Thursday, January 25, 2007

Remember Melissa...




This is the weekend meterologist for our local WBTV channel 3 news station in Charlotte. She and her family desperately is in need of prayer. We first heard of Melissa's cancer in an email from her to my youngest son Jeff, who is a friend of hers. Since then we have read many articles in the Observer about her plight. Melissa has married and she and her husband, Roger, were expecting their first child when they found the tumor.

Had she not gotten pregnant the tumor would not have been found and she would only have lived from 6 to 9 months. She was diagnosed in November with an aggressive and rare cancer that effects only 12 people or so at any given time in the world. Melissa underwent chemo and they were to have taken the baby this past Monday. After doing test and scans last week, they found the tumor had grown and have delayed taking the baby another month. At 8 months chances are much better for the baby. After birth, Melissa will undergo another type of chemo, but her cancer is inoperable and has spread to her liver, intestines and other organs. I think this is one of the saddest situations that I personally have known of. I ask that you good folks put up some prayers for her as only a miracle can she survive. Melissa is 27 years old and very optimistic, as is her husband. She said the baby was kicking as if to say "Go mom, Go." Little Conner will need your prayers as well.

Thank you all for the kind comments and emails about Jerrell. His diabetes was confirmed yesterday when he went to the doctor. Thankfully he is on medication, two different diabetes meds. The hospital will call us concerning the classes we will be attending. The anxiety level has been high with Jerrell this week, but he actually felt better after he knew he had something to help him get his sugar down as it has been so high that we have known of since Sunday night when we went to the ER.

It certainly will be a lifestyle change for both of us. I will eat as he does and I am anxious to attend the classes to understand more about what he can and cannot eat as I am totally lost about this disease. His outlook is positive and we will take a day at a time and do what we have to do to make it a great day in our life. He is back to work today, the first day he has worked since last Thursday. Getting back into a routine I think will help him a great deal, keep his mind occupied with other things.

We have a beautiful sunny day here today. We had a little cold snap, but by weekend we are going back to cold temperatures. Still ain't got a good snow, but I won't give up til the fat lady sings. Which reminds me, is American Idol this year a joke or what? LOL, for those that have possibly watched it, I would like your opinion. I won't go into great detail about this, but I have to lay blame on the parents of some of these kids being allowed to make complete fools of themselves. I would have to sit my son down and just tell'em up front, "son you just ain't got it" and you stay at home and save your money.

Sorry bout the rambling, but that is just about the way the past few weeks have been. If Jerrell's ear does not open and get better when his sugar comes down, we are going to an ENT. Our oldest son sent a PDF file which says diabetes and hearing loss, hearing problems have a connection.

Ok friends that is what is on my mind. Hopefully soon things will be back to normal. Thanks and love to you all...


God Bless!

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

too much, too fast...

The only reason I am posting this early is because I wrote my post last night. :) I did get to bed early and went right off to sleep and here I am. Play like it was yesterday when you read.

I will be the first to tell you that I have been pulled in every direction possible and by every means possible for the last few weeks. It is very hard being sick and having to still do the absolute necessary things in the life of a wife, mother and daughter in law. As you all know Mrs. B is getting really, really bad and with Jerrell being sick with his ear and still no relief, he has had the added stress and burden of seeing that his mom is taken care of as she -in body- is fine, but her mind is getting much worse. He has amazed me for the past three weeks to carry on with such a burden, but as of last night, he apparently had pushed himself to the limit.

We stayed up a bit later than normal last night, to see the completion of the Colts and Patriots AFC championship football game. Just as we started to bed Jerrell began having really, really bad indigestion and other than the word belching, I dunno how to describe it. I lay in the bed listening to something I had never heard before from him when I heard him get out of bed. I was already fixing to get up as I could not go to sleep anyways. We sat and he took this and that and his stomach began to hurt him so bad that he was miserable. The gas was relentless and I tried to get him to walk, hoping for what I have heard called "the walking f****", but no such luck when you really want it to happen.

For over an hour he was in such pain- and also since his heart attack started the same way, he said we needed to go to the ER. We both dressed quickly and forgetting about the possibily of some ice on the roads, I had the pedal to the metal and he did ask me to slow down and stay on my side of the road only two times. Welp, I got'em to the door and ran inside (well walked fast) and toldem what was up and that he needed a wheelchair. Disregard the fact that I could have gotten him in the wheelchair parked there at the door and had him in there til they ever got out to the car. So I hurry and park the car and rush back in and if he ain't still sitting there I ain't Mabel! Not starting off good for Moo.

Finally they take him to room #9- or so they they told me- and I find him in room #5. And beware when you see the doctor on call or duty at midnight with two legs and wearing purple pants! I just knew it was gonna be a long night. I am notorious for telling it like it is and have no qualms about whom I tell it to. So after they did their thing and gave him some oxygen, some morphine and some med for nausea and made a chest x-ray he began to ease off. I'll just choose not to tell all the exciting exchanges tween me and anyone that would listen, other than the " stare down" to breakup the hob nobbing of the doctor, nurse and the doctor's attractive lady friend. Soon it broke the doctor loose so I could run him down the hall calling him the wrong name, which he did not like and I did not care. At 2:00 for the sake of possibly being banned I chose to go home as they were going to take some more blood and another 2 hour wait for the results, I figured I best get outta there, let Jerrell rest and for sure not threaten no bodily harm to anyone. I came on home with plans of going back at 4:00. I cut the tv on and was watching it when the phone rang at 3:30 and it was Jerrell wanting to know if I was coming back. :) I headed out and got him home right at 4:00. Before I left, Dr. Purplelegs did tell us that his EKG was fine, but his blood sugar was high at 431 and he was diabetic, so we were shocked at that, but good to know it wasn't his heart although we still just had to have that second round of blood work for confirmation of that.

I literally could not hold my eyes open at 7:00 this morning so I went to bed and slept until 9:30 and when I got up Jerrell had already been to the doctor, had blood work done and his sugar took and it was still over 200. Either tomorrow or Wednesday when one of the two different bloodworks come in, he will go see whether he will need insulin shots or just the pills. Also we will be going to a diabetes class once a week at the hospital as our menu is changing as I speak. I just gotta know a whole lot more about this than I presently know.

I do have some more news for you, but will share that with you tomorrow. I appreciate you all and I ask on Jerrell's behalf for prayers from you good folks and for me to have the sense and wisdom to learn what I need to know and cook properly cause I do want Jerrell around with me and our family for many years to come. Thanks for all you mean to me. Love you all.

God Bless!

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

here I am...

There has been so much going on in the world that I have been keeping up with, that I have gotten so involved with that I have failed to post here. For us, there is not too much going on at all. Jerrell has been sick 2 weeks today and when he called home this morning he wanted me to call the doctor for him. He went to the doctor last week and has finished up the Z-pak and a round of steriods and he is still got a stopped up ear and is still dizzy.

I called and talked with my favorite nurse and she said she would talk to the doctor and probably call him some more medicine in. We have tried everything but the "urine" thing and although he is desperate, he is not quite that desperate yet. :)

I have been keeping abreast of the news on the two boys found in Missouri, which is just a miracle in itself. I really feel good for Ben, but I am afraid Shawn is going to have a rough road to hoe. Prayers are greatly needed for these young men. Our world has gotten to be a scary place and things goes on way past my wildest imagination.

I have been needing to replace my dutch oven that I had burned beyond repair by being on this pc and not watching what I was cooking, so I saw where Belk had them on sale for half price and with a coupon, an additional 15% off. So with coupon in hand, I head out after lunch on Sunday to get me a pot. Of course the check out girl wouldn't accept my coupon as in all my years of trying to use a "home" coupon, they never ever will take them. Of course I had to ask the checker outter that out of all them coupons that not one was worth a toot on my pot? She began by telling me, see the sign that says "bonus buy", well of course they are excluded. I told her in all my years I never had been able to use one, never ever! It made me feel better just telling her. As I was telling Paulette about this, she said come to think of it, she had never been able to use a coupon in the Home Department there either, so that made me feel a bit better. Jerrell offered to give me the $1.59, but the point was not the money, just the stupid coupon. :)

Well the weather is already cooling off some today. After 70's yesterday, it will drop to the 20's tonight and we shall finally have a bit of winter this week. I am actually looking forward to it and moreso getting it over with and spring getting here. I would like very much to get at least one good snow this year, but time will tell on that.

I have noticed some of the blogs that I read have gone out of business and many others are awol like myself. I just guess everything slows down a bit after the holidays for some of us anyways. I feel like you folks had rather see no post on my blog than an ache and pain and no sleep again post so I have been letting my feelings sorta guide me, as I did not ever want a blog to become a job, but something good, but there are just some days I just don't feel like posting or I just don't have one single thing to tell you folks about.
So if there ain't nothing here, I'll be back and of course should something happen that I couldn't let you know, I would have my good friend Paulette to post and let you folks know.

I appreciate you folks that visit and also the ones that comment. BTW, Beverly I appreciate your comment and I thought about you Sunday night when my son told me that his brother in law was in New Zealand for a meeting! His wife is joining him this week so they will just have a vacation "down under" where you are. Take good care of James and yourself. You and James are in my prayers! OKies I am outta here. Take care and stay safe...


God Bless!

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

OK...



OK, I admit it, I am jealous of Clara . She got snow!!! and....I didn't!!! Too warm here, but you know I walked to the mail box which is just across the street about 4:00 yesterday afternoon and it started sleeting and the sun was out, tho partly cloudy. It sleeted for about 5 minutes, then stopped. Didn't rain a drop all day. I thought that was so weird. To be honest, this whole winter has been outta kilter for most all folks. Guess it hasta do with that global warming I hear folks talking about.

Jerrell ain't no better and usually when he takes predisone it begins to work by the next day and this is day 3 and his ear is still got the vacuum cleaner sound in it and he still has dizzy spells. They washed his ear out at the doctor's office on Monday, so we just don't know what to think. Thank goodness he did hear his alarm clock this morning, cause yesterday morning I had to get him up at 5:00 and I had left my thinking stool at 12:30 and I was not kicking high at all-- all day yesterday. Actually I felt the worst I have in a long time. Thank the good Lord I did get a full good night of sleep last night. I felt so bad yesterday I hardly got out of my recliner and my computer musta thought something was terrrible wrong, but that is just the way it is some days. I am thankful for them all, good or bad, but just didn't feel like blogging at all.

I seem to forget at times I am sick on a good day. I have a computer friend who called the other night again as she is moving to North Carolina from Virginia with her daughter, husband and grandchildren. She is going to be coming on down as they are setting up Hospice to come in and help as they are doing now in Virginia. She wanted me to go down and stay 4 days and nights with her every couple weeks if possible as she cannot be alone. I was caught up in the excitement of her moving, although it is a 3 hour drive from me and for me that would mean at least a 4 hour drive, counting getting lost and tinkle stops. Welp she and I Mapquested the info and got all cited about it. After I hung up, I knew I needed to talk to Jerrell about this, but then I sat there thinking that there is no way I am physically able to do that. I have never been a person to strike out on my own, always a follower, never a leader. I cannot drive 2 hours to see my brother. Neither of us can sleep at home and certainly not away from home. I studied it that night on my stool( I was up til 12:30) knowing my heart and mind wanted to do something that I am just not capable physically of doing, so I have not mentioned it to Jerrell as I just ain't up to no lecture on "have you lost your mind?" :) However, I do have to email my friend and let her know, as she cannot come down til school is out unless she has someone to help her out. Her son in law is a chemist with a company located there and will work 12 hour shifts and be off 3 and on 4(or vice versa) so he could not be there all the time. I get so aggitated when I do things like that and more aggitated that I cannot do the things that I used to do and really, really still want to be do!

Paulette is heading out for the beach again tomorrow. She too, has now turned into a beach bum. Most all my good friends are beach bums. Am I hanging out with the wrong crowd or what? :) Spose to be in the 70's there according to the 5 - day forecast so I do hope the weather is pretty and she enjoys herself. I am glad she was able to retire early and get to do all the things she does. She likes to go on these home tours and flower looking trips that just don't trick my trigger, but I am glad Paulette enjoys pretty much anything and I just couldn't ask for a better and more fun friend. I love her.

I haven't made my blog rounds like I should, so got that to do yet today, so will mosey on for now. Hope all you friends out there have a wonderful and blessed day.


God Bless!

Monday, January 08, 2007

good Monday...

I feel sorta like my friend Gattina might say, I feel like a crump on the floor that just needs to be picked up and thrown into the trash :) I am glad she is back from her vacation and back to blogging some.
Kristi thanks for mentioning my blog in yours. Kristi is one that is always thinking of others and is such a sweet friend to me. She has also started a new blog called My Prayer Journal and it really touched my heart to go there and see my name on the prayer list. Thank you hon.

Welp I gotta sick husband home again today. The Z-pak that he started on Friday has not helped him any at all. In fact, today he was more swimmy headed than he had been. I did not get up until 8:30 and he had already been to the doctor's office, but the doctor had a complete physical to do first thing this morning so Jerrell had to go back later in the morning and be worked in. Since he had a 3 month checkup coming up anyways, they went ahead and did bloodwork, gave him a pneumonia shot, washed his ear out and the doctor put him on some predisone for his ear. This is what Jerrell was thinking he would give him on Friday, as that usually works on about anything.

At least the sun is shining today although the air is a bit cool outside. It is amazing how much better on my back and hips when the sun is shining and when it is raining. Now for some folks, it may not make a bit of difference, but it truly does for me.

I am glad most all of you have by now switched over to the new Blogger although the consensous seems to be: "Why?" It just is not worth the 5 minutes it took and certainly not worth the worry a few of us might have had about the changeover. I am quite disappointed and to me it was a big let down. In this case, the grass certainly was not greener on the other side. :)

I am happy to report that other than Jerrell, my family is all well. Jeff was home yesterday and I talked with Kevin last night and they are all doing real good. I am already looking forward to seeing them in 2007. So I have much to be thankful for already this year!

Welp I need to go and entertain Jerrell. Hope all you good folks have a wonderful day!


God Bless!

Friday, January 05, 2007

not much here...

The new Blogger has been conquered. I no longer have to sign in everytime I want to do something. A minor setting change and to be quite honest, I cannot tell one bit of a difference between the two. In fact, I do not know why they bothered to have anyone switch over to start with.

I just got home from the grocery store. Jerrell did go with me although he is home sick today. He has been sick for a few days with an ear infection. I called the doctor for him on Wednesday and the medicine was not helping, so after becoming dizzy at work this morning, he just got off, went to the doctor's office and they gave him a script for a Z pak, which just about fixes up most anything. I cannot see how just 6 pills can do so much good with infections, they hafta be real potent drugs. He is now in his recliner and watching ESPN while I am in here listening to Court TV as it has been hung on a commercial for the last couple hours. It does that from time to time. Only that channel, I think they need a tweaking.

Glad to have Gattina back from her vacation and I am looking forward to seeing her pictures when she gets them on her blog. And thank you Sandy for posting your recipe. My friend Paulette is definitely going to try it and I can't wait to see how she likes it. Paulette is a great cook and she loves cooking! We are so opposite in many ways but the best of friends. Also, she can make all kinds of desserts that are really good. She is in a cooking frenzy around the holiday season. She is my personal Martha Stewart and is my best friend, I do love her.

Storms are gathering in Georgia with lots of tornado alerts out. Here it is pouring rain and possibly thunderstorms this afternoon so it is rough on the bones today. I did want to get a post on my blog as yesterday I got my haircut and highlited and I was gone several hours and when I got back home, it was time to eat so I just did not have time to post.

I need to get off here and move to the den where Jerrell is, although he may very well be asleep again by now, but that will help him get to feeling better soon, I hope. Have a good day all of you good folks!


God Bless!

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

this could very well be true...

Thanks to my friend Paulette for sending me this and I believe it! I got one thing on my mind today and you folks may can help me. For those of you that have already switched to the new Blogger, do you all know a shortcut or why come when we check the remember me box, that you still hafta sign in every doggone time you wanna do something to your blog? If any of you know, I would appreciate your help. In fact, besides no republish entire blog button, that is the only difference that I see and I do not like it one little bit. Other than that, I do not see any difference worth my time to change have changed over for. Sorta like life, when something ain't broke, then don't fix it. That is just the way it is.

After a very cold night and a heavy frost this morning and me firing Woody up, I am just about to burn up. It hasta be in the 60's at least by now. Dress warm in the mornings and then hafta strip down come evening time. I kinda wish it would get cold enough for me to wear some sweaters that I bought over two years ago or more. But then again, guess it is better on the fuel bills. Oh and btw I thank you all for the suggestions on the cooking and it is a good idea. I do freeze a lot of things - like spaghetti sauce, chili beans and vegetable soup cause when I cook those, I always make a big pot of it. Other than that, I really have not thought about fixing a plate of things and freezing them and then thaw them out and popem in the microwave. Usually we fix Mrs. Bunting a plate when I fix a meal and as a rule we usually eat most of the leftovers. Actually some things are better left over. I like macaroni and cheese when it is first made, whereas Jerrell likes it better left over..too dry, I hafta put some water in it and that takes some of the cheese taste away.

The sun is shining and that makes me feel so much better, spirit wise. Those rainy days do get me down. Wherever you are and whatever the weather is, glad to have you here and take good care and stay safe.


God Bless!

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

2007 here I come...

I am trying to start this year off on the right foot, but I do not make any resolutions as such. I always look back and think of many things I should have done the past year or of some good things that happened, but never go to the dark days. I just won't go there. The way I see it, it is all water under the bridge and nothing can change anything, whether it is good or bad. All I can do is try to be wiser in some things and thankful in all things!

I got Jerrell off to work this morning and 5:00 came awful early for him as he had just gotten into the groove of sleeping in a bit later, although he always beat me up. Neither of us are late sleepers like we were when we were young and younger. I haven't had too much time to miss him, as I was gone for almost 3 hours to just get my eyes checked. I do not recall it taking that long before and I just never will get used to them blowing the air in my eyes. I meant to ask what kinda results they get outta that, but me and the doctor were talking about marriage and flying in airplanes, as he is a pilot. He knows my younger son as he went to him for years. My oldest does not have to wear glasses so I consider him lucky. Jeff had the Lasix surgery done a couple years ago and now has 20/20 vision years later and no dealings with contacts anymore. He started out with glasses, but quickly went to contact lens.

I dunno about ya'll, but I feel so sorry for Mrs. Ford. The poor lady at best is worn t totally out. I know it is all good intentions and means a lot to the family, but this lady must be worn slap out, as I tire just watching her and know how she must would give anything to have a chair to sit down in. I personally think someone that frail should be allowed to sit during all this entirely too long burial for her good husband. It might not be protocol, but Moo would sit down, but then I ain't got the goods of any first Lady I don't reckon.

I just find out that CNN alerts that I get in my email told me a lie and I told that eye doctor the airplane that crashed in Indonesia was found and out of 102 passengers that 12 had been found alive, according to the CNN alert - and now they are saying they have not even found the dog gone plane. I bet that doctor thinks I am a double stooge. Oh well, he ain't too far off, but is a bit embarassing to tell a bold face lie because of CNN of all folks.

I am tired of cooking and dunno what to do. I have never liked cooking like a lot of folks, but went through the motions. We do not like to eat out, cept for maybe once a week and that is more for Mrs. B than for us so don't leave me much choice. I am getting to where I don't really want much and it is very hard to cook a little. Jerrell likes something hot for supper as he has a sandwich or something cold for his lunch. I did fry him some flounder, make some homemade french fries and slaw for supper last night as that is his all time favorite meal. I passed on the peas and cabbage or collard greens. I had planned to have some collards for New Years, but since we have had them a couple times in the past few weeks and he hadn't had no fish, I figured I could make him happier with a fish supper and it worked out to be the best bet for the day. I actually enjoyed them and ate right much myself. He loves my homemade deep fried french fries, but with the steaks on Saturday I did do baked potatoes as it is so much easier and lots easier to time out for all to be done about the same time. And of course I had to burn my hand again on the edge of the frying pan and when it burnt I jerked my hand up and hit my hand on the stove hood and gotta nice knot and bruise on it. Made the burn quit hurting though, I can assure you of that. Jerrell has to laugh at all the things I manage to do, especially when I get up, get off balance and fall either in a chair or on the couch and I just sit there like I planned it all like that.. :)

Oh well, I gotta muster up something for supper. I can say I am happy to have things back to normal! I hate Jerrell had to go back to work, but goodness gracious, somebody hasta work around here. Hope all of you are having sunshine today. The rain and cloudy last couple of days was just before doing me in, but waking to the sunshine put a spark in my feelings. I love the sunshine. God is good.


God Bless!