into place.
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When you are almost four years old you get to go to Jim Naah Sticks....or bass sticks... or Jim bass sticks one and the same to the almost four year old.
I got to go along to bass sticks.
When you are sited (excited) you can run really fast!
We had book club yesterday. Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo.
I was not thrilled with the book, I gave it two stars out of ten. There are three more books in the series and no one in book club was excited to read them.
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I colored this small project one day. Interesting to use colored pencils on wood.
Well congratulations to us and to you too for making it to February!
The weather is nice and warm, I believe it was a record breaking 48 F or 9 C eh! yesterday, more snow and ice melted.
Far Guy is feeling a bit better. One day at a time.
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