~ Sew Sweet 16 ~I’m packing your angry eyes just in case~Aug 2014~ BFF' bag 8/20!!!!

[KatMark]

D, prayers continue for your uncle.

I would love to have met for a hot dog. But by the time I get home from work it's 6 p.m. and with traffic another hour at least back into the City. Plus I have my pedicure and wax at 7 p.m.

Again, I love the Mickey messenger bag.

I hope Ali's appointment goes well and you get a little time out in the sun.

 

[Texan]

I had to pop in for a minute D - I just love, love, love the messenger bag - remember "it all started with a mouse". I am such a huge Mickey Mouse fan, I still have my stuffed Mickey from when I was a youngster.

I had to share my laugh - I pictured you eating an original Chicago hot dog off a truck stand - "no bun please" - that is a classic.

And my second laugh of the day - my Shane actually made a funny this morning when I was trying to wake him - he is the ultimate grump in the morning - I told him to get up and get some magical coffee - he grumbled - there is nothing magical about going to school - I just want to stay home and bake cookies - I called him Sid all morning.

I think a good bit of wisdom would be to make a list of small indulgences while at WDW - and try to stay away from the wheat. You don't want to have stomach issues while on vacation. Wheat can really mess with you. And dairy. And I will stop there

You will be heading to Chicago next week!!!! And I will be headed to our road trip June 7th!! Yay for vacations!!

Big hugs and prayers for you, your family, your Dad, your Uncle.

 

[DMGeurts]

Love your Mickey bag!!!! I finished up Alex's autograph book. So one less thing on my list. My mom had outpatient surgery yesterday and should've been out in an hour or two, but was there until late afternoon due to trouble with the anesthesia. My brother thinks they gave her too much. I wasn't able to be there as I was working. She takes care of my grandpa, so hoping she is feeling better today. I'm going over after work to see if they need anything. I could've been there 24/7 for her if they waited until the summer. But they just decided to get it done quickly. Of course, she didn't expect a bad reaction either. Hope you get your sun today!!! Prayers for your uncle and family.

Thank you!

Oh wow... I am so sorry about the difficulty during surgery for your mom - one of my biggest fears and why I hate having surgery. I sure hope she is doing better now. Hugs and prayers.

Love the MICKEY BAG! so perfectly classic

continued prayers for your uncle.

Thank you - for both

It's sad to hear about your uncle. I hope it gets better soon.

I hope the weather is better today so you can get some sun

I hope so too... It's so sad.

It was a gorgeous day yesterday.

Continuing to pray for your uncle and family. Hoping they will get good news, or at the very least, get some answers.

Congrats on the productive day in the sewing room! You have made so much progress on your auction bags. Hope today goes well too, and you can get some time in the sun!

What's the itinerary for the EPIC DisMeet? I want to hear all the plans so I know all the fun I'll be missing

Have a great day!

Thank you - I hope so too, but it's not looking very good.

I am very relieved at my progress in my sewing room - but I can already feel myself fizzling out. Sigh. Must push through.

Itinerary... Well, Thursday is 6 Flags Great America... Friday is the Walt Disney exhibit at the Science and Industry center... Saturday is shopping downtown and a few Dismeets... Sunday morning - we all fly home. It's going to be a lot of fun - but sadly, I fear it will be too short.

I love the Mickey bag. Sorry to hear about your uncle. Hopefully things start to improve.
Enjoy all your vacation time this summer. The Dis meet in Chicago sounds like it's be a lot of fun.
Things have been quiet around here lately. My niece, her husband and 2 year old son stopped by yesterday to pick up one of the kayaks. They're going camping this weekend. The weather should be perfect for camping.
The newlyweds will be home sometime tomorrow while I'm at work. The past few days have been really crowded at Disney so they're glad to be coming home.
Today's a short shift at work. Hopefully it goes by fast.
Liz

Thanks Liz! We are all very excited to meet up. Sounds like yur neice and her family will have a good weekend. And yay that the newlyweds will be home today... I hope they had a great time and a fun trip! Have a great day at work!

D, prayers continue for your uncle.

I would love to have met for a hot dog. But by the time I get home from work it's 6 p.m. and with traffic another hour at least back into the City. Plus I have my pedicure and wax at 7 p.m.

Again, I love the Mickey messenger bag.

I hope Ali's appointment goes well and you get a little time out in the sun.

Thanks Kathy... I totally understand - I know how hectic those last few days before a trip can be. I know that our paths will cross again one day.

It was a glorious day yesterday, and I enjoyed every moment of it

I had to pop in for a minute D - I just love, love, love the messenger bag - remember "it all started with a mouse". I am such a huge Mickey Mouse fan, I still have my stuffed Mickey from when I was a youngster.

Hi Carol!!! So happy to see you here this morning!

Thanks! I love it! And I love working with Mickey's bold colors... Actually - I love working with the bold colors of all the Fab 5 characters.

II had to share my laugh - I pictured you eating an original Chicago hot dog off a truck stand - "no bun please" - that is a classic.

Hahahaha... This had me spitting out my coffee. I think, if I did that, Mo would take me straight back to the airport and drop me off there for the weekend. I will definitely be ordering it with a bun, however, I cannot guaratee that I will eat the whole bun. That hotdog will be my first bite of wheat since a slice of pizza I had back in March... So, I am a bit nervous about it.

IAnd my second laugh of the day - my Shane actually made a funny this morning when I was trying to wake him - he is the ultimate grump in the morning - I told him to get up and get some magical coffee - he grumbled - there is nothing magical about going to school - I just want to stay home and bake cookies - I called him Sid all morning.

Hahaha... V is the ultimate grump in the morning too... IMO - it's the best time of the day. Loved his comment - sounds exactly like something V would say.

II think a good bit of wisdom would be to make a list of small indulgences while at WDW - and try to stay away from the wheat. You don't want to have stomach issues while on vacation. Wheat can really mess with you. And dairy. And I will stop there

Yes, I am super nervous about it... I will have a list with me, for sure. And most things, I will probably just share with the girls - like the pretzels and such... Those, I can deal with just a "taste"... It's other things, like the napoleons that I will need my own.

I do OK with Dairy... I haven't cut that out of my diet completely... I do eat less of it though. I do believe I have a whey intolerance though - I've always had it, but never noticed it before, because it just went along with everything else.

IYou will be heading to Chicago next week!!!! And I will be headed to our road trip June 7th!! Yay for vacations!!

Yay!!! OK - so tell me all about your road trip... Where are you all going? I am sure you've told me before, but I am feeling a litlte foggy this morning.

IBig hugs and prayers for you, your family, your Dad, your Uncle.

Thank you Carol... Same to you and yours.

**********************************************************

I had a glorious day yesterday!

I did not do one single thing that I was supposed to.

I took Alli to her Dr. appointment yesterday. Her psoriasis is flared up again - quite badly... She has been getting shots for the last 3 appointments, and the shots are helping, but not as much as they were. The Dr. asked her about her diet and what she is eating, and then recommended that she "avoid gluten"... Hmmmm.... Really? It was, at this point - I knew exactly what the Dr. was going to say, but I wanted the Dr. to say it (because I've been saying it for months...). So, I asked the Dr... "Is there anything specific you recommend her to avoid?" With out hesitation... She said "wheat." Ding, ding, ding.... So, Alli told the Dr about being a vegetarian, and how avoiding wheat leaves her with only eating fruits/veggies/dairy/eggs... And her Dr. explained to her that Psoriasis is not just a skin condition - but it's a whole body inflamitory disease... Wheat is an inflamitory food, and because her diet is mainly wheat - she is being double whammied. Her Dr. also told her that, even though she admires Alli for being a vegetarian, because of her body and "disease" (don't know what else to call it?) - being a vegetarian is absolutely the wrong way for her to be eating for her to be healthy for herself. WOW!!! <---- I had the hardest time not saying 'I told you so..." But, I kept my mouth shut. Alli's Dr. talked with her about this for a good 15 minutes, and really left her with a lot of food for thought. I did not say one word on the trip home, I just left her to chew on what the Dr. said. Alli came home from school yesterday, and said she would like to try going Paleo/Primal... It was then that I started talking to her about "not being perfect with it" and perfection is not the goal... Just try to do better, change things slowly. It is my hope - and boy do I hate saying this - but I hope that one day she will start eating some meat again. She doesn't have to be all out primal like I am, but she really will have to be careful about getting enough nutrients (not that wheat has nutrients at all... but I won't go there). Until then... I will help her the best I can. I would really LOVE to see her do a 21 day challenge, or something similar, just as a "test" to see if the cutting of wheat is what she needs to do. I think being out of school in a few weeks, this is something she could easily do at the beginning of summer. I plan to talk to her about it over the next few days to see if she is interested. I would LOVE to do it with her.

OK - enough on that topic... But I did find it SUPER interesting.

So, then, I came home from Alli's appointment yesterday, and guess what? Not a cloud in the sky... You know what that means... I threw on my swimsuit and I laid out on the deck... It was so lovely and perfect out there. Today is going to be much the same, and I am going to have a very hard time staying inside. I may have to sneak out there for a while.

I am not sure how today is going to work for me? I do have to run to town to get a few minor groceries... I also have to go to the meat market to pick up our meat order from last week.

Since I didn't set one foot in my sewing room yesterday - I need to get up there today and work like crazy.

Ideally, I would like to go up there right away... Get my custom order finished this morning... Then I can work on my auction bag tomorrow morning. That would leave me this afternoon to run a few errands and go to the meat market.

Oh, and finally - last night, Josh took me for a Jeep ride... With MM... It was wonderful... Sunny and glorious out.

I do not have an update on my uncle today. If they post one later, I will post it here.

I hope you all have a marvelous day! Sending out prayers and good thoughts to all of you.

D~

 

[Chicago Mo]

It was 58° out yesterday.. way too cold.. today is 45°
so pack for ALL weather.

 

[kbarrett]

Poor Alli! I've had psoriasis since 12 and PA since 28 and it can be so frustrating! I've about done it all and am about to start enbrel in a few weeks. I suggest an anti inflammatory diet it will really he'll her and she can lean more toward her vegetarian tendencies. Green tea is huge helper for me and cutting out artificial sweeteners will make a huge difference (I am still working on that one, I love u diet coke!). It is an autoimmune disease so you're on the money on the whole disease thing and the better she can control the flare ups the easier on her body it will be! I wish I'd have know more about it when I was younger I could've saved myself so much heartache (and body aches!)

Sent from my Nexus 7 using DISBoards

 

[Terkina]

I hope you can get Alli to start eating some meat again. It was a good thing that she got to hear from her Dr. that she should avoid wheat because she never would have listen to you if you said it.

I hope you get a lot done in your sewing room today

 

[lovedonaldduck]

I hope Alli will choose to change her diet in a way that will be good for her overall health. The beginning of summer break sounds like a great time to try something new.

I have got to make some changes to my diet. I find myself making lots of bad decisions lately and justifying it with my stress level, or having a bad day or some other poor me excuse. I am stuck in a rut!

Good luck with your errands and sewing room today! I don't think I'd be able to resist the temptations for not working while working from home if I did it day after day. I think Chicago will be a nice break for you and when you get home you will have recharged just enough to get you through your final push on auction bags.

Sounds like a great Chicago itinerary! It will definitely not be enough time, it never really is when you get together with good friends that you don't see often enough

Have a great day and a fabulous long weekend! With it being a long weekend, I may have time to DIS but I am usually MIA on the weekends.

 

[DMGeurts]

Posted by his sister on FB this morning.

This morning's update from CaringBridge:
The EEG results are back and the results are heartbreaking. Harold's brain wave were at the "Delta" range, which means low brain activity. He is not breathing on his own and totally dependent on the ventilator. Last night his left side leg and arm was more active than it had been before. During the night Harold followed one command for the first time since last Saturday! The nurse and I both gasped when he squeezed her hand. Later on during the night, Harold followed another command by squeezing her had twice and moved his foot! While we are encouraged by these latest improvements, we are being guarded. His pupils are still fixed and he is on a vent. He has an infection but they cannot find the source of it.
Our family wants to take time to thank everyone for their prayers and kind words! Thank you to whoever mowed Harold's lawn, those who stopped by to see him, and for the food and cards. The support has been truely amazing!


I will echo my family's sentiments... THANK YOU for any and all prayers for my uncle...

This is the most recent photo I can find of him on my computer... I know I have more, just don't know where they would be on here right now... This was taken in the late 80's - Harold is on the far right... And in case you are interested, my mom was still alive for this picture, so she is sitting in the chair on the left.

D~

 

[NiniMorris]

Poor Alli! I've had psoriasis since 12 and PA since 28 and it can be so frustrating! I've about done it all and am about to start enbrel in a few weeks. I suggest an anti inflammatory diet it will really he'll her and she can lean more toward her vegetarian tendencies. Green tea is huge helper for me and cutting out artificial sweeteners will make a huge difference (I am still working on that one, I love u diet coke!). It is an autoimmune disease so you're on the money on the whole disease thing and the better she can control the flare ups the easier on her body it will be! I wish I'd have know more about it when I was younger I could've saved myself so much heartache (and body aches!)

Sent from my Nexus 7 using DISBoards

I agree! PA is the pitts! I was diagnosed with JA when I was 6, but the doctors were never comfortable with that diagnosis. When I was in my twenties my doctor said I had outgrown it and they had no idea why I was still hurting. It wasn't until I was in my early 30's that I got the diagnosis of PA. We now know that is what I had all along. (as well as both my mom and grand father) Knowing that your diet can have such a MAJOR impact on it makes me feel more in control. Of course, when I was first diagnosed with it it was basically unheard of...but there are so many meds out now.

Good luck on your Enbrel! I was one of the early test cases of it. It has made such a difference in my life!

Nini

 

[sewmess]

So - quick catch up while I tried to remember what, exactly, I was supposed to be doing here at work (I remembered and after this, it's off to run reports - doesn't that sound exciting)

Well, you may have been restrained in the Dr's office when the Wheat Bad talk was being held, but I did the seated happy dance for you while I read it! I have been so bad for the past week; I had a cold, got laryngitis and just ate what we had, which was less than good.

The Mickey Bag is epic! Perfectly simple!

I will be waiting in breathless anticipation for the epic DisMeet in Chicago pictures that I know will show up when you all get together.

Well, these reports won't run them selves (unfortunately )

 

[jedimeg16]

The Disney exhibit at MSI is fantastic! We went last month and loved it.

I'm so glad the temperatures are starting to get warmer - Ian's class had a field trip to the Racine Zoo and it was chilly but sunny when we got there but warmed up quickly.

And continued prayers for your uncle.

 

[Wood Nymph]

What a great doctor visit that was. And congratulations on staying quiet. But you must have been doing a major happy dance inside.

There are a lot of gluten free foods that will let Ali have many choices. Even my husband prefers gluten free waffles and the really good gf French rolls to the wheat version. And he isn 't gf.

 

[DMGeurts]

It was 58° out yesterday.. way too cold.. today is 45°
so pack for ALL weather.

What??? Um... OK. Well, I am packing capris & shorts... Tanks, tees and a Sweatshirt... Wearing my jean jacket down. And, of course, my obligatory flip-flops.

Poor Alli! I've had psoriasis since 12 and PA since 28 and it can be so frustrating! I've about done it all and am about to start enbrel in a few weeks. I suggest an anti inflammatory diet it will really he'll her and she can lean more toward her vegetarian tendencies. Green tea is huge helper for me and cutting out artificial sweeteners will make a huge difference (I am still working on that one, I love u diet coke!). It is an autoimmune disease so you're on the money on the whole disease thing and the better she can control the flare ups the easier on her body it will be! I wish I'd have know more about it when I was younger I could've saved myself so much heartache (and body aches!)

Sent from my Nexus 7 using DISBoards

Thanks for telling me this... I sure hope the change in diet helps. Yesterday was day one, and I could tell that she was starving all day. Which, I don't understand... Wheat and bread items are really not that filling - I mean, they are, but they don't stay with a person long at all. She would be a lot more satisfied if she ate some meat. I hope she sticks with it... We are planning to work on a few recipes this weekend - hopefully that helps her and she is able to find some really great "staple" meals that keep her satisfied.

I hope the embrel helps you.

I hope you can get Alli to start eating some meat again. It was a good thing that she got to hear from her Dr. that she should avoid wheat because she never would have listen to you if you said it.

I hope you get a lot done in your sewing room today

Thanks Lillian. So true... I am also glad the Dr. said it and not me - you are right, she never would have listened had I said it. LOL

I hope Alli will choose to change her diet in a way that will be good for her overall health. The beginning of summer break sounds like a great time to try something new.

I hope so too... She was surfing Pinterest a little bit yesterday, and found a few recipes she would like to try... I hope to take some time this weekend and do some cooking with her. Maybe if we are both doing it together, it will help her to stay on track? I hope...

I have got to make some changes to my diet. I find myself making lots of bad decisions lately and justifying it with my stress level, or having a bad day or some other poor me excuse. I am stuck in a rut!

I wish I could say something to help you out, it really is a battle every day. I try really hard not to snack in between meals, but the hardest time for me is right before dinner (usually while I am making it)... I either force myself to wait, or I allow myself something healthy... One of my favorites is slicing an apple, and sprinkling it with cinnamon... It's good for you... Not too many calories when you know you have a meal coming... and it feels indulgent - very similar to apple pie.

Good luck with your errands and sewing room today! I don't think I'd be able to resist the temptations for not working while working from home if I did it day after day. I think Chicago will be a nice break for you and when you get home you will have recharged just enough to get you through your final push on auction bags.

I did really well on my errands and in my sewing room yesterday - I was able to get everything done that I needed to. However, I did get some news about my dad at the end of the day, which led me to ending my day early. Sigh.

Sounds like a great Chicago itinerary! It will definitely not be enough time, it never really is when you get together with good friends that you don't see often enough

Have a great day and a fabulous long weekend! With it being a long weekend, I may have time to DIS but I am usually MIA on the weekends.

Exactly... I am very much looking forward to it! I hope you have a nice weekend too.

I agree! PA is the pitts! I was diagnosed with JA when I was 6, but the doctors were never comfortable with that diagnosis. When I was in my twenties my doctor said I had outgrown it and they had no idea why I was still hurting. It wasn't until I was in my early 30's that I got the diagnosis of PA. We now know that is what I had all along. (as well as both my mom and grand father) Knowing that your diet can have such a MAJOR impact on it makes me feel more in control. Of course, when I was first diagnosed with it it was basically unheard of...but there are so many meds out now.

Good luck on your Enbrel! I was one of the early test cases of it. It has made such a difference in my life!

Nini

Hi Nini! It's great to see you back, I hope you had a great trip! I am glad that you finally have the correct diagnosis, and the embrel has helped you. Alli is so young, both the Dr. and I are very hesitant to start her on any meds - both of us would rather see her change her diet first to see if that offers any relief... Hopefully it does.

So - quick catch up while I tried to remember what, exactly, I was supposed to be doing here at work (I remembered and after this, it's off to run reports - doesn't that sound exciting)

Well, you may have been restrained in the Dr's office when the Wheat Bad talk was being held, but I did the seated happy dance for you while I read it! I have been so bad for the past week; I had a cold, got laryngitis and just ate what we had, which was less than good.

The Mickey Bag is epic! Perfectly simple!

I will be waiting in breathless anticipation for the epic DisMeet in Chicago pictures that I know will show up when you all get together.

Well, these reports won't run them selves (unfortunately)

Hi Ruth! Hahaha... Thanks for the happy dance... Believe me - I was doing it quietly in my chair. I was just so HAPPY to hear her Dr. be a forward thinking Dr. and up on her current studies... And that was her dermatologist... Her regular Dr. is not this way - still recommending Alli be on a low-fat Conventional Wisdom diet... I will be sure to tell her regular Dr. the next time we see her, that the Standard American Diet is not recommended by her dermatologist and the reasons why... Maybe she will dig further into some more recent research about the topic?

I hope you are feeling better and able to get back into the swing of things. I know it's so hard! But I KNOW you can do it!

Me too - I am so excited about Chicago! It's going to be a lot of fun!

Hope you were able to finish your reports. And have a nice holiday weekend.

The Disney exhibit at MSI is fantastic! We went last month and loved it.

I'm so glad the temperatures are starting to get warmer - Ian's class had a field trip to the Racine Zoo and it was chilly but sunny when we got there but warmed up quickly.

And continued prayers for your uncle.

Cool! I am very excited to see it! We all did the :whoohoo: when we found out it was staying... totally changed our itinerary so we could see it.

Oooh - I hope it stays warmer for while we are there... I do not plan to bring anything warmer than capris.... I am still on strike from winter and have no desire to wear warm clothes at the moment.

Thank you for the prayers for my uncle, it means a lot to me!

What a great doctor visit that was. And congratulations on staying quiet. But you must have been doing a major happy dance inside.

There are a lot of gluten free foods that will let Ali have many choices. Even my husband prefers gluten free waffles and the really good gf French rolls to the wheat version. And he isn 't gf.

Thanks Sue... Yah - Hahaha... I was definately jumping out of my skin, as inconspiculously as I could. LOL

That's good to know... I didn't really see anything when I was shopping yesterday, but our local stores are much smaller, and if I go further into the suburbs, I have more of a selection. So, I will look there the next time I shop.

**********************************************************

Yesterday was a busy day for me... I worked in my sewing room for a few hours in the morning... Then I ran to town, did my errands, stopped at the meat market on my way home...

Guess what... Not a cloud in the sky... I just couldn't resist. Yup, threw on my swimsuit and layed out in the sun for a while. It sure didn't take long though, it was super hot - no breeze - and I started to burn rather quickly.

So, back to my sewing room I went.

While I was up there, I received a phone call from my brother's foster-mom... She had been trying to reach my dad all week, and not having any luck. Sigh... I had been trying to reach him too, and he wasn't returning my calls either. I told her, he just must not be checking his machine, because if something was wrong, someone would have called me. So, I wasn't worried at all. Both her and I decided we would continue calling him, and one of us would have to catch him at some point. I told her to text me if she got in touch with him.

About an hour later... She called me back. She said this news warrented a call, and she couldn't just text it. He told her that he had been in the hospital since Monday, for pneumonia! WHAT????!!!!!!!!!!! How could it be, that he had been in this hospital for 5 DAYS and not one of us received a call from anyone? I am his emergency contact, and after what happened last winter - I've triple checked this with his Assisted Living home, the Hospital and his Dr... Not only that, but Jonathan's foster-mom is his second point of contact. Neither of us have received calls at all! I have NO missed calls at all this whole week. Nothing! I am so very angry about this... I just cannot even go into it here. I am just so sad for my dad... He has a fear of me just "putting him in a home and leaving him there" and here he is in the hospital for 5 days and not a word from me - or anyone else. So... In a hospital... 5 days... No cards, no phone calls, no visitors, no one advocating for his care. The icing on the cake... He was in the SAME hospital my uncle is in... My dad would have had visitors upon visitors upon visitors... I am just SOOOO ANGRY!

Last night, his charge nurse finally called me back... She claimed that she was "off that day" and didn't know I hadn't been called. Not an acceptable excuse at all, IMO. She should have called me herself just to double check. So, I ripped into her... I am normally a very calm person, but Josh was sitting right there with me, and he told me after I hung up, that he has never seen me so mad in my life. And he's seen me pretty mad before... Anyways... I told his nurse, first off, she better march straight up to my Dad's apartment and apologize, and also explain that THEY dropped the ball and are the reason no one was there for him. Secondly, I told her that I want this incident documented in his chart, and a copy mailed to me. Thirdly, I want it documented inside AND outside of his chart that I am to be called for ANY reason, and it better be documented who called and when. Finally, I will be sending a letter of complaint to the administration at the home and anyone else I need to send a letter to (I have a call into someone right now, who would know who I need to contact...).

I am so angry and frustrated... I have spent the last several months proving to my Dad that I wasn't going to put him in a home and abandon him... And there he was, in the hospital, with NO ONE. I would have dropped everything in instant.

So, Change in plans for the weekend... Josh and I are headed up to my Dad's this morning. I need to check on him to make sure he is OK. Afterwards, we are headed to the hospital to visit my Uncle... I talked to my aunt yesterday (one of his sisters) and he is still in a coma - although it hasn't been medically induced for 3 days now... So, it may be more of a visiting the family who is visiting him.

ETA: Last night's entry from Pam and CaringBridge:
Harold showed some progress today by following some commands! He was able to nod his head when the nurse asked him if he could open his eyes. (he tried to open his eyes but he just raised his eyebrow) He also squeezed his left hand when directed to do so (some of the times). Even the "Reuter shake" was back in his left foot! The doctors were optimistic; we're so excited. The neurosurgeon saw some seizure activity on his EEG so he is giving Harold some anti-seizure medicine. Probably that's why Harold is moving more than he has in the past week. The ICU doctor said the decreased brain activity shown on the EEG could be the result of the swelling and brain bleed. They will need to wait until the swelling is gone before getting a more accurate picture. In the past two days, they have drained an additional 700 ml (about 2 pop cans) of blood/spinal fluid off his brain! Harold is still running a fever but it isn't as high as it was yesterday. They do not know what is causing his infection.
Oh, if you stop by Harold's room, you will see that his sisters were trying to help him. They hung an IV bottle of Mountain Dew to energize him. I think the Dew is working!
Keep praying for a miracle! God is good!


We are planning to take the top off the Jeep and having a nice road trip though - so that will make the hours on the road more fun.

I better get a move on it today. I hope you all have a nice holiday weekend. Sending out prayers to all who have requested them.

D~

 

[nowellsl]

Wow, That's just crazy! So sorry that the assisted living place dropped the ball! I definitely would feel the same way! I hope your dad is feeling better, is he home now? I'll pick him up a card today! Have a safe trip and tell him his DIS friends are praying for him!

 

[jedimeg16]

You have every right to be angry at the assisted living facility and everyone else who dropped the ball last week! I would be furious too! But I'm glad that you can visit him this weekend and see your uncle and other family members too.

Part of the reason we went to the exhibit the weekend we did was because it was the last time we could make it together as a family before the original closing date, so until you posted that you guys are going I didn't even know it had been extended. The Animation Academy at the end is fun - it's just like at the DHS, but with a slight science twist to still make it educational.

We have a spring party with a local Mom's group this morning, and then we will probably be helping a family from church tear down an old shed in their backyard. A busybody in their neighborhood must have reported the condition of the shed to the city because you can't see it from the street, but if they don't tear it down by the 27th they will be fined $700 per day until it is gone.

 

[MeeskaMomma]

Sorry to hear about your dad. I am mad for you! That is infuriating.

I am so glad to hear your Uncle is making progress. It brings me back to when my sister was waking up from a coma, the process is soooo painfully slow. An eye blink one day, a finger movement the next, each step gives you hope and also fear, that this may be as good as it gets, but hang in there and keep praying. If it helps my sister went from very low brain activity, she will probably never wake up to almost a full recovery. She just had a little limp when she is tired and some speech problems remain, but she is working and a wife and a mom now and living life. :: and prayers!

 

[Terkina]

I can't belive they didn't call you when your dad was in hospital. You have every right to be angry and I hope the right persons get the message that you are angry at them and that they need to do a better job.

 

[BabyRapunzel]

Wow. Sorry to hear about your dad. I would've been upset too. But you were collected enough to spell out what you wanted. So good job there!! Hopefully they get it together. My mom is doing much better now. So it was definitely the anesthesia and the multiple drugs they gave her after to counteract this and that. She is bruised, but is moving around well and able to take care of my grandpa. I was over today and grandpa gets out of breath, so he asked me to shave him. I was scared, never done it before. But it turned out ok. And no cuts!! I have a ton of paperwork to do and left most of it at the school. So now my window to finish it just got much shorter. I'm so upset I did this. I had other papers and so just didn't realize I didn't have them. Uhhhggg. Hope you had a good visit with your dad!!! And your uncle is still in my prayers.

 

[NiniMorris]

You know, this whole thing with your dad is really making me angry! As well as a bit scared for my Dad.

He turns 80 this year (and my step mother is not far behind him) He still works 5 days a week at a Senior center (where he considers himself working with old people!) He is still in great health, despite having a heart problem that has to be checked with an overnight hospital stay twice a year...but my step mother is not in very good health.

He lives about 2 hours from me in South GA. When the time to make sure they have a safe home to live in comes...it will not be in my power to have a say in it. Family dynamics being what they are...


Having peace of mind is the only reason we consider things for our family. Take that away and what is the use? I'm sorry you had to go through this. I am thinking my first call may have been to an attorney...mainly because that sometimes lets them know you mean business.

Hugs and prayers!

Nini

 

[DMGeurts]

Wow, That's just crazy! So sorry that the assisted living place dropped the ball! I definitely would feel the same way! I hope your dad is feeling better, is he home now? I'll pick him up a card today! Have a safe trip and tell him his DIS friends are praying for him!

Thank you Stephanie... Yes, he is home now. I will do an update - with a few pictures below. These prayers mean the world to me - thank you.

You have every right to be angry at the assisted living facility and everyone else who dropped the ball last week! I would be furious too! But I'm glad that you can visit him this weekend and see your uncle and other family members too.

My mind is still trying to wrap around how the ball was dropped in the first place - you know? I just can't seem to comprehend how it could have been dropped by so many people... Not only the ASL, but the hospital should have called, and furthermore - I forgot to ask him - but how did he get home and who was he released to? It continues to just blow my mind, how someone could be in a hospital for 5 days and noone knows about it. Was he coherent enough, when he was first admitted, to advocate for his own care? I am just baffled... To me, this was inhumane. I am certain that they took good care of him - it's a good hospital - I have many family/friends that work there, both girls were born there... but still - how could they not call anyone?

Part of the reason we went to the exhibit the weekend we did was because it was the last time we could make it together as a family before the original closing date, so until you posted that you guys are going I didn't even know it had been extended. The Animation Academy at the end is fun - it's just like at the DHS, but with a slight science twist to still make it educational.

I am very excited about this! Do you feel that it's an all day thing? Or several hours? Just curious - how long it would take 4 of the "biggest Disney fans ever" to go through this.

We have a spring party with a local Mom's group this morning, and then we will probably be helping a family from church tear down an old shed in their backyard. A busybody in their neighborhood must have reported the condition of the shed to the city because you can't see it from the street, but if they don't tear it down by the 27th they will be fined $700 per day until it is gone.

Yikes! I hope they are able to get it down in time! Good luck!

Sorry to hear about your dad. I am mad for you! That is infuriating.

Thank you... It's very disheartening... And now, this place where I really thought we had something good for him, I am not so sure about it anymore.

am so glad to hear your Uncle is making progress. It brings me back to when my sister was waking up from a coma, the process is soooo painfully slow. An eye blink one day, a finger movement the next, each step gives you hope and also fear, that this may be as good as it gets, but hang in there and keep praying. If it helps my sister went from very low brain activity, she will probably never wake up to almost a full recovery. She just had a little limp when she is tired and some speech problems remain, but she is working and a wife and a mom now and living life. and prayers!

It seems like there is some progress, but every day that goes by, it seems there is a lesser chance of recovery. But our prayers continue. What a heart warming blessing with you sister, it gives me hope that Harold has a chance.

I can't belive they didn't call you when your dad was in hospital. You have every right to be angry and I hope the right persons get the message that you are angry at them and that they need to do a better job.

THank you Lillian... I am still so emotional about this. I am just sad for my dad - because he is the one who was there for 5 days, and no one knew it.

Wow. Sorry to hear about your dad. I would've been upset too. But you were collected enough to spell out what you wanted. So good job there!! Hopefully they get it together. My mom is doing much better now. So it was definitely the anesthesia and the multiple drugs they gave her after to counteract this and that. She is bruised, but is moving around well and able to take care of my grandpa. I was over today and grandpa gets out of breath, so he asked me to shave him. I was scared, never done it before. But it turned out ok. And no cuts!! I have a ton of paperwork to do and left most of it at the school. So now my window to finish it just got much shorter. I'm so upset I did this. I had other papers and so just didn't realize I didn't have them. Uhhhggg. Hope you had a good visit with your dad!!! And your uncle is still in my prayers.

Yes, it is so upsetting.

I am very relieved to hear that your mom is doing better. That is wonderful news!

Great job shaving your grandpa... I am not sure that is something I could do? Bravo!

Oh no about your school paperwork... I sure hope you are able to get it finished on time!

You know, this whole thing with your dad is really making me angry! As well as a bit scared for my Dad.

He turns 80 this year (and my step mother is not far behind him) He still works 5 days a week at a Senior center (where he considers himself working with old people!) He is still in great health, despite having a heart problem that has to be checked with an overnight hospital stay twice a year...but my step mother is not in very good health.

He lives about 2 hours from me in South GA. When the time to make sure they have a safe home to live in comes...it will not be in my power to have a say in it. Family dynamics being what they are...


Having peace of mind is the only reason we consider things for our family. Take that away and what is the use? I'm sorry you had to go through this. I am thinking my first call may have been to an attorney...mainly because that sometimes lets them know you mean business.

Hugs and prayers!

Nini

THanks Nini... It's just so shocking and disheartening to me, and it makes me sick. Truly it does. I just don't understand how SO MANY people can drop the same ball... If the ASL didn't call, the hospital should have - at some point, you know? I am just baffled that he was even released into his own care... HOw did he get the 25 miles back to his apartment? Did he just sign himself out and take a cab? I doubt it - someone had to have driven him. I just don't get it. I forgot to ask him yesterday how he got home... I will call him today and ask him then. Sigh. So frustrating!

**********************************************************

So, Josh and I left yesterday morning for our road trip... It was a gorgeous sunny day, with out a cloud in sight... The top was down on the Jeep and our music was loud.

We decided to take all back roads - it was a lot of fun. With the top down, it seems like you see more than just normal driving. I loved every moment.

We arrived at my Dad's just as he was at lunch, so I met him in the dining room... He was very happy to see me, however, I could tell that he was "off".

Although - he had a surprise for me... So, he took Josh and I outside to show us...

Lookie... He has his own garden plot!!! Isn't this awesome?

So, had we known, we would have brought plants from our own garden for him, but we didn't know... So, Josh took the Jeep around town for about an hour and purchased a bunch of gardening supplies for him... When he came back, my Dad planted his garden...

This was just so adorable to me! My Dad has lived in apartments, pretty much, his entire adult life - so, it's been a rare thing for him to have a garden. I think this is WONDERFUL!

So, in spending time with my Dad yesterday... He is feeling much better, and he looks much better... But he was definitely groggy and slightly "out of it"... I left him that he would promise to rest and drink water... I hope he did. The nurse, the night before, assured me that he is only on antibiotics - so it's not meds making him groggy. But he definitely wasn't himself. I plan to call him this morning and try to guage if he's feeling better. I am not sure I trust the ASL, at this time, to make that determination for me.

After my Dad's, we drove to the hospital to see my uncle. I knew what I would see when I walked into his room, but it's still so very sad to see him that way. As one of the youngest of my aunts/uncles - you expect that person to be one of the last that this sort of thing would happen to... So, it's quite shocking that he is one of the first. We didn't stay in his room very long... I don't do well in hospital situations like this, and no one else was in there at the time, so I felt a bit awkward/intruding. As we were walking out, we stopped in the family lounge, where we found his long-time fiancee - so we stayed and visited with her for a good hour. It was a nice visit, despite the circumstances.

Upon driving out of the parking ramp for the hospital, we saw my aunt walking in... So we pulled over in the ramp and visited with her for another half hour. It was great to see her and catch up...

At this time, it was about 3pm, and Josh and I hadn't had breakfast or lunch. We made the executive decision to just eat the meat sticks I had packed in my cooler, and head for home... So, that's what we did.

Again, top down, we took the back roads... It was a wonderful and fun drive. We didn't consult a map at all... We just took roads that either went south or east... It was a lot of fun to go, and not know where we were going - just enjoying the ride.

We had left-overs for dinner... and we were so tired, we went straight to bed.

I had to share a fun (but blurry) picture of Josh and I, the other night, on the swing. It's a bit blurry (and small) because V took it with her phone, but I think you can kind of make it out.

I will be back in a few minutes to post our Day 5 plans.

I hope that all of you are having a wonderful holiday weekend. Sending out prayers and pixie dust to all who need it!

D~