We're going home to Virginia!

We have made the commitment to move to Fredericksburg to live with Grandma Haren. She and Lisa will share a room and Dad and I will have the other bedroom. There is actually a little more room available than I originally thought, but still most of our things will be going into storage for a while. Why the move? A few of reasons: 1) Grandma needs a live in helper, 2) Dad wants me around more to help him as he becomes more disabled, 3) Lisa would like to be in an area where there is more Special Olympics, and 4) [this must be said in a very deep southern accent] "Ah was bohrn to be a laidy of leeshuh."







There is a two horse barn near the pool in the backyard that Uncle Cale is going to help me fix up as a crafts area. Grandpa's tools are out there and mine will join them. There is also lots of room to store some of our other stuff (ie Christmas decorations, yarns, camping equipment, etc.) Oh, yeah, there is a nice pool in the back yard that has a spa built into it. I plan to enjoy that and try to get Dad to do some aquatic exercises. Uncle Cale and Aunt Diane have a great area set up with exercise equipment and games, they are in the process of building an absolutely awesome library where we will be able to have our books, and they are also fixing up a sewing room that I plan on enjoying. One of my biggest projects is to organize all our photographs and start working on family history. If necessary, I can work at one of the 3 local Fresenius Dialysis Clinics in the area part time.



We'll have snow! Dad is really excited about living in the woods again and the snow stuff and of course having me around all the time.



Dad and I travelled up to visit the weekend of the 28th & 29th and Grandma, Dad, Uncle Cale, Aunt Diane and I each were able to talk out our concerns and expectations. Samson will probably be the biggest problem, but I'm sure we can work that out too. Dad and I are hoping he, Lisa, and I will be able to travel a little more often to visit all of you and you are, of course, welcome to come visit us any time.

A Super Weekend!

April 26, 2008

I had to work the weekend of Frankie's birthday, so we made plans on the following Saturday to get together for lunch. Dad, Lisa, and I met Frank, Tracy, Leah, and Rebekah at the Olive Garden for an early lunch. We had a very nice visit and then went to the model home of the one they are having built. It was really a great house. Leah got a kick out of showing us "her room," it had a chair railing with spring green paint below and bright pink above. The house itself is wonderful and just perfect for them. Part of the highlight of the day was me getting a really cute picture of the two cutest redheads on earth. Rebekah didn't want to cooperate at first, so I got the bonus of Frank being in the picture too. Thanks for a wonderful weekend, Schwartz's.

I'm just full of thoughts going in all directions today. Yesterday a patient "coded" during treatment. We did CPR and sent her via rescue squad to the local hospital, but she didn't make it. She had just been talking and joking with her nurse (not me) and a couple minutes later she stopped breathing and her heart stopped beating. We don't know what happened, there was no warning, she was only 56 years old. It was very sobering. I run through my mind, what could have been done differently, but the answer is "nothing."

We have gone to chairside computers to keep track of patients' treatments. It makes it impossible for people to "cheat" on the vital sign checks they are supposed to be doing every 30 minutes. The P(atient)C(are)T(echnition)s are still trying to make the nurses do all the catheter pts and there just isn't time for us to do that and all the other things we have to do. It really gets to me lately. I am going to have to start writing people up for these things and I hate to start the battle I think it might bring on. Things were so crazy today that I wasn't able to get hardly any of my paper work done. I think once we all get used to the new system it will straighten out. Anyway, now that I've put this down, I feel a little guilty complaining so much.

The Clinical Manager position has opened up in the York Dialysis Clinic (it's on the same road & about 1/4 mile before the York Ward Bldg). I was thinking of applying for the position, but I need to really think of the pros & cons. I wouldn't have to work on Saturdays, as a rule. I would only HAVE to work 40 hours a week, but it is a salaried position so I wouldn't get overtime no matter how many hours I end up working. It would give me some more freedom as far as taking time off, but it would require me to go to seminars and training sessions at times that are out of town and last for several days. I know most of the people who work there already, so I know I can work with them. However they're getting ready to open a nocturnal shift that runs from about 6pm to 4am, and if someone calls out, I would be the one to go in (again, with no extra pay). I almost certainly won't take it, but it gives me something to think about for the future.

On the upside, Dad and I are planning on taking a trip the second weekend in May (that's Mother Day weekend). We had originally planned on taking Lisa and the dog also, but Lisa decided she would rather stay home and take care of the dog here. I think she has been talking to some of the people at church and they are offering to come visit her, take her to lunch, etc., while Dad and I are out of town. I had found a motel that would take pets, but Lisa insists she wants to stay here. Anyway, I plan on visiting Grandma first, then travelling down to Dunn for Jon's graduation and to play with Alex and Jack. I will try to remember to get pictures taken so I can share them with you. So enough of my rambling, I feel better already. I will probably do this more often.

My closing thought comes from a talk by Elder David A Bednar from the Nov.2006 "Ensign":
"One of the greatest indicators of our own spiritual maturity is revealed in how we respond to the weaknesses, the inexperience, and the potentially offensive actions of others. A thing, an event, or an expressions may be offensive, but you and I can choose not to be offended-- and to say with Pahoran, 'it mattereth not.'" (see Alma 60:2 & Alma 61:2, 9)

Looking on the Positive Side

"How to Live Well amid Increasing Evil"

"You have a choice. You can wring your hands and be consumed with concern with the future or choose to use the council the Lord has given to live with peace and happiness in a world awash with evil. If you choose to concentrate on the dark side, this is what you will see. . . . Now the brighter side. Dispite pockets of evil, the world overall is majestically beautiful, filled with many good and sincere people. God has provided a way to live in this world and not be contaminated by the degrading pressures evil agents spread throughout it. You can live a virtuous, productive, righteous life by following the plan of protection created by your Father in Heaven. His plan of happiness."
(Richard G. Scott, Ensign, May 2004)

I read this and it made me feel better about a world where I only hear about all the bad things that are happening in our world. It gives me faith that things will be okay. Hope you enjoy it.
Love, MOM

Just some thoughts, an open letter

I don't know what it is about a blank page, but my mind goes blank when I look at it. I think part of the problem is I worry about what I put in this blog and who will read what I write. I get so much joy from reading you kids' blogs. It helps me feel like I'm not so far away from you. Things here seem like same ol', same ol', and Dad still has his good days and bad days. He can still say something sweet and give me the most tender kiss and I melt all over again. I truly adore your Dad in spite of everything that has happened. He means to be a good man, even if he is completely selfish and self centered sometimes. Try to see past his shortcomings and understand that he really does love each of you very much (including your spouses). If he could he would shower you with gifts, he's just a little short in the praise department. Try to imagine working and playing hard all your life and then suddenly being practically confined to a bed with nothing to do all day. Anyway, just a couple of thoughts. I love you all. -- Mom

My Computer Died

Somehow it seems appropriate. I decide to join the world of bloggers and my computer contracts a worm and dies. I can still play my games at this point, but the internet connection is gone. I never really did very much on my computer, but now that I really care -- it's gone. I called HP to try and get a reboot disc and was told it's so old they not only don't make them anymore, they don't have any available in their old stock. Dad has kindly given me his computer to use. I pray it isn't infected also.
So anyway, I'm madly trying to save any files I can and I just printed out what journal entries I have made over the years. I will sort through them and share any that I feel might be of interest. So now, a moment of silence for my poor old laptop...
That done, I now need you girls to help me out. I need some new ideas for dinners. Dad is tired of the same old thing over and over, so if you have any recipies you'd like to share to help me out it would be very appreciated. Thanks ladies, I love you. MOM

Keeping in Touch

I'm taking the plunge and joining the world of bloggers. I chose this name to show I was keeping in touch with my wonderful children and grandchildren, but the more I ponder it, I think this will also mean keeping in touch with reality and myself. I'm not funny or clever like my daughters and daughters-in-law, but I enjoy reading their blogs so very much I hope they will be able to get something from mine. My wonderful children, this blog will most likely contain many random thoughts about the past and present and since I'm so poor at keeping a journal, this will help me with that also. So here goes, I've always loved swimming and now I'm taking a deep breath, holding my nose, and plunging into the stream of bloggers as I try to keep my head above water. SPLASH!