Tuesday, October 4, 2011

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

Monday, October 3, 2011

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, October 2, 2011

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

Saturday, October 1, 2011

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

Friday, September 30, 2011

More

I got a call from my sister and the dr. had just left. He doesn't think that Bill has suffered a stroke (THANK YOU LORD!) and all of this is "normal" (my brain just doesn't live in that normal world and for those who know me......no comment is needed, ha!) Bill is apparently having a time coming out of the anesthesia plus the pain meds.

I also got a call from my great niece and she was having to take her 4 month old daughter, Serenity, to the ER with a possible spine problem. She has a bubble on the base of her spine and she screamed when her diaper was being changed. This is something that just cropped up.

Also, my 7 month old great grandson, Brayden, is at the ER with a swollen face and neck. He's been on antibiotics. Not sure what's going on there, either.

My goodness..... I dare not say "what next".

We are still very blessed. Just busy riding the trail of trials. Just wish the "saddle" was a little more comfy for the ride. I understand if you just start deleting my emails, but I need to vent.

Thank you again for listening, the prayers, calls, cards, emails, flowers, plants, food, & donations. It's so nice to have such a circle of precious friends. We love y'all!

Love and Prayers to all!

Suzie

Antsy

GOOD MORNING World,

I better be really good. I wouldn't do well in prison since just this being cooped up really bites.

We are still waiting on the dr. to change Joel's asthma meds. Good grief.....you think that it would be a little more important than what they are moving at.  I guess they are counting on me to remember "911". Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. He's not having an alarming amount of problems, just frustrating that the change would make it easier for him to get the preventive meds further down into his lungs so there isn't an emergency later. Breathing in hurts pretty bad right now.

I've not gotten a report on my brother. This is the timing that Joel went into A-fib, so I'm a little antsy about Bill. The dr. & nurses say that a large percentage of heart surgeries do go into A-fib about the 3rd day from surgery.

PRAYERS NEEDED!!!!

Well, I just got the dreaded call. Bill is back on oxygen, the drs. are ordering a CT scan thinking that a possible stroke has taken place. He's showing several signs. Carol is with him and she is going to stay.  I wish that I could be there, too, but have my hands full here plus I've started with some virtigo. It's not bad, but who knows.....the rate we are going....

PLEASE PLEASE PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!!!!!!!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Bill Day 3 / Joel Day 9

My brother is in his own room now. He stood up this morning, no walking, yet.  He's on semi-solid food and all vitals are good. My sister is sitting with him during the day. She says that he looks remarkably well. I hope to be able to go see him this evening.

Home healthcare nurse came to visit Joel this morning. His leg is swollen a bit, still a little short-winded when he first moves around. She is calling the Dr. to change an asthma med. (Someone needs to work on getting these asthma meds generic. They are ridiculous in price, but very much needed.)  All other vitals look good. She said the incision looks very good. ( I still haven't seen it.....fainter, here.)  His appetite is still picking up better and better. Guess that will give him needed strength.  Speaking of....guess I better go fix a sandwich for him. (lean / low fat turkey)

Thanks for the replies.

Love and Prayers to all!

Suzie