Aging

Sunday before last, Dave and I went to a Moody Blues concert. Since the last time we saw them, one member of the group has retired. They have replaced him. The concert was wonderful, but there was something missing. Amazing what a difference one person can make.
Our children have all grown and two of them have children of their own. I'm enjoying watching my kids deal with the same situations we did. Endless nights of no sleep, temper tantrums, throw-ups (always on the carpet!), chocolatey kisses, and warm snuggles. Because of  "birthday rules", Bryce and Abbey will be in the same grade once they start school. That will be interesting.
Pop just celebrated his 88th birthday. I can't imagine living 88 years. The Great Depression, WWII, Korea (a "conflict", not a war), Viet Nam, television, telephones (cell phones, not phones on a party line!), reel-to-reel audio tapes to 8-tracks to cassettes to CDs, Flappers to Hip Hop, Model Ts to SUVs (some even park themselves!). Pop doesn't laugh as much as he used to. I guess age and a stroke will do that to you. He hates being dependent on others for his care. He drives Bud crazy with his demands, but he just might be going crazy, himself, because he can't do things independently. He doesn't hear as well as he used to. Because of that, he doesn't talk as much as he used to. He used to have a lot to say. I guess aging takes that away from some people, too.
Ma, on the other hand, has plenty to say. As she has aged, her filter has dissolved! She's always been on the outspoken side, but she used more tact years ago. Maybe when you feel like you're running out of time, the urgency of what you need to say outweighs the need for tact. Ma just calls them like she sees them! She has suffered multiple broken bones as she has aged, the result of osteoporosis. In spite of this, she keeps on moving. She thinks nothing about climbing on a chair to get something out of a closet. The rest of us wait for the crash! Like Pop, she values the independence she has left. She has decided that she does not want to live to be 100!
Elliott has promised me that, when I am "old and crazy" (his words), he will put me in a really nice nursing home. I'm hoping, like everyone does, that I won't reach that point. Like many my age, I wonder if I'll ever have the chance to retire and do what I want. I want to travel (gas prices and the economy in general may kill that idea!), I want to sew and perfect my skills, I want to sit and knit all day once in a while. I want to chat with Dave, play with my grandkids, and do absolutely nothing if I want to!
I want a rocking chair on my front porch!

Where have I been?

Right. Where have I been? Well, I was too busy to blog for a while. Then, I forgot how to get to this site! DUH! Now that I've found it again, I will only post general stuff. No controversies, no negative opinions, and, I hope, nothing that will offend even the most sensitive of eyes.

Into each life, a little rain............

Last Saturday, Catie, Dave and I took Abbey to Elliott's house to play with Bryce. Abbey is now 6 months old, Bryce is 10 months. Bryce is learning to walk, Abbey is just barely sitting up. Abs had a pony tail on top of her head. Bryce thought it was a great handle and kept trying to grab it and pull! Abbey would squeal and Bryce would jump. Neither has ever had to share, so that was interesting. Everything one had, the other one wanted. Add a small dog and a kitten into the mix and you have a roll on the floor free for all!
As babies do, Abbey wet her diaper. Somehow, I got volunteered to change her. I laid her out on the couch and unfastened her diaper. Just as I slid it out from under her, the dam burst. She peed everywhere! There was nothing I could do to stop the flood! I even tried covering her with the dry diaper. Once the tidal wave stopped, I put a dry diaper on her. Catie had to change her clothes. My shorts were a bit soggy, too! I was so embarrassed! I apologized profusely to Sam. She brought a towel to me and I sopped up the mess. She said that Bryce had done the same thing on the couch, not to worry.
I heard later that Elliott got fussed at about the soggy couch. I feel bad about that, too. But it was funny watching Bryce toddle over to see what was going on while Abbey laughed like a fiend!

ends and beginnings and a rant, too

June 30 will be my last official day at Roanoke Memorial. I've been there nearly four years. I planned to work there until I retired. Sometimes plans don't work out. When I was hired, there was a "temporary housing" benefit. The hospital paid for a hotel room for any nurse (and some other employees)who lived more than 60 miles away. I live 120 miles from the hospital. But for the loss of this benefit, I wouldn't quit. I like what I do. I have a good group of coworkers. There are issues that I wish could be corrected, but that's true of any job.
July 5, I'll start my new job at Thomas memorial Hospital. I'll stay with Catie and Ben while I'm working. That works out well for all of us. Abbey will have someone to care for her all the time. I'm not worried about starting a new job. Maybe this time, I can stay in the same place till I retire.
Health care is changing in this country, and not for the better. Today, 12,000 nurses in Minnesota went out on a one day strike. Their request is simple: They want better staffing to improve patient safety and they want their retirement benefits protected. Not much to ask. I was amazed at the number of negative comments left at USA Today. Negative toward nurses. Comments about how nurses live in $500,000 houses, drive $100,000 cars, and make $80,000 per year irk me. Comments about how nursing assistants do "all the work" annoy me, too. I live in a $60,000 house. I drive a Jeep with nearly 90,000 miles on it. It surely didn't cost $100K. And the $80K/year figure is an average! Most bedside nurses make far less than that. Nursing assistants on the unit where I work are a luxury. It is the nurses' responsibility to bathe, feed, potty, medicate, assess, and otherwise care for their assigned five patients. Time can be a real problem. It is expected that all nurses document activities (turns, medications, assessments, treatments, etc) within one hour. There are nights when I can't document anything before 4am! I'm just too busy! When reimbursements are cut to hospitals, or when hospitals have financial strains, the first cuts are made at the bedside. Nurses go first. We are viewed as expendable. That's why the temporary housing benefit was cut. An experienced RN is worth the CEO's weight in gold! Unfortunately, when we demand appropriate compensation for what we do and appropriate staffing levels to provide the quality of care that our patients deserve, we are vilified. None of us took a vow of poverty when we made the choice to do this really gross work. Most of the people who post the ugly comments about us have no idea what we really do. I suggest that those who find it so easy to fault us walk a shift in our clogs. Then, you might see where we're coming from!

Boots

Boots crossed the rainbow bridge today. Selina and Chessie were on the other side to meet him. He was not our first Boots. The first Boots was about 7 years old when he died from antifreeze poisoning (nasty neighbor!). Not long after we lost Boots I, Catie came home from school and announced that her friend Carol's cat had a litter of kittens. She looked very solemn as she explained that, if Carol didn't find homes for the kittens, her dad would take them out to the woods and shoot them. While I doubted that Carol's dad would ever shoot a kitten, I agreed to go and look at them.
The kittens were in a box in the garage. One of them was black and white with a half moustache, just like Boots I. I told Carol that we would take that kitten when he was ready to leave his mom. Not long after that, Boots II came to live with us. He bonded closest with Chris. When we left Charlotte, Boots stayed with Chris. As he matured, Boots gained weight. Chris nicknamed him Tubby. Tubby loved three things: Chris, naps, and canned food. When he heard the top of a can of cat food pop, he was first in line! Probably why he was called Tubby! When Chris moved in with us, Tubby came along.
Tubby had some jealousy issues with the other cats in the house. He began thinking outside of the box. Literally. He would go to the cat box, then poop right beside it. We tried to correct this bad behavior, but Tubs was stubborn. He had to live in the basement. He got along well with the basement cats. He also got all the canned food he could eat.
Over the last month, Tubby started losing weight at a frightening rate. He didn't run when canned food was opened. He was pooping outside the box again. Yucky smelling loose poo. He had trouble getting up and down the stairs. His coat became dull, as did his eyes. Last night, Chris said his final good by to his old friend Tubby. This morning, I took Tubs for the long ride. When I started the car "Tears in Heaven" was playing on the radio. Boots was too weak to protest riding in the car, something he has always hated. He only weighed four pounds, down from his usual ten pounds. I held him as the vet gave him the injection that would end his misery. Gradually, his eyes closed and his head slipped off of my arm. I petted him for a long time. I cried. As I walked out of the vet's office, it started to rain.

Jury duty lesson

I was subpoenaed to be on jury duty for "the April term". The April term runs from April 1 to July 31. I call in when instructed to do so, then report to court if necessary. I had to show up at court on Tuesday.
I was seated on a jury for a "distributing a controlled substance" trial.
The police presented their evidence, and it was convincing. At first. The state forensic investigator who presented the toxicology information was very interesting. After her testimony, we took a lunch break. After the break, the state's "confidential informant" testified. This fellow was entertaining enough to keep everyone in the courtroom from taking an afternoon nap! He was neatly dressed in a brown suit and tie and looked as if he knew what soap and water were. This was a stark contrast to the defendant, who wore the same rumpled jeans and green tee shirt both days. The CI started out by explaining that he went to the police and offered his assistance to arrest the defendant. He had no quarrel with the guy, he said that drugs had ruined his life and he didn't want anyone else's life ruined by drugs. Kind of a community service. He described the officers who searched him before and after the buy as "machines". They gave him the best searches he'd ever had (giggles from the jury). He talked about how the price of narcotics is determined (about a dollar per mg), but that "since a certain doctor closed up shop and got sent to jail" the price had gone up (more jury giggles). When the defense lawyer questioned CI, it got nearly hostile, but still amusing. I think each was trying to confuse the other. CI's health history, drug history and an arrest for DUI last fall were all discussed. Even though they weren't really relevant to this case. Lawyer would ask a question, CI would answer, then Lawyer would rephrase the question. CI would then answer in an exasperated tone, "I just told you.......". Even the judge was laughing!
During the trial, a young lady was kicked out of the courtroom because she kept saying"He's a liar" as the CI was testifying. A young man was nearly kicked out because his phone rang, very distracting.
The second day of the trial, the defense presented one witness. The defendant did not testify. That's probably what saved him! After lunch, we began deliberating. The Deputy told us about another trial where the jury got into a heated debate that lasted about two hours. When asked if they needed to review any evidence to calm the situation down, the jurors said that they hadn't even started discussing the evidence, yet. They were still trying to select a foreman! Our foreman volunteered! Even though we were in unanimous agreement that the defendant was guilty, we couldn't convict him with the evidence we had. Much as we wanted to keep this guy from selling one more pill, we couldn't do it. Why? Because the evidence that the state presented, especially the CI, left reasonable doubt. By not having a reputable person to witness the buy, we could not trust the CI's testimony. He had difficulty remembering some of the events of one buy, even though he said that he reviewed his notes the night before. Sadly, the defendant was acquitted and is now free to sell whatever he wants to whomever he wants.
Hooray for our legal system!

Having it all

For many years, women have been told they can/can't have it all. There are several questions that go along with this statement: What is "it all", why do we want it, and why don't men seem to worry about it?
From what I've seen and heard, "it" is career and family. Men have balanced these two things for centuries. Whether they've done it well is still up for debate. They work and, traditionally, come home to a clean house, delicious dinner, and well behaved kids, all courtesy of an adoring wife. Over the last forty or so years, tradition has been turned on its ear. Women have entered the workforce and the family has become dependent on two incomes to survive. Staying home with the children has become a luxury. Sometimes it's dad who stays home because mom makes more money.
Why do we want a career and a family? I was raised to believe that I should not depend on anyone to support me. This stems from my mother's upbringing. My grandfather died three months before she was born. My grandmother, a "feriner" from Ireland, had no marketable skills. She raised four children during the Depression by doing laundry. Ma went to secretarial school, as did many of her peers, and was able to support herself before Pop came along. I can't remember a time when I was growing up that Ma didn't work. She had "it" before women were aware that they wanted "it". She did a fantastic job raising independent daughters. My sister, Kathy, became a teacher and I became a nurse. No female nuclear physicist or engineer from her genes! So having a career, a way to support oneself, is something that everyone should do.
Having a family is one of the biggest joys, and stressors, that a couple can share. Each age brings different experiences. Women face pressure to stay at home and to return to the workforce. If we decide to stay at home, we "couldn't hack it" in the business world. To the contrary, we learn to manage a budget (do more with less), manage time(clean when the baby naps), manage crises(10 pm: "Mom, I need 5 dozen cupcakes tomorrow!"), and negotiate (brother gets swing for 30 minutes, then sister gets it). If we return to the workforce, we face the guilt of "abandoning" our children. Even though children learn valuable social skills in a quality day care, it's hard to leave them. I hated doing it! In the long run, it did my kids more good than harm.
Unfortunately, women get the bulk of the housework whether we have a job or not! I know several women whose husbands are stay at home dads. These women still cook dinner, clean bathrooms, and do laundry. What does dad do all day? Why do these women still do housework?
Dave and I have shared chores for years. It has been a necessity. I'm not going to work and then put in another 12 hours at home! He cleans up out of self defense! He is a fabulous cook. Now that I'm working full time and he's retired, he does the bulk of the housework. While he and I have a different perception of "clean", I will not often criticize. I do that out of self defense!
"Having it all" has never seemed to matter to men. It shouldn't matter to us, either. When it comes right down to it, I think you have it all if you are content. To work or stay home, to have children or not is totally up to the individual.

A contrast

Catie, Elliott and I did the mall crawl Thursday night. Catie had Abbey in her stroller and Elliott had Bryce in his. Bryce is blue eyed with very fine blond fuzz. He loves to jump! He'll stand (with support, of course) and try to hop up and down, then cackle! At 5 months, he's a chunky 18 1/2 pounds. He's cutting his first teeth, so he's a slobber monster. Elliott says that he's still not sleeping through the night.
Abbey has a head full of dark hair. Her eyes are green/hazel. She's longer and leaner than her cousin, but she's only three weeks old. She has some funny facial expressions: smiles, pouts, frowns. She rarely cries and sleeps for long stretches at night. Her mom has seen to it that she is always well dressed. Abbey has more shoes than Imelda Marcos! Her cutest is a pair of pink suede Vans. They are so teeny!
As you can tell, I think they're both adorable! I am having a blast watching them grow. I am so proud of their parents, they do such a fantastic job. I think that raising children today is harder than it was when mine were little, but these babies have been blessed with parents who love each other and want the best for their children. Who could ask for more?

Abigail Marie

Baby Abbey was born on Monday, February 22, 2010 at 1845. Wouldn't you know, shift change! Catie's labor was induced early that morning, but progressed very slowly. Eight hours into labor, she got an epidural. Her doctor explained that Abbey had her hand behind her head and was coming elbow first! There was no way she would come out "the normal way"! By then, Catie's epidural had worn off, so she got general anesthesia. Ben had to leave the OR (hospital policy). Abbey was delivered within one minute of Catie's being put out. Fifteen minutes later, Abbey and her nurse were coming down the hall. The OR staff was fabulous. They took Catie's camera and photographed the delivery.
Abbey was beautiful (still is!). She weighed 7lb 2oz and was 21 inches long. She was born with a head full of dark hair. The nursery had several spools of thin ribbon in a variety of colors. The nurse tied a tiny red bow and used KY jelly to "glue" it to Abbey's head. So cute! Abbey has been a good baby from the first. Like Chris, she doesn't cry unless she needs something. She sleeps at long stretches during the night and eats like a champ! She has a closet full of clothes. She even has little shoes to go with her outfits! Catie and Ben adore her and feel incredibly blessed.
Catie did great after the surgery. She was up and walking within 8 hours and cared for Abbey herself (Ben helped, but he has way less experience with babies). They were discharged Wednesday evening and settled in to the home routine. Catie is a wonderful mom. She handles Abbey with confidence and doesn't hesitate to ask if she has a question. She is not one to panic, as a general rule. Like her mother and grandmother, Cate tends to dissolve once a crisis has passed.
Ben and Catie have been blessed with a beautiful, perfect baby girl. We have been blessed with our second grandchild. All is well. Life is good!

Pajama Day?

Last week, while we were in Charlotte, I noticed an interesting fashion trend: pajamas! Adults wearing their pajamas in public! Grocery shopping? Wear your pajamas! Going to Target? Wear your pajamas! How about a movie? Those in style wear their pajamas! I'm not talking sweats. I'm not talking nighties. I'm talking tee shirt and flannel pants. For women, Tinkerbell or some Pooh critter. For men, plaid pants and a plain tee. These outfits are rarely clean and never fit quite right. They're either two sizes too large (guys) or two sizes too small (gals).
Accessorizing pajamas can be tricky. What footwear looks good with jammies? Summer footwear is a no brainer: flip flops! You can even buy a color to match your jammies! Winter is a little trickier. Do you wear fuzzy slippers, Docksiders, Uggs, or clogs? The possibilities are endless. Do you wear a jacket, coat, or robe? What about jewelery? Do you keep it simple and understated by wearing small earrings and, maybe, a necklace, or do you go over the top with dozens of bangles and multiple necklaces? Do you carry the Coach purse or do you go for the reusable Wal-Mart bag? Decisions, decisions!
College kids could be held responsible for this overly casual fashion trend. After all, didn't they begin it when they wore pajamas to early morning (say, 9AM) classes rather than show up late because they got dressed? Maybe. I think the real culprits are babies. That's right, babies! How many adorable little bundles do you see at the grocery store, mall, or sporting event wearing a comfy, soft sleeper? Of course, theirs are usually clean and well fitting. They are accessorized with a bib or blanket or hat. These pajama clad munchkins draw a great deal of "Oh, how precious" attention. Why shouldn't the rest of us draw attention to our cuteness by wearing PJs in public? Probably because, after a certain age (say, two), it's not so cute!
Babies, it is up to you to stop this disturbing trend. Stop looking so doggone cute in those sleepers! Get up thirty minutes earlier and get dressed!

Happy Anniversary

Wow! Thirty one years ago, Dave and I got married. That's a long time!

I graduated from college and passed State Boards. I've worked in nursing homes, hospitals, and an office. I've done everything from long term care to ICU. Dave Went to work for, and retired from, First Union.

We built a house. We demolished the kitchen and rebuilt it (and remained on speaking terms). We added on to that house and did a lot of the work ourselves. Then, we moved! Packing up 25 years' worth of stuff and a bunch of cats was no small feat! We've survived it all.

We've been through the "sickness and health" part. I went through a severe bout of depression (to the point of being suicidal, but was too much of a control freak to do it!). Everyone should spend a couple of years with a good therapist. Dave has lost part of his right foot and his left leg below the knee. He gets around pretty well for, what he calls, "a one legged old man". We have acquired creaks and groans as we've gotten older, but we still do what we want.

We've brought three really neat people into the world. If our goal is to leave to world better than we found it, we've done that with our kids. Chris lives with us and is working to find his place in the world. His girlfriend, Aaron, is a delight. I hope they have many years of happiness ahead. Catie teaches preschool and loves working with "her kids". She and Ben will become parents to Abbey in February. Elliott is waiting to hear from the Huntington Fire Dept about a job. He and Samantha are the parents of Bryce. He's the cutest little boy in the world! I will enjoy watching Catie and Elliott raise their babies. I promise I will not laugh at them (when they're around!), but I will laugh with them.

How have we managed to stay married this long? A strong faith in God is a must. I know that Dave was picked for me and I was picked for him. If it weren't for our faith, we would never have been able to make it through the valleys to get to the peaks. A sense of humor helps, too. Never take yourself too seriously and always find a way to laugh about a situation. If nothing else, that will save the life of an errant spouse or unruly child! Take time for yourself. Dave and I have individual interests and those that we share. He will go to the cloth store with me (boring!) and I will go to the hobby shop with him (ultra boring!). We do projects around the house together. I think Elliott summed it up when he was ten years old: "You and Dad are friends". I'm thankful to be married to my best friend.

Sssnnooooowwwwww!!!

The weekend before Christmas, this region was hit with the biggest snowstorm we've had in several years. News outlets called it "the storm of the century". How do they know? We're only nine years into this century, for Pete's sake! Anyway, Roanoke got about 2 feet of snow and nearly totally shut down. I had to go to work because hospitals never close. I really didn't have much trouble getting to work, and not just because my Jeep has 4WD. If people would drive slower and in a lower gear, they shouldn't have too many problems. If you drive like a moron, you'll land in a ditch!
The Call ins for Saturday morning started at 1130 pm. "There's.....snow......on the road!". No kidding. Snow is not selective, it falls where it wants to! "I can't see the road." See above. I wasn't very sympathetic. After all, I drove to Roanoke from the West Virginia mountains and I made it! Our monitor tech, Kerry, sat on I-81 for forever because a couple of trucks wrecked and blocked traffic. It took her 11 hours, but she showed up for work! She should get a raise for that! The roads were a little better on Saturday. All of the night shift staff came to work. Sunday call outs started at 1030pm, again. We scrounged together enough people to cover the unit. We survived the "big storm" and maintained the quality of care that I would want for anyone in my family.
At home, we got three feet of snow. Snow is a part of winter and the DOH crews do a fabulous job keeping the roads cleared. This snow fell so fast that they just couldn't keep up. A 6pm curfew was called by the Sheriff's department to keep people off of the road. There were a bunch of cars stranded in ditches already! By the time I got home Monday morning, the main roads were cleared and secondary roads were passable.
Last night, the snow started falling when I got to Covington, VA. It fell sporadically until I got to the highway leading to my home. Then, it came down heavily. The wind was strong enough to knock my car crazy! At times, the wind gusts and snow made for white out conditions. Slow down, be careful, keep both hands on the steering wheel, pray without ceasing. I got home safely. This morning, the snow that had fallen was gone (the snow from the weekend before is still here and probably will be till August!).
Snow makes the fields and mountains take on a different character. It smells fresh. The flakes fall like little feathers and float on the wind. Snow is one of my favorite things about winter . I love snow...........until April!

Gifts of the Wise Men

My kids learned a lot when they went to Sunday School. The Childrens' Minister, "Ms. Joyce" Dennis made learning Biblical truths fun. Her teaching has stayed with the kids as they have progressed into their adult years.
When Elliott was about five, he learned about the Wise Men and the gifts they brought to the baby Jesus. We give gifts to each other today because these men gave gifts to this very special baby on the first Christmas. Eyes sparkling, shaking with excitement at his new knowledge, Elliott listed these gifts for the rest of us in the car on the way home from church: "Gold, aaannnnd Myrrh, aaaannnnnd, uh, Frank......And, uh, Frank.......And, uh Frank......Oh yeah, Frankinatra!!!". Trying (very hard) to control my laughter, I gently explained to Elliott that Frankensence was the name of the gift, then explained what it is. Frank Sinatra was a singer, famous as one of the "Rat Pack" members, who's birthday was on December 12.
Frankinatra has become one of my favorite Christmas memories. Had God not sent His Son on that first Christmas so many years ago, we would have no need to celebrate. Thank you, God, for Your most precious gift to us, and for memories of special times.

Cold and dark

Yesterday, just as I discovered that the basement had flooded (AGAIN!), our power went off. Dave and I squeegeed as much water as we could into the sump pump but, of course, it won't come on without electricity! A call to the power company let us know that they were already aware that the power was out. It would be restored by 11:30 pm. OK. When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping!
We bought a few staples of life: toilet paper and paper towels! When we got back home, Dave called to check on the progress of our power repair. Power will be restored by 6:00 pm TOMORROW!
Holy Cow! When the going gets really tough, the wimpy take a nap! That's just what I decided to do. Why is it that when I decide to nap, Dave has to wake me up to ask me what I'm doing? What does it look like I'm doing?!? Do I look like I'm solving our country's economic crisis? He decided to go visit his dad.
When I woke up, it was dark. The wind was howling. The cats were freaking out! This is not part of their routine! Dave had lined up our oil lamps, lighter, and flashlight on the kitchen counter. I lit the smaller lantern and went back to the bedroom. Half a dozen cats, a fleece blanket, and my knitting were all I needed. I worked away on a baby dress for Abbey, paying no attention to time. I fixed myself a dinner of left over ham, an orange, and a diet coke. I ate dinner by oil lamp light. How rustic!
Shortly after Dave called to let me know that he was on his way home, the power came back on! Lights, Heat, TV!! Just in time for Jeopardy! The basement flood dried up with the help of the propane heater. Things aren't so bad after all!

Thankful

A year ago, we were getting Chris settled into our house. He was still reeling from getting dumped and cheated on. A year later, he is about to start a new job with a promising future. He has a wonderful girlfriend. He is happy.
A year ago, Catie and Ben were grieving the loss of their baby. A year later, they are eagerly awaiting the birth of their daughter. While Buddah will always be a part of their lives, Abbey will be the answer to hundreds of prayers.
A year ago, Elliott was dealing with problems that none of us could even imagine, especially since he was afraid to share those problems with us. A year later, he and Samantha have worked out their problems and have a beautiful baby boy. He is waiting to hear about a job with the Huntington Fire Department. Sam is about to graduate from college.
A year ago, Dave was recovering from yet another foot surgery. A year later, he is healthy and has had no problems with his foot.
It's been nearly a year since Thom died. Jenny has done a great job with Donna and John. Thom is watching over them and they will see him again. They will be OK.
Seventeen years after his divorce, Russ has remarried. He has met his match in Nikki. They compliment each other.
By the end of 2008, I could have been ready to give up. Instead, I chose to study God's word and "pray without ceasing". The challenges we face teach us perseverance. Perseverance teaches us patience. Patience will lead to joy. God is ever present. He will never let us face our challenges alone. That thought is what I'm most thankful for.

Bugged part 2

OK, so here's what I learned about Scabies (anyone with a loved one in a nursing home or a child should take note!):
Scabies is caused by a tiny mite that burrows under the skin and lays its eggs. The itching is caused by an allergic reaction to the mite. The rash is usually found on the hands, arms, legs, and skin folds (behind knees, in elbows). The rash is red and raised, like acne. The rash can be present for two to three weeks after treatment, but no new pustules should appear. The treatment is icky, but easy. Slime the prescription cream all over, from neck to toes including the bottom of the feet (babies should have it applied to their scalp, as well). Eight to fourteen hours after the application, shower or bathe with soap and warm water. Reapply after one week to be sure that the eggs that hatch out are killed. Clothing that was worn from three days before the break out and bedding should be washed in hot water and dried in the dryer at a hot setting. Non washable items (stuffed toys, rugs) should be placed in a plastic bag in the basement or garage until the mites die. Carpeting should be vacuumed thoroughly. For the itching, Benadryl tablets and/or cream should help the symptoms. Family members or people who have close contact with the bugged one should also be treated. The scabies mite that attacks humans will not attack cats or dogs. The mite that attacks cats and dogs does not attack people. Don't let anyone tell you that it was "that dog" or "that cat" that infested your house!
I hate that I caught these things. I look horrible! But maybe what I have learned will help someone else. Scabies is not something that just the poor or dirty person gets. Anyone can get it!

Bugged!

I broke out in a rash Friday evening while I was at work. It's a coarse looking red rash with what looks like blisters in the center. It itches like crazy! It was mostly on my right forearm and hand. I thought I might have caught something from a patient, but Saturday afternoon, when I woke up, I found a small critter crawling on the bed. EEEWWWWWW!!! I put it in a Ziploc bag. The rash had spread to my forehead, neck, left arm and legs.I didn't go in to work Saturday night. Instead, I went to the urgent care center. The doctor took one look at my rash and my little friend and said "You have Scabies!". EEEWWWWWW!!!!! I got a prescription for some nasty smelling bug killing cream. I had to smear it all over me and leave it on overnight. This morning, I washed it off. I don't know if it was supposed to pull the bugs out of my skin, but the rash is more diffuse. Still itches like crazy. I look like I have some flesh eating plague! Benadryl has become my best friend. I jusdt hope it's gone by Friday. I wouldn't want to go back to work and creep everyone out!

On the road again

Whirlwind tours!I love them! I got home from work last Wednesday, unloaded the car, packed my smaller bag, and took off again Thursday morning. I met Catie at her house and we headed south to Charlotte for her baby shower. Back on the road Sunday to get Catie home. On to Huntington to see Elliott, Samantha, and Bryce. Home again Monday afternoon. Whew! It's a good thing I like my car, I practically live in it!

Friday, we took Ma to lunch for her (late) birthday. We ate at the Cheesecake Factory. Really good food, but much richer than we are used to. After lunch, we walked around Southpark Mall. Southpark is what they call "upscale". For us regular people, that means expensive. We looked in a couple of childrens' specialty shops. Ma picked up a little blue dress, 6 month size. I can't imagine why anyone would pay $129 for a dress that a baby will wear for such a short time. Not to mention what the baby will get on the dress! I've decided that a store like that is for two types of people: grandmas who buy that stuff for their little angels, and grandmas like me who look for ideas, then make cute stuff for their little angels. We use the money we save to add to their college accounts!

The baby shower was a lot of fun. Carol, Catie's friend for forever (kindergarten, at least), was the hostess. We had a veggie tray and a fruit tray that the three of us put together, a chicken nugget tray from Chic-fil-a, and a beautiful cake that Carol's mother made. Kathy, Ma, Carol's mom Joyce, and I were the "old ladies" of the group. Carol, Alissa, Alicia, Becca, and Catie were the "young 'uns". The girls have been friends since at least middle school. Catie, Becca, and Carol go back to kindergarten. They talked about being married, having kids, careers, and old times at school. When the name Josh came up, we all laughed. Josh was the boy who was in the same day care class with Catie. When she was 18 months old, he bit her arm. When she told me about "that mean old Josh", her eyes were huge and she was very serious. She finished telling me about the bite by saying "and that was not nice". I reminded the girls of that story and they all recounted their "Josh stories". We planned for the shower to last about 2 hours. Before we knew it, 4 hours had passed! It's amazing to see how 5 girls can get together after two or three years and pick up right whee they left off! Good friends are a treasure and Catie is very rich!

We didn't spend as much time with Ma and Pop as I would have liked, but it wasn't possible. I always fear that each time I see them will be the last. They are both 85, Pop has had a stroke, Ma has chronic heart problems. I doubt that one will live long without the other. That's just the way they are.

We made the drive home in record time. Catie was able to take a much needed nap while I went to see Sam and Bryce. Bryce is getting to be a chubby little fellow! He's got chubby cheeks and little rolls on his legs. He has fussy time. I explained that to Sam. It's the time of evening when babies feel the need to decompress. They cry and kick for no apparent reason. Bryce had just eaten, he had burped, he was dry and warm. He just felt the need to fuss! Eventually, he fell asleep on my lap. I am smitten!

Today, I hung the curtains over Abbey's closet. They're perfect! Then, I drove home. I'm tired!

Elliott's hat

It was a beautiful, blustery fall day. Three year old Elliott was standing beside the driveway while I unloaded groceries from the car. Elliott usually wore overalls (the straps make a great handle for mom to grab) and today was no exception. He was wearing a blue baseball cap, too. Well, not really wearing it, he was throwing it up in the air and trying to catch it. The part of our yard where he was standing was next to a vacant lot that was overgrown with briers. I told Elliott to quit throwing his hat because the wind would blow it into the woods. Elliott paid me no attention. I told him again, with a little more edge to my voice, that he needed to STOP throwing his hat. After delivering another handful of grocery bags to the kitchen, I came back to the car. Elliott's hat was gone. I asked him where it was and he pointed to the woods. There was his hat, stuck fast in a clump of briers.
"Elliott!" I said in exasperation. "Now I'll have to go get it! You stand RIGHT HERE until I get your hat."
There was no way to get directly to the hat. I had to walk about 5 feet further down the driveway, then pick my way around until I got to it. I retrieved the hat and turned around to pick my way out of the woods. There, hot on my heels, was Elliott!
"ELLIOTT! I told you to stay put until I got your hat. Now you turn around and go right back the way you came!"
Elliott attempted to turn around, but was tangled in a long, wiry brier. He pulled and tugged, but could not get loose. He looked at me, his bright blue eyes as big as saucers. "Holy shit, Momma, I'm stuck!"
I put his hat over my face and turned my head. I couldn't let him see me laugh, that would only make him think that what he said was OK! When I regained my composure, I untangled him and we picked our way out of the woods.
Out of the mouths of babes..........

Laundry

I spent part of the weekend helping Catie do laundry. I could spend another weekend getting it caught up. She HATES doing laundry! I suppose part of that hatred is my fault. I used to fuss about laundry. When the kids were big enough to put their dirty clothes in a hamper, the rule was: not in a hamper, not getting washed! Don't tell me three days later that you need a certain shirt tomorrow. Wash day is Saturday! As they got older, clothes had to be in my sewing room, sorted, by 5pm Friday or they wouldn't get washed. I do laundry once a week. Period. The kids all wash clothes on an as needed basis. Drives me nuts!
Laundry is a part of my family history. When my grandfather died, three months before Ma was born, my grandmother had no real marketable skills. Add to that, she "weren't from around here". She was an Irish immigrant. To support her family during the depression, she "took in laundry". She had an old wringer washer and a clothes line. She would wash and hang out clothes, iron and fold them. If itwas cold or raining, the clothes were hung on the porch. When she got her first "automatic" washer and dryer, I'll bet she felt like she had died and gone to heaven!
Ma was funny about laundry, too. NOBODY touched her washer or dryer! Laundry was done on Saturday (as it was in my house....laundry day is hereditary!). Wash, dry, fold, iron. As we grew up, Kathy and I were allowed to help with the laundry, especially the fold and put away part! When she was 75 years old, with her left wrist in an external fixator, she was washing,starching, and ironing Bud and Russ' shirts. No matter how much I fussed (Let them do their own wash!), she continued doing their laundry. To this day, she just celebrated her 85th birthday, she's still washing, starching, ironing Bud's and Pop's shirts. I think she enjoys it.
I used to hate laundry. When we first got married, we had to take everything to the laundrymat.It was a chore! When we bought our house, I got a washer and dryer. Pure joy! Saturday was laundry day, as I explained above. I'm only washing for Dave and me now, with the occasional load of Chris' stuff. Chris is welcome to do his own laundry, provided that the washer and dryer are empty when I need them. Ironing is not something I do regularly. I believe that God gave us permanent press fabrics for a reason! I don't mind doing laundry anymore. It's a satisfying feeling to see the piles of dirty clothes become neatly folded stacks of clean clothes or a row of neatly hung shirts. Laundry day can be a day well spent.