Blog Archives
Victory Sometimes is Short Lived
As you will see from my two latest poems, our victory celebration of dad coming home from the nursing home did not last as long as I would have liked for it to. But, I’ll still take it!!!!
We are thrilled to have him back, in more ways than just his physical presence! Thank you all for your prayers. Dad is as much back to his old self as possible at the age of 83, lol. Good to have him home!
My Penny is back in the hospital. I’ll go into that more later, I’m still a little too upset right now to expound on it more than that.
My eldest, Shawna, is having her struggles too. She is working harder than she ever has in her life to make a living for her and the kids. I think she is tired and that’s a big part of the depression that is mounting on her right now.
Please say a prayer for them both. I always know that I can count on my cyber-friends to help me lift others up when needed and it means so very much to me.
I have been working tirelessly on my catalog for the holidays and will have a shop open on Etsy, planning on tomorrow or Sunday for the “Grand Opening”, called What’s Up Designs. I will post the link as soon as it’s up and running.
Love, hugs and blessings to you all,
Terri
The Ten Commandments Award
I want to thank Terry for nominating me for this award. You can find her at http://terry1954.wordpress.com/2012/07/01/the-ten-commandments-award.
Terry has become a good friend to me since she started following my blog. Please take a moment to stop by and visit her. She is a wonderful writer, a caregiver to her brother who has Parkinson’s, and an inspiration to all.
The Ten Commandments are from GOD, and are the standards to which we are to hold ourselves. The 10 commands can easily be grouped into two groups — love for God and love for others. These commandments where given to Moses and the Children of Israel in the wilderness after their escape from slavery in Egypt.
Can you imagine how much better our world would be IF all people lived and followed these commandments?
Ten Commandments from the Bible
Exodus 20:3-17. :
1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make unto thee any graven image.
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness.
10. You shall not covet.
RULES: The rules for this award are that you must answer the following ten questions and nominate ten blogs that you think deserve the award.
1. Describe yourself in seven words.- mother hen, loving, silly, lighthearted, serious minded when needed, gentle, leprechaun.
2. What keeps you up at night?- not much – I sleep pretty soundly
3. Whom would you like to be? - I would not change a thing. I am me!
4. What are you wearing now? - a sports bra and shorts (it’s hot in here)
5. What scares you? - losing my parents
6. What are the best and worst things about blogging? - I love all of the wonder people that I have “met” through blogging and I hate letting people down when I’m sick and don’t respond to their comments.
7. What was the last website you looked at? - Terry’s blog for this award.
8. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? - As I said earlier, not a thing.
9. Slankets, yes or no? - Since I don’t know what that is, I’ll say no.
10. Tell us something about the person who nominated you. - I find Terry to be a warm hearted and caring individual who selflessly took on the task of caring for her brother after he became I’ll. She is a good friend to me and a true inspiration, as well as a testimony to the strength of love.
Bonus Question: What is your testimony for Jesus Christ? – Well, most of you already know my story and for those who don’t, I’ll put it in a short synopsis: I have survived; MS, physical/emotional/mental abuse, I am a recovered alcoholic (I can say recovered because it’s been over 20 years now) and a recovering drug addict (meth, cocaine and crack – not long enough yet for me to say “recovered”). God has brought me through it all, even when I purposely ignored Him and thought my life was worthless, He stood right beside me every step of the way. If you’d like more than that, check out my “About Me” page for the details.
Okay, now for my nominations to pass this award on to. In light of the type of award this is, I chose some people that I think of as “people of faith” and who would appreciate this award as much as I did.
Nominations:
1- PrayerPoints by liz
http://prayerpointsbyliz.wordpress.com
2- Jackie Paulson
http://postadaychallenge2011.wordpress.com
3- abichica
http://chicpress.wordpress.com
4- beautifullystated
http://realwalk.wordpress.com
5- tsizzles
http://writersfield.wordpress.com
6- jesusmyjoy
https://jesusmyjoy.wordpress.com/
7- Maria Tatham
http://www.christianfantasyforwomen.com/
8- Autumn Sunshine
http://autumn-sunshine.net/blogs
9- poeticjourney
http://poeticjourney251.wordpress.com
10- Eric Alagan
http://ericalaganfanclub.wordpress.com
That should do it! Thanks again Terry for thinking of me for this one!
Some Family News Sharing Time!
Well, this just doesn’t seem to be our year 
, not only have I been sick most of the Winter, we had: dad in intensive care twice; Penny with the three bypass surgeries, in intensive care once, almost losing both of them ; Mark’s dad admitted to the hospital once; my aunt in Florida died; the whole court thing with Sara that still is final until we go back in June; Sara being bullied at school; Shawna’s near nervous breakdown; and our terriers running off. Now:
A week ago Monday, Mark’s dad received a call from one brother in Florida to tell him their other brother down there passed away. This past Monday he received a call from his Nephew saying that they had found his sister had passed. And he has another brother that they have been expecting to go any day now!
I had called Al the first Monday and talked with him for a little while and, even though they knew it would be coming probably sometime this year, they didn’t expect him to pass on before the one that’s still here, and he was quite saddened.
I didn’t find out about his sister until late Monday night ’cause Mark forgot to tell me, so I called Al on Tuesday and the first thing he said to me was, “I don’t think I want to see another Monday came, EVER! I told him how very sorry I was and we chatted for a few more minutes.
Then Mark comes home from his doctor appointment last evening to inform me that he has to go get an MRI done on his back. He just was referred to a Pain Management Specialist for the pain he has in there from his arthritis.
SOME GOOD NEWS though:
Penny is doing much better. She went in on Monday and had her skin graphs on her leg done but the doctor said he couldn’t get the ones for her groin to take. I don’t know what will happen with that but they can’t leave her with a hole there either. She now has to go to a Pain Mngt. Spec. too for her newly developed fibromyalgia. Still, all in all, she is doing better and happy to be home.
Mom and dad got back from Florida on Sunday evening, hallelujah!! Dad seems to be feeling pretty good. I haven’t got to go over there yet ’cause I’m still not feeling very good and don’t want to expose him to anything.
Well, I think that about covers it for now! Please say a prayer for Al in his time of grief. Thanks everybody!!
Love and hugs,
Terri
A Wednesday Update On Things
*image source: google.com/images
Well, it’s been a while since I gave you a status report. So here goes with the latest new from my household;
1) As you have probably noticed already, I am starting to feel better. My prayer is to stay that way this time and not relapse back into this virus again. Of course, I have now traded for allergies flaring up but I already knew this was going to be a bad season for those with the high pollen counts in our area. I’d rather deal with that than the gut wrenching pain I was in last week!!
2) I talked to mom on Sunday and they are planning on leaving to come home on Saturday. Dad’s doctor appointment is on Friday and barring any unforeseen travel concerns from him, they are more than ready to be back. Dad said last week when I talked to him that if the doctor said to wait longer, he was going to tell him “See ya next year doc!”, lol. That’s my dad.
Seriously, if he was not feeling as good as he is now, he wouldn’t chance it but he’s been doing great since they put the clamps on his ulcer!
3) Penny has been home for 2 or 3 weeks now and doing well. She had to make an appointment to go see a pain management specialist about her foot. The more those nerves are waking up, the worse it hurts her. They didn’t cut her there so we can only surmise that it is from the lack of blood circulation to it that has caused the damage there.
She will go back to Indy on Friday to have some skin graphs done on one of her legs and will be laid up for about a week but her son will come back to stay with her again while she recuperate. All in all the doctor said her wounds are healing very well considering all the infection that was in there.
She also talked to an attorney about this whole mess and what could be done to make sure that other doctor is held responsible for what he did to her.
4) Sara is doing pretty good. Her grades are coming up and she seems in great spirits now that she has a “boyfriend”. I’m not though!!! lol, just kidding. He seems to be a nice enough kid and so we’ll see what happens.
I made her an appointment to start getting some counseling too. Long overdue but I kept forgetting ’cause I was sick. My bad. If her overall demeanor were not so good, I would have taken appropriate action but there has been no “emergency” to it. Even if the court had not ordered it, I would have gotten her in to someone anyway to help her heal some of the scars that she has.
5) Shawna is doing much better now. She has a new job that she is learning and I think she will love it after the initial nervousness wears off.
Okay, I think that should cover everything except for one new development, Mark’s Uncle passed away on Monday (on his father’s side) and one of their other brothers is not doing well either. Please say a prayer for them in their time of grief.
And, as always, thank you, my friends, for all your thoughts and prayers offered for each of these concerns over the last few months!! You are a blessing to me and mine!!!
Love and hugs,
Terri
Thursday’s News Update
We have some things to celebrate today!
1) Dad was released from the hospital again yesterday. Mom took him home but said that he is very weak because he has lost so much weight from the liquid diet he’s been on. The clamps are still holding, praise God, and he is now eating solid food. His mind is still a mess but we are praying that is only a temporary state.
I told her to be sure and watch his stools and appetite closely and if she sees any change, get him back to the hospital right away. I am believing that he will be coming home soon!
2) Mark’s dad was released from the hospital yesterday evening. I’m not sure how I feel about that since they did not determine what had caused the extreme pain he was in and his whole experience with the doctors at that particular hospital was less than encouraging. Should it re-occur, I will suggest they go to the Sister’s of Franciscan Catholic Hospital next time!
3) Penny is doing much better. I had a long conversation with her yesterday, during which we both became tearful. As the discussion progressed from how close she came to dying to what the doctors had told her down at Methodist, I was enraged. I am NOT a person who is suit crazy but told her that she MUST taken action against this doctor up here so that he does not do this to someone else and that she is not responsible to pay for all of these surgeries, hospital bills, and future care that will be required.
The first bypass she had almost 2 months ago was a disaster. The doctor left all kinds of pieces of plastic in her groin. That is what caused the sepsis! And the fact that they never caught it up here with the second surgery is appalling!! Penny is now looking at having to go to a rehab facility for a couple of weeks and then in-home nursing care for a while after that; she has a vacuum pump that she will have to wear for approximately 6 months to suck out the infection; she will be on an IV drip of antibiotics for 6 months and then orally for another 6 months or more until they are 100% sure that all infection is gone from her body.
She is still in a lot of pain from all the incisions on her body but we hope and pray that this is the last time she will have to endure any of this!!!!
I am anxious for her to be home as well as my dad. They only live about 8 blocks from each other, thankfully, and I will be able to check in on them both regularly.
4) My eldest daughter has had a complete turn around in all her trials right now and things are looking up. She was out here with me for most of the day yesterday. We got her online to put in some job applications. Hoping and praying that she will get one of them and have a regular 8-5 job and paycheck to better be able to budget her life while caring for her two children. I am happy to say that she and her ex-husband work well together for the benefit of the kids and pray that it continues.
5) Next is my son’s turn. He and I will be getting together today or tomorrow to talk about how to get his life back on track and find him a good job too so that he can support himself and his son.
I don’t mean to sound like a broken record again, but I do want to be sure to thank you all for the support and prayers that you have been offering up for me, my family and friends!! The power of prayer is evident in this post. Though I know it from personal experience myself, I want you too know it too!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!
All praise, glory and honor be His forever and ever! Amen
Love and blessings to all,
Terri
My Absence – Updates – Praying
Where to start:
1) Mom brought dad home from the hospital today. They will need to stay down in Florida for a couple more weeks until the doctor clears him to come home. Good news, he is eating well and in fair spirits.
2) The principle at Sara’s school did an investigation into her being bullied after I spoke with him this morning. Although the girls denied any involvement, they know he is watching them and they have backed off Sara. Good news.
3) Penny had her second bypass a couple of weeks ago. She was in a lot of pain when I talked to her last Wed. afternoon. I have been trying to call her on and off since and was going to go by there in the morning if I still got no answer. Her younger son answered her phone today and informed me that they took her to the emergency room last night. The new bypass is blocked. They took her down to Methodist Hospital. She will see the specialist down there in the morning. It doesn’t look good beings that her foot is turning purple. PLEASE pray for her!!! Losing her foot/leg was one of her biggest fears when we talked before her last surgery.
4) My eldest is suffering her own minor nervous breakdown right now and I have been trying to help her get some perspective on life and how to get through her current crisis. She said she thought it was pretty bad that at 33 years old she had to come running home to mommy! I told her that’s what I’m here for 
5) I’ve been going back and forth between sleeping a lot to keep up with the toll of the stress and/or being immobilized by it all. Therefore, I have not had the energy to do my blog and don’t know exactly how soon I will be back. It will probably be hit and miss for a little while.
I am sorry to disappoint those who look forward to their daily laughs and promise to try to make it a short absence.
Love to all,
Terri
