As I was driving yesterday this word kept coming to my mind, as we are now thinking of this word in connection with our sister. To say that out loud, She has terminal cancer. But as I was driving along, I got to thinking, heck we are all terminal. We were terminal the day we were born. At least this body as we know it now is in a terminal condition. This body is not getting out of here except in death. A rather sobering thought huh?
And what do we do with that knowledge? We blunder along day in and day out, pretending that we will be here forever? We do, you know it as well as I do. We don't ever want to acknowledge that one day we too will be gone.
Then I got to thinking about how we feel about these mortal bodies and how we care for them. Mostly how we don't care for them. We all hate different things about our bodies. Our thighs are too big, boobs not big enough, hair wrong color, too short, too tall, and the list goes on and on.
Then how do we care for this wonderful body we have, and yes it is wonderful even if we don't think we like it. We eat crap that clogs our veins, makes us fat, gives us cancer! We put lethal things into it like drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and way too much food. Then we probably don't exercise and take care of the physical aspect. Then we have the nerve to complain when it isn't working right!! Oh, we should just be ashamed of ourselves.
But we are human and we have weaknesses. Maybe we just need to just sit back from time to time and remind ourselves that we are all terminal and how we spend our remaining time is totally up to each one of us. Wow, just think about that last part. It is our own free will and choice to live our life any way we choose! I wish I had that insight many years ago. I know there are many things I would have chosen differently but since that is all past tense we can only move fore ward, and forgive ourselves because we did the best we could with what we knew at that time. There are many things I would like to see and do, maybe it's not to late.
Thought for the day:: we know from daily life that we exist for other people first of all, for whose smiles and well-being our own happiness depends.
—Albert Einstein
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Brothers and Sisters
Sis no. 1 made it home from the hosp. yesterday. Thurs. Yea, no tubes and seems to be doing OK for now. Hope this lasts awhile. Bad news, the dog that bit her hubby died, no kidding. I could joke about that but I know it is no joking matter to them to loose their little chiwawa.
We were going to have a little cookout at Bro. No 2's home tonight before Bro. No 1 heads home in the morning. But No. 2 is sick with a bad cold so we X'd him off our list of fun places to go to. So Bro. No 1 is headed out to spend some time with Sis before he leaves.
Oh, did I mention that his flight is at 6 AM. I volunteered to take him back to the airport. Lets see he has to be there by 5 AM, and it is about 1 1/2 hr drive. So need to get up at: WHAT!! how did I get myself into this. No wonder Bro. 2 said he would go pick him up last Sat. Yea, he got in at 1 PM!! But guess he is worth it. IT has sure been nice to have him here this week. We have all shared him around and let him be our errand boy too. Hung out with me in my store and looked at computer pictures. Gosh, never did get him over to put up my new ceiling fans for me. And he is an electrician. Silly me.
Thought of the day: How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures? (maybe I should have asked that electrician brother!)
We were going to have a little cookout at Bro. No 2's home tonight before Bro. No 1 heads home in the morning. But No. 2 is sick with a bad cold so we X'd him off our list of fun places to go to. So Bro. No 1 is headed out to spend some time with Sis before he leaves.
Oh, did I mention that his flight is at 6 AM. I volunteered to take him back to the airport. Lets see he has to be there by 5 AM, and it is about 1 1/2 hr drive. So need to get up at: WHAT!! how did I get myself into this. No wonder Bro. 2 said he would go pick him up last Sat. Yea, he got in at 1 PM!! But guess he is worth it. IT has sure been nice to have him here this week. We have all shared him around and let him be our errand boy too. Hung out with me in my store and looked at computer pictures. Gosh, never did get him over to put up my new ceiling fans for me. And he is an electrician. Silly me.
Thought of the day: How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures? (maybe I should have asked that electrician brother!)
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
$4.00 scrip
Well he did get the 4 $ scrip {antibiotic} but forgot to mention that when he was there with the 60$ scrip he had a second one for 20$ He had no idea what it was but he took it. Find out later that it was for Cultirelle, something that keeps you from getting diarrhea when you are on antibiotics! But all is well, I think, Took him for Pizza Tue pm after all the confusion and the brothers had taken him to see his wife.
Sis No 1 seems to be better. Sis no. 2 went up this AM early and they have clamped the GTube and letting her take clear liquids and see what happens. The bowel blockage is partially relieved for now. So maybe she will be able to go home in a day or so and see how she will do.
A "funny" story: When the 3 of us were in the oncology Dr. office he was telling us about the possibility of putting in a PEG tube, {basically a feeding tube, but used to open the end and let the build up of gas in the stomach out, which was a BIG problem at that time} He barely finished telling about that and Sis No 1 in her Jessica Simpson impersonation said "I want one"!! Well we were scheduled to see the dr. about putting on in on Monday but she was already in the hospital by then. I would like to see one put in before she goes home, because I know we will end up with similar problems again before long.
Big Bro. has been spending time with all of us and it has been great to have him here. We had to kick him out to the farm to sleep as he was keeping sis #2 awake with his tickle cough that he has. After his first nite out there he told me it sure was dark out there in the country. Seems our security light had burned out, so called the electric co. to come fix it, since it belongs to them. We just pay a flat fee monthly for the electric and use of their light.
Ok thats it for now.
Sis No 1 seems to be better. Sis no. 2 went up this AM early and they have clamped the GTube and letting her take clear liquids and see what happens. The bowel blockage is partially relieved for now. So maybe she will be able to go home in a day or so and see how she will do.
A "funny" story: When the 3 of us were in the oncology Dr. office he was telling us about the possibility of putting in a PEG tube, {basically a feeding tube, but used to open the end and let the build up of gas in the stomach out, which was a BIG problem at that time} He barely finished telling about that and Sis No 1 in her Jessica Simpson impersonation said "I want one"!! Well we were scheduled to see the dr. about putting on in on Monday but she was already in the hospital by then. I would like to see one put in before she goes home, because I know we will end up with similar problems again before long.
Big Bro. has been spending time with all of us and it has been great to have him here. We had to kick him out to the farm to sleep as he was keeping sis #2 awake with his tickle cough that he has. After his first nite out there he told me it sure was dark out there in the country. Seems our security light had burned out, so called the electric co. to come fix it, since it belongs to them. We just pay a flat fee monthly for the electric and use of their light.
Ok thats it for now.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Things have gone to hell in a handbasket
Where to start?
So much has happened in the last week or so that I want to just make a note here to help me keep track of it all.
First of all, I have two sisters. The oldest will be No. 1 and the other No. 2, I also have two brothers and I will identify them as bro.1 and bro. 2.
On the 8th the 3 of us sisters went together for No. 1's consultation after her testing and we were not surprised to find out that she had a malignant tumor in the abdomen. She has been sick along time and many tests, till she had this one which gave a confirmation. She was told that it is inoperable and that she would be terminal from it. It was decided that she would be put on hospice and she was to get her affairs in order. She is doing a very brave thing. She has done the paper work to donate her body to a medical school in Kansas City.
So we notified her 2 daughters and son, who all live in other states. Also bro. 1 lives in an eastern state. We did do a get-away trip, the 3 sisters to Branson Mo. as mentioned in the prev. post. That was the 13th. and 14th. On the 18th her "kids" arrived and were able to spend 2 days with her. On Fri PM the 19th within an hour after the last one left she got pretty sick and I went to her house and called the hospice nurse. We stayed till things were under control and felt she could rest. Sat. was so so for her, not great but not to bad. Bro. No 1 got here on Sat. Then Sun things got worse and hospice came in the morning, then later in evening a neighbor had to call them again and both of us sisters went too and it was really bad. The pain could not be relieved by any measures that the hospice nurse had so she called the Dr. and we got an ambulance called and took her to the hosp. This was around 9pm. Sis No 2 and I went up together and stayed while they did xrays, gave her "good" stuff to stop the pain and other drugs to try to get her BP down. Got her admitted after midnight. ER Dr. told us she was totally obstructed in her bowel and gave us a pretty poor prognosis. I had Sis #2 go home {she had just been in ER the night before for a bad UTI and really needed to be home in bed} I stayed the nite. Brothers and sis showed up next morning, Monday. Oncology Dr. made rounds and felt we could work on this and try to resolve at least temporary some problems. They gave suppositories, also started a med called lactulose thru her NG tube to help loosen the stool up on the upper side.
Now on Mon late afternoon her husband is in the room and shows her his finger. Find out that one of their little dogs had bitten him a couple days before and just broke the skin good. Well his finger was badly swollen and red streaks going up his arm. So he was to go to Urgent Care on his way home. About 7:30 sis no. 1 got a call from Urgent care, they were concerned about the husband as he was unsteady and was to go to the local hosp to be admitted for IV antibiotics. Sis no 1 had just gotten to sleep but she called me, I am closer to their house, Can't reach him on the phone, so I head out to his home and find him, a little bit confused and I take him to the hosp ER. {Oh, if you are still with me, it just gets better and better}
ER was slam full, {many folks use ER for their family medical needs} So I left him there with inst to have them call me if they don't admit him. Went home, exhausted, went to bed. Guess what? At 11PM the phone rang and I had trouble trying to figure out how to push the right button to answer it! ER said he was ready to be taken home!! My hubby said," stay in bed I will go get him and take him home." He had gotten a shot and sent home with a script. Grrrrrrrr why didn't Urgent care to that?? So I find out about this after I had gone to the hosp where Sis No1 is at 6 AM so I could be there when the Dr. came in. A niece had come in and Sis was doing much better this AM so I left to go help husband of No 1 with his script. I was afraid they had ordered some real expensive RX and there are many Walmart scrips that are only $4.00. So I get there and we decide he will go to his primary Dr. and then go get the scrip filled. Wellllll, he forgot to tell them he needed a 4$ scrip. I get a call, that his scrip is $60. So I tell him to let me call the Dr. and try to get another scrip. By this time I am here at my store.
So that is where we are at this moment. The brothers are headed to pick up the husband to go visit at the hospital and then pick up his scrip. I am crossing my fingers that they followed thru and got him an appropriate scrip. Finger still looked pretty bad this morning. Needs soaked I think but they didn't tell him to do anything, {he says}
Not sure if I left anything out. I probably need to go out to check on him this evening and make him soak his finger and put a dressing on it if the Dr. office didn't. Need to see what kind on instructions they gave him. {ER had sent home a nice pre printed instruction sheet on what to do for a dog bite and the signs and symptoms to watch for.} DUH! A little late for that info!
One more night's sleep and I will be A-OK Ready to face what ever is next.
So much has happened in the last week or so that I want to just make a note here to help me keep track of it all.
First of all, I have two sisters. The oldest will be No. 1 and the other No. 2, I also have two brothers and I will identify them as bro.1 and bro. 2.
On the 8th the 3 of us sisters went together for No. 1's consultation after her testing and we were not surprised to find out that she had a malignant tumor in the abdomen. She has been sick along time and many tests, till she had this one which gave a confirmation. She was told that it is inoperable and that she would be terminal from it. It was decided that she would be put on hospice and she was to get her affairs in order. She is doing a very brave thing. She has done the paper work to donate her body to a medical school in Kansas City.
So we notified her 2 daughters and son, who all live in other states. Also bro. 1 lives in an eastern state. We did do a get-away trip, the 3 sisters to Branson Mo. as mentioned in the prev. post. That was the 13th. and 14th. On the 18th her "kids" arrived and were able to spend 2 days with her. On Fri PM the 19th within an hour after the last one left she got pretty sick and I went to her house and called the hospice nurse. We stayed till things were under control and felt she could rest. Sat. was so so for her, not great but not to bad. Bro. No 1 got here on Sat. Then Sun things got worse and hospice came in the morning, then later in evening a neighbor had to call them again and both of us sisters went too and it was really bad. The pain could not be relieved by any measures that the hospice nurse had so she called the Dr. and we got an ambulance called and took her to the hosp. This was around 9pm. Sis No 2 and I went up together and stayed while they did xrays, gave her "good" stuff to stop the pain and other drugs to try to get her BP down. Got her admitted after midnight. ER Dr. told us she was totally obstructed in her bowel and gave us a pretty poor prognosis. I had Sis #2 go home {she had just been in ER the night before for a bad UTI and really needed to be home in bed} I stayed the nite. Brothers and sis showed up next morning, Monday. Oncology Dr. made rounds and felt we could work on this and try to resolve at least temporary some problems. They gave suppositories, also started a med called lactulose thru her NG tube to help loosen the stool up on the upper side.
Now on Mon late afternoon her husband is in the room and shows her his finger. Find out that one of their little dogs had bitten him a couple days before and just broke the skin good. Well his finger was badly swollen and red streaks going up his arm. So he was to go to Urgent Care on his way home. About 7:30 sis no. 1 got a call from Urgent care, they were concerned about the husband as he was unsteady and was to go to the local hosp to be admitted for IV antibiotics. Sis no 1 had just gotten to sleep but she called me, I am closer to their house, Can't reach him on the phone, so I head out to his home and find him, a little bit confused and I take him to the hosp ER. {Oh, if you are still with me, it just gets better and better}
ER was slam full, {many folks use ER for their family medical needs} So I left him there with inst to have them call me if they don't admit him. Went home, exhausted, went to bed. Guess what? At 11PM the phone rang and I had trouble trying to figure out how to push the right button to answer it! ER said he was ready to be taken home!! My hubby said," stay in bed I will go get him and take him home." He had gotten a shot and sent home with a script. Grrrrrrrr why didn't Urgent care to that?? So I find out about this after I had gone to the hosp where Sis No1 is at 6 AM so I could be there when the Dr. came in. A niece had come in and Sis was doing much better this AM so I left to go help husband of No 1 with his script. I was afraid they had ordered some real expensive RX and there are many Walmart scrips that are only $4.00. So I get there and we decide he will go to his primary Dr. and then go get the scrip filled. Wellllll, he forgot to tell them he needed a 4$ scrip. I get a call, that his scrip is $60. So I tell him to let me call the Dr. and try to get another scrip. By this time I am here at my store.
So that is where we are at this moment. The brothers are headed to pick up the husband to go visit at the hospital and then pick up his scrip. I am crossing my fingers that they followed thru and got him an appropriate scrip. Finger still looked pretty bad this morning. Needs soaked I think but they didn't tell him to do anything, {he says}
Not sure if I left anything out. I probably need to go out to check on him this evening and make him soak his finger and put a dressing on it if the Dr. office didn't. Need to see what kind on instructions they gave him. {ER had sent home a nice pre printed instruction sheet on what to do for a dog bite and the signs and symptoms to watch for.} DUH! A little late for that info!
One more night's sleep and I will be A-OK Ready to face what ever is next.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Girls Gone Wild
This is what happens when you try to take your sisters to a respectable resort for a little sister get-away!!
We had a great time. Took in a show, Pierce Arrow. WOW!! They are awesome. Great music and a bunch of good looking guys to boot.
The comedian was very entertaining, kept us laughing too.
Then Sun AM we went down to the lake front to The Landing, and did a leisure stroll thru the area and had breakfast in old downtown Branson. Had rained 4 inches while we slept so the lake was up and we couldn't go on the walkway on the edge of the lake.
Having lots of family in this week to visit with Sister No. 1. I know she is looking forward to seeing her family.
Quote for the day: May you live all the days of your life. _ Jonathan Swift
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Well, lets see: Got the window repaired in the pickup. Had forgotten that I didn't carry comprehensive on it as it is an older truck, so had to pay $193 out of pocket for the pleasure those boys had in knocking out the window. Hope they are real proud of themselves. Hubby thinks I should park out in the street about 1/2 block away from the store. But I decided I wouldn't be held hostage and feel I couldn't park right behind my store in plain site of all the folks that travel the alley and the local police dept just up the alley. So There!
Had a little scare Sat nite. We stayed out to the farm, been trying to do that a couple nites a week. Anyway, got a call at midnight on my cell. I figured it was the nursing home looking for some help. But it was my sister in law. She said her heart had been racing and skipping for over an hour and thought she should call an ambulance. We told her to unlock her door and sit on the couch till they got their and we were on our way. They kept her in ER for an hour or so and she had another short burst of this arrhythmia. Sent her home with some pills and to follow up with her cardiologist. So far no more incidence but at 83 you never know. We think that she over did it Sat. Was cleaning the window screens with the hose and a long handle brush. You think??
Of course that sounds like something I would do. We always think we can keep doing stuff that we shouldn't.
Thats it for now. Reading Memoirs of a Geisha, very good book if you get a chance to read it.
Waiting the the left over rain from Hurricane Gustov. Supposed to come in tonight and last a couple days. Sure have have had more rain than usual for this time of year. Grass will grow clear up till we get a hard freeze.
Thought for the day: Why do you have to "put your two cents in".... But it's only a "penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going?
Had a little scare Sat nite. We stayed out to the farm, been trying to do that a couple nites a week. Anyway, got a call at midnight on my cell. I figured it was the nursing home looking for some help. But it was my sister in law. She said her heart had been racing and skipping for over an hour and thought she should call an ambulance. We told her to unlock her door and sit on the couch till they got their and we were on our way. They kept her in ER for an hour or so and she had another short burst of this arrhythmia. Sent her home with some pills and to follow up with her cardiologist. So far no more incidence but at 83 you never know. We think that she over did it Sat. Was cleaning the window screens with the hose and a long handle brush. You think??
Of course that sounds like something I would do. We always think we can keep doing stuff that we shouldn't.
Thats it for now. Reading Memoirs of a Geisha, very good book if you get a chance to read it.
Waiting the the left over rain from Hurricane Gustov. Supposed to come in tonight and last a couple days. Sure have have had more rain than usual for this time of year. Grass will grow clear up till we get a hard freeze.
Thought for the day: Why do you have to "put your two cents in".... But it's only a "penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going?
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