the Gathering

An Announcement

We are pleased to announce
the engagement of
our son Rob & his beloved Amanda.

Rob proposed on Easter morning
using an Easter basket
full of goodies!
He did get down on one knee (awe!).

To Quote:

"I love you more than Gummi Bears!"
*This was heard at the Easter dinner and
may or may not have been during the actual proposal.*
A date is yet to be decided.

When it rains, it pours......

Saturday
We spent Saturday moving Sandra out of the halfway house and into her new home!. It is such a big deal and we are so proud if her for making it through treatment to this stage!
Yeah, I am feeling the move big time!
And luckily, I have nothing to do Sunday but rest!
I call the folks around 10pm. It is a bit late to be calling them, but I had news of Sandra and Lilly's adorable new home.
The folks are already in bed. Dad sounds so odd when he answers I immediately say something to Rand about it. Talking to Mom, Dad is chilled so bad he is shivering. Not running a fever though. I'm very worried about him.

Sunday
It's about 3am or so and Dad attempted to get up. He falls about half out of bed. Mom tries to help him, but Dad only ends up on the floor. She calls little brother (and nurse) Jeff who only lives a few blocks away. Jeff gets Dad in bed. Dad has no limb function and is incoherent. They call 911.

Two ambulances, two firetrucks, and one sheriff later....Dad's blood pressure is approximately 70/40, he is still incoherent, and running a fever of 102.5. They call Life Flight. Unfortunatly they are unable to land in this small town's ball field due to the mud. Our snow is finally melting.
An ambulance races Dad to a hospital. Jeff follows behind with Mom. He never is able to catch up with the ambulance. I have been Jeff's passenger when I have been the emergency and I know how he drives. I find it unreal that he never caught up. That ambulance was booking.

By 6am I finally hear my phone beeping missed call. Mom doesn't call in the middle of the night unless it is an emergency. I call Mom as fast as I can. Dad has had several tests, including a Cat Scan of his head. Chest x-rays show that he has pneumonia. He is regaining function back in his limbs, but is still very incoherent. His blood pressure is up a little, but still very low. They will be admitting him.
I am unable to walk at this time. The move has hit. My gut is telling me I need to wait until Dad is at least put into a room before I push my body to anymore limits. There is nothing I can do. Mom has Jeff and now my other brother Jeff and two nieces with her as well. The ER is very busy and they do not need "guests".
8am and the hospital is filled to capacity. As soon as they can they will move him out of ER.
10am and no room is available yet. Dad is a bit more focused, but his short term memory is still shot.
11:30 am Mom calls. She says there has been an incident involving Dad. I'm sorta praying hard here that he hasn't died.
It seems he was resting more comfortably, so our family went to the waiting area to give him some peace and quiet. At some Dad was awake when a nurse came in and asked if he was hungry. They left him sitting on the edge of his bed alone with his tray. Dad promptly blacks out and lands on his head on the floor. Luckily, he hit his tray on the way down and that noise alerted staff. Otherwise Mom night have found him that way first. She found staff still doctoring his new injuries as it was. He pretty well got scalped a bit and bummed up his left knee and shin.

He earned himself Cat Scan #2 in the same morning.

I, of course, am done waiting. Rand and I head to the hospital instantly upon hearing of dad's injury. BTW it is noon and still Dad is not moved to a room.
Dad's head is hurting so much he doesn't even know his knee is injured.
The most embarrassing part of this for Dad - is when I point out that when his head and knees are on the floor, his ass is in the air and all he is wearing is a hospital gown. And that is how they found him.
All Dad can remember is seeing a lot of feet and people yelling at him to stay down. In his confusion he decides to fight that advice. He took two of them up with him.
Dad's short term memory remains lost while we were there. He has a few more episodes where his blood pressure drops quite low and he suddenly becomes more unresponsive.
2pm Dad should be moved to a room very quickly now.
2:30 Mom finally loses it in the hallway and takes it out on the staff.
Understandable, but I jump in to rescue them when she begins yelling to people being rushed in off the ambulances that they shouldn't come to this hospital. I calm her down and let her know that all ERs suck. Not just this one.
4pm Dad is settled into his room. It was somewhere about here we learn his kidneys are not functioning well.
Almost 12 hours from his ER arrival to a room. Injured in the ER to boot. Health care here is a joke and we're not laughing.
The exhausting is hitting everyone and Dad needs his rest - we all head home.
Sandra and Lilly arrive here. Sandra is very worried about here grandfather.

Monday
Sandra spends the day with her grandpa. I stay with Lilly. Lilly's week long fever seems to have finally broke. By evening Sandra is really trying to hack up a lung.
Dad seems better that morning.
By afternoon is blood pressure is falling rapidly and he is complaining of chest pains. So they add a few more tests to his ever growing list.
I convince Sandra to spend the night for her health's sake. Lilly and I took an ill timed evening nap. In our defense - we really needed it.
I also suggested Lilly stay here. Sandra has been struggling to get caught up with her studies. She missed quite a bit with Lilly's battle with MRSA. Now with her having this chest crap and my dad being sick. Let Lilly stay here. She can rest and get caught up on her studies. If something happens and she is needed here - Lilly is already here.

Tuesday
Sandra was up early and headed back for school.
Miss Lillian and I stayed up until 2am watching videos. We end with Annie. We sleep in late. Eat, shower and dress. Lilly is in a great mood and temperature free since late Sunday, so we head to the hospital.
Lilly knows that Great Grandpa fell and saw the photos I took. Lilly does take dance and tumbling. I explained to her that Great Grandpa was trying to do a "tuck and roll" (somersault) and missed. Lilly said he should have used a mat. Lilly was so concerned over Great Grandpa I figured it would do them both some good to have a visit.
And it did.
Dad was headed down to another long test so we head home.

So far the educated guess is that Dad had a TIA Sunday and a heart episode on Monday.
More to come......

Manners by ThisBearBites

As a spring approaches and everyone wants to go outside a play.
It is time to remind everyone the rules of ThisBearBites' playground:

• nobody keeps score - ever
• everyone who wants to gets to play
  
• no name calling
• everyone has a good time

Should anyone break these rules, the game is over. Should you be the cause of someone's hurt feelings you will be sent home.

Calling all friends and stalkers!

Sandra is moving into her apartment tomorrow. Right now it looks like Rand and I are doing it. All of her things are here. Her furniture. Her dishes and pots and pans. And silverware. Everything she needs to get settled.Even a good portion of Lilly's toys are here.
I have been overdoing all week trying to get everything organized on this end. Right now at this very moment I am in trouble. I can't get my body to do what I want. Like get up. I just want to sleep.
I think I am going to have to use my walking cast. My feet, legs, hips are all on strike. the cast will help one foot.
Willie was supposed to be helping me yesterday. He was here.
He was supposed to be this afternoon as well to help Rand load all the furniture from the garage on to the moving truck. He called sometime in the middle of the night. He was puking his guts out. Doubt if we see him today.
He was also supposed to go up and help unload as well.
Lilly got sick yesterday. She has a virus and running high temps with it.
Shortly after Willie called, Sandra text me. Lilly's temp had shot up to 105.6. I called her right back and insisted she go to the ER right away. Sandra wasn't sounding to good. I'll bet she gets sick today.
I haven't heard from anybody this morning for an update on health. God knows if Willie shared with us. They have the stomach bug going through their workplace.

Come one and all!

I believe all blog for a reason. I have ran across a few who prefer to keep theirs a more private affair, but it rates in the 'very rare ideas' realm and maybe you should just keep it on your hard drive and do be sure to back up!
Most of us are out here screaming, "Look at me! Look at me!". I was visualizing this cry as the small child who calls out to their parent. The more siblings you have the louder the cry must be.
I do nothing but blog about my day, the joy I find in granddaughter Lilly, and add in some family history from time to time. I can offer support to those who need it in the way I handle my Lupus, RSD, Fibro, and etc. on a daily basis.
There is nothing I love more than an audience.
A captive audience is even better.
The trick is in finding the audience.
And out here in blogland, we have a lot of siblings to compete with. Are all my blogs noteworthy? No. But the ones I'm really proud of I want to be sure get their audience. I have a good sense of humor and I know how to use it!
I'm using Buzzfuse.com to accomplish this.
Buzzfuse is there for the biggest advertiser and for the simple blogger. It is a free service to all. You have the option of signing up for their premium service to make money from your newly increased traffic. If your site is a business, that's a win-win situation.
They create the "buzz" for you and the final result is increased traffic to my site.
Business, blogs, photos, song - share your talent with the world!
Nothing I love more than telling a good story, even better - is getting someone to listen!

Old Bear - no new tricks

Today I wiped out.
It's been coming. I have been over-doing for a few weeks now and haven't taken care of myself like I should. My biggest faults are not taking appropriate rest periods and lack of a schedule. I need to take a nap or time out in the middle of everyday. Even my healthy eating have taken a backseat to life lately. I let the pain lead.

Yesterday I decided to deep clean our closet.
The first thing I did wrong was deciding to clean our closet. According to my body this was to be a full day of rest. I even knew that the day before. But I ignored my body and bright and early dumped the contents of the closet all over our home.
After a couple of hours my left foot was screaming for a break. I obliged and sat down with a bottle of water.
A couple of hours later I awoke in the exact same position as if I had just sat down. Water untouched.

Rather then take this as a hint to slow down, I only thought of the lost time and hit the sorting of stuff even harder. A few hours later and again the foot screams (it does has a stress fracture brought on by my Lupus) and I sit. This time I wake in less than an hour, but I am also startled that one again I went right to sleep as soon as I sat down.

By this time I am starting to reload the closet. I get this project done. and I am surrounded in every room by piles that aren't going back into the closet. I decide that this is a good place to take a break. By this time we are pushing onto the supper hour. I sit with the same, yet unfinished, bottle of water and instantly fall asleep again. I awoke with less than an hour before Rand gets home. I transfer piles as fast as I can and and throw some potatoes into the microwave. (We had leftover meatloaf - I do make the best meatloaf of - oh....ever!)

I spend the rest of the night in the too sore to rest mode.
Finally at 4am this morning I get some sleep. When I arise for my 6am meds, I discover I am desperately low and clear out of some. I make a list and go back to bed for a couple of more hours. I take it easy for the morning. Just some light picking up. Really!

I take my noon meds and head to my favorite store to get my needed refills.
On the way there I break down in tears. I realized this is going to be my first visit as a non-employee. I pull myself together and go in.

I decide I don't want to shop in a handicap cart. Bad choice.
I needed to pick up my refills, a few Easter supplies, and new sheets for Lilly's room. I get stopped at sheets. For a very long time. I can't make up my mind. I'm almost in panic mode. I literally come to a brain stop. Part of this new fog I can't shake. I'm not indecisive. I know what I like and what I want. At least I used to.
I end up spending way too long on my feet. I finally pick up a sheet set, of which I am not fond of when I get home. I think I'll keep them anyway. As a reminder to quit trying so hard. It doesn't always make a difference or really matter in the end.

Rand is here when I get home and we settle in for our movie of the week. Which I sleep through half of. Oh well, he enjoyed it.
And he let me sleep through all of the afternoon and most of the evening.
That is going to help my schedule.
I still have a few piles to deal with.
And I'm out of oranges.

Little Red Riding Hood

Breaking away from the toddler world of Lilly, I am amused to to find in one of the economic headlines that Experian is suing LifeLock.

A government monopoly (WOLF), Experian has been plying on our (LITTLE RED) innocence. Experian has an issue with LifeLock (WOODSMAN) who can open our eyes to the truth and protect us.
Experian's issue with LifeLock is not so much as they say; Stepping in where they have no authority. (GRANDMA'S BED)
It's is more like LifeLock is taking Experian revenue. Experian, keeper of our livelihoods (BASKET OF GOODIES), sells our information for profit. (Looks like they are the ones caught in Grandma's bed.) LifeLock stops that.
Experian claims that they can do everything that LifeLock does for free, but the truth is they can't and won't. LifeLock is out to protect our interests, for a profit - they freely admit and we openly pay; whereas Experian is out to exploit for a profit; whereas we are exploited and we get to pay it.

Rand (especially) and I have been the victims of identity theft before.
Rand had a cousin who would regularly use his similar appearance and Rand's name to keep his own record a bit cleaner. Didn't last forever for the ne'er-do-well cousin.
To top that: there is another man in the area that shares the same name as my DH. This other person has a very colorful past, is well known to credit bureaus, law enforcement, and is on the sex offender list.
So, while Rand has innocently been trying to accomplish life - the other individual's past keeps showing up and setting up red flags for us. Only if businesses share why there is a red flag - can we then explain.
We have had our banks accounts tapped into. But banks will blame you for that - our old bank did.
We tried years ago to fix mistakes on our credit records, but it would be easier to potty train the cat. (I've been thinking about trying that with Camper.) I might have better luck with LifeLock.

PEZ

It all started innocently enough almost a year ago with kindly neighbor Chris surprising Miss Lillian with a Minny Mouse PEZ dispenser. And she loved it! And Lilly shared her candy generously but fiercely protected her dispenser. We were able to obtain refills at a neighborhood store and all was well.
Then came Christmas and Miss Lilly received a plethora of PEZ dispensers. Most noticeably from Santa - an entire collection of the Disney princesses. And the supply of PEZ refills seemingly dried up in our area.
This was the first visit that we actually could not provide such a simple treat for her and it was hard for Lilly to understand why not.
This afternoon Rand and I visited several stores and none had PEZ refills. In serious frustration we came home and went to eBay. We ordered an entire box, or 2.9 lbs of PEZ for Lilly.
Now, we are not running out for many months to come!
As a new shirt of Lilly's states: My Grandparents do not spoil me, they are just very accommodating.
For the record her Minnie Mouse dispenser is still a favorite!

Through Lillly's brain

All week everyone has been after Lilly to put put things away.
It is one skill we cannot seem to get taught.
Just a few minutes ago she did it!
I had just read her a flap book that happened to contain cupboards with toys put away.
Minutes later Sandra gave her a soft cookie that seem to disappear too quickly.
Searching for the cookie, we did find it put away in the cupboards.
The cupboards in the flap book.

I bought Lilly a Dora underwear and tank shirt set. She declared the shirt to be her bra. She wore it for a few hours and then put it on my dresser. She has seen Gramma throw hers there a few hundred times and obviously Lilly thinks this is where they go.
Later that evening Lilly came out of my bedroom, carrying my bra, which had made it to the top of the dresser by this time - it was touching me.
So here comes sweet petite little Lilly carrying a bra so long she almost tripping over it, with cups large enough for her to sit in, and ever so innocently asks, "Gramma is this your bra or mine?".
It's so hard for us girls to keep our things apart you know!

Lillie's favorite thing to cook for you in her little kitchen is pickles.

Today Lilly and Anna went to Kidfest accompanied by their mothers. Lilly came home with tattoos covering the length of both arms.

Sickbay

Our home is a virtual sickbay this week.

Lilly's third antibiotic has done the trick. Her MRSA sores are all finally healed and non-oozing. At this point she cannot transfer the disease. The sore on her lip will not leave a scar with time. The smaller outbreaks on her body never opened and are fading. The original sore on her leg will leave a small scar. It did have to be opened and drained surgically by the ER. Currently, it is a hard lump under a bruise about the size of a dime. Considering her whole thigh was involved and this disease was ravaging through her, I am very grateful for her coming through this so well. Her skin is once again soft and smooth.
With thanks again to Soapouri! When in her allergic reaction to antibiotic Lilly was covered in an burning red rash. Her Soaporri soap would do so much to sooth and calm her skin. There is much blamed being placed on not only the over-use of antibiotics and germ fighting soaps. After my umpteenth battle of my own Staph infections I quit using germ fighting soaps. Finding such wonderful soaps that are so pure and beneficial and soothing.....having Lilly scream for me to hurry to get her soap on her skin.....why aren't you using it already?
Rand got a back rub tonight using the body butter and Lilly then demanded her own!
Lilly's mood is slowly improving. Being she is three, this may be as good as it gets.

Sandra had all four wisdom teeth surgically extracted on Monday morning. Rand drove her back to Fort Dodge very early Monday morning for the procedure. Yeah, we had a snow storm going on. Again. Sandra is doing very well. She is having some quality jaw pain, but that is to be expected.
Her worse symptom seems to be hunger.

We have been passing the time with a major movie marathon. I have picked movies for everybody. Rand and I joined our new neighborhood Family Video to give Lilly instant-pick treats. Sorry, you can't do that with Netflix.
I introduced Sandra to Breakfast at Tiffany's.
Lilly has a new friend named Pippi Longstocking.
I have One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest waiting for Rand to have time.
Don't worry, I have As Good As It Gets waiting for me.

I want to apologize to all who have missed my attentions - it has been quite hectic around here and Lilly has been rather demanding!
My computer is acting up, my new videocam isn't working right, and I think my router is giving up the ghost.