A Good Day!

Hello people!

We have had a much better day. Just a small "owie" on my shin. I was in a war with the critter explosion we've been experiencing around here and wasn't paying attention and ran into a brick wall that I had not planned on stepping over but ended up going over it. I just hope that my neighbors weren't watching. The shin is hurt, but my pride is really bruised!  I figure this is much better than a snake bite or scorpion sting. Never have had either and don't plan to. I got distracted while spraying around the house. I sprayed and sprayed and sprayed. I am so paranoid, now that I am stomping on anything that isn't suppose to be on the floor. (It's the bifocals). And I'm slapping little twinges I feel or think I feel, just knowing that I have a huge scorpion with snake fangs crawling on me. jeez !!! But I'd rather be safe than sorry, so I'll just keep stomping and slapping!!!

My brother is now in Seguin at Guadalupe Valley Nursing and Rehab. He will be there at least 2 weeks. He was transported today by ambulance. His tests from yesterday came back okay. He sounds like he is really laboring for each breath.  My sister had to leave today to check with her dr. She has polymyalgia (?sp) and it is starting to flare up. She is planning on coming back when Bill is back home. She has always come to our rescue when we needed help.

She also helps others with dog sitting, but WARNING!!! Your dog will never be the same. She spoils them rotten and then when she's around they totally ignore their masters.

Home healthcare nurse came today to check Joel. He got an "A".  Lungs sounded clear. All vitals & incision were good. The one thing that is bothering him is the blood pressure dropping when he first gets up. But the nurse told him to hang on to something when he first stands. He sees the dr. Mon. so he may be in for a med. change that may help. 

We've not gotten an update on Brayden. Hoping no news is good news.

We got a call about our friend, Chuck. His surgery for the melanoma was changed to yesterday and it was in one of the two lymph nodes. He will find out next week what the plan is. Please keep him in prayer.

I sure do appreciate all the responses to my updates, rants, comments, "news", etc. All comes for extreme boredom. But I do enjoy it. Just can't believe some of the stuff that I've said. How boring for y'all!

Love and Prayers to all!

Suzie

Unbelievable Update

My day started out wonderful! I got up on time, got ready for work, fixed Joel's breakfast and lunch and headed out the door. It was wonderful to get out of the house and I got to work with a teacher that loves to help kids. I didn't even mind lunch room duty. Just seeing all the kids was wonderful.

Joel made it through the day just fine. He said that he did get lonely. (No one to talk to.)

Now that's funny, if you know Joel very well. HE DOESN'T TALK MUCH AT ALL!!!!!

I told him that he had our dog here to talk to but he said that she'd slept all day. (We are at the age that our dog is our "baby".)

We got a surprise in the mail that made both of us cry. God is SO good. We really are blown away by all of the love that is being shown to us. Joel has always been so good at helping others and having a big heart, but has a hard time accepting it. He's never done things to get things back. Thank you for loving us!

My brother is still in the hospital. They were running some tests thinking that he may have fluid building up around the heart. He's just not coming along now like he seemed to have been at first.  He's showing more anger, removed his monitors and arm bands.

He has been getting cards. THANK YOU THANK YOU

While I've gotten so many people praying, please add one of our good friends to your prayer lists. His name is Chuck and he will be having surgery this coming Fri. on his arm for a Melanoma cancer.

Now......as you noticed, I started this off with saying that my day STARTED out wonderful. It's not over yet, but it sure has turned into one of my "Lucy" days.  REALLY.... no one can make this up! And for those that really know me....they can believe it. ONLY Me.....would this all happen to in a matter of a few hours.

I went walking with my sister and sister-in-law and just slipped on a pair of flip-flops, take the dog on her leash, and walk until it starts getting dark. I start up the drive and I stop to take the leash off, which I did and then she jumps which gets my attention, and THERE'S A SNAKE!!!!  Scared the bejeebers out of me! I could not believe it. Really???? A scorpion last night & snake tonight????? And me in flip-flop shoes.

I wasn't impressed at all, but tried to take a deep breath, remembering that God had just showed me a couple of hours prior how He takes care of us. Still gave me the creeps and made me question.....WHY?????????????????????? I really HATE! HATE! HATE! HATE! snakes.  And scorpions are right up there with that STRONG feeling. chills!!!

Sad to say, the story doesn't end there.  After the snake is no more, my son finds another scorpion on a rock. I take another deep breath and am thankful the darn thing is outside this time.

Now the story can't stop there. NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! About 20 mins. after all the hoopla outside, Joel kills another scorpion crawling across the living room floor. OH MY GOSH!!!!  I've now taken so many deep breaths that I'm dizzy.  Obviously, none of us are walking around barefooted. 

Keep reading, it's still not over.....About 15 mins after the last scorpion encounter, our son opens the back door and announces that our dog has a problem......she'd found a skunk! She didn't get a direct "hit" (this time) , but enough that I had to stop everything, mix up a formula to bathe her in. Then clean up that mess. Fortunately, I had everything on hand since she'd gotten sprayed twice a couple of yrs. ago. You'd think she'd learn!

I REALLY hate scorpions and snakes sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much! I can't think of one good thought about either.  I just get the creeps. No one got bit or stung, & for that I am thankful. That is the only thing I can say positive.

Now I'm trying to figure out how to sleep tonight. I just killed a spider scurrying across the floor. Maybe I am asleep and this is all a dream. ha! I wished!!!!

We will be spraying and spraying and spraying tomorrow. I'd get a few dozen cats to keep away the snakes, but my dog keeps away the cats. so..... I wonder if living in a high rise apt. would be snake, scorpion and skunk free? Sounds like it would be worth a try.

Thanks again for letting me use all y'all as my therapist. I appreciate all the comments and encouragement. Please keep Joel, Bill, and Chuck lifted in prayer.

Love and Prayers to all!

Suzie

Updates

Joel is 2 wks. out from his surgery and my brother is 1 wk. We've been waiting all day for my brother to be transported to a rehabilitation center here in Seguin. (The hurry up and wait game). Joel was seen by the home health care nurse and is doing good. He has a little bit of fluid in the lower left lung, so is working on some extra exercises which will also get the oxygen levels up. They were around 93. I catch myself taking in the deep breaths and holding them when he is doing it. I don't think that this really helps him, but hey.....I'll try anything to get things moving.

I was right about the day being good! We had a nice surprise lunch with Mary Ann Norris and Jerry. Both have gone through the same surgery as Joel's and were so encouraging about his progress and what to expect. They were very clear on having to follow the docs. orders, too.  So glad that we ran into them while out getting more meds!  I feel like we are running a small pharmacy. But it really is a huge blessing that we are able to go get them when needed.

We received a package from our daughter that was full of different salt-free spices from a spice company called Penzeys. They have the BEST spices ever. Worth looking up on line!

My favorite is the Vietnamese Cinnamon. The best ever!!!!!! I didn't know there were so many spices in the world until we visited one of their stores.  Can't wait to use what she sent.  I've always been a salt & pepper cooker and when I felt brave, I'd grab the garlic powder.  All my kids are wonderful cooks and use all kinds of spices. Makes things that I don't like, likeable.

Brayden is now out of the hospital and got the drain tube out. They left the hole open to heal....ouch!!! I can't imagine trying to keep a 7 month old from messing with it.

My brother called me at 8:30 this morning and sounded so good. He said the transfusion made him feel so much better. He is still waiting on being transferred to a rehab. unit in Seguin. They were waiting on insurance stuff.........grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I will update on where he will be. Carol (my sister) said that he was showing anger/depression today. We will try to visit him as much as possible but not to interfere with his rehab. He really needs to work on that.

Now the kicker for the day, actually tomorrow............. I am going to go sub. yipeeeeeeee!

I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited  I've checked and double checked with Joel about how he feels, etc. He doesn't go upstairs, yet, so that won't be a worry. The school is 3 mi. from the house. I will have his lunch ready, fix him a breakfast before I leave, and zoom home as soon as school is out.  He said that it would be fine.  I will have my cell phone on me the whole time.  I can't believe that I am this excited about having to get up so early in the morning, but I am.

I will update again tomorrow.

Love and Prayers to all!

Suzie

p.s. I do have a "whine" for the day.....we just killed a scorpion in the bedroom. THOSE CREEPY THINGS ARE SO NOT ON MY LIKE ONE LITTLE BIT LIST!!!!!! YUK YUK YUK

I'm Lifted!

I opened my emails this morning and was soooooooooooo blessed with an emotional & very love filled message from my nephew, that I have adored his whole life, a great poem from one of Joel's co-workers, one from my favorite cousin, and several "hellos" and encouragements to keep updating.

It's gonna be a good day!!!!!!

Updates to come..... here's the poem that Jessica sent us. GREAT!!!! Thank you Jessica!

IT’S SO EASY

It’s so easy to gripe and complain

To dwell on your sorrows or maybe your pain

To start everyday with a feeling so blue

Wondering why life is unfair to you

It’s also so easy to feel all alone

To think no one else knows the heartache you’ve known

It’s easy to look in the mirror and see

A person whose luck is as bad as can be

But looking at things in a whole other light

Can make all your problems seem ever so light

If you start every day with a really big smile

If you do what you need to with grace and with style

If you think how much worse that your life could have been

If you take just one frown and turn it into a grin

If you see someone else who’s much worse off than you

Yet they seem to be happy, that should give you a clue

How easy it is to forget what we’ve got

To dwell almost always on what we have not

But practicing how to be thankful for things

Makes it easy to face life and all that it brings

I’m not saying it’s easy to hold up your chin

To not feel discouraged and throw the towel in

But counting your blessings instead of your woes

Brings new comfort and hope to your life, Heaven knows

Find something good about every new day

Find something positive that you can say

No matter how trivial, little or small

Even if you think it’s not much at all

A small thing today and another tomorrow

Will add up and grow till it lightens your sorrow

Each day becomes easier and then you’ll see

A smile in the place where a frown used to be

AMAZING / update

First thing I want to say is that GOD IS AMAZING!

I am really surprised that more of you aren't just hitting the delete button when a post pops up from me. But then some of you are either as bored as I, or you are in such disbelief at the mess (or as my husband calls it...my Lucy moments) I can get involved in. (M.E.S.S. were my initials growing up.....go figure) BUT hopefully, you are tuning in to see how God is taking care of us and working in our lives.

Of course, I can't tell y'all anything straight up, I HAVE to chase a few rabbits. This may be where you want to go ahead and hit the delete button.....................you still have time.................................

......okay, you were warned.

I got up this morning with a very sore mouth due to a canker sore on the roof of my mouth and thought "great! something else to whine about".(and I did....everything makes it hurt)

Then "whine #2" came when Joel told me that he has a tooth bothering him, so I called the dentist

"whine #3" - we have to call the heart dr to tell us when the soonest is he can be treated,

"whine #4" - We discovered the truck tags were expired and I had to run go do that.

"whine #5" - I can't eat jello without wearing a lot of it......red jello, at that.

"whine #6" - the traffic was ridiculously slow moving, (to my liking);

"whine" #7 - the dr. never called us back and now the office is closed,

"whine #8 - we get a notice that our dog's vaccinations are due, and the property taxes arrive"
.....get the picture? ????

These are every day NORMAL happenings  and I am letting every little thing bother me and it seems to be volumes bigger than it really is. These are "things" that would usually just be stepped over or blown off as "oh, well, life is such". Why am I letting things, so petty, get to me? I AM HUMAN!!!!!!!  I'm tired, bored, worried, etc, etc. But one thing that I've discovered is....these things really cause me to pray. To stop and meditate on what it is that God is trying to teach me. Apparently, I am a slow learner and/or stubborn because it takes me awhile to get to that point. sad!!!

My whines continued as the day went on.

Whine, whine, whine.......

I was on a pity-party cruise and, to my embarrassment, not stopping to pray and ask God to make me aware of the blessings that I do have. (That should be MANY blessings.) I got way too comfortable in my wallowing today and thought that I'd just stay in that mood.

Not at all helpful or productive to anyone.

WHY, WHY, WHY, God chose to bless me even bigger today right in the middle of my snippy, ugly, selfish mood, is most AMAZING!

While we'd gone to go get the truck tags, a precious friend left a very generous gift stuck in our door.  Our utilities are taken care of this month!!!!!  Last week we received grocery money from another precious friend. Deserving??? NO! Grateful? ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!! Thank you my sweet friends and thank you God! 

I hate that I got into such a snit. That I let my guard down That I would rather wallow in self-pity.  Shame on me!  Maybe all of y'all should send me a daily email asking me if I'd thought about and registered in my brain my blessings.

Joel is doing well. Still gets a little winded, but he's up moving around a bit more and the swelling in his leg and foot have gone down.

My brother is having to have a unit of blood tonight as his oxygen level won't come up and falls below 88 when they get him up. My sister is staying with him. He's sad that he's not moving along any quicker.

Brayden (great grandson) had a med change after the results of the culture. Not sure what it was.

Thank you again for letting me ramble.  This is soooooooooooooooooooooo therapeutic for me. Maybe I shouldn't be pushing the send button, but oh, well....... I've been doing it so much, I hate to quit now.

I still haven't mastered eating Jello, but I am grateful for having some to spill. God is so good!

Love and Prayers to all!

Suzie

Sunday = Better

It's been a long wonderful day. I got to go to church this morning (Robert babysat his dad) and I got lots of hugs from my sweet church family members (of course....most of them were to be brought to Joel, but hey....a hug's a hug, right?) And what a wonderful message brother Steve brought on God's Sovereignty. And the beautiful song that Stephanie Turner sang reminding us that God IS all we need. If you were there and didn't get a blessing out of that, then your blesser is broke!

I also, got to go see my brother in the hospital. yeaaaaa!!!! He's doing pretty well, considering what all he's been through. He still has a ways to go, but he's getting there. And he said that he will be taking better care of himself from now on. Double yeaaaaaaa!!!  I am so thankful that my sister has been here for him. She is the only one that sees him daily and sits with him during the day. I know that he would love a touch from the outside world.

Brayden, our great grandson, had his surgery this morning. They have a drain tube in his neck now and they cleaned out 3 areas of infection in his neck. He will be in the hospital until Tuesday for sure. Not sure what caused this, but just thankful that they caught it and were able to treat it.

I stopped at HEB and spent about an hour just lolly-gagging around. NICE!!!! All I needed was some cleanser, but did some people watching. Made me realize that I am just a sinner saved by GRACE, but a VERY thankful one!!!!!!! Through all that's happened in the past few weeks, I have learned that praying for people is very therapeutic, especially when it is so obvious that they are in need of the Lord. Then I pray for mirrors and morals. Goodness..... sorry.....there's my tacky side coming out. It's the boredom!, okay?

Now, this is because of people like me who sit and wonder and don't ask and then wish I had and for those who have asked, (thank you) Different ones have asked how we are doing and then take it a bit further and ask about Joel's job & if he's getting paid. Right now, we don't know when he will be able to go back to work and do what he was doing prior to this ( he was doing plumbing ) and I won't be able to go back to substitute teaching for at least another couple of weeks.  Yes, we have medical insurance, no we don't have supplement insurance, or compensation of any sort.  We are fine, though. We had been saving money back to fix up some major foundation problems with our house, so we are thankful that we have that. We may be moving in with one of y'all later, though. HA!!!!  And if there is anyone out there that doesn't know this......(we sure didn't)... your foundation is not covered under most insurance policies and it is VERY VERY expensive to fix.  But this is STUFF and STUFF don't last. Let'er crumble. I've got my husband and he's healing, and I'm thankful. (It's taken me 45 yrs. to get him broke in).

I can't say thank you enough for loving us through all this, letting me vent, listening to my CRAZINESS,  letting me cry when needed, making me laugh when I would think there was nothing to laugh at, just sitting with me, making sure that I took care of me, bringing me food, (if you ever need some extra yummy food, call the Picketts or Larry Krueger), praying for us, hugging us, offers to "babysit", emailing, cards, calls, etc, etc. etc. We are so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, blessed.

And PLEASE....don't hold back on any of these. If I can't get to the phone leave a message. It's nice to know that you tried to call and as far as emails, send them on! Really!  Yes, I'm busy..JUST SITTING AND SITTING AND SITTING, when not looking for something to do. I may not reply back, but I've sure enjoyed getting them.  Please continue to lift us in prayer.

GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME!!!!!!!

Love and Prayers to all!

Suzie

Got It

I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited!  I utilized our son being home and got to run to town to get Joel's med ( YES!!!! I finally got them.......another story.), and then I ran by the Kingsbury Opry, got lots of hugs, and well wishers, and hugs, and smiles, and hugs, and etc, etc. etc. It was wonderful! I got to be with real people that talked and smiled and hugged, and CARED!  I can't help it, between a Joel and the dog, not too much conversation here. I'm thinking even substitute teaching for Kindergarten would be inviting. NOW THAT'S DESPERATE!!!!   I may come to my senses by the time I can start working again. ha!

Now, about the meds. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Long story, short version.... I quit being "nice" and got assertive (to put it lightly). But I gotter done!!! Maybe by the time Monday rolls around I won't be so mad at the nurse that kept telling us that it was being taken care of. This was since Tuesday. Guess I've been removed from their Christmas card list, but, oh, well.....at least Joel has his new asthma med. (no generic, sad!)

I didn't get an update this evening on Bill or my great grandson, Brayden. I will get that tomorrow.  I did hear about my niece, Serenity. She has a problem with her tendons and muscles being underdeveloped and will need therapy to stretch them.  Glad it's something "simple".

Until tomorrow. Good night!
----------
Saturday

Good  Afternoon. I talked to Bill on the phone. Seems to be having an anger issue....but sounded pretty good. I reminded him that he wasn't the only patient there and he'd have to wait on some things.  He'd walked a little in the hall this morning after one of the PT's got him settled down.

My granddaughter called and Brayden was admitted to Santa Rosa Children's hospital yesterday and will be having a procedure to drain a cyst in his neck. He will be there until at least Tuesday on IV antibiotics.  His neck, face and eyes are swollen from the pressure and infection. They aren't sure what caused this.

I think that we are going to get out and just ride around a bit. I am way too emotional this morning, even my dog made me cry and all she did was look at me wanting to play.

I think I need wine not whine.  hee hee

Love all y'all!

Suzie