Last Birthdays, unlike First Birthdays, are really overwhelming. Today is Mom’s last birthday. We are all gathering at her room at the hospital to surround her with love.
It’s so hard, even if she says it’s okay and she is ready. So much time…lost.
Happy Birthday, Mom!
I’m heading to Connecticut today. Mom has taken a turn for the worse and I want to be there. She has stopped eating and it seems her kidneys are shutting down. Although she has said all she needs is my sister, I’m thinking that this is probably not true any longer. I think she does, at least, need me to come and see her again, before she starts her journey to the other side.
Even if our mother doesn’t need me, I know my sister does, so I will be going down more to be with her than anything.
It seems very sad when you realize that when she is gone Mel and I, along with my cousins, (formerly known as the kids of our family), will be the senior members of the clan. All those beloved Aunts, Uncles and Grandparents, gone from this world. And soon, Mom.
On Monday I worked like mad on Laundry, cleaning and packing. Hubby will have to manage himself and the dogs. I hate leaving them, but it’s important that I go.
I’ll be keeping you all posted.
First, Happy Birthday to my dearest cousin and best friend, Janet!
On Thursday I was in desperate need of a little retail therapy. Before my dental appointment, I stopped by a little shop and I found a cute sun dress. It fits okay, but it will look even better when I get myself going again on Weight Watchers.
There are really no good excuses for me having fallen off the wagon except of the stress I have been under.
The face, my mother’s illness, and the illness of a beloved friend. All have set me back a ways.
Today we learned that Mom is stage 4 Liver Cancer. There is nothing that can be done. No magic pill, or anything that can make her well, nothing that will give her a few more months. It is what it is.
I’ve also felt depressed about my face. Although I know I shouldn’t, I do, and I wonder how long a road I will be on with this.
My friends illness is not for me to talk about here. All I can say is to pray for them. That it is not too late to do something about it.
So this is why I found myself in the boutique downtown trying on this adorable dress. I even found a necklace and earrings to match.
Anneliese got sick after dinner, but we got it cleaned up and I will rest her little belly until the morning. Then it will be a little baby rice cereal. Hopefully that will help her to feel much better.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
My mom is sick. She is, in fact, dying of cancer. Mel and I have known for a while, but we didn’t want to tell her because, well, it’s hard to tell someone, especially your mother, that they are dying of cancer.
She learned, a few days ago that not only does she have liver cancer, but that it has spread to her lungs.
I hated for her to know this. You see a long time ago, back in 1977 my brother became ill, and a year and a day later he died from cancer. (Lymphoma)
Mom took care of him all that year. Through chemotherapy and radiation. Back then, treatments were brutal and Mom watched her son suffer and then pass away.
I think this is why I really didn’t want her to know. I didn’t want her scared. I did not want her to recall those last days with my brother and then fear for herself.
But in the end, she had to be told. And maybe in some ways it is kinder. She understands the pain, and no longer allows people to put her off about getting pain relief.
(She actually had a nurse tell her that she needed to “learn to get along” with the pain pills she had! Yes, I would like to pop that woman in the nose!)
My relationship with my Mom has always been “different”. I’ve spent a large part of my life arguing with her about really stupid stuff. And now…I just don’t want the anger, I want her to be pain free.
We don’t think it will be long. She is back in the hospital right now and I am thinking she may have to go into hospice care.
It stinks.
She is the last of her generation. When she is gone, well, then we will be the elders of the family.
If there is one wish that I have for her, it would be this…I pray that she does not suffer, and that when she passes, all the family will be there to greet her!
Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!
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Oh, what a wonderful weekend it was! With the celebration of Savannah’s first birthday,
to my nephew and his wife’s delivery of healthy twin boys, to record breaking heat, and a wild thunderstorm, it is a weekend I will not soon forget!
I was even surprised by Savannah’s ability to walk! She is very nearly running around! Here is a short clip showing her walk/running to her Grandpa Arthur.
Sunday began our official heatwave, with temperatures well over ninety degrees. However late in the afternoon on Sunday, a storm moved in with high winds, and a little thunder and lightening, helping to drop the temperatures in the state.
Greta helped me put the lines out for me pea plants which are just now sprouting! It looks to me like we will have a fine pea crop this year!
The peas I planted those two days before the beans, which have not yet sprouted. I’ve been waiting to re-plant the seedlings due to the extreme heat. Hopefully sometime this week.
Yes Greta “helped” by bringing me her ball and insisting I throw it for her. Fun was had by both of us! She was one hot-dog when we came in though. I couldn’t get her to drink, but gave her ice cubes to chew. That worked like a charm!
I hope you all had as great a weekend as I did!
Happy Monday everyone!
On Friday, May 31st, Savannah’s First Birthday, my family welcomed into this world Gabriel and Nolan. Identical twin boy! They are the sons of my nephew Mike and his wife Karan.
This was truly a one in a million pregnancy, as the boys shared an amniotic sack. It is a dangerous thing, and many families are not as lucky as ours.
Karan went in hospital April 6th. She was totally selfless, and gave up so much to ensure that these boys had the best chance to survive and thrive.
This morning, at 32 weeks, her boys came into this world. Nolan Daniell and Gabriel Alan. Nolan was 4 pounds 1-1/2 ounces, and 17 inches long and Gabriel was 4 pounds 1 ounce and 16 inches long!
Best of all Karan is doing well, and the two boys have so far not needed any assistance. By this I mean, no oxygen or feeding tubes. Hopefully they will remain healthy and strong and be ready to go home very soon!
Once their parents say it’s okay, I will share a picture. But for now I thank you all for your prayers!
On Wednesday I went shopping! Many of you will recall, Friday is my darling Savannah’s First Birthday! So, after Weight Watchers I went out to get a few things. It is so much fun shopping for my granddaughter! I found the cutest dress and when I went to read the label I found it was made by a company called “Savannah”! Needless to say, the dress came home with me!
I also was looking for baby clothes for my nephew Mike and his wife, Karan’s twin boys! They will be delivered on Friday, which of course means they will share Savannah’s birthday!
Karan has had a difficult pregnancy and she has been in the hospital on bed rest since the beginning of April. Her boys are identical twins, and also share the same amniotic sack. This makes her pregnancy even more risky.
But things have gone well, and Karan is one of the bravest women I know. She has written a mini blog on Facebook and through that I have started to get to know her. I can see why my nephew is so crazy about her!
I will ask you all today to say a prayer for Karan and her boys. They will be delivered first thing on Friday morning. We are all on pins and needles waiting to hear that Karan and her boys have been safely delivered.
Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!
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The wedding of my niece and her fiance consumed the entire weekend. In only good ways, really, but exhausting. On Sunday Hubby slept until ten o’clock in the morning and I lay down at 2:30 and slept until 5:30.
Yes exhaustion from our drive down in a raging ice storm on Friday, the wedding itself on Saturday morning and the reception Saturday afternoon, and the drive hone after. Yes, Sunday was the day that Hubby and I collapsed!
I have to say that my niece’s wedding was the nicest wedding I have ever been to. It was the gentle and loving union of two beautiful souls.
Ethereal. Yes, that is a good description of the day. Jinny was like a fairy Princess and Ian her handsome and loving Prince.
As they took their vows, he held her with such tenderness, and as they came by us after they were pronounced man and wife, the smiles on their faces was indescribable.
The other wonderful part of our day at the wedding, was spending the afternoon with our other family members.
Here we are, me, my sister Mel, cousin, Larry, cousin Janet and my mother.
So different in so many ways, and yet, so alike too. A shared history of love and laughter.
Saturday was the wedding of my niece Jinny and her fiance, now husband, Ian. It was a beautiful wedding due to a significant amount of planning, but also because here were two young people who are very much in love and are soul mates.
God bless hubby, for driving down on Friday in a bad ice storm. I was a wreck until we got got far enough south for the ice to turn to rain!
We drove to the hotel, and stayed at the Hilton Homewood Suites for the night. What a great hotel, and we both slept like babies.
The next day was the wedding. It was just perfect and so was the reception. Here are a few pictures for now and I will write more about the wedding tomorrow.
My sister Melodie
Many years ago our family was blessed when a little girl named Jinny arrived from Korea. She was 4 years old and the most adorable child.
We all fell in love with her and as she grew our love grew with her.
Jinny met a wonderful man a few years ago and today we are attending her wedding to Ian. She is wearing a traditional wedding Hanbok gown, something like this.
I am so happy for my niece and God-daughter, Jinny and her new husband, Ian.
God’s Blessings on you both!